Recent Game Recaps

Epilogue, The Ninth: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Memories

So We Meet Again

Rte. 139 - End of the Line

Hanging On

A Championship in Pictures

This Time of Year

Dotson Leads Ducks to the Sweet Sixteen

Grizzlies Overwhelmed by Orangemen

Empire

Challenge 11: Final Four Memories

By George, UConn is Dead

Butler and Us

Donning the Black and Gold

Challenge 10: Tourney Memories

The Madness of the Horizon League

The Rare Ivy League Conference Tournament

MAC Madness

Anything Can Happen in the MAAC

Challenge 9: Shock The Neighborhood

A Youthful Surprise

From Worst to First

Peers and Seers

Bradley Braves  Creighton Bluejays  Davidson Wildcats  Detroit Titans  Drexel Dragons  East Tennessee State Buccaneers  Elon Phoenix  Hartford Hawks  Jacksonville Dolphins  Mercer Bears  Morehead State Eagles  

Bullet Points

• Two more finals are set. All four of the top seeds are out at the Atlantic Sun, leaving No. 5 East Tennessee State and No. 6 Mercer to fight for the title. In the OVC, top two seeds Murray State and Morehead State will stage a showdown in Nashville tonight.
  
• In the 22 games on Friday, the higher seed won 16 times. Notable exceptions include Mercer's disposal of No. 2 Jacksonville (A-Sun semifinals) and Detroit's 7-over-3 surprise over Green Bay in the Horizon second round. CAA No. 11 dumped sixth-seeded Drexel, and Davidson's first post-Stephen Curry season is over. The Wildcats, South-3 in the SoCon event, were eliminated by North-6 Elon.
  
  
• Other standout results included Valley No. 5 Bradley demolishing No. 4 Creighton by 19.
  
• Please welcome four more tourneys to the proceedings. The Sun Belt starts in Hot Springs, Ark. with five first-round games. The Badlands begins in Sioux Falls, S.D. with two of its four quarterfinals, the Big Sky opens with a campus-site first round, and the America East has quarterfinal action in Hartford.
  
• In addition to the Big South, A-Sun and OVC title games, the Missouri Valley and Horizon League are on to the semis. The SoCon, CAA and MAAC hold quarterfinals today; the West Coast is in the second round.
  
• There are 34 elimination games today, making it the busiest day of Championship Fortnight.

Brackets

Atlantic Sun



[5] East Tennessee State 69, [8] Kennesaw State 64
Star of the Game: Micah Williams 20 Pts (7-12 FG, 4-6 FT)

Bears stand in way of Bucs' ninth trip to NCAAs - Hoping to earn the program's ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament, the ETSU Buccaneers will take on the Mercer Bears in the championship game of the 2010 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Saturday at 6 p.m. inside the University Center on the campus of Mercer University. The game will air nationally on ESPN2. The Bucs (19-14) will face an uphill battle, taking on a Bears team that has defeated them twice already this season. In addition, ETSU will meet Mercer on the Bears' home floor and in front of a hostile crowd.(via East Tennessee State)

[6] Mercer 66, [2] Jacksonville 63
Star of the Game: Daniel Emerson 21 Pts (7-11 FG, 7-8 FT), 15 Reb

Fish Fry: Bears Eliminate Dolphins in A-Sun Semifinals, 66-63 - In nature, Bears are known for slapping salmon out of streams. On Friday evening in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference men's basketball championships, the Mercer University Bears whacked the Dolphins of Jacksonville University out of the tournament, 66-63. By doing so, the Mercer team also took itself to a place it as not seen since 1996: the title game of the A-Sun tournament. The reward for the winner is an automatic bid to the "big dance:" NCAA Division I men's basketball championships. (via Mercer)

Colonial



[8] Towson 91, [9] North Carolina-Wilmington 74
Star of the Game: Troy Franklin 18 Pts (6-9 FG, 2-2 FT), 2 Stl

Tigers Dominate UNCW, 91-74, Advance To Face ODU - Towson will be put to the test tomorrow when it faces top-seeded Old Dominion, but for now, the Tigers can savor their convincing 91-74 victory over UNC Wilmington. The Tigers' first round victory advanced them to the quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association's Championship Basketball Tournament for the fourth year in a row. The eighth-seeded Tigers (10-20) were dominating in their first round performance, leading by as many as 30 points midway through the second half. A closing 12-2 run by the ninth-seeded Seahawks (9-22) made the game appear closer than it actually was as the Tigers scored a season high in points. The win stretched Towson's win streak to three, its longest of the season. (via Towson)

at [5] Virginia Commonwealth 66, [12] Delaware 49
Star of the Game: Larry Sanders 15 Pts (7-15 FG, 1-2 FT), 13 Reb

Sanders, Rams Take First Step in CAA Tournament With 66-49 Win Over Delaware - Shaka Smart and his Virginia Commonwealth University men's basketball did just that on Friday with a 66-49 defeat of the Fightin' Blue Hens of the University of Delaware in the opening round of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. Leading the way was junior Larry Sanders (Fort Pierce, Fla.), who registered his 11th double-double of his career with 15 points, 13 rebounds, while adding three blocks and two assists in the victorious effort. Classmate Joey Rodriguez (Oviedo, Fla.) knocked down three three-pointers and finished with 12 points, while sophomore Bradford Burgess (Midlothian, Va.) added 10 points. (via Virginia Commonwealth)

[7] Hofstra 68, [10] Georgia State 67
Star of the Game: Charles Jenkins 24 Pts (8-20 FG, 4-5 FT), 2 Stl

Washington's Late Basket Pushes Hofstra Past Georgia State - Junior forward Greg Washington (Centereach, NY) buried the go-ahead jump shot with 16 seconds left and came up with the game-clinching steal on the last possession to push Hofstra to a 68-67 win over Georgia State in the first round of the CAA Tournament on Friday night at Richmond Coliseum. Junior guard Charles Jenkins (Queens, NY) scored a game-high 24 points and assisted on Hofstra's winning basket. The seventh-seeded Pride advances to face second-seeded Northeastern in a quarterfinal matchup on Saturday at 6 p.m. The winner of that game will move on to the semifinals on Sunday at 5:30 against either third-seeded William & Mary, sixth-seeded Drexel or 11th-seeded James Madison. Hofstra's win was its seventh in a row and 10th in its last 11 games as it improves to 19-13 on the season. (via Hofstra)

[11] James Madison 77, [6] Drexel 65
Star of the Game: Denzel Bowles 22 Pts (8-15 FG, 6-8 FT), 10 Reb, 6 Ast

Dukes Beat Drexel In Caa Tournament Opener - Junior forward Denzel Bowles (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) had game highs of 22 points and 10 rebounds, and senior guard Pierre Curtis (Denver, Colo./East) and sophomore forward Julius Wells (Toledo, Ohio/Libbey) added 19 and 18 points, respectively, as James Madison beat Drexel 77-65 Friday in the first round of the Virginia 529 College Savings Plan Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Tournament at the Richmond Coliseum. Eleventh-seeded JMU with the victory improved to 13-19 for the season and advanced to an 8:30 p.m. Saturday second-round tournament game against No. 3 seed William & Mary, which had a first-round bye. Sixth-seeded Drexel completed its season with a 16-16 record. (via James Madison)

Horizon League



[7] Detroit 62, [3] Wisconsin-Green Bay 53
Star of the Game: Eli Holman 16 Pts (7-9 FG, 2-2 FT), 11 Reb

Titans Move Into The HL Semi-Finals With A 62-53 Victory Over Green Bay - A great team effort, especially on the defensive side, was the story on Friday evening as the Detroit men's basketball team advanced to the 2010 Speedway Horizon League Championship semi-finals with a 62-53 victory over Green Bay at Hinkle Fieldhouse. It is the Titans first semi-finals appearance since making the finals in 2005. Detroit also recorded its first 20-win season (20-13) since going 25-12 in 2001. (via Detroit)

[4] Wisconsin-Milwaukee 82, [5] Cleveland State 75
Star of the Game: Ja'Rob McCallum 14 Pts (4-5 FG, 2-3 FT), 6 Reb

Panthers Advance To Semis With 20th Win Of Season - Six players scored in double figures and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee shot a season-best 55.3 percent from the field to claim an 82-75 win over Cleveland State Friday in the second round of the Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
With the win, the Panthers (20-13) advance to Saturday's semifinals, where they will face top-seeded Butler. The game tips off at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST and can be seen live on ESPNU. UWM led by as many as 20 points in the second half before hanging on for the win. (via Wisconsin-Milwaukee)

Metro Atlantic



[9] Manhattan 94, [8] Loyola (Md.) 79
Star of the Game: Rico Pickett 33 Pts (10-18 FG, 10-11 FT), 3 Stl

Hot Offensive Attack Sends Jaspers into MAAC Quarterfinals - The third meeting with Loyola (13-17) was the charm for the Manhattan men's basketball team. After dropping its two regular-season contests to the Greyhounds, Manhattan (11-19) saved its best effort for the MAAC Tournament First Round as the Jaspers rallied to a 94-79 victory at the Times Union Center in Albany on Friday night. Junior guard Rico Pickett led the Jaspers' charge with a career-high 33 points and senior guard Darryl Crawford (16 points, 10 rebounds) delivered his third double-double against the Greyhounds this season. (via Manhattan)

[7] Canisius 72, [10] Marist 54
Star of the Game: Elton Frazier 17 Pts (7-10 FG, 3-7 FT)

Men's Basketball Defeats Marist to Advance to the Quarters - Making 10 3-pointers and getting at least six points from seven players, the Cansius College men's basketball team defeated No. 10 seed Marist 72-54 at the 2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Championship in the Times Union Center on Friday night. The Golden Griffins (15-16) advance to the quarterfinal round and will take on No. 2 seed Fairfield at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night. In Buffalo, the game will be available on Channel 87 on Time Warner. The game can also be seen on Fox Sports Atlantic. Junior Elton Frazier had a team-high 17 points while junior Greg Logins had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Alshwan Hymes had 11 points, including 3-for-7 shooting from behind the arc as Canisius was 10-for-25 as a team on 3-pointers. (via Canisius)

Missouri Valley



[1] Northern Iowa 55, [8] Drake 40
Star of the Game: Jordan Eglseder 10 Pts (5-8 FG), 6 Reb

UNI, Bradley to Square off Saturday in the MVC Semifinals - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team advanced to the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference semifinals with a 55-40 victory over the Drake Bulldogs on Friday in the Scottrade Center. The Panthers used a decisive 33-3 run and held the Bulldogs to no field goals over a 20-minute stretch from the first half into the second half. UNI was led in scoring by seniors Adam Koch and Jordan Eglseder with 10 points each. UNI took a 5-2 lead in the game on a 3-pointer from sophomore Johnny Moran. But the Bulldogs' offense caught fire and allowed the No. 8 seed to build a 24-13 lead with 7:59 left in the first half. The Bulldogs made 10 of their first 15 shots of the contest. From that point on, Drake made only three of its final 25 shots from the field. (via Northern Iowa)

