The Basketball Tournament

Pat Coleman · July 22, 2025, 02:16:38 PM

Quote from: stlawus on July 21, 2025, 10:17:34 PMAlso, fellow d3 folks on social media, you don't have to run down d1 players to lift d3 players up. I've seen too much of that in recent years especially from the d3 media types.

Generally seeing people lift D-III guys up by referencing them beating a team of D-I guys. Would love to see you cite some posts that do what you say.

y_jack_lok · July 22, 2025, 04:04:18 PM

Article from The Daily Orange -- the independent student newspaper in Syracuse, NY -- on yesterday's game:
https://dailyorange.com/2025/07/tbt-boeheims-army-we-are-d3-eliminated-second-round/
"Boeheim's Army had the squad to make a run in the tournament. Full of former NBA players and March Madness stars, it had both star power and depth."

Another article: https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2025/07/we-are-d3-stuns-boeheims-army-in-tbt-donna-ditotas-quick-hits.html
"WAD3 (so many long TBT names) is a connected group that I'm guessing teams overlook every year because, well, they played D3 basketball and nobody who plays D1 basketball knows much about those guys. They prepare like no other TBT team. They do not miss free throws. They don't take bad shots. They guard you. And they have a killer in Nichols."

y_jack_lok · July 23, 2025, 08:49:22 AM

One of the players on the Stars of Storrs, tonight's We Are D3 opponent, is D3 alum Tyree Mitchell from the University of St. Joseph.

FCGrizzliesGrad · July 23, 2025, 07:29:13 PM

Game started like on Monday. Stars of Storrs was up 13-4 midway through the first quarter, D3 has gotten it back within 3 at 19-16. Teams are a combined 1 of 11 from behind the arc.
Someone will need to step up because they're not going to let Ty Nichols go off tonight. Marcus Azor is the early candidate with 6 points.

2nd quarter another slow start, down as many as 13 but they claw it back at the end. Only down 40-36 at halftime. Threes aren't dropping, just 1 of 10. Elijah Thomas has been hard to defend. Might need to do a little hack-a-shaq on him if he gets the ball in the post cause he's only 3 of 6 at the line so far.

FCGrizzliesGrad · July 23, 2025, 08:27:47 PM

D3 went on a 26-5 run spanning halftime and led by as many as 10 in the 3rd. They lead 60-53 headed to the 4th. They've forced 17 turnovers while only committing 8. Surprisingly they've outscored Storrs 40-26 in the paint.
Nichols and Azor have 16 each while David Murray has added 10 off the bench.

FCGrizzliesGrad · July 23, 2025, 08:39:10 PM

D3 lead 68-66 headed to the elam ending. First to 76 wins. I expect Storrs to really turn up the pressure and try to force turnovers. D3 needs to not get passive like they've tended to do in the past.

6 FT and a layup later and We Are D3 are headed to Wichita for the quarterfinals after a 76-68.

FCGrizzliesGrad · July 23, 2025, 08:56:53 PM

Four finished in double digits: Azor with 22, Nichols 18, Samuel Peek 11, and David Murray had 14 and the winning basket. The Connecticut College guy took down the University of Connecticut.

They'll face 7 seed Fail Harder at 7pm eastern on Sunday. There's only a single 1 seeds left, three 2 seeds, one 3 seed, 4th seed D3, a 7 seed, and one more team yet to be decided (either a 4 or 7 seed)

We already knew D3 is fantastic, now everyone is learning.

KnightSlappy · July 24, 2025, 09:54:12 AM

I posted this on social media as well, but here are the games We Are D3 has played in the last 3 TBT:

2025: Beat #2 Stars of Storrs (UConn) by 8
2025: Beat #1 Boeheim's Army (Syracuse) by 3
2025: Beat #5 Layne's Hope by 4
2024: Lost to #1 Heartfire by 2
2024: Beat #5 Sweet Home Alabama by 16
2023: Lost to #1 Mass Street (Kansas) by 3

After the blowout loss to Wichita the year before, Rejniak kinda blew things up and has been running the team more as a program than a collection of guys. It has really worked out and they've played like a top seed based on these results and scoring margins.

WUPHF · July 24, 2025, 10:17:16 AM

Quote from: KnightSlappy on July 24, 2025, 09:54:12 AMAfter the blowout loss to Wichita the year before, Rejniak kinda blew things up and has been running the team more as a program than a collection of guys. It has really worked out and they've played like a top seed based on these results and scoring margins.

I have watched every game since 2018 or whenever and the difference is night and day. The boys have really put on a show so far, let's hope they can keep it rolling.

nescac1 · July 24, 2025, 02:30:48 PM

If you look at the results over time they really should have been given a second seed each of the past three years. Going forward, I would assume they will be.

Very cool that the last four NESCAC POTYs are all playing on the squad together, and that three of the four were involved in last night's game-winning play. I suspect one of the Trinity guys may be joining them next year!

FCGrizzliesGrad · July 27, 2025, 07:24:29 PM

Could not ask for a better start. We Are D3 lead 23-11 after the 1st quarter. They held Fail Harder to 4 of 18 shooting while going 10 of 15 themselves.

FCGrizzliesGrad · July 27, 2025, 07:47:19 PM

It's 44-36 at halftime. Marcus Azor leads the way with 13 points. Dimitrius Underwood has 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. They're dominating points in the paint is 26-12

FCGrizzliesGrad · July 27, 2025, 08:19:02 PM

D3 went on a 10-0 run to finish the 3rd quarter including a buzzer beating 30 footer and pushed the lead out to 74-51. Four players in double figures. Still shooting over 56% from the field and over 50% from three. Underwood is 2 rebounds from a double double.

FCGrizzliesGrad · July 27, 2025, 09:09:12 PM

86-66 headed to the Elam Ending. First to 94 wins.
Seems like every game they get to the elam ending and take their foot off the gas. They still had a 92-77 lead. Then they gave up a 16-0 run to fall behind 93-92. They got a FT to tie it at 93. And after causing all D3 fans to suffer several heart attacks in the past half hour, they survive after Christian Parker got a putback.

They advance to the semifinal against either Aftershocks (Wichita St) or Heartfire (the last 1 seed remaining) on Thursday at 6pm eastern.

Five finish in double figures: Ty Nichols 19 (8 assists), Dimitrius Underwood 19 (10 rebounds), Samuel Peek 16, Marcus Azor 15, and Alex Sobel 10 (8 rebounds).

I don't drink, but I might need to after that.

deiscanton · July 27, 2025, 09:12:37 PM

I can't believe that WeAreD3 almost lost the game on the Elam Ending after coming into it up by 20 points, leading 86-66. Fail Harder proved today why they were going to be WeAreD3's toughest TBT opponent to date. WeAreD3 was up by as much as 29 points in the 4th quarter, but Fail Harder rallied in the Elam Ending to take a 93-92 lead with a target score of 94 points for the victory. A free throw by WeAreD3 tied the game at 93-93, but I was expecting that Fail Harder was going to score the winning bucket. Instead, WeAreD3 is heading to the semifinals on Thursday, and I am breathing again.