American Eagles  Butler Bulldogs  Coastal Carolina Chanticleers  Dayton Flyers  East Tennessee State Buccaneers  George Mason Patriots  Iona Gaels  Lafayette Leopards  Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks  Loyola Marymount Lions  Maine Black Bears  Mercer Bears  Montana Grizzlies  Montana State Bobcats  Morehead State Eagles  Murray State Racers  New Hampshire Wildcats  Niagara Purple Eagles  Northern Iowa Panthers  Ohio Bobcats  Portland Pilots  Portland State Vikings  Richmond Spiders  Rider Broncs  San Francisco Dons  Tennessee State Tigers  Wichita State Shockers  Winthrop Eagles  Wright State Raiders  

Bullet Points

• A mighty congratulations to the first three conference tourney winners. Winthrop is the Big South representative for the ninth time in 12 seasons. East Tennessee State repeated in the Atlantic Sun, out of a No. 5 seed. And dangerous Murray State won the championship of the Ohio Valley Conference.
  
• The Missouri Valley will crown a champion today, either Northern Iowa or Wichita State. The Horizon League has a title game pairing: Wright State at Butler. They will meet on Tuesday night, as capitals of Hoops Nation past (Dayton) and current (Indianapolis) will battle for the HL championship.
  
• Six-over-three upsets on the busiest day of Championship Fortnight: in the America East, New Hampshire over Maine, Portland State over Montana State in the Big Sky, and Niagara over Iona in the MAAC.
  
• CAA No. 5 VCU topped No. 4 George Mason at home in Richmond. Rider, the fifth seed in the MAAC, knocked off the fourth seed Saint Peter's. In the WCC, No. 5 Loyola Marymount continued its run by defeating No. 4 San Francisco in the "Teams That Beat Gonzaga Bowl" (LMU will now get another shot.) A mild upset in the Sun Belt first round, as [10] Louisiana-Monroe eliminated cross-state rival [7] Lafayette with a game-winning 3.
  
• Quarterfinal Saturday into Semifinal Sunday. The America East, CAA, MAAC, Northeast, Patriot League, SoCon and West Coast will whittle fields down to two.
  
• The Badlands continues with two more quarterfinals, and the Sun Belt moves on to quarters as well. Please welcome the Mid-American, which will get a first round underway at campus sites, pointed to Cleveland.
  
• All twenty-five of today's winners will be movin' on up now.

Brackets

Big South



[3] Winthrop 64,at [1] Coastal Carolina 53
Star of the Game: Mantoris Robinson 14 Pts (2-6 FG, 8-10 FT)

Winthrop Is King Of The Big South Again As Eagles Beat Coastal Carolina 64-53 (3-6-10) - Senior Mantoris Robinson scored 14 points and played a strong defensive game to lead Winthrop to its 9th Big South Conference Championship in the past 12 years with a 64-53 win over top-seeded Coastal Carolina on Saturday at Kimbel Arena. Winthrop (19-13) won for the 14th time in its last 18 games and captured its second Big South crown under head coach Randy Peele. Both of Peele's titles came on the opponent's home court. Coastal Carolina ends its season with a 28-6 record, the best mark in school history. In a game that featured the league's top two defensive teams, most everyone expected a tight game, and that is what they got for about 35 minutes before Winthrop went on a 15-2 run over a four minute and 41 second stretch of the second half to put the game away. (via Winthrop)


Randall Hill/The Sun


Atlantic Sun



[5] East Tennessee State 72, at [6] Mercer 66
Star of the Game: Justin Tubbs 18 Pts (6-11 FG, 3-5 FT), 3 Stl

Back-to-back titles! Bucs dancing again with win over Mercer in A-Sun final, 72-66 - A 2009-10 season that began with the tragic death of rising sophomore Seth Coy (Washington, Ind.) in a car accident ended in celebration Saturday evening, as the ETSU men's basketball team earned its second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of a 72-66 win over host Mercer in the finals of the 2010 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament at the University Center. In a game that featured four lead changes and four ties, the Buccaneers (20-14) never led by more than seven points in the second half, but made plays down the stretch to get the win. Among those plays were a timely 3-pointer from junior guard Justin Tubbs (Trussville, Ala.) with just over a minute to play that made it a 65-61 game, a drawn charge by freshman forward J.C. Ward (Marietta, Ga.) on Mercer's next possession with 59 seconds left, and a 9-of-12 effort from the foul line over the final minute. (via East Tennessee State)




Ohio Valley



[1] Murray State 62, [2] Morehead State 51
Star of the Game: Danero Thomas 9 Pts (3-6 FG, 2-2 FT), 9 Reb, 6 Ast

MSU Wins OVC Tournament - Earns 14th NCAA Bid - The Murray State Racers punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time Saturday when they defeated the Morehead State Eagles 62-51 in the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
The Racers (30-4) broke open a tight game in the second half and a freshman came up big. With the game tied 31-31 with 10:13 remaining, MSU put together an 11-2 run that gave them a 42-33 lead when Jeffery McClain scored. (via Murray State)




Missouri Valley



[1] Northern Iowa 57, [5] Bradley 40
Star of the Game: Jordan Eglseder 10 Pts (4-6 FG, 2-3 FT)

