This week in DII sports: DII Men's and Women's Elite Eight, previewed

Welcome to another edition of "This week in DII sports." We're down to the DII Men's and Women's Elite Eight in hoops, so this week you get a quick look at each team, and we circle back to the diamond for the latest DII baseball Power 10. Don't forget, help spread the word and please (and check the DII Newsletter box) to anyone you think should be getting the official DII newsletter in their inbox every Tuesday.

🎱 Breaking down the DII men's and women's Elite Eight

And then, there were eight. We head to the DII Men’s and Women’s Elite Eight with an interesting field of familiar faces and some Cinderella candidates.

What to know about the eight remaining DII men’s basketball teams

Atlantic: Gannon: Head coach Jordan Fee returns to the DII men’s Elite Eight for a third-straight year, although this is his first at the helm of the Golden Knights. This turnaround is even more remarkable than the Nova Southeastern turnaround just five years ago, which was orchestrated by his mentor and potential semifinals matchup head coach, Jim Crutchfield. That Gannon win to get here was something else. The Golden Knights trailed by double digits well into the second half, dramatically winning the Atlantic Region at the buzzer… the only lead they had the whole game.

Central: Minnesota State. The Mavericks are heading to their first DII men’s Elite Eight since 2011, and just like Gannon, it was at the buzzer as Elijah Hazekamp played the hero. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but games rarely are against that Northwest Missouri State defense, so to be able to flip the script and come from behind in the second half is impressive. They are cruising into Evansville, Indiana on a 13-game winning streak and let’s face it, they have been a top team from opening tip, now 32-2 on the season.

East: Southern New Hampshire. The East continues to be a revolving door, and the Penmen are the seventh different team to be elite in the past seven tournaments. The Penmen were last in the DII men’s Elite Eight in 2014-15 and arrive in 2024 on a 10-game winning streak. If you didn’t watch the East Region final game, SNHU held No. 1 Saint Michael’s scoreless for the final six-plus minutes, going on a 17-0 run to come from behind and win and advance. Just wow.

Midwest: Ferris State. I got the wrong team, but as I said in the tournament preview, expect a low seed to emerge from the Midwest. Sure, enough, Ferris State, the No. 5 seed, advances and is the lowest regional seed remaining in the DII men’s Elite Eight. It’s been a few years since the Bulldogs have been elite, but last time they were here, they won it all back in 2018. They are one of three teams — joining Gannon and Minnesota State — who have both the men’s and women’s hoops teams represented in the DII Elite Eight.

South: Nova Southeastern. The Sharks finished the 2016-17 season with a 6-20 record. Then they hired Jim Crutchfield and the rest, as they say, is history. This is Nova Southeastern’s third-straight trip to the DII Men’s Elite Eight and fourth in the past five tournaments. The Sharks haven’t lost since Jan. 13 and look every bit the part to be the repeat national champion — which would give us back-to-back repeat champions (Northwest Missouri State won it all in 2019, 2021 and 2022).

South Central: West Texas A&M. Were the Buffs playing possum down the stretch? The No. 1 team in DII men’s basketball for a large portion of the season, lost three of four to close the season, including a stunning exit from the Lone Star tournament to No. 8 Cameron. But here we are, and West Texas A&M is in familiar territory, making its third appearance in the DII men’s Elite Eight since 2018 and head coach Tom Brown’s fourth trip in 10 years.

Southeast: North Georgia. The Nighthawks are the lone newbie in the field, making their first appearance after finally solving the riddle that was Lander to them this season. This has been a season of historical firsts for North Georgia, not only capturing its first regional title, but also its first PBC tournament title. While Frank Champion has been top-tier all season, it was Cayden Charles who stepped up and earned Southeast Region MVP with a big three days, giving defenses more to home in on this talented North Georgia squad.

West: Cal State San Bernardino. The Coyotes are back in the DII men’s Elite Eight once again — the third team to make a repeat trip from last year’s bunch. This season kind of played out perfectly for the Yotes — they had seven losses and kind of flew under the radar for much of the second half, despite having the No. 1 or 2 RPI in the West for most of the season. This is a very different team than last year, but Robby Robinson and Sedrick Altman return for some big-game experience in the lineup.

