A quick look at the eight teams who were selected to compete in the NCAA II South Atlantic Regional.
March 14, 2008 -
School: Augusta State University
Nickname: Lady Jaguars
Location: Augusta, Ga.
Enrollment: 6,573
Overall Record (Conference): 19-9 (13-7)
Bid: At large
NCAA history: 3-2 in 2 appearances; Last appearance in 2004, advanced to Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Mo.; L, 76-68 to Merrimack
Coach (career record): Greg Wilson (189-123 11 years)
Short Overview: Augusta State is making its third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six seasons. Head coach Greg Wilson has guided the Lady Jaguars to a 3-2 NCAA Tournament mark, including a 2004 NCAA South Atlantic Regional title and trip to the Elite Eight in Kansas City, Mo. ASU won a share of the Peach Belt Conference regular-season championship before a 67-58 loss to Columbus State in the PBC Tournament quarterfinals.
Best wins: W, 80-70 vs. Wingate on Jan. 3; W, 65-62 vs. Anderson on Dec. 30; W, 71-66 at Lander, Feb. 13; W, 66-57 vs. Columbus State, Feb. 4; W, 79-66 vs. Clayton State on Jan. 5
Starters: Deo Ngulela, G 5-7, Sr., 9.4 ppg 6.0 apg 47.5 FG%; Jasmine Godwin, G 5-8, So., 9.8 ppg 2.3 apg; Adah Wells, F 6-1, Sr., 4.0 ppg 6.4 rpg; Tracey Paschal, F 5-10, Jr., 9.2 ppg 4.2 rpg; Porsha White, C 5-11, So., 9.2 ppg 6.2 rpg 61.6 FG%.
School: Clayton State University
Nickname: Lakers
Location: Morrow, Ga.
Enrollment: 6,000
Overall Record (Conference): 18-10 (13-7)
Bid: At-large.
NCAA history: 6-3 in three appearances. Last appearance – 2007 NCAA Division II Final Four
Coach (career record): Dennis Cox (97-29 4 years)
Short Overview: Fresh off last season’s run to the Division II “Final Four,” the Clayton State Lakers have had a lot to live up to in terms of expectations and adversity. However, fourth-year head coach Dennis Cox again worked his magic, pacing Clayton State to a share of its third Peach Belt Conference regular season championship in the last four seasons and fourth straight berth in the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Senior forward Shantel Ragin, has been the Lakers’ “go-to” player during the season, especially during the final few weeks of the season when she’s averaged close to 20 points and nine rebounds a game.
Best wins: Francis Marion, Augusta State, Lander (twice), North Georgia (Twice), Tuskegee (SIAC regular season and tournament champions)
Starters: Shantel Ragin, F 5-10, Sr., 13 ppg 7 rpg 120 assists 77 steals; Shanrika Hardeman, F 5-9, Jr., 7.5 ppg 6 rpg 57 steals; Roberta Phillips, G 5-7, Sr., 10 ppg 4 rpg 75 assists; Marie St. Fort, G 5-7, Jr., 12 ppg 4 rpg; Dominique Jennings, G 5-5, Jr., 10 ppg 3 rpg 75% FT%.
School: Francis Marion University
Nickname: Patriots
Location: Florence, SC
Enrollment: 3,864
Overall Record (Conference): 21-8 (13-7)
Bid: At-large.
NCAA history: 9-5record in 5 appearances. Last appearance and result: Lost to Columbus State 75-71 in 2001 regional final
Coach (career record): Heather Macy (61-28 3 years)
Short Overview: One of biggest turn-arounds in the country. Francis Marion went from 6-22 last season to 21-8 this year and shared the Peach Belt Conference regular-season championship under first-year head coach Heather Macy. FMU leads Division II in scoring offense and steals per game. Features a full-court fast-paced attack that has seven players averaging between 9 and 14 ppg. Senior guard Brittany Young is only the fourth player in school history to amass 1000 points and 500 assists.
Best wins: Beat #23 USC Aiken 89-66 on Jan. 9 ; Won at Lander 113-103 in the then highest scoring game in conference history to take over first place in the conference on Jan. 30
Starters:
Brittany Young, 5-6 G, Sr., 13.6 ppg 4.0 rpg 3.1 apg; G Shaquana Long, 5-8 G, Jr., 3.5 ppg 2.9 rpg 2.5 apg; Jennifer Dyer, 5-7 G, Jr., 11.6 ppg 3.2 rpg 36.3% 3FG%; Shannon Singleton-Bates, 5-9 F, Fr., 9.9 ppg 4.4 rpg 48.4% FG%; Yasmean Dixon, 5-10 F, So., 9.9 ppg 4.7 rpg 50.2% FG%.
