Hampton coach wrote his script

Say this for Hampton men's basketball coach Ed Joyner Jr., he has a sense for the moment.

"What better script can you write?" Joyner asked Thursday, the day before his 16th-seed Pirates were to face top-seed Duke in a second-round NCAA tournament game at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Joyner, 38, a Winston-Salem native who attended Charlotte's Harding High before playing and coaching at Johnson C. Smith, had this script already etched in his mind two weeks ago, as Hampton prepared for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Association tournament in Winston-Salem.

Hampton U. coach looking for any advantage before playing Duke

CHARLOTTE, N.C. —— Ed Joyner Jr. was taking suggestions Thursday for tools he might use to demonstrate that the task at hand is difficult, but not impossible.

In advance of Friday's David vs. Goliath matchup against No. 1 seed Duke in the NCAA tournament, Hampton University's head coach planned to show his players video of the Pirates' upset of second-seeded Iowa State in the 2001 NCAA tournament.

Joyner said, only partly in jest, that he would show them the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team's Miracle On Ice upset of the Soviets, the movie "Rudy" and anything else he could think of.

"I think they're already pumped up," he said. "Anything to show them it has and should be done."

Hampton's chore, 10 years later

From the NCAA tournament in Charlotte:

Meant to say earlier, I thought Hampton coach Ed Joyner was amusing Thursday during his media session, especially when a natural question was raised about a former Hampton U. tournament upset – 10 years ago in Boise, Idaho.

The 15th-seeded Pirates beat No. 2 Iowa State 58-57 that day – how about that; Iowa State (3-13 in the Big 12 this year) was a No. 2! And Joyner was asked why, as a Hampton player noted earlier, he’d not used that video as motivation for his team, seeded 16th, against No. 1 Duke on Friday.

“Everything, I believe, is timing,” he said. “It ain’t the right time yet. Trust me, they’re going to see it tonight along with “Miracle,” “Rudy”, anything else you can find.”

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

WNIT: Virginia rolls past Morgan State

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- Debbie Ryan is proud of her Celtic heritage. But on an oddly unemotional St. Patrick's Night she didn't need the luck of the Irish to prolong her coaching career at the University of Virginia.

All she needed was, well, Morgan State.

Whitny Edwards scored 11 points, and teammate Ariana Moorer added 10 as Ryan's Cavaliers thumped the overmatched Bears 69-56 Thursday night in an opening-round game of the women's postseason NIT. The victory ensured Ryan of at least one more game at the helm of a program she has steered for the past 34 years. Ryan, a Hall of Fame coach with 737 career victories, announced last week that she will step down at season's end.

Video Highlight: Virginia Defeats Morgan State, 69-56, In WNIT First Round

Photo Gallery

Virginia Defeats Morgan State, 69-56, In WNIT First Round

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - The Virginia women's basketball team built an early lead and held on for a 69-56 victory over visiting Morgan State Thursday night in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). With the victory, Virginia's record improved to 17-15. Morgan State's final record is 17-15.

Virginia will face Loyola (Md.) on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., at Reitz Arena in Baltimore, Md., in second-round action.

In the first half, Virginia's lead at times ballooned to as many as 16 points, but Morgan State pulled to within 11 points, 38-27, at the 1:34 mark on a 3-pointer by Brittany Dodson. UVa responded by going on a 5-0 run to end the half and take a 43-27 lead.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

VT Hokies cruise in NIT first-round game vs. Bethune-Cookman

BLACKSBURG - As Virginia Tech's men's basketball team prepared for Wednesday night's National Invitation Tournament first round game, Hokies coach Seth Greenberg realized there was a chance his players could care less about the game.

He made sure nobody would just mail it in and coast against Bethune-Cookman. Even if Tech's players and coaches still were stinging after failing to be included in the NCAA tournament field, there were no lingering signs of misery against Bethune-Cookman.

Tech dispatched Bethune-Cookman 79-54 to advance to the second round. Tech, which is a No. 1 seed in the tournament, will play at 11 a.m. Sunday in Blacksburg against No. 4 seed Wichita State, which defeated Nebraska 76-49 on Wednesday.

Recap: Virginia Tech vs. Bethune-Cookman

Jeff Allen scored 19 points as the Virginia Tech Hokies rolled to a 79-54 victory over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in first-round action of the NIT.

Malcolm Delaney registered 13 points for top-seeded Virginia Tech (22-11), which moves on to the second round to battle fourth-seeded Wichita State. The Hokies also got double-digit scoring performances from Manny Atkins (12 points), Erick Green (11 points, eight assists) and Terrell Bell (10 points).

Garrius Holloman posted 20 points in defeat for eighth-seeded Bethune-Cookman (21-13), which received 10 points and five assists from C.J. Reed.

Father-Son Duo Leads B-CUTo New Heights, Captures Conference’s Top Honors

Bethune-Cookman men's basketball coach Clifford Reed and his son, junior point guard C.J. Reed, have taken the Wildcats to unprecedented heights while achieving what no other father-son combination in MEAC history has achieved.

The elder Reed was voted MEAC Coach of the Year and his son was selected Player of the Year as the Wildcats won their first ever regular-season conference championship and earned their first-ever postseason appearance since moving to Division I. They play Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., in the NIT Wednesday night.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Today's NIT: Tech, a top seed in NIT for third time, hosts Bethune-Cookman

Bethune Cookman Wildcats (21-12) at Virginia Tech Hokies (21-11)

TELEVISION: 8 p.m. EDT, ESPNU

While Virginia Tech was still trying to come to grips with yet another NCAA Tournament snub Sunday evening, Bethune-Cookman’s players and coaches waited excitedly to find out who they would play in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

They cheered wildly as ESPNU revealed their matchup with Tech.

The Wildcats (21-12) take on the Hokies (21-11) tonight in Blacksburg in the first round of the NIT. The game tips off at 8 p.m. and will be televised by ESPNU. The winner advances to play the Witchita State-Nebraska winner in the second round.

'Cat has better Reed on game

DAYTONA BEACH -- C.J. Reed doesn't need to glance at the newspaper box scores from the MEAC tournament to recall his rare back-to-back off nights. The league's Player of the Year has every aspect of his struggles memorized.

"Four for 19, four for 17, three free throws in the first game and five in the second," Reed said of his stat lines during two games in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"I know those numbers inside and out. I don't think I made the shots I normally make and didn't get to the line enough. That hurt us in the long run."

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

North Carolina A&T 71, Clemson 77

CLEMSON, S.C. - Coming off of a week in which she was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week, Jaleesa Sams recorded eight steals Monday night against Clemson, but the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team fell just short of an upset with a 77-71 loss to the Tigers at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Sams also scored 22 points and collected eight rebounds for the Aggies (4-7). Jaquayla Berry added 15 points. Sams needs just one point to reach 1,000 points for her career.

N.C. A&T trailed by six early in the second half. But Berry's layup with 7:53 to play moved the Aggies to within one at 56-55. The Tigers began to pull away as they scored the next seven points to take an eight-point lead.


Videographer: ClemsonAthletics

Clemson Women's Basketball Snaps Skid with 77-71 Win

CLEMSON, SC - The Clemson women's basketball team snapped a six-game losing streak with a 77-71 win over North Carolina A&T (4-7) on Monday night in Littlejohn Coliseum. The Lady Tigers (7-8) shot a season-high 51.9 percent, and Shaniqua Pauldo scored 12 of her 22 points during a crucial second half run as Clemson pulled away.

Pauldo scored her 22 points on 9-14 shooting, including 14 in the second half, while senior Kirstyn Wright had 24 points, and tied a school and career record with six made three-point goals. She made her first six attempts, and her attempt at a school-record seventh straight rimmed out in the second half.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Clemson Cruises Past Delaware State, 76-41

Jerai Grant scored 15 points to lead a balanced Clemson attack Monday night as the Tigers cruised past Delaware State 76-41.



Clemson Tigers crush Delaware State Hornets

Grant scored 15 while also dishing out five assists while Milton Jennings added 11 points and nine rebounds.
Delaware State trailed 12-11 with 12 minutes left in the first half before the Tigers responded with an 18-0 run over the next five minutes of play.

“It was a really good win for our guys. I thought we played really efficient basketball," head coach Brad Brownell said afterwards. "I talked to our team about playing with basketball sureness tonight—making the extra pass, sharing the ball, being strong, meeting passes, and limiting turnovers.

"We were facing a team that plays a bunch of different defenses and tries to make you get out of rhythm. They go trap at different times. I think our guys showed good poise.”

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Wood lifts NC State past Delaware State 72-70

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Scott Wood's putback with 2.1 seconds left lifted North Carolina State past Delaware State 72-70 on Wednesday night.

