BSU BULLDOGS DENIED NCAA TOURNAMENT BERTH

(BOWIE, Md.)  The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament field of 64 has been released but Bowie State University will not be a part of it.  The Northern Division Champion Bulldogs suffered a tough 66-63 overtime loss to Elizabeth City State University in the CIAA Tournament semifinals and end their season at 22-6.  The final comments made by third-year head coach Darrell Brooks in the BSU locker room were, "A lot of teams across this country would love to have a 22 and 6 record and I know this hurts now, but let's keep our heads up and I love you guys."   

Two teams from the CIAA will join six other Atlantic Region teams competing for the ultimate NCAA title.  Conference Champion Winston-Salem State University and CIAA Southern Division Champion Shaw University will make their second straight return trip to the regional.   The other six teams include the top seed and host West Liberty along with Charleston (W.Va.), West Virginia Wesleyan, Wheeling Jesuit, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and East Stroudsburg.

ELIZABETH CITY STATE TOPS TOP SEEDED BOWIE STATE 66-63 IN OVERTIME

    (CHARLOTTE, N.C. – March 2, 2012)  Elizabeth City State took advantage of a poor shooting night at the free-throw line by Bowie State as the Vikings stunned the Northern Division top seed, 66-63 in overtime to advance to the CIAA Tournament Championship game on Friday night at Time Warner Cable Arena.

    Bowie State finished the night by shooting 30 percent (8-of-27) from the foul line.  “It is tough right now to lose a hard fought game,” Bowie State head coach Darrell Brooks said. “It was like a heavyweight fight. I am proud of my basketball team and we gave our best in a losing effort. We just didn’t do a good job making free throws tonight and that was the difference in the game.”

    Angelo Sharpless led the Vikings (15-13) with a double-double, 27 points and 15 rebounds. Quintin Spady and Marquie Cook had 12 and 10 points, respectively, as Elizabeth City State, which had 18 second-chance points, shot 31 percent (21-of-67) from the floor and 71 percent (17-of-24) from the free-throw line.

    Bowie State, which swept the regular season contests with Elizabeth City State, fell behind, 5-0, within the first minute, but the Bulldogs used a 7-0 run, capped by Byron Westmorland 3-point to take their lead of the night at 7-5 with 16:26 remaining in the opening half.

    The Vikings, who have defeated Bowie State to reach the CIAA Championship game three times, quickly responded with a 12-4 run, capped by Blake Price jumper to give Elizabeth City State a 16-11 advantage with 12:45 left.

    The Bulldogs (22-6) couldn’t get much going on offense and Elizabeth City State extended the lead to 22-16 after a Price layup with 7:58 remaining.  The Vikings managed just one field goal in the final 7:58 as Bowie State climbed back into the game with a 13-2 run to close out the first half and take a 29-24 advantage into the break.

    The Bulldogs extended the lead to 38-31 after a Jay Gavin 3-pointer with 16:50 remaining, but a three by Cooke kept the Vikings within striking distance by cutting the margin to 38-34 with 16:08 left.

    That bucket started a 13-2 run during a six-minute stretch as Elizabeth City State roared back in front, 44-40, after a Sharpless 3-pointer with 10:01 left. The Bulldogs answered and tied the game at 44 with buckets by Najee White and Gavin, but a three by Spady quickly broke the 44-all tie with a 3-pointer to give the Vikings a 47-44 advantage with 7:46 remaining.

    Spady’s 3-pointer sparked an Elizabeth City State 8-1 run, capped by Cooke jumper to give the Vikings their largest lead of the night at 52-45 with 5:06 left.

    It took just two minutes for Bowie State, which used a 7-2 run, to rally from the seven-point deficit as the Bulldogs got buckets by Westmorland, Darren Clark and Travis Hyman to tie the game at 54 with 2:10 left.

    Sharpless put Elizabeth City State back on top with a jumper with 1:47 left, but Clark drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Bulldogs a 57-56 advantage with 1:24 remaining.

    After both teams exchanged possessions, Sharpless went to the foul line with 8.1 seconds left, making the first of two shots. Bowie State had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Westmorland’s shot was off the mark, sending the game into overtime tied at 57.

    In overtime, the Vikings took a 62-60 lead after a free throw by Cook with 1:25 remaining, but Clark sank a 3-pointer from the right wing to give Bowie State a 63-62 lead with 1:09 to play. A Sharpless bucket with 47 seconds left put Elizabeth City State back on top, 64-63.

    After an offensive foul by the Bulldogs with 29.1 seconds remaining, Bowie State was forced to foul.  Cooke sank both shots at the foul line with 20.2 seconds left to give Elizabeth City State a 66-63 advantage.

