• Season 9 SuperTicker presented by BLAPP
SEASON 7

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

Tourney Central 3/10/2011 (Day 10)
March 10, 2011 7:22 am ET by Kyle Whelliston

Bullet Points

  • Congratulations to Northern Colorado, who just needed seven years to go from new Division I independent to the NCAA tournament as members of the Big Sky -- the Bears overcame the conference champions from Montana for the title. Back east, Long Island won the Northeast Conference championship in an overtime thriller against two-time defending champs Robert Morris.
  • Like the two title games, most action went according to seed. But minor upsets on Day 9 included No. 10 Rice topping No. 7 SMU in the C-USA first round. In the Southland quarterfinals, No. 7 Texas-San Antonio were down by 14 points late in their tilt with No. 2 Northwestern State, but came back to win. WAC eighth seed San Jose State ended No. 5 Hawaii's season.
  • On this tenth day of Championship Fortnight, no championship games. But there are plenty of eliminators. The Big West, Conference USA and the MAC hold full quarterfinal slates. The WAC moves on to a second round. And the Great West bracket gets going in Orem, Utah, with a lesser tournament berth on the line.

Brackets

Big Sky



at [1] Northern Colorado 65, [2] Montana 60
Star of the Game: Devon Beitzel 27 Pts (5-13 FG, 14-17 FT), 2 Stl
Hello, world! Men's basketball headed to The Madness - Senior star Devon Beitzel scored 13 of his game-high 27 points over the last five minutes Wednesday, helping top-seeded Northern Colorado earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time with a 65-60 win over Montana in front of a national TV audience on ESPN2. ... via Northern Colorado

Conference USA



[8] East Carolina 75, [9] Central Florida 60
Star of the Game: Darrius Morrow 18 Pts (7-13 FG, 4-4 FT), 12 Reb
ECU Sprints Past UCF, 75-60 - Darrius Morrow's double-double propelled East Carolina to a 75-60 victory over UCF in the first round of the Conference USA tournament Wednesday. Morrow had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the eighth-seeded Pirates (17-14), who will face top-seeded UAB (22-7) in the quarterfinals Thursday. Jamar Abrams hit four 3-pointers among his 15 points, and Robert Sampson went 3-for-3 on 3-pointers in scoring 12 for East Carolina, which went 10 of 17 from long range. Brock Young added nine points, seven assists and five steals. ... via East Carolina

[5] Southern Mississippi 63, [12] Tulane 47
Star of the Game: Gary Flowers 18 Pts (7-10 FG, 3-4 FT), 11 Reb, 4 Stl
Southern Miss Tops Tulane In C-USA Tournament, 63-47 - Gary Flowers' ninth double-double of the season led Southern Mississippi past Tulane 63-47 on Wednesday in the first round of the Conference USA tournament. Flowers had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Golden Eagles (22-9), who will face fourth-seeded Memphis (22-9) in the quarterfinals Thursday. The senior forward reached double figures for the 27th consecutive game. LaShay Page added 12 points and Josimar Ayarza 10 for Southern Miss, which shot 46.8 percent while limiting Tulane to 34.0. ... via Southern Mississippi

[6] Marshall 97, [11] Houston 87
Star of the Game: Damier Pitts 28 Pts (6-11 FG, 14-18 FT), 10 Ast, 3 Stl
Second-Half Surge Pushes Marshall Past Men's Hoops at C-USA Championship - Marshall used a 20-2 run midway through the second half to break open a close game on the way to a 97-87 win against the University of Houston men's basketball team on Wednesday during the first round of the 2011 Buick Conference USA Championship inside the Don Haskins Center. Game Book | Quotes | Notes | Season Statistics ... via Houston

[10] Rice 58, [7] Southern Methodist 57
Star of the Game: Arsalan Kazemi 24 Pts (9-14 FG, 6-9 FT), 13 Reb
Owls Beat SMU; Advance at C-USA Championship - Rice University sophomore forward Arsalan Kazemi scored 24 points, and in snaring his 13th rebound of the game, helped the Owls secure a 58-57 win over SMU during the first round of the 2011 Buick Conference USA Basketball Championship Wednesday night. Rice (14-17) advances to play No. 2 seed Tulsa (18-12) Thursday night at approximately 9 p.m. Central during the quarterfinal round of the post-season championship. The victor will play the winner of the Marshall/UTEP game in the tournament's semifinals on Friday. ... via Rice

