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SEASON 1

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Epilogue, The Ninth: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

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This Time of Year

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Empire

Dribblings 2/8/2005 (Streaky Edition)
February 8, 2005 8:16 am ET by Kyle Whelliston
Missouri Valley: Southern Illinois 58, Drake 57 (story) - Faraway, so close. Sure, SIU's RPI is great, but they're really struggling right now. At Drake, they had to be bailed out by bigman Josh Warren's last-minute jumper - they shot 40% and only made two free throws all evening. The Bulldogs' season could have been given a brief glimmer of meaning if only they could have converted either of their two chances in the final five seconds: a jump shot (blocked), or free throws (missed front end of the one-and-one). The Salukis (16-6, 9-3 MVC) survive and stay in second; the Bulldogs fall to four and nine.

Shootaround!

Big South: "Nobody would choose to play four games in six days," said Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall recently. Last night saw the start of the Winthrop Gauntlet, a hellish series that came about due to schedule reshuffling. The Eagles (16-5, 8-1 BSC) passed their first test by beating North Carolina-Asheville 67-60 at home; it was their eighth straight win. Three to go.

Metro Atlantic: A change at the top last night as Niagara (15-6, 10-3 MAAC) pushed back up to first place with their sixth straight win, an 81-66 beatdown of lowly Siena in which big Canadian Juan Mendez put in a 20-point, 11-rebound performance. They're percentage points ahead of Rider, who were nipped by Iona on last-second free throws in their annual arena game in downtown Trenton.

Mid-American: Last night's G!O!T!N! failed to materialize: West division second-place Bowling Green (12-6, 7-4 MAC) knocked around Ohio, the Eastern team in the two-seed position. The score was 78-63, and the game was Falcon freshman Scott Vandemeer's coming-out party... actually, make that a "block party." His seven swats tied a school record. In other MAC news, Miami (Oh.) has received the attention of USA Today.

Mid-Eastern: Monday nights are always more fun when you add a little MEAC. Idle Delaware State (11-9, 9-2 MEAC) is in one-seed position all by themselves after Coppin State's 77-72 loss at South Carolina State. And the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks, the erstwhile worst team in America profiled yesterday in this space, shocked Howard in D.C. 88-74 - now the longest losing streak in the MEAC (nine games) belongs to the Bison.

Southern: South division leaders Davidson (14-7, 12-0 SoCon) won at Wofford 70-66 and have taken 11 in a row - they did it with a 50% shooting performance and 18 points by 6'5" star Brendan Winters. With four league games remaining, they may soon become the first team in America to clinch a conference tourney one-seed. East leader Charleston's (14-6, 7-4 SoCon) visit to Chattanooga was a game that had been circled long ago as an interdivision heavyweight matchup, ended in a messy 82-59 Mocs home win. The Cougars are now four back of Davidson in the loss column and have to play them once more.

Southwestern Athletic: Alabama State (11-9, 9-2 SWAC) leads by a game now, Alabama A&M is a step back at 8-3. The formerly mentioned Hornets won 56-52 over the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State, and the AA&M Bulldogs fell at home to Arkansas-Pine Bluff 75-74. In the conference that boasts the closest games in the land, Monday's four league games were decided by a combined total of 10 points.

Game! Of! The! Night!

In the Ivy this evening, this may turn out to be the championship game. Pennsylvania is 4-0 heading into their first meeting against ancient rival Princeton. The Tigers are a shocking 1-3, and do not appear to have the steam (or outside shooting) to make the necessary table-run. Teams going to the Tournament with four losses are as rare in Ivy League history as sub-100 IQ's. So win here, and the Quakers might have the conference locked up before the two tangle again next month. Grab a coupla' pretzels from the vendor outside the Palestra, and meet me in the west stands. Tip-off at 8:00 PM Eastern, webcast here.

The Associated Press writes up one of this site's favorite feel-good stories of the year, Coach Billy Kennedy's Southeastern Louisiana and its freakishly effective defense.

Meet Zach Pancratz, a freshman at the MAC's Northern Illinois. Zach does normal freshman things like one-upping teammates with clothes-related stunts, and cutting open the back of his head while diving for loose balls. The Northern Star Online offers a slice-of life profile.