ST. LOUIS (AP) - Kwadzo Ahelegbe had 24 points and Northern Iowa
used a dominating defensive second half to beat Wichita State 67-52 on Sunday for its second straight Missouri Valley Conference tournament title.
Northern Iowa (28-4) rode defense to the regular-season title and did it again at Arch Madness, holding the Shockers without a field goal for more than 12 minutes during a 25-3 second-half run.
The Panthers earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament and are the first team since Illinois State in 1997-98 to sweep both Valley titles in consecutive years.
Wichita State (25-9) kept it close with 3-point shooting early in its first MVC title game since 1991, but hit just 6 of 26 shots in the second half and shot a season-low 32 percent overall. Now, the Shockers will have to wait an agonizing week before learning their NCAA tournament fate.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Jantel Lavender made two free throws with 1.9 seconds left Sunday, giving No. 10 Ohio State a 66-64 victory over third-seeded Iowa in the Big Ten title game.
It was a huge day for Lavender, who led the Buckeyes back from a 16-point second-half deficit. She finished with 35 points and 10 rebounds and made the decisive free throws in the final seconds of the title game for the second straight year. She also joined the 2,000-point club and had her 100th consecutive double-figure scoring day.
Ohio State (30-4) tied the school record for victories by winning its second straight tourney title and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Iowa (19-13) was led by Kamille Wahlin with 20 points and Kelly Krei with 18 points. The Hawkeyes had a chance to win it after Lavender's free throws, but Wahlin's shot from near half-court missed the rim.
The Big 12 conference tournaments will begin on Wednesday. The Iowa State men are the #11 seed with #6 seed Texas as their first round opponent at 830 Wednesday night. The Cyclones prepped for the tournament by upsetting Kansas State Saturday in overtime.
The Iowa State women are the #2 seed with their first round game at 5 PM Friday against the winner of the Kansas -- Oklahoma State contest.
The 2010 boys state basketball touranment at Wells Fargo Arena begins today with Class 1A quarterfinals. All four champions return to defend their titles...Ames in Class 4A (#1seed)...Sioux City Heelan (#7 seed) in 3A...Solon (#3 seed ) in Class 2A ...and Rock Valley (#4 seed ) in Class 1A. Only 20 schools have completed back-to-back titles , 27 times, since the tournament became a state sponored event in 1923.