Championship game prediction: Nova Southeastern vs. West Texas A&M

The DII women’s basketball Elite Eight, previewed

Atlantic: Gannon. The Golden Knights return to the DII Women’s Elite Eight for the first time in more than a decade, last going in 2013. They are the No. 1 overall seed, a first for the program. You know how they say defenses win championships? Well, Gannon has the top scoring defense of the remaining eight teams.

Central: Minnesota State. On paper, Minnesota State pulled off three massive upsets to get back to the DII women’s Elite Eight for the first time since 2009. The Mavericks beat No. 2 Missouri Western by 20, No. 3 Fort Hays State by 12, and No. 1 Southern Nazarene by 32. However, if you read last week’s newsletter, you knew I thought this was the best team in the region by far, and they showed why. To no surprise, the Mavericks have the top scoring offense of all teams remaining. Now 27-1 since a shaky start to the season, the last time Minnesota State made it this far… it won it all.

East: Daemen. You know, I always talk about the inconsistencies of the East, but maybe it is Daemen’s region to lose. This is the Wildcats' second trip to the DII women’s Elite Eight in four years, and two years ago, they missed out on their third chance by a mere two points in the East Region finals. Alahna Page has been unconscious: She has at least 20 points in nine of her last 10 games and was the East’s Most Outstanding Player after averaging 20.3 points in the regional.

Midwest: Ferris State. Ashland, which was No. 1 or No. 2 all season long, had two losses this season — both to the Bulldogs. Grand Valley State, who was No. 1 in the Power 10 heading into the tournament, had two DII losses this season — both to the Bulldogs. Ferris State is making its DII women’s Elite Eight debut and is my pick to win it all. The Bulldogs already beat the toughest competition in the bracket.

South: Tampa. The Spartans are the only team returning to the DII women’s Elite Eight from last year’s quarterfinalists. The road was not an easy one this time around — the Spartans trailed at the half in each of their last two games but used strong second halves to fuel themselves to victory, winning all three regional games by a mere 4.3 points per game. None of the starters were in the starting five in last year’s DII women’s Elite Eight, so throw any advantage out the window: This team is looking to etch its own way into Spartans’ history.

South Central: Texas Woman’s. Last year, seven No. 1 seeds advanced, and for the most part, since the tournament shifted to its current format, 40 percent of the DII women’s Elite Eight has been made up of No. 1 seeds, historically speaking. The Pioneers are one of two this year, so it was no easy task to make it this far. It is the Pioneers first South Central title — and thus, DII women’s Elite Eight debut — after taking down last year’s South Central champion UT Tyler by 14 points.

Southeast: Georgia Southwestern. In last week’s tournament preview, I said the Hurricanes were the team to watch in the Southeast because, “I feel like the Hurricanes never get the love they deserve.” Well, after blowing out No. 1 Catawba by 25 and No. 2 Carson-Newman by 17, that’s all changed. This will be the Hurricanes DII women’s Elite Eight debut, so they will be looking to leave their mark.

West: Cal State San Marcos. The Cougars are finally DII women’s Elite Eight bound. My team to watch in the West Region, this team just felt like they were on the verge. of something big. It was a thriller, too, as the Cougars won the West Region finals on two free throws with just four seconds remaining. That win gave the Cougars 26, a program record. There has been plenty of magic in this season for the Cougars… did they save some for St. Joseph?

Championship game prediction: Ferris State vs. Minnesota State

⚾️ 📊 Tampa, Central Missouri battle atop the latest baseball Power 10

Tampa is on absolute fire, so you may be surprised to hear that the Spartans have some serious competition for the No. 1 spot. Central Missouri has seemingly forgotten how to lose, and though still No. 2, the Mules are right there. This week we have two Power 10 debuts and the rare three-way tie at No. 10.

Remember, the Power 10 is just me, my spreadsheets and a whole mess of notes and what I’m seeing at games. Baseball is the longest college sports season, and we see the most games played each week — judging a team by just wins and losses is not that easy. This is a look at the current landscape, trying to combine the eye test with selection metrics.

