North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies wins MEAC crown

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - It started ugly and only got worse for the Hampton Lady Pirates on Sunday. Playing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament championship at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the Lady Pirates had more turnovers than field goals, struggled to slow down top-seeded North Carolina A & T and never seriously threatened as the Lady Aggies claimed a 76-54 victory.

The win secured the MEAC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the Lady Aggies. "This all started from the day we lost (in last year's MEAC title game)," A & T coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs said. Senior forward Brittanie Taylor-James agreed. "Every day, in the locker room, we saw this posterboard that said 'unfinished business.' " Taylor-James said. "We took care of business today."

Defense helped the Lady Pirates (15-16) stay in the game early. Hampton trailed 7-4 with 12 minutes left in the first half, until N.C. A&T senior guard Amber Bland, a three-time first-team all-conference player, took over. Bland, the preseason conference player of the year, hit six straight shots, including four 3-pointers, as the Lady Aggies (26-6) won for the eighth straight time and 20th time in its past 21 games.

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This time, Morgan defeats Coppin in MEAC

Bears withstand Eagles' late charge to reach MEAC tournament final, 75-67.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - When Morgan State rebuffed one last, desperate rush from Tywain McKee and Coppin State last night, the Bears were finally able to let go of their 2008 nightmare. McKee's torrid 30-point performance almost brought Coppin back from an 18-point deficit in the second half, but Morgan escaped Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum with a 75-67 victory that was as much backyard brawl as it was tournament basketball.

The Real Deal! Morgan State Coach Todd Bozeman is on the cusp of leading his second Bears team to the NCAA Tournament with the Morgan Bears projected at a 15th seed, if they win the MEAC Tournament. Bozeman led the California Golden Bears to three NCAA Tournaments in '93, '94 and '96 and made the Sweet 16 at age 29, the youngest coach ever to do so.

The win sent the No.1-seeded Bears (22-11) into tonight's 7 o'clock Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference final in search of their first NCAA Division I tournament berth. They still have to beat Norfolk State, which outlasted South Carolina State, 74-71, in last night's second semifinal. A year ago, Morgan was denied that opportunity when Coppin pulled a 62-60 upset in the MEAC final. This year the Battle of Baltimore was played out in the semifinals, but with eerie similarities to last season.

"They're crosstown rivals, and we see them a lot in the summer," Morgan's Rogers Barnes said, seated at an interview table with teammates Reggie Holmes and Jermaine "Itchy" Bolden.

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What ESPN is saying about Morgan State and Coach Bozeman...

"The (NCAA) committee doesn't have to worry about two bids out of the MEAC Saturday. But if Morgan State can beat Norfolk State in Winston-Salem, N.C., it could cause a ripple on two fronts. Former banished Cal coach Todd Bozeman would be back in the NCAAs after a 12-year absence and would complete one of the remarkable career turnaround, while the Bears, who beat Maryland by the way, might be an intriguing 15-seed instead of a 16. That would be great news for a conference constantly looking for some positive pub. "

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Southern Jaguars quarterback Lee back at work

Southern quarterback Bryant Lee went through this drill before, so he’s better equipped a year later to handle the situation. A year ago, as SU went through spring practice, Lee was limited to non-contact work as he recovered from wrist surgeries to fix a broken bone in his hand. Lee went on to be named the Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year. This time, he’s recovering from knee surgery and is, according to SU coach Pete Richardson “about 80 percent” after beginning conditioning work a few weeks ago.

“I think he’s (benefited from last year’s experience,” Richardson said. “He understands the system.” Lee, who will be a senior in the fall, threw for 2,682 yards and 20 touchdowns against only seven interceptions, while completing 61.6 percent of his passes last season. Lee has thrown for 5,579 yards in his career and chases Eric Randall (1992-95), who threw for 7,826 yards, for the school’s all-time passing mark.

All-SWAC senior QB Bryant Lee

As Southern began the first of 15 spring practices Thursday (and concluding April 18), Lee was back out on the field. “I wanted him to be in situations to go through practice, to develop chemistry with our young receivers,” Richardson said. “But we’ll keep him out of contact situations. We don’t want to put him in situations where he can take undue shots, and also we don’t want to rush it.”

Video: Southern & LSU begin spring football

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Morgan misstepped by not signing Bozeman to extension

Bears risk losing successful basketball coach

With the Ravens' run deep into the playoffs and Maryland men's basketball program surrounded by flashing lights and blaring alarms these past couple of months, I didn't get to see Morgan State play as much as I'd have liked.

I was able to follow the Bears, though, thanks to the highly entertaining and mostly unpredictable blog maintained by coach Todd Bozeman at toddbozeman.blogspot.com . One minute he's lamenting a loss ("The guys came out with NO energy, NO focus, NO respect for their opponent and NO respect for each other. It was embarrassing for sure!"), the next he's ripping an official ("dude is a clown ... case closed!") and the next he might be talking politics ("One NATION under a groove ... gettin down just 4 the funk of IT! WOW! Barack Obama is the next President of the United States!!!!!").

