NCAA Division II National Championship: SHAW UNIVERSITY LADY BEARS WINS! IN FINAL FOUR

Shaw University Lady Bears (25-11) defeated Metro State College Roadrunners (28-5), 46-45 with a last second layup by 5-6 junior guard Brittany Ransom. The Lady Bears rebounded and drove the length of the court in 6.4 seconds to earn the FINAL FOUR berth.

This will be the first Final Four in Shaw University history. Talk about March Madness--Shaw got the winning fever with her 11th straight win.

The Lady Bears will face Number 2 ranked Clayton State University Lakers (33-1) from Morrow, Georgia (Metro Atlanta) in the semi-finals.  Clayton State defeated 15th ranked Bentley University Lady Falcons, 84-61 in the Elite Eight

The Final Four game is scheduled at 7 p.m. ET, tomorrow (March 23) at the Civic Arena at St. Joseph, Missouri.  Both final four games will be televised by ESPNU HD and ESPN3.com (Internet).

Here's what we know about Clayton State...

Dennis Cox, head coach at Clayton State University, is the 2011 Russell Athletic/WBCA National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Coach of the Year, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, which was announced today.

With a record of 181-45 at Clayton State and a winning percentage of .801, Cox is the second-winningest active women’s head coach at the Division II level. The Lakers are members of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) and went undefeated in league play this season. The top women's teams in the PBC are:  Clayton State, Georgia College, Lander, USC Aiken and Francis Marion.

This will be the Lakers seventh visit to the National Tournament and second Final Four (2007, 2011).

How will they match up with the Lady Bears...

33-1 says it all with speed, balance scoring, experience and depth. This will be a battle of contrasting styles with the Lady Bears holding the advantage of size and rebounding. But the Lakers can shoot with accuracy.

The Lady Bears will have to improve their defense and shooting in this game and not get into a run and shoot affair with the Lakers. The Lady Bears are now on an 11 game win streak and have the weapons to pull out another win to get to the National Championship Game.

More Updates Coming Later...

By beepbeep

NCAA Division II National Championship: Shaw women thriving

Shaw University Lady Bears Coach Jacques Curtis
Career Record: 234-103

  RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jacques Curtis knows what he's saying, even if to you it comes off as brash or cocky or arrogant.

The Shaw women's basketball coach has never run from those labels and has had plenty of success to back up his talk, guiding the Bears to six Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships and five NCAA Division II tournament appearances over the past 11 seasons.

So he continues to talk, and this time it's before his team faces Metro State (30-2) today in the Division II round of eight in St. Joseph, Mo. The Bears make their third trip to the quarterfinals and are searching for the program's first trip to the Final Four.

"If we get to the national championship game, it's over," Curtis said. "To me, it's like the CIAA championship and the regional, we don't get there and lose. Anytime we get to a championship game, it's a wrap."

Bracket

Listen to Game via Internet: (Tuesday, March 22, 2011) At 3:30 pm EDT - Shaw University WSHA- FM 88.9 - CLICK HERE

Quarterfinals - Tuesday, March 22 Video at NCAA.com
12 p.m. (CDT) Bentley vs. Clayton State
3:30 p.m. (EDT) Metro State vs. Shaw Lady Bears -- CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GAME (then click on Shaw vs. Metro State; Click on Speaker symbol next to Shaw Bears logo)
6 p.m. (CDT) Arkansas Tech vs. Michigan Tech
8:30 p.m. (CDT) Northwest Missouri State vs. Cal Poly Pomona

Women's Basketball Stomps Adams State in Second Half to Advance to Elite Eight

DURANGO, Colo. – No. 10 Metro State held Adams State to just four field goals over the final 30 minutes and rally from a 14-point deficit to win 49-36 on Monday night in Durango, Colo., to win the NCAA Division II Central Region championship and advance to the Elite Eight. The Roadrunners improved to 30-2 this season, while ASC’s season ended at 23-10. It is the first 30-win season in school history.

Kristin Valencia had 10 rebounds and five points. Metro State endured a miserable first half, shooting just 19.4 percent and getting outrebounded 26-23. It was all Adams State in the first 10 minutes as ASC held a 20-6 lead with 10:51 left in the half. However, that was the final field goal for the Grizzlies in the first half as the Roadrunners closed on a 15-4 run with all of ASC’s points coming on free throws in the final 10 minutes. Adams State missed its final 17 field goal attempts in the first half.

Box Score

Metro's Bratton takes long route to national quarterfinals

The next thing she knew, Colorado women's basketball legend Tanya Haave, who was familiar with Bratton from when they crossed paths at the University of Denver, was hired as head coach at Metro State. After that, everything seemed to fall into place.

Bratton, 25, returned to the court after sitting out two seasons and will cap her career this week when she leads Metro State into its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. The Roadrunners (30-2) will take on Shaw, N.C. (24-11) in the quarterfinals at 1:30 p.m. today in St. Joseph, Mo. The winner plays in the semifinals Wednesday. The national championship game is Friday night.

