Tuesday, March 04, 2008
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK--CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
Gulf South Conference--at Southaven, Miss. (March 5-9)
Women's Bracket
Men's Bracket
Analysis: Both the Delta State women (26-0 overall) and the North Alabama men (23-7) are the overwhelming favorites to not only win their respective brackets, but also to host the South Regionals next week. Still, this is "March Madness", where every team starts 0-0. With three other nationally ranked teams (West Georgia, Valdosta State, and Arkansas Tech) playing in the GSC tournament, it won't be an easy path for the Lady Statesmen to navigate.
Peach Belt Conference--at Aiken, S.C. (March 5-9)
Women's Bracket
Men's Bracket
Analysis: USC Aiken (25-2 overall, 19-1 in PBC) and Augusta State (22-5, 17-3) have dominated regular season play all season. But if there's a sleeper in the men's bracket, it might Georgia College & State University (19-8, 13-7), whose Bobcats finished a respectable third place at the end of the regular season.
On the women's side, after one of the most parity-filled regular season title races in league history, the conference tournament could also be one of the most unpredictable, especially after five teams (Augusta State, Clayton State, Lander, Francis Marion, and USC Aiken) managed to get a five-way split of the crown. A sixth team, Columbus State, finished just one game behind that quintet. So, it wouldn't be a surprise if a lower-seeded team came out of nowhere, and won the tournament title come Sunday.
SIAC--at Birmingham, Ala. (March 5-9)
Women's Bracket
Men's Bracket
Analysis: Like the Peach Belt Conference, the race for the women's SIAC regular season championship also came down with the wire, with Tuskegee (18-8 overall, 17-3 in conference play) beating out Fort Valley State (18-9, 15-5) by two games for first place. But the conference tournament is anyone's for the taking, as any of the underdogs could get hot, and steal the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II tournament.
On the men's side, Benedict (23-4, 20-2) has run away with the top regular season title, but hopes to avoid a meltdown that stopped their run in the SIAC tournament in 2007. As the fifth seed, Albany State upset the Tigers en route to the conference tourney title last year, but the Golden Rams must win four games as the ninth seed in order to repeat this year.
Friday, February 29, 2008
DELTA STATE HOLDS OFF ARKANSAS TECH--WINS GSC WEST TITLE
Article courtesy of d2basketball.com via Delta State University Sports Information
Thursday, February 28, 2008
REGIONAL RANKINGS REVIEW--MEN
South Region
1.
North Alabama
19-7
18-4
2.
Florida Southern
21-6
18-5
3.
Benedict
20-4
20-4
4.
Tampa
16-7
14-5
5.
Harding
11-8
11-8
6.
Eckerd
16-8
16-5
7.
Rollins
16-7
11-7
8.
West Georgia
13-10
13-10
9.
Alabama-Huntsville
13-12
11-10
10.
Christian Brothers
15-9
14-7
Analysis: North Alabama (23-7 overall, 10-2 GSC) is on a roll entering the Gulf South Conference tournament, winning eight straight games, and a GSC East Division title. But perennial Sunshine State Conference power Florida Southern wants to steal the Lions thunder, and the home court advantage for the South Regional tournament. As the SIAC regular season champions, Benedict hopes to avoid an early exit from its conference tournament.
South Atlantic Region
1.
Augusta State
21-3
21-3
2.
South Carolina Aiken
23-2
23-1
3.
Lenoir-Rhyne
20-3
19-3
4.
Virginia Union
19-6
17-6
5.
Elizabeth City State
17-6
17-6
6.
Wingate
19-4
17-4
7.
Bowie State
18-7
18-7
8.
Carson-Newman
18-4
18-4
9.
Armstrong Atlantic State
16-9
16-9
10.
Johnson C. Smith
16-9
16-9
Analysis: With its 65-56 win over Clayton State, combined with Augusta State's 91-83 upset loss to Columbus State, both on Feb. 27, USC Aiken (24-2, 18-1 PBC) not only clinched the Peach Belt Conference regular season title-while carrying an 11-game winning streak into next week's PBC tournament, they also put themselves in position to overtake their Central Savannah River Area rivals for the top spot in next week's regional poll. It'll be interesting to see whether the Pacers can maintain that pace heading into postseason play en route to hosting the South Atlantic Regional.
