No. 7 Wellesley To Open NEWMAC Basketball Championship at No. 2 Smith

2019 Women's Basketball Championship Bracket

WESTWOOD, Mass. -- The New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference has released the 2019 Women's Basketball Championship bracket. The championship tournament will consist of seven teams that will begin postseason play on Tuesday, February 19th. After NEWMAC tie breaking procedures were applied, Wellesley College basketball (8-14, 5-11) earned the final spot as the No. 7 seed. 

The Blue will travel to No. 2 Smith (20-5, 13-3) after the Pioneers claimed the No. 2 spot and the right to host a quarterfinal contest on Tuesday, February 19th at 7:00 PM. Smith took both of the regular season match-ups between the two teams this season, winning 66-43 in a January 12th contest at Smith before topping the Blue, 66-49, on January 26 at Dorothy Towne Fieldhouse. Wellesley wil be making the program's first trip to the NEWMAC postseason since 2013-14. In the last postseason match-up between Wellesley and Smith, the Blue earned a 73-61 win over Smith in the 2012-13 NEWMAC Tournament. 

With a record of 14-2 in league play, Babson (20-4, 14-2) secured the top seed and a quarterfinal bye by earning the regular season title. In a head to head tie break, Springfield (16-9, 12-4) earned the No. 3 seed, followed by MIT (18-7, 12-4) at the No. 4 seed with both teams hosting a quarterfinal game. Joining the field in the next two slots are No. 5 Emerson (17-8, 11-5) and No. 6 Clark (11-14, 7-9). The Cougars will travel to the Pride and the Lions will head across town to the Engineers. 

The top-seeded Beavers will host a semifinal matchup with the winner of the game between the No. 5 Emerson and No. 4 MIT, while the winner of No. 6 Clark and No. 3 Springfield will take on the winner of No. 2 Smith and No. 7 Wellesley on Thursday, February 21st at the highest remaining seeds. The winners of the each semifinal game will meet in the final game on Saturday, February 23rd at the site of the highest remaining seed. 

2019 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship

Quarterfinals: Tuesday, February 19th (at highest seeds)

No. 7 Wellesley at No. 2 Smith – 7:00 p.m.

No. 6 Clark at No. 3 Springfield – 7:00 p.m.

No. 5 Emerson at No. 4 MIT – 7:00 p.m.

Semifinals: Thursday, February 21st (at highest remaining seeds)

Winner No. 4/5 at No. 1 Babson  – 7:00 p.m.

Winner No.3/No. 6 vs. Winner No. 2/7 – 7:00 p.m.

Championship: Saturday, February 23rd (at highest remaining seed)

Semifinal Winners – 1:00 p.m.