List 'impressive' for FAMU job

Tallahassee, FL - While several high-profile names are circulating as applicants for the vacant men's basketball coaching job at Florida A&M, athletic director Derek Horne hedged on confirming what sources are calling an impressive list.

"Right now because it's still ongoing we just want to make sure that we do our due diligence to make sure that we bring the right person in," Horne said.

FAMU has been without a men's basketball coach for almost a month since Eugene Harris was fired in March. At that time, Horne said he would like to fill the position this month, but Tuesday he said he hopes to have the process completed before schools break for the summer.

Horne didn't say when the final interview process will begin.


Videographer: FAMUTube1887; The All New FAMU e-Rattler Online Store launches in...6 Days.  VISIT: www.e-rattler.com.  

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Former Claflin University Star Salley to Play in All-Star Game

February was a tough month for Eric Salley.

When the month began, he was the leading scorer in the SIAC, averaging 24.3 points per game. By mid-February, he was a college star in limbo, thanks to a back-and-forth between Salley's school, Claflin University and the Army National Guard, regarding Salley's status with the military division.

The incident - Salley did not report with his unit to training in Saudia Arabia, opting instead to stay and play at Claflin and graduate - was eventually cleared up, according to Salley.  "They put me on something called Individual Ready Reserve," Salley said. "That just means, when I get finished (with school and basketball) I will be able to fulfill my duties."

Still, the status change came too late to save...

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VIDEO: Historical Black College All-Star Classic
WEBSITE:  http://www.hbcallstarclassic.com

VISIT: CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY
VISIT: CLAFLINPANTHERS


Videographer: Claflin University; Claflin Jazz Ensemble

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Catching Up On the Coaching Carousel

As far as we know, the coaching carousel is nearly complete. Did you even notice?

The usually far-reaching dominoes haven't fallen as much with plenty of positions being filled by out-of-work coaches, mid-major coaches and assistant coaches. There hasn't been a whole lot of poaching from one major school to the next, or at least not as much as usual. One high-profile move to the NBA, though, and that could all change.

With that said, here is a quick breakdown of what has occurred so far, with 30 positions having been filled and 13 still to go as of Friday morning:

Alcorn State
Alabama A&M
Florida A&M
Southern


Videographer: familymattersfirst; Reach Sports Director Luther Riley (Alcorn State University new head basketball coach) Returns from Taiwan.

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Mitchell, Coppin still at odds

The awkward, three-week standoff between Fang Mitchell and Coppin State University shows no sign of relenting anytime soon. Mitchell, the iconic coach who lifted Coppin to basketball prominence in the 1990s, declined an offer from the university on March 17 to return for his 26th season.

 At the time, he said the offer was not in good faith, but declined to go further. Since then, he has communicated only minimally with university president Reginald Avery, and he had to cancel a Tuesday meeting because of the death of his father-in-law, Rudolph Lewis, on Monday. Now, there will be no talks before the funeral on Tuesday.

All of which leaves Mitchell twisting in the wind. Technically, his contract doesn’t expire until June 30.


Videographer: Andazmedia

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Discover What You Can Become at FAMU: Study Abroad

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FAMU looks to fill coaching vacancy

Tallahassee, FL - The wait might not be too long before the Florida A&M men's basketball team finds out who its next coach will be. Athletic director Derek Horne said Friday that the university will move expeditiously in an effort to have a replacement for Eugene Harris in place by mid-April. Harris was fired Thursday, but remains on FAMU's payroll until June 10.

Harris was terminated after four seasons after leading the Rattlers to as 46-80 record. His five-year contract expires in April 2012 (not Sept. 2012 as previously reported), but Horne hedged on saying specifically how FAMU will settle the remaining 10 months that Harris was contracted through.

Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium-- Home of the FAMU Rattlers Basketball and MEAC Championship Volleyball Teams. 

(The on-campus facility is 135,000 s.f. and has seating for 9,639 fans. Completed on April 4, 2009 at cost of $40 million).

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Hampton Lady Pirates vs. Kentucky

Quanneisha Perry

Saturday
13 Hampton (26-6, 15-1 MEAC) vs. 4 Kentucky (24-8, 11-5 SEC)
Television: ESPN2, 6:30 PM ET (NOT ON TV In Washington, D.C. Metro Area)
Internet: ESPN3 - Click Here

Excerpt:

UK opens NCAA Tournament play on Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M., as a four seed playing against 13th-seeded Hampton (25-6) of the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference. The Wildcats may be seed-line favorites when the teams take the floor on at 6:30 p.m. ET, but the Lady Pirates have UK's full attention.

"I'm very impressed with Hampton," Mitchell said. "They have a great record. They're on a tremendous winning streak right now. They have not lost a game in a while so they have to be coming in with tremendous confidence."

The winning streak Mitchell is referring to is a 13-game stretch dating back to a Jan. 22 loss to Bethune-Cookman. In that time, the Lady Pirates have defeated all but two of their opponents by double digits, thoroughly dominating the MEAC in the process. Additionally, Hampton is 24-2 since a 1-4 start to their season, defeating Florida, an SEC rival of UK, 69-54 along the way.

LADY PIRATES TO FACE KENTUCKY IN NCAA FIRST ROUND

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team, fresh off its second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament championship, will face No. 4 seed Kentucky on Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M. in the first round of the 2011 NCAA Div. I Women’s Basketball Tournament.

The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. EST and will be televised live on ESPN2. The games will be played in "The Pit" on the campus of the University of Mexico.

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Duke too much for Hampton U; Pirates fall 87-45

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hampton University couldn't give up open looks for 3-pointers. Three of Duke's first six baskets were 3-pointers. The Pirates couldn't allow offensive rebounds. Eight of Duke's first 13 points came on second, or third, chances.

The die cast early, top-seeded Duke was too tall, focused and precise in an 87-45 wipeout Friday in an NCAA tournament West Region game at the Time Warner Cable Arena.

"We ran into a different animal," HU coach Ed Joyner Jr. said. "I mean, it was a lion. (We have) never been to the tournament before. This year was a first for us and we understood that. We made a lot of mistakes early. Those things happen when your nerves sometimes get the best of you."

Defending champ Duke wows Pirates with intensity, efficiency

New York ballers are hard to impress. They hone their games on asphalt jungles, hear tales of legends and hope to etch their names into the city's basketball lore. But Friday afternoon, reigning national champion Duke left Bronx native and Hampton University guard Mike Tuitt with indelible images.

"They looked just like Duke does on television," Tuitt said after the Blue Devils' 87-45 NCAA tournament victory over the Pirates. "They were under control and organized. They just had too much firepower."

Indeed, the game unfolded as most matching No. 1 and 16 regional seeds. Duke was too big, too fast, too deep.

Hampton perseveres in memory of fallen teammate Theo Smalling

Stories come to be told at the NCAA tournament. That’s just the way it works. Players you’ve never heard of from programs you’ve never watched play have a way of giving March its irresistible charm. Of course, there’s the appeal of the big name too. The All-American stars like Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker and the perennial powerhouses like Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky.



PIRATES' STELLAR SEASON ENDS WITH LOSS TO DUKE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Hampton University men’s basketball team saw its stellar 2010-11 season come to an end on Saturday, as the Pirates fell to Duke 87-45 in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena.

The Pirates, who were seeded No. 16 in the West Region, had their five-game winning streak snapped by top-seeded Duke and ended the season 24-9. The Blue Devils advanced to 31-4 and will face Michigan in the third round on Sunday.

“Seeing (Duke) first-hand gives you a different light on the way they work and just how good they are,” Pirates head coach Edward Joyner Jr. said. “They are big and long.”

Duke handed the Pirates their most lopsided loss of the season, as Hampton tied its season low in points scored and set a season high in points allowed.



Falling On His Sword

Like all good leaders, Hampton University head coach Ed Joyner Jr. placed the onus on himself for the Pirates’ 87-45 loss to top-seeded Duke. Not that Joyner could have done anything about the disparity in talent or devised some tactical maneuver that might have kept it close.

“I’ve got 13, 14 players (and) four, five coaches, they’re all hurting in that locker room,” he said. “That’s the first step to us getting better and preparing for the moment later on. Second of all, experience is the best teacher. We’ve never been here before. I don’t put that loss on my players. They did all they can do. That’s my fault.

“I didn’t understand how to prepare them for this moment, but trust me, I understand now, and one thing I’ve never been called a dummy. So, does that mean we’re going to come to this tournament and win a game next year? I don’t know.



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FAMU men's basketball parts ways with Harris

Eugene Harris was fired Thursday afternoon, one week after he coached the Florida A&M men's basketball team to a one-and-done appearance in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.

FAMU announced Harris' termination in a news release about five hours after he had a mid-afternoon meeting with athletic director Derek Horne. Harris will be on administrative leave with pay until June 10, the university said in its release.

During his four seasons, the Rattlers won 46 games and lost 80. Harris, who was hired in September 2007, had one year remaining on a five-year contract with an annual salary of $150,000.

FAMU gives Harris his pink slip

After four seasons of "underachieving", Florida A&M has parted ways with former head basketball coach Eugene Harris. Harris was notified of his termination in a four-paragraph letter he received in an afternoon meeting with Athletic Director, Derek Horne.

During his tenure as head coach, Harris amassed a record of 46-80. Over the course of the past two seasons, the losses are double the total of the wins at 21-42. This season completed his third consecutive of 20-plus losses.

Harris was in the fourth year of a 5-year contract at an annual rate of $150,000 per year. He will remain on administrative leave with pay until June 10, according to the FAMU press release.

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Mitchell calls Coppin's contract offer 'unacceptable'‎

Coppin State University Athletic Director Derrick Ramsey

Baltimore, MD -- Fang Mitchell rejected an offer Thursday to remain as coach of Coppin State's men's basketball team, saying the contract was "unacceptable" but that negotiations will continue.

"It wasn't done in good faith," Mitchell said of the offer after a scheduled meeting with university president Reginald Avery.

Mitchell has coached at Coppin for 25 years, won 395 games, gone to four NCAA tournaments and captured 10 regular-season championships in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

He declined to say why the contract was unacceptable, but he said he expected negotiations to resume next week.

Asked if he believed he could still get a deal to remain at Coppin, he said, "Yes, in talking with the president, we should be able to get it done."

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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.

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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.

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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."

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2011 Women's NCAA Tournament Bracket: Hampton Receives No. 13 Seed, Will Play Kentucky Saturday

Hampton University second year Head Basketball Coach
David Six wins triple crown -- NCAA Tournament bid, MEAC
Tournament Champions and MEAC Regular Season Champs. 

The Hampton Pirates have received a No. 13 seed in the Spokane Region and will face the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats in the first round of the 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

The Pirates qualified for the tournament by winning the MEAC Tournament with a win over Howard. It was Hampton's second-straight conference championship and they lost only one conference game during the regular season.

Kentucky, on the other hand, was arguably the SEC's second-best team behind perennial favorite Tennessee. The Wildcats enter the tournament with an at-large bid with a 24-8 record overall and 11-5 in the SEC.

NCAA TOURNAMENT WOMEN'S BRACKET

LADY PIRATES TO FACE KENTUCKY IN NCAA FIRST ROUND

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team, fresh off its second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament championship, will face No. 4 seed Kentucky on Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M. in the first round of the 2011 NCAA Div. I Women’s Basketball Tournament.

The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. EST. Television and ticket information will be announced when made available.

The Lady Pirates erupted in jubilation when their name was unveiled on the ESPN broadcast in the Student Center Ballroom. Hampton (25-6) earned a No. 13 seed in the Spokane Region, the highest-ever seed for a MEAC school in the 64-team championship format.  For second-year head coach David Six, the seeding was validating.

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SSU to play season finale at MEAC tourney

The men’s basketball program at Savannah State gets a glimpse of the future today.

The Tigers will play North Carolina Central at 11 a.m. at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament in Winston-Salem, N.C. Currently as an Independent, SSU (11-18) isn’t exactly part of March Madness’ conference tournament hoopla. The Tigers will begin play in the MEAC next season.

“The guys are getting the chance to see what we’ll be part of next season,” SSU coach Horace Broadnax said. “Obviously, we’re not advancing but I think the guys will have a chance to see how (tournament) games become more intense in a one-and-done setting.”

Broadnax and the Tigers left campus Thursday and viewed part of the tournament quarterfinals Thursday night and the semifinals Friday.

EAGLES, TIGERS TO MEET IN MEAC TOURNAMENT BONUS GAME

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

The NCCU Sports Network will broadcast the MEAC Tournament Bonus Game only on the internet on Saturday due to a scheduling conflict, but fans are encouraged to tune in beginning at a 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 12 for a special edition of Eagle Gameday presented by the Hilton RTP. Play-by-play voice of the NCCU Sports Network Chris Hooks and color analyst Joe SImmons will bring all the live action from the Lawrence Joel Colisuem.

CLICK HERE FOR NCCU vs. SSU at Saturday, 10: 30 a.m.

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Morgan State Women Outlast UMES in MEAC Quarters

Brittany Dodson and Theresa Davis the last 11 points for Morgan State to help the Lady Bears outlast Maryland-Eastern Shore, 43-39, in the quarterfinals of the MEAC tournament at Joel Coliseum Wednesday. The Lady Bears (17-13) will face either Howard or North Carolina A&T in Friday's semifinals at 2:30 p.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

With MSU trailing 33-32 after blowing a 12-point lead, Dodson scored seven of her team-high 10 points and Davis made four consecutive free throws to get their team back in front over the last 6:42 of the game. Davis' free throws with 1:32 left put the Lady Bears up for good.

UMES Falls to Morgan State

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Morgan State's Brittany Dodson sank a pair of free throws for the lead with 1:32 to play as the second-seeded Lady Bears held off a hard-charging No. 7 University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team, 43-39, in the quarterfinals of the MEAC Tournament at Joel Coliseum Wednesday.

UMES, which battled back from a 12-point halftime deficit to take a 37-34 edge with 5:01 left, saw its season come to a close at 12-19. With the win, MSU (17-13) advances to the semifinals to play the winner of North Carolina A&T and Howard.

"We played well enough to win," said UMES head coach Fred Batchelor. "We came out flat but playing our second game in 24 hours is no excuse. I'm proud of the way we fought back.

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Doyle Leads Howard To Win Over Norfolk State

Winston-Salem, NC -- Saadia Doyle scored a game-high 23 points to lead four players in double figures and help Howard University defeat Norfolk State, 68-56 in the first round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's tournament at the Lawrence V. Joel Coliseum.

The 2011 MEAC Player of the Year, Doyle got the Lady Bison (14-17) off to a fast start, scoring 13 of her points in the first half as Howard jumped out to an early lead and hold a 40-24 advantage at the half. A 5-11 sophomore forward from Atlanta, GA, Doyle connected on 5 of 7 from the field.

"When you have the MEAC Player of the Year, a lot of teams gear their defense towards her her," said Howard Coach Niki Reid Geckeler. "She's had to come out and play against double and triple teams all season. So her fast start was huge. It set the tone for us and opened up things for the other players."

The Lady Bison, the Number 6 seed, got a nice boost from sophomore guard Adele Walton, who provided some perimeter shooting with 10 points on 3 of 4 shooting from the field and sophomore forward Kara Smith.

"Adele is a shooter and in the first half, she loosened up things for us offensively with her outside shooting," said Coach Geckeler. "Kara gave us something also with her scoring and her rebounding. We are hopeful that they can continue to play like this the rest of the tournament."

The Lady Spartans (9-19), the Number 11 seed, were not able to stay with Howard, mostly due to their mistakes which the Lady Bison converted into scored 16 points.

