Saul Phillips Personifies What This Tourney Is All About...

((HT: NDSU Athletics))

Some of us had North Dakota State in our picks for the early part of the tournament...

A lot of you did not...

But it's "teams" that do well early on if they get the chance to hang around against higher seeds, and the Bison did that beating Oklahoma.

Along with teams like Mercer, Dayton, and Stephen F. Austin, it has reminded us what makes this month one of the best 30-day stretches in the calendar year (see Brother Phil's ode hyah to reinforce the theory)

But, no, the Bison didn't make it past their match-up with San Diego State to go further. But we will remember the Basketball Bison for a lot of reasons- head coach Saul Phillips' exultation after the first win is only a part of it. It's his remembrance i=of this first weekend that's a big part of it...

Here's his presser... and the moment the HQ is talking about is just short of the 11-minute mark...

How About Another 5-12 Upset...??? NDSU Wins For Fargo...

((HT: NCAA March Madness/Snappy TV))

An absolutely electric shooting performance in the first three-quarters of the game kept Summit League champ North Dakota State at bay against Oklahoma. But the Sooners came back and took the lead before NDSU scored on a three late in regulation from Lawrence Alexander...

That meant only one thing involving the best shooting team in the country...

The third overtime game on the opening day of the tournament...

Freshman Carlin Dupree was the key in overtime for NDSU and it was good enough for the team's first win ever in the tournament, 80-75. NDSU shot almost 53-percent from the field for the game. Oklahoma shot 35-percent including 12-for-30 from three point range.

Here's the ending...


Which allowed for celebrating in the Bison locker room...
((HT: NCAA Courtside))