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Showing posts with label Coach Jacques Curtis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coach Jacques Curtis. Show all posts
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Shaw missed shots in every form. There were blown layups, wayward 3-point attempts, misfired jump shots and errant free throws in the first half of Wednesday's night's Division II national semifinal against Clayton State. Despite a poor early offensive showing, the underdog Bears made a run at keeping its amazing streak alive.
Shaw's season ended with a 63-46 loss to Clayton State at St. Joseph Civic Arena, ending an 11-game winning streak. The eighth seed of the Atlantic Region's drive for an unlikely national championship finally ran out of gas.
Clayton State Ends Shaw's Cinderella NCAA Run
Saint Joseph, MO - They never wore glass slippers - more like well-worn steel-toed work boots - but Shaw remained the Cinderella of this year's NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament until Clayton State knocked them out of the dance by beating the Lady Bears 63-46 in the national semi-final.
Shaw was hamstrung by poor shooting and a plague of turnovers, often when trying to push the ball inside.
"We didn't play well tonight," said Shaw Head Coach Jacques Curtis. "Some of that had to do with them and some of that had to do with us. Every time we had a chance to make a run, we would have a turnover or something that just kept letting it get away.
"When we took the lead by one, we thought we had something," he continued. "But we let it get away."
The Lady Bears took a lead with 15:58 left in the game when Demaria Liles drained two free throws to give Shaw a 34-33 lead.
Shaw University Lady Bears (25-11) defeated Metro State College Roadrunners (28-5), 46-45 with a last second layup by 5-6 junior guard Brittany Ransom. The Lady Bears rebounded and drove the length of the court in 6.4 seconds to earn the FINAL FOUR berth.
This will be the first Final Four in Shaw University history. Talk about March Madness--Shaw got the winning fever with her 11th straight win.
The Lady Bears will face Number 2 ranked Clayton State University Lakers (33-1) from Morrow, Georgia (Metro Atlanta) in the semi-finals. Clayton State defeated 15th ranked Bentley University Lady Falcons, 84-61 in the Elite Eight
The Final Four game is scheduled at 7 p.m. ET, tomorrow (March 23) at the Civic Arena at St. Joseph, Missouri. Both final four games will be televised by ESPNU HD and ESPN3.com (Internet).
Here's what we know about Clayton State...
Dennis Cox, head coach at Clayton State University, is the 2011 Russell Athletic/WBCA National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Coach of the Year, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, which was announced today.
With a record of 181-45 at Clayton State and a winning percentage of .801, Cox is the second-winningest active women’s head coach at the Division II level. The Lakers are members of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) and went undefeated in league play this season. The top women's teams in the PBC are: Clayton State, Georgia College, Lander, USC Aiken and Francis Marion.
This will be the Lakers seventh visit to the National Tournament and second Final Four (2007, 2011).
How will they match up with the Lady Bears...
33-1 says it all with speed, balance scoring, experience and depth. This will be a battle of contrasting styles with the Lady Bears holding the advantage of size and rebounding. But the Lakers can shoot with accuracy.
The Lady Bears will have to improve their defense and shooting in this game and not get into a run and shoot affair with the Lakers. The Lady Bears are now on an 11 game win streak and have the weapons to pull out another win to get to the National Championship Game.
Shaw University Lady Bears Coach Jacques Curtis Career Record: 234-103
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jacques Curtis knows what he's saying, even if to you it comes off as brash or cocky or arrogant.
The Shaw women's basketball coach has never run from those labels and has had plenty of success to back up his talk, guiding the Bears to six Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships and five NCAA Division II tournament appearances over the past 11 seasons.
So he continues to talk, and this time it's before his team faces Metro State (30-2) today in the Division II round of eight in St. Joseph, Mo. The Bears make their third trip to the quarterfinals and are searching for the program's first trip to the Final Four.
"If we get to the national championship game, it's over," Curtis said. "To me, it's like the CIAA championship and the regional, we don't get there and lose. Anytime we get to a championship game, it's a wrap."
Listen to Game via Internet: (Tuesday, March 22, 2011) At 3:30 pm EDT - Shaw University WSHA- FM 88.9 -CLICK HERE
Quarterfinals - Tuesday, March 22 Video at NCAA.com 12 p.m. (CDT) Bentley vs. Clayton State 3:30 p.m. (EDT) Metro State vs. Shaw Lady Bears -- CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GAME (then click on Shaw vs. Metro State; Click on Speaker symbol next to Shaw Bears logo) 6 p.m. (CDT) Arkansas Tech vs. Michigan Tech 8:30 p.m. (CDT) Northwest Missouri State vs. Cal Poly Pomona
DURANGO, Colo. – No. 10 Metro State held Adams State to just four field goals over the final 30 minutes and rally from a 14-point deficit to win 49-36 on Monday night in Durango, Colo., to win the NCAA Division II Central Region championship and advance to the Elite Eight. The Roadrunners improved to 30-2 this season, while ASC’s season ended at 23-10. It is the first 30-win season in school history.
