Hoops HD

HoopsHD continues its series leading up to Selection Sunday and March Madness, as we simulate what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next is the last of the conference tournaments, the WAC.  New Mexico State was perfect during the regular season against WAC competition and was looking to add three more wins en route to an NCAA Tournament bid.  Would the Aggies get that bid, or would someone else surprise them?  It is time to find out!

WAC QUARTERFINALS

Dayton and New Mexico State were the only two teams in the nation to go undefeated in conference regular season play this year.  Unlike Dayton, however, the New Mexico State Aggies would need an automatic bid, and would have to win 3 games in 3 days in Las Vegas, to advance to the NCAA Tournament.  Up first in the quarterfinals was 8-seed Chicago State, and the Aggies rolled 76-61 behind 18 points from Jabari Rice.  The day’s second quarterfinal saw Thunder Dan Majerle’s Grand Canyon Antelopes get knocked out of the tournament by the Kansas City ‘Roos, 69-57, in a game that was not even as close as the final score.  As the game ended, the rumors began to swirl even more over whether Thunder Dan would be back next season.

The evening games started with 2-seed UTRGV taking on 7-seed Bakersfield.  Despite being a 2 vs 7 game, the teams were only separated by a few games in the final conference standings.  This made it not much of a shocker when Bakersfield pulled off the 78-71 upset, overcoming a 7-point halftime deficit along the way.  In the late game, it was 6-seed Utah Valley upending 3-seed Seattle 81-66 behind 17 points each from TJ Washington and Casdon Jardine.

WAC SEMIFINALS

Up next for New Mexico State was the Kansas City ‘Roos, a team that, if they lost, would be playing in their final ever WAC game as the school was set to return to the Summit League next season.  There was not going be a final celebratory moment on the way out for Kansas City, as the Aggies took care of business, opening a 6-point halftime lead and winning by a final score of 75-65.  Trevelin Queen led his team in scoring, dropping 17 points for NMSU.  One game was left between New Mexico State and perfection in the WAC this season – Saturday night’s championship game.

The Bakersfield Roadrunners were also on their way out of the WAC after this season, with a spot in the Big West Conference waiting for the school next year.  Unlike Kansas City, however, the ‘Runners were not quite done with WAC play yet, as they turned a 3-point halftime deficit into an 86-81 win over the Wolverines of Utah Valley.  Greg Lee was the standout star in this game, scoring 19 points for Bakersfield.  The Roadrunners, whose 2016 WAC Tourney title was the only one by a team not named New Mexico State over the past seven years, were back in the championship game for one final time.

WAC CHAMPIONSHIP

It was top-seed New Mexico State against 7-seed Bakersfield for the WAC Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.  New Mexico State was looking to make it 7 out of 8 seasons in the Big Dance while the Roadrunners wanted to leave the WAC with a bang, knocking off the mighty Aggies.  Although Bakersfield played with a ton of heart, and was able to stay within striking distance the entire night, it was clear that New Mexico State was the better team, and in the end they cut down the nets as WAC Champions again, winning 72-62.  Jabari Rice shone in this game for NMSU, dropping 24 points including going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, to lead his team to perfection against WAC competition this year and a spot in the Big Dance.

HoopsHD continues its series leading up to Selection Sunday and March Madness, as we simulate what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next is the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.  The Little Rock Trojans were one of the biggest surprises of the college basketball season when then went from 23 losses last year and a preseason pick to finish near the bottom of the conference again to winning 21 games and taking the Sun Belt regular season title by two games over Texas State and South Alabama.  The Trojans were still two wins away, however, from a trip to the NCAA Tournament.  Would they get those W’s?  It is time to find out!

SUN BELT SEMIFINALS

Despite being picked by many to finish near the bottom of the Sun Belt standings this season, the Little Rock Trojans surprised the entire conference by just finding ways to win games all year long.  The Trojans finished 15-5 in conference play and won the league by 2 games, getting a bye into the conference semifinals in New Orleans where they began their run at an NCAA bid by taking on 5-seed Georgia Southern.  Little Rock’s run also ended in the first game, as the Eagles turned a close game at the half into a 15-point blowout by the final buzzer, winning 91-76 behind 18 points from Quan Jackson and 14 form Ike Smith.  Little Rock’s season would continue, but in the NIT and not the NCAA Tournament.

In the second semifinal, 2-seed South Alabama took on 3-seed Texas State.  The Texas State Bobcats had come on strong late in the season and were a popular choice heading into the Sun Belt tourney in New Orleans to cut down the nets.  The Bobcats played like that team in this night’s game, building a halftime lead and extending it out in the second to defeat the Jaguars 71-61.  Isiah Small had a double-double for the victors with 13 points and 12 rebounds.  After a pair of upsets (in terms of seeds at least), the Sun Belt was set for a battle of the 3-seed versus the 5-seed in Sunday afternoon’s championship game.

SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP

Georgia Southern’s last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 1992.  Texas State’s was in 1997.  One of those teams was going to have their streak end on Selection Sunday when the two teams met in the Sun Belt championship game in New Orleans.  The Eagles came out on fire in the first half, building a 14-point halftime lead.  The Bobcats were not done, however, as they spent the entire second half fighting to get back into the game.  Unfortunately for Texas State, time ran out before they were able to catch the Eagles, and Georgia Southern’s 28-year absence from the Big Dance had ended with a 72-67 win.   Quan Jackson was the star for the Eagles, scoring 19 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

HoopsHD continues its series leading up to Selection Sunday and March Madness, as we simulate what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next is the SWAC, a conference whose automatic bid winner was likely headed to the First Four in Dayton.  After dominating the conference in 2018-19 and winning the the automatic bid, Prairie View A&M was once again the top seed and entered the semifinal round in Birmingham as the favorite to repeat.  Would they do it?  Could perennial power Texas Southern reclaim the crown?  Would Southern or Jackson State surprise?  It is time to find out!

