The NCAA News - News and Features

March 30, 1998

UC Davis claims first II men's basketball championship

Five players scored in double figures as UC Davis claimed its first Division II Men's Basketball Championship with an 83-77 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan March 21 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Jason Cox scored 10 of his team-high 18 points in the second half to help UC Davis (31-2) recover after losing an eight-point half-time lead.

Kentucky Wesleyan (30-3) had a chance to tie the game late, but a turnover in the last 30 seconds forced the Panthers to foul and UC Davis was able to extend its lead.

"We played very well defensively down the stretch," said UC Davis head coach Bob Williams. "Kentucky Wesleyan is a great team. They have so many weapons. But our guys dug deep inside and are great competitors."

UC Davis had never advanced to the Elite Eight and had won just four tournament games in nine appearances before this year. But the Aggies won the West regional and dispatched West Texas A&M in the quarterfinals on their way to the title.

"Different guys stepping up has been the trademark of this team all year," said J. C. Timmons, who scored 12 against Kentucky Wesleyan.

Both teams shot well from the floor. Kentucky Wesleyan, a six-time champion, hurt itself from the foul stripe, connecting on just 12 of 20 free throws.

"It was a very tough game," said Panthers coach Ray Harper. "We got back and had an opportunity to win. But UC Davis made big plays down the stretch and deserved to win."

In the semifinals, UC Davis downed St. Rose (27-6) by 12, with four players scoring in double figures for the 88-76 win. Cox led the Aggies with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.

"I was getting a lot of open looks, and I felt really good about my shot," he said. "You put those two together and things turn out pretty good."

UC Davis held St. Rose to just 31 percent from the field and amassed an insurmountable 14-point lead at half time.

Kentucky Wesleyan dispatched Virginia Union (27-6) in the other semifinal, 80-72, after trailing by two points at the half. Harper cited his Panthers' conversion of 24 second-chance points and a 47-35 rebound advantage as keys to the win.

Dana Williams was only nine of 23 from the field but led Kentucky Wesleyan with 25 points. Larenzo Conner added 20 and Antonio Garcia, Division II's leading rebounder, grabbed 21 boards.

Virginia Union's William Davis led all scorers with 29 points.

In quarterfinal games, UC Davis defeated West Texas A&M, 63-55; Saint Rose defeated Fairmont State, 77-73 in overtime; Virginia Union beat Northern State, 67-63; and Kentucky Wesleyan beat Delta State, 76-68.

The all-tournament team consisted of Garcia, named the tournament's most outstanding player, and Williams of Kentucky Wesleyan; Cox and Dante Ross of UC Davis; and Virginia Union's Davis.

SEMIFINALS

UC Davis 88, St. Rose 76

St. Rose: Dan Haver 1-3, 0-0, 0, 2; Hassan Abdullah 1-5, 4-4, 4, 6; Damon Reed 5-11, 6-11, 13, 16; Jermaine Henderson 5-15, 1-2, 2, 12; Corey Green 0-3, 2-2, 7, 2; Ryan Halliday 4-14, 4-4, 3, 15; Steve Sgambelluri 4-7, 5-5, 1, 16; Gregg Saunders 3-7, 1-2, 3, 7; Steve Doran 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Ben Goodwin 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 23-65, 23-30, 35 (2 team), 76.

UC Davis: Justis Durkee 6-8, 4-4, 9, 16; Chris Vlasic 2-5, 0-0, 5, 4; Jason Cox 10-15, 4-4, 8, 27; J. C. Timmons 3-9, 2-3, 5, 8; Dante Ross 5-11, 4-5, 2, 14; Jon Surface 2-5, 0-0, 4, 4; Travon Dugar 2-2, 2-2, 1, 6; Keith Jackson 1-2, 2-2, 2, 4; Scott Darmstadt 0-2, 0-0, 2, 0; J. P. Bergez 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Rick Gonzales 1-1, 2-2, 0, 5; Kevin Nosek 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 32-62, 20-22, 43 (4 team), 88.

