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Lady Bobcats advance to state tournament in 51-49 overtime win over Hampton

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Oliver Springs Lady Bobcats Celebrate Sectional Win

The Oliver Springs Lady Bobcats celebrate a 51-49 overtime win over Hampton in a Class A sectional game in Oliver Springs on Monday. (Photo by Hannah Ellis/RoaneSports.com)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:40 p.m. March 3.

Oliver Springs beat Hampton 51-49 in overtime in a Class A sectional game on Monday, and the Lady Bobcats will play in a state quarterfinal game in Murfreesboro on Thursday.

Oliver Springs (28-6) will take on Decatur County Riverside (24-9) at 9:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. Eastern time) Thursday, March 5, at the Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

Senior twins Emily (22 points) and Rachel Griffith (15) combined to score 37 points for the Lady Bobcats on Monday, including 13 in the fourth quarter and the only two Oliver Springs baskets in overtime. The game was tied at 47 at the end of the fourth quarter.

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Honors: Gipson selected to Capital One Academic All-America third team

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Autumn Gipson Christmas Invitational

Oak Ridge High School graduate and Middle Tennessee State University student Autumn Gipson, right, running next to teammate Jackline Kiprono, left, in the mile at the Christmas Invitational in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MT Athletic Communications)

 

First Blue Raider in track and field and cross country

AUSTIN, Texas—Autumn Gipson, a senior runner at Middle Tennessee State University and former all-star athlete at Oak Ridge High School, was selected to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country third team. The College Sport Information Directors of America announced the selection in late June.

Gipson, a key contributor for MTSU in cross country and track and field, is an exercise science major that has maintained a 4.0 grade point average, the university said in a story posted on its website. She was also selected to the Conference USA Women’s Track and Field All-Academic team on May 28 and the C-USA Women’s Cross Country All-Academic team in November 2013.

“Gipson is the perfect combination of putting academics and athletics together,” said Middle Tennessee head coach Dean Hayes. “She is a good student and has done good things athletically, while making the most of her opportunity at Middle Tennessee. What she has done in the classroom and on the track will help her find success in the future.”

The Knoxville native notched two top-10 finishes in cross country, placing as high as eighth on the two-mile course at the Front Runner Invitational, the MTSU story said. During the indoor season, she tallied three individual top-15 finishes and was a member of the distance medley relay, which placed in the top seven in the five meets they competed in. The relay team captured first at the Edward S. Temple Classic and seventh at the C-USA Indoor Championships. [Read more…]

Wildcats’ lead slips away in fourth quarter of state championship

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Oak Ridge Wildcats 2014 State Runner Up

The Oak Ridge Wildcats were named Class AAA State Runner-Up after a 60-58 loss to the Blackman Blaze in Murfreesboro on Saturday.

MURFREESBORO—The Oak Ridge Wildcats gave up an 11-point lead in a series of turnovers in the fourth quarter before losing to the Blackman Blaze 60-58 in a state championship game in Murfreesboro on Saturday.

Wildcats senior Jaylin Henderson had a game-high 24 points in the Class AAA final, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the combined scoring of four Blaze players who scored 10 or more each. The Wildcats were named 2014 State Runner-Up.

Oak Ridge (32-8) looked like it was headed to victory in the third quarter and early in the fourth, but the Blaze (28-6) stepped up the pressure and the Wildcats weren’t able to protect the ball.

Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said a series of five fourth-quarter turnovers, including back-to-back steals, shifted the momentum. Many of the Wildcats’ turnovers led to easy layups, and the Blaze went on a 14-0 scoring run at the Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. [Read more…]

Wildcats will play for state championship after beating Arlington 57-56

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Oak Ridge Wildcats and Arlington Tigers

The Oak Ridge Wildcats found a scoring formula that worked well on Friday: get the ball inside to senior Isaac Merian (#33) and let him fake out a defender before shooting in double and triple coverage.

MURFREESBORO—The Oak Ridge boys’ basketball team will play for a state championship for the first time in 51 years after beating the Arlington Tigers 57-56 in a semifinal game in Murfreesboro on Friday. It was a victory decided by a tie-breaking free throw with only a few seconds remaining.

The Wildcats (32-7) will now battle the Blackman Blaze (27-6) in the Class AAA state tournament finals in Murfreesboro on Saturday afternoon.

Senior Isaac Merian overcame double and triple teams on Friday to lead all scorers with 21 points. He often faked a shot, let a defender go by, and then fired.

“I just kept playing my game, and my shots kept falling,” said Merian, a 6-foot-6 power forward who also had three blocks. “It’s probably one of the most memorable games. I’ll tell this one to my kids.” [Read more…]

Oak Ridge advances to state semifinals with 66-45 win over Jefferson County

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Oak Ridge Wildcats and Jefferson County Quarterfinals

From left are seniors Isaac Merian and Jaylin Henderson and freshman Tee Higgins, and Wildcats basketball coach Aaron Green.

Note: This story was last updated at 11:02 p.m.

MURFREESBORO—Oak Ridge advanced to the state semifinals for the first time since 1999 with a 66-45 win over Jefferson County in Murfreesboro on Wednesday.

The Wildcats (31-7) will play Arlington (29-4) in Murfreesboro at 11:30 a.m. CDT Friday (12:30 p.m. EDT) in a Class AAA state boys’ basketball semifinal game.

The Wildcats said teamwork was key to the Wednesday afternoon quarterfinal win at Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University. They cited steals—Oak Ridge had nine total—double-teaming on defense against the tall Patriots team, and improvements in rebounding compared to their performance during a Nov. 27 win over Jefferson County (30-6).

“We played more as a team,” said senior guard Jaylin Henderson, who scored 11 points and had four steals. “I think we were hot.” [Read more…]

MTSU, Roane State sign transfer agreements

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Roane State and MTSU Signing

Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee, left, and Roane State Community College President Gary Goff sign dual admissions, concurrent enrollment, and reverse transfer option agreements in September. (Submitted photo)

The presidents of Middle Tennessee State University and Roane State Community College signed agreements on Sept. 26 that will ease the transition for students seeking to transfer from the college to the university in Murfreesboro.

Sidney A. McPhee of MTSU and Gary Goff of Roane State authorized three agreements that create dual admissions, concurrent enrollment, and reverse transfer options between the college and the university. The signing took place at the Knoxville Museum of Art during MTSU’s “True Blue Tour,” a six-city admissions caravan of deans, administrators, and counselors, a press release said.

“We welcome this opportunity to strengthen our already strong ties with Roane State,” McPhee said. “MTSU is the No. 1 destination of transfer students in Tennessee and this agreement makes it even easier for Roane State students to attend our university.”

“Roane State is excited to sign these three agreements with MTSU. The agreements will provide greater opportunities for our students,” Goff said. “We are proud to partner with Middle Tennessee State University.”

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