Key Sequence: With 4:55 left in the first half, Simmons put the Crusaders ahead 19-17. Ten seconds later, Randal Falker hit a basket that tied the game and sparked a 9-0 Saluki run. Beginning with the Falker bucket, Southern Illinois scored points on six consecutive possessions, much of the run coming with Tim Clifford on the bench.

According to the Annapolis Capital, Corey Johnson, who was Navy’s starting point guard this past season, has decided to leave the basketball team and join the Naval Academy football squad. Navy coach Billy Lange said Johnson’s decision was based on a decrease in minutes, and that Johnson’s first love was football rather than hoops.

The Crusaders of Holy Cross are headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003, after defeating Bucknell 74-66 at the Hart Center in the finals of the Patriot League Tournament. Basketball U. will have a full report of the championship game shortly.

Predictions are a tough business. Instead of trying to give an exact prediction, we are in the business of previews. Here’s a breakdown of the important edges Holy Cross and Bucknell have on each other:

The first time Holy Cross and Bucknell met up this year, the Crusaders won 65-60 on Jan. 12. The second time, in Lewisburg, the Bison pulled out a 48-45 victory. The stars of the combined two games were Keith Simmons, who scored 37 points in the two contests, and Justin Castleberry, who scored 26 points coming off the bench in both games.