NCAA: Championship week starts the Madness
The NCAA basketball season is winding down, but this is the time of year all collegiate basketball fans wait for, Championship Week and the official start to March Madness. There are 33 NCAA Division I conferences, with all but the Ivy League holding a year-end tournament. Many finished up on Saturday, the rest will host their ‘ships on Sunday with all the tournament champions earning bids to play in the NCAA tournament which starts play on Tuesday, the 19th, with the preliminary rounds.
In Saturday’s finals, Louisville overcame a 13-point deficit at halftime and destroyed Syracuse with a 56:26 second half score, earning the program their third Big East title in what is the final Big East championship with the conference as it’s well know.
“Obviously, it’s a real special night for the University of Louisville, the final minute of play, first thing I thought of is what an incredible group of guys I’m coaching. Then I thought how happy I was for my family, and then immediately I thought of (Big East founder and first commissioner) Dave Gavitt and what he formed, and all of us in some way or another flourish because of Dave Gavitt. “This was a special, special night.” — Louisville Coach Rick Patino
Liberty became only the second school in NCAA history to earn a spot in the tournament with a 20-loss season.
On Sunday, Wisconsin will square off with Ohio State in the Big Ten title; Miami will face North Carolina in the ACC championship game; Saint Louis will take on VCU in the Atlantic 10 title contest.
ACC Finals – Sunday, March 17, 1:00:
Miami (FL) – North Carolina
Miami (1) advanced to the ACC finals with an 81:71 victory over North Carolina State (5). The Hurricanes got 32 points and 4 assists from Durand Scott and 23 points and 7 rebounds from Shane Larkin. North Carolina (3) defeated Maryland (7), 79:76, to earn their trip to the championship. North Carolina’s Reggie Bullock led the way for the Tarheels with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in the win.
American East Championship:
Albany – Vermont, 53:49
Albany took a 28:20 lead into the halftime break, but gave up that lead with 3:04 to play only to get it back and keep it for good to win the American East title and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Mike Black scored 14 to lead Albany and earn MVP honors, Luke Devlin added 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assists and 2 steals.
Atlantic 10 – Finals – Sunday, March 17, 1:00
Saint Louis – Virginia Commonwealth University
Saint Louis (1) will play VCU in the A10 finals at the Barclays Center after downing Butler (5), 67:56 in the first semifinal contest. The Billikens got a double-double out of leading scorer Dwayne Evans, who dropped in 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and got three steals on the day. Cody Ellis added 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. VCU (2) earned the co-star role in the A10 Finals opposite Saint Louis with a 71:62 victory over Massachusetts (6). Chaz Williams scored 18, and added 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Cady Lalanne added 14 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.
Atlantic Sun Championship:
Florida Gulf Coast University – Mercer, 88:75
In just their second year of eligibility for post-season play, FGCU has qualified for the NCAA tournament after their 88:75 victory over Mercer in the A-Sun championship. Brett Comer was game-high for FGCU with 21 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, and the MVP trophy. Sherwood Brown picked up a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Chase Fieler added 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block for the Eagles.
Big 12 Championship:
Kansas – Kansas State, 70:54
The Kansas Jayhawks picked up their ninth Big 12 tournament championship Saturday, at the expense of in-state rivals, Kansas State. Kansas got 17 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal from senior center Jeff Withey, who was named the tournament MVP. Naadir Tharpe and Perry Ellis each added 12 points off the bench to the Jayhawks 70:54 victory. Kansas defeated Iowa State, 88:73 in the semifinals and Kansas St. beat Oklahoma State, 68:57 to earn their spot in the Championship.
Big East Championship:
Louisville – Syracuse, 78:61
Louisville came from 13 points down at halftime to beat Syracuse by 17, 78:61, on the strength of a 56:26 second half score and earn back-to-back Big East tournament titles. The game marks the end of the Big East as it’s currently known with a mass of clubs leaving for other conferences and a shake-up of the remaining teams. The win for Louisville is their third Big East championship. The Cardinals high man was Montrezi Harrell, who contributed 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block, in 24 minutes off the bench. Peyton Siva scored 11 points, dished off 8 assists, picked up 4 steals, blocked 1 shot, and became the first Big East player to win back-to-back MVP awards since Patrick Ewing did it for Georgetown in 1984-85.
Big Sky Championship:
Montana – Weber St, 67:64
The Montana Grizzlies became repeat Big Sky tournament Champions, winning their third title in four years and sixth in 12 years, with a 67:64 thriller over Weber St. on Saturday. The two clubs were knotted at 34 at the break and then took turns with the lead throughout the second half, but Montana got a key triple from Will Cherry with 55 seconds to play and they connected on five of six from the line down the stretch to hold off Weber St. for the repeat title. Montana’s Kareem Jamar became the first player to win back-to-back Big Sky tournament MVP titles since Bruce Collins in 1980 (Collins won the award three straight years). Jamar scored 20 points, hauled in 5 rebounds, and dished off 5 assists on route to his second MVP title and a return trip to the NCAA tournament.
