Sunday, February 26, 2023

GCAC Men's Final Set - Tougaloo and Philander Set to Battle

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Men’s Semifinals

#6 Fisk University Bulldogs 72, #2 Philander Smith College Panthers 79

#4 Wiley College Wildcats 69, #1 Tougaloo College Bulldogs 75

TOUGALOO, Miss. - A late flurry of shots fell shy in an upset attempt as No. 2 Philander Smith College held off #6 Fisk University in the semifinals of the 2023 Hope Credit Union GCAC Men’s Basketball Championship. The Panthers outlasted the Bulldogs, 79-72.

The game’s first few minutes opened with the Panthers raising the intensity on the defensive end to slow down the Bulldogs. The combination of a corner three and putback layup by GCAC All-Defensive Team selection Rayonte Childs gave the Panthers early momentum. By the midway point of the first half, the Panthers used another trey from Childs to extend Philander Smith’s lead, 17-8. The Bulldogs would respond with shots from the charity stripe and a baseline jumper by All-GCAC First Team honoree Tyon Thompson to cut into the Panthers’ 24-16 lead. As the half wound down, the Bulldogs doubled down on defense and beat the Panthers on a fast break to bring the lead down to single digits. The Bulldogs would go on a run to close out the half and enter the locker room trailing the Panthers 40-33. 

In the second frame, Fisk managed to trim the point differential to one point, 40-39, behind a triple from All-Defensive Team honoree Michael Ashley. The Panthers fired back and the teams entered an intense back-and-forth battle as the stanza moved toward its midpoint. Childs and Raymond Reece led the Philander Smith surge that expanded the lead to five, 53-48. With four minutes remaining in regulation, the teams were separated by only a field goal, 68-66. The Panthers would regain a foothold after points from Christione Rufus and Reece grew the Philander Smith advantage to six, 74-68. As the final 90 seconds ticked off the clock, the Bulldogs cut the lead down to two but shots from the charity stripe by Derrick Woods and David Kellah extended the Panthers’ lead to six once again. After one final defensive stop and successful free throws, the Panthers would earn its spot in the championship title game, winning 79-72. 

The Panthers finished with four players in double figures, led by Childs’ 21 points, followed by Reece with 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Rufus and Woods each recorded 12 points. The Bulldogs were led in scoring by Ashley, who posted a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Thompson and Ethan Jones both scored in double figures with 11 points each, respectively.

The No.2 Philander Smith College Panthers will face No. 1 Tougaloo College Bulldogs on Sunday, February 26 at 5 p.m. in the championship title game of the 2023 Hope Credit Union GCAC Men’s Basketball Championship.

#1 TOUGALOO 75 def. #4 WILEY 69

TOUGALOO, Miss. - The energy was electric in Kroger Gymnasium with fans on their feet for the final 90 seconds of regulation with a trip to the championship game on the line. In the end, the top-seeded Tougaloo College Bulldogs pulled out the win over the No. 4 Wiley College Wildcats to advance to Championship Sunday at the 2023 Hope Credit Union GCAC Men’s Basketball Championship.


The Bulldogs opened the game with a three-pointer by Second Team All-GCAC selection Trajan Fielder and the Wildcats fired back with back-to-back baskets from Antonio Jones. Tougaloo then used a triple from DeArius Henyard to cut the score to 11-6. The Wildcats worked to chip the ice off their rim to stay in the game just as Tougaloo’s offense was lifted by an 8-4 run, capped with back-to-back threes from Fielder and the GCAC Player of the Year Cameron Copeland. Wiley’s offense was able spring back into action as Antwan Bean converted a layup to tie the game at 22 all. The teams battled for control until two consecutive left-wing three-point shots by First Team All-GCAC selection Maurice Harvey would push the Wildcats’ lead to four, 35-31. The Bulldogs answered, using three consecutive baskets from Copeland to narrow the Wiley lead with seconds remaining. However, the first half would come to a close with Wiley entering the locker room holding onto a slim 40-37 advantage.


The second stanza opened with a quick 6-0 run by the Bulldogs, fueled by shots from Fielder and Second Team All-GCAC selection Darryl Jones to take the lead. By the 11:32 mark, the game was knotted at 50. As the final minutes ticked down, the Wildcats went on an 8-2 run led by Harvey, whose three pushed the Wiley lead to six. Coming out of a late media timeout, the Bulldogs got a much-needed spark from Copeland, who drilled a trey and followed with a layup to kick off a 9-2 run for Tougaloo as they would go up 67-64. With 90 seconds remaining, Harvey eyed narrowing the scoring differential once again, completing an and-one play to cut the deficit to one point. However, clutch shots from the charity stripe by Copeland preceded another dunk from Jones that would put the game out of reach for good, sending the Bulldogs to the GCAC championship game with the final score of 75-69. 


The Panthers finished with four players in double figures, led by Copeland’s 21 points, followed by Henyard who added 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Jones and Fielder each recorded 13 and 10 points, respectively, in the effort. The Wildcats were led in scoring by Harvey, who posted 22 points. Jones, David Williams, and Justin Minter contributed in double figures, recording 11, 13, and 10 points, respectively.


The No. 1 Tougaloo College Bulldogs will face off against the No. 2 Philander Smith College Panthers on Sunday, February 26 at 5 p.m. in the title game of the 2023 Hope Credit Union GCAC Men’s Basketball Championship.


Fans may watch the entire 2023 Hope Credit Union GCAC Tournament live on the free HBCU League Pass+ app, available in both the Google and iOS stores. Game-by-game updates will be available on the conference’s social media accounts.


Watch all the GCAC action on HBCU League Pass+


Danielle "Dani" Wright

Director of Strategic Communications
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

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