One bubble pops, and a big-time scorer gets in
Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 9:02 AM
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Conference tournaments
Davidson’s NCAA tournament hopes – along with every other bubble team -- took a hit Tuesday when Cleveland State stunned No. 16 Butler in the Horizon League championship game.
The Vikings’ first Big Dance berth since 1986 -- when they upset No. 3 seed Indiana and St. Joe’s for a spot in the Sweet 16 – came via a flurry of 3-pointers and timely defense, especially when Butler threw away the ball underneath the Vikings’ basket in the final minute.
It was one of those finishes where Butler looked frazzled and Cleveland State was unfazed, much like an upset that opens the NCAA tournament. Hey, time to root for the underdog, right?
“It feels so good. I’ve waited four years, five years, it’s so amazing, just to get this championship,” said Cleveland State point guard Cedric Jackson. “It means the world to me. This team has stuck together day in and day out.”
I guess this shouldn’t be too surprising. Jackson’s the guy who hit a 60-foot bomb to upend Syracuse back in December. It is March, after all.
As for the Stephen Curry lament, it eased a little bit. Who needs Curry when you can watch a guy capable of scoring 60 points in a game? (Nevermind that his odds of breaking 60 in the tourney are as good as DePaul winning the Big East).
Ben Woodside – Mr. 60 – hit the game winner against Oakland (Mich.) in the Summit League title game, sending the Bison to the NCAA tournament in their first season as a D-I school. They’re the first school to pull off that feat since 1972.
Woodside’s one of four four-year starters on ND State, which spent the previous four years finalizing its standing with the NCAA to be a D-I program. Imagine what this feels like for those seniors, Woodside, Brett Winkelman, Mike Nelson and Lucas Moormann. Did Hollywood write this ending?
On tap tonight
Two more automatic bids will be awarded to the winners of the Northeast Championship (No. 1 Robert Morris vs. No. 2 Mount Saint Mary’s) and Big Sky Championship (No. 2 Portland State vs. No. 6 Montana State).
The Big 12, Pac-10, C-USA, Mountain West, Atlantic 10, Big West and Southwestern Athletic all begin their tournaments today, while the second round of the Big East gets underway right … about … now. Nice batch of games, too. (Times ET)
Providence vs. DePaul, Noon
Marquette vs. St. John’s, 2:30 p.m.
West Virginia vs. Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
Syracuse vs. Seton Hall, 9:30 p.m.
If DePaul pulls off another miracle, the Friars’ NCAA hopes are toast. And it’ll be interesting to see how Marquette plays against St. John’s. The Eagles haven’t been the same since losing Dominic James to an injury – though their schedule has been brutal.
Happy watching.
