Women's Basketball | 3/5/2015 10:35:00 AM

Interactive bracket | Presale tickets | Digital program | Regional website | Live webcast

Game information
Time: 5 p.m.
Opponent: Hope College (23-4)
Location: Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL)
Arena: King Arena
** Winner faces the winner of Wheaton vs. Wisconsin-Lutheran (game after Bethel vs. Hope)
 
Webcast / Statistics
All games will have live webcast and stats available Friday and Saturday. To watch either game or to view live statistics, please click here.
 
Tickets
Admission for each day is for $6 for adults, $3 for students, children and senior citizens, children two years old and younger will be admitted for free. As a NCAA Championship event no free passes will be accepted. Tickets will be available at the gate one hour prior to the start of action each day and can also be purchased online in advance. Friday | Saturday


 

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Bethel history
NCAA Tournament appearances: 5
Last tournament appearance: 1997
NCAA Tournament record: 4-4

Bethel game notes
• The Royals amassed a 21-6 record (21-5 against Division III opponents) throughout the regular and postseason
• Bethel's .778 winning percentage in conference play is the best total since 1995-96
• This year's 21 wins marked the first time BU has ever gone consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins
• The Royals strung together an 11-game winning streak and won 13 of their final 15 games (only two losses were against No. 2-ranked St. Thomas)
• Bethel finished its season 12-1 in the Robertson Center, making it 24-2 in their last 26 home games
• The Royals were 1-2 against ranked opponents this season, including a 51-47 victory over #14 Saint Mary's and a 77-81 loss against #2 St. Thomas
• BU leads the nation in blocks per game (9.2) and junior Rachel Parupsky is No. 4 overall with 4.6 blocks per game
• Rachel Parupsky (51.8) and Kalli Zimmermann (49.8) are among the Top 75 nationwide in field-goal percentage
• Sydney Schultz's 1.85 3-pointers per game is among the nation's Top 200 (over 4,400 athletes)
• Rachel Parupsky is one of 21 players to record a triple-double this season

Front court
The Royals are led by a dynamic duo in the front court, including junior Rachel Parupsky and sophomore Kalli Zimmermann. Parupsky averages 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.6 rebounds per game. Her nearly five blocks each night ranks No. 4 across the country. Meanwhile, Zimmermann produces 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game on average. 

Back court
Bethel's back court features the duet of Hannah Niewald and Sydney Schultz. Together the duo averages 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals. Schultz is shooting 32.3 percent from outside the 3-point arc.
 

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Hope history
NCAA Tournament appearances: 16
Last tournament appearance: 2014
NCAA Tournament record: 30-13

Hope game notes
• The Flying Dutch come into the tournament with a 23-4 record overall, including a 14-2 mark against league opponents
• Hope was ranked No. 13 in the most recent USA Today Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll
• The Flying Dutch lost to Calvin College in the MIAA title game
• Hope was 0-4 against ranked opponents this year, including a two-point and four-point loss to #6 Calvin (27-0) as well as a seven-point loss to #14 Wheaton
• Brittany Berry is ranked No. 16 nationwide in 3-point field goals per game (2.78) and No. 25 in 3-point shooting percentage (40.5)
• Brittany Berry ranks No. 45 among all Division III players in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.88)
• Maura McAfee ranks No. 55 across the country and No. 2 in the MIAA in average rebounds per game (10.6)
• Maura McAfee ranks No. 30 nationally in total double-doubles this season (15)

Front court
The Flying Dutch are also led by a strong front court. Maura McAfee leads the team with 14.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, while Rebekah Llorens averages 11.6 points and 6.6 rebounds each night. The two starters will also collectively record over three steals and three blocks in every contest.

Back court
Senior Brittany Berry leads Hope's back court with 10.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Berry is shooting 39.7 percent from the field, in addition to her 40.7 percent shooting from downtown. Also starting will be Autumn Anderson and Hannah Doell, but look for Mandy Traversa to have a large role off the bench.