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Texas A&M Commerce defeated Incarnate Word 76-72 in an overtime thriller on Monday, but the final score was far from the biggest story.
The Southland Conference rivals got into quite the brawl as they were shaking hands after the game:
The fighting went on for an extended period with players, coaches and managers getting involved. There were multiple times when it appeared to slow down just for more brawling to break out.
As for the game, the Lions prevailed in overtime thanks in large part to Alonzo Dodd's performance. He finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals as one of four Texas A&M Commerce starters to score in double figures.
Josh Morgan led Incarnate Word with 18 points off the bench, but it wasn't enough in the losing effort.
Texas A&M Commerce is now 10-17 overall and 4-10 in conference play, while Incarnate Word is 8-18 overall and 3-10 in the Southland Conference.
Houston Baptist forward Darius Lee died Monday after being shot in Harlem in New York CIty.
He was 21.
Police said Lee was shot after a fight broke out Monday morning when people were filming a rap video in a park. Eight other people were also shot.
"We are in shock and cannot wrap our heads around this news," Houston Baptist coach Ron Cottrell said in a statement. "My heart breaks for his mom, his sister and his entire family, and for our basketball team. The only thing we find comfort in right now is knowing where Darius is. He is in the arms of Jesus… we know that as fact. And we will see him again some day.
"As great of a basketball player as he was, he was an even better person. I can’t even think of basketball right now. I can only think of what a light Darius was during his short time on earth. He was a joy to coach and we loved him so much."
Lee was the school's Male Student-Athlete of the Year and was a second-team All-Southland Conference selection for the 2021-22 season. He finished with a team-high 18.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game, highlighted by a 52-point effort in a win over McNeese.
Police have not publicly identified the shooter or shooters. No information was given on what could have led to the shooting, though police said a gun was recovered at the scene.
There have been 277 recorded mass shootings in the United States this year. The United States accounts for 73 percent of mass shootings and 62 percent of fatalities due to mass shootings in the developed world.
March Madness upsets are fun for the players and fans, but they can also mean big money from the exposure for the school.
Abilene Christian defeated Texas in one of the most surprising results in the first round of the 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament. While the No. 14 seed's win over the No. 3 seed messed up many brackets, the combination of the victory and an appearance in the second round was worth nine figures and counting for the small West Texas university.
"So far we are close to $120 million-plus and we really haven't had time to tally up the totals," ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert told Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The Wildcats suffered a 20-point loss to UCLA in the second round, although simply facing another major program only added to the school's exposure.
As Schubert explained, tournament appearances lead to increased donations, increased applications and increased enrollment.
"There are other places a university can make significant steps, but I'd say nothing compares to the level of visibility and market value that comes with men's basketball, at least for us," he said.
Abilene Christian estimated its 2019 loss to Kentucky was worth $74 million.
The program has only been in Division I since 2013, but efforts like this go a long way in helping the school's growth.
If this college basketball season has foreshadowed anything for March Madness, it's to expect that nothing will go as planned.
Sure, there are some familiar names topping the NET, KenPom and other rankings. But if anyone tells you they had San Diego State and Dayton, neither of which made the NCAA Tournament a year ago, as potential No. 1 seeds, they're either lying or immediately need to be buying Powerball tickets.
The tournament, even in some of its more chalk years, always has a few surprises in store. Think UMBC in 2018, George Mason in 2006, Middle Tennessee State in 2016 and Missouri in 2015. This year, no upset would be all that shocking considering the volatility of nearly every top team in the country. But we think there's a few teams to look out for when you begin filling out your bracket.
Stephen F. Austin
The Lumberjacks burst on to the sleeper scene in 2013-14 with an upset of No. 5 seed VCU in just their second tournament appearance in school history. What Brad Underwood started—before bolting to Illinois—has been kept running by head coach Kyle Keller, who has SFA rolling this year.
The 'Jacks are 27-3 overall and 18-1 in the Southland. Oh, they also beat top-ranked Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in November. But don't write this group off as one-hit upset wonder.
Keller's squad leads the country in steals, averaging a touch above 10 of them per game. They're seventh in both field goal percentage and scoring offense, and they get to the free throw line at a rate higher than all but three Division I teams. They're led by two experienced scoring guards—Kevon Harris (17.8 PPG) and Cameron Johnson (11.3 PPG)—who can fill it up on any night. For the wrong top-four seed, SFA could be a matchup nightmare.
North Texas
There have been few better freshmen this year, in or outside of the power conferences, than North Texas guard Javion Hamlet.
The Memphis native has been an absolute terror for opposing defenses in Conference USA, averaging 17.9 points and 5.3 assists, while shooting 53 percent from the field, 40 percent from the three-point line and 88 percent at the charity stripe.
His scoring ability, along with that of running mate Umoja Gibson's (14.5 PPG) make the Mean Green exactly the type of team you don't want to see in the round of 64.
Belmont
A significant drop-off was expected when legendary Belmont coach Rick Byrd retired last April. He led the Bruins from Atlantic Sun pretender to a perennial NCAA Tournament contender, winning at least 20 games in 13 of his final 14 seasons helming the program.
