MARCH 7TH’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY TOURNAMENT RESULTS

* NAIA *

ROUND ONE, DAY TWO – The NAIA Division 2 National Championship Tournament finished up Round One yesterday.  

UPSETS – The CAL MARITIME ACADEMY KEELHAULERS led the way on this category with their authoritative smackdown of the (4) NORTHWESTERN (IA) RED RAIDERS to the tune of 76-54   ###   The (5) WARNER PACIFIC COLLEGE KNIGHTS fell to the DAKOTA STATE TROJANS  89-80   ###   Meanwhile the ST THOMAS (FL) BOBCATS won an 85-72 upset over the (12) MT MERCY MUSTANGS.  

UPSETS II: THE SEQUEL THEY SAID COULDN’T BE MADE – The GRACE COLLEGE LANCERS joined in the fun by toppling the (13) TN WESLEYAN COLLEGE BULLDOGS in a 93-69 pounding   ###   … And the BELLEVUE BRUINS close out the upset category with their 64-50 victory over the (15) ROCHESTER COLLEGE WARRIORS.

CHALK – The (2) CARDINAL STRITCH UNIVERSITY WOLVES eliminated the JAMESTOWN COLLEGE JIMMIES by a score of 74-56   ###   The (10) DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS dispatched the NORTHWEST (WA) EAGLES  79-59   ###   And in the tightest game of the day the LOURDES UNIVERSITY GRAY WOLVES took the (7) IN WESLEYAN WILDCATS into Overtime before losing a 62-60 nailbiter.  

* NCCAA *

UPSET DIPLOMACY – On Day 3 of the National Christian College Athletic Association Division Two tourney the 11th seeded OZARK CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AMBASSADORS continue to be THE Story. After toppling 6th seeded Valley Forge in the 1st round the Ambassadors kept their upset negotiations rolling by dispatching the 3 seeds, the NORTH CENTRAL RAMS, in a 73-70 Instant Classic.    

THE ABC’S OF HOOPS – The 7th seeded ARLINGTON BAPTIST COLLEGE PATRIOTS pulled off an upset of their own yesterday. ABC took on the 2nd seeded NORTHLAND INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY PIONEERS and wound up owning the court with the final score being Patriots  84 Pioneers  71.  

SUNRISE – Yes, 3 of the 4 games in the NCCAA National Championship Tournament yesterday ended in upsets. In a 5 seed over 4 seed take- down the FLORIDA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE SUNS won a 75-70 game for the ages against the TRINITY BIBLE COLLEGE EAGLES. The Suns join the Ambassadors and the Patriots in the semifinals tonight.

RESTED, NOT RUSTY – Like Northland International the top seeded OHIO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS had a bye for the first 2 days of the NCCAA tournament. The Trailblazers performed well, though, and completed the Final Four by bouncing the 8th seeded MANHATTAN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE CRUSADERS by a score of 94-75.  

* NJCAA TOURNAMENTS *

REGION 7 – The top seeded MOTLOW COLLEGE BUCKS came off their bye and likewise took care of business, defeating the (8) CHATTANOOGA STATE TIGERS in a memorable 89-82 outing   ###   The (7) WALTERS STATE SENATORS upset the 2nd seeded VOLUNTEER STATE PIONEERS  68-59   ###   Meanwhile the (4) JACKSON STATE COLLEGE GENERALS eked out a 68-67 win over the (5) ROANE STATE RAIDERS   ###   And the 6th seeded SW TN SALUQIS fell to the (3) CLEVELAND STATE COLLEGE COUGARS  75-59.   

REGION 8 – The (2) CENTRAL FLORIDA PATRIOTS eliminated the (8) STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA MANATEES by a score of 90-77   ###   The (4) BREVARD TITANS embarrassed the (9) SANTA FE COLLEGE PRAIRIE DOGS  69-48   ###   Meanwhile the top seeded NW FLORIDA STATE RAIDERS won a close 72-64 game against the (5) PALM BEACH STATE PANTHERS   ###   And the (3) CHIPOLA INDIANS crushed the (6) POLK STATE EAGLES  70-47.  

REGION 10 – The 5th seeded CAPE FEAR COLLEGE SEA DEVILS upset the 4th seeded AIKEN TECH KNIGHTS in a 62-60 heart- stopper. The Sea Devils face the top seeds, Spartanburg Methodist, next.    ###   The (2) BRUNSWICK COLLEGE DOLPHINS flippered the 7 seeds, the CLINTON GOLDEN BEARS to the tune of 63-41   ###   And the 3rd seeded SALKEHATCHIE INDIANS eliminated the (6) DENMARK TECH PANTHERS  83-78.   

REGION 14 – In a 5 over 4 upset the LEE COLLEGE RUNNIN’ REBELS put up a Century Club- level 101 points to the JACKSONVILLE COLLEGE JAGUARS’ 96   ###   The (1) KILGORE RANGERS eked out a 63-61 win over the (8) TRINITY VALLEY CARDINALS   ###   The (6) TYLER APACHES fell to the (3) SAN JACINTO GATORS  62-52   ###   And the (2) NAVARRO BULLDOGS chomped the (7) LAMAR-PORT ARTHUR SEAHAWKS  83-70.    

REGION 22 – The (2S) FAULKNER STATE SUN CHIEFS defeated the (3N) LAWSON STATE COUGARS by a score of 69-55   ###   The (1N) SHELTON STATE BUCCANEERS bounced the (5N) HANCEVILLE LIONS  69-61   ###   The (1S) CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY PIRATES also advanced, winning a 58-55 defensive masterpiece against the (4N) SNEAD STATE PARSONS   ###   And the (6N) SOUTHERN UNION BISON, off their Double Overtime win in Round One, lost a tight one to the (2N) GADSDEN STATE CARDINALS  65-62.

* ACHA HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP *

CHAMPIONS CROWNED – Division One of the American Collegiate Hockey Association played its National Championship game yesterday. The MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY BEAVERS battled the LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY LIONS for the title. The Beavers came out on top by a final score of 9-5 in this memorable game. Congratulations to Minot State, the ACHA’s D1 champs for 2013!