Kristin Valencia had 10 rebounds and five points. Metro State endured a miserable first half, shooting just 19.4 percent and getting outrebounded 26-23. It was all Adams State in the first 10 minutes as ASC held a 20-6 lead with 10:51 left in the half. However, that was the final field goal for the Grizzlies in the first half as the Roadrunners closed on a 15-4 run with all of ASC’s points coming on free throws in the final 10 minutes. Adams State missed its final 17 field goal attempts in the first half.
The next thing she knew, Colorado women's basketball legend Tanya Haave, who was familiar with Bratton from when they crossed paths at the University of Denver, was hired as head coach at Metro State. After that, everything seemed to fall into place.
Bratton, 25, returned to the court after sitting out two seasons and will cap her career this week when she leads Metro State into its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. The Roadrunners (30-2) will take on Shaw, N.C. (24-11) in the quarterfinals at 1:30 p.m. today in St. Joseph, Mo. The winner plays in the semifinals Wednesday. The national championship game is Friday night.
"I was done. I was just happy working and going to school part-time," said Bratton, a 5-foot-10 forward and a graduate of Pomona High School.
The best season in Johnson C. Smith women’s basketball history ended a step from the Division II Elite Eight.
CIAA South rival Shaw beat the Golden Bulls 74-54 Monday in the Atlantic Regional Championship in Edinboro Pa. JCSU ends the season 26-5, the most wins in a single season in school history. The previous best was a 22-5 mark in 2009.
“We’ve had a good season, even though it didn’t end the way we would have liked,” said CIAA Coach of the Year Vanessa Taylor, who led the Golden Bulls to a pair of tournament wins – the first in six regional appearances. “Sometimes you give your best and it isn’t good enough, but we have certainly learned more from this experience and will apply these lessons as we prepare for next season.”
EDINBORO, PA -- Eighth-seeded Shaw University, led by D-I transfers Kyria Buford and Demaria Liles, ran away from CIAA rival and second-seeded Johnson C. Smith for a 74-54 victory Monday to win the Division II Atlantic Regional at McComb Fieldhouse in front of 93 fans.
The Bears (24-11), the CIAA tournament winner, advanced to the Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Mo., March 22-25. The Golden Bulls finished 26-5.
The 6-foot 1-inch Buford, a junior forward who played one season at Florida State, had 24 points and five assists, and MVP Liles, a 6-foot 1-inch senior forward who played at Maryland for one season, had 17 points and 14 rebounds. The Bears were 13-1 after Liles joined the team.
"Demaria took so much pressure off of me when she became eligible,'' Buford said.
Edinboro, PA - It was a drama in three acts - a game that was the fourth in a series, but had the highest stakes: a trip to the NCAA Division II Women's Elite Eight Tournament.
In the end, Shaw claimed the first and third act - and the win - downing CIAA rival Johnson C. Smith 74-54 to earn the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Title and a spot in the Elite Eight.
It was the fourth time the two teams had met this season. Johnson C. Smith (26-5) won the two regular season contests while Shaw (24-11) claimed the two post-season contests: the CIAA Championship and tonight's game, held at McCombs Field House on the campus of Edinboro University.
Shaw broke on top early, fought off a furious charge from the Lady Golden Bulls, and then built an increasing lead as the game ended.
"Smith changed their style today," said Shaw Head Coach Jacques Curtis. "They were running the ball, but today they basically took the air out of the ball. We weren't playing well at all."
EDINBORO, PA -- There are Division I players transferring to Division II schools all the time, but many of them saw little playing time or didn't fit and did not want to sit out the year necessary to play for another D-I school.
Then there's Shaw University's pair of Demaria Liles, who spent one full season starting on Maryland's Elite Eight team in 2008-09, and Kyria Buford, who played at Florida State as a freshman in 2005-06. Buford was homesick and first transferred to Johnson C. Smith, Shaw's rival and opponent at Edinboro's McComb Fieldhouse on Monday night.
CIAA schools had done little in the Atlantic Regional, to which the conference was moved before the 2008-09 season. They were a non-factor when host California (Pa.) won in 2009 and when Gannon captured the regional in 2010. Edinboro, which had a magnificent season (26-4) and was top seed and host of the Atlantic Regional, was a victim of bad luck.
Shaw and Johnson C. Smith have been rivals in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association for decades. Now, the two women's basketball teams will face each other hundreds of miles away from North Carolina in the NCAA Atlantic Regional final today at 7 p.m. at Edinboro's McComb Fieldhouse.
