Men's College Basketball
Notebook: Snow gets his last chance

By The Associated Press

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CHENEY — If the NCAA tournament is basketball heaven, then Eastern Washington senior Alvin Snow has been knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door for years.

The Eagles have advanced to the championship game in the Big Sky Conference tournament the past three seasons, losing each time.

"It's one of the toughest things you can go through, to be right there three times in a row," said Snow, the Big Sky's most valuable player this season. "I can't really explain how bad it feels."

The former standout at Franklin High School in Seattle is determined not to experience that feeling again. The Eagles are hosting the Big Sky tournament for the first time, and can make the NCAA tournament field by winning twice on their home floor.

NCAA automatic bids These teams have qualified for the tournament: Central Florida, East Tennessee State, Gonzaga, Liberty, Manhattan, Murray State, Northern Iowa, Princeton and Virginia Commonwealth.

The Eagles (15-12) had a bye into tonight's semifinals, where they play perennial power Weber State (15-13). Northern Arizona (14-13) will play Idaho State (13-17) in the first semifinal game.

The winners will advance to tomorrow night's championship game.

Eastern Washington overcame a 3-9 start to win 11 of its first 12 conference games and run away with the Big Sky regular-season championship.

The Eagles will not be invited to the NCAA tournament if they lose in the Big Sky tournament.

"We've got two basketball games left," Snow said. "We know that in order to get the second one, we have to get the first one."

Eastern has put together some fine seasons under fourth-year coach Ray Giacoletti.

In 2001, the Eagles lost to Cal State Northridge in the conference-championship game. In 2002, they lost to Montana.

Last year, they lost to Weber State but earned the first NIT bid in their history. They lost at Wyoming in the NIT.

As a high-school player, Snow didn't know much about the Eastern program.

"When they would call, I would ask if this school is (Division I)," he said. "Do you have to drive to games, or fly?"

Initially recruited by Steve Aggers, Snow was left in limbo when Aggers took the job at Loyola Marymount. Snow considered going to Loyola, or walking on at Washington. But Giacoletti came to his house and persuaded Snow to come to Cheney.

Snow became a starter his freshman year, averaging 7.4 points. His average jumped to 11.3 points as a sophomore, 13.5 points last season and 15.3 points this season. Snow has played a school-record 115 games, and with 1,366 career points is the career scoring leader since Eastern moved to Division I in time for the 1983-84 season.

"He has spent four years in our program and has been our cornerstone," Giacoletti said.

Missouri Valley in St. Louis

Northern Iowa 79, Southwest Missouri State 74 (2 OT) — Ben Jacobson, who tied his career high with 26 points, made two three-pointers in the second overtime, leading the Panthers (21-9) over the Bears (19-14) in a showdown for the conference-tournament title and an automatic NCAA bid.

Northern Iowa will make its first NCAA appearance since 1990.

Point guard Merrill Andrews had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Southwest Missouri State. The Bears rallied from a 14-point deficit in the final 11:40 of regulation.

Southern Illinois (25-4), the MVC regular-season champion, is expected to receive an at-large NCAA bid. The Salukis lost to Southwest Missouri State in the semifinal round.

Colonial in Richmond, Va.

Virginia Commonwealth 55, George Mason 54 — Jesse Pellot-Rosa's free throw with 1.6 seconds left gave the Rams (23-7) a victory over the Patriots (21-9) in the championship game of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament.

George Mason's Tony Skinn tied the score by making a three-point shot with nine seconds left. All of Skinn's 17 points came in the second half.

MAAC in Albany, N.Y.

Manhattan 62, Niagara 61 — Dave Holmes scored 16 points to help the Jaspers (24-5) win their second consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament championship.

Luis Flores, the tournament's most valuable player, added 14 points to become Manhattan's all-time leading scorer.

Juan Mendez scored 26 points for the Purple Eagles (21-9), who are 0-3 in MAAC championship games. Manhattan beat Niagara 68-67 for the 1993 title.

The Purple Eagles rallied after being down 50-36 with nine minutes left.

Notes

• Houston coach Ray McCallum was reassigned to a fund-raising role in the athletic department. The Cougars were 44-72 in McCallum's four seasons.

"We had a lot of close ballgames and we just didn't come out on top," the 43-year-old McCallum said. "The next coach has got a good foundation."

The Cougars (9-18, 3-13 Conference USA) lost eight of their last nine games. They beat visiting Washington 79-64 on Dec. 20.

• James Madison coach Sherman Dillard resigned after his fourth straight losing season.

Dillard, 48, had a 93-106 record in seven seasons with the Dukes, who were 7-21 this season.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company