MEAC



[6] Norfolk State 68, [11] Howard 53
Star of the Game: Kyle O'Quinn 25 Pts (8-11 FG, 9-9 FT), 12 Reb
O'Quinn, Reserves Combine to Lead Norfolk State To Win Over Howard - Kyle O'Quinn scored a game-high 25 points and the bench contributed 30 points to lead Norfolk State to a 68-53 win over Howard University in the first round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's tournament at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum. ... via Howard

[1] Bethune-Cookman 66, [9] South Carolina State 50
Star of the Game: Garrius Holloman 15 Pts (6-10 FG, 3-4 FT), 7 Reb
Cats Crush Bulldogs 66-50 In MEAC Behind Holloman's 15 - Though it was a rare C.J. Reed off shooting night, Bethune-Cookman enjoyed an even more rare occasion in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference quarterfinals Wednesday night: A double-digit victory with a 66-50 decision over South Carolina State at Joel Coliseum. Garrius Holloman scored 15 points as the Wildcats (21-11) advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2000 and won their eighth straight. ... via Bethune-Cookman

[2] Hampton 77, [10] Maryland-Eastern Shore 55
Star of the Game: Darrion Pellum 23 Pts (8-18 FG, 3-4 FT), 7 Reb
Pirates Advance To MEAC Semifinals With Win Over UMES - The Hampton University men's basketball team defeated No. 10 seed Maryland Eastern Shore 77-55 in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament on Wednesday at the Joel Coliseum. The No. 2 seed Pirates (22-8) picked up their third straight win and have won 17 of the last 18 games against UMES. Hampton advances to Friday's semifinal, where they will take on either No. 3 Coppin State or No. 6 Norfolk State at 8 p.m. ... via Hampton

Northeast



at [1] Long Island 85, [3] Robert Morris 82
Star of the Game: Jamal Olasewere 31 Pts (11-19 FG, 7-13 FT), 11 Reb, 4 Stl
Men's Basketball Claims NEC Championship With Thrilling, 85-82, Win Overtime Victory Over Robert Morris - The top-seeded Long Island University men's basketball team captured its third Northeast Conference championship with an 85-82 overtime victory over third-seeded Robert Morris in front of a standing-room only crowd at the Wellness Center. Sophomore Jamal Olasewere scored seven of his career-high 31 points in overtime, including the go-ahead basket, to earn NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors. The win was the 13th straight for LIU, which is now 27-5 overall and earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. ... via Long Island

Southland



[7] Texas-San Antonio 97, [2] Northwestern State 96
Star of the Game: Devin Gibson 28 Pts (8-15 FG, 10-14 FT), 10 Reb, 10 Ast, 3 Stl
Gibson triple-double leads UTSA to thrilling 97-96 victory on Wednesday - Senior Devin Gibson registered his NCAA-leading second triple-double of the season to help seventh-seeded UTSA rally from a 14-point, second-half deficit and score a thrilling 97-96 victory against No. 2 seed Northwestern State in Wednesday's opening quarterfinal of the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament. The Roadrunners (17-13) trailed 81-67 with seven minutes and 40 seconds to play at the Merrell Center, but they rallied to move into the semifinals for the second time in the past three seasons. ... via Texas-San Antonio

[3] Sam Houston State 61, [6] Stephen F. Austin 45
Star of the Game: Gilberto Clavell 20 Pts (9-12 FG, 2-2 FT), 2 Stl
Semifinals bound - For the seventh time in the past 12 seasons, Sam Houston State will be in the semifinals of the State Farm Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament thanks to a 61-45 victory over Stephen F. Austin Wednesday afternoon.

Southland "Player of the Year" Gilberto Clavell scored 20 points and the Bearkats played outstanding defense in a first round game at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy. ... via Sam Houston State

[1] McNeese State 61, [8] Nicholls State 54
Star of the Game: C.J. Collins 13 Pts (6-12 FG), 6 Reb, 4 Stl
Cowboys win first round game in SLC tournament - McNeese State rolled into the State Farm 2011 Southland Conference basketball tournament semifinals with a 61-54 victory over Nicholls on Wednesday. It was the third time this season that the Cowboys, the tournament's No. 1 seed, had whipped the Colonels. ... via McNeese State

[4] Texas State 72, [5] Southeastern Louisiana 68
Star of the Game: Tony Bishop 18 Pts (5-7 FG, 8-8 FT), 6 Reb
Ryan White Nets Career-High 26 Points to Lead Texas State to Semifinals of SLC Tournamen - Fourth-seeded Texas State would not go down easy as it beat fifth-seeded Southeastern Louisiana tonight in the quarterfinals of the 2011 State Farm Southland Conference Tournament, 72-68, to earn a trip to the semifinals. The Bobcats will face top seeded McNeese State tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. Tonight was all Ryan White as he scored a career-high 26 points (8-for-8 FT) to lead Texas State to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time since 2003. Tony Bishop was another dominant force on the court as the forward had 18 points (8-for-8 FT) and six rebounds, while Cameron Johnson added 14 points, seven boards and four steals. ... via Texas State