Eighth-seeded Shaw (23-11) has won nine straight, and the Bears from Raleigh, N.C., beat second-seeded Johnson C. Smith (26-4) in the CIAA championship game after the Golden Bulls beat them twice during the regular season.
Shaw demolished cold-shooting host and top-seed Edinboro 72-51 in the quarterfinals when the Scots missed 28 straight 3-pointers. In the semifinals, the Bears rallied past fifth-seeded California, Pa., 70-63 for their second straight win over PSAC teams that have dominated the regional in recent years.
NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championship
Shaw (23-11) vs. Johnson C. Smith (26-4)
Today, 7 p.m.
Edinboro's McComb Fieldhouse
EDINBORO, PA -- A month ago, the Shaw Bears were 13-10 and just about out of the running to make an NCAA Division II women's basketball Atlantic Regional appearance for the first time since 2008.
But today at 6 p.m., the eighth-seeded Bears (21-11), who earned their way to the regional by winning their sixth CIAA title in nine seasons, are the focus of the young, top-seeded host, No. 17 Edinboro (26-3), in the quarterfinals at McComb Fieldhouse.
"They are very talented with some great athletes, and I recruited one of their players," Edinboro coach Stan Swank said. "I knew about another of their players, a girl from Lakeland (Fla.), so it's not like you don't know about them."
What everyone with an interest seems to know about Shaw is that 6-foot 1-inch senior forward Demaria Liles, who played two seasons at...
Excerpt:
While Hill was chasing his first CIAA title as a head coach, Shaw women's coach Jacques Curtis was seeking to expand his already stocked repertoire. His season was filled with more ups and downs than a roller-coaster ride, but Saturday night proved doubly sweet for Shaw, as Curtis' team claimed the women's CIAA title with a 62-56 win over Johnson C. Smith.
The eighth-seeded Shaw women (21-11) open play today in the NCAA Division II championship tournament with a 6 p.m. road game at Edinboro (Pa.) University, a No. 1 seed. The Shaw men, a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Division II men's bracket, is set to face - for the third time this season - fifth-seeded Winston-Salem State at 8:30 p.m. Saturday night in West Liberty, W.Va.
RALEIGH, NC -- Shaw University, a small private school in downtown Raleigh, sent both its men's and women's basketball teams off to national tournaments this week.
Today, Shaw's Lady Bears will play in the opening round of the NCAA Division II tournament in Edinboro, Pa., where they'll face the Edinboro Fighting Scots.
On Saturday, the men will begin their quest for national glory in West Liberty, W.Va., against in-state rival Winston-Salem State University.
Both teams cut down the nets at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte last weekend after winning the CIAA Tournament championships. The teams' winning ways have had a transformative effect on campus morale and spirit.
NORTHERN DIVISION
Bowie State
Chowan
Elizabeth City State
Lincoln (PA)
Saint Paul's
Virginia State
Virginia Union
SOUTHERN DIVISION
Fayetteville State
Johnson C. Smith
Livingstone
Saint Augustine's
Shaw
Winston-Salem State
Raheem Smith (Shaw University) was named Tournament MVP, and he joined the Bears' Tony Smith and Devon Mclendon (Shaw)on the All-Tournament team. Other players who made the All-Tournament team include Trent Bivens of Elizabeth City State, Eric Vann of Bowie State, CIAA player of the year Trevin Parks of Johnson C. Smith, Sidney Evans of Fayetteville State, and Charles Rhodes of Chowan. Fayetteville State won the John B. McLendon Sportsmanship Trophy at the tournament.
On the women's side, tournament MVP Demaria Liles (Shaw University), Kyria Buford and Aslea Williams (Shaw) joined Liles on the All-Tournament team. Johnson C. Smith was represented by Terran Quattlebaum and Terrica Jones.
Rounding out the All-Tournament team was: Rhon’Neisha Taylor (Virginia State), Allison Sikes, (St. Augustine’s), Umeka Benson (St. Augustine’s) Ransheda Jennings (Chowan) and Vontisha Woods (Winston-Salem State).
CHARLOTTE, NC – The Shaw Lady Bears virtually owned the last decade at the CIAA Tournament, winning five championships between 2003-2008. Now they are working on the next one. And it is something Johnson C. Smith knows all too well.
Tournament MVP Demaria Liles had 15 points, six rebounds and three steals as the Lady Bears captured the 2011 CIAA Championship after a 62-56 victory over the Lady Golden Bulls on Saturday evening at the Time Warner Cable Arena.
"This one is big," said Shaw coach Jacques Curtis, who has led the Lady Bears to each of their six titles in the last nine years. "And it's big because there was a lot of pressure on this team from the beginning, especially early in the season when we lost a couple of games. We knew we had to win this tournament to go on to the next level."
