As the major conferences prepare for their tournaments, four mid-majors punched their tickets to the NCAA tournament on Monday.
KUDOS
#18 Saint Mary’s
For the first time, Saint Mary’s is the West Coast Conference regular season champ and tournament winner. Matthew Dellavedova (22 points) and his supporting cast of Rob Jones, Jorden Page, and Brad Waldow outlasted #25 Gonzaga in Las Vegas 78-74. Both will be in the NCAA tournament anyway, and either could win multiple games.
For the first time, Saint Mary’s is the West Coast Conference regular season champ and tournament winner. Matthew Dellavedova (22 points) and his supporting cast of Rob Jones, Jorden Page, and Brad Waldow outlasted #25 Gonzaga in Las Vegas 78-74. Both will be in the NCAA tournament anyway, and either could win multiple games.
Virginia Commonwealth
VCU’s at-large résumé was questionable and they needed to beat Drexel, the team on the second-longest winning streak in the country, to assure another NCAA tournament appearance. The Rams did just that, beating the red-hot Dragons in the CAA championship game 59-56. Disruptive defense helped them build a big lead and clutch free-throw shooting helped them hold on down the stretch. Drexel: welcome to the bubble.
VCU’s at-large résumé was questionable and they needed to beat Drexel, the team on the second-longest winning streak in the country, to assure another NCAA tournament appearance. The Rams did just that, beating the red-hot Dragons in the CAA championship game 59-56. Disruptive defense helped them build a big lead and clutch free-throw shooting helped them hold on down the stretch. Drexel: welcome to the bubble.
Davidson
The Wildcats survived a major scare from Western Carolina in the Southern Conference championship game to secure their NCAA tournament berth. Davidson squandered a ten-point lead with just over a minute to go, and then needed two overtimes to seal the deal, 93-91. A Davidson team that has already beaten Kansas this year could be a tricky out in March Madness.
The Wildcats survived a major scare from Western Carolina in the Southern Conference championship game to secure their NCAA tournament berth. Davidson squandered a ten-point lead with just over a minute to go, and then needed two overtimes to seal the deal, 93-91. A Davidson team that has already beaten Kansas this year could be a tricky out in March Madness.
Loyola (MD)
Fairfield eliminated Iona in the MAAC semifinals, but it’s Loyola who will take the conference’s automatic bid after winning the championship game 48-44.
Fairfield eliminated Iona in the MAAC semifinals, but it’s Loyola who will take the conference’s automatic bid after winning the championship game 48-44.
HEAD-SCRATCHER
Oral Roberts
Like Iona and Middle Tennessee before it, Oral Roberts failed to translate regular season dominance into conference tournament success. The Golden Eagles went 17-1 within the Summit League, but a big night from Dominique Morrison in the tourney semifinal wasn’t enough to beat upstart Western Illinois, which finished just 9-9 in the conference but won 54-53. Western Illinois advances to the Summit championship game and will play South Dakota State.
Like Iona and Middle Tennessee before it, Oral Roberts failed to translate regular season dominance into conference tournament success. The Golden Eagles went 17-1 within the Summit League, but a big night from Dominique Morrison in the tourney semifinal wasn’t enough to beat upstart Western Illinois, which finished just 9-9 in the conference but won 54-53. Western Illinois advances to the Summit championship game and will play South Dakota State.
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