UNI Advances to Second Straight MVC Title Game With 57-40 Triumph Over Bradley - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team advanced to its second consecutive State Farm Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament championship game with a stifling defensive effort against the Bradley Braves, 57-40.
The Panthers (27-4 overall) limited its second straight MVC Tournament opponent to 40 points in advancing to the school's fourth appearance in the championship game. UNI won MVC Tournament titles in 2004, 2009. UNI won its quarterfinal over Drake, 55-40, and followed it up with a 57-40 triumph over Bradley. UNI is ranked No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense and lowered its season mark to 54.4 after Saturday's performance. (via Northern Iowa)

[2] Wichita State 65, [3] Illinois State 61
Star of the Game: Toure' Murry 17 Pts (6-9 FG, 3-4 FT)

Moving On Up: Shockers to Play on Championship Sunday - The Shockers (25-8) took down the Illinois State Redbirds in the semifinals at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference tournament, 65-61, to send the Shockers to championship game for the first time in 20 years. A steady dose of back-and-forth action highlighted by an offensive clinic by guards Toure' Murry and Demtric Williams, paved the way for an intense match-up.Despite the Shockers holding double-digit leads in the second half, the semifinal match was anything but easy. ?The duo tallied 17 of the Shockers' first 19 points, highlighted by Williams' personal 7-0 run. Murry led all scorers with 17 points while holding All-MVC first-team guard Osiris Eldridge to eight points. (via Wichita State)


Horizon League



[2] Wright State 69, [7] Detroit 50
Star of the Game: Ronnie Thomas 18 Pts (7-11 FG), 6 Reb

Men Advance to Horizon League Championship With 69-50 Win Over Detroit - Behind a dominant first half performance that saw the Raiders hit nine three-pointers and lead 39-18 at the break, the Wright State men's basketball team advanced to Tuesday night's Horizon League Championship game with a 69-50 win over the Detroit Titans in semifinal action at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Saturday night. It was raining threes for the Raiders early as their first five baskets and eight of their first nine came from behind the arc, with Ronnie Thomas connecting for four and Troy Tabler three, in building a 26-13 lead with 6:43 remaining in the first half. WSU added 10 more points in a row to cap a 13-0 run, the final four by Cory Cooperwood, to goed up 36-13 at the 3:03 mark. (via Wright State)

at [1] Butler 68, [4] Wisconsin-Milwaukee 59
Star of the Game: Ronald Nored 13 Pts (3-4 FG, 7-9 FT), 8 Reb, 2 Stl

Butler Advances To Horizon League Championship Game - Junior Matt Howard scored a game-high 18 points and top-seeded Butler overcame a slow start to polish off #4 Milwaukee, 68-59, in the semifinals of the 2010 Speedway Horizon League Championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 6. The Bulldogs, who improved to 27-4 on the season, will face #2 Wright State in the tournament championship game on Tuesday, March 9. (via Butler)


America East



[1] Stony Brook 68, [8] Albany 59
Star of the Game: Tommy Brenton 13 Pts (3-4 FG, 7-9 FT), 16 Reb

No. 1 Stony Brook Defeats No. 8 Albany, 68-59, To Advance To America East Semifinals - Sophomore Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) scored 13 points and grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds to lead the top-seeded Stony Brook University men's basketball team to a 68-59 win over the No. 8 Albany Great Danes on Saturday afternoon at Chase Arena in an America East quarterfinal game. It is the first time since 2004 that the Seawolves have advanced to the semifinals. SBU will now take on No. 4 Boston University on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Chase Arena. It was the seventh double-double of the season for Brenton, who has recorded double-digit rebounds in five of his last six games. Junior Chris Martin (Springfield Gardens, N.Y.) scored a team-high 15 points as he knocked down 12 of his 15 free throw attempts. Sophomore Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) and senior Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing, Mich.) each chipped in with 12 points for the Seawolves (22-8), who held Albany to 33.3 percent shooting.
(via Stony Brook)

[4] Boston University 87, at [5] Hartford 46
Star of the Game: Corey Lowe 26 Pts (9-12 FG, 1-2 FT), 2 Stl

Terriers Defeat Hartford, 87-46; BU to Face Stony Brook Sunday in AE Semifinals - Led by a combined 54 points from senior Corey Lowe and sophomore Jake O'Brien, the fourth-seeded Boston University men's basketball defeated Hartford, 87-46, in the quarterfinals of the America East Championship presented by Newman's Own on Saturday afternoon at Chase Arena. With their seventh win in eight games, the Terriers (18-12) advance to the semifinals for the third time in four seasons and will next face top-seeded Stony Brook (22-8) on Sunday at 5 p.m. BU earned the tournament's second-largest margin of victory ever with hot shooting and solid defense under the basket. Recently announced third-team all-conference honoree O'Brien went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and 8-for-13 inside to finish with a career-high 28 points along with seven rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Placed on the second team, Lowe came off the bench to tally 26 points, four assists and two steals. The program's No. 3 all-time scorer tied a career high in made 3-pointers with seven off nine attempts and also surpassed BU Hall of Famer Tunji Awojobi ('97) in minutes played with 3,734 to sit atop another school record. (via Boston University)

[2] Vermont 76, [7] Maryland-Baltimore County 59
Star of the Game: Marqus Blakely 18 Pts (7-14 FG, 4-7 FT), 12 Reb

