The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOR the first time in several years, no Bahamian players heard their respective programme’s name called on “Selection Sunday” as the field for the men’s basketball NCAA Tournament was announced.

Radshad Davis and Travis Munnings were still in pursuit of automatic bids in the Sun Belt Conference tournament this weekend but fell short.

Conference tournament winners receive automatic bids while the selection committee decides the remaining at-large bids.

Davis and the Texas-Arlington Mavericks finished one game shy of a tournament berth but lost in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship game. The Mavericks suffered a 74-63 loss to the Georgia State Panthers in the tournament finale yesterday in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Davis finished with five points and six rebounds.

The game was a rematch of last year’s Sun Belt final as the Panthers got the edge once again. Texas-Arlington was as close as 64-60 at the 2:10 mark but could pull no closer.

The Mavericks had a shooting drought of 23 straight missed field goals spanning the last 10 minutes of the first half and more than the first five minutes of the second half.

Munnings and the the ULM Warhawks were eliminated in the Sun Belt Quarterfinals by the Georgia Southern Eagles in an 87-61 loss Friday night.

Munnings nearly had a triple double with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the loss.

Georgia Southern went on to the Semifinals where they were eliminated by Davis and the Mavericks.

ULM still managed a postseason berth, when they accepted an invitation to play in the 2019 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. The Warhawks will play host to a CIT first-round game in Fant-Ewing Coliseum, with the opponent and date to be determined.

ULM is making its 13th postseason appearance in program history. It marks the Warhawks’ fourth trip to postseason play in the last five years, including their third appearance in the CIT (2016 at Furman and 2018 at Austin Peay).

“We’re excited about having an opportunity to continue our season in the CIT,” ULM head coach Keith RIchard said. “Opening with a home game is extra special. Our players didn’t want the season to end in New Orleans, so they’re looking forward to making a run in the postseason.

The Warhawks are 13-2 in Fant-Ewing Coliseum this season

Franco Miller’s Ole Miss Rebels were awarded an at large bid, however, Miller is currently sitting out his freshman season as a medical redshirt.

The Rebels are the No.8 seed in the South Region and will face the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round, March 22 in San Jose, California.