"I was done. I was just happy working and going to school part-time," said Bratton, a 5-foot-10 forward and a graduate of Pomona High School.

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Five story lines to watch as S.C. State begins practice

The South Carolina State football team figures to have a much different look when it kicks off spring practice tonight at 8 p.m. at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

The Bulldogs' graduated 15 seniors from last season's team, a group that was part of three consecutive MEAC title teams. Eleven of the 15 seniors were starters. That kind of turnover means there are plenty of story lines to watch as the Bulldogs work through their 15 scheduled practices en route to April 16th's Garnet and Blue Spring Game.

Below are five of those story lines to keep an eye on:

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UMES Claims MEAC Bowling Championship

GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 20, 2011) - As the careers draw to an end for three University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) seniors it is ending up the same as it started, with a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship.

The Lady Hawks captured the 2011 title earlier today in Greensboro, their fifth overall and the second for three All-American seniors in Kristina Frahm (Oswego, Ill.), Martha Perez (Bogota, Colombia) and Maria Rodriguez (Ibague Tolima, Colombia). UMES defeated Morgan State 4-0 to capture the crown.

The Hawks, rolling all the way through the winner's bracket made short work of the Bears, 4-0 (206-162, 161-157, 170-138, 187-134) to capture the match in straight games.

"What took us over was the fact that we were able to make our spares. I constantly drive into the young ladies that we have to make spares and it proved to be worth it today," said head coach Sharon Brummell.

Despite the solid play of the three seniors, it was a junior, Paula Vilas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) who came up big, being named the Most Outstanding Performer of the championship.

"It feels amazing, I did not expect this award," stated Vilas, "When they called my name I was in shock, but I appreciate the honor." Vilas aided her team throughout the tournament and bowled a high of 193 against Norfolk State during the qualifying rounds.

Also claiming an award was Brummell, who was named Outstanding Coach of the championship. It was her fifth time receiving this honor.

2011 MEAC Championship Bracket

"This fifth championship was very special for me because of our three seniors (Frahm, Perez and Rodriguez). This was their last MEAC Bowling Championship. They were a part of the 2008 National Championship team and they really wanted to go out with a win and they were able to achieve that," Brummell said.

Morgan State, the sixth seed, topped second-seeded Delaware State earlier in the day in the semi-final round, 4-2. They were led in the tournament by Danielle Hale, Devin Revels and Keisheena Waldron. Hale averaged a 181 in the event while Revels and Waldron were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Rodriguez joined Vilas on the All-Tournament Team to go along with both Morgan State players and Jazmyne Hefflefinger from Delaware State.

The MEAC Bowling Championship finale will air in a tape-delayed format on Monday, March 28 at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.

Up next for UMES are the hopes for an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships April 14-16 in Taylor, Mich. A spot will be the eighth straight selection for the Hawks.

By University of Maryland Eastern Shore Media Relations
Visit: UMES Hawks

XU Gold Rush's Kenner is a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Jamaan Kenner is a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete in men's basketball.

Kenner — a junior guard from LaPlace, La., and a graduate of East St. John High School — was one of 59 to receive that honor Monday. NAIA athletes qualify for the award with minimums of junior academic status and a cumulative 3.5 grade-point average. Kenner is a senior academically and a biology/pre-medical major with a 3.59 GPA.

Jamaan Kenner
2011 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete

He helped the Gold Rush finish 27-6 this season — the most victories by an XU men's team since 1983-84 — finish second in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and earn an at-large bid to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. Kenner averaged 4.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 32 games with 16 starts. He made 28-of-89 3-pointers and hit a season-high four treys against Concordia (Ala.) on Jan. 6. Kenner was the GCAC Player of the Week for Dec. 6-12.

"Jamaan Kenner is an outstanding representative of Xavier University and the men's basketball program," eighth-year head coach Dannton Jackson said. "He works diligently in the classroom and on the court."

Kenner was the lone men's or women's basketball player from the GCAC to be named a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete this season.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
Visit: XULA Athletics

Claflin's Priest named NCAA All-American in Track & Field

The road to NCAA All-American for Laquan Priest was long and hard to say the least. The Georgetown native and three-time NCAA Championship qualifier won All-American status after finishing 5th, at the NCAA National Indoor Track and Field Championships, in Albuquerque, NM.

After winning the State Championship in the triple-jump his senior year at Georgetown High School, the only school to recruit Priest was Claflin University. And for that I will be eternally grateful.

“I came to Claflin to prove a point to those schools who did not recruit me,” said Priest.

“I used that as motivation to make a mark on the Track and Field world here at Claflin, the SIAC and the NCAA.”

Making a mark is exactly what he did in just three years Priest has been a National qualifier for indoor and outdoor track for three years. He was named ALL-SOUTH REGION Male Field Athlete of the Year in 2009, and 2010. Priest was also ALL SOUTH REGION outdoor Male Field Athlete of the Year 2010. Laquan was also SIAC triple-jump Champion, SIAC Field Athlete of the Year 2010.

