College Basketball 3/9 - Conference Tourney Time

GAME OF THE WEEK
Bucknell 87, Navy 86 3 OT
John Griffin scored 21 points for Bucknell, but none were bigger than the 40-ft. three pointer he hit at the end of the third overtime to give Bucknell the win over Navy in the first round of the Patriot League tournament. Bucknell was down 45-28 with 15 minutes left in the game before going on a 22-5 run to tie the game at 50. Navy regained the lead, but Bucknell sent the game to overtime on a Todd O'Brien lay-up. At the end of the second overtime, Navy's Kaleo Kina hit a three with 16 seconds left to send the game to the third over time. At the end of the third overtime, Navy's T.J. Topercer put the Midshipmen up by two with a tip-in with three seconds left before Griffin took the in-bounds, dribbled up the left side of the court, and banked in the game winner.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shan Foster, Vanderbilt
Foster averaged 31.5 ppg in the Commodore's 1-1 week, shooting 12-23 from deep. But it was Foster's performance in Vanderbilt's 86-85 overtime win over Mississippi State. In the first 30 minutes of the game, Foster had 13 points, shooting 0-6 from three point range. But in the last 15 minutes, Foster scored 29 points, including hitting his last nine three pointers. In the last :33 seconds of regulation, Foster hit two three's to lead Vandy back from a five point deficit. Foster then scored eights points in the last :48 seconds of overtimes, including a three with 1 seconds left to win the game.

TEAMS OF THE WEEK
Syracuse and Ohio State
Both Syracuse and Ohio State swept their games this week, putting themselves in good position to earn at-large bids. Syracuse won at Seton Hall and then beat Marquette at home by 15. They get Villanova in the first round of the Big East tournament in what seems to be an elimination. Ohio State had an even better week, beating both Purdue and Michigan State at home. Ohio State can all but lock up a bid with a win over Michigan State in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.

No Match-ups this week. Instead I'm going to do a preview of the major conference tournaments.