South Carolina State University Athletics

Events and Results

Women's Basketball 3/4/2012 10:42:00 PM Romanda Noble, Asst. Sports Information Director

The Juniors Have It

SC State Women’s Basketball Junior Class Lead Lady Bulldogs into MEAC Tournament

Juniors (L-R): Tiana Hemphill, Trinese Fox, Tiara Knotts, Lauren Johson, Paris Alston...Not Pictured Cabriel Duren

For SC State women's basketball the junior class has proven to be in a class by itself. For the 2012 Lady Bulldogs, the class of 2013 has been dominant. The top four-of-five scorers and top two rebounders on the team hail from the junior class. The six members of the class are Tiara Knotts (5-4, guard, from Columbia, S.C./A.C. Flora HS), Trinese Fox (5-9, guard/forward, Suffolk Va./Nanesmond River HS), Lauren Johnson (5-9, guard, Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch HS), Paris Alston (6-2, center, Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford HS), Tiana Hemphill (6-0, forward, Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe), and Cabriel Duren (5-4, guard, from Oveida, Fla./Lake Howell HS). Duren, who is a two-sport athlete, is in her first season with the team. She is also a member of the SC State women's golf team.

“I knew coming into the season that the junior class would lead the team this season,” said fourth year head coach Doug Robertson. “The addition of Duren has really helped open some things up at the guard position.”

And leading the team they have. In addition to the stellar play for the team, five of the six members in the class rank in the top twenty in various categories in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Knotts is currently ranked in five categories (scoring-16th, assists-10th, steals-10th, 3-point percentage-13th, and 3-pointers made-10th), Alston in four (field goal percentage-3rd, overall rebounding-18th, offensive rebounding-6th, block shots-6th), Hemphill in three (offensive rebounding-4th, overall rebounding-5th and defensive rebounding-9th), Duren in three (assists-5th, assists/turnovers-7th, free-throw percentage-14th) and Johnson ranks in one (three-point percentage-11th).

Additional a member of the junior class has scored in double-figures in each of the last eight outings for SC State.

“I'm not at all surprised that this class is performing the way they are,” stated Robertson. “With the exception of Duren, these young ladies have been playing together for the past two seasons so they were due to have a breakout year.”

The Lady Bulldogs will open the 2012 MEAC Basketball Tournament tomorrow (Monday, March 5) against Delaware State. The tournament will run through Saturday, March 10 at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C.

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