ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team is primed and ready to make its 18
th NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday after earning the right to host First and Second Round matchups. The Bombers will be hosting La Roche University at 7:30 p.m. in Ben Light Gymnasium as they look to avenge their Liberty League championship loss.
Also joining Ithaca and La Roche University on the South Hill are Marietta College and Eastern Connecticut State who will play at 5 p.m. The regional final game will be held on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. with the winners of Friday's games squaring off and that winning team will advance to next weekend's Sweet 16 round.
All games will be live streamed through
ICTV.org and live stats will be available
here all weekend long.
MATCHUPS:
Round 1 (March 3, 2023)
Marietta vs. Eastern Connecticut State – 5 p.m.
No. 18/19 Ithaca vs. La Roche – 7:30 p.m.
Round 2 (March 4, 2023)
Game 1 winner vs. game 2 winner – TBA
TICKETS:
$10 - Adults
$7 - Students/Seniors
SCOUTING ITHACA
The Bombers lost two of their last three games but had an outstanding season to date that has seen them as a staple in both the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and the D3hoops.com top-25 polls as they check-in this week at No. 18/19. Ithaca (23-4, 17-1 Liberty League) will look to rely on its usual stingy defense to set the tone as they hold opponents to 49.5 points per game.
Natalie Smith and
Hannah Polce will look to get the offense flowing with Smith averaging 9.0 points and 68 assists, while Polce has knocked down 23 3-pointers this season while averaging 6.9 points per game.
Recently announced Liberty League Player of the Year
Emily Dorn is the Bombers leading scorer with 10.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. The Bombers will also look to utilize the strong post presence of
Lindsey Albertelli who averages 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds and per game this season along with a team-high 32 blocks.
SCOUTING LA ROCHE
La Roche University (20-7) earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament after winning the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championship with a hard-fought 71-70 victory over Penn State Behrend. The matchup will be the first-ever meeting between Ithaca and La Roche as the Red Hawks enter the NCAA Tournament winners of 17-straight.
The Red Hawks are led by senior guard Danajah Sanders, who was just named the AMCC Player of the Year. Sanders has been the leading force all season long, as she led La Roche to their fourth consecutive regular season title and third-straight AMCC Championship. Her 16.9 points per game in conference play were fourth-best in the league, while she also ranked second in steals (37) and fourth in assists (46). The senior shot 35.6% from three-point range and 45.4% from the floor.
Senior guard Machia Hairston, an AMCC first team selection, averaged a double-double for the Red Hawks, as she led the team and ranked second in the AMCC with 10.4 rebounds per game, while also scoring 15.1 points per game. As a team, La Roche average 74.0 points per game, while giving up 58.7 to their opponents.
SCOUTING EASTERN CONNECTICUT STATE
One of 19 at large berths after losing in the championship game of the Little East Conference, Eastern Connecticut State (22-5) will be making their 19
th NCAA Division III Tournament appearance when they square off against Marietta on Friday.
The Warriors are led by senior forward Anna Barry, a two-time LEC Player of the Year and two-time Defensive Player of the Year heading into this year. Barry enters the NCAA tournament averaging 16.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. She has totaled 16 double-doubles this year while adding 74 blocked shots.
Mariah Dunn and Julie Kekler also check in as double-digit scorers averaging 10.6 and 10.3 points apiece, respectively. Similar to the Bombers, Eastern rolled through their conference schedule only losing once to Rhode Island College during the regular season and most recently fell 61-52 in the Little East championship game. The Warriors brought a 13-game winning streak into that game.
SCOUTING MARIETTA
Marietta (20-7, 14-4 OAC) fell in the championship game of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament and received one of 19 at-large bids into the NCAA Tournament field. The Pioneers dropped a 60-45 decision to No. 13 Ohio Northern as they were unable to overcome a slow start and cold shooting in the third quarter.
The Pioneers have a veteran tested roster with seniors Erin Hahn and Devin Hefner leading the way along with junior guard Olivia Gribble. Hahn, a first team All-OAC selection, leads both her team and the OAC in rebounding averaging 9.0 per appearance. Devin Hefner is the second leading scorer netting 9.3 points per game and leads the team in assists with 51. Gribble led the team in scoring averaging 9.5 points per game and ranks third in the OAC in three-point field goals with 47.
