Woods knocks 'em down at Shootout
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
Woods, the nation's top three-point shooter in each of the last two
seasons, scored 23 points in the final, vaulting past the University of Oregon's
Luke Jackson, who scored 20 points in the final, to win the Capital One Men's
Three-Point Championship.
He later won the Midas Three-Point Challenge, edging Boston College's Amber Jacobs, the women's three-point winner, 16 points to 14, giving him the overall title.
The shootout, which was part of a skills competition sponsored by InterSport, leading up to the NCAA Final Four here this weekend, was aired on a taped delay basis by ESPN.
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Woods who transferred to FAMU from the University of Tennessee three years ago, scored 18 points in the opening round and 20 in the second round to reach the finals.
For the mercurial Woods, Thursday's skills' contest victory vindicated his supporters, which included Florida A&M head coach Mike Gillespie, Sr., who lobbied incessantly all season for him to participate in the contest.
Going into last weekend, hopes seemed dim for Woods' inclusion, as he was listed as a first or second alternate, despite having canned 279 three-pointers the past two seasons, perhaps because Florida A&M didn't have a high national profile.
But with two invited players dropping out on Monday, including Duke's Chris Duhon, Woods was notified on Tuesday that he would indeed get to match shots against seven other "big time" shooters.
Thursday's nationally-televised triumph was yet another proud moment for Florida A&M and its' men's basketball program, which executed a major reversal of fortune this season.
Third year head coach Gillespie, led the Rattlers from a dismal 1-10 start, to 14 wins in their final 21 games, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament title and an opening round NCAA Tournament win over Lehigh (Pa.) University, before staging a now-legendary duel with the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in the St. Louis Regionals.
After the contest, an emotional Gillespie gushed with pride about Woods, saying: "I'm just so proud of him (Woods)... What better exposure for the university and the city of Tallahassee. Everybody except Terrence was from a major conference school and he beat them all... I have so much pride right now. I actually cried when the son of a gun won it. I knew all he needed was a chance... We knew he would win it if he got in it."
Woods finished his collegiate career with 353 three-pointers, the 11th best career total in NCAA Division One history and had many stellar moments in his two seasons at FAMU, but capped it off Thursday night with a triumph of individual excellence which will certainly make him one of the all-time greats in Rattler Basketball history.
- Terrence Woods
- Midas Three-Point Overall Challenge winner (2004).
- Capital One Men's Three-Point Shootout winner (2004).
- Most Outstanding Player, 2004 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.
- Two-time Black College Sports Page "Baad Team" Selectee (2nd team 2003, 1st team 2004)
- Two-time All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (first-team, 2003, 2004).
- Preseason 2004 MEAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year.
- 11th on NCAA Career Three-Point List (353).
- Ranked twice in NCAA Top 10 in single-season three-point performances (4th, 140 in 2004; 5th, 139 in 2003).
- Led NCAA Division One in three-pointers in 2004 (4.5) and 2004 (4.96).
- Holds single-season NCAA record for most three-pointers per game as junior (4.96 in 2003).
- Hit 12 three-pointers vs. Coppin (Md.) State, March 1, 2003.
- Hit 11 three-pointers vs. North Carolina A&T, February 1, 2003.
- Hit 9 three-pointers vs. University of Florida, December 2, 2003.
- Hit game-winning three-pointer with 0.08 seconds left in 72-71 win over Hampton (Va.) University in the 2004 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals, March 11, 2004.
- Led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in scoring in 2004 (20.5) and 2003 (20.1).
- Ranked nationally in NCAA Division One in scoring, three-pointer per game and free throw shooting two consecutive years (2003, 2004).
HIGHLIGHTS
© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.