Big South Championship:
Liberty – Charleston Southern, 87:76
Liberty becomes the second team with a 20-loss season to ever reach the NCAA tournament after they defeated Charleston Southern, 87:76, Saturday to take the Big South tournament title. Looking at the Big South Conference standings shows CSU at the top of the list with a 12-4 conference record and 19-12 overall, with Liberty in 10th with a 6-10 conference record and a 15-20 overall mark. None of that mattered when Liberty’s John Sanders dropped in 27 during the title game, added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Davon Marshall earned tournament MVP honors in part due to his 20 points on Saturday.
Big Ten – Finals – Sunday, March 17, 3:30
Wisconsin – Ohio State
Highly under appreciated Wisconsin will take on Ohio State in the Big Ten final after the Badgers smacked around top ranked Indiana 68:56. Ryan Zeller led Wisconsin with 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 4 blocks. Indiana’s Cody Zeller turned in a double-double performance with 13 points and 11 rebounds, but he couldn’t hold off the Badgers himself. Ohio State outlasted Michigan State in the second semifinal contest to earn the right to play Wisconsin for the Big Ten title. Ohio State had built an eight-point lead with just over four minutes to play, but the Spartans pulled within a point, 56:57, on a Derrick Nix three-point play. Deshaun Thomas hit a jumper with 25 seconds to play for the Buckeyes and then split a pair of free throws to make it a five-point game with 9 seconds remaining. Denzel Valentine hit a jumper with a second on the clock to close out scoring. Ohio State’s Aaron Craft put in 39 minutes of PT, accumulating 20 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals, to lead his club to the Big Ten finals.
Big West Championship:
Pacific – UC Irvine, 64:55
Bob Thomason is in his last weeks as the coach of the University of the Pacific, but before he hangs up his whistle he and his club have one more stop to make, the NCAA tournament, after they defeated UC Irvine 64:55 in the championship of the Big West Conference tournament. This is Thomason’s 25th season with the Tigers and this will be the fifth trip to the Dance with his squad. Tony Gill came off the bench to drop in 19 for Pacific, earning MVP honors, and starting playmaker Lorenzo McCloud contributed 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists to the win.
Colonial Athletic Association Championship:
James Madison – Northeastern, 70:57
The last time the Dukes of James Madison University won the CAA tournament and qualified for the NCAA tournament was 1994, which was around a time when most of the current members of the team had just started walking. The drought is over as the JMU put up a huge first half and maintain their advantage in the second half to come out of their contest with a 70:57 victory, some hardware for the school’s trophy case, and a berth to the NCAA tournament. A.J. Davis led the way for the Dukes with 26 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and an MVP trophy; while Rayshawn Goins added a double-double performance with 14 points, 13 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
Conference USA Championship
Memphis – University of Southern Mississippi, 91:79
It took two overtime periods, but as the horn sounded on the second extra 5 top seeded Memphis had picked up their seventh C-USA tournament championship in eight years with a 91:79 victory over Southern Miss. The win means that Memphis went 19-0 in C-USA play this season, going 16-0 during the regular season and then adding three additional victories during the tournament. They finish the season 30-4 heading into the NCAA tournament. Chris Crawford walked away with MVP honors for Memphis after he dropped in 23 points, 20 of which came in the last 13 minutes of the game. In the semifinals he dropped in a cool 30 by connecting on 8 of 10 triples, 10 of 14 inside the arc and 2 of 4 a the stripe. Teammate Joe Jackson, tournament MVP in 2011 and 2012, scored 22 points and added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal during the title game.
Great West Championship
Chicago State – Houston Baptist, 75:60
The Great West Conference doesn’t get an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, but they do get a spot in the CollegeInsider.com Post Season Tournament. This seasons Great West Conference tournament was won by Chicago State University in a 75:60 win over Houston Baptist. The win gives the Cougars an 11-15 record on the season. Jeremy Robinson led the team with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocked shots. Nate Duhon contributed 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 steals and an MVP trophy.
Horizon League Championship
Valparaiso – Wright State, 62:54
Valparaiso hasn’t been to the Dance since 2004 and their coach, Bryce Drew, was there in 1998 as a player. After their 62:54 win over Wright State in the Horizon League championship game, both are heading back. The Crusaders, who won their title and earned their ticket to the NCAAs in front of a home crowd in Valparaiso, were led in the title game by tournament MVP Erik Buggs. Buggs, known more for his skills on the defensive end of the court and was recently named to the Horizon League’s All-Defensive team, contributed 22 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals to help his club earn the title. Will Bogan added 14, and Kevin Van Wijk had a double-double win 10 points and 10 rebounds.
to be continued…