COLLEGE ROUNDUP (Nov. 16): Tyrell Lynch on TV tonight

By Jonah Bronstein<br><a href="mailo:bronsteinj@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Jonah</a>

November 17, 2008 03:37 am

— If you’ve forgotten about Tyrell Lynch — and are still awake after the Bills game — here’s your chance to catch up on the former Niagara Falls High School standout.
Lynch, the pivot man on the 2006 Niagara Falls High School team that Jonny Flynn led to the state title game, could be in the starting lineup tonight when Massachusetts meets Memphis at midnight.
The game, to be televised on ESPN immediately following Monday Night Football, pits UMass coach Derek Kellogg against his mentor, Memphis’ John Calipari.
Lynch, a 6-foot-9 forward, is averaging 18 minutes in his first season of college basketball. He played 24 minutes in Wednesday’s loss at Southern Illinois, while starting center Luke Bonner sat out with an injured ankle.
Bonner’s status for tonight’s game is uncertain.
After averaging 18 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in his senior season at NFHS, Lynch spent the next year at a prep school in North Carolina. He signed a letter of intent to start his NCAA career at Auburn, but the Tigers pulled their offer due to concerns about Lynch’s academic performance in prep school. After signing with UMass, the NCAA Clearinghouse declared him last season.
Six weeks shy of his 20th birthday, Lynch still has four years to play, after solidifying his academic eligibility last year.
“It’s been a long wait,” he told The Republican newspaper, “but UMass is turning out to be all I’d expected.”
The game pitting last year’s NCAA championship runner-up against last year’s NIT runner-up begins a 24-hour marathon of games on ESPN.
Tabb scores 26
Recent Niagara Falls graduate Rahshon Tabb scored 26 points Saturday night for Central Florida Community College in a loss to Hillsborough CC.
Tabb is averaging more than 12 points per game as CFCC has started off 6-3. He was named to the all-tournament team at the Twins Falls Tournament in Idaho earlier this month.
Walker leads D’Youville
Charles Walker, a former Niagara County Community College player, had 18 points and four assists for D’Youville in a 70-61 season-opening loss to Lancaster Bible. Walker, a first-team all-conference selection last season, was 0-for-8 from 3-point range Saturday, as the Spartans missed all 18 of their 3-point attempts.

Women’s Hockey

NU rallies for win
Ashley Riggs scored the game-winning goal as the Purple Eagles came from behind to beat Robert Morris on Saturday night, salvaging a split in their first College Hockey America series of the season.
Niagara (2-9-1 overall) also got goals from Mary McKinnon and Autumn Stuntz. Jenni Bauer made 36 saves and the Purple Eagles killed three straight penalties in the third period.
“We had to battle back and scored and even-strength (Riggs), power-play (McKinnon) and short-handed (Stuntz) goal,” coach Margot Page said. “I am happy to be leaving with a split against a conference opponent.”
Niagara plays non-conference games at Brown and Providence this weekend.

Wrestling

NCCC fares well
Richard Dawson (Medina) advanced to the finals at 184 pounds to highlight the Trailblazers performance at the competitive Ben McMullen Open in Muskegon, Mich.
Shay Shive and Justin James placed fourth, at 149 and 165 pounds, respectively, in the event that feature grapplers from major colleges such as Michigan and Michigan State, as well as several top junior colleges.
“We go there for the competition,” coach Eric Knuutila said, “and the competition has gotten tougher.”
On Friday night, NCCC, which is ranked 15th in the national junior college poll, defeated No. 12 Liberty in a dual meet in Muskegon. They also lost to Trine, an NCAA program from Indiana.
The Blazers have their first conference dual meet Tuesday at Mercyhurst-Northeast.
UB wins
Tonawanda’s Andrew Stella came away with an overtime victory at 141 pounds as the Bulls beat Spartanburg Methodist and Appalachian State on Sunday to bring their dual meet record to 4-1.