FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-5-01

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, February 5
• Women's Basketball vs. Georgia College & State, 5:30 p.m.
• Men's Basketball vs. Georgia College & State, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, February 6
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday, February 7
No Events Scheduled

Thursday, February 8
No Events Scheduled

Friday, February 9
No Events Scheduled

Saturday, February 10
• AASU Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Banquet - Noon
• Baseball vs. Augusta State, 2:00 p.m.
• Women's Basketball vs. USC Aiken, 5:30 p.m.
• Men's Basketball vs. USC Aiken, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 11
• Baseball vs. Augusta State (DH), Noon

Men's Basketball (18-5 Overall, 10-0 PBC, No. 4 South Atlantic Region)

The Armstrong Atlantic State men's basketball team has now won 11 straight games after picking up wins against North Florida and Columbus State on the week, tying a school record.

On Wednesday, the Pirates used 23 points from senior center Cyrille Mainnemarre as AASU squeaked past North Florida, 66-64. Mainnemarre hit 10-of-17 shots from the field in registering his season high and senior Greg Favors added 10 points and a season-high 16 rebounds for the Pirates.

Saturday, the Pirates defeated Columbus State, 65-57, behind 19 points from Mainnemarre and a career-high 17 points from sophomore Brian Hobbs. Hobbs hit six-of-seven three-pointers, including five in the first half, as AASU jumped out to a 41-27 halftime lead and held on for the victory. The 11-game win streak is the third such streak in AASU history – AASU also won 11 games in a row during the 1978-79 season and 1983-84 season. The 10-0 Peach Belt Conference start also ties a school record, matching the 1994-95 team's start.

Cyrille Mainnemarre was named the Peach Belt Conference's Player of the Week on Monday for averaging 21 points per game in AASU's two contests. Mainnemarre becomes the second Pirate to be named player of the week in the 2000-2001 season – Robert Campbell earned the conference honor on January 8^th.

This week, coach Mills' squad hosts Georgia College & State on Monday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m., then hosts North Division-leading USC Aiken on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. for Homecoming.

Women's Basketball (8-12 Overall, 3-7 PBC)

Coach Hodge's Lady Pirates split two games on the week, snapping their five-game losing streak with a home victory over North Florida, but falling to No. 1-ranked Columbus State.

Wednesday, Lori Green's transition layup with 26 seconds remaining gave the Lady Pirates the lead and UNF's Leigh Gaudy turned the ball over with three seconds remaining, sealing the 57-54 victory for AASU and snapping the Lady Pirates' five-game losing streak. Sophomore Zandrique Cason and junior Lexie Martin led the Lady Pirates with 12 points apiece while sophomore Kristin Brewer added 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the floor, including two three-pointers.

On Saturday, the Lady Pirates traveled to No. 1 Columbus State for a first-ever matchup with a top-ranked team and Columbus State rolled, defeating AASU 96-41. Columbus State forced an AASU school-record 42 turnovers and held the Lady Pirates to just 14 second-half points in the win. Cason led the Lady Pirates with 11 points, the only AASU player to reach double figures.

With six games to play in the regular season, the Lady Pirates are two games behind North Florida for fourth place in the conference and a berth in the PBC Tournament.

The Lady Pirates host Georgia College & State on Monday, Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m., then host North Division-leading USC Aiken on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m. for Homecoming.

Baseball (5-1 Overall, No. 29 NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll)

Head coach Joe Roberts' baseball squad took two of three games over the weekend from Gardner-Webb University, a team that advanced to the 2000 Division II College World Series last season.

Saturday, the Pirates swept the Bulldogs in a doubleheader, 9-5 and 2-1. Senior righthander B.J. Brinkmeier outdueled Gardner Webb's Dan Rothem in the second game, giving up five hits and one run while striking out seven in AASU's 2-1 win. In the first game, the Pirates struck first with two unearned runs in the opening frame, then extended their lead to 4-0 with single runs in the third and fourth innings. Senior Bill Keifer and sophomore Chris Boaen drove in runs in the fifth inning to extend the AASU lead to 6-0, then after the Bulldogs plated a run on a double play in the sixth, the Pirates struck for three more runs, putting the game out of reach. Junior Ross Koenig pitched five scoreless innings, giving up four hits and striking out nine batters to pick up his first win for AASU.

On Sunday, Gardner-Webb's Michael James hit a bases-clearing double in the top of the fifth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and give the Bulldogs a 6-2 win over the Pirates.

AASU returns to action on Sat., Feb. 10 as they host Augusta State in both team's Peach Belt Conference opener with a single game at 2:00 p.m. The two teams then play a doubleheader on Sun., Feb. 11 at Noon.

Men's and Women's Tennis (Men: No. 7 ITA DII National Ranking)

The AASU men's and women's tennis teams open the spring dual match season with wins at USC Spartanburg on Saturday.

The AASU men, ranked No. 7 in the nation, won two of the three doubles points and got singles wins from Blaise Tribolet, Neil McPhee and Bob Rog to squeak past the Rifles, 5-4.

The AASU women did not drop a match in defeating the Rifles, 9-0. Zsofi Golopencza, Michaela Kratochvilova, Laura Puch, Danjela Mijic and Carolyn Ward all recorded straight-set wins in singles.

AASU returns to action on Feb. 14 as both the men's and women's teams travel to Columbus State to face the Cougars at 1:00 p.m.

- Pirates -