UAPB still has point to prove this season

Once the Arkansas-Pine Bluff men’s basketball team learned it would be eligible for the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament, the intensity picked up.

“These guys had a lot more to play for,” Coach George Ivory said.

UAPB had been declared ineligible for postseason play for the second consecutive season because of low Academic Progress Rate scores, but the SWAC reversed course March 1 and ruled that UAPB - along with Southern, Grambling State and Mississippi Valley State - would be eligible for the conference tournament.

The schools still aren’t eligible to take part in the NCAA Tournament, but Ivory said the opportunity to play in the conference tournament gave his team something to play for as the regular season drew near.

UAPB started 2-5 in conference play, but it finished 9-2 over its final 11 regular-season games. It has won four its past five games, including three consecutive games heading into the SWAC Tournament.

The fourth-seeded Golden Lions (13-17) will play fifth-seeded Alabama A&M (13-15) at 8 p.m. today at the Toyota Center in Houston. The winner will face Southern or Prairie View A&M in a semifinal game Friday.

“Our guys have worked hard all year,” Ivory said. “Different guys have stepped up and played hard.”

The Golden Lions swept the season series against Alabama A&M. UAPB won 72-64 on Jan. 11 at Alabama A&M thanks to guard Tevin Hammond’s 30-point performance and held on to win 64-61 on Feb. 8 in Pine Bluff.

“We do a pretty good job against them,” Ivory said. “They’re a guard-oriented team.”

Ivory said winning the tournament championship would mean a lot for his team, which played its first 15 games on the road this season.

“All my guys stayed,” Ivory said. “Their first goal was to get an education. It shows the type of kids I have.

“We have a great opportunity to win this tournament.”

UAPB MEN (13-17, 11-7 SWAC)

DATE OPPONENT TIME/RESULT

Nov. 10 Tuskegee# W, 66-64

Nov. 11 Morehouse# W, 67-54

Nov. 15 at Oklahoma State L 97-63

Nov. 17 at Air Force L, 67-64

Nov. 24 SMU^ L, 87-61

Nov. 26 at Texas A&M L, 88-55

Nov. 29 Sam Houston St.% L, 75-49

Nov. 30 Hampton% L, 72-65

Dec. 13 at Oregon State L, 77-63

Dec. 17 at Creighton L, 88-51

Dec. 22 at Iowa L, 86-61

Dec. 30 at Auburn L, 91-59

Jan. 4 at Miss. Valley St. * W, 78-73

Jan. 11 at Alabama A&M * W, 72-64

Jan. 13 at Alabama State * L, 77-64

Jan. 18 Southern * L, 60-56

Jan. 20 Alcorn State * L, 71-45

Jan. 25 at Prairie View * L, 71-62

Jan. 27 at Texas Southern * L, 72-71

Feb. 1 Grambling State * W, 66-64

Feb. 3 Jackson State * W, 70-69

Feb. 8 Alabama A&M * W, 64-61

Feb. 10 Alabama State * W, 76-71

Feb. 15 at Southern * W, 64-58

Feb. 17 at Alcorn State * L, 57-54

Feb. 22 Prairie View * W, 76-61

Feb. 24 Texas Southern * L, 65-55

Mar. 1 at Grambling State * W, 62-51

Mar. 3 at Jackson State * W, 66-59

Mar. 8 Miss. Valley State * W, 83-68

Mar. 11 Alabama A&M+ 8 p.m. * SWAC game #at Morehouse/HBCU Challenge, Atlanta ^at Culwell Center, Garland, Texas %at Corpus Christi (Texas) Challenge +at Toyota Center, Houston

Sports, Pages 23 on 03/13/2014

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