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Sunday, December 22, 2024
Three more automatic bids went out on Sunday, two of them to repeat champions, to set the stage for the week ahead. Plus lower seeds rule in the Colonial, three teams share the regular season title in two conferences, and a coaching change comes out west on a day off from tournament action.
The first two NCAA Tournament bids went out after dramatic finishes in championship games to set the stage. Plus a long day of tournaments ends with a thrilling back-and-forth between two star guards, a surprise champion in the ACC and a three-way tie atop the Big East.
After higher seeds routinely won the first couple of days, the Missouri Valley Conference highlighted a day where several lower seeds won. Plus one more regular season title has been clinched, a blueblood disagrees with some allegations levied against them, and the show will go on for one school next week.
Drake made history Friday, becoming the first team to ever knock off a No. 1 seed in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals with a shocking defeat of Northern Iowa.
It was far from pretty, but even with star Javon Freeman-Liberty not at his best Valparaiso toughed out a win over Evansville in the 2020 MVC Tournament first round Thursday night
As conference tournaments get into full swing, the Mountain West takes center stage with its share of drama, including a shocker to end the day. Plus the Huskies get a big win to affect the top of their conference race, the Pac-12 is down to two for its regular season crown, and the Eagles soar above their competitors to control their own destiny in the Big Sky.
Drake closed the regular season on a three-game losing skid but bounced back in its 2020 MVC Tournament opener behind a balanced effort. Next up: top seed Northern Iowa.
Part 3 of our reflection, research and review of Selection Sundays and the NCAA Tournament bubble over the last 35 years looks year-by-year at 1995-99. The stretch saw conference champions like Manhattan and Miami (Ohio) rewarded in 1995, a shift towards mid-pack majors as the 90s drew to a close but also surges by a trio of Midwestern leagues.
On a wild Saturday, one of the last games of the night had a big result and a rather surprising team on top in their conference. Plus one conference has to wait before their bracket is known, and an SEC school retires the jersey of a big star from 30 years ago.
The Pac-12 has much to be settled, but two relative surprises among the top three after Thursday night. Plus a big rally shakes up the top in one mid-major, the Hawkeyes take care of business at home, and a coach gets a show-cause penalty.