    On the next Bulldogs possession, Julian Williams went to the free-throw line with 3.1 seconds left, but missed both shots to send Elizabeth City State into the championship game.

    The Bulldogs, who entered the game 12-0 when shooting 50 percent or better, was 24-of-46 from the floor for 52 percent. Bowie State’s previous low on field goals attempted (49) was on Jan. 9 in a 70-69 loss at Winston-Salem State.

    Clark led the Bulldogs with 20 points and dished out seven assists. Hyman recorded a double-double with 14 points and a season-high 17 boards.

“We set three goals at the beginning of the season,” Brooks said. “Our first goal was to win the Northern Division and we did that. Our second was to win the CIAA Tournament and we fell just short of that. Our third is to win a national title and we could still reach that goal.”

SHAW LADY BEARS ELIMINATE BOWIE STATE LADY BULLDOGS WITH 59-44 VICTORY

(CHARLOTTE, N.C. – March 2, 2012)  Bowie State had every answer for Shaw to start each half.  It was the rest of the game that was the problem.

Opening each period, Bowie State got off to a hot start to hold a lead over the Southern Division champion, only to have the Lady Bears respond with game-changing scoring runs as Shaw punched its ticket to its second straight CIAA Tournament final after a 59-44 victory over the Lady Bulldogs on Friday.

Kyria Buford, taking a cue from teammate Crystal Harris, poured in with five straight points to spark a 19-5 run that turned a slim 24-23 Bowie State edge early in the second half into a comfortable 42-29 Shaw advantage with 9:29 remaining in the game.

Shaw (22-6), the defending CIAA champion, led by as many as 15 points midway through the period, and was never threatened after that.

Buford finished with 11 points while Crystal Harris, who sparked Shaw’s big run in the first half, led all players with 17 points. Aslea Williams added 13 points.

Behind 6-foot-5 senior center Chanita Jordan, the second-seeded Lady Bulldogs (9-16) got off to a tremendous start, getting six points and three blocked shots from Jordan to spur a 12-3 run to start the game.

But Shaw responded behind the physical play off the bench by its reserve center Harris, who scored eight points in quick succession to revive the Bears, sparking an 18-6 run over the next 8 minutes to give Shaw a 21-18 lead with 1:44 to go in the period. The Bears led 23-20 at the half.

“They’re just a great team,” Bowie State first-year coach Renard Smith said of Shaw. “They’re far more experienced than we are and a lot deeper, and that showed when we experienced foul trouble.”

The Lady Bulldogs didn’t back down following the break, getting four points in a span of 25 seconds from Kim Jones to retake the lead.  But Buford hit a 3-pointer from the corner on the next trip down the floor, and then added a jumper from 18 feet to put the Bears back in front. Brittany Ransom added a 3 from the wing and after a three-point play from Harris and a pretty step-back jump shot from Brittney Spencer , Shaw was up by 13, 42-29.

“Chanita picked up her third foul, and that substitution, from about the 17-minute mark to the 12-minute mark, was the difference in the game,” Smith said. “That was the momentum swing.”

Jordan led Bowie State with 16 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots while senior Juliette Turner added nine points and nine rebounds.

Bulldogs Basketball Ranked 6th in Atlantic Region

(BOWIE, Md.)  Bowie State University dropped one spot to sixth in the second NCAA Atlantic Region men's basketball poll.  These rankings are used to determine seedings in the NCAA Division II basketball tournament.

In the Bulldogs’ only game so far this week, Bowie State crushed conference rival Virginia Union 101-82 on Monday night (2/20) and clinched the CIAA Northern Division crown for the third consecutive year.  The win also improves BSU’s record to 20-5 overall with one (non-conference) regular season game remaining.

West Liberty (W.Va.) University sits atop the Atlantic Division with a 24-1 record.  CIAA conference foe and Southern Division champion Shaw University is second (21-2), followed by Charleston (W.Va.) in third (21-4), West Virginia Wesleyan is fourth (17-7) and  Indiana (PA) rounds out the top five (19-4).  CIAA member Winston-Salem State University currently ranks 8th in the region.  COMPLETE REGIONAL RANKINGS

The Bulldogs will close out the regular season Saturday, February 25th at home against Washington Adventist University.

