Ohio teams in the NCAA Tournament
Mar 11, 2007 20:49:16 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Mar 11, 2007 20:49:16 GMT -5
www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/UPDATES04/70311007
Matta could meet old mates in second round
By JOE KAY
Associated Press
CINCINNATI — Xavier is bracket buddies with the coach who led the Musketeers to their best moment in the NCAA tournament.
The Atlantic 10 regular-season champions had a few nervous moments Sunday before learning they were a No. 9 seed. Xavier will play a first-round game Thursday against Brigham Young at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
Without an automatic berth, the Musketeers (24-8) weren't sure they would make the 65-team field. When the first three regions were announced and their name hadn't been called, the Musketeers started worrying.
"Watching commercial after commercial, region after region go by, that was tough," guard Stanley Burrell said.
"It was real quiet," forward Justin Doellman said. "We were definitely nervous. You could hear a pin drop."
Relief washed over them when they saw they'd play Brigham Young for the third time in school history. The Musketeers played BYU twice in the 1960s, losing both times.
If the Musketeers win against Brigham Young, they'd have a chance to play former Xavier coach Thad Matta and No. 1 seed Ohio State in their next game — something they were trying not to think about.
Matta led Xavier to the only Elite Eight appearance in school history in 2004, then moved to Ohio State. Assistant Sean Miller took his place and has led the Musketeers (24-8) to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Ohio State (30-3) plays Central Connecticut State (22-11) in its first-round game in Lexington.
Xavier and Ohio State have played three times, with the Musketeers getting their only victory the last time they met — 60-57 over the Buckeyes in the NIT in 1984 at Cincinnati Gardens.
In addition to the Buckeyes and the Musketeers, two other Ohio teams — Wright State and Miami — pulled up chairs and watched their NCAA tournament pairings announced on television Sunday evening.
Approximately 1,500 fans gathered at the Nutter Center to watch the selection show on the videoboard. The final score of the Horizon League tournament title game — Wright State 60, Butler 55 — was still lit on the scoreboard. The Raiders (23-9) beat the Bulldogs there on Tuesday night.
Players sat on the court in folding chairs to watch the selection show, and jumped to their feet when they saw they were headed to Buffalo to play Pittsburgh (27-7) in the first round on Thursday.
"We're very happy with where we're going," guard Vaughn Duggins said.
Senior guard DaShaun Wood got the loudest applause during pregame introductions. Wood scored 27 points in the Horizon championship game, which sent Wright State to the NCAA tournament for the second time. The Raiders also went in 1993 as the Mid-Continent tournament champion, then lost to Indiana 97-54.
"We've had a few days (to celebrate), but now it's time to get back to business," Wood said. "There's no better feeling than to end this way, with all the fan support we have."
Making the NCAA tournament was a big deal for the Raiders, who joined Division I in 1987.
"We will try to relax as much as possible, but the staff will be up trying to prepare," coach Brad Brownell said.
Miami (18-14) was one of the biggest surprises to make the tournament. The RedHawks won the Mid-American Conference's automatic berth by beating Akron 53-52 in the conference title game on Doug Penno's banked 3-pointer in the final second on Saturday night.
"I knew they wouldn't be sending us to Lexington or Columbus or Chicago," coach Charlie Coles said. "I knew that right off the bat. But given our situation, I think some of our guys are happy just to still be playing."
Miami will play Oregon (26-7) in the first round on Friday in Spokane, Wash. Like Wright State, the RedHawks also got a No. 14 seed.
"We didn't have a real great regular season, but we knew we had a great chance to get there," said Tim Pollitz, who was the Mid-American tournament's most valuable player. "Now we get Oregon up around their place. It's almost their home floor. What it comes down to is going up there and playing Miami defense and seeing what happens."
The RedHawks played a tough nonconference schedule, including Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan and Xavier. Coles said none of those teams is like Oregon.
"Not Kentucky. Not Illinois. Those teams are slow compared to Oregon," Coles said. "They're determined. I'm sure they're saying to themselves that they have a chance to make a run in this tournament."
It's the seventh time that four Ohio teams have played in the NCAA tournament. Four Ohio teams also reached the tournament in 1961, 1985, 1986, 1999, 2001 and 2002.
Matta could meet old mates in second round
By JOE KAY
Associated Press
CINCINNATI — Xavier is bracket buddies with the coach who led the Musketeers to their best moment in the NCAA tournament.
The Atlantic 10 regular-season champions had a few nervous moments Sunday before learning they were a No. 9 seed. Xavier will play a first-round game Thursday against Brigham Young at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
Without an automatic berth, the Musketeers (24-8) weren't sure they would make the 65-team field. When the first three regions were announced and their name hadn't been called, the Musketeers started worrying.
"Watching commercial after commercial, region after region go by, that was tough," guard Stanley Burrell said.
"It was real quiet," forward Justin Doellman said. "We were definitely nervous. You could hear a pin drop."
Relief washed over them when they saw they'd play Brigham Young for the third time in school history. The Musketeers played BYU twice in the 1960s, losing both times.
If the Musketeers win against Brigham Young, they'd have a chance to play former Xavier coach Thad Matta and No. 1 seed Ohio State in their next game — something they were trying not to think about.
Matta led Xavier to the only Elite Eight appearance in school history in 2004, then moved to Ohio State. Assistant Sean Miller took his place and has led the Musketeers (24-8) to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Ohio State (30-3) plays Central Connecticut State (22-11) in its first-round game in Lexington.
Xavier and Ohio State have played three times, with the Musketeers getting their only victory the last time they met — 60-57 over the Buckeyes in the NIT in 1984 at Cincinnati Gardens.
In addition to the Buckeyes and the Musketeers, two other Ohio teams — Wright State and Miami — pulled up chairs and watched their NCAA tournament pairings announced on television Sunday evening.
Approximately 1,500 fans gathered at the Nutter Center to watch the selection show on the videoboard. The final score of the Horizon League tournament title game — Wright State 60, Butler 55 — was still lit on the scoreboard. The Raiders (23-9) beat the Bulldogs there on Tuesday night.
Players sat on the court in folding chairs to watch the selection show, and jumped to their feet when they saw they were headed to Buffalo to play Pittsburgh (27-7) in the first round on Thursday.
"We're very happy with where we're going," guard Vaughn Duggins said.
Senior guard DaShaun Wood got the loudest applause during pregame introductions. Wood scored 27 points in the Horizon championship game, which sent Wright State to the NCAA tournament for the second time. The Raiders also went in 1993 as the Mid-Continent tournament champion, then lost to Indiana 97-54.
"We've had a few days (to celebrate), but now it's time to get back to business," Wood said. "There's no better feeling than to end this way, with all the fan support we have."
Making the NCAA tournament was a big deal for the Raiders, who joined Division I in 1987.
"We will try to relax as much as possible, but the staff will be up trying to prepare," coach Brad Brownell said.
Miami (18-14) was one of the biggest surprises to make the tournament. The RedHawks won the Mid-American Conference's automatic berth by beating Akron 53-52 in the conference title game on Doug Penno's banked 3-pointer in the final second on Saturday night.
"I knew they wouldn't be sending us to Lexington or Columbus or Chicago," coach Charlie Coles said. "I knew that right off the bat. But given our situation, I think some of our guys are happy just to still be playing."
Miami will play Oregon (26-7) in the first round on Friday in Spokane, Wash. Like Wright State, the RedHawks also got a No. 14 seed.
"We didn't have a real great regular season, but we knew we had a great chance to get there," said Tim Pollitz, who was the Mid-American tournament's most valuable player. "Now we get Oregon up around their place. It's almost their home floor. What it comes down to is going up there and playing Miami defense and seeing what happens."
The RedHawks played a tough nonconference schedule, including Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan and Xavier. Coles said none of those teams is like Oregon.
"Not Kentucky. Not Illinois. Those teams are slow compared to Oregon," Coles said. "They're determined. I'm sure they're saying to themselves that they have a chance to make a run in this tournament."
It's the seventh time that four Ohio teams have played in the NCAA tournament. Four Ohio teams also reached the tournament in 1961, 1985, 1986, 1999, 2001 and 2002.