CIAA rivals Shaw and JCSU to decide Regional title

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

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JCSU Lady Golden Bulls March On To The Regional Finals With 78-72 OT Win Over West Liberty

JCSU's CIAA BASKETBALL COACH OF YEAR,
VANESSA TAYLOR IS 2-0 IN NCAA DIVISION
II TOURNAMENT GAMES

JCSU women's basketball made history by reaching the most wins in a season 26-4, and earned the 1st two regional victories for women's basketball at JCSU after a 74-69 win over Glenville State and West Liberty University.

Edinboro, PA – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball captured a 78-72 overtime victory against West Liberty University (No. 3 seed) in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional semifinals on Saturday evening inside a frigid McComb Fieldhouse. JCSU improves to 26-4 overall and advance to the regional championship game on Monday, March 14th to face 2011 CIAA Tournament Champions, No. 8 Shaw University (23-11) at 7:00 p.m. inside McComb Fieldhouse.

Junior guard Terrica Jones (Raleigh, NC) splashed a three pointer at the 19:13 mark for the first J.C. Smith points and lead (3-2) of the game. However, the Hilltoppers recovered quickly and displayed some dangerous outside shooting throughout the first half. West Liberty held an advantage for the remainder of the opening and led 40-32 at halftime.

JCSU shot 33% (12-36) in the first half, compared to 40.6% (13-32) shooting from West Liberty. The Hilltoppers connected on 7 of their 17 three point attempts, but were out-rebounded 27-18. Junior All-CIAA guard LaQwesha Gamble (Winter Haven, FL) had most of the production with 10 points and seven rebounds at the break. Jones and senior guard Tyra Breaux (Baltimore, MD) pitched in seven points apiece.

JCSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOPS GLENVILLE STATE 74-69 IN NCAA DII REGIONALS

Edinboro, PA – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team made school history with a 74-69 victory over Glenville State College (No. 7 seed) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament hosted by Edinboro University on Friday afternoon. JCSU improved to 25-4 overall and earned their first regional win in the history of the women's program. The Lady Golden Bulls advance to the semifinals to face West Liberty State College in McComb Field house at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 12th.

Entering this regional tournament with the highest seeding in JCSU history; the Lady Golden Bulls looked and played like a No. 2 seed. Glenville State continued a five-man substitution pattern, but Johnson C. Smith moved up the court with more energy and quickness. Despite eight lead changes in the opening, J.C. Smith maintained control and led 46-36 at halftime.

In first half, the Lady Golden Bulls shot 41.5% (17-41) from the floor compared to 33% (13-39) from Glenville State. The Pioneers lost the rebounding battle 34-20 and were beat 28-16 inside the paint. JCSU also shot 64.7% (11-17) from the free throw line; however Glenville converted on all six of their first half free throw attempts.

JCSU women advance to regional final

Johnson C. Smith is within a game of advancing to the NCAA Division II women’s Elite Eight.

The Golden Bulls beat West Liberty 78-72 in overtime Saturday in the Atlantic Regional semifinals on Saturday in Edinburgh, Pa. JCSU, the No. 2 seed, improved to 26-4 overall and advance to the regional championship game on Monday against CIAA rival and No. 8 Shaw at 7 p.m. Shaw beat Smith last week for the CIAA tournament championship.

“This season our team has been accountability for each other and themselves on and off the court, which has allowed us to strive for the common thread of competitive greatness,” Golden Bulls coach Vanessa Taylor said. “This is an exciting opportunity for our team, our University, and our conference; these young ladies have become pioneers and we want to go as far as we can.”

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NEXT GAME: JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY LADY GOLDEN BULLS vs. SHAW UNIVERSITY LADY BEARS at EDINBORO UNIVERSITY (Pa.), MCCOMB FIELDHOUSE; NCAA DIVISION II ATLANTIC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, MONDAY, MARCH 14, 7 PM.
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JCSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TO FACE EDINBORO IN NCAA DII ATLANTIC TOURNAMENT

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team has received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Atlantic Regional Championship. The tournament will be hosted by Edinboro University on March 11-12, and 14 inside McComb Field House in Edinboro, PA. JCSU enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed and will face No. 7 Glenville State College.

After capturing the CIAA Southern Division regular season title, J.C. Smith advanced to the 2011 CIAA Tournament Championship Game with victories over Chowan (71-52) and Bowie State (69-64). However, JCSU came up short to Shaw (62-56) in the title game.

Johnson C. Smith will begin their quest for a national championship against Glenville State out of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC).

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.

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2011 CIAA All-Tournament Team

Member Institutions

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).

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Quick Start Holds Up for No. 23 JCSU Women in 71-52 Quarterfinal win over Chowan

Charlotte, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team advance to the semifinals of the 2011 CIAA Women's Basketball Tournament with an opening round 71-52 victory against Chowan University on Tuesday evening inside Time Warner Cable Arena. JCSU improves to 23-3 overall and play Bowie State University on Friday, March 4th at 3:00 p.m. in the TWC Arena.

Junior guard Terran Quattlebaum (Mitchellville, MD) was open on the wing. She got the pass, and didn't think twice. Quattlebaum let the 3-point shot fly and only drew net.

Eleven seconds into the game, the Johnson C. Smith Lady Golden Lions were ahead 3-0, and the rest of the game seemed almost as effortless as Quattlebaum's first jump shot as the Southern Division champion ran away from Chowan for the entire contest.

“I'm extremely proud of our team effort,” said Golden Bulls coach Vanessa Taylor, the CIAA Coach of the Year. “We just shot the ball extremely well in the first half.”

Chowan Falls to Johnson C. Smith in CIAA Tournament

CHARLOTTE, NC – After five minutes of play, the Lady Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University held a 13-0 lead over Chowan in the second round of the CIAA Tournament. That early lead, paired with 16 first half turnovers, proved to be the difference in the game, as the Hawks could not mount another second half comeback in a 71-52 loss to the Lady Golden Bulls.

Chowan missed their first five shots and committed six turnovers in those opening five minutes, leading to the early deficit. Ransheda Jennings put Chowan on the board at the 14:54 mark with a layup to cut the JCSU lead to 13-2. At the 12:43 mark of the half, the Lady Golden Bulls held a 17-2 advantage. The Hawks, as they have done many times before, did not panic and mounted a furious comeback.

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NEXT GAME: 3 P.M. FRIDAY, VS. BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY
VIEW GAME LIVE AT: theciaa.com -- or CLICK HERE

Jackson's jumper gives WSSU a win

Andrew Jackson saved the day, and helped re-fuel a rivalry with Johnson C. Smith as he hit a buzzer-beating 35-foot jumper in a 78-77 victory for Winston-Salem State. In front of a packed house of 3,200 at the Gaines Center on Monday night the Rams kept a hold of their first-place grip in the CIAA’s Southern Division. But it was far from easy.

“I know I beat the clock,” said Jackson, a senior guard who took Marcus Wells pass from midcourt and then hit the long jumper. The Rams coughed up the lead with sloppy play near the end and the Bulls had a 77-75 lead with three seconds left. With 1:18 left the Rams were up by five but the Bulls never gave up and came charging back.

JCSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL BLOCKS OUT WINSTON-SALEM STATE FOR A 64-60 VICTORY

Winston Salem, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team remains unbeaten on the road after a 64-60 win over Winston-Salem State University on Monday evening inside the C.E. Gaines Center on the campus of WSSU. JCSU improves to 17-1 overall, 10-1 in the CIAA, and 3-0 in the division; while the Lady Rams move to 12-7 overall, 7-3 in the conference, and 2-1 in the Southern.

Coming into this game, there were a few interesting storylines. First, this was the first contest between JCSU and Winston-Salem State since January 2007; after WSSU ventured out of the CIAA to Division I-AA competition. WSSU head women's coach Stephen Joyner, Jr. has several ties to Johnson C. Smith University.

Joyner, Jr. is an alum of JCSU and former student-athlete, he served two seasons as the assistant women's basketball coach (under current JCSU head women's coach Vanessa Taylor), and he is the son of JCSU Director of Athletics and head men's basketball coach Stephen Joyner, Sr. Despite all those facts, JCSU and WSSU were battling for the top spot in the CIAA Southern Division.

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