San Diego stuns Zags
Rob Jones and De'Jon Jackson keyed a huge second-half run for the host San Diego Toreros, who stunned No. 20 Gonzaga 69-62 to win the West Coast Conference tournament championship game Monday night and clinch their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2003.
Showing no effects from needing 2 overtimes to beat Saint Mary's on Sunday night, the scrappy Toreros (21-13) went on a 19-4 run in the second half to take control and give first-year coach Bill Grier a huge win against his old boss, Gonzaga's Mark Few.
USD had lost 13 straight to the Zags (25-7) since upsetting them in the 2003 tournament title game.
Holding a comfortable lead in the final minute, the Toreros put an emphatic stamp on the upset. Gyno Pomare had a fast-break slam dunk with 25 seconds left, then pumped his fists after making 2 free throws. Trumaine Johnson had another slam with 7.9 seconds and hung on the rim, drawing a technical foul.
The students then got their turn, rushing the court after the final buzzer and swarming at midcourt, delaying the trophy presentation ceremony for several minutes.
The Zags must now wait for an at-large invitation, which will be their 10th straight NCAA appearance. They were trying for their fifth straight league title and ninth in 10 years.
Jackson scored 16 points, Jones 15 and Pomare 14, along with 10 rebounds.
Jeremy Pargo had 22 for Gonzaga.
Gonzaga took a 43-38 lead with 13:33 left on Josh Heytvelt's one-handed shot from the key.
That's when the Toreros got hot, going on a run that Jones finished with 2 free throws for a 57-47 lead with 5:52 left.
The Toreros have won 12 of 14 games. Meanwhile, Gonzaga had its eight-game winning streak snapped.
Colonial Athletic
Geo. Mason 68, Wm. & Mary 59: Folarin Campbell scored 20 points, and Will Thomas added 18 and 13 rebounds as the George Mason Patriots (23-10) beat the William & Mary Tribe to win the Colonial Athletic Association tournament in Richmond, Va.
The victory earned George Mason and coach Jim Larranaga a return to the tournament that made them America's favorite underdogs two years ago when they reached the Final Four.
Laimis Kisielius scored 22 points for William and Mary (17-16).
Metro Atl. Athletic
Siena 74, Rider 53: Tay Fisher matched his career high with six 3-pointers in scoring 21 points, and top-seeded Siena beat Rider in Albany, N.Y. to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship and earn the school's fourth berth in the NCAA Tournament.
It was the sixth straight win for Siena (22-10), which last went to the NCAA Tournament in 2002.
MAAC player of the year Jason Thompson led Rider (23-10) with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Southern
Davidson 65, Elon 49: Stephen Curry scored 23 points to lead No. 23 Davidson past Elon in North Charleston, S.C., its third straight Southern Conference title and fourth since 2002.
Davidson (26-6), which extended the country's longest winning streak to 22 games, has won 36 straight against Southern Conference opponents, including all 23 games this season.
T.J. Douglas led Elon (14-19) with 18 points, all on 3-pointers.