WSSU to seek division title against Fayetteville State

The road to this season's CIAA Southern Division title goes through Fayetteville.

Winston-Salem State, tied for first place, can win the division title with a win today at Fayetteville State. The Rams (18-6, 6-3 Southern Division) also can lose the game and win the title if Shaw loses tonight to St. Augustine's.

Tipoff for the game between WSSU (18-6, 6-3) and Fayetteville State (13-12, 4-5) in Capel Arena is 5 p.m.

WSSU is coming off one of its most impressive wins of the season, 59-49 over Shaw at the Gaines Center. Six seniors got a win in their final home game and can add to their success with a division title and first-round bye in the CIAA Tournament.

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Saint Augustine's Kindred, Benson Named CIAA Rookies of the Year

Saint Augustine’s College swept the CIAA basketball rookie of the year awards Tuesday for the second time in four seasons.

Freshman guard Joel Kindred (Raleigh, N.C.) was named the men’s top rookie and freshman center Umeka Benson (Charlotte, N.C.) was voted the women’s best rookie Tuesday by the CIAA-Sports Information Directors Association. The last time a CIAA school produced two rookie of year winners in the same year was 2008 when Allison Sikes (women) and Hayward Fain (men) of Saint Augustine’s College took freshman honors.

Both Kindred and Benson were also named to their respective All-CIAA rookie teams. Redshirt freshman Chris Johnson (Hampton, Va.) of the Falcons joined Kindred on the men’s rookie squad.

Kindred was a unanimous choice for men’s rookie of the year. A 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard, Kindred leads CIAA freshmen in scoring (13.2 ppg) and is also the Falcons’ best rebounder (5.0 rpg). He shoots 44 percent from the floor and has scored in double figures 17 of 25 games including five games of 20 or more points. His play this season was reflected in the voting for CIAA rookie of the week which he won a league-high seven times.

“This is a great honor for Joel, the basketball program, Saint Augustine’s College and the community,” said Ken Spencer, the first-year head men’s coach at Saint Augustine’s College. “He is the type of player I want to bring in. Joel represents the basketball program well on the court, in the classroom and in the community.”

Kindred is the first Falcon to win the honor since Fain in 2008. He played high school ball last season in Raleigh, N.C., at Word of God Academy, which produced NBA rookie standout John Wall. Current Falcon assistant coach Erasto Hatchett was Kindred’s head coach at Word of God.

“I am thankful for winning the award,” Kindred said. “I thank the coaches, my teammates, my brothers and my mom for pushing me.”

Kindred is the younger brother of former Falcon high jump standout Joe Kindred, a track and field All-American and national Division II champion who won national field performer of the year honors. Joel’s brother Jon Kindred (Raleigh, N.C.) also plays for the Falcons’ basketball team.

Benson is the latest Lady Falcon to win the rookie honor since Keyona Bryant (2009) and Sikes (2008), making it three out of four seasons a Lady Falcon has claimed the award. A 6-0 center, Benson leads CIAA freshmen in scoring (10.0 ppg) and ranks second among CIAA rookies in rebounding (8.6 rpg). She debuted with 21 points against Davis & Elkins in the season opener and went on to reach double figures in points 10 times and rebounds eight times. A tenacious and athletic player in the paint, Benson has tallied four double-doubles for the Lady Falcons, who are 17-9 overall and tied for second in the CIAA’s Southern Division with one regular-season game to play.

“I am so excited for Umeka,” said Rachel Bullard, the first-year women’s head coach at Saint Augustine’s College. “She has worked very hard and has grown as a person and player throughout the year. What an awesome honor for her and the team.”

Benson plays her best against top-level competition. She had 10 points and 15 rebounds on Nov. 13, 2010, against West Liberty, currently ranked second in the Atlantic Region. Benson had 16 points and 14 rebounds on Feb. 12 in the first meeting against Johnson C. Smith. In the rematch Monday, Benson put up 12 points and 10 rebounds against JCSU, ranked seventh regionally and 24th nationally. The Lady Falcons won both games against JCSU, which is located in Benson's hometown of Charlotte, N.C.

“I am excited and caught off guard about receiving rookie of the year,” Benson said. “I am grateful to my team because I could not have won this award without them. I give thanks to my family, coaches and Saint Augustine’s College. We are looking forward to the CIAA Tournament.”

Johnson rebounded from knee injury last season to become a contributor for the Falcons. A 6-foot-5, 225-pound forward, Johnson averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 16.7 minutes of action. His rebounding average is fourth-best on the Falcons, and he is the team’s second-best offensive rebounder.

Johnson scored a season-high 14 points in a January win over Shaw. He pulled down 11 rebounds against Armstrong Atlantic State in December 2010.

The rookies of the year and All-CIAA rookie teams will be recognized at the league’s Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tip Off Ceremonies on Feb. 27 and March 1 in Charlotte, N.C.

