NSU Spartans Win Fifth Straight, Down Longwood 64-45

FARMVILLE, Virginia – A marquee defensive effort carried Norfolk State women's basketball to a 64-45 victory over Longwood on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Spartans (7-5) enter the new calendar year and MEAC play riding the momentum of a five-game winning streak.

The five wins in a row marks the longest such streak in head coach Larry Vickers' young career. Additionally, the Spartans matched the record for most non-conference victories in the program's Division-I era while also recording the most non-conference wins over D-I competition in team history.

Norfolk State limited the Lancers (2-9) to 45 points – 12 below Longwood's season scoring average. Through 12 games, the Spartans have held 11 opponents below their season average in points and are 6-5 in such games.

Kayla Roberts led all scorers with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Roberts also grabbed four rebounds and came away with two steals. As a team, NSU registered 12 steals in the game, one off the season high.

Turnovers factored heavily into the final score, as Norfolk State scored 23 points off 24 Longwood giveaways. Conversely, the Spartans turned the ball over only 14 times and conceded five points off those turnovers.



The Spartans struck first on a Raven Russell basket at the 8:36 mark of the first quarter and never trailed. NSU scored the game's first five points before Longwood finally scored on a 3-pointer by Kate Spradlin midway through the quarter.

Alexys Long and Ciarah Bennett traded 3-pointers before the Spartans scored eight of the next 11 points to lead 18-9 with 39 seconds left in the period. Longwood scored in the final seconds of the quarter to make the score 18-11 heading into the second quarter.

Norfolk State ratcheted up the defensive pressure in the second quarter and led 32-20 at the break.

Longwood managed only nine points and one field goal during the second period. The Lancers went 1-of-6 from 3-point range in the quarter and shot 10 percent (1-of-10) from the floor. LWU relied on the whistle to generate scoring in the quarter – drawing six fouls and going 6-of-8 from the free throw line.

Norfolk State opened the second on a 7-2 run with Roberts scoring the first five points for the Spartans. Kristina Antonenko halted the run with a trey at the 5:14 mark. A minute later Casey Ripp split a pair of free throws to pull the Lancers to within eight, 25-17, but NSU scored seven of the next eight points and led 32-18 with 1:53 remaining in the half.

Kendrea Dawkins scored the final five points of the half for Norfolk State and ended the game with six points, three rebounds and one trey.

NSU overcame a slow start to the third quarter to finish the period with 17 points on 50 percent shooting. The Spartans did not score a field goal until Roberts layup at the 7:38 mark, which made the score 35-23.

Roberts hunted her shot in the third period and scored eight points in the quarter while going 3-of-3 from the field.

The Spartans opted to extend their defense during the third quarter and disrupted Longwood to the tune of eight turnovers. Norfolk State generated five steals during the period, including a strip and score by Armani Franklin that gave NSU a 39-25 lead with 6:37 on the clock.

Longwood trimmed the lead to 39-27 with 4:28 left in the quarter, but NSU closed out the period on a 10-3 run. Roberts gave the Spartans their first 20-point lead in the game on a free throw with 2:30 remaining. The Miami, Florida native answered a last-minute 3-pointer by the Lancers with a jumper to give Norfolk State a 49-30 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Both teams played even in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points apiece. The Spartans led by as many as 22 on three occasions, but the Lancers cut the deficit to 16 with just under two minutes left in the game.

Dayna Rouse knocked down a jumper at the 1:53 mark to make the score 61-45, but NSU shut the door on Longwood, who closed the game with two missed shots and a pair of turnovers.

Franklin scored the final three points of the game, all at the free throw line. The freshman made both free throws after coming down with an offensive rebound before splitting a pair with 31 seconds remaining.

Kate Spradlin led Longwood with 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting. The Lancers out-rebounded the Spartans 37-36 and had two players, Antonenko and Rouse, with eight boards.

Norfolk State assisted on 12 made field goals in the victory and now has double-digit assists in five-straight games. The Spartans are 6-1 when recording 10 or more assists in a game. Gabrielle Swinson had a team-high four helpers for NSU and also chipped in nine points, five rebounds and three steals.

The Spartans begin the 16-game MEAC schedule at home on Wednesday against Coppin State. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

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Early surge carries unbeaten LSUS past Gold Nuggets

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana — Maya Trench scored a season-high 16 points for Xavier University of Louisiana, but an early LSU-Shreveport run carried the Pilots to a 73-62 women's basketball victory Saturday.

The Pilots, ranked 25th in NAIA Division I, outscored the Gold Nuggets 11-0 in the first three minutes in a wire-to-wire decision. Christina Devers scored a season-high 32 points and made five 3-pointers for LSUS.

LSUS is 14-0, and XULA is 6-5. The Pilots tied their school record for consecutive victories.

Trench had one of the best shooting performances of her career, making 8-of-15 from the floor. Essence Wells scored 11 points for XULA, and Gina Smith had seven points and 10 rebounds. It was the second straight game that Smith reached double figures in rebounds.

LSUS led 26-14 after one quarter and 45-31 at halftime, but a XULA rally cut the Pilots' lead to 53-47 by the end of the third period. It was still a single-digit difference before the Pilots closed with a 17-8 run in the final four minutes.

LSUS outshot XULA 44.2 to 35.6 percent from the floor. The Pilots made 10-of-17 3-pointers to the Gold Nuggets' 3-of-16. XULA had a 39-32 rebound advantage but committed a season-worst 27 turnovers — including five offensive fouls and 15 LSUS steals.

The Gold Nuggets are 1-4 this season against ranked NAIA opponents.

XULA will stay on the road and play Paul Quinn at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Dallas. The Gold Nuggets' next home game will be Jan. 17.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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NCCU Eagles Bid Farewell to 2017 with Win over St. Andrews

DURHAM, North Carolina – North Carolina Central University closed the book on the 2017 calendar year with a 75-55 win over St. Andrews at home at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Saturday, Dec. 30.

SAU (1-7) proved to be a formidable opponent in the opening stages of the contest, as the Knights led NCCU (6-8) for over seven-and-a-half minutes in the first half. The lead changed hands eight separate times in the first 20 minutes, and there were three ties leading to a 30-30 deadlock at the intermission.

NCCU was able to create separation in the second half as they opened the period with a 21-9 run to speed ahead 51-39 at the 11:26 mark and used that cushion to arrive at a 75-55 final score.



Marius McAllister (Durham, N.C.) got his first career start for the maroon and gray and logged 39 minutes on his way to game- and career-highs with 10 rebounds and eight assists. Raasean Davis (Chicago, Ill.) made strong contributions inside with 16 points and eight rebounds, and Jordan Perkins (Greensboro, N.C.) dished out six assists with 11 points.

