Division II South Regional: Benedict's Marcus Goode gives Tigers their claws

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- While the calendar turned to 2011, the Benedict men's basketball team was beginning to wonder just what kind of year it had to look forward to.

The Tigers already were off to a disappointing 2-4 start, had 11 new guys playing and lost a trio of returning starters for reasons nine-year coach Fred Watson would rather not discuss. Marcus Goode, the 6-foot-10 sophomore, had yet to play a single minute because of transfer rules.

"It was a little tough at the beginning," Watson said. That tough beginning ended as midnight struck on Jan. 1, 2011. After six games on the bench, Goode was eligible to play.

"When we started, everyone kind of counted us out," Watson said. "I knew if we could keep going until the big fella got here, we'd be OK."

Division II South Regional: Uptempo Stillman making second tournament appearance

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Stillman coach Michael Grant's philosophy is a shooter's dream. If you're open, pull the trigger, he says. Pass up an open jumper? Be prepared to take a seat.

"Now when we play and we pass up open shots, the bench is telling them to shoot the ball," said Grant, the Tigers' third-year coach. "It's expected now."

While Grant's offensive mantra may run contrary to more conservative coaches, the Tigers' high-octane attack has put Stillman (22-7) into the NCAA Division II Tournament for the second time in school history. The seventh-seeded Tigers will meet No. 2 seed Harding at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the opening round of the South Regional hosted at Spragins Hall.



Division II South Regional: Clark Atlanta doesn't shrink from top teams

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Clark Atlanta Panthers may be the eighth seed out of eight teams, but don't think they will be intimidated by the prospect of playing South Regional host UAH on its home floor.

"Every time I pass Georgia Tech, I lose cell reception," said Clark Atlanta coach Darryl Jacobs earlier this week, moments after it happens. "It must be because we took them to overtime in November."

Just like UAH did with Alabama, the Panthers put a scare into their Division I neighbors during the exhibition season. That came on the heels of them falling by only seven points at last year's regional to eventual champion Valdosta State.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.

New season begins as 8 teams seek Atlantic Regional title

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...



Bears on hot streaks

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.

Teams' successes boost Shaw pride

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.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.