The predictions, and the games, for once lived up to hype. Yesterday’s quarterfinals round was indeed the best Saturday in the history of the CAA tournament. I don’t know anybody will argue that point.
The day began with Old Dominion putting Ivan Drago on Towson. The number one seed and scariest monster in the field hauled in 60 rebounds. The previous conference tournament record was 50 rebounds. At times it looked like the Monarchs were playing ping pong on the backboards. (We’ll talk about that later this morning in the ODU/VCU preview.)
As a side note, it may also turn out to be Pat Kennedy’s final game as coach of Towson.
We were then treated to a Sunday or Monday atmosphere in the VCU/Mason showdown. The game, won essentially by Brandon Rozzell, was a taut back-and-forth affair and emotional. Mike Morrison and Larry Sanders had their own war–Morrison yapping and Sanders taking it all in–and Ryan Pearson displayed an array of moves, one better than the previous.
In the end, three Rozzell triples from essentially the same spot on the floor turned a tight game into a rout. VCU finished on a 26-7 kick to end it. Rozzell’s second three changed the posture of the Mason players. After a scramble, Mason freshman Sherrod Wright flashed to the hoop and missed a mostly uncontested layup. VCU hauled in the rebound, and two passes and four seconds later Rozzell buried a three that was the backbreaker.
After a break to exhale, we were treated to the most hotly contested game since the VCU/ODU overtime thriller in 2005. The Northeastern/Hofstra matchup was the first double overtime game since 1999, when ODU beat East Carolina (also a 2/7 game…).
Hofstra controlled most of the action against Northeastern. Chase Allen was, frankly, terrible, but the Huskies defense didn’t allow Charles Jenkins too many open looks. The game was predictably ugly and predictably tight.
Nkem Ojougboh tipped in a missed free throw late, a key point in Northeastern scoring the last four points of regulation. That keyed a Northeastern student tradition I’m not sure everybody wants to see, but it’s funny. They call it “No Tee OT.”
Then, they got more. Here’s Mike Vega with the report, but two Matt Janning missiles–and I mean big boy threes late–were the difference.
You can look at boxscores all day long and not know the story in this one: a couple 50/50 loose balls that NU came up with, a Kauri Black tie-up on a key possession and the arrow favored NU, and Janning’s bombardier-like performance.
Of note: Corny Vines, a fave in these parts, drilled a game-tying three from deep in the first OT with 10 seconds to play. Vines was full of tears in the postgame presser, and Charles Jenkins emphatically stated: “I hate to lose.”
The day’s last game was more fun than you would believe in October. The Pugs and James Madison brought a large contingent of fans who didn’t mind making noise. The game was mostly a sharpshooting match and extremely well played.
David Schneider shot a scary 6-9 from threes, and The Pugs overcame a 14-point second half deficit to win going away. Of note: it is Schneider’s second straight game with greater than 50% accuracy from deep. These two games are the first two times he’s hit 50% since January 16.
Denzel Bowles had a 17/15 double double, and I cannot for the life of me figure out how he did not make first team All CAA.
***
It was such a great day I decided to speak to Ron Bertovich, deputy commissioner for basketball of the CAA, about the weekend so far.
“It’s everything you dream about and it’s more special because this is just the quarterfinals,” he said. “Let’s not kid ourselves–the matchups are favorable, but the Mason/VCU game was as good as any in country today. The fans were into it, two evenly matched teams. The thing is that we need to build more and better and stronger rivalries.”
I’ve got to think he is referring to the Northeastern/Hofstra battle, and the resurgence of William & Mary and James Madison.
All in all, a great day at the Coliseum, and we’re still hours away from the big rivalry: ODU/VCU.