Perkins nailed three three-pointers in the contest, and Larry McKnight, Jr. (North Miami, Fla.) knocked down four for 12 points, and Reggie Gardner, Jr. (Bowie, Md.) also collected four triples on his way to 16 points. Alston Jones (Kansas City, Mo.) came off the bench to serve six assists as well.

Christian Lathan (Fayetteville, N.C.) led the Knights with12 points and four assists, and Devonte Pettaway (Greenville, N.C.) followed closely with 11 points. Jeremias Easterling (La Plata, Argentina) chipped in eight points and six boards, and Luis Rosa (Sao Joao, Brazil) also had a rounded performance with seven points and seven boards.

The Eagles finis non-conference play with six wins, and now enter the 16-game MEAC trials on Wednesday, Jan. 3 on the road at Delaware State.

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MSU Bears Downed at CSU Northridge, 79-69

LOS ANGELES, California -- Tavrion Dawson had 14 of his 20 points in the second half and CSU Northridge beat Morgan State 79-69 on Saturday night.

Dawson also had nine rebounds for the Matadors (3-11), who won their second in a row following an 11-game losing streak. Reggie Theus Jr. added 16 points, Micheal Warren scored 15 points and Lyrik Shreiner 10.

CSU Northridge took the lead for good at 10-8 and had its largest lead of 18 with a minute left in the first half, 40-22. The Bears (4-9) had a 9-0 run to get within 52-44, but the Matadors pushed the lead back to 18 at 72-54 and led by double digits for most of the second half.

Tiwian Kendley had 22 of his game-high 29 points in the second half for Morgan State, which lost its seventh in a row. Stanley Davis finished with 13 points, while Phillip Carr posted his 20th career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Azariah Sykes added 13 rebounds.

Morgan State held a 46-30 advantage on the glass, including 23 offensive boards. However, the Matadors outscored the Bears in second chance opportunities by a 12-10 margin.

The win by CSU Northridge snapped its 17-game losing streak to Division I foes.

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Norfolk State Spartans Surge Ahead Late for 74-68 Win over Stony Brook

STONY BROOK, New York – Norfolk State overcame a late 10-point deficit and pushed ahead in the last few minutes in a 74-68 win over Stony Brook in men's basketball action on Saturday night at Island Federal Credit Union Arena.

In their last non-conference game before beginning MEAC play, the Spartans trailed 55-45 with nine minutes left in the game. But an 11-0 run put them ahead, the first of five lead changes in a little more than two minutes of action.

Sophomore Steven Whitley hit a 3-pointer to give the Spartans the lead for good, and senior Kyle Williams had a trey and a pair of free throws to extend the advantage with less than two minutes to go.

Stony Brook could not convert late, shooting just 26 percent overall in the second half and going cold from 3-point range after a strong first half.

ESPN3 REPLAY

NSU, meanwhile, improved to 2-12 overall thanks to 21 points from Williams on 5-of-9 shooting, 4-of-6 from deep. Whitley hit 7-of-13 from the floor for a career-high tying 18 points with seven rebounds and four steals.

Stony Brook (5-9) got 24 points from Akwasi Yeboah, 21 of those in the first half. But thanks to the Seawolves' cold second half, NSU outscored them 40-29 after the break.

A 7-of-16 effort from the 3-point line in the first half propelled Stony Brook early on. It allowed them to eventually take a 39-34 lead into the locker room.

Sophomore Nic Thomas knocked down a trey early in the second half to trim the deficit to two. The Seawolves scored the next seven, and Yeboah finally got on the board in the second half with a pair of free throws at the 9:01 mark. That made it 55-45, the first and only double-digit lead of the game for either team.

Williams had two 3-pointers during the 11-0 run for a 56-55 edge with five minutes to go. After the teams traded some free throws, Jaron Cornish knocked down a trey for Stony Brook before Whitley's shot from the top of the key put the Spartans ahead 62-60 with just 2:48 left.

Williams knocked down his trey and then two free throws for a 69-62 lead with 1:02 left, and the Spartans held on from there despite missing several free throws in the last minute.

The Spartans finished the game 9-of-19 from beyond the arc and 50 percent overall on 26-of-52 shooting. The Seawolves finished 20-of-57 (35.1 percent), including 10-of-33 from 3-point land.

Stony Brook fell despite holding a 44-34 edge on the glass, 19-8 on the offensive side. A total of 17 giveaways did the Seawolves in, with NSU outscoring them 18-7 in points off turnovers.

Early in the game, Williams hit a couple of long shots to help NSU build an 11-5 lead. Thomas completed a short 7-2 run a little later on a drive to the bucket to open an eight-point advantage, 22-14, with eight and a half minutes before the half.

After Thomas drained a 3-pointer for a nine-point lead, Yeboah really started to heat up for Stony Brook. That included a 4-point play and then later another trey with 1:36 left. In fact, he scored seven of the last eight points in the half. Stony Brook closed it on that 8-0 run, part of a larger 20-6 spurt that began after Thomas' trey at 6:15.

Aside from Yeboah, Cornish was the only other player in double figures for Stony Brook with 12. Tyrell Sturdivant added nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

Thomas and senior Bryan Gellineau each had 11 points, a career high for Gellineau as well.

NSU next opens MEAC play on Wednesday at home when the Spartans host Coppin State at 8 p.m.

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Second Half Run Stops Hampton Pirates at UTRGV

EDINBURGH, Texas -- Homestanding Texas Rio Grande Valley outscored Hampton 51-35 in the second half and defeated the Pirates 80-69 on Saturday night.

Hampton (5-10) held a 44-33 lead with 16:42 left in the game on a pair of free throws from Trevond Barnes. A pair of Barnes free throws with 9:49 left kept Hampton up 59-50, but UTRGV went on a 14-2 run to lead 64-61 on a Terry Winn layup with 3:53 remaining.

Jermaine Marrow drained a triple for Hampton to bring the Pirates to 68-66 with 2:38 remaining which was as close as the Pirates got. The Vaqueros closed the game on a 12-3 flurry to ice the game with four free throws in the final minute to win.



Marrow topped Hampton with 22 points and six rebounds, while Barnes had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Kalin Fisher added 10 points. Hampton was 25-of-64 from the floor (39.1%), 1-of-12 from 3-point land (8.3%) and 18-of-21 from the foul line (85.7%).

Nick Dixon topped UTRGV with 21 points, while Winn added 12.

Hampton now enters Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action on January 6 visiting Maryland Eastern Shore for a 4pm tip in Princess Anne, Md.

For more information on Hampton University men's basketball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.

