Inside the Midwest Region: Eight teams from three conferences make up NCAA postseason field

QUINCY — The Quincy University women’s basketball team is making its 11th NCAA Division II national tournament appearance this week and first since the 2015-16 season as it heads to Allendale, Mich., for the Midwest Regional.

The eighth-seeded Hawks will face top-seeded Grand Valley State at 4 p.m. Friday in the quarterfinals on the Lakers’ home floor in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.

Here is a closer look at the eight teams in the Midwest Regional field:

No. 1 Grand Valley State

Record: 32-2 (19-1 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).

Stats, streaks, etc.: The Lakers carry a seven-game win streak into the postseason, having won the GLIAC Tournament a 79-48 victory over Ferris State in the title game. A two-point loss to Parkside on Feb. 15 snapped a 14-game win streak. Rylie Bisballe, a 6-foot-2 redshirt senior forward who was named the GLIAC Player of the Year the past two seasons, and her sister, 6-foot-1 freshman guard Mackenzie Bisballe, lead the Lakers in scoring with 13.5 and 10 points per game, respectively. Grand Valley State, ranked second in the WBCA national top 25, is second in the nation in scoring at 84.2 points per game and seventh in defense at 57.3 points allowed per game.

History with QU: The Lakers beat the Hawks 73-58 at Pepsi Arena on Dec. 12 as Rylie Bisballe had 21 points and five rebounds. The Hawks are 1-2 all-time against the Lakers, winning 62-60 at the start of the 2015-16 season.

No. 2 Ashland

Record: 30-3 (19-1 Great Midwest Athletic Conference).

Stats, streaks, etc.: The Eagles’ length and experience makes them a tough matchup for anyone. Zoe Miller, a 5-foot-11 senior forward who was named the GMAC Player of the Year, leads Ashland in scoring at 14.6 points per game, while shooting 55.1 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from 3-point range. Hayley Smith, a 6-foot-1 senior forward, is averaging 12.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 55.9 percent from the field. They have combined for 42 blocked shots this season. The Eagles, ranked fifth in the WBCA top 25, have won 24 games in a row, last losing Dec. 5 at Northwood.

History with QU: The Hawks and the Eagles have not met since a 71-69 victory for Ashland during the 2012 Midwest Regional.

No. 3 Northern Michigan

Record: 22-8 (15-5 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).

Stats, streaks, etc.: Junior guard Jacy Weisbrod is averaging 13.7 points with a team-leading 75 made 3-pointers. The Wildcats have six players averaging between 6.2 and 9.3 points per game. That same group also averages between 2.9 and 5.8 rebounds. Junior guard Sarah Newcomer has made 56 3-pointers. The Wildcats had won nine of their previous 10 games before losing to Ferris State 73-67 in the semifinals of the GLIAC Tournament. Four of their losses have been to teams playing in the NCAA Tournament.

History with QU: The Hawks have won four of the six all-time meetings.

No. 4 Wayne State

Record: 19-11 (13-7 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).

Stats, streaks, etc.: The Warriors went just 4-3 in their final seven regular-season games and then lost to Grand Valley State in the semifinals of the GLIAC Tournament, but still managed to land a top-four seed. Shea Tripp leads three Warriors who average in double figures. The 5-foot-10 senior forward is averaging 14.2 points and 7.9 rebounds, while leading the team in both assists (118) and steals (65). McKenna Ferguson has made 44 3-pointers and averages 12 points per game. The Warriors average 68.8 points and outscore their opponents for five points per game.

History with QU: The programs have never played each other.

No. 5 Lewis

Record: 26-3 (19-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference).

Stats, streaks, etc.: The Flyers went undefeated at home and suffered two losses at neutral sites, including falling to Northern Michigan at the start of the season. Prior to losing to Maryville in the GLVC Tournament semifinals, the Flyers had won 13 games in a row. Taylor Gugliuzza, a 5-foot-8 graduate student guard, was named the GLVC Player of the Year and is averaging 16.4 points and 4.9 rebounds, while shooting 47.9 percent from the field. Jenna Badali, a 5-foot-6 redshirt senior guard who was a first-team All-GLVC selection, averages 10.8 points and leads the Flyers with 115 assists. Gugliuzza and Badali each have made 41 3-pointers.

History with QU: The Hawks lost to Flyers 66-63 on Feb. 27 in Romeoville, Ill., and hold a 32-27 series edge.

No. 6 Hillsdale

Record: 21-9 (16-4 Great Midwest Athletic Conference).

Stats, streaks, etc.: Lauren McDonald, a 5-foot-9 senior guard, is averaging 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds — both team highs — to go with a team-leading 108 assists and 57 steals. Caitlin Splain, a 5-foot-9 senior guard, is averaging 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds, while shooting 85.7 percent from the free-throw line and knocking down 70 3-pointers. McDonald and Splain were both first-team All-GMAC selections. The Chargers lost to top-seeded Ashland 69-57 in the GMAC Tournament championship game, ending a five-game win streak. 

History with QU: The Hawks lost to the Chargers 76-63 in the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic in 2023 and are 0-2 in the all-time series.

No. 7 Ferris State

Record: 21-11 (13-7 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).

Stats, streaks, etc.: This is the Bulldogs’ first regional appearance since 2012 and the eighth in program history. Despite losing three of its final five games of the regular season, Ferris State reached the title game of the GLIAC Tournament before losing to No. 2-ranked Grand Valley State. Mya Hiram, a 6-foot junior forward, leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 13.1 points per game, while grabbing 5.4 rebounds and shooting 47.3 percent from the field. Kenzie Bowers, a 5-foot-9 senior guard who was a first-team All-GLIAC selection, is averaging 10.9 points and 6.3 rebounds with a team-leading 125 assists.

History with QU: The Bulldogs won the only previous meeting, beating the Hawks 70-57 in 2021 in the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic.

No. 8 Quincy

Record: 25-7 (16-4 Great Lakes Valley Conference).

Stats, streaks, etc.: The Hawks won the GLVC Tournament championship for the first time since 2005 and are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016. Quincy fashioned a 15-game win streak during the second half of the season, marking the second longest win streak in program history. The 25 wins match the 2015-16 team for the most single-season victories in the last 14 seasons. Nicole McDermott, a 5-foot-9 graduate student guard who was a first-team All-GLVC selection, is averaging 15.8 points with 96 assists while shooting 84.1 percent from the line. Cymirah Williams, a 5-foot-11 senior forward, is averaging 10.5 points and 9.2 rebounds.

History in the NCAAs: The Hawks are 12-10 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, having reached the Elite Eight once in 10 postseason appearances.