1	West Liberty	24-1	22-1
2	Shaw	21-2	21-2
3	Charleston (W.Va.)	21-4	21-4
4	West Virginia Wesleyan	17-7	17-7
5	Indiana (Pa.)	19-4	19-4
6	Bowie State	18-5	18-5
7	Alderson-Broaddus	17-7	17-7
8	Winston-Salem	16-6	16-6
9	Mercyhurst	16-8	16-8
10	Wheeling Jesuit	18-8	18-8

BOWIE STATE SPOILS VIRGINIA UNION’S SENIOR NIGHT WITH 101-82 WIN

BOWIE STATE SPOILS VIRGINIA UNION’S SENIOR NIGHT WITH 101-82 WIN

                (RICHMOND, Va. – February 20, 2012)  In a tale of two halves, Bowie State University avenged an earlier season loss to Virginia Union, rallying to defeat the Panthers 101-82 and clinched the top spot in the conference’s Northern Division.  With the victory, the Bulldogs improve to 20-5 overall, 12-5 in the CIAA and 8-2 in the division.  This was the largest margin of victory against VUU, the most points scored against the Panthers and the first 100 plus point’s game this season for the Bulldogs.

             Virginia Union came out clicking on all cylinders, starting the game with a 10-0 shutout in the first three minutes.  The Panthers extended that lead to 14-4 and then to 11 points three times at 19-8, 23-12 and 26-15.

“Our guys did a great job, especially in the first half when we got down early … composing themselves and sticking with the game plan”, said a very happy Bowie State head coach Darrell Brooks.

            However, Bowie State didn’t panic and stormed back with a 10-1 run to pull within two (27-25).  The Bulldogs tied the game at 27 on a tip-in by junior Najee White at the 6:25 mark, silencing the sellout crowd in Barco-Stevens Hall.  The Bulldogs took their first lead at 29-27 on a pair of free throws by junior Byron Westmorland with 5:58 left in the first half.  Bowie State held a six point twice in the first period and went into the half leading 45-41.

            Virginia Union (15-12, 10-5 CIAA, 7-3 North) hit 16-of-33 first period field goals (49 percent) which included 5-of-9 beyond the arc.  Bowie State had a pretty good first half shooting the ball as well, making 15-of-35 from the field (43 percent) including 6-of-14 behind the 3-point line and 9-of-11 (82 percent) free throws.

            The Bulldogs opened the second half with a 12-0 run forcing the Panthers to call a timeout.  The Bowie State lead grew to 16 points twice before the Panthers cut the deficit to 13 on a 3-pointer by Dominic Carey at the 15:05 mark of the second half.    Virginia Union would go no closer.

            White gave the Bulldogs a comfortable 72-55 lead with 11:29 left to play on a fast break lay-up and free throw.  From there, Bowie State outscored Virginia Union 21-11 over the next 7:49 for a game-high lead of 27 points (93-33), leaving the Panthers with no real choice except to give some deep reserves a little time on the court.

            Bowie State’s defense clamped down so tight on Virginia Union in the second half, the Panthers managed only 27 percent field goal shooting (11-of-41).  BSU’s Bulldogs controlled the glass all night, out-rebounding the opponent 49-38.

            The Bulldogs may have started the game very slow but they really found the range in the second half shooting 63 percent (22-of-35) in the final period.

            “As I always say, any win on the road in this league is a steal and we’re just happy to get this one and get out town”, said Brooks.

            Jamaal Blalock, Calvin Brown and Juan Richards led Virginia Union with 13, 11 and 10 points respectively.  Damion Harris added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.

            Seniors Darren Clark and Jay Gavin paced Bowie State with 23 and points respectively.  White recorded a season-high 16 points to go along with seven rebounds.  Senior Travis Hyman dropped in 14 points and added a game-high nine rebounds and tied his season-high of eight blocked shots.  Westmorland rounded out the Bulldogs’ double figure scorers with 11 points.

            The Bulldogs close out the regular season with a home finale against the Washington Adventist University Shock.  Prior to the 7 pm tip-off in BSU’s A.C. Jordan Arena, Bowie State will honor seniors Clark, Gavin, Hyman and Ali Djim.

Bowie State 101 - Virginia Union 82 (MEN'S Bb FINAL)

(RICHMOND, Va. – February 20, 2012)  In a tale of two halves, Bowie State University avenged an earlier season loss to Virginia Union, rallying to defeat the Panthers 101-82 and clinch the top spot in the conference’s Northern Division.  With the victory, the Bulldogs improve to 20-5 overall, 12-5 in the CIAA and 8-2 in the division.  This was the largest margin of victory against VUU, the most points scored against the Panthers and the first 100 plus point’s game this season for the Bulldogs.

 

Complete story to come laterb

BOWIE STATE RANKED FIFTH IN NCAA ATLANTIC REGION

(BOWIE, Md.)  Bowie State University has been ranked fifth in the Atlantic Region in the NCAA's first regional men's basketball poll.  These rankings are used to determine seedings in the NCAA Division II basketball tournament.

