Why wait until the end of the academic year for a list of the best games Bethune-Cookman played? Calendar years work just as well. And if ESPN can do a 30-for-30, we can handle our own "Sweet 16".

So, here's the list of our top 16 Wildcats games from 2016. Feel free to chime in on Facebook if you agree/disagree.
 
16.  WOMEN'S TENNIS BEATS SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
It was a regular season match, but Bethune-Cookman was the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion and was battling long-time nemesis South Carolina State for the top seed in the upcoming MEAC Tournament. The Bulldogs won the doubles, but the Wildcats would take five-of-six singles matches to remain unbeaten in league play. 

15.  BOWLING'S COMEBACK AGAINST ALABAMA STATE
After two days of struggling at their own invitational, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats won two matches on the final day against Alabama State – the first a Cleveland Cavs-like comeback from a 3-1 deficit to a 4-3 triumph. The Maroon and Gold opened the sixth game with seven consecutive strikes that forced a Game 7, that saw the Wildcats go without an open frame for a 206-149 triumph over the Hornets.

14.  BASEBALL BASHES NORTH CAROLINA A&T, 23-2
The Wildcats hit seven home runs – including back-to-back jacks from Michael Cruz and Danny Rodriguez, that marked the first consecutive homers from B-CU players since 2006. The 23 runs and 21 hits – both season highs – extended B-CU's winning streak to seven, and made the regular season series finale at Savannah State all but meaningless.

13.  VOLLEYBALL GOES 2-2 ON EXTENDED ROAD TRIP
This is one where you have to give props to head coach Brittany Williams for keeping her young team together. They were sent on the road in advance of Hurricane Matthew; had to play a game when the storm was hitting the campus; and then had to stay on the road another week. Williams got a win at North Carolina Central and another at Morgan State. The losses were to eventual Northern Division and MEAC Tournament champion Howard and North Carolina A&T, who B-CU would beat later in the season.

12.  VOLLEYBALL BEATS TULANE
The signature win of the season for Wildcats Volleyball was a 3-2 win over Tulane on the Green Wave's home court in September. Redshirt senior Phylecia Armstrong made her mark in the B-CU history books as the senior finished the match with 15 kills and no errors on 20 attempts, earning her the best single-game hitting percentage in school history (.750). The middle blocker also collected a service ace and four blocks during the win.

11.  FOOTBALL TROUNCES DELAWARE STATE ON HOMECOMING
After an 0-5 start, Bethune-Cookman Football celebrated Homecoming 2016 in grand fashion, outdistancing an overmatched opponent by a lopsided score. Delaware State was the overmatched opponent, and 41-10 was the lopsided score in front of a Municipal Stadium crowd of 7,822 that briefly included Hillary Clinton. Larry Brihm Jr.  threw two touchdowns, and Cameron Rigby for 106 yards and a touchdown as the Wildcats posted their seventh consecutive Homecoming win dating back to 2010.
 
10.  MEN'S TENNIS RALLIES FOR WIN AT EMBRY-RIDDLE
With Greg Almeida delivering the deciding point, Bethune-Cookman defeated cross-town opponent Embry-Riddle, 5-4 after trailing at one point by a score of 4-1. The Eagles took two of the three doubles matches and upped their lead to 4-1, before the Wildcats rallied for their second come-from-behind victory in as many outings. Alvaro Barrera, who combined with Justin Hall on what would prove to be an important doubles victory, started the comeback with a 6-4, 6-2 decision over Roberto Cuellar at No. 6 singles. Walid Gtari and Jose Plazas each collected a three-set win, with both rallying from losing the first set, to tie the match at 4-4. Almeida,  a junior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, defeated Luke de Caires 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 5 singles for the deciding point.

9.  GOLF CONTINUES MASTERY OF NATIONAL MINORITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Bethune-Cookman swept the National Minority Golf Championships, with the men taking their third in the last four years in dramatic playoff fashion over Tennessee State. Sophomore  Connor O'Brien finished second in the individual competition. The women claimed their fifth straight and 13^th in 19 years with a 30-stroke margin over Chicago State. Freshman Shamiso Hatchard was the individual medalist.