REGIONAL RANKINGS REVIEW--WOMEN
NOTE: First record is the record against all Division II opponents, followed by the in-region record. Games against non-NCAA Division II teams do not count in the rankings. The top eight teams in each region will advance to the NCAA Division II tournament on March 9.
Source: NCAA Sports.com
South Region
1
Delta State
22-0
18-0
2
West Georgia
22-2
22-2
3
Arkansas Tech
18-3
18-3
4
Tampa
20-5
18-4
5
Nova Southeastern
19-6
16-5
6
Tuskegee
17-7
17-5
7
Harding
13-8
13-8
8
Valdosta State
20-4
19-4
9
Barry
17-8
14-6
10
Fort Valley State
17-9
16-7
Analysis: Going into Thursday night's showdown against nationally 10th-ranked Arkansas Tech, top-ranked Delta State had a chance to clinch the Gulf South Conference West Division title outright with a win, and preserve their perfect record. Regardless of the outcome, the Lady Statesmen appear poised to host the South Regional, thanks to their impressive record.
Still, don't count the likes of teams such as ATU, West Georgia, and Valdosta State out of the picture just yet, as all of those teams are more than capable of making a solid postseason run.
South Atlantic Region
1
Francis Marion
18-5
18-5
2
Clayton State
17-8
17-6
3
Augusta State
17-7
17-7
4
Columbus State
15-9
15-9
5
Tusculum
21-3
18-3
6
Wingate
18-7
18-6
7
North Georgia
16-10
16-10
8
Shaw
17-11
15-6
9
Johnson C. Smith
17-7
17-7
10
South Carolina-Aiken
16-7
15-7
Analysis: Despite having multiple teams beating up on each other, the Peach Belt Conference still managed to place six teams in the South Atlantic regional rankings, including the top four positions. With six teams separted by one game for first place--five of those holding identical 12-7 records in PBC play, and Francis Marion (20-6, 13-6) barely clinging to a one-game lead for the regular season title--this could set the tone for one of the most competitive conference tournaments in recent years.
Monday, February 25, 2008
REGIONAL RANKINGS REVIEW--MEN
NOTE: Only games against NCAA Division II opponents are counted in the regional rankings. The overall records against all D-II opponents, followed by the in-region record. All records listed reflected action through Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008.
South Region
1.
North Alabama
17-7
16-4
2.
Tampa
16-6
14-4
3.
Florida Southern
19-6
16-5
4.
Benedict
17-4
17-4
5.
Rollins
16-5
11-5
6.
Harding
10-7
10-7
7.
Eckerd
15-7
15-4
8.
Alabama-Huntsville
12-11
10-9
9.
Ouachita Baptist
13-6
12-5
10.
Christian Brothers
13-9
12-7
Analysis: North Alabama (22-7 overall as of Feb. 25) has been the class of a Gulf South Conference that's had a down year so far, as no other team in the league has won more than 20 games overall. The Sunshine State Conference, meanwhile, has flexed its muscles tremendously, placing four teams (Tampa, Florida Southern, Rollins, & Eckerd) in the top eight regionally. Benedict (22-4, 19-2) has run away with the SIAC regular season title, but the jury is still out as to whether the Tigers can close the deal in the upcoming conference tournament.
South Atlantic Region
1.
Augusta State
19-3
19-3
South Carolina Aiken
20-2
20-1
3.
Lenoir-Rhyne
19-3
18-3
4.
Elizabeth City State
17-4
17-4
5.
Wingate
17-4
15-4
6.
Virginia Union
17-6
15-6
7.
Carson-Newman
16-4
16-4
8.
Bowie State
16-7
16-7
9.
Armstrong Atlantic State
15-8
15-8
10.
GCSU
13-7
13-7
Analysis: The Peach Belt Conference regular season title race has basically been a battle between two teams USC Aiken (23-2 overall, 17-1 PBC) and Augusta State (21-4, 16-2) all season long. And they could be the lone representatives from the league in the NCAA South Atlantic Regional unless bubble teams Armstrong Atlantic State (16-9, 10-8) and Georgia College & State University (18-7, 12-6) get hot in the conference tournament, and win the automatic bid from the PBC.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
REGIONAL RANKINGS REVIEW--WOMEN
Over the next several weeks, D-II South Sports will break down the rankings in both the South and South Atlantic Regions, and what impact those numbers will have on the eventual selection process. First up are the women's rankings.
