Amherst host a regional, while Smith travels to Maine.
Northampton High School graduate Lauren Westin (30) and her Smith College teammates open play Friday in the Southern Maine Regional of the NCAA Division III basketball tournament.
The Pioneers (22-4) are making their first appearance in the NCAA tournament. Northampton High School graduate Lauren Westin has 14 steals and nine blocks for Smith. The University of New Hampshire transfer is a former Athlete of the Week selection by The Republican.
Sophomore guard Paulina Solis leads the Pioneers with 15.1 points per game. Southern Maine (27-1) is ranked eighth in the country.
Ithaca College (25-2) will play Colby-Sawyer College (23-5) at 5:30 in the other Southern Maine Regional semifinal.
Amherst (26-1) begins its tournament run at 7 p.m. Friday when it hosts Farmington State (12-12) at LeFrak Gymnasium.
The sixth-seeded Jeffs, making their sixth straight tournament appearance, are led by Marcia Voit (17.5 ppg).
Ludlow's Elisha Homich (21) and her Bridgewater State University teammates begin play Friday at Amherst Regional.
Bridgewater State University (23-3) faces University of New England (24-4) in the other semifinal. A pair of guards from Ludlow, Elisha Homich and Jenna Williamson, lead Bridgewater.
The Division III semifinals and finals are March 15-16 in Holland, Mich.