SWAC



at [2] Jackson State 50, [7] Prairie View 38
Star of the Game: Tyrone Hanson 13 Pts (3-7 FG, 5-6 FT)
Tigers use strong second half to beat Prairie View in SWAC Tourney Quarterfinals - Grant Maxey and Tyrone Hanson combined to score 27 points to lead the Jackson State Tigers to a 50-38 victory over the Prairie View A&M Panthers in the quarterfinal round of the 2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament Wednesday afternoon. Maxey finished with a game high 14 points and pulled down four rebounds in 25 minutes of play. He connected on 4-13 shot attempts and went 5-6 from the free throw line. Hanson scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds in 31 minutes. Hanson, the conference leader in three-point shooting, connected on two of his five three-point attempts. Jenirro Bush, the third leading scorer in the conference, came off the bench to score four points. De'Suan Dixon pulled down a game-high seven rebounds to go along with a six point effort. ... via Jackson State

at [1] Texas Southern 50, [8] Arkansas-Pine Bluff 45
Star of the Game: Travele Jones 19 Pts (4-9 FG, 10-12 FT), 9 Reb, 2 Stl

Western Athletic



[8] San Jose State 75, [5] Hawaii 74
Star of the Game: Adrian Oliver 29 Pts (9-22 FG, 6-7 FT), 7 Reb
Idaho Pulls Away From 'Bows, 75-61 The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team's attempt at a road sweep was turned back by Idaho in a 75-61 loss Saturday night at the Cowan Spectrum. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 13-10 overall and 4-7 in the Western Athletic Conference. After an exhilarating win at Boise State on Thursday night, the 'Bows entered Saturday's game with a prime opportunity to move up the WAC standings. A win would have put the Rainbow Warriors in a tie for fourth place. Instead UH had its modest two-game road win streak snapped and fell to the Vandals for the sixth time in the last seven meetings. Idaho (13-10, 6-5 WAC), meanwhile, halted a four-game losing streak. ... via Hawaii

[6] Nevada 90, [7] Fresno State 80
Star of the Game: Malik Story 34 Pts (11-14 FG, 6-11 FT)
Dogs Bow to Pack at WAC - Nevada put 45 points on the board in the first half, 19 coming from Malik Story, as it raced to a 19-point lead at intermission and cruised to victory to end Fresno State's season with a first round tournament loss, 90-80 at the Orleans Arena. ... via Fresno State

On Tap Tonight

Big West



Tools: Standings • Statistics • Tempo-Free Aerial • 18-Year Tourney History

[8] California-Irvine vs. [1] Long Beach State - 3:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
UCI - 13-18 (6-10) RPI: 297 State: 229 SOS: 323 Last 10: 3-7 Form: LLWWL PF/PA: 75.5/75.5
LBSU - 20-10 (14-2) RPI: 90 State: 60 SOS: 135 Last 10: 9-1 Form: WWWWW PF/PA: 73.5/70.5
NCAA Selection Sheets: California-Irvine • Long Beach State
Recent meetings: 01/22/2011 LBSU 76 @UCI 86 01/08/2011 UCI 78 @LBSU 86
Players to watch:
UCI - #1 Darren Moore Sr. G (17.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.7 apg) LBSU - #21 Larry Anderson Jr. G (14.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.2 apg)

UC Irvine Opens Big West Tournament Against Long Beach State Thursday - UC Irvine, seeded eighth, faces No. 1 seed Long Beach State Thursday at noon in a quarterfinal of the ampm Big West Tournament at the Honda Center. Coach Russell Turner's Anteaters, 13-18 overall, handed the 49ers their last loss, an 86-76 setback at the Bren Center Jan. 22. Long Beach State (20-10) has won its last nine games since. Thursday marks the 86th meeting in the series between the 'Eaters and 49ers with LBSU leading 52-33, but UCI has won five of the past nine. UCI holds a 4-3 edge over the 49ers in previous Big West Tournament meetings, the last a 77-63 Anteater victory Mar. 12, 2008 in the first round at the Anaheim Convention Center. ... via California-Irvine