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TSU Lady Tigers Go Down to the Wire in Loss to Redhawks

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri -- In a hard fought battle that went down to the wire, the Tennessee State University women’s basketball team fell to Southeast Missouri, 71-66, Saturday afternoon in the Show Me Center.

Tennessee State trailed by 13 points but continued to battle the entire night. The Lady Tigers erased the double-digit deficit and tied the game with seconds remaining and had an opportunity to force overtime but the Redhawks made crucial free-throws down the stretch to keep TSU at bay.

Tia Wooten led TSU with 30 points to go with eight rebounds while Jaden Wrightsell recorded a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds in her first career start. Maxine Beard and Kaliya Griffin were just shy of double-digits with nine points each.

SEMO had four players to score in double-digits led by Tesia Thompson’s 23 points.



FINAL BOX

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• TSU Leaders
  • Points: Tia Wooten - 30
  • Rebounds: Jaden Wrightsell - 10
  • Assists: Maxine Beard - 4
  • Steals: Maxine Beard - 5
• TSU outrebounded SEMO, 38-33 but the Redhawks held the advantage in points in the paint, 36-18, and bench points, 25-11.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite shooting 57.1 percent from the field to start the game, TSU trailed 13-8 at the first media timeout.
• TSU used four unanswered points to pull within two points but went without a field goal for the next 2:39 and trailed 23-18 at the 5:51 mark of the second quarter.
• A bucket by Maxine Beard ended a nearly five-minute scoring drought but TSU only managed to post one more field goal the rest of the period.
• The Lady Tigers trailed, 31-22, at halftime.
• TSU opened the second frame by outscoring SEMO 6-1 and pulled within four.
• The Redhawks responded with five unanswered and increased the advantage to 37-29 with 4:42 left in the third.
• TSU once again rallied to within four but SEMO answered with a spurt that stretched the lead to double-digits.
• With 6:19 remaining, Kaliya Griffin knocked down a three-pointer to pull TSU within six.
• SEMO managed to recapture an 11-point lead but the TSU continued to fight and cut the deficit down to five points with 2:12 remaining.
• Back-to-back triples from Williams and Griffin made the score, 66-64, with 52.4 left.
• On TSU’s next possession, Tia Wooten connected in the paint to tie the game at 66-all.
• SEMO answered on its trip down the court and took the lead, 68-66, with 33.5 remaining.
• Trailing by three and with 12.7 seconds left, TSU had a chance to tie the game but an untimely turnover gave the ball back to SEMO.
• The Redhawks made two free-throws to put the game out of reach.

GAME NOTES

• Jaden Wrightsell got her first start of the season vs SEMO.
• After scoring 12 points in the opening quarter, Tia Wooten was held to only two points in the second period. She finished the game with 30.
• TSU shot 70 percent from the field in the first quarter but the offense struggled in the second period, only connecting 28.6 percent of its attempts (4-of-12).
• TSU dropped its third straight versus SEMO.
• Tia Wooten scored 30 points for the second time this season as the posted 33 at Memphis.

QUOTES

Head Coach Jessica Kern

“A tough fought night. Its getting difficult to talk about because the kids played so hard. A lot of time you talk to coaches and they feel like they’re not getting the full effort from the team. We’re getting full effort. Two things we need to work on: turnovers and execution. We’re going to keep learning, we’re going to keep getting better. The great part is we get to go back home and it would be great to go back home and get our first OVC win.”

- Overall thoughts on the game

“First of all lets go to Tia Wooten. 30 points. Look at how much her character is growing. No complaining, no extra, simply yes coach. And that’s, to me, the signs of a true leader. Jaden Wrightsell didn’t have any reservations about being tired or anything of that nature. She’s a beast on the glass. She had a double-double in her second game back. Fantastic to see her (playing), she’s in great spirits.”

- On Jaden Wrightsell’s contribution

“Eventually they’re going to be so angry at this feeling that they get to the point where we turn the corner. And that means playing a disciplined game. There’s not a single kid in that locker room that doesn’t want that win. We’re not so concerned with our overall record, we’re more concerned about our quality of play. Once we turn that corner, we’re going to be that team, in February, that nobody wants to play.”

- On moving forward

UP NEXT

• TSU returns to action on Jan. 4 at home versus Jacksonville State. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in Gentry Center.

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'This conference is growing': Southern women's to begin competitive SWAC play vs. Texas Southern on Jan. 1

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- In October, Southern star forward Briana Green didn’t worry about it.

Then, when the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s coaches and sports information directions released its preseason poll, predicting the Jaguars to finish fourth in a league of 10 teams, Green brushed it off with a full season of basketball ahead.

There were people to prove wrong.

As of late December, days before the Jaguars begin conference play at 5 p.m. Monday at Texas Southern in Houston, Green’s words are a bit more pungent.

“I know what’s going to happen at the end of the season,” Green said, “that’s all I’m going to say. It should be a very, very, very exciting season,” she added months ago.

Like the SWAC’s men’s league, Texas Southern was also slated to finish first in the women’s sphere, besting No. 2 Grambling by three first-place votes in a sure-to-be contested race among multiple schools for the SWAC’s crown.

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Central State Lady Marauders hang on to beat Claflin, 59-54

WILBERFORCE, Ohio – The Central State Lady Marauders built an early lead and hung on late to beat the Panthers of Claflin University, 59-54, on Saturday.

With the victory, CSU improves to 10-3 overall with a 5-1 record in SIAC play. Claflin falls to 7-7 on the year with a 4-2 mark in the conference.

CSU enjoyed an early 8-2 lead and took a 19-15 advantage into the second quarter. Up 24-20 with 5:47 to play in the second frame, the Lady Marauders went on a 9-0 run and took a 33-22 lead at intermission.

The third quarter belonged to Claflin as the Panthers outscored CSU, 18-13, to cut the deficit down to 46-40 entering the final ten minutes. CSU managed to comfortably stay ahead throughout the majority of the fourth quarter and led 57-45 after a Chavon Banks layup.

Claflin managed to chop the CSU lead down to three with 1:04 left to play. The teams traded turnovers before CSU's Jaeda Davis sealed the game with four straight free throws.

Banks led CSU with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Davis finished with 9 points. Sierra Harley recorded 8 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 steals.

Claflin was paced by 12 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks from Jhanice Stokes.
CSU will return to the hardwood on New Year's Day to host Benedict College at 2 pm.

Quotes – Coach Lewis Shine
"We will obviously take the win but we are not happy with our performance today."

"Mustafa Notter came up big towards the end of the game with a big blocked shot. It is nice to have her back in the rotation."

