| UAH, UNA and VSU notch wins |
Southaven, MS--The East Division flexed its muscle in the Quarter-Finals of the 2010 GSC Men's Basketball Tournament at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, MS, winning three of the four matchups.
The first game of the day was a rematch of last year's opener, as No. 2 East seed Valdosta State topped No. 3 West seed Arkansas-Monticello, 74-61. No. 1 West seed Arkansas Tech had a successful start to its GSC Title defense, easing past No. 4 East seed West Georgia, 79-60. No. 3 East seed North Alabama provided the surprise of the day, outgunning No. 2 West seed Delta State in the highest Tournament score since 2008, 93-89. No. 1 East seed Alabama-Huntsville fended off the upset bug, coming from behind to dispose of No. 4 West seed Harding, 73-71.
VSU withstood a furious effort by UAM in the first half, grabbing an eight-point lead thanks to a 7-0 run in the final 4:23. The Blazers picked up the pace in the second frame, building a 21-point edge at 10:33. Valdosta State forward Tyrone Curnell posted a double-double (18 points, 13 rebound), while forward Marquis Robinson came off the bench to pour-in 17 points. Forward Jarrell Turner scored a team-high 16 points in 40 minutes for the Boll Weevils. VSU advanced to its third consecutive Semi-Final round and seeks to return to the Finals for the second year in a row.
ATU showed why it's the top team in the South Region, forcing 20 turnovers and shooting 50.0 percent from the floor versus UWG. The Wonder Boys never trailed in the contest, sprinting out to a 10-0 advantage in the first 15:39. Their lead ballooned to as much as 19 points, before the defending champions settled for a 15-point lead at the break. The Wolves trimmed the deficit to eight at 17:17 in the second half, but Arkansas Tech iced the win with a 17-2 run which spanned six minutes. ATU guard Brandon Friedel scored a game-best 24 points, while guard Marcus Pillow added 16. The Wonder Boys stretched their GSC Tournament winning streak to four games in their second win over UWG this season.
The second time was the charm for UNA as the Lions earned a mark of revenge for a loss to DSU earlier this season. The squads combined for the most points in a GSC Tournament game since 2008. The first half was highlighted by five lead changes, but North Alabama closed the final two minutes with a 10-0 run en route to a 51-39 halftime edge. The Statesmen stormed back in the second half, chipping away until they grabbed a one-point lead at the six-minute mark. The teams continued to swap baskets the rest of the way, but North Alabama sealed the win down the stretch thanks to four unanswered free throws. UNA guard Daviel Clements netted a game-high 27 points, while forward Rory Miller added 26. Five DSU players hit double-figures led by forward Roderick Ollie's 18 point effort.
UAH grabbed 2-0 advantage just 18 seconds into the going, only to see the Bisons stretch a four-point lead to six points at 5:34. HU took a 31-27 lead at the break, which it pushed to as many as 11 points at 16:08. Alabama-Huntsville did not give up, tying matters at 6:54 on the heels of a 7-0 run and the game remained until the final buzzer. UAH was perfect from the foul line in the final 1:03, nailing all eight attempts. Guard Jaime Smith netted a game-best 22 points, while freshman forward Zane Campbell added 18.
The men take the court again tomorrow with Semi-Final action which starts with a rematch of last year's Championship Game between Arkansas Tech and Valdosta State at 5:30 pm. East rivals Alabama-Huntsville and North Alabama complete the night at 7:30 pm. Fans can watch all the GSC Tournament action live by visiting the Conference website at http://www.gulfsouthconference.org/
#GSC#
| Downloadable Files |
| 2010 Tournament Bracket |
