Braswell and the Matadors had to overcome an injury to a key player, as well as losing their leading scorer Deon Tresvant. Tresvant was arrested and charged with theft at an electronic store on New Year’s Day, and has been held by the school since then. Tresvant has a preliminary hearing on Monday.

So it was gratifying to see Braswell and the Matadors (17-13) defeat the University of the Pacific 71-66 in overtime late last night in Anaheim. The win gave them their first Big West Conference title and a trip to the NCAA’s.

I’ve watched Braswell since he was the head coach at Cleveland High School in Reseda, CA. He and the Cavaliers reached the Los Angeles City Section championship game twice with former NBA player Lucious Harris and former UCLA star Trevor Wilson. He has always been one of the nicer coaches I’ve had the chance to interview.

Braswell left Cleveland and jumped to Division I college basketball. He spent some time as an assistant coach at my alma mater Long Beach State from 1989-92. Later he was an assistant at Oregon before landing at Cal State Northridge, his alma mater, in 1996.

Congratulations coach on your first conference championship. Have a great time at the Big Dance.

Post from: EveryJoe

Braswell and Cal State Northridge Overcome Troubles to Win Big West Championship

Bozeman has been through a lot of crap since becoming the youngest Division I coach to lead a team into the Sweet 16, as he did with California in 1993 at 29.

In 1996 he was fired at California after admitting that he spent $30,000 on travel for two years on two parents so they could see their kid, Jelani Gardner play. The brat later transferred to Pepperdine after he and his gold-digging parents complained about his playing time.

Other violations forced Cal to forfeit the entire 1994-95 season, and all but two games in the 1995-96 season.

Bozeman was even accused of sexual harassment by a student at Cal, but was never charged or arrested.

He was pretty much banned from coaching in the NCAA for eight years. Bozeman spent that time as a scout in the NBA before finally getting another shot at coaching college basketball at Morgan State.

So imagine how good he must feel tonight after leading Morgan State (23-11) to its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and its first NCAA bid. Bozeman leading another Bears team to the Big Dance after they defeated Norfolk State 83-69 earlier tonight.

As Bozeman cried after seeing his team advance, I’m sure it will occur to him later that this isn’t the first time he’s been there before, and maybe remembering some things from the past won’t be so bad after all.

Post from: EveryJoe

Bozeman Gets Some Redemption By Leading Morgan State to its First Ever NCAA Tourney

It’s great to watch all those long-suffering players, coaches, students, fans and alum rush the court after knowing they will play with the big boys for a day or two for the first time. Tears of joy all around from the fans, to the players and the coaches.

That’s what it was like today for the Binghamton Bearcats as they defeated defending conference tournament champs, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County 61-51 for the American East Conference title.

The Bearcats (23-8) have won 11 straight and the 23 wins is a school record since joining Division I in the 2001-2002 season. It was also the first championship of any kind in the school’s 63-year history.

According to a story on ESPN.com, Binghamton The Bearcats were ripped in a recent story in the New York Times that criticized the school administration and coach Kevin Broadus, the conference Coach of the Year for his recruiting.

Come on! Who pays attention to the New York Times these days? The paper is on the verge of bankruptcy and the Sunday edition costs more than its stock.

Now the joke’s on the Times and everyone who has come down on the Bearcats, Broadus and the rest of this small school in New York State.

Congratulations on the win. And here’s hoping that your first trip to the Big Dance provides you with some memories that will last a lifetime!

Post from: EveryJoe

Binghamton is Dancing for the First Time

Something finally had to give and it did for No. 18 Syracuse (23-9). It was Louisville’s stiffing defense that helped give the No. 5 Cardinals a 76-66 win for their first Big East title, and probable number one seeding when the brackets are announced on Sunday.

Syracuse will no doubt get an invite after pulling off an incredible six overtime win against win against Connecticut on Thursday, and another overtime win against West Virginia less than 24 hours later, before finally being wrestled to the ground by Louisville.

It will be a well-deserved five or six days rest for the Orange as it prepares for the NCAA tournament.

Post from: EveryJoe

Syracuse Finally Runs Out of Gas

An Arizona State win and USC goes to the N.I.T.

But noooooooooooo!

Now the No. 23 Sun Devils loss will have you sitting on pins and needles on Sunday. You’ll have to wait and see if you will be one of the 65 teams to get into the tournament. Your chances became fewer, because the Sun Devils couldn’t hold off USC today in a 66-63 loss USC’s backyard at Staples Center.

