“We’ve hadour ordeals all season long in terms of injuries,” Southern women’s headbasketball coach Sandy Pugh said.
“Changesand having to re-assign people jobs they’ve never done before so it’s been aride all season long.
So at thispoint we’re just trying to narrow in on what we’re doing right and focus onprogress and try to get better at that. The things that we’re doing wrong, tryto fix those as we go into the tournament.”
Southern istied for fourth place in the SWAC with Alabama A&M (14-11, 9-7)
The Jaguars(12-13, 9-7), Southwestern Athletic Conference preseason favorites will go onthe road to face Texas Southern on Thursday and Prairie View A&M onSaturday to close out the season — both games start at 5:30 p.m.
Southernwon the SWAC tournament last season in a game where they played eight-rankedMississippi Valley and defeated them 68-61.
In a leaguewhere anything is possible like last season on the men’s and women’s side No. 8seeds defeating No. 1 ranked teams in the first round. It’s like the teams records start fromscratch. Its win or go home.
But, Pughknows that the Jaguars are capable of winning the championship.
“Right noweverybody except for Tiffany (Jones, sophomore guard) is ready to go,” Pughsaid. We’re hoping that Ro’ (junior point guard Rolanda Monroe) will bring theshow. She’s going to draw double coverage and special assignments, in spite ofwhatever they throw at us we will be prepared and she’ll take care of herbusiness. Hopefully she’s going to lead us, and we’ll go as far as she can carryus.”
The firstwomen’s game is Thursday, March 8 at 10 a.m.
The women’schampion-ship game is Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m. in the Birmingham-JeffersonConvention Complex (BJCC) Arena at Birmingham, Ala.
The gamewill be broadcast on Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPNU).
“The mostimportant thing is you have to be hungry,” Pugh said. “I think these kids are.You have to be focused on getting it done because you’re either playing to winor playing to go home — its either one or the other.”
2005 SWAC Basketball TournamentSchedule
March 9-13
Birmingham-JeffersonConvention Complex
(BJCC) Arena
Birmingham, Ala.
Tuesday, March 8
8 a.m.- 6:45 p.m./ Team shoot-a-rounds / BJCC Arena
7 p.m. –8 p.m. /Tip Off / Welcome Reception / BJCC Arena
8 p.m. — 8:30p.m. / All-SWAC Teams Awards / BJCC Arena
Wednesday, March9 — School Day
Session 1
10 a.m. / game 1Women’s Quarterfinals
12:30 p.m. / game2 Women’s Quarterfinals
Session 2
5 p.m. / game 3Women’s Quarterfinals
7:30 p.m. / game4 Women’s Quarterfinals
Thursday, March10 — Show Your Colors Day
Session 3
10 a.m. / game 5Men’s Quarterfinals
12:30 p.m. / game6 Men’s Quarterfinals
Session 4
5 p.m. / game 7Men’s Quarterfinals
7:30 p.m. / game8 Men’s Quarterfinals
Friday, March 11– Family Day
Session 5
10 a.m. / game 9Women’s Semifinals
12:30 p.m. / game10 Women’s Semifinals
Session 6
5 p.m. / game 11Men’s Semifinals
7:30 p.m. / game12 Men’s Semifinals
Saturday, March12 — Women’s Day
Noon / SWACCheerleading Dance Competition
5 p.m. / Women’sChampionship Game / (ESPNU)
Sunday, March 13– Men’s Day
11 a.m. / Men’sChampionship Game / (ESPN2)