By Sports Information Office
Saint Augustine's College

2010-2011 Men’s and Women’s Basketball All-Rookie Teams

Umeka Benson

Women:
Umeka Benson Saint Augustine's College - CIAA Women's Rookie of the Year

Umeka Benson Saint Augustine's College C 6-0 Charlotte, NC
Alisha Hardley Saint Paul's College F/C 6-0 Stafford, VA
Racquel Davis Johnson C. Smith University F 6-0 Bamberg, Germany
Leslie Slayton Virginia Union University G 5-5 Clinton, MD
Cynthia Johnson Lincoln University (PA) PG 5-7 Randallstown, MD

Joel Kindred

Men:
Joel Kindred Saint Augustine's College - CIAA Men's Rookie of the Year

Joel Kindred Saint Augustine's College G 6-4 Raleigh, NC
Chris Johnson Saint Augustine's College G/F 6-5 Hampton, VA
Tyrell Tate Fayetteville State University F 6-5 Raleigh, NC
Rasheem King Bowie State University F 6-4 Brooklyn, NY
James Theus Virginia Union University G 6-4 Portsmouth, VA

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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG

Taylor, defense lift Lady Trojans over Lady Bulldogs

ETTRICK, VA - Displaying an ability to find a way to win when things go awry is the mark of a good team. Having the wherewithal to do so late in the season and against a divisional foe, doubly so.

The Virginia State University women's basketball team did just that in a CIAA clash with Bowie State at Daniel Gymnasium on Saturday. The Lady Trojans overcame a first half in which they shot 17 percent from the field to win 50-43.

Spurred by solid team defense and a double-double from senior Rhon'Neisha Taylor, the Lady Trojans kept pace with the Lady Bulldogs and found a finishing kick from the bench to pull ahead late in the game.

Bowie State Bulldogs Overpower VSU Trojans

The Bowie State men's basketball team came into Daniel Gymnasium as the top-ranked team in the CIAA and played like it in a 92-71 win over Virginia State.

The Bulldogs never trailed and overcame a streaky showing from the Trojans with a consistent and well-balanced offensive effort.

"I thought we played well in spots," said interim coach Gene Thompson. "And then there were some situations where some people took a break and that is what killed us. You have to sustain it all the way."

The Bulldogs quickly extended an eight-point halftime advantage to 11 after the break but the Trojans assembled a run that led the VSU faithful to believe a season-defining win was on the horizon. D'Angelo Johnson drained a 3-pointer, Brandon Plummer knocked down a 12-foot jumper and Chris Washington came up with a backcourt steal and layup that cut the deficit to 63-58 with 11:04 remaining.

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Shaw Bears turns back WSSU Rams

RALEIGH -- The race for the CIAA's Southern Division title just got a little more interesting. Shaw made all the right moves on Saturday night to come away with a 77-64 victory against Winston-Salem State at sold-out Spaulding Gym. One Shaw official was asked how many Spaulding actually seats. His reply: "It seats 1,000. … Well, it seats 1,000 skinny people."

The Rams were a little shell-shocked out of the gate playing in such a small gym and fell behind by 17, thanks to the Bears (15-7, 4-2 Southern Division) scoring on 10 of their first 13 possessions. The Rams (16-5, 4-2) finally did get it together late in the first half.

"This was the smallest, hottest gym I've ever been in," said forward McIntoche Alcius of the Rams. "And it was a tough crowd out there."

Strong Performances Lead Shaw Past Winston-Salem State

(Raleigh, NC) - Shaw got zero points from its bench Saturday night, but four of the five starters scored 17 points or more to lead the Bears past Winston-Salem State 77-64 in a CIAA divisional game played at C. C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

Shaw (15-7, 8-5 CIAA) built a big lead early, and while Winston-Salem State (16-5, 9-4 CIAA) tied the game with their first bucket in the second half, they did not hold a lead at any time in the game.

The Bears seemed equally comfortable from the arc and the paint, hitting nine of 23 three-point attempts and garnering 32 points in the paint (versus 22 for the Rams).

Coming off a career-high 27-point performance against Livingstone Monday night, Dwight Bell started the game hot – scoring Shaw's first eight points, on the way to what would become a 16-2 lead with 14:40 remaining in the first.

Second Half Scoring Surge Powers Shaw Lady Bears Past WSSU 73-53

(Raleigh, NC) - The Shaw women's basketball team used a 34-9 scoring run at the start of the second half to power past Winston-Salem State 73-53 in a CIAA divisional contest played at C. C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

Shaw (14-10, 7-6 CIAA) and Winston-Salem State (14-8, 9-4 CIAA) played a see-saw first half, but the Lady Bears stormed through the opening ten minutes of the second half to build a lead that never fell below 20 in the last eight minutes of the game.

The Lady Rams opened the game with a hot shooting hand from the three-point line, with Jasmine Newkirk hitting three three-pointers to build an 11-2 lead with 15:33 left in the half.

Demaria Liles, in her first game for the Lady Bears, hit two unanswered buckets, then Kyria Buford added two more – one a three pointer – to tie the game at 11. Aslea Williams would then add four unanswered points of her own, allowing Shaw to take a 15-11 lead with 9:05 left in the first.

