NCCAA COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS BEGIN, NAIA CONTINUES

NCCAA

DAY ONE, GAME ONE – The 4 seeds – the JOHNSON UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ROYALS – took the court against the 5th seeded MARANATHA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY SABERCATS.

The Royals had things well in hand by the break with a 51-31 advantage over the Sabercats. Coming out of the locker room Johnson University of Tennessee kept up the pace until garbage time, bouncing Maranatha Baptist University by a final score of 90-73.

DAY ONE, GAME TWO – Up next the top seeded Defending National Champions – the RANDALL UNIVERSITY SAINTS – clashed with the 8th seeded KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS.

Kentucky Christian University was really feeling it and had the Saints faithful worried at Halftime with their 39-36 edge over the top seeds. In the 2nd Half Randall University showed the Heart of a Champion and outscored the Knights 42-38 for a tight 78-77 win. Kashus Lyons scored 24 points for RU.

DAY ONE, GAME THREE – The 3rd seeded GRACE BIBLE COLLEGE TIGERS found themselves taking on the 6 seeds – the DALLAS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE CRUSADERS.

The 1st Half was action-packed and very competitive and ended in a 44-42 edge for the Tigers over the Crusaders. Grace Bible College regrouped in the locker room and proceeded to get some distance from Dallas Christian College, winning the game 91-77. Adam Rayner and Brandon Winchester-Jones each had exactly 23 points and 4 rebounds for the victors.

DAY ONE, GAME FOUR – Closing out Day One was this game pitting the 2 seeds – the BOB JONES UNIVERSITY BRUINS – against the PORTLAND BIBLE COLLEGE WILDCATS.

By Halftime the Bruins held a 36-25 advantage over the Wildcats. After the break Portland Bible College kept inching closer but Bob Jones University kept pulling away in return, ultimately emerging with an 82-66 triumph. Nate Ellenwood led the Bruins with a Double Double of 27 points and 12 rebounds. 

NAIA

DAY TWO, GAME ONE – The 4th seeded INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST GRENADIERS got Day Two rolling with their game against the 5th seeded STILLMAN COLLEGE TIGERS. (Did I mention there are way too many college teams called Tigers?)

The Grenadiers thoroughly smacked down the Tigers in the 1st Half, compiling a 45-24 lead by the break. From there Indiana University Southeast could simply coast to the next round with an 84-66 victory. Joe Jackson of the Grenadiers led his team with 20 points.  

DAY TWO, GAME TWO – Up next the 3rd seeded WARNER PACIFIC COLLEGE KNIGHTS clashed with the 6 seeds – the SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY FIRE.

The score was knotted up at 32-32 come Halftime. After the break the Knights outscored the Fire 36-25 to win the game by a final tally of 68-57. Twenty-two points from Xavier Cannefax led Warner Pacific College. 

DAY TWO, GAME THREE – One of the 1 seeds – the INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS – played the 8th seeded UNIVERSITY OF ANTELOPE VALLEY PIONEERS.

The Pioneers gave the Wildcats a Wake Up Call with their level of play. By the Half the University of Antelope Valley had eked out a 35-34 edge over Indiana Wesleyan. With a fire lit under them the Wildcats came out of the locker room primed for a comeback and proceeded to defeat the Pioneers 87-76 led by THIRTY-THREE points from Evan Maxwell.

DAY TWO, GAME FOUR – Up next the 2nd seeded MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS did battle with the 7th seeded TRINITY INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY TROJANS.

The Mustangs stayed on top of the Trojans for almost the entire game, leading them 45-36 at Halftime before defeating them by a final tally of 87-69. Zach Imig contributed 17 points to lead Morningside College to the win.

DAY TWO, GAME FIVE – Another 1 seed versus 8 seed affair was in store here. The (1) COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES faced the (8) MAYVILLE STATE COMETS.

A hard-fought 1st Half ended with the Coyotes up by a score of 32-28. After the break the College of Idaho put more and more distance between themselves and the pursuing Comets, ultimately defeating them 66-50. Nate Bruneel of the Coyotes tossed in 14 points to lead the victors.

DAY TWO, GAME SIX – This game pitted the 5th seeded DAKOTA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY TIGERS against the 4 seeds – the GOVERNORS STATE JAGUARS.

The Tigers (should be the Blue Tigers) put the Jaguars on Upset Alert by Halftime, leading them 46-35. From there Dakota Wesleyan University went on to consummate the Upset with an 84-67 triumph. Twenty-five points from Ty Hoglund led the way for the Tigers.

DAY TWO, GAME SEVEN – The 2 seeds – the INDIANA TECH WARRIORS – engaged in a Battle Royal with the 7th seeded WEST VIRGINIA TECH GOLDEN BEARS.

The Warriors (Should be the Hoplites) outscored the Golden Bears 39-32 in the 1st Half, but West Virginia Tech flipped those numbers around on Indiana Tech in the 2nd to end Regulation in a 71-71 tie. In Overtime the Warriors defeated the Golden Bears by a score of 89-83. Joel Wincowski and Dylan Phair each put up 22 points for the winners. 

DAY TWO, GAME EIGHT – The biggest upset of the day finished things off. The 6th seeded MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS played the 3 seeds – the UNION (KY) COLLEGE BULLDOGS.

The Knights shocked the Bulldogs with their 37-23 Halftime lead and then got even more separation from them after the break. Marian University advanced to the next round with a 79-59 victory. Wes Stowers’ 28 points led the way for the Knights.