Source: NCAA Sports.com via d2basketball.com
KEY: First record is games against all Division II opponents only. The second record is games against all regional opponents. Non-NCAA Division II games were not counted in the regional rankings.
South Region
1
Delta State
20-0
16-0
2
West Georgia
21-2
21-2
3
Arkansas Tech
16-3
16-3
4
Tampa
18-5
16-4
5
Nova Southeastern
17-6
14-5
6
Valdosta State
19-4
18-4
7
Tuskegee
15-7
15-5
8
Harding
12-7
12-7
9
Fort Valley State
15-8
14-6
10
Barry
16-8
13-6
Analysis: The Gulf South Conference leads the way in the South Region with five teams, three of those holding the top three spots (DSU, UWG, and ATU). The Sunshine State Conference, though, looks a two-team race between Tampa and Nova Southeastern for first place there. It appears the SIAC regular season title race could come down to either Fort Valley State or Tuskegee.
South Atlantic Region
1
Francis Marion
16-4
16-4
Columbus State
14-7
14-7
3
Clayton State
15-7
15-5
4
Augusta State
16-6
16-6
5
North Georgia
15-8
15-8
6
Tusculum
19-3
16-3
7
Wingate
16-7
16-6
8
Shaw
17-11
15-6
9
Johnson C. Smith
16-7
16-7
10
South Carolina-Aiken
14-6
13-6
The Peach Belt Conference regular season championship race appears to be the tightest in years, with the top six teams separated by one game heading into action on Feb. 20. That would mean Francis Marion's (18-5, 11-5 PBC) stay at the top of the South Atlantic Region rankings will be short lived after 95-81 upset loss to Lander just two nights earlier. That could make for the most exciting PBC tournament in a long time.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
MUST SEE GAMES--02/13/2008
KEY: (L)--Live Stats (V)--Video
TOP WOMEN'S GAMES
Columbus State (14-7, 10-4) at North Georgia (14-7, 7-7)--Wednesday 5:30 p.m. EST
Augusta State (15-6, 9-5) at Lander (14-9, 8-5)--Wednesday 5:30 p.m. EST
The Peach Belt Conference has been among the most competitive leagues in NCAA Division II since its debut in the early 1990's. But the race for the women's basketball regular season title has never been this tight.
The case in point is the two games featured for tonight. After a sluggish start, CSU has won its last three games to pull into a first place tie with Francis Marion (17-4, 10-4), whom the Lady Cougars knocked off in double overtime, 113-108, in a rare Sunday matinee on Feb. 10.
The Lady Saints, on the other hand, have been in a Jekyll-and-Hyde mentality in PBC play so far this season. In fact, after getting by Georgia College & State University, 82-75, on Feb. 6, the North Georgia women couldn't find their rhythm against USC Aiken, and fell 76-59 just three days later.
The other featured game has the Bearcats playing host to the Lady Jaguars. Both teams are coming off tough losses, as ASU dropped a 67-64 setback to Clayton State Feb. 9, while LU was stomped by Columbus State 92-74 that same night.
TOP MEN'S GAMES
Georgia College & State University (14-6, 8-5) at Armstrong Atlantic State (L)-(V)--(14-7, 8-6)--Wednesday 7:30 p.m. EST
Columbus State (12-12, 8-6) at North Georgia (12-9, 7-7)--Wednesday 7:30 p.m. EST
While USC Aiken (19-2, 13-1) and Augusta State (17-4, 12-2) are battling each other for the PBC regular season crown, it's a tight race for third place, as four squads from the Peach State play each other in a critical battle for position in the upcoming conference tournament.
GC&SU has won back-to-back games going into mid-week action, while Armstrong has won three straight contests. Those recent results leave the Bobcats and Pirates separated by half a game for the third seed in the PBC standings.
Despite up and down season thus far, the Cougars have managed to post a better than .500 record in conference games. After losing to Lander, 66-53, on Feb. 9, CSU did manage to bounce back, on blow out Francis Marion, 77-61, the following day.