Laquan started his track career his junior year in high school when the track coach observed him in the gym playing basketball, and asked him about track.

“The coach had me run the 200 and 400. But I started jumping in the pit and found out that I enjoyed it and was really pretty good at it,” remembered Priest.

“I began to jump my senior year and was fortunate enough to win a State championship in the event.” And the rest of his story we all know. Priest says “that the road to becoming an All-American took a lot of hard work and practice.” And this would be the advice he would share with any young athlete who dreams of becoming an All-American in any sport.

After graduation and his track career is chronicled in the history of Claflin University, Laquan is aspiring to become an athletic trainer, which he is an intern at Claflin, in the Athletics Training Department. “I do not have any aspirations of furthering my track career after I have graduated, but I do know I will be involved in track and field, for thirty years. I am looking forward to helping my 12 year old brother who has competed in track and field for the past three years.”

Knowing the determination and work ethic that Priest possesses, there is no doubt that he will become an All-American in whatever he sets his mind to do. Look to see Laquan write an article in a sports medicine journal, or becoming one of the nations’ best track and field coaches. He is an All-American, All-American…..

Dr. Lionell W. Sabb, Sports Information Director
Claflin University
Visit: Claflin Panthers

Kirshner Leads HU Offense At Cherry Blossom Classic

FAIRFAX, VA. – The Howard softball team left with three wins at the Cherry Blossom Classic on March 18-20, defeating Monmouth, Albany (N.Y.), and tournament host George Mason. Leading the Lady Bison (6-15) at the plate was shortstop Rebecca Kirshner who recorded nine of Howard’s 49 total hits over the span of the weekend.

Kirshner’s breakout performance came in HU’s third game against Albany (1-9) on Saturday afternoon where she tallied four hits, including back-to-back doubles in the first and second innings.

Against Albany, Howard recorded their most hits in the tournament with 15. Behind Kirshner was second baseman Trina Kindred with three hits, and Ciera Gordon, Lorae Robinson and Christine Sborz with two hits a piece.

Pitchers Samantha Gatson and Emily Johnson shared the mound. Gatson tallied six strikeouts in her four innings of work. Johnson shutout Albany for the remainder of the game, giving Howard the 8-1 win.

Prior to meeting Albany, Howard split games with Monmouth (9-10) and Cornell. Against Momouth the Lady Bison escalated to a 2-0 lead by the end of the third inning following scattered hits and Monmouth errors. In the third inning Kirshner blasted a homer beyond left field, racking in two RBI for the Bison. Monmouth would post two unearned runs in the bottom of the third and fifth innings to advance the score, 4-2.

In the sixth, Howard popped open four hits and gained their fifth run of the game. Monmouth failed to catch up with Howard and only managed to score one run in the seventh, ending the game with 5-3 win for the Lady Bison.

Against Cornell (5-6), Howard fell, 2-4. Despite opening up the game on the board first with one run, Cornell responded with two runs in the bottom of the first, and scored another in the second and fifth. HU mustered another run in the fourth inning after Kirshner kicked off with a leadoff double. Brittany Barker immediately followed with a single, advancing Kirshner to third who scored on the next play when Gordon flied out to center.

The Lady Bison were outhit 4-8 and struck out six times. Howard had another shot at Cornell on Sunday, but were unable to catch up with their opponent at the plate as they were outhit 3-10 in the 1-5 loss.

Howard finished the tournament with a 6-0 win over tournament host George Mason (9-9), marking their first shutout win of the season.

Carly Martin took control in the circle and pitched all seven innings and notched three strikeouts and allowed six hits and only one walk. Howard played solid defense and produced zero errors against GMU. At the plate Marisa Coats, Robinson and Kirshner rolled in with two hits and one RBI a piece.

Up next, the Howard softball team will prepare to take on Bowie State on Wednesday, March 30 in the nation’s capital and then into conference play immediately after. For more information on the HU softball, visit howard-bison.com.

Tiffany White, Sports Information Assistant
Howard University
Visit: howard-bison athletics

Stillman baseball sweeps in-state rival Tuskegee

TUSKEGEE, AL - The Stillman College baseball team scored five runs in the fifth inning to overcome a one-run deficit en route to an 11-4 win over Tuskegee University at Washington Field on Sunday afternoon.

Stillman (12-13, 6-1 SIAC) trailed for the first time this season in SIAC play when Tuskegee pushed across a run in the bottom of the second inning for a 1- 0 lead.

Stillman bounced back with a five-run fifth inning and then blew the game open with a four-run eighth to win its sixth straight SIAC game.

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Trainor, Bass set to battle for FAMU QB job

Quarterbacks Austin Trainor and Tyler Bass are brimming with confidence. That much came across as they participated in their first joint interview to discuss their highly-anticipated competition for the Florida A&M starting job.

Their showdown begins today, with Trainor as the incumbent and Bass as his challenger. It should make for the most interesting spring practice since coach Joe Taylor took over the program three seasons ago.

"I welcome it because competition makes you better," said Trainor, who led the Rattlers to a strong finish with three victories to earn a share of the MEAC championship last season. "If there is no one to push me, how am I supposed to get better? I'm excited about the season because I feel like I've worked really hard and I'm ready to show what it is for the spring."

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Baylor sets NCAA record in blowout basketball win over PVAMU

WACO, TX — Brittney Griner and top-seeded Baylor took Prairie View to a record-breaking NCAA tournament low. Griner and Brooklyn Pope each had 17 points as the Lady Bears opened the NCAA tournament at home with the expected lopsided victory, 66-30 Sunday night when Prairie View's miserable shooting translated into the lowest-scoring half ever in the tournament.

Things couldn't have gone any worse for SWAC champion Prairie View (21-12), which missed its first 12 shots before Waco native Robin Jones finally made a layup more than 9 minutes into the game. Baylor (32-2), which plays West Virginia (24-9) on Tuesday night, already had a 16-0 lead by then.

The Lady Bears, who went to the Final Four last season when the 6-foot-8-inch Griner was a freshman, led 34-8 at halftime.

Top-seeded Baylor women pound Prairie View 66-30

WACO - The Prairie View A&M Panthers knew they faced a tall task - literally and figuratively - in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Not only were the SWAC champions the No. 16 seed taking on a No. 1 seed (Baylor), led by 6-8 Nimitz product Brittney Griner, but they’d have to do so on the Bears’ home floor. What the Panthers didn’t expect was to struggle hitting shots - and that ultimately squashed any hopes of an upset.

The Bears eliminated the Panthers with a dominating 66-30 win before 8,368 on Sunday at the Ferrell Center. Baylor (32-2) will meet West Virginia in the second round of the Dallas Region at 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday at the Ferrell Center.

Prairie View's 8 first-half points fewest in NCAAs

WACO, Texas - Prairie View has scored the fewest points ever in a half of an NCAA women's tournament game. The SWAC champion Lady Panthers trailed top-seeded Baylor 34-8 at halftime in the first-round game Sunday night. Prairie View was 3-of-27 shooting in the first half and missed its first 12 shots before Waco native Robin Jones scored on a layup for the Lady Panthers to make it 18-2.

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Abbas, DeLoach selected GCAC Players of the Week

Melissa DeLoach
Fort Washington, MD

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Hassan Abbas and Melissa DeLoach swept the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week tennis awards for March 7-13.

Abbas, a senior from Saltaire, England, and a graduate of Bingley Grammar School and Ventura College, was 3-2 in singles and 3-2 in doubles. Abbas defeated ITA No. 33 Bryan Cox of Westmont 6-4, 7-5 in singles, and he won in singles and doubles in Xavier's 5-4 victory against William Carey at the AUM Invitational.

DeLoach, a senior from Fort Washington, Md., and a graduate of Bishop McNamara High School, won her second GCAC award of 2011 after going 2-0 in singles and 2-1 in doubles at the AUM Invitational.

The next Xavier women's match will start at 3 p.m. Tuesday against SCAD Atlanta at the University of New Orleans, and both Xavier teams will play city rival Loyola in makeup duals at 3:30 p.m. Friday at UNO.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
Visit: XULA Athletics

Bracing for Brittney, Prairie View A&M takes the challenge

PVAMU Coach Toyelle Wilson

WACO, TX — Prairie View A&M had some fun at practice this week trying to simulate what it will take to get off a shot against the Big 12 champion Baylor Lady Bears and 6-8 center Brittney Griner. Assistant coach Rob Amboree, who is 6-5, held up a hitting pad to make the Lady Panthers shoot over it.

PVAMU vs. #1 Baylor
Time: 7:30 p.m. E.T.
TV: ESPN2
Internet: ESPN2 - Click Here

“She alters the game,” first-year Prairie View coach Toyelle Wilson said. “You’ve got to prepare for that.”

Ready or not, 16th-seeded Prairie View will take on No. 1 Baylor on Sunday at 6:40 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. Going into the unveiling of the bracket earlier this week, Wilson said she was hoping to see her Southwestern Athletic Conference champions matched against a team other than Baylor because of Griner’s potential to make it so difficult to score.

Top-seeded Baylor very good _ and still very young; Griner among 9 Lady Bears’ underclassmen

WACO, Texas — Baylor went to the Final Four last season when Brittney Griner was a freshman. This time, the Lady Bears are a No. 1 seed for the first time with freshman starting point guard Odyssey Sims.  The Big 12 champions are very good — and still very young.

The 6-foot-8 Griner is among seven sophomores for the Lady Bears (31-2), who open the NCAA tournament against SWAC champion Prairie View (21-11) on Sunday night at home, where they are 19-0 this season.

