It's all over for the Delta State University Lady Statesmen basketball team. Their quest for an NCAA Division II national championship ended late Wednesday night with a 58-39 loss to Franklin Pierce (N.H.).
Article courtesy of Delta State University Sports Information
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Augusta State men's hoops in Final Four
In case you missed it Wednesday, the No. 4 (NABC) Augusta State men's basketball team advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four with a 70-62 victory over No. 15 Christian Brothers in the Elite Eight at Springfield, Mass. The Jaguars rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to spark the victory. They'll face Cal Poly Pomona in Thursday night's national semifinal game starting at 6 p.m. EDT, on the CBS College Sports Network.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
D-II Elite Eight Update--Delta State wins, Clayton State loses
The dream of an NCAA Division II women's basketball national championship continued for one team in D-II South Nation, while it ended for another squad Tuesday.
Delta State advanced to Wednesday's Final Four contest with a 55-47 win over West Texas A&M at San Antonio, Tex. The Lady Statesmen will face Franklin Pierce (N.H.) at 9:30 p.m. EDT. Catch the action on ESPNU if it's available in your area.
As for the Clayton State Lakers, however, their dream of taking home their first-ever national championship ended after just one round Tuesday afternoon, as No. 2 (NABC) Alaska-Anchorage handed them a season-ending 66-59 loss. The Lakers let a 13-point second half lead slip away down the stretch. Their season ends with a 26-7 record.
Delta State advanced to Wednesday's Final Four contest with a 55-47 win over West Texas A&M at San Antonio, Tex. The Lady Statesmen will face Franklin Pierce (N.H.) at 9:30 p.m. EDT. Catch the action on ESPNU if it's available in your area.
As for the Clayton State Lakers, however, their dream of taking home their first-ever national championship ended after just one round Tuesday afternoon, as No. 2 (NABC) Alaska-Anchorage handed them a season-ending 66-59 loss. The Lakers let a 13-point second half lead slip away down the stretch. Their season ends with a 26-7 record.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Road To The Elite Eight--A Quick Preview (Men)
In our last installment, we previewed the Clayton State Lakers and the Delta State University Lady Statesmen, as both squads advanced to the NCAA Division II women's basketball Elite Eight. Now, it's the men's turn to be profiled.
Augusta State vs. Christian Brothers (NCAA Division II Elite Eight at Springfield, Mass.)--Wednesday Noon EDT
For the Jaguars of Augusta State University (Ga.), and the Buccaneers of Christian Brothers University (Tenn.), the road to an NCAA Division II men's basketball national championship now goes through Springfield, Mass. But there's only one problem. Only one of these teams will get to continue that final journey towards winning it all after Wednesday afternoon.
Before getting to those game notes, though, let's look back at how both teams punched their ticket to Springfield.
Augusta State (Southeast Regional Champions--29-4, No. 4 NABC/Division II Bulletin poll)
The Jags came within inches of not even advancing to round two, let alone the Elite Eight, after holding off eighth-seeded Tusculum, 62-60, on March 14. One night later, though, the ASU men came on strong against fifth-seeded Barton, as they cruised to a 77-61 victory. That set up an all Peach Belt Conference match-up in the Southeast Regional finals on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) against second-seeded USC Aiken. The Jaguars led from start to finish in a 85-57 rout of the Pacers to advance to their second straight national quarterfinals appearance.
Christian Brothers (South Regional Champions--25-6, No. 15 NABC/Division II Bulletin poll)
Unlike Augusta State, Christian Brothers entered the NCAA Division II South Regional bracket as the No. 2 seed, not to mention being a slight underdog. The Bucs opened the tournament with a 63-54 win over Gulf South Conference West Division rival Delta State on March 14. They followed up that win with a 72-53 rout of No. 10 (NABC) Claflin. Then came what was probably their biggest win in school history, as they stunned top seed and host Florida Southern by a 10-point margin (82-72), to advance to the program's first-ever Elite Eight.
Game Notes
Augusta State
Christian Brothers
Webcast: Available at http://www.ncaa.com. Tip-off time is at approximately noon EDT Wednesday.
Augusta State vs. Christian Brothers (NCAA Division II Elite Eight at Springfield, Mass.)--Wednesday Noon EDT
For the Jaguars of Augusta State University (Ga.), and the Buccaneers of Christian Brothers University (Tenn.), the road to an NCAA Division II men's basketball national championship now goes through Springfield, Mass. But there's only one problem. Only one of these teams will get to continue that final journey towards winning it all after Wednesday afternoon.
Before getting to those game notes, though, let's look back at how both teams punched their ticket to Springfield.
Augusta State (Southeast Regional Champions--29-4, No. 4 NABC/Division II Bulletin poll)
The Jags came within inches of not even advancing to round two, let alone the Elite Eight, after holding off eighth-seeded Tusculum, 62-60, on March 14. One night later, though, the ASU men came on strong against fifth-seeded Barton, as they cruised to a 77-61 victory. That set up an all Peach Belt Conference match-up in the Southeast Regional finals on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) against second-seeded USC Aiken. The Jaguars led from start to finish in a 85-57 rout of the Pacers to advance to their second straight national quarterfinals appearance.
Christian Brothers (South Regional Champions--25-6, No. 15 NABC/Division II Bulletin poll)
Unlike Augusta State, Christian Brothers entered the NCAA Division II South Regional bracket as the No. 2 seed, not to mention being a slight underdog. The Bucs opened the tournament with a 63-54 win over Gulf South Conference West Division rival Delta State on March 14. They followed up that win with a 72-53 rout of No. 10 (NABC) Claflin. Then came what was probably their biggest win in school history, as they stunned top seed and host Florida Southern by a 10-point margin (82-72), to advance to the program's first-ever Elite Eight.
Game Notes
Augusta State
Christian Brothers
Webcast: Available at http://www.ncaa.com. Tip-off time is at approximately noon EDT Wednesday.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Road To The Elite Eight--A Quick Preview (Women)
After almost a week to decompress, here's how the match-ups for the NCAA Division II women's basketball Elite Eight came to be for Southeast Regional champion Clayton State, and South Regional winner Delta State. First of two parts. The men's match-up between Augusta State and Christian Brothers will be featured in the next installment.
Southeast (at Hickory, N.C.)
After a second-place regular season finish in the Peach Belt Conference, followed by a semifinal exit from the PBC tournament, it seemed as if very few people, if any, gave the Clayton State University Lakers much of a chance to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
But the Lakers proved all of the experts wrong, as their women's basketball team advanced to the national quarterfinals for the second time in three years after being seeded third for the Southeast Regional bracket.
After holding off a scrappy squad from Carson-Newman, 68-66, in the first round on Mar. 13, the Lakers knocked off No. 2 seed Tusculum, 79-68, in the first regional semifinal contest the following night. No. 4 seed Francis Marion ensured an all-Peach Belt regional final later that evening by pulling off the 93-74 upset of top-seed and host Lenoir-Rhyne.
But in the end, it was Clayton State that pulled off the biggest "upset" of all, as the Lakers cruised past the PBC regular season champion Patriots in a 89-73 win that clinched the program's second regional crown in three seasons. They'll now face an Alaska-Anchorage program that won the West Region with a 54-43 win over Seattle Pacific. Oh, by the way, the Seawolves come into Wednesday's game as the nation's second-ranked team, according to the WBCA NCAA Division II poll. A very tall order for the Lakers indeed. But don't bet against them at this point.
South Regional (at Cleveland, Miss.)
Unlike Clayton State, the expectations were very high for the Delta State University Lady Statesmen going into the NCAA Division II women's basketball regionals (after all, they have won six national championships over the years, with the last coming in 1992). And they met those expectations with mostly flying colors.
The DSU women advanced to the regional finals with double-digit wins over eighth-seeded Valdosta State (58-48) and Arkansas-Monticello (80-56). Still, the Lady Statesmen have to stave off a strong challenge from Gulf South Conference West Division rival and seventh-seeded upstart Ouachita Baptist (50-49) to advance to their 13th Elite Eight, thanks to a tip-in by Courtney Wilson in the game's closing seconds. Next up for the Lady Statesmen is a battle with West Texas A&M, who won the South Central Regional title with a 65-52 victory over Central Oklahoma in the title game last week.
So, what will it take for Delta State and Clayton State to meet for the national title game. Both teams, Clayton State especially, must pass the first test come Wednesday: defeating West Texas A&M and Alaska-Anchorage, respectively, then win Final Four contests with other battle-tested teams and underdogs alike, to create perhaps one of the most unlikely match-ups in the history of championship games, regardless of the sport.
Southeast (at Hickory, N.C.)
After a second-place regular season finish in the Peach Belt Conference, followed by a semifinal exit from the PBC tournament, it seemed as if very few people, if any, gave the Clayton State University Lakers much of a chance to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
But the Lakers proved all of the experts wrong, as their women's basketball team advanced to the national quarterfinals for the second time in three years after being seeded third for the Southeast Regional bracket.
After holding off a scrappy squad from Carson-Newman, 68-66, in the first round on Mar. 13, the Lakers knocked off No. 2 seed Tusculum, 79-68, in the first regional semifinal contest the following night. No. 4 seed Francis Marion ensured an all-Peach Belt regional final later that evening by pulling off the 93-74 upset of top-seed and host Lenoir-Rhyne.
But in the end, it was Clayton State that pulled off the biggest "upset" of all, as the Lakers cruised past the PBC regular season champion Patriots in a 89-73 win that clinched the program's second regional crown in three seasons. They'll now face an Alaska-Anchorage program that won the West Region with a 54-43 win over Seattle Pacific. Oh, by the way, the Seawolves come into Wednesday's game as the nation's second-ranked team, according to the WBCA NCAA Division II poll. A very tall order for the Lakers indeed. But don't bet against them at this point.
South Regional (at Cleveland, Miss.)
Unlike Clayton State, the expectations were very high for the Delta State University Lady Statesmen going into the NCAA Division II women's basketball regionals (after all, they have won six national championships over the years, with the last coming in 1992). And they met those expectations with mostly flying colors.
The DSU women advanced to the regional finals with double-digit wins over eighth-seeded Valdosta State (58-48) and Arkansas-Monticello (80-56). Still, the Lady Statesmen have to stave off a strong challenge from Gulf South Conference West Division rival and seventh-seeded upstart Ouachita Baptist (50-49) to advance to their 13th Elite Eight, thanks to a tip-in by Courtney Wilson in the game's closing seconds. Next up for the Lady Statesmen is a battle with West Texas A&M, who won the South Central Regional title with a 65-52 victory over Central Oklahoma in the title game last week.
So, what will it take for Delta State and Clayton State to meet for the national title game. Both teams, Clayton State especially, must pass the first test come Wednesday: defeating West Texas A&M and Alaska-Anchorage, respectively, then win Final Four contests with other battle-tested teams and underdogs alike, to create perhaps one of the most unlikely match-ups in the history of championship games, regardless of the sport.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
NCAA Division II Regional Finals Preview--Men
Monday night, it was the ladies decided which teams would go to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight (That starts Tuesday, March 24, in San Antonio, Tex.). Now, it's the men's turn to decide who'll punch a ticket to Springfield, Mass. for their national tournament. First, though, let's quickly recap the women's regional finals turned out. Just click the highlighted link (s) below.
Southeast Women (at Hickory, N.C.)
Clayton State 89, Francis Marion 73
A career-high 22 points from senior Lisa Jackson helps lift the Lakers to second their Elite Eight appearance in three years.
South Women (at Cleveland, Miss.)
Delta State 50, Ouachita Baptist 49
A basket from Courtney Wilson in the closing seconds sends the Lady Statesmen to San Antonio.
And now, let's preview tonight's men's regional finals...starting with the...
Southeast Men's Final (at Hickory, N.C.)--Tuesday 7 p.m. EDT
#1 Augusta State vs. #2 USC Aiken
It's the match-up that many fans in the Southeast Region (especially those in the Peach Belt Conference) have been waiting for: the top two seeds playing each other for the right to go to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Elite Eight at Springfield, Mass. Obviously, most fans in the Central Savannah River Area, or CSRA (which includes Aiken, S.C., as well as Augusta, Ga.) for short, don't need any reminders as to how huge this game will be.
Article courtesy of the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle
South Men's Final (at Lakeland, Fla.)--Tuesday 7 p.m. EDT
#1 Florida Southern vs. #2 Christian Brothers
As big as the Augusta State-USC Aiken contest is, there are also seven other regional titles that are to be decided tonight. One of those match-ups is on the campus of Florida Southern College. That's where the top-seeded (and host) Mocs from the Sunshine State Conference will do battle with the second-seeded Buccaneers from the Gulf South Conference. FSC rallied late to win a dramatic overtime thriller over Arkansas Tech, 95-92 to get to the Sweet 16, while CBU rolled past an outstanding Claflin, 72-53. It's one of those games where it's a shame that someone has to lose.
Southeast Women (at Hickory, N.C.)
Clayton State 89, Francis Marion 73
A career-high 22 points from senior Lisa Jackson helps lift the Lakers to second their Elite Eight appearance in three years.
South Women (at Cleveland, Miss.)
Delta State 50, Ouachita Baptist 49
A basket from Courtney Wilson in the closing seconds sends the Lady Statesmen to San Antonio.
And now, let's preview tonight's men's regional finals...starting with the...
Southeast Men's Final (at Hickory, N.C.)--Tuesday 7 p.m. EDT
#1 Augusta State vs. #2 USC Aiken
It's the match-up that many fans in the Southeast Region (especially those in the Peach Belt Conference) have been waiting for: the top two seeds playing each other for the right to go to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Elite Eight at Springfield, Mass. Obviously, most fans in the Central Savannah River Area, or CSRA (which includes Aiken, S.C., as well as Augusta, Ga.) for short, don't need any reminders as to how huge this game will be.
Article courtesy of the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle
South Men's Final (at Lakeland, Fla.)--Tuesday 7 p.m. EDT
#1 Florida Southern vs. #2 Christian Brothers
As big as the Augusta State-USC Aiken contest is, there are also seven other regional titles that are to be decided tonight. One of those match-ups is on the campus of Florida Southern College. That's where the top-seeded (and host) Mocs from the Sunshine State Conference will do battle with the second-seeded Buccaneers from the Gulf South Conference. FSC rallied late to win a dramatic overtime thriller over Arkansas Tech, 95-92 to get to the Sweet 16, while CBU rolled past an outstanding Claflin, 72-53. It's one of those games where it's a shame that someone has to lose.
Monday, March 16, 2009
NCAA Division II Regional Finals Preview--Women
The stage has been set for Monday's regional finals in both the Southeast and South Regions, respectively, and both have a "D-II South Nation" flavor to them. Let's quickly preview both regions.
Southeast (at Hickory, N.C.)
#3 Clayton State (25-6) vs. #4 Francis Marion (27-4)--Monday 7 p.m. EDT
Both teams pulled off upsets over the top two seeds to set up this "all Peach Belt Conference" title game. The third-seeded Lakers downed second-seeded Tusculum, 79-68, while the fourth-seeded Pacers tripped up top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne, 93-74, to advance to the Sweet 16. It's only fitting that the two best women's basketball teams in the PBC during the regular season (FMU won the regular season title, while Clayton State came in second) are meeting with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. It's too bad only one of these teams can punch their ticket to San Antonio, Tex., where this year's national tournament will be played.
South (at Cleveland, Miss.)
#1 Delta State (28-6) vs. #7 Ouachita Baptist (23-8)--Monday 7 p.m. CDT
This match-up has a Gulf South Conference West Division flavor to it, as the Lady Statesmen play host to the upstart Lady Tigers. DSU earned its way into the Sweet 16 with wins over No. 8 seed Valdosta State, 58-48, on Friday, followed by an 80-56 rout of fellow GSC West rival Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday. As for OBU, the Lady Tigers have played the "Cinderella" role perfectly so far, as they upset No. 2 seed Fort Valley State, 69-55, and No. 3 seed Tampa, 77-74, to bring themselves to within one win of their first-ever Elite Eight.
Southeast (at Hickory, N.C.)
#3 Clayton State (25-6) vs. #4 Francis Marion (27-4)--Monday 7 p.m. EDT
Both teams pulled off upsets over the top two seeds to set up this "all Peach Belt Conference" title game. The third-seeded Lakers downed second-seeded Tusculum, 79-68, while the fourth-seeded Pacers tripped up top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne, 93-74, to advance to the Sweet 16. It's only fitting that the two best women's basketball teams in the PBC during the regular season (FMU won the regular season title, while Clayton State came in second) are meeting with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. It's too bad only one of these teams can punch their ticket to San Antonio, Tex., where this year's national tournament will be played.
South (at Cleveland, Miss.)
#1 Delta State (28-6) vs. #7 Ouachita Baptist (23-8)--Monday 7 p.m. CDT
This match-up has a Gulf South Conference West Division flavor to it, as the Lady Statesmen play host to the upstart Lady Tigers. DSU earned its way into the Sweet 16 with wins over No. 8 seed Valdosta State, 58-48, on Friday, followed by an 80-56 rout of fellow GSC West rival Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday. As for OBU, the Lady Tigers have played the "Cinderella" role perfectly so far, as they upset No. 2 seed Fort Valley State, 69-55, and No. 3 seed Tampa, 77-74, to bring themselves to within one win of their first-ever Elite Eight.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
NCAA Division II Tournament Review--Women's Regionals
So much to report, so little time, so let's get started.
Southeast Regional (at Hickory, N.C.)
The top four seeds held serve in round one after Friday's action. The day got off to a rough start for the Peach Belt Conference, though, as No. 7 seed Lander fell to No. 2 Tusculum, 87-70. The second game of the day saw No. 3 Clayton State having to hold on to edge No. 6 Carson-Newman, 68-66. The Laker women will face the Pioneers in Saturday's regional semifinal. No. 4 seeded Francis Marion had a relatively easy time in disposing of fellow PBC rival and No. 5 seeded USC Aiken 101-83. The Patriots will face top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne in the other Southeast Regional semifinal. The Bears advanced to round two with a 69-58 win over No. 8 seeded Anderson (S.C.)
South Regional (at Cleveland, Miss.)
The SIAC had a quick exit from the NCAA tournament after losing its only two first round games. No. 7 seed Ouachita Baptist pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the postseason so far, as the Tigers downed No. 2 seed Fort Valley State, 69-55. No. 3 Tampa ensured that no SIAC teams would advance any further in postseason play, as the Spartans eliminated No. 6 seeded Clark Atlanta, 70-63. It'll be OBU and UT in one semifinal at Delta State. Speaking of DSU, the top seeded Lady Statesmen advanced with a 58-48 win over No. 8 seeded Valdosta State. They'll face No. 5 Arkansas-Monticello, whose Cotton Blossoms pulled off sort of a mild upset with a 78-66 win over Rollins in the final game of the first round.
