Two schools earned their first NCAA tournament bids on Saturday.
Binghamton, which has only been in Division I since 2001, beat Maryland-Baltimore County 61-51 to claim the America East’s automatic bid. Later, Morgan State beat Norfolk State 83-69 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship.
“We just persevered and fought all year long,” said Binghamton’s Kevin Broadus, conference coach of the year in just his second year. “This year was an unbelievable ride for me personally. These guys coached me. These guys showed me what a true champion is all about.”
The schools will have to wait a day to see which college hoops goliath they draw in the first round.
Some of those likely high seeds took their conference titles today: No. 4 Memphis demolished Tulsa 64-39 in the Conference USA title game, and No. 14 Missouri ended the hopes of upstart Baylor, which won three games in three days before succumbing to the Tigers 73-60.
nship.
Also, Utah earned the Mountain West bid, beating San Diego State 52-50, and Temple made it back to the NCAA for the second straight year, winning the Atlantic 10 over Duquesne 69-64.
Seven more bids were up for grabs Saturday, including the Big East championship between No. 5 Louisville and Syracuse, which played six overtimes Friday night and another Saturday to reach the title game.
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