Gifted Griner Wants to Do Even More for Baylor

Brittney Griner has already had an impact on women's basketball like few players before her. The 6-foot-8 Griner can dunk, rebound, block shots and alter games with her imposing presence in the lane. Yet as dominating as she has been in her two seasons for the Baylor Lady Bears, she isn't so sure she has lived up to the billing.

"I don't think I'm as good as what everybody says I am," Griner said. "I think I'm alright."

Baylor has already been to a Final Four with Griner, making it last year when she was a freshman on a team that had lost its top four scorers from the previous season. This year, the Lady Bears were Big 12 regular season and tournament champions and are a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the first time.

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Kentucky survives scare from 13th-seeded Hampton University

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Kentucky couldn't wear out Jericka Jenkins and the Hampton Lady Pirates. So, it settled for outlasting them.

Brittany Henderson scored four of her six points in overtime and the Wildcats survived a scare Saturday, beating Hampton 66-62 in the NCAA tournament. "They really gave us a tough, tough contest today, so my hat's off to Hampton," Wildcats coach Matthew Mitchell said.

"I am extremely proud of the Kentucky team for finding a way to win this game." The Wildcats did it by turning up the defense and turning to their depth, with 11 of 12 players scoring and grabbing at least one rebound.



No. 13 Hampton women lose in overtime to Kentucky 66-62

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —— It was oh so close for Hampton in Saturday's opening round of the NCAA women's tournament. The 13th-seeded Lady Pirates fell to No. 4 Kentucky 66-62 in overtime in a game that easily could have turned out differently.

"Tremendous, tremendous basketball game," said Hampton coach David Six.

"If you're a basketball fan you saw everything. You saw two great teams going at each other. And, unfortunately we came out on the short end of that. I'm proud of my kids. We didn't come here to be a bump on someone's schedule. We came here to play at a high level and I thought that we did that today."

Hampton (25-7) had a chance to go ahead late in regulation as Quanneisha Perry spotted up along the baseline to try and break a 56-all tie.

Hampton falls to Kentucky in OT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Brittany Henderson scored four of her six points in overtime, and Kentucky survived a scare from Hampton, beating the Lady Pirates 66-62 on Saturday in the Spokane Region of the NCAA tournament.

Keyla Snowden led the fourth-seeded Wildcats (25-8) with 19 points but missed a jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game in regulation, and Victoria Dunlap added 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Allowing just 51.3 points a game, the 13th-seeded Lady Pirates (25-7) were determined to put on a better showing than last season's 72-37 loss to Duke in the first round. And did they ever.




UK 66 Hampton 62 NCAA Tournament

Matthew Mitchell on UK's 66-62 win over Hampton in the NCAA Tournament.

"I'm so proud of our players for finding a way to beat a very tough Hampton team. I can't say enough about Hampton. What a great opponent. They were well coached and they had a great game plan that they executed well. They really gave us a tough, tough contest today. My hat is off to Hampton, but I am extremely proud of the Kentucky team for finding a way to win this game and I'm really happy to be advancing in the tournament."

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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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Martin Methodist Rallies in Second Half to Defeat Tougaloo Bulldogs, 88-77

Kansas City, Mo. (March 18, 2011) - No. 5 seed Martin Methodist (Tenn.) staged an early second-half comeback to knock off No. 12 seed Tougaloo (Miss.), 88-77 at the 2011 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship. The RedHawks scored 52 points after the break to stump the 7-man Tougaloo squad Friday at Municipal Auditorium.

Martin Methodist improves its record to 33-2 overall and got its first-ever second round win in national championship play. The Bulldogs fell short of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time and will end their season with a 28-5 mark.

Tougaloo went on a scoring spree in the first half as Donteeno Todd, Mario Luckett and Marquise Mems all reached the double-digit plateau. Todd led the Bulldog scoring efforts with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-for-5 from downtown. Tougaloo also won a battle on the defensive front as it forced 13 RedHawk first-half turnovers. Martin Methodist's Ree McCrory, who played all 20 minutes of the first half, scored 16 points and was 3-of-4 from 3-point range.

To begin the second half, Martin Methodist went on a 17-2 run and brought the game back within reach. The RedHawks grabbed a 53-52 lead with 15:20 remaining, which was their first lead since the beginning moments of the game at 3-2. The two seeded squads remained in a stalemate, trading baskets with each other for the next 10 minutes, but Martin Methodist went on a 14-3 run to finish off the Bulldogs.

It was just the eighth time that the RedHawks have trailed at halftime and they are now victorious in six of the eight contests. Junior guards McCrory and James Justice both reached the 500-point mark for the season with 28 and 24 points, respectively. Compared to shooting 39.3 percent in the first stanza, Martin Methodist came out and shot 54.5 percent from the field in the second half. Forward Chris Leggett logged a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. LaQuantis Stewart also grabbed 10 rebounds for the game and helped the RedHawks outrebound Tougaloo 49-37.

Bulldogs senior forward Mario Luckett ended his career with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The outing gave Luckett his ninth double-double of the season. After shooting 6-of-19 for 3-pointers before the break, the Bulldogs went cold, shooting 2-for-11 in the final 20 minutes.



Game Notes:
Tougaloo (Miss.) -- Tougaloo falls to 0-2 in second round games...Martin Methodist's 88 points is the six time the Bulldogs have allowed more than 80 points, as Tougaloo entered the contest ranked 13th in scoring defense per game (65.2)...junior guard Donteeno Todd's 15 points off the bench extend his double figure scoring streak to three games...senior forward Mario Luckett registered his ninth double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds

Martin Methodist (Tenn.) - Martin Methodist advances to the quarterfinals for the first time in six appearances...the Redhawks become the fourth top-five seed to earn a spot in the round of eight...junior guards Ree McCrory and James Justice eclipse the 500 point plateau with 24 and 23 points...Justice has scored at least 11 points in eight straight games...the Redhawks 88 points is the 24th time Martin Methodist has scored more than 80 points this season...Redhawks extend win streak with six games.

Courtesy of NAIA

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HU Bison Denied First Road Win Against CCSU

NEW BRITAIN, CONN. — The Howard lacrosse team failed to record their first win on the road on Friday afternoon after dropping 10-20 at the hands of Central Connecticut State. With the loss, the Lady Bison fell to a 3-5 season record.

Bouncing back from her lowest-scoring game of the season with one goal against St. Francis (Pa.) was senior Desiree Cox who mustered four goals in Howard’s loss. Courtland Lackey tied Cox for most Bison goals while junior Cheyrese Cox and Cynithia Smalls recorded the remaining two goals.

Smalls was the first to get on the board for Howard, scoring unassisted seven minutes into the first half, slimming Central Connecticut (5-2) to a 3-1 lead. The Lady Bison struggled to catch up with the Blue Devils who went on to score four unanswered goals within the opening 20 minutes of play.

Lackey chimed in with HU’s second, and her first, goal of the game with 9:21 on the first period clock. Shortly after Lackey gave the Lady Bison hope to close in on the Blue Devils after notching back to back scores late in the first half. Desiree, who is normally Howard’s leadoff scorer, remained scoreless until 3:18 was left in the first half. Her score edged the Lady Bison within six goals by the close of the half.

Despite the energetic burst produced late in the first half by Lackey and Desiree, the Bison came up short in the second half as they were outscored by the Blue Devils 5-9. Three of those five goals came from Desiree, Howard’s leading scorer.

Howard goal keeper Amber Meeks recorded seven saves against Central Connecticut’s 27 shots on goal. Overall the Lady Bison were outshot 34-27, despite maintaining a fair trade in draw controls as CCSU narrowly topped Howard with a 17-15 advantage. Howard slightly exceeded the Blue Devils in turnovers (15-16), but perfectly matched their opponent in ground balls (21-21).

The difference in the game was a matter of shooting percentage as the Bison converted 10-of-26 shots on goal into points on the board, while CCSU racked in 20-of-27. In the end, Howard shot 37 percent, which wasn’t enough to master the Blue Devils who recorded 16 saves and managed a 58.8 shooting percentage.

The Lady Bison will return to action in search of their first road win as they travel to face Longwood on Friday, March 25 at 4 p.m. For more information of the Howard lacrosse team visit Howard-Bison.com

Tiffany White
Sports Information Assistant
Howard University

Different looks highlight final scrimmage for Southern

Baton Rouge, LA - This was a good way for Casey Narcisse to announce his grand return. Friday night, long after sunlight had disappeared from A.W. Mumford Stadium, the Southern football team had one more play left in its final spring scrimmage.

Narcisse, a short-but-large defensive tackle who takes pride in playing with passion, suffered a torn knee ligament last October in a loss to Prairie View — one of many losses in Stump Mitchell’s first season as the Jaguars coach.

Back in action after surgery and rehab, Narcisse found himself in the flat, near the sideline, where a pass from quarterback Dray Joseph was zeroing in on tailback Dallas Fort. All at once, the ball, Fort and Narcisse met.

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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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Feggins out as S.C. State offense moves in new direction

SCSU new offense will cater to QB Derrick Wiley's
strengths and running abilities

We are looking at having a spread offense, a high-tempo offense and we will run some of the Auburn, Oregon ... maybe even some of the style things Clemson is doing." - Coach Buddy Pough

Orangeburg, S.C. - South Carolina State's offense will have a different look when the Bulldogs open spring practice Tuesday night.

And, that look won't include the team's wide receivers coach of the past three seasons, Howard Feggins. Friday, The T&D confirmed that Feggins will not return to the S.C. State program.

"We are looking at (filling the position)," S.C. State head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough said Friday night. "We haven't quite gotten it done. We are just in the process of trying to decide exactly what we are going to do. It looks like he is not going to come back. It appears he may stay in the profession, but he may decide to move on as well."

