NCAA Invites should go to best conference record

In a stretch from 2005 to 2007, Greg Jackson's Delaware State Hornets were the toast of the MEAC, winning 32 of a possible 36 league games over that two-year span. Yet they were never able to go dancing. That's because the NCAA mistakenly rewards teams for reeling off three or four consecutive wins in a conference tournament rather than handing out a bid to the NCAA tournament for a body of work compiled in more than three months. Makes no sense.

Delaware State University Hornets men's head basketball coach Greg Jackson.

"The NCAA needs to change it," Jackson said. "One team gets hot and all you've done is null and void." Sure, the NCAA recently implemented a rule in which any team that wins their regular-season title receives an automatic bid to the NIT. But what kid these days grows up with dreams of playing in the NIT? No one. Delaware State was 16-2 in league play in 2005-06 but watched a Hampton team that was 10-8 in conference action go to the NCAA tournament. The next season the Hornets finished with an identical mark yet this time it was Florida A&M and its 12-6 mark that wound up getting automatic inclusion via three wins in March.

It wasn't the only time that Florida A&M pulled the upset either. The Rattlers were 12-19 overall back in 1999 and pulled off the upset to win the league tournament and get into the Big Dance.

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MEAC teams concerned about Hurricane Hanna

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FAMU coach Joe Taylor inherited a decidedly young team when he took over the football program at the end of December. Linebacker and captain Vernon Wilder is the only senior on FAMU's two-deep depth chart. This is marked contrast to Delaware State, FAMU's opponent Thursday night. Five of the Hornets' front six players on defense are seniors, with junior right end Tyron Hurst the only non-senior. On offense DSU started four seniors and five juniors. Senior quarterback Vashon Winton entered Thursday's game with a 25-8 record and a 20-3 mark in MEAC.

The Hornets also had the services of former FAMU running backs coach Renato Diaz. He came to DSU after working under former FAMU coach Rubin Carter.

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NCA&T Lady Aggies defeat MEAC champs DSU

Photo: Aggies 6-0 forward Brittanie Taylor-James #22, plays clamp down defense on DSU.

DOVER, Del. – While an hour from her hometown of Philadelphia Monday night in Dover, Del., sophomore forward Lamona Smalley helped the Aggies secure a big win for the folks back in Greensboro, N.C.

She scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team to a 64-57 win over defending MEAC Champion Delaware State at Memorial Hall. Smalley’s double-double was the fifth of her career.

It followed her 15-point, 14-rebound performance against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Saturday. The Aggies (11-5, 5-0) handed the Hornets (7-10, 2-1) their first MEAC loss.

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