St. Thomas women run the table, headline 2012 MIAC WBB Playoff field
http://miac-online.org/news/2012/2/17/WBB_0217123848.aspx
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Though the six-team field was already set
prior to Saturday's final regular season games, the rest of the
details surrounding the 2012 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs were
settled with Saturday's action, and the final four seeds fell into
place due to the results.
Top-seeded St. Thomas (24-1, 22-0 MIAC) completed a perfect run
through the conference to claim the regular season title, and the
Tommies will enter the postseason on a 24-game winning streak, only
losing their 2012 debut to UW-Stevens Point. Second-seeded Gustavus
(19-6, 17-5 MIAC) also ended the regular season with win Saturday
as both of the top seeds knocked off other MIAC playoff teams. UST
beat Saint Mary's, 64-51, and Gustavus held off Bethel, 70-53, to
put the Cardinals (13-12, 13-9) and Royals (14-11, 12-10) into the
No. 5 and No. 6 spots, respectively.
The other two teams in the field, Concordia (17-8, 15-7 MIAC) and
St. Olaf (17-8, 14-8 MIAC), both won a pair of close games Saturday
to lock up the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, and both have earned the
right to host Tuesday's quarterfinal games. Concordia scored a
narrow home win over Saint Benedict, 63-57, and St. Olaf survived
with a three-point win over rival Carleton (60-57) to head into the
postseason with a little momentum.
That means sixth-seeded Bethel will head north to Moorhead to take
on the Cobbers Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Concordia returns to the field
as the defending MIAC Playoff champion. No. 5 Saint Mary's will
head to Northfield to face the fourth-seeded Oles Tuesday at the
same time, while No. 1 St. Thomas and No. 2 Gustavus rest up to
host the semifinal round, where the Tommies will welcome the
lowest-remaining seed to St. Paul, and the second-lowest remaining
seed will travel to St. Peter to face the Gusties.
The winner of the 2012 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs will
receive the conference's automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Division
III Women's Basketball Tournament. The championship game will be
held, Saturday, Feb. 25, on the home court of the highest remaining
seed. That game is scheduled to tip off at 3 p.m.
To assist fans throughout the playoffs, the MIAC has set up a home
page for the 2012 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs featuring
the teams, seeds, schedules, tiebreaker criteria and more.
Throughout the Playoffs the page will be updated with results,
recaps, links to live videos and live stats and more.
2012 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoff Field
No. 1 - University of St. Thomas (24-1, 22-0 MIAC)
No. 2 - Gustavus Adolphus College (19-6, 17-5 MIAC)
No. 3 - Concordia College (17-8, 15-7 MIAC)
No. 4 - St. Olaf College (17-8, 14-8 MIAC)
No. 5 - Saint Mary's University (13-12, 13-9 MIAC)
No. 6 - Bethel University (14-11, 12-10 MIAC)
2012 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoff Schedule
Quarterfinals: Tuesday, Feb. 21
No. 6 Bethel @ No. 3 Concordia | 7:30 p.m. | Moorhead,
Minn. |
No. 5 Saint Mary's @ No. 4 St. Olaf | 7:30 p.m. | Northfield, Minn.
|
Semifinals: Thursday, Feb. 23
Lowest remaining seed @ No. 1 St. Thomas | 7:30 p.m. | St.
Paul, Minn. |
2nd-lowest remaining seed @ No. 2 Gustavus | 7:30 p.m. | St. Peter,
Minn. |
Championship: Saturday, Feb. 25
Semifinal winners @ highest remaining seed | 3 p.m. |
Location: TBD |
* Playoff champion earns the MIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament
For complete details, visit the 2012 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs page.
