BCSP Notes . . .
WNIT Reps
The 48-team field of the Postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament has been announced with Southern of the SWAC and Coppin State of the MEAC making the field.
Southern (16-13) will play at New Mexico Wednesday. Coppin State (14-14) will travel to West Virginia for its first round game on Thursday. Both teams finished second in the regular season in their respective conference.
The WNIT championship game will begin at 2 p.m. ET Saturday, April 4, and will be hosted by one of the two final participating schools.
The WNIT awards an automatic berth to each of the nation's 31 conferences. The spot goes to the team that finishes the highest in the regular-season conference standings that does not advance to the NCAA Tournament. To be considered for a WNIT automatic or at-large berth, a team must have an overall record of .500 or better.
Game times will be announced Tuesday, March 17, by the WNIT. For more information, visit the website at www.womensnit.com
SWAC hoops honors
Prairie View A&M junior forward Gaati Werema and Alabama State senior point guard Brandon Brooks were named SWAC basketball players of the year last week.
Werema, a junior from Miami scored 11.6 points and grabbed 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field and 76% from the line for the regular season and tournament champs. Ciara Shields of Arkansas-Pine Bluff was named defensive player of the year. Shay Holmes of UAPB was named newcomer of the year while Mississippi Valley State's Kanesha Smithearned freshman of the year. Prairie View's Cynthia Cooper-Dyke was named coach of the year.
Brooks, at 6-2 from Irving, Tx., averaged 14.2 points per game while leading the league
in assists (6.8 apg.) and finishing third in field
goal percentage (51.4%) and fourth in free throw
percentage (77.6%). His teammate Chief Kickingstallionsims,
was named defensive player of the year while ASU coach
Lewis Jackson earned coach of the year.
NCAA Div. II Flameout
Eleven black college teams entered the NCAA Div. II basketball playoffs last week and 11 got sent home.
Ten went out in opening round games with only SIAC regular season champ Claflin getting an opening round win.
The Panthers knocked off Valdosta State 54-50 Saturday to advance to the semifinal round Sunday of the South Region in Lakeland, Fl. But the Panthers fell to Christian Brothers in that game, 72-53.
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