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March 6, 2007
Raleigh, N.C. - The rivalry between Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University stretched to the first round of the Women's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday as the `Cats fell for the second time in three days to the Lady Rattlers, 59-46 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. In the first game ... it was ALL FAMU from the start. Two days ago, the Lady Rattlers had to use late surges and a deeper bench. Today, the second half was the only story of this ballgame. Florida A&M (15-15) went on a 14-4 run over the course of a critical six-minute span beginning at the 13:50 mark ... ending with a Natasha Ferguson lay-up with 7:21 left in the game. With B-CU (5-25) down just four points at 34-30, FAMU's Stephanie Foster hit back-to-back three-pointers to, essentially, break open the contest. In fact, Foster would account for 10 of the Lady Rattlers 14-point outburst that put them up 48-34 with 7:21 left on the clock. Senior Tristan McCray would do her best to bring the `Cats back into it as her jumper for three with 7:04 left saw B-CU down just 48-39. Ferguson chipped in on what was a 5-0 Wildcats run. That's when FAMU would go on a run of their own as Kristen Stallings hit foul shots and Deidre Jones made a timely basket to keep the Wildcats at bay. When point guard Marke Freeman hit a free throw for FAMU to put the Lady Rattlers up 49-39, the lead would never slip below double digits again the rest of the way. "My kids fought hard today, and that's the way they have played all year," stated B-CU head coach Francis Simmons. "We had a good group of seniors that we are losing next year, but we are bringing in some talent that I really feel good about too." After the first two contests were nothing but Lady Rattlers and venom, today's ballgame proved something if nothing at else ... the Wildcats played with intensity for 40 complete minutes. That was something they have lacked all season long.
"We never could put together a complete game, but today we did a much better job of playing with them," stated Coach Simmons. "But give credit to FAMU because they are an extremely good and talented team." The Lady Rattlers were led on the day by Foster with 12 points, 10 of which came during the key run that allowed FAMU to go on top for good midway through the second stanza. Also touching double-digits was Q'Vaunda Curry with 11 points, respectively. Center Denise Tate was just short of double-digits in rebounding as she led the team with nine. As for the Wildcats of B-CU, they concluded their season with a game-high 13 points from senior Cassandra Calcagno. Meanwhile, Natasha Ferguson (12) and Tristan McCray (11) also poured in a double-digit scoring day for the Mighty Maroon and Gold. Ferguson also collected a game-high 10 rebounds to post her first double-double of the campaign. "The team [Bethune-Cookman] we played tonight was a much-improved ballclub from the one we played in December," admitted FAMU head coach Debra Clark. "That team was motivated, and played with passion like they never did against us the two previous times. They are much-improved from three or four months ago. With the loss, the Wildcats collected their third season in a row with less than 10 wins, and suffer just a 5-25 overall record ... tied for the second-worst record in 10 years. The 2003-04 squad posted just a 5-20 mark, while the 1998-99 team, coached by then first-year head coach Sandra Booker went just 4-23 overall. The Wildcats would never collect less than 10 wins again until the 2003-04 campaign. |
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