March 10, 2007

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - Upsets were the norm in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Championships. Just two of the higher seeded teams won in the second round and #2 MidAmerica Nazarene is the only team in the Top 10 to advance. The 2007 event is being held at Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks (Mo.).

Cornerstone started the day with a 78-56 win over the 2005 defending champions and eighth-seeded Walsh. The Golden Eagles, coming off an impressive opening round upset of #9 Sioux Falls, used a 24-8 run in the first half to propel them to victory. John Jonker led Cornerstone with 24 points. The Cavaliers went ice cold from the field in the second half, shooting just 30% from the floor. Adam Lesch led Walsh with 17 points.

For the fourth consecutive year, the top-seed will not advance to the weekend as #16 Northwest University (Wash.) upset #1 Belleuve (Neb.), 61-56. The Eagles trailed by 20 in the second half before mounting a furious second half comeback. They took their first lead with just 1:18 to play. Northwest clinched the upset win with four consecutive free throws. Northwest shot a red-hot 58% from the field in the second half. Bellevue, in contrast, struggled from the floor at 34%.

#10 Indiana Wesleyan knocked off a higher seed in the third straight game in their 95-82 victory over #7 Oregon Tech. Making their first trip to the national tournament, the Wildcats had five players score in double figures led by Zach Coverstone with 20. Levell Hesia finished his brilliant career at Oregon Tech with 22 points and five assists to lead the Hustlin' Owls.

#2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) was the only Top 10 seed to advance to the quarterfinal round as they escaped with a 75-73 victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio). After a Cougar three pointer tied the score and with 13.9 seconds left, Pioneer center Danny Hawkins was fouled on an offensive tip-in attempt to go to the line with .6 seconds left. Hawkins made both free throws and a last-second three point try by Mount Vernon Nazarene was just off the mark as the Pioneers held on for the victory.

#11 Northwestern College (Iowa) eliminated #6 Kansas Wesleyan's first ever appearance at the national tournament with an impressive, 74-54 victory. The game was very tight for the first 30 minutes but the Red Raiders closed the game with a 31-11 run to earn the 20 point win. Northwestern limited the Coyotes to just 23 points in the second half. Chad Schuiteman recorded his second straight double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

In the only game of the day which featured a pair of unseeded teams, defending champion College of the Ozarks (Mo.) defeated Spalding (Ky.), 66-61. Michael Bonaparte scored a game-high 32 points to lead the Bobcats, who kept their hope of back-to-back championships alive with the win. Chartrae'l Hall finished with his second consecutive double-double with 31 points and 13 rebounds for the Golden Eagles.

#12 Cedarville (Ohio) finished off the day of upsets with a 86-75 win over #5 Warner Pacific (Ore.). The Yellow Jackets dominated the glass and made 34 free throws in their win over the Knights. Guy Rathmell scored 29 points to lead Cedarville. Scott O'Gallagher scored a tournament high 37 points for Warner Pacific. After the second round, the junior guard leads the tournament with a two-day total of 69 points.

In the final game of the day, #13 Mayville State (N.D.) ended Florida Memorial's Cinderella run with an 88-72 which completes the quarterfinal round for Saturday. Ronald Howard and Monty Rogers scored 28 and 21 points, respectively, to lead the Comets. Tramaine Stevens scored 24 points for Florida Memorial, which ends their season at 16-13.

The 32-team, single elimination tournament continues on Saturday, March 10, with four quarterfinal games, which will begin at 1:00 pm. The semifinal round will begin on Monday, March 12, and will conclude with the championship game on Tuesday, March 13 at 8:30 pm.

Saturday Quarter-Final Games: #16 Northwest (Wash) (26-8) vs. Cornerstone (Mich.) (25-9), 1 pm. #2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (31-2) vs. #10 Indiana Wesleyan (30-4), 3 pm #11 Northwestern (Ia.) (25-8) vs. College of the Ozarks (Mo.) (22-10), 6 pm #12 Cedarville (Ohio) (23-7) vs. #13 Mayville State (N.D.) (25-8), 8 pm

Friday Second Round Scores: Cornerstone (Mich.) (25-9) def. #8 Walsh (Ohio) (28-6), 78-56 #16 Northwest (Wash.) (26-8) def. #1 Bellevue (Neb.) (32-2), 61-56 #10 Indiana Wesleyan (30-4) def. #7 Oregon Tech (28-5), 95-82 #2 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (31-2) def. #15 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) (25-7), 75-73 #11 Northwestern (Iowa) (25-8) def. #6 Kansas Wesleyan (28-4) vs, 74-54 College of the Ozarks (Mo.) (22-10) def. Spalding (Ky.) (20-14), 66-61 #12 Cedarville (Ohio) (23-7) def. #5 Warner Pacific (Ore.) (28-6), 86-75 #13 Mayville State (N.D.) (25-8) def. Florida Memorial (16-13), 88-72

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

Leading Scorers: Scott O'Gallagher (Warner Pacific)-69 (2 gms) Chartrea'l Hall (Spalding) - 58 (2 gms) Monty Rogers (Mayville State) - 50 (2 gms) Levell Hesia (Oregon Tech ) - 49 (2 gms) Michael Bonaparte (Ozarks) - 49 (2 gms) Guy Rathmell (Cedarville) - 48 (2 gms) Tramaine Stevens (Florida Memorial) - 48 (2 gms) Anthony Smith (Kansas Wesleyan) - 41 (2 gms) Ryan Fiegi (Oregon Tech) - 39 (2 gms) John Jonker (Cornerstone) - 38 (2 gms) Matthew Stenehjem (Mayville State) - 37 (2 gms) Ronald Howard (Mayville State) -37 (2 gms) Ryan Short (Cedarville) -36 (2 gms)

Top Rebounders: Chartrea'l Hall (Spalding) - 29 (2 gms) Chad Schuiteman (Northwestern) - 23 (2 gms) Scott Thies (Mayville State) - 22 (2 gms) Ryan Seesholtz (Mount Vernon Nazarene) - 19 (2 gms) Aaron Sawyer (Northwest) - 19 (2 gms) Ricardo Alliman (Cedarville) - 19 (2 gms) Andre Thomas (Florida Memorial) - 19 (2 gms) Monty Rogers (Mayville State) - 19 (2 gms) Akuien Wour (MidAmerica Nazarene) - 18 (2 gms) Danny Hawkins (MidAmerica Nazarene) - 18 (2 gms) Michael Bonaparte (Ozarks) - 18 (2 gms)

Day One Top Assists: Brandon Weems (Walsh) - 16 (2 gms) Levell Hesia (Oregon Tech) - 11 (2 gms) Adam Hepker (MidAmerica Nazarene) - 10 (2 gms) Trey Boone (Kansas Wesleyan) - 10 (2 gms) Chartrea'l Hall (Spalding) - 10 (2 gms) Scott O'Gallagher (Warner Pacific) - 10 (2 gms) Dustin Ultican (Mount Vernon) - 9 (2 gms) Daniel Bandy (Ozarks) - 8 (2 gms) Kale Wiertzman (Northwestern) - 8 (2 gms) Pat Cooper (Northwest) - 8 (2 gms) Marques Benjamin (Mayville State) - 8 (2 gms)

Tournament Double-Doubles Performances: Ryan Norman (William Penn) - 34 pts, 10 reb Michael Bonaparte (Ozarks) - 32 pts, 13 reb Chartea'l Hall (Spalding) - 31 pts, 13 reb Chartrea'l Hall (Spalding) - 27 pts, 16 reb Alex Kock (Huntington) - 26 pts,, 14 reb Omar Reed (Bluefield) - 26 pts, 10 reb Nick Stephens (Holy Names) - 23 pts,, 11 reb

Cory McJimson (Northwood) - 23 pts, 10 reb Danny Hawkins (MidAmerica Nazarene) - 20 pts, 10 reb Ryan Seesholtz (Mount Vernon Nazarene) - 17 pts, 11 reb Chris Pullen (Ozarks) - 17 pts, 10 reb Chad Schuiteman (Northwestern) - 17 pts, 10 reb Chivas Whipple (Point Park) - 15 pts, 10 reb John Jonker (Cornerstone) - 14 pts, 12 reb Aaron Sawyer (Northwest) - 14 pts, 11 reb John Gray (Bellevue) - 12 pts, 11 reb Josh Dozier (Holy Names) - 11 pts, 15 reb Andre Thomas (Florida Memorial) - 10 pts, 11 reb Akuien Wour (MidAmerica Nazarene) - 11 pts, 11 reb Chad Schuiteman (Northwestern) - 11 pts, 12 reb Ricardo Alliman (Cedarville) - 14 pts, 10 reb Maical Venter (Cedarville) - 11 pts, 10 reb Monty Rogers (Mayville State) - 21 pts, 13 reb