Claflin Advance to the 2018 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball South Region Semifinal

ATLANTA, Georgia   —  No. 3 seeded Claflin University defeated Clark Atlanta, 72-61, to advance to the 2018 NCAA DII Men's Basketball South Region semifinal.  The win pushes the Panthers record to 26-6 overall.  Clark Atlanta close out the season at 24-6.  This is the second NCAA Regional win for Claflin and the first in nine years.  The Panthers defeated Valdosta State, 54-50, on March 14, 2009 in Lakeland, Fla.  Claflin then lost its second round game to Christian Brothers (3-15-09), 72-53.
 
The 2018 regional will run through Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at Forbes Arena on the campus of Morehouse College.
 
Claflin will face No.7 seed Barry University, who upset the No. 2 seed West Florida 90-73, on Sunday, March 11 at 5 p.m.  Links for live stats and video for Sunday's game will available the day of the game and will available on the Claflin University athletics website.
 
Jaleel Charles continued to play solid, posting a double-double, 15 points-10 rebounds to pace Claflin.
 
Benjamin "Tre" Williams also scored 15 points, 11 in the second half.  He added six rebounds and four assists to his stat line.
 
The Panthers finished the game with three players in double figures as Timothy Christian II dropped in 15 points in the win.
 
Clark Atlanta was led by Damien Davis with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds.  Jalen Mitchell scored 14 and Anthony Williams recorded a double-double 10 points with 10 rebounds.
 
"Let me say hats off to Clark Atlanta, Coach Walker does a good job with his crew for it being only his second season I think he's done an excellent job," head coach Ricky Jackson said.  "We had tough opponent today.  They say it's hard to beat a team three times in a row but apparently we overcame that today and I'm just proud of my crew for the yeoman's work they put in today."
 
The Panthers held Clark Atlanta to just 34.3 percent shooting from the field and 20.8 percent from behind the arc.  Clark Atlanta entered the game shooting .453 from the field and .381 from behind the arc.
 
"We've hung our hats on defense all season because that's what get us going," said Jackson. "The game plan was pretty much the same as it was last week, we played zone and they would have to beat us from the outside."
 
Clark Atlanta opened the second half with a 7-2 run to cut the seven point half-time lead to two, 36-34.  The Panthers then used a 12-1 run of their own to regain the momentum and a commanding lead, 51-37, with 12:51 left in the contest.
 
The Panthers maintained at least a nine point lead the rest of the way en route to the nine point victory.
 
"Coach told me the game plan was to throw me the ball inside and for me to impose my will, so I just continued to do that," said Charles. 
 
Claflin outscored Clark Atlanta 38-26 in the paint.
 
"We have confidence in one another and we know what we've been through and we know what we are capable of," stated Williams.  "There wasn't one point in the game where we were overly confident we just had the confidence in ourselves, that if we did what we needed to do we could take care of this win and move on to the next round."
 
The Panthers received 16 points from its bench players.
 
Clark Atlanta opened the game with a 5-0 run in the first 30 seconds.  Claflin defense then went to work, forcing Clark Atlanta into two straight turnovers and scoring five straight points to tie the game at 5-all at the 17:38 mark.
 
The Panthers offense remained aggressive, scoring six straight points out of the media timeout (15:25) for an overall 11-0 run to take the 11-5 lead.
 
Clark Atlanta then used an 8-4 run of its own to pull within two 13-15, at the 12:04 mark.  A three-pointer by Williams gave Clark Atlanta the brief one-point lead but a short jumper by Tondric Johnson, who game off the bench to score five points with seven rebounds, ended the run to give Claflin the one point advantage.  The Panthers never relinquished the lead from that point.
 
Claflin then rattled off six straight points to take a 21-18 lead.  The Panthers would push its first half lead to nine, 34-25 before enjoying the seven point lead at intermission.
 
If Claflin wins its regional semifinal game they will advance to the regional final to face either Florida Southern, who upset the No. 1 seed and host Morehouse College, or the winner of the Eckerd/Valdosta State game.  The regional final is set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March. 13.

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Gold Nuggets defeat Lewis-Clark State to reach .500

PHOENIX, Arizonia — Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis reached .500 for the first time this season after a 9-0 victory Friday against Lewis-Clark State.

The Gold Nuggets (7-7), ranked 10th in the NAIA, have won their last four dual matches and six of their last seven.



Mariia Borodii clinched with a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Begona Andres. Charlene Goreauand Yi Chen Pao both won 6-0, 6-0 in singles.
     
Lewis-Clark — receiving votes (33rd) in the most recent NAIA coaches poll and a round-of-16 participant at last year's national tournament — is 2-8. The Warriors' other seven losses are to NCAA Division I opponents.
     
