Occidental Just Keeps Raising the Bar

Occidental enters unchartered territory in men’s basketball tonight when it becomes the first team in school history to play in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament.

The Tigers (24-2) accomplished that last weekend when they defeated Aurora (Ill.), 80-61, in the second round before a capacity home crowd. Occidental will play Buena Vista (Iowa) in Storm Lake, Iowa, and a victory would put the Tigers into the quarterfinals Saturday.

Rush Gym was a raucous place last Saturday as the Tigers raced to a 13-2 lead and were never seriously threatened. Finn Rebassoo led four players in double figures with 18 points.

“I’ve never seen our gym like that,” Coach Brian Newhall said. “The whole student section was there -- half of them in orange jumpsuits. They never sat down.”

Newhall, in his 15th season, said his team needs to rebound and use its athleticism against a big Buena Vista team. The Beavers (27-3) defeated Rockford (Ill.), 84-72, in the second round.

“They start three guys that are 6-7 and then they bring more of them off the bench,” he said.

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The Cal State Bakersfield women will play Cal State Stanislaus at Seattle tonight in the West Regional of the Division II basketball tournament. The Roadrunners (26-1) are ranked fourth in the nation and have won 23 in a row.

Top-ranked Seattle Pacific (27-0) is the host team and presents a major obstacle. The teams could meet in the regional final Monday.

In the men’s West Regional at Laie, Hawaii, Cal State San Bernardino (21-6) plays Sonoma State and Cal Poly Pomona (20-7) faces Alaska Fairbanks. Bakersfield (19-8) plays top-seeded and host Brigham Young Hawaii.

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Cal State Fullerton and USC will play baseball at Edison Field on Saturday as part of the teams’ first three-game series in nine years.... Pepperdine is atop the national Golfweek poll in women’s golf on the strength of three consecutive victories, including a dominating 36-shot triumph at the San Jose State Spartan Invitational.

The USC women’s tennis team is ranked second in the nation and currently has an eight-match winning streak. The Trojans defeated 17th-ranked Texas on Wednesday, 6-1.... Cal State Northridge junior golfer Beth Allen won the Anteater Invitational tournament, shooting even par over 54 holes. Irvine won the team title by four shots over the Matadors.

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This Weekend

BASEBALL

* Cal State Fullerton at USC, 6 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Sunday; USC vs. Cal State Fullerton at Edison Field, 4 p.m.

SOFTBALL

* Kia Klassic Tournament, Cal State Fullerton, pool play 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; championship round 5 p.m. today.