Balladeer’s Blog offers one last round of congratulations to the 2016 women’s college basketball champions in the divisions covered here.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION ONE
National Champions – MID-AMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS
Runners-Up – Baker University Wildcats
2015 Champions – Oklahoma City University Stars Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
Balladeer’s Blog offers one last round of congratulations to the 2016 college basketball champions in the FOURTEEN divisions covered here.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION ONE
National Champions – MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS
Runners-Up – Georgetown (KY) College Tigers
2015 Champions – Dalton State Roadrunners
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION TWO
National Champions – INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS
Runners-Up – University of Saint Francis (IN) Cougars
2015 Champions – Cornerstone University Golden Eagles Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
*** NAIA DIVISION ONE ***
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – You can’t get much more exciting than a game-winning shot in Overtime right at the buzzer. Malcolm Mann made that shot to bring its first National Championship to the 4th seeded MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS! The Evangels triumphed over the top seeded GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS in a genuine hardcourt classic.
Georgetown College led MACU at Halftime 50-39 and seemed headed for victory but the Evangels came out of the locker room primed for a comeback and forced Overtime with an 82-82 tie to end Regulation. In the extra session Mann came through to lift MACU to a 100-99 win. Devonse Reed led the Evangels with 25 points. * THE EVANGELS ARE NAIA DIVISION ONE CHAMPIONS * Continue reading
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FIRST SEMIFINAL – The 4 seeds – the MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS – got the action going last night with their game against the 6th seeded CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS. It was a tale of two Halves as the Evangels confidently built up a 55-44 lead by the break, but then had to hold on by their fingernails against a furious comeback attempt by the Tigers. The final score was Mid-America Christian University 93 Campbellsville University 89. Devonse Reed led the Evangels in scoring with his THIRTY points. Continue reading
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*** NCCAA DIVISION ONE ***
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last two teams standing in this tourney were the top seeded EMMANUEL COLLEGE LIONS and the 2nd seeded SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES. The Lions calmly went about gaining control of the game, building up a 39-29 lead over the Eagles by Halftime. Southwestern Christian University eroded that advantage a little during the 2nd Half but ultimately Emmanuel College retained just enough distance for a 75-68 victory. Kurtis Robinson led the Lions with 16 points. * THE LIONS ARE NCCAA TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS *
*** NJCAA DIVISION ONE ***
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – It was virtually all Cinderellas left in this tournament for the past couple rounds. The title game pitted the 13th seeded SALT LAKE CITY COLLEGE BRUINS against the 7 seeds – the HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS. True to form for this year the underdog Bruins contained the Blue Dragons and led 42-27 by the break. From there Salt Lake City stayed on top for a 74-64 triumph. Connor Toolson tossed in 28 points to lead the victors. * THE BRUINS ARE NJCAA DIVISION ONE CHAMPIONS * Continue reading
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*** NAIA ***
ELITE EIGHT – FIRST BERTH – The 4 seeds in their Region – the MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS – played Bracket Busters yesterday in their game against the top seeded BIOLA (CA) UNIVERSITY EAGLES. The Evangels once again proved how dangerous it is to underestimate them and by Halftime were on top of the shell-shocked Eagles 49-30! After the break Biola University inched closer and closer to their opponents but Mid-America Christian University kept them at arm’s length for an 88-80 upset win. Devonse Reed led the Evangels with 27 points. Continue reading
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*** NJCAA DIVISION ONE ***
FINAL FOUR – FIRST BERTH – The 8 seeds – the GILLETTE COLLEGE PRONGHORNS – stunned the nation yesterday with their upset win over the top seeded TRINITY VALLEY COLLEGE CARDINALS. The Pronghorns led the Cardinals in this Battle Royal by a slender margin of 36-34 at Halftime. After the break the action was just as fierce, but in the end Gillette College walked away with an 87-83 victory. Kavell Bigby- Williams led the Pronghorns into the Final Four with a Double- Double of 19 points and 20 rebounds.
FINAL FOUR – SECOND BERTH – This game pitted the 7 seeds – the HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS – against the 2nd seeded NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE RAIDERS, the defending national champions. The Blue Dragons set the hardcourt on fire with an upset of their own, clubbing the Raiders into submission by a score of 55-28 at the midpoint. In the 2nd Half both teams scored in the 60s as Hutchinson College advanced to the Final Four with a Century Club level tally of 116-90. Samajae Haynes-Jones tossed in 33 points for the Blue Dragons. Continue reading
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*** NAIA ***
DAY ONE – GAME ONE – This Region’s 4 seeds – the MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS – played the 5th seeded PARK UNIVERSITY PIRATES. It would be tough to beat this game for tip-off to final buzzer intensity. The game was tied 13 times and the lead was exchanged 8 times as the Evangels eked out a 42-40 lead at Halftime and then went on to win by a final score of 88-86. Bryon Miller led Mid-America Christian in scoring with 26 points.
DAY ONE – GAME TWO – The TALLADEGA COLLEGE TORNADOES came in as the 2 seed and faced the 7th seeded WESTMONT COLLEGE WARRIORS. The Tornadoes got almost more than they could handle from the Warriors, who actually led Talladega College 33-31 at the break. In the 2nd Half the Tornadoes came from behind for a tight 63-61 victory led by Nigel Jones’ Double- Double of 20 points and 11 rebounds. Continue reading
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*** NAIA DIVISION TWO ***
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The lone remaining 2 seeds – the INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS – fought for the championship against the lone remaining 1 seeds – the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS. Yes, it was an all Crossroads League title tilt as these two familiar foes fought it out. The Wildcats held a 32-26 lead at Halftime but had to hold off a furious 2nd Half rally by the Cougars for a 69-66 triumph! Bob Peters tossed in 20 points to lead Indiana Wesleyan to its second title in three years. * THE WILDCATS ARE CHAMPIONS OF NAIA DIVISION TWO * Continue reading
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*** NAIA DIVISION TWO ***
FINAL FOUR: FIRST SEMIFINAL – This was a tale of two Halves as the 2 seeds – the INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS – took on their Region’s 1 seeds – the DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY PANTHERS.
The first 20 minutes were all Wildcats as they charged out to a 40-25 lead over the Panthers. After the break Indiana Wesleyan University had to hold on by their fingertips against a Davenport University rally. The Wildcats won the game 66-65 and moved on to the title match. Bob Peters led the scoring for IWU with 17 points. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
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