[5] California-Santa Barbara vs. [4] Pacific - 5:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
UCSB - 15-13 (8-8) RPI: 194 State: 139 SOS: 215 Last 10: 4-6 Form: WLLLW PF/PA: 67.6/65.7
PAC - 16-14 (8-8) RPI: 183 State: 126 SOS: 210 Last 10: 5-5 Form: LWLLL PF/PA: 65.7/62.2
NCAA Selection Sheets: California-Santa Barbara • Pacific
Recent meetings: 02/03/2011 PAC 74 @UCSB 68 01/08/2011 UCSB 54 @PAC 57
Players to watch:
UCSB - #33 Orlando Johnson Jr. G (20.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.1 apg) PAC - #34 Sam Willard Sr. F (15.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.6 apg)

Gauchos Open ampm Big West Tourney vs. Pacific Thursday Afternoon - UC Santa Barbara, which won the Big West Conference regular season and tournament championships in 2010, will enter the 2011 league tourney as the fifth-seeded team. The Gauchos will play fourth-seeded Pacific in the first round of the tournament Honda Center. The Gauchos will play the Tigers 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Long Beach State-UC Irvine game, which will tip-off at noon. ... via California-Santa Barbara


[7] California-Riverside vs. [2] Cal Poly - 9:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
UCR - 11-18 (6-10) RPI: 271 State: 266 SOS: 256 Last 10: 4-6 Form: LLWLW PF/PA: 65.9/69.8
POLY - 15-14 (10-6) RPI: 196 State: 186 SOS: 283 Last 10: 7-3 Form: WLLWL PF/PA: 59.1/58.5
NCAA Selection Sheets: California-Riverside • Cal Poly
Recent meetings: 02/12/2011 UCR 40 @POLY 56 01/20/2011 POLY 65 @UCR 60
Players to watch:
UCR - #12 Phil Martin Jr. G (14.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.3 apg) POLY - #34 David Hanson Jr. F (15.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Cal Poly Continues Historic Year at Big West Tournament - Having matched program records for Big West Conference victories, loftiest finish in the Big West standings and highest seeding for the conference tournament, the Cal Poly men's basketball team enters its ninth Big West Tournament chasing yet another historic milestone: the program's first NCAA Tournament berth. Seeded No. 2 for just the second time in program history, Cal Poly (15-14, 10-6) opens play at the 36th Big West Tournament against UC Riverside ... via Cal Poly


[6] Cal State Fullerton vs. [3] Cal State Northridge - 11:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
CSF - 11-19 (7-9) RPI: 298 State: 277 SOS: 311 Last 10: 3-7 Form: LLLWW PF/PA: 71.8/75.0
CSN - 13-17 (9-7) RPI: 252 State: 208 SOS: 261 Last 10: 6-4 Form: LWWLW PF/PA: 69.8/71.4
NCAA Selection Sheets: Cal State Fullerton • Cal State Northridge
Recent meetings: 02/10/2011 CSN 70 @CSF 68 01/15/2011 CSF 65 @CSN 89
Players to watch:
CSF - #12 Jer'Vaughn Johnson (14.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.4 apg) CSN - #5 Lenny Daniel Sr. F (16.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 0.7 apg)
CSUN Faces Cal State Fullerton In ampm Big West Tournament - Exactly one year (3/10/10) after Cal State Northridge faced Cal State Fullerton in the first round of the 2010 Big West Tournament, the two teams meet again in the first round of this year's ampm Big West Tournament at the Honda Center. ... via Cal State Northridge

Conference USA

Tools: Standings • Statistics • Tempo-Free Aerial • 16-Year Tourney History

[8] East Carolina vs. [1] UAB - 1:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
ECU - 17-14 (8-8) RPI: 116 State: 119 SOS: 61 Last 10: 5-5 Form: WWWLW PF/PA: 68.5/66.8
UAB - 22-7 (12-4) RPI: 28 State: 49 SOS: 71 Last 10: 8-2 Form: LWWWW PF/PA: 68.9/61.9
NCAA Selection Sheets: East Carolina • UAB
Recent meetings: 03/05/2011 ECU 48 @UAB 66 01/17/2011 UAB 66 @ECU 59
Players to watch:
ECU - #24 Jontae Sherrod Sr. G (15.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.9 apg) UAB - #22 Cameron Moore Jr. F (14.8 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Blazers Earn No. 1 Seed, Will Play First Game On Thursday - Regular season champion UAB will be the No. 1 seed at the 2011 Buick Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship, March 9-12 at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso. The Blazers, outright C-USA Champions for the first time, enter the conference tournament as the No.1 seed, owning an overall record of 22-7 (12-4 in C-USA) and a current winning streak of four games. ... via UAB