It is the fifth time the Lady Bears (21-11) have defeated Johnson C. Smith (23-4) in the CIAA Championship and the fourth time in the last nine years the Lady Golden Bulls, the 2009 CIAA champion, have finished as the tournament's runner-up.
"Although in defeat, we are extremely proud of our women's basketball team and what they've accomplished thus far," said Johnson C. Smith coach Vanessa Taylor, the CIAA Women's Coach of the Year. "We hope that it is enough for the NCAA to say to us that we can live to play another day."
Videographer: pbsstep1914; Shaw University 2011 CIAA Champions
LADY GOLDEN BULLS FALL SHORT IN A 62-56 CIAA CHAMPIONSHIP LOSS TO SHAW
CHARLOTTE, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball were seven points shy of claiming their second CIAA Tournament title in three seasons after a 62-56 loss against Shaw University in the 2011 CIAA Women's Championship game on Saturday evening inside the Time Warner Cable Arena. The Lady Golden Bulls finish the conference post season with the best overall record in the history of the women's program at 24-4; previous mark 22-5 during the 1999-00 season. Reigning CIAA Coach of the Year Vanessa Taylor also set a new career mark for most wins in an individual season; surpassing her mark of 22-5.
This is the fifth time in history the Lady Bears (21-11) have defeated Johnson C. Smith in the CIAA Championship and the fourth time in the last nine years the Lady Golden Bulls, the 2009 CIAA champion, have finished as the tournament's runner-up (1989, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2011).
The Shaw Lady Bears virtually owned the last decade at the CIAA Tournament, winning five championships between 2003-2008.
“Although in defeat, we are extremely proud of our women's basketball team and what they've accomplished thus far,” said Taylor. “We hope that it is enough for the NCAA to say to us that we can live to play another day.”
The Lady Bears were down 43-37 with 10:05 remaining in the game after junior guards Terran Quattlebaum (Mitchellville, MD) and Terrica Jones (Raleigh, NC) combined for 13 points in an 18-5 run. Aslea Williams, who finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, scored seven straight points in a span of 1:40 to spark Shaw's decisive run of the game, a 12-0 spurt that handed the Lady Bears a 51-45 edge they would never relinquish.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sharay Dubose scored 27 points -- her second highest total of the year — but it wasn't enough as Shaw spoiled Lincolns' debut in the CIAA conference tourney, turning back the Lady Lions by a score of 95-63.
The Bears (18-11) came into the tourney as the number two seed in the South Division, while the Lions (3-24) were the seventh seed.
Lincoln came out of the gate strong, paced by the hot hand of DeJuana Mosley, who scored eight of Lincoln's first 13 points, and the Lady Lions either led or were tied for the lead for the first ten minutes of the game.
Shaw Offensive Firepower Rolls Over Lincoln 95-63 CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The inside trio of Demaria Liles, Kyra Buford and Aslea Williams combined to score over half of Shaw's points in a 95-63 first-round women's basketball win over Lincoln (Pa.) Monday in the first day of the CIAA Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena.
"It felt good to get our feet wet and get that first win," Shaw Head Coach Jacques Curtis said.
Liles, a 6-1 senior forward, led the Lady Bears (18-11 overall) with 21 points on 9 of 11 shooting and snatched 12 rebounds for her fifth straight double-double for the Lady Bears. Buford, a 6-1 senior forward, added 20 points and Williams, a 6-1 junior center, added 15 points for the Lady Bears, the No. 2 seed in the Southern Division. The Lady Bears square off against No. 3 Northern Division seed Virginia State Tuesday in a CIAA quarterfinal game at 3 p.m.
ETTRICK, VA - If the Virginia State women's basketball team was going to reach its lofty goals for the season, the team from Ettrick needed to find a way to rebound after a 63-53 home loss to Winston-Salem State on Thursday.
That is exactly what VSU did in a 74-68 overtime victory over CIAA foe Shaw on Saturday at Daniel Gymnasium. The defending Eastern Division champions overcame an uninspiring shooting performance by outrebounding the Lady Bears 58-44.
The victory meant a little more to VSU coach James Hill, who was an assistant coach on three Shaw CIAA championship teams. Now in his fifth season with VSU, Hill said locking horns with Shaw coach Jacques Curtis still has a special feel.
Senior guard, Rhon’Neisha Taylor matched her career best of 23 points in a 74-68 OT win over the Lady Bears of Shaw University in Daniel Gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 8. Taylor scored 23 points in back to back CIAA conference games and recorded 11 rebounds. Junior, Pamela Muldrow led the team with 6 assists and Betty Appiah and Mariame Sylla both grabbed 9 rebounds apiece.
