Seven Minnesota teams going to D-III men's, women's basketball playoffs

Three women's teams and two men's teams from the MIAC received bids to the NCAA Division III basketball tournament field, which was announced Monday.

The men's field includes first-time MIAC tournament champion St. Olaf and regular-season champion St. Thomas, an at-large pick.

The St. Thomas women advanced as MIAC champions and were joined by at-large selections St. Mary's — the MIAC regular-season champion for the first time — and Concordia (Moorhead).

St. Olaf will play Friday against Central (Iowa) in a four-team men's regional in Stevens Point, Wis. — site of the Division III Final Four. The St. Thomas men, the 2011 national champions, will face Augustana (Ill.) in Oshkosh, Wis.

The St. Thomas women were selected as host for a four-team regional that includes Concordia. The Cobbers will face at-large entry Wisconsin-Whitewater on Friday, followed by St. Thomas against Loras.

St. Mary's will play in Oshkosh against host Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion, in Friday's first round.

The Northwestern men and women, who earned automatic berths with Upper Midwest Athletic Conference championships Saturday night, will open the tournament in Whitewater and Oshkosh, respectively.

The Eagles men will play the host Warhawks, while the women will take on Washington University (Mo.).

Winona State held Minnesota State Moorhead to 33 percent shooting in a 70-53 victory in the conference tournament men's semifinals in Sioux Falls, S.D. Mark Blacklock scored 22 points for the Warriors, who shot 52 percent. The Dragons came in averaging 86.3 points per game and 48 percent shooting. The Warriors (26-6) will play MSU Mankato, a 68-57 winner over Southwest Minnesota State, in the final on Tuesday.

In the women's semifinals, Anika Whiting had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and third-seeded Concordia (St. Paul) sank 25 of 37 free throws in a 78-66 victory over Sioux Falls. The Golden Bears (24-8) will play top-seeded Northern State, which held off Minnesota State Mankato 57-56. Ali Wilkinson led Mankato (23-6) with 14 points.