Riding the scoring of sophomore guard Tamoria Holmes, the Lady Bison increased their lead to 20 in the first minute of the second half and appeared to have the game in hand.

But the Lady Spartans rallied on the scoring freshman of Rachel Gordon, junior Whitney Long and freshman Rae Corbo to reduce the lead to eight at the four-minute mark. Norfolk State's comeback attempt was fueled by the absence of Lady Bison sophomore point guard Cheyenne Curley Payne, who was forced to the bench when she picked up her fourth foul.

"We had to go man-to-man because we got a little too deep," explained Norfolk State Coach Debra Clark. "When we started making the run, we picked them up fullcourt and that generated offense for us."

But Doyle converted four free throws, Curley Payne got inside the lane for a tough basket and Holmes made an acrobatic shot with the shot clock winding down to help Howard advance to Thursday's quarterfinal round against North Carolina A&T on Thursday at 12 noon.

Doyle just missed a double double with 23 points and nine rebounds while Holmes and Curley Payne each tallied 13 and Walton contributed 10, all coming in the first half. Curley Payne also tied her career-high of eight assists.

Norfolk State was led by Corbo, who finished with a team-high 14, Gordon with 12 and Whitney Long with 10 off the bench, all coming in the second half.

Howard and North Carolina A&T split during the regular season, each winning at home.

"I think that any game this time of the season is competitive," said Geckeler. "We talk about March and it's one and done. We are coming into this game to play Howard basketball and see what happens."

By Howard University Media Relations

Visit: howard-bison.com

John Wall does the Dougie at Howard-Hampton game (last week)

Say this for John Wall: he's throwing himself right into the D.C. community. I mean, he went to last week's Howard-Hampton game at Burr Gymnasium, for crying out loud. Not too many No. 1 overall picks are looking out for MEAC basketball.

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Videographer: HUReaction

MEAC Women's Tournament Opening Round: S.C. State 62, Bethune-Cookman 52

Coach Doug Robertson

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Whitney Wiley scored 19 points, including 10-11 from the free-throw line, and Trinese Fox and Paris Alston each added 10 as the Lady Bulldogs advanced to the quarterfinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's tournament for the second straight year.

S.C. State (12-16) rallied from an eight-point deficit with 9:27 left in the first half to take a 26-23 halftime lead. The Lady Bulldogs would maintain the advantage by holding the Lady Wildcats (13-17) to 2-11 shooting from three-point range and outrebounding them 38-29.

Sarah Bolden led all scorers with 16 points for Bethune-Cookman, followed by three players with 10 points each in defeat.

Florida A&M's Moore making big impact

Florida A&M freshman guard Avery Moore scored a 3-point transition field goal from near midcourt, while the Bethune-Cookman defense was crashing down around the basket.

On the ensuing Wildcats' possession, C.J. Reed hit a trey of his own. Immediately afterward, Moore and Reed briefly exchanged words. Moore flashed a smile. "He was telling me you're not scoring anymore," said Moore. "I'm the player of the year and this is my gym."

Moore didn't back down. Not on offense or on defense. Down to the final seconds in the Rattlers' overtime loss to B-CU, he made plays on both ends of the floor.

Dynamic duo leads FAMU into postseason

When coach LeDawn Gibson was recruiting Antonia Bennett and Tameka McKelton, she saw two players who had very different roles on their high school basketball teams.

McKelton was the star at West Palm Beach High, while Bennett played in the shadow of two featured players at Lakeland High. But Gibson, who is in her third season as head coach at Florida A&M, figured the diverse roles that they played could be meshed to form a nucleus for her program.


Videographer: FAMUSPORTS

FAMU looks to Bennett once again

DAYTONA — Coach LeDawn Gibson can begin preparing her Florida A&M women's basketball team with a little bit more emphasis on the role that forward Antonia Bennett will play during next week's MEAC tournament.

The cards played out in such a fashion during Thursday's final regular season games that the Rattlers won't play until the third day after competition begins in Winston-Salem, N.C. When they step on the court against Coppin State, it would be exactly a week after their 68-59 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Thursday at Moore Gymnasium.

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