"We have a quick turnaround and will get back to work to prepare for Benedict College on Monday."

Notes
The Lady Marauders were without leading scorer Takyra Gilbert due to injury.

CSU leads the SIAC in scoring (82.5 ppg), assists (16.4 apg), offensive rebounding (18.8 orpg) and steals (14.3 spg).

Mustafa Notter returned to the CSU rotation on Dec. 16. Notter had previously missed the first eleven games of the season.

Next Game
Opponent: Benedict
Date: Monday, January 1st

Tip-Off: 2 pm
Location: Beacom/Lewis Gymnasium – Wilberforce, Ohio

Coverage
Radio - Gem City Sports Network (http://www.gemcitysports.com/radio-1/)
Video - CSU Sports Streaming Channel (http://maraudersports.com/watch/)
Live Stats - Marauder Live Stats site (http://www.sidearmstats.com/centralstate/mbball/)

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Claflin Rally to Defeat Central State in SIAC Road Contest

WILBERFORCE, Ohio -- Triston Thompson hit a three-pointer with 25 seconds left and Timothy Christian II added a pair of free throws as Claflin University rallied to defeat Central State University (CSU) 72-69 in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) basketball game Saturday.

With the come-from-behind win, Claflin's 12th straight, the Panthers improved its season worksheet to 13-1, but more importantly, unbeaten in the SIAC at 6-0.

CSU falls to 4-8 and 3-4.

Triston Thompson led four Panther players in double-figures with 18 points. He also added three assists and three steals.

Jordan Jones had 16 points while Jaleel Charles posted his sixth double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and pulling down a team-high 11 rebounds before fouling out in the final seconds of the game. He also blocked three shots.

Albert Miller rounded out the double-figure scoring for the Panthers with 12 points, while Tyler Thompson dished out a team-high six assists.

Miller and Jones knocked down four three-pointers each for Claflin, who finished with 11 three-point baskets in the game.

Chris Scott of CSU was the game's top scorer with 31 points and 11 rebounds.

Claflin trailed 57-45 with 7:57 left in the game. It was back-to-back three-pointers from Jones that tied the contest at 64-64 with 1:57 left and again with 53 seconds showing on the clock for the 67-67 tie.

CSU regained the lead, 68-67, with 47 seconds left off a free three from Scott. Claflin gained its first and only lead of the game on Triston Thompson's second three-pointer of the game to give the Panthers the 70-68 lead with 25 seconds remaining.

In the closing seconds, Christian II added a pair of free throws to enable the Panthers to remain unbeaten on the road this season at 9-0.

The game had just the one lead change late along with two ties as Claflin trailed for the 37:59 minutes.

Claflin will continue its two-game road trip, taking on Kentucky State University in another SIAC contest Monday (Jan. 1) in Frankfort, Ky. at 7:30 p.m.

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Penn State Defeats Coppin State Eagles In Final Non-Conference Matchup

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania – In its final non-conference game of the season, Coppin State's men's basketball team fell to Penn State 88-43 on Saturday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Eagles close out the first half of the year with an 0-15 record while the Nittany Lions improve to 11-4.

Cedric Council led CSU with 11 points to finish in double figures for the second-straight game. Tre' Thomas added nine points off the bench with a trio of three's.

Penn State led from start to finish as they got out of the gate strong with a breakaway dunk and nine-straight points before Jordan Hardwick got Coppin on the board with a jumper at the 17:20 mark. The Nittany Lions answered with a basket before Hardwick drained a three with 16:24 remaining to cut the deficit to 11-5.

Three technical fouls were called in the first half with Penn State receiving a double-technical allowing Karonn Davis to make 3-of-4 free throws with 7:30 left. From there, the Nittany Lions began to pull away, extending the lead to as many as 22 and led, 43-23 at the break.

PSU, who was led by Tony Carr's 21 points, opened the second half on a 15-5 run and never looked back. The Lions outshot Coppin, 49.1% to 30.4%

Coppin returns to action after the calendar year when it opens MEAC play at Norfolk State on Wednesday, January 3 at 7:30 pm.

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Grambling State Announces 2018 Baseball Schedule

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State University head baseball coach James Cooper announced the 2018 baseball schedule on Friday as the Tigers will play 46 games, including matchups against a pair of SEC powers, LSU and Arkansas.

The Tigers, who captured the 2017 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) West Division title, open the season in New Orleans, La., to take part in the Andre Dawson Classic Feb. 16-18. Grambling State will face off against rival Southern, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alcorn State.

Grambling State will have its 2018 home opener on Feb. 20 with a doubleheader against Wiley College at Wilbert Ellis Field at R.W.E. Jones Park.

GSU TIGERS 2018 BASEBALL SCHEDULE

2018 GSU ROSTER

The Tigers will conclude the opening month with four straight road games, starting Feb. 23-25, in Miami, Fla., to take on Florida International, followed by a visit to Baton Rouge, La. On Feb. 27, to meet SEC member LSU.

Grambling State will be at home 12 times in the month of March as the Tigers open a three-game SWAC series against Prairie View A&M (March 2-4). GSU will make the short trip to Ruston, La. for a midweek game on March 6 to take on Louisiana Tech.

Grambling State visits Arkansas-Pine Bluff for a three-game SWAC series (March 9-11), before coming back home to face Alcorn State (March 13 and 14) in a non-conference two-game series. Southern comes to town for St. Patrick's Day weekend (March 16-18), before the Tigers take to the road for four straight games. First up on the road swing is a trip to Nacogdoches, Texas (March 21) to face Stephen F. Austin. Grambling State concludes the road swing with a three-game non-conference series (March 23-25) in Kennesaw, Ga., against Kennesaw State.

The Tigers wrap up the month of March with four consecutive home games, starting with a midweek game (March 27) against Texas College and concluding with three straight against Texas Southern (March 29-31).

Grambling State opens the month of April at home against Louisiana Tech (April 3), but travel for the next four games. The Tigers visit Prairie View A&M for a three-game SWAC series (April 6-8) and conclude the road trip on April 10 in Fayetteville, Ark., against Arkansas.

GSU returns home April 13-15 for a series with Arkansas-Pine Bluff and face Louisiana-Monroe (April 17) in its midweek game, before visiting rival Southern (April 20-22) from a three-game SWAC matchup to conclude the month.

The Tigers close out the regular season with their longest road swing of the year. The Tigers open May at Louisiana-Monroe, then visit Texas Southern (May 4-6), before concluding the regular season with a visit to Natchitoches, La., to take on Northwestern State (May 8).

