Two Portland State basketball players released from jail after fight in Mexico
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico -- Two Portland State basketball players were released from jail Wednesday after telling police they weren't part of a fight in a Mexican resort town.
Jeremiah Dominguez and Scott Morrison denied beating up a 23-year-old Michigan man late Friday.
Consular spokesman Charles Smith said that under Mexican law, since the victim didn't press charges, the two had to be released. He said they are free to leave Mexico.
Kyle Meagher, a student at Lansing Community College, suffered a broken jaw. He told police from his hospital bed that he didn't have a chance to identify the aggressors. He said he only remembers being hit and losing consciousness.
Dominguez and Morrison were arrested three days after the fight.
Investigator Omar Barajas said they were initially taken into custody for public drinking, but one of Meagher's acquaintances said they may have been responsible for the fight. However, the acquaintance has since disappeared and never made a formal accusation.
It was unclear if the pair would stay in Cabo San Lucas or return to the U.S.
Dominguez and Morrison played on the Vikings team that went a school-record 23-10, winning the Big Sky conference tournament to earn its first trip to the NCAA tournament. A No. 16 seed, Portland State lost to top-seeded Kansas in a first-round game.
Dominguez, the Big Sky's player of the year, averaged 14.2 points and 4.1 assists per game. Morrison, the league's defensive player of the year, averaged 10.4 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Oklahoma City takes advantage of second chances for back-to-back NAIA titles
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Second chances abound in NAIA basketball, and no team has made more of its opportunities lately than Oklahoma City University.
With a roster populated by transfers from other colleges, the Stars rolled back into town Wednesday to celebrate their second straight national championship amid talk of starting the school's second basketball dynasty in two decades.
"It's the greatest feeling. I've never had a feeling like this," said Ollie Bailey, a 6-foot-7 transfer from Rutgers who was the NAIA player of the year. "We worked so hard during the summer as a team, and we deserve this. We're the best team in the country."
All but four of the players on the Stars' roster transferred from other colleges, including Bailey and two-time NAIA tournament MVP Kameron Gray, who once had 32 points for Cal Poly in a game against Southern California. Even coach Ray Harper, who won two NCAA Division II titles at Kentucky Wesleyan, got a fresh start at Oklahoma City after leaving his previous job with NCAA violations pending.
Bailey had seen his playing time and production cut in half over the past two seasons at Rutgers, where he earned recognition on the Big East all-rookie team after averaging 9.7 points and 4.4 rebounds as a freshman. He signed on to join the reigning NAIA champs, and then led them this season with 18.9 points and 8.1 rebounds, picking up 13 double-doubles along the way.
"He wasn't playing as much as he thought he should, and after watching him this year, I have to tend to agree with him," Harper said. "The only thing we ask is that you do the right things, go to class, be on time, work hard.
"I don't think you can win and be successful with guys that won't do it the right way, and these kids all do it the right way."
It's hardly uncommon for former major college players to shine at the NAIA level. Joining Bailey on the All-America team are players from Missouri, Wyoming and Illinois-Chicago. Harper brought in four recruits from NCAA Division I schools before last year's title run, and Bailey was one of two such transfers for the Stars before this year.
And he'll likely need reinforcements if Oklahoma City wants to three-peat. Bailey, Gray and Willie Irick -- the team's three leading scorers -- have all completed their college careers.
"I know Coach Harper will bring in some top recruits. We've got some good players on our team already," said Bailey, holding the stone block trophy recognizing him as the NAIA's top player. "They could go three in a row, you never know."
Harper said he didn't even make it off the court following Oklahoma City's 75-72 championship game win against Mountain State (W.Va.) on Tuesday night before university President Tom McDaniel raised the question of a third straight title.
Tennessee State (1957-59) and Kentucky State (1970-72) are the only NAIA teams to win three straight national championships. Oklahoma City, which lost on a buzzer-beater with 2 seconds left in 2006, became the first team since Kentucky State to even make the title game three years in a row.
"We want to enjoy this one," said Harper, who made six straight championship games at Kentucky Wesleyan, winning the 1999 and 2001 titles. "We feel like the guys we're recruiting are the guys that can help us get back there. One thing we said was, `They're going to play the championship game next year, so why not try to get back there and play in it again?"
A few dozen fans, faculty and staff members came out to cheer the team bus as it pulled back into the parking lot at Abe Lemons Arena. Players hoisted the national championship trophy -- the school's sixth, all coming since 1991 -- and then got congratulated individually by the line of fans.
Oklahoma City also won back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992 to start a run of four titles in a six-year span.
"Back-to-back, man. We're like Florida when they made back-to-back," Bailey said. "It's a great feeling."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
UNM to face Cal in NIT
ALBUQUERQUE -- New Mexico will square off against the California Bears in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.
The Lobos (24-8) will travel to Cal (16-15) for Wednesday night's game, which will mark the 17th time New Mexico has played in the NIT.
