Show Road to the National Championship For the Salt Lake Community Community Community Com Com- College mens men's basketball team the road to the National Championship Championship Cham- Cham started the second after they were runners runner's up in 2008 The team knew they had the ability to win it all The 2009 team re returned returned returned re- re turned key players Kael Pope Drew Robinson and Dathan Lyles along with newcomers Nate Bendall Logan Magnusson Mag- Mag Magnusson Magnusson and DJ Wright In November the team had a tough one point loss to 15 Northwestern Northwest Northwest- ern em however after that loss the team went on an 18 game winning streak The Bruins stayed on ahot a ahot ahot hot streak lining them up to win the ti title title title ti- ti tle and earn the hosting rights for the Regional Tournament One last tough road trip lay ahead of the team win win one host the tournament or lose one and travel to hostile North Idaho After an 83 80 overtime loss the Bruins Bruins Bruins Bru Bru- ins knew what they had to do win the Regional Tournament on the road just like the year before Salt Lake met rival Southern Idaho in the first game of the tournament tournament tournament ment with a convincing 85 65 win Salt Lake advanced to the championship champion champion- ship game against E a as s t ern em Utah Tournament ment DJ Wright led Salt Lake to the I 10 point win Unlike Unlike Unlike Un Un- like the year before I Salt Lake had to play one more game same to Lake pulled out the 69 50 win over Arizona to send them to Hutch for forthe forthe forthe the second year in a row But 2009 was different than 2008 Salt Lake had ranked therefore the seed they received at the National Tournament Tournament Tournament ment was lower than the previous year Game one was against 7 Shel- Shel Dakota winning e easily 91 The third game of the tournament would be bethe bethe bethe the toughest one yet Salt Lake took on number one ranked at B halftime I f 1 7 i ell i Y 1 any Lt I L advance to the Tournament The game was against Region 1 winner Arizona West West- ern em In a close game Salt a harder road this time During the 2009 season season season sea sea- son Salt Lake was ranked as high as in the national national national na na- poll but finished don State Salt Lake outplayed out outplayed outplayed played Sheldon State to take the 77 59 win The next game Salt Lake overmatched 10 North Chipola had a 3 point lead However er in the second half Salt Lake turned on the defense and outscored outscored outscored out- out scored Chip loa by eight to take the 78 73 win to adv ad- ad advance advance v vance ance anceto to the National Championship game Salt Lake had been here before and knew what it would take to win the game Their op op- Midland College out of Texas at half time with a nine point lead Midland looked as if they were going to cruise to the National Champion Champion- ship The Bruins Bruin's s 's however however however how how- ever had been here before they knew the feeling of defeat and were determined deter i 1 mined to win In the last 12 minutes of the game Salt Lake ramped camped up the defense and went on a 33 11 run to erase the 15 point lead and win by seven 67 DJ Wright was named tournament scoring 96 points i inthe in inthe 1 the tournament and Nate Bendall was named an All Tournament player Head Coach Norm Parrish Parrish Par Par- rish was named the NJ NJ- CAA Division I National Coach of the Year and DJ Wright was name 1st Team All Ail The 2010 2009 team returns All- All American DJ Wright and the team adds transfers Darian Norris' Norris and John Hayward and return missionaries Craig and Will Carter |