Rust & Fisk Women dominate, Dillard Men keep dancing

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After four days of nailbiters, upsets, and thrilling competition, the GCAC 2024 Hope Credit Union Men’s and Women’s Championship title games are set. It will be #1 Rust vs #3 Fisk in the women’s title game and #2 Philander Smith vs. Cinderella #9 Dillard University in the men’s title bout. Fisk’s women used their tenacious defense and solid paint play to overwhelm the Lady Panthers.

The two teams split during the regular season, and this matchup proved to be everything fans could have hoped for – quite frankly feeling like a championship game battle. The Bleu Devils busted the men’s bracket, taking down No. 1 seed Tougaloo. And while their battle to the title may have shocked fans, it’s clear they are none too surprised to be in this position.

But who will prevail and take the title of GCAC Tournament Champion?

Sunday, we find out.

Women’s Title Game – 2 p.m. – No. 1 Rust vs. No. 3 Fisk | LIVE STATS |  WATCH

Men’s Title Game – 5 p.m. – N. 2 Philander Smith vs. No. 9 Dillard | LIVE STATS | WATCH

Women’s Semifinal 1: #3 Fisk 62, #2 Philander Smith 49

Day four kicked off with an exciting cat versus dog fight until the clock struck zero as the three seed Fisk knocked out the second-ranked Lady Panthers of Philander Smith University. Fisk University Lady Bulldog Zipporah Davis came out hot from behind the arc to rack up 15 points. The inside presence of teammates Maya Buckhanon and A’Niya Young remains a force to be reckoned with, gathering eight and 12 boards, as Buckhanon adds 19 points to guarantee the 62-49 win over the Philander Smith Panthers. Lady Panthers NaTracia Ceaser and Myia Yelder gave a strong counterattack taking care of half the team’s points at 15 and 10, as Ari Winston added her support at the rim for 14 rebounds and two steals.

Women’s Semifinal 2: #1Rust 73, #4 Dillard 57

Through the first half of play, the Lady Bleu Devils of Dillard gave Rust Lady Bearcats a convincing run for their top seed as they headed into the locker room only down three courtesy of Jordyn Rowe’s 11 points. But down the stretch, a pack of Lady Bearcats, Diamond Sweats, Kennedi Green, Niya McGuire, and Amelya Hatch, were too tough to stop. Ushered in by Sweats’ 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, spurred her team to a 73-57 victory, advancing to tomorrow’s Championship game.

Men’s Semifinal 1: #2 Philander Smith 64, #3 Talladega 43

From the tip, Raymond Reece and the second-seeded Panthers of Philander Smith put the pedal to the metal against the #3 Talladega College Tornadoes as he threw down a boisterous dunk to further the lead to 13 points at the half. JaVonni Bickham put forth the most notable performance for the Tornadoes behind 10 points, grabbing six rebounds, swatting three shots, and handing out an assist. Unfortunately, his efforts alone were not enough as Dega suffered a tough loss at the hands of Amorey Womack and his Panther affiliates. Womack finished one board shy of a double-double adding 11 points finding backup from Christione Rufus, David Kellah, and aforementioned Reece. This trio tacked on 15, 12, and 10, individually, to advance into the Championship game with a 64-43 triumph.

Men’s Semifinal 2: #4 Fisk vs. #9 Dillard

And the #9 Bleu Devils of Dillard University continue to hand out upsets in the dismantling of  fourth-ranked Fisk University Bulldogs. The Bulldogs battled well until the 10:36 mark of the first half as Bleu Devil, Devin Lewis, drained a three, creating a 7-point spread that only seemed to increase. It wasn’t until a string of hustle plays from Jayden Lockett, a Fisk All-Conference First-teamer, with a minute to go, shifted momentum for them. The Bulldogs left the court only down four at the break.

For the first five minutes into the second half, they traded buckets. A series of missed attempts by the Bulldogs, compounded by Tyrus Crawford’s rim protection, pushed the Bleu Devil lead back to eight. Lockett attempted to take matters into his own hands with back-to-back scores, adding five points. An Armond Williams dunk and two Tony White layups incited control back in favor of Fisk.

Then with five and a half minutes to go, Dillard put the game out of reach for the Bulldogs. Tory Cargo stole the ball ensuing a breakaway dunk. Immediately following, Lewis swatted a shot for Mike Reeves to reel in and pass off to Williams for a crowd-altering uproar. Inside the final stretch, Bulldogs Lockett, Blake Goodman, and Tyree Martin gave their last attempts to change the outcome, ending the night with 13, 12, and 7 points, adding 10 rebounds by Martin. But the Bleu Devils were too much for Fisk to handle as fate was sealed for Dillard in an exhilarating 72-54 victory. Lewis and White concluded semifinal play matching 13 points, as Cargo and Williams coupled at 10 each. They advance for an opportunity to win their first championship since 2017.