In our latest March Madness update, we have further news of the Kiwis involved in the end of season major tournaments in the US.
The big news is that both Charlotte Whittaker (Colorado University) and Ben Gold (Marquette University) are through to the Sweet Sixteen of their respective NCAA Division I National Championships. In addition, the Men’s and Women’s NJCAA (Junior College) National Championship Tournaments with seven New Zealander’s featuring – 5 women and 1 man – will be taking to the court when action begins this week.
NCAA Division I Men’s NCAA National Championship Tournament
Who’s In:
Tall Black Ben Gold and Marquette University defeated Western Kentucky University 87-69 in the opening round of the Championship in Indianapolis, despite trailing by 7 points (53-48) at half-time. Gold scored 8 points as Marquette advanced to the second round, where they beat Colorado University 81-77 to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2013.
Who’s Out:
Fellow Tall Black Taine Murray and the University of Virginia Cavaliers had a short stay at the Tournament, beaten 67-42 by Colorado State University in the First Four (play-in to the First Round) game.
NCAA Division I Women’s NCAA National Championship
Who’s In:
Charlotte Whittaker and Colorado University Buffaloes disposed of Drake University (86-72) in a first-round encounter, before moving on to beat Kansas State University 63-50 in the second round – punching a ticket to the Sweet Sixteen for the second season running. There Colorado will likely meet the number one seeded Iowa University and the prodigious Caitlin Clark – the all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball.
Who’s Out:
Olivia Williams and her University California Irvine team took on Gonzaga University, the Big West Conference champions, in an opening round contest. It was Gonzaga – with Lauren Whittaker sitting on the bench in advance of joining the team next season – that came away with the 75-56 win to move to the second round.
Another opening round match-up saw West Coast Conference champions Portland University Pilots struggle out the gate and fall behind 10-25 in the first quarter against Kansas State University. Emme Shearer scored 8 points as the Pilots rallied, before eventually going down 65-78. Shearer finished the season as the Pilots leading scorer with 410 points at 12.1ppg. In addition her 2.2 steals per game led only the team but also the West Coast Conference.
Breeje Schuler and Eastern Washington University Eagles the Big Sky Conference champions, in just the second visit to the NCAA Tournament, dropped their first-round match up against Oregon State University 51-73. Schuler, in her sophomore season, played 17 games for the Eagles.
Inclusion in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) or Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (BIT) are the two post-conference play Invitation Tournaments that reward teams that had successful seasons but missed out on the Big Dance.
Division I Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT)
Who’s Out:
Leah and Jenna Rose Mafua and the University of Central Arkansas Sugar Bears were one win shy of making a first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament, but received compensation by earning a berth at the WNIT. The Sugar Bears hosted St Louis University in the first round, but despite Leah putting up 12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 blocks they were beaten 61-66.
There was also a double Kiwi presence in the Boise State University Broncos team that met Montana in the opening round, with Kaitlin Burgess and Tall Ferns trialist Dani Bayes on the Broncos roster. Bayes, Auckland-born and Queensland-raised, scored 10 points as the Broncos were bucked 66-92 by Montana University.
Division I Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (BIT)
Who’s In:
Former Junior Tall Fern Tara Manumaleuga and Texas Christian University moved safely through to the second round with a 67-58 victory against the University of North Texas.
Who’s Out:
Kaylee Smiler and her Brigham Young University Cougars team earned selection to compete in the first ever 32-team Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament opening round of the inaugural BIT.
Smiler, New Zealand’s most experienced college basketball player amongst active players, made her 137th NCAA Division I appearance – fourth overall on the NZ all-time list of games played – in the opening round clash with Santa Clara University. In what would turn out to be Kaylee’s final collegiate game, BYU suffered a heart breaking 59-60 defeat – the former Waikato standout finishing with 13 points, 3 steals and 2 blocks in an all-around effort.
Division I Men’s College Basketball Invitational (CBI)
Who’s Out:
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones and University California San Diego Tritons made their Division I postseason debut against Chicago State University in the College Basketball Invitational Tournament but suffered a narrow 75-77 loss in the opening round. Tait-Jones, recently named Big West Conference Newcomer of the Year, scored a team-high 17 points to carry his season’s tally to 456 points; becoming just the 10th Kiwi to score over 400 points in a single season in Men’s NCAA Division I hoops.
NCAA Division II Women
New Zealand’s interest in the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament ended in the Round of 16.
Who’s Out:
Ella Bradley and the University of Texas at Tyler Pilots fell 51-65 to the Texas Women’s University – the second successive year they have exited at the Sweet Sixteen stage. Bradley, the team’s leading rebounder, again filled the stats line with 14 points and 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in the loss. The former Waikato forward was earlier this month named to the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Third Team and also to the LSC All-Academic Team – the first LSC All-Academic Team member in Pilots Women’s Basketball history.
Jessica Moors and Nova Southeastern University were defeated 56-63 by Tampa University. Moors, a former North Harbour representative finished the season with 15 starts in 30 appearances averaging 5.8ppg and 4.1rpg – as well as registering a team-high 55 steals.
Women’s (NJCAA) Junior College
Five Kiwis will contest the Division I Women’s Junior College National Championship Tournament beginning this week.
Who’s In:
Waiata Jennings and Collin College will be the overall 4th seed when the National Champs get underway.
2022 Tall Fern Pania Davis and New Mexico College will be the 8th seed at the tournament and like Collin College get the benefit of a first-round bye.
Dodge City College, with their trio of Kiwis Layla-J Cameron, Shorna Preston and Jyordanna Davey, secured an at-large bid. The 18th seeds will face East Georgia State in the opening round on March 26.
Men’s (NJCAA) Junior College
Who’s In:
Finn Lally will be the only New Zealand representative at the Men’s National Tournament. He and his Trinidad State College team, ranked #20, will take on Odessa College.