It was the first Pac-10 championship for the Trojans (21-12), which advances to the Big Dance for the third straight year. The Trojans waited until the conference tournament to have a good run after going 1-6 in February.

USC trailed by 15 at halftime, and then went on a 29-16 run in the second half. Arizona State had a chance to win it, but Pac-10 Player of the Year, James Harding had one of the worst 50 seconds ever, missing a free throw, layup and three-pointer that could have made the difference.

Freshman DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 25 points and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for USC.

Arizona State finishes the regular season at 23-9, and will no doubt get an invite, along with No. 10 Washington, No. 15 UCLA, and maybe California.

I said maybe. Don’t hold your breath Bear fans.

In the meantime, whichever one of you gets bumped out of the tournament tomorrow, I would suggest sending a dozen thorns to Arizona State.

Post from: EveryJoe

Bubble Teams, Blame Arizona State

This is not to be confused with “Decision Sunday” or “Selection Sunday” tomorrow.

A total of 12 conferences have finals today. It started when I woke up with the American East Conference championship game between the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) taking on Binghamton. Also in progress is the Conference USA final between No. 4 Memphis and Tulsa.

After lunch Pacific Time, USC, which upset No. 15 UCLA late last night, facing No. 23 Arizona State in the Pac-10 championship.

The Big 12 final has another upstart Baylor playing No. 14 Missouri. The Temple Owls (remember when they were a power?) plays Duquesne for the Atlantic 10 championship.

The Mountain West championship has San Diego State facing Utah. In the MEAC championship, it’s Morgan State verses Norfolk State. Buffalo plays Akron for the MAC title, and one of the biggies, Louisville vs. Syracuse for the Big East championship.

Seriously, who isn’t rooting for Syracuse after what its pulled off in the past two days?

The SWAC final has Jackson State playing Alabama State. An hour later Utah State plays Nevada for the WAC championship.

We close out the day with the Big West championship featuring Cal State Northridge vs. Pacific at 9 p.m. Pacific Time.

Aren’t most of you glad you’ll be asleep for that one?

And don’t forget, Sunday has finals in the SEC, Big 10 (plus one) and ACC with Selection Sunday right after.

So pull up a chair, send the spouse and kids, or college basketball-hating roommate shopping or to a movie and have a great weekend watching so much college basketball that your eyes bleed.

Already in
Cornell (21-9), Ivy League
East Tennessee State (23-10), Atlantic Sun Conference
Morehead State (19-15), Ohio Valley Conference
Northern Iowa (22-10), Missouri Valley Conference
Radford (21-11), Big South Conference
Cleveland State (25-10), Horizon League
Gonzaga (26-5), West Coast Conference
Siena (26-7), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Virginia Commonwealth (24-9), Colonial Athletic Association
Chattanooga (18-16), Southern Conference
Western Kentucky (24-8), Sun Belt Conference
North Dakota State (26-6), Summit League
Portland State (23-9), Big Sky Conference
Robert Morris (24-10), Northeast Conference
American (24-7), Patriot League

Post from: EveryJoe

Decision Saturday

American University (if that’s not a great, typical for a school that plays in the Patriot League, I don’t know what is), advanced to the Big Dance yesterday by defeating Holy Cross 73-57.

The Eagles (another great, typical name) have won 13 straight and 20 of the last 22. They finished the regular season 24-7 and 13-1 in the conference play. The Eagles didn’t really have any quality wins, but did have some quality losses against the likes of Oklahoma, Georgetown and Maryland.

The Eagles are in the tournament for the second straight season and are led by senior guard Garrison Carr, whoi is averaging 17.8 points a game. American was a 15 seed last year and lost to Tennessee in the first round. This year expect much of the same when the brackets are announced on Sunday.

So why am I spending my Saturday morning talking this Washington D.C school with an enrollment of just under 10,000?

Well, why not?!

One of the great things about the NCAA basketball tournament, is that every year we see schools that most of us have never heard of get in an play with the big boys for a day or two. And who knows? Someone has to wear the glass slipper for a couple of games, and who says it can’t be American?

Post from: EveryJoe

An American Cinderalla Story? It Could Happen

In bed ready to go to sleep, thinking about the meetings and conference calls I have today.

It was about 9:30 p.m. Pacific Time when I checked on I think the fourth or fifth overtime and thought, “ok, UConn has this thing won. I can go to sleep now.”

My wife came in and asked why was I still awake. I told her what was going on, explaining the significance of the game, she said, “oh you have to stay with this until it’s over.”

Thanks a lot.

By the time it was over and Associated Press number 18th ranked Syracuse pulled off a 127-117 six freaking overtime win against No. 3 UConn, all I could think about was all you poor souls east of the Mississippi who also stayed up for the whole thing. After all, it was 1:22 a.m. in the east. I think the Big East Conference quarterfinal started sometime around 3 p.m. out here, or at least it felt like it did.

No. 15 UCLA was done beating Washington State 64-53 in a Pacific 10 Conference tournament game out here. Syracuse and UConn were still playing!

Believe it or not, the six overtimes is only the second longest in NCAA history.

Cincinnati needed seven overtimes to beat Bradley 75-73 in 1981.

It took seven overtimes to score just 75 points?!

You can only imagine what West Virgina, Syracuse’s opponent in today’s semifinals at 6 p.m. Pacific Time was thinking.

“How about a seventh or eighth overtime! Why not just keep playing until the tip-off of our game. Who needs rest!”

Now back to the conference calls, meetings and another cup of coffee. For those of you further east of here, have a second, third or fourth cup of coffee on me.

Post from: EveryJoe

Syracuse vs. Connecticut Provide One of the Ultimate “Where Were You” Sports Moments

Dallas Green (wasn’t he once the Philadelphia Phillies manager?) grabbed a loose ball and went the distance for the game winning score.

Congrats to Robert Morris, but don’t get too excited. Chances are you will be the one playing in the play-in game against, I’m guessing, Morehead State to see who makes the official 64.

Right after that game, I was going to check in and see some of the Big Sky Conference championship between Portland State and Montana State. I tuned in only to find that it had been blacked out in the Los Angeles market.

There are about a million cable channels and they’re still blacking out games?

What I missed was Julius Thomas scoring on a tie-breaking dunk with 3.5 seconds to play. Portland State (23-9) held on for a 79-77 win preventing a sub-.500 Montana State team (14-17) from advancing to the NCAA tournament. Portland State repeats as conference champs and will be dancing for the second consecutive year.

So what did I watch instead? “Man vs. Food” on the Travel Channel. Have you seen this show? It’s pretty insane and the host will eat just about anything – TWICE!

All day today and lasting well past midnight out here, conference tournament games are being played. I think the first game was on when I got up around 5:30 a.m. this morning. So enjoy!

From the “Did You Know” department

Did you know that the Big West and Mid-Eastern Athletic conferences are the only two conference where every team from top to bottom has double-figure losses?

Here’s the latest invite list.
Cornell (21-9), Ivy League
East Tennessee State (23-10), Atlantic Sun Conference
Morehead State (19-15), Ohio Valley Conference
Northern Iowa (22-10), Missouri Valley Conference
Radford (21-11), Big South Conference
Cleveland State (25-10), Horizon League
Gonzaga (26-5), West Coast Conference
Siena (26-7), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Virginia Commonwealth (24-9), Colonial Athletic Association
Chattanooga (18-16), Southern Conference
Western Kentucky (24-8), Sun Belt Conference
North Dakota State (26-6), Summit League
Portland State (23-9), Big Sky Conference
Robert Morris (24-10), Northeast Conference

Post from: EveryJoe

Robert Morris and Portland State get Invites

And it will actually end in March!

And news from the Division II home page.

The NCAA announced its 64-team field for this year’s Division II Tournament Sunday night and the two teams that finished the season undefeated could hook up in a national quarterfinal match if they can both win regionals that they will be hosting this weekend.

Findlay, the top seed in the Midwest after finishing the year at 30-0, could square off with No. 2 LIU-C.W. Post (27-0) should the Pioneers win the East title. Findlay will open with defending regional champion Grand Valley State Saturday, while C.W. Post drew Philadelphia in the opening round.

No. 3 BYU-Hawaii and the other teams in the West Regional will start Friday at two sites. BYU-Hawaii hosts Humboldt State in the opener and the winner gets Cal State-Dominguez Hills or Central Washington. The other four teams will go to No. 23 Western Washington with the two sub-regional winners meeting up Tuesday at the home of the highest remaining seed.

The other regional hosts will be No. 4 Augusta State (Southeast), No. 5 Gannon (Atlantic), No. 6 Central Missouri (South Central) — the winner of three straight overtime games to take the MIAA Tournament — No. 12 Southwest Minnesota State (Central) and No. 11 Florida Southern (South). All regional play except for the West Regional begins on Satruday.

Six of the nine host schools are ranked at the top of the final NABC/Division II Coaches Poll that was released Tuesday.

ATLANTIC REGIONAL
March 14, 15 and 17 at Erie, Pa. (Host: Gannon)

Saturday, March 14
#3 Kutztown (26-4) vs. #6 West Virginia State (24-5), 12 p.m., EDT
#2 Virginia Union (21-6) vs. #7 Indiana, Pa. (21-7), 2:30 p.m., EDT
#1 Gannon (27-3) vs. #8 Pittsburgh-Johnstown (24-7), 6 p.m., EDT
#4 Johnson C. Smith (23-7) vs. #5 Alderson-Broaddus (26-5), 8:30 p.m., EDT

Sunday, March 15
Virginia Union/Indiana (Pa.) winner vs. Kutztown/West Virginia State winner, 5 p.m., EDT
Gannon/Pittsburgh-Johnstown winner vs. Johnson C. Smith/Alderson-Broaddus winner, 7:30 p.m., EDT

Tuesday, March 17
Championship game, 7 p.m, EDT

CENTRAL REGIONAL
March 14, 15 and 17 at Marshall, Minn. (Host: Southwest Minnesota State)

Saturday, March 14
#3 Metropolitan State (27-3) vs. #6 Winona State (23-8), 12 p.m., CDT
#2 St. Cloud State (22-8) vs. #7 Augustana (19-9), 2:30 p.m.
#1 Southwest Minnesota State (25-6) vs. #8 Northern State (19-10), 6 p.m., CDT
#4 Minnesota State (25-8) vs. #5 Fort Lewis (24-9), 8:30 p.m., CDT

Sunday, March 15
St. Cloud State/Augustana winner vs. Metropolitan State/Winona State winner, 5 p.m., CDT
Southwest Minnesota State/Northern State winner vs. Minnesota State/Fort Lewis winner, 7:30 p.m, CDT

Tuesday, March 17
Championship game, 7 p.m., CDT

EAST REGIONAL
March 14, 15 and 17 at Brookville, N.Y. (Host: LIU-C.W. Post)

Saturday, March 14
#3 Massachusetts-Lowell (21-7) vs. #6 Merrimack (20-8), 12 p.m., EDT
#2 Bentley (24-6) vs. #7 Bridgeport (22-8), 2:30 p.m., EDT
#1 LIU-C.W. Post (27-0) vs. #8 Philadelphia (25-5), 6 p.m., EDT
#4 Assumption (22-9) vs. #5 Stonehill (21-7), 8:30 p.m., EDT

Sunday, March 15
Bentley/Bridgeport winner vs. Massachusetts-Lowell/Merrimack winner, 5 p.m., EDT
LIU-C.W. Post/Philadelphia winner vs. Assumption/Stonehill winner, 7:30 p.m., EDT

Tuesday, March 17
Championship game, 7 p.m., EDT

MIDWEST REGIONAL
March 14, 15 and 17 at Findlay, Ohio (Host: Findlay)

Saturday, March 14
#3 Northern Kentucky (24-6) vs. Lake Superior State (21-8), 12 p.m., EDT
#2 Bellarmine (24-6) vs. #7 Kentucky Wesleyan (19-8), 2:30 p.m., EDT
#1 Findlay (30-0) vs. #8 Grand Valley State (21-9), 6 p.m., EDT
#4 Southern Indiana (26-6) vs. #5 Rockhurst (19-10), 8:30 p.m., EDT

Sunday, March 15
Bellarmine/Kentucky Wesleyan winner vs. Northern Kentucky/Lake Superior State winner, 5 p.m., EDT Findlay/Grand Valley State winner vs. Southern Indiana/Rockhurst winner, 7:30 p.m., EDT

Tuesday, March 17
Championship game, 7 p.m., EDT

SOUTH REGIONAL
March 14, 15 and 17 at Lakeland, Fla. (Host: Florida Southern)