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Videographer: ShawUniv; 2011 CIAA TICKETS ON SALE

WSSU Peay following in footsteps of his parents

Maybe William Peay should be a history major.

Peay, a freshman basketball player at Winston-Salem State, probably knows more about the history of WSSU than anybody on campus. Peay, a former star at Reagan, has been deeply schooled in WSSU's storied history. His parents, William and Brenda, are 1974 graduates of WSSU and have been active boosters for many years.

"It's amazing," Peay said. "I didn't know I'd wind up here but I always wanted to come; and so when I got the chance, I was ecstatic with the opportunity."

There aren't a lot of young players who dream of one day putting on the WSSU uniform. But Peay is different. If his mother and father weren't regaling him with tales of their time in school — when Big House Gaines ruled the CIAA in basketball and Bill Hayes ruled the CIAA in football — his godfather, Devaldean Penn, was telling him one of his countless stories.

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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG

CIAA Basketball: Livingstone 81, Winston-Salem State 73

WINSTON-SALEM — The Livingstone men’s basketball team pulled off a big road upset Saturday against Winston-Salem State 81-73.

With the victory, James Stinson’s Blue Bears (12-5, 7-3 CIAA) improved to 3-1 in the division and move into a tie with the Rams for first place in the Southern Division at 3-1. The Rams (15-4) came into the contest as the fourth-ranked team in the latest NCAA Atlantic Region rankings.

Donte Durant had his best offensive output of the season, leading the Blue Bears with 18 points. Darius Cox fell just short of a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds while Quentin Redfern added 13 points with 11 of them coming at the charity stripe.

Rams lose to Blue Bears 81-73

Winston-Salem State failed to answer the bell against Livingstone on Saturday night at the Gaines Center. Playing their sixth straight home game the Rams thought they could turn it on whenever they needed to but that wasn’t the case as the Blue Bears won 81-73. It was the Blue Bears first victory at the Gaines Center since the 1997-98 season.

“We can’t just flip a switch,” said guard Shelton Carter of the Rams, who was one of many who struggled and scored just seven points. “We need to defend better and not just in spurts – we need to do that the entire 40 minutes.”

The Rams (15-4, 3-1) finally flipped the switch late but...

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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG; Fayetteville State vs. Winston-Salem State 1/28/11

Jackson's jumper gives WSSU a win

Andrew Jackson saved the day, and helped re-fuel a rivalry with Johnson C. Smith as he hit a buzzer-beating 35-foot jumper in a 78-77 victory for Winston-Salem State. In front of a packed house of 3,200 at the Gaines Center on Monday night the Rams kept a hold of their first-place grip in the CIAA’s Southern Division. But it was far from easy.

“I know I beat the clock,” said Jackson, a senior guard who took Marcus Wells pass from midcourt and then hit the long jumper. The Rams coughed up the lead with sloppy play near the end and the Bulls had a 77-75 lead with three seconds left. With 1:18 left the Rams were up by five but the Bulls never gave up and came charging back.

JCSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL BLOCKS OUT WINSTON-SALEM STATE FOR A 64-60 VICTORY

Winston Salem, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team remains unbeaten on the road after a 64-60 win over Winston-Salem State University on Monday evening inside the C.E. Gaines Center on the campus of WSSU. JCSU improves to 17-1 overall, 10-1 in the CIAA, and 3-0 in the division; while the Lady Rams move to 12-7 overall, 7-3 in the conference, and 2-1 in the Southern.

Coming into this game, there were a few interesting storylines. First, this was the first contest between JCSU and Winston-Salem State since January 2007; after WSSU ventured out of the CIAA to Division I-AA competition. WSSU head women's coach Stephen Joyner, Jr. has several ties to Johnson C. Smith University.

Joyner, Jr. is an alum of JCSU and former student-athlete, he served two seasons as the assistant women's basketball coach (under current JCSU head women's coach Vanessa Taylor), and he is the son of JCSU Director of Athletics and head men's basketball coach Stephen Joyner, Sr. Despite all those facts, JCSU and WSSU were battling for the top spot in the CIAA Southern Division.

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Livingstone Blue Bear Women Down St. Augustine's 84-80 In Rollercoaster Affair

Lady Blue Bear Coach Angelyne Brown

SALISBURY, NC – The Livingstone women’s basketball team battled hard Monday evening to overcome a pesky St. Augustine’s team and grab an 84-80 victory.

Livingstone (12-4, 7-2, 2-1) was led by Brittany Wright who recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 23 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out of the game. Cassaundra Rhodes also added 16 points while Jasmine Murray scored 10.

Livingstone got off to another slow start as the Falcons (11-8, 5-4, 0-3) jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead, but the Blue Bears battled back on a 7-0 run to grab a 9-8 lead with 15:20 left in the opening half. Over the next three minutes the lead changed hands four times. Livingstone found itself down two with 12:16 to go, but went on a 7-0 run to go up 18-13 with 10:28 left.

