D3 WBB Daily: December 30, 2023
Welcome to D3 WBB Daily, as I will take a look each morning at the biggest storylines, news, and notables in D3 women’s hoops, getting you up-to-date on what happened the day before, and what is upcoming in the day ahead. I’ve split this breakdown into three parts: “Tipping Off” will include 3-4 main storylines that have stuck out to me, “Fast Breaks” will be quick notes on impressive performances, stats, etc., and “Looking ahead” will feature a couple key games that are on my “must-watch” list in the day ahead. This is in addition to my Top 25 ballot breakdowns and other articles that will continue to be sent your way throughout this season, and should be a more organized, consistent way to share my thoughts/analysis each day.
As I head home from the D3hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas, I’m looking ahead to a huge slate of games today in D3 women’s basketball. And we had no shortage of great matchups yesterday, either. Here are some of my thoughts on how everything played out over the last 24 hours in D3 women’s hoops. Hope everyone is having a great start to the weekend!
Tipping Off
SUNY New Paltz pulls off incredible upset of #3 Christopher Newport
The “win of the day” came in New Jersey on a neutral court, as SUNY New Paltz emerged with a 73-69 win over #3 Christopher Newport. The product of a very uncharacteristic performance from the Captains after a long trip and a late New Paltz scoring run, it marked CNU’s first regular-season loss since Dec. 28, 2019, when the Captains fell to then-No. 1 Tufts, 70-65. And ironically, not only did the losses come on the same day, Dec. 28, but they came at the same gym; on the campus of Stevens Institute of Technology.
With 1:52 left, CNU’s Katy Radar’s layup put the Capains ahead, 69-66. But then came a 7-0 run from New Paltz. Brianna Fitzgerald tied the score on a 3-pointer with 1:15 remaining and she put the Hawks ahead on a free throw with 38 seconds on the clock.
3-point shooting was a significant contributor to New Paltz’s win, as the Hawks shot just 38% from the field, but were 9-of-20 from 3-point range. New Paltz also outrebounded CNU, 51-46, and overcame its 27 turnovers through a consistent and relentless defensive approach.
New Paltz was already on the radar of several Top 25 voters, but losses to NJCU and Ithaca made it tougher for the Hawks to find their way onto the ballots. This victory, and the fact that New Paltz played so well, should put them right back in the mix. Fitzgerald and Jenny Walton each had 20+ points in the win and Fitzgerald also had 11 rebounds for a solid double-double.
23rd-ranked Johns Hopkins is on the rise
There were some question marks entering this season in regards to JHU, but by and large, those have no been put aside. The latest piece of evidence to back that up came on Friday, as the Blue Jays took down #11 Chicago on a neutral court, 88-79. JHU now has a record of 9-1, with its lone loss to #1 NYU, and wins over WashU, Marymount, Gettysburg, and Chicago. Not to mention the Blue Jays are in the midst of an eight-game win streak heading into today’s matchup against Bowdoin. Against Chicago, I think one of the bigger stats was the turnover battle, as JHU forced 20 turnovers and had 21 points from those takeaways. JHU turned the ball over just 13 times and Chicago finished with only nine points off turnovers. I’m really interested to see how today’s matchup unfolds, and with a win, I won’t be surprised if the Blue Jays are in the Top 15 by Monday.
Trinity (TX) displayed balance, efficiency, on offense in big win over Framingham State
The Tigers have taken three losses since the last Top 25 Poll, but having seen them battle a previously-undefeated Framingham State squad in Las Vegas yesterday, it is evident this team still has all of the pieces to win the SCAC and contend in the NCAA Tournament. With Natalie Anderson out, Trinity utilized a balanced offensive attack that saw five different players score in double figures as the Tigers defeated FSU, 83-74. They finished the game with three straight 20+ point quarters and connected on 14 3-pointers in a strong offensive performance that really displayed Trinity’s depth (and I should note that a lack of depth with Anderson out had been my concern these last couple weeks). Credit to Trinity for coming up with the win, as FSU is going to be the top team, most likely, out of the MASCAC, and has been in the Top 25 conversation a bit. One thing I thought the Tigers did especially well was find that perfect pace to keep FSU on its toes, but not wear down their own rotation too quickly or make too many errant passes. Trinity turned the ball over just 11 times, which tied for the Tigers’ fewest turnovers in a game this season. Ultimately, it led to several of those open 3-point attempts, which furthered Trinity’s lead as the game progressed, especially in the third quarter.
Watch out for Denison in the NCAC
The NCAC may feature even more parity this year than was initially expected, as we now have Oberlin, DePauw, Wittenberg, Ohio Wesleyan, and Denison in the mix for the league title. Denison is off to an 8-2 start, just two wins away from tying its total number of victories from last season. The Big Red notably took down PAC favorite Washington & Jefferson on a neutral court yesterday, winning in a 63-60 nailbiter. Denison trailed with under a minute left before Abigail Westmeyer scored on a short-range jumper, putting the Big Red up, 61-60. A key defensive stop and two free throws from Maddie Goodman sealed an impressive non-conference victory, as Denison now holds wins over Carnegie Mellon, Case Western Reserve, and Mount St. Joseph. Considering Denison’s last winning season came in 2019-20, this could be a big year for the program, based on what we’ve seen so far. The NCAC schedule certainly won’t be easy, but after the way Denison played against W&J yesterday, they are very much in the title conversation.
Fast Breaks
» Megan Bealer became the 26th player in DeSales history to surpass the 1,000-point mark, as she scored 24 points in Friday’s 67-55 win over Hamline. Huge accomplishment for her, as she now has 1,015 points in her DeSales career.
» After a 3-5 start and three consecutive losses, Rochester came away with an impactful 60-56 win over Mary Washington in Puerto Rico on Friday morning. It may make Mary Washington’s path to a Pool C bid (should they need it) a little more difficult, but more importantly, it gives Rochester a boost before UAA play tips off next week.
» Sawyer White continues to be outstanding on the defensive end for Illinois Wesleyan. The sophomore guard has 31 steals in IWU’s last five games, including nine in Friday’s win at Hendrix.
» UW-Platteville’s Sarah Mueller had one of the most impressive stat lines of the day in the Pioneers’ 66-63 win over Northwestern (MN). She scored 22 points and pulled down 21 rebounds, 10 of which were on the offensive end, in 31 minutes of action!
» In terms of big fourth quarters, Webster had a very impressive final 10 minutes in an 86-78 win over Centre yesterday, outscoring Centre, 30-16, in the fourth. Webster trailed, 58-56, entering the final quarter, but shot 11-of-20 down the stretch, staying undefeated at 11-0.
Looking Ahead
Bowdoin vs #11 Chicago, 2:00 p.m. ET
#3 Christopher Newport at Stevens, 3:00 p.m. ET
UW-Platteville vs #1 NYU, 4:00 p.m. ET
#17 Trine vs Gettysburg, 4:15 p.m. ET
SUNY New Paltz vs Middlebury, 7:00 p.m. ET
Ripon at UW-Oshkosh, 8:30 p.m. ET