Joseph and Blakely Lead Men's Hoops Over UMBC in America East Quarterfinals -Senior Maurice Joseph (Montreal, Quebec) scored 19 and classmate Marqus Blakely (Metuchen, N.J.) added 18 points and 12 rebounds as the second-seeded Vermont men's basketball team cruised past seven seed UMBC, 76-59 in the America East Quarterfinals on Saturday night at the Chase Family Arena. The Catamounts improve to 23-9 overall and will now advance to the semifinals on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. against #6 New Hampshire. Joseph scored 14 of his game-high 19 in the first half, while Blakely also added five assists and three blocks in 28 minutes of play. Junior Evan Fjeld (Durham, N.C.) added his third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. (via Vermont)

[6] New Hampshire 68, [3] Maine 57
Star of the Game: Brian Benson 13 Pts (5-6 FG, 1-2 FT), 9 Reb

Sixth-seeded Men's Hoop Upsets No. 3 Maine, 68-57, In America East Quarterfinal - WEST HARTFORD, Conn.-Junior Alvin Abreu (Lynn, Mass.) and sophomore Brian Benson (Rochester, N.Y.) each scored 13 points to lead the sixth-seeded University of New Hampshire men's basketball team to a 68-57 victory against No. 3 University of Maine in the America East Championship quarterfinal round Saturday night at the University of Hartford's Chase Arena. (via New Hampshire)


Colonial



[1] Old Dominion 86, [8] Towson 56
Star of the Game: Keyon Carter 16 Pts (5-9 FG, 5-5 FT), 9 Reb

Old Dominion Advances To CAA Semifinals With Dominant Performance Against Towson - Senior Gerald Lee tallied a game-high 17 points to lead Old Dominion to an 86-56 victory in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Virginia 529 College Savings Plan CAA Men's Basketball Championships Saturday afternoon. The 30-point margin of victory is the largest ever for ODU in a CAA Tournament game.
Old Dominion (24-8), the 2009-10 CAA regular season champion, advances to the semifinals for the second consecutive year and for the third time in the last four seasons. The Monarchs had four players in double-figures and all 11 players scored. Junior Keyon Carter joined Lee in double-digits with 16 points and he grabbed nine rebounds. (via Old Dominion)

at [5] Virginia Commonwealth 75, [4] George Mason 60
Star of the Game: Larry Sanders 17 Pts (7-10 FG, 3-4 FT), 12 Reb

Rozzell, Rams Blitz Mason in Second Half - The George Mason pep band is infamous for playing Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" till the end of time. On Saturday afternoon at the Richmond Coliseum, it was the Virginia Commonwealth University men's basketball team yelling "Ooo we're halfway there" after the Rams blitzed the Patriots in the second half and ran away with a 75-60 win in the quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. Junior Brandon Rozzell (Richmond, Va.) scored all 14 of his points in the second half and sparked a 43-25 outburst in the final 20 minutes to lead the Black & Gold to victory. (via Virginia Commonwealth)

[2] Northeastern 74, [7] Hofstra 71 (2OT)
Star of the Game: Matt Janning 26 Pts (6-16 FG, 9-12 FT), 9 Reb, 2 Stl

Huskies win double OT thriller, advance to semis ->Matt Janning scored a season-high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Huskies to a 74-71 double overtime win over Hofstra in the quarterfinals of the CAA Championship Saturday at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Va. The Huskies trailed the Pride late, but the Huskies came back to force overtime and then Janning had 10 points in the two extra periods. Northeastern advances to the semifinals against either William & Mary or James Madison Sunday at 5:30 p.m. (via Northeastern)

[3] William & Mary 70, [11] James Madison 65
Star of the Game: David Schneider 23 Pts (6-9 FG, 5-6 FT), 7 Reb, 2 Stl

Senior-Led Second-Half Rally Sends Tribe to CAA Semifinals - Seniors David Schneider and Danny Sumner led a second-half rally as the No. 3 seed William and Mary men's basketball team surged past No. 11 seed James Madison, 70-64, in the last quarterfinal of the 2010 CAA Championship on Saturday night. (via William & Mary)


Metro Atlantic



[5] Rider 69, [4] Saint Peter's 57
Star of the Game: Ryan Thompson 22 Pts (5-13 FG, 11-12 FT), 3 Stl

Rider 69 Saint Peter's 57 - Behind 22 points from senior Ryan Thompson (Mount Laurel/Lenape) the Rider University men's basketball team defeated New Jersey rival Saint Peter's 69-57 in the quarterfinals of the MAAC tournament Saturday afternoon. Leading 51-45 with 5:53 left in the game, Rider (17-15) scored six of the next eight points, all by Thompson, opening up a 10-point lead with 3:13 remaining. Thompson was 11 for 12 from the free throw line and added five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 39 minutes. (via Rider)

at [1] Siena 78, [9] Manhattan 61
Star of the Game: Alex Franklin 23 Pts (7-10 FG, 9-14 FT), 11 Reb

Siena Silences Manhattan; Advance to MAAC Semis - Alex Franklin scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Ryan Rossiter added 10 points and 12 boards to help Siena rally past Manhattan 78-61 in the MAAC Quarterfinals Saturday in Albany. The Jaspers scored the first nine points and led until the 15:26 mark of the second half before Siena closed the game on a 30-12 run to move on to the semifinal round for the fifth straight season and 11th time in 13 years. The Saints advance to play fifth-seeded Rider which defeated Saint Peter's, 69-57, in the first semifinal today. (via Siena)

[2] Fairfield 67, [7] Canisius 57
Star of the Game: Derek Needham 29 Pts (9-19 FG, 6-7 FT)

