Donovan Newby scored 17 points, including four clinching free throws in the final seconds, as UNC Wilmington held off Delaware 76-72 on Tuesday in the Coastal Athletic Association final in Washington.
The second-seeded Seahawks (27-7) won their sixth game in a row to clinch their first NCAA Tournament appearance in eight years.
The 12th-seeded Blue Hens (16-20) won four games in four days to reach the final, then held a 58-57 lead on Tuesday after a Cavan Reilly layup with 8:05 to play. Khamari McGriff responded with a layup UNC Wilmington, Newby added two foul shots and the Seahawks never trailed again.
Noah Ross put up 14 points, Bo Montgomery had 13 and McGriff contributed 10 for UNC Wilmington. Izaiah Pasha paced Delaware with 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Niels Lane added 20 points, and Reilly had 13.
Saint Francis (Pa.) 46, Central Connecticut 43
Daemar Kelly sank a tiebreaking jumper with nine seconds left as the third-seeded Red Flash edged the top-seeded Blue Devils in New Britain, Conn., to win the Northeast Conference title.
After Kelly’s hoop, Saint Francis’ Chris Moncrief stole the ball and was fouled. Moncrief hit 1 of 2 free throws with one second left, and Central Connecticut’s Devin Haid missed a 3-point attempt for the tie at the buzzer.
The Red Flash are set to make their second NCAA Tournament appearance, having lost in the first round in 1991.
Saint Francis’ Juan Cranford Jr. and Central Connecticut’s Haid scored 14 points apiece, the only players in the game to reach double figures.
Robert Morris 89, Youngstown State 78
Josh Omojafo amassed 24 points and 13 rebounds as the Colonials got past the Penguins in the Horizon League final in Indianapolis.
All five starters scored in double figures for top-seeded Robert Morris (26-8), which is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. The Colonials’ Kam Woods logged 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Juwan Maxey produced 23 points and Nico Galette added 21 for fourth-seeded Youngstown State (21-13). Gabe Dynes contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds.
