COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NATIONAL TOURNAMENT RESULTS FROM MARCH 21st: NAIA, NCCAA AND NJCAA

*** NAIA ***

ELITE EIGHT – FIRST BERTH FILLED – The 8th seeded EMMANUEL COLLEGE LIONS took on and took out their unseeded opponents, the UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS yesterday. The Lions were led by Michael Stanley, who recorded a double-double with his 23 points and 12 rebounds. Despite an early 18-18 tie by Halftime Emmanuel College led the game 39-22. The 2nd Half was pretty much more of the same and in the end the dominant Lions moved on with a comfortable 73-51 victory.  

ELITE EIGHT – SECOND BERTH FILLED – The top seeded CAL STATE- SAN MARCOS COUGARS got the scare of their lives yesterday from the 16th seeded CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE WILDCATS. Things seemed to be under control to the Cougars and their fans at the break as their team held a 43-37 lead. The closing Half would see the Wildcats mount an incredible charge for a possible comeback. When all was said and done the Cougars survived by the skin of their teeth 92-91. De’End Parker again led San Marcos, this time with 20 points.  

ELITE EIGHT – THIRD BERTH FILLED – Next came THE upset of the tournament so far as the unseeded ST GREGORY’S UNIVERSITY CAVALIERS stunned the TWO SEEDS – the UNIVERSITY OF PIKEVILLE BEARS. The 1st Half ended with the Cavaliers in possession of a 41-38 advantage. After the break this back and forth affair went from a 52-44 St Gregory’s lead to a 68-60 lead by the Bears. A 13-2 run by the Cavaliers turned things around for good and the Cavs advanced to the Elite Eight with an 88-83 victory. Marty Wilkerson had 23 points to lead SGU.  

ELITE EIGHT – FOURTH BERTH FILLED – A milder upset came along next as the 10th seeded FREED- HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY LIONS did battle with the 7th seeded TALLADEGA COLLEGE TORNADOES. The Lions led the game 24-13 midway through the 1st Half but by the buzzer the Tornadoes had a 36-35 advantage. In the 2nd Half three more lead changes took place but when the dust settled Freed- Hardeman University moved on courtesy of their 71-64 win. Orlando Bass led the Lions with 19 of those 71 points. 

ELITE EIGHT – FIFTH BERTH FILLED – It’s hard to consider a win by the defending national champions an upset but that’s what we had next. The 14th seeded title-holders, the GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS (who last year won it all from the 13 spot) brought down the 3rd seeded WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS. Monty Wilson led the Tigers with 25 points as their campaign to return to the Elite Eight saw them leading the Crusaders 47-41 at the Half. When the teams took the court again Georgetown College kept up the pace on both sides of the ball and won a 98-90 brouhaha. 

ELITE EIGHT – SIXTH BERTH FILLED – The 6th seeded VANGUARD UNIVERSITY LIONS squared off against the 11th seeded BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS for this berth in the Elite Eight. Things went well for the Ravens VERY briefly as they took a 9-4 lead but by Halftime the Lions were on top 31-19 … yes, NINETEEN! Benedictine pulled as close as 7 points but no further in the 2nd Half. Vanguard University moved on to the Elite Eight by a score of 81-70. For the Lions DeAngelo Jones led the way with 25 points. 

ELITE EIGHT – SEVENTH BERTH FILLED – Back to upsets for this game between the unseeded MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS and the 4 seeds – the COLUMBIA (MO) COLLEGE COUGARS. A 21-14 Pioneer lead became a 37-32 advantage by the Cougars instead going into Halftime. The Pioneers bounced back and fought their way back in front in the 2nd Half, seizing a 54-51 lead. Columbia came back to tie the game but with 2:18 left in the game MNU led by a score of 74-66. The Pioneers went on to win the game  80-75, led by Luke Thomas’ 18 points. 

