December 9, 2023
Riley Zayas
We’ve arrived at the final big-time slate of games until we reach the final couple days of December. A large number of programs will take a break from games for finals and the holidays after this, so this is the last opportunity we have to see several of these top-tier programs in action for a couple of weeks.
Taking a look at the schedule, 19 members of the D3hoops.com Top 25 are in action today, and we have a number of pretty intriguing matchups, even in games involving one ranked team and one unranked team. So here are a few games that stick out to me on today’s slate, with tip-off times listed in eastern time. and rankings from the D3hoops.com Top 25 listed (when applicable) in front of the team’s name.
Messiah at #22 Mary Washington | 1:00 p.m. | Messiah struggled earlier this week against DeSales, but has a great opportunity to get back in the win column against a talented Mary Washington squad. Led by versatile guard/forward Jordan Carpenter, Mary Washington is 7-1, with the only hiccup having come in an overtime loss to Randolph-Macon. Last Saturday’s 67-60 win over Marymount was a notable victory for the Eagles, but perhaps Messiah would end up being a better quality win when this season is all said and done. Mary Washington still doesn’t have a strong win on its resume up to this point, which is one of the reasons I have not had them on my Top 25 ballot. Messiah will certainly be a good test, and Messiah comes into this game with a 5-2 mark. The Falcons will need a solid defensive effort to pick up a road win here, and they are certainly capable of that. Excited for this one.
Univ. of New England at Bates | 1:00 p.m. | Bates has been really impressive out of the gate, as the Bobcats are 7-1. They struggled against Bowdoin on Monday, but bounced back to edge a good Colby team (who has beaten Babson and MIT), 55-54, on Wednesday. UNE is 6-3, and has been inconsistent throughout those first nine games, with some very favorable wins and a couple of not-so-great losses. So I don’t know what to expect from this one. Interesting factoid for you, though…these two teams have played 10 times since the 2009-10 season…and never has one team won consecutive meetings. Bates won in OT, 86-85, the last time they played in 2018-19, so UNE is a due for a win this time around!
Dickinson at Johns Hopkins | 2:00 p.m. | I had JHU in my Top 25 this past week, and have been really impressed by the Blue Jays’ start to the season, with a 7-1 record and wins over WashU, Marymount, and Gettysburg. But Dickinson has also shown some really good stuff in this early part of the schedule, having battled Elizabethtown well in the season opener, and beaten Muhlenberg (who previously beat DeSales) on the road, 51-44. I know Dickinson didn’t look very good against Gettysburg earlier this week, but don’t count the Red Devils out. They have an effective defensive approach that should challenge JHU a little bit, especially in the opening two quarters.
Ithaca at SUNY New Paltz | 2:00 p.m. | Wanted to quickly mention this one, as it is a Region 3 matchup that could have some interesting regional ranking implications. Head-to-head wins in-region are very valuable, and both Ithaca and New Paltz have an opportunity for a H2H win over the other this afternoon. Ithaca is off to a 6-2 start, but really doesn’t have a top-quality win on its resume yet. And New Paltz is 5-1, with a notable win over Vassar (who beat Ithaca, 76-68, not too long after losing to New Paltz).
#16 Tufts at #1 NYU | 3:00 p.m. | NYU has been pretty much everything we expected the Violets to be, with incredible depth, talent, and significant margins of victory. But Tufts is the toughest opponent NYU has faced as of yet. The Violets dispatched MIT and Johns Hopkins fairly convincingly, so they have that in their favor, but Tufts matches up better against NYU in my opinion. Maggie Russell is fantastic, especially on the offensive end, but Samantha Sousa has really stepped up and is averaging 13.3 points per game right now. Sofia Gonzalez is another strong contributor, and between Sousa and Gonzalez at guard and Russell at forward, NYU will have its hands full on the defensive end. NYU certainly has enough depth to beat pretty much anybody in the country, but All-America transfer Morgan Morrison did not play against Connecticut College last Sunday, so keep an eye on her status. She has the ability to completely change a game, and if she is available, the Violets become even more of a favorite to win this matchup. Really excited to see how this one unfolds!
#9 Millikin at Carroll | 3:00 p.m. | The CCIW is a fantastic league this season, and Millikin has been so impressive, especially offensively, thus far. Led by Elyce Knudsen (27.4 PPG), this is a Millikin team that is really tough to slow down considering the depth and efficiency with which they play. But Carroll took Chicago in OT and competed well with UW-Whitewater earlier in the year, and averages 13.7 steals per game on the defensive end. I wouldn’t count the Pioneers out, though I certainly think Millikin is playing at an incredibly high level right now.
MIT at #13 Trinity (CT) | 3:30 p.m. | Trinity took a tough loss on Thursday to Roger Williams, but the Bantams are back on their home court and have a chance to head into their winter break on a high note. MIT really showed us what it could do against another high-level opponent last week, winning 66-63 at Tufts. That was huge for the Engineers’ overall resume at this point, and the question will be if they can carry that momentum with them on the road again, facing another nationally-ranked opponent. MIT entered this season with the potential for a strong year and is 5-2 at this point. A win over Trinity just might put MIT into the Top 25, but Trinity isn’t going to let that happen easily. Head coach Emily Garner will have her squad ready, and with the experience on this roster, the Bantams know how to win big games. I won’t be surprised if this one comes down to the final minute or so.
Colorado College at #23 Whitman | 7:00 p.m. | For Whitman to stay in the Top 25, this is a must-win game. And Colorado College is the toughest opponent the Blues have faced. This is a game on Whitman’s home court, but Colorado College, as one of the most remote schools in D-III (as far as proximity to other D-III programs goes) is no stranger to winning on the road. The only two losses the Tigers have suffered this season came against NYU and Tufts on a trip to the northeast, and I would expect that those matchups have helped CC identify some of its weaknesses and correct those moving forwards. The Tigers have one of the most effective post players in the country in Zoë Tomlinson (16.6 PPG, 12.3 RPG), which should aid in the effort. Whitman looked really sharp against Schreiner last night, winning in commanding fashion, 90-44. We’ll see if they can carry that momentum into tonight’s matchup. The Blues are 6-1 overall and certainly the frontrunner to claim the NWC title in a very competitive league up in the northwest.
As a quick reminder, you can find the complete schedule for today’s contests (along with links to the live stats/livestreams) on D3hoops.com.