Miles Golden Bears Releases 2015 Football Schedule

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- When Miles football coach Reginald Ruffin took a look at his completed football schedule for 2015, he gave a quick thought to the possibility that he may have signed his Golden Bears up for the toughest slate in Division II.

This year's schedule features the return of the Labor Day Golden Classic, the season opener against North Alabama at Legion Field on Sept. 6, and an appearance in the Turkey Day Classic - the oldest Classic in the land - against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Alabama State to close the season on Nov. 21. In between, contests at West Georgia on Sept. 13 and at home against West Alabama on Sept. 20, as well as a road trip to defending SIAC champion Tuskegee on Nov. 7 sets the Golden Bears up for a demanding run.

"We have the whole summer to cry about it but when August comes, we'll be ready to play it," Ruffin said. "UNA went to the (Division II) quarterfinals last year. West Georgia went to the semifinals. UWA was in the playoffs back in 2013, and when you get into conference play, it doesn't get any easier."

Overall, the 2015 schedule has 11 games and features five games at Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium and one at Legion Field. The Golden Bears make just two trips out of the state of Alabama - at West Georgia and at Central State in Ohio on Oct. 10. Homecoming is on Oct. 17 when Miles hosts Kentucky State and the final home game of the season is a Thursday night matchup with Lane on Oct. 22.

If the Golden Bears win the West Division, they will qualify for the SIAC Championship game on Nov. 14 at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. Title game ot not, Miles will still make a trip to the state capitol when it takes on Alabama State in the 92nd Turkey Day Classic. Ruffin said his team will be plenty prepared to take on the Division I FCS Hornets.

"We don't back down from any competition. Any opponent you have, you give them all that you can," Ruffin said. "They'll be a well-coached team with coach (Brian) Jenkins so it'll be a great measuring stick for our program."

By playing in the Turkey Day Classic, Miles will forego its eligibility for the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2015. But Ruffin does not believe that is a negative for the Golden Bears.

"We have been ranked in the (South) region the last couple of years but we chose to go to the Turkey Day Classic. Sometimes, the deck is stacked against you (in the playoffs). You don't have a chance to get the seed you want. Our teams tend to get a one-and-done," Ruffin said. "The magnitude of playing ASU, the history of the Turkey Day Classic, with them play schools from our conference like Tuskegee and Stillman, it was an opportunity we did not want to pass up."

Click here to view the Miles 2015 Football Schedule.

Date Opponent Location Time

9/6/2015 University of North Alabama Birmingham, AL 6 p.m. Labor Day Golden Classic
9/12/2015 University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA 6 p.m.
9/19/2015 University of West Alabama Fairfield, AL 4 p.m. 
9/26/2015 Morehouse CollegeFairfield, AL, 4 p.m.
10/3/2015 Albany State University Fairfield, AL 4 p.m.
10/10/2015 Central State University Wilberforce, OH 12 p.m.
10/17/2015 * Kentucky State University Fairfield, AL 4 p.m. HOMECOMING
10/22/2015 * Lane College Fairfield, AL 6 p.m.
10/31/2015 * Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL 5:30 p.m.
11/7/2015 * Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL 1 p.m.
11/21/2015 Alabama State University Montgomery, AL TBA Turkey Day Classic

11/14/2015 TBA Montgomery, AL TBA SIAC Championship



COURTESY MILES COLLEGE GOLDEN BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

Claflin Women Advance to Quarterfinal of the 2015 SIAC Tournament

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  — The Claflin University women's basketball team defeats Lane, 73-59, in the opening round of the 2015 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) tournament.  The tournament, which is being played at the Bill Harris Arena in the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Ala., will run thru Saturday, March 7.

With the win, the Lady Panthers improves to 14-13 overall.  Lane College closes out the 2014-15 season with a 5-20 overall record.

Junior Jaquanna Davis led the way for Claflin with a double-double, 17 points, 13 in the first half, and a game-high 19 rebounds.  Davis also had two blocks in the game.  Uniqua Mitchell also had a double-double for the Lady Panthers with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds.  Claflin had three players to finish in double-figures as Shaniece Brown finished with 12 points including 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.



Claflin, who controlled the game from start to finish, scored the first eight-of-12 points of the of the second half en route to its biggest lead of the game, 16, 46-30, at the 13:33 mark.  Lane managed to put together an 8-0 run of its own over the next four-plus minutes to cut the deficit to single digits for the first time in half, 49-41, with just under 10 minutes remaining.  The Lady Panthers remained poised, using a 9-2 run to push its lead to 15, 58-43, with 7:02 remaining in the game.  Lane pulled within 10 points on five occasions but could not get any closer falling by the 14 point margin.

"First I want to congratulate Lane and coach Buchannon on its season," head coach Deont'a McChester said.  "We finally played the type of game I knew we were capable of playing especially Jaquanna who finished the game with a double-double." 