Richard Howell scored a career-high 16 points, C.J. Leslie had 15 and DeShawn Painter added a career-high 14 for the Wolfpack (7-4). They led by 13 late in the first half but needed some drama to hold off the pesky Hornets. Casey Walker scored 20 points and hit four 3-pointers for Delaware State (4-6), and his free throw with 37.2 seconds left tied it at 70.

Wolfpack escapes Delaware State upset

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Scott Wood picked the right time to hit his first basket. Wood's putback with 2.1 seconds left gave N.C. State a 72-70 win over Delaware State on Wednesday night at the RBC Center. Wood was 0-for-6 before he grabbed a missed 3-pointer from Ryan Harrow about eight feet from the basket and coolly dropped in the game-winning shot.

Delaware State's last gasp, a halfcourt shot by Jay Threatt, bounced off the front of the rim and harmlessly to the floor. N.C. State got a career-best 16 points from Richard Howell and 15 from forward C.J. Leslie and 14 from DeShawn Painter against the undersized Hornets.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

Virginia Barely Slips by Norfolk State, 50-49

Charlottesville, VA - UVa men's basketball got a huge scare Monday night, but the Cavaliers pulled out a 50-49 win over Norfolk State.

UVa had to play again without the injured Mike Scott. Mustapha Farrakhan picked up the scoring slack, leading the Cavs with 18 points. The Spartans came into the game losers of six straight but they outrebounded UVa 43-36 and they had a one-point lead with time winding down. Sammy Zeglinski's three-pointer rimmed out, but K.T. Harrell got the rebound and was fouled. He missed both free throws, but the 7-footer Assane Sene tipped in the game-winner with 4.8 seconds left.



U.Va. squeaks past NSU 50-49 with late tip-in

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - It was evident Monday night at John Paul Jones Arena that the Norfolk State Spartans are going to be a much better team with transfer Chris McEachin in their lineup. It was also crystal clear that the Virginia Cavaliers are a donut unit - sweet on the outside and empty in the middle - as long as power forward Mike Scott is sidelined as he recovers from ankle surgery.

Monday's result was expected: A Virginia victory over a team that ranks No. 311 in the power rankings among 348 Division I teams. The way it came about was mind-boggling and bordered on unbelievable.

The Cavaliers needed an Assane Sene tip-in of a missed free throw with 4.8 seconds remaining to pull out a 50-49 win in front of a crowd of 7,856 that ...

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Sene's winner rescues sluggish Cavs
Wahoos Nearly Upset by Norfolk State at the JPJ! Hoos Win 50-49
UVA Edges Norfolk State on Sene's Last-Second Tip-In

WNIT: North Carolina A&T Aggies set to play Wake Forest

Senior guard Ta’Wuana “Tweet” Cook, first-team all-MEAC, leads the Lady Aggies into the WNIT.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team will see its season continue in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament 7 p.m., Thursday, March 18 against Wake Forest University at Reynolds Gymnasium on the campus of Wake Forest. If the Aggies are able to defeat the Demon Deacons of the ACC, they will play the winner of Thursday’s Gardner-Webb at Charlotte contest. The location of the second round game will be announced after the first round contests. The Aggies (21-10) earned the WNIT bid as an automatic qualifier after winning the MEAC regular-season championship for the third straight season. Thursday’s game will mark the third straight season the Aggies have participated in postseason play.

Wake Forest To Host NC A&T In WNIT Opening Round

Winston-Salem, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's basketball team will open the 2010 Women's National Invitation Tournament with North Carolina A&T on Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Gymnasium on Wake Forest's Reynolda Campus. The winner will advance to face either Charlotte or Gardner-Webb at a location that will be announced following the first round conclusion. The invitation marks the second consecutive WNIT appearance for the Demon Deacons.

Last season Wake Forest received a first round bye and faced Georgetown in the second round in Winston-Salem, where the Deacs fell 72-61. Wake Forest (18-13) last faced North Carolina A&T (21-10) in 2004, taking a 92-43 win in Winston-Salem.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

Former Hampton coach comes home

Mebane returns to Carolina as N.C. State assistant

RALEIGH, N.C. -- In his fifth year at Hampton University, Walter Mebane led the Lady Pirates to the MEAC tournament final. Hampton lost to N.C. A&T and coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs, Mebane's former boss. For his accomplishment, he was abruptly released. Now Mebane, a Durham native, is back home after being hired as an assistant coach at N.C. State under new coach Kellie Harper. Mebane recently talk to The Tribune about his latest career move.