But new head man Casey Alexander, previously the head coach at Winthrop, has picked up where Byrd left off, leading Belmont to 25 wins and a regular season Ohio Valley Conference title. This year's iteration is led by sharpshooting guard Adam Kunkel, who has knocked down 82 three-pointers while averaging 16.6 points per game.
The Bruins share the ball better than anyone in the country—they're No. 1 in assists—and are in the top-20 nationally in field goal percentage, three-pointers made, defensive rebounds and scoring.
Much like North Texas or Stephen F. Austin, the Bruins present a dangerous matchup for potential No. 4 and No. 5 seeds with their shooting ability. And as shown by UMBC knocking off No. 1 Virginia two years ago, it takes just the right shooting night to get Cinderella's slipper to fit.
Follow Keegan on Twitter @ByKeeganPope. Statistics courtesy of Sports Reference.
After hitting the game-winning layup in overtime of Stephen F. Austin's shocking 85-83 upset win over No. 1 Duke on Tuesday, SFA guard Nathan Bain was met with a big surprise.
According to the Associated Press, a GoFundMe set up by SFA Compliance on behalf of Bain and his family two months ago saw a massive spike in donations. The GoFundMe was created after Bain's family in Freeport, Bahamas, lost "nearly everything of value" as a result of Hurricane Dorian.
The GoFundMe had raised only around $2,000 before Tuesday's game, but it is currently over the $48,000 mark, which is close to the $50,000 goal.
In addition to Bain's family losing their possessions, his father is a minister, and the church he runs in the Bahamas suffered "extreme damage."
Prior to the win over Duke, Bain was a little-known fifth-year senior guard. He averaged a career-high 5.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last season and is averaging 5.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game so far this season for the 5-1 Lumberjacks.
Bain finished Tuesday's game with 11 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists, and he will forever be known as the player who shocked the 27.5-point favored Blue Devils in their own building. He also ended Duke's 150-game nonconference home winning streak in the process.
The loss was the first of the season for Duke, which had previously beaten big-name schools such as Kansas, California and Georgetown this season.
SFA's win was made even more shocking by the fact that it went just 14-16 last season, although that was an outlier since the Lumberjacks were among the best small-conference teams in the nation the previous six seasons with at least 27 wins in five of them.
Bain and Stephen F. Austin will look to build upon the momentum gained Tuesday when they face Arkansas State on Saturday. They also have an upcoming challenge against SEC foe Alabama on Dec. 6.
Hopefully, the Abilene Christian roster has more depth than head coach Joe Golding's suit selection.
According to ESPN's Andrea Adelson, Golding ripped a hole in his pants while celebrating his team's Southland Conference tournament championship, clinching the program's NCAA tournament berth. By itself, that is not an issue. However, Golding only owns one suit—and it is now compromised.
"We got one suit place in town," Golding said during his media availability on Wednesday. "That's it, and they couldn't get it done. ... So, I got one suit, my man.
"I had two suits when the year started. I left one in the airport—true story. ... I'm coaching tomorrow in my baby blue suit, and I'm gonna have a hole in my butt, man. It is what it is, man."
Whether Golding's holey suit is a March charm or a bad omen for 15-seed Abilene Christian (27-6) depends on the outcome of their first-round game against No. 2-seed Kentucky (27-6) on Thursday at 7 p.m. EST in Jacksonville, Florida.
Two years ago, Jalan West made his first attempt to finish his college basketball career. A Southland Conference star, West entered his senior season at Northwestern State as the No. 69 player in CBS Sports’ preseason top 100. Bleacher Report named him one of the 20 most exciting players to watch. And although the NBA remained a long shot, it seemed likely that he’d be able to play professionally somewhere around the world after graduation.
Then, after putting up 25 points in the first 39 minutes of the Demons’ opener against Ole Miss, he came crashing down to the court on a jump stop and tore the ACL in his left knee. By the time coach Mike McConathy got to the locker room to check on his senior stalwart, West had already received the news and was waiting, zen-like, with team pastor Conway Jones. When McConathy heard the word, he was shocked and devastated. So much so that West had to ask Jones to pray for and calm his coach.
“I wasn’t handling it very well,” McConathy says now. “I’ve been here a long time, and his injury wasn’t going to make or break my career. That wasn’t why I was upset. I just saw all the opportunities that would disappear without Jalan there. The sum of everything was that no one would have the same experience or success without him.”
Last year, West made his second attempt to finish his college basketball career, but he tore the same ACL in August, just weeks after being cleared to practice. “That time,” McConathy says, “I needed two preachers. I guarantee you.”
Now, after being granted a rare seventh year of eligibility, the 24-year-old West is making his final college basketball comeback. At a time when the sport’s most talented players are spending a mere seven months on campus, West recently joked that he’d been in school for nearly half of McConathy’s tenure as head coach. Forget one-and-done; West is pioneering six-and-stay.
The two years on the sidelines were at times a struggle for him, but he also gained an appreciation for the fleeting nature of the game and his ability to play it. “I didn’t think I was going to be here this long,” West says, then laughs. “But it’s been a blessing in disguise. I’ve gotten more years of school. I’ve been able to meet more people and make more friends. I’ve been able to have a lot of experiences outside of basketball.”
West is originally from Bossier City, a suburb of Shreveport, Louisiana. He played AAU basketball with future pro players like Langston Gallawoy and Markel Brown. He was a member of the 2011 recruiting class, which was headlined by 7-foot sensation Anthony Davis. But as Davis led Kentucky to a national championship, West was taking a redshirt due to NCAA Clearinghouse issues.
The next winter, it quickly became clear that West would thrive in McConathy’s high-octane offense. As a redshirt freshman, he averaged 10.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. The Demons also finished that year with a trip to the NCAA tournament, falling to Florida in the first round.
As a sophomore, he upped his scoring to 19 points a game and put on some offensive showcases against top-ranked competition, including a 26-point performance against No. 12 Baylor and a near double-double against No. 16 Memphis. His breakout season was as a junior in 2014-15, during which he led the nation in assists at 7.7 per game. His assist rate, according to Kenpom.com, was 11th in the country, and he boasted a remarkably efficient 124.5 offensive rating.
Then, as his game was peaking, his body came crashing down. His spirits remained high, though, and he spent the first season rehabbing and dabbling in a little amateur coaching. He’d sit behind the bench and encourage teammates and mentor younger players. “It’s way different than when I first came in,” West says. “I was looking up to people trying to see what I could get out of them. Now it’s the other way around. Guys are trying to ask me different things on how to get better. You’re always able to grow and learn if you’re willing to, and I have an opportunity to grow with these young guys.”
Even after his second ACL tear, he remained upbeat. Days after receiving the news, he recorded a video interview for the school’s athletic site, in which he is standing and smiling. Only once, during the winter after his first ACL tear, did West consider quitting the sport. But at his low moment, he called his mother, who gave him a simple message: “Don’t give up.”
Without West, the Demons have gone 21-35 in two seasons. Now, McConathy and the rest of the team must temper their expectations and make sure not to put too much pressure on West, who hasn’t played a full competitive basketball game in nearly two and a half years. Of course, keeping it light in practice is easy when West’s primary nickname is “Grandpa.”
“It’s going to be gradual steps to get him back to where he was,” McConathy says. But the desire and the hunger he has to do what he was doing, to get another opportunity and go back, that’s there. I hope he steps back in and is soon back at the level he was playing at all those years ago.”
As he approaches this final season, West has learned plenty in his seven years in school. He has a degree in social sciences and is enrolled in a master’s program in addiction studies now. But perhaps the most important lesson is right there on the hardwood: No more jump stops. Then again, maybe he won’t be tempted to use that move again. After all, making quick stops has never been his strong suit.
University of New Orleans basketball player Travin Thibodeaux posted an open letter Wednesday to apologize for his actions during Tuesday's NCAA tournament game against Mount St. Mary's.
Thibodeaux, who got into an altercation with teammate Christavious Gill during the 67-66 loss, wrote on the Privateers' official website he was sorry for his "erratic behavior":
I am a very competitive and passionate player/person and, tonight, I let my emotions take away from my team's success and integrity. I take full responsibility for my selfish actions and I will accept whatever consequences my coaches and university's administration choose to give me.
I regret this as one of the biggest mistakes I have made in my life. I am extremely sorry to disgrace my family, my team, and university. I will take this moment as a major learning experience and work on becoming a better man/teammate.
New Orleans head coach Mark Slessinger stepped in to diffuse the situation after Thibodeaux appeared to choke his teammate following a second-half disagreement. ESPN.com noted the junior forward was benched and didn't return to the game after the incident.
Thibodeaux mentioned Gill, a senior guard, directly in the open letter.
"To one of my closest friends on the team throughout my three years here, Christavious, I apologize and should've checked myself before I reacted," Thibodeaux wrote. "Even though that happened, I still love you with all my heart and will always have your back through whatever situation."
He concluded: "I promise to make a commitment to changing for the better of my team. It has been an honor to battle this season with you group of guys. I know it may be hard to forgive me now, but I love each and every one of you guys forever no matter what!"
Sharief Ishaq of WDSU passed along further reaction from Slessinger after the team returned home:
Thibodeaux finished the contest, which was part of the First Four round of March Madness, with 11 points in 22 minutes. Gill tallied eight points and four steals in 35 minutes.
New Orleans, which trailed by as much as nine in the second half, made a late surge, but Mount St. Mary's held on for the one-point victory. The Mountaineers advance to face Villanova, the NCAA tournament's top overall seed, in the first round Thursday.
The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks and Thomas Walkup exited the NCAA tournament like champions.
Although a demoralizing 76-75 loss to the No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish meant the No. 14 Lumberjacks fell just one point short of continuing their Cinderella journey into the Sweet 16, the Stephen F. Austin student body ensured they were welcomed home like heroes.
At around 2 a.m. on Monday morning, players descended from the team bus to applause, camera flashes and plenty of "axe 'em" hand signs.
Surveying the scene alone, it'd be impossible to tell that the Southland Conference champs failed to secure the title, let alone more than a single tournament victory.
But in placing their school firmly on the map through their passionate play, in a sense, Walkup and Co. had done so much more.