The 2018 SWAC Baseball Tournament begins May 16-20 in New Orleans, La.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

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JSU Derica Wiggins joins 1,000 point club as Lady Tigers beat Philander Smith

JACKSON, Mississippi – The Jackson State women’s basketball team defeated the Philander Smith Lady Panthers 88-56 Saturday evening at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center on the Jackson State campus.

JSU senior guard Derica Wiggins joined the JSU 1,000 point club en route to scoring a game high 19 points. Wiggins, who wen 7-20 from the field and was a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line, led a balanced JSU scoring effort. Christina Ellis added 13 points on 6-10 shooting from the field and Mariah Cauhryn-Smelser added 12 points and five rebounds. Katie Hunt just missed out on a double-double as she finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. Chelsea Causey led JSU’s rebounding efforts as she finished with a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with seven points. Oshaela Gray scored seven points and recorded a game high seven steals.



Terralyn Dominick led Philander Smith with 18 points.

JSU used a solid defensive effort to beat the Lady Panthers, holding Philander​ Smith to 29.5 percent shooting from the field and 26.7 percent from three point range. JSU shot 42.2 percent from the field.

The Lady Tigers turned 30 Philander Smith turnovers into 36 points. JSU dominated in the paint scoring 52 points and allowing only 15. The Lady Tigers bench also came through, scoring 48 points.



FINAL STATS

Philander Smith led for only 55 seconds in the game.

Next Up: JSU returns to action Monday, Jan. 1 to face Alabama State in the SWAC opener at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center on the JSU campus.

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

First Coast Battle of the Bands & MLK Celebration - Jan.13, 2018

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- First Coast Battle of the Bands welcomes six of the nations top college marching bands to Jacksonville to include Florida A&M University Marching 100, Bethune Cookman University Marching Wildcats, South Carolina State University Marching 101, Talladega College Marching Tornadoes, Tuskegee University Crimson Pipers and Edward Waters College Triple Threat. Also participating in this event are local high school marching bands from Raines H.S., Ribault H.S., Lee H.S. and many more; plus national entertainment.

This is a all age family event and kids 5 and under are FREE.

Where: Hodges Stadium University of North Florida
Time: Gates Open at 12:00 Noon; ShowTime Starts at 1:00 PM Sharp!
MORE Information: www.JaxBattleofTheBands.com

Discount Tickets available until 1/1/18  --GET TICKETS

2017 Tennessee State University OVC Basketball Media Day Highlights -- #RoadtoEvansville

EVANSVILLE, Indiana -- Head Tennessee State University Basketball Coaches Dana Ford and Jessica Kern attend OVC Media Day in Evansville, Indiana in November.  

The 2017/18 Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Media Guide is now available for downloading at: Download Complete Guide - PDF File (7 MB)



OVC Basketball Championships Information Page | Ticket Information | Fan Hotel Information | Evansville Visitor Information

The Ohio Valley Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships presented by VisitMyrtleBeach.com, will be held February 28 through March 3, 2018 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The Ford Center, which opened in 2011, is an 11,000-seat arena located in the core of Evansville’s downtown district. The 290,000-square foot facility is the region’s center for sports and entertainment.

Each week leading up to the OVC Championships, we will hear from OVC head coaches who reflect on their favorite tournament memories, what makes tournament basketball special and the excitement of playing in the Ford Center for the first time.




OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE SPORTS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

The Mike Prince Show: Coach Cedric Thomas, UAPB

Southern and Texas Southern, the SWAC's top teams, to meet in Houston to begin league play

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- There’s not much time to waste. At least not for the heavyweights.

With the turn of the new year, Southwestern Athletic Conference play is here, and it will begin with the steamiest, and arguably best, bout the conference has to offer. If you've followed the preseason's polling, it could be the decider between the conference's best and runner-up.

Texas Southern and Southern, picked to finish No. 1 and No. 2 by the SWAC’s coaches and sports information directions in October’s preseason poll, begin 2018 with a New Year’s Day duel at 8 p.m. in Houston. The game, which will be televised on ESPNU, will begin a two-month stretch of SWAC-on-SWAC action until the league's tournament begins in early March.

Ahead of Southern in second, Texas Southern was picked to repeat as SWAC champion by the leagues following a 16-2 SWAC run in 2016-17 and a third conference tournament victory in the past four seasons.

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Dillard University Bleu Devils Hires IWU's Derek Gay as Head Track & Field Coach

HEAD COACH DEREK GAY
DILLARD UNIVERSITY
TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Following a lengthy nationwide search, Dillard University Athletics has hired Indiana Wesleyan University's Derek Gay as its head track & field and cross country coach. Gay will replace longtime Bleu Devils coach Bobby Williams, who announced his resignation prior to the start of the cross country season.

Gay brings a wealth of experience to the job, formerly serving as assistant track & field coach for sprints, men's & women's 400 and 400-hurdles and heptathalon, as well as strength and conditioning coordinator for distance athletes for the Wildcats. A 2011 graduate of Indiana Wesleyan (Marion, Indiana), Gay competed in the high jumps and intermediate hurdles. Gay was instrumental in the team's overall success during his active years, with the Wildcats' men's track and field team winning the Crossroads League Championship in both 2010 and 2011, and the men's and women's cross country teams wining in 2010.

Dillard's new track & field and cross country coach will have large shoes to fill. Head Coach Williams, a graduate of the University of New Orleans who competed for the Privateers, in 2012 brought the Bleu Devils their first GCAC men's track & field championship since 2010. Williams also produced a number of NAIA All-Americans under his leadership, including the widely successful 2012 men's 1600-meter relay team and women's 400-meter relay teams, which placed 4th and 8th in the nation, respectively.

Gay will assume his duties as Bleu Devils coach in January.

GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Taylor Roberts Named OVC Freshman of the Week

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State University women’s basketball forward
Taylor Roberts was named the adidas OVC Freshman of the Week for the fourth time on Tuesday.

Roberts continued her impressive rookie season with a career-high 27 points in TSU’s last game versus Marshall. She helped the Lady Tigers erase a 31-point deficit and hold the opponent to only 22 second half points.

The Oklahoma City, Okla. native made 10-of-11 free-throws and tallied five rebounds in the game. She also recorded two steals and one assist.

This is Roberts’ fourth OVC Freshman of the Week award.

TSU returns to action on Dec. 28 when the Lady Tigers open OVC play at UT Martin. Game time is set for 3 p.m. in Elam Center.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Tennessee State Contines OVC Play at Southeast Missouri State

TENNESSEE STATE (2-8, 0-1 OVC) at SOUTHEAST MISSOURI (5-8, 0-1 OVC)

Saturday, Dec. 30 | 12 p.m.
Cape Girardeau, Mo. | Show Me Center

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE 
LIVE STATS: tsu.statbroadcast.com 
VIDEO: OVC Digital Network 
SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter - @tsuladytigers

GAMEDAY: The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will continue Ohio Valley Conference action on Saturday, Dec. 30 with a match-up at Southeast Missouri. Game time is set for noon in the Show Me Center.

