It's all over for the Delta State University Lady Statesmen basketball team. Their quest for an NCAA Division II national championship ended late Wednesday night with a 58-39 loss to Franklin Pierce (N.H.).
Article courtesy of Delta State University Sports Information
Showing posts with label Delta State University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delta State University. Show all posts
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
D-II Elite Eight Update--Delta State wins, Clayton State loses
The dream of an NCAA Division II women's basketball national championship continued for one team in D-II South Nation, while it ended for another squad Tuesday.
Delta State advanced to Wednesday's Final Four contest with a 55-47 win over West Texas A&M at San Antonio, Tex. The Lady Statesmen will face Franklin Pierce (N.H.) at 9:30 p.m. EDT. Catch the action on ESPNU if it's available in your area.
As for the Clayton State Lakers, however, their dream of taking home their first-ever national championship ended after just one round Tuesday afternoon, as No. 2 (NABC) Alaska-Anchorage handed them a season-ending 66-59 loss. The Lakers let a 13-point second half lead slip away down the stretch. Their season ends with a 26-7 record.
Delta State advanced to Wednesday's Final Four contest with a 55-47 win over West Texas A&M at San Antonio, Tex. The Lady Statesmen will face Franklin Pierce (N.H.) at 9:30 p.m. EDT. Catch the action on ESPNU if it's available in your area.
As for the Clayton State Lakers, however, their dream of taking home their first-ever national championship ended after just one round Tuesday afternoon, as No. 2 (NABC) Alaska-Anchorage handed them a season-ending 66-59 loss. The Lakers let a 13-point second half lead slip away down the stretch. Their season ends with a 26-7 record.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Road To The Elite Eight--A Quick Preview (Women)
After almost a week to decompress, here's how the match-ups for the NCAA Division II women's basketball Elite Eight came to be for Southeast Regional champion Clayton State, and South Regional winner Delta State. First of two parts. The men's match-up between Augusta State and Christian Brothers will be featured in the next installment.
Southeast (at Hickory, N.C.)
After a second-place regular season finish in the Peach Belt Conference, followed by a semifinal exit from the PBC tournament, it seemed as if very few people, if any, gave the Clayton State University Lakers much of a chance to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
But the Lakers proved all of the experts wrong, as their women's basketball team advanced to the national quarterfinals for the second time in three years after being seeded third for the Southeast Regional bracket.
After holding off a scrappy squad from Carson-Newman, 68-66, in the first round on Mar. 13, the Lakers knocked off No. 2 seed Tusculum, 79-68, in the first regional semifinal contest the following night. No. 4 seed Francis Marion ensured an all-Peach Belt regional final later that evening by pulling off the 93-74 upset of top-seed and host Lenoir-Rhyne.
But in the end, it was Clayton State that pulled off the biggest "upset" of all, as the Lakers cruised past the PBC regular season champion Patriots in a 89-73 win that clinched the program's second regional crown in three seasons. They'll now face an Alaska-Anchorage program that won the West Region with a 54-43 win over Seattle Pacific. Oh, by the way, the Seawolves come into Wednesday's game as the nation's second-ranked team, according to the WBCA NCAA Division II poll. A very tall order for the Lakers indeed. But don't bet against them at this point.
South Regional (at Cleveland, Miss.)
Unlike Clayton State, the expectations were very high for the Delta State University Lady Statesmen going into the NCAA Division II women's basketball regionals (after all, they have won six national championships over the years, with the last coming in 1992). And they met those expectations with mostly flying colors.
The DSU women advanced to the regional finals with double-digit wins over eighth-seeded Valdosta State (58-48) and Arkansas-Monticello (80-56). Still, the Lady Statesmen have to stave off a strong challenge from Gulf South Conference West Division rival and seventh-seeded upstart Ouachita Baptist (50-49) to advance to their 13th Elite Eight, thanks to a tip-in by Courtney Wilson in the game's closing seconds. Next up for the Lady Statesmen is a battle with West Texas A&M, who won the South Central Regional title with a 65-52 victory over Central Oklahoma in the title game last week.
So, what will it take for Delta State and Clayton State to meet for the national title game. Both teams, Clayton State especially, must pass the first test come Wednesday: defeating West Texas A&M and Alaska-Anchorage, respectively, then win Final Four contests with other battle-tested teams and underdogs alike, to create perhaps one of the most unlikely match-ups in the history of championship games, regardless of the sport.