Men's Basketball Advances To MAAC Semis With 67-57 Win Over Canisius - Derek Needham scored a career-high 29 points, half of which came from behind the three-point line, as the Fairfield University men's basketball team advanced to the 2010 MAAC tournament semi-finals with a 67-57 win over Canisius College. Fairfield will play the winner of third-seeded Iona College and sixth-seeded Niagara University on Sunday night at the Times Union Center in Albany. Game time is slated for 6:30 pm on the Madison Square Garden network. Shimeek Johnson gave Fairfield a 2-0 lead on the game's first possession, before Canisius answered with five straight points to take a 5-2 lead after Robert Goldsberry three-point shot. The lead reached as many as five points at 9-4 with 15:13 on the clock. (via Fairfield)

[6] Niagara 68, [3] Iona 64
Star of the Game: Tyrone Lewis 21 Pts (5-14 FG, 9-9 FT), 10 Reb, 2 Stl

Seniors Send Purple Eagles Into Semifinals, 68-64 - ALBANY, N.Y. - The Purple Eagle seniors just would not let their basketball careers come to an end. Niagara's upperclassmen made clutch play after clutch play down the stretch to advance to the 2010 MAAC Semifinals with a 68-64 win over No. 3 Iona late Saturday night. (via Niagara)


Southern



[N2] Western Carolina 68, [N6] Elon 57
Star of the Game: Richie Gordon 16 Pts (7-9 FG, 2-4 FT), 8 Reb, 2 Stl

Richie Gordon Scores 16 as Western Carolina Advances to the SoCon Semifinals with 68-57 Win over Elon - Stiffling defense and an 18-to-0 first-half by the North Division's second seed Western Carolina led the Catamounts to a 68-57 quarterfinal victory over Elon Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship Saturday at the Bojangles' Coliseum. Junior Richie Gordon led four Catamounts in double figures with a game-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting as WCU won its third-straight. WCU improves to 22-10, advancing to the conference semifinals for the first-time since 1999, while the Phoenix, No. 6 North, ends their season at 9-23. (via Western Carolina)

[S1] Wofford 59, [N4] North Carolina-Greensboro 47
Star of the Game: Junior Salters 12 Pts (4-5 FG, 2-2 FT)

Men's Basketball Advances With 59-47 Win Over UNCG - The Wofford men's basketball team defeated UNC Greensboro 59-47 on Saturday at Bojangles Coliseum in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Southern Conference Tournament. With the win, the Terriers advance to the semifinals on Sunday against Western Carolina. Wofford has won eleven in a row and is 24-8 on the season and 15-3 in the SoCon. UNC Greensboro ends their season 8-23 overall and 6-12 in the conference. The Terriers were led by Noah Dahlman with 13 points, Junior Salters and Jamar Diggs with twelve points each and Brad Loesing with ten points. Tim Johnson had seven rebounds. The Spartans were led by Ben Stywall with 18 points and eleven rebounds, while Kyle Randall added ten points. (via Wofford)

[N1] Appalachian State 71, [S4] The Citadel 61
Star of the Game: Donald Sims 30 Pts (10-19 FG, 7-7 FT)

Men's Basketball Downs The Citadel to Advance to Semifinal - Twenty-one second half points from Donald Sims broke open a close game as Appalachian State University men's basketball won a 71-61 decision against The Citadel in the Southern Conference Tournament's quarterfinal round. Sims finished the night with 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting, four rebounds and a 7-of-7 mark from the free throw line. He sank three treys on the evening to take over first place on the program's single-season three-point list. Both teams struggled from the field in the first half, shooting just 34 percent each before halftime. Each team was more proficient from outside the arc than from inside in the first half as well, and neither team led by more than six points before the intermission. The Bulldogs (16-16) kept the pace in their favor with just a 27-24 deficit after 20 minutes. (via Appalachian State)

[S2] College of Charleston 96, [N3] Chattanooga 69
Star of the Game: Andrew Goudelock 27 Pts (10-16 FG), 6 Ast

Cougars Run Past Mocs - Andrew Goudelock scored 24 first-half points and College of Charleston never looked back as the No. 2S Cougars cruised to a 96-69 victory over the No. 3N Chattanooga Mocs in the final quarterfinal contest of the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championships from Bojangles Coliseum on Saturday night. Tony White, Jr. also netted 22 points to help Charleston (21-10) to its fourth straight semifinals appearance. (via College Of Charleston)


Badlands Conference



[1] Oakland 85, [8] Missouri-Kansas City 70
Star of the Game: Johnathon Jones 13 Pts (3-5 FG, 5-6 FT), 6 Ast

OU Takes Down UMKC, 85-70 - BOX SCORESIOUX FALLS, S.D.-Oakland University (24-8) knocked down six of its first seven 3-pointers and had five players in double figures as the Golden Grizzlies upended UMKC (12-18), 85-70, in quarterfinal action at The Badlands Conference Tournament on Saturday in Sioux Falls Arena. Junior Larry Wright led all scorers with 16 points. (via Oakland)

[2] IUPUI 77, [7] Western Illinois 68
Star of the Game: Robert Glenn 30 Pts (13-21 FG, 3-5 FT), 7 Reb, 2 Stl

