Dancing in the Streets of Charleston

It has been quite a season for college basketball in South Carolina, and the city of Charleston in particular on Saturday.

College of Charleston of the Trans America Athletic Conference and Charleston Southern of the Big South both earned automatic berths to the NCAA tournament by winning the championship games of their conference tournaments.

College of Charleston, ranked No. 20 nationally, rallied from a 12-point deficit to defeat Florida International, 83-73, in the Trans America Athletic tournament final in Charleston and extend the nation’s longest win streak to 22 games.

Charleston Southern came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat Liberty, 64-54, in the Big South tournament final at Lynchburg, Va. and earn its first NCAA tournament berth.

Charleston Southern (17-13) has played two of South Carolina’s other NCAA tournament-bound teams, losing at then-No. 10-ranked Clemson, 80-57, on Dec. 14 while winning, 85-81, on Dec. 28 at South Carolina, now ranked No. 6.

Charleston Southern lost twice to Liberty (23-9) during the regular season but center Rolando Hourruitiner (24 points and 12 rebounds) was instrumental in changing the outcome this time. He outplayed Liberty center and Big South tournament most valuable player Peter Aluma, who had 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Charleston Southern, with a smaller lineup, outrebounded Liberty, 52-36.

College of Charleston (28-2) earned its second NCAA berth as forward Thaddeus Delaney had 20 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocked shots.

College of Charleston had rallied from 10-point deficits to defeat Florida International (16-13) by three and four points during the regular season.

OHIO VALLEY

Murray State, coached by former UCLA assistant Mark Gottfried, defeated Austin Peay, 88-85, in the tournament final at Nashville, Tenn., to gain the conference’s automatic NCAA tournament bid.

Chad Townsend, the tournament MVP, scored 28 points and Darren Dawson scored eight of his 15 points in overtime for Murray State (20-9), which avenged a two-point loss to Austin Peay (17-14) in the final of last year’s tournament.

“The NCAA is the greatest show on earth and I’ve been there a few times but this trip has to be the sweetest,” Gottfried said.

Forward Bubba Wells scored 38 points for Austin Peay and had a tournament record of 99 in three games.

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They’re In

Schools that have received automatic bids to the NCAA basketball tournament. All bids are by virtue of conference tournament championships, except the Big Ten, Ivy League and Pacific 10 conferences, which do not conduct postseason tournaments:

School:Conference

UCLA: Pacific 10

Charleston: Trans America Athletic

Charleston Southern: Big South

Minnesota: Big Ten

Murray State: Ohio Valley

Princeton: Ivy