XULA, in Phoenix for five duals in four days, will play Saturday at noon MST against Westmont and 5 p.m. against Ottawa (Ariz.).

Results

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Gold Nuggets get 3rd straight road win vs. top-15 team

PHOENIX, Arizonia — Xavier University of Louisiana won three matches Thursday against nationally ranked opponents and rolled to an 8-1 women's tennis victory against Arizona Christian.
     
It was the Gold Nuggets' third consecutive dual-match triumph on the road against an NAIA top-15 opponent. XULA (6-7) is ranked 10th, and Arizona Christian (7-2) is 13th.
     
Mariia Borodii and Yi Chen Pao defeated the ITA's 24th-ranked NAIA doubles team, Autria Compton and Maria Garduno, 8-1. In singles, Borodii beat 18th-ranked Mikayla Morgan 6-1, 6-1, and Charlene Goreau defeated 24th-ranked Tia Okano 6-0, 6-0.
     
Goreau was one of three Gold Nuggets to win 6-0, 6-0 in singles. Angela Charles-Alfreddid it against Garduno, and Farah Baklouti did it against Sydney Smith.
     
Pao clinched with a 6-1, 6-1 decision against Elizabeth Kelley.
     
All six ACU singles players were regionally ranked, but XULA won a combined 72-of-79 games against them.
     
"We let a doubles match get away from us," XULA coach Alan Green said, "and that kind of got us a little more motivated in singles. We played well on all the singles courts."
     
Overall this season the Nuggets have won five duals against top-20 opponents, all on the road.
     
XULA, in Phoenix for five dual matches in four days, will play Lewis-Clark State at 2 p.m. MST Friday. The next home dual will start at noon March 18 against 15th-ranked SCAD Atlanta at XULA Tennis Center.

Results

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Gold Rush reach nationals for 11th time in 14 seasons

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball is in a familiar place — preparing for another trip to the national tournament.
     
The Gold Rush (24-8) received an at-large bid Wednesday to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. XULA will play Oklahoma City (23-8) at 3 p.m. March 14 — the first day of first-round games — at Municipal Auditorium (301 West 13th St., zip 64105) in Kansas City, Mo.
     
The Gold Rush qualified for the 11th time in 14 seasons and the 18th time overall.     



"We've had a great year, and I liked our body of work. But you never know," second-year head coach Alfred Williams said. "We're grateful to be selected and continue our season. We're looking forward to competing hard and advancing."
     
XULA is one of four teams seeded seventh. Oklahoma City is a No. 2 seed.
     
The meeting of XULA and Oklahoma City will be their second. The Stars won 91-69 in the opening round of nationals in 2001. The Stars were Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season co-champion with Texas Wesleyan, then lost 78-75 to Wayland Baptist in the Sooner tournament semifinals.
     
XULA maintained its No. 25 ranking in this week's coaches poll after finishing second to Dillard in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. The Gold Rush and Bleu Devils shared the GCAC regular-season championship.
     
Oklahoma City is ranked fourth.
     
The GCAC is a multi-bid league for the 22nd consecutive season. Dillard, which climbed from 20th to 18th in the poll, is in the tournament for the third consecutive year.
     
XULA was 10-20 last season — ending a streak of six consecutive appearances at nationals — before producing the greatest positive turnaround (13 games) in program history in 2017-18.
     
Second-round games will be played March 16, followed by quarterfinals March 17, semifinals March 19 and the championship game March 20. The XULA-Oklahoma City winner will play Georgetown (Ky.) or Central Baptist (Ark.) at 9 a.m. March 16.
     
Gold Rush senior Joseph Williams will have double duty in Kansas City. He'll be one of four in the dunk contest of the NABC-NAIA Shoot & Slam, also in Municipal Auditorium March 17.

PDF Bracket
 

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through March 6)

RANK	PREVIOUS	SCHOOL	RECORD	POINTS
1	1	The Master's (Calif.) (9)	29-2	219
2	3	Pikeville (Ky.)	28-4	209
3	2	LSU-Shreveport (La.)	27-4	208
4	4	William Penn (Iowa)	27-4	198
5	6	Carroll (Mont.)	27-5	189
6	5	Columbia (Mo.)	27-4	186
7	7	Central Methodist (Mo.)	27-5	174
8	9	Oklahoma City	23-8	162
9	9	Georgetown (Ky.)	25-6	159
10	12	William Carey (Miss.)	25-5	154
T11	11	Montana Western	25-7	143
T11	8	Hope International (Calif.)	25-5	143
13	14	Westmont (Calif.)	24-7	142
14	13	LSU-Alexandria (La.)	25-7	139
15	15	Texas Wesleyan	22-10	120
16	16	Dalton State (Ga.)	24-8	107
17	17	Cumberlands (Ky.)	21-9	101
18	20	Dillard (La.)	20-9	97
19	23	Graceland (Iowa)	24-10	87
20	18	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	23-9	79
21	19	Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)	21-11	77
22	24	SAGU (Texas)	24-9	73
23	21	Life (Ga.)	20-11	65
24	22	Central Baptist (Ark.)	21-8	60
25	25	Xavier (La.)	24-8	45

Others Receiving Votes: Wayland Baptist (Texas) 39; Campbellsville (Ky.) 30; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 29; Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) 26; Langston (Okla.) 13; Science & Arts (Okla.) 7; Vanguard (Calif.) 6. 

Dropped Out: None

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#8 Bowie State Bulldogs Upset #1 Virginia Union Lady Panthers 63-56 in NCAA Tournament

RICHMOND, Virginia – Payback was Bowie State's top game plan priority on Friday (3/9) and that is exactly what the Bulldogs got in upsetting #1 Virginia Union 63-56 in the opening round of the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament.

After being beaten enough times in a row, twice in the regular season and a loss in the CIAA championship game had the Bulldogs looking for revenge. "Payback - that's all we could think about," said Bulldogs head coach Shadae Swan. "We just wanted to run it back."

Neither team played with any semblance of grace or control, but for the first time this season, Bowie State (21-9) outplayed the top-seeded Panthers (28-3).

That disruption started with limiting the damage by VUU's Rachael Pecota and Alexis Johnson, the CIAA Player of the Year. Johnson scored four points and had four rebounds, while Pecota had eight points and eight boards. Virginia Union's Shareka McNeill scored a team-high 14 for the Panthers, but she made just 3-of-12 from the floor and battled foul trouble. She was the only Union player in double figures.

"In the first game, Pecota killed us. The second game, Johnson killed us. The third game, they both killed us," Swan said. "We had to take them out of the game and make anybody else beat us."

The teams slogged through a first quarter that saw a combined 15 turnovers, but Virginia Union led 11-8 after the opening 10 minutes.

The Bulldogs, who lost its three earlier meetings by an average of 16.3 points, kept the pressure on in the second quarter and took a 27-26 edge into the break.

Spurred by the play Bowie State's Kyah Proctor, the Bulldogs had an answer for everything Virginia Union had in the second half. During stoppages in play, Proctor bantered with a VUU fan near mid-court who told her she would have to tire at some point. That point never came as she played all 40 minutes and scored a game-high 22 points. "If anything, he motivated me," Proctor said. "I took the energy he was giving me and used it on the court. Obviously, I was doing something if he was yelling at me."

BOX SCORE

Kiara Colston tallied 11 points and handed out a team-best four assists while Pere Alexander added 10 points and Dynaisha Christian contributed nine points and added a team-high eight rebounds in the victory.

"The win means a lot for the program," Swan said. "We're just trying to shift the culture of the program. We just needed to get over this hurdle."

The Bulldogs now advance to the second round to face Edinboro at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

North Carolina A&T State Wins 2018 MEAC Women's Basketball Championship

NORFOLK, Virginia -- North Carolina A&T State struggled at the free throw line through most of the game, but made them when they counted, converting nine of 12 in the overtime period to pull out a 72-65 win over Hampton in the finals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Tournament (MEAC) women’s championship at the Norfolk Scope Arena.
 
As a result, the Aggies (23-8) receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and await the pairings next week.
 
Hampton (18-14), the No. 3 seed, took control of the game early mostly because the Aggies got off to a slow start and missed a number of easy shots.
 
The Aggies worked their way back into the game and trailed 29-23 at the intermission. Jephany Brown and Ashley Bates each scored 10 points for the Lady Pirates, who limited N.C. A&T to 28 percent shooting but failed to take control due to 10 first-half turnovers.
 
North Carolina A&T State, the top seed, used a 10-2 run to take its first lead of the game at 33-31 at the 3:40 mark. The Aggies threatened to take control, building a 10-point lead at 41-31 before the Pirates closed the gap to 42-37 headed into the fourth quarter.
 
“I think that we got caught up in the moment and were hesitant to start the game,” said Aggies head coach Tarrell Robinson, who was named the tournament Most Outstanding Coach. “Hampton is an experienced team, but we were able to weather the storm and play better in the second half.”
 
Taking advantage of Hampton turnovers and using their bench and size advantage to control the boards, the Aggies again opened a 10-point lead at 54-44 with 4:27 left. For the game, the Aggies held a whopping 45-11 advantage in bench points and scored 24 points off Hampton miscues.
 