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Alabama A&M hoops coach Vann Pettaway out after 25 years

Coach Vann Pettaway ends AAMU
era with a 453-279 record

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Vann Pettaway is expected to resign early next week, ending his 25-year tenure as Alabama A&M's men's basketball coach, The Times has learned.

Attempts to confirm Pettaway's resignation with A&M president Dr. Andrew Hugine, athletics director Betty Austin and Pettaway were unsuccessful by The Times.

Sources say Pettaway asked school officials to allow him to talk to his team before an official announcement is released. That meeting is expected to take place Monday night. An official announcement is expected to be made Monday or Tuesday.

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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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BSU Lady Bulldogs Bowling Ready to Defend CIAA Title

(BOWIE, Md.)-- Bowie State University is ready for the 2011 CIAA Bowling Championships after an outstanding regular season. The Championships will be held Saturday (March 19th) through Monday (March 21st) at AMF Durham Lanes in Durham, N.C.

“I am very proud of how the girls conducted themselves this season,” said head coach Ken Scott. “It took a lot of hard work and dedication to repeat at divisional champions and we’re looking forward to a very good (CIAA Championships) weekend.”

LIVE VIDEO - MONDAY'S (3/21/2011) CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

The Lady Bulldogs finished atop the CIAA Northern Division standings with a 48-1 mark against CIAA opponents. They are one of seven teams with a winning league record. The Lady Bulldogs are 62-2 overall including a 16-1 mark in Baker matches.

As a team, Bowie State ranks second in Team Results (1,018), Total Pins Average (855.9) and Baker Average (167.7), third in High Baker Series (762) and fourth in High Baker Score (235).

Individually, senior Verra Diggs (Fort Washington, MD, Oxon Hill, Hampton Univ.) leads Bowie State with a 187.36 average, which includes a perfect game during the CIAA North and South Round-Up (February 4th). Senior Tycora Brown (Pocomoke City, MD, Pocomoke) ranks seventh in CIAA Top 200 Scores (246) and is joined by fellow seniors Dominique Carroll (Bowie, MD, Bowie) (244) and Rebecca Frusciante (Mahopac, NY, Mahopac) (214). Freshmen Belinda Burns (Temple Hills, MD, St. John's) and Taccarra Matthews (Laurel, MD, Laurel) are also a part of the Top 200 list with games of 214 and 207 respectively.

The first day of the Championships starts Saturday at 11:50 a.m. with the awards program. The matches begin at 1 p.m.

By Bowie State University Sports Information
Visit: bsubulldogs.com

Xavier Gold Nuggets see Stars — and lots of OCU free throws

JACKSON, Tenn. (March 18, 2011) — Xavier University of Louisiana lost 67-51 Friday to Oklahoma City in the second round of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship. But after losing to OCU by 30, 30 and 38 points from 1999-2003, 12th-year XU Coach Bo Browder is certain the talent gap has narrowed between his program and OCU.

Yet a wide gap in free-throw attempts — the Stars made 20-of-40, the Gold Nuggets 12-of-17 — left Browder searching for answers.

"A reporter asked me after the game about the difference in free throws," Browder said. "I told him I didn't have a good explanation. I will say this — it was a very physical game on both sides. (Oklahoma City) wanted to intimidate us, but we didn't give in to them."

The 2010-11 Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball team.
Coach Robert "Bo" Browder.  (Photo courtesy of Xavier University).

Fourth-ranked Oklahoma City committed 16 personal fouls, and 20th-ranked Xavier was called for 30, its most since February 2005. XU freshman Carmen Holcombe, starting for the second straight game at center, fouled out, and teammates Keldra Hall, Marchelle Jones, Jazmoné Kelly and Christina Warren had four fouls apiece.

Reserve guard Tiffany Goldwire, one of seven Stars to attempt four or more free throws, led OCU (27-3) with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Lauren Gober added 13 points and six rebounds and scored five points during an 11-0 first-half run which gave OCU the lead for good.

That run, in which five Stars scored and four of them had assists, turned Xavier's last lead (7-6) into a 17-7 OCU advantage with 12:26 remaining in the half. The Stars led 37-20 at halftime thanks to what Browder said was "some of our worst basketball in a long time."

How bad was it? The Nuggets (27-7) shot 25 percent from the floor — there was a 2-of-16 stretch which covered nearly 12 minutes — and tacked on 14 turnovers and 16 fouls in the first half.

Browder still had praise for Oklahoma City, a national semifinalist in 2009 and 2010 and a team ranked second in the coaches poll the majority of this season. "There's no dropoff in them from those earlier times we played them," Browder said. "Their talent on the roster one-through-10 is the best of any team still in the tournament. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll win out, but they have a lot of talent."

Jones, a junior guard playing her last game for Xavier — she is leaving XU and basketball to pursue academic opportunities for her double major of physics and electrical engineering — had 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. Jones was the Nuggets' only double-figure scorer, and she made a pair of 3-pointers in the final three minutes to equal her output of her first 99 collegiate games.

