Showing posts in the “N.C. Central” category
Mike Potter ·
16 Mar 2010, 7:12 PM ·
2 Comments
DURHAM ATHLETIC PARK/DURHAM N.C. Central hosts yet another challenging baseball battle with an ACC foe, this time an N.C. State team that’s looking for its first road win of the season.
The Eagles are looking for their first win anywhere, and really haven’t kept more than a couple of games competitive so far this season.
Because the weather forecast isn’t good, the game will have a 3 p.m. start - sort of - instead of the regularly scheduled 6 p.m. starting time. It’s the first of their two scheduled meetings this season, as the Eagles will visit Doak Field at Dail Park on April 13.
Jeff Citero (0-1, 9.82), a junior out of Southeast Raleigh, will be on the mound for the Eagles while the Wolfpack sends big sophomore Mike Russo (0-0, 6.14).
It’s competitive from the start, but the Wolfpack scores in every inning, hitting five homers in a 24-6 romp. Continue reading »
ACC, Baseball, N.C. Central, N.C. State Akeem Hood, Andrew Ciencin, Anthony Wilson, Blake Murray, Chris Diaz, Chris Overman, Coppin State, Dallas Poulk, Danny Canela, David Scott, Drew Poulk, Elliott Avent, Henry White, Jeff Citero, John Gianis, Justin Goodson, Kurt Wilson, Mike Russo, Nate Smith, Pratt Maynard, Ross Plummer, Russell Wilson, Tarran Senay, UNC Wilmington
Mike Potter ·
15 Mar 2010, 9:56 PM ·
1 Comment
N.C. State's Marissa Kastanek dribbles up court as Duke's Karima Christmas defends during the ACC Tournament championship game. (Photo by Rob Rowe)
BACKYARD BISTRO/RALEIGH Kellie Harper couldn’t remember exactly when she had been in such a situation before.
Back when the N.C. State women’s basketball coach was a point guard at Tennessee the Lady Vols - who won three NCAA titles during her career - were pretty much in the NCAA Tournament before the season started. Then during her five seasons as head coach at Western Carolina and three seasons as an assistant at Chattanooga before that, Southern Conference teams knew they had to win the conference tournament or they might earn a bid to the WNIT.
But the Wolfpack (20-13) has been on the NCAA “bubble” ever since losing the ACC championship game to Duke eight days ago, although most of the bracketologists had N.C. State in the field.
Harper and her team gathered with about 300 fans on Monday night to watch the Selection Special on ESPN that announced the 64 competing teams.
Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. Central, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Amber White, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Chattanooga, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Gonzaga, Hampton Pirates, Hartford, Jasmine Thomas, Joanne P. McCallie, Joy Cheek, Kellie Harper, Louisiana State, Marissa Kastanek, Michigan State, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Nikitta Gartrell, Portland State, Southern Conference, Sylvia Hatchell, Texas A&M, UCLA, Virginia Cavaliers, Western Carolina
Mike Potter ·
14 Mar 2010, 11:01 PM ·
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ACC champion Duke (27-5) is going to be one of the 64 teams on the board when the NCAA Women’s Tournament field is announced tonight at 7 on ESPN.
N.C. State (20-13) and UNC (19-11) think they’re in, but won’t be sure until they see their names on the board tonight.
The Wolfpack and Tar Heels are two of about eight ACC teams who will be waiting with baited breath, first to make sure they’re in the field and then to see where they’re headed.
Duke and Florida State (26-5) are both hosting first- and second-round games, so it’s a certainty the Seminoles are also going to get an invitation. It would also shock the women’s basketball world if Georgia Tech (23-9) or Virginia (21-9) doesn’t get the thumbs-up.
The Wolfpack, under their first-year coach Kellie Harper, and the Tar Heels, under veteran Sylvia Hatchell, likely sealed their invitations with recent wins.
State had to avenge a regular-season loss by beating Clemson in the first round of the ACC Tournament, and the Wolfpack got that done and added two more wins to boot.
The Tar Heels’ signature victory was over Duke at Carmichael Auditorium on Senior Day - UNC’s final game before the ACC Tournament - but they had to beat N.C. Central on Sunday to avoid seeing the bid slip through their fingers, and they got that done. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. Central, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Joanne P. McCallie, Kellie Harper, Maryland Terrapins, Miami Hurricanes, Sylvia Hatchell, Virginia Cavaliers, Wake Forest
Mike Potter ·
14 Mar 2010, 5:47 PM ·
3 Comments
CARMICHAEL ARENA/CHAPEL HILL It’s that unique final regular-season game that UNC is playing after the ACC Women’s Tournament for the second straight season.
