Semifinal Preview: 2009 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship
March 23, 2009
SEMIFINAL #1:
No. 8 Robert Morris (Ill.) (27-3) vs. Rocky Mountain (Mont.) (26-9)
Monday, March 23
6:50 p.m. CST
Municipal Auditorium (Kansas City, Mo.)
Television: Locally on Metro Sports
Live stats: Click here
Live video and audio: Click here
SEMIFINAL #2:
Columbia (Mo.) (29-7) vs. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (29-7)
Monday, March 23
8:50 p.m. CST
Municipal Auditorium (Kansas City, Mo.)
Television: Locally on Metro Sports
Live stats: Click here
Live video and audio: Click here
The 2009 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship Semifinals are set for tonight (March 23) and three of the four teams left are unseeded. Since seeding began in 1957, this marks the first time in history that three unseeded teams advanced as far as the Fab Four. No. 8 Robert Morris (Ill.) faces Rocky Mountain (Mont.) in the evening’s first Semifinal at 6:50 p.m. CDT followed by Columbia (Mo.) taking on MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) at 8:50 p.m. CST from Municipal Auditorium. For tickets, visit the Municipal Box Office or call Ticketmaster at 816-931-3330.
Robert Morris is making its fourth Semifinal appearance in the last five years while all three unseeded teams are making their first appearance. The Eagles of RMC own the nation’s longest winning streak at 21 games and own the No. 8 seed in the Tournament. Under head coach Al Bruehl, the Eagles rattle off points scoring a Tournament-high 84 points in three games. Junior forward Reggie Bunch leads the club with over 15 points and nearly nine rebounds a game while shooting over 60 percent from the floor.
The Battlin’ Bears of Rocky Mountain turn to senior forward Devin Uskoski, who averages a double-double on the year (17.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg). He leads the country with 27 double-doubles, including five straight and a 20 point, 16 rebound-effort in the Quarterfinals. RMC has been a comeback team thus far by overcoming deficits of nine and 11 points at the half this Tournament. Head coach Bill Dreikosen has his team in the Tournament for the sixth time overall and first since 2003. Before this year, RMC had not won a Championship game (0-5).
Columbia is riding a wave of success this Tournament. With the First Round win over Lee (Tenn.), the Cougars snapped a seven-game Championship losing streak dating back to 2001. Head coach Bob Burchard has qualified his program 13 of the last 15 seasons. CC is led by Christian Lewis, Jason Ellis and Brett Hoskins, who all average over 10 points. Pouring in nearly 19 points this Tournament, Ellis has gotten it done at the free throw line converting 19 of 20 attempts. To further their recent success, Columbia has won 16 of their last 17 games after going 2-4 during an early season swoon.
New to NAIA Division I, MidAmerica Nazarene has not underachieved this season. Highly successful in the NAIA Division II scene appearing in 13 National Championships including one title in 2007, the Pioneers have advanced to their fourth straight NAIA Fab Four (Division I & Division II). Senior forward Danny Hawkins has been a double-double machine notching 11 double-doubles in points and rebounds in the last 14 games. He currently leads the nation in rebounding (12.4 rpg) and pumps in 21.3 points, good for sixth in the country. Thanks to the post-play of Hawkins and senior Cal Kiburz (19.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg), MNU is ninth in the country in field goal percentage (.498). Head coach Rocky Lamar has his Pioneers on a 17-game winning streak.
SEMIFINAL NOTES:
• Since seeding began in 1957, this event marks the first time that three unseeded teams qualified for the Semifinal round. There have been numerous occasions of two unseeded teams advancing to the Fab Four and five unseeded teams (Texas A&I, Life, Science & Arts, John Brown, Texas Wesleyan) have gone on to win the National Championship.
• The three unseeded teams in the Fab Four are looking to become the third unseeded team to win the National Championship in the last five years. John Brown (Ark.) and Texas Wesleyan won the 2005 and 2006 titles as unseeded squads.
• Since seeding began in 1957, Rocky Mountain is looking to become the first Frontier Conference school to advance to the National Championship final.
• Robert Morris (Ill.) is looking for its first National Championship final appearance. The Eagles are 0-3 all-time in Semifinal games.
• All three unseeded teams, Rocky Mountain, Columbia and MidAmerica Nazarene are appearing in their first ever Semifinal.
• MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) becomes the first team from Kansas to reach the semifinals since Washburn’s title run of 1987.
• Two 500-win coaches will be facing each other when MidAmerica Nazarene faces Columbia. CC’s Bob Burchard stands 504-185 in his 20th season while MNU’s Rocky Lamar is 557-269 in 24 seasons.
TOP SCORERS:
36 – Chris Berry, Texas Wesleyan
33 – Eric Palm, McKendree (Ill.)
31 – Danny Hawkins, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
27 – Eric Palm, McKendree (Ill.)
27 – Reggie Bunch, Robert Morris (Ill.)
27 – Greg Truvillion, Union (Tenn.)
TOP REBOUNDERS:
17 – Danny Hawkins, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
16 – Reggie Bunch, Robert Morris (Ill.)
16 – Devin Uskoski, Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
13 – Rocky Hampton, Biola (Calif.)
13 – Devin Uskoski, Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
TEAM CAPSULE:
Columbia (Mo.) College Cougars
• Team Record – 29-7
• Winning Streak – 9 straight
• Qualification – American Midwest Conference Tournament Champions
• Head Coach – Bob Burchard (504-185 in 20th year at CC)
• Top Player – Christian Lewis (13.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg)
• Season Statistics and Schedule - Click here
• Tournament Stats - Click here
• Appearing in first ever Semifinal.
• Stands 6-13 in their 14th Championship event.
• Had lost seven straight Championship games prior to this season.
• After going 2-4 during a six-game stretch, has won 16 of their last 17 games heading into Semifinal.
• The 50 points scored by Columbia in the Quarterfinals is the lowest amount for a winning team in a Championship game since Oklahoma Baptist won a 39-36 affair over Biola in the 1997 Championship.
Columbia NAIA Championship Division I History
OVERALL RECORD (6-13) in 14 appearances
1990: (1-1) W, 93-88 vs. Malone Ohio | L, 106-86 vs. Oral Roberts (Okla.)
1995: (0-1) L, 81-56 vs. Fresno Pacific (Calif.)
1996: (0-1) L, 65-58 vs. Cumberland (Ky.)
1997: (0-1) L, 61-55 vs. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
1999: (1-1) W, 62-56 vs. Birmingham Southern (Ala.) | L, 58-53 vs. Concordia (Calif.)
2000: (0-1) L, 62-59 vs. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
2001: (1-1) W, 75-66 vs. Union (Tenn.) | L, 69-43 vs. Spring Hill (Ala.)
2002: (0-1) L, 93-86 vs. Barat (Ill.)
2003: (0-1) L, 72-68 vs. Wayland Baptist (Tex.)
2004: (0-1) L, 81-48 vs. Oklahoma City
2005: (0-1) L, 77-50 vs. Mountain State (W.V.)
2006: (0-1) L, 91-64 vs. Oklahoma City
2008: (0-1) L, 61-47 vs. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
2009: (3-0) W, 72-69 vs. Lee (Tenn.) | W, 84-64 vs. Union (Tenn.) | W, 50-47 vs. Westminster (Utah)
TEAM CAPSULE:
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) University Pioneers
• Team Record – 29-7
• Winning Streak – 17 straight
• Qualification – Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament & Regular Season Champions
• Head Coach – Rocky Lamar (557-269 in 24th year at MNU)
• Top Player – Danny Hawkins (21.3 ppg, 12.4 rpg)
• Season Statistics and Schedule - Click here
• Tournament Stats - Click here
• Competing in first NAIA Division I Championship – had appeared in 13 NAIA Division II Championships including a 2007 National Championship title.
• When including NAIA Division II history, MNU is appearing in fourth straight Semifinal.
• Has knocked off the No. 2, 7 and 15 seeds this Tournament.
• Danny Hawkins compiled his 14th straight game over 10 points in the Quarterfinal win. He also grabbed 17 rebounds to hit for his 11th double-double during the 14-game stretch.
MidAmerica Nazarene NAIA Championship Division I History
OVERALL RECORD (3-0) in 1 appearance
2009: (3-0) W, 78-72 vs. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) | W, 64-63 vs. Oklahoma Baptist | W, 59-55 vs. McKendree (Ill.)
TEAM CAPSULE:
No. 6 Robert Morris (Ill.) College Eagles
• Team Record – 27-3
• Winning Streak – 21 straight (nation’s longest active)
• Qualification – Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Champions
• Head Coach – Al Bruehl (330-80 in 13th year at RMC)
• Top Player – Reggie Bunch (15.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 60.3 FG %)
• Season Statistics and Schedule - Click here
• Tournament Stats - Click here
• Holds a Tournament record of 12-5 in its sixth Championship appearance, all in the last six seasons.
• Appearing in fourth ever Semifinal (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009).
