COLLEGE BASKETBALL: A ROUNDUP OF MARCH 8TH’S TOURNAMENT RESULTS

* NAIA *

UPSETS – Day 3 of the NAIA Division Two tournament took place yesterday. The (11) INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST GRENADIERS toppled the (6) ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS by a score of 83-73.   ###   And the (10) DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS dragged down the (7) INDIANA WESLEYAN WILDCATS  75-62. The Defenders led 35-24 at halftime and retained control in the 2nd half.  

INSTANT CLASSICS – The MIDLAND UNIVERSITY WARRIORS and the YORK PANTHERS needed Overtime to resolve their 2nd Round game. In the end the Warriors emerged with a 76-71 victory.   ###   And the final game of the 2nd Round was the tightest last night. The DAKOTA STATE TROJANS led the ST THOMAS (FL) BOBCATS 30-27 at the break, but wound up winning by  just a single point. The final score was Dakota State 61  St Thomas 60.   

TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS – The Top 2 in the National Championship Tournament advanced to the Elite 8. The number 1 WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN hit a Century Club score of 101 while the BETHEL COLLEGE (IN) PILOTS were only able to put up 84.   ###   Meanwhile in the number 2 spot the CARDINAL STRITCH UNIVERSITY WOLVES led the BELLEVUE BRUINS by an unbelievable halftime score of FORTY- SIX to FOURTEEN! In the 2nd half CSU coasted to an easy 81-56 win.

WHEN COOL- NAMED TEAMS COLLIDE – The CAL MARITIME KEELHAULERS clashed with the GRACE COLLEGE LANCERS yesterday, and the Lancers came out on top by a score of 72-53.   ###   And the COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS BOBCATS are our 8th team in the Elite 8. The Bobcats advanced with their 76-59 rout of the SOUTHERN OREGON RAIDERS.     

* NCCAA *

FINAL FOUR – The Final Four in the National Christian College Athletic Association’s Division 2 Tournament squared off yesterday. The top- seeded OHIO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS moved on to the Championship Game by withstanding a furious 2nd half comeback attempt by the 5 seeds, the FLORIDA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE SUNS. The Suns outscored the Trailblazers by 7 in the closing half but lost by a final score of 69-64.

GAME TWO – Joining the Trailblazers in the National Championship Game will be the Cinderella 7 seeds, the ARLINGTON BAPTIST COLLEGE PATRIOTS. Just like OCU in the 1st game of the Final Four, the Patriots had to withstand a 2nd half rally by their opponents, the 11th seeded OZARK CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AMBASSADORS. The Ambassadors outscored the Patriots 37-34 in the 2nd half but were on the losing end of an 80-78 Instant Classic.

 * NJCAA TOURNAMENTS *

REGION 6 – The (9) HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS rose up and kayo’ed the (2) COFFEYVILLE RED RAVENS by a score of 85-62. This was only the SECOND loss for Coffeyville for the entire 2012-2013 season.   ###   And in a much closer game the BARTON COLLEGE COUGARS got past the SEWARD SAINTS in a memorable 70-64 outing. The Cougars face the Blue Dragons for the Regional Championship.

REGION 7 – The 7th seeded WALTERS STATE SENATORS keep rolling along. Yesterday they toppled the 3rd seeded CLEVELAND STATE COLLEGE COUGARS in a 52-51 defensive epic.   ###   And the top seeded MOTLOW COLLEGE BUCKS will face the Senators for the title after their 86-82 Instant Classic win over the (4) JACKSON STATE GENERALS.  

REGION 8 – The 4 seeds, the BREVARD COLLEGE TITANS, upset the 3rd seeded CHIPOLA INDIANS by a score of 82-72.   ###   And in the other semifinal the 2nd seeded CENTRAL FLORIDA COLLEGE PATRIOTS held on to bring down the top seeds, the NW FLORIDA RAIDERS,  74-71.     

DISTRICT 11 – The IOWA WESTERN REIVERS notched another post-season title. They defeated the WILLISTON STATE TETONS by a score of 88-79 to take the District 11 title. With this victory the Reivers move on to the NJCAA’s Big Dance, joining the VINCENNES UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS and the NORTH PLATTE KNIGHTS!

DISTRICT 212 – The OWENS COLLEGE EXPRESS trounced the CINCINATTI STATE TECH SURGE in a battle of cool team names by a score of 80-57.   ###   And the CUYAHOGA COLLEGE CHALLENGERS fell to the LAKELAND LAKERS in a much tighter 66-64 affair.