Villanova beats North Carolina in NCAA Championship, wins first title since 1985-Apr
5, 2016
The Villanova Wildcats are national champions afterKris Jenkins(6'6''-F-93)
swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat North Carolina
77-74 in one of the great NCAA title games of all time.
North Carolina'sMarcus Paige(6'1''-PG-93)
had just tied it for the Tar Heels when he adjusted in the
air and rattled home a game-tying 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds
left to make it 74-all. For Villanova, it is its first
national title since 1985, when the Wildcats shocked
Georgetown. At the half it was North Carolina 39, Villanova
34. The crowd at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas was announced
at 74,340 - the second largest in NCAA tournament final
history. Carolina coachRoy Williamswas
looking for his third national championship with the Tar
Heels and the school's sixth overall, but just couldn't make
it happen. In the semifinals, Villanova shocked the hoops
world with a 95-51 dissecting of Oklahoma. The Wildcats set
a record for margin of victory in a Final Four game. They
held Oklahoma'sBuddy Hield(6'4''-G-93)
to just nine points. The Carolina-Syracuse semifinal game
was never really in doubt as the Tar Heels won 83-66. The
victory for the Tar Heels was their third this season over
the Orange.Phil Booth(6'3''-G-95)
led Villanova with 20 points. Jenkins finished with 14.
Paige had 21 for the Heels (33-7) who came one shot short of
giving coachRoy Williamshis
third national title.
Reese's NCAA D1 All-Star Game: West - East 89-85-Apr
4, 2016
East MVP:David Walker(6'6''-G-93)
of Northeastern University West MVP:Joel Bolomboy(6'9''-F-94)
of Weber State
Weber State'sJoel Bolomboyhad
15 points and 11 rebounds to lead the West to an 89-85 win
over the East in the NCAA All-Star game Friday.
Wichita State'sRon Baker(6'4''-G-93)
added 14 points, and West Virginia'sJaysean Paige(6'2''-G) had 15 points for the West, which shot 43
percent, including hitting nine of 24 from behind the arc.
"I really enjoyed coaching this team," West coachJohn Lucassaid.
"They really worked hard for two days. We did a lot of NBA
stuff rather than college. Their response at halftime was
really good to the flow of the game, especially Paige, Baker
and Joel, who had the double-double. They took advantage of
their strengths."
Stephen F. Austin'sThomas Walkup(6'4''-G/F)
and Evansville'sEgidijus Mockevicius(6'10''-C-92)
each had 12, and Texas A&M'sJalen Jones(6'7''-G/F)
had 10 for the West.
For Baker, the game was about more than the experience.
"Anytime you can build relationships with seniors across the
country definitely sticks with you," Baker said.
Northeastern'sDavid Walkerled
the East with 17 points; Virginia'sAnthony Gill(6'8''-F)
added 15 points and seven rebounds; and Louisville'sTrey Lewis(6'2''-G-92)
had 17 points for the East, which shot 44 percent but was 10
of 34 on 3-pointers.
"It's really a privilege that I am grateful for," Lewis said
of playing in the game. "I was a little iffy coming down
here at first because I felt like we should have been down
here under different circumstances.
"Through it all, after coming down here, it's been a great
experience. Playing on this floor with some of the best
seniors in the country, has been a great experience."
After the East had used a 21-8 run to tie the game with 31
minutes left, the West scored eight of the next 10 points to
open up an 86-80 lead on Paige's free throw.
"We kind of relaxed with eight minutes to go," Baker said.
"They hit some shots. We grinded it out, got some stops at
the end and made some shots that were key to keeping the
lead."
The East cut the lead to 87-85 on Paige's 3-pointer with 11
seconds left, butTrey Freeman(6'2''-PG-92)
hit two free throws to seal the win.
East coachDoug Collins, who
played in the 1973 college All-Star game under Adolph Rupp,
said it was an honor for him to coach the team.
"We had a chance to win there at the end," Collins said. "We
tried to get everyone in there and give everyone a chance to
play. The big thing for me is that I have been in basketball
now for 40-plus years in the NBA, and to be a part of
something like this is special to me."