As for the North Georgia men, they enter this contest coming off back-to-back losses. The Saints fell to GC&SU 84-72 on Feb. 6, then lost to PBC leader USC Aiken 75-70 the following day. It'll be interesting to see if North Georgia can not only snap that short skid, but make a late move before the PBC tournament.
Monday, February 11, 2008
MUST SEE GAMES--02/11/2008
KEY: (V)-Video (L)--Live Stats
National rankings courtesy of WBCA/ESPN/USA Today poll.
TOP WOMEN'S GAME
#10 West Georgia (20-2, 7-0) at #13 Valdosta State (19-3, 5-2)--Monday 6 p.m. EST
The Wolves put their 11-game winning streak on the line in this Gulf South Conference East Division match-up, while hoping to put some distance between themselves and the Lady Blazers in the process. As for the VSU women, they'll be looking for revenge against UWG, who snapped what was then a 10-game Lady Blazer win streak back on Jan. 19 in a 59-49 win at home.
TOP MEN'S GAME
West Georgia (12-9, 4-3) at Valdosta State (13-8, 5-2)--Monday 8 p.m. EST
The Blazers host the Wolves in a battle of Gulf South Conference East Division teams whose fortunes have reversed since their initial meeting in January.
Since edging the Blazers, 64-63, in the first meeting at Carrollton, Ga. on Jan. 19, the Wolves have been in a freefall mode, losing four of their last six games. That skid included a 85-68 loss at West Florida on Jan. 9.
On the other hand, the Blazers have been, for lack of a better word, "blazin"! The Blazers enter this contest on a four-game winning streak, the latest victory a 78-63 triumph over Alabama-Huntsville on Jan. 9. The VSU men pulled into a three-way tie with UAH and North Alabama in the GSC East with the win over the Chargers.
Monday, February 04, 2008
FORMER KENTUCKY STATE PLAYER INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
Article courtesy of thesiac.com.
MUST SEE GAMES--02/04/2008
KEY: (L)--Live Stats (V)--Video
TOP WOMEN'S GAME
Columbus State (11-6, 7-3) at Augusta State (13-5, 7-4)--Monday 5:30 p.m. EST
Call the Peach Belt Conference the "pretty bizarre" conference.
That's because so far this season, teams in this competitive league have been beating up on each other left and right, with each team having at least two losses in conference play going into the early stages of February.
The CSU Lady Cougars are one of those teams, having won four straight games to put themselves in the hunt for the PBC regular-season title. On Jan. 30, the Georgia College & State University Lady Bobcats became the Lady Cougars fourth straight victim, as Columbus State posted a 62-47 win.
As for Augusta State, the Lady Jaguars have won three straight games going into this rare Monday night league contest, winning for the first time in the last six tries at Georgia College & State University. With the 85-62 rout of the Lady Bobcats on Groundhog Day (Feb. 2), the Augusta State women pulled themselves to within a half-game of Clayton State (13-6, 8-4), who downed UNC Pembroke 63-57 that same night, and idle Columbus State, who had the Super Bowl weekend off.
TOP MEN'S GAME
NOTE: National ranking courtesy of NABC poll.
Columbus State (10-10, 6-4) at #10 Augusta State (14-4, 9-2)--Monday 7:30 p.m. EST
The nightcap of this Peach Belt Conference doubleheader pits the Cougars against the Jaguars. Like their female counterparts, the CSU men are also riding a winning streak after a slow start, winners of their last three contests, including a stunning 80-78 win over longtime PBC archrival Georgia College & State University on Wednesday, Jan. 30.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars managed to bounce back from a 75-71 upset loss to North Georgia on Jan. 28, to pick up a 88-81 Groundhog Day win over the GC&SU Bobcats.
Friday, February 01, 2008
GC&SU ATHLETIC DIRECTOR TO RETIRE
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Wednesday, January 30, 2008
MUST SEE GAMES--01/31/2008
KEY: (L)--Live Stats (V)--Video
National rankings courtesy of WBCA/ESPN/USA Today poll.