Today the Tar Heels take on local rival N.C. Central, which like the South Dakota team UNC played in this situation last year is transitioning from Division II and not yet eligible for post-season play.
Last season, the Coyotes put a huge scare into the Tar Heels at the Smith Center before falling 75-69.
This is of course the season finale for the Eagles, who have won 11 of their last 19 games after an 0-9 start. NCCU is 0-4 against the ACC this season, but did fall by only 76-63 on Feb. 22 at Wake Forest.
It’s the third straight season in which they’ve played each other, and the closer of the two games was a 98-45 UNC victory last season in the Smith Center.
All the NCAA bracketologies heading into Monday night’s selection show have the Tar Heels in the 64-team field, but a shocking home-court loss to NCCU would probably send Sylvia Hatchell’s club to the WNIT.
UNC will have to play without freshman center Waltiea Rolle, who is out with a concussion.
It takes them a while to establish control but the Tar Heels avoid that disaster, eventually winning 88-66 in a pretty entertaining contest. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, N.C. Central, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Blaire Houston, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Cierra Robertson-Warren, Joanna Miller, Joli Robinson, Latoya Bennett, Laura Broomfield, Shanise Blanks, South Dakota Coyotes, Sylvia Hatchell, Trinity Bursey, Wake Forest, Waltiea Rolle
Mike Potter ·
14 Mar 2010, 12:01 AM ·
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Eleven ACC women’s basketball teams played their final game before the post-season tournaments at some point during the ACC Tournament last week.
Duke has, of course, clinched an NCAA bid as the conference’s regular-season champion and three other teams - Florida State, Virginia and Georgia Tech - seem to be resting easy about their spot on the board when the NCAA Tournament bracket comes out tomorrow night.
Nearly half a dozen more may or may not be on a “bubble.” Only one has something left to add to the argument.
That’s UNC, which for the second straight year will play a home game on the same day as the ACC men’s tournament final.
Last season it was against South Dakota, and although the Coyotes gave the Tar Heels a good scare at the Smith Center UNC didn’t have to win.
It does today. Sylvia Hatchell’s club is going to be a really big favorite in its 3:30 home contest against N.C. Central in the Eagles’ final game of the season, but the Tar Heels absolutely have to emerge victorious to avoid giving any naysayers on the selection committee a lot of fodder.
Cetera DeGraffenreid (pictured) is the Tar Heels’ assist leader, and has been their best player over the last few weeks. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. Central, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Cetera DeGraffenreid, Danielle DeBerry, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Italee Lucas, Joanna Miller, Joli Robinson, Latoya Bennett, Laura Broomfield, South Dakota Coyotes, Sylvia Hatchell, Virginia Cavaliers
Mike Potter ·
10 Mar 2010, 12:04 PM ·
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N.C. Central junior C.J. Wilkerson has been named first-team Division I All-Independent and also the independents’ newcomer of the year.
The team was selected in a vote of sports information directors and head coaches.
Wilkerson averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for the Eagles this season.
Seattle forward Charles Garcia was selected as player of the year and Seattle’s Cameron Dollar is coach of the year.
Longwood’s Dana Smith and Antwan Carter and SIU-Edwardsville’s Mark Yelovich are on the first team with Wilkerson and Garcia.
Basketball, N.C. Central Antwan Carter, C.J. Wilkerson, Cameron Dollar, Charles Garcia, Dana Smith, Longwood, Mark Yelovich, Seattle Redhawks, SIU-Edwardsville
Mike Potter ·
7 Mar 2010, 7:00 PM ·
3 Comments
Give the Eagles that bronze medal.
N.C. Central finished third in the Longwood women’s basketball tournament, taking out Seattle 62-58 behind 24 points from Joanna Miller (pictured).
Latoya Bennett added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Joli Robinson’s Eagles (11-17), who have their best record during their three seasons on the five-year transition track from NCAA Division II to Division I. Danielle DeBerry added 10 points for NCCU.
Ashley Brown led Seattle (6-24) with 21 points, followed by Tatiana Heck with 16 and Elle Kerfoot 12.
The Eagles end their season on March 14 at UNC.
