After being picked to finish dead last in the Ohio Valley Conference before the start of the season, the Jacksonville State Gamecocks became the first team to punch their ticket for the 2017 NCAA tournament.
Jacksonville State wins 2017 OVC basketball tournament
In his first season on the job, Ray Harper has the Gamecocks dancing for the first time.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Gamecocks got 17 points from senior guard Erik Durham and dominated second-seeded UT-Martin on their way to a 66-55 win in the OVC title game Saturday night in Nashville. The win and the championship ensure that Jacksonville State will hear its name called on Selection Sunday for the first time in program history.
The postseason success this week was nothing new for first-year head coach Ray Harper, who made a habit of pulling off surprising conference tournament runs during his five seasons at Western Kentucky. Harper led the Hilltoppers to the NCAA tournament twice, but resigned last March following the suspension of three of his players.
The OVC tournament was supposed to be the cherry on top of a dominant season for Belmont. The Bruins rolled to a 15-1 record on their way to a second-straight regular season title, but also for a second straight year, were stunned in the league tournament semifinals when Jacksonville State scored a 65-59 win Friday night. The fourth-seeded Gamecocks began their run to the title with a 74-51 trouncing of fifth-seeded Southeast Missouri State in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS TOURNAMENT PROFILE
Record: 20-14 (9-7)
Conference: Ohio Valley
RPI: 167
Ken Pom Ranking: 161
Tournament Appearance: First
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