Tuesday, March 1, 2011

CIAA Tournament: McCaffity steps up for Saint Augustine's Falcons

Falcons 6-2 Freshman F/C Umeka Benson
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Saint Augustine's College has relied on seniors Allison Sikes and Le'Kiesha White all season, but it was another senior who helped the Falcons win their first-round game in the CIAA women's basketball tournament Monday afternoon.

Crystal McCaffity scored 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 from the 3-point line, in a 69-53 victory over Virginia Union at Time Warner Cable Arena. Freshman forward Umeka Benson, the CIAA rookie of the year, added 13 points and 13 rebounds. Benson, who came off the bench, was named Food Lion MVP of the game.

The victory sends the Lady Falcons (18-10 overall), the No. 4 Southern Division seed, to Tuesday's quarterfinal round. They face Elizabeth City State, the top Northern Division seed, at 7 p.m. The Lady Falcons defeated the Lady Vikings in their only matchup 69-64 on Jan. 20 in Elizabeth City, N.C.

Saint Augustine’s College beats Virginia Union in CIAA first round

Senior guard Crystal McCaffity from Havelock, NC led the Lady Falcons of Saint Augustine’s College over Virginia Union University 69-53 in the first round of the CIAA Tournament. McCaffity scored 14 points to lead the Lady Falcons.

Saint Augustine’s College maintained control of the game and only trailed once to Virginia Union University in the game. The Lady Falcons led at halftime 32-20.

Charlotte native and CIAA Rookie of the Year, Umeka Benson added 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Lady Falcons in their victory. Her efforts won Benson the Food Lion MVP of the Game honor.

Photo Gallery: 2011 CIAA Basketball: Opening Day 

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CIAA Tournament: Chowan gets first-ever CIAA tournament win‎

Chowan wrote a new chapter in its women's basketball history at the CIAA tournament.

The Hawks recovered from a 19-point deficit to beat Livingstone 56-53 in a first-round game at Time Warner Cable Arena, the program's first tournament win since joining the CIAA last year. Chowan (15-12) didn't panic after falling behind, calling on previous experience to climb ahead.

"For us it was another challenge on the road," Hawks coach Pat Mashuda said. "We were in this situation earlier this year playing Bowie at home when we were down 20 with four minutes to play and came back to win that game. Having this experience from before, unfortunately then but fortunately as well, helped us today."

Photo Gallery: 2011 CIAA Basketball: Opening Day 

Livingstone College Women Out of CIAA Tournament

Livingstone’s women’s basketball team ended its season with a 56-53 loss against Chowan in the first round of the CIAA Tournament on Monday afternoon in Charlotte.

Livingstone held Chowan to 10 points in the first 15 minutes and led 33-14 late in the first half. Livingstone still led by 13 points at halftime, but a cold-shooting second half doomed the Blue Bears (16-10).

Chowan (15-12) advanced to play Johnson C. Smith tonight. Talaya Lynch led the Hawks with 17 points.

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Claflin begins SIAC tourney play Wednesday

ATLANTA - The road to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship will start Wednesday with play-in games in Atlanta for the Claflin men's and women's basketball teams.

After finishing the regular season with two straight wins, the seventh-seed Panthers (11-15) will face 10th-seed Fort Valley State (8-20) at 2 p.m. in L.S. Epps Gymnasium on the campus of Clark-Atlanta University. The Claflin men swept the season series with the Wildcats and the winner will face second-seed Stillman College at 2 p.m Thursday in the same gymnasium.

Within proximity of Clark-Atlanta, the 11th-seed Claflin women (8-18) will look to shake off a season-ending six-game losing streak when they open play in Frank L. Forbes Arena at Morehouse College against sixth-seed Tuskegee University (15-11).

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Morgan State Bears Releases 2011 Football Schedule

BALTIMORE, MD. – Morgan State University released their schedule on Monday and it features two straight road games to open the year and five home contests.

Morgan State, who went 4-7 in 2010 in coach Donald Hill-Eley's 9th season, open 2011 at Towson on Sept. 3. The Bears' nonconference schedule also includes a road game at Bowling Green State on Sept. 10 and a home contest against Robert Morris on Sept. 17.

The Bears begin Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play against Howard in the Annual Whitney Young Classic on Sept. 24. The game will be played at Giants Stadium, home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.

Morgan State hosts North Carolina A&T, Savannah State (Homecoming), Norfolk State and Hampton at home, while traveling to North Carolina Central and the reigning MEAC champs of Bethune-Cookman.

Full schedule:
Sept. 3 ----- at Towson
Sept. 10 --- at Bowling Green State
Sept. 17 --- Robert Morris
Sept. 24 --- vs. Howard* (Whitney Young Classic, Giants Stadium)
Oct. 1 ------- North Carolina A&T*
Oct. 8 ------- Savannah State* (MSU Homecoming)
Oct. 15 ----- at North Carolina Central*
Oct. 29 ----- at Delaware State*
Nov. 5 ------ at Bethune-Cookman*
Nov. 12 ---- Norfolk State*
Nov. 19 ---- Hampton*

* Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Game

By MSU Media Relations
Visit: MorganStateBears.com

Arkansas-Pine Bluff defeats Jackson State 62-56

UAPB Coach George Ivory
Savalace Townsend scored 21 points and Arkansas-Pine Bluff defeated Jackson State 62-56 on Monday night.

