Breast cancer awareness turns Pirates pink

AASU Athletics has jumped on a current trend sweeping the athletic world.

They have started making everyone aware of breast cancer, and it is not only one team, but the entire athletic department getting involved, and raising funds to help fight this terrible disease. The men's and women's teams both had a breast cancer awareness game on Feb. 24 in which both had a Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Zone game to promote breast cancer awareness.

Both the men's and women's teams kept their postseason hopes alive with solid victories over UNC Pembroke. The women's team overcame an 18-point deficit and broke a school record draining 13 3-point shots.

UNC Pembroke jumped to a 37-19 lead with 1:48 left in the first half, but the lady pirates sunk three 3-pointers to make the score at the half 37-28.

The second half would be a lot closer game with AASU battling back and taking the lead making the score 61-60 with 5:09 left.

UNC Pembroke's JaToya Kemp, who scored 12 straight points at the end of the second half to force overtime, with 11 seconds left, tied the score at 69-69.

Overtime proved to be just as exciting as the second half with four lead changes.

Lauren Hall's 3-pointer put AASU up, 80-78, with 1:14 left; the 3-pointer was the 13th of the game for the Lady Pirates, setting a new school single-game record. The old record of 12 was set against GCSU on Feb. 16, 2005 and again against Shaw on Nov. 25, 2006.

While the men would go on to win three straight games and clinch a postseason spot in the PBC East Division.

They sold T-Shirts for $10 all week to which all proceeds went to the Kay Yow/ Women's Basketball Coaches' Association breast cancer awareness fund. There was a great turn out by fans that also got into the spirit of the fundraiser by wearing pink.

Local breast cancer survivors were invited to attend the game courtesy of the Komen Coastal Georgia and the American Cancer Society and were announced and introduced to the crowd before the games.

During halftime students from Mercer Middle School, a local middle school, sang "I Run for Life," a song dedicated to breast cancer patients.

While the song was performed, the Student Athletic Advisory Council members created a huge breast cancer awareness ribbon made out of pieces of pink fabric. The fabric was cut into foot-long incriments with the names of survivors, provided by AASU students, faculty and staff to honor anyone affected by the disease.

Members of the women's team also went and visited local breast cancer treatment centers around Savannah during the month of February to talk to breast cancer patients while they received chemotherapy.

Victoria Bennett, a sophomore golfer for the AASU women's team, was affected by breast cancer when her mom was diagnosed with the disease.

"I think it's great what AASU is doing by making everyone aware of breast cancer and raising money for the cause." She said.

When asked what inspiration she draws from her mom, who overcame the disease, Bennett said, "She's the strongest person I know, and if she can overcome something like that I can do anything I set my mind to."

AASU's awareness efforts aim to get more people involved to help prevent women from getting breast cancer in the future, and one day help to find a cure for it.