Karsceal Turner – I Got Next!
Lady Cats tame Lady Tigers 67-53
Chastity Rene Taylor dropped a career-high 27 points as Bethune-Cookman snapped a two-game skid with a 67-53 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over Savannah State on Monday evening in historic Richard V. Moore Gymnasium Monday. Yep, once again, the ladies set the tone for the night.
This game was a far cry from the last home showing for the ladies of Maroon and Gold.
The game was played while the area was under a Tornado watch. However, B-CU proved to be the only tornado noticeable. The ladies shot 51.1 percent (23-45) from the field. Taylor, Amanda Hairston and Shakeyia Colyer were a combined 18-for-28.
Amanda Hairston had 14 points while Shakeyia Colyer was good for 12 for the Lady Wildcats (12-13 overall, 7-6 MEAC) in their 2012-2013 home finale.
The lady Tigers (7-19, 2-11) got as close as 59-50 because of the same “grit” I’ve written about in this column. You’ll recall I was sort of critical. I must say the ladies sent a message and swept SSU in the process.
Coach Vanessa Blair was well pleased. “We knew that we had to stop the bleeding from the two previous losses at home. We had shooting woes in both of our previous games and we knew we couldn’t win like that. The team played unselfishly tonight. Mandy, Terrenisha and Rene all three came to play. It was great to have that offensive production from each of them tonight. We came out and shot the ball well tonight which was the biggest difference.”
Speaking of smoking hot shooting, Chastity Rene Taylor sank a trio of three-pointers for the Lady Wildcats, while Colyer was 4-of-4 from the field. Terrenisha Hollis’ stat line included six assists and career-highs of 12 points and four blocks, while Hairston was two rebounds shy of a double-double.
Oh, by the way, Jasmine Norman led Savannah State with 21 points, while Erin Hogue added 12 points and nine rebounds.
B-CU travels to Norfolk State on Saturday and it’s going down against a Lady Spartan team who is 3-10 overall but very tough at home. Anyway, as I stated earlier, the ladies set the tone for the night. Read on…
Cage Cats bash Tigers 72-58
Dig this scenario. Picture a full house in Richard V. Moore gym, picture a Savannah State team coming in and riding high off a nice five-game winning streak, picture the baddest Pep band in the land blaring favorite B-CU tunes, picture fans who clown and call SSU players and coach by their names the entire game. Great stuff man!
B-CU delivered a solid 72-58 spanking to avenge a low-scoring 43-40 loss in Savannah, GA when the Cats had to contend with similar circumstances.
To top it off, yours truly sported the authentic B-CU men’s basketball warm-up complete with white K-Swiss and my RUN-DMC derby on. Even the large necklace was glistening. You really couldn’t tell be a bloody thing. If you know me, there’s laughter coming from this mental image. SSU didn’t think it was bloody funny at all.
B-CU convincingly knocked SSU off that high horse. Previous to this bout, the tigers came in on a five game win streak.
Adrien Coleman dropped 21 points and snagged 11 boards. It was the second consecutive double-double for the 6-5 junior as the Wildcats (12-16 overall, 7-6 conference) concluded their home schedule by winning three consecutive games for the first time this season.
Javoris Bryant was good for 13, Kevin Dukes had 12, and Malik Jackson 10 for the Wildcats, who made eight of their first ten shots of the second half to pull away from a 28-26 halftime lead.
Savannah State (17-11,10-3) closed to 67-56 with 1:11 remaining on a Rashad Hassan three-pointer, but the Wildcats scored five unanswered points on free throws to seal the win.
“Our zone bothered them. They [SSU] don’t shoot well from outside but they are very good driving to the lane and offensive rebounding. We packed it in and tried to make it tough. We were going to live with them making threes. We switched up man and zone. We pressed well early, stated B-CU head coach Gravelle Craig.
“It’s about momentum. We want to ride it into the tournament. Teams that win the conference tournament are usually the teams that ride it into the NCAA tournament. It also builds confidence.”
Allow me to co-sign what coach said. I must point again to grit as the catalyst for this win, which will do a great deal as the Wildcats embark on a long road schedule against Norfolk State this Saturday, Hampton Monday, and Coppin State next Saturday, before heading to the Mid-Eastern athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament March 12-16.
Speaking of the tournament, B-CU moved into a tie for fifth place in the MEAC with Delaware State, but the Hornets hold the tiebreaker because they bashed the Cats 68-52 right ‘chea’ in Florida.
B-CU just might play them (Del. St.) again in the tourney. It’s going down in Norfolk, VA. I’m open for all sponsorship opportunities for that trip up yonder. Holla back because I write about Bethune-Cookman University sports (among other things) and I Got Next!
GOOD STUFF.——>RMG
Very good coverage, they let agood one get away, your friend