Southern University women rally, stand alone in first

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Everything felt wrong. Late in the first half Monday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center, in a showdown for first place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Southern women’s basketball team had more turnovers than points.

Mississippi Valley State pressed, trapped and scored with ease, and the Jaguars looked lost. But their coach didn’t blow a fuse. Before they wiped out a 15-point deficit and pulled away late for a crucial 63-59 victory, Sandy Pugh simply told her players to calm down.

“She never lost her patience. She told us we just needed to breathe,” junior center Laneisha Stephens said. “Just breathe, and take care of the ball. She told our guards that we just needed to handle it and get through it. And we did.”

Indeed. As a result, Southern — on a quest for its third consecutive regular-season SWAC title — controls its own fate in the conference standings as the backstretch approaches.

Photos: Southern men and women battle MVSU

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Shaw Bears, CIAA Southern Division Champs

RALEIGH, North Carolina - Tony Smith had a triple-double and three other Bears scored in double figures as Shaw downed Johnson C. Smith 94-74 in a game played at C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium Monday night.

With the win - Shaw's 17th straight - the Bears improve to 21-2 on the season, 13-0 in the conference and 7-0 in the CIAA's Southern Division. The win, coupled with Winston-Salem State's loss to Livingstone, means that the Bears have clinched the division title with three games to play.

The fans left the gym buzzing about a variety of things Monday night. From Karron Johnson's dunks early in the game (one television station had a four-dunk highlight clip posted on their website before the game was over), to the dominating inside game. Much more subtle had been Smith's achievement - 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

"Tony's very good," said Shaw head coach Cleo Hill, Jr. "He could play at the highest level."

Between Smith and fellow point guard Malik Alvin, the Bears fired on all cylinders for much of the game, but after building a 12-point lead early, Shaw allowed Johnson C. Smith to trim that lead to only three.

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Gold Rush close The Barn with 67-61 comeback victory

Anthony Simmons
6'-8" 245 Forward, Junior
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Allendale Columbia High School

NEW ORLEANS -- Jamaan Kenner's 3-pointer with 42.6 seconds remaining sparked a late burst which rallied Xavier University of Louisiana to a 67-61 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Tougaloo.

It was the final game at The Barn, a 1,300-seat gymnasium which opened in 1937, for the Gold Rush (19-7 overall, 8-3 GCAC). Xavier will play next season in a 4,500-seat facility which still is under construction.

Xavier, ranked 25th in NAIA Division I, snapped the 11-game win streak of the 18th-ranked Bulldogs (19-6, 10-2) and prevented them from clinching the GCAC regular-season championship. Tougaloo leads the conference by 1½ games with two games remaining. Xavier is in second place.

Kenner's 3-pointer, his third of the game, put Xavier ahead to stay at 60-58. Tougaloo then missed two shots and committed a turnover before Kevin Miller scored to give Xavier a 62-58 lead with 19 seconds remaining. After a Tougaloo personal foul and technical foul, Chris Iles and Wanto Joseph each made 2-of-2 free throws for a 66-58 Xavier lead with 10 seconds remaining.

Anthony Simmons scored 13 points for the Gold Rush, and Iles had 11, including three 3-pointers. Kenner and Denzell Erves scored nine points apiece, and Erves grabbed 10 rebounds,

Marquise Mems scored 21 points, Juan Gray 12 and Kadon Day 10 for Tougaloo, which had won eight of its past 10 meetings with Xavier. James Carter grabbed 10 rebounds.

Mems scored 13 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 37-24 halftime advantage, and they stretched the margin to 40-24 when Mems hit a 3-pointer with 18:28 remaining. But Simmons scored nine points during a 22-3 run which gave Xavier its first lead 14 minutes, and he capped the burst with two free throws for a 46-43 XU advantage at 9:44.

Xavier shot 52 percent from the floor and made 14-of-16 free throws in the second half. For the game the Rush outshot the Bulldogs 44.4 to 30.9 percent from the floor. At the line Xavier made 21-of-24, and Tougaloo made 9-of-14. Three Bulldogs -- including Mems, the GCAC's Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year this past season -- fouled out.

It was the final home game for Iles, Kenner, Cordell Hadnot and Jeremy Lee, who were honored in a pregame senior-night ceremony. Xavier will close the regular season with three conference road games, then travel to Jacksonville, Fla., for the GCAC Tournament on March March 1-3. The tournament will receive the GCAC's automatic bid to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship.

The XU men won their final eight games at The Barn and 33 of their final 36.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Covington Named adidas® OVC Co-Player of the Week

Courtesy: Sam Jordan / TSU Athletics

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State forward Robert Covington was named adidas® OVC Co-Player of the Week for Feb. 13 as announced by the league office on Monday.

Covington, a junior from Bellwood, Ill., averaged 16.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in TSU's victories over No. 7/9 Murray State and Tennessee Tech. From the field, Covington shot 52 percent (12-of-23) and hit 63 percent (5-of-8) outside the arch. He also notched three blocks, two assists and three steals.

Against Murray State, Covington scored 17 points and grabbed eight boards as TSU upset the nation's lone unbeaten. It also marked the first time TSU had defeated a nationally ranked opponent in the NCAA Division I era.

Covington followed up with 16 points and two rebounds in the win over Tennessee Tech. The victory over the Golden Eagles extended TSU's win streak to seven games, the longest since the 1994-95 season. Covington is averaging 17.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in 27 games.

The Player of the Week honor is the second of the season for Covington, who garnered the achievement on Nov. 21. Covington shared this week's award with Murray State guard Isaiah Canaan.

