For the first time since 2017, George Washington men's basketball is back in the postseason. The Buff & Blue have accepted an invitation to the inaugural College Basketball Crown, scheduled to be held from March 31 to April 6, 2025, in Las Vegas. GW will face Boise State on March 31 at 5:30 p.m. ET, marking their participation in postseason play after several years of absence.
Boise State, coming off a 24-10 season, recently reached the Mountain West Championship but fell short to Colorado State. This will be the first meeting between GW and Boise State, with the winner advancing to face either Utah or Butler.
The College Basketball Crown, described as a first-of-its-kind event, aims to provide greater opportunities for college basketball programs and their athletes. The tournament will feature matchups across two world-class venues: the MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena. The first two rounds from March 31 to April 3 will be broadcasted nationally on FS1, followed by the semifinals and championship, which will air on FOX during the first weekend of April.
This event holds significant importance for GW, marking their 20th postseason appearance and their first since they advanced to the second round of the 2017 CBI. Historically, the Buff & Blue are 11-18 all-time in postseason matchups, which includes victories across four NCAA tournaments and six NIT tournaments.
George Washington's season has been one of its best in nearly ten years, wrapping up with a 21-12 record and advancing to the Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals for the first time since 2017. They secured their 16th 20-win season, the most since the 2015-16 season, when they won the NIT championship. This year's squad features standout players Rafael Castro, who earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors and was also named to the All-Defensive team, and freshman Christian Jones, who was selected for the All-Rookie team.
Head coach Chris Caputo, now in his third year with the program, has navigated the team to its highest NET ranking since the inception of the stat before the 2018-19 season and the best KenPom ranking since 2016. Such achievements have added to the anticipation surrounding the upcoming College Basketball Crown.
Meanwhile, the UMass women’s basketball program has also received postseason recognition. On March 17, 2025, the team, with a record of 16-14 and 11-7 in the Atlantic 10, was selected to host Stonehill College (17-15, 12-5 NEC) in the First Round of the WNIT. This matchup is set to tip-off at 6:00 p.m. on March 20 at the Mullins Center, marking UMass's first appearance against Stonehill in the program's history.
UMass has shown remarkable improvement this season, increasing their win total from the previous year by 11 and capturing nine additional conference victories along the way. The Minutewomen have progressed to become solid contenders, sitting at 152nd nationally in the NCAA Women's Basketball NET rankings, along with respectable statistics across various defensive metrics.
The matchup against Stonehill will feature star players from both teams. For Stonehill, the leading scorers include Sharn Hayward, who averages 16.3 points, and Brooke Paquette at 13.4 points. Meanwhile, UMass will showcase Yahmani McKayle, honored as the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, and Megan Olbrys, who earned Third-Team All-Conference recognition.
McKayle has proven to be impactful this season, averaging 13.4 points and excelling defensively with 1.86 steals per game. Her recognition as Rookie of the Year signifies her standout role among first-year players, and her contributions have positively shaped UMass's progress this season.
Olbrys has also been instrumental, leading the Minutewomen with 14.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, shooting over 53% from the field. The team's noteworthy performances this year feature players like senior Stefanie Kulesza, who recently set a career-high 22 rebounds, showcasing the team effort behind their turnaround season.
The significance of these postseason tournaments extends beyond the current season, offering collegiate athletes the chance to compete for recognition and exposure on national stages. For both George Washington and UMass, their participation not only reflects their hard work throughout the season but also paves the way for future opportunities.
With postseason aspirations ignited, fans and supporters will eagerly follow the journeys of George Washington and UMass as they aim to make their mark during this exciting basketball season.
