February Frenzy continues as the NAIA’s Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference joined in the fun last night by tipping off their conference tournament.
The top-seeded INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST GRENADIERS got more than they bargained for from their First Round opponents the 8th seeded POINT PARK UNIVERSITY PIONEERS. The game’s Halftime tie of 42-42 off a 3-point buzzer beater from the Pioneers was just one of 12 ties and 19 lead changes throughout the game. Both teams stayed within 4 points of each other for virtually all of the 2nd Half until clutch Free-Throws from the Grenadiers at last gave them a 99-94 victory. For IUS Cameron Mitchell led the scoring with 22 points followed closely by Aishon White with 21 and Jake Simpson with 20. In defeat Gabe McNeal notched 30 points for the Pioneers.
The BEREA COLLEGE MOUNTAINEERS came into the conference tournament as the 5 seeds but managed the upset of the tourney so far by toppling the 2nd seeded ASBURY UNIVERSITY EAGLES. Ironically the Eagles had defeated the Mountaineers in both of their regular season games but it will be Berea moving on to the semifinals. Asbury scored the first points of the game but trailed 35-31 by the break and played from behind the entire 2nd Half. The Mountaineers weathered several comeback attempts by the Eagles and prevailed by a final score of 82-79.
The 6th seeded ALICE LLOYD COLLEGE EAGLES pulled off an upset of their own last night and sent the 3 seeds, the BRESCIA UNIVERSITY BEARCATS, home for the year. The Bearcats came back from a 36-27 Halftime deficit to lead by a score of 57-51 with 6:44 left in the game. Alice Lloyd College poured it on from there and tied up the game at 65-65 to force Overtime. The end result of all this drama after a VERY physical extra session was a 75-71 triumph for the Eagles. Quite a shocker for Alice Lloyd to bring down the Bearcats in The Den but they are the team moving on to the semifinals.
And since the KIAC has an embarrassment of teams called Eagles last night also saw the 4th seeded CINCINATTI CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES advance as they defeated the 7th seeded INDIANA UNIVERSITY- EAST RED WOLVES. The 1st Half was a bit surprising as the Red Wolves kept things tight and only trailed at Halftime by a score of 38-36. The 2nd Half saw the CCU squad start putting some distance between themselves and their opponents. The Eagles shot 62% from the field and were led by Mike Hill’s 25 points and Willie McKinney’s 21 points. On the losing side of the ball the Red Wolves’ Tyler Fangman led his team by slamming in 20 points.
*** NJCAA ***
REGION 319 – The BROOKDALE COLLEGE JERSEY BLUES are the defending national champions of NJCAA3 basketball and are the top seeds in their regional tournament. Yesterday the Jersey Blues authoritatively dispatched the NORTHAMPTON SPARTANS by a score of 88-66. ### The DELAWARE COLLEGE PHANTOMS trounced the MONTGOMERY COUNTY COLLEGE MUSTANGS 95-71 ### The UNION COUNTY COLLEGE OWLS meanwhile defeated the MIDDLESEX COLTS in an 82-67 affair ### And the CAMDEN COLLEGE COUGARS completed the quarterfinals by mangling the ATLANTIC CAPE BUCCANEERS to the tune of 98-61.
REGION 303 – The SULLIVAN COLLEGE GENERALS took it on the road and upset the STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ORANGE COUNTY COLTS by a score of 95-75. ### And the CAYUGA COLLEGE SPARTANS needed Overtime to do it, but they advanced to the 2nd Round by defeating the ONONDAGA COLLEGE LASERS in an exhausting 85-78 hardcourt Armageddon.
REGION 115 – The ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS (how can anybody NOT like that name) welcomed the GLOBE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KNIGHTS in this playoff game in Division One, Region 15 (hence Region 115). ### The Avengers are proving that they are every bit as potent in basketball as they have ever been, just in case you were distracted by their football team’s spectacular success in recent years. ASA College managed a 79-73 win in this undeniable game for the ages.
REGION 116 – To the surprise of absolutely nobody the same classification rules apply for this region’s game. It’s a clash in Division One, Region 16 – so it’s being reported as Region 116. (I just throw these tidbits in there for hardcore NJCAA fans who are sometimes puzzled by the way I lay out postseason results. ### The MINERAL AREA COLLEGE CARDINALS are moving on to the semifinals after yesterday’s comfortable 78-55 victory over the visiting THREE RIVERS COLLEGE RAIDERS.
REGION 203 – The GENESEE COLLEGE COUGARS and the JAMESTOWN (NY) COLLEGE JAYHAWKS squared off against each other in a absolute scoring orgy yesterday. In the end the Cougars put up a Century Club- level 104 points to the 96 scored by the Jayhawks ### The MERCYHURST NORTH EAST SAINTS (logo at left) meanwhile stunned the NIAGARA COLLEGE THUNDERWOLVES by handing them a 75-70 defeat
Go Grenadiers! Class of 08!
Good to hear from the alumni!