Townsend's layup with 3:55 left gave the Golden Lions (7-22, 7-10 SWAC) the lead for good at 51-50. He scored 16 of his 21 points after halftime, when Pine Bluff trailed 29-24. Allen Smith had 13 points and Terrell Kennedy 12 for Pine Bluff.

Jenirro Bush led Jackson State (15-13, 11-5) with 16 points and Grant Maxey scored 12. The Tigers shot 32 percent from the field while the Golden Lions made 40 percent of their shots.

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B-CU wins MEAC

DAYTONA BEACH -- At halftime, Bethune-Cookman coach Clifford Reed knew his team had already clinched the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's regular-season championship for the first time in the Wildcats' undistinguished 32-year history in Division I basketball.

He made sure to keep the information to himself. Not that it would have mattered. The Wildcats were more intent on winning their sixth straight game, a 73-60 victory over North Carolina Central on Monday night at the Ocean Center than taking a breath to recognize history.

"When we came here, we set out to play in the NCAA Tournament and dance in March," said C.J. Reed, the coach's son, who scored a game-high 23 points Monday. "That was our goal, not just to win the regular-season title."

Bethune-Cookman beats NC Central 73-60, wins MEAC

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – C.J. Reed scored 23 points and Stanley Elliott added 16 to carry Bethune-Cookman past North Carolina Central 73-60 on Monday night.

The Wildcats (19-11) learned at halftime that they had wrapped up their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season title since joining the league in 1980-81, by virtue of Morgan State's 68-60 loss to North Carolina A&T.

LADY EAGLES BASKETBALL FALLS IN OVERTIME BATTLE TO BETHUNE-COOKMAN, 66-60

DAYTON BEACH, Fla. - The Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central hit the Daytona Beach, Fla., hardwood looking to obtain its first road win of the 2010-11 campaign on Monday, Feb. 28. But Bethune-Cookman rejected the idea of a home loss, defeating NCCU 66-60 in an overtime battle.

The mighty maroon appeared to have the contest sealed, until the Lady Wildcats chiseled away at a first-half 13-point lead and tied the contest at the 8:58 mark of the second-half.

B-CU’s Jasmine Elum opened the final 20 minutes of play with a three-point shot, bringing the opening half lead to a single-digit margin. Sarah Bolden followed with a two-pointer, nailing the first five-points of half.

The two teams went point-for-point heading down the final stretch of the game, until junior Blaire Houston hit the charity stripe with four seconds left on the clock. With two shots in the palm of her hand, Houston sinked the first shot for the tie and missed the second shot for a score of 53-53, sending the contest into overtime.

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North Carolina A&T Beats Morgan State In MEAC Conference Matchup

Greensboro, N.C. - Thomas Coleman scored 21 points and Marc Hill sank six free throws in the final minute as North Carolina A&T beat Morgan State 68-60 Monday night.

The victory by the Aggies (15-15, 9-6 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) ended a three-year reign by the Bears (15-12, 10-5) as conference regular-season champions, giving Bethune-Cookman the No. 1 tournament seed.

North Carolina A&T led 46-34, in the second half, but after Morgan State cut it to six points, 60-54, Hill missed two free throws for the Aggies. A 3-pointer by the Bears' Aric Brooks made it 60-57 with 1:39 left.

Coleman has A&T cooking

GREENSBORO — Before stepping onto the Corbett Center floor for the last time, Thomas Coleman sat an extra minute at his locker. As the N.C. A&T center paused to reflect, soon the only two people who remained were the senior and the coach who recruited him.

Coleman finally broke the silence. "He said, 'Coach, I remember you sitting at my kitchen table,' " A&T coach Jerry Eaves said, referencing Coleman's recruitment. "We both just kind of looked at each other and laughed."

Aggies Lose Battle For No. 2

GREENSBORO - No matter what problem the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team presented to Morgan State Monday evening, the Bears had the same two solutions throughout. Morgan State frustrated the Aggies with efficiency from the free throw line and 3-point arc. As a result, the Bears won the battle for the No. 2 seed in the MEAC Tournament with a 74-69 win at Corbett Sports Center.

The Bears hit 11 3-pointers and made 23 of 25 free throws. Erin Hawkins led the way with 17 points on 5-for-10 shooting from 3-point range. Brittany Dodson added 15 points on 9-for-10 shooting at the line.

In her final game at Corbett Sports Center, senior Jaleesa Sams finished with 23 points and six rebounds.

"Morgan State did what they're supposed to do, they hit 3-pointers and hit free throws," said N.C. A&T head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. "They executed brilliantly tonight."

The Aggies trailed by as many as 14 in the second half. But a Sams 3-pointer tied the game at 56 with 4:20 remaining. The Bears responded by going on a 9-2 run that included a 6-for-6 stretch at the free throw line and a 3-point shot by Brittany Noel that gave the Bears a 65-58 lead with 1:26 to play.

N.C. A&T got the lead down to three points four times within the last 40 seconds of the game. But the Bears converted 7 of 8 free throws to put the Aggies away.

The Bears (16-12, 10-5) secured the No. 2 seed with the win. The loss for the Aggies (14-13, 9-6) was costly. They slip into a third-place tie with Howard. The two teams split this season, but Howard owns the tiebreaker over the Aggies because its margin of victory was greater. Therefore, the Aggies need a Howard loss to secure the third seed.

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