Southeast Regional (at Hickory, N.C.)
The top four seeds held serve in round one after Friday's action. The day got off to a rough start for the Peach Belt Conference, though, as No. 7 seed Lander fell to No. 2 Tusculum, 87-70. The second game of the day saw No. 3 Clayton State having to hold on to edge No. 6 Carson-Newman, 68-66. The Laker women will face the Pioneers in Saturday's regional semifinal. No. 4 seeded Francis Marion had a relatively easy time in disposing of fellow PBC rival and No. 5 seeded USC Aiken 101-83. The Patriots will face top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne in the other Southeast Regional semifinal. The Bears advanced to round two with a 69-58 win over No. 8 seeded Anderson (S.C.)
South Regional (at Cleveland, Miss.)
The SIAC had a quick exit from the NCAA tournament after losing its only two first round games. No. 7 seed Ouachita Baptist pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the postseason so far, as the Tigers downed No. 2 seed Fort Valley State, 69-55. No. 3 Tampa ensured that no SIAC teams would advance any further in postseason play, as the Spartans eliminated No. 6 seeded Clark Atlanta, 70-63. It'll be OBU and UT in one semifinal at Delta State. Speaking of DSU, the top seeded Lady Statesmen advanced with a 58-48 win over No. 8 seeded Valdosta State. They'll face No. 5 Arkansas-Monticello, whose Cotton Blossoms pulled off sort of a mild upset with a 78-66 win over Rollins in the final game of the first round.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
NCAA Tournament Preview and Quick Analysis--Part 2 (Men)
NOTE: Here's Part 2 of our NCAA Division II tournmanent preview here at D-II South Sports. This installment features the men's bracket in the South and Southeast Regions. Teams in conferences covered by D-II South Sports are marked in BOLD type.
Southeast Region (at Augusta, GA)
Tournament Website
Bracket
Augusta State vs. Tusculum: The Jaguars took a major step towards advancing to the Elite Eight by winning the Peach Belt Conference tournament over archrival USC Aiken in dramatic fashion. But in order to punch a return ticket to Springfield, Mass., they must defeat a Pioneers team that finished the regular-season in a three-way tie for second place, only to give Catawba all it could handle before losing in the finals of the South Atlantic Conference tournament. In other words, Tusculum isn't your average No. 8 seed. Then again, at this point in the season, there's no such thing as an average game. It'll be interesting to see how top seeded Augusta State will respond in this contest.
GC&SU vs. Barton: The Bobcats of Georgia College & State University and senior shooting standout Shaun Keaton do battle with the Bulldogs of Barton College from Wilson, N.C., who won a surprise national championship in dramatic fashion just two years ago. Now, the Bulldogs square off against the Bobcats in this intriguing 4-5 match-up. What storylines might eventually come from this? We'll find out this Saturday.
Armstrong Atlantic State vs. Catawba: The Pirates face off against the Indians in the 3-6 game. AASU looks to move on to round two after losing a four overtime thriller to USC Aiken in the semifinals of last weekend's Peach Belt Conference tournament. Catawba enters this contest as the No. 6 seed after winning the South Atlantic Conference tournament for the second straight year.
Lenoir-Rhyne vs. USC Aiken: The second seeded Pacers--who finished as the PBC tournament runners-up after losing to Augusta State last weekend, does battle with the Bears, who are seeded seventh. After a first round upset loss to Clayton State last season, the USCA men will try to get over the hump into the second round this season.
South Region (at Lakeland, Fla.)
Tournament Website
Florida Southern vs. LeMoyne-Owen: The top-seeded Mocs enter the South Regional as the lone representative from the Sunshine State Conference. They'll face the eighth seeded Magicians, who pulled off upset wins over regular season champion Claflin and third seeded Lane to win the SIAC tournament. LeMoyne-Owen is one of three teams from that league to advance to the NCAA tournament.
Arkansas Tech vs. Benedict: The Wonder Boys take on the Tigers in the 4-5 contest. Fourth seeded ATU is coming off its first-ever Gulf South Conference tournament title, while fifth seeded Benedict hopes to regain the form that helped them to advance to last year's regional final, losing to North Alabama.
Valdosta State vs. Claflin: The Blazers battle the Panthers in the 3-6 game. Both teams have one thing in common: they won regular season conference (or division titles), only to fall short in their quest to win their respective conference tournaments. VSU lost to Arkansas Tech in the Gulf South Conference tournament finals last weekend, while SIAC newcomer Claflin couldn't advance past the semifinals of their conference tournament. Now both teams face off against each other in a "one-and-done" situation.
Delta State vs. Christian Brothers: The Buccaneers and Statesmen both finished the regular season 1-2 in the Gulf South Conference West Division. Now CBU and DSU both square off with their respective seasons at stake. Not a typical No. 2 vs. No. 7 match-up.
Southeast Region (at Augusta, GA)
Tournament Website
Bracket
Augusta State vs. Tusculum: The Jaguars took a major step towards advancing to the Elite Eight by winning the Peach Belt Conference tournament over archrival USC Aiken in dramatic fashion. But in order to punch a return ticket to Springfield, Mass., they must defeat a Pioneers team that finished the regular-season in a three-way tie for second place, only to give Catawba all it could handle before losing in the finals of the South Atlantic Conference tournament. In other words, Tusculum isn't your average No. 8 seed. Then again, at this point in the season, there's no such thing as an average game. It'll be interesting to see how top seeded Augusta State will respond in this contest.
GC&SU vs. Barton: The Bobcats of Georgia College & State University and senior shooting standout Shaun Keaton do battle with the Bulldogs of Barton College from Wilson, N.C., who won a surprise national championship in dramatic fashion just two years ago. Now, the Bulldogs square off against the Bobcats in this intriguing 4-5 match-up. What storylines might eventually come from this? We'll find out this Saturday.
Armstrong Atlantic State vs. Catawba: The Pirates face off against the Indians in the 3-6 game. AASU looks to move on to round two after losing a four overtime thriller to USC Aiken in the semifinals of last weekend's Peach Belt Conference tournament. Catawba enters this contest as the No. 6 seed after winning the South Atlantic Conference tournament for the second straight year.
Lenoir-Rhyne vs. USC Aiken: The second seeded Pacers--who finished as the PBC tournament runners-up after losing to Augusta State last weekend, does battle with the Bears, who are seeded seventh. After a first round upset loss to Clayton State last season, the USCA men will try to get over the hump into the second round this season.
South Region (at Lakeland, Fla.)
Tournament Website
Florida Southern vs. LeMoyne-Owen: The top-seeded Mocs enter the South Regional as the lone representative from the Sunshine State Conference. They'll face the eighth seeded Magicians, who pulled off upset wins over regular season champion Claflin and third seeded Lane to win the SIAC tournament. LeMoyne-Owen is one of three teams from that league to advance to the NCAA tournament.
Arkansas Tech vs. Benedict: The Wonder Boys take on the Tigers in the 4-5 contest. Fourth seeded ATU is coming off its first-ever Gulf South Conference tournament title, while fifth seeded Benedict hopes to regain the form that helped them to advance to last year's regional final, losing to North Alabama.
Valdosta State vs. Claflin: The Blazers battle the Panthers in the 3-6 game. Both teams have one thing in common: they won regular season conference (or division titles), only to fall short in their quest to win their respective conference tournaments. VSU lost to Arkansas Tech in the Gulf South Conference tournament finals last weekend, while SIAC newcomer Claflin couldn't advance past the semifinals of their conference tournament. Now both teams face off against each other in a "one-and-done" situation.
Delta State vs. Christian Brothers: The Buccaneers and Statesmen both finished the regular season 1-2 in the Gulf South Conference West Division. Now CBU and DSU both square off with their respective seasons at stake. Not a typical No. 2 vs. No. 7 match-up.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
NCAA Tournament Preview and Quick Analysis--Part 1 (Women)
NOTE: Teams in conferences covered by D-II South Sports are marked in BOLD type.
The selections have been made, the pairings have been set, and all of the time in the world has been taken for everyone to catch their breath. Now, it's time to talk "bracketology", the "bracketology" that's the NCAA Division II basketball tournament in the South and Southeast regions. So, without further ado, let's get started. First up are the women. All games will played Friday, Saturday, and Monday.
South Region (at Cleveland, Miss.)
Tournament Website
Bracket
Delta State vs. Valdosta State: The 1-8 game features a re-match of a Gulf South Conference tournament semifinal game between the Lady Statesmen and Lady Blazers. DSU won a hard-fought 55-52 thriller over VSU to advance to last Sunday's final,and eventually claim a well-deserved conference tournament title. Come Friday, these two perennial GSC powerhouses will hook up once again, only this time with the winner moving on, the loser going home.
Rollins vs. Arkansas-Monticello: The Cotton Blossoms come into this contest as the No. 5 seed in the South bracket. UAM gave Delta State all it could handle before losing in the GSC tournament finals, 53-51. The Tars look to re-group after being stomped by Tampa 55-29, in last weekend's Sunshine State Conference tournament final.
Tampa vs. Clark Atlanta: The No. 6 seeded Lady Panthers do battle against the No. 3 seeded Spartans in a battle of 20-plus win teams. CAU (23-4) is coming off a 79-69 loss to Fort Valley State in the SIAC tournament title game, while Tampa (24-5) to build on its momentum after the Spartans routed Rollins by 26 points en route to winning the SSC autobid.
Ouachita Baptist vs. Fort Valley State: The No. 2 seed Wildcats enter the NCAA tournament not having a lost a game since the calendar changed from 2008 to 2009. They'll try to extend their winning streak to 23 straight games against the Tigers, who are seeded seventh going into the South Regional.
Southeast Regional--at Hickory, N.C.
Tournament Website
Bracket
Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Anderson (S.C.): The top seeded Bears advance to the NCAA tournament for only the second time in program history, with their only other trip coming in 2003. They'll face an Trojans squad that earned its way into the Southeast Regional by winning the automatic bid from Conference Carolinas. It finished the regular season fourth in that league.
Francis Marion vs. USC Aiken: The Patriot women and Lady Pacers are two of four teams from the Peach Belt Conference to earn bids to the Southeast Regional. It's too bad only one of them will get to play against the winner of the Lenoir-Rhyne/Anderson contest. Both squads, though, have one thing in common. They both lost to eventual PBC tournament champion Lander. Again, one of them will have a chance at redemption come Friday.
Clayton State vs. Carson-Newman: It's the Lakers taking on the Eagles in the 3-6 contest. Clayton State enters the contest as the third seed after losing to USC Aiken in the semifinals of the PBC tournament, while C-N comes seeded sixth after losing to Tusculum in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference tournament.
Lander vs. Tusculum: The Lady Bearcats are coming off their second straight Peach Belt Conference Tournament title after coming into that tourney as the No. 5 seed. They'll face a Pioneers squad that'll enter the NCAA tournament with an overall record of 25-5. The Pioneers fell to Lenoir-Rhyne in the SAC tournament title game last Sunday.
The selections have been made, the pairings have been set, and all of the time in the world has been taken for everyone to catch their breath. Now, it's time to talk "bracketology", the "bracketology" that's the NCAA Division II basketball tournament in the South and Southeast regions. So, without further ado, let's get started. First up are the women. All games will played Friday, Saturday, and Monday.
South Region (at Cleveland, Miss.)
Tournament Website
Bracket
Delta State vs. Valdosta State: The 1-8 game features a re-match of a Gulf South Conference tournament semifinal game between the Lady Statesmen and Lady Blazers. DSU won a hard-fought 55-52 thriller over VSU to advance to last Sunday's final,and eventually claim a well-deserved conference tournament title. Come Friday, these two perennial GSC powerhouses will hook up once again, only this time with the winner moving on, the loser going home.
Rollins vs. Arkansas-Monticello: The Cotton Blossoms come into this contest as the No. 5 seed in the South bracket. UAM gave Delta State all it could handle before losing in the GSC tournament finals, 53-51. The Tars look to re-group after being stomped by Tampa 55-29, in last weekend's Sunshine State Conference tournament final.
Tampa vs. Clark Atlanta: The No. 6 seeded Lady Panthers do battle against the No. 3 seeded Spartans in a battle of 20-plus win teams. CAU (23-4) is coming off a 79-69 loss to Fort Valley State in the SIAC tournament title game, while Tampa (24-5) to build on its momentum after the Spartans routed Rollins by 26 points en route to winning the SSC autobid.