The Lobos are seeded fifth in their bracket, while Cal is fourth.
The 32-team NIT is the traditional consolation prize for the best teams left out of the NCAA tournament.
The Lobos' NCAA hopes were dashed Thursday night when they lost 82-80 in overtime to the Utah Utes in the Mountain West Conference quarterfinals at Las Vegas.
New Mexico's NIT record is 16-17. The Lobos last appeared in the NIT in 2002, losing at Minnesota in the first round, 96-92.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Kingsley scores 26 as Stephen F. Austin beats Texas-San Antonio
KATY, Texas -- Matt Kingsley scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Stephen F. Austin rallied in the second half to defeat Texas-San Antonio 71-60 Thursday in a first-round game of the Southland Conference tournament.
Gerald Fonzie added 19 points for the top-seeded Lumberjacks (26-4).
Stephen F. Austin trailed Texas-San Antonio 31-26 in the first half as the Roadrunners (13-17) shot 66 percent from the field.
But the Lumberjacks began to get the game in hand in the second half after opening with a 5-0 run to tie the game at 31-31.
With Southland Player of the Year guard Josh Alexander struggling from the field, Stephen F. Austin turned to Fonzie on the outside and Kingsley underneath to control the second half.
Kingsley had 18 points in the second half. Fonzie added 11.
Alexander was held to 9 points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field.
Texas-San Antonio freshman guard Devin Gibson, the league's top freshman this season, was the only Roadrunner player in double figures with a game-high 27 points.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Wright State beats Detroit 60-37 in first-round Horizon League game
DAYTON, Ohio -- Scottie Wilson had 15 points and nine rebounds Tuesday night, and Wright State allowed only 13 points in the second half of a 60-37 victory over Detroit in the first round of the Horizon League tournament.
Wright State (21-9) lost its last two games, slipping to the No. 3 seed in the tournament, and trailed by nine points late in the first half. The Raiders' defense finally dug in and pulled it out.
Detroit (7-23) went only 5-of-22 from the field in the second half and failed to score again after Eulis Stephens made a 3-pointer with 6:43 to play. Detroit lost all three of its games against Wright State this season.
Vaughn Duggins added 12 points for Wright State, which shot 63 percent from the field in the second half. Duggins opened the half with back-to-back 3-pointers.
Stephens went 7-of-14 from the field and scored 18 points. Only four other Detroit players scored.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Tyler Hansbrough helps No. 3 North Carolina handle Wake Forest
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina handled young Wake Forest with a steady showing that put the third-ranked Tar Heels atop the Atlantic Coast Conference. Now they get to rest.
Tyler Hansbrough had 29 points to continue his late-season surge while Wayne Ellington added 17 in the Tar Heels' 89-73 win over Wake Forest on Sunday night, helping them pull a half-game ahead of Duke.
Danny Green had 15 points for the Tar Heels (26-2, 11-2), who shot 56 percent to win their fourth straight in the series. It was a good, though unflashy, way to head into a nearly weeklong break before Saturday's trip to Boston College.
"It'll give us time to work on a lot of things that Coach is really stressing," Hansbrough said, "and also it'll help a lot of guys get healthy."
Most notably, point guard Ty Lawson, who has been out since spraining his left ankle Feb. 3 early in an overtime win at Florida State. Also, forward Deon Thompson (left knee) and swingman Marcus Ginyard (left big toe, right ankle) are playing through nagging injuries.
In other Top 25 games Sunday, it was No. 9 Stanford 79, California 69; No. 10 Xavier 57, Dayton 51; No. 11 Wisconsin 58, Ohio State 53; No. 18 Louisville 75, Pittsburgh 73; and No. 21 Notre Dame 94, Syracuse 87.
Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said he doesn't know whether Lawson will play against BC. Thompson was limited to 14 ineffective minutes against the Demon Deacons (16-9, 6-6).
At least North Carolina had Hansbrough, who went 9-for-13 from the field and 11-for-14 from the line. It was his seventh straight game with at least 22 points, a streak that began when the Tar Heels lost Lawson. Hansbrough is averaging 28 points and 12.1 rebounds during that stretch.
Ellington hit three 3-pointers, the biggest just before halftime when he took a high inbound pass from Green and knocked down a contested 3 from the far left corner in front of the Wake Forest bench. That gave North Carolina a 50-41 lead at the break.
The Tar Heels kept attacking the Demon Deacons to get them in foul trouble. Wake Forest was whistled for six fouls in the first 4 minutes, while 7-foot center Chas McFarland -- matched up with Hansbrough early -- picked up his fourth foul 48 seconds into the second half.
North Carolina took advantage, hitting 26 of 34 free throws.
"It's not just the guys in the striped shirts because we're going to throw the ball inside, we're going to attack the basket, we're going to get fouled and we're going to put the other team in position to be in foul trouble," Williams said. "We have with every team I've ever coached and every team I ever will."
