Howard Payne got the sole bye in the Division III women's basketball bracket and awaits the winner of McMurry and Trinity (Texas), in the one Wednesday first-round game.

The women's bracket once again features a strong national distribution, with top seeds dispersed as much as possible throughout the bracket. There appear to be eight teams the committee protected through their placement in the bracket: Messiah, Mary Washington, Kean, Thomas More, Howard Payne, Hope, Simpson and DePauw.

We announced the bracket this morning but if you missed it, there was a note: Scranton will be hosting the four-team pod that includes Eastern Connecticut, Rochester and Medaille. Also, a later update: Bridgewater State will now be hosting the pod that includes Bowdoin, Amherst and Becker.

Now, if only the men could also come up with a sectional bracket that features Texas, the West Coast, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic.

Thanks to the 2,500-plus people who tuned in to our broadcast of the women's bracket announcement! Women's game times are not predetermined by the NCAA, so when we get information from the schools we will post it on our bracket.