“We have been the best offensive rebounding team in the conference all year,” Robinson said. “It gave us more opportunities and that made a difference today.”
 
But the feisty Lady Pirates would not go away, using a 13-3 run to send the game into an extra period.
The two teams went back and forth for the first two minutes until the Aggies, who missed 13 free throws in regulations, finally began to hit them and closed out the win at the charity stripe.
 
Jade Scaife paced the Aggies with 15 points, while Mikaya Wilson and Kala Green added 12 each and C’Coriea Foy chipped in with 10 in a losing effort.
 
Hampton was led by Jephany Brown with a game-high 22 points and Bates and Sayle with 12 and 10, respectively.
 
 All-Tournament Team
Angel Golden, Bethune-Cookman
Ashley Bates, Hampton
Mikayla Sayle, Hampton
Kala Green, North Carolina A&T State
Alexus Lessears, North Carolina A&T State
 
Most Outstanding Performer
Kala Green, North Carolina A&T State
 
Most Outstanding Coach
Tarrell Robinson, North Carolina A&T State



MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

North Carolina Central Captures 2018 MEAC Men's Basketball Title

NORFOLK, Virginia – No. 6 North Carolina Central won the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament Championship for the second consecutive season after topping No. 1 seed Hampton 71-63 inside the Norfolk Scope Arena.
 
With the victory, the Eagles earned a bid into the NCAA Tournament while capturing its third tournament title in five years. North Carolina Central’s head coach LeVelle Moton was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Coach.
 
North Carolina Central shot 47 percent (26-of-55) from the floor, including 58-percent (14-of-24) after intermission. Pablo Rivas, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer, delivered a championship performance, finishing with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting off the bench.
 
After a 28-27 halftime deficit, North Carolina Central opened the second half with a 13-2 run, capped off by a transition three-pointer by Rivas, 38-30.
 
After a 30-second timeout by the Pirates, Hampton clawed its way back into the contest, slicing the margin down to one, 40-39, after a dunk from Trevond Barnes.
 
North Carolina Central kept its composure, increasing the advantage back to seven with less than 10 minutes remaining, 52-45.
 
Hampton refused to go away as they made another run to reclaim the lead after a jumper by Greg Heckstall, 53-52, with 7:30 left.
 
With under five minutes remaining, both clubs were tied at 58 until the Eagles took control with an 11-0 spurt, in which the Pirates were unable to recover.
 
North Carolina Central’s Jordan Perkins fell an assist shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine assists. John Guerra and Reggie Gardner, Jr. chipped in 12 and 11, respectively, in the victory.
 
Both squads were deadlocked after Hampton’s Akim Mitchell converted a 3-point play to tie the game at 9-9 until North Carolina Central scored five unanswered with 12:33 remaining before intermission to take a 14-9 lead.
 
Hampton fought back with a quick 6-0 run and reclaimed the lead, 15-14, but a fast break layup from North Carolina Central’s Pablo Rivas put the Eagles ahead again, 16-15.
 
With time dwindling before halftime, Perkins scored on a fast-break layup and put the Eagles ahead, 27-25, but a three by Hampton’s Malique Trent-Street gave the Pirates a one-point advantage at the break.
 
Hampton (17-15) had three Pirates in double figures, led by Trent-Street with a team-high 15 points. Mitchell and Kalin Fisher netted 11 points apiece in the loss.
 
North Carolina Central awaits its next opponent; the NCAA Selection Show will take place Sunday at 6 p.m. EST.
 
FINAL BRACKET
 
All-Tournament Team
Malique Trent-Street, Hampton
Charles Wilson-Fisher, Hampton
Tiwian Kendley, Morgan State
Raasean Davis, North Carolina Central
Pablo Rivas, North Carolina Central
 
Most Outstanding Performer
Pablo Rivas, North Carolina Central
 
Most Outstanding Coach
LeVelle Moton, North Carolina Central

MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

NCCU Eagles Reach Quarterfinal Round for Seventh Consecutive Year

NORFOLK, Virginia – North Carolina Central University overcame a cold start to score 43 points in the second half on the way to a 60-48 win over Coppin State in the Opening Round of the 2018 MEAC Basketball Tournament at Scope Arena on Tuesday, March 6.

NCCU (16-15) and CSU (5-27) were a combined 11-54 from the floor in the first half, and NCCU found itself down 18-17 at the intermission. That score is the second-lowest first half in MEAC Tournament history after Hampton led Delaware State 21-16 on March 10, 2009.

