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NCAA DIV. II SOUTH REGION - FINALS
North Alabama 97, Benedict 75
SIAC champion Benedict raced out to a 41-35 halftime lead only to watch North Alabama put on a torrid shooting display, canning 70% from the field (21-of-30) including 8-of-10 from behind the arc, to outscore the Tigers 62-34 in the second half of the championship game at the NCAA Div. II South Regional in Lakeland, Fla., Tuesday.
Thomas Frase was nearly unstoppable inside totalling 30 points, 25 in the second half, while Quinn Beckwith led the Lions' (27-8) outside attack with five 3s and 16 points. Beckwith snatched 10 rebounds while Casey Holt added 12 points and 11 boards.
Benedict (28-5) was led by freshman Michael Holmes' 20 points and 10 boards while Charles Gibbs chipped in 19 and Darius Lane 13. The Tigers hit on only 11-of-29 in the second half including 1-of-8 from 3-point range.
NCAA DIV. I - PLAY-IN
Mount Saint Mary's 69, Coppin State 60
After trailing 34-33 at the half, Mount Saint Mary's (19-14) held Coppin State scoreless for a five-minute stretch late in the second half to pull away to victory over the Eagles in the opening round game in Dayton of the NCAA Tournament Tuesday.
The cold stretch for the Eagles (16-21) coincided with a hot stretch of the Mountaineers (19-14), who enjoyed a huge advantage at the free throw line, making 26 of 32 while CSU canned just 6 of 13. Senior guard Tywain McKee, the hero and MVP of the Eagles' MEAC Tournament run, made just 6 of 17 shots and finished with a team-high 15 points. Fellow seniors Antwan Harrison (14) and Mike Miller (11) also scored in double figures.
NCAA DIV. I - FIRST ROUND
UCLA 70, Miss. Valley State 29
The Delta Devils (17-16) set a record for futility in an NCAA tournament first-round game in the loss to West Region top-seed UCLA (32-3). Their 13-for-66 night from the field was the worst shooting performance (19.7%) in an NCAA tournament game since 1985, and their 29 points were the fewest in the tournament since 1946. Larry Cox Jr. had eight points and seven rebounds to lead the Delta Devils.
NIT - FIRST ROUND
Virginia Tech 94, Morgan State 62
Virginia Tech hit 19 of 23 (82.6%) second-half shots to pull away from Morgan State in a first round NIT game played on the Hokies' home court in Blacksburg, Va Wednesday. A.D. Vasallo scored a game-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting and led the Hokies (20-13) attack. Marquise Kately led the Bears (22-11) with 21 points while Boubacar Coly had 11 points and 6 rebounds. Scoring leader and MEAC Player of the Year Jamar Smith, still not a full strength with a foot injury, could play only 18 minutes and contributed six points.
NIT - FIRST ROUND
Arizona State 64, Alabama State 53
Alabama State dug itself a huge hole, making just one of its first 17 shots, but fought back to hang with Arizona State before falling on the Sun Devils' home court in Tempe Tuesday. The Hornets (20-11) trailed 39-21 at the half, but fought back to get within 11 at 47-36 but could never cut the lead below ten.
Andrew Hayles (12) and Brandon Brooks (10) scored in double figures for the Hornets. James Harden's 25 led Arizona State (20-12).
WOMEN
NCAA DiV. I - First Round
Maryland 80, Coppin State 66
Rashida Suber scored 25 points and Shalamar Oakley had 20 as MEAC champ Coppin State (22-12) hung with Maryland before falling to the Spokane Region's top seed on its home floor.
Coppin State led 20-15 early, trailed by only five at halftime and by just 45-41 with 17 minutes left. But Maryland staged 10-0 and 11-1 second-half runs to pull away.
"They did a tremendous job in terms of their scouting. I thought they were very physical and very aggressive, and did a tremendous job for 40 minutes," Terps coach Brenda Frese said. "They really made us work." Crystal Langhorne had 25 points and 12 rebounds, Marissa Coleman scored 17 and Laura Harper had 14 for the Terrapins (31-3)
The Lady Eagles had more field goals (27-24) and fewer turnovers (16-15) but were victimized by a 28-10 deficit at the free throw line and a 42-28 rebounding edge.
"We just fell a little short," Coppin coach Derek Brown said.
NCAA DiV. I - First Round
LSU 66, Jackson State 32
Jackson State could manage only the third fewest points in an NCAA tournament game in falling to New Orleans Region second-seed LSU. The Lady Tigers (18-14) shot just 23 percent from the field and is now 0-4 in NCAA appearances.
Gabrielle Jones led JSU with seven points. Sylvia Fowles had 16 to lead LSU (28-5).
WNIT - FIRST ROUND
Texas State 84, Prairie View 83
Texas State's Joyce Edworomadu canned a 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds to go give the Bobcats (20-11) a heartbreaking decision over Prairie View in a first round WNIT game.
The clutch game-winner overshadowed a career-high 40-point outburst by the Lady Panthers' Candice Thomas, the SWAC player of the year. Thomas converted 13 of 21 field goal attempts including 2 of 3 from behind the arc and hit on 12 of 16 free throws.
Prairie View (22-12) led 45-34 at the half and was still ahead 82-76 with 43 seconds left. After a Edworomadu 3, Prairie View's Shavonne Smith missed two free throws. After a Texas State basket and a free throw by Thomas with 10 seconds left, Edworomadu canned her game-winner.
Three other Lady Panthers scored in double figures with Dominique Smith getting 13, Smith with 12 and Twila Stokes getting 10 points and 10 rebounds.
WNIT - FIRST ROUND
South Carolina 102, NC A&T 74
North Carolina A&T stayed with South Carolina for nearly an entire half before the Gamecocks pulled away in the second half for the first-round WNIT win.
The Lady Aggies led 14-6 early and trailed only 41-38 2:15 before halftime. But the Gamecocks scored the last seven points of the half and opened the second half on a 10-0 to effectively put the game away. Amber Bland led the Lady Aggies (25-8) with 18 points and Brittanie Taylor-James added 16 points and six boards. Jordan Jones had a WNIT-record nine 3-pointers and finished with 31 points for USC (16-15). Backcourt mate Brionna Dickerson added 25 points.
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