Glenn's 30 Helps Jags Escape Opening Round Scare Against Wiu, 77-68 - SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Senior Robert Glenn scored a game-high 30 points and junior Leroy Nobles added 19 as the Jaguars survived an opening round scare against Western Illinois in The Badlands Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday night, 77-68. Glenn scored 19 of his 30 in the second half as the Jaguars outscored the Leathernecks by 14 points over the final 12+ minutes of the game.> (via IUPUI)


Sun Belt



[9] South Alabama 52, [8] Florida Atlantic 51
Star of the Game: Bryan Sherrer 21 Pts (8-11 FG, 2-3 FT)

Sherrer Hits Last Second Shot, Men's Basketball Survives FAU - University of South Alabama senior Bryan Sherrer (Monticello, Ark.) made a jumper with five seconds left and Florida Atlantic missed a lay-up at the buzzer to give the Jaguars a 52-51 victory Saturday in the first round of the Sun Belt Men's Basketball Championships at Summit Arena. The ninth-seeded Jags improve to 17-14 on the season while the No. 8 seed Owls end their season at 14-16. South Alabama will face top-seeded Troy Sunday evening at 6:45 p.m. on Convention Center Court. (via South Alabama)

[5] Arkansas State 89, [12] Arkansas-Little Rock 82 (OT)
Star of the Game: Brandon Peterson 16 Pts (3-7 FG, 10-12 FT), 11 Reb

ASU Beats UALR In Overtime Thriller To Advance In Sun Belt Tourney - Arkansas State (17-13) outscored UALR 15-8 (8-22) in overtime to take an 89-82 decision in the opening round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Saturday. ASU had four players score in double-digits led by junior guard Rashad Allison with 20. Allison was a perfect from the charity stripe going 13-13. The two teams shot a combined 94 free throws, a conference record. ASU made 43-58 attempts from the free-throw line. (via Arkansas State)

[4] Western Kentucky 83, [13] New Orleans 58
Star of the Game: Sergio Kerusch 16 Pts (6-10 FG, 2-2 FT), 2 Stl

WKU Sinks Privateers 83-58 for 40th 20-Win Season - Western Kentucky University (20-12) shook off a sluggish start, and heated up to shoot 67.9 percent in the second half in running past New Orleans (8-22) 83-58 in the first round of the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Saturday evening in Hot Springs, Ark. The fourth-seeded Hilltoppers posted their largest margin of victory ever in the Sun Belt Tournament while 13th-seeded New Orleans closes out its tenure as a Division I institution and member of the league. Extending its season-best winning streak to seven games, WKU notched its Sun Belt record sixth-straight 20-win season, the longest such stretch for the Hilltoppers in 65 years. Now with 40 seasons of 20 or more wins, WKU ranks sixth all-time in NCAA history trailing only Kentucky (54), North Carolina (53), UCLA (45), Duke (45), and Louisville (43). (via Western Kentucky)

[6] Denver 71, [11] Florida International 64
Star of the Game: Justin Coughlin 17 Pts (4-6 FG, 8-8 FT)

Pioneers Advance with 71-64 Win Over Florida International - Sophomore forward Justin Coughlin (Yuma, Colo.) had a career-high 17 points, including 11 in the second half, to lead the No. 6-seeded University of Denver men's basketball team to a 71-64 win over No. 11-seeded Florida International in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament First Round in Summit Arena on Saturday night. Sophomore guard Brian Stafford (Walnut Creek, Calif.) also had 17 points for the Pioneers (18-12). Senior guard Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.) had 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds, and freshman guard Chase Hallam (Mesquite, Texas) added 14 points and six rebounds. Coughlin also set a career high with a game-high four assists. (via Denver)

[10] Louisiana-Monroe 76, [7] Louisiana-Lafayette 75
Star of the Game: Tony Hooper 30 Pts (11-19 FG, 1-5 FT), 8 Reb, 3 Stl

Hooper's Heroics Lift Men's Basketball into Sun Belt Quarterfinals -Senior guard Tony Hooper scored a season-best 30 points, including a game-winning three-pointer with less than a second to play, as the ULM men's basketball team earned a 76-75 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday night (March 6) in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament. Junior forward Tommie Sykes added 16 points and junior forward Rudy Turner had nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds. ULM (12-18) led most of the way until Louisiana-Lafayette made a late run to take its first lead of the game, but the Warhawks didn't give up and when Hooper made the game's final basket, ULM earned its first Sun Belt Tournament victory since 2006-07. (via Louisiana-Monroe)


West Coast



[5] Loyola Marymount 84, [4] San Francisco 76
Star of the Game: Vernon Teel 18 Pts (5-12 FG, 7-10 FT), 7 Reb, 2 Stl

Reaching Down To Reach Semifinals - LMU Head Coach Max Good looked at his young, but ever-maturing team, and told them that they were right where they wanted to be - in a one-point game with San Francisco late in the second half - and to reach down a grind it out and enjoy every second of it as it is right where good teams want to be. Reach down they did, and in the process showing that a year after just three wins they have turned into a pretty good team. The Lions overcame a second-half deficit to knock off the Dons , 84-76, in a thrilling quarterfinal of the Zappos.com West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Championships on Saturday night at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. LMU improves to 18-14 on the season, equaling the 1995-96 squad for the most wins since the 1989-90 Lions posted a 26-6 record. With the win, the Lions advance to the semifinals of the WCC tournament for the first time since 2006 and just the third time since, you guessed it, 20 years ago. Awaiting the Lions is top-seed Gonzaga in the first semifinal at 5:30 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN2. (via Loyola Marymount)

