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FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 20 - 26, 2012

Shaw goes for Div. II national title


LUT WILLIAMS Head coach Jacques Curtis and the Lady Bears of Shaw are the only black college basketball team still playing after a whirlwind of action over the past week. The CIAA and Atlantic Region champion Lady Bears (26-6) carry the black college banner into the Women's Elite Eight in San Antonio, Texas for the fourth time where they were to face Pitttsburg (Ks.) State (27-5) in the 6 p.m. quarternal game on Tuesday evening (March 20). The Lady Bears are back in the Elite Eight, the national quarternals, for the second straight year and fourth time overall. Last season, they got a last-second 46-45 quarternal win over Metro State on a tipin by Brittany Ransom. They were defeated in the national seminals by Clayton State, 63-46, one game short of the national championship game. All games in the Elite Eight are being show live over the internet through ncaa.com. Shaw will also broadcast the games through its oncampus radio station, WSHA (88.9
BCSP Editor

RISE AND FALL

Shaw Sports photo

BACK IN THE HUNT: Shaw head coach Jacques Curtis has Lady Bears in the Elite Eight for the fourth time in search of rst NCAA Div. II national title.

NORFOLK STATE GIVES MEAC MEN FIRST NCAA WIN SINCE 2001; THEN FALLS HARD TO FLORIDA

NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME RECAPS


DIV. I MEN WEST REGION - FIRST ROUND Norfolk State 86, Missouri 84

OMAHA, NE - MEAC champion Norfolk State, in its rst NCAA Tournament appearance, became the fth 15th-seed to knock off a No. 2 seed, and the third team from the MEAC to pull off the feat, as the Spartans shocked Big 12 champion Missouri in a second round game Friday. Senior center Kyle O'Quinn had game-highs of 26 points and 14 rebounds while dominating play inside and Pendarvis Williams and Chris McEachin had 20 points each and combined for eight 3-pointO'QUINN vs. Missouri ers. For the game, the Spartans shot a blistering 54.2 percent from the eld, 62.5 percent in the second half, including a hot 52.6 percent (10 of 19) from 3-point range. Forward Marcos Tamares added 11 points and swingman Rodney McCauley had nine as the Spartans (26-9) got all their points from starters. O'Quinn had a chance to put the game away with 3.8 seconds left but missed two free throws. After a Missouri time-out, Phil Pressey (20 points) got off a nal shot that clanged off the back of the rim. Norfolk State joins MEAC members Coppin State (1997 over South Carolina) and Hampton (2001 over Iowa State) as the last No. 15s to defeat No. 2s in the tournament. Richmond (1991) did it to Syracuse and Santa Clara (1993) beat Arizona.

Pittsburg State won the South Central Region championship with a 79-67 win over Emporia State on March 11. The last loss for the Gorillas was against Lincoln (Mo.) in the seminals of the MIAA Tournament. The Gorillas have four players that score in double gures led by Lizzy Jeronimus (15.9 ppg.). Brooke Conley scores 12.8 points per game, Larissa Richards averages 11.3 and a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game while Drew Roberts scores 10.1 ppg. The Lady Bears counter with two double-gure scorers in forwards Aslea Williams (15.4 ppg.) and Kyria Buford (13.1). Buford averages 9.6 rebounds per game while Williams grabs 8.4 per game. A lethal backcourt has three players that score near double gures. Sequoya Grifn averages 9.4 points, Brittany Ransom scores 8.0 Shaw Sports photo MVP: CIAA Tournament and Atlantic points and Brittney Spencer gets Region MVP Aslea Williams leads 7.0. The Lady Bears get 6-1 center Shaw in quest for its rst NCAA Div. II title. Crystal Harris back for the Elite Eight game. Harris (9.1 ppg.) missed FM). That broadcast can also be the Atlantic Regional nal because of heard over the internet with live stats the death of her grandmother. through the radio station's website at If Shaw is able to get by Pittsshaw.edu. burg State, they would play the win-

SCHEDULE
WOMEN'S ELITE EIGHT San Antonio, TX Tuesday, March 20 - 6 p.m. Shaw (26-6) vs. Pittsburg State (27-5) WOMEN'S ELITE EIGHT March 20, 21 & 23 Bill Greehey Arena San Antonio, TX Host St. Marys University

ner of the Rollins vs. Lander game at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21 in one seminal game. The other half of the bracket has Wayne State (Neb) playing Bentley at noon on Tuesday and Alaska-Anchorage facing Ashland at 2 p.m. Those winners face off in the other seminal at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The NCAA Div. II national championship game is set for Friday, March 23 at 7 p.m.