Brandi Young scored nine points, and Hall and freshman Chelsea Broussard scored seven apiece for Xavier. Broussard grabbed nine rebounds, her third highest total of the season, and Hall had seven. Danielle Kennebrew's six rebounds were her second-most this season.

Xavier limited senior guard Donica Cosby, a first-team NAIA All-American last season, to eight points and 2-of-9 from the floor. But XU's Warren — the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year and a 19-point scorer Wednesday against Lee (Tenn.) — had seven points in 25 minutes and was 3-of-10 from the floor in her final Xavier game.

Oklahoma City led by double digits for the final 27:18. Broussard's 3-point play at 12:56 cut the Stars' lead to 46-36, but Xavier never got closer. OCU answered Broussard's points with an 18-7 run which gave the Stars their biggest lead, 64-43, with 3:04 remaining. Still Xavier outscored Oklahoma City 31-30 in the second half.

The Stars outshot the Nuggets 39.3 to 32.7 percent from the floor. Xavier had a 41-40 rebound advantage but had a season-low two assists and gained a season-low 13 turnovers, almost half of XU's per-game average. Xavier finished with 21 turnovers, and the deficit of eight matched its worst of the season.

Xavier is 0-6 in the second round at the national tournament — Browder's teams are 0-2 — and four times Oklahoma teams eliminated the Nuggets in that round. The Stars have done it twice, and they also have a first-round victory against Browder's first XU team in 1999.

"We fought hard for 40 minutes and I'm proud of that," Browder said. "We were not fully loaded up here because of some injured players, but we'll be OK. We had a great year, and I'm thankful to these young ladies for stepping up and making it happen when we had some tough times."

Box score

NOTES: Ashley McGill, Xavier's other senior, did not attempt a shot in 14 relief minutes . . . The 16-point losing margin was Xavier's largest since a 73-56 loss to Lambuth in the first round of the 2008 national tournament . . . Xavier allowed a school-record-low 50.1 points per game and likely will hold on to No. 1 in NAIA Division I for the second consecutive season. The Gold Nuggets allowed 52.1 points per game in 2009-10.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
Visit: XULASports.com

Howard Tabs Big Conference Wins in Season Finale

MILLSBORO, DEL. – The Howard bowling team wrapped up their season at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference North Tournament on March 5 with three head-to-head wins over Coppin State (840-693), Hampton (884-875) and Morgan State (821-806).

The Lady Bison (30-75, 8-17 MEAC) posted their best winning percentage (66.7 percent) in head-to-head competition in Millsboro, Del. during their third MEAC North Tournament trip this season. Howard’s win over Morgan State was their first win against the Lady Bears all year as MSU held the 5-0 advantage before taking their first loss to the Lady Bison. The Lady Bison also sacked their second season win over Hampton–their first came on Jan. 22, 2011 at the Lady Bulldog Classic.

The win over Coppin State secured a season sweep over the Eagles as HU went 4-0 against CSU over the course of the season.

Howard was unable to overcome Delaware State or Maryland-Eastern Shore in head-to-head matches, as the Lady Bison fell 730-886 and 751-1009, respectively. The Bison failed to force a win over DSU and UMES all season in this category of play.

Jasmine Hardesty bowled a personal high of 189 pins during the tournament, which is her second best this season. Her season high came in the Kutztown Invite on Jan. 28, 2011 where she bowled 198.

Taneeka Hanna averaged 154 pins in her four games, nearly peaking her career best of 159.6 pins, a mark she reached during the first MEAC North Tournament back on Nov. 13, 2010. Alexzandria Johnson also reached her second-best average of the year, averaging 172.2 pins on five games to tie a previous mark she met during the first MEAC North Tournament.

Johnson was second on the team with pins knocked down with 861 behind Briana Uzzell who tallied 888 pins for the Bison. Uzzell has served as a critical member of the Lady Bison and accumulated the most pins for Howard (9,198) this season, averaging 177.6 knock downs. Her personal high came during the Kutztown Invite on Jan. 28, 2011 where she bowled 256, a mark that still leads the Bison.

Johnson and Jordane Frazier aren’t too far behind Uzzell as they rank second and third on the team with pins knocked down with 8,643 and 8,204, respectively.

In a series of four games against CSU, DSU, UMES, MSU and Hampton during Baker play, the Lady Bison posted a 1-4 record, including a win over Coppin State (635-559). Howard dropped to DSU (675-750), UMES (620-809), MSU (699-794), and Hampton (611-677).

Despite leaving with only one win in the Baker matches, the Lady Bison are riding high on their recent accomplishments and notable wins, including that against then-No.1 Vanderbilt. Howard is set to cruise into the MEAC Championship Tournament that will take place in Greensboro, N.C. on March 18 and before entering into the NCAA Championship Tournament in Taylor, Mich. on April 14.

By Tiffany White, Sports Information Assistant
Howard University
Visit: howard-bison.com

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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