MOBILE, Ala. -- Western Kentucky is back in the NCAA Tournament. The
Hilltoppers are planning for an extended stay.
Chris Marcus had 20 points and 18 rebounds as Western Kentucky beat South
Alabama 64-54 Tuesday night in the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference
Tournament.
Western Kentucky (24-6), coming off five straight losing seasons, earned its
first NCAA Tournament bid since 1995.
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| Raymondo Curry jumps for joy as Western Kentucky wins the Sun Belt title. (AP) | |
"We are a team that can beat just about anybody," said Western Kentucky
coach Dennis Felton, who matched his victory total from his first two seasons.
"We are going to play the very best in the country who have a lot of the same
characteristics that we have and that got us into that game."
South Alabama (22-10) rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half and
took a 54-53 lead with 4:41 remaining.
Western Kentucky closed with a 13-0 run to seal the win. In the run, Derek
Robinson hit a 3-pointer and Tremain Rowles followed with a jump shot. Marcus,
the tournament's most valuable player, added four free throws in the final 48
seconds.
Western Kentucky, led by the 7-foot-1 Marcus, outrebounded South Alabama
42-20.
"We just had no answer to the big guy," Jaguar coach Bob Weltlich said.
"That ended up being our undoing."
Marcus was spurred by memories of last year's loss to the Jaguars.
"There's no feeling like it," Marcus said. "Last year, they put us out in
the second round and it just stuck with us. It's been a long road ... ."
South Alabama, which started three seniors, lost in the title game for the
second consecutive season, this time on its home floor.
"I'm extremely proud of our guys, because it was a major challenge to be
able to come in here against such a seasoned team, a team that I'm sure felt it
had to be their year," Felton said.
"I can't really find the words to express how courageous our players are in
getting this done."
Nashon McPherson added 14 points and Raynardo Curry had 11 for Western
Kentucky.
Virgil Stanescu led South Alabama with 14 points. Reserve Emmett Thomas
added 13. Ravonte Dantzler was limited to three points, 10 below his average.
The Jaguars were 4-of-20 from 3-point range and 6-of-12 from the line.
AP NEWS
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