Tribune: Were you surprised by your dismissal?

Mebane: Very. We were coming off one of our better seasons in the conference and also we got to the championship game with three freshmen, a junior and a sophomore. We had made some steady progression the year before and now had a turnaround this year, so I thought we had the program moving in a positive direction. I felt we could get back to the championship again next year Unfortunately that didn't happen. But I try not to look back, and I firmly believe that God closes one door and opens up another, and I just pray that He doesn't keep me in the hallway.

From Archives: Cox 11 Interview with HU Lady Pirates basketball coach Walter Mebane and forward Chinyere Ukoh (11/10/08).


CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Morgan State Takes Down Maryland Terps 66-65

COLLEGE PARK, MD — The Maryland Terrapins fell to in-state foe Morgan State on Wednesday night, 66-65. The game featured strong performances from Morgan State’s Reggie Holmes (25 points) and Maryland senior Dave Neal (18 points). Morgan State Head Coach Todd Bozeman called the win “significant” for his team, not only because it was “against an ACC school,” but also because “it is in-state.” The first half was a fairly equal performance for both teams, ending with a Maryland lead at 36-33. The second half, however, featured gigantic runs from both teams: 18-2 from the Terps, followed closely by 21-5 from Morgan State, leading to the final score of 66-65.

The Terps suffered particularly in two parts of their game: turnovers and three point shooting. Maryland committed 21 turnovers and only hit 1 of 14 three point shots. While they shot well from the free throw line (12-15), Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams said that his team "didn’t take advantage of what [they]’re really good at,” because he wanted to see more free throw opportunities. Maryland star Greivis Vasquez did continue his hot hand at the free throw line, extending his streak of consecutive made shots to 29.

The announced crowd at the Comcast Center was 15,138. The stands appeared quite empty, and much to the chagrin of the Maryland faithful; there was a large (and loud) contingent of fans rooting on the Bears.

Maryland-Morgan State Video Highlights
Quotes
Notes
Photo Gallery
Final Stats

Williams' Postgame News Conference Video

CONTINUE READING, VIEW PHOTO GALLERY, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Blogging with Boze
D.C. Sports Bog: Morgan State, Huh?

Morgan State Stuns Terps

Terps fall flat before start ...

Maryland-Morgan State: Bears Rip the Heart Out of the Terrapin Press

Thoughts on Morgan State 66, Maryland 65...

College Basketball: Morgan State Beats Maryland and More

No. 23 Georgia Tech Routs Florida A&M

ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia Tech coach MaChelle Joseph was a little concerned about how her team would respond after a 10-day holiday layoff. She shouldn't have been. Jacqua Williams led four double-figure scorers with 16 points as No. 23 Georgia Tech routed Florida A&M 77-42 for its seventh consecutive victory on Tuesday night. FAMU (4-6) missed 21 of its first 24 shots while falling behind 24-7 and trailed 40-17 at halftime. The Rattlers were down by as many as 42 points in the second half.

"I was pretty pleased defensively the way we came out," said Joseph, who said she "didn't expect the fast start against the Lady Rattlers." Instead the Yellow Jackets (11-2) dominated defensively and shot 51.7 percent from the field, going 30-for-58. Williams, a senior guard, led the way, making 7 of 9 shots, including two 3-pointers, to go with five assists and four steals.

"She filled up the stat sheet," Joseph said, "and she does so many intangible things out there as well. … I was impressed with her leadership." The Yellow Jackets also got 13 points from Brigitte Ardossi, 12 from Alex Montgomery and 10 from Deja Foster. Stephanie Foster scored 18 points for FAMU. The Rattlers shot just 20.6 percent from the floor (7 of 34) in the first half and 24.6 percent (16 of 65) for the game.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Bragg Memorial Stadium to host youth bowl games
University officials optimistic about funding in the new year
No. 23 Lady Jackets rout Florida A&M

Virginia Tech tops Morgan State

The Virginia Tech men's basketball team advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament with a 94-62 defeat of the Morgan State Bears yesterday evening.

The victory was the 300th of head coach Seth Greenberg's career and the 20th of his team's season.

CONTINUE READING AND VIEW PHOTO GALLERY, CLICK ON BLOG TITLE.