Oscar Robertson Trophy Winner:Buddy Hield(6'4''-G-93)
of Oklahoma Henry Iba Coach of the Year:Chris Mackof
Xavier Freshman of the Year:Benjamin Simmons(6'10''-F-96)
of LSU
Nevada tops Morehead State in OT to win CBI-Apr
2, 2016
Tyron Criswell(6'3''-G)
scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Nevada beat
Morehead State 85-82 in overtime to win the ninth College
Basketball Invitational on Friday night. Morehead State'sXavier Moon(6'2''-G-95)'s
nearly tied the game with a last-second half-court shot that
hit the rim. With 13 seconds left in overtime, Nevada guardD.J. Fenner(6'6''-G)
attacked the basket and passed to guardDrew
Lindsey(6'4''-G)
near the rim. A Morehead State defender deflected the ball
into the hands of Criswell, who grabbed the loose ball under
the basket and gave the Wolf Pack an 83-82 lead on a layup.
On the Eagles' next possession,DeJuan Marrero(6'6''-F)
missed a layup and Fenner grabbed the rebound. He converted
both his free throws before Moon's last second attempt.
Nevada's attendance was 9,043, far surpassing the season
average (6,416) and the second largest crowd on the season.
On Friday, home court proved important in the deciding game
of the best-of-three series for the Wolf Pack as it did
throughout the CBI tournament. Home teams were 13-3 in the
tournament.
Courtesy of: wtop.com
George Washington celebrates NIT title with victory over
Valparaiso-Apr
1, 2016
The George Washington Colonials captured the school's first
postseason tournament title Thursday evening with a 76-60
win over the Valparaiso Crusaders in the National Invitation
Tournament championship game at Madison Square Garden in New
York City. George Washington's triumph capped off a
stellar-and improbable-NIT run. After closing out the season
by losing three of their final five games, including the
Atlantic 10 tournament, the Colonials ripped off wins over
the Monmouth Hawks, Florida Gators and San Diego Aztecs
despite entering the NIT as a No. 4 seed. Matching up
against the nation's sixth-ranked defense, George Washington
shot 44.2 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from
three-point range as it rode the production ofPatricio Garino(6'6''-G/F-93),Kevin Larsen(6'10''-F-93)
andTyler Cavanaugh(6'9''-F-94).
Garino and Larsen finished with 14 and 18 points,
respectively, while Cavanaugh closed out his season with 12
points on 4-of-11 shooting and a sweet behind-the-back dime
in the first half.Alec Peters(6'9''-F-95) was superb for Valparaiso with 15
points, 10 rebounds and three assists, but the Crusaders
shot just 39 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from
three in the loss.Vashil Fernandez(6'10''-C-92)
finished with a modest six points and six rebounds, but he
blocked five shots to make a little history. The Colonials
entered Thursday's title game with a superior offense, but
there wasn't a stark disparity in efficiency early on.
George Washington ranked 27th in adjusted
efficiency-sandwiched between Maryland and St.
Bonaventure-while Valparaiso occupied the 116th spot on the
same list, but both sides struggled to establish a rhythm.
Unlike Tuesday's semifinal win over BYU, the Crusaders
failed to convert open opportunities from beyond the arc to
create some distance-missing seven of their first 10
long-range attempts. However, George Washington couldn't
take advantage as its offense stalled throughout the latter
stages of the first half. If there was good news for the
Colonials, it was that they entered halftime up by one
despite shooting 37.5 percent from the field and committing
five turnovers two days after coughing the ball up just six
times against San Diego State. The Atlantic 10 squad found
some footing to open the second half as it ripped off a 7-2
run during the first two minutes, 11 seconds of the final
frame, and that spurt set the tone for a second half that
was unkind to the Crusaders. Valparaiso went cold for swaths
of the season's final stanza, and it couldn't recover as the
Colonials kept their distance after establishing a
double-digit cushion. Beyond the fact that Thursday's win
represented the first postseason tournament title in program
history, the Colonials should be encouraged by one small
fact: According to ESPN Stats & Info, 56 percent of teams
that have won the NIT since 1985 have gone on to qualify for
the NCAA tournament the following year. In a conference that
includes NCAA tournament qualifiers such as Virginia
Commonwealth, St. Joseph's and Dayton, emerging as the cream
of the crop won't be easy for George Washington. But based
on the work head coach Mike Lonergan did this season with an
unheralded group, the Colonials should enter next season
with all the confidence in the world as they seek to return
to the NCAA tournament for the fifth time since 2005.
