By: FVSU Office of Sports Information
2/24/2011
Before a crowd of over 3,200 fans, the Fort Valley State University (FVSU) Basketball Programs concluded their regular seasons tonight on the FVSU campus. Hosting the Tigerettes and Tigers of Tuskegee University, one Wildcat team was looking to maintain its ranking at season's end while the other was looking for a repeat performance against a conference leader.
Lady Wildcats Basketball (Lady Wildcats 81, Tigerettes 79)
The final game of the regular season carried with it extreme significance for the Lady Wildcats of Fort Valley State University (FVSU). In a virtual heap with Albany State University and Miles College for the number one seed for next week's conference tournament, the results of tonight's match up with the Golden Tigerettes of Tuskegee University would have huge implications for the Lady Wildcats. A win by FVSU would keep them in contention for the number one ranking entering the 78th Annual Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Basketball Tournament next week (March 2nd -5th) in Atlanta, Georgia. A loss would make would make a top billing extremely unlikely.
Played on the FVSU campus in the HPE Arena, tonight's match up was the second meeting between the schools. In addition to tournament positioning, the Lady Wildcats also played with one of life's most enduring motives in mind; revenge! They were beaten by the Tigerettes 76-72 earlier this season.
In the first 20 minutes of the game, the Lady Wildcats took an early 6-4 lead and appeared poised to turn the old adage of revenge being better served cold on its head. FVSU started out hot! Near the 12 minute mark, the Lady Wildcats held a 12 point lead (18-6) and showed signs that this game would be an easy win. However, a 7-0 scoring run by the Tigerettes quickly erased that notion as they closed the gap to 18-12. With 2:27 remaining in the half, the teams were tied at 29 points. At the end of the half, FVSU held a slim lead, 34-32.
In the second half, the score was tied 47-47 with 12:12 left. After a time out by Tuskegee with 11:44 remaining, FVSU led 51-47. With 9:57 left, that lead was shaved to 53-51 after a Tigerette jump shot. On the next Tuskegee offensive possession, they tied the game at 53 on another jumper. After a time out with 6:03 left, FVSU inched ahead 63-62 on a Jasmine Birdsong three point basket.
At the 4:44 mark, KaDeidra Freeland was fouled while penetrating. She made both free throws to give the Lady Wildcats a 65-62 lead. Moments later, Freeland scored on a turnaround jumper in the paint to give FVSU a 68-66 edge with 3:26 left. That margin was pushed to four points after Yasheeka Jones was fouled seconds later and converted both free throws to give the Lady Wildcats a 70-66 lead.
Leading by one point with one minute left (71-70), the Lady Wildcats missed an easy lay up opportunity and fouled on the defensive end of the floor. Faced with a chance to take the lead, the Tigerettes missed both free throws.
On the change of possession, FVSU held the ball until 15 seconds left, missed on a shot then fouled Jennifer Anoka of Tuskegee. Anoka converted one of two free throws to tie the game at 71 points each. On the next possession, FVSU had approximately 12 seconds to advance the ball and score for the win. A missed jump shot sent the game into overtime.
The overtime period started with a three point bucket by Freeland for FVSU. With 3:27 left, Kendra Evans started a Lady Wildcat fast break after blocking a shot in the paint and passing the ball down the floor to Jones who scored on the lay up. With 2:21 left, Brandi Haynes floated a perfect pass inside to Evans who scored on the lay up as FVSU upped its lead to 78-73. With 51 seconds remaining, the Lady Wildcat lead was cut to 79-77.
With 24 seconds remaining, Evans was fouled and made two clutch free throws for FVSU to make it an 81-77 margin. While the Tigerettes did manage another basket, the Lady Wildcats were able to run out clock on an offensive possession of over 15 seconds which, inexplicably, did not draw a Tuskegee foul. The Lady Wildcats came away with the 81-79 win. And with it, their hope of a number one seed in this year's conference tournament remains alive.
Jasmine Birdsong led the Lady Wildcats with a double-double performance. She had 22 points and 14 rebounds. Yasheeka Jones had 20 points and three assists while Kendra Evans finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.
FVSU finishes the regular season with a 19-9 overall record and a 17-5 conference mark. They now await the conclusion of SIAC play over the weekend by other conference teams to learn their seeding for the tournament which begins on Wednesday, March 2nd at Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University
Upon their release by the SIAC Office, tournament brackets with match ups and locations will be available at www.fvsusports.com.
Wildcats Basketball (Tigers 62, Wildcats 59)
Earlier this month, the Wildcats did what most predicted would not happen when they traveled to Tuskegee and knocked off the Golden Tigers by an 80-70 score. FVSU was looking for a similar outcome in their regular season finale tonight.
In the first half, things were on track for a repeat performance by the Wildcats. After two ties and six lead changes, FVSU took a 33-28 lead into the locker room at intermission.
While the Wildcats only shot 36% (12 of 33) from the floor in the first 20 minutes, they were able to take advantage of 11 Tiger turnovers and convert them into ten points. FVSU was also aided by its bench play with 20 of its 33 points coming from non-starters.
The start of the second half began with a jump shot in the paint by Detrius McCall to give FVSU a 35-28 lead. At the 15 minute mark, the FVSU lead was 42-37. With 14 minutes left, Jeremy Sledge hit a thee point jump shot to keep the margin at five points for the Wildcats, 45-40. The score was still the same with 11:15 remaining until Sledge hit another three point basket to take the Wildcat lead to eight points, 48-40. That forced a Tuskegee time out.
Although the lead narrowed, FVSU still led at the 5:45 mark, 53-52. That changed with 4:30 remaining when the Tigers scored on a lay up to tie the game at 54. Now with less than three minutes left, the score was 57-56. This time Tuskegee led. At the two minute mark, the Tiger lead expanded to three points, 59-56. After a Brandon Davey lay up, FVSU cut it to 59-58.
After a time out, Tuskegee hit a jump shot to push its lead to three points and then made a defensive stand which gave them the ball with 45 seconds left. Jeremy Sledge made a defensive stop for FVSU was fouled in the process and converted the front end of a one and one to cut the Tuskegee lead to 61-59.
The Tigers would hold on from there to take a 62-59 win.
Jeremy Sledge led the Wildcats in scoring with 21 points. The Wildcats will make their conference tournament appearance next week. Details of the date and location of their first tournament game will be available on the FVSU athletics site after the conclusion of conference games on Saturday night.
-Wildcats Athletics-