The second 2024 DII baseball Power 10 of the 2024 season

(Games and stats through Sunday, March 17)

No. 1 Tampa | Previous: 1. Tampa took two of three this past weekend from Embry-Riddle and is the unquestioned No. 1 team in the South. However, Tampa has very little wiggle room for error to hold on to No. 1. For me, they hold the top spot right now because of that huge win over Central Missouri on opening weekend.

No. 2 Central Missouri | Previous: 2. The Mules left Houston on the heels of a 16-4 beating from No. 1 Tampa. Since then, they have gone 21-1, and have piled up the top RPI in DII baseball against a top-30 SOS. This offense is insane right now, having scored 10 or more runs in eight of its past 11 games.

No. 3 Millersville | Previous: 4. The Marauders have won 10 in a row, have a series win against Goldey-Beacom, and even beat the Mules on opening day. I talked about how impressive this pitching staff can be when healthy, and Alex Mykut and Carson Kulina have not disappointed, each striking out more than nine batters per nine innings while owning low WHIPs, and low ERAs.

No. 4 Missouri Southern | Previous: 6. The Lions have yet to lose a weekend series this year, and as we near April, that is quite impressive. They just took two of three from a very tough Pittsburg State squad and are rewarded by heading to another tough matchup in Washburn this weekend. Henry Kusiak and Will Doherty bring a lot of power and on-base prowess to this dangerous lineup.

No. 5 Point Loma | Previous: 10 (tied). The Sea Lions are cooking, off to an 18-7-1 record. Jake Entrekin and Scott Anderson are serious hitters, both hitting above .375 with an OPS north of 1.000 and have combined for 15 doubles and 11 home runs. The starting pitching is very consistent, and James Sashin has been pretty much locked down at the back of the pen. A huge series win over Cal State Monterey Bay earlier in the season could loom large at selection time.

No. 6 West Florida | Previous: 8. The Argonauts have a tough week ahead — Georgia Southwestern and Delta State are both solid — that may see them jump the rankings with a strong week, or completely fall out of the Power 10. I’ve spoken a lot about the Argos' pitching, but how about Darrien McDowell who is destroying pitching to a .425/.528/.805 slash line with nine home runs and 36 RBIs.

No. 7 Saint Leo | Previous: NR. The Lions were one of my six teams to watch in the previous DII baseball Power 10, and if you watched them, you saw a lot more wins. Now, to be fair, they have played one of the weakest SOS in the South Region, but 21-3 a month and a half into the season is still 21-3. Starting pitcher Luke Lashutka is insane right now, sitting at 6-0 with a 1.61 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, while closer Nick Jennings has yet to allow a run in going 2-0 with four saves.

No. 8 Seton Hill | Previous: 9. I am still higher than most on the Griffins, who just picked up Marc Marizzaldi’s 700th career win in a sweep over Grand Valley State. The starting pitching all have big-time strikeout stuff, and it feels like this offense isn’t even at top form yet. They open PSAC play against Mercyhurst this coming weekend.

No. 9 Young Harris | Previous: NR. The Mountain Lions have been strong since opening pitch and now make their Power 10 debut. They are 21-5, have won six in a row, and have done it all against one of the toughest SOS in DII baseball. There is a nice blend of power and contact up and down the lineup, and the starting rotation and especially closer Dylan Beck (0.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, five saves) has been tough.

No. 10 (tied) Augustana (SD), North Greenville, West Texas A&M | Previous: 5, 3, 10 (tied) respectively. The Crusaders dropped two of three to UNC Pembroke this past weekend but are still one of the most dangerous teams in DII baseball. With David Lewis in the lineup (leading DII in home runs) and Reece Fields atop the rotation (6-1, 0.86 WHIP and nearly 12 strikeouts per nine) this team will be just fine.

