The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
College basketball JOHN CARROLL VS. ALBERTUS MAGNUS
What: First-round NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament game
When: 3:15 p.m., March 3
Where: Max Ziel Gymnasium, Oswego State (N.Y.)
Records: JCU 22-4, Albertus Magnus 19-9
What’s next: Winner plays either host Oswego State or Marymount (Va.) in a second-round game at 5:45 p.m. March 4.
For the record: It’s a long layoff — eight days — between games for JCU since bowing out of the OAC tournament after a loss to Marietta in the semifinals. Coach Pete Moran’s team has been a slow starter of late so it will be interesting how the Blue Streaks respond in the game’s first 10minutes. … This is JCU’s first NCAA tournament
John Carroll’s Luke Frazier of Lake Catholic drives to the basket against Marietta Feb. 23in an OAC tournament semifinal.
appearance since 2018, Moran’s first season as head coach. The Blue Streaks — making their 16th appearance in program history — advanced to the Sweet Sixteen that season. … JCU averages 82.2points per game, and has three players scoring in double figures — Lake Catholic’s Luke Frazier (16.4), Mentor’s Luke Chicone (15.3) and Chase Toppin (10.6).
Chicone leads the team in assists (127) and Toppin leads in steals (43). … Magnus won the GNAC Tournament with a huge victory over previously No. 1-ranked St. Joseph (Conn.) in the championship game. … Terry Dawkins is the team’s leading scorer (17.3 points). … Magnus began the season 0-5, but is 19-4 since with two of the losses against St. Joseph when it was the No. 1 team in the nation.
CASE WESTERN RESERVE VS. ARCADIA
What: First-round NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament game
When: 3:50 p.m., March 3
Where: Case’s Veale Center
Records: Case 21-3, Arcadia 15-11
What’s next: Winner plays either Wisconsin-Whitewater or Wabash in a secondround game at 6:20 p.m. March 4.
For the record: Save for a stretch in which it lost three of four from Jan. 13 to Jan. 22, Case has played exceptionally well. It began the season 11-0, then finished 9-0. … The Spartans earned an automatic bid as the regular-season champion of the University Athletic Association. Some argue it’s the toughest conference in America in DIII. Five of the eight teams in the UAA earned NCAA bids — Case, Washington (Mo.), Emory, New York U. and Rochester. … Case has two elite scorers in Mitch Prendergast (17.2 points) and Cole Frilling (16.0). … Arcadia earned its NCAA bid as champion of the MAC Freedom Conference. It struggled early in the season with a 4-8 mark before the new year but has been playing well of late. … Leading scorers are Jalen Watkins (18.7), Nas Johnson (13.9) and Justin Money (13.8).