[3] Portland 72, [6] San Diego 57
Star of the Game: T.J Campbell 15 Pts (5-13 FG, 3-3 FT), 8 Ast

Pilots Defeat San Diego, Advance to WCC Semifinals on Sunday - T.J. Campbell scored 15 points and dished out eight assists as the No. 3 seeded Portland Pilots defeated the No. 6 seeded San Diego Toreros 72-57 in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Zappos.com West Coast Conference Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Orleans Arena. Portland advances and will face second-seeded Saint Mary's on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Portland (21-9) tied a single-season record for wins at the Division I level with the victory on Saturday, matching the 1994-95 squad. Jared Stohl added 13 points for the Pilots, while Robin Smeulders and Ethan Niedermeyer added 12 and 11 points, respectively. (via Portland)


Big Sky



at [4] Montana 81, [5] Northern Arizona 60
Star of the Game: Anthony Johnson 22 Pts (8-12 FG, 3-4 FT)

Griz top Jacks, advance to semifinals - Senior guard Anthony Johnson scored a game-high 22 points to lead The University of Montana Grizzlies to an 81-60 victory over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in the America First Credit Union Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game Saturday evening in UM's Dahlberg Arena. In the other quarterfinal game, third-seed Montana State (15-14) was upset 68-65 by sixth-seeded Portland State (13-18) this evening in Bozeman. With the win, the fourth-seeded Grizzlies racked up their 20th victory of the season, improving to 20-9 overall. Fifth-seed NAU ends its season at 14-14. This is Montana's first 20-win season since 2005-06 (24-7) and just the second time in the past 13 years it has reached the 20-victory plateau. (via Montana)

[6] Portland State 68,at [3] Montana State 65
Star of the Game: Julius Thomas 19 Pts (8-12 FG, 3-5 FT), 6 Reb

Melvin Jones' Three-Pointer Sends Vikings To Big Sky Semifinal - Melvin Jones' three-pointer with 3.7 seconds left gave Portland State a 68-65 Big Sky Conference Quarterfinal round win over Montana State, sending the Vikings to Ogden, UT and a semifinal matchup with Weber State. Jones broke a 65-65 tie with his fifth three-pointer of the game and the Vikings beat the host Bobcats in Worthington Arena. PSU, now 13-18 on the season, will face top seeded Weber State, 19-9, on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. PT. The Vikings big concern going into the game was the health of Waters' bruised left heel. Waters did not practice prior to the game but looked good once the quarterfinal contest arrived. What did become a big concern was three fouls on Jamie Jones in the first 12:23 of the game, forcing the first-team All-Big Sky Conference post to sit the remainder of the half. At the time of his third foul, the Vikings led 20-17. (via Portland State)


On Tap Tonight

Missouri Valley


[2] Wichita State vs. [1] Northern Iowa - 2:05 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
WICH - #3 Clevin Hannah Sr. G (12.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.7 apg)
UNI - #53 Jordan Eglseder Sr. C (12.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 0.6 apg)

UNI Looks to Win Back-To-Back MVC Titles Sunday Against Wichita State - The No. 1-seeded University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team (27-4 overall, 15-3 MVC) will look to win back-to-back State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championships on Sunday against the Wichita State Shockers (25-8 overall, 12-6 MVC). Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. on CBS. 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 is 2-1 all-time in the MVC championship game. UNI has won two MVC Tournament titles (2004 and 2009). (via Northern Iowa)


America East


[4] Boston University vs. [1] Stony Brook - 5:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
BU - #23 John Holland Jr. F (19.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.9 apg)
SB - #24 Tommy Brenton So. F (7.8 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.7 apg)


[2] Vermont vs. [6] New Hampshire - 8:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
UVM - #23 Marqus Blakely Sr. F (17.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 3.7 apg)
UNH - #25 Alvin Abreu Jr. G (14.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.1 apg)


Colonial


[1] Old Dominion vs. [5] Virginia Commonwealth - 3:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
ODU - #12 Gerald Lee Sr. C (14.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)
VCU - #1 Larry Sanders Jr. C (14.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.0 apg)


[2] Northeastern vs. [3] William & Mary - 5:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
NU - #3 Chaisson Allen Jr. G (14.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.7 apg)
CWM - #2 David Schneider Sr. G (16.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.7 apg)


Metro Atlantic


[5] Rider at [1] Siena - 4:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
RID - #5 Ryan Thompson Sr. F (17.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.8 apg)
SIE - #22 Ryan Rossiter Jr. F (14.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.0 apg)


[6] Niagara vs. [2] Fairfield - 6:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
NIAG - #22 Bilal Benn Sr. F (13.6 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 3.2 apg)
FAIR - #32 Anthony Johnson Sr. F (15.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 0.5 apg)


Northeast




[4] Long Island at [1] Quinnipiac - 2:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
LIUB - #22 Jaytornah Wisseh Sr. G (17.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.6 apg)
QUIN - #12 Justin Rutty Jr. F (15.0 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 0.9 apg)

Men's Basketball Hosts LIU In NEC Semifinals On MSG, FCS Sunday - The top-seeded Quinnipiac University men's basketball team plays host to fourth-seeded Long Island in Sunday's NEC Tournament Semifinals, to be broadcast live at 2 p.m. on MSG and Fox College Sports. The Bobcats are coming off a tough-fought 84-75 victory over Monmouth, while the Blackbirds held off a late surge to defeat No. 5 Fairleigh Dickinson, 63-61. The Bobcats lead the all-time series against the Blackbirds, 14-10, including an 80-72 victory, Feb. 13 at the TD Bank Sports Center. QU has taken the last nine meetings from LIU. (via Quinnipiac)


