Women’s Basketball Earns Hosting Rights; Draws RIT in NCAA First Round

02/27/17

Contributed by Justin Lutes

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women’s basketball team (24-3) has earned the right to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III Championship and will play Rochester Institute of Technology (19-8) inside Ben Light Gymnasium on Friday, March 3. Bowdoin College (21-4) and SUNY New Paltz (18-8) will also travel to Ithaca for the four-team regional. The winners of the two contests will play on Saturday, March 4.

GAME TIMES:
Friday, March 3 - Bowdoin vs. New Paltz - 5 p.m.
Friday, March 3 - Ithaca vs. RIT - 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 4 - First Round Winners - 5 p.m.

TICKET PRICES:
$7 for adults
$4 for youth, students and senior citizens
(IC students, faculty and staff are admitted for FREE with school ID - provided by the athletic department)

 ITHACA VS. REGIONAL FIELD: Ithaca went 1-0 against the regional pod this season, as it only played New Paltz and defeated the Hawks, 78-50, on January 10. The Bombers did, however, travel to Bowdoin during the 2014-15 season for the NCAA Tournament and fell to the Polar Bears, 71-66. RIT is a familiar foe to the Bombers, as the two schools used to play each other in the Empire 8, and will renew that rivalry next season when Ithaca joins the Liberty League. Ithaca is 44-2 all-time against the Tigers.

ITHACA VS. 2017 NCAA PLAYOFF FIELD: The only other team the Bombers played this season that made the 64-team field was the University of Rochester on December 10. Ithaca topped the then No. 9 ranked Yellow Jackets, 73-67, in Rochester.

ITHACA IN THE NCAA PLAYOFFS: The Bombers are making their 13th appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship and 12th since the 2000-01 season. Ithaca is 12-12 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and most recently made the Field of 64 during the 2014-15 season. That season, the Bombers defeated Mount Saint Vincent College, 82-72, in the first round, and then dropped a 71-66 decision to Bowdoin. Ithaca’s deepest run in the tournament took place during the 2013-14 campaign, as the Bombers reached the “Elite 8” after wins over Sage Colleges (67-30), Haverford College (54-43) and Amherst College (74-71 OT). The program’s first NCAA victory came back in 1996-97 against Binghamton (73-66), which was the first-ever appearance for the Bombers.

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