Eaves removed at NC A&T

BCSP Notes

OMAHA, NE - As well as MEAC champion Norfolk State played in a rst round upset of top seed and Big 12 champion Missouri, it played that bad in a second round loss to No. 7 seed Florida. The No. 16 seed Spartans (26-10) faced a Florida team that pressured them from the outset leading to a 25-0 rst-half run and 29-6 lead that all but put the game away. NSU senior center Kyle O'Quinn, who led the upset of Missouri and had been a media darling with his quick wit, was the focal point of the Florida defense facing double teams every time he touched the ball. He nished 1-of-9 from the eld and was limited to four points O'QUINN vs. Florida and just three rebounds. The Spartans shot 27.3 percent from the eld including 16.7 percent (4 of 24) from behind the 3-point line. Marcos Tamares was the only NSU player to reach double-gures with 12 points.

WEST REGION - SECOND ROUND Florida 84, Norfolk State 50

GREENSBORO, NC North Carolina A&T announced shortly after the MEAC Basketball Tournament that Jerry Eaves has been relieved of his duties as the head men's basketball coach. A&T Director of Athletics Earl M. Hilton III announced the decision, three days after the tournament ended and a week after Eaves and the Aggies were eliminated 51-10 in the opening round of the tournament by Howard. Scott Bollwage will serve as interim head coach until a permanent replacement is hired. Eaves' contract with the school expires May 30, 2013. He finishes his tenure at A&T with a 99-180 record over nine seasons. He is third on the program's all-time wins list. In 2003, Eaves took over a one-win program. During his stint, EAVES he led the Aggies to wins over SMU, DePaul, Middle Tennessee State and was 2-0 against cross-town rival UNC Greensboro. "I want it to be known that I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jerry Eaves and what he did for this program," said Hilton. "He has blessed the lives of so many young men through his associations with them as a mentor and as a positive male role model. I truly wish him the best in his future endeavors." The Aggies nished the 2011-12 season 12-20 and entered the tournament as the seventh seed.

A nationwide search for Eaves replacement will begin immediately.

DOVER, Del. Delaware State University Women's Basketball Head Coach Ed Davis announced Friday that he is retiring from his position, ending a 12-year coaching career at DSU. Since becoming the Lady Hornets' head coach in the 2000-2001 season, Davis compiled a 178182 overall record making him the University's all-time leader in career women's basketball wins. During the recently concluded 2011-12 season, the Lady Hornets were 7-23 overall and 4-12 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The highlight year of Davis' DSU coaching tenure took place during the 200607 season, in which he guided the Lady Hornets to the only Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in team history. DAVIS Davis' tenure at Delaware State was also highlighted by ve MEAC Tournament championship game appearances and a share of the MEAC regular season title in 2004. He was named MEAC Coach-ofthe-Year in 2003-04. Prior to his arrival at DSU in 2000, Davis was the head womens basketball coach at Bowie State University for eight years. He has a career

Delaware State's Ed Davis announces his retirement

record of 349-236 in 20 years as an intercollegiate head coach. The University will launch a national search for a new womens basketball head coach in the near future.

Virginia State University Assistant Track & Field Coach Jernail Hayes brought home a Silver medal from the Indoor Track & Field World Championships in Istanbul Turkey, March 9 11th. As a member of the Women's USA 4x400 meter relay team she brought home a Silver medal after the team placed second to Great Britain, by three one hundredths of a second 3:28.76 to 3:28.79 in the event. These were the HAYES two fastest times run in the world this year. This was Hayes rst national team, as she prepares to make her rst Olympic Team this summer at the US Olympic Trials held in Eugene, OR (June 22nd July 1st). Hayes shared "I feel very blessed and fortunate that I was able to represent our country at the World Championships. Our VSU Track & Field student-athletes have seen rsthand how hard work, discipline, consistency and encouragement can help you reach your goals. I have had tremendous support from the student-athletes, administration and the entire VSU family - I couldnt be more excited right now!

Virginia State assistant brings home Silver Medal

DAYTON, OH - SWAC champion Mississippi Valley State blew a 16-point lead in the nal ve minutes in dropping a decision to Missouri Valley champion Western Kentucky in an opening round game. The Delta Devils (21-13) were up 23-19 at the half and built that lead to 47-32 on a Brent Arrington free throw with 8:19 left in the game. That lead reached 53-37 with 5:08 left on a Cor-J Cox's made layup. But head coach Sean Woods's troops, facing a WKU (15-19) press, would turn the ball over ve times, miss several shots and be outscored 22-5 BURWELL down the stretch. Their only two baskets during that stretch came in the last minute. Kevin Burwell scored 20 points to lead MVSU Williams Pugh tallied 11 and Cox 10.

