COLLEGE BASKETBALL: CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS FOR THE NAIA, NCCAA AND NJCAA FROM MARCH 14TH

* NAIA *

NUMBER FIVE GOES DOWN – That was number FIIIIIVE! Yesterday the CULVER STOCKTON COLLEGE WILDCATS upset the (5) LEWIS- CLARK STATE COLLEGE WARRIORS thanks to a hot’n’ heavy 2nd half effort! The final score in this memorable game was Wildcats  91 Warriors  72.

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IF NUMBER FIVE FALLS CAN NUMBER SEVEN BE FAR BEHIND? – The MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS scored a Century Club- level number of points on the way to their own upset yesterday. The Pioneers took down the (7) CAL STATE- SAN MARCOS COUGARS in a 109-98 donnybrook the MNU faithful will be reliving for years.  

THE BISON ADVANCE – The (10) OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON had their hands full with the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM but got it together enough to emerge with a win. The Bison move on to the Sweet Sixteen with an 83-73 victory over the Firestorm.

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INSTANT CLASSIC – The game of the day yesterday was one that was supposed to be a foregone conclusion. The (2) LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS battled the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS. The Blue Raiders nearly let the game slip away but held on in the end for an 84-79 triumph.  

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NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE HEART OF A CHAMPION – The defending champions in NAIA Division One are the CONCORDIA (CA) EAGLES (but I still say they should change their name to the Condors). The Eagles advanced with a gutsy 92-86 upset win  which eliminated the (12) WILLIAM CAREY CRUSADERS for the year.   ###    And one of the tightest games yesterday pitted the unlucky 13 GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS against the hard- fighting ST THOMAS (TX) CELTS.  Georgetown let a double- digit lead melt away at the end but stopped the St Thomas rally to emerge with a 70-62 victory.   

MORE EAGLES – Two more teams with eagles as their mascots moved on to complete the two days of Round One and to complete the Sweet Sixteen. The (4) JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITY GOLDEN EAGLES barely managed to eke out a 68-66 win over a very game LIFE UNIVERSITY RUNNING EAGLES team.   ###   And the FAULKNER EAGLES sent the (15) XAVIER (LA) GOLD RUSH home earlier than they expected, defeating them by a final score of 72-59.   

* NCCAA FINAL FOUR *

THIS GAME WAS STRICTLY FOR THE BIRDS – The 5th seeded SHORTER UNIVERSITY HAWKS entered the Century Club for the day! The Hawks stunned the top seeded FRESNO PACIFIC UNIVERSITY SUNBIRDS in an undeniable frenzy of scoring. The final tally in this 5 over 1 upset was Hawks  104 Sunbirds  95.  

BATTLE OF CHAMPIONS – Today’s installment features more birds than even that ancient comedy by my buddy Aristophanes, but what can you do? In a battle between the two most recent NCCAA Division One Champions the (3) OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES, the 2011 champs, took on the 2012 champs, the (2) CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS. The Eagles won  79-66 and advance to the title game against Shorter University.  

* NCCAA CONSOLATION BRACKET *

MACU ON THE LOOSE! – The 4th seeded MID- AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS needed someone to take their anger out on after an early exit from the title chase. The 8 seeds, the ROBERTS WESLEYAN COLLEGE RAIDERS, were at hand and were on the receiving end of a 91-69 beatdown from the Evangels. MACU’s next opponent is officially on notice!  

COLD SPRING ARBOR? – Okay, that’s a lame joke about the old Billy Joel album titled Cold Spring Harbor. Sorry. The SPRING ARBOR UNIVERSITY COUGARS are the 6 seeds and bounced back from the previous day’s loss by pounding the 8th seeded TENNESSEE TEMPLE UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS. The final score in this affair was Cougars  85 Crusaders  60.    

* NJCAA3 TOURNAMENT *

CENTURY CLUB FOR EASTFIELD – From Loch Sheldrake, New York, the home of Shelly, the Loch Sheldrake monster (rimshot), comes the NJCAA Division Three national championship tournament! Game One saw the EASTFIELD COLLEGE HARVESTERS score a Century Club- level 101 points to the 98 scored by the CALDWELL TECH COBRAS. This was a game for the ages, no doubt about it!  

BUT BLUE AND YELLOW GO SO WELL TOGETHER – In another Instant Classic from this year’s opening round of the NJCAA3 tourney the BROOKDALE COLLEGE JERSEY BLUES eked out a 72-70 win over the ROCHESTER TECH YELLOW JACKETS. The Jersey Blues (love that name) still have only ONE loss for the 2012-2013 campaign.  

GENERALLY SPEAKING IT WAS A GREAT GAME – The HERKIMER COLLEGE (NY) GENERALS faced off against the SULLIVAN COLLEGE GENERALS in a game that was anything but rank! In the end this exciting back and forth affair ended with Herkimer coming out on top by a score of 79-72.

MASSACHUSETTS VERSUS ILLINOIS – All four games in round one were decided by single- digits yesterday! In this matchup the MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLLEGE PIRATES clashed with the ROCK VALLEY COLLEGE GOLDEN EAGLES. MassBay dealt with Rock Valley College (no, not rock, paper, scissors – Rock Valley College) by handing them a 74-66 loss.