Tough Test for Pomona

Somehow, this doesn’t seem like much of a reward.

The Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team rallies from a 19-point deficit in the second half to get a double-overtime victory and earn its first trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in 38 years.

So, for the effort, it gets a matchup against one of college basketball’s most successful programs.

Pomona (23-7) faces Kentucky Wesleyan (29-3), the winningest program in Division II history, in a quarterfinal today at 11:30 a.m. in Lakeland, Fla.

Kentucky Wesleyan has won eight national titles, second only to UCLA in all NCAA divisions. It also has made 19 trips to the semifinals and has a record 1,376 victories.

And one more thing: The Panthers have played in the last five championship games.

“We are going to be thrown into the fire immediately,” Pomona Coach Greg Kamansky said. “We’ll see how we respond.”

-- Eric Stephens

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In NIT games: Brian Polk had 19 points to lead Temple (18-15) to a 61-53 victory over Rhode Island (19-12) in the second round at South Kingstown, R.I. Temple will play host to Minnesota in the quarterfinals Thursday.... Demario Eddins had 19 points to lead Alabama Birmingham (21-12) to an 80-71 victory over Siena (21-11) at Albany, N.Y. UAB will play at St. John’s on Thursday.

From Associated Press