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE: Tennessee State (2-8, 0-1 OVC) opened OVC play on Thursday at UT Martin. Despite cutting a 14-point deficit down to just four with 4:02 remaining, TSU fell to UTM, 80-68, on the road. TSU is still looking for its first road win of the season.

Redshirt junior Tia Wooten (19.5 ppg) and Freshman Taylor Roberts (16.1 ppg) lead the team in scoring while Kaliya Griffin (7.3 ppg) rounds out the top three scorers for TSU. Wooten (7.6 rpg) and Roberts (7.5 rpg) are the team’s leading rebounders.

As a team, TSU is averaging 69.6 ppg while shooting 38.0 percent from the field. The Lady Tigers are shooting 69.6 percent from the free-throw line while struggling from beyond the arc (.287).

TSU is third in the Ohio Valley Conference in offensive rebounding and 4th in steals.

The Lady Tigers are under the direction of first year head coach Jessica Kern.

LAST TIME OUT: A slow first quarter proved to be the difference in a season opening loss to UT Martin on the road. TSU nearly matched UTM point-for-point in the final three stanzas but ultimately fell to UTM, 80-68, Thursday night. After only posting a combined three points in the first half, Tia Wooten (22 points, 9 rebounds) and Taylor Roberts (12 points, 7 rebounds) led the Lady Tigers in scoring. After trailing by 14 points, TSU pulled to within four with four minutes to play. The Lady Tigers, however, were not able to complete the comeback.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT: Southeast Missouri (5-8, 0-1 OVC) is most recently coming off a 67-57 loss to reigning OVC champion Belmont in the league opener on Thursday. The Redhawks have dropped three of their last four contests. SEMO is led in scoring by Adrianna Murphy’s 12.8 points per game while Tesia Thompson (9.8 ppg) and Ashton Luttrull (9.3 ppg) round out the top three scorers.

SERIES INFORMATION: Tennessee State and will match up with Southeast Missouri for the 48th time. The Redhawks lead the series 26-21. SEMO claimed last year’s meeting and has won two straight. Prior to that, TSU had won three straight.

COVERAGE: Links for live stats and video can be found on the schedule on tsutigers.com. Updates will also be posted during the game on Twitter (@tsuladytigers).

UP NEXT: Tennessee State returns to Nashville for an OVC contest versus Jacksonville State on Jan. 4. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center.    

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Southern explodes for season-high 98 points in rout of Ecclesia

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Without its starting point guard available, Southern didn't stammer.

And the Jaguars surely weren't blindsided.

Southern handed Ecclesia College, an 0-12 Christian-based University in Springdale, Arkansas, its 12th-consecutive loss in a 98-57 semi-effortless win Friday.

The Jaguars' 41-point win was their final non-conference game as Southwestern Athletic Conference play begins at 8 p.m. Monday against Texas Southern in Houston. Southern (4-9) dropped all nine non-conference road games and won each of its four games at the F.G. Clark Activity Center in Baton Rouge.

Southern dominated Ecclesia in every aspect in the win, ranging from skill to personnel to performance. The Jaguars' win was a glorified exhibition before league play begins on New Year's Day.

"We wanted to come out and execute some things and try to get better defensively and rebound the basketball," Southern coach Morris Scott said. "We've been doing a pretty decent job of rebounding the basketball, but thought we did a little bit better today. We really wanted to come out and play a good style of basketball and defend."

CONTINUE READING

PVAMU Men's Basketball Rolls To Big Win Over Jarvis Christian Bulldogs In Home OpenerV

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M men's basketball rolled to a 110-80 win over Jarvis Christian Friday at the William J. Nicks Babydome.

Zachary Hamilton, the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Week, scored 25 points on 7-of-11 shooting including five three-pointers. Gary Blackston added 22 on 10-of-11 shooting to lead four Panthers (3-11) in double figures.

J.D. Wallace also scored 10 points and added nine rebounds, and Iwin Ellis scored a career-high 10 points. Dennis Jones scored eight points and added a career high 10 assists.

The Panthers had season highs in scoring, field goals made (42), three-pointers made (12), shooting percentage (60.0), and assists (23) in reaching the century mark in scoring for the first time since Nov. 14, 2013, a 108-103 home loss to Sam Houston St. The Panthers last 100-point game in a win was a 100-73 win over Schreiner on Nov. 11, 2013.

A blistering start for Prairie View A&M set the tone. After a pair of early ties, the last at 5-5, the Panthers went on a 13-2 run. Blackston made a pair of threes and had eight points, while Hamilton scored five as the lead extended to 18-7 with just under 15 minutes to play in the first half.

Leading 31-22 with just over eight minutes to play in the first half, Prairie View A&M outscored Jarvis Christian 28-10 over the remainder of the half. A pair of free throws by Hamilton with seven seconds to play gave the Panthers the largest lead of the first half at 59-32 at halftime.

The second half started as a dunkfest with back-to-back dunks by Ellis and a Blackston throwdown were the first three PVAMU baskets after intermission and helped to grow to lead to what eventually became 40 at 79-39 on an Ellis layup with 14:39 remaining.

The Panthers open SWAC play Monday hosting Alcorn State at 5 p.m. the second game of the doubleheader which starts with the women's game at 3 p.m. As part of the Holiday Hoops Ticket Offer, tickets can be purchased for $5 for Monday's doubleheader and Wednesday's 5:30 p.m. doubleheader vs. Southern. Plus, all kids 18 and under are admitted free during Holiday Hoops.

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Double whammy — GCAC, state honors for Davison

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball guard Virgil Davison has been chosen Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week and Louisiana Player of the Week for Dec. 18-24.

Davison — a 5-foot-8 junior guard from Memphis, Tenn., and a graduate of Hillcrest High School and Dyersburg State (Tenn.) Community College — averaged 18.5 points in Gold Rush victories against Rust and Mobile.

Davison scored a season-high 25 Friday at Mobile and made five 3-pointers to tie his season best. It was the eighth game this season that Davison made four-or-more 3-pointers.

Davison is the second Gold Rush player to win the GCAC award this season — Jeff Dixon did it for Oct. 23-29 — and the third from XULA all-time to win the state award, which is contested among all the state's four-year baskeball programs.

The other Gold Rush state winners were Mark Stewart for Feb. 20-26, 2007, and Denzell Erves for Feb. 20-26, 2012.