The Vikings are also just fine, but a split against a quality St. Cloud State team dings them down the list. I still think they are the team to beat in the NSIC; however, they have one of the easiest SOS in DII baseball, so I just want to see how they respond to the St. Cloud State series. If you aren’t watching Jack Hines… you should (.444 average, 1.419 OPS, eight home runs, eight stolen bases).

The Buffs, well, they are just really good at baseball. Now 19-7, they are another team that hasn’t lost a weekend series (although they do have one split). The lineup has been great at scoring runs, but I am very curious to see if the pitching takes a step forward (a combined 5.90 ERA and 1.69 WHIP) as the season wears on.

First five out (in alphabetical order)

🦅 Ashland: Feels like the Midwest is going to be a nice battle between the Eagles and Maryville.

🫒 Mount Olive: The Trojans won a series against Young Harris and have a win against North Greenville. They may be too low.

🦅 North Georgia: All the Nighthawks have done since opening day is win. They have a brutal stretch to close March, so we’ll find out more then.

🦅 Northwest Nazarene: Another team that has just been winning all year, these Nighthawks have won four in a row and made an early statement against Colorado Mesa.

🧢 UNC Pembroke: Take a series from North Greenville with two impressive wins to get to 20 victories on the young season and you get some Power 10 clout.

Six teams I’m watching closely: Barton, Georgia Southwestern, Lubbock Christian, Maryville, Molloy, Southern Arkansas

👀 What Wayne's Watching 👀

It’s DII Elite Eight time. The 2024 DII men’s and women’s basketball quarterfinals (which begin next Monday and Tuesday) will be available to watch on the NCAA Championship Pass. The NCAA Championship Pass can be streamed on krikya18.com, participating school sites, , , , and . All 120 available games are available HERE.

The semifinals and finals then turn to national television with the following schedules:

Men

• Semifinals: Thursday, March 28 on CBS Sports Network (2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. ET)
• Championship: Saturday, March 30 on CBS (3 p.m. ET)
• ⛹🏼‍♂️ Follow the 2024 DII men’s basketball championship on krikya18.com here.

Women

• Semifinals: Wednesday, March 27 on CBS Sports Network (7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. ET)
• Championship: Friday, March 29 on CBS Sports Network (8 p.m. ET)
• ⛹🏼‍♀️ Follow the 2024 DII women’s basketball championship on krikya18.com here.

Baseball

⚾️ UNC Pembroke at Mount Olive, March 22-23

⚾️ Lubbock Christian at Angelo State, March 22-24

⚾️ Florida Southern at Tampa, March 22-23

⚾️ West Florida at Delta State, March 22-23

⚾️ Embry-Riddle at Saint Leo, March 22-23

⚾️ Cal State Monterey Bay at Cal State San Marcos, March 22-24

Softball

🥎 Tournament of Champions, March 21-24: Cal State San Marcos, Northwest Nazarene, Hawaii Hilo, Western Washington, Simon Fraser

🥎 Missouri Southern at Rogers State, March 22; Pittsburg State at Rogers State, March 23

🥎 Lenoir-Rhyne at Wingate, March 20

DII lacrosse

🥍 MEN'S: Limestone at Newberry and Rollins at Tampa, March 23

🥍 WOMEN'S: East Stroudsburg at Pace and Adelphi at Bentley, March 23

Stars of the Week 

Tampa wins the 2024 DII men's swimming & diving championship

🏊🏻‍♀️ Tampa won the DII swimming and diving men’s championships while Nova Southeastern took home the women’s crown. You can see the recap, all individual champions and results here.

Central Oklahoma wins the 2024 DII wrestling championship

🤼‍♀️ Central Oklahoma won its ninth DII wrestling national championship this past weekend — the most all time. Check out the recap, individual champions by class, and results here.

On the Radar

🏈 2024 NFL Draft, April 25-27.

🏆 The 2024 DII Championships Festival (Spring), May 19-25: This includes men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, and softball. Visit the DII Festival hub.

🏟 DII baseball championship, June 1-8.

⚾️ 2024 MLB Draft, July 14.

Did I miss someone or something? It sure is possible. Don’t forget to drop me a line at Wayne.Cavadi@WBD.com and get your stars of the week in by every Monday.