Dave Preston is an AP Top 25 voter. Check out his ballots here.
Six days from Selection Sunday. The madness before the madness is in full bloom with conference tournaments taking center stage.
Towson (20-13) got to enjoy another night of NCAA dreams by beating UNC-Wilmington 66-56 in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals, thanks in part to limiting turnovers. The Tigers had 11 in the first half and just five after intermission.
“The four-guards (lineup used in the second half) helped us today,” Tigers head coach Pat Skerry said. “It’s really hard to play against Wilmington and score because of how aggressive they are defensively, and we felt like if we could open up the court a little bit maybe we could get some drives and drive and kicks.”
The victory gives the program 20 or more wins for the third-straight season (first time in school history). It also sets up a showdown with the team that eliminated Towson in last year’s semifinals: College of Charleston. The 25-7 Cougars are looking for a second-straight trip to the NCAA’s and have won 10 straight, including a 72-56 thumping of Towson on Feb. 24.
“They’re incredibly well coached; they’re talented. I mean they took us to the woodshed a couple of weeks ago,” Skerry said. “We couldn’t guard ’em. We’re going to need to put an incredible game-plan together.”
But facing the defending champs is a problem any of the 11 schools eliminated at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in D.C. over the last three days would like to have.
“I’m just excited for our program to get to play on national TV against an elite program,” Skerry said. “Hopefully we can put on a good performance. It’s a big moment for our university.”
And Towson is the only team remaining in the CAA Tournament to have beaten the Cougars this season (82-78 on Jan. 18). They play Monday at 6 p.m.
Bids awarded
Ohio Valley: In the first conference championship game of the year, Morehead State beating Little Rock 69-55 on Saturday. It’s the Eagles’ first NCAA berth since 2021.
Missouri Valley: Drake defeated Indiana State 84-80 Sunday to earn the Bulldogs’ second straight NCAA appearance. Meanwhile, the Sycamores were in the Top 25 at one point this winter but will wait out the next six days to see if they get in as an at-large team.
Big South: Longwood edged UNC-Asheville 85-59 in the conference championship game on Sunday for the Lancers’ second bid in three years.
Atlantic Sun: Stetson punches its first-ever ticket to the big dance by beating Austin Peay 94-91 to win the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament final.
Monday’s Bids
Sun Belt, 7 p.m., ESPN.
- James Madison (30-3) was in the Top 25 earlier this season and can punch its first NCAA ticket since 2014 when they won the CAA Tournament. They also took the lone regular season matchup with Arkansas State (18-15) 77-73 on Feb. 7. Noah Freidel scored 19 points for the Dukes in the regular season meeting and scored 28 in last night’s win over Texas State. Don’t sleep on the Red Wolves, who have won eight of nine and is coming off of a 67-65 upset of regular season champ Appalachian State thanks to Freddy Hicks’ game-winning jumper with one second left.
Southern, 7 p.m., ESPN2.
- Regular season champ Samford (28-5) is chasing its first NCAA bid since 2000 when they were a member of the Trans-America Athletic Conference while East Tennessee State (19-15) has upset the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds on their way to the championship game, rallying from 20 points down in the second half of their 85-84 overtime win against Chattanooga in the semis. The Buccaneers are led by Rockville, Maryland, native Ebby Asamoah who’s averaging 19 points in the Tournament while shooting 54% from the field and 14-22 from three-point range.
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