NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY RESULTS: FEBRUARY 9TH

VALLEY CITY STATE RULES THE WORLD – The NAIA’s 19th ranked VALLEY CITY STATE VIKINGS played the role of giant-killers yesterday. The Vikings hosted NCAA Division TWO’s SOUTH DAKOTA M&T HARDROCKERS and brought them down in an epic 61-55 clash.

For newbies to these divisions this is like a D2 hoops team upsetting a D1 team. NAIA football teams often topple NCAA D2 teams and their basketball teams prove they’re more than capable of such upsets, too. Valley City State improves to 20-6 with the win and have emerged with a victory in 5 out of their last 6 games.

NUMBER THREE TAKES A FALL – The unranked GEORGE FOX BRUINS took it on the road and managed to defeat the number 3 team in the nation, the WHITWORTH PIRATES, by a score of 89-81. The Bruins move up to 14-9 while the Pirates fall to 20-3.    ###   In other upsets in the D3 Top 25 the SCRANTON ROYALS toppled the visiting 8th ranked CATHOLIC CARDINALS  82-74   ###   The HOPE FLYING DUTCHMEN welcomed the unlucky number 13 CALVIN KNIGHTS and sent them home with a 73-70 loss   ###   … And at 21 the CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY CAPTAINS fell on the road 73-68 to the LAGRANGE PANTHERS.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA DIVISION ONE – The ST CATHARINE PATRIOTS shot 80% from the field in the 2nd half to win a 93-90 home stand against the number 7 PIKEVILLE BEARS. With the victory the Patriots improve to 12-10 and have won their last 6 in a row. Pikeville now stands at 20-6.   ###   The LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY CHAPARRALS defeated the visiting 10th ranked OKLAHOMA BAPTIST BISON by a score of 74-66   ###   The (24) PHILANDER SMITH PANTHERS won a crucial Gulf Coast Athletic Conference matchup by bringing down the (11) XAVIER (LA) GOLD RUSH  75-68   ###   The number 12 WESTMINSTER GRIFFINS likewise fell on the road to the MONTANA WESTERN BULLDOGS in a 76-54 statement game   ###   … And the LIFE RUNNING EAGLES won a 101-89 Overtime clash with the 14th ranked BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA DIVISION TWO – The (21) EMBRY- RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY EAGLES notched a 72-63 road win over the (12) ST THOMAS (FL) BOBCATS. ERAU has won 3 in a row and is now 21-6 with the Bobcats falling to 18-8.   ###   The unranked COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS BOBCATS meanwhile brought down the visiting number 16 YORK (NE) PANTHERS by putting up a Century Club- worthy 102 points to York’s 72   ###   … And the HUNTINGTON FORESTERS welcomed the 20th ranked TAYLOR TROJANS and sent them home with a loss in a 63-59 game for the ages.

CENTURY CLUB – The NAIA’s (5) NORTHWESTERN (IA) RED RAIDERS played road warriors and smacked down the (17) DOANE TIGERS by a score of 100-75. The Red Raiders improve to 21-5 while the Tigers fall to 21-7.   ###   The SOUTHERN POLYTECHNIC RUNNIN’ HORNETS won a 103-84 home stand against the KNOXVILLE COLLEGE BULLDOGS   ###   OUR LADY OF THE LAKE SAINTS, Century Club semi- regulars, defeated the WILEY WILDCATS  116-93   ###   … And the AURORA SPARTANS made the MARANATHA BAPTIST CRUSADERS their prison brides in a 108-52 laugher.

WORKIN’ OVERTIME – The PACIFIC BOXERS (logo at left) played host to the PACIFIC LUTHERAN LUTES and emerged with a 68-62 Overtime victory. The Boxers are now 14-9 with the Lutes being a dismal 7-16.   ###   The WHITTIER COLLEGE POETS notched a 61-58 OT victory over the CHAPMAN PANTHERS   ###   The SWARTHMORE COLLEGE GARNET used the extra session to defeat the visiting FRANKLIN & MARSHALL DIPLOMATS by a score of 73-63   ###   The GENEVA GOLDEN TORNADOES fell to the GROVE CITY WOLVERINES in an 80-75 Overtime affair   ###   The BELLEVUE BRUINS notched a road win over the CENTRAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE TIGERS in a 78-76 nailbiter   ###   … And the BLUEFIELD RAMBLIN’ RAMS put away the visiting RIO GRANDE (OH) RED STORM in an equally tense 80-78 outcome.

NUMBER FOUR TAKES A FALL – In D3 hockey the 4th ranked HOBART STATESMEN were upset on the road by the number 14 NEUMANN KNIGHTS. The final score was 3-1 as the Knights improve to 14-6-3 and the Statesmen fall to 18-4-2.   ###   The unranked POTSDAM STATE BEARS needed Overtime to do it  but they brought down the number 12 GENESEO STATE BLUE KNIGHTS by a score of 4-3   ### … And the game between the (15) BABSON BEAVERS and the SOUTHERN MAINE HUSKIES was postponed due to the winter storm.

TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS – Hobart may have fallen but the other teams in the Top 5 took care of business yesterday. The number 1 NORWICH CADETS survived a 4-3 invasion by the SKIDMORE THOROUGHREDS. The Cadets are an intimidating 20-2 and the Thoroughbreds are now 11-11-2.   ###   At number 2 the EAU CLAIRE BLUGOLDS smacked around the homestanding UW- SUPERIOR YELLOW JACKETS by a score of 4-1   ###   The 3rd ranked UTICA PIONEERS took it on the road and defeated the NAZARETH GOLDEN FLYERS  5-2   ###   … And the number 5 OSWEGO STATE LAKERS likewise played Road Warriors and edged the FREDONIA STATE BLUE DEVILS in a 3-2 nailbiter.

OVERTIME ON ICE – The MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING RAIDERS (logo at left) lead off this category with their 5-4 Overtime victory against the LAKE FOREST FORESTERS. The Raiders improve to 14-7-2, the Foresters fall to 9-10-4.   ###   … And the ST MICHAEL’S PURPLE KNIGHTS edged the visiting CASTLETON STATE SPARTANS in a 5-4 OT epic. In addition to all this action over a dozen games were postponed due to the weather emergency.

BLOWOUTS – The homestanding BUFFALO STATE BENGALS absolutely devoured the CORTLAND STATE RED DRAGONS in an 8-1 embarrassment.   ###   The MARIAN (WI) SABRES skated onto the NORTHLAND LUMBERJACKS home ice and carved them up to the tune of 6-2.   ###   … And closing out this topic for the week will be the FINLANDIA LIONS’ 5-1 trouncing of the visiting LAWRENCE VIKINGS.