SWAC SEMIFINALS

The Prairie View A&M Panthers won their second straight SWAC regular season championship this year and were looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and third time in school history.  First, they had to get by the conference’s 4-seed, Jackson State.  Despite entering the game with a sub-.500 overall record, Jackson State showed up ready to play, jumping out early and building a 13-point advantage at the half.  The Panthers spent the entire second half trying to fight back, and had a shot when Lenell Henry drained a 3 with 7 seconds left to cut the Jackson State lead to 74-71 and then watched the Tigers miss a pair of free throws.  Without any timeouts left, however, all the Panthers could muster was a ¾ court shot at the buzzer, which did not come close, and the upset was officially in the books.  Jackson State advanced to the SWAC title game while Prairie View was off to the NIT.

The second semifinal saw the 2-seed Southern University taking on Johnny Jones’ 3-seed Texas Southern Tigers.  Much like the first game of the night, the lower seeded team jumped out to a decent-sized lead at the half, this time 49-40 in favor of the Tigers.  The Southern University Jaguars, unlike Prairie View earlier, did not have a second half run in them.  Instead, the Tigers kept their foot on the gas pedal and coasted home with a 92-67 win and a chance to make the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last seven years.  Tyrik Armstrong led the way for Texas Southern with 19 points in the victory.

SWAC CHAMPIONSHIP

It had been 13 years since Jackson State last made the Big Dance, but thanks to their upset win in the semifinals over Prairie View, they had a chance this season.  Unfortunately for JSU fans, one upset was all the team had in them.  Texas Southern built an 8-point lead in the first half and did just enough to hold Jackson State off in the second, despite a game-high 25 points from Jackson State’s Tristan Jarrett, winning by a final score of 86-76.  Yahuza Ross had a double-double for the champions, scoring 10 points while pulling down 14 rebounds.  Texas Southern was back in the Dance, and was likely getting ready for a trip to the First Four in Dayton.

HoopsHD continues its series leading up to Selection Sunday and March Madness, as we simulate what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t).  Up next is the Southland Conference Tournament.  Stephen F. Austin had an incredible regular season, losing only 1 league game and winning at Duke in one of the biggest upsets of the season.  The Lumberjacks needed only two wins to make the Big Dance.  Could they get them?  It is time to find out!

SOUTHLAND QUARTERFINALS

Top seeds Stephen F. Austin and Abilene Christian had byes to the semifinal round, but there were still a pair of quarterfinals to be played to determine their opponents.  In the first game of the night, 4-seed Sam Houston State took on 5-seed Northwestern State.  The Bearkats, led by 20 points from RJ Smith, had all the answers in this one, opening up a lead early in the second half and winning by a final score of 86-77.  The second game saw the Nicholls State Colonels jump out to a 16-point lead at the half only to have Lamar fight and claw their way back in the second.  However, despite closing it down to as few as 4 points, time ran out on Lamar and Nicholls was on to the semifinals, 82-75.

SOUTHLAND SEMIFINALS

The best rivalry in the Southland for years has been the one between Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State.  These two teams met in the first semifinal, in a game that the Lumberjacks, who had won at Duke this season, were heavily favored to win.  However, records and odds need to be thrown away when two rivals meet.  Sam Houston State jumped out to an early lead in a high-scoring affair, taking a 51-42 advantage into the halftime break.  SFA fought and clawed the entire second half, finally closing the gap to 2 with just under a minute left to play.  After the Lumberjacks held defensively, they had the ball and a chance to tie or win with 16 seconds on the clock.  Gavin Kensmil got open from 8 feet out, but could not get the shot to fall.  The 90-88 upset was complete, and Sam Houston State, behind 23 points from Kai Mitchell, was off to the Southland championship game.

In the second semifinal, defending conference tournament champion Abilene Christian was matched up with 3-seed Nicholls State.  Abilene dominated the first half, building a 13-point lead at the break.  Nicholls made several runs in the second period, and was able to pull within one point with 15 seconds left to play.  After Abilene made only one of two free throws, Kevin Johnson tried to play hero and win the game on a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left to play.  The shot missed badly, the Wildcats snagged the rebound, and after a pair of free throws, the game was over, with Nicholls falling to Abilene Christian by a final score of 71-67.

SOUTHLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

Sam Houston State had finished the Southland regular season 8 games behind Stephen F. Austin and 4 games behind Abilene Christian in the standings.  But on Saturday evening, the Bearkats were playing for the league’s automatic bad and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.  The first half was back and forth, but the Wildcats were able to build a 5-point advantage at the break, 39-34.  That lead lasted all of 2 minutes into the second half before Sam Houston tied it and then went ahead.  The game remained close the rest of the way, but the Bearkats opened it up to 7 with 30 seconds left and were able to hold on by a final score of 75-69.  Zach Nutall led the way for the champions with 21 points.  For the first time since 2010, Sam Houston State was on its way to the Big Dance.