Winthrop aims for third straight NCAA berth Saturday

Mar 8, 2008 - 11:52 AM By PA SportsTicker

Winthrop will try to prove that second-best is good enough to win again.

The Eagles will aim for their third consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament when they face top-seeded UNC Asheville in the title game of the Big South Conference tournament on Saturday.

The automatic berth to the NCAAs is one of three up for grabs on Saturday, along with the Ohio Valley and the Atlantic Sun Conferences.

The top seed when it won each of the past two Big South tournament titles, Winthrop (21-11) is the second seed this year and is attempting to become the first No. 2 seed in seven years to win the league crown. The Eagles, ironically, were the last team to accomplish the feat, toppling top seed Radford in overtime in 2001.

Overall, Winthrop is 8-1 all-time in the Big South title game and holds the league record for most championships.

Winthrop could be a very dangerous team if it can get into the NCAA Tournament. Last season, the Eagles upset sixth-seeded Notre Dame in the first round before losing to third-seeded Oregon.

So far, Winthrop has made its run through the tournament with defense, holding its two foes to a combined 29 percent shooting from the field. It posted a 61-53 victory over High Point on Thursday to reach the title game.

UNC Asheville (23-8) is in the title game for the first time in five years following a 75-67 win over Liberty on Thursday. The Bulldogs are looking for just their second NCAA berth and first since 2003.

The tallest player to play in Division I at 7-7, Kenny George is coming off a 19-point, 11-rebound effort in the win over Liberty for UNC Asheville, which swept the season series with Winthrop.

In the Ohio Valley, top-seeded Austin Peay will aim for its first spot in the NCAAs since 2003 when it faces upstart Tennessee State.

The Governors (23-10) on Friday slipped by OVC Player of the Year Lester Hudson and Tennessee-Martin, 78-77, behind a free throw by Drake Reed with 2.2 seconds remaining. Austin Peay has won 10 of its last 11 games.

The sixth-seeded Tigers (15-16) recorded their second straight upset Friday, knocking off second seed Murray State, 83-75, behind 20 points from leading scorer Bruce Price. Tennessee State bounced third seed Morehead State in the opening round on Tuesday.

The Tigers, who split the series with the Governors, would become the first team with a .500 record since Lamar in 2000 to qualify for the "Big Dance."

In the Atlantic Sun, Belmont goes for a third straight league title when it faces second seed Jacksonville.

The top-seeded Bruins (24-8) needed a late technical foul and four free throws in the closing 20 seconds to edge East Tennessee, 69-65, on Friday night.

The Dolphins (18-12) recorded an 89-80 victory over Gardner-Webb on Friday as they attempt to end a run of 21 years without an appearance in the NCAAs.

So far, only one of the 30 automatic bids has been claimed, as Cornell wrapped up the one from the Ivy League last Saturday. The regular-season winner of the Ivy League gains a berth due to the fact that it is the only league in Division I not to hold a postseason tournament.

One more automatic berth will be decided on Sunday, as the Missouri Valley Conference holds its title game.