News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5056 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE JANUARY 24, 2007

ABAC-MIDDLE GEORGIA LIVES AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT

TIFTON - One of the greatest college basketball rivalries in the state lives again on Monday night at Gressette Gym when Middle Georgia College visits Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Tales of long ago battles include ABAC students cutting the seats of the Middle Georgia bus in Tifton, and Middle Georgia students throwing rocks at the ABAC bus in Cochran. The action on the floor almost became secondary to what was happening before, during, and after the games.

“The students loved it,” Henry A. “Bo” Miller, retired assistant dean of students at ABAC, said. “They would come to the games just to see what would happen. That kind of rivalry just doesn’t develop anymore.”

Miller said at one point, the presidents and administrators of both schools sat down to try to temper the shenanigans a bit.

“They talked about it but in the end, we just did a lot of praying and hoped for the best,” Miller said.

Many escapades of past games will be shared Monday night when the ABAC Alumni Association honors the ABAC men’s state championship teams of 1947, 1967, and 1982 and the women’s state title team of 2002.

The fun begins at 5 p.m. with free gumbo and soft drinks for all ABAC alumni under a tent beside the gym. At 5:30 p.m., Coach Julie Conner’s Fillies take on the Middle Georgia Lady Warriors. Prior to the 7:30 p.m. match-up between Coach Todd Sheppard’s 18^th-ranked Stallions and the Warriors, the state title teams will be recognized at center court.

Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Coleman said all former members of the ABAC basketball teams and the cheerleaders will also be recognized at the games.

“We had a lot of fun with this last year, and we hope even more people show up this year,” Coleman said. “No matter when you were a student at ABAC, you always remember the Middle Georgia game.”

Coleman said door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening. The ABAC Ambassadors will also offer a chance for fans to win cash prizes with their Half Court for $100 contest. The ABAC Cheerleaders will perform a special dance routine, and the Stallion mascot will be roaming the stands, having his picture made with kids.

The ABAC Rowdies, a group of enthusiastic ABAC students, will also be on hand with their faces painted green and gold and their signature green t-shirts. They will be cooking the gumbo before the games, and they’ll be cheering for victories by the Fillies and the Stallions.

“Even after all these years, it’s still a terrific rivalry,” ABAC Public Relations Director Michael Chason said. “I have seen a lot of great games between these teams.”

Chason will handle the play-by-play duties on Tifton radio station WTIF 107.5 FM for both games on Monday. Airtime is 5:15 p.m.

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