[5] Bradley 81, [4] Creighton 62
Star of the Game: Sam Maniscalco 31 Pts (5-10 FG, 18-19 FT)

Bradley Blows By Creighton in MVC Quarters, 81-62 - Sam Maniscalco scored a career-high 31 points on 18-of-19 free-throw shooting to lead Bradley over Creighton 81-62 in the quarterfinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on Friday. Fifth-seeded Bradley (16-14) will face top-seeded Northern Iowa (26-4) in a semifinal game Saturday. The Panthers beat Drake 55-40. Maniscalco hit eight successive free throws in 29 seconds to trigger a 14-2 second-half run that broke open a close game. The Braves made 19 straight foul shots in the second half and finished 27-of-28 from the line. Andrew Warren added 14 points for the Braves, who broke a six-game losing streak against fourth-seeded Creighton (16-15). (via Bradley)

[2] Wichita State 73, [7] Missouri State 63
Star of the Game: Garrett Stutz 19 Pts (6-11 FG, 6-7 FT), 6 Reb

Shocks Advance, Defeat Missouri State 73-63 - Fueled by a school-record 24-of-25 free-throw shooting night and a block-heavy defensive effort, No. 2 seed Wichita State (24-8) defeated the No. 7 seed Missouri State, 73-63, to advance to the semifinals of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference tournament for the first time since 2006.
Wichita State moves to 24-8 on the season while Missouri State now stands at 20-12. Sophomore Garrett Stutz had his biggest all-around game of the season, dropping in a season-best 19 points to go along with six rebounds and four blocks. (via Wichita State)

[3] Illinois State 69, [6] Indiana State 65
Star of the Game: Jackie Carmichael 13 Pts (3-4 FG, 7-8 FT), 6 Reb

Illinois State Defeats Indiana State, 69-65 - Osiris Eldridge and Austin Hill each scored 17 points as No. 3 seed Illinois State overcame an early 12-point deficit to defeat No. 6 seed Indiana State 69-65 Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Jackie Carmichael added 13 for Illinois State (22-9), which has won seven of its last eight. The Redbirds will meet Wichita State in the second semifinal Saturday. Top seed Northern Iowa plays Bradley in the first semifinal. (via Illinois State)

Ohio Valley



[1] Murray State 55, [4] Eastern Illinois 51
Star of the Game: Tony Easley 14 Pts (4-7 FG, 6-7 FT), 9 Reb

Racers Advance To OVC Title Game With 55-51 Win Over EIU - The Murray State Racers defeated the Eastern Illinois Panthers 55-51 Friday in the Ohio Valley Conference semifinals at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The win pushed MSU's record this season to 29-4 tying the school record for single-season victories set in the 1997-98 season and it propelled the Racers into their 22nd OVC Tournament championship where they'll meet Morehead State Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. Murray State survived a determined team from EIU in a game that went down to the wire. (via Murray State)

[2] Morehead State 76, [6] Tennessee Tech 47
Star of the Game: Maze Stallworth 24 Pts (8-12 FG, 4-5 FT), 7 Reb, 2 Stl

Eagles Fly Past Tech, Face Murray For Title - Second-seeded Morehead State men's basketball used a stifling defense and prolific first-half perimeter shooting to soar past sixth-seeded Tennessee Tech, 76-47 in the Ohio Valley Conference semifinal at Bridgestone Arena. The Eagles (23-9) advance to the title game to face top-seeded Murray State, 55-51 winners over Eastern Illinois in the first semifinal. Saturday's Championship, which tips off at 8 p.m. Eastern, will be the first time Morehead State has met the Racers in the finals. Senior Maze Stallworth swished four 3-pointers en route to a 24-point performance, surpassing the combined 20 points he scored in the two regular season meetings with the Golden Eagles. In all, five MSU players drilled 3-pointers, totaling 9-of-20, including 5-of-9 in the first half. (via Morehead State)

Southern



[N6] Elon 66, [S3] Davidson 59
Star of the Game: Drew Spradlin 13 Pts (6-11 FG, 0-1 FT)

Elon Upsets Davidson; Advances in SoCon Tourney - Victory is so sweet. The sixth-seeded Elon Phoenix avenged last week's double-overtime buzzer-beater loss with a 66-59 upset victory against the No. 3 Davidson Wildcats in the opening round of the 2010 Southern Conference Men's Basketball Tournament at Bojangles Coliseum on Friday afternoon. The victory was Elon's first over Davidson (16-15) since moving to the Southern Conference and first in the last 15 tries. The Phoenix (9-22) moves into the quarterfinals where it will battle Western Carolina, the No. 2 seed in the North Division. (via Elon)

[N4] North Carolina-Greensboro 66, [S5] Furman 65
Star of the Game: Mikko Koivisto 11 Pts (4-7 FG, 1-2 FT)

UNCG holds on to defeat Furman, 66-65, at SoCon Tournament - UNC Greensboro made 8 of 10 free throws in the final 37 seconds and held off a late charge to defeat Furman, 66-65, in first round action at the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Tournament on Friday at Bojangles Coliseum.
The game had a bizarre ending. The Spartans (8-22) led by three after Mikko Koivisto made one of two at the line with 5.2 seconds left. Furman's Amu Saaka drove the length of the floor and dunked the ball with 0.2 seconds left, apparently thinking that Furman trailed by only two after the free throw miss. UNCG in-bounded the ball and time expired. The Spartans had four players score in double figures, led by Brandon Evans' 13 points. Koivisto, Brian Cole and Kyle Randall each had 11 points. Seven of Randall's points came in the decisive final five minutes. (via North Carolina-Greensboro)

