My latest feature is up on D3hoops.com, highlighting Transylvania's run to the Final Four. Had a great conversation with Juli Fulks and Madison Kellione earlier in the week. Can't wait for the matchup against Smith!
https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/women/2023/not-this-time-for-transylvania
Will be interesting, indeed. Other than a loss to Thomas More in 2019 (after very controversially hosting the first weekend) this will be Transylvania's first NCAA Tournament game played somewhere other than their home floor - since the 2014-15 season. They are all-to-aware how weak the HCAC is - so their non-conference schedule every season is carefully calibrated to play teams that aren't good enough to beat them, but just good enough that it won't blatantly look like a schedule full of cream-puffs - and even in those instances they try every way in the world to host those games - usually via their two pre-Christmas tournaments. They rightfully feel invincible at home, and their coaching staff very much believes in the power of home games...and vice versa. I'll guarantee their staff is sweating bullets today, worried about how they'll shoot the ball in a gym they aren't used to and 100% comfortable in - because there might not be a women's team in NCAA Division 3 as reliant on the 3-pointer as Transylvania - but they ARE very good at it.
Having said that, Transylvania IS really good, and extremely well-coached. I would not be surprised to see them blow-out Smith, as I was definitely not impressed with what I saw of them last weekend. Maybe it wasn't a great sample, but it will require a really, really good defensive team to take down Transylvania, and Smith ain't it.
The key to defeating Transylvania is to defend the living daylights out of them, don't give them easy looks, make them scratch and claw for everything. The over-looked key to their success is their ability to create 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th chances and extra possessions by out-working and out-hustling the other team for loose balls and rebounds - especially Stacy and Thornton. They remind me a great deal of the 2005-2013 DePauw teams in that regard. Just relentless.
A gritty, hard-nosed defensive team that doesn't turn the ball over against their press (that's really just designed to eat up the shot-clock), and won't allow them to run up and down the floor, chucking 3's and chasing offensive rebounds, is Transylvania's Kryptonite. If you don't believe me, go and watch last year's NCAA game vs. Trine, or any 2015-2022 game vs. Rose-Hulman (when they actually had athletes). I just don't know that there's anyone left in the field that can do that. The HCAC will probably see it's first basketball trophy this weekend.