Blue Bear Coach James Stinson

Livingstone Overcomes 14-Point Deficit to Upend St. Augustine's 75-74 In Overtime

SALISBURY, NC – The Livingstone men’s basketball team erased a 14-point, second-half deficit Monday evening and defeated the St. Augustine’s Falcons 75-74 in overtime.

The Blue Bears trailed the Falcons by 14 points with 7:35 to go in game and less than four minutes later the Blue Bears had clawed their way within four with 3:59 to play. St. Augustine’s briefly regained a seven-point edge before Livingstone went on a 5-0 run to get within two with 2:44 left in regulation.

The Falcons went back up by four with 2:12 to go, before Darius Cox hit a jumper with 1:42 left and was fouled. Cox converted the free throw to bring Livingstone within one. St. Augustine’s continued to hit clutch shots down the stretch and went back up by three with 1:25 remaining. Livingstone had multiple opportunities on its next possession to score, but couldn’t. The Blue Bears fouled St. Augustine’s Darrell Glass to proceeded to miss both free throws.

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Parkland's Bowman commits to play at WSSU

Miles Bowman, a 6-6 senior forward at Parkland High School, has committed to play at Winston-Salem State. Bowman said on Sunday night that he was offered a scholarship over the weekend and is looking forward staying close to home to play in college.

“I just liked how their assistant coaches and Coach (Bobby) Collins showed a lot of interest and kept coming to my games,” said Bowman, who averages around 24 points and 13 rebounds a game for the Mustangs. “They’ve got a winning program over there and a lot of seniors who will be leaving so I think it’s a good place for me.”

Bowman said he was also being recruited by several other programs including Johnson C. Smith, Virginia Union, Belmont Abby and Davidson.

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Winston-Salem subdues Brevard

Winston-Salem State took a break from its CIAA schedule Monday night but couldn't completely coast against Brevard at the Gaines Center.

The Rams (13-3) had their inside game working and hit enough from the outside to carve out a 77-64 victory. It was their third game in five days, but they showed no signs of fatigue.

"It was a hard game, and it's hard just playing a team that's not in your conference," said center Paul Davis, who finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. "It was a different style of play, and they aren't as fast as most CIAA teams, but they shoot the ball really well…. We played a good team tonight."

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Oakley likes to listen, then he makes his point

Don't let the touch of gray in Charles Oakley's hair lead you to think he's going soft. "Everybody that knows Oak knows how he is. He only knows one way - tough," Charlotte Bobcats center Kwame Brown says. "That's how he played. That's how he is as a man. He's straightforward and in your face."

Oakley might be 47 years old now - eight years removed from his NBA playing career - but the toughness that defined him remains. It's one of the reasons he was called to join coach Paul Silas' staff as an assistant after Larry Brown was fired.

The thick, muscular 6-foot-9 frame that was instantly recognizable to a generation of NBA fans remains.


Videographer: ESNEWS
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WSSU races past Fayetteville State

There were no empty seats at the Gaines Center for Winston-Salem State's showdown with Fayetteville State on Saturday night.

On a night when several past WSSU greats were honored, Lamar Monger stole the show. He scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Rams to a 76-62 victory in front of 3,200. It was as full as the Gaines Center has been since the Rams were last in the CIAA, five years ago.

"We had all these Hall of Famers and our fans here watching, so we couldn't let them down," said forward McIntoche Alcius, who had eight points and five rebounds. "After watching those legends get their jerseys honored and all that (on Friday night) we kind of got excited, so we wanted to play well."

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Videographer: UrbanSportsITG

CIAA Commissioner on record about NAACP boycott threat

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The CIAA isn't going anywhere. That's the word from the head of the tournament after Charlotte's NAACP called for major sporting events to boycott the city it calls a "bastion of racism".

Leon Kerry, commissioner of the CIAA, is very happy with the tournament being held in the Queen City. Kerry posted a statement on their web site Wednesday night which reads, in part: "Charlotte is a great partner and host city for the CIAA Tournament. Charlotte's can do spirit and teamwork has contributed vastly to the growth and success the Tournament has experienced."

The hugely popular tournament is contracted to be in Charlotte until 2014. Kerry also said "since the tournament's move to Charlotte in 2006, the CIAA has generated over $9 million in scholarship dollars for graduating high school students to attend any CIAA school."



CIAA Comment Regarding NAACP Boycott of the City of Charlotte

From the Desk of CIAA Commissioner Leon G. Kerry
Regarding the Proposed NAACP Boycott of the City of Charlotte

January 19, 2011

“Charlotte is a great partner and host city for the CIAA Tournament,” say CIAA Commissioner, Leon Kerry. “Since the Tournament’s move to Charlotte in 2006, the CIAA has generated over $9 million in scholarship dollars for graduating high school students to attend any CIAA school. Through our Education Day event, Charlotte area high school and middle school students have direct access to college admissions counselors to discuss their educational pursuits. Also, in our 2010 CIAA Post-Tournament survey results, 94 percent of our fans recommend the ‘CIAA Charlotte Experience’, which measures the city’s safety, hospitality and friendliness. Charlotte’s can do spirit and teamwork has contributed vastly to the growth and success the Tournament has experienced and it’s evident when the CIAA Board of Directors voted unanimously on November 1, 2010 to renew the CIAA Tournament contract with Charlotte until 2014.”



