

The American Championship gave up the rights to the new Big East, a long-standing conference tournament at Madison Square Garden NYC, although it is the legal successor to the old Big East. The foundation of this tournament was a result of the split of the original Big East Conference. The winner of the American Champion is given the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The seeding of the tournament is based on the regular season's standings. The tournament includes all league schools and is currently played at the Dickies Arena. It is a single-elimination competition played for the first time in 2014. The American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, known as the American Championship, is a conference tournament in basketball. The Pirates made changes abound to the record book, but those can be spoken of later, all that matters right now is that Kim McNeill and her comeback kids will enter Selection Sunday knowing they'll see that Purple and Gold pop up on the screen.American Athletic Conference AAC Mens Basketball Tournament Information Johnson was named Most Outstanding Player in the tournament and Joyner was named to the All-Tournament squad.
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The Pirates made it an adventure with some missed free throws but eventually the Cougar's final heave fell short and the East Carolina Pirates had punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since LaCoya Terry and co. But as she has so many times, Amiya Joyner made a dumb-foundingly spectacular play, converting an and-one and putting East Carolina back in front for good. Houston took the lead with just 2:31 to play and the lid seemed to slide back on the basket for the Pirates for a spell. For a moment it seemed it wouldn't happen. Rose knocked down a triple and a mid-range jumper and Johnson played her signature defensive-slashing style for the team to erupt into the lead.Īfter some back-and-forth play, the two teams entered the final quarter level at 30 with massive stakes. a 12-2 run gave ECU a lead at 28-27 for the first time in the game. Though the margin continued to favor the Cougars, the Pirates had life and, perhaps, belief.Īfter so many comebacks on the season, so many back-against-the-wall moments, the Pirates found one more. Trailing 14-3, Rose made a layup, stole the ball and converted and and-one in short order to bring the Pirates back into the game. The point guard entered the game in relief and made the kind of extraordinary plays it takes to win a championship. The game may not have been within reach without the play of Alexsia Rose. ECU held Houston to 23 points in the first half to keep the game within reach after trailing by as many as 11. But after all of that - after two points in a quarter and 15 points in a half, the Pirates only trailed by seven.Īs the adage goes, defense wins championships, and in a game featuring the best two defenses in the league, this one may have been destined to reinforce that belief. The team finished the half just 6-33 shooting. ECU managed only two points in the first quarter, opening the game shooting 1-19 from the field. The first quarter for the Pirates was, simply put, abysmal. They became the comeback kids with thrilling victory after thrilling victory and they did it again on Thursday. After being picked 11th in the AAC preseason poll, the Pirates won 20 games in the regular season to claim the three seed. The story of the game was like the story of the season - one based in resilience in the face of daunting odds. Synia Johnson was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. With a 46-44 victory over the Houston Cougars, the Pirates completed their run to the 2023 American Athletic Conference Championship.

FORT WORTH, Texas - For the first time since 2007, the East Carolina women's basketball team is going dancing.