The Lady Panthers opened the first half on a 10-2 run with Davis scoring eight during the run.  Claflin pushed its lead to 15, 19-4, with 13:41 remaining in the half before Lane picked up its offensive intensity.  Lane managed to cut the deficit to five, 25-20, with 7:55 remaining, but the Lady Panthers kept pressing pushing its lead back to 12 at intermission, 38-26.

Claflin will take on the number one seed in the East, the Lady Tigers Benedict at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4. This will be the third times the teams will meet the season.  The Lady Tigers won both meetings this season. 

BOX SCORE

COURTESY CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCAA Responds to Paine Men Not Being in Region Rankings

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- The Paine men's basketball team begins SIAC conference tournament play on Wednesday. They may have to win that tourney to make the D2 NCAA Tournament.

Despite winning the regular season title and finishing the regular season with a 22-5 record, the Lions were not ranked in the last D2 Men's College Basketball Regional Rankings released on February 25th. They had been ranked 7th in the South region in the previous rankings but fell out despite not losing (they won their final 8 games to end the regular season). The rankings are used to determine at large bids to the D2 NCAA Tournament.

WJBF Sports inquired with the NCAA about Paine surprisingly falling out of the rankings. Here is a statement from Donnie Wagner, NCAA Associate Director of Championships and Alliances:

"There are many factors that go into a team's ranking other than just a team's winning percentage. The committee has a number of criteria that they evaluate on a week to week basis to formulate their rankings for each particular week. The committee will evaluate a team's strength of schedule in comparison to others teams under consideration as well as any head to head results, results vs. common opponents and how they have done vs. other ranked teams. The committee had considerable discussion in regards to Paine but in the end, the committee determined that Paine had not done enough to be ranked in the top ten in the region for this particular week. They will continue to be evaluated vs. other teams in the region as the committee completes their rankings again this week."

CONTINUE READING

Is Paine getting the short end of the stick in region rankings?

Augusta, Georgia -- Paine college is 22 and 5 and regular season champs in The SIAC. All things should indicate this team will be in the D2 NCAA tournament, and the record alone should be good enough. But it might not be and there's issues being raised on why.

You have to be in the top eight in your region, for Paine, that's the South Region, to make the tournament. Last Wednesday, they were ranked seventh in that poll. For some unexplained reason, they fell out of the top ten. A lot of people are wondering why.

"I mean it's ridiculous, I mean, you're voted seventh last Wednesday, this Wednesday, after winning two games in a row, one on the road and both teams are above .500, we dip below 10, and I don't know what the heck happened but they really dropped the ball on that one." said Jimmy Link.



CONTINUE READING

Bad Weather Gives Wilberforce, Oldest Private HBCU in the Country, a Few More Months

XENIA, Ohio -- A report in the Dayton Business Journal earlier this month said that the "Show-Cause" visit from the Higher Learning Commission, which will determine the fate of Wilberforce University, has been delayed. Due to "inclement weather," the HLC folks won't be visiting the campus in Xenia, Ohio, until April. 

Scene visited Wilberforce back in August to get a more intimate look at the problems facing the oldest private historically black college (HBCU) in the country. The university risked losing its accreditation due to serious financial and leadership issues, not to mention an extreme decline in enrollment. 

Since that time, the school has appointed a new president, completely revamped its board, and is confident that they'll wow the accreditation team when they visit later this year. 

CONTINUE READING

March gladness for SSU women

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The Savannah State women enter March with big goals in mind as well.

The Tigers are currently in second place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a game behind defending league champion Hampton.

But SSU (16-10) surprised the Pirates earlier in the season to hold the tiebreaker if the teams are deadlocked in the conference standings. Two games remain for both teams, but Hampton must play third-place Norfolk State — a school that handed the Pirates one of their two league losses this season.

Savannah State, a winner of six in a row, ends the regular season with games at home against North Carolina Central (7-19) and on the road against Florida A&M (8-18).

The Tigers would have to win just one of their last two games to earn a first-round bye in the upcoming conference tournament.

CONTINUE READING

Shell inducted into BCF Hall of Fame; SCSU's Javon Hargrave honored by SBN

ATLANTA,Georgia  --  Former All-American defensive back Donnie Shell was one of seven inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame Saturday during the BCF Hall of Fame and Sheridan Broadcasting Network College Football Awards Ceremony in Atlanta.

Shell is the fourth Bulldog to be inducted in the Black College Football Hall of Fame. He earned All-MEAC and All-America honors during his Bulldog career (1970-73) and went on to an outstanding NFL career as a safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 2015 class also includes DT Roger Brown (Maryland Eastern Shore), DE Richard Dent (Tennessee State), DE L.C. Greenwood (Arkansas Pine Bluff), DT Ernie Ladd (Grambling State), DB Ken Riley (Florida A&M) and Coach W.C. Gorden (Jackson State).

Meanwhile, current S.C. State All-America junior defensive lineman Javon Hargrave was honored by Sheridan Broadcasting Network for being named the SBN Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year.

CONTINUE READING