March 15, 2008
POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - The Final Four is set as all four higher seeds won in today's quarterfinal action. Four different conferences will be represented in Monday's semifinal. The 2008 event is being held at Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks (Mo.).
Top-seed Bellevue (Neb.) defeated #9 Bethel (Ind.) in the first quarterfinal game, 73-69. The Bruins are the first number one seed to advance to the Final Four since 2003. They will take on #5 Northwestern (Iowa) in the first semifinal game on Monday. The Red Raiders defeated #13 Northwood (Fla.) in the day's only blowout, 96-70. Northwestern will be making their second consecutive and tournament best, sixth overall Final Four.
In the two late games, defending champion MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) defeated #10 College of the Ozarks (Mo.), 70-58, in front of a packed Keeter Gymnasium. The second seeded Pioneers got another double-double from Danny Hawkins, 20 points and 10 rebounds, in the win over the host Bobcats. Ozarks fell in the quarterfinals for the second straight year. MidAmerica Nazarene will face 11th seed Oregon Tech, who defeated unseeded Grace College (Ind.), 81-70. The Hustlin' Owls return to the Final Four for the first time since 2005 and are making their fourth trip to the semifinals.
The 32-team, single elimination tournament continues with the Final Four on Monday, March 17. Top-seeded Belleuve will play #5 Northwestern in the first game at 6:00 pm, followed by #11 Oregon Tech and #2 MidAmerica Nazarene. The four teams remaining have combined for 16 trips to the semifinals and four national championships. Northwestern has won two titles (2001 and 2003), Oregon Tech won the championship in 2004 and MidAmerica Nazarene won the championship last year in 2007. Bellevue reached the championship in 2004 but fell to the Hustlin' Owls, 81-72. The championship game will be on Tuesday, March 18 at 8:30 pm.
Monday's Final Four:
#5 Northwestern (Iowa)(30-4) vs #1 Bellevue (Neb.)(32-3) - 6:00 p.m.
#11 Oregon Tech (29-6) vs #2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)(31-4) - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday's Elite Eight Games:
#1 Bellevue (Neb.)(32-3) def. #9 Bethel (Ind.)(29-7), 73-69
#5 Northwestern (Iowa)(30-4) def. #13 Northwood (Fla.)(27-8), 96-70
#2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)(31-4) def. #10 Ozarks (Mo.)(27-6), 70-58
#11 Oregon Tech (29-6) def. Grace (Ind.)(26-10), 81-70
Friday's Second Round Games:
#9 Bethel (Ind.)(29-6) def. Ottawa (Kan.)(24-9), 86-81
#1 Bellevue (Neb.)(31-3) def. #16 Aquinas (Mich.)(25-9), 65-61
#13 Northwood (Fla.)(27-7) def. #4 Walsh (Ohio)(26-5), 66-59
#5 Northwestern (Iowa)(29-4) def. Oklahoma Wesleyan (26-8), 86-85 OT
#2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)(30-4) def. #15 Cedarville (Mich.)(23-8), 79-73
Grace (Ind.)(26-9) def. #3 Morningside (Iowa)(29-4), 90-81 OT
#10 College of the Ozarks (Mo.)(27-5) def. #7 Eastern Oregon (26-6), 65-42
#11 Oregon Tech (27-6) def. #6 Evangel (Mo.)(28-6), 72-63
Thursday First Round Games:
#13 Northwood (Fla.)(26-7) def. Bluefield (Va.)(25-8), 88-86
#4 Walsh (Ohio)(26-4) def. Judson (Ill.)(19-9), 91-57
#5 Northwestern (Iowa)(28-4) def. Minot State (N.D.)(19-12), 97-90
Oklahoma Wesleyan (26-7) def. #12 William Penn (Iowa)(28-6), 75-73
#3 Morningside (Iowa)(29-3) def. Indiana Tech (21-13), 73-67
Grace (Ind.)(24-9) vs. #14 Embry-Riddle (Fla.)(27-6), 5:45 pm
#11 Oregon Tech (27-6) def. Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio)(23-8), 77-74
#6 Evangel (Mo.)(28-6) def. Menlo (Calif.)(18-10), 73-48
Wednesday First Round Scores:
Ottawa (Kan.)(24-8) def. 38 King (Tenn.)(26-8), 70-65
#16 Aquinas (Mich.)(25-8) def. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)(24-9), 91-66
#1 Bellevue (Neb.)(30-3) def. St. Joseph (Vt.)(13-15), 111-52
#9 Bethel (Ind.)(28-6) def. Warner Pacific (Ore.)(22-11), 86-73 OT
#15 Cedarville (Ohio)(23-7) def. Jamestown (N.D.)(23-9), 83-59
#7 Eastern Oregon (26-5) def. Edward Waters (Fla.)(20-12), 93-62
#10 College of the Ozarks (Mo.)(26-5) def. Indiana-Southeast (24-9), 91-82
#2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)(29-4) def. Friends (Kan.)(19-12), 82-66
|
|
 |