SOUTH REGION - FIRST FOUR Western Kentucky 59, Mississippi Valley State 58

NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME RECAPS


DIV. I WOMEN FRESNO REGION - FIRST ROUND Stanford 73, Hampton 51
UConn led just 46-32 at the break but scored 26 of the rst 32 second-half points to break the game open. Five-ten junior guard Latia Williams, the SWAC Tournament MVP, tallied 20 points to lead the Lady Panthers (17-16). "Williams is a phenomenal athlete," said Prairie View head coach Toyelle Wilson. "She's been our veteran and leader. She scored 20 points against one of the No. 1 defenses in the country." WILLIAMS Prairie View was making its fourth tournament appearance and was seeking its rs win. "Next year we will get the win," said Williams. "I guarantee you that."

WEST LIBERTY, WV - CIAA champion Shaw fell behind in the second half and could not catch top seed West Liberty (32-2) in falling in the title game of the NCAA Div. II Atlantic Regional on the Hilltoppers' home court. Shaw (27-4), ranked seventh in the nation and seeded second behind West Liberty in the regional, got 28 points from CIAA Player of the Year Alvin Mack, 19 points and 12 rebounds from all-CIAA point guard Tony Smith and 13 points and 10 rebounds from Junious Chaney but it was not enough. Senior forward Karron Johnson, who was named to the all-tournament team after scoring 22 and 17 points in earlier round victories, battled foul trouble and was held to just three points in the title game. Shaw held a narrow 43-42 lead at the break, fell behind by ten at the 12:59 mark and then cut it again to three with 5:35 left. WLU's six-point run put the game out of reach.
AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XVIII, No. 34

DIV. II MEN ATLANTIC REGION - CHAMPIONSHIP West Liberty 89, Shaw 78

NORFOLK, VA - Three-time MEAC champion and No. 16 seed Hampton stayed with Pac-12 champion and top seed Stanford for most of the rst half but could not stay close the rest of the way. Playing about 11 minutes from its campus, Hampton senior guard Choicetta McMillian's 3-pointer with just over seven minutes left in the rst half cut Stanford's lead to 22-21 and pumped up the crowd of over 4,000. But from there, the Cardinal (32-1) would close the half on a 25-6 run to lead 42-27 at the break. Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike would score 22 of her game-high 28 points in the rst half including 13 over the nal seven minutes. Alyssa Bennett led Hampton (26-5), who set a school record for victories, with 19 points. Nicole Hamilton added 10. Before the game, Hampton Vice President for Administrative Services Rodney Smith sent a letter to Greg Christopher, chair of the Division 1 women's basketball committee, expressing the school's disappointment in the 16th seed. The Lady Pirates nished 25-7 a year ago and received a No. 13 seed to last year's tournament. They lost an opening round game to Kentucky, 66-62 in overtime. "In comparison with other teams that were seeded better than Hampton University, we that Hampton University . . and supporters of the University have been deeply disrespected and insulted," Smith's letter said. " Smith's letter cited that Hampton had a better RPI (63), road record (13-3) and strength of schedule (271) than some higher-seeded teams. The letter said Hampton's 16th seed is "disgraceful" and "grossly unfair." "In no way are we a 16 seed," said head coach SIX David Six.

Howard took host Virginia into overtime before succumbing on the Lady Cavs home court in Charlottesville, Tamoria Holmes had 17 points and Saadia Doyle had 16 points and 14 rebounds as the Lady Bison (24-9) nearly pulled off the upset. UVA led 31-26 at the half but Howard fought back to take a 39-38 lead with under seven minutes remaining. The teams traded baskets with Howard having three chances to win in regulation with the score tied at 50 with 20 seconds to play. Howard took an early lead in the extra period on Zykia Brown's 3-pointer but fell down by three. They had a chance on a Holmes' 3-pointer in the nal seconds.

WNIT - FIRST ROUND Virginia 59, Howard 56, OT

BRIDGEPORT, CT - SWAC champion Prairie View A&M, the 16th seed in the region, battled top seed Big East champion Connecticut evenly for a half in a rst round Kingston Regional game.

KINGSTON REGION - FIRST ROUND Connecticut 83, Prairie View A&M 47

After falling behind early, SWAC regular season champion Prairie View A&M led host Tulane 35-31 at the half and early in the second half before the Green Wave put on a run to take a lead they would not relinquish. Lenise Stallings drained a 3-pointer to give PV its nal lead at 47-45. A Tulane 12-0 run ensued. That lead grew to 62-51 and despite cutting the lead to six three times over the nal minutes that was as close as the Delta Devilettes would come.

WNIT - FIRST ROUND Tulane 68, Mississippi Valley State 61

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