Feb. 18, 2010

Final Stats

RALEIGH - Repeating as CIAA Western Division champions got a little tougher for Fayetteville State on Thursday.

Following its 69-63 loss at St. Augustine's, FSU (16-9, 12-7 CIAA, 7-3 Western Division) sits one game behind the Falcons with one game remaining in the regular season for both teams.

FSU would need to beat Eastern Division champion Virginia State on Saturday and hope that Livingstone upsets SAC (17-9, 13-6, 7-2) at Emery Gymnasium on Friday.

LaQuasha Jordan led FSU with 15 points. Junior forward Tiffany Haywood had 11 points and eight rebounds. L'oreal Price, Danielle Russell, Deja Middleton and Amanda Owens had seven points each.

Head coach Eva Patterson-Heath's team led by five early, before the Falcons ripped off a 16-2 run to take an 18-9 lead they would never relinquish. The Broncos trailed 30-27 at halftime and by as much as eight in the first half and 11 in the second half. SAC was 10-of-12 from the free throw line in the first half while FSU was 0-for-1.

Five Falcons players - LeKeisha White, Jolisa Williams, Allison Sikes, Ariel Brown and Keyona Bryant - scored in double figures. Bryant had a game-high 18 points.

SAC shot 41.8 percent from the field, snapping FSU's 18-game streak of keeping opponents below 40 percent shooting.

Jordan and the Broncos will close out the regular season on Saturday when they host Virginia State. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

The game is also a WBCA Pink Zone game and will serve as senior night for four FSU seniors - Price, Randi Watts, Russell and Tressa Aughburns. It will be the final game inside Capel Arena for the seniors, who have won 70 CIAA games, a CIAA Western Division title and made a NCAA appearance in their time at FSU.

"We have the best arena in the CIAA," said Aughburns. "We have great fans and great alumni support."

Added Price: "Out of all the schools in the CIAA, I'm glad I picked Fayetteville State because I love our gym. It's the best hands down."

Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.