Last week, the Bulldogs defeated Chowan University, Elizabeth City State University and Lincoln University of Pennsylvania to improve their record to 19-4.  Bowie State is 11-3 in the CIAA and 7-1 in the Northern Division. 

West Liberty (W.Va.) University sits atop the Atlantic Division with a 21-1 record, 19-1 in the region.  CIAA conference foe and Southern Division leader Shaw University is second, followed by Charleston (W.Va.) third and Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.) College is fourth.  CIAA member Winston-Salem State University ranks seventh in the region.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday (February 18^th) hosting Virginia State University at 4:05 pm in a nationally televised game.  Bowie State travels to Virginia Union University on Monday (February 20^th) and will close out the regular season - Saturday, February 25^th at home against Washington Adventist University.

Big Hoops Weekend On US Sports Network

DeMatha High School and BSU in action Live Audio and Video Starts Tomorrow Night:
Friday 02/17/2012 6:05pm EST DeMatha High School Basketball: @ McNamara
Sunday February 02/19/2012 3:35pm EST DeMatha High School Basketball: Vs Paul VI Presented By Cancer Defeated!
Saturday 02/18/2012 1pm EST Bowie State University Basketball: Vs Virginia State
1:00pm EST Women
4pm EST Men
BSU VS VSU Live Stats Men
BSU Vs VSU Live Stats Women

Is Marijuana a Good Cancer Treatment?