TOP WOMEN'S GAME
#17 Arkansas Tech (16-2, 5-0) at #1 Delta State (17-0, 5-0)--Thursday 6 p.m. CST
Every season, it seems that sooner or later, there's a big showdown that many a loyal fan has circled on his or her calendars for months. The ATU-DSU clash is one of those contests, as the winner of this contest stands alone atop the Gulf South Conference West Division standings.
The top-ranked Lady Statesmen will put their perfect 17-0 record against the 17th-ranked team in the Golden Suns. DSU stayed unbeaten after downing Christian Brothers 54-39 last Saturday (Jan. 26), while ATU won its 16th straight game since starting the season 0-2 with a 74-54 crushing of Arkansas-Monticello that same night.
Consider the following statistics: As this blog entry was posted, ATU and DSU had two of the top three scoring offenses in the GSC (ATU 1st--82.2 ppg; DSU 3rd--73.4), two of the top five scoring defenses (DSU 2nd--52.6; ATU 5th--57.8), top two in average scoring margin (ATU tops at plus-24.4 ppg; DSU 2nd at 20.8), even the highest free-throw percentages in the conference (ATU at .497, DSU not far behind at .495).
In other words, it's like the old saying goes, "something's gotta give" when these two powerhouses clash in this Thursday night special. It's too bad one team has to lose.
TOP MEN'S GAME
Arkansas Tech (13-5, 4-1) at Delta State (9-8, 3-2)--Thursday 8 p.m. CST
As if the main event between two nationally-ranked teams wasn't bad enough, the nightcap shouldn't be bad either, as the Statesmen take on the Wonder Boys in a contest that could further tighten the Gulf South Conference West Division race.
Arkansas-Monticello (11-6, 3-2) moved to within one game of first place in the GSC West by handing ATU its first conference loss of the season with a 67-63 win on the road Saturday, Jan. 26. DSU climbed over .500 in both overall and GSC play, respectively by beating Christian Brothers 79-63 the same night.
MUST SEE GAMES--01/30/2008
KEY: (L)--Live Stats (V)--Video
National ranking courtesy of WBCA/ESPN/USA Today poll.
TOP WOMEN'S GAME
#22 Francis Marion (13-2, 6-2) at Lander (L)--(13-6, 7-2)--Wednesday 5:30 p.m. EST
Hands down, this is the "Game of the Night" in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball, as the Bearcats host the Patriots in a showdown for sole possession of first place.
FMU re-entered the NCAA Division II national rankings after downing defending PBC champion Clayton State 84-76 Saturday Jan. 26. Lander lost its second PBC contest of the season with a 66-52 upset loss at Armstrong Atlantic State that same day.
TOP MEN'S GAME
Georgia College & State University (12-4, 6-3) at Columbus State (9-10, 5-4)--Wednesday 7:30 p.m. EST
The Cougars host the Bobcats in what has already become a tight men's race in the Peach Belt Conference. On Saturday, Jan. 26, the Bobcats gave nationally-ranked USC Aiken all it could handle before losing 72-69 on the road, while the Cougars needed overtime to defeat UNC Pembroke 70-68.
Monday, January 28, 2008
MUST SEE GAMES--01/28/2008
KEY: (V)--Video
TOP WOMEN'S GAME
North Georgia (11-4, 4-4) at Augusta State (V)--(11-5, 5-4)--Monday 5:30 p.m. EST
The Lady Jaguars host the Lady Saints in a game that was rescheduled from Jan. 19 because of the recent wintry weather in the Southeast. The winner of this contest hopes to make an upward move in the Peach Belt Conference standings heading into February.
Both teams had mixed results in games played last week. North Georgia defeated Armstrong Atlantic State, 78-66, on Jan. 21 (MLK Day), but fell to Clayton State two nights later, by a score of 76-72.
As for Augusta State, the Lady Jags began the week with a low-scoring 48-37 win over USC Aiken Jan. 21, lost 101-86 to Francis Marion Jan.23, then rebounded to hand Georgia Southwestern State (1-16, 0-10) its 16th straight defeat, 75-69.
TOP MEN'S GAME
Montevallo (9-9, 2-2) at Valdosta State (10-8, 2-2)--Monday 8 p.m. EST
The Blazers host the Falcons in yet another critical Gulf South Conference East Division showdown at the VSU P.E. Complex. Not only is sole possession of fourth place in the GSC East at stake, the winner of this game will also go above. 500 in conference play going into February.
