PLAY-IN - ST. LOUIS REGIONAL
­ Florida A&M 72, Lehigh 57
In the play-in game in Dayton, FAMU (15-16) used speed and quickness to hold off the Patriot League champion Mountain Hawks and earn a date with the region and tournament's No. 1 seed, Kentucky, Friday in Columbus. Long-shooting specialist Terrence Woods had five three-pointers and led the Rattlers with 21 points but the quickness of guards Tony Tate (9 points, 4 assists) and DeMarcus Wilkins (12 points, 4 assists)) helped FAMU speed up the pace of the game and force Lehigh into 17 turnovers. FAMU's big men, led by 12 points and 12 rebounds from Michael Harper, also enjoyed a quickness advantage that allowed them to outrebound Lehigh, 44-42.

FIRST ROUND - ST. LOUIS REGIONAL
­ Kentucky 96, Florida A&M 76
In Columbus, Ohio, the feisty Rattlers (15-17) battled Kentucky for 30 minutes before running out of gas down the stretch. Again, the Rattlers' quickness forced a dizzying first half pace that exposed holes in the vaunted Kentucky defense. Woods had 20 points at the half including five from long range and starters accounted for 50 of the 52 points the Rattlers scored including eight three-pointers. The 52 points were the most UK have given up in a half this season. They still trailed the talented 'Cats, 60-52 at the break and were down only 77-67 with 9:41 to play. That's when UK was able to slow the tempo and literally throw its weight around down low to go on a 15-2 run and take control of the game. Woods would get only one more three-pointer and finished with 24. Wilkins had 16 and Harper 13.

FIRST ROUND - ATLANTA REGIONAL
­ Duke 96, Alabama State 61
In Raleigh, Alabama State (16-15) had no answer for the size or the full court press of Duke as the Devils rolled to a relatively easy first round win. Containing 6-10 Shelden Williams (16 points, 9 rebounds) or 6-10 Shavlik Randolph (20 points, 8 rebounds) proved to be too much for the undersized Hornets who were outrebounded 46-31. ASU was led by a game-high 26 points from senior point guard Malcolm Campbell but no other ASU player would reach double figures. The Blue Devils got 19 from Daniel Ewing, 15 from Luol Deng and 14 from J. J. Redick.

FIRST ROUND - EAST REGIONAL
­ Penn State 78, Hampton 42
The third trip for Patricia Cage-Bibbs' Lady Pirates of Hampton to the NCAA Tournament was similar to the first two ­ a tough battle against a No. 1 seed. This time it was Big East power Penn State who felled HU. In Blacksburg, Penn State showed why it tops the East Region sprinting out to a 47-14 halftime lead and cruising to an easy victory. The 36-point loss was actually an improvement for Bibbs' ladies after suffering 71-point (116-45 to UConn in 2000) and 44-point (90-46 to Texas last year) losses in their previous trips. "I think what they did today, they didn't give up and they kept fighting and I'm absolutely so proud of them," Cage-Bibbs said of her MEAC tournament champions, who were outscored by three (31-28) in the second half. Lynetta Sullivan led the Lady Pirates (17-13) with eight points.

FIRST ROUND - WEST REGIONAL
­ Texas 92, Southern 67
Coming off a loss in the Big 12 Tournament, Texas needed a shot of confidence and got it on its home floor (Austin, Tx.) against the SWAC champs. The Lady Longhoms sprinted out to a 25-7 lead early and led 55-22 at haltime behind six three-pointers that all but buried the Lady Jaguars (17-13). Texas shot 52.5% (31 of 59) for the game, 54.5% (6 of 11) from three-point range and outrebounded Southern 41-23. Tiffany Jackson led five Lady Longhorns in double figures with 21 points. Rolanda Monroe and Ashley Blakeley each scored 16 points to pace Southern.

© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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