Civil Rights Group Gains Support For Campaign Against Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte chapter of the NAACP won the support Wednesday of the organization's state leaders for a letter-writing campaign urging major sports organizations not to hold their events in the city.

Kojo Nantambu, president of the Charlotte NAACP, first suggested the campaign Monday during a march to protest Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' decision to hold classes on the holiday which honors Martin Luther King Jr. CMS approved the holiday two years ago as a possible snow make-up day, and the plan was activated after last week's winter storm shut down schools for three days.

Dr. William Barber, president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP, said Wednesday...



Local NAACP urges boycott of Charlotte

At a Martin Luther King Jr. Day protest over school policies, the head of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP Monday announced a campaign to urge the CIAA basketball tournament and other groups to boycott the city.

Pledging to "expose Charlotte for the racist bastion it is," NAACP President Kojo Nantambu announced a drive to keep the CIAA, NCAA, PGA "and any other 'A'" from coming to Charlotte. He also said his group would ask the national NAACP to consider asking the Democratic Party not to hold its 2012 convention in Charlotte.

His comments came just before he led about 100 people on a march through uptown to protest the decision by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to hold classes on the King holiday to make up one of three days lost to snow last week.



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Conference Pretenders vs. Contenders

Albany State men, women beat Paine

ALBANY, GA — The Albany State Golden Rams, losers of three straight conference games, looked like they were going to make it four in a row as they trailed Paine by as many as 14 points in the second half, but instead of throwing in the towel, the Rams started throwing the ball in the basket and cut the Paine lead to one point (63-62) with 35 seconds remaining in regulation.

This set up for a game-winning drive and score by Demarcus Blunt with just six second on the clock to give the ASU a 64-63 win.

WSSU Rams pound ECSU Vikings 89-63

Shelton Carter got the rout started for Winston-Salem State and walk-on Ricky Bolton finished it. The Rams played perhaps their best all-around game in Coach Bobby Collins five seasons to thoroughly whip Elizabeth City State 89-63 on Saturday night in front of nearly 3,000 at the Gaines Center.

Carter, a 6-5 senior guard, hit his first nine shots on his way to 29 points and the Rams shot a season-best 66 percent from the field. They were an incredible 33 of 50 from the field for one of the highest shooting percentages in their long and storied history.

Bowie State 67, St. Augustine's 54

Host Bowie State (9-2, 4-0 CIAA) rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half to defeat the Falcons (3-9, 2-2). St. Aug's led 40-29 with 16 minutes left in the game but made only two field goals the rest of the way. Freshman Joel Kindred scored 13 of his 21 points in the first half for the Falcons. Shaun Washum added 11 points for St. Aug's, and Travis Hyman had 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots.

CLEMENT, WILKERSON PROPEL NCCU EAGLES TO VICTORY OVER COPPIN STATE

BALTIMORE, Md.- The junior-senior duo of Landon Clement (Raleigh, N.C.) and C.J. Wilkerson (Oxford, N.C.) scored a combined 48 points, breaking open a back-and-forth contest in the second half with a 22-8 run in leading North Carolina Central University to the 77-71 win over Coppin State University on Saturday afternoon at the Physical Education Complex in Baltimore, Md.

North Carolina A&T Aggies Cruise To Win Over Howard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Howard came into Saturday's men's basketball game with North Carolina A&T with a few injuries. The Bison is in the midst of a rebuilding stage with first-year head coach Kevin Nickleberry. The Bison is also not shooting the ball well.

The Aggies cruised to a 78-65 victory over Howard at Burr Gymnasium. It gave N.C. A&T (8-9, 3-1) just its second victory in the nation's capital in 13 years.


Videographer: dcheston88

Howard Lady Bison Takes Advantage Of Youthful NCA&T Lady Aggies

WASHINGTON, D.C. - When the makeup of the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team is truly studied, senior Jaleesa Sams is the only player who has played more than two years. Junior College transfer Reisha Bullock sat out last season, therefore, she and Sams are the only two players on the team who played on the team that dominated the MEAC in 2009.

Considering those facts, there aren't too many players on the Aggies team who have actually experienced how good the Aggies have been in the conference over the past four seasons.

Hampton U wins Battle of the Bay

Hampton, VA (WAVY) - Kwame Morgan scored a game-high 20 points, and host Hampton held on late for a 63-56 win over Norfolk State before 5,765 fans on Saturday evening at the HU Convocation Center. Morgan scored 10 points in each half, and Darrion Pellum added 16 for the Pirates (13-4, 3-1 MEAC). Kyle O’Quinn (Jamaica, N.Y.) led NSU with 19 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.