Davison leads XULA this season with 14.7 points per game and is No. 2 in NAIA Division I with 47 made 3-pointers.

XULA (11-4), winner of five straight, will resume its schedule Jan. 8 in Jacksonville, Fla., in the GCAC opener against Edward Waters at 7:30 p.m. EST.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Claflin teams return to action

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The Claflin University men’s basketball team will hit the road for two games against Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference West Division opponents.

First up for Claflin will be Central State University on Saturday in Wilberforce, Ohio, at 3 p.m. The road trip concludes Monday against Kentucky State University at 7:30 p.m.

The Panthers will enter the matchup with CSU riding an 11-game win streak for a 12-1 overall record. The victory total also includes a perfect 8-0 road record, of which four were against SIAC teams.

Claflin along with Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University sit atop of the East Division at 5-0.

In their last outing, the Panthers routed Spring Hill College 79-52 on (Dec. 16th) in Orangeburg.

CONTINUE READING

Morgan Lady Bears Close Out 2017 With Road Win at UMass Lowell

LOWELL, Massachusetts -- Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau, but the UMass Lowell women's basketball team fell short against the Morgan State Bears, 65-59, on Thursday afternoon.

Needing six points entering the contest, Gibbs put up her third field goal to become the 16th player in program history to score 1,000 points with 6:26 left in the third quarter.

Connecting on all four of her three-point attempts, Jennifer Louro (Belmar, N.J.) led the hosts with 14 points, and Brianna Rudolph (Lynn, Mass.) added 11. Saoirse Power-Cassidy (Dublin, Ireland) went a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc to finish with 10 points.

The Bears (7-6) were led by Lexus Spears' 21 points, and Adre'onia Coleman's double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds). Braennan Farrar chipped in 16 points as well.

Trailing 9-3 in the first, the River Hawks (3-9) scored the next 10 points to build a four-point advantage heading into the second period.




GAME VIDEO REPLAY

BOX SCORE

Power-Cassidy drained a three to knot the score at 9-9 with 3:19 on the clock, and Oda Shackelford (Edinburgh, Ind.) added a bucket to give the hosts their first lead 62 seconds later.

Morgan State's nine points was the fewest total allowed by UMass Lowell in the first quarter this season.

The Bears came out of the break and scored the first five points to jump back in front at 14-13. After the visitors built an 18-15 lead, Louro drilled a triple to begin a 5-0 run.

Morgan State closed the first half on a 14-6 run to build a 32-26 at the half. The momentum continued in the opening three minutes of the half as the visitors opened a 38-28 advantage.

Gibbs' milestone bucket sparked a 9-2 spurt for the River Hawks as they climbed within 42-37 following a Louro triple with 4:31 on the clock.

UMass Lowell cut a 12-point deficit to six points to begin the fourth as they trailed 46-40. Back-to-back triples from Power-Cassidy and Louro got the hosts within 52-49 with just over five minutes to play in regulation.

The Bears opened a 59-51 lead as the clock went under 50 seconds to play, but a Megan Hendrick (Alexandria, Va.) three made it a five-point contest with 42.6 clicks left.

The River Hawks entertain Cornell on New Year's Eve at 12 p.m. to wrap up their non-conference slate.

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS-LOWELL ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Ohio Women’s Basketball Defeats North Carolina A&T in Final Nonconference Game

ATHENS, Ohio – Led by Amani Burke's 18 points, and a clutch three-pointer from Burke with 41 seconds left to seal the game, the Ohio women's basketball team (6-5) wrapped up nonconference play Thursday evening, defeating North Carolina A&T (4-7) 72-65 inside the Convocation Center.

Along with Burke's, 18 points, Cierra Hooks finished the game with 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals, and Gabby Burris added 11 points for the Bobcats in the win.



HOW IT WAS DECIDED
Ohio opened the game to a 7-0 lead thanks to four free throws and a three-pointer from Burke (Columbus, Ohio).

NC A&T would cut the Ohio lead to 10-8 with 3:22 left in the first quarter before Burris (Baltimore, Ohio) would drain a three-pointer to give Ohio a five-point lead. Before the quarter was over, Katie Barker (Cary, Ill.) would register a fast break layup and then Burke would register a layup as time expired to give Ohio a 17-8 lead after the first 10 minutes.

At the beginning of the second quarter, Olivia Bower (Bowerstown, Ohio) would drain two three-pointers to put Ohio up by 12 with 8:39 left. After Bower's three with 8:39 left in the second, the Bobcats would not score again until Burris broke the scoring drought at the 4:26 mark with a layup to give Ohio a 25-17 lead.

Kendall Jessing (Sylvania, Ohio) would follow Burris' score with a three-pointer with 4:04 left. Then with 1:30 left, Barker would drain a three-pointer to stretch the Ohio lead to 38-21. The Bobcats would lead 40-24 with 58 seconds left after Alexis Stover (Solon, Ohio) hit two free throws, however, the Aggies would close out the quarter with two free throws of their own, giving Ohio the 40-29 led at the half.

At the half, Burris led Ohio with nine points, followed by Burke who had eight.

Dominique Doseck (Athens, Ohio) opened the third quarter with a three, however the Aggies would go on a 6-2 run to cut the Ohio lead to 44-36 with 6:53 left in the quarter. Ohio would increase their lead to 15 with 4:24 left with a three from Burke. Then after the Aggies cut that lead to 55-42, Burris would register another layup to give Ohio the 57-42 lead with 3:0-1 left in the quarter.

North Carolina A&T would then go on a 6-0 run over the final three minutes of the third quarter, sending the game to the final frame with the Bobcats leading 57-48.

NC A&T would refuse to go quietly and would cut the Ohio lead to five points with 8:24 left in the game before Doseck drained a three pointer to increase the Ohio lead to 60-52. After Hooks hit two free throws and registered a fast break layup, the Bobcats would lead 64-52 with 5:06 left.

The Aggies would then go on a 12-2 run, cutting the Ohio lead to 66-64 with 1:07 left. After Ohio called a timeout, the Bobcats would come out, setting up the clutch corner three-pointer from Burke with 41 seconds left, giving Ohio the 69-64 lead.

Hooks would then hit three free throws over the final 40 seconds, helping seal the Bobcats' 73-65 victory.

OF NOTE
Burke finished the game with 18 points, going 5-of-10 from the field, 4-of-6 from three-point range and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. Burke also had three steals.

Hooks finished with 14 points, going 3-of-9 from the field and 8-of-11 from the free throw line. She also snagged a team-leading seven rebounds, dished out five assists and had four steals.

Burris had 11 points, going 4-of-6 from the field, 2-of-3 from three-point range and 1-of-2 from the free throw line.

