Trey Farley
tlf001@marietta.edu
The Pioneers learned that even in defeat there are always small victories after their 87-85 loss to John Carroll University in the OAC tournament championship game on Feb. 27 at Ban Johnson arena. Before the loss, the Pioneers were the number one team in the Great Lakes region and number four in the country. After the loss, the Pioneer’s rankings are up in the air and the guaranteed OAC spot in the NCAA tournament was lost. Now the NCAA tournament bid for the Pioneers will come from one of the 19 at large bids for the tournament.
Being ranked in the top ten nationally and top five in the region puts the Pioneers in the NCAA tournament as an at large bid. They will face Gwynedd Mercy University, the Colonial States Athletic Conference champions, this Sat. March 5 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. This is a familiar spot for the Pioneers as they faced the exact same scenario last year, after losing to Mount Union in the conference tournament.
As has been the case all season, the Pioneers will rely heavily on three main factors to make a run in the NCAA tournament. First, they will need consistent play from their leading scorer A.J. Edwards and from fellow big man Jack Thome to dominate the paint as they have all year. Second, Luis Garcia and Dillon Young will need to remain hot from the three point arc as the Pioneers have relied heavily on the efficient shooting from their two guards in big games all season. Third, most importantly, the Pioneers will need to keep getting their bench involved in the game from the start. Freshman Kyle Dixon and Anthony Wallace have consistently provided the Pioneers with consistent excellent play off the bench this season, having multiple games scoring in double figures.
With all the unknowns involved in the NCAA selection process, one thing remains certain: the Marietta College Pioneers have the tools and ability to make a run in the NCAA tournament. However, they will need to play with the same intensity and drive that they have all year to give their seniors one last ride in the NCAA tournament. The promise of a national championship is still within reach.