[3] Mount Saint Mary's at [2] Robert Morris - 7:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
MSM - #4 Kelly Beidler Sr. F (10.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)
RMU - #4 Karon Abraham Fr. G (13.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.5 apg)

NEC'S Top Rivalry Resumes with Mount St. Mary's to Face Robert Morris in NEC Semifinals - For the fifth-consecutive season, Mount St. Mary's will meet Robert Morris in the Northeast Conference Tournament. This year, the two rivals will square off in the NEC Tournament semifinals at the Sewall Center in Moon Township, Pa., on Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. In what has become the top rivalry in the NEC, the Mount and Robert Morris will be meeting for the 15th time over the past five years. Eleven of the previous 14 matchups have been decided by seven points or less while Robert Morris has won nine of those contests. (via Mount Saint Mary's)


Patriot League




[7] Holy Cross at [3] Lafayette - 1:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
HC - #34 Andrew Keister Jr. F (10.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.7 apg)
LAF - #34 Jared Mintz Jr. F (14.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)

Holy Cross Heads To Lafayette For Patriot League Semifinals - This will be the 47th meeting between the Crusaders and the Leopards on the hardwood, with Holy Cross leading the all-time series 31-15. The Crusaders have won 10 of the last 12 meetings between the schools, but both of the Leopards' victories during that time have come in the last three years. For games played in Easton, the Crusaders hold a slim 11-10 lead, having won five of their last eight visits to the Kirby Sports Center. The schools first met on Feb. 4, 1947, with Holy Cross posting a 50-40 victory at the Boston Garden. (via Holy Cross)


[4] American at [1] Lehigh - 8:05 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
AMER - #14 Vlad Moldoveanu Jr. F (18.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.1 apg)
LEH - #3 C.J. McCollum Fr. G (18.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.3 apg)

Spot in title game on the line on Sunday evening - A spot in the Patriot League championship game is on the line on Sunday evening as top-seeded Lehigh meets No. 4 American in the semifinals of the 2010 Patriot League Tournament at Stabler Arena. Lehigh downed its first round opponent, No. 8 Army, by a score of 64-45 on Wednesday at home in a game in which the Mountain Hawks outscored the Black Knights 46-25 after halftime. 2010 Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Year C.J. McCollum netted 17 of his game-high 19 points in the second half and was joined in double digits by Michael Ojo (13), Zahir Carrington (12) and Marquis Hall (10). American defeated the fifth seeded Navy Midshipmen at home by a score of 62-60 on Wednesday as the Eagles won their ninth consecutive quarterfinal game in the P.L. Tournament. (via Lehigh)


Southern


[N2] Western Carolina vs. [S1] Wofford - 6:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
WCU - #13 Brigham Waginger Sr. G (8.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.4 apg)
WOFF - #42 Noah Dahlman Jr. F (17.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 0.7 apg)


[S2] College of Charleston vs. [N1] Appalachian State - 8:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
COFC - #3 Andrew Goudelock Jr. G (19.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.9 apg)
APST - #0 Donald Sims Jr. G (20.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.2 apg)


West Coast


[5] Loyola Marymount vs. [1] Gonzaga - 8:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
LMU - #1 Vernon Teel Jr. G (15.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 5.7 apg)
GONZ - #15 Matt Bouldin Sr. F (16.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.0 apg)

Bulldogs To Face Loyola Marymount In WCC Semifinal - Top-seeded Gonzaga University will face the No. 5 seed Loyola Marymount University in Sunday's 5:30 p.m. semifinal of the West Coast Conference men's basketball tournament. LMU defeated No. 4 seed University of San Francisco 84-76 Saturday night in quarterfinal action. LMU advanced to Saturday's game against USF with an 87-84 win over No. 8 seed Pepperdine University Friday night. Vernon Teel and Drew Viney scored 18 points apiece to lead the Lions. Teel had seven rebounds and five assists, while Viney had eight rebounds. Ashley Hamilton added 14 points Loyola Marymount, which shot 49 percent (29 of 59) from the field and 80 percent (20 of 25) from the free-throw line. (via Gonzaga)


[3] Portland vs. [2] Saint Mary's - 10:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
PORT - #44 T.J Campbell Sr. G (13.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.6 apg)
SMC - #50 Omar Samhan Sr. C (21.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.1 apg)


Mid-American




[9] Ohio at [8] Ball State - 2:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
OHIO - #5 D.J. Cooper Fr. G (13.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.0 apg)
BSU - #45 Jarrod Jones So. F (12.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 0.7 apg)

Men's Hoops Hosts Ohio Sunday In MAC Tournament First Round - Ball State enters the 2010 Mid-American Conference Tournament as the eight seed and will host ninth-seeded Ohio Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Worthen Arena ... The winner of Sunday's game will advance to the MAC Tournament Quarterfinals in Cleveland, Ohio and will face No. 1 seed Kent State Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena ... BSU posted a 15-14 regular season record and an 8-8 mark in MAC play ... The Cardinals ended the season in a three-way tie for second place in the MAC West Division, tied with Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan ... Ball State has dropped three straight games heading into the MAC Tournament. (via Ball State)


