Benedict basketball : Watson’s Tigers all about wins

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  FRED WATSON appreciates what he has at Benedict College, even though the program cannot match the facilities, budget and resources of many NCAA Division II men’s basketball programs the Tigers compete against.

There is one area of Benedict’s program that Watson believes can match any other.

“Winning,” Watson says, rather matter-of-factly. “We just try to sell winning. We can go up against them with winning.”

Watson has the numbers to back his claim. During his 11-season run at Benedict, Watson’s teams have averaged 21 wins. They have captured four SIAC regular-season championships and four league tournament titles.

On Saturday, in the South Regional in Lakeland, Fla., Benedict will make its seventh NCAA Division II tournament appearance in the past eight seasons. The sixth-seeded Tigers take on third-seeded Eckerd (Fla.) College at noon.

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