2008 was always going to be a tough year to top for Jeff Jones and the American University Eagles men’s basketball team. Jones — previously the head coach at Virginia — spent last year shaping a beleaguered program without much past success into a historic upset win over Maryland, a Patriot League championship, and a first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament. The Eagles, though they fell to the second-seeded Tennessee Volunteers in the first round, fought valiantly and were very much in the game until the last few minutes.
This year, however, has the potential to top last year’s pinnacles. A Patriot League regular season title — spearheaded by league MVP and senior point guard Derrick Mercer, along with his fellow sub-six-foot guard and the conference’s leading three point man Garrison Carr — led AU into the conference tournament and, eventually, to today: a championship game rematch with the only PatLeague team to have beaten them this season, Ralph Willard’s Holy Cross Crusaders.
Today’s matchup features the conference’s best two teams, but it almost didn’t. In the semifinals, American trailed Army by 11 in the second half — only to storm back and win a nail-biter on a Brian Gilmore free throw with three seconds remaining, 61-60. The narrow escape set up a return trip to Bender Arena for the Crusaders, the same venue where the Eagles took them down 56-50 just three weeks ago. That game was all Carr, as he poured in half of AU’s points, including six threes. But the Eagles will need more diverse scoring options if they’re to keep the tourney-savvy Willard from returning to the Big Dance.
And as if there wasn’t enough pressure on Jones’ men already, American — with a win — could possibly be the D.C. area’s sole representative in this year’s Big Dance.
Tip-off is at 4:45 pm this afternoon. Looking to catch the game live? Unfortunately, tickets are seemingly sold out — but there may be more released later, and there may still be some available at the Bender Arena box office. On the other hand, if you’re too wiped from last night’s six-overtime thriller to leave the house, ESPN2 is broadcasting the game. You can also listen live on 1050 and 820 AM.
