Kennesaw State Owls Look to Open New Year off Right Against Florida A&M on Friday

KSU and FAMU Rattlers Set To Play at 7 p.m. ET in ESPN Broadcasted Game in the Convo

KENNESAW STATE (10-3) VS FLORIDA A&M (4-7)
GAME 14 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 2 | 7 P.M. ET
KENNESAW, Ga. | KSU CONVOCATION CENTER (4,800)
 
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | ESPN3 | PROMOTIONS | TICKETS | TWITTER
 
THE GAME:
The Kennesaw State women's basketball team will look to open the New Year off right as the Owls host Florida A&M in an ESPN3-broadcasted game on Friday, Jan. 2. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET in the KSU Convocation Center.
 
THE COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com at the start of Friday's game.
ESPN3: ESPN3 will have the live broadcast of Friday's game with Nathan McCreay and Theresa Gernatt on the call.
TWITTER: Follow the Kennesaw State women's basketball team on Twitter @KSUOwlsWBB to receive updates throughout the game.
 
THE OPPONENT:
Florida A&M
The Rattlers come into Friday's contest with a 4-7 record after snapping a three-game losing streak with a 70-64 win against UNC Greensboro at the Miami Post Christmas Tournament in Coral Gables, Fla. In the midst of a nine-game road swing that spans Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, FAMU wraps up its trip with games at KSU and Mercer on Sunday. The Rattlers are led by Olivia Antilla with 11.4 points per game, while Khaderja Young adds 10.3 points, while also leading the team with 6.0 rebounds per game and 52 total assists this season.  

THE SERIES:
This will be the first-ever meeting between the Owls and the Rattlers.
All-Time Record: Series tied, 0-0
Last Meeting: First Meeting

LAST TIME OUT:
The Kennesaw State women's basketball team had its seven-game winning streak snapped as the Owls' late comeback fell short with a 73-66 setback to Alabama A&M on Monday night (Dec. 29) at Elmore Gymnasium in Huntsville, Ala. Sophomore Deandrea Sawyers led the Owls with 16 points, including four three-pointers and three assists. Junior Jasmine McAllister added 14 points and nine rebounds in the loss. Redshirt-senior Breonna Mosely registered 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and seven rebounds, while senior Kristina Wells chipped in 10 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals for the Owls.

NEXT UP:
The Owls will close out the nonconference slate of their schedule looking to take the season sweep against in-state rival Mercer on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. in the KSU Convocation Center.

COURTESY KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Stetson Men's Basketball Preview: Florida A&M

WATCH ESPN3:  Florida A&M vs. Stetson (Men's Basketball),  Sat., Jan. 3, 2015, 1:00PM 

DELAND, Florida -- Stetson and Florida A&M meet for the second time this season when they face off at Edmunds Center ... the Hatters defeated the Rattlers, 62-50, back on Nov. 29 in Greeley, Colo. ... the game was a part of the Wyoming Classic ... a win today would give the Hatters back-to-back victories for the first time this season, and the first time since winning three straight last January ... sophomore forward and leading scorer Brian Pegg is expected to return to the floor today after missing the previous five games with an injury ... the Hatters went just 1-4 without Pegg in the lineup.


The Coaches
Stetson’s Corey Williams begins his second season with the Hatters this season. The 21st head coach in school history, Williams led the Hatters to a 7-24 record as a rookie. The former Florida State and Oral Roberts assistant coach was a standout at Oklahoma State, and spent parts of two seasons as a player in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. He was a member of Chicago’s 1993 NBA championship squad.

Florida A&M’s Byron Samuels is in his first season with the Rattlers. He is 75-135 in his ninth season overall as a collegiate head coach.

About Florida A&M
The Rattlers are enduring a difficult start to the 2014-15 season, having lost each of their first 12 games. FAMU is averaging just 51.5 points per game while allowing opponents to score nearly 75 points per contest.

Florida A&M is ineligible for both the MEAC and NCAA tournaments this season due to APR issues over the previous two seasons.

Last Time Out
Stetson’s front court of Kentwan Smith, Kyle Sikora and Wyatt Sikora combined for 41 points and 23 rebounds, helping the Hatters snap a five-game losing streak with a 76-61 win over Florida Tech, Tuesday at Edmunds Center.

Smith, the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week, recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Kyle Sikora scored a career-high 15 points and added eight rebounds while younger brother Wyatt chipped in with a career-high 11 points and four boards in 14 minutes off the bench.

