Just finished 1st season at Indiana State. I've been tracking this dynasty over at Wolverine Studios forum but figured I'd start tracking it here as well. So I'll pick up here just after the NIT and NCAA Tournaments.
VALPO HANGS ON FOR SLIM WIN IN MVC TOURNAMENT
For fans watching tonight, it looked like Indiana State might finally get the edge against Valparaiso (Valpo has beaten ISU twice this season) and the Sycamores would go into half with a 7 point lead, leading 40-33. But as has been the case alot this season, the Sycamores would allow their opponent to come back. Valpo would out score Indiana State by 10 in the 2nd half, 51-41 to pick up the 3 point win.
Indiana State would have their chance to tie it with time running out, as Junior PG Jeff Davis would attempt a 3 with 2 seconds remaining and was unable to hit the mark. Davis probably wasn’t the best person to take that shot, shooting .311 beyond the arc on the season. SR SG Jason Stanley (who’s still fighting back spasms) was shooting .423 beyond the arc and if fully healthy would have been the better option.
Freshman C Rashif Murray once again led the Sycamores in scoring, this time with 12 points on 6-7 shooting in 20 minutes of action. Aforementioned Senior SG Jason Stanley would also score 12 points with 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Junior SG Clifford Walker had one of his best outings, matching his season high coing off the bench and scoring 11 points and 4 rebounds.
Sophmore SG Carl Graham led the Crusaders with 19 points with 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
It seems fitting that the team that led the Missouri Valley Conference all season would end up winning the tournament. Northern Iowa got out to a commanding 14 point lead at halftime before Bradley would make a game of it in the 2nd half.
Senior PF Jamel Marvray would lead the Panthers with 20 points, 3 rebounds and 3 blocks in his 26 minutes of game time.
Round 1 News:
#14 New Mexico State upsets #3 Marquette 87-70.
#13 Troy upsets Saint Josephs 78-65.
#12 Lehigh with buzzer beater to upset #5 Cincinnati 67-66
#13 North Carolina A&T upset #4 Oklahoma 58-47
#12 Xavier upsets #5 Illinois 80-67.
Round 2 News:
The Battle of #12 Xavier and #13 North Carolina A&T, goes to Xavier 72-66
#10 Memphis stuns #2 Kentucky with buzzer beater to win 73-72
The Final four is set with 3 #1’s, and will feature 2 teams from the Big 10. #1 Ohio State will face #1 Iowa, as #1 West Virginia will face #3 Michigan State.
#1 Ohio State beats #1 West Virginia 82-77 to win the National Championship
It was a battle of #7 seeds in the NIT Tournament finals, as Nicholls State and Iowa State would face off. Iowa State would pick up the 14 point win, 76-62.