[5] Southern Mississippi vs. [4] Memphis - 3:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
USM - 22-9 (9-7) RPI: 54 State: 54 SOS: 83 Last 10: 6-4 Form: WLLLW PF/PA: 74.5/65.4
MEM - 22-9 (10-6) RPI: 38 State: 51 SOS: 56 Last 10: 6-4 Form: LWLLW PF/PA: 72.3/68.7
NCAA Selection Sheets: Southern Mississippi • Memphis
Recent meetings: 02/12/2011 USM 61 @MEM 67 01/19/2011 MEM 76 @USM 75
Players to watch:
USM - #4 Gary Flowers Sr. F (19.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.0 apg) MEM - #5 Will Barton Fr. G (12.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.9 apg)
Tournament Notes - The University of Memphis squad (22-9, 10-6 C-USA) opens play in the 2011 Conference USA Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 10 when it faces Southern Miss in the quarterfinal round. Game time for the Thursday quarterfinal match-up is is 2:30 p.m. (CT). The Memphis-Southern Miss C-USA Tournament quarterfinal encounter is slated to air on CBS College Sports (Memphis Comcast digital channel 222). ... via Memphis

[6] Marshall vs. [3] Texas-El Paso - 7:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
MRSH - 22-10 (9-7) RPI: 51 State: 63 SOS: 67 Last 10: 7-3 Form: WWLWW PF/PA: 74.1/67.2
UTEP - 23-8 (11-5) RPI: 60 State: 47 SOS: 118 Last 10: 6-4 Form: LLWWW PF/PA: 71.1/63.5
NCAA Selection Sheets: Marshall • Texas-El Paso
Recent meetings: 03/02/2011 MRSH 74 @UTEP 82 03/02/2010 UTEP 80 @MRSH 76
Players to watch:
MRSH - #3 Damier Pitts Jr. G (16.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.7 apg) UTEP - #5 Julyan Stone Sr. G (8.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 5.4 apg)
UTEP to Face Marshall in C-USA Tournament Quarters - UTEP (23-8, 11-5 C-USA) is seeded third in the 2011 Buick Conference USA Championships, set for March 9-12 at the Don Haskins Center. The Miners will face no. 6 Marshall in Thursday's quarterfinals at 5:30 p.m. MT. The Miners beat Marshall on March 2 at the Haskins Center, 82-74. ... via Texas-El Paso


[10] Rice vs. [2] Tulsa - 10:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
RICE - 14-17 (5-11) RPI: 189 State: 209 SOS: 96 Last 10: 4-6 Form: LLLWW PF/PA: 67.0/66.7
TULS - 18-12 (11-5) RPI: 85 State: 76 SOS: 69 Last 10: 8-2 Form: WLWWW PF/PA: 70.7/67.6
NCAA Selection Sheets: Rice • Tulsa
Recent meetings: 03/02/2011 TULS 67 @RICE 57 01/08/2011 RICE 64 @TULS 75
Players to watch:
RICE - #14 Arsalan Kazemi So. F (15.3 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.4 apg) TULS - #15 Justin Hurtt Sr. G (20.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Tulsa Faces Rice in C-USA Quarterfinals Thursday - The second-seeded Tulsa basketball team opens the 2011 Buick Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship with a Quarterfinal matchup against 10th-seeded Rice Thursday at 8 p.m. Ct on CBS College Sports. The Golden Hurricane (18-12, 11-5 C-USA) has won eight of its last 10 games, and three in a row. TU will play the Owls (14-17) to open the C-USA tournament for the third year in a row. Rice defeated SMU, 58-57, in the first round Wednesday night. ... via Tulsa

Great West



Tools: Standings • Statistics • Tempo-Free Aerial • 2-Year Tourney History

[7] Houston Baptist at [2] New Jersey Tech - 4:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
HBU - 4-25 (2-10) RPI: 345 State: 338 SOS: 342 Last 10: 2-8 Form: LWLLL PF/PA: 69.1/79.1
NJIT - 15-14 (9-3) RPI: 309 State: 271 SOS: 343 Last 10: 8-2 Form: WLWLW PF/PA: 68.8/68.3
NCAA Selection Sheets: Houston Baptist • New Jersey Tech
Recent meetings: 02/17/2011 NJIT 72 @HBU 66 01/15/2011 HBU 84 @NJIT 96
Players to watch:
HBU - #31 Andrew Gonzalez Sr. F (23.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.2 apg) NJIT - #13 Jheryl Wilson Sr. G (13.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.3 apg)
NJIT Men, Seeded Second, Open Great West Tournament Thursday Afternoon - OREM, UT--The NJIT men's basketball team opens the next chapter in its best season at the Division level on Thursday when the Highlanders start play in the 2011 Great West Conference Basketball Tournament presented by Pepsi. The second-seeded Highlanders will take on seventh-seeded Houston Baptist in opening-round play with a 4:30 pm EST start. ... via New Jersey Tech