The second half began on a similar trend but Reggie Gardner, Jr. (Bowie, Md.) suddenly caught fire and knocked down back-to-back treys to give NCCU a 29-24 lead and from there the maroon and gray would hold the lead for the rest of the contest. NCCU eventually went on an 8-0 lead to pull ahead by double-digits and went on to close out the contest from there.

Gardner was the man of the hour for NCCU with a game-high 20 points with four made three-pointers, and Jordan Perkins (Greensboro, N.C.) was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line for 12 points and five assists. Raasean Davis (Chicago, Ill.) had a game-high nine rebounds with five points, and Dominique Reid (Landover, Md.) chipped in nine points with six caroms

Karonn Davis (Philadelphia, Pa.) had a team-best 13 points with five assists for CSU, and Lamar Morgan (Willingboro, N.J.) followed with 10 points with five boards. Chad Andrews-Fulton (Philadelphia, Pa.) also had a complete game with six points and seven rebounds.

NCCU advances to meet third-seeded Savannah State on Thursday, March 8 at 6:00 p.m. The game will be carried live on the NCCU Sports Network as well as on ESPN3.

BOX SCORE



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Three SIAC Teams Secure Spots in NCAA Men’s Basketball South Region Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS. Indiana  --  The NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Committee announced on Sunday the field of 64 teams that will compete in the 2018 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship.

Twenty-four conferences have been awarded automatic qualification.  The remaining 40 teams were selected at large by the committee.

Seven of the regional tournaments, consisting of eight teams each, will be conducted March 10, 11 and 13 at regional sites.  The eight regional champions will advance to the quarterfinals in conjunction with the 2018 NCAA Division II Men’s Elite Eight at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) schools selected, Claflin University received an automatic qualification while Clark Atlanta and Morehouse received at-large berths.

This year, Morehouse College will host the NCAA Division II South Region Men's Basketball Tournament, March 10-13, at Forbes Arena. Morehouse was awarded the tournament, based on its No. 1 ranking in the South Region. The Maroon Tigers clawed their way to the best record in school history, including a record-setting 18-game win streak, before losing in the SIAC tournament semifinals. 

In Game 3, Morehouse (25-2), the #1 seed, will face #8 Florida Southern, Saturday, March 10, at 5 p.m. The winner will advance to play the winner of the #4 Eckerd vs. #5 Valdosta State game, which will be played immediately following.

The Claflin University men's basketball team (26-5) earned the No. 3 seed in the South Region of the 2018 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship and will face number No. 6 seed Clark Atlanta University, also out of the SIAC, in first round action the NCAA announced Sunday.

The Panthers (24-5) secured an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament where they have been seeded sixth in the South Region.   Last season, CAU won the SIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament last season after winning the 2017 SIAC Tournament. This year, CAU's opening round NCAA tournament opponent on Saturday, March 10 is Claflin University.

March Madness 2018 dates and schedule
ROUND	SITE	DATE(S)
Selection Sunday	N/A	March 11
First Four	Dayton	March 13-14
First/Second	Pittsburgh	March 15 & 17
First/Second	Wichita	March 15 & 17
First/Second	Dallas	March 15 & 17
First/Second	Boise	March 15 & 17
First/Second	Charlotte	March 16 & 18
First/Second	Detroit	March 16 & 18
First/Second	Nashville	March 16 & 18
First/Second	San Diego	March 16 & 18
Midwest Regional	Omaha	March 23 & 25
West Regional	Los Angeles	March 22 & 24
South Regional	Atlanta	March 22 & 24
East Regional	Boston	March 23 & 25
Final Four	San Antonio	March 31, April 2

The start times and ticket information for the tournament, are as follows: 
 
South Region Game Schedule
Saturday - Quarterfinals
Game 1 – Noon - #6 Clark Atlanta (24-5) vs. #3 Claflin (25-6)
Game 2 – 2:30 p.m. – #7 Barry (20-8) vs. #2 West Florida
Game 3 – 5 p.m. – #8 Florida Southern (20-10) vs. #1 Morehouse (25-2)
Game 4 – 7:30 p.m. – #5 Valdosta State (26-4) vs. #4 Eckerd (24-6)

Sunday - Semifinals
Game 5 – 5 p.m. – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner
Game 6 – 7:30 p.m. – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner

Tuesday
Championship – 7 p.m. – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner

 Ticket Information 
Daily general admission tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children (No Re-entry). Tickets can be purchased only at the Forbes Arena entrance on Atlanta Student Movement (formerly Fair Street). Parking is available for $5 across the street from Forbes Arena at the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church and at the Morehouse Parking Deck at the main entrance to campus, on Westview Drive.