March 11, 2008

Box Score

Raleigh, N.C. - Marie Reid scored 13 of her game-high 25 points in the second half and the defense held Bethune-Cookman University scoreless for almost 10 minutes of the second half as South Carolina State rolled to a 66-45 win over the Wildcats in the first round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's game at the RBC Center. The Lady Bulldogs (13-16), Number 7 seed, advance to the Wednesday's quarterfinal round where they will take on the Number 2 seed, Coppin State at 12:30 pm.

The season did not start or end the way it could or should have for Bethune-Cookman as they started the year with four straight losses ... and end with losses in seven of their last 10 games. The six wins in 2007-08 match a high for victories by fourth-year head coach Francis Simmons from the 2005-06 season.

A 6-4 sophomore transfer from Memphis, SCSU forward Marie Reid connected on 6 of her 9 shots in the second half, many coming low post moves on the block, to help SC State, extend its four-point halftime lead to 53-35 at the 9:30 mark. The Bulldogs held a slim 37-33 halftime advantage.

"We were right in the game at halftime, and we knew we were right within striking distance," stated B-CU freshman guard Jalisa Isaac. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be today."

Bethune-Cookman (6-24) suddenly went cold during a stretch of 9:42, missing several shots. The Wildcats missed 27 of their 32 attempts after intermission, including 0 for 11 from three-point land.

Reid got plenty of support from junior forward Janell Moore, who recorded a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds as SC State dominated their shorter opponents, 53-36 on the glass.

"During the season, we struggled in the second half," said Moore, who hit on 6 of 9 from the field. "We knew that we had to step it up because it is now tournament time. We played two halves and we did a better job in the second half on closing out on their shooters. We also made a strong effort to rebound better as a team."

Bethune-Cookman, the Number 10 seed, appeared in good shape near the end of the first half when it closed a seven-point deficit and tied the game at 33-all with less than two minutes remaining in the half. Then came what could have been the turning point of the game. With Reid on the bench with two fouls, Moore scored back-to-back baskets in a 30-second span to give her team a 37-33 lead, but more importantly momentum for the second half.

"We played as well as we could have being without two of our key players," said Bethune-Cookman Coach Francis Simmons. "SC State was 12 for 12 in free throws and that kept them in the game. If you look at the balance, we had trouble matching up with their post players." The Wildcats were without the services of guard Keturah Newkirk, one of the top three-point shooters in the country, who did not play for the second consecutive game. Newkirk averaged 8.3 points per game throughout the year for the Maroon and Gold.

Bethune-Cookman did a good job of getting back in the game near the end of the first half," said SC State Coach Tanya Mackey. "We had some breakdowns. We called a timeout. We had to make some adjustments because Marie and Janell each had two fouls. Those two quick baskets help us going into the half."

Traci Fountain led her team with 10 points, but she failed to score in the final 20 minutes. Reid added 11 rebounds for a double-double to her resume.

The Lady Bulldogs played Coppin State only once during the season and dropped a 65-51 decision on February 9 in Baltimore, Md.

"Coppin State is a tough team, their name speaks for itself," observed Coach Mackey. "(Rashida) Suber and (Shalamar) Oakley are very tough guards on the perimeter and Coach (Derek) Brown's inside people have improved. We will have to do some things different from the last time we played them."

With B-CU defeating SCSU (13-16) just over a week ago in Daytona Beach on Senior Appreciation Day, motivation seemed to be there for the Wildcats as they believed that had a chance to advance to the second round for just the second time in four years.

"We knew if we could just control them in the middle, then we would have a chance to win," expressed B-CU junior guard Traci Fountain. "I thought we could win this game because we just beat them, but it's hard to beat a team twice in a row."

For the second time in as many years, B-CU ends the season with a first round loss in the MEAC Tournament. Head coach Francis Simmons and his staff has just one (1) victory in MEAC play with that coming against North Carolina A&T in the 2006 tournament.

The Wildcats will have a huge core of players returning for the 2008-09 season, including MEAC All-Rookie Team member Natasha Ferguson added nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds in her last game for the Maroon and Gold.

"Natasha has been a catalyst for us all season, and it is really going to be tough to replace someone with the work ethic she has on and off the court," expressed Simmons. "She has been great for us the past two years since she transferred in, and I really want to thank her for her effort. But we have a lot of girls returning that are going to be good for us, and we have to get ready to recruit and hit the ground running for next year RIGHT NOW!"