Agler finished the game with five assists and two steals, and Barker also finished the game with four steals.

Overall, Ohio was 21-of-61 (.344) from the field, 12-of-39 (.308) from three-point range and 18-of-26 (.692) from the free throw line.

The Bobcats were even with the Aggies, with both teams grabbing 33 boards, however Ohio registered 17 offensive rebounds, compared to NC A&T's five.

The Bobcats also dished out 13 assists and forced the Aggies to turn the ball over 32 times, scoring 21 points off of those turnovers. The Bobcats also registered 22 steals.

North Carolina A&T went 25-of-41 (.610) from the field, 7-of-10 (.700) from three-point range and 8-of-16 (.500) from the free throw line. The Aggies also dished out 14 assists, had three blocks, nine steals and forced Ohio to turn the ball over 18 times.

Leading the Aggies was Cinia McCray with 23 points.

The Bobcat bench scored 33 points off the bench, had five second chance points and had six fast break points, while also scoring 18 points in the paint.

Ohio is now 1-1 all-time against NC A&T.

The Bobcats concluded nonconference play 6-5.

The win was head coach bob Boldon's 188th career win and 89th at Ohio. It was also the 553rd victory in program history.

This was the fourth time this season the Ohio has forced a team into 30-plus turnovers.

QUOTABLE
"I was thrilled with our rebounding numbers. They were fifth in the country in offensive rebounds. I'm thrilled with that. Rebounding has been a huge deficiency throughout this whole nonconference schedule. We knew that with the schedule that it was to help get ready for Toledo and that just seemed to be the one piece that was forever missing. We've been able to force turnovers and win that margin in almost every game, but we've been giving it back with our rebounding. To see that number, it shows me that we can. Now we have to continue to do it. But at least it shows me that we can and that's an encouraging thing for me to see." Head Coach Bob Boldon

"This really boosted our confidence with rebounding. We are not a good a rebounding team and they are a great rebounding team. For us to be able compete and rebound against them and force turnovers and just play out game, that helps us a lot. Being comfortable with those things makes it easier when we great ready to play Toledo and Central Michigan. And really just sticking to our principles." Amani Burke

UP NEXT
The Bobcats remain in Athens to close out 2017 when Ohio opens Mid-American Conference play on Sunday, Dec. 31 when they play host to MAC West foe Toledo. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.

FINAL STATS

OHIO UNIVERSITY BOBCATS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Grambling State Williams notches career high in loss at Arkansas

ESPN3 GAME VIDEO REPLAY

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas --| Ariel Williams scored a career-high 16 points, but it wasn't enough as the Grambling State University women's basketball team couldn't overcome a strong second quarter by Arkansas in a 79-62 loss on Thursday night at Bud Walton Arena.

Grambling State (3-8) trailed 15-11 entering the second quarter, but Arkansas (9-4) outscored the Lady Tigers, 25-12, to take a 40-23 advantage into the half.

Williams paced Grambling State with 16 points, on 6-of-12 shooting, with three rebounds and three assists. Monisha Neal added nine points and seven rebounds.

Devin Cosper led Arkansas with 16 points, four boards and three assists. Raven Northcross-Baker tallied 14 points and four rebounds, while Kiara Williams recorded a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 16 boards. Malica Monk also added a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 assists.

Turning Point
Arkansas opened with a 4-0 run, capped by a Jailyn Mason 3-pointer with 8:27 remaining, but Grambling State battled back and cut the deficit to 9-8 after a Jazmine Torian trey with 3:50 left in the first quarter.

The Razorbacks outscored the Lady Tigers over the final three and a half minutes, 6-3, to take a 15-11 advantage into the second quarter.

Arkansas began the second frame with a 14-2 run to take a 29-13 advantage after a Mason 3-pointer with 5:13 left in the first half. The Razorbacks stretch the lead to 40-23 as the teams headed into the break.

Grambling State trailed by as many as 24 points in the final quarter, but were able to cut the margin to 73-58 and trimmed the deficit to 73-60 with 2:23 left, but that would be as close as the Lady Tigers would get.

Inside the Numbers
· Grambling State shot 37.9 percent (25-of-66) from the field and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from the free-throw line.
· Arkansas was 25-of-66 (37.9 percent) shooting and 18-of-27 (66.7 percent) from the charity stripe.
· The Lady Tigers finished with 35 rebounds, including 25 off the defensive glass.
· The Razorbacks tallied 48 rebounds, with 18 coming on the offensive glass.
· Grambling State scored 44 bench points, 26 points in the paint, 15 points off turnovers and 10 second-chance points.
· Arkansas added 33 bench points, 22 points in the paint, 18 points off turnovers and 11 second-chance points.

BOX SCORE

News & Notes
· Grambling State concludes the 2017 portion of its schedule at 3-8 (wins over Louisiana-Monroe, McNeese and Southeastern Louisiana).
· The Lady Tigers ended the year with five straight road games (one of which was a neutral contest).
· Ariel Williams' previous game-high was nine points against Memphis

Up Next
Grambling State will open the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) schedule on Jan. 1 at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center as Alabama A&M comes to town. Tip-off against the Lady Bulldogs is set for Noon.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Alabama Basketball Beats Florida A&M

ESPN3 VIDEO REPLAY

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – The Alabama women's basketball team (10-3) closed out its regular-season, non-conference schedule with a 91-55 win over Florida A&M (2-11) Thursday night in Coleman Coliseum. With the victory, Alabama now owns a six-game win streak and remains perfect at home at 8-0.

Crimson Tide sophomore Jasmine Walker led the game with a career-high 19 points to go along a career-best eight rebounds, while junior Shaquera Wade also tallied 12 points and five boards. In all, 12 different Tide players scored in the contest.

"I really liked our energy back from holiday break with how hard our kids have worked," said head coach Kristy Curry. "I thought tonight we played with a lot of energy. If we continue to practice and play with that kind of energy, we'll continue to improve. It's just about getting better just a little bit every day. That will end with really great results and we can continue to improve."?

PHOTO GALLERY

Alabama took control of the game early in the first quarter and never let up, leading 55-23 going into halftime. The Tide maintained its lead in the second half, stretching it to 36 at the final buzzer.

UA shot 55 percent (36-of-66) from the field, while the Alabama bench dominated by outscoring the Florida A&M reserves, 51-9.

The Tide will return to action on Sunday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. CT in its Southeastern Conference opener against No. 16 Missouri in Coleman Coliseum. The game will stream live on SEC Network+.

Follow Alabama women's basketball on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at AlabamaWBB, while general athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.

BOX SCORE

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS