The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE NCAA men’s basketball regular season came to a close last weekend and with “Selection Sunday” still a week away, several Bahamian players in elite programmes across the United States have already punched their tickets to the 68-team field in the NCAA Tournament.

Leading the list of early qualifiers for the tournament are Kadeem Coleby and his Wichita State Shockers, who continue to be the top story in the NCAA. They improved their undefeated record to 34-0 after they breezed their way to the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, following a trio of games won by an average margin of 20.3 points per game.

Following a first round bye, the Shockers opened in the second round with an 80-58 win over Evansville. Coleby finished with a season high six blocks along with six points and four rebounds in 15 minutes.

In the semifinals, the Shockers took down Missouri State, 67-42, and Coleby finished with two points and four rebounds.

In the finals, they easily defeated Indiana State 83-69, however Coleby was in foul trouble with four personal fouls in just 10 minutes.

The last team to reach 34-0 was the 90-91 UNLV Running Rebels who reached the Final Four before losing to Duke.

In the Big South Conference, Tristian Curtis and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 21 years after they claimed the conference championship with a 76-61 win over Winthrop.

It was the first conference championship for the Chanticleers since 1991 and first appearance in the tournament since 1993.

Curtis appeared in 26 games this season with three starts and averaged 1.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Coastal Carolina finished the season at 21-12 and the tournament win was long awaited redemption for the university who saw their aforementioned 1993 tournament title vacated due to NCAA violations.

The Chanticleers opened the tournament with a double-overtime win against Charleston Southern.

Curtis followed with one of perhaps his best game of the season in the semifinals in a 66-62 victory over high-scoring VMI. He finished with 13 rebounds, three blocks and two points in 22 minutes.

A total of five teams have received automatic bids to the tournament following the completion of their conference tournaments.

Wichita State and Coastal Carolina are joined by Eastern Kentucky in the Ohio Valley Conference, Harvard in the Ivy league and Mercer in the Atlantic Sun.

Other Bahamian players have the luxury of being a certainty for the tournament while even more are on the bubble or will need a run at a conference title to earn a spot in the tournament.

Buddy Hield and the No. 18 nationally ranked Oklahoma Sooners can see their tournament seeding adjust based on their play in the Big 12 tournament which takes place March 12-15.

The Sooners are ranked No.2 in the conference tournament behind the Kansas Jayhawks.

Following a first round bye, they will face the winner of the Baylor vs. Texas Christian first round matchup.

In the SEC, Dwight Coleby and the Ole Miss Rebels are ranked No. 6 in the conference tournament which takes place March 12-16. They will receive a first round bye and play the winner of the Vanderbilt vs Mississippi St first round matchup.

Also in the SEC, Tavario Miller and the Texas A and M Aggies, ranked No.9 in the conference, will face the Missouri Tigers in the opening round.

The winner will advance to take on the top ranked team in the country, the Florida Gators, in round two.

In the Atlantic Coast Conference, Shaquille Cleare and the Maryland Terrapins are ranked No.8 in the conference tournament bracket and will face the FSU Seminoles in the opening round, March 13.

In the Pac-12, Wannah Bail and the UCLA Bruins are ranked second in the conference and will receive a first round bye when the tournament begins March 12. They will face the winner of Washington State and Stanford in round one.

Zane Knowles and the Texas A and M Corpus Christi Islanders are ranked second in the Southland Conference tournament and received an automatic bid to the semifinals.

In the American Conference tournament, March 12-15, the Houston Cougars are ranked No.6. Danrad Knowles, LJ Rose, Mikhail McLean and the Cougars will face the SMU Mustangs in the opening round. “Selection Sunday” will take place March 16, broadcasted live on CBS and ESPN.