[6] Texas-Pan American at [3] North Dakota - 7:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
UTPA - 6-24 (2-10) RPI: 343 State: 335 SOS: 331 Last 10: 3-7 Form: LLWWL PF/PA: 68.1/76.2
NDAK - 16-14 (8-4) RPI: 283 State: 242 SOS: 339 Last 10: 6-4 Form: LLWWW PF/PA: 68.0/68.0
NCAA Selection Sheets: Texas-Pan American • North Dakota
Recent meetings: 03/05/2011 NDAK 72 @UTPA 61 01/27/2011 UTPA 82 @NDAK 91
Players to watch:
UTPA - #32 Perry Petty Sr. G (15.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.8 apg) NDAK - #45 Patrick Mitchell Jr. G (10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Sioux open GWC Tournament against UTPA - UND takes a three-game winning streak into its opening round game at the Great West Conference Tournament presented by Pepsi. ... via North Dakota


[5] Chicago State at [4] South Dakota - 9:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
CST - 6-25 (3-9) RPI: 339 State: 331 SOS: 325 Last 10: 1-9 Form: LLLLL PF/PA: 66.4/87.1
SDAK - 16-14 (7-5) RPI: 322 State: 216 SOS: 345 Last 10: 6-4 Form: WWWLW PF/PA: 80.4/76.3
NCAA Selection Sheets: Chicago State • South Dakota
Recent meetings: 02/26/2011 CST 73 @SDAK 105 02/10/2011 SDAK 75 @CST 71
Players to watch:
CST - #21 Carl Montgomery Sr. F (17.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.1 apg) SDAK - #20 Jake Krogman Fr. G (14.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 apg)

Men's Basketball Battles South Dakota Thursday in Great West Tournament Quarterfinals - Chicago State University men's basketball begins play at the second-annual Great West Conference Tournament in Orem, Utah as the fifth seed with a quarterfinal matchup Thursday night against fourth-seeded and defending GWC tournament champion South Dakota.Click on the headline for story. ... via Chicago State

MEAC

Tools: Standings • Statistics • Tempo-Free Aerial • 18-Year Tourney History

[6] Norfolk State vs. [3] Coppin State - 6:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
NORF - 11-19 (8-8) RPI: 280 State: 289 SOS: 282 Last 10: 4-6 Form: LWLWW PF/PA: 70.7/75.1
COPP - 16-13 (11-5) RPI: 240 State: 225 SOS: 324 Last 10: 6-4 Form: WWLWW PF/PA: 73.2/72.9
NCAA Selection Sheets: Norfolk State • Coppin State
Recent meetings: 02/28/2011 COPP 76 @NORF 69 01/31/2011 NORF 110 @COPP 108
Players to watch:
NORF - #10 Kyle O'Quinn So. F (16.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.1 apg) COPP - #5 Michael Harper Jr. G (15.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.3 apg)


[5] North Carolina A&T vs. [4] Morgan State - 8:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
NCAT - 15-16 (9-7) RPI: 220 State: 228 SOS: 252 Last 10: 6-4 Form: LWWWL PF/PA: 71.7/74.0
MORG - 15-13 (10-6) RPI: 229 State: 188 SOS: 326 Last 10: 6-4 Form: WWLLL PF/PA: 66.8/67.9
NCAA Selection Sheets: North Carolina A&T • Morgan State
Recent meetings: 02/28/2011 MORG 60 @NCAT 68 01/31/2011 NCAT 66 @MORG 68
Players to watch:
NCAT - #23 Thomas Coleman Sr. F-C (17.1 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.4 apg) MORG - #33 Kevin Thompson Jr. F (12.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.1 apg)

Mid-American



Tools: Standings • Statistics • Tempo-Free Aerial • 18-Year Tourney History

[7] Bowling Green vs. [2] Western Michigan - 12:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
BGSU - 14-18 (8-8) RPI: 247 State: 240 SOS: 235 Last 10: 3-7 Form: LLLWW PF/PA: 64.4/67.1
WMU - 19-11 (11-5) RPI: 172 State: 116 SOS: 293 Last 10: 8-2 Form: LWWWW PF/PA: 72.8/69.0
NCAA Selection Sheets: Bowling Green • Western Michigan
Recent meetings: 02/05/2011 WMU 75 @BGSU 61 03/07/2010 BGSU 73 @WMU 75
Players to watch:
BGSU - #10 Scott Thomas Jr. F (11.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.5 apg) WMU - #5 Mike Douglas Jr. G (9.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.0 apg)
MAC Tournament Game Day: WMU vs. Bowling Green - 3/10 - 12 p.m. - The 2011 MAC West Division champion Western Michigan men's basketball team opens up its pursuit of a MAC Tournament title against #7 seed Bowling Green on Thursday at 12 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena. The game will be televised on SportsTime Ohio, which is available on DirecTV (662/662-1 HD) and Dish Network (431/5431 HD). ... via Western Michigan