School: Johnson C. Smith University
Nickname: Lady Golden Bulls
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Enrollment: 1,470
Overall Record (Conference): 21-9 (13-4)
Bid: At-large
NCAA history: Last appearance, lost to GC&SU in 2008
Coach (career record): Vanessa Taylor (212-173)
Short Overview: Johnson C. Smith is under the direction of seventh year head coach Vanessa Taylor. This is the team’s second trip to the regionals under her tutelage (2006). The Lady Golden Bulls finished second overall in the CIAA, losing in the championship game to fellow regional opponent Shaw University. The team finished the regular season with a 21-9 overall record, 13-4 in the conference and an unblemished 12-0 at home. Ashley Chase, Rochelle Bodie, and Kyria Buford were all named All-CIAA.
Best wins: Overtime win over Wingate (71-69); overtime win over Bowie State (58-56) which sent the team to the CIAA Tournament championship game
Starters: Ashley Chase, PG 5-7, 7.1 ppg 4.0 apg; Janai Jackson, G 5-9, 6.7 ppg 3.8 rpg; Rochelle Bodie, C 6-0, 7.0 ppg 7.0 rpg 56% FG% (1,033 career rebounds); Kyria Buford, F 6-0, 15.2 ppg 7.6 rpg; Shemika Jones, G 5-7, 8.4 ppg 5.3 rpg.
School: Lander University
Nickname: Lady Bearcats
Location: Greenwood, S.C.
Enrollment: 2,800
Overall Record (Conference): 22-11, 13-7
Bid: Automatic
NCAA history: 0-3 / 68-66 loss to Virginia Union in 2004 first round
Coach (career record): Kevin Pederson (130-76 7 years)
Short Overview: Lander is making its fourth appearance in the NCAA Division II national tournament after earning the Peach Belt Conference’s automatic berth for winning the PBC tournament. The Lady Bearcats, one of five teams who shared the PBC regular-season championship with identical 13-7 records, defeated Armstrong Atlantic, 68-65, for the PBC tournament title. Lander, the second-highest scoring team in the country with 87.7 points per game, scored 100 or more points in seven games this year. Lander is led by two-time PBC Player of the Year Tiara Good, a senior guard who leads the team with 20.4 points per game. Good, the PBC tournament MVP, was also an honorable mention on the Kodak/WBCA All-American team. Senior guard LaShonda Chiles, the team’s second-leading scorer with 18.3 ppg., is the NCAA Division II’s all-time career scoring leader with 2,846 points. Stephanie Ponds, a senior center, averages 12.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
Best wins: defeated top-seeded Francis Marion in PBC Tournament semifinal 93-73
Starters: LaShonda Chiles, G 5-2, Sr., 18.3 ppg 3.5 rpg 78.3% FT%; Tiara Good, G 5-9, Sr., 20.4 ppg 5.5 rpg 85.3% FT%; Stephanie Ponds, C 6-0, Sr., 12.5 ppg 8.7 rpg 58.8% FG%; Shannon McKever, F 6-0, Fr., 11.3 ppg 6.9 rpg 60.2% FG%; Candi McCall, G 5-9, Fr., 1.9 ppg 1.5 rpg.
School: Shaw University
Nickname: Lady Bears
Location: Raleigh, NC
Enrollment: 2,863
Overall Record (Conference): 21 – 11
Bid: Automatic
NCAA history: Since 2003, Shaw has earned four NCAA appearances. Last appearance: lost in 2006 Elite Eight to St. Cloud State, 71 – 78.
Coach (career record): Jacques Curtis (180-67)
Short Overview: Shaw started season with a three-game winning streak after picking up two victories in their own Vivian Sansom Classic. Unfortunately, the Lady Bears’ win streak was interrupted by a one-point loss to Johnson C. Smith. Although Shaw picked up a non-conference and conference win, they ended and began the New Year with an eight game losing streak. The tough non-conference setbacks may have aided Shaw in preparation for conference play as the Lady Bears jumped back into conference play to strike up a five game winning streak. The Lady Bears dropped a loss to Fayetteville State, went on a four game winning streak and were defeated by Bowie State before ending the regular season on a high four game winning streak. From there, Shaw was ranked Number One (#1) in the CIAA and received a first round bye. The Lady Bears bypassed Virginia State in the Quarterfinals, Fayetteville State in the Semifinals, and Johnson C. Smith University in the Finals to be declared as the 2007 – 2008 CIAA Champions. It was Shaw’s fifth championship title in six seasons.
Best wins: 71-62 at Elizabeth City State on January 8 to ignite a five-game winning streak; 65-54 vs Johnson C. Smith University on February 16 in a nationally televised game that declared Shaw as Number One in the CIAA Western Division.
Starters: Tanisha McGaughey, G 5-10, So., 11.2 ppg 5.6 rpg; Shana Andrus, G 5-10, Fr., 10.3 ppg 5.4 rpg; Tammy Lanier, G 5-6, Fr., 4.1 ppg 1.7 rpg; Celanese Bozeman, G 5-9, Jr., 12.5 ppg 80.0% FT%; Nicky Souter, F 6-0, 4.7 ppg 8.1 rpg
School: Tusculum College
Nickname: Pioneers
Location: Greeneville, Tenn.
Enrollment: 3,500
Overall Record (Conference): 26-4 (13-1)
Bid: At-Large
NCAA history: 0-0 (1st NCAA appearance)
Coach (career record): Missy Tiber (139-63 7 years)
Short Overview: Tusculum is making its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Pioneers posted a 26-4 record while capturing the program’s first-ever South Atlantic Conference Championship. Tusculum posted winning streaks of 12 and 11 in a row (both ended by regional top-seed Wingate). Starting five players all scores in double-figures, led by two-time All-SAC guard Ashli Oliver. Oliver is averaging 13.8 points per game and leads the league in three-pointers made per game (3.2). Oliver has already established a new school and SAC record with 283 career three-pointers (16th in NCAA II history). SAC Freshman of the Year Jasmine Gunn is second on the squad averaging 13.4 points per game while pacing the offense with her 5.9 assists per game. Gunn was also named to the All-SAC First Team and was a three-time conference player of the week. Junior guard Shantae Shank is third with 12.6 points per game and is the team leader in steals with 71 (2.54 spg). Tusculum’s top player on the boards is sophomore Stephany Neptune. Neptune is averaging a double-double with 11 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest. Neptune has recorded 17 double-doubles this season and is the team-leader in blocked shots (55 – 1.8 bpg). Junior Nikki Van Dine joins Oliver as a long-range threat, shooting 45.6 percent from beyond the arc and 2.6 treys per game. Van Dine is averaging 10.2 points per game this season.
Best wins: Wingate (92-79); Carson-Newman (79-74; 69-51); Southern Indiana (74-69)
Starters: Stephany Neptune, F 6-0, So., 11.0 ppg 11.2 rpg 50.0% FG%; Nikki Van Dine, F 5-10, Jr., 10.2 ppg 3.0 rpg 83.3% FT% 45.6% 3FG%; Jasmine Gunn, G 5-0, Fr., 13.4 ppg 3.6 rpg 5.9 apg; Ashli Oliver, G 5-10, Jr., 13.8 ppg 2.7 rpg 85.1% FT%; Shantae Shank, G 5-5, Jr., 12.6 ppg 4.4 rpg 2.54 spg.
Institution Name: Wingate University
Nickname: Bulldogs
Location: Wingate, N.C.
Enrollment: 2,041
Overall record (SAC record): 23-7 (12-2)
Bid: Automatic
NCAA history: 11-9 record in nine appearances; Last appearance: lost 87-67 to GC&SU in 2007 South Atlantic Regional first round.
Head Coach (experience): Barbara Nelson (one season, 23-7 entering conference tournament)
Short overview: Wingate (23-7 overall) and first-year head coach Barbara Nelson find themselves in a familiar place. The Bulldogs lead the South Atlantic Conference with 10 appearances in the NCAA Division II national tournament. Wingate has an overall NCAA tourney record of 11-9 with Elite Eight appearances in 1995 and 1996. The Bulldogs won their sixth Food Lion SAC tournament championship Sunday, edging Tusculum 76-74. Wingate junior guard Anna Atkinson is the 2008 SAC Player of the Year and the 2008 SAC Scholar-Athlete for women’s basketball. Atkinson is only the second student-athlete in SAC women’s basketball history to win the SAC Scholar-Athlete Award and Player of the Year honors in the same season. Senior guard/forward Kasey Gillis joined Atkinson on the All-SAC team. Atkinson and senior guard Kate Edwards were named to the All-SAC tournament team following Wingate’s victory in the tourney championship game Sunday. Atkinson is also a 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® women’s basketball first team selection (college division).
Best Wins: 95-85 vs Lander (Nov. 17, 2007); 87-85 vs Lander (Dec. 19, 2007); 80-66 vs Shaw (Dec. 7, 2007); 86-45 vs Johnson C. Smith (Jan. 7, 2008); 89-80 vs Tusculum (Jan. 26, 2008);
76-74 vs Tusculum (March 9, 2008).
Starters: Kasey Gillis, F/G 5-10, Sr., 12.0 ppg 2.9 rpg 82.9 FT %; Stefani Shuey, F 5-11, Fr., 5.5 ppg 3.2 rpg 62.5% FG%; Erica Crumlin, C 6-2, So., 8.5 ppg 6.1 rpg; Kate Edwards, G 5-9, Sr., 12.0 ppg 3.9 rpg 40.6% 3FG%; Anna Atkinson, G 5-6, Jr., 15.1 ppg 3.9 rpg 8.3 apg 3.8 spg.
