*** NAIA ***
ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS – In the opening round of this conference’s tournament the 3rd seeded LIFE UNIVERSITY RUNNING EAGLES folded, spindled and mutilated the 6th seeded MORRIS COLLEGE HORNETS. The Running Eagles (no, not the Flying Squirrels, the Running Eagles) won in a Century Club- level 101-72 performance. ### And the 4 seeds – the WEST VIRGINIA TECH GOLDEN BEARS won a much tighter 80-75 affair against the 5th seeded ALLEN UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS.
FRONTIER CONFERENCE – SEMIFINALS – The 2nd seeded WESTMINSTER (UT) GRIFFINS battled the 5th seeded LEWIS-CLARK STATE WARRIORS and bounced them by a score of 90-84. ### And in the other Semifinal from the Frontier Conference the top seeded ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS prevented the 6th seeded UNIVERSITY OF GREAT FALLS ARGONAUTS from following up on their upset of 3rd seeded MSUN. The Battlin’ Bears edged the Argonauts in a 62-59 Instant Classic.
GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE – QUARTERFINALS – The XAVIER (LA) GOLD RUSH came into the GCAC Tournament as the top seeds and last night they polished off the 8th seeded FISK UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS 87-76 ### The 2nd seeded TALLADEGA COLLEGE TORNADOES took on and took out the 7th seeded VOORHEES COLLEGE TIGERS 92-73 in another game where the cooler-named team won ### The 3rd seeded EDWARD WATERS COLLEGE TIGERS meanwhile eliminated the 6th seeded TOUGALOO COLLEGE BULLDOGS by a score of 73-68 ### And the 4 seeds, the PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE PANTHERS, defeated the 5th seeded SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS KNIGHTS in a 75-67 outcome.
HEART OF AMERICA ATHLETIC CONFERENCE – SEMIFINALS – The 4th seeded EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS advanced to the league’s title game with a thrilling 73-58 upset of the top seeded BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS. ### The 3rd seeded MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS managed an upset as well, toppling the 2nd seeded CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE WILDCATS by a final score of 92-77.
RED RIVER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE – SEMIFINALS – In the 2 spot the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS (TX) CELTS moved on by winning a very exciting 74-64 clash with the 3rd seeded OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY SAINTS. ### And in the other Semifinal the 4th seeded WILEY COLLEGE WILDCATS put together a colossal upset of the top seeded LSU- SHREVEPORT PILOTS (riverboat pilots) by a final tally of 94-87.
SOONER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE – SEMIFINALS – The 8th seeded OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON rose up and took down the 5th seeded MIDAMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS in a 92-88 game for the ages. ### And the 2nd seeded WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY PIONEERS ended the Cinderella run of the 6th seeded UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF OKLAHOMA DROVERS by dispatching them 83-77.
SOUTHERN STATES ATHLETIC CONFERENCE – SEMIFINALS – The (1East) EMMANUEL COLLEGE LIONS defeated the (2West) BELHAVEN COLLEGE BLAZERS in a 76-72 nailbiter. ### And in the other Semifinal in the SSAC the (1West) WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS overcame the (3West) MARTIN METHODIST COLLEGE REDHAWKS 98-87 to set up a battle of divisional 1 seeds in the conference title game.
*** USCAA DIV TWO ***
FIRST SEMIFINAL – There were no games yesterday in Division One of the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association). In Division Two Final Four Action the 8th seeded PSU- BEAVER NITTANY LIONS led their fellow PSU system school the 4th seeded PSU-MONT ALTO NITTANY LIONS 40-30 at the break and then poured it on in the Second Half to win this upset going away 85-61. Nick Miller led PSUB with his 24 points.
SECOND SEMIFINAL – And the 6th seeded ANDREWS UNIVERSITY CARDINALS, just a few years removed from their most recent National Championship, will be back in the title game! The Cardinals spared all of us the boredom of having two PSU system teams in the championship game by toppling the 2nd seeded PSU-YORK NITTANY LIONS in a dominant 74-54 performance. Matthew Little’s 22 points led his squad back to the finals!
CONSOLATION BRACKET – GAME ONE – The 7 seeds, the BERKELEY COLLEGE (NJ) KNIGHTS, and the 3rd seeded CENTRAL PENN COLLEGE SILVER KNIGHTS were knotted up at 38 apiece come Halftime. After the break Berkeley College slowly but surely put some separation between themselves and the Silver Knights. The final count saw BC win out 84-72. The victors were led by William Morton with 18 points.
