Drew Pearson may not be playing but he has a front row seat to
one of sports
’ biggest spectacles. Pearson, a Live Oak High grad and
red-shirt freshman at the University of the Pacific, will be
sitting on his team’s bench or in the first row behind the bench
and rooting the Tigers on as they play Providence in the first
round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tod
ay.
Drew Pearson may not be playing but he has a front row seat to one of sports’ biggest spectacles. Pearson, a Live Oak High grad and red-shirt freshman at the University of the Pacific, will be sitting on his team’s bench or in the first row behind the bench and rooting the Tigers on as they play Providence in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament today.
No. 12 seed Pacific (24-7) will face No. 5 seed Providence in first-round action 4:25 p.m. PST at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo.
“I’m excited, Pearson said. “After my senior year (at Live Oak) was over last year, I never thought I’d be going to the NCAA tournament. This is just incredible.”
Pacific earned its berth in the Big Dance by claiming the 2004 Big West Conference Tournament title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 75-73 victory over Cal State Northridge on March 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Northridge had upset conference favorite Utah State in the Big West tourney semifinals.
“This is the first time in my whole entire life that my team has actually won the championship — I’ve always finished second,” Pearson said. “It feels great. It’s amazing how we’re playing as one right now.”
After starting the season 9-7, Pacific has reeled off 15 wins in a row, including two straight in the conference tourney.
Pearson said he knows the Tigers have their hands full with a talented Providence team but he believes his team can handle the Big East monsters.
“Providence is probably more athletic than us but if we play our game they can‘t stop us,” he said.
If Pacific advances to the second round, the Tigers could play No. 4 seed Kansas, which is also in the Kansas City bracket.
The top three seeds in the St. Louis Regional are No. 1 Kentucky, No. 2 Gonzaga and No. 3 Georgia Tech. The Midwest Regional finals will be held in St. Louis.
