March 17, 2022
NCAA TOURNAMENT ROUND OF 64
(13) Eastern Kentucky (22-9) vs. (4) Merrimack (28-4)
We got out to a lead early and held it, building to a 17-10 advantage with 14:09 to play in the first half. From there we took care of business and pulled away quickly and efficiently, I suspect making a lot of people change the channel while upset-hunting. We led 35-16 with 8:17 to go in the half, and at the break we had a stunning 60-27 lead on the Colonels. The rest was a blowout, as we calmly dismantled them 98-59.
Player of the Game: Bill Ellis (37 pts 10 reb 4 blk)
Honorable Mentions: Josh Cabrera (18 pts 9 reb 1 ast) Mike Brown (16 pts 1 reb 2 ast)
March 19, 2022
NCAA TOURNAMENT OKLAHOMA CITY REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS
(5) Utah State (29-4) vs. (4) Merrimack (29-4)
Both teams tonight play sharp defense, and one of us has to lose. We came out and built a 7-2 lead early, but they slowed us down quickly and with 10:21 to go in the first half our lead was just 15-11. With just over five minutes to go they took their first lead of the afternoon, up 17-18, at which point we traded scores for a few minutes before we rebuilt a 28-24 advantage with 1:06 to play. At the break we led 32-30 and knew there was nothing coming easy here.
We built a 38-32 lead on the Aggies but they continued to make our lives difficult on both ends of the floor, pulling back within three, down 42-39 with 14:33 remaining in the game. But we slowly built our lead, chipping away at their defenses as we expanded to a 58-47 lead over the next seven minutes. But they came roaring back, and with 4:42 to go our lead was a mere three points again, up 62-59. We held them off by the skin of our teeth, but only won this one in the final minutes, 80-70.
Survive and advance … but if Ellis doesn’t stay sharp we’re going to have a hard time making it past the next round. He flat-out carried us tonight.
Player of the Game: Bill Ellis (47 pts 15 reb 3 blk)
Honorable Mentions: Mike Brown (9 pts 2 ast) Josh Cabrera (7 pts 3 reb 1 ast 1 stl)
March 24, 2022
NCAA TOURNAMENT OKLAHOMA CITY REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
(4) Merrimack (30-4) vs. (1) Kansas (30-6)
By all accounts this is where our 22-game winning streak is expected to end. And they sure did play like that should be the case – the Jayhawks built a 3-10 lead on us in the first five minutes despite our best defensive efforts, and we appeared completely outmatched. They built an 18-34 lead on us by neutralizing Ellis with two fouls, but finally we had to put him back in and hope he could control himself. Nothing worked, and we went into the half down 24-41.
But we came out fired up in the second half, outscoring them 10-1 in the first three minutes to make it an eight point game! When Joel Mattox nailed a jumper from the left wing and drew the foul, hitting the free throw to tie it 42-42 with 15:01 to play, this place went INSANE! Ellis hit two free throws to put us up 44-42 a few seconds later, and by the time the Jayhawks woke up we were ahead 58-47 and this game was on the verge of breaking open in OUR favor! Ellis remained in foul trouble, with four fouls at that point, but he’d gotten the comeback started with 17 second-half points by the middle of the half, and he got the rest of the team revved up and ready to keep fighting. Kansas was the sleeping giant, however, and we knew we’d have to fight hard to outlast them. With eight minutes to play we led 63-55, but with 3:39 remaining we were clinging to a 65-64 lead by the edges of our fingernails. We thought it was all over with them leading 71-74 with just :04 left on the clock, but Rashard Crosby nailed a three-pointer from just outside the arc to tie it and force overtime, 74-74!
UNBELIEVEABLE!
A Bill Ellis dunk put us up 78-76 with 3:16 to go in the overtime, and moments later Mike Brown nailed a triple to make it 81-76! With 2:24 to go Crosby got a dunk on an Ellis assist to make it a seven point game, and our fans were going absolutely insane! We went on a complete tear from there and were able to outlast Kansas 19-7 in the extra minutes to win 93-81. This was the most insane game I have ever seen in my basketball life. Excuse me while I take some oxygen treatments. WE’RE GOING TO THE ELITE EIGHT!
Crazy stat … we outscored the Jayhawks 69-40 in the final 25 minutes of this game after trailing by 17 at the half.
Player of the Game: Bill Ellis (36 pts 10 reb 4 ast 2 stl 2 blk)
Honorable Mentions: Rashard Crosby (10 pts 2 reb 5 ast 1 stl) Joel Mattox (9 pts 5 reb 3 ast 2 stl 1 blk)
March 26, 2022
NCAA TOURNAMENT OKLAHOMA CITY REGIONAL FINALS
(2) Villanova (31-6) vs. (4) Merrimack (31-4)
We went into this one knowing we were playing on house money, but why not have fun with it? We held a 4-3 lead early, but Villanova took control as the half really got going, leading us into a real knock-down drag-out fight as the game progressed. We held a 39-35 lead on the Wildcats with 2:26 to play and we held the same margin, up 44-40, at the half with nothing coming easy. But Ellis took the team on his shoulders yet again and just refused to be stopped in the second half -- plus Villanova seemed to crumble on defense at every opportunity. We dominated down the stretch and won this one 93-82, making it to the FINAL FOUR in our first ever tournament appearance!
Player of the Game: Bill Ellis (46 pts 7 reb 2 ast)
Honorable Mention: Josh Cabrera (8 pts 2 reb 2 ast)
April 1, 2022
NCAA TOURNAMENT NATIONAL SEMIFINALS
(1) Louisville (30-6) vs. (4) Merrimack (32-4)
Louisville took us apart after a few minutes of toying with us, building a 22-31 lead on us with 7:27 to go in the first half. Ellis was still having a solid start to his game, but the whole team seemed to be wearing down, having given everything in the games to get here and then running out of gas. The Cardinals led 50-32 at the break and there wasn’t a lot I could say to rev them up in the second half, I just told everyone to keep their heads up and fight for twenty minutes and we’d earned respect no matter what. We played hard in the second half but it wasn’t to be … we were down still 43-59 with 13:20 to go, and though we briefly pulled within a dozen, the rally was too little too late. We lost this one in a heartbreaker, 66-88.
Player of the Game: Bill Ellis (30 pts 11 reb 4 ast 4 blk)
Honorable Mentions: Rashard Crosby (13 pts 1 ast) Mike Brown (7 pts 3 ast 2 stl)
Louisville faced off against (3) Saint Mary’s (33-6) in the championship, beating the Gaels 77-60 to complete their title run.
Iowa won the NIT by beating South Carolina 85-77.
Southern Methodist won the CBI by beating Baylor 75-67.
UCLA won a squeaker to take the HBC title over Seton Hall, 68-66.