[S4] The Citadel 55, [N5] Samford 43
Star of the Game: Cameron Wells 17 Pts (5-11 FG, 6-6 FT), 8 Reb

Bulldogs Move Forward In SoCon Tournament With 55-43 Win Over Samford - For the first time in the Ed Conroy era at The Citadel, the team won the opening game of the Southern Conference Tournament following a 55-43 victory over Samford at Bojangles Coliseum. Behind the trio of Cameron Wells (17 pts.), Harrison DuPont (13 pts.) and Austin Dahn (10 pts.), the 'Dogs completed the three-game sweep of an opponent for the first time since 1960 when they defeated in-state rival Furman. It marks the 11th all-time victory in SoCon Tournament play for the Bulldogs, dating back to the 1938 season. The second round will pit The Citadel with Appalachian State, the second meeting of the two schools since a Jan. 6 meeting in Boone. (via The Citadel)

[N3] Chattanooga 82, [S6] Georgia Southern 62
Star of the Game: Ridge McKeither 19 Pts (9-11 FG, 1-2 FT), 9 Reb

Chattanooga Cruises Past Georgia Southern 82-62 at SoCon Tournament - Chattanooga dominated the paint and the glass and shot a staggering 85.7 percent from the floor in the second half Friday, beginning its Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship title defense with an 82-62 win over Georgia Southern in the first round of the tournament at Bojangles' Coliseum. Chattanooga (15-17), the third seed in the SoCon's North Division, held a 49-20 rebounding advantage and scored 54 points in the paint to just 26 for the Eagles (9-23). UTC was 18-for-21 from the floor in the second stanza and finished the game a season-best 66.7 percent from the field (34-for-51). (via Chattanooga)

West Coast



[5] Loyola Marymount 87, [8] Pepperdine 84
Star of the Game: Vernon Teel 27 Pts (9-13 FG, 8-10 FT), 6 Reb

Advancin' With A Sweet Survival - Whenever LMU and Pepperdine have met in the previous 151 meetings, it has been survival of the fittest. For the Lions, meeting 152 was extra sweet as they survived an up-and-down affair to defeat Pepperdine, 87-84, in the first round of the Zappos.com West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Championships at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. And the sweetest thing with this survival, the Lions are moving on by defeating their rival for the second time in a season, which they had not done since 1996. (via Loyola Marymount)

[6] San Diego 61, [7] Santa Clara 59
Star of the Game: Roberto Mafra 14 Pts (4-5 FG, 6-7 FT), 12 Reb

Toreros hold off Santa Clara 61-59 - The USD Toreros (11-20), seeded No. 6 in the 2010 Zappos.com WCC Basketball Championships, dealt No. 7 seed Santa Clara (11-21) a 61-59 defeat to advance to Saturday's second quarterfinal game to be played at approximately 8:30 pm against No. 3 Portland. USD was paced by senior center Roberto Mafra who set a new USD school record with 7 blocked shots to go with 14 points and 12 rebounds. USD's other two seniors, Chris Lewis (12 points) and Brandon Johnson (11 points) also reached double digits. (via San Diego)

On Tap Tonight

America East




[8] Albany vs. [1] Stony Brook - 12:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
ALB - #23 Tim Ambrose Jr. G (12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.8 apg)
SB - #24 Tommy Brenton So. F (7.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.7 apg)

No. 1 Men's Basketball To Open 2010 America East Tournament Against No. 8 Albany on Saturday - After securing its first America East regular-season title, the top-seeded Stony Brook University men's basketball team will go for its first America East Tournament title beginning with No. 8 Albany in an quarterfinal game on Saturday at Chase Arena. Game time is set for 12 p.m. Fans can listen to the game locally on WUSB 90.1 FM and goseawolves.org. Saturday's contest can also be followed online via Live Stats at www.goseawolves.org. Live Video stream of the game can be found at AmericaEast.TV.> (via Stony Brook)


[4] Boston University at [5] Hartford - 2:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
BU - #23 John Holland Jr. F (19.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 0.9 apg)
HART - #23 Morgan Sabia Jr. F (11.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.0 apg)

Men's Basketball to Take On Boston University at America East Tournament - The America East has announced the final bracket for the 2010 Men's Basketball Championship, and the Hartford men's basketball team has earned the fifth seed. Hartford, which finished its season with an 85-79 overtime victory over Albany on Sunday afternoon, will take on the fourth-seeded Boston University Terriers at approximately 2:15 on Saturday, March 6. Hartford (8-21, 6-10) finished the regular season tied with New Hampshire for sixth place in the conference, and held a tiebreaker over the Wlidcats by virtue of two regular season victories. Late Monday, President Lois B. DeFleur of Binghamton University announced that the Bearcats would not participate in this year's tournament, citing "possible distractions that may occur this weekend." Binghamton, the defending America East champion, had finished the regular season in fifth place, and their withdrawal allowed the Hawks to bump up a slot to the fifth seed. (via Hartford)


[7] Maryland-Baltimore County vs. [2] Vermont - 6:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UMBC - #10 Chris De La Rosa So. G (11.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.1 apg)
UVM - #23 Marqus Blakely Sr. F (17.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.7 apg)

Men's Hoops Takes on UMBC Saturday in America East Quarterfinals - The Vermont men's basketball travels to West Hartford, Conn. on Saturday to take on the seventh-seeded UMBC Retrievers in the America East Quarterfinals starting at 6 p.m. The Catamounts (22-9, 12-4 America East) have earned the second seed for the second straight year. Winners of eight of its last nine overall, Vermont swept the season series against the Retrievers (4-25, 3-13 America East). UVM will be seeking its sixth trip in the last eight years to the America East Championship title game. (via Vermont)


[3] Maine vs. [6] New Hampshire - 8:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UME - #21 Sean McNally Jr. F (10.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.5 apg)
UNH - #25 Alvin Abreu Jr. G (14.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.2 apg)

Sixth-Seeded Men's Basketball Set to Face Off With No. 3 Maine - The sixth-seeded University of New Hampshire men's basketball team will meet No. 3 University of Maine in an America East quarterfinal game Saturday, March 6 (8:15 p.m) at the University of Hartford's Chase Arena. The Wildcats and Black Bears meet for the 174th time in their rivarly - UNH's longest with any school - with Maine leading the all-time series, 111-62. The Black Bears have won 12 of the past 15 meetings, and swept the regular-season series this year after the squads had split the season series in each of the past three years. Maine has won five of six at Lundholm Gymnasium, while the Wildcats have won two of their last four at Alfond Arena. In the most recent meeting Feb. 17, junior Alvin Abreu scored 17 points, but the Wildcats dropped a 72-53 decision to Maine on at Lundholm. (via New Hampshire)

Atlantic Sun


[5] East Tennessee State at [6] Mercer - 8:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
ETSU - #13 Tommy Hubbard Jr. G (14.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.2 apg)
MERC - #33 Daniel Emerson Sr. F (15.6 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)

Big Sky




[6] Portland State at [3] Montana State - 9:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
POST - #44 Jamie Jones Sr. F (14.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.0 apg)
MTST - #15 Bobby Howard Jr. F (14.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.2 apg)

Vikings And Bobcats Meet Saturday In Big Sky Tournament Quarterfinal - For the sixth consecutive season, the Portland State Vikings will take part in the Big Sky Conference Tournament with the hope of winning the post-season championship and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings (12-18) will travel to Montana State (15-13) for a quarterfinal round game on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. PT. The winner advances to the Big Sky Conference final four at Weber State, Mar. 9-10. If the Vikings win, as the number-six seed they will have a semifinal game with Weber State on Mar. 9. If the Bobcats win, as the number-three seed, they will face number two Northern Colorado on Mar. 9. The Vikings, 7-9 in Big Sky play, enter the Big Sky Tournament having won their last two league games over Idaho State and first-place Weber State. However, the Vikings lost a non-conference game at Seattle on Tuesday. (via Portland State)


[5] Northern Arizona at [4] Montana - 10:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
NAU - #10 Cameron Jones Jr. G (19.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.8 apg)
UMT - #23 Anthony Johnson Sr. G (18.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.1 apg)

Men's Basketball Opens March Madness at Montana - - MISSOULA, Mont.-The last time Northern Arizona played a Big Sky Tournament game in Missoula in 2000, the Lumberjacks won three consecutive games to advance and earn the berth to the NCAA Tournament. Head Coach Mike Adras is hoping for a similar run starting Saturday when the Lumberjacks travel to face Montana in the Big Sky Tournament Quarterfinals. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. (via Northern Arizona)


Big South




[3] Winthrop at [1] Coastal Carolina - 4:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
WINT - #33 Mantoris Robinson Sr. F (8.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 apg)
CCU - #0 Joseph Harris Sr. F (14.8 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.5 apg)

Men's Basketball Hosts Winthrop in Big South Tournament Championship Game - This will be the fifth time the Chanticleers have played in the Big South Tournament championship game and third time they have played Winthrop. The Chants won the 1993 title with a 78-65 win over the Eagles and advanced to their second NCAA Tournament appearance. In 2006, the Chants fell in a heartbreaker to Winthrop 51-50 in Rock Hill. Coastal Carolina's 28 wins as of March 2 is tied for the most wins in Division I college basketball. Coastal, Syracuse, Murray State, New Mexico, Kansas and Kentucky all have 28 wins. Coastal and Winthrop will play for the sixth time in the Big South Tournament. Coastal is 2-3 against the Eagles, defeating Winthrop in 1990 and 1993. (via Coastal Carolina)


Colonial


[8] Towson vs. [1] Old Dominion - 12:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
TOWS - #25 Robert Nwankwo Jr. F (9.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 0.6 apg)
ODU - #12 Gerald Lee Sr. C (14.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.3 apg)

Monarchs Open CAA Tourney Against Towson - For the fifth straight season, the Old Dominion men's basketball has been the hottest ticket in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). A total of 66,582 fans came to witness the Monarchs in CAA action in 2009-2010 with an average of 7,398 turning the turnstiles per conference contest to lead the league. Old Dominion, which boasts the third active home win-streak in the nation at 23 games, went a perfect 15-0 on its home court this season, including a 9-0 mark in CAA play. The Monarchs averaged 6,995 fans during its 15-game home slate in 2009-2010 for a total of 104,930 people to enter the Ted Constant Convocation Center this season. (via Old Dominion)


[4] George Mason vs. [5] Virginia Commonwealth - 2:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
GMU - #20 Cameron Long Jr. G (12.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.2 apg)
VCU - #1 Larry Sanders Jr. C (14.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.1 apg)

Men's Basketball Takes on VCU on Saturday - The George Mason men's basketball team will open play in the CAA Tournament on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. when the fourth-seeded Patriots take on the fifth-seeded Rams of VCU in the quarterfinal round. Mason earned a first-round bye and did not play on Friday while the Rams played 12th-seeded Delaware, beating the Blue Hens, 66-49. The Patriots (17-13) and Rams (21-8) met once in the regular season, at Patriot Center. Mason rallied from a 15-point deficit to force overtime and beat VCU, 82-77. Mason has not beaten VCU in the city of Richmond since February of 2006 when Mason rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat VCU, 73-61. This is the fourth time the two teams have met in the CAA Tournament but all three previous meetings came in the Championship Game with VCU winning all three of those battles, in 2004, 2007 and 2009. Mason and VCU have combined for the past three CAA titles. (via George Mason)


[7] Hofstra vs. [2] Northeastern - 6:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
HOFS - #22 Charles Jenkins Jr. G (20.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.8 apg)
NU - #3 Chaisson Allen Jr. G (14.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.7 apg)

Allen and Janning headline NU's CAA honors - The No. 2 seed Huskies begin their quest for a conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth Saturday in the CAA Championship quarterfinals against No. 7 seed Hofstra at the Richmond Coliseum at 6 p.m. Northeastern split the regular season series with the Pride. The Huskies are led by first-team All-CAA stars Chaisson Allen and Matt Janning. (via Northeastern)


[11] James Madison vs. [3] William & Mary - 8:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
JMU - #21 Denzel Bowles Jr. C (21.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.5 apg)
CWM - #2 David Schneider Sr. G (15.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.7 apg)

Tribe Set for 2010 CAA Tournament as the No. 3 Seed - The Tribe won its 20th game of the season with the program's school-record 10th road victory of the year, downing UNC Wilmington, 62-51, on Feb. 27. Sophomore forward Quinn McDowell connected on 7-of-11 from the floor, including a 4-of-6 effort from 3-point range, on his way to a game-high 23 points. Senior guard David Schneider turned in a stellar all-around performance with his second double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with a team-best four assists. Junior forward Marcus Kitts registered his fifth double-digit rebounding game of the season with 10 boards against the Seahawks. (via William & Mary)

Horizon League


[7] Detroit vs. [2] Wright State - 5:15 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UDM - #32 Eli Holman So. F (11.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 0.7 apg)
WRIG - #44 Vaughn Duggins Jr. G (14.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.0 apg)


[4] Wisconsin-Milwaukee at [1] Butler - 8:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UWM - #5 Ricky Franklin Sr. G (14.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.9 apg)
BUTL - #20 Gordon Hayward So. F (15.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.8 apg)

Bulldogs Begin Horizon League Tournament Play - For the third straight year, Butler won't have to leave Hinkle Fieldhouse in its bid for a league tournament championship. The top-seeded Bulldogs will begin play in the 2010 Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship at home in the semifinals on Saturday, March 6. (via Butler)

Metro Atlantic


[4] Saint Peter's vs. [5] Rider - 2:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
SPC - #4 Ryan Bacon Jr. F (10.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)
RID - #5 Ryan Thompson Sr. F (16.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.8 apg)

2010 MAAC Basketball Championships: #4 Saint Peter's vs. #5 Rider - The #4 Saint Peter's College Peacocks (16-13) are taking on the #5 Rider University Broncs on Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Basketball Championships. This will be the sixth meeting between the Broncs and Peacocks in the MAAC Championships, with Saint Peter's holding a 3-2 edge. The Peacocks enter Saturday's game off a home loss on the final day of the regular season, while Rider comes in off a win at home on Sunday. These two teams split their regular season meetings with each winning on the other team's court. This is the 46th overall game between Saint Peter's and Rider. (via Saint Peter's)


[9] Manhattan at [1] Siena - 4:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
MAN - #24 Darryl Crawford Sr. G (14.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
SIE - #22 Ryan Rossiter Jr. F (14.3 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.0 apg)


[7] Canisius vs. [2] Fairfield - 7:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
CANI - #1 Frank Turner Sr. G (16.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.8 apg)
FAIR - #32 Anthony Johnson Sr. F (15.6 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 0.6 apg)

Men's Basketball Begins Quest For MAAC Title On Saturday Night - Head Coach Ed Cooley led the Stags to one of its best regular-seasons in recent history, posting the program's fifth 20-win season with a 20-9 mark. The team also posted 13 conference wins which was strong enough to earn the tournament's second seed. Fairfield will look to advance to the championship game for the first time since 2003. (via Fairfield)


[6] Niagara vs. [3] Iona - 10:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
NIAG - #22 Bilal Benn Sr. F (13.5 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.3 apg)
IONA - #21 Alejo Rodriguez Jr. F (8.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 0.8 apg)

Iona-Niagara Game Center - MAAC Quarterfinal - The Iona College men's basketball team (21-9, 12-6 MAAC) holds the No. 6 seed in the 2010 Citizen's Bank MAAC Championship and will take on No. 6 Niagara (17-14, 9-9 MAAC) in the quarterfinal round at 10:00 pm. on Saturday. The Gaels take on the Purple Eagles for the third time this season and are vying for their MAAC record 35th win in tournament play. (via Iona)