Courtesy of: bleacherreport.com
Old Dominion edges Oakland 68-67 in Vegas 16 title game-Mar
31, 2016
Old Dominion would have preferred a trip to the NCAA
Tournament. The Monarchs still walk away from their season
as champions.Trey Freeman(6'2''-G-92)
scored 24 points, including two late free throws, and Old
Dominion held off Oakland 68-67 on Wednesday night to win
the inaugural Vegas 16 Tournament. Old Dominion, which lost
in the championship game of the Conference USA Tournament to
Middle Tennessee, led the entire second half but needed
Freeman to score in the pivotal moments. "When we lost in
the championship by two points, that hurt," said Freeman,
the tournament MVP. "The pain is still there, but if feels
good to leave on a good note, my college career, and also my
teammates, who are like my brothers." Oakland overcame a
14-point deficit early in the second half and scored 14
consecutive points to tie it at 44. But the Monarchs (25-13)
pulled away behind Freeman, the tournament's MVP. He also
scored on a floater with 4 minutes remaining that gave Old
Dominion a 59-52 lead, and his two free throws with 5
seconds left sealed it. "We regrouped," Monarchs coachJeff Jonessaid.
"We tried to grind it out on offense. We tried to pound it
inside and got one or two buckets inside during that stretch
just to force them to have to guard."Brandan Stith(6'7''-F-94)
had 14 points and 15 rebounds for Old Dominion, andAaron Bacote(6'4''-G)
added 12. Kay Felder, who ranked among the nation's leading
scorers, had 24 points for Oakland (23-12) but struggled in
the first half, missing five of seven shots. "The ball just
didn't go in for him," Oakland coachGreg Kampesaid of
Felder, who ranked fourth in the nation in scoring average.
"What they did do was slow the tempo down, and we were
completely out of sync in the first half. There was no flow
for us offensively." Jones said the tournament championship,
which included a cutting of the nets afterward, wouldn't
take away the failure to reach the NCAA tournament. But it
certainly gave his players a reward for a successful season.
"I don't know that it takes any sting out of the Middle
Tennessee loss," Jones said. "That kind of
close-but-no-cigar stays with you. But I think the kids do
and will feel good about winning this tournament."
Courtesy of: usatoday.com
NCAA All-Tournament Region Awards 2016-Apr
1, 2016
The Columbia men's basketball team (25-10) rounded out a
historic season in exciting fashion on Tuesday night as it
picked up the program's first postseason tournament
championship title with a 73-67 win over UC Irvine to claim
the 2016 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament
Championship crown.
Columbia becomes only the second Ivy League team to win a
postseason tournament after Princeton's 1975 NIT
Championship.
In a game that came down to the final minute of play, it was
Columbia who was able to finish out their memorable season
hitting five of their last seven shots from the field and
6-of-8 from the line over the last minute to seal the 73-67
victory.
While UC Irvine was able to open with the first six points
of the game, it wasLuke Petrasek(6'10''-F-95)
who was able to spark the Columbia offense as he drained a
three in the far-side corner to kick off a 7-0 run.
After being held scoreless for nearly four minutes, the
Anteaters were able to respond, however, taking eight of the
next 10 points to take a 14-9 lead with 11:25 remaining in
the half.
With the Anteaters leading, 20-14, and just under eight to
play,Maodo Lo(6'3''-G-92)
came out of the media timeout and drained a three from the
top of the arc to cut the UC Irvine lead down to three.
That momentum was exactly what Columbia needed as the Lions
stormed on a 15-2 run over the next five minutes, forcing
the Anteaters to call a timeout, trailing 29-22, with 2:29
remaining in the half.
Despite a pair of dunks byMamadou Ndiaye(7'6''-C-93)
in the final two minutes,Maodo Lowas able
to capitalize on a pair of free throws to send the Lions
into the locker rooms with a 31-26 lead. Columbia combined
for 15 points off 10 UC Irvine turnovers in the opening half
while shooting 8-of-9 from the free throw line.
