NAIA FINAL FOUR RESULTS AND MORE FROM MARCH 18TH

* NAIA FINAL FOUR *

THE BIG SAGU – The 6th seeded SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY (SAGU) LIONS advanced to their first ever appearance in the National Championship Game with last night’s upset of the 2nd seeded LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS. The Lions had the Blue Raiders fans nervous from the start and led throughout most of the 1st half.

With just a few minutes left before the break Lindsey Wilson retook the lead and it was SAGU’s turn to play catchup and by half-time the Lions had tied the score up at 31-31. In the 2nd half SAGU started to get some separation and the Blue Raiders could only watch helplessly as the Lions bounced them from the tournament just one game short of the title clash. The final score in the night’s first semifinal was Lions  80 Blue Raiders  64.  

Georgetown Tigers

MAYBE THIRTEEN IS LUCKY AFTER ALL – The 13th seeded GEORGETOWN COLLEGE (KY) TIGERS have been stunning opponent after opponent in the NAIA Division One tournament. That storied tourney, which I will point out again – IS OLDER THAN THE NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT – saw the Tigers pull off another come from behind win last night on their way to the title game.

The LSU- SHREVEPORT PILOTS (riverboat pilots) led by 12 points late in a 1st half in which both teams shot lights out but superior bench play gave the Pilots an advantage. LSUS held a 46-38 lead at the break. Both teams retained their hot offensive hands throughout the 2nd half, with the Tigers shooting 50% from the field and the Pilots 46%. With just 2 seconds left in the game Georgetown College took their largest lead in the game – 2 points – at 90-88, which wound up being the final score. It will be Lions vs Tigers for the championship tonight at 8:30pm ET.

* CCCAA CHAMPIONSHIP *

ALL SO-CAL REGION, ALL THE TIME! – With the remaining NorCal Region teams all eliminated the CCCAA Championship Game was played between two teams from the Southern Region in a climactic clash for the title.

The MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES played the CHAFFEY PANTHERS in what turned out to be a scoring orgy. The Mounties put up a Century Club- worthy 102 points to the 88 scored by the Panthers. Congratulations to “Mount SAC”, the 2013 CCCAA Basketball Champions!  

* D2 SECOND ROUND *

WWU Vikings

WRAPPING IT UP IN ECCENTRIC FASHION – With the odd scheduling in the NCAA Division 2 tournament there were only two games last night to bring the 2nd round of their championship tourney to a close. The defending champion (1) WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY VIKINGS eliminated the 5th seeded CAL STATE- SAN BERNARDINO COYOTES by a score of 86-77.   ###   And in a minor upset the 3rd seeded SEATTLE PACIFIC FALCONS took down the 2nd seeded CAL POLY- POMONA BRONCOS. The final score in that game was Falcons  67 Broncos  54. Round Three in this tournament begins tomorrow.

 * NJCAA1 TOURNAMENT *

The NJCAA Division One tournament got underway yesterday, just days after Division Three crowned Brookdale College as the 2013 champions. On Day One action the (10) COFFEYVILLE COLLEGE RED RAVENS routed the 23rd seeded WALTERS STATE SENATORS by a score of 77-53.   ###   The 9th seeded NW FLORIDA RAIDERS meanwhile handed an even bigger 81-54 whipping to the (24) SASKEHATCHIE INDIANS.

The upset of the day came from the 21st ranked LEE COLLEGE RUNNIN’ REBELS, who scored a Century Club- level 104 points to the 97 scored by the 12th ranked HAGERSTOWN COLLEGE HAWKS.   ###   In a tale of two different Hawks teams yesterday also saw the 13th ranked HOWARD COLLEGE (TX) HAWKS defeat the 20 seeds, the EAST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE LIONS. The final score in this reasonably close game was Hawks  63 Lions  54.

What was supposed to be one of the tightest games of the day instead turned into a pounding as the 16th seeded NORTH PLATTE COLLEGE KNIGHTS battled the 17th seeded MINERAL AREA COLLEGE CARDINALS. The Knights led just 26-23 at the break but poured it on to win the game  76-50.   ###   And closing out Day One’s action the (15) KILGORE COLLEGE RANGERS smacked around the 18th seeded SHELTON STATE BUCCANEERS  80-58.