On Saturday, Jan. 26, VSU snapped a two-game losing streak at the expense of the University of West Alabama Tigers, as they earned a much-needed win over the Alabama foes, 74-62, at home. Jamahl Stokes scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Blazers to victory.
As for the Falcons, they'll look to go into February with a winning record both in overall and GSC play after a sluggish start. UM, though, did need overtime to defeat West Florida, 75-70, at UWF Saturday.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
MUST SEE GAMES--01/26/2008
KEY: (V)--Video (L)--Live Stats
TOP MEN'S GAME
Arkansas-Monticello (10-6, 2-2) at Arkansas Tech (L)--(13-4, 4-0)--Saturday 6 p.m. CST
The Boll Weevils battle the Wonder Boys in a key Gulf South Conference West Division clash. ATU hopes to stay unbeaten in conference play, while UAM hopes to get over .500 in GSC action.
Thursday night, the Wonder Boys held off Harding (9-8, 3-1) to take over sole possession of first place in the GSC West, while the Boll Weevils downed Henderson State 69-57.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
AUGUSTA STATE UPSETS USC AIKEN
Augusta State University Sports Information
USC Aiken Sports Information
PEACH BELT RELEASES PRESEASON BASEBALL TEAM
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Saturday, January 19, 2008
USC AIKEN WOMEN'S HOOPS WINS 500TH GAME!!!
It was the program’s second win in the last three visits to Columbus, avenging last year’s 75-74 overtime defeat. The victory is also USCA’s 500th win all-time in 32 years of women’s basketball.
Columbus State, winners of two straight, employed a zone defense in the first half against the Lady Pacers, shutting down the inside attack of Morgan Johnson and Jordon Thomas, but opening up opportunities for Legg. Despite a career game from the Huntersville, N.C. product, the Lady Pacers found themselves trailing at the break.
Turelle Jones’ fastbreak lay-up at the 14:58 mark of the opening stanza gave the Lady Cougars a 10-5 advantage. Legg proceeded to drain three-straight triples as USCA grabbed its first lead 14-12 less than two minutes later.
Following a rare Legg two-point basket, Jones ignited a 10-0 run and CSU pushed out to a 26-16 spread with 7:34 left in the half. Jones finished with 11 points as the Lady Cougars held a commanding 24-2 edge in points in the paint in the first half.
The Lady Pacers finally ended a four-and-a-half minute scoring drought on another Legg three with 7:28 on the clock, only to see Maria Grimes, CSU’s leading scorer at 17.8 ppg, counter with a three-pointer of her own on the ensuing possession. Grimes had 11 on the day.
Three more Legg long balls capped off by Nakia Pinkney’s trey with 2:44 on the clock capped off a 12-3 Lady Pacer run as USCA drew within a point at 32-31. Pinkney’s field goal ended 23-straight points scored by Legg, becoming the first Lady Pacer to scratch in the scoring column since Avonte Williams’ at the 16:54 mark.
Columbus State closed the half strong, however, scoring the final eight points to lead 40-31.
The first points of the second half belonged to Columbus State’s Monica Sicka as she extended the CSU lead to the largest of the game, 42-31 with 18:36 to play. Sicka led CSU with 12 points and eight rebounds.
After zoning USC Aiken in the first half, the Lady Cougars switched to man-to-man in the final frame, limiting Legg to just five second half points, but opening the door for her teammates.
After three first-half points by Williams, Johnson, and Megan Starnes combined, the trio scored 29 over the final 18 minutes.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Pinkney and Starnes sliced the deficit to 42-40 with 14:33 on the clock, part of a 24-8 USCA run that ended with a Thomas’ trey at 8:23 to put the Lady Pacers ahead 55-50.
Columbus State got within three with 7:18 remaining, but USCA countered with an 11-3 run to put the game away, posting the 75-61 victory.
Williams finished with 10 points while Thomas added seven points and a career-high seven assists. Her four steals also tied a career-mark set last weekend against Georgia Southwestern. Johnson collected her eighth-straight double figure night with 10 points, seven boards, and four blocks. Starnes added 12 points and four steals.
