Tourney Central 3/3/07Bullet Points
Brackets
(2) Belmont 79, (6) Campbell 63 | GameFlo
(1) Davidson 91, (5) Furman 68 | GameFlo While everyone (myself included) was talking about the Davidson-App State axis in the Southern Conference, Charleston and Bobby Cremins silently put together a 21-win season, if such a thing is possible. After a career high by a Dontaye Draper with nothing left to lose, there's a whole lot of late-night studying going on with the ESPN-TV folks... this is not what anyone expected. Key statline: Appalachian State's star D.J. Thompson went 2-for-15.
(1) Southern Illinois 71, (9) Drake 59 | GameFlo In the Missouri Valley, the top seeds won out, setting up a semifinal round that could very well determine two NCAA teams. Missouri State put Wichita State out of its misery (and it was misery), and Creighton crushed Indiana State; afterwards, Sycamores head coach Royce Waltman was relieved of his duties. We'll get an intriguing Bradley-#Southern Illinois matchup after the Braves ground out a low-possessions slog against UNI. Please take a moment and study the two teams' January meeting in Peoria, proof that Bradley can play SIU's way.
(1) Austin Peay 65, (5) Samford 55 | GameFlo The Ohio Valley final is set; Samford fought bravely but fell away in the final few minutes; Austin Peay represents the only OVC team that Eastern Kentucky hasn't beaten.
(5) San Diego 95, (8) Pepperdine 82 | GameFlo The West Coast first round had an expected win and a slightly unexpected loss. Loyola Marymount, defeaters of UMPFN earlier in the month, shot just 28% and lost. In a fast-and-loose 5-8 game, the Toreros had three guys with 19 points or more and averaged a blazin' 1.28 points per possession.
(4) Wisconsin-Green Bay 72, (5) Youngstown State 55 | GameFlo The Horizon League is playing out according to form; Loyola (Ill.) will now get a return date with a Butler team it beat last week, while Wisconsin-Green Bay will try its luck against top seed Wright State.
(7) Rider 77, (10) Iona 62 | GameFlo The only purpose of the MAAC's first round was to properly bury the seasons of Iona and Saint Peter`s. With four league wins between them (SPC had three of those), it's not a moment too soon.
(5) Northeastern 77, (12) Delaware 67 | GameFlo One surprise in the Colonial yesterday as the quarterfinal bracket was assembled: Georgia State, they of the win over Towson and the near miss against George Mason last year, emerged victorious from its first-round game in an upset for the second straight year. The other three higher seeds won, but it's hard to see any of them winning against the monster top four in today's quarters.
(8) Hartford 49, (9) Stony Brook 47 | GameFlo In the America East, Pillowfight Friday resulted in a tight game in which both teams shot poorly, and Hartford came from way behind to take out Stony Brook at the end. Just so I don't have to e-mail each of you A-East folks individually, I got a late flight so I'll be there sometime during today's second game. Previews Big South Final Ohio Valley Final Atlantic Sun Final Missouri Valley Semifinals Horizon League Semifinals America East Quarterfinals Metro Atlantic Quaterfinals Mid-Continent Quarterfinals Colonial Quarterfinals West Coast 2nd Round Big Sky 1st Round Good Night A candy-colored clown they call the sandman tiptoes to my room every night. Well, not last night, because I was tallying all the teams that were eliminated on a ridiculously busy day of hoops. Campbell, Lipscomb, Furman, Drake, Indiana State, Wichita State, Northern Iowa, Samford, Tennessee Tech, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Youngstown State, Illinois-Chicago, Iona, Saint Peter`s, Stony Brook, Delaware, James Madison, UNCW and William & Mary have all drifted away into the magic night. And just before the dawn, Appalachian State, Hoops Nation awakes and finds you gone. |
