NAIA2 COLLEGE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, PLUS MORE TOURNAMENT ACTION IN THE NJCAA

*** NAIA2 ***

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Last night the 5th seeded INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS won their very first national championship in basketball! Their opponents were the 10th seeded MIDLAND UNIVERSITY WARRIORS who, like the Wildcats’ other foes in this year’s tourney, fell by double-digits. IWU watched an early 16-7 lead melt away to a mere 19-18 advantage, following which the two teams exchanged baskets over and over again to a 31-31 tie. Just before Halftime the Wildcats scored the last 5 points of the opening period and took a 36-31 lead into the locker room. In the 2nd Half Indiana Wesleyan used runs of 9-0 and 13-4 to put more and more distance between themselves and the Warriors, culminating in a 69-52 lead with 5 minutes remaining in the game. Midland University battled their way back to a 70-63 score but that 7 point gap was the closest they would get in the remaining 2:22. The Wildcats went on to win by a final score of 78-68. Senior Jordan Weidner led his team with 21 points. * CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WILDCATS, THE 2014 NAIA2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!  

*** NJCAA ***

FIRST ROUND – GAME SEVEN – Two final games completed Round One of the NJCAA National Tournament yesterday. In Game Seven the 19th seeded STATE FAIR COLLEGE ROADRUNNERS provided the first upset of the tourney by bringing down the 14 seeds – the SHELTON STATE BUCCANEERS. The Bucs actually led at the Half by a score of 42-38 but by the end of Regulation the Roadrunners had tied up the game at 92-92. Overtime saw the upstart Roadrunners “beep-beep” their way past the Buccaneers to win by a score of 111-99. SFC’s Joe Thomasson led the Roadrunners with 29 points while, in defeat, Shelton State’s Albert Lynch III led all scorers with 30 points.   

FIRST ROUND – GAME EIGHT – The 11th seeded JONES COUNTY COLLEGE BOBCATS battled the 22nd seeded HIGHLAND (IL) COLLEGE COUGARS to close out Round One action in the NJCAA. The Bobcats were ahead 36-27 by Halftime but as the 2nd Half wore on they were forced to weather a spirited rally by the Cougars. In the end JCC would advance to Round Two with a tight 81-79 victory over the Cougars. Grant Prusator of Highland College led all scorers by a wide margin with the 32 points he tossed in.  

SECOND ROUND – GAME ONE – Yes, Round Two begins on the same day that Round One wraps up. Deal with it. The top seeded INDIAN HILLS COLLEGE WARRIORS got almost more than they could handle from the 16th seeded NEW MEXICO COLLEGE THUNDERBIRDS. The Warriors had a bye in Round One so the old “rest or rust” question arose as the T-Birds led 32-29 by the break and then took the favorites into Overtime as Regulation ended in an 82-82 tie. The First Overtime session ended in an 89-89 tie but in DOUBLE OVERTIME Indian Hills College at last put New Mexico College away by a score of 102-94. 

SECOND ROUND – GAME TWO – In another game that rose the “rest vs rust” issue the 9th seeded SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE TEXANS, fresh off a game yesterday, upset the 8th seeded PARIS (TX) COLLEGE DRAGONS. In this second upset of the day the Texans, just two years away from their most recent national championship, led at Halftime by a score of 34-28. The 2nd Half was more of the same with South Plains College leading all the way to a final score of 75-65. The Texans’ Andre Spight led all scoring with the 22 he put up. 

SECOND ROUND – GAME THREE – Okay, I hate to run this into the ground but here we have another upset by a team which played the previous day over a higher seeded team that had a bye. The 13th seeded HARCUM COLLEGE BEARS disproved old superstitions by winning AGAIN, this time toppling the 4th seeded SOUTH GEORGIA TECH JETS. The Jets came out very sluggish in the 1st Half and the Bears took a 52-34 lead into Halftime. Both teams scored 40 more points in the 2nd Half, with Harcum College moving on after a 92-74 triumph. Hakeem Rogers led the victors with 20 points.  

SECOND ROUND – GAME FOUR – Make it three out of the first four Second Round games that were won by the teams that played the previous day. The 12th seeded TRINITY VALLEY COLLEGE CARDINALS shocked the 5th seeded NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE PLAINSMEN in another exciting game. The Plainsmen led by a score of 42-37 at the break but in the 2nd Half the Cardinals made their move. When all the dust had settled TVC advanced to Round Three with an 88-85 come-from- behind victory. In the losing cause Joseph Dellenbach led all scorers with his 19 points.   

*** NJCAA2 ***

FIRST ROUND – GAMES ONE AND TWO – The national tournament in NJCAA Division Two basketball got underway yesterday! In the opening game the 2nd seeded WAYNE COUNTY COLLEGE WILDCATS did battle with the (unseeded) CARL SANDBURG COLLEGE CHARGERS. The Wildcats won a 56-53 defensive epic.   ###   And in Game Two the 7 seeds – the WAKE TECH EAGLES – needed Overtime to do it, but eliminated the (unseeded) POTOMAC STATE CATAMOUNTS in a 93-88 Instant Classic. 

FIRST ROUND – GAMES THREE AND FOUR – Game Three was a lopsided affair which saw the 3rd seeded DES MOINES AREA COLLEGE BEARS toy with the (unseeded) SAINT LOUIS COLLEGE ARCHERS before bouncing them in the end by a score of 75-64.   ### Meanwhile the 6th seeded ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE WOLVERINES (logo at left) edged the (unseeded) DEAN COLLEGE BULLDOGS in a nerve-wracking 85-82 affair.  

FIRST ROUND – GAMES FIVE AND SIX – The fifth game of the day was played between the top seeded CINCINATTI STATE SURGE and the (unseeded) GARRETT COLLEGE LAKERS. The Surge swatted the Lakers away to the tune of 80-65.   ###   And in the 8 spot the CENTRAL COLLEGE OF COLUMBUS (NE) RAIDERS managed an 89-82 victory over the unseeded JOHN WOOD COLLEGE TRAILBLAZERS.