One shining moment
With 2:07 left to play and Pacific leading only 58-54, Tigers guard Miah Davis, the Big West Conference Player of the Year, missed the front end of a one-and-one. Pacific's Tyler Newton managed to grab the long rebound, then Davis held the ball near mid-court, running the new shot clock down to just 5 seconds before calmly stroking a 3-pointer from two feet behind the top of the arc. The Tigers led 61-54 with 1:33 left and never looked back.
Player who impressed me
Tom Cockle, F, Pacific: All the lanky 6-foot-5 senior from Raymond, Neb., did in his 37 minutes on the floor was shoot a cool 3-of-4 from behind the 3-point line, as well as distribute six assists without a turnover. His playing time was a career high. "I don't play 37 minutes ever!" he said after the game.
HONORABLE MENTION: Ryan Gomes, F, Providence: Despite the score, Gomes was the best player on the floor in this matchup. He scored a game-high 25 points and pulled down 13 rebounds (also a game-high total), single-handedly keeping the Friars in the game. His cause wasn't helped by teammates who seemed intent on chucking the ball whenever they felt they were open. Providence was 6-for-26 on 3-point shots.
Courtside confidential
Instead of playing zone defense to deny the ball to Gomes, Pacific stuck with the man-to-man scheme it had been playing most of the season. This required the Tigers' guards to help out more down low than they might in normal man-to-man. ... Pacific head coach Bob Thomason was kidding with Davis after the game because his star guard shot only 3-for-7 from the free-throw line, well below his average of 85.5 percent. "That's not normal for me," said Davis of the blemish on his otherwise perfect afternoon. "I'm sure coach'll make that clear to me tomorrow at practice." ... Pacific scored 23 points off 15 Providence turnovers, while the Friars could manage just 10 on 12 takeaways ... Providence ended the season with a four-game losing streak, while Friday's win was the Tigers' 16th in a row.
Long-term prospects
Based on its performance Friday, Pacific could give Kansas a run on Sunday. Like Providence, the Jayhawks rely heavily on a big man inside to score most of their points. If the Tigers can keep Wayne Simien from scoring at will, they just might find themselves in the Sweet 16 next weekend in St. Louis.
