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Riverdragons Catch Case of March Madness

March 17, 2003 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga., (March 17) - Six members of the Columbus Riverdragons (NBDL) hail from schools recently seeded in the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament – potentially providing some interesting locker room banter over the Riverdragons final three regular season games.

Kentucky, Wisconsin, Mississippi St. and Louisville are among the universities currently in the big dance represented on the Riverdragons roster.

Three Riverdragons, including head coach Jeff Malone, forward Tang Hamilton and center Tyrone Washington, played for Mississippi St. The Bulldogs - the fifth seed in the East Regional - open tournament play against Butler in Albany, N.Y. later this week.

Saul Smith's Kentucky Wildcats upended Mississippi St. to win the SEC Tournament Sunday in New Orleans. The Cats could potentially face Sean Daugherty's alma mater - Wisconsin - in the round of sixteen. Smith won an NCAA Championship (1998) and three SEC titles over his four seasons (1997-98 – 2000-01) playing under his father Tubby in Lexington.

Mississippi St. and Louisville would meet in the second round of the East regional if each school advanced. That scenario would devise a three-on-one situation for Riverdragons guard and Louisville alum Nate Johnson against current teammates and former Bulldogs Malone, Hamilton and Washington. Malone still reigns as Mississippi State's all-time leading scorer.

St. John's – alma mater of assistant coach Rob Werdann – will compete in this year's NIT. Werdann is the all-time leader in blocked shots at St. John's. Werdann is the only current Riverdragon to have ties to any teams participating in this year's NIT.

A complete list of Riverdragons with ties to schools participating in the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament:

Nate Johnson, Louisville (4 seed in the East bracket)
Jeff Malone, Mississippi St. (5 seed in the East)
Tang Hamilton, Mississippi St. (5 seed in the East)
Tyrone Washington, Mississippi St. (5 seed in the East)
Saul Smith, Kentucky (1 seed in the Midwest)
Sean Daugherty, Wisconsin (5 seed in the Midwest)



NBA G League Stories from March 17, 2003


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