ELITE EIGHT – FINAL BERTH FILLED – And the last berth in the 2014 Elite Eight was filled by the winner of the clash between two unseeded teams. The ST CATHARINE COLLEGE PATRIOTS took on the HOPE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ROYALS in one of the tightest games of the day. The Patriots held a 38-30 lead after a hard-fought 1st Half but that was false comfort as it turned out. As the 2nd Half was nearing its close the Royals had turned a 12 point 70-58 deficit into a 70-67 one instead with just 42 seconds left in the game. Clutch free-throws clinched the subsequent 79-75 win for the Patriots. For St Catharine College Omar Skinner led the way with 20 points.  

*** NCCAA ***

CONSOLATION BRACKET – SEVENTH PLACE GAME – With the 3rd Place Game and National Championship Game set for Saturday the 22nd a battle of Cougars took place for the seventh slot. The 2nd seeded COLORADO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY COUGARS played the 8th seeded CARVER BIBLE COLLEGE COUGARS. At Halftime Carver Bible College held a 43-40 advantage but the CCU team salvaged a little pride from this disappointing National Tournament run by coming back to win the game  88-82. Wayne McCullough led Colorado Christian with 23 points.  

CONSOLATION BRACKET – FIFTH PLACE GAME – The second and final game of the day for the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) yesterday found the 5th seeded UNION (TN) UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS in a game against the 3rd seeded MIDAMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS. An upset was in the offing as the Bulldogs took a 43-31 lead by the break and in the 2nd Half put a little bit more distance between themselves and the Evangels. The final tally was 89-75, in favor of Union U. Corieon Pearson once again led the Bulldogs with a contribution of 28 points.  

*** NJCAA ***

FIRST SEMIFINAL – The first battle of the 2014 Final Four in the NJCAA Division One tournament was between the top seeded INDIAN HILLS COLLEGE WARRIORS and the unlucky 13 seeds – the HARCUM COLLEGE BEARS. The Warriors had fought their way out in front by 50-41 at the break only to have to hunker down just to survive the Harcum comeback attempt. IHC advanced to the championship game by way of a 97-94 victory. Roosevelt Scott shone for the Warriors with 25 points. 

SECOND SEMIFINAL – In the closing act of this year’s Final Four the 11th seeded JONES COUNTY COLLEGE BOBCATS challenged the 2nd seeded VINCENNES UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS. The upset-minded Bobcats used their smothering defense to limit the Trailblazers to just 22 points in the 1st Half compared to the 37 they put up themselves. Vincennes fought hard and outscored the JCC squad 41-39 in the 2nd Half but still found themselves on the losing end of a 76-63 result. Johnny Zuppardo was the Bobcat with the most points at 21.  

*** NJCAA DIV TWO ***

FIRST SEMIFINAL – The first semifinal clash in Division Two of the NJCAA pitted the 6th seeded ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE WOLVERINES against the 7th seeded WAKE TECH EAGLES. The game was close but ultimately the Wolverines were, in the end, capable of putting enough distance between themselves and WAKE TECH. The final score in this Final Four matchup was Wolverines 75  Eagles 67. Essex County College moves on to the championship game.  

SECOND SEMIFINAL – And the second semifinal clash in Division Two of the NJCAA found the 5 seeds – the PHOENIX COLLEGE BEARS – taking on the 8th seeded CENTRAL COLLEGE OF COLUMBUS (NE) RAIDERS. This Final Four clash was a much closer game from start to finish and had the spectators on the edge of their seats. In the end the Bears were able to eke out a 73-72 triumph to advance to the title tilt.  

CONSOLATION BRACKET – The other competitors in the NJCAA2 field were still jockeying for position for the next day’s games for 3rd Place on down. The top seeded CINCINATTI STATE SURGE took their anger for their early fall from the title race out on the unseeded FORT SCOTT COLLEGE GREYHOUNDS, pummeling them 82-55.   ###   Meanwhile the unseeded ST LOUIS COLLEGE ARCHERS survived a 72-70 Instant Classic against the likewise unseeded POTOMAC STATE CATAMOUNTS   ###   And the 4th seeded SOUTH SUBURBAN COLLEGE BULLDOGS went into Overtime with the unseeded GARRETT COLLEGE LAKERS but emerged with a 97-96 win.