2021-22 Around the Nation columns

February 17, 2022 NCAA Tournament: Inside the numbers This time of year, lots of numbers used in the regional ranking and NCAA Tournament selection process get thrown around. If you don't know what they mean, well, you're not alone. It's not clear what, if anything, some of the numbers mean. Ryan Scott has more.

February 10, 2022 Something other than sports Few Division III athletes have a career playing pro basketball awaiting them, even though we profiled a few a few weeks ago. But D-III basketball players go on to do great things: save lives, work for the president, and represent NBA athletes. Ryan Scott has more on a few of these in Around the Nation.

February 4, 2022 Still running the table There are five unbeaten teams still remaining as we enter the first weekend of February, and the challenge and pressure mounts while teams try to keep it cool. Ryan Scott talks to all of them in Around the Nation.

January 26, 2022 Cramming them in Postponements and reschedules have led to some Division III basketball programs getting all backed up and having to play games on a schedule that even NBA players would balk at. Ryan Scott checks in with a couple of teams cramming games in in Around the Nation.

January 20, 2022 It's not just hiring, it's opportunity The percentage of Black basketball players at the Division III level is the smallest of all three divisions, but it is around 17% for women's basketball, 32% for men's basketball. So why are Black coaches lagging, at just 10%? Ryan Scott digs into it in Around the Nation.

January 11, 2022 Going pro: 10 from D3 who starred It seems that nobody embodies that old NCAA slogan, that most of us go pro in something other than sports, than NCAA Division III. But even then, there are dozens of people who played Division III basketball, went pro, and had successful careers. Ryan Scott whittles it down to the 10 best.

January 6, 2022 Welcome back! If it seems like your team (and everyone else’s) had a longer than usual layoff over the holiday break this year, you’re probably not wrong. So it seems like a good time for a reset. Ryan Scott gets us all caught up.

December 31, 2021 Oh, what a night! The showdown between No. 4 Illinois Wesleyan and No. 1 Yeshiva turned heads and brought eyeballs to Division III, and the camaraderie between the two teams showed off the court as well. Ryan Scott has more in Around the Nation.

December 8, 2021 Early-season learnings Some teams came out of the COVID season with big plans, but found them derailed early. For DeSales, Dubuque, Millikin and Tufts, the first month of the season sent them back to the drawing board. Ryan Scott has more in Around the Nation.

December 1, 2021 Back for an extra year The bonus eligibility allotted to student-athletes who competed during the COVID-shortened season of 2020-21 forced a number of Division III basketball players to make decisions about their future. Some have returned this season, but are also juggling new majors, full-time jobs and more. Ryan Scott has the story in Around the Nation.