• Searching for first trip to the National Championship final.
• RMC becomes the first No. 8 seed to advance to the semifinals since Oklahoma Baptist in 2006.
• Holds nation’s longest current winning streak at 21 straight. That mark ties for the longest this season in the country – Oklahoma Baptist and McKendree (Ill.) both had a 21-game winning streak earlier this year.
• Three losses this year have been by a total of 11 points (3.7 ppg).
• Averages 84.00 points per game and 46.0 rebounds per game, which is a Tournament best.
• Reggie Bunch finished with 16 rebounds in the Quarterfinal win over Auburn Montomery.
• Since falling behind by seven points at halftime of its first round contest, Robert Morris has outscored opponents 229-188.
Robert Morris NAIA Championship Division I History
OVERALL RECORD (12-5) in 6 appearances
2004: (1-1) W, 102-67 vs. Langston (Okla.) | L, 74-61 vs. Barber-Scotia (N.C.)
2005: (3-1) W, 81-79 vs. Xavier (La.) | W, 105-71 vs. California Baptist | W, 99-87 vs. Georgetown (Ky.) | L, 97-88 vs. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) in Semifinals
2006: (3-1) W, 88-80 vs. Southern Wesleyan (S.C.) | W, 87-71 vs. Spring Hill (Ala.) | W, 94-91 vs. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) | L, 94-92 vs. Oklahoma City in Semifinals
2007: (0-1) L, 2-0 vs. Westmont (Calif.) (lost by forfeit) | L, 2-0 vs. Oklahoma Baptist (lost by forfeit) | L, 2-0 vs. Crichton (Tenn.) (lost by forfeit) | L, 124-119 (4 OTs) vs. Concordia (Calif.) in Semifinals
2008: (2-1) W, 82-73 (OT) vs. Carroll (Mont.) | W, 80-64 vs. Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) | L, 88-84 vs. Georgetown (Ky.)
2009: (3-0) W, 76-73 vs. Montana State-Northern | W, 89-69 vs. Tougaloo (Miss.) | W, 87-76 vs. Auburn Montgomery (Ala.)
TEAM CAPSULE:
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) College Battlin’ Bears
• Team Record – 26-9
• Winning Streak – 21 straight (nation’s longest active)
• Qualification – At-Large #8
• Head Coach – Bill Dreikosen (160-126 in 10th year at RMC)
• Top Player – Devin Uskoski (17.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 60.5 FG %)
• Season Statistics and Schedule - Click here
• Tournament Stats - Click here
• Holds a Tournament record of 3-5 in its sixth Championship appearance.
• Appearing in first ever Semifinal.
• Devin Uskoski leads all Tournament rebounders with 13.3 rpg in three contests including 16 in the Quarterfinals.
• Uskoski has reached double-figures for scoring in 34 of 35 games this year and has a nation-best 27 double-doubles on the year. He has three double-doubles in the tournament.
• With 26 victories, the 2008-2009 season ranks as Rocky's winningest basketball season in 61 years. The 1947-48 Bears won their first 25 games on the way to a 31-1 season.
• In just two seasons as a Battlin' Bear, senior guard Chase Sukut has 1,121 career points and has hit 140 3-point field goals.
• After Saturday's 20 point, 16 rebound performance against Concordia (Calif.), senior forward Devin Uskoski's all-time totals at Rocky stand at 2,012 points and 1,274 rebounds in 128 games. He has also recorded 68 career double-doubles.
• This season's Fab Four run is the farthest any Rocky team has ever advanced at the Tournament and is the first time a Frontier Conference men's team has advanced to the Fab Four since Carroll (Mont.) College did so in 2005.
• Rocky Mountain has overcome two halftime deficits this tournament (in three games). The Battlin’ Bears trailed by nine in its opener against Freed-Hardeman and then was down by 11 at the half to Concordia in the Quarterfinals.
Rocky Mountain NAIA Championship Division I History
OVERALL RECORD (3-5) in 6 appearances
1951: (0-1) L, 82-57 vs. Hamline (Minn.)
1985: (0-1) L, L, 80-67 vs. Fort Hays State (Kan.)
1994: (0-1) L, 74-66 vs. Georgetown (Ky.)
2002: (0-1) L, 88-65 vs. Georgetown (Ky.)
2003: (0-1) L, 88-80 vs. Mountain State (W.V.)
2009: (3-0) W, 78-77 (OT) vs. Freed-Hardeman | W, 71-62 vs. Central Methodist (Mo.) | W, 72-64 vs. Concordia (Calif.)