Is Marijuana a Good Cancer Treatment?     Many advocates say a certain plant is a potent anti-cancer treatment — and they do have some facts to roll out to support their case. When I tell you the plant is cannabis, or marijuana, you won't be surprised to learn the U.S. government hopes most Americans never hear the evidence.     Does it really have any medical benefit? We decided to look into it. . . Continued below. . . Show a Younger Face to the World     By repairing your skin's DNA, you can soften your skin and erase wrinkles, tighten up your sagging jaw line, make your crow's feet disappear, and banish sun and aging spots.     This Nobel Prize winning secret makes it possible. Your "telomeres" determine how long your skin cells live. Telomeres are the "time keepers" attached to every strand of DNA. Each time your cells divide, your telomeres get shorter. The shorter your telomeres, the more your skin cells age… causing dry and wrinkled skin. Maintain the length of your telomeres, your skin will stay supple, radiant, and youthful.     Dr. Sears' Revive DNA Rejuvenation Cream turns back your skin's aging clock and helps you show a younger face to the world. Click here to find out more.     Now this WON'T be a discussion about the merits of rolling dried weed and smoking it for a medically approved high! The "medical marijuana" movement is mostly a wedge to get the drug legalized for recreational use. It's not my topic today. As I'll explain, I don't think inhaling the smoke is a good idea.     Rather, you're about to learn about the powerful anti-cancer properties of hemp oil extracted from the cannabis plant. This very strong form of cannabis is supported by pre-clinical, in vitro, and animal studies.     According to Dr. Robert Melamede, associate professor of biology at the University of Colorado, "over 600 peer-reviewed articles show that numerous cancer types (lung, breast, prostate, glioma, thyroid, leukemia, lymphoma, basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, etc.) are killed by cannabinoids in tissue culture and animal studies."1     And medical marijuana proponent Rick Simpson said many of today's Big Pharma heavyweights actually sold hemp-based medicines in the 1800's and early 1900's! So this might make you wonder… Why all the HOOPLA about HEMP?     The Latin name "Cannabis sativa" actually translates as "useful hemp." The moniker is on target, considering that this plant provides fiber that is used to make clothing and shoes… seeds and oil that are helpful in foods and medicines… and even pulp to make paper.     Hemp oil is an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. You probably know those as the "good fats" that help control cholesterol, fight inflammation and ward off heart disease.     But the plant's anti-cancer properties lie deep inside its main psychoactive component, tetrahydrocannabinol—or THC for short. Its benefits were highlighted in 2008 by some laboratory tests conducted by a team of scientists from Spain, France and Italy. According to results published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation2, THC stimulated death of brain cancer cells—while simultaneously leaving non-cancerous cells unharmed.     Alternative health practitioner Marc Sircus, Ac., OMD said the August 15, 2004 issue of Cancer Research3 similarly declared that THC stopped the spread of brain cancer in human tumor biopsies.     What's more, THC also selectively prevented the gamma herpes virus from activating and multiplying. Researchers believe these viruses may increase the chances of developing cancers such as Kaposi's Sarcoma, Burkitt's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease.     But here's the kicker: This is not new information…     Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said federal bureaucrats actually commissioned the first experiment documenting the anti-cancer effects of cannabis in 1974 at the Medical College of Virginia.     According to study results published in an August 18, 1974, Washington Post newspaper article, THC "slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by as much as 36 percent."     These findings were even published the following year in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.     So why is this scientifically supported anti-cancer treatment not a staple in hospitals and cancer treatment centers? The war against weed rages on     Despite the early findings about the positive health benefits of THC and hemp oil, the government continued to designate the herb as a "Schedule 1 controlled substance." Armentano said this essentially classifies the plant as a drug with a "high potential for abuse" and "no accepted medical use."     Since then, 15 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to promote and protect the medical use of marijuana. Nevertheless, Armentano said this won't necessarily stop Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) raids and arrests on medical marijuana suppliers and patients.     Federal law still trumps state law—and in this case, that still makes it illegal to possess or distribute marijuana. For that matter, the government has to grant permission for anyone to even conduct clinical research on marijuana.     Many advocates who support complete legalization of marijuana for medical use say the pharmaceutical industry is behind the federal frenzy against widespread use.     If the drug companies can't make enough dough on a natural substance — they feel you're better off without it! Can hemp oil really be that safe and effective?     Although hemp oil itself is a legal product, Andrew Weil, M.D., a professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, said the type of hemp grown to produce oil has a low THC content that decreases throughout the production process. It's not potent enough to be of medical use.     Rick Simpson advocates in-home extraction of hemp oil to ensure that higher concentrations of THC remain active. He has shared his process in the YouTube documentary Run from the Cure and has even shared samples of the oil with cancer patients.     But this is also why Simpson is living in Europe as a fugitive from the Canadian government.     Simpson is not a doctor and does not have a medical or scientific education. His administration of hemp oil treatments to cancer patients did not win him the favor of Canadian government officials.     Regardless of continued government resistance, some folks are convinced by anecdotal evidence and available studies that hemp oil is no snake oil! For that matter, many members of mainstream medicine agree that the cannabis plant may be useful to cancer patients suffering from anorexia, anxiety, depression, nausea, and pain.     But Dr. Lester Grinspoon, associate professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine urges caution in adopting this treatment.     Grinspoon said "while there is growing evidence from animal studies that [hemp oil] may shrink tumor cells and cause other promising salutary effects in some cancers, there is no present evidence that it cures any of the many different types of cancer. I think the day will come when it…will be demonstrated to have cancer-curative powers, but in the meantime, we must be very cautious about what we promise these patients."4     My take is that a cannabis extract may someday take its place in the array of natural cancer treatments available to all — but we're not there yet. Meanwhile, I think it would be hazardous and impractical for my readers to try to obtain high-potency hemp oil and experiment on themselves or their loved ones.     As for the kind of cannabis you smoke, it seems to me the damage to the respiratory system (and possibly to other body systems) is likely to outweigh any benefits. I've also seen plenty of evidence that it accelerates the aging process, most likely by creating a massive cascasde of free radicals, much the way tobacco smoke does. Inhaling smoke is not a healthy idea, even if it is a delivery system for a drug that might help fight cancer.     Having come of age during the hippie era, I can tell you the drug does a great deal of harm. I'm convinced it's addictive — despite what some advocates claim — and in most cases it turns frequent users into bumbling underachievers.     Put a pothead side by side with a non-user of the same age and you'll be shocked by the difference. A 25-year-old non-user looks like a rosy-cheeked child compared to a 25-year-old pothead. A 60-year-old pothead looks like someone 85.     But the medical uses of the drug do make a fascinating subject, and someday I hope researchers are able to legally find out whether a cannabis extract is a good cancer treatment.

NCAA Sports MILES, SCOTT AND SMITH RECEIVE CIAA WEEKLY HONORS

(HAMPTON, Va.)  The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) released its weekly CIAA Basketball Honor Roll and Bowie State University received three of the eight accolades.

Sophomore Brooke Miles was selected as Newcomer of the Week and first-year head coach Renard Smith was named Coach of the Week.  Miles continues to pay huge dividends for the surging Lady Bulldogs, averaging 17.3 points per game during BSU's three wins against Chowan, Elizabeth City State and Lincoln (Pa.).  Coach Smith has led his Lady Bulldogs to first place in the conference's Northern Division, winning four straight, five of the last six.  Bowie State defeated Chowan (63-51), Elizabeth City State in overtime (54-52) and routed Lincoln (78-45).

Junior transfer (Hagerstown Community College) Dameatric Scott was selected men's Newcomer of the Week.  Scott recorded a career-high 18 points to lead the No. 21 Bowie State to a 69-63 televised victory over Lincoln (Pa.) last Saturday.