James Johnson scored 22 for the Demon Deacons, who were within two points late in the first half before the Tar Heels steadily pulled away.
"When you're preparing for these guys there's so much to prepare for," Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio said. "You've got to get back on defense. They're the leading rebounding team in the league. Tyler's a handful inside. ... You have to do a lot of things well to beat them." ^No. 9 Stanford 79, California 69=
At Stanford, Calif., Anthony Goods scored 20 points and Brook Lopez added 15 to keep the Cardinal (22-4, 11-3) in the race for the Pac-10 title with their ninth win in 10 games. Robin Lopez and Mitch Johnson had 11 points apiece.
Ryan Anderson and Patrick Christopher had 15 points each for Cal (15-10, 6-8). No. 10 Xavier 57, Dayton 51
At Dayton, Ohio, Josh Duncan scored 14 points, Drew Lavender made four free throws in the final 35 seconds and Xavier (24-4, 12-1) held on for its 10th straight win and ensured at least a share of the Atlantic 10 championship.
Brian Roberts led Dayton (17-9, 5-8) with 15 points. No. 11 Wisconsin 58, Ohio St. 53
At Columbus, Ohio, Jason Bohannon came off the bench to score 16 points and Wisconsin (23-4, 13-2) remained a half-game ahead of Purdue and Indiana for the Big Ten lead.
Michael Flowers had 14 points and Marcus Landry 10 for the Badgers.
Jamar Butler led the Buckeyes (17-10, 8-6) with 14 points and Kosta Koufos had 10. No. 18 Louisville 75, Pittsburgh 73
At Pittsburgh, David Padgett made three free throws in the final 32.1 seconds and Louisville (22-6, 12-3) moved back into a first-place tie in the Big East, holding on to beat Pittsburgh for its seventh consecutive victory.
Padgett finished with 21 points and reserve Edgar Sosa scored 18 for Louisville.
Sam Young and DeJuan Blair scored 20 points each for Pitt (19-8, 7-7). No. 21 Notre Dame 94, Syracuse 87
At South Bend, Ind., Kyle McAlarney made a school-record nine 3-pointers to finish with 30 points and Notre Dame won its 36th straight home game, two shy of the school record.
Rob Kurz added 15 for the Irish (21-5, 11-3), and Tory Jackson and Ryan Ayers had 10 each.
Paul Harris led Syracuse (17-11, 7-8) with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Arinze Onuaku had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Jonny Flynn added 17 points and Kristof Ongenaet had 11.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Pelphrey hopes return to Fayetteville changes Ark. fortunes
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Arkansas basketball coach John Pelphrey hopes the hometown crowd can help his Hogs get back on track after two straight losses.
"Last week was challenging. We were not able to play well enough to get a win in either game," Pelphrey said Monday. "This is a new week and we have the chance to play at home."
LSU visits Walton Arena at Fayetteville on Wednesday for a game set to start at 7:05 p.m.
The Tigers (9-15, 2-8 Southeastern Conference) are coming off a 67-63 loss Saturday to Kentucky. The most recent loss by Arkansas (17-7, 6-4) was also Saturday, 80-74 to Mississippi State, and the Razorbacks also fell 93-71 last Wednesday to then-No. 4 Tennessee, now ranked No. 2.
Arkansas beat LSU 68-52 at Baton Rouge on Jan. 27, but the Tigers have a new coach after John Brady was fired Feb. 8 following an 8-13 start. Brady was replaced for the rest of this season by Butch Pierre, who had been associate head coach.
"Their team is close. They had some adversity and with Coach Brady not there, that has brought them closer," Pelphrey said. "They are much better than they are in the standings (in last place in the SEC West). LSU is fighting, scratching and clawing, and I'm not surprised by that."
Pelphrey warned that the team his Razorbacks beat on Jan. 27 didn't have LSU center Chris Johnson on the floor. Johnson scored 19 points in Pierre's first win with the Tigers, an 85-73 victory over Florida last Wednesday.
"He's a shot blocker and he can step outside and shoot the three," Pelphrey said. "That lightens the load for Marcus Thornton and Anthony Randolph," LSU's top scorers.
Thornton is averaging 19 points a game, second in the SEC, while Randolph's scoring average is 14.5 points per game.
"This game is very similar to the first time we played," the Arkansas coach said. "We were in desperate need of playing well (then) and we're in desperate need now."
Arkansas will have to concentrate on stopping Randolph and Thornton while coping with Johnson's abilities.
"Johnson is unique at the center spot," Pelphrey said. "He's capable of hitting three, four or five threes."
Pelphrey said the Razorback team that lost twice last week is better than the team that lost successive games to South Carolina and Georgia early in the SEC season.
"We're more of a team today than we were then," Pelphrey said. "Neither one of those games last week was lost from a lack of effort or competing. We knew last week would be challenging, and you have to give those teams credit for that."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
|
