Feb. 20, 2009

Bracket after Day 1

BESSEMER, AL – Defending Champion Southern and 2008 runner-up Alabama A&M earned the top two seeds after Day One of the 2009 SWAC Bowling Championship at the Holiday Bowl Center.

Texas Southern, Grambling State, Jackson State and Alabama State will be seeds 3-6 as Saturday’s competition moves to a double-elimination bracket playing the Baker format.

Friday’s competition was a round-robin team format, with each team competing against the other five. Based on today’s pin count, the teams have been seeded 1-6 to set the bracket for the weekend.

Southern bowled a team-high 4460 on Friday in winning all five matches, highlighted by a 1,017 score in the final game. SU’s Vanessa Caldwell had a steller fifth game, beginning with eight consecutive strikes en route to a high total for the day of 255.

Alabama A&M earned the number two seed, bowling a 4317 in posting a 4-1 record. The Bulldogs rolled a game-high 871 in the final game. Nikki McClinton rolled a single-game high 215 to lead Alabama A&M.

Texas Southern was the only other team to break the 4,000 pin mark, rolling a 4028. Allyson Smith’s game-high 197 led the Lady Tigers.

Grambling State rolled a 3985 to claim the fourth seed, led by Ashley Dowdy’s game-high 220 led her Lady Tigers.

Jackson State (3,974) was led by Ashley Blakely’s high game of 190. Alabama State (3,782) was led by Paige Roquemore’s high game of 188.

Saturday’s action begins at 9:30 a.m. with #3 seed Texas Southern facing #6 seed Alabama State and a matchup of the #4 and #5 seeds, Jackson State and Grambling State.

Southern will face the TSU-Alabama State winner and Alabama A&M will play the Jackson State-Grambling State winner at approximately 11 a.m. The field of six will be pair down to two for Sunday’s Championship Round at 2 p.m. which will be taped by ESPNU to air in early March.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE  Baker Matches will be played in the double-elimination bracket until two teams remain for the Championship Game.

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.                      Warm Up Period

9:30 - Until                                Baker Match Competition

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.                    Game #1 (Jackson State – Grambling State)

                                                  Game #2 (Texas Southern – Alabama State)

10:30 – 10:50 a.m.                  Warm Up

10:50 – 11:50 a.m.                Game #3 (Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser) – loser is eliminated

                                                Game #4 (Alabama A&M vs Game 1 winner)

                                                Game #5 (Southern vs. Game 2 winner)

11:50 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.        Warm Up

12:10 – 1:10 p.m.                  Game #6 (Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 loser) – loser is eliminated

                                                Game #7 (Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner) – winner advances title match

1:10 – 1:30 p.m.                     Warm Up                               

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.                      Game #8 (Game 3 winner vs. Game 6 winner) – loser is eliminated

2:30 – 2:50 p.m.                      Warm Up                   

2:50 – 3:50 p.m.                      Game #9 (Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 winner) – loser is elininated

SUNDAY

Championship Match

2 p.m.                                      Game#10 (Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner)*

                                                * Game 9 winner must win twice to claim title