Zara Jillings and Akiene-Tera Reed were both on history making teams as Virginia Commonwealth University and Fordham University jointly claimed the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season title on Saturday. Both teams finished with an identical 13-3 record and, perhaps in another A-10 first, both carry the moniker of the ‘Rams’.

For the Rams of VCU, led by sophomore Reed, it is their best conference finish in history topping its second place in 2009.

Tera has led the VCU scoring this campaign, as she did last year, averaging 12.3 points per game. Once again on Saturday she led the Rams with 12 points as they won 61-54 against Davidson University. 

It was also a first conference topping performance by the Rams from the Bronx as they came home on a wet sail winning nine games on the trot culminating with a 51-41 win at St Joseph’s University.

Zara Jillings only had one point and a rebound in 16 minutes of play but she has been a key component of Fordham’s success playing in the sixth-man role.

Congratulations to Matt Freeman who was amongst a programme-record six members of the Oklahoma University Sooners men's basketball team named to the 2019 Academic All-Big 12 First Team last Thursday. The Sooners' academic accomplishment marks just the second time in league history that a school has had six men's basketball players named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team (Nebraska in 2004).

Impressively Freeman has earned Academic All-Big 12 honours for three consecutive seasons. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 20 percent of their team’s scheduled contests.

The Sooners will round out its regular season at Kansas State on Saturday – Oklahoma are currently 6-10 in the Big 12 Conference.

Dan Fotu played 10 minutes in St Mary’s Gaels 69-55 loss to Gonzaga, the Zags ending the West Coast Conference regular season with a perfect 16-0 record, 29-2 overall and No I ranking in NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball. Saint Mary’s finished 11-5, claiming second seed, and with it a guaranteed semi-final berth in the Conference Tournament in Las Vegas beginning Thursday.

The season has all but finished for Isaac Letoa and Dartmouth Big Green. Dartmouth concluded its home programme with a disappointing 65-51 loss to Penn. Dartmouth are 2-10 in Ivy League play and will not feature in post season play where only the top four teams play.

Sam Waardenburg had 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists but the University of Miami Hurricanes were overwhelmed 87-57 by No 3 ranked Duke 87-57 on Saturday. Miami, 4-12 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, still have two games to play in the regular season.

Also, in the Atlantic Coast Conference are the No 2 ranked team in the nation, Virginia University Cavaliers. Jack Salt has been nursing a back injury of late but did play 13 minutes as the Cavs beat Syracuse 79-53 on Monday night to move closer to another conference regular season title. Virginia boasts a 15-2 record ahead of its final game against Louisville on Saturday when Jack will play his last game at the John Paul Jones Arena. A win in that game will guarantee Virginia at least a share of the ACC title.

It’s been a tough season for Vanderbilt University Commodores but Yanni Wetzell can feel proud of his efforts. The former Westlake forward top scored for Vanderbilt with 15 points (5/10FG) in its 64-57 loss to Texas A&M. Unfortunately, Vanderbilt have lost all 16 of its Southeastern Conference games and has two regular games remaining to chalk up a victory.

In NCAA Division II play Denhym Brooke’s career at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Vulcans has come to an end as they fell on the buzzer 82-80 against Chaminade. The loss meant that Hilo failed to make the PacWest Conference Tournament and end the season with a 10-12 conference record and 12-14 overall. Denhym produced 9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals in a typically energetic final collegiate game.

It was the same story for Alex Talma and Biola University Eagles that finished PacWest play with 11 wins and 11 losses. Like Hilo they suffered the disappointment of missing out on a placed at the PacWest Tournament after losing 61-57 at home to Academy of Art. Alex concluded his fine senior season with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals.

Alex finished the season as Biola’s leading rebounder (8.4rpg) and second leading scorer with 11.6 points per game.

The third Harbour player playing Div II men’s basketball is freshman Zack Te Puni where College of St Rose Golden Knights finished NE10 Conference play with a 7-13 record (10-17 overall).

In Women’s Div II action it is better news for Charlotte Armstrong and Barry University Buccaneers that have booked a Sunshine State Conference berth after a resounding 64-44 home win against St Leo’s. Charlotte corralled 7 rebounds for Barry and also added 2 points and a block.

Even better for Chanel Brodeur-Muir and St Thomas Aquinas College – the Spartans crowned East Coast Conference Regular-Season Champions for a second time after defeating Queens College 63-53. The Spartans only lost one conference game finishing with a 17-1 record.

Georgia Perrott-Hunt scored 14 points and added 7 rebounds as Tiffin University Dragons ended its season with a 75-61 win against Alderson Broaddus University. Despite winning its final four Great Midwest Conference games its overall record of 8-14 wasn’t good enough to see the Dragons progress to the conference play-offs. 

In Junior College Olivia Bell scored 10 points as North Dakota State College Wildcats finished regular season conference play with an 83-61 win at Dakota College Bottineau.