CONSOLATION BRACKET – GAME TWO – The CENTRAL MAINE COLLEGE MUSTANGS had come in as the top seeds but were sadly disappointed by an early elimination from title contention. Things looked even glummer in this Consolation Game as last year’s champions, the 5th seeded WARREN WILSON COLLEGE OWLS, were leading the Mustangs at the Half by a score of 51-29! Central Maine mounted the comeback of a lifetime, however, and emerged with an unlikely 90-85 win. Tim Flanagan led the way for the Mustangs with his 23 points.
*** NCAA DIV THREE ***
The First Round of the 2014 National Championship Tournament tipped off in NCAA Division 3. The UT-DALLAS COMETS dispatched the CHAPMAN PANTHERS by a score of 85-70 ### The CENTRE COLLEGE COLONELS advanced with a 78-71 triumph over the LAGRANGE PANTHERS ### The UW-STEVENS POINT POINTERS meanwhile eked out a 66-64 win over the MARIAN (WI) SABRES ### And the CENTRAL COLLEGE DUTCH upset the ST OLAF OLES in a masterful 85-72 performance.
In other First Round action the EASTERN CONNECTICUT STATE WARRIORS overcame the HUSSON EAGLES in a thrilling 81-75 game ### The CABRINI COLLEGE CAVALIERS put up a Century Club- level 100 points to the 69 mustered by the BRIDGEWATER STATE BEARS ### Meanwhile the PLATTSBURGH STATE CARDINALS bounced the MIT ENGINEERS 76-53 ### And the RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE ANCHORMEN fell to the YORK COLLEGE CARDINALS by a score of 79-54.
The WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY PIRATES advanced by winning a 75-73 game for the ages against the TRINITY (TX) TIGERS ### The AUGUSTANA (IL) VIKINGS for their part had an easier time with the ST THOMAS (MN) TOMMIES, beating them by a count of 88-77 ### And the UW-WHITEWATER WARHAWKS plucked the feathers off the NORTHWESTERN- SAINT PAUL EAGLES to the tune of 79-55.
The RICHARD STOCKTON COLLEGE OSPREYS spread their wings and flew over the BOWDOIN POLAR BEARS in a 72-66 affair ### Meanwhile the MORRISVILLE STATE MUSTANGS moved on to the Second Round with their tight 83-80 victory over the BROCKPORT GOLDEN EAGLES ### And the HOBART STATESMEN negotiated their way past the SCRANTON ROYALS by a final score of 94-81.
The DICKINSON COLLEGE RED DEVILS found themselves advancing over the GENESEO BLUE KNIGHTS in a very colorful 83-76 game ### The COLLEGE OF WOOSTER SCOTS took out the ST VINCENT BEARCATS by an upset count of 76-67 ### The WHEATON COLLEGE THUNDER upset the ROSE- HULMAN ENGINEERS in a 64-57 battle ### And the PSU- BEHREND LIONS eliminated the HOPE FLYING DUTCHMEN in a 70-66 nailbiter.
The GORDON COLLEGE FIGHTING SCOTS dammed up the BABSON BEAVERS to the tune of 76-68 ### While that was going on the WILLIAMS COLLEGE EPHS (“eephs”) pulled off an 81-66 upset of the MITCHELL MARINERS ### The ALBERTUS MAGNUS COLLEGE FALCONS eked out a 68-66 win over the WPI ENGINEERS ### And the PURCHASE COLLEGE PANTHERS easily did away with the HARTWICK HAWKS 97-71.
The ST NORBERT COLLEGE GREEN KNIGHTS suprised the OHIO WESLEYAN BATTLING BISHOPS in an 87-79 upset ### The ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY TITANS likewise notched an upset, bringing down the WEBSTER GORLOCKS in a 71-70 Instant Classic ### The upset mojo kept rolling as the WASHINGTON (MO) BEARS toppled the WILMINGTON (OH) QUAKERS in a Century Club- level 100-69 beatdown ### And the CALVIN COLLEGE KNIGHTS were a favorite who bounced their opponents, the WITTENBERG TIGERS 66-51.
In another upset the VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE MARLINS stunned the JOHNS HOPKINS BLUE JAYS by a final score of 84-72 ### The WESLEY COLLEGE WOLVERINES bounced the ALVERNIA CRUSADERS 83-78 ### Meanwhile the DESALES UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS eliminated the RANDOLPH- MACON YELLOWJACKETS 76-70 ### And the UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON EAGLES handed an upset smackdown to the SPRINGFIELD PRIDE by a tally of 78-58.
Balladeer's Blog 
I love the Westminster Griffins!
It’s great to hear from the fans!
Awesome teams and I like these odd divisions.
Thanks, I know what you mean!
The Saint Thomas Celts are where my cousin played.
That is good to hear.