Ouachita Baptist vs. Fort Valley State: The No. 2 seed Wildcats enter the NCAA tournament not having a lost a game since the calendar changed from 2008 to 2009. They'll try to extend their winning streak to 23 straight games against the Tigers, who are seeded seventh going into the South Regional.
Southeast Regional--at Hickory, N.C.
Tournament Website
Bracket
Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Anderson (S.C.): The top seeded Bears advance to the NCAA tournament for only the second time in program history, with their only other trip coming in 2003. They'll face an Trojans squad that earned its way into the Southeast Regional by winning the automatic bid from Conference Carolinas. It finished the regular season fourth in that league.
Francis Marion vs. USC Aiken: The Patriot women and Lady Pacers are two of four teams from the Peach Belt Conference to earn bids to the Southeast Regional. It's too bad only one of them will get to play against the winner of the Lenoir-Rhyne/Anderson contest. Both squads, though, have one thing in common. They both lost to eventual PBC tournament champion Lander. Again, one of them will have a chance at redemption come Friday.
Clayton State vs. Carson-Newman: It's the Lakers taking on the Eagles in the 3-6 contest. Clayton State enters the contest as the third seed after losing to USC Aiken in the semifinals of the PBC tournament, while C-N comes seeded sixth after losing to Tusculum in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference tournament.
Lander vs. Tusculum: The Lady Bearcats are coming off their second straight Peach Belt Conference Tournament title after coming into that tourney as the No. 5 seed. They'll face a Pioneers squad that'll enter the NCAA tournament with an overall record of 25-5. The Pioneers fell to Lenoir-Rhyne in the SAC tournament title game last Sunday.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Conference (Tournament) Calls--Day 4 In Review
What happened on "Semifinal Saturday"? Well, you're about to find out right now!
Peach Belt Conference (at Aiken, S.C.): Folks call it "March Madness" for good reason. While the men's bracket went exactly according script (with top two seeds Augusta State and USC Aiken) playing for all of the marbles there, it's a completely different story on the women's side, as No. 3 seed and host USC Aiken plays No. 5 seed Lander for the PBC autobid. Both the Lady Pacers and Lady Bearcats pulled off a pair of upsets to get there. Oh, and the USCA men needed four overtimes to finally beat Armstrong Atlantic State, 90-87, in what ranks as one of the best conference tournament games of all-time anywhere.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.): It's the opposite situation in the "Magic City", as both No. 1 Fort Valley State and No. 2 Clark Atlanta meet as expected for that league's automatic NCAA tournament bid on the women's side. CAU outlasted Kentucky State 64-54 to advance to Sunday's final game, while FVSU held off Tuskegee 68-63 in Saturday's other semifinal contest. But it's the men's bracket that provides the most unlikely of all match-ups, as both of the top two seeds were upset in Saturday's semifinal action. No. 3 seed Lane (22-7) stunned No. 2 Benedict 64-63, while No. 4 seed LeMoyne Owen shocked No. 1 Claflin 65-61 in overtime.
Gulf South (at Southaven, Miss.): March Madness has spread in this tournament, too! West No.1 seed Delta State advanced to Sunday's title game with a 55-52 overtime win over Valdosta State, while West No. 2 seed Arkansas-Monticello knocked off East No. 1 seed West Georgia, 67-65, also in overtime. The men's semifinals, though, didn't have as much drama, as East top seed Valdosta State advanced to the finals with a 78-61 win over Delta State, while Arkansas Tech moved on to the title game with a 73-63 win over Harding.
Peach Belt Conference (at Aiken, S.C.): Folks call it "March Madness" for good reason. While the men's bracket went exactly according script (with top two seeds Augusta State and USC Aiken) playing for all of the marbles there, it's a completely different story on the women's side, as No. 3 seed and host USC Aiken plays No. 5 seed Lander for the PBC autobid. Both the Lady Pacers and Lady Bearcats pulled off a pair of upsets to get there. Oh, and the USCA men needed four overtimes to finally beat Armstrong Atlantic State, 90-87, in what ranks as one of the best conference tournament games of all-time anywhere.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.): It's the opposite situation in the "Magic City", as both No. 1 Fort Valley State and No. 2 Clark Atlanta meet as expected for that league's automatic NCAA tournament bid on the women's side. CAU outlasted Kentucky State 64-54 to advance to Sunday's final game, while FVSU held off Tuskegee 68-63 in Saturday's other semifinal contest. But it's the men's bracket that provides the most unlikely of all match-ups, as both of the top two seeds were upset in Saturday's semifinal action. No. 3 seed Lane (22-7) stunned No. 2 Benedict 64-63, while No. 4 seed LeMoyne Owen shocked No. 1 Claflin 65-61 in overtime.
Gulf South (at Southaven, Miss.): March Madness has spread in this tournament, too! West No.1 seed Delta State advanced to Sunday's title game with a 55-52 overtime win over Valdosta State, while West No. 2 seed Arkansas-Monticello knocked off East No. 1 seed West Georgia, 67-65, also in overtime. The men's semifinals, though, didn't have as much drama, as East top seed Valdosta State advanced to the finals with a 78-61 win over Delta State, while Arkansas Tech moved on to the title game with a 73-63 win over Harding.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Conference (Tournament) Calls--Day 3 In Review
A little late, but better late than never. Here's what happened on Day 3 of the fortnight called March Madness in D-II South Nation.
Gulf South Conference (at Southaven, Miss.): Harding scores a huge upset in men's quarterfinal action Friday. Valdosta State, Delta State, and Arkansas Tech also advance.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.): Overtime thrillers, heartbreaking losses, and even one blowout thrown in just for good measure.
Peach Belt Conference (at Aiken, S.C.): All top four seeds in the men's quarterfinals advance to Saturday semifinal action (Augusta State, USC Aiken, Armstrong Atlantic State, and GC&SU).
Gulf South Conference (at Southaven, Miss.): Harding scores a huge upset in men's quarterfinal action Friday. Valdosta State, Delta State, and Arkansas Tech also advance.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.): Overtime thrillers, heartbreaking losses, and even one blowout thrown in just for good measure.
Peach Belt Conference (at Aiken, S.C.): All top four seeds in the men's quarterfinals advance to Saturday semifinal action (Augusta State, USC Aiken, Armstrong Atlantic State, and GC&SU).
Friday, March 06, 2009
Conference (Tournament) Calls--Day 2 In Review
So much to talk about, so little time. Let's get started.
Gulf South Conference Women's Quarterfinals (at Southaven, Miss.): The higher seeded teams all held serve in Thursday's all-ladies session. But the first two games were close until the end, as GSC East top seed West Georgia held off West No. 4 seed Ouachita Baptist, 67-64, while East No. 2 seed Valdosta State broke a close game open down the stretch against West No. 3 seed Arkansas Tech, and set the Golden Suns 56-47.
The other two games weren't as close, as West No. 2 seed Arkansas-Monticello eased past East No. 3 seed North Alabama 84-69, while West top seed Delta State had no trouble rolling past West No. 5 seed Harding 79-53.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.): In the men's bracket, top seeded Claflin managed to move on, but not without a struggle against Miles, as the Panthers pulled out a 70-65 win Thursday. In fact, that contest was one of four games decided by five points or less. No. 6 seed Clark Atlanta rallied in the second half to defeat and eliminate No. 11 Morehouse 50-49. No. 10 seed Kentucky State pulled off the upset of the SIAC tournament so far, as No. 7 seed Albany State found itself on the wrong end of March Madness after the Golden Rams season ended with a 64-59 loss. And No. 5 seed Fort Valley State held off a scrappy No. 13 seed in Paine, as the Wildcats pulled out a 79-75 win.
On the women's side, No. 1 seed Fort Valley State carried over its winning ways from the regular season to the postseason, as the Wildcats downed ninth-seeded LeMoyne-Owen 80-60 to advance to Saturday's semifinal round against Tuskegee. The fifth-seeded Tigerettes punched their ticket to the semis after knocking off No. 4 seed Claflin, 58-54.
Peach Belt Conference Women's Quarterfinals: Except for one game, all of the higher seeded teams advanced to semifinal action with wins Thursday. Top seeded Francis Marion surprised very few observers in moving to Saturday's semifinal round with a convincing 80-61 win over No. 9 seed North Georgia. No. 5 Lander had just as easy a time in downing No. 4 seed Armstrong Atlantic State 83-63. In the night session, No. 2 seed Clayton State rallied from an early 10-point first half deficit to defeat No. 7 seed Columbus State 55-52, while third seed and host USC Aiken pulled away from No. 6 seed Georgia College & State University to claim a 62-48 win.
Gulf South Conference Women's Quarterfinals (at Southaven, Miss.): The higher seeded teams all held serve in Thursday's all-ladies session. But the first two games were close until the end, as GSC East top seed West Georgia held off West No. 4 seed Ouachita Baptist, 67-64, while East No. 2 seed Valdosta State broke a close game open down the stretch against West No. 3 seed Arkansas Tech, and set the Golden Suns 56-47.
The other two games weren't as close, as West No. 2 seed Arkansas-Monticello eased past East No. 3 seed North Alabama 84-69, while West top seed Delta State had no trouble rolling past West No. 5 seed Harding 79-53.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.): In the men's bracket, top seeded Claflin managed to move on, but not without a struggle against Miles, as the Panthers pulled out a 70-65 win Thursday. In fact, that contest was one of four games decided by five points or less. No. 6 seed Clark Atlanta rallied in the second half to defeat and eliminate No. 11 Morehouse 50-49. No. 10 seed Kentucky State pulled off the upset of the SIAC tournament so far, as No. 7 seed Albany State found itself on the wrong end of March Madness after the Golden Rams season ended with a 64-59 loss. And No. 5 seed Fort Valley State held off a scrappy No. 13 seed in Paine, as the Wildcats pulled out a 79-75 win.
On the women's side, No. 1 seed Fort Valley State carried over its winning ways from the regular season to the postseason, as the Wildcats downed ninth-seeded LeMoyne-Owen 80-60 to advance to Saturday's semifinal round against Tuskegee. The fifth-seeded Tigerettes punched their ticket to the semis after knocking off No. 4 seed Claflin, 58-54.
Peach Belt Conference Women's Quarterfinals: Except for one game, all of the higher seeded teams advanced to semifinal action with wins Thursday. Top seeded Francis Marion surprised very few observers in moving to Saturday's semifinal round with a convincing 80-61 win over No. 9 seed North Georgia. No. 5 Lander had just as easy a time in downing No. 4 seed Armstrong Atlantic State 83-63. In the night session, No. 2 seed Clayton State rallied from an early 10-point first half deficit to defeat No. 7 seed Columbus State 55-52, while third seed and host USC Aiken pulled away from No. 6 seed Georgia College & State University to claim a 62-48 win.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Conference (Tournament) Calls--Day 1 in Review
So much to talk about, so little time. 13 was a lucky number for one team Wednesday. So was 9, 8, and of course, 7. Read on to find out what happened on a busy first day of conference basketball tournament action in D-II South Nation.
Gulf South Conference (at Southaven, Miss.)
Good day for the state of Arkansas, not so good for the state of Alabama. GSC run ends for both Montevallo teams with loss.
Peach Belt Conference (at Aiken, S.C.)
Clayton State men take first step towards defending tourney title. Lander men outlast Columbus State. North Georgia women stun UNC Pembroke. CSU women hold off Augusta State.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.)
13 a "lucky" number for the Paine College Lions. No. 9 Le-Moyne-Owen women edge No. 8 Benedict in thriller. Tuskegee women move on, men don't. Find out more by clicking here.
Gulf South Conference (at Southaven, Miss.)
Good day for the state of Arkansas, not so good for the state of Alabama. GSC run ends for both Montevallo teams with loss.
Peach Belt Conference (at Aiken, S.C.)
Clayton State men take first step towards defending tourney title. Lander men outlast Columbus State. North Georgia women stun UNC Pembroke. CSU women hold off Augusta State.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.)
13 a "lucky" number for the Paine College Lions. No. 9 Le-Moyne-Owen women edge No. 8 Benedict in thriller. Tuskegee women move on, men don't. Find out more by clicking here.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Conference (Tournament) Calls...Before The Madness!
Is it March (Madness) yet? Yes, it's here! It's time of the year again. The time of the season where the unexpected can be expected.
The season where the underdogs come out of nowhere, and pull off one upset after another, until they win their conference tournament, and get what's usually an elusive to the NCAA tournament.
Speaking of which, for some teams, they're hoping at least one of two teams in their conference tournament, in solidifying their chances of advancing to the Division II big dance.
For other squads, the conference tournament basically becomes a one-game season and Final Four all wrapped into one.
And still a select few squads, such as the Georgia Southwestern women, UNC Pembroke, and even the West Georgia men didn't even earn the privilege of playing in their own league tourney, much less winning a game there.
So, with that in mind, let's take a quick look at each of the championship fortnights (or days) if you will, in each of the three conferences of D-II South Nation.
Peach Belt (at Aiken, S.C.): After an exciting regular season, especially on the men's side, it all comes down to just five days, starting Wednesday. While No. 1 seed Augusta State and No. 2 USC Aiken are obvious to win the men's title, teams such as Armstrong Atlantic State and Georgia College & State University are capable a strong run, while North Georgia and Francis Marion could come out of nowhere to pull off one upset after another. On the women's side, FMU coasted to a regular season title, but Clayton State could give the Patriot women a run for their monedy.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.): Unlike their other brethren in D-II South Nation, the SIAC will have all 25 of its teams (13 men, 12 women) compete in this marathon of a March Madness affair. The Fort Valley State women (23-4 overall) accomplished one of the hardest, if not impossible, of feats in all of sports: finish conference play a perfect 22-0. Oh, and the Wildcats haven't lost so far in 2009 either. But don't count out Clark-Atlanta, whose Lady Panthers were the only other women's team in the league to finish the regular season with at least 20 wins (24-3 overall, 20-2 SIAC).
As for the men, it was a two-team race during the regular season as well, with newcomer Claflin (23-2, 22-2) finishing first, and defending tournament champion Benedict (23-4, 21-3) coming in a close second. Another team to watch is Lane, whose Dragons (20-7, 18-6) enter the SIAC tourney seeded third. But the sleeper team to pay attention just might be Albany State (13-14, 12-12). Although the Golden Rams have been up and down all season, they've won five of their last six games to close out the regular season.
Gulf South Conference (at Southaven, Miss.): This could be among the most competitive conference tournaments in all of D-II, as seven of the 10 teams in the women's bracket have won at least 18 games overall, while nine of the 10 teams in the men's bracket finished the regular season with a .500 or better overall record.
While No. 12 (NABC) Christian Brothers is favored to win the autobid to the NCAA tournament, there are plenty of teams that want take home the title, like GSC East champion Valdosta State (22-5), Delta State (20-7), Arkansas Tech (19-8), and Arkansas-Monticello (19-8), among others.
Oh, and the women's bracket doesn't lack any drama either, as West Georgia (21-6) and Delta State (23-6) could very well find themselves playing in the title game come Sunday, while Valdosta State (20-7), Arkansas-Monticello (18-7), and Arkansas Tech (19-8) could be the teams that disrupt that order.
So, there you have it. March Madness. Will the favorites go all the way, or will there be chaos the between now and Selection Sunday? Those will be among the obvious questions that will be answered over the next five days. So sit back and enjoy all the fun that is the postseason in NCAA Division II basketball.
The season where the underdogs come out of nowhere, and pull off one upset after another, until they win their conference tournament, and get what's usually an elusive to the NCAA tournament.
Speaking of which, for some teams, they're hoping at least one of two teams in their conference tournament, in solidifying their chances of advancing to the Division II big dance.
For other squads, the conference tournament basically becomes a one-game season and Final Four all wrapped into one.
And still a select few squads, such as the Georgia Southwestern women, UNC Pembroke, and even the West Georgia men didn't even earn the privilege of playing in their own league tourney, much less winning a game there.
So, with that in mind, let's take a quick look at each of the championship fortnights (or days) if you will, in each of the three conferences of D-II South Nation.
Peach Belt (at Aiken, S.C.): After an exciting regular season, especially on the men's side, it all comes down to just five days, starting Wednesday. While No. 1 seed Augusta State and No. 2 USC Aiken are obvious to win the men's title, teams such as Armstrong Atlantic State and Georgia College & State University are capable a strong run, while North Georgia and Francis Marion could come out of nowhere to pull off one upset after another. On the women's side, FMU coasted to a regular season title, but Clayton State could give the Patriot women a run for their monedy.
SIAC (at Birmingham, Ala.): Unlike their other brethren in D-II South Nation, the SIAC will have all 25 of its teams (13 men, 12 women) compete in this marathon of a March Madness affair. The Fort Valley State women (23-4 overall) accomplished one of the hardest, if not impossible, of feats in all of sports: finish conference play a perfect 22-0. Oh, and the Wildcats haven't lost so far in 2009 either. But don't count out Clark-Atlanta, whose Lady Panthers were the only other women's team in the league to finish the regular season with at least 20 wins (24-3 overall, 20-2 SIAC).
As for the men, it was a two-team race during the regular season as well, with newcomer Claflin (23-2, 22-2) finishing first, and defending tournament champion Benedict (23-4, 21-3) coming in a close second. Another team to watch is Lane, whose Dragons (20-7, 18-6) enter the SIAC tourney seeded third. But the sleeper team to pay attention just might be Albany State (13-14, 12-12). Although the Golden Rams have been up and down all season, they've won five of their last six games to close out the regular season.
Gulf South Conference (at Southaven, Miss.): This could be among the most competitive conference tournaments in all of D-II, as seven of the 10 teams in the women's bracket have won at least 18 games overall, while nine of the 10 teams in the men's bracket finished the regular season with a .500 or better overall record.
While No. 12 (NABC) Christian Brothers is favored to win the autobid to the NCAA tournament, there are plenty of teams that want take home the title, like GSC East champion Valdosta State (22-5), Delta State (20-7), Arkansas Tech (19-8), and Arkansas-Monticello (19-8), among others.
Oh, and the women's bracket doesn't lack any drama either, as West Georgia (21-6) and Delta State (23-6) could very well find themselves playing in the title game come Sunday, while Valdosta State (20-7), Arkansas-Monticello (18-7), and Arkansas Tech (19-8) could be the teams that disrupt that order.
So, there you have it. March Madness. Will the favorites go all the way, or will there be chaos the between now and Selection Sunday? Those will be among the obvious questions that will be answered over the next five days. So sit back and enjoy all the fun that is the postseason in NCAA Division II basketball.
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