From Washington University Athletics
The No. 6-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team will host the 2017 NCAA Division III Sectional. The Bears will take on No. 13 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the Sectional Semifinal Friday, March 10.
WashU (25-2) and UW-Oshkosh (26-3) will play in the WU Field House while No. 4 Tufts University (27-2) and No. 17 University of Scranton (26-3) will square off in the other Sectional game on Friday. The winners of Friday's contests will duke it out on Saturday with the victor earning a trip to the Final Four in Grand Rapids, Mich. Game times and ticket information will be shared once available.
This is the third time that WashU was selected to host the NCAA Sectionals and the first season since 2010 when the Bears last earned its NCAA Division III leading fifth Championship. The Bears are 4-0 in Sectional games held in St. Louis.
WashU advanced to its 18th NCAA Sectional Semifinal in school history and its third straight with a pair of wins in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament March 3-4 in the WU Field House. WashU defeated St. Norbert College 73-54 in the opening round of the tournament before securing a sectional semifinal berth with an 83-74 win over No. 24 Wheaton (Ill.). With the two victories, WashU improved to 70-25 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
UW-Oshkosh clamped down defensively holding its two opponents to 104 points combined and advanced to the sectional semifinal with a 63-55 first round win over Calvin College before sending No. 11 DePauw University home with a 64-49 victory. The Titans have a 27-12 record in 14 NCAA Tournament appearances including a National Title in 1996. WashU and Oshkosh have met on seven previous occasions as the Bears hold a 4-3 series edge. The Titans won the most recent matchup 72-66 on March 8, 2014 in the NCAA Second Round.
Tufts won its first two NCAA Tournament matchups by 20 or more points. The Jumbos beat St. Joseph's (Maine) College 65-44 in the first round and Husson University 64-44 in the second round. Tufts reached its sixth straight NCAA Tournament and ninth overall in school history with an at-large bid. Tufts is 24-10 in NCAA Tournament play including runner-up status it achieved last year after falling 63-51 in the Championship game to Thomas More. WashU and Tufts have no previous meetings in school history.
Scranton moved on with a pair of wins over University of New England and State University of New York (SUNY) Polytechnic Institute. The Lady Royals narrowly escaped a first round matchup with New England edging the Nor'Easters 49-48 with a last second three-pointer for the win. Scranton followed the one-point win with a 70-65 victory over SUNY Poly. The Lady Royals lead Division III in the number of NCAA Tournament appearances with 30 total, one ahead of WashU's 29 appearances. Scranton is 60-32 with one National Championship in 1985. WashU and Scranton twice faced off in the National Semifinals as the Bears pulled out victories in route to National Titles in 1999 and 2000.