TSU (17-10, 10-4 OVC) hosts Jacksonville State (11-16, 6-7 OVC) in a 7 p.m. tip on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Gold Nuggets end tenure at The Barn with 52-46 victory

Jazmoné Kelly
5'-9" Senior G/F
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Ursuline Academy
XAVIER UNIVERSITY 

NEW ORLEANS -- Jazmoné Kelly had 13 points and nine rebounds Monday to lead NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 52-46 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Tougaloo.

It was the final game at The Barn for the Gold Nuggets (19-8, 9-2), who will move into a new 4,500-seat facility next season. The Barn seats 1,300.

Jasmine Grant had 12 points, a career-high-tying seven assists, two blocks and two steals for Xavier.

Portia Craft scored 21 points for Tougaloo (13-12, 8-4), and Victoria Jones had 10 points and 13 rebounds for her 11th consecutive double-double. Jones leads NAIA Division I in rebounds per game.

Tougaloo led by four points during the 11th minute before Carmen Holcombe's basket at 4:45 gave Xavier the lead for good at 19-18. The Gold Nuggets led 28-24 at halftime and three times led by 10 points in the second half.

Xavier outshot the Lady Bulldogs 33.9 to 27.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 43-37.

Xavier remained in a first-place tie in the GCAC with Talladega, which won 78-77 at home against SUNO. Tougaloo remained in third place, a half-game ahead of Dillard, following its second straight conference loss.

It was the final home game for Grant, Kelly, Keldra Hall, Danielle Kennebrew and Brandi Young, who were honored in a halftime senior-night ceremony. Xavier will close the regular season with three conference road games, then travel to Jacksonville, Fla., for the GCAC Tournament on March 1-3. The tournament winner will receive the GCAC's automatic bid to the NAIA Division I National Championship. Xavier won the GCAC Tournament the past two seasons.

The Nuggets concluded their tenure at The Barn with 10 consecutive victories and 122 victories in their final 129 games there. XU is 246-20 at The Barn since the start of the 1992-93 season. In conference games at The Barn, XU has won 22 straight, 34 of its last 35 and 66 of its last 68. Coach Bo Browder’s XU teams are 170-16 at The Barn in 13 seasons.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Howard Extends Win-Streak to Six with 58-50 Win Over B-CU

HEAD COACH NIKI REID GECKELER

FOLLOW THE LADY BISON AND
COACH 'G'
TO THE MEAC CHAMPIONSHIP AT
www.facebook.com/NikiGeckeler

Washington, D.C. -- The Howard Women's basketball team defeated Bethune Cookman 58-50 on Feb. 13, in Burr Gymnasium. With a record of 19-7 overall and 11-2 in MEAC play, HU advances its streak to six and improves home record to 9-1.

Tamoria Holmes and Saadia Doyle each tallied a game-high 18 points. Doyle added 13 rebounds to her stat line, achieving her 12th double-double of the season. Cheyenne Curley-Payne finished the contest with a solid performance of six points, four rebounds, and a game-best eight assists.

Before regulation began, Howard was called for an administrative technical foul. BCU converted on 1-of-2 free throw attempts.

With the one point advantage, HU opened regulation with a jumper from inside the paint by Holmes at 18:19. BCU's Jalisa Isaac answered with a three-ball from downtown, 4-2.

From there, both teams struggled to score over a three-minute span. Demetria Frank ended the drout with a basket, spreading the Wildcats lead to 6-2.

By the second media timeout, the score was knotted 9-9 from a shot behind the arc by HU's Zykia Brown. Doyle's bucket halfway through the period gave the Bison an 11-9 lead.

With 8:06 left in the first 20, the score was tied 13-13. BCU found some energy and proceeded to go on a 9-0 run for a 21-13 spread. Howard ended the run with a trey by Holmes at 3:55.

BCU scored the next two baskets which pushed the margin to 26-16.

Howard decreased the lead to 27-21 before breaking into halftime.

To jump into a more competitive second half, Kara Smith scored the first basket at 19:46 for a 27-23 score.

Both teams went back and forth until the 8:32 mark, which initiated an 8-0 run for HU. Howard achieved its largest lead of the game, 50-39 with just over five minutes left in regulation.

The Bison held on as they defeated the Wildcats 54-46 for their sixth straight victory.

Frank led BCU with 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Cleniece Roberts chipped in with eight points and six rebounds.

HU will look to extend its streak to seven as it faces Coppin State on the road Sat Feb. 18 in Baltimore, Md. The match is set for 2 pm.

Follow Coach G's fan page on facebook to get a behind the scenes look at the team as they make their push toward the Big Dance: www.facebook.com/NikiGeckeler.

Written by Julee O'Neal, W. Basketball, Broadcast Journalism '13

Jamilah Corbitt, Assistant Director of Sports Information
VISIT: HOWARD-BISON.COM
VISIT: HOWARD UNIVERSITY

Colts Sign Former Hampton Pirates LB Brandon Peguese To A 3-Year 'Future/Reserves' Contract

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - The Indianapolis Colts have signed former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Peguese.

Undersized at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, Peguese was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Eagles on July 26, 2011. He was released prior to the start of the regular season on Aug. 26.

A former Hampton University player, Peguese earned Sports Network FCS All-America and first-team All-MEAC honors in 2010 as he finished third on the team in tackles with 85.

He also ranked third in the conference with eight sacks while ranking second in the MEAC in tackles for loss with 23 1/2.

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