ACC, Basketball, N.C. Central, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Ashley Brown, Danielle DeBerry, Elle Kerfoot, Joanna Miller, Latoya Bennett, Seattle Redhawks, Tatiana Heck
Mike Potter ·
6 Mar 2010, 9:00 PM ·
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N.C. Central didn’t play well as it tried to sweep its two-game season series with Longwood.
At least there’s a consolation game.
Chelsea Coward’s 19 points and 11 rebounds led three players in double figures as the host Lancers claimed a 67-43 victory at Willett Hall, advancing to the title game of their own tournament on Sunday at 4:30.
Shanise Blanks (pictured) paced NCCU (10-17) with 12 points, followed by Latoya Bennett with 11 points and Joanna Miller with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Longwood (9-19) got 17 points from Krystal Garrison and 13 from Crystal Smith.
The Lancers, who led 44-28 at halftime, will play for the title against Florida Gulf Coast (23-6), which topped Seattle 51-38 in today’s first game.
Seattle (6-23) will face the Eagles in a consolation contest at 2 p.m.
Basketball, N.C. Central, Women's Basketball Chelsea Coward, Crystal Smith, Florida Gulf Coast, Joanna Miller, Krystal Garrison, Latoya Bennett, Longwood, Seattle Redhawks, Shanise Blanks
Mike Potter ·
6 Mar 2010, 2:01 AM ·
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Independent college basketball teams obviously don’t play in conference tournaments, and many of them aren’t eligible for NCAA post-season play.
So Longwood (8-19) has put together an end-of-season mirror event on its home court, and N.C. Central is part of it.
The Eagles (10-16), who beat the Lancers 74-66 Feb. 26 in Durham, will take them on again today at about 4:30 p.m. at Willett Hall.
That follows a 2 p.m. contest between easy tournament favorite Florida Gulf Coast (22-6) and Seattle (6-22), both of whom like NCCU are still on the reclassification track from NCAA Division II to Division I.
Championship and consolation games are on Sunday.
That won’t end the season for NCCU, as the Eagles will visit UNC on March 14 in the Tar Heels’ final game before their post-season tournament.
Freshman Joanna Miller (pictured) is NCCU’s leading scorer. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, N.C. Central, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Becky Fernandes, Brittanni Billups, Danielle DeBerry, Florida Gulf Coast, Joanna Miller, Joli Robinson, Kristin Caruso, Latoya Bennett, Longwood, Seattle Redhawks
Mike Potter ·
4 Mar 2010, 7:20 PM ·
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GREENSBORO COLISEUM Anyone who bought book tickets to the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament a few months ago could not have predicted she or he would be watching this.
It’s the No. 8 vs. No. 9 game on Thursday afternoon and two of the three recent powers, UNC and Maryland, are playing for a chance to play top-seeded Duke in the same 3 p.m. time slot on Friday.
UNC was favored to win the regular-season championship back before we learned star forward Jessica Breland was going to miss the season battling Hodgkin’s disease. And while the Terps were rebuilding, most figured they’d finish in the top half of the league.
But it hasn’t worked out that way as they battled their way through a very balanced league, and there’s a chance today’s loser may not earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
UNC helped its case plenty with its 64-54 win over the Blue Devils on Saturday, but still can’t be quite sure. And Maryland might still need a signature victory.
Apparently the Terps get it, taking a big lead and holding on for an 83-77 victory and another shot at the Blue Devils.
Today it’s obvious that the Terps, who lost the regular-season meeting at UNC 75-64 on Jan. 17, are just more ready to play.
Maryland comes out of the game looking as if it has been shot out of the proverbial cannon.
The Tar Heels’ only lead is 2-0 before the Terps score the next 12 points, taking the 10-point lead on a Dara Taylor jumper. The lead gets as high as 16, at 24-8 on a three-point play from Tianna Hawkins at 12:19, before the Tar Heels’ offense wakes up.
Maryland has a 41-31 pad at the break.
The Tar Heels get to within four twice with under six minutes left, but the lead goes back to 10 on a Lynetta Kizer layup at 3:14 and a Jackie Nared free throw at 2:13.
A frantic rally ensues, with the Tar Heels slicing the lead to 79-77 on a layup from Cetera DeGraffenreid (pictured) with 12 seconds left. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. Central, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Brenda Frese, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Chay Shegog, Dara Taylor, Italee Lucas, Jackie Nared, Kim Rodgers, Laura Broomfield, Lori Bjork, Lynetta Kizer, She'la White, Sylvia Hatchell, Tianna Hawkins