After an opening dunk byLuke Petrasek, the Anteaters responded back with a 17-6 run
to take the lead before aGrant Mullins(6'3''-G)'
three and aLukas Meisner(6'8''-SF-95)
runner would put Columbia back in front, 44-43, with 12:41
to play.
While UCI was able to jump back out to a 53-46 lead with
8:42 remaining, the Lions began to attack as they rallied on
a dominating 12-0 run over the next four minutes to take
back a 58-53 lead and force an Anteaters' timeout with 4:18
remaining. Mullins combined for seven of those 12 points,
including a big and-one that got the Columbia crowd fired up
in Levien.
After four unanswered points by the Anteaters and a pair of
made free throws byJeff Coby(6'8''-F-94)
to bring the Columbia lead to 60-57,Maodo Lowas able
to drain a deep three just in front of the Lions' bench to
make it a 63-57 advantage with 1:42 left on the clock.
From there, the Lions were able to hold strong as they hit
9-of-12 from the line while holding the UC Irvine offense to
only five points from the field.
Holding on to a four-point lead and only 2.8 seconds left,
Isaac Cohen was able to findMaodo Loamidst the
full-court press to let the senior drive the court and send
home a layup, sealing the 73-67 win for the Lions.
Mullins led the game with 20 points after shooting 6-of-7
from the field and 3-of-4 from downtown whileJeff Cobybecame
the second Lion in postseason history to record a
double-double, posting up 14 points and 10 rebounds after
going a perfect 8-for-8 from the line.
2nd Team Adrian Diaz(6'11''-C-93)
of Florida International Reggie Upshaw(6'7''-F-95)
of Middle Tenn. St. State Jeremy Combs(6'7''-F)
of North Texas Giddy Potts(6'2''-G-95)
of Middle Tennessee State Erik McCree(6'8''-F-93)
of Louisiana Tech
2nd Team Eric Eaves(6'2''-G)
of South Carolina State Devin Martin(6'4''-G)
of MD-Eastern Shore Sam Hunt(6'2''-G-95)
of North Carolina A&T Jordan Potts(5'10''-PG-94)
of Bethune-Cookman Brian Darden(6'2''-G-92)
of Hampton
2nd Team Tre' McLean(6'5''-F-93)
of Chattanooga Mike Brown(6'3''-G)
of Western Carolina Kayel Locke(6'5''-F-94)
of UNC Greensboro T.J. Cromer(6'3''-G-95)
of East Tennessee State RJ White(6'8''-C-94)
of UNC Greensboro
Coach of the Year:Chris Beardof
Arkansas - Little Rock
1st Team Shawn Long(6'11''-F-93)
of UL-Lafayette Majok Deng(6'10''-F-93)
of UL-Monroe Josh Hagins(6'1''-G-94)
of Arkansas-Little Rock Tookie Brown(5'11''-PG-95)
of Georgia Southern Frank Eaves(6'2''-G-94)
of Appalachian State
CoSIDA NCAA Division I Academic All-American Awards 2016-Mar
6, 2016
CoSIDA NCAA Division I
Academic All-American of the Year Jarrod Uthoff(6'8''-F-93)
of Iowa
CoSIDA NCAA Division I Academic All-America 1st Team Canyon Barry(6'6''-G-94)
of Charleston Joshua Braun(6'4''-G)
of Grand Canyon Marcus Paige(6'1''-PG-93)
of North Carolina Shavon Shields(6'7''-G-94)
of Nebraska Jarrod Uthoff(6'8''-F-93)
of Iowa
CoSIDA NCAA Division I Academic All-America 3rd Team Kale Abrahamson(6'8''-F)
of Drake Evan Bradds(6'7''-G-94)
of Belmont Derrick Henry(6'3''-G-93)
of Citadel A.J. Jacobson(6'6''-G/F-94)
of North Dakota State Paul Miller(6'4''-G-96)
of North Dakota State
CoSIDA NCAA Division I Academic All-District Teams 2016-Feb
22, 2016
WQaDhU