Missouri Valley


[5] Bradley vs. [1] Northern Iowa - 2:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
BRAD - #3 Taylor Brown So. F (13.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.2 apg)
UNI - #53 Jordan Eglseder Sr. C (12.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.6 apg)

UNI, Bradley to Square off Saturday in the MVC Semifinals - The No. 1-seeded University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team (26-4 overall, 15-3 MVC) will look to advance to the fourth MVC title game in school history on Saturday. The Panthers will take on the Bradley Braves (16-14 overall, 9-9 MVC) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m in the MVC tournament semifinals. UNI is the No. 1 seed in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference tournament for the second consecutive year. The Panthers won the tournament title last year defeating Indiana State, Bradley and Illinois State. UNI has won two MVC Tournament titles (2004 and 2009). (via Northern Iowa)


[3] Illinois State vs. [2] Wichita State - 5:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
ILST - #42 Dinma Odiakosa Sr. F (12.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.1 apg)
WICH - #3 Clevin Hannah Sr. G (12.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.8 apg)

Ohio Valley


[1] Murray State vs. [2] Morehead State - 6:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
MURR - #43 Tony Easley Sr. F (10.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.0 apg)
MORE - #35 Kenneth Faried Jr. F (16.8 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 0.6 apg)

Badlands Conference




[8] Missouri-Kansas City vs. [1] Oakland - 7:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UMKC - #4 Latreze Mushatt So. F (11.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.7 apg)
OAK - #34 Keith Benson Jr. C (17.4 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)

'Roos Set To Face Top-Seeded Oakland On Saturday In Sioux Falls - The No. 8 seed UMKC men's basketball will return to action on Saturday night when it faces top-seeded Oakland in the quarterfinal round of The Summit League Championship in Sioux Falls, S.D. The game pitting the 'Roos against the Golden Grizzlies will be played at Sioux Falls Arena at 6 p.m. and be televised live on Metro Sports. (via Missouri-Kansas City)


[7] Western Illinois vs. [2] IUPUI - 9:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
WIU - #23 Ceola Clark So. G (14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.3 apg)
IUPUI - #23 Robert Glenn Sr. F (19.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 apg)

IUPUI To Open Summit League Tournament Against No. 7 Western Illinois - - SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Looking to make an extended postseason run, the second seeded IUPUI basketball team will open the 2010 Summit League Tournament against No. 7 Western Illinois on Saturday, Mar. 6 at 9:30 p.m.. The game will be broadcast on ESPN Full Court, ESPN 360 and Midcontinent television, while free game day audio will be available at approximately 9:20 p.m. with Scott McCauley (play-by-play) describing the action.> (via IUPUI)

Southern


[N6] Elon vs. [N2] Western Carolina - 2:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
ELON - #32 Adam Constantine Sr. F (12.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 0.8 apg)
WCU - #13 Brigham Waginger Sr. G (8.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.5 apg)


[N4] North Carolina-Greensboro vs. [S1] Wofford - 4:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UNCG - #24 Ben Stywall Sr. F (14.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.0 apg)
WOFF - #42 Noah Dahlman Jr. F (17.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.7 apg)


[S4] The Citadel vs. [N1] Appalachian State - 7:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
CITA - #22 Cameron Wells Jr. G (17.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.0 apg)
APST - #0 Donald Sims Jr. G (20.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.3 apg)

Men's Basketball Ready to Take on SoCon in Charlotte - Appalachian State University men's basketball opens postseason play on Saturday at the Southern Conference Tournament. The Mountaineers tip off at 7 p.m. at the Bojangles Coliseum against The Citadel. Appalachian (20-11, 13-5 SoCon) enters the tournament as the North's top seed for the first time since 2003, and earned a first-round bye for the first time since 2007. The Apps are led by Malcolm U. Pitt SoCon Player of the Year Donald Sims, who led the conference with 20.4 points per game in the regular season and ranks first nationally in both three-pointers (102) and free throw percentage (95.0). (via Appalachian State)


[N3] Chattanooga vs. [S2] College of Charleston - 9:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
CHAT - #23 Ty Patterson Sr. F (14.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.2 apg)
COFC - #3 Andrew Goudelock Jr. G (19.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.8 apg)

Cougars in Charlotte for Southern Conference Tournament - The College of Charleston men's basketball team begins its quest for its first Southern Conference Tournament Championship since 1999 when it takes on Chattanooga Saturday, Mar. 6 at the Bojangles Coliseum, in Charlotte, N.C. Tip-off is slated for 30 minutes after the 7 p.m. game. The Cougars won their only league championship in 1999, defeating Appalachian State, 77-57, to advance to its fourth NCAA tournament. Charleston has played in the SoCon Championship game four times and carry a 1-3 mark. (via College Of Charleston)

Sun Belt




[9] South Alabama vs. [8] Florida Atlantic - 3:15 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
USA - #33 Tim Williams Jr. G (16.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 apg)
FAU - #40 Brett Royster Jr. F (9.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.5 apg)

Game 30 Notes: South Alabama vs. Florida Atlantic - FAU (14-15) begins action in the Sun Belt Tournamentby facing divisional rival South Alabama. The Owls are the no.8 seed andUSA is the ninth-seeded team in the tournament. (via Florida Atlantic)


[12] Arkansas-Little Rock vs. [5] Arkansas State - 7:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UALR - #22 Solomon Bozeman Jr. G (14.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.2 apg)
ARST - #13 Martavius Adams So. F (11.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.7 apg)

