The final round of conference championship games featured some shockers.
KUDOS
Vanderbilt
The Commodores finally delivered. After an up-and-down season, Vanderbilt ended up with the last laugh by winning its first SEC championship in basically forever. They downed #1 Kentucky 71-64 by ending the game on a 16-2 run. Festus Ezeli (17 points) kept Anthony Davis under control and Jeffrey Taylor and John Jenkins combined for 35 points. Vandy's defense held Kentucky to 36% shooting and just 6-of-28 from three-point range. An impressive performance for the experienced and talented Commodores.
#17 Florida State
The Seminoles used a stellar shooting performance to build up a big lead on the John Henson-less Tar Heels, and then held on down the stretch to win their first ACC championship, 85-82. Seven FSU players scored at least 9 points in a balanced offensive effort led by Michael Snaer (18 points on 7-of-13 shooting) and Luke Loucks (13 assists). And their physical defense limited UNC to sub-40% shooting. The Seminoles beat both North Carolina and Duke twice this season and enter the NCAA tournament as a very dangerous team capable of making a run.
St. Bonaventure
The topsy-turvy Atlantic 10 season ended appropriately, with St. Bonaventure capturing the tourney championship by beating Xavier 67-56. Conference player of the year Andrew Nicholson had 26 points, 14 rebounds, and eight blocks. The Bonnies will make their first NCAA tournament appearance in 12 years, stealing a bid from a potential bubble team hours before the brackets were unveiled.
#8 Michigan State
The Spartans didn't win the Big 10 title outright, but made up for it by winning the conference championship game over #7 Ohio State 68-64. Draymond Green was only 4-of-14 from the field, but his first basket of the second half was a killer three-pointer with a minute and a half remaining to put the Spartans up five. Tom Izzo's team has kept itself in consideration for a #1 seed.
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