Grambling State is going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
The top-seeded Tigers dominated the opening 20 minutes and held off third-seeded and three-time defending tournament champion Texas Southern to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championship game 75-66 on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.
In the SWAC since 1977, Grambling followed its regular-season conference title with the school’s first conference tournament title. The Tigers (20-14) got 20 points from Jourdan Smith and 14 from Antwan Burnett.
After the teams played close to even for the game’s first seven minutes, Grambling pulled away from Texas Southern (16-16) by closing the first half on a 25-9 run to take a 41-24 advantage into intermission.
Texas Southern — also the Tigers — got as close as nine in the first 15 minutes of the second half before a late run cut the margin to seven, but that was as close as it would get. Jonathan Cisse scored a game-high 21 points in the loss.
New Mexico 68, San Diego State 61
Jaelen House scored a game-high 28 points and Jamal Mashburn Jr. added 21 to lead the Lobos past the Aztecs in the championship game of the Mountain West Conference tournament in Las Vegas.
In winning their fourth game in as many days, the Lobos won the conference tournament — and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament — for the first time since winning three straight from 2012-14. In addition to his scoring, House added a game-high three steals en route to tournament MVP honors for sixth-seeded New Mexico (26-9).
Jaedon LeDee scored 25 points to lead the fifth-seeded Aztecs (24-10), who were playing in their seventh straight conference title game.
Saint Peter’s 68, Fairfield 63
Two years after their run to the Elite Eight, the Peacocks are back in the NCAA Tournament after topping the Stags to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament in Atlantic City, N.J.
Fifth-seeded Saint Peter’s (19-13) trailed by seven at intermission and by 10 three minutes into the second half. But the Peacocks went on a 14-2 run, sparked by three baskets from Corey Washington. The second-seeded Stags (22-12) got within one twice, but another Saint Peter’s run, this one 14-6, made it a nine-point game with 5:42 to play.
Fairfield again got to within one twice more, but seven made free throws over the final 67 seconds of the game kept the Peacocks in front. Washington led all scorers with 24 points to go along with nine rebounds. Caleb Fields paced the Stags with 17 points and nine boards.
Long Beach State 74, UC Davis 70
A day after knocking off the tournament’s top seed, the Beach completed their run to the NCAA Tournament, beating the Aggies to win the Big West Conference tournament in Henderson, Nev.
Marcus Tsohonis and Lassina Traore each scored 25 points to lead Long Beach (21-14), which was seeded fourth in the tournament. The Beach upset top-seeded UC Irvine on Friday. Second-seeded UC Davis (20-13) got a game-high 30 points from Ty Johnson.
The Beach have been to the NCAA Tournament nine times but will be making their first appearance since 2012. It’s a bittersweet run for Long Beach State coach Dan Monson, who was informed earlier this week that he will not be back to coach the team next season.
Akron 62, Kent State 61
Greg Tribble sank two free throws with 4.8 seconds left to lift the Zips over the Golden Flashes in the Mid-American Conference tournament championship game in Cleveland.
After Cli’Ron Hornbeak’s putback lay-in put eighth-seeded Kent State (17-17) up 61-60 with 6.2 seconds to play, second-seeded Akron (24-10) immediately inbounded the ball, and Tribble sprinted up the floor. Before Tribble could get to the halfcourt line, Julius Rollins reached in and fouled him.
After Tribble calmly hit both free throws, Jalen Sullinger took a would-be, game-winning shot, but it didn’t go in. Ali Ali led Akron with 18 points. Kent State’s VonCameron Davis led all players with 21 points, and Sullinger scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the loss.
Vermont 66, UMass-Lowell 61
Vermont claimed its third straight America East title — and sixth in eight seasons — with a win over the River Hawks in Burlington, Vt.
It was the third win of the season for top-seeded Vermont (28-6) over second-seeded UMass-Lowell (22-10). The Catamounts captured a 42-41 lead on a 3-pointer by TJ Long, who then hit another shot from distance. Nick Fiorillo drained another 3-pointer to extend the Vermont lead to 54-48 with 7:45 left in the game.
The River Hawks never got closer than four points after that. Shamir Bogues led the Catamounts with 15 points and nine rebounds. For UMass-Lowell, Cam Morris III led the team with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Howard 70, Delaware State 67
Four starters scored in double figures as the Bison captured the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament championship for the second straight year in Norfolk, Va.
Howard (18-16), the No. 4 seed in the tournament, went up by 10 early, 19-9, a lead Delaware State pared to six at the half. But the sixth-seeded Hornets (15-18) went on a 22-11 run to take a 56-51 lead with about nine minutes left. The Bison fought back and outscored Delaware State 11-4 to go up 62-60, taking the lead for good.
Just seven players appeared for Howard, with Jordan Hairston (18 points) and Marcus Dockery (15 points) playing all 40 minutes. Jevin Muniz led Delaware State with 24 points in 39 minutes.
Western Kentucky 78, UTEP 71
A 13-0 run midway through the second half turned a six-point deficit into a seven-point lead and the Hilltoppers never looked back in winning the Conference USA tournament in Huntsville, Ala.
Third-seeded Western Kentucky (22-11) made the NCAA Tournament as a member of CUSA for the first time. The Hilltoppers last made the tournament while in the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.
Don McHenry poured in a game-high 25 points for Western Kentucky, which also got 15 points from Brandon Newman. Zid Powell finished with 21 points for the fifth-seeded Miners (18-16).
Grand Canyon 89, UT Arlington 74
The Lopes advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season, beating the Mavericks to win the Western Athletic Conference tournament in Las Vegas.
Top-seeded Grand Canyon (29-4), which has now made the tournament in three of four seasons but has yet to win a game there, got 22 points and nine rebounds from Tyon Grant-Foster. Ray Harrison chipped in 19 points.
Phillip Russell finished with 22 points and was one of three players to foul out for UT Arlington (20-14).
–Field Level Media