ASU Battles Instate Rival UALR In Opening Round Of SBC Tournament - Arkansas State travels to Hot Springs,?Ark. in the hunt for the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship this weekend. First up for ASU?is UALR. ASU?will be looking to get back the game they dropped at UALR?on a last-second shot. Game time at the Summit Arena in Hot Springs is set for 6:30 p.m. UALR is the No. 12 seed in the tournament after finishing the regular season with an 8-21 overall record and a 4-14 record in Sun Belt play. The Trojans have regular season league wins over ULL (76-69), Denver (69-57), ASU?(79-77)?and New Orleans (77-71). UALR?has not won a road game all season going 0-14 on the road. (via Arkansas State)


[13] New Orleans vs. [4] Western Kentucky - 7:45 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UNO - #31 Billy Humphrey Sr. G (17.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.4 apg)
WKU - #4 A.J. Slaughter Sr. G (17.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.5 apg)

Toppers Begin Quest for Third-Straight Sun Belt Tournament Title on Saturday - The 2010 Sun Belt Tournament's fourth seed, the WKU Hilltoppers, begin pursuit of the program's third-straight tournament title, eighth overall, on Saturday, March 6 when the Tops square off against 13th-seeded New Orleans at 6:45 PM in Hot Springs, Ark. WKU won the only regular season meeting between the two teams, 76-56, at Diddle Arena on January 30. Both teams were without a key player as WKU did not have the services of Sergio Kerusch while the Privateers were minus Billy Humphrey. (via Western Kentucky)


[11] Florida International vs. [6] Denver - 9:45 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
FIU - #11 Marvin Roberts Jr. F (15.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 apg)
DEN - #24 Nate Rohnert Sr. F (14.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.9 apg)

Denver to Take on FIU in Sun Belt Tournament on Saturday - The Pioneers enter the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Saturday after beating Louisiana-Lafayette 63-47 on Feb. 27 in the regular season finale. Denver went 3-1 in its last four games and 5-5 in its last 10. DU finished in a tie for third place in the SBC West Division and holds the No. 6 seed in the SBC Tournament. Denver returns nine players, including all five starters, and 98 percent of its scoring and rebounding from last year. DU was picked second in the Sun Belt West Division in the annual coaches' preseason poll, and senior captain and guard Nate Rohnert was named to the Preseason All-SBC First Team. The Golden Panthers are the No. 11 seed in the SBC Tournament after going 7-24 overall and 4-14 in the Sun Belt Conference during Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas' first season as FIU head coach. The Panthers are riding an eight-game losing streak, dating back to a win over UALR on Jan. 23. FIU is led in scoring by Marvin Roberts' 15.6 points per game, and Antoine Watson averaged 10.4 points but has not played since Jan. 2. Leading rebounder JC Otero tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Feb. 27, ending his season. FIU was predicted to finish sixth in the SBC East Division in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. (via Denver)


[10] Louisiana-Monroe vs. [7] Louisiana-Lafayette - 10:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
ULM - #5 Dynile Forbes Sr. G (12.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.9 apg)
ULL - #1 Tyren Johnson Sr. F (18.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.3 apg)

Men's Basketball Begins Sun Belt Tournament Against Louisiana-Lafayette - The Warhawks are 1-3 all-time in their history in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, the lone victory for ULM came in the first round in 2006-07 when they defeated Denver, 83-67, in Monroe. Louisiana-Lafayette, the seventh seed in the Sun Belt Tournament, heads to Hot Springs with a record of 13-16, 10-8 in the Sun Belt. The Ragin' Cajuns are led by Sun Belt Player of the Year Tyren Johnson who leads the league in scoring, 18.0 points per game, and is second in rebounding, 8.0 boards per contest. Chris Gradingo (14.0) and Randell Daigle (11.6) also score in double figures for the Ragin' Cajuns. Louisiana-Lafayette enters the conference tournament on a two-game losing streak. (via Louisiana-Monroe)

West Coast


[5] Loyola Marymount vs. [4] San Francisco - 9:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
LMU - #1 Vernon Teel Jr. G (15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 5.7 apg)
SF - #33 Dior Lowhorn Sr. F (18.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 0.6 apg)

USF Men's Basketball - 2010 Zappos.com Quarterfinals Advance - Loyola Marymount - USF will take on Loyola Marymount in the 6:00 PM quarterfinal of the Zappos.com West Coast Conference Tournament Saturday at the Orleans Arena. It will be the fifth time the Dons and Lions have met in the WCC Tournament with USF holding a 4-0 record in those contests. LMU held on for a 87-84 victory against longtime rival Pepperdine in opening round action Friday night. (via San Francisco)


[6] San Diego vs. [3] Portland - 11:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
USD - #23 De'Jon Jackson Sr. G (12.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg)
PORT - #44 T.J Campbell Sr. G (13.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.5 apg)

Pilots Earn No. 3 Seed - The Pilots matched the best WCC record in school history (10-4) and then became the second UP team to record 20 wins at the Division I level with a 72-49 win over Lewis & Clark Tuesday. Portland's five seniors were honored prior to tip-off and Robin Smeulders recorded his 1,000th career point in the victory. UP finished third in the WCC standings for the second straight season (first time in school history) and the 19 WCC wins in a two-year period is a program record. (via Portland)

Expanded Standings | Meet the Teams
Games: 562 | Articles: 612

2012-13 Upsets 158/933 (16.9%)

2011-12 Upsets 153/988 (15.5%)

2010-11 Upsets 164/954 (17.2%)

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