Videographer: nsuathletics, Recap of Battle of the Bay Basketball Game

Morgan State handles Bulldogs for 3rd straight win, 71-55

BALTIMORE, Md. – Aric Brooks scored a game-high 16 points to lead Morgan State to a 71-55 victory over South Carolina State on Saturday night in an ESPN2 nationally televised contest. The Bears recorded their third straight victory and improved to 8-7 overall and remain unblemished in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 4-0 record.

Kevin Thompson added 13 points and DeWayne Jackson had nine points with a career-high 10 rebounds for the Bears, who shot 46.3 percent and avenged a 71-68 home loss to the Bulldogs during last season's ESPNU televised matchup.

Another Big Road Win For B-CU; Cats Down DSU 61-60

DOVER, Del. - CJ Reed could manage just six points Saturday against Delaware State, but, boy, were the last two huge for Bethune-Cookman. Reed sank two free throws with 6.5 seconds remaining to lift the Wildcats to a 61-60 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over the Hornets and give B-CU (9-8,4-0) its first-ever 4-0 start in conference play.

B-CU remained in a first-place tie with Morgan State thanks to its fourth straight victory. All the Wildcat wins have come on the road. "I'm going to savor this win for a few hours," said B-CU Coach Clifford Reed, Jr. "This win a great win for our program and we've shown the poise and heart of a champion to win four on the road."

Maryland Eastern Shore Holds Off Lady Rattlers 64-62

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The Florida A&M University Women’s Basketball scored 36 second half points, but it was not enough as Maryland Eastern Shore held on for a 64-62 win over the Lady Rattlers, here Saturday afternoon at Hytche Center.

FAMU (6-9, 2-2 MEAC) was paced by Antonia Bennett with a game high 26 points to lead all scorers, followed by Qiana Donald, who finished with a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. UMES (4-11, 1-2 MEAC) had a pair of Lady Hawks to finish in double figures as both Kwinnyata Mercer and Chelsea Sanders finished with 15 points each. Mercer led UMES in rebounds with eight boards.

UMES notches first conference victory of season

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Junior Dishawn Bradshaw (Baltimore, Md.) and redshirt junior Hillary Haley (Oxon Hill, Md.) each scored five points during the overtime period to lead the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team to an 86-81 victory over Florida A&M Saturday.

The win marks the first of the season for UMES in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference as the team improves to 4-12 overall and 1-2 in the conference while FAMU falls to 5-11 overall and 0-4 in the MEAC.

WSSU women come up short in overtime

Kenyatta Gill scored 22 points, including five in overtime, as Elizabeth City State won 81-76 at Winston-Salem State on Saturday night. Shaquella Johnson added 12 points for the Vikings (10-4, 3-1 CIAA). Courtney Medley led WSSU (8-6, 3-2) with 20 points, Jasmine Newkirk had 14, and Vontisha Woods 12.

Tennessee State upsets Austin Peay in OT

Wil Peters’ game-winning shot that lifted Tennessee State to its upset overtime victory over Austin Peay was the final nail in the coffin. But there was plenty before then that had the Govs feeling they let an OVC victory slip from their hands with mistakes made late in regulation, and poor play in the first half. The Govs couldn’t hit free throws and were out rebounded in a 76-74 loss to the Tigers on Saturday at Gentry Center.

The loss was the first for Austin Peay (12-6, 6-1) in the OVC, halted its six-game winning streak, and was its second-straight loss to TSU (8-9, 5-2).

SU men edge past UAPB

Julius Ingram was worried. Saturday night, inside a surprisingly lively F.G. Clark Activity Center, Southern’s senior forward had missed three free throws in the closing minutes, and the Jaguars trailed Arkansas-Pine Bluff by two points.

“We were behind, and I’m feeling guilty, because we could’ve been tied at that point,” Ingram said. “But we got a second chance.” And Ingram made up for it with the biggest play of the night.

SU women hold off UAPB

Sandy Pugh praised her Southern women’s basketball team for holding on Saturday against winless Arkansas-Pine Bluff, getting a late layup by Tiffany Foster and two key defensive stops in a 62-59 victory. Past that, she said, there weren’t many positives coming out of the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

“The fans paid money to come watch a good team, and we didn’t look like a decent team,” the Jaguars’ 11th-year coach said. “I was really disappointed in the kids’ effort. They’ve got to pick it up. We’ve got to do a better job. We did too much standing and watching.”

Balanced Attack Leads Panthers To Win Over Grambling

DALLAS, TX - Four players scored in double figures as Prairie View A&M ended its two-game conference slump with a 71-54 win over Grambling State at the Ellis Davis Field House.

