Niland Picks Up First Tournament Win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It wasn’t glamorous, but the UM men's basketball team (27-9) shot 31-of-48 from the free throw line and five players scored in double-figures to give Head Coach Joe Niland his first national tournament victory, winning 77-67 over Southern Polytechnic University (24-10) in the first round of the NAIA men’s basketball national tournament, being held at the Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Enduring seven lead changes in the first half, the Rams struggled both in shooting from the floor (38.5 percent) and on the boards (out-rebounded 24-15). Despite a stifling defense that held leading scorer Tramaine Perry to two points in the first half, Mobile was still breathing down Polytechnic’s neck, down only 36-34 at the half.

“They attacked us a bit and their game plan was pretty solid,” said Coach Niland. “It took us a while to adjust to it. At the beginning we played a little tight, but as the game wore on, we loosened up.”

The Hornets of Southern Polytechnic opened as much as a seven-point lead in the second half before the Rams came alive.

And come alive they did.

Back-to-back baskets by Gimel Lewis sparked a 14-0 run which allowed Mobile to grab a 58-53 lead with just over seven minutes to go. While Lewis exploded for 14 second half points, the Hornets swarmed over Perry.

“Obviously the one major thing that happened is that they did their homework and knew that Tramaine and Gimel were good players and they guarded them both well,” Rams head coach Joe Niland said. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you take out those two guys, it’s going to make a difference.”

Also instrumental in that run were the thirteen trips that Mobile took to the charity stripe.

“We created some movement and got the ball to the basket,” coach Niland said, commenting on getting 25 looks from free throw line. “We were able to do that in the second half.”

The Hornets came to within four but never threatened beyond that as leading scorer Chris Jackson and third leading scorer Tabius Tate fouled out. With Marc Reece fouling out and two other players sitting with four, Southern Poly’s scoring options were far and few.

Left to only foul, the Hornets watched the Rams bury free throws down the stretch to ice the win.

For Joe Niland it was his first national tournament win in four trips and yet the 11-year veteran played down overcoming the first round hurdle.

“Making a national tournament is a lot harder than winning a game,” Coach Niland said. “These kids deserve a lot of a credit; they did a good job.”

Gimel Lewis, who extends his single-season record for blocked shots to 84, led the Rams with 16 points, nine rebounds, and six blocked shots. Seluynn Palmer (16 points), Chris Bolden (13), Larry Burgess (11) and Gabriel Feagin (10) rounded out Mobile players in double-figures.

Chris Jackson led the Hornets with 22 points and eight rebounds. Lamar Karim also turned in a double-figure time card with 14.

The Rams will take on second-seeded Azusa Pacific University (32-4) on Friday, at 2:15 p.m. The Cougars of Azusa Pacific are coming off a 112-79 drubbing of Voorhees College and should give the Rams all they can handle as they shot 13-of-28 from behind the arc.

“Maybe they’ll get on a plane and go home,” Coach Niland joked in commenting on having to play Azusa in the second round. “They’re an excellent team. We’re going to have to go out there, get after them and see how they do with us.”