[6] Eastern Michigan at [11] Northern Illinois - 2:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
EMU - #33 Brandon Bowdry Jr. F (16.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.2 apg)
NIU - #13 Xavier Silas Jr. F (19.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.7 apg)

Eagles Host Northern Illinois in MAC First Round - The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will host Northern Illinois University Sunday, March 7, in the first round of the FirstEnergy Mid-American Conference Tournament at home in the Convocation Center. The Eagles will take the No. 6 seed into the matchup with NIU, which is seeded No. 11, for a 2 p.m. tipoff. The Eagles will be attempting to rebound from a heartbreaking, 56-55, regular-season ending loss at home to the Chippewas of Central Michigan University Thursday, March 4. If EMU would have won that game against CMU it would have been the No. 2 seed in the upcoming tournament, but had to settle for the No. 6 seed. The winners of four first-round games will advance to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio and join the top four teams receiving byes, for the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, March 11-13. The winner of the EMU-NIU game will meet the No. 3 seed, either Kent State or Akron, in a quarterfinal game Thursday, March 11, at 2 p.m. (via Eastern Michigan)


[12] Toledo at [5] Buffalo - 2:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
TOL - #1 Justin Anyijong Jr. F (9.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.6 apg)
BUFF - #4 Rodney Pierce Sr. G (19.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.3 apg)

Buffalo to Host Toledo in First Round of MAC Tournament on Sunday - Buffalo learned on Friday night that it will be the fifth seed in the 2010 First Energy Mid-American Conference Tournament and will host 12-seeded Toledo on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm at Alumni Arena. With Kent State defeating Akron on Friday night, the Bulls lost the tiebreaker with Miami (OH), who also finished 9-7 in conference play, and the RedHawks earned the first-round bye. The Bulls defeated Toledo, 65-59, back on Feb. 6 at Savage Hall. (via Buffalo)



[10] Bowling Green at [7] Western Michigan - 2:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
BGSU - #10 Scott Thomas So. F (12.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.8 apg)
WMU - #23 David Kool Sr. G (21.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.6 apg)

Falcons Open MAC Tournament At Western Michigan Sunday - Bowling Green and Western Michigan meet in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament Sunday with a trip to Quicken Loans Arena on the line. The Falcons are the No. 10 seed and Western Michigan is the No. 7 seed. For the past three seasons, the MAC Tournament First Round was held in Cleveland but this will be the first year of campus sites since the 2005-06 year. That year, Bowling Green lost a road game at Toledo in the opening round 77-52. Despite an 82-60 loss to Ohio Thursday night to close out the regular season, freshman Luke Kraus made an impact. He scored a career-high 16 points (he had scored just 15 points all season prior to the game) on 7-of-11 shooting, making a pair of three-pointers. He played a career-best 18 minutes in the loss. (via Bowling Green)


Badlands Conference


[5] IUPU-Fort Wayne vs. [4] South Dakota State - 7:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
IPFW - #31 Deilvez Yearby Sr. F (14.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.3 apg)
SDST - #23 Kai Williams Sr. F (10.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.8 apg)


[6] North Dakota State vs. [3] Oral Roberts - 9:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
NDST - #32 Josh Vaughan Sr. G (13.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.7 apg)
ORU - #34 Kevin Ford Sr. F (12.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.2 apg)


Sun Belt


[5] Arkansas State vs. [4] Western Kentucky - 7:30 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
ARST - #13 Martavius Adams So. F (11.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.7 apg)
WKU - #4 A.J. Slaughter Sr. G (17.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.4 apg)

Toppers to Meet Arkansas State for Third Time in 24 Days - The 2010 Sun Belt Tournament's fourth seed, the WKU Hilltoppers, continue their pursuit of the program's third-straight tournament title, eighth overall, on Sunday, March 7 when the Tops square off against fifth-seeded Arkansas State at 6:30 PM in Hot Springs, Ark. WKU swept the season series with the Red Wolves winning 79-68 in Bowling Green on February 11, and 78-76 in an overtime thriller in Jonesboro, Ark. on February 20. The Tops are 0-2 against ASU in the SBC Tournament, however. (via Western Kentucky)


[1] Troy vs. [9] South Alabama - 7:45 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
TROY - #24 Michael Vogler Sr. G (12.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.6 apg)
USA - #33 Tim Williams Jr. G (16.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.2 apg)


[10] Louisiana-Monroe vs. [2] North Texas - 9:45 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
ULM - #5 Dynile Forbes Sr. G (12.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.9 apg)
NTEX - #4 George Odufuwa Jr. F (11.5 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 1.8 apg)


[6] Denver vs. [3] Middle Tennessee - 10:00 pm ET | BBState Preview/Box

Players to watch:
DEN - #24 Nate Rohnert Sr. F (14.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.8 apg)
MTSU - #24 Montarrio Haddock Sr. F (13.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.3 apg)

Denver to Face Middle Tennessee in SBC Quarterfinals on Sunday - The No. 6 seed Pioneers advanced to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Quarterfinals after beating No. 11 seed Florida International 71-64 on Saturday. Denver is 4-1 in its last five 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. (via Denver)

THIRD ANNUAL #ALLCAPSGAME
UIC AT LOYOLA (ILL.)
FEBRUARY 11, 2012
[INFO] [SCHEDULE]
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2011-12 Upsets 139/890 (15.6%)

2010-11 Upsets 164/954 (17.2%)

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