SLIAC Teams Head To Championship

SLIAC Teams Head To Championship

AT A GLANCE
This week a pair of St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference teams prepare for their trip to the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Basketball Championship. Greenville College is headed to St. Louis, Mo. to face Washington University-St. Louis while Westminster College will be traveling to Rock Island, Ill. to face Augustana College.

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME INFORMATION
Game 1: Bluffton vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater, March 4 @5:30 p.m.
Game 2: Greenville at Washington-St. Louis, March 4 @7:30 p.m.
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, March 5 @7:00 p.m.
Media Coverage: LIVE STATS     VIDEO     BRACKET

Women's Championsip Preview

Greenville will be bringing a seven game winning streak into the Championship, having won the program's first ever SLIAC Tournament. The Panthers are 20-7 overall and finished in second place in the SLIAC with a 14-4 record.

The Panthers averaged 68.4 points per game this season while allowing just 55.4 points per game. Their team defensive effort is led by Coley Baker in the middle. Baker, a two-time SLIAC All-Defensive Team member, is sixth in the country in blocked shots this season; averaging 11.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. Guard Taylor Paulin (10.8 ppg) joins Baker as one of four Panthers to average in double figures. Paulin is one of the nation's top outside shots, hitting on 49-percent of her three-point attempts. Missy Deal (11.0 ppg) and Laura Goodnight (10.9 ppg) add to the scoring attack.

WashU will be making the programs 28th trip to the Championship and this is the second year in a row the Bears have hosted the opening rounds of the tournament. The Bears have won five National Championships and are currently ranked #9 in the nation. They are averaging 67.5 points per game and allowing just 55.7 points per game this season. A balanced attack of Amanda Martinez (11.5 ppg) and Natalie Orr (10.0) guides the Bears offense.

Women's Tournament Notes

  • Greenville is making their first ever NCAA Division III Championship appearance.
  • Greenville is 5-5 all-time against Washington-St. Louis, but this is their first meeting against the Bears since 1990.
  • Washington-St. Louis has already played two SLIAC teams earlier this season; defeating Westminster College in their season opener and then taking down Fontbonne University.
  • This is the second straight year a SLIAC team will face Washington-St. Louis in the opening round and the third time overall. Spalding lost to the Bears last year while Webster fell in the opening round to the Bears in 2005.

MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME INFORMATION
Game 1: Mount St. Joseph vs. Hope, March 4 @5:30 p.m.
Game 2: Westminster at Augustana, March 4 @7:30 p.m.
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 and Winner of Game 2, March 5 @7:00 p.m.
Media Coverage: LIVE STATS     VIDEO    BRACKET

Men's Championship Preview
Westminster College put together a strong weekend when they need it, winning two games in the SLIAC Tournament last weekend to capture the SLIAC's automatic bid to the National Championship. The Blue Jays come into this game with a 12-15 overall record, finishing in a four way tie for third place in the SLIAC regular season.

Westminster averaged 72.5 points per game on offense this season but make their mark by limiting turnovers and playing defense. The Blue Jays commit just 13.8 turnovers per game and take away their opponents outside shooting, holding them to just 37-percent. Nick Carlos and Romo Tabb give the Blue Jays a strong one-two combo. Carlos is a size mismatch as a 6'7" forward with range. He averaged 13.8 points per game while shooting 42-percent from three-point range. He knocked down a combined nine three's in his two tournament games last weekend. Tabb is an athletic forward that averaged 12.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 50-percent from the floor this season.

The Blue Jays first-round opponent is top-ranked Augustana College. Augustana, 26-1 overall this season, is averaging 79.6 points per game this season while holding opponents to just 62.6 points per game. Ben Ryan and Hunter Hill are the go-to players for the Vikings. Ryan is averaging 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while Hill is averaging 14.0 points and shoots 41-percent from the three-point line.

Men's Tournament Notes

  • Westminster will be making their fourth appearance in the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship.
  • This is the first meeting in program history for Westminster and Augustana.
  • This will be the third time a SLIAC team has gone up against Augustana this year with Augustana picking up wins over Fontbonne and MacMurray.