Only three remain.
Of the *ahem* eight (not seven as we previously stated – we forgot Grambling State’s Jourdan Smith. Our bad! ) former Northwest Florida State College student-athletes playing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament – only three players remain after the tourney’s first weekend.
On the Men’s side of the house, only one player – Kam Woods – remains in the fight for a championship ring. He has not yet played in either of NC State’s unlikely tournament wins against Oakland or Texas Tech. His team will play Marquette on Friday, March 29th.
Shammah Scott (Akron), Chad Baker-Mazara (Auburn), Jourdan Smith (Grambling State) and Fallou Diagne (Western Kentucky) made their exit in the first round. Brennan Rigsby (Oregon) saw his way out of the tournament in the second round against Creighton in an 86-73 loss for the Ducks.
The women continue flying at 100% after their tournament’s first weekend.
South Carolina’s Sakima Walker played in a about a quarter of the time during matchups against Presbyterian College and the University of North Carolina. She had five points in the rout of Presbyterian and had a couple of rebounds and a steal.
The South Carolina Gamecocks are a heavy favorite against the Indiana Hoosiers on Friday at 4:00.
LSU’s Last-Tear Poa had a hand in both of the tigers wins this past weekends. She passed a concussion protocol earlier than expected to join the fight against Rice and give LSU nine points, an assist, a steal and two blocks on the night.
Poa, an Australian native, had an even bigger game in the second rounf against Middle Tennessee State University on Sunday. She had just three points in the game, but managed three rebounds and five assists on the night.
LSU will face off against UCLA on Saturday at noon.