Live From the 2025 D3 Final 4
We’re live from the 2025 NCAA D3 Men’s Basketball National Championship Game in Fort Wayne, Indiana!
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Earlier today we interviewed D3 All Star game participants and got their advice for future student-athletes [Watch on IG]
If you’re a subscriber to our newsletter, be sure to check out tomorrow’s edition of Scholarship Sunday including National and Indiana specific scholarships.
For now, here’s our recap of Thursday’s two National Semifinal matchups.
D3 Men’s Basketball Final Four
#1 Wesleyan - 69
#4 Trinity (CT) - 73
From the same state and the same conference (NESCAC), this game might have been a Sweet 16 matchup in previous years. But thanks to NPI, fans of Division 3 Men’s Basketball got a more balanced bracket and a chance to see this Top 5 matchup in the Final 4.
Early on, it was clear that these teams knew each other. Trinity’s sturdy defense gave them the advantage and stymied most of what Wesleyan tried to get into offensively.
However, Wesleyan took the momentum when they switched to zone and began to slow Trinity down. On the offensive end, the Cardinals got hot as Nicky Johnson hit three 3’s in a row. Going into the under 8 minute media timeout, Wesleyan had clawed back and had gone up 2. But then Trinity went on a run of their own as they found their footing and pulled back to lead 33-31 at the half.
Wesleyan got it back to 8 with around 5 minutes to play. But ultimately, Trinity was too much as their experience on this stage and hustle from players like Jarrel Okorougo helped to seal the deal. Trinity will look to avenge their 2024 Final 4 loss tonight and head back to Connecticut as champions of NCAA Division 3 Men’s Basketball.
#3 NYU - 72
#17 Washington U. (STL) - 60
Another high-caliber conference matchup, this time featuring two Top 25 teams from the University Athletic Association (UAA).
WashU jumped out early, but a 15-0 run punctuated by a deep 3 from Hampton Sanders put NYU up 26-15 midway through the first half.
A big 3 pointer from Hayden Doyle fired up the WashU bench, but it was immediately answered by another long range effort from Hampton Sanders that preserved the NYU lead at 39-30.
The game’s flow was interrupted by a really questionable flagrant two foul call on NYU guard Zay Freeney. Not only did the call take the energy out of the room, but it saw Freeney ejected from the contest. WashU seized on the change and closed the lead to 6 at the half, 39-33.
After the break it was the Hampton Sanders show again as the NYU guard hit another two threes early. It began to feel like a heavyweight battle with punch and counterpunch thrown, as Hayden Doyle hit another 3.
In the game’s closing moments, NYU capitalized on two big offensive rebounds, cashing them in for two threes including Hampton Sanders sixth 3 pointer on the night (6-6).
Ultimately the Bears of WashU didn’t have enough to get it done, but Connor May was a bright spot. The Bears Freshman rallied in the second half and showed a ton of promise after he went 0-4 in the first half from the field.
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