POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - After the second day of the 16th Annual NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship, 12 seeded teams earned a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. The Florida Memorial upset of 2006 runner-up Huntington highlighted the second day of the championship. The 2007 event is being held at Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks (Mo.).
In the first game of the day, #10 Indiana Wesleyan shot 66% for the game and held Aquinas to 33% from the field as they rolled to a 80-54 win over the Saints. Antonio Murrell led the Wildcats with 18 points while John Lierman led Aquinas with 18.
In one of the best games of the tournament thus far, #15 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) came back from 18 points down to defeat Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), 73-72. Ryan Seesholtz made one of two foul shots with just .4 seconds remaining to seal the dramatic, come-from-behind victory. The teams combined to make 27 three point baskets as both teams shot 50% from beyond the arc. Seesholtz led Mount Vernon Nazarene with 17 points while Brock Seim led the Tigers with 20.
#7 Oregon Tech scored the first 20 points of the game to jump ahead of Northwood (Fla.) en route to a 90-72 victory over the Seahawks. Levell Hesia led the Owls with 27 points and six assists. Northwood was led by Cory McJimson who recorded a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
#2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) survived a scare as they outlasted upset-minded Trinity International (Ill.), 69-59. Despite never trailing in the contest, the Pioneers could not pull away from the unseeded Trojans. Danny Hawkins made 10 of his 12 field goal attempts to lead MidAmerica Nazarene with 20 points. Trinity International was led by Joshua Edmon with 20.
#5 Warner Pacific (Ore.) defeated Friends (Kan.), 82-75, and became the third Cascade Collegiate Conference team to earn a spot in the Sweet Sixteen. After a tight first half, the Knights were able to pull away in the second half with some clutch free throw shooting. Scott O'Gallagher scored a tournament best 32 points and teammate Jalonta Martin netted 21.
Florida Memorial continued their Cinderella run as they recorded the day's biggest upset, knocking off #4 Huntington, 67-64. The Lions led by 13 points late in the second half before the Foresters stormed back and cut the lead down to one. Florida Memorial withstood the comeback bid, however, and knocked off the 2006 tournament runner-up. Tramaine Stevens, the leading scorer in NAIA D-II, netted 24 points. Alex Kock closes his outstanding career at Huntington with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
#12 Cedarville (Ohio) joined two other American Mideast Conference teams in the round of 16 with a 97-83 victory over Evangel (Mo.). The Yellow Jackets made 34 of 45 free throws and were led in scoring by Ryan Short with 27 points.
In the final game of the day, #13 Mayville State was the first team to reach the century mark as they defeated William Penn (Iowa), 101-86. The Comets shot 55% from the floor and made 37 free throws to defeat the Statesmen. Monty Rogers scored 29 points to lead Mayville State while Ryan Norman netted a tournament-high 34 in his final game of his collegiate career.
The 32-team, single elimination tournament continues Friday, March 9, with eight second round games, followed by the quarterfinal round on Saturday. The semifinal round will begin on Monday, March 12, and will conclude with the championship game on Tuesday, March 13 at 8:30 pm.
Friday Second Round Games:
#8 Walsh (Ohio) (28-5) vs. Cornerstone (Mich.) (24-9), 8:30 am.
#1 Bellevue (Neb.) (32-1) vs. #16 Northwest (Wash.) (25-8), 10:15 am.
#7 Oregon Tech (28-4) vs. #10 Indiana Wesleyan (29-4), Noon.
#2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (30-2) vs. #15 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) (25-6), 1:45 pm.
#6 Kansas Wesleyan (28-3) vs. #11 Northwestern (Iowa) (24-8), 4:00 pm.
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) (21-10) vs. Spalding (Ky.) (20-13), 5:45 pm.
#5 Warner Pacific (Ore.) (28-5) vs. #12 Cedarville (Ohio) (22-7), 7:30 pm.
#13 Mayville State (N.D.) (24-8) vs. Florida Memorial (16-12), 9:15 pm.
Thursday First Round Scores:
#10 Indiana Wesleyan (29-4) def. Aquinas (Mich.) (22-12), 80-54
#15 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) (25-6) def. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (24-8), 73-72
#7 Oregon Tech (28-4) def. Northwood (Fla.) (23-9), 90-72
#2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (30-2) def. Trinity International (Ill.) (14-20), 69-59
#5 Warner Pacific (Ore.) (28-5) def. Friends (Kan.) (20-12), 82-75
Florida Memorial (16-12) def. #4 Huntington (Ind.) (29-5), 67-64
#12 Cedarville (Ohio) (22-7) def. Evangel (Mo.) (20-13), 97-83
#13 Mayville State (N.D.) (24-8) def. William Penn (Iowa) (25-9), 101-86
Wednesday First Round Scores:
#8 Walsh (Ohio) (28-5) def. King (Tenn.) (23-11), 78-69
Cornerstone (Mich.) (24-9) def. #9 Sioux Falls (S.D.) (28-5), 74-60
#1 Bellevue (Neb.) (32-1) def. Fisher (Mass.) (13-18), 95-54
#16 Northwest (Wash.) (25-8) def. Holy Names (Calif.) (21-12), 86-74
#6 Kansas Wesleyan (28-3) def. Bluefield (Va.) (21-12), 92-77
Spalding (Ky.) (20-13) def. #3 Point Park (Pa.) (29-2), 78-63
Ozarks (Mo.) (21-10) def. #14 Saint Francis (Ind.) (22-11), 91-59
#11 Northwestern (Iowa) (24-8) def. Albertson (Idaho) (19-8), 99-77
FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Top Scorers:
1. Ryan Norman (William Penn) - 34
2. Scott O'Gallagher (Warner Pacific) - 32
3. Monty Rogers (Mayville State) - 29
4. Torrington Cox (King) - 28
5. Chartrea'l Hall (Spalding) - 27
5. Dylan Kvaale (Sioux Falls) - 27
5. Levell Hesia (Oregon Tech) -27
5. Ryan Short (Cedarville) -27
9. Omar Reed (Bluefield) - 26
10. Three players tied with 24
Top Rebounders:
1. Chartrea'l Hall (Spalding) - 16
2. Josh Dozier (Holy Names) - 15
3. Alex Kock (Huntington) - 14
4. Jon Jonker (Cornerstone) - 12
5. Nick Stephens (Holy Names) - 11
5. Scott Thies (Mayville State) - 11
5. Ryan Seesholtz (Mount Vernon Nazarene) - 11
5. Andre Thomas (Florida Memorial) - 11
9. 8 players tied with 10
Day One Top Assists:
1. Brandon Weems (Walsh) - 10
2. Trey Boone (Kansas Wesleyan) - 8
2. Shane Nicholson (Evangel) - 8
4. Pat Cooper (Northwest) - 6
4. Levell Hesia (Oregon Tech) - 6
6. Chartrea'l Hall (Spalding) - 5
6. Daniel Bandy (Ozarks) - 5
6. Chad Schuiteman (Northwestern) - 5
6. Curt Schilling (Northwestern) - 5
6. Scott O'Gallagher (Warner Pacific) - 5
6. Antonio Murrell (Indiana Wesleyan) -5
Double-Doubles:
1. Ryan Norman (William Penn) - 34 pts, 10 reb.
2. Chartrea'l Hall (Spalding) - 27 pts, 16 reb.
3. Alex Kock (Huntington) - 26 pts, 14 reb.
4. Omar Reed (Bluefield) - 26 pts, 10 reb
5. Nick Stephens (Holy Names) - 23 pts, 11 reb
6. Cory McJimson (Northwood)- 23 pts, 10 reb.
7. Danny Hawkins (MidAmerica Nazarene) - 20 pts, 10 reb.
8. Ryan Seeholtz (Mount Vernon Nazarene)- 17 pts, 11 reb.
9. Chris Pullen (Ozarks) - 17 pts, 10 reb
10. Chad Schuiteman (Northwestern) - 17 pts, 10 reb
11. Chivas Whipple (Point Park) - 15 pts, 10 reb
12. John Jonker (Cornerstone) - 14 pts, 12 reb
13. Josh Dozier (Holy Names) - 11 pts, 15 reb
14. Andre Thomas (Florida Memorial) - 10 pts, 11 reb.