Finishing 8-of-14 from the three-point line for 28 points and seven rebounds, Legg registered her fourth 20-point scoring performance in the past seven games. The eight made three-pointers was two shy of the school and conference record held by Janell Gerk, the person that Legg ironically passed on the all-time threes list today, moving into third-place.
Suffering 20 first half turnovers, USC Aiken responded to commit just six second-half miscues, forcing Columbus State into 14 while the Lady Cougars recorded only one assist in the final 20 minutes.
USC Aiken shot 50.0 percent on the afternoon including 14-of-24 from deep for 58.3 percent. And after allowing 81.7 ppg to their last two opponents on the road, the Lady Pacers snapped their road losing streak at two, holding Columbus State to 61 points (21 in the second half) and forcing 27 turnovers.
USC Aiken will quickly turnaround and play at Augusta State on Monday, January 21 at 5:30 PM. In looking to avenge their only home defeat this year, the Lady Pacers will face a Lady Jag team that enjoyed a day off as weather forced the postponement of the ASU versus North Georgia match-up.
Source: University of South Carolina-Aiken Sports Information
MUST SEE GAMES--01/19/2008
National rankings courtesy of the WBCA/ESPN/USA Today poll.
TOP WOMEN'S GAME
#5 Valdosta State (15-1, 1-0) at #25 West Georgia (15-2, 2-0)--Saturday 5:30 p.m. EST
With every Gulf South Conference team having played at least one league game, there's already a big showdown for first place in the East Division. The Lady Blazers have won 10 straight games, while the Wolves have a six-game winning streak coming into this contest.
While the Wolves easily handled West Alabama 91-71 on the road Monday, Jan. 14, the Lady Blazers held off a scrappy North Alabama squad to win its GSC East opener, 57-48, the same night.
Of course, something has to give once these teams take to the court, as the winner of this game not only takes over sole possession of first place in the GSC East, but also the distinction of being the lone unbeaten left in division play.
TOP MEN'S GAME
Valdosta State (9-6, 1-0) at West Georgia (9-5, 2-0)--Saturday 7:30 p.m. EST
While the men's teams may not have the national rankings, or the excellent records to match, this contest is no less important for the Blazers and the Wolves.
UWG downed Montevallo, 81-66, and West Alabama, 77-64, in its first Gulf South Conference games. As for VSU, the Blazers needed overtime to knock off its always fierce archrival, North Alabama, 92-86, in their GSC East opener.
Just like in the aforementioned women's contest, first place in the division will be on the line, not to mention the 10th win overall. Oh, and this is the 109th time the men's teams at VSU and UWG have met.
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NCAA Sports.com Video Webcast Link
VSU Women's Game Notes
VSU Men's Game Notes
UWG Game Notes
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
MUST SEE GAMES--01/16/2008
KEY: (V)--Video Webcast Link
TOP WOMEN'S GAME
Lander (10-4, 4-0) at Augusta State (V)--(9-3, 3-2)--Wednesday 5:30 p.m. EST
The Bearcats will put their five-game winning streak on the line against the Lady Jaguars in a Peach Belt Conference that always seems to be tough from top to bottom each year. Lander remained unbeaten in PBC play with a wild 107-97 win over Georgia College & State University Saturday, Jan. 12.
The Lady Jags, on the other hand, pulled into a three-way tie for third place with Armstrong Atlantic State and North Georgia in the Peach Belt after knocking off the Lady Pirates 79-67 last weekend.
Additionally, Augusta State also sits just a half game behind second place Francis Marion (10-1, 3-1), whose Patriots currently have the longest overall winning streak in the PBC (six straight wins) going into Wednesday's action.
TOP MEN'S GAME
Armstrong Atlantic State (9-3, 3-2) at Georgia College & State University (9-2, 3-1)--Wednesday 7:30 p.m. EST
The Bobcats play host to the Pirates in yet another key Peach Belt Conference contest (like there's almost always a key game in this league). GC&SU kept pace with second place Augusta State (9-3, 4-1) with a 71-57 win over Lander Saturday, Jan. 12, while AASU fell to the aforementioned Jaguars 83-82 in overtime that same day. By the end of the night, one team will win not only their 10th game overall, but their fourth in PBC action.