Feb. 28, 2007

Final Stats

"Payback!" is what junior center and All-CIAA member Rochelle Bodie commented when asked how does it feel to beat Shaw, the defending CIAA women's basketball champions? Bodie had another double-double this evening with 15 points and 15 rebounds to help lead her team to a 58-47 win over the defending champion Shaw Lady Bears.

JCSU has done something that no other CIAA member school has done in the past four years, win against Shaw in the tournament. Led by the efforts of Brittany Sumpter, who poured in a game-high 23 points, the Lady Golden Bulls can now mark themselves in the history books.

From the start of the game, Johnson C. Smith appeared to be in control of the contest. Despite one tie early in the ball game, the Lady Golden Bulls maintained at least a five point advantage on the Lady Bears, one which they would never relinquish.

JCSU improves to 16-13 on the year while Shaw ended their 2006-07 campaign with an 18-10 mark. Along with Sumpter and Bodie, senior guard Tiana Pope added 10 points, six assists and one steal in the win.

Johnson C. Smith held the Bears to single-digit offensive production from all team members. Tanisha McGaughey was a perfect 2-of-2 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line en route to a team leading nine points.

The always humble and classy head coach Vanessa Taylor, who is in her sixth season at the helm of the Lady Golden Bull program, does not want to look ahead to what could be another championship appearance. "We are taking it one game at a time", remarked Taylor. "We are playing well right now, but we have a very strong team (Elizabeth City State) to face on Friday. They beat us twice this season."

JCSU moves on to play #2 Elizabeth City State at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 2, 2007 in Bobcats Arena.