Saturday, March 14, 2002
BLUE HOSE
UPSET #13 COLUMBUS STATE 71-59IN QUARTERFINALS OF THE NCAA DIVISION
II SOUTH ATLANTIC REGIONAL
PC will play Shaw University in semifinals tomorrow at 8:30 pm
COLUMBUS, GA — The last game of the day provided the most stunning result as Presbyterian College did what nobody else could do all year: beat Columbus State at home. The No. 8 seeded Blue Hose shocked top seeded at #13 in the nation, Columbus State 71-59 to hand the Cougars their first loss on their home floor in Friday’s first round of the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional held at the Lumpkin Center.
Columbus State (27-5) had gone 19-0 on its home floor prior to the tournament. Presbyterian (26-8) advances to Saturday’s semifinal game against Shaw University which will begin at 8:30 p.m..
Presbyterian made itself right at home by shooting 46% (13-28) from the floor in the first half. Trailing by one with 2:40 to play in the first frame, the Blue Hose out-scored the Cougars 9-5 the rest of the way to take a 35-32 lead into the locker room. Tray Ballenger went 4-5 from the floor and led PC at the break with 11 points. Jed Bedford hit four three pointers and led Columbus State with 14 points at the intermission. CSU shot 41% (12-29) from the floor through the first twenty minutes.
CSU cut the deficit down to one early in the second half on a Bedford jumper, but PC answered with a 7-0 run capped by a Michael Drum free throw to take a 41-34 lead with 17:00 to play. That was followed by another 7-0 run to give the Blue Hose a double digit lead at 49-37 at the 13:44 mark. The Cougars battled to trim the deficit down to single digits several times but would not get any closer than six points the rest of the way.
PC shot 47% (14-30) from the floor in the second half, while the Cougars cooled off to a 35% (9-26) clip in the final twenty minutes, including a dismal 2-11 performance from three point range. PC shot 47% (27-58) from the floor for the game, while the CSU shot 38% (21-55). PC also won the battle under the boards by out-rebounding CSU 41-30.
Chuck Rayford led PC with 23 points, while Drum added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Bedford finished with 21 points to lead CSU, while John Thomas scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.