[6] Akron vs. [3] Miami (Oh.) - 2:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
AKR - 20-12 (9-7) RPI: 132 State: 103 SOS: 194 Last 10: 8-2 Form: WWLLW PF/PA: 70.0/65.2
MIO - 16-15 (11-5) RPI: 103 State: 131 SOS: 58 Last 10: 7-3 Form: LLWLW PF/PA: 66.3/69.7
NCAA Selection Sheets: Akron • Miami (Oh.)
Recent meetings: 02/23/2011 MIO 55 @AKR 72 01/19/2011 AKR 76 @MIO 84
Players to watch:
AKR - #13 Nikola Cventinovic Jr. F (12.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.1 apg) MIO - #4 Julian Mavunga Jr. F (14.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.9 apg)
Men's Basketball Faces Miami (Ohio) in MAC Quarterfinals - The No. 6-seeded Zips (20-12) take on the No. 3-seeded RedHawks (16-15) on Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The contest will air on SportsTime Ohio at 2:30 p.m. ET. ... via Akron


[8] Buffalo vs. [1] Kent State - 7:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
BUFF - 18-12 (8-8) RPI: 160 State: 170 SOS: 233 Last 10: 4-6 Form: LLWLW PF/PA: 71.7/64.3
KENT - 21-10 (12-4) RPI: 86 State: 97 SOS: 139 Last 10: 7-3 Form: WWLWW PF/PA: 70.7/66.4
NCAA Selection Sheets: Buffalo • Kent State
Recent meetings: 02/24/2011 BUFF 69 @KENT 72 01/19/2011 KENT 54 @BUFF 79
Players to watch:
BUFF - #2 Byron Mulkey Sr. G (13.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.6 apg) KENT - #34 Justin Greene Jr. F (15.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.5 apg)
MAC Basketball Tournament Update - Plans are in full swing for the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland. Here's all the information you need to follow the Golden Flashes in the quest to reach the NCAA Tournament! ... via Kent State


[5] Ohio vs. [4] Ball State - 9:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
OHIO - 18-14 (9-7) RPI: 158 State: 158 SOS: 164 Last 10: 8-2 Form: WWWLW PF/PA: 74.8/72.7
BSU - 18-12 (10-6) RPI: 174 State: 123 SOS: 295 Last 10: 5-5 Form: LWWLW PF/PA: 67.3/63.2
NCAA Selection Sheets: Ohio • Ball State
Recent meetings: 01/29/2011 OHIO 61 @BSU 60 03/07/2010 OHIO 85 @BSU 77
Players to watch:
OHIO - #5 D.J. Cooper So. G (16.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 7.5 apg) BSU - #45 Jarrod Jones Jr. F (14.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.2 apg)

MAC Tournament Play Continues Thursday with Ball State - Ohio continues MAC Tournament action on Thursday night when it goes up against the No. 4 seed, Ball State at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena. The Bobcats are the No. 5 seed and reigning conference tournament champions. ... via Ohio

Southland

Tools: Standings • Statistics • Tempo-Free Aerial • 18-Year Tourney History

[7] Texas-San Antonio vs. [3] Sam Houston State - 7:05 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
UTSA - 17-13 (9-7) RPI: 227 State: 189 SOS: 317 Last 10: 6-4 Form: WLWWW PF/PA: 70.5/69.5
SAMH - 18-12 (10-6) RPI: 182 State: 125 SOS: 217 Last 10: 8-2 Form: LWWWW PF/PA: 69.6/65.7
NCAA Selection Sheets: Texas-San Antonio • Sam Houston State
Recent meetings: 01/29/2011 UTSA 67 @SAMH 88 01/08/2011 SAMH 62 @UTSA 59
Players to watch:
UTSA - #21 Devin Gibson Sr. G (16.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 5.7 apg) SAMH - #14 Gilberto Clavell Sr. F (19.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 apg)