8.  SOFTBALL GETS TO MEAC CHAMPIONSHIP DAY WITH DSU WIN
A shorthanded, injury-riddled team all season, Bethune-Cookman found a way to get to a usual spot – the MEAC Tournament championship series, courtesy a 5-3 victory over Delaware State and former B-CU All-American Amber Jackson. Iesha Waters and Sophia Ortega staked the Wildcats to an early 5-1 lead, then withstood a late rally for a 5-3 win. The next day, B-CU forced a second game against Florida A&M, but finished with a second place finish.

7.  POTTS PUTS DOWN STETSON IN OT
Jordan Potts scored 27 points, including a go-ahead 4-point play with 13 seconds left as Bethune-Cookman  claimed a 96-94 instant classic overtime win over Stetson. After giving the Wildcats their first lead in the overtime period at 92-91, Potts sank four free throws after Stetson was called for an illegal screen and received a technical foul. Bethune-Cookman had a chance to clinch the game in regulation, but Stetson was able to force overtime on a Grant Lozoya three-pointer with under a second remaining that made it 85-all.

6.  HIGH JUMP LIFTS B-CU TO INDOOR TRACK TITLE
Ed'Ricus Williams, Kenneth Fisher and Michael Tiller finished 1-2-3, respectively, in the high jump at the MEAC Indoor Championships, and those 24 points helped the Wildcats defend the indoor title. Fisher also had a long jump win and Tiller took the triple jump.

5.  WOMEN'S HOOPS MAKE POST-SEASON DEBUT
It wasn't pretty, but it was historic: Florida Gulf Coast ended the Wildcats' season following a 78-51 loss during the opening round of the WNIT. B-CU  finished the year 18-13, with the most wins in a season under head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis. It was also the first MEAC regular season title and the first Division I post-season appearance in school history for Women's Basketball.
 
4.  WOMEN'S  HOOP SMASHES NORTH CAROLINA A&T
The Wildcats handled North Carolina A&T without any trouble. Kailyn Williams messed around and got a triple-double. Didn't matter they called a technical foul on Chandler McCabe. You gotta say it was a good day. All apologies to Ice Cube, the 65-41 regular season finale victory exercised two seasons of tournament frustrations against the Aggies and saw Williams post a 13-point, 13-rebound, 12 block triple-double  -- the program's first ever.

3.  TRIPLE JUMP DOMINATION SEALS B-CU THREE-PEAT AT OUTDOOR TRACK
Those one-point victories at the outdoor meet were history for B-CU in 2016. In real time, the lead was going back-and-forth until the triple jump became final – Michael Tiller won, Kenneth Fisher was third, Demetrius Rooks was fifth. Joel Sampson sixth and Nicholas Williams seventh. That's 25 team points, and B-CU had more than enough to hold off North Carolina A&T, 151-134 for its third-straight outdoor title.

2.  FLORIDA CLASSIC STREAK REMAINS INTACT
A six-peat? Yep. Brihm threw for 272 yards and one touchdown, while Jamaruz Thompkins and Akevious Williams each rushed for two scores, as the Wildcats cruised to a 39-19 win over Florida A&M, that extended the Florida Blue Florida Classic winning streak to six for the Maroon and Gold. After an early Rattlers field goal, the Wildcats took a 21-3 halftime lead and then pulled away after FAMU closed to within 21-13 in the third quarter. Brihm was named MVP.

1.  BASEBALL WINS MEAC TOURNAMENT WITH 1-0 SHUTOUT OVER NORFOLK STATE
It was great baseball. Tyler Norris and Alex Seibold took a combined no-hitter into the ninth, and a Jameel Edney solo home run keyed Bethune-Cookman's 18^th conference title overall and third under head coach Jason Beverlin. In a classic pitcher's duel with NSU's Matt Outman, the MEAC Pitcher of the Year, Norris threw six innings of no-hit ball before handing it over to Seibold, who continued the no-no until Roger Hall singled up the middle to lead off the ninth. Seibold (6-4) quickly regrouped, getting a fly out, a strikeout, and catcher Clay Middleton throwing out pinch runner Keith Granger on the steal attempt for the dramatic third out. Norris finished with six strikeouts, Seibold three.