Bentley and Assumption Split Regular Season Title
MANSFIELD, MASS., - The Bentley Falcons, reigning NE10 Women's Basketball Championship victors, will defend their title as the conference's No. 1 seed in this year's bracket when action tips off Friday. Bentley finished 18-4 in the NE10 this year to take the top spot, winning a tie-breaker with Assumption, which also won 18 games in-conference. The two teams split their season series.
The NE10 Women's Basketball Championship begins with four first round matchups at the site of the higher seed on Friday, March 1st. The top four seeds receive a bye to Sunday's quarterfinals. A full schedule of games, including times for the first two rounds, is listed below.
Taking the No. 3 seed is the surprise of the conference this winter. One of the nation's top defenses, Saint Rose went from 11th in the league's preseason poll to a first-round bye. The Golden Knights knocked off Southern New Hampshire, the championship's four seed, in overtime in their final regular season game Tuesday night. The final bye does go to SNHU, which fell in Manchester in the NE10 Championship final in 2023. Both the Knights and Penmen are in search of their first crown.
The bracket played out fairly cleanly, with only two tiebreakers neaded. Bentley edged out Assumption by virtue of its 2-0 record vs. Saint Rose. Franklin Pierce, meanwhile, comes into the postseason having won seven straight and the No. 5 seed, breaking a tie with Southern Connecticut by virtue of the Ravens' win over Bentley.
Overall, the Falcons hope all roads run through Waltham as the winners in eight of the last 12 NE10 Championships. Bentley is 12-2 at home this season. The Greyhounds hope to have a say in the matter, however. Assumption recently toppled Bentley as part of a 12-game winning streak, the longest in the conference this year.
Games for all rounds of the NE10 Women's Basketball Championship will be available on NE10 NOW, the Conference's digital streaming platform, via NE10NOW.tv or by downloading the mobile app. Admission for all rounds of the championship is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and youth, and free for all NE10 students with a valid ID.
First Round – Friday, March 1st:
Game 1: #12 Saint Michael's at #5 Franklin Pierce – 5:30 PM
Game 2: #11 New Haven at #6 Southern Connecticut – 5:00 PM
Game 3: #10 Adelphi at #7 Pace – 5:30 PM
Game 4: #9 Saint Anselm at #8 American International – 6:00 PM
Quarterfinals – Sunday, March 3rd:
Game 5: Game 4 winner at #1 Bentley – 1:30 PM
Game 6: Game 3 winner at #2 Assumption – 1:30 PM
Game 7: Game 2 winner at #3 Saint Rose – 4:00 PM
Game 8: Game 1 winner at #4 Southern New Hampshire – 1:30 PM
Semifinals – Thursday, March 7th (at highest remaining seeds):
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 winner (at highest remaining seed)
Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. Game 3 winner (at highest remaining seed)
Championship – Sunday, March 10th (at highest remaining seed):
Game 11: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner (at highest remaining seed)
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 12 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
