Tuskegee Golden Tigers advance to NCAA Division II South Region championship game - "The Sweet 16"

LAKELAND, Florida  --  The Tuskegee men's basketball team has achieved what no other team in the history of Golden Tiger basketball has accomplished. The Golden Tigers' basketball team has advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament. Tuskegee (20-11) posted a 93-87 win over the University of North Alabama Lions (23-10) in semifinal play in Lakeland, Fla., on Sunday evening at the Jenkins Field House on the campus of Florida Southern College.

The Golden Tigers took a 12-11 lead at the 11:39 mark in the first half and never trailed again in the game. After trailing the Golden Tigers by sixteen points in the second half, the Lions made several runs, but they could only narrow the Golden Tigers' lead to three points. Again, clutch free-throw shooting in crucial moments contributed to the six-point win by the SIAC champions.

Tuskegee had five players in double figures, led by senior All-SIAC forward Richard Dixon with 22 points. Javier McKinney had 14 points; Kevin May had 12 points; and Camden Foster, Elliot Dean and Graham Olatunji with 10 points apiece. Foster pulled down seven rebounds and May dished out nine assists to lead the Golden Tigers.


Tuskegee University pep band at 2014 SIAC Tournament -- Song: Holy Grail

The Golden Tigers, who led the Lions 50-36 at halftime, were 27 of 40 (67.5 percent) from the free throw line, while the Lions were 31 of 43 (72 percent) for the game.

Bruce Adams led the Lions, winner of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) basketball tournament, with 21 points, followed by Nathan Spehr and Rashaun Claiborne with 18 points apiece. Calvin Dade added 10 points. Claiborne grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for the Lions.

With the win over the Lions, the Golden Tigers are in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

On Tuesday night, March 18, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. CT, the Golden Tigers will face the Delta State University Statesmen in the championship game of the South Region of NCAA II. The Statesmen defeated Saint Leo 70-61 in the other semifinal game.

The winner of Tuesday night's basketball game will move on to Elite 8 action, scheduled for the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., March 26, 27 and 29.


Tuskegee University pep band at 2014 SIAC Tournament

Story by Arnold L. Houston
COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS