| Sondra Fan and Christopher Newport cut down the nets in Medford, Massachusetts after beating Tufts in the Elite 8. Photo by Michael Last, Christopher Newport University athletics |
The 2023 NCAA Division III women’s basketball semifinals will have a Cinderella story, two undefeated teams, and the first women-only college to make the final four since 2001.
- Sectional final scoreboard: Men | Women
- Updated women's bracket
- More playoff coverage: Men | Women
The first two teams to punch their tickets to the final four did so with a perfect record.
Despite losing two starters to injury, No. 1 Christopher Newport found a way to knock off Tufts, 72-56, and sent the capacity crowd at Cousens Gym home disappointed.
Playing without injured starting forwards Anaya Simmons and Katy Rader, the Captains guards carried the load on offense. Gabbi San Diego, Camille Malagar and Sondra Fan combined for 25 points in the first half and CNU took a 30-25 lead into the locker room. The Captains scored the first seven points of the second half and pushed the lead to 37-25 on San Diego’s floater in the lane. Tufts regrouped and scored the next 12 points, pulling even at 37 on Maggie Russell’s layup.
The game remained close until early in the fourth quarter when the Captains went on a 10-0 capped by Fan drilling a three from the right wing. Tufts briefly rallied within seven at 61-54 before San Diego scored the next nine points, mostly from the foul line, and sealed the victory.
San Diego finished with a career-high 32 points, six assists, and just one turnover for No. 1 Christopher Newport (30-0). Russell scored 18 points for Tufts (24-7), giving her 1,000 points even entering her final season.
No. 2 Transylvania erased any questions about its strength of schedule by taking care of No. 6 New York University, 79-63.
The Pioneers went in front 31-19 with 13-2 run in the second quarter and held a double-digit lead for much of the game. Kennedi Stacy started that spurt with a three-pointer and capped it with a layup as part of her 23-point performance. NYU looked like it might have one more run in them when Caroline Peper’s three pulled the Violets within 58-50. Laken Ball and Dasia Thornton answered with back-to-back layups, and the Pioneers led by double figures the rest of the way.
Thornton had a stellar performance, racking up 22 points and 17 rebounds without committing a foul. Stacy just missed a double-double (23 points, nine rebounds) and Madison Kellione scored 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting for Transylvania (30-0). Peper scored 17 points with five 3-pointers for NYU (25-3).
After dramatic wins in its last two Tournament games, No. 4 Smith had a drama-free victory over No. 20 Trinity (Conn.), 63-46, eliminating the host school for next week’s national semifinals.
Smith seized control by outscoring the Bantams 22-11 in the second quarter on the strength of 8-for-13 shooting and five 3-pointers. The Pioneers took a 35-24 lead into the half and held a multiple-possession lead for much of the second half. Trinity pulled within six at 42-36 with three minutes to play in the third period, but Smith forward Morgan Morrison scored the next six points and the Pioneers were not threatened again.
Less than 24 hours after hitting the game-winning three against Mary Washington, Ali Yamada splashed home six more on Saturday night, scoring 23 points in 31 minutes off the bench for Smith (29-1). Reilly Campbell scored 12 points for Trinity which finishes its season with a program-best 23-6 record.
Smith is the first women-only school to reach the national semifinals since Emmanuel did it in 2001.
The Anchorwomen tied the score at 21 on Madison Medbury’s three at the end of the first half and then RIC scored the first 10 points of the second half. After Babson rallied back within three at 34-31 on Meagan Bauman’s layup, Izabelle Booth nailed a three to push RIC’s lead back to six. The Anchorwomen opened the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run and cruised to victory from there.
Medbury finished with 20 points on 15 shots and Izabelle Booth posted a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) for Rhode Island College (28-3). Kelly Walsh scored 12 points for Babson (26-6).
Rhode Island College carries the rare distinction of making the Final Four as an unranked team, and will face undefeated, top-ranked Christopher Newport in the national semifinals. Transylvania pairs off against Smith in an All-Pioneers semifinal.
This will be Christopher Newport’s third national semifinal appearance and the first for Transylvania, Smith, and Rhode Island College. None of the Final Four teams have won a national championship.