NCAA basketball has reached the pointy end of the season and at the beginning of the week Akienne-Tera Reed earned a trip to the showcase event, the NCAA Division I Tournament otherwise known as the Big Dance.

Tera and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rams defeated University of Massachusetts 81-69 to take out the Atlantic 10 title.

The Rams had lost the previous two championship games and after defeating #1 Dayton in the semi-final 24 hours earlier they made no mistake in the final. Tera was hugely influential scoring 12 points (3/6FG, 6/8FT) and adding 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a game high 4 steals. 

It’s fitting that the 2018 Tall Fern will cap off a stellar collegiate career with a first appearance at the Big Dance in her senior year at VCU.

Emme Shearer (University of Portland) and Dan Fotu (St Mary’s College, California) are also headed to post season tournaments. St Mary’s will play at the National Invitation Tournament and Portland at the Women’s Basketball Invitational.

Will Heather and the Dallas Baptist Patriots were defeated by West Texas A&M 82-65 in the second round of the NCAA Division II National Championships. Despite the loss Will put together another fine performance finishing with 15 points on 7 from 8 shooting from the field. The former Rosmini College centre, in his sophomore year, started all 22 game for the Patriots this season finishing with 223 points at 10.1ppg.

In the Women’s NCAA Division II tournament Tiffin University, with Georgia Perrott-Hunt on their coaching staff, recorded a remarkable victory.

Down 18 points with under 6 minutes to play against Glenville State University, Tiffin outscored their more fancied opponents 24-4 to record an outstanding win and move into the last 16 at the championships. 

Congratulations to Tessa Talo-Tomokino - a freshman at Northeastern State University she has been recognised on the Academic Honour Roll by the Mid-America Athletics Conference . 

In Junior College action Hannah Wentworth scored a collegiate career high 24 points, in just 25 minutes, as Utah State Eastern dismissed Southern Nevada 92-59.

Hannah knocked down 6 from 8 from beyond the arc, all four freebies and also dished 4 assists.