Virginia Military Institute 72, Virginia Tech 68 (story) - Perennial Big South basement dwellers VMI had been blown out by Old Dominion 86-38 three days previous, so stopping an ACC team they hadn't beaten since 1964 was a bit, umm, unexpected. The Keydets kept the Hokies even on the boards, but shot only 39% - they used the three-point basket (13 of 'em) to seal the win. Always wondered what a "Keydet" is? Well, here you go.
Utah State 71, Utah 45 (story) - The Aggies have served notice in the Beehive State by destroying two Mountain West schools - BYU and the conference-favorite Utes - on their home court. In this game, an 82% second-half shooting performance did the trick. Now, Utah State looks ready to renew its tussle at the top of the Big West with Pacific (who, to follow up, lost to Kansas by 11).
Evansville 67, Austin Peay 58 (story) - The Govs lost four starters off a team that went 16-0 in the Ohio Valley last year, but nobody expected it would be this bad. They scored only 36 against Winthrop a few weeks ago in the Virgin Islands, and fell to the shorthanded Purple Aces for their fifth straight defeat. APSU only held the lead once (at 45-44), and five Evansville players scored in double figures.
Western Kentucky 82, Murray State 72 (story) - A team that nipped Austin Peay in the conference finals to reach the Tournament, and holds everyone's grandma's preseason vote to win the OVC again this year, fell at home to a rebuilding Sun Belt squad. WKU torched the Racers with a second-half run, and withstood a three-point barrage in the final minute with 10 made free throws. As if Topper fans needed any excuse to wave their towels, WKU is 5-0, won at Murray for the first time in 16 years, and avenged last year's season-defining double-overtime loss.
American 67, Vermont 64 (story) - The Eagles have been regarded as somewhat forgotten men in the Patriot League after the departure of point guard sensation Andres Rodriguez, but they bravely fought off the consensus America East favorites on this day in a seesaw battle. With 2 seconds to go, mid-major poster boy Taylor Coppenrath of the Catamounts hit a three that was well outside his range, making it 66-64. But AU's Jason Thomas (29 points to lead all scorers) hit a last-second free-throw, and intercepted Vermont's inbound.
Bowling Green 59, Detroit 53 (story) - The UDM Titans have high hopes in the Horizon League, but are off to their worst start in ten years at 1-4. The Falcons of the Mid-American, not picked to do much this year, did it with the power of three - fifth-year senior SF John Reimold had six on his way to 28 points. BGSU won for the first time at Detroit since 1956.
Bradley 63, DePaul 53 (story) - There's a new Comcast SportsNet channel in Chicago, and its primary content sources are Bulls and Blue Demons basketball. They may get their best ratings at 3 A.M. for Matthew Lesko infomercials if DePaul keeps this up - they've now lost to both Northern Illinois and the Missouri Valley's Braves with unfocused, disorganized performances. They shot 29% from the field in this one, and team leader Drake Diener went 2 for 18. Bradley's being picked last in the Valley, but they might not be as bad as people think.
The rise and fall of Steve "Long Shot" Myers, who set the Guinness world record for longest shot attempt made in a game back in 1970. In an exhibition contest against Pacific Lutheran University, Myers of the Cowlitz Redi-Mix club sunk a 92 foot 3 1/2-inch bomb. But it wasn't a last-second desperation heave, there were six minutes to go... his team was down by 50 and he couldn't find a man open. "I was so frustrated, I just chucked it down court and it went in," he once said.
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Having recently completed its fourth season, The Mid-Majority is a blog about the 22 smaller Division I college basketball conferences (and independents) by me, Kyle Whelliston. I write for ESPN.com and Basketball Times, and maintain the Basketball State statistics website as well.
Here's a brief note on who we talk about, and why.
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