Southeast (at Hickory, N.C.)
After a second-place regular season finish in the Peach Belt Conference, followed by a semifinal exit from the PBC tournament, it seemed as if very few people, if any, gave the Clayton State University Lakers much of a chance to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
But the Lakers proved all of the experts wrong, as their women's basketball team advanced to the national quarterfinals for the second time in three years after being seeded third for the Southeast Regional bracket.
After holding off a scrappy squad from Carson-Newman, 68-66, in the first round on Mar. 13, the Lakers knocked off No. 2 seed Tusculum, 79-68, in the first regional semifinal contest the following night. No. 4 seed Francis Marion ensured an all-Peach Belt regional final later that evening by pulling off the 93-74 upset of top-seed and host Lenoir-Rhyne.
But in the end, it was Clayton State that pulled off the biggest "upset" of all, as the Lakers cruised past the PBC regular season champion Patriots in a 89-73 win that clinched the program's second regional crown in three seasons. They'll now face an Alaska-Anchorage program that won the West Region with a 54-43 win over Seattle Pacific. Oh, by the way, the Seawolves come into Wednesday's game as the nation's second-ranked team, according to the WBCA NCAA Division II poll. A very tall order for the Lakers indeed. But don't bet against them at this point.
South Regional (at Cleveland, Miss.)
Unlike Clayton State, the expectations were very high for the Delta State University Lady Statesmen going into the NCAA Division II women's basketball regionals (after all, they have won six national championships over the years, with the last coming in 1992). And they met those expectations with mostly flying colors.
The DSU women advanced to the regional finals with double-digit wins over eighth-seeded Valdosta State (58-48) and Arkansas-Monticello (80-56). Still, the Lady Statesmen have to stave off a strong challenge from Gulf South Conference West Division rival and seventh-seeded upstart Ouachita Baptist (50-49) to advance to their 13th Elite Eight, thanks to a tip-in by Courtney Wilson in the game's closing seconds. Next up for the Lady Statesmen is a battle with West Texas A&M, who won the South Central Regional title with a 65-52 victory over Central Oklahoma in the title game last week.
So, what will it take for Delta State and Clayton State to meet for the national title game. Both teams, Clayton State especially, must pass the first test come Wednesday: defeating West Texas A&M and Alaska-Anchorage, respectively, then win Final Four contests with other battle-tested teams and underdogs alike, to create perhaps one of the most unlikely match-ups in the history of championship games, regardless of the sport.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
2008-09 BASKETBALL PREVIEW--Gulf South Conference Women
Another preseason basketball preview is on the way, as the women's teams in the Gulf South Conference are next to be profiled.
EAST DIVISION
1. West Georgia
2. Valdosta State
3. North Alabama
4. West Alabama
5. West Florida
6. Montevallo
7. Alabama-Huntsville
WEST DIVISION
1. Delta State
2. Arkansas Tech
3. Harding
4. Christian Brothers
5. Arkansas-Monticello
6. Henderson State
7. Southern Arkansas
8. Ouachita Baptist
Analysis: Despite losing four starters from a squad that finished 33-1 overall, and in the NCAA Division II Final Four last season, the Lady Statesmen were picked by the coaches to once again rule the roost in the GSC, although Arkansas Tech might give DSU a run for its money. In the East, the road to the title might go through Carrollton, Ga., as the West Georgia is the preseason favorite to win that division. But don't count out Valdosta State, whose Lady Blazers finished a solid 26-6--and advanced to the NCAA tournament to boot--in 2007-08.
EAST DIVISION
1. West Georgia
2. Valdosta State
3. North Alabama
4. West Alabama
5. West Florida
6. Montevallo
7. Alabama-Huntsville
WEST DIVISION
1. Delta State
2. Arkansas Tech
3. Harding
4. Christian Brothers
5. Arkansas-Monticello
6. Henderson State
7. Southern Arkansas
8. Ouachita Baptist
Analysis: Despite losing four starters from a squad that finished 33-1 overall, and in the NCAA Division II Final Four last season, the Lady Statesmen were picked by the coaches to once again rule the roost in the GSC, although Arkansas Tech might give DSU a run for its money. In the East, the road to the title might go through Carrollton, Ga., as the West Georgia is the preseason favorite to win that division. But don't count out Valdosta State, whose Lady Blazers finished a solid 26-6--and advanced to the NCAA tournament to boot--in 2007-08.
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