Yesterday we were able to celebrate with Thomas Webley (Hartford University Hawks) and Tobias Cameron (Abilene Christian University) as they gained automatic entry to the NCAA Men’s Tournament after securing Conference Championships.
Today Akiene-Tera Reed and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) made it a hat-trick of conference titles for Kiwis with the Rams defeating University of Massachusetts 81-69 to take out the Atlantic 10 title.
Having been beaten in the previous two years in the championship game VCU made no mistake on this occasion, claiming a first ever Atlantic 10 Championship and with it a second ever visit to the NCAA Tournament.
Tera was hugely influential again, scoring 12 points (3/6FG, 6/8FT) and adding 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a game high 4 steals. In the process she passed 500 career rebounds to add to 1451 points for VCU.
It’s fitting that the 2018 Tall Fern will cap off a stellar collegiate career with a first appearance at the Big Dance.
The NCAA Division II Championships are already underway. After a fine win yesterday
Will Heather and Dallas Baptist University Patriots came unstuck in their bid to reach the last 16.
The Patriots were defeated by West Texas A&M 82-65. Despite the loss Will put together another fine performance finishing with 15 points on 7 from 8 shooting from the field. The former Rosmini College centre, in his sophomore year, started all 22 game for the Patriots this season finishing with 223 points at 10.1ppg.
In the women’s tournament Tiffin University, with Georgia Perrott-Hunt on their coaching staff, recorded a remarkable victory.
Down 18 points with under 6 minutes to play against Glenville State University, Tiffin outscored their more fancied opponents 24-4 to record an outstanding win and move into the last 16 at the championships.
Tomorrow we will be following the NCAA Division I Women’s Selection Show to see if the likes of Helen Matthews (Wofford College), Tara Manumaleuga (Arizona), Charlisse Leger-Walker and sister Krystal (Washington State) receive an invitation to the Big Dance.