There is one blog post I've been waiting for, one that is long overdue: Bozeman announcing a new contract that will keep the coach at Morgan State for several years to come. Bozeman hasn't written it, though, because it's not true. In fact, as Morgan State begins play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament tonight, just three wins away from its first trip to the NCAA Division I tournament, Bozeman has amazingly reached the end of his contract with nothing in place to secure his future at the school.

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Let's get real! Morgan State has no chance re-signing Coach Bozeman. This marriage of convenience is over with the expiration of this contract, as both parties accomplished their goals. Bozeman is back and his name is at the top of the "want list" on every major college with a non-winning Division I program. Unfortunately, the MEAC does not have the collective vision to be a serious basketball conference, nor is there the level of fan support to scale basketball head coaches salaries over $175,000.

What is Norfolk State head men's basketball coach earning? $95,000 annually for three years! FAMU's coach Eugene Harris earns $155,000 per year (4 year contract). FAMU's athletic director earns $175,000 annually. You get the picture.

Dang shame for the MEAC and Morgan State to lose this talented young coach over a few thousand dollars, but you can't spend what you don't have. The days of the Clarence "Big House" Gaines is long over with for young, ambitious black coaches. Money does matter! Bozeman has to take the money and the bigger stage to display his skills and earning power.

Sorry MEAC--30 years from now you will still be small potatoes playing before an arena of empty seats.

-beepbeep

Top-seeded Morgan State crushes FAMU in MEAC

Morgan State used three big offensive runs, a decided edge in rebounding and a solid effort from point guard Jermaine "Itchy" Bolden to race past Florida A&M 71-41 in a quarterfinal-round game of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at Joel Coliseum last night. The top-seeded Bears opened the game with a 13-2 run, then posted a 15-0 stretch, which started at the end of the first half, to build a 44-22 lead with 16 minutes remaining.

The Bears held a 52-32 rebounding edge and outscored the Rattlers 26-14 in the paint.
Bolden, a 5-9 senior, finished with 12 points, six assists, six rebounds and two steals for Morgan State (21-11). The Rattlers pulled to 46-31 with a 6-0 run, but Morgan State came right back with a 13-0 burst that delivered the knockout blow in the rout. "Basketball is a game of runs, so it's who makes the most, the longest or the last (run)," Coach Todd Bozeman of Morgan State said. "We wanted to continue to keep playing and I kept telling the guys in timeouts, ‘Do not play the score.' We don't play that way; you want to keep playing the game."

The Bears will face the Coppin State-N.C. A&T winner in a semifinal-round game on Friday at 6 p.m. Reggie Holmes, a 6-4 junior and the Bears' leading scorer at 16.5 points per game, had a game-high 18 points and added nine rebounds, while teammate Marquise Kately chipped in with 10 points. Florida A&M, the tournament's No. 8 seed, finished the season 10-21, and had no players in double-figures scoring. The Rattlers shot a dismal 24.5 percent from the field and made only 12 field goals.

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Photo Gallery: Bears/Rattler Shots
Boxscore

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SWAC tournament full of intriguing matchups

Of the many beautiful things about college basketball in March, one is that teams seem to channel their inner Forrest Gump at the right time. Sure, each conference has its share of dominant teams and standout players, and usually, those favorites prevail in their postseason tournaments. Still, from league to league and game to game, there’s that element of surprise a budding star or an upset no one saw coming. As Gump himself would put it, you never know what you’re gonna get.

Its only fitting, then, that the champion of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournaments must win three games in Gump’s home state. Both tournaments begin Wednesday at Fair Park Arena in Birmingham, Ala. Here’s a quick look at people, games and teams to watch for when the madness gets under way.

Women

Most intriguing first-round matchup: It’s a little bit of an upset to call a No. 2-No. 7 matchup the best. It might not be the best. But it could be the most intriguing. Second-seeded Southern and seventh-seeded Texas Southern have plenty in common. They split their regular-season series, with each team winning at home. And they both believe in playing defense first.

Most dangerous player: The kneejerk reaction is to go with the highest-ranking scorer left in the tournament which, in this case, is Alabama A&M’s Katrich Williams, who averages 13.8 points per game, but it’s worth noting that Gaati Werema, the 6-foot junior forward from Prairie View, ranks seventh in the SWAC in scoring (11.7 points per game), first in rebounds (7.5 per game) and second in field-goal percentage (47.7).

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2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Preview

The 38th Annual Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament will begin Tuesday March 10th and will come to a conclusion Saturday March 14th. The Morgan State Bears showed their dominance in league play, earning the top spot in the tournament with a 13-3 mark. It is the second consecutive regular- season title for the Bears, who finished with an impressive overall ledger of 20-11. However, Morgan State has not enjoyed much success in this event, winning the title just once, way back in 1977.

Looking to keep the Bears from capturing that long overdue title will be the South Carolina State Bulldogs, who finished the regular-season with a 10-6 mark and the second seed. After Morgan State and SC State there was a log jam in the conference standings, as four teams finished with a 9-7 record. Norfolk State rose above the other 9-7 teams thanks to a three-game win streak down the stretch, including a season-finale victory over North Carolina A&T. The Spartans, who have never won this event, are now the third seed and will also elude opening round action.

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