The Hatters (4-10) trailed just once in the contest, after a free throw in the opening minute by the Panthers gave them a 1-0 lead. Stetson made a concerted to effort to score in the paint and jumped out to an early 12-4 lead after a dunk by Kyle Sikora.

COURTESY STETSON UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

Willie Simmons' Staff at Prairie View A&M Coming Together

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  --  First year Panthers head coach Willie Simmons is putting together a solid coaching staff, per source reporting to Footballscoop.com.  The scoop says:  KJ Black (Prairie View A&M ) will serve as quarterbacks coach,  Black was with the Panthers last season as a Graduate Assistant - Offense. Joseph Henry (UAB) as tight ends, Ralph Street (Alcorn State) as defensive coordinator/defensive line, Jo Nixon (Stillman) as outside linebackers/defensive ends, Bubba McDowell (Prairie View A&M) as safeties Brandon Sharp (Henderson State) will coach the corners.

You may read the bio of each coach by clicking on their name as listed.  The Panthers are expected to make a formal announcement soon by official release. Please visit PVPanthers.com for the lastest information on Prairie View A&M University Athletics.

Duke Blue Devil Game Notes: NC A&T, Jan. 2, 6:30 PM, BDN

Blue Devil Network  l  Twitter  l  Live Stats  l  Live Audio 

  Duke Game Notes vs. NC A&T

Game Information
What…………………………………………………………………N.C. A&T at Duke
Date………………………………………………………………..Friday, Jan. 2, 2015
Time………………………………………………………………6:30 PM (ET)
Location…………………………………………………………   Durham, N.C.
Venue………………………………………   Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
Where to Watch……………………………………………Blue Devil Network
Radio Blue Devil IMG - WDNC 620 AM, 99.3 FM, 96.5 FM & www.GoDuke.com
…………………………………Steve Barnes (PXP), Morgan Patrick (Color)
Live Stats……………………………………………………www.GoDuke.com
Rankings……………………………………………………Duke (#10/12)
Series Record……………………………………………… Duke leads 1-0
Last Meeting …………………………Feb. 27, 1984, Duke 78, N.C. A&T 39

Setting the Scene...
The 10th-ranked Duke women’s basketball team (8-4) will close non-conference action Friday, Jan. 2 as the Blue Devils host N.C. A&T (7-6) at 6:30 p.m., in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Friday’s contest will be aired on the Blue Devil Network. It will also be carried live on the Blue Devil IMG Sports Network on WDNC-AM 620, 99.3 FM, 96.5 FM and www.GoDuke.com with Steve Barnes (PXP) and Morgan Patrick (Color) on the air.

What is Next?...
Duke will continue its three-game homestand Sunday, Jan. 4 at 2:00 p.m., as the Blue Devils will open ACC action against Wake Forest in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils will play five out of the next six games at home, but will conclude the season playing seven out of the final 11 contests on the road.

DUKE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Brian Jenkins' Alabama State Football Staff Takes Shape

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- The Alabama State Hornets are on the move during the holiday break.  Per Football Scoop,com, sources are reporting that Coach Brian Jenkins staff is taking shape with: Mark Orlando – offensive coordinator (from Texas Southern), Prince Pearson – offensive line (Prairie View), James Joseph – running backs (Samford), Allen Suber – receivers / assistant head coach (Bethune-Cookman), Donald Hill Ely – tight ends (Norfolk State), Kevin Ramsey – defensive coordinator (Alabama State), DeMarco McNeil – defensive line (Alabama State) and Ted Daisher, longtime college and NFL assistant coach (UMass).

You may read the bio of each coach by clicking on their name as listed.  The Hornets had ten assistant coaches last season under the previous head coach.  Please visit bamastatesports.com for the latest news on Alabama State University athletics.

USC Upstate Spartans Open New Year by Hosting Hampton

Game 15: Hampton (6-7) vs. USC Upstate (10-4)
Saturday | 1.3.15 | 4:00 p.m. EST
Spartanburg, S.C. | Hodge Center
TV: ESPN3 (Internet)

Game Notes

Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate men's basketball team plays its first game of the new year Saturday at 4 p.m. when the Spartans welcome Hampton to the Hodge Center in the final home game before conference play.

Upstate closed 2014 strong by turning in a 101-55 victory Tuesday over Montreat to secure its 10th win of the season, marking the first time in school history a Spartan team has collected 10 wins before January. The victory also helped Upstate improve to 20-3 at home against non-conference competition since the start of the 2011-12 season.

