College basketball: Ferrum women fall in Division III tournament opener

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College basketball: Ferrum women fall in Division III tournament opener

The Panthers posted their best-ever record at 25-4 and went to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season.

Men’s basketball today

4:30 p.m., Dedmon Center

Records: Liberty 10-20, 5-10 Big South; Radford 13-17, 7-8

Notes: Of all the possible last regular season game permutations, the most satisfactory for the Highlanders would be a victory over the Flames and a High Point win over visiting Campbell. That would deliver the No. 2 seed in the North Division and a first-round bye for Radford at next week’s conference tournament. … Radford could also finish third or fourth. If the Highlanders top Liberty and Campbell beats High Point, then Radford goes to No. 3. The Highlanders could also be third if Liberty wins and Longwood beats host VMI. If Radford loses and VMI wins, then the Highlanders fall to No. 4. … Wednesday’s 63-58 Highlanders victory at High Point arrested a three-game skid. … Blake Smith, Radford’s only senior, will be honored. He has 63 starts in 113 games and has 806 points, 377 rebounds, 119 assists, and 182 steals (fourth all-time for Radford). Smith had started every game this season before losing his job prior to the Feb. 5 visit to Liberty. After scoring 14 points in a loss to VMI Jan. 30, he hasn’t scored since, going 0-for-8 from the floor and not taking a shot in either of his last two appearances. He’s averaged 6 minutes per game over the last five. … Radford had an eight-point first half lead but succumbed 75-70 at Liberty following a dismal 9-for-20 night at the foul line, the same numbers it had from 3-point distance. … John Caleb Sanders had 19 points for the Flames, who canned 24 of 32 foul shots including 15 of 19 in the second half. … Since then, Radford has made 97 of 131 at the stripe (74 percent) to move past VMI and out of last place in the Big South but still ranks 11th of 12 teams (64.5 percent).

Staff and wire reports

Friday, March 1, 2013

ATLANTA, Ga. - Morgan Crawford scored 24 points Friday as Huntingdon knocked off Ferrum in the first round of the NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament at the Woodruff PE Center.

Tanjanik Munford scored 18 points and pulled in 16 rebounds for Huntingdon (19-9), which jumped out to a quick 15-4 lead over Ferrum (24-5). Patricia Pickens put up 17 points and had 11 rebounds.

Tesla Akers led Ferrum with 15 points, followed by Katy Kipps with 14 and Kayla Goins with 13. Kylene Culler added 12 points for the Panthers.

The Panthers posted a best-ever record at 24-5, and earned their second straight NCAA tournament appearance.

LATE THURSDAY

No. 2 Gonzaga 70, Brigham Young 65

PROVO, Utah - Kelly Olynyk scored 19 points, Gary Bell Jr. hit four 3-pointers and No. 2 Gonzaga survived a late Brigham Young rally for its 10th outright conference title.

The Bulldogs (28-2, 15-0 West Coast Conference) host Portland today and a win there could mean Gonzaga's first-ever No. 1 ranking.

Gonzaga led by 11 points with 10:51 left but consecutive 3-pointers by Brock Zylstra, another by Craig Cusick and two free throws by Brandon Davies tied it at 60 with 4:18 left.

Olynyk hit a key jumper down the stretch and Kevin Pangos made two free throws to help seal it.

BYU had one final chance with 6.6 seconds remaining and down three points but Gonzaga fouled Cusick before he could attempt a 3-point shot.

Tyler Haws had 19 points for BYU (20-10, 9-6) and Davies added 12 points and 11 rebounds in his final home game.

No. 24 Oregon 85,Oregon State 75

EUGENE, Ore. - Carlos Emory scored 21 points and Oregon completed the season sweep of the Civil War series.

Arsalan Kazemi had 17 points and 12 rebounds, Tony Woods added 16 points, and Johnathan Loyd scored 12 points for the Ducks (23-6, 12-4 Pac-12), who took one-half game lead in the conference over idle UCLA.

Roberto Nelson scored 31 points and Devon Collier added 14 for the Beavers (13-16, 3-13) .

NOTES

San Diego star gets 6 months in prison

SAN DIEGO - Former University of San Diego basketball star Brandon Johnson was sentenced to six months in prison for his role in a game-fixing scheme.

U-T San Diego reported that federal prosecutors wanted a judge to sentence the school's all-time leading scorer to a year in prison on Friday. Johnson's attorney wanted probation and no time in custody.

The 26-year-old insisted he never manipulated a game in which he played, though prosecutors allege he profited on several games his senior year. He is the highest profile of the 10 defendants indicted in 2011.

U.S. District Judge Anthony Battaglia said Johnson disparaged the integrity of the university and basketball.

NCAA hits Saint Mary's with sanctions

MORAGA, Calif. - The NCAA has placed Saint Mary's on four years' probation for "failure to monitor its men's basketball program," reducing scholarships after it said the perennial mid-major power committed several recruiting violations.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions also said Friday that Gaels coach Randy Bennett "acted unethically in his recruitment of international prospects" and "failed to promote an atmosphere for compliance." Bennett will not be allowed to recruit off campus and will serve a five-game suspension next season.

Saint Mary's will still be allowed to participate in its conference tournament and the NCAA tournament, but can't play in preseason or in-season tournaments. The program also will have a reduction in scholarships from 13 to 11 for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

St. John's suspends Harrison for season

NEW YORK - D'Angelo Harrison, the third-leading scorer in the Big East Conference, was suspended Friday by St. John's for the rest of the season.

Red Storm coach Steve Lavin made the announcement without giving a reason for the suspension, which includes postseason games.

Harrison, a sophomore guard from Missouri City, Texas, averaged 17.8 points.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013