Half time: UC Davis 42, St. Rose 28. Three-point field goals: St. Rose 7-20 (Sgambelluri 3-4, Halliday 3-10, Henderson 1-4, Haver 0-1, Green 0-1); UC Davis 4-10 (Cox 3-5, Gonzales 1-1, Surface 0-2, Vlasic 0-1, Ross 0-1). Disqualifications: Halliday, Timmons. Officials: Doug Simmons, Sean Hull, Jamie Luckie. Attendance: 2,307.

Ky. Wesleyan 80, Virginia Union 72

Ky. Wesleyan: Dana Williams 9-23, 7-9, 9, 25; Adam Mattingly 2-4, 2-2, 3, 6; Antonio Garcia 5-5, 2-7, 21, 12; Pat Critchelow 1-5, 2-2, 4, 4; Larenzo Conner 6-11, 4-4, 5, 20; Anwar Stewart-Perry 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Gino Bartolone 0-3, 0-0, 0, 0; Will McDonald 3-5, 1-2, 2, 8; Danny McCampbell 1-2, 3-4, 1, 5; Jeff Krohman 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 27-60, 21-30, 28 (2 team), 80.

Virginia Union: Al Mobley 4-9, 0-0, 7, 8; Bryan Satchell 2-10, 0-0, 4, 4; Chandar Bingham 3-6, 0-0, 7, 6; William Davis 12-27, 2-2, 5, 29; Lorenzo Roach 0-0, 2-2, 1, 2; Doug Walrond 3-5, 1-2, 4, 7; Robert Johnson 3-4, 0-0, 3, 6; Mike Martin 2-9, 3-3, 1, 8; Mike Simon 1-1, 0-0, 0, 2; Ibiahima Thioume 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. TOTALS: 30-71, 8-9, 35 (2 team), 72.

Half time: Virginia Union 39, Ky. Wesleyan 37. Three-point field goals: Ky. Wesleyan 5-13 (Conner 4-8, McDonald 1-1, Bartolone 0-2, Williams 0-1, Chritchelow 0-1); Virginia Union 4-18 (Davis 3-12, Martin 1-4, Satchell 0-2). Disqualifications: Walrond. Officials: Mike Giarretano, John Higgins, Tom Mauer. Attendance: 2,307.

CHAMPIONSHIP

UC Davis 83, Ky. Wesleyan 77

Ky. Wesleyan: Dana Williams 8-17, 3-5, 7, 19; Adam Mattingly 1-3, 1-2, 4, 3; Antonio Garcia 8-13, 3-5, 16, 19; Pat Critchelow 5-10, 2-2, 1, 13; Larenzo Conner 5-11, 0-0, 3, 15; Will McDonald 2-6, 2-4, 3, 7; Gino Bartolone 0-1, 1-2, 0, 1; Anwar Stewart-Perry 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Danny McCampbell 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Jeff Krohman 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 29-63, 12-20, 34 (0 team), 77.

UC Davis: Justis Durkee 5-7, 1-4, 9, 11; Chris Vlasic 2-9, 0-0, 2, 5; Jason Cox 8-10, 0-0, 6, 18; J. C. Timmons 5-12, 2-2, 7, 12; Dante Ross 5-11, 5-6, 6, 15; Jon Surface 4-10, 0-0, 3, 10; Scott Darmstadt 0-2, 0-0, 3, 0; Travon Dugar 1-1, 2-2, 1, 4; J. P. Bergez 3-4, 0-0, 2, 8; Rick Gonzales 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 33-66, 10-14, 40 (1 team), 83.

Half time: UC Davis 43, Ky. Wesleyan 35. Three-point field goals: Ky. Wesleyan 7-18 (Conner 5-9, Critchelow 1-3, McDonald 1-2, Williams 0-1, Mattingly 0-1, Bartolone 0-1, Krohman 0-1); UC Davis 7-18 (Surface 2-7, Cox 2-3, Bergez 2-3, Vlasic 1-4, Darmstadt 0-1). Disqualifications: None. Officials: Mike Giarretano, John Higgins, Tom Mauer. Attendance: 3,420.