Ty Greene scored 18 points and moved into 10th place all-time at Upstate with 1,389 career points. The Knoxville, Tenn., also registered five steals and enters the weekend 10th in the NCAA with 2.8 steals per game. Greene is averaging 4.7 steals per game over his last three games, which includes a career-high six Dec. 17 at Memphis.

Josh Cuthbertson added a career-high 14 points with seven rebounds and a career-best seven assists. Ramel Thompkins, Jacob Schulte andTristan Thomas had 12 points apiece and Michael Buchanan finished with 10 as the Spartans reached the century mark for the third time this season. It's the first time since the 1993-94 season that Upstate has featured three games in the same season with at least 100 points.

Hampton saw its two-game winning streak come to an end Monday following a 83-51 setback at Northern Illinois to drop the Pirates to 1-6 on the road this season. Hampton's only road win came Dec. 2 when the Pirates posted a 62-54 victory at Tennessee State.

Junior guard Dwight Meikle leads Hampton with 12.6 points per game and scored a team-high 18 against Northern Illinois. Tennessee transfer Quinton Chievous is tops on the team with 7.6 rebounds per game and ranks second with 11.7 points per game.

USC Upstate and Hampton will be meeting on the hardwood for the third time when the two schools tipoff inside the Hodge Center. Upstate is 2-0 all-time against the Pirates after claiming a 68-49 victory Jan. 2, 2013, behind a game-high 17 points from Greene. Upstate also won the first meeting, 68-54, on March 12, 1982.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS.

Hampton Lady Pirates Stifle Auburn, Win FIU Sun & Fun Classic

MIAMI, Florida ( Dec. 30) -- In a defensive effort commonplace over the last five-plus seasons, the Hampton University women's basketball team defeated Auburn 44-42 on Tuesday to win the FIU Sun & Fun Classic at FIU Arena.

The Lady Pirates improved to 5-8 on the season.

This also marked Hampton's ninth win over a power-conference school in the tenure of head coach David Six – and the first since a 71-61 win over Virginia Tech last season.

Sophomore guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.), who had a team-high 17 points, was named Tournament MVP. Senior guard Kyani White (Manassas, Va.) was also named to the All-Tournament Team after chipping in 10 points.

Senior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) added 11 points and a team-high five assists. Junior guard Ryan Jordan (Manassas, Va.) again grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

The Lady Pirates shot 32.7 percent (17-for-52) from the floor and hit four of 18 3-pointers (22.2 percent). Despite being out-rebounded 47-36, Hampton turned 18 Auburn turnovers into 15 points and led 26-20 in points in the paint.

Auburn's offensive struggles were particularly evident in the first half, when the Tigers shot just 5-for-30 (16.7 percent) from the floor and hit just one of nine 3-pointers. The Tigers had two lengthy scoring droughts in the first half, including the final 4:24 of the half.

Khady Dieng hit a jumper at the 16:35 mark to give Auburn a 7-3 lead, but the Tigers wouldn't hit another field goal until a 3-pointer from Katie Frerking at the 4:24 mark tied the game at 12-12.

A jumper from Jordan 16 seconds later gave the Lady Pirates a 14-12 lead and kicked off a 9-0 run to end the half. A 3-pointer from Cole with 1:40 left in the frame sent Hampton into the locker room with a 21-12 lead.

That lead evaporated once Auburn opened the second half on a 10-0 run to take a 22-21 lead after a layup from Tra'cee Tanner with 16:22 left. White hit a jumper 20 seconds later to end the run and the Lady Pirates a 23-22 lead.

Auburn cut the lead to 25-24 with 13:31 to play, before a 7-1 run from the Lady Pirates gave Hampton a 32-25 lead after a 3-pointer from Tate-DeFreitas.

A rainbow three from White with 8:26 left put Hampton up 39-29.

Cole hit two free throws with 3:52 left to give the Lady Pirates a 44-37 lead before Auburn scored the next five points to cut the lead to 44-42 with 1:22 left after a free throw from Frerking.

But the Tigers missed their last five shots and committed a turnover in the game's final possession.

Auburn (9-4) shot just 27.6 percent (16-for-58) from the floor and hit just one of 13 3-pointers.

Tanner led the Tigers with 13 points.

The Lady Pirates will return home on Monday, when they play host to Auburn at 7 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

BOX SCORE

NEXT GAME: 1/5/15 - 7 PM, Princeton at Hampton,  Live on PirateTV

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION