Four more automatic bids to the NCAA’s were won over the last couple of days:
Creighton: The Blue Jays almost don’t deserve to be thought of as a “little guy” any more, given that this is their seventh win in the last nine years. They did, however, have to beat a ranked Southern Illinois team to get the bid, so I think they still count.
Virginia Commonwealth University: If you want to be George Mason, you have to beat George Mason, which is what the Rams did. I saw the last two minutes or so of this one, which was one of the most impressive individual game-changing performances I’ve seen. With GMU up five with a minute and a half left, Eric Maynor from VCU stole the ball in the back court twice, and scored nine points in about sixty seconds to secure the win for VCU. It was an amazing performance, and I’m glad I saw it when it happened.
Niagara: The Purple Eagles won the MAAC title over local favorites Siena, in a tight, back-and-forth game where neither team led by more than six. Siena had won the two previous meetings, but Niagara was the higher seed in the tournament, and got a career game from Tyrone Lewis to secure an NCAA bid.
Gonzaga: On the one hand, Gonzaga is now a big enough name that they started the season hugely overrated. On the other hand, they’re nowhere near as good as they have been, especially since their center got busted for marijuana possession. Are they still a “little guy”?Tough to say, but they beat Santa Clara last night to win the WCC title.