Both teams struggled to begin the contest as Grambling State only led 3-2 with 15:04 remaining in the first half. Prairie View’s Brandon Webb ended the scoring drought after a layup at the 12:01 mark but GSU’s Rupert Rose answered with a jumper on the ensuing possession for a 5-4 advantage. From that point, the pace picked up as both teams exchanged leads several times but the Panthers took control and went on a 13-2 run to claim a 24-14 margin with 5:31 left in the half. PV upped its lead to 14 at 31-27 with 3:39 left but GSU made a late run to trim PV’s halftime lead to 35-27.

Tobar, A&M remains perfect with win over ASU

HUNTSVILLE, AL. - Whiquitta Tobar took matters into her own hands late Saturday afternoon. With Alabama A&M clinging to a four-point lead over arch-rival Alabama State with just over two minutes remaining, Tobar decided it was go time.

The 5-foot-7 junior guard scored the Bulldogs' last six points of the game as A&M outlasted ASU 55-50 to stay unbeaten in the Southwestern Athletic Conference before an announced crowd of 2,015 at Elmore Gym.

Alabama A&M 75, Alabama State 60

The Bulldogs got 54 points from their bench and snapped their nine-game losing streak against the Hornets with a convincing victory before an announced crowd of 4,368.

A&M improved to 6-8 overall and 3-2 in league play. ASU fell to 5-13 and 2-3. DeMarquelle Tabb and Jonathan Inman finished with 16 points apiece for the Bulldogs, while Desmond Jackson and Casey Cantey scored 12 and 10 points, respectively. A&M shot 53 percent (27-of-51) from the field, limited ASU to 46 percent shooting (22-of-48) and out rebounded the Hornets 35-22.

MVSU defeats Alcorn State 87-70

LORMAN, Miss. -- D'Angelo Jackson scored 20 points to lead Mississippi Valley State to an 87-70 win over Alcorn State on Saturday. The Delta Devils shot 54.1 percent (33 of 61) for the game, paced by 7-of-12 shooting by Jackson. He was 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

MVSU led 41-30 at halftime and started the second half on an 8-2 run to stretch its lead to 49-32 with 17:43 to play. Alcorn State trimmed the lead to 54-48 with 10:59 remaining, but the Delta Devils pushed the lead to 20 points in the final minutes.

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WSSU rallies to beat Chowan

Winston-Salem State’s new uniforms were nearly a bust. The Rams had to rally from a 13-point deficit on Thursday night at a packed Gaines Center but did enough to hold off upstart Chowan 65-62. Chowan didn’t look at all like a team that was 1-9 coming into the game.

“How many times can I tell my guys that every team in this league is going to give us their best shot?” a sweat-soaked Coach Bobby Collins of the Rams said afterward. “(Chowan) was very good, and they made us play their style.”

What the Hawks did to the Rams (9-2, 3-1 CIAA) was use an effective halfcourt trap that had the Rams running in circles most of the night. The Hawks went on a 14-4 run to start the second half and with 16:45 left had what appeared to be a comfortable 13-point lead.

Transfer worked out for Medley, WSSU

Turning around a program is never easy, but junior Courtney Medley, a transfer from Elon, is doing all she can to help the Winston-Salem State women's basketball team.

Medley leads the team in scoring with an average of 14.4 points and has been a big reason Coach Steve Joyner Jr.'s first WSSU team has been able to escape the losing ways of recent seasons.

"She's definitely stepped up to be a leader, especially when you talk about scoring and being aggressive on the offensive end," Joyner said. "I kind of tease her that she needs to do that a little more on the defensive end, but for right now, she's meeting all of my expectations."

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JCSU Golden Bulls struggle, but put LU Lions away

J.C. Smith's rusty, but resilient.

The Golden Bulls won their sixth straight game Wednesday with a 69-61 CIAA victory against Lincoln (Pa.) at Grady Cole Center. Smith (8-4, 4-0 CIAA) struggled to put the Lions away in a game that was postponed from Monday because of weather.

Ultimately, the backcourt combination of Trevin Parks (29 points) and James Otey (17 points) were enough to compensate for Ronald Thornhill's 0-for-6 shooting and Lincoln's (1-9, 0-3) upset bid.

JCSU Men Slip Past Lincoln, Women Improve to 10-0

Sparked by Trevin Parks and James Otey, Johnson C. Smith withstood a furious comeback to defeat Lincoln (Pa.) in a CIAA contest at Grady Cole Center in Charlotte Wednesday.

Parks scored 29 points, including 16 in the second half, and Otey added 17 points for the Golden Bulls (8-4, 4-0), who built up a lead as large as 19 points (42-23) in the first half. They settled for a 42-26 halftime lead after getting 13 points from Parks and 12 from Otey in that first half.

Women: Johnson C. Smith 68, Lincoln (Pa.) 57

Overcoming poor field goal shooting with tenacious defense, the Golden Bulls stayed perfect on the season by downing the Lady Lions.

JCSU scored 25 points off 28 Lincoln turnovers and also had 21 second-chance points, courtesy of a 23-11 edge in offensive rebounding.

LaQwesha Gamble led the Golden Bulls (10-0, 3-0) with 12 points. Shakeena Cunningham and Shavonda Price each had 11 points, while Brittane Neely grabed 10 rebounds.

