Hoops Round-up

UPSET SPECIALS

The lowly men of Maryland-Eastern Shore knocked mighty Hampton into a third-place tie in the MEAC with a shocking 68-62 home victory over the Pirates in front of a national TV audience (ESPNU) Monday night.

The win gives interim head coach Meredith Smith's Hawks (4-21, 2-8) a modest two-game win streak and their first two wins in conference play this season. UMES defeated Howard 59-56 Saturday afternoon.

All-conference guard Ed Tyson was the thorn in Hampton's side tallying a game-high 24 points including several clutch baskets and free throws down the stretch. Hampton (13-9, 7-3) lost to DelState (67-58) Saturday and with its two-game losing streak fell out of a first-place tie with Morgan State and into a third-place tie with Delaware State (10-12, 7-3). Morgan State (15-8, 9-1) got a convincing 81-55 win over S.C. State on Monday.

NC A&T got a shock of its own Monday as it was upset on the road by Bethune-Cookman 54-50. The Aggies (12-11, 6-4), who escaped with a double overtime win (80-78) Saturday at Florida A&M, are now alone in fifth place.

DelState has a big road trip against contenders this week as it travels to second-place Norfolk State (12-10, 8-2) Saturday before invading A&T Monday for an ESPNU telecast.

GAMES THIS WEEK CIAA THURS., FEB. 14 St. Aug's @ Eliz. City St. J.C. Smith @ Livingstone Fayetteville St. @ Shaw Va. Union @ St. Paul's FRI., FEB. 15 UDC @ Va. Union SAT., FEB. 16 Bowie St. @ St. Paul's J.C. Smith @ Shaw St. Aug's @ Fayv St. (TV) SUN., FEB. 17 Va. St. @ Eliz. City St. (TV) TUES., FEB. 19 Va. Union @ Lincoln (PA) St. Paul's @ Col. Union Eliz. City St.@ Bowie St. Fayv St. @ J.C. Smith St. Aug's @ Livingstone Va. St. @ Shaw MEAC SAT., FEB. 16 Coppin St. @ B-Cookman Morgan St. @ Florida A&M WSSU @ Howard Md.-E. Shore @ NC A&T SC St. @ Hampton Delaware St. @ Norfolk St MON., FEB 18 Morgan St. @ B-Cookman Coppin St. @ Florida A&M Delaware St. @ NC A&T WSSU @ Hampton SC St. @ Howard Md.-E. Shore @ Norfolk St. SIAC THURS., FEB. 14 Tuskegee@ Benedict Kentucky St. @ LeM-Owen Lane@ Miles Albany St. @ Morehouse Stillman @ Paine SAT., FEB. 16 Alb. St. @ Fort Valley St. Tuskegee@ Paine Stillman@ Benedict Kentucky St. @ Miles Lane @ LeMoyne-Owen Clark Atl. @ Morehouse MON., FEB. 18 Tuskegee@ Morehouse Stillman @ Claflin LeM-Owen @ Clark Atl. TUES., FEB. 19 Benedict@ Albany St. Paine @ Fort Valley St. SWAC SAT., FEB. 16 Ark. PB @ Southern Alab. St. @ Alab. A&M MVSU @ Alcorn St. Jackson St. @ Pr. View Grambling St. @ TSU MON., FEB. 18 Ark. PB @ Alcorn State Grambling St. @ Pr. View MVSU @ Southern Jackson St. @ TSU INDEPENDENTS THURS., FEB. 14 WV St. @ Davis & Elkins Tex A&M Intl @ Lincoln (MO) Murray St. @ Tenn. St. Cental St. @ Wilberforce SAT., FEB. 16 Utah Valley St. @ Sav. St. Mansfield @ Cheyney Inc. Word @ Lincoln (MO) Briarcliffe @ Lincoln (PA) Chowan @ NC Central Concord @ WV St. Centr. St. @ Oakland City SUN., FEB. 17 Cheyney @ UDC MON., FEB. 18 Dallas Bapt. @ Lincoln (MO) Austin Peay @ Tenn. St. TUES., FEB. 19 Sav. St. @ Stetson Utah Valley @ NC Central

There's no change on the women's side as the Lady Aggies of A&T (18-5, 10-0) got wins on the road against Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman and stretched their lead to three games. Hampton was beaten by Maryland-Eastern Shore to fall into a four-way tie for second (with DelState, Coppin State and UMES) at 7-3. The Lady Aggies will be challenged at home this week by UMES Saturday and DelState on Monday.

ON THE MOVE

The men of Grambling State are making a move in the SWAC race. Picked by some to win this year's league title, veteran coach Larry Wright's troops have rebounded from 11 straight losses to start the season to win six of their last seven including five straight. The streak includes two close home wins over the weekend that moved the Tigers into a fourth-place tie with three others (Southern, Ark.-Pine Bluff and Miss. Valley State) at 6-5 in league play.

They needed 30 points from guard Andre Ratliff and an extra period to subdue Southern 79-76 before a national TV audience (ESPN2) Saturday and then survived a furious comeback to beat Alcorn State 73-71 Monday. The Tigers (6-12, 6-5) look to continue their momentum as they hit the road for their Texas swing at Texas Southern Saturday and Prairie View Monday.

Meanwhile, men's leader Alabama State (13-8, 9-2) plays its only conference game this week at Alabama A&M Saturday. Defending champion and second place Jackson State (9-15, 7-4) also plays in Texas this week at Prairie View Saturday and Texas Southern Monday.

The Lady Panthers of Prairie View (15-7, 10-0) will put their conference unbeaten record on the line Saturday as second-place Jackson State (11-10, 9-2) comes calling. Prairie View needed overtime to put away the Lady Tigers in their first meeting on Jan. 19, 57-51.

© 2008 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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