Tracking Western New York’s women’s basketball teams in postseason play
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — March is here, meaning that the postseason for college basketball is in full swing.
All four of Western New York’s Division I women’s basketball teams qualified for postseason play. Here’s the lowdown on each team:
Tracking Western New York’s men’s basketball teams in postseason play
Niagara
Record: 18-12, 15-5 MAAC
Leaders: Aaliyah Parker (12.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.9 APG), Angel Parker (10.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.6 APG)
The Purple Eagles finished in the top three in the MAAC for a second straight season. The Parker sisters, both grads of Cardinal O’Hara in Tonawanda, have led the Purps all season. Both were named to the all-MAAC second team on Monday. The Purple Eagles were only behind Fairfield, a Stags team that went 20-0 in league play, is 28-1 overall and has been ranked in the AP Top 25 each of the past two weeks.
Tournament results: Niagara will face No. 7 seed Quinnipiac at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Atlantic City. The Bobcats needed overtime to beat No. 10 Saint Peter’s on Tuesday.
Buffalo
Record: 17-12, 10-8 MAC
Leaders: Chellia Watson (22.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.3 APG), Kirsten Lewis-Williams (12.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.9 APG)
The Bulls were improved in Becky Burke’s second year at the helm and finished fourth in the MAC. Watson led the MAC in scoring this season with a 4.1-point gap between her and Western Michigan’s Kaitlyn Zarycki. Watson is also sixth nationally and is first among non-power conference players.
Tournament results: Buffalo will face No. 5 seed Bowling Green in the quarterfinals at approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Cleveland. The Bulls won both regular season matchups between the two.
Daemen basketball teams dance into NCAA tournament
Canisius
Record: 16-13, 11-9 MAAC
Leaders: Sisi Eleko (16.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.1 APG), Athina Lexa (11.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.8 APG)
The Griffs finished over .500, both in league play and overall, for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign despite losing leading scorer Dani Haskell to rival St. Bonaventure this past offseason. Eleko was named as a unanimous first team all-MAAC selection on Monday, while Lexa was named the sixth player of the year.
Tournament results: As the 5th seed in the quarterfinals, Canisius will see No. 4 seed Manhattan on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The Jaspers won both matchups in the regular season.
St. Bonaventure
The Bonnies were eliminated from the Atlantic 10 tournament last Wednesday with a first-round loss to Dayton. Bona finished the season with a 4-26 record and 1-17 in league play.
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.
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