[4] Texas State vs. [1] McNeese State - 9:33 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
TXST - 16-15 (10-6) RPI: 230 State: 196 SOS: 279 Last 10: 7-3 Form: WWLLW PF/PA: 78.2/78.0
MCN - 20-10 (11-5) RPI: 163 State: 144 SOS: 297 Last 10: 7-3 Form: WWLWW PF/PA: 74.0/70.5
NCAA Selection Sheets: Texas State • McNeese State
Recent meetings: 01/15/2011 TXST 92 @MCN 97 02/06/2010 MCN 88 @TXST 95
Players to watch:
TXST - #22 Tony Bishop Sr. F (13.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 0.9 apg) MCN - #3 Patrick Richard Jr. F (16.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.5 apg)

SWAC

Tools: Standings • Statistics • Tempo-Free Aerial • 18-Year Tourney History

[6] Grambling at [3] Mississippi Valley State - 1:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
GRAM - 10-20 (8-10) RPI: 321 State: 304 SOS: 341 Last 10: 7-3 Form: WWLWW PF/PA: 60.1/68.7
MVSU - 13-18 (12-6) RPI: 245 State: 243 SOS: 308 Last 10: 6-4 Form: LLLWW PF/PA: 68.5/75.1
NCAA Selection Sheets: Grambling • Mississippi Valley State
Recent meetings: 02/28/2011 GRAM 63 @MVSU 66 01/31/2011 MVSU 94 @GRAM 74
Players to watch:
GRAM - #11 Justin Patton Jr. G-F (13.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.4 apg) MVSU - #32 Paul Crosby Jr. C (11.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.9 apg)

[5] Alabama A&M at [4] Alabama State - 9:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
ALAM - 13-14 (10-8) RPI: 307 State: 257 SOS: 340 Last 10: 5-5 Form: WLWLL PF/PA: 64.7/66.3
ALST - 14-17 (11-7) RPI: 292 State: 261 SOS: 334 Last 10: 8-2 Form: WWWWL PF/PA: 60.2/64.2
NCAA Selection Sheets: Alabama A&M • Alabama State
Recent meetings: 02/12/2011 ALAM 68 @ALST 82 01/15/2011 ALST 60 @ALAM 75
Players to watch:
ALAM - #30 Demarquelle Tabb So. G-F (8.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.7 apg) ALST - #2 Tramayne Moorer Sr. F (12.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.5 apg)

Western Athletic

Tools: Standings • Statistics • Tempo-Free Aerial • 18-Year Tourney History

[8] San Jose State vs. [4] Idaho - 3:00 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
SJSU - 16-14 (5-11) RPI: 185 State: 205 SOS: 183 Last 10: 6-4 Form: WWLLW PF/PA: 73.0/73.1
ID - 18-12 (9-7) RPI: 128 State: 142 SOS: 168 Last 10: 6-4 Form: WWLWW PF/PA: 67.7/66.0
NCAA Selection Sheets: San Jose State • Idaho
Recent meetings: 02/03/2011 SJSU 92 @ID 89 01/08/2011 ID 75 @SJSU 67
Players to watch:
SJSU - #2 Adrian Oliver Sr. G (24.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.6 apg) ID - #33 Kyle Barone So. C (10.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.9 apg)
It's Tournament Time - After earning the #4 seed in the 2011 WAC Tournament, Idaho finds itself on the same side of the bracket as #5 Hawai'i, #8 San Jose State and #1 Utah State. The Vandals have faced just one of those teams, SJSU, in the WAC Tournament before. When they were Big West Conference members, Idaho and Utah State met once in the Big West Tournament, a 61-41 USU win in 2002. Idaho went 4-2 during the regular season against its side of the WAC Tournament bracket. ... via Idaho


[6] Nevada vs. [3] New Mexico State - 5:30 pm ET • BBState Preview/Box
NEV - 13-18 (8-8) RPI: 193 State: 222 SOS: 98 Last 10: 5-5 Form: LLWLW PF/PA: 70.5/71.4
NMSU - 15-16 (9-7) RPI: 138 State: 172 SOS: 63 Last 10: 5-5 Form: LLLLW PF/PA: 72.1/70.2
NCAA Selection Sheets: Nevada • New Mexico State
Recent meetings: 03/05/2011 NEV 68 @NMSU 77 01/20/2011 NMSU 71 @NEV 90
Players to watch:
NEV - #44 Dario Hunt Jr. F (13.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 0.7 apg) NMSU - #33 Troy Gillenwater Jr. F (19.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 0.6 apg)
Aggies to Defend WAC Title - The New Mexico State men's basketball team travels to Las Vegas, Nev., for the 2011 WAC Tournament, March 9-12. The No. 3 seeded Aggies play No. 6 seeded Nevada Thursday, March 10 at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU. ... via New Mexico State