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Virginia State Lady Trojans win in OT over Shaw Lady Bears

ETTRICK, VA - If the Virginia State women's basketball team was going to reach its lofty goals for the season, the team from Ettrick needed to find a way to rebound after a 63-53 home loss to Winston-Salem State on Thursday.

That is exactly what VSU did in a 74-68 overtime victory over CIAA foe Shaw on Saturday at Daniel Gymnasium. The defending Eastern Division champions overcame an uninspiring shooting performance by outrebounding the Lady Bears 58-44.

The victory meant a little more to VSU coach James Hill, who was an assistant coach on three Shaw CIAA championship teams. Now in his fifth season with VSU, Hill said locking horns with Shaw coach Jacques Curtis still has a special feel.

TAYLOR'S DOUBLE DOUBLE POWERS VSU IN OT WIN

Senior guard, Rhon’Neisha Taylor matched her career best of 23 points in a 74-68 OT win over the Lady Bears of Shaw University in Daniel Gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 8. Taylor scored 23 points in back to back CIAA conference games and recorded 11 rebounds. Junior, Pamela Muldrow led the team with 6 assists and Betty Appiah and Mariame Sylla both grabbed 9 rebounds apiece.

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CIAA Basketball: Livingstone 82, Lincoln 60

One knockout punch should have been enough for the Livingstone men’s basketball team Saturday night. But it a took a second haymaker — delivered late in the second half — to drop visiting Lincoln University to the canvas in an 82-60 CIAA victory.

“The first time we got the big lead we didn’t bury them like we should have,” LC forward Darius Cox said at Trent Gym, where the Blue Bears (5-3, 1-1) snapped a two-game losing streak. “We weren’t very good at using the clock and working for high-percentage shots. And on defense we didn’t make them work for their buckets.”

Winning coach James Stinson wasn’t exactly turning cartwheels after Livingstone earned its first conference win. He was upset that his team team allowed a 21-point second-half lead to shrink to 66-57 with 4:31 remaining.

WINSTON-SALEM STATE 77, VIRGINIA UNION 48

Tiffany Clarke scored 10 points, but VUU (0-8, 0-1 CIAA) fell to Winston-Salem (7-4, 3-0), which was led by Courtney Medley's 16 points.

SAINT AUGUSTINE'S 67, SAINT PAUL'S 43

Jasmine Stewart scored 10 points, but Saint Paul's (1-8, 0-3 CIAA) shot only 25 percent from the field and lost to Saint Augustine's (8-4, 2-0).

JOHNSON C. SMITH 60, ELIZABETH CITY STATE 52

Shavonda Price scored 18 for the Golden Bulls (9-0, 2-0 CIAA), who used a 14-4 second-half run to win at Elizabeth City State (8-4, 1-1).

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WSSU wears down Virginia Union

RICHMOND, Va. -- As Andrew Jackson and the rest of the his Winston-Salem State teammates skipped into the locker room after dispatching Virginia Union 59-54 Saturday night, they couldn't help but brag.

"We are deep," Jackson said as he high-fived a bystander. And the rest of the Rams agreed as their solid 10-man rotation wore down the Panthers. The Rams got 17 points from Shelton Carter, who had one of his better games of the season, and 14 more from Jackson as they picked apart a zone defense that usually is one of the CIAA's best.

The Panthers (3-4, 1-1 CIAA) employ an extended 2-3 zone to make teams shoot over them, but the Rams penetrated it at key times and never were really threatened after building an 11-point lead at halftime.

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WSSU knows task at hand vs. Virginia Union

RICHMOND, Va. -- Two of the most storied men's basketball programs in the CIAA will meet tonight when Winston-Salem State takes on Virginia Union.

The Rams and Panthers have combined to win 28 CIAA titles, and both are expected to contend this season. Coach Bobby Collins of WSSU, whose team is coming off a 67-56 win over Virginia State, said he's looking forward to the game, which will be the Rams' third in five days. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

"We will be prepared, and we will know what they do and what they have," Collins said of the Panthers. "We just have to go out and play like we are capable. We can't let them go out and beat us on the boards. We have to take care of the basketball, and if we can do that, we can be in the game."

The Panthers (3-3) are 1-0 in the CIAA with...

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Medley nets 24 as Winston-Salem State topples Virginia State

ETTRICK, VA - The Virginia State women's basketball team was undone by a Medley of 3-pointers, mid-range jumpers and dribble drives against Winston-Salem State on Thursday. The likes of which cut the Trojans so deep, not even a Taylor could stitch things back together.

WSSU junior Courtney Medley and VSU senior Rhon'Neisha Taylor both racked up 24 points, but Medley erupted for 11 points down the stretch to spur the Lady Rams to a 63-53 road victory at Daniel Gymnasium. The matchup was the first CIAA game of the year for the Lady Trojans, who were picked to finish first in the conference in a preseason poll. VSU coach James Hill said the loss was the result of poor defensive rotation.

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