BRUNSWICK, Maine – No. 5 Gustavus women's basketball is one of 16 remaining teams in the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship, heading into the sectional semifinals Friday, March 14, against McMurry (Texas). The Gusties, who have matched the program's farthest NCAA finish already, face the Warhawks at 5 p.m. (4 p.m. CT) at Bowdoin College's Morrell Gymnasium, host of the third and fourth rounds in the top left quadrant of the tournament bracket. 

The Gusties (28-1, 17-1 MIAC) advanced to the "Sweet 16" for the second time in program history (2017-18) via a pair of victories on Gus Young Court last weekend, hosting an NCAA regional in Saint Peter for the first time in program history. Gustavus claimed a 61-49 overtime win over Wisconsin Lutheran Friday before a 56-50 win over No. 12 Wartburg (Iowa) to punch a ticket to Maine. McMurry (23-5, 14-3 SCAC), meanwhile, reached the sectional semifinals with wins over Cal Lutheran and Texas Lutheran last Friday and Saturday in the East Texas Baptist Regional. The other third round match-up features host Bowdoin (Maine) and Smith (Mass.) at 7:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. CT). Friday's winners play at 7:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. CT) Saturday in Brunswick for a chance to advance to the Final Four. 

TICKET INFORMATION

All three NCAA games over the weekend will be played at Morrell Gymnasium on the campus of Bowdoin College. Doors open at 4 p.m., and one ticket will grant admission to both games on Friday. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students, seniors, and children, and free for children under the age of two. Tickets can be purchased here. A new link will be provided for the purchase of Saturday's tickets once the competitors have been determined.

GUSTIES IN THE NCAA POSTSEASON

Friday's game will mark the 17th in NCAA Division III postseason competition for the Gustavus women's basketball team, dating back to the 1991 season. The NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament debuted in 1982 with a 16-team bracket. It was expanded to a 32-team bracket the following year, a 40-team bracket in 1994, and finally a 64-team tournament in 1995. The regional pod format was established in 2006, with the first two rounds of the tournament hosted in four-team regionals at one site. 

The Gusties are 6-10 in NCAA competition, advancing to the second round four times and the sectional semifinals (Sweet 16) twice. The Gusties have made the tournament in each of the three years prior, going now 3-3 in that span. Last season, the Gusties fell in double overtime to Trine (Ind.) in the first round, played on the campus of UW-Oshkosh. The 2017-18 team advanced the farthest prior to the 2024-25 Gusties, winning its first round game against Rose-Hulman (Ind.) before upsetting UW-Whitewater on their home court to advance to the Sweet 16, falling 75-67 to Thomas More (Ky.).  

SERIES HISTORY

Friday's game will be the second on the court between Gustavus and McMurry. The only other meeting occurred in the 2000-01 season, a 70-54 Gustavus victory played at a neutral site in San Antonio, Texas on Nov. 24, 2000. 

Marnie Stenson '02 led the Gusties with a 20-point performance, while Tricia Niebuhr '02 hauled in 16 rebounds. The Gusties shot 45.1 percent against the Warhawks, with the game hosted at Trinity University in Texas. McMurry was led by three players in double digits, including a 10-rebound 13-point double-double from the Warhawks' Nisha Washington. McMurry shot just 33.3 percent in the game, while the Gusties scored 35 in both halves in the victory, which was the 2000-01 season-opener. 

SCOUTING THE GUSTIES

Gustavus is enjoying its best season in program history with a 28-1 record, its fourth consecutive 20-win season, and the most wins in a single year in the program's history. The 28 wins pass the team's 26-3 record from the 2022-23 season.

As a team, the Gusties average 66.9 points per game, holding opponents to just 47.6 points. The Gusties are shooting 43.2 percent as a team from the floor, 31.8 percent from three-point land, and 76.5 percent from the free throw line. Gustavus has shot above 50 percent in four games this season and held opponents to a mark of below 30 percent seven times. 

Emma Kniefel (5th, Medford, Minn.) has led the Gustavus offense all season, averaging 15.4 points per game and shooting 52.0 percent, starting in all 29 of the Gusties' games. Kniefel is the only Gustie averaging double digit scoring. She ranks second on the team in assists (2.8 apg) and steals (1.6 spg), and third in rebounding (4.3 rpg). Syd Hauger (5th, Springfield, Minn.) and Kylie Baranick (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) are next in scoring, each averaging 9.3 points per game. 

Izzy Quick (5th, Maple Grove, Minn.) has led the team's rebounding efforts all season, hauling in 6.3 boards per game, including 2.7 on the offensive end of the court. Baranick has dished out a team-leading 88 assists for an average of 3.0 per game. She also leads the Gusties with a 2.75 assist/turnover ratio and 50 steals for an average of 1.7 per game this season. 

NATIONAL NOTABLES

Through action on March 9, the Gusties are fourth among 418 NCAA Division III programs in winning percentage (.966), fifth in scoring defense (47.6 ppg), 12th in assist/turnover ratio (+1.17) and free throw percentage (.765), 15th in scoring margin (+19.3 ppg), and 20th in turnover margin (+6.93 turnovers forced).

Individually, Kniefel ranks 31st in field goal percentage, shooting 52.0 percent this season. Baranick is one of the nation's assist/turnover ratio leaders, with a mark of 2.75 that ranks third in the country. Baranick's three-point percentage of 42.6 (49-for-115) would rank 14th in the country if she met the qualifying standard of 2.0 threes made per game – she currently averages 1.7. Kniefel's 39.8 percent from beyond the arc would also rank in the top-30.

TOURNEY TIME

The graduating women's basketball class has now (as of March 13) played in six NCAA tournament games since the 2021-22 season. In that span, the Gusties have advanced to the second round twice (2022-23, 2024-25), and have averaged 64.8 points per game compared to opponents' 61.5. Of the 389 points scored in their NCAA appearances, 86.1 percent of those points have been scored by the likes of Kniefel, Baranick, Quick, Hauger, Rachel Kawiecki (Sr., Richfield, Minn.), and Morgan Kelly (Sr., Saint Peter, Minn.). 

The top six has scored 335 total points (of 389 total) in NCAA competition, with Kniefel (17.3 ppg) and Baranick (12.0 ppg) averaging in double figures. Kawiecki has averaged 5.8 rebounds in national tournament games, followed by 5.3 per game for Quick. Baranick has posted an even 3.0 assists through the postseason, while Kawiecki has led in blocks (0.67 bpg), and Kniefel in steals (1.7 spg). All six have shot 42.0 percent or better, led by Kelly's 46.8 percent (22-for-47) and Kawiecki's 45.0 percent (18-for-40).

REGIONAL RECAP

Hosting its first four-team regional in program history, the Gusties gave fans a pair of thrilling games at Gus Young Court in the first and second rounds of the national tournament. The weekend started with the team's second overtime first round game in as many years, taking Wisconsin Lutheran to an extra frame on Friday. A year prior, the Gusties fell in a double-overtime heartbreaker to Trine (Ind.) to end its postseason run. 

Both teams faced shooting woes in the first half, each shooting well below their season averages, but Head Coach Laurie Kelly's defense, which ranks fifth in the NCAA, made the first half difference, forcing 13 turnovers for 11 points and gathering eight steals through the first two frames. 

WLC came out of the locker room with an upset in mind, dominating the paint to out-score the Gusties 16-13 and tie the game at 33 apiece heading into the final quarter. The Warriors led by as many as six, 46-40, with under four minutes to play, but an offensive burst sparked by Kniefel shifted the tides for a 21-3 Gustavus run to end the game. 

With 0:19 on the clock, Kniefel hit a step-back three to tie the score at 47-47 and pour some life back into the Gustie line-up, which made key stops down the stretch to hold WLC without a field goal in the overtime period for the 61-49 final.

Saturday's game wasn't without its excitement, either, as the No. 5 Gusties and No. 12 Knights of Wartburg College exchanged the lead nine times throughout the second round battle.

Trailing by four, 45-41, with 6:19 to play in the fourth quarter, the Gusties finished with a 15-5 run thanks to eight points out of the hands of Kniefel to defeat Wartburg 56-50. Kniefel scored 10 fourth quarter points off a perfect mark from both the floor (3-for-3) and the line (4-for-4). Baranick shifted the momentum and sparked the Gusties' final scoring run, bringing the home team within one of the Wartburg lead with a three-pointer midway through the final frame. 

Wartburg out-scored the Gusties 13-7 in the third quarter, holding Kniefel scoreless and forcing six turnovers for a one-point lead heading into the fourth. But, as they have all season, the Gusties dominated defensively in the final 10 minutes, getting a number of crucial stops, as well as four steals for nine points off Wartburg giveaways to seal the win. Baranick forced a jump ball in the game's final seconds to give the ball back to the Gusties and keep their tournament run alive.

Kniefel averaged an even 20 points between the two games, as well as 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 steals to lead the Gusties. Baranick chipped in 12.0 points per game, alongside 4.0 boards, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 steals behind Kniefel. Hauger played a key role on both ends of the court, hauling in 4.5 rebounds alongside 3.0 steals per game and 9.5 points. 

HIGH FIVE

The Gusties were ranked No. 5 in the last D3hoops.com top 25 released on March 3, with five teams from the region also featured: UW-Oshkosh (No. 11), Wartburg (No. 12), UW-Whitewater (No. 16), UW-Stout (No. 22), and Bethel (No. 23). The No. 5 ranking is the second highest in program history, as the 2023-24 team earned a No. 4 ranking at the end of last year's regular season. The Gusties are ranked No. 6 in the nation according to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and finished at No. 7 in the final NCAA National Power Index (NPI) for Division III women's basketball as the highest ranked team in Region IX.

CLIMBING THE RANKS

The graduating Gustie class has made significant appearances in the Gustavus women's basketball program record books, highlighted this season by Kniefel, who claimed the program's record for most games played in a Gustie uniform on Feb. 15, playing in her 114th against Saint Benedict. She's played in six more games since to further establish her spot at the top of the record book. She additionally moved into the top four of all Gustie scorers, passing now Assistant Coach Angie Peterson Potts '04 HOF '19, Linn Erickson Ahrendt '87 HOF '02, Molly Geske '12, and Miranda Rice '18. She's 27 points behind Bri Monahan '07 HOF '24 in third. Kniefel's 552 career field goals rank fifth in program history, just four behind Monahan and 19 behind Rice in third. She additionally ranks eighth in all-time assists (294), 10th in three-pointers made (104) and steals (191), and 12th in free throws made (231).

Laurie Kelly refers to Baranick as her "floor general," a role the Maple Grove native has held for all of her seasons in a Gustie uniform. The senior guard ranks fifth all-time in program assists, totaling 359 in her career. She's 12 behind that of Janelle Bahn '90. Baranick is 23 points from 1,000, ranking 16th overall with 977 in her career. She's averaged 11.5 in her last two games. She's seventh in three-pointers made (134), just two behind Becca Wold '98 HOF '13 and five behind Geske. She also ranks 14th in steals (178) and 16th in free throws (209). Her 111 games played are the seventh-most in program history, with three of her teammates ahead of her in the top four. 

Kawiecki, meanwhile, is just nine points behind Baranick in scoring with 968 in her career. The Richfield native also ranks 11th in rebounding with 588, 22 behind Kristin Kachelmyer '05 in the top-10. Her 180 assists are also 23rd in program history. She's tied for fourth in all-time games played with 112.  

Hauger ranks 15th in all-time scoring, just seven points away from becoming the 15th member of the 1,000 point club. In 118 career games (second overall), Hauger has made 80 three-pointers, which also ranks 13th in program history. 

IN THE RECORD BOOK

The 2024-25 Gusties are featured in the women's basketball record book on 18 different occasions. The team's current (March 13) 28-1 record is the best in program history to date, with a .966 winning percentage. The 28 wins are also the most in program history. Three times this season the Gusties have shot perfect from the free throw line (at St. Catherine, at Saint Mary's, vs. Saint Mary's), marking the first time in program history that a team has posted more than two games with a perfect percentage from the charity stripe.

Individually, Kniefel's six made three-pointers at UW-Eau Claire on Nov. 10 this season are the third most by a player in a single game in program history. Her 447 points this season are the 12th-most in a single year, tied with Betty Wannarka '83 HOF '03, and two out of the top-10, shared by Erickson and Rice. Her 179 field goals made rank sixth overall, three behind Rice in the top five. Kniefel is 39.8 percent (37-for-92) from three-point land and 52.0 percent (179-for-344) from the floor, marks that rank 23rd and 27th in the record books. Baranick ranks 13th in single season three-pointers made (49) and 14th in three-point percentage (42.6 percent). 

Ella Peters (So., River Falls, Wis.) is a perfect 21-for-21 from the free throw line this season. If she maintains her mark, she'll be the first Gustavus player in program history to post a perfect percentage with a minimum of 20 attempts. Hauger (83.3 percent) and Kawiecki (81.9 percent) rank 20th and 27th in the same statistic. 

MIAC ACCOLADES

Gustavus women's basketball head coach Laurie Kelly (13th season) was named the MIAC Coach of the Year and four Gusties earned All-MIAC honors when the 2024-25 MIAC Women's Basketball Awards were announced on Wednesday, March 5.

In addition to Kelly's award, Baranick, Hauger, Kawiecki, and Kniefel were all awarded All-Conference honors. Baranick, Kawiecki, and Kniefel were also selected to the All-Playoff Team. 

Kelly's Coach of the Year award was her first, and just the third for Gustavus since 1992. Kniefel became the 20th player in conference history to earn four consecutive All-MIAC awards, while Kawiecki and Baranick earned their third, and Hauger her second. Kniefel was also the first player in the history of the MIAC to collect three All-Playoff honors.

COACH K

Laurie Kelly has established herself as the winningest coach in Gustavus women's basketball history, a feat she achieved in the team's season-opener over UW-La Crosse, a 52-49 victory in Eau Claire. Kelly has twice been named a finalist for the WBCA National Coach of the Year Award, both of which came in the last two seasons. This season, Kelly's Gusties became the third program in conference history to win the MIAC Playoff Championship for four consecutive seasons, and also claimed her third consecutive regular season title. 

With Kelly at the helm of the program, the Gusties have gone 254-84 overall (.751) and 183-57 in conference play. In the last four years combined, the Gusties have lost just seven games against conference opponents and have collected four consecutive seasons of 22 wins or more. 

Kelly, a 1993 graduate of the University of St. Thomas, saw plenty of national tournament success as a player, including winning the 1991 NCAA Division III National Championship.

STACKING UP AGAINST THE COMPETITION

Gustavus has played four different teams that advanced to the national tournament during the regular season, going 5-1 overall against NCAA tournament opponents. The Gusties started their season with a 52-49 win over UW-La Crosse, which fell to fellow WIAC competitor UW-Whitewater in the second round last Saturday, 50-49. UW-Stout was next on the agenda for Gustavus, ranked No. 13 in the nation at the time of the regular season match-up. The Gusties prevailed over the Blue Devils, 62-53, who joined the Gusties in the Sweet 16 after upsetting No. 6 Whitman (Wash.) 75-69. Colorado College, which the Gusties defeated 78-72, dropped their first round game to La Crosse. Bethel, co-champions of the MIAC regular season, defeated DePauw (Ind.) before falling to UW-Oshkosh in the second round. Twelve teams ranked in the D3hoops.com top-25 have already been eliminated from the NCAA Tournament. Of the 16 remaining, only two teams weren't ranked by D3hoops.com heading into the tournament: SUNY-Geneseo and McMurry (Texas), the Gusties' Sweet 16 opponent.

DANCIN' LIKE IT'S 2018

Gustavus is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The 2017-18 Gusties went 24-7 overall and 14-4 in the conference, ending the regular season on an eight-game winning streak that extended to 10 with a pair of playoff victories, before falling to St. Thomas in the MIAC title game. The Tommies earned the conference's automatic bid, while the Gusties were awarded an at-large bid alongside Saint Benedict. 

Gustavus topped Rose-Hulman (Ind.), 60-52, in the first round and UW-Whitewater, 74-60, in the second round before coming up short against Thomas More (Ky.), 75-67, in the Sweet 16. The trip to the sectional finals is the furthest the team has ever advanced in the NCAA postseason. 

Miranda Rice and Mikayla Miller '18 scored in double digits in each of the Gusties' three NCAA games, with Rice averaging 20.3 points alongside 8.3 rebounds. Miller averaged an even 20.0 through the tournament, shooting 44.7 percent (21-for-47) and 39.1 percent (9-for-23) from three-point range. 

THE FIELD

The Bowdoin sectional features the host Polar Bears, the Pioneers of Smith College, and the McMurry Warhawks. Bowdoin (29-0, 10-0 NESCAC) advanced to the national tournament for the 22nd time, and 17th since 2000, with a 62-59 victory over Colby College (Maine) in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Playoff Championship. The Polar Bears earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament bracket, and are one of two remaining undefeated teams in Division III women's basketball, joining No. 1 NYU. Smith (28-2, 11-0 NEWMAC) reached the dance by way of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) automatic bid, defeating MIT 79-66 in its conference title game. McMurry (23-5, 14-2 SCAC), meanwhile, was one of 21 at-large bids to the tournament after falling to Trinity (Texas) 65-64 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference semifinals. 

SCOUTING THE WARHAWKS

McMurry's appearance in the 2025 NCAA Tournament is the program's first in 17 years and fifth overall. The Warhawks last national tournament appearance came in the 2007-08 season, when the team went 25-5, earning an automatic bid with a 71-67 win over Trinity in the ASC tournament championship The 2007-08 Warhawks defeated a pair of MIAC schools to open their season, posting a 70-60 win over St. Thomas and a 59-46 victory over St. Olaf. The 2008 Tommies won a share of the MIAC regular season title, and advanced to the NCAA tourney alongside auto-bid Carleton and the Gusties. 

McMurry finished 21-4 in the regular season, the fifth-best program record since 1974. The Warhawks went 11-2 at home at Kimbrell Arena (cap. 2,250), 9-2 on the road, and 3-1 on neutral floor. The team averages 69.9 points per game, holding opponents to 56.6 for a 13.3 margin. McMurry has shot 43.2 percent this season, 32.5 percent from behind the arc, and 70.1 percent from the charity stripe. The Warhawks are averaging 39.3 rebounds, 14.8 assists, and 15.4 turnovers per game. 

Individually, Emily Holland is the team's leading scorer, averaging 14.2 points per game to lead a squad that features two others in double figure scoring. Holland is shooting 43.2 percent (126-for-292) from the floor and 40.3 percent (71-for-176) from three-point range. Her 1.5 steals and 31.3 minutes per game are also both team-leading statistics. Aryana Cleveland has led the team's efforts off the glass, hauling in 6.4 rebounds per game, including 4.4 on the defensive end of the court. The junior forward also averages 10.2 points per game, but leads the team in turnovers (72 total, 2.6 per game). Helana Chadwick has dished out a team-high 68 assists (2.4 per game), while Ashton Garner averages an even 1.0 blocks per game with 28 this season. Kylie Flippin is the second-highest scorer for the Warhawks, posting an average of 12.7 points in 28 games played this season. 

McMURRY NATIONAL NOTABLES

McMurry's highest national statistical ranking is in three-point defense, holding opponents to a mark of just 23.7 percent from beyond the arc, good for 20th overall in NCAA Division III this season. The Warhawks are also 28th in three-pointers per game (7.9), 30th in field goal percentage (.432), and 33rd in winning percentage (.821).

Individually, Holland ranks 22nd in three-point percentage (.403), 23rd in free throw percentage (.860), and 25th in total three-pointers made (71). 

FAMILIAR FOES

McMurry has faced two opponents the Gusties have seen already this season, playing fellow MIAC competitor Saint Mary's early in the season, defeating the Cardinals 64-50 on Dec. 29. Saint Mary's shot just 32.2 percent (19-for-59) compared to McMurry's 42.6 percent (26-for-61). The Warhawks outscored the Cardinals 32-22 in the paint, and added 14 second chance points to SMU's three. McMurry conceded 17 turnovers to the Cardinals, but outrebounded the Winona team 43-31. Gustavus defeated Saint Mary's 71-41 (Jan. 15) and 73-39 (Feb. 5) in conference play this season. 

The Warhawks also faced Colorado College, another NCAA tournament team, on Jan. 19, falling to the Tigers 70-51 in Colorado Springs. The Tigers out-scored McMurry in every quarter, including a margin of 16-7 in the final frame. Holland and Jordan Gillespie each scored 10 for the Warhawks, who shot 35.2 percent (19-for-54) in the game, while the Tigers went 47.4 percent (27-for-57) from the floor, led by Zoe Tomlinson's 34 points. Colorado out-rebounded McMurry 39-29, and scored 19 points off 13 turnovers. The Tigers dominated the point with a 14 point margin, scoring 32 compared to McMurry's 18. Gustavus defeated Colorado College 78-72 on Nov. 25 in Saint Peter.

THEIR LAST ACTON

McMurry defeated fellow SCAC competitor Texas Lutheran Saturday, March 8, to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Texas Lutheran upset East Texas Baptist on its home court, 62-59, the day before. TLU was the SCAC's automatic bid to the tournament, and was swept by McMurry in conference play. 

The Warhawks were out-scored in both the first (20-19) and third (21-14) quarters, but used a 17-11 second frame and edged the Bulldogs by three in the final quarter for the 66-63 final score. McMurry shot 41.1 percent (23-for-56) and held Texas Lutheran to a mark of 31.2 percent (24-for-77). The Warhawks went to the line twice on TLU technical fouls, and made 14-of-18 from the line. The lead changed 15 times in the game, but only two baskets were made in the final 4:01 of the game, including a layup from Gillespie that put the Warhawks up by five, 66-61. 

Holland led the team with a 17-point 10-rebound double-double, with nine of her points coming from three-point range and six at the line. She added a trio of assists, as well. Cleveland and Ashton Garner each scored 11, with Garner shooting 5-for-7 on the night. McMurry collected just two total steals and committed 19 turnovers.   

SCOUTING THE POLAR BEARS

Bowdoin entered the tournament as the highest-ranked team in the NCAA Division III National Power Index (NPI) for women's basketball. The Polar Bears were ranked No. 2 in both the WBCA and D3hoops.com national polls. A perennial tournament team, Bowdoin advanced to the NCAA Elite 8 last season, the Sweet 16 in the cancelled 2020 tournament, and was the national runner-up in both the 2018 and 2019 tournaments. 

Bowdoin averages 67.8 points per game, holding opponents to 48.8 for a margin of 18.9. The Polar Bears have shot 43.8 percent from the floor, 30.9 percent from three-point, and 70.9 percent from the line. On the glass, Bowdoin averages 40.0 rebounds per game with opponents grabbing just 29.7. The team dishes out 14.5 assists per contest while conceding 15.7 turnovers. 

Individually, Sydney Jones leads the Polar Bears in nearly every statistical category, averaging 16.3 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting, including a team-leading 34.8 percent mark from three-point range. Jones is also the team's top rebounder, averaging 6.4 boards per game, and leads with 103 assists (3.6 apg), 44 more than the next player. She's collected 74 steals, as well, for an average of 2.6 per game. 

THEIR LAST ACTION

The Polar Bears reached the Sweet 16 with an NCAA-opening 66-42 victory over Brooklyn College (N.Y.), followed by a 67-54 victory over SUNY-Cortland in the second round. Against the Red Dragons on Saturday, the Polar Bears were out-scored in the third quarter, and won the first and second by just one point, but eliminated Cortland from contention with a 23-10 fourth quarter. Jones led four players in double digits with 17 points, as well as eight rebounds, shooting 50 percent (7-for-14) from the field. 

The Polar Bears shot 41.4 percent (24-for-58), scoring 13 points off turnovers and 15 second chance points. Cortland, meanwhile, was just 35.8 percent (19-for-53) from the field and a mere 4-for-22 from three-point range. 

Cortland tied the game at 44 apiece in the third quarter, but Bowdoin shot 53.3 percent (8-for-15) in the final 10 minutes and made five free throws, as well as out-rebounding the Red Dragons 12-5 to seal the victory on their home court.  

BOWDOIN NATIONAL NOTABLES

Bowdoin and New York University share the lead in Division III winning percentage as the only two teams remaining with perfect undefeated records. THe Polar Bears rank sixth in three-point defense (.226), 11th in scoring defense (48.8 ppg), 15th in rebound margin (+10.2 rpg), 18th in scoring margin (+18.9 ppg), and 22nd in field goal percentage (.438). 

Individually, Sydney Jones ranks 37th in field goals made (184) and 39th in steals (75). 

SCOUTING THE PIONEERS

Smith finished ranked No. 8 in the nation in the final D3hoops.com national polling with a 26-2 overall record and a mark of 11-0 in the NEWMAC. The Pioneers were featured at No. 9 in the WBCA poll and No. 11 in the national NPI.

Smith is shooting 46.1 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three-point range, and 67.8 percent from the line. The Pioneers average 73.9 points per game, holding opponents to 48.4 through games of March 9. The team averages 38.7 rebounds per game, holding opponents to 30.5 off the glass. Smith averages 14.5 assists and 12.7 turnovers per game, as well. 

Individually, Ally Landau leads the Smith squad as one of two players averaging points in double figures, scoring 14.6 per game in 30 games played. Hannah Martin is second with 12.6 points per game. Two other Pioneers are averaging 9.9 per game. Landau is shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range. She averages 6.0 boards per game as the team's leading rebounder, alongside 3.7 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 2.3 steals per contest.

THEIR LAST ACTION

Smith reached the Sweet 16 with a 52-50 win over Amherst in the second round on Saturday, March 8. Smith narrowly edged the Mammoths, who out-scored the Pioneers 14-8 in the final quarter and tied the game at 50 apiece with 13 seconds to play, but a layup from Landau at the buzzer kept the postseason alive for the Pioneers, who advance back to the Sweet 16 for fifth year in a row. Last season, Smith defeated Bowdoin on its home court 52-47 to advance to the NCAA Final Four. The Pioneers finished as national runners-up to No. 1 NYU.

Smith shot 41.2 percent (21-for-51) and 44.4 percent (8-for-18) from three-point in their second round match-up, holding Amherst to 38 percent (19-for-50) shooting and six made three-pointers. Amherst missed some key shots from the line down the stretch, going 6-for-10 on free throws, including missing a pair in the tightly contested fourth quarter. 

Landau finished with a 15-point 11-rebound double-double, shooting 7-for-15 (46.7 percent) with four assists and two steals in the game's most valuable performance. Aside from her buzzer-beating game-winner, her rebounding proved to be the difference maker as Amherst cut back a double digit deficit late in the game. 

SMITH NATIONAL NOTABLES

Nationally, Smith ranks third in the nation (through games of March 9) in scoring margin (+25.6 ppg), fifth in three point percentage (.364), sixth in field goal percentage (.461), seventh in total points (2,218), eighth in winning percentage (.933), and ninth in scoring defense (48.4 ppg). The Pioneers are also 11th in fewest turnovers (12.7 tpg), 16th in field goal defense (.323), and 17th in assist/turnover ratio (+1.14). 

Individually, Ally Landau ranks 19th in assist/turnover ratio with a mark of 2.13. She has the 47th-most assists in Division III with 111.