Monday, March 09, 2015

Northeastern, Wofford Head for the Big Dance; Emmy Andujar, Ashton Pankey Power Manhattan to MAAC Title

Conference Championships and College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, March 9, 2015

Colonial
Northeastern 71 William & Mary 62 - The Northeastern Huskies are back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991 after taking out William & Mary in the final of the Colonial tournament. Quincy Ford paced all scorers with 22 points, contributing four boards, three blocks and a pair of assists.

The Huskies were 23-11 for the season with a 12-6 conference mark.

Southern
Wofford 67 Furman 64 - In a game that was hotly contested from start to finish, the Wofford Terriers finally shook free of the Palladins of Furman to capture the Southern tourney title and a trip to the NCAAs. The Terriers put four players into double figures, topped by forward Lee Skinner's 17 points.

For the second straight year, Woffard will represent the Southern conference in the national championship tourney.

Metro Atlantic
Manhattan 79 Iona 69 - for the third straight season, the Manhattan Jaspers and Iona Gaels met for the MAAC tournament championship, and for the second year in a row, it was the Jaspers who got the better of it, as a couple of boys from the Bronx - Ashton Pankey and Emmy Andujar - dominated the interior and led their team to victory.

Pankey finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Andujar contributed 18 points and 11 boards. The two forwards helped Manhattan out-rebound the Gaels, 41-33, and provided heady defense throughout. Pankey had a pair of blocked shots. Andujar had two steals.

The game was close until the final stages, when it was tied at 60-60, with 7:01 to play. Manhattan used a 13-4 run over the next 3:56 to establish an unassailable lead.

NOTE: ESPN's Joe Lunardi had Iona penciled in as a #12 seed out of the MAAC, so, ya know, screw Joe Lunardi and his "bracketology." Remember, analyst starts with "anal."

Who's In? Conference Champions

Date/Conf. Champ. Champion (record, defeated, final score)
March 7
Ohio Valley Belmont (22-10, Murray State, 88-87)

March 8
Big South Coastal Carolina (24-9, Winthop, 81-70)
Missouri Valley Northern Iowa (29-3, Illinois, St., 69-60)
Atlantic Sun North Florida (23-11, USC Upstate, 63-57)

March 9
Colonial Northeastern (23-11, William & Mary, 73-61)
Metro Atlantic Manhattan (19-13, Iona, 79-69)
Southern Wofford (28-6, Furman, 67-64)

March 10
Horizon
Northeast
Summit League
West Coast

March 11
Patriot League

March 14
America East
ACC
Big 12
Big East
Big Sky
Big West
Conference USA
Ivy*
Mid-American
Mid-Eastern
Mountain West
PAC-12
Southland
Southwest Athletic
Western Athletic

March 15
American
Atlantic 10
Big Ten
SEC
Sun Belt

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