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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 29, 2022 18:13:33 GMT -5
Don't forget, the NIT semis are tonight on ESPN.
7:00 PM Bob Lanier vs Tyrone Hill. ESPN. Two teams in interesting circumstances. St. Bonaventure was ranked in most Top 25 lists at the start of the season. Xavier fired their coach after missing the NCAA tournament again, but the interim guy has led the Musketeers to wins over two SEC teams. Solid match up.
9:30 PM Big James "Dukes" Donaldson vs Acie Law IV. ESPN2. Washington State beat mid majors Santa Clara, SMU, and BYU to get this far in the NIT. Texas A&M just missed the Big Dance while closing the regular season in blistering fashion. So far in the NIT they have beaten Santa Clara in a so-so performance, but looked outstanding in beating Oregon and Wake Forest by 15 points each. I've had the Aggies as the favorite to win the NIT since they beat Oregon.
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Post by happy on Mar 29, 2022 19:00:08 GMT -5
Don't forget, the NIT semis are tonight on ESPN. 7:00 PM Bob Lanier vs Tyrone Hill. ESPN. Two teams in interesting circumstances. St. Bonaventure was ranked in most Top 25 lists at the start of the season. Xavier fired their coach after missing the NCAA tournament again, but the interim guy has led the Musketeers to wins over two SEC teams. Solid match up. 9:30 PM Big James "Dukes" Donaldson vs Acie Law IV. ESPN2. Washington State beat mid majors Santa Clara, SMU, and BYU to get this far in the NIT. Texas A&M just missed the Big Dance while closing the regular season in blistering fashion. So far in the NIT they have beaten Santa Clara in a so-so performance, but looked outstanding in beating Oregon and Wake Forest by 15 points each. I've had the Aggies as the favorite to win the NIT since they beat Oregon. Tyrone Hill up at halftime
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 29, 2022 23:18:09 GMT -5
Tuesday, March 29
NIT Semi-Finals
Xavier 84, St. Bonaventure 77. Xavier (22-13) got a big early lead--19 points with 5 minutes left in the first half, 15 at halftime--and while the Bonnies (23-10) tightened it up in the final minutes, it was the proverbial too little, too late.
Texas A&M 72, Washington State 56. The Aggies (27-12) are playing about as well as anyone in college hoops right now. Too bad they lost 9 of 10 between January 19 and February 19. Washington State finished 22-15.
Catching up With Small Colleges Northwest Missouri State beat Augusta (Georgia), 72-58, over the weekend for its third straight NCAA D-2 championship.
Randolph-Macon (VA) beat Elmhurst (IL) 75-45 for the D-3 title on March 19.
Loyola (New Orleans), where Jim Harding had his first head coaching job at what was then an NCAA D-1 program, beat Talladega for the NAIA title on March 22, 71-56. It was the Wolfpack's first title since 1945. Loyola finished 37-1.
Paul Quinn College beat Bryant & Stratton--Buffalo (you probably didn't know Bryant & Stratton had a Buffalo campus) 80-69 on March 10 to win the US Collegiate Athletic Association D-1 title. The USCAA is for really small colleges.
In the smallest of the small, the USCAA D-2 title went to Southern Maine Community College, which beat 4-year Johnson & Wales--Charlotte (you probably didn't know that Johnson & Wales had a Charlotte campus) 79-75 on March 10.
The National Junior College Athletic Association D-1 title went to perennial power Northwest Florida State, beating top-ranked Salt Lake CC 83-67. It was NW Florida's third NJCCA title, the others coming in 1995 and 2015. Winning the NJCAA title is a real grind--5 games in 6 days. NJCAA D-1 teams grant full scholarships (Tuition & books) plus one round-trip transportation to the student's home.
The NJCAA D-2 title--all the Michigan jucos play D-2--went to South Suburban CC (Illinois), which became the first NJCAA D-2 ever to go undefeated, finishing 32-0. D-2 schools grant full scholarships covering tuition and books.
Dallas North Lake won the NJCAA D-3 title in overtime over Genessee (NY) CC. It is North Lake's 4th title. D-3 jucos do not offer scholarships.
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 31, 2022 18:10:50 GMT -5
What to Watch for March 31.
This is the first of a three day stretch of high intensity basketball.
7:00 PM Xavier vs Texas A&M. ESPN. This is the NIT championship game, with the possibility that it will be the last NIT championship game played in the Garden. Both teams have made impressive runs to get here. Texas A&M overcame their disappointment in missing the NCAA tournament by focusing and continuing the strong play they showed to close the regular season and conference tournament.
Jonas Hayes, the interim coach of Xavier, took over after the Musketeer's first round win over Cleveland State following the firing of Travis Steele. He's led the team to wins over Florida, Vanderbilt, and St. Bonaventure.
This should be a really good game. I still get excited about the NIT championship.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 31, 2022 21:00:29 GMT -5
What to Watch for March 31. This is the first of a three day stretch of high intensity basketball. 7:00 PM Xavier vs Texas A&M. ESPN. This is the NIT championship game, with the possibility that it will be the last NIT championship game played in the Garden. Both teams have made impressive runs to get here. Texas A&M overcame their disappointment in missing the NCAA tournament by focusing and continuing the strong play they showed to close the regular season and conference tournament. Jonas Hayes, the interim coach of Xavier, took over after the Musketeer's first round win over Cleveland State following the firing of Travis Steele. He's led the team to wins over Florida, Vanderbilt, and St. Bonaventure. This should be a really good game. I still get excited about the NIT championship. Thursday, March 31
NIT FinalXavier 73, Texas A&M 72. It was a really good game, close and well-played. Xavier led early, A&M led in the middle part of the game, and the final 12 minutes were nip and tuck all the way. Jack Nunge banked a sort of jump hook shot off the backboard with 5 seconds left to put Xavier back in the lead, and A&M's last, desperation shot, a long three by Tyreece Redford, was close but off the mark. Xavier finishes 23-13, A&M 27-13.
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 31, 2022 21:32:00 GMT -5
What to Watch for March 31. This is the first of a three day stretch of high intensity basketball. 7:00 PM Xavier vs Texas A&M. ESPN. This is the NIT championship game, with the possibility that it will be the last NIT championship game played in the Garden. Both teams have made impressive runs to get here. Texas A&M overcame their disappointment in missing the NCAA tournament by focusing and continuing the strong play they showed to close the regular season and conference tournament. Jonas Hayes, the interim coach of Xavier, took over after the Musketeer's first round win over Cleveland State following the firing of Travis Steele. He's led the team to wins over Florida, Vanderbilt, and St. Bonaventure. This should be a really good game. I still get excited about the NIT championship. Thursday, March 31
NIT FinalXavier 73, Texas A&M 72. It was a really good game, close and well-played. Xavier led early, A&M led in the middle part of the game, and the final 12 minutes were nip and tuck all the way. Jack Nunge banked a sort of jump hook shot off the backboard with 5 seconds left to put Xavier back in the lead, and A&M's last, desperation shot, a long three by Tyreece Redford, was close but off the mark. Xavier finishes 23-13, A&M 27-13. One of the ESPN guys announced early in the broadcast that incoming Xavier coach Sean Miller had offered the associate head coach job to Jonas Hayes, if he would like to stay with the program. There is some speculation that Hayes might be in line for a head coaching job somewhere. He certainly raised his profile with this run.
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Post by friartitan on Mar 31, 2022 22:10:55 GMT -5
FriarTitan was a Musketeer before he was a Titan..Great night for the Musketeers after 64 years..I remember the 1958 NIT Championship Banner proudly hanging from the rafters of the field house...Tonight I watched the game with my 11 year old grandson and could not be happier for Xavier....
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Post by Rogobob77 on Mar 31, 2022 22:47:28 GMT -5
FriarTitan was a Musketeer before he was a Titan..Great night for the Musketeers after 64 years..I remember the 1958 NIT Championship Banner proudly hanging from the rafters of the field house...Tonight I watched the game with my 11 year old grandson and could not be happier for Xavier.... Perspective | “As the NIT leaves the Garden, one of basketball’s grand traditions will vanish” — By John Feinstein www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/03/31/nit-madison-square-garden/
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Post by Rogobob77 on Apr 1, 2022 8:34:00 GMT -5
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Post by Commissioner on Apr 2, 2022 14:29:37 GMT -5
Friday, April 1
The Basketball, ahem, Classic Fresno State 85, Coastal Carolina 74. Is it fitting that the final of the rather disorganized, first Basketball Classic should be played on April Fool's Day? Anyway, the game wasn't much of a classic--Fresno State, the highest-ranked team in the field, took control early, and led by 18 at halftime and by 24 early in the second half. Starting about midway through the half sustained Coastal Carolina run cut the lead to 7 with about 2 minutes to play, but just when it looked like things might get interesting, Fresno responded with a quick 8-2 burst to wrap it up. The Bulldogs finish 23-13; Coastal finishes 19-14. Attendance at Coastal Carolina was 3212.
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 2, 2022 16:16:07 GMT -5
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 2, 2022 16:38:03 GMT -5
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Post by Commissioner on Apr 2, 2022 22:06:57 GMT -5
Saturday, April 2
North Carolina 81, Duke 77. What's the phrase? "Instant Classic." It's way over-used these days, but merited here. Big-time college hoops at its best in every way. And I say that as one with a deep, abiding hatred for all things ACC.
Kansas 81, Villanova 65. Not an instant classic, but for Kansas fans, it'll do.
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Post by ptctitan on Apr 5, 2022 7:50:52 GMT -5
I missed mcsam's preview of last night's championship game. I was thinking Shoe Money Bag Man vs Descendants of Fake Classes Quite an exciting game. Lots of Sprained Ankles for the Tar Heels. Hurt when Bacot turned his ankle when the temporary floor buckled in the final minute.
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Post by titantarheel on Apr 5, 2022 8:30:38 GMT -5
Great tournament especially the final weekend, as a biased UNC alum. It was all house money with these fun Tar Heels, an 8 seed who not long ago was firmly on the bubble to even make it (or for a little while going to miss the tournament). Came together, played as a team and just competed each and every game and rewarded with ending K's career and a run all the to a one possession loss in the title game. Roy Williams always preached to fans to 'enjoy the ride' and this was indeed enjoyable. And hats off to Kansas for getting it done and making the big comeback. (and points to PTC for the humor ) CBS already out with the 'too early top 25' www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/college-basketball-rankings-ucla-is-no-1-over-no-2-unc-in-never-too-early-preseason-2022-23-top-25-and-1/Of course its sure to evolve as the final recruits sign, guys decide on the NBA and of course the black box of the ~30% of all players headed to the transfer portal.
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