Saturday, March 14
#2 Christian Brothers (22-6) vs. #7 Delta State (21-8), 12 p.m., EDT
#3 Claflin (24-3) vs. #6 Valdosta State (24-6), 2:30 p.m., EDT
#1 Florida Southern (27-6) vs. #8 LeMoyne-Owen (17-13), 6 p.m., EDT
#4 Arkansas Tech (22-8) vs. #5 Benedict (24-5), 8:30 p.m., EDT

Sunday, March 15
Christian Brothers/Delta State winner vs. Claflin/Valdosta State winner, 5 p.m., EDT
Florida Southern/LeMoyne-Owen winner vs. Arkansas Tech/Benedict winner, 7:30 p.m., EDT

Tuesday, March 17
Championship game, 7 p.m., EDT

SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL
March 14, 15 and 17 at Warrensburg, Mo. (Host: Central Missouri)

Saturday, March 14
#3 Central Oklahoma (24-5) vs. #6 Dallas Baptist (23-6), 12 p.m., CDT
#2 Southwest Baptist (24-4) vs. #7 Angelo State (20-8), 2:30 p.m., CDT
#1 Central Missouri (26-4) vs. #8 Texas A&M-Kingsville (19-10), 6 p.m., CDT
#4 Midwestern State (24-6) vs. #5 Incarnate Word (23-6), 8:30 p.m., CDT

Sunday, March 15
Southwest Baptist/Angelo State winner vs. Central Oklahoma/Dallas Baptist winner, 4 p.m., CDT
Central Missouri/Texas A&M-Kingsville winner vs. Midwestern State/Incarnate Word winner, 6:30 p.m., CDT

Tuesday, March 17
Championship game, 7 p.m., CDT

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL
March 14, 15 and 17 at Augusta, Ga. (Host: Augusta State)

Saturday, March 14
#3 Armstrong Atlantic State (23-6) vs. #6 Catawba (21-9), 12 p.m., EDT
#2 South Carolina Aiken (23-7) vs. #7 Lenoir-Rhyne (18-10), 2:30 p.m. EDT
#1 Augusta State (26-4) vs. #8 Tusculum (20-10), 6 p.m., EDT
#4 Georgia College & State (22-6) vs. #5 Barton (24-6), 8:30 p.m., EDT

Sunday, March 15
South Carolina Aiken/Lenoir-Rhyne winner vs. Armstrong Atlantic State/Catawba winner, 5 p.m., EDT
Augusta State/Tusculum winner vs. Georgia College & State/Barton winner, 7:30 p.m., EDT

Tuesday, March 17
Championship game, 7 p.m., EDT

WEST REGIONAL
March 13 & 14 at Laie, Hawaii (Host: BYU-Hawaii) & Bellingham, Wash. (Host: Western Washington)
March 17 at highest remaining seed

Friday, March 13 (at BYU-Hawaii)
#4 Cal State-Dominguez Hills (21-7) vs. #5 Central Washington (18-6), 5 p.m, HDT
#1 BYU-Hawaii (25-1) vs. #8 Humboldt State (20-11), 7:30 p.m., HDT

Friday, March 13 (at Western Washington)
#3 Cal Poly Pomona (20-7) vs. #6 Cal State-San Bernardino (20-9), 5 p.m., PDT
#2 Western Washington (21-5) vs. #7 Seattle Pacific (18-9), 7 p.m., PDT

Saturday, March 14 (at BYU-Hawaii)
BYU-Hawaii/Humboldt State winner vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills/Central Washington winner, 7:30 p.m., HDT

Saturday, March 14 (at Western Washington)
Western Washington/Seattle Pacific winner vs. Cal Poly Pomona/Cal St.-San Bernardino winner, 7 p.m., PDT

Tuesday, March 17
Championship game, time TBA

ELITE EIGHT
March 25, 26 and 28 at MassMutual Center, Springfield, Mass. (Hosted by American International College & Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame)

Wednesday, March 25
Atlantic Regional winner vs. South Central Regional winner
West Regional winner vs. Central Regional winner
Southeast Regional winner vs. South Regional winner
East Regional winner vs. Midwest Regional winner

Thursday, March 26
Atlantic/South Central winner vs. West/Central winner
Southeast/South winner vs. East/Midwest winner

Saturday, March 28 (National championship game)
National championship game (Televised by CBS-TV)

Post from: EveryJoe

Division II Pairings