| Wittenberg celebrates Seth Hill's buzzer-beater as the Tigers remain alive in the NCAC tournament. |
Chris Sullivan was practically unconscious, making nine 3-pointers on the way to 29 points. But Wittenberg needed one more hero before the night was over, and Seth Hill filled the role, hitting a buzzer-beater to lift Wittenberg past Wabash 65-63 in the North Coast Athletic Conference semifinals.
- Friday's men's scores | Saturday
- Friday's women's scores | Saturday
- Friday's women's wrapup
- Selection Monday schedule
- Who's clinched?
Wabash's loss puts the Little Giants really far out on the Division III men's basketball playoff bubble. Wittenberg will face Wooster on Saturday for the title. Watch buzzer beater video from the Springfield News-Sun.
New Jersey City returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005 with a 72-67 win against Montclair State to win the New Jersey Athletic Conference title. It will be the Gothic Knights' 18th trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Cabrini picked up the automatic bid from the Colonial States Athletic Conference, as sophomore Cory Lemons scored 33 points to lift the Cavaliers past Gwynedd-Mercy 92-70. Lemons was 10-for-13 from the floor, 10-for-11 from the line. It's the 10th CSAC/PAC title for Cabrini.
Bubbles were popping elsewhere, however, as both Oswego State and Ithaca fell in their conference semifinals. The Lakers, who had just entered the Top 25 after a 16-game winning streak, fell in the SUNYAC semis at home to Brockport State. Chad Burridge got 23 points for Oswego, but Brockport shot a blistering 9-for-13 from 3-point range and 57 percent overall from the floor in the 74-70 win. St. John Fisher knocked off the Bombers at Ithaca, 88-75, behind 23 points from Jordan Getting and 18 from Brent Harder. Concordia (Wis.), the top-ranked team in the NCAA's Midwest Region ranking, went down on Friday as well, falling to Edgewood in the NATHC semifinals. Ben Wisniewski and Kent Faurote led the Eagles as they combined for 53 points in the 95-89 win.
In a semifinal contest, Rhode Island College hit a buzzer beater in the first overtime and went on to pull away in the second extra session to advance to the Little East Conference finals. Video, with more Friday wrapup below.
Eastern Connecticut crushed Western Connecticut 94-70 in the second LEC semifinal, perhaps finishing the Colonials' tailspin for good with three losses in its last five games.
Grinnell won its 10th consecutive game, advancing to the Midwest Conference title game where it awaits homestanding St. Norbert. La Roche and Penn State-Behrend each advanced to the AMCC championship game, as La Roche continued its memorable season with an 86-69 win against Hilbert. Penn State-Behrend beat Medaille 58-51, ending the Mavericks' two-year run at the top of the conference.
St. Thomas got home court back for the MIAC championship game, rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Hamline while Gustavus Adolphus knocked down top-seeded Carleton 70-64. The Tommies host the Gusties on Sunday.
The CCIW championship will be played on a neutral floor, as Illinois Wesleyan knocked off top seed North Central and Augustana defeated Wheaton (Ill.) behind a 45-28 rebounding edge.
In the Old Dominion Athletic Conference quarterfinals, Randolph won in its first-ever conference tournament men's basketball game, holding off a late rally from Guilford to win 75-72. The fifth-seeded Wildcats take on top-seeded Virginia Wesleyan in Saturday's semifinals. Randolph was a blistering 15-for-27 from 3-point range, including Caleb Pearson's 6-for-7. No. 2 seed Randolph-Macon had three scorers in double figures in a 63-56 win against Roanoke, while Eli Crawford scored on a putback with 1.8 seconds left to lift third-seeded Eastern Mennonite past Hampden-Sydney 76-75.