South Carolina State 93, Furman 91

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Carrio Bennett made a three-point play with 4 seconds left in overtime and South Carolina State defeated Furman 93-91 on Friday night. Bennett was one of five Bulldogs (6-2) in double figures as Jason Flagler scored 19, Darnell Porter and Brandon Small had 16 each and Arsenio Williams added 16 points and 12 rebounds. Furman's Neil Duval tied the game at 90 on two free throws with 21 seconds left in overtime. Bennett then put the Bulldogs ahead 93-90, and the Paladins' Darryl Evans went to the free throw line with 3 seconds left. He made the first shot, missed the second and Jordan Miller grabbed the offensive rebound. However, Furman (5-4) couldn't get off a shot. Evans finished with 19 points.

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Southern University fires football coach Pete Richardson

BREAKING SPORTS NEWS: Southern fires football coach Pete Richardson

BATON ROUGE – Southern University has fired Head Football Coach Pete Richardson. Athletic Director Greg LaFleur said Richardson was notified at 3 p.m. that after 17 years in the post his services were no longer needed. “We’re concerned about the direction of the football program,” LaFleur said. “It’s time to go in a different direction.”

Southern ended the 2009 season with a 6-5 record but lost perhaps the biggest game of the season – the Bayou Classic in New Orleans – to Grambling 31-13. The Jaguars also dropped its final game to Texas Southern 30-25, giving up a touchdown with 16 seconds remaining. “No one game did it,” LaFleur said. “You have to look at it as a whole.”

Southern U fires football coach

BATON ROUGE, La. - Pete Richardson, the football coach at Southern University for 17 years, has been fired. Southern's Athletic Director Greg LaFleur announced the move on Monday. Lafleur says offensive line coach Damon Nivens will serve as interim coach until a replacement is named. Known as the "Dean of the SWAC,'' Richardson had a 134-62 record in his 17 years at Southern. That included four, 11-win seasons and one 12-win season.

Southern fires football coach Pete Richardson

The run for Pete Richardson "On the Bluff" in Baton Rouge has come to an end. The man known as Coach Pete was fired as head football coach at Southern University. In his 17 seasons at the school, Richardson led the Jaguars to a 105-38 record, second only to legendary A.W. Mumford. He coached the Jags to 5 SWAC championships and one black college national championship.

In 2009, the Jaguars finished up at 6-5, losing their last two contests to Grambling in the Bayou Classic and Texas Southern on the road. Southern was 3-5 this season in the SWAC. The listless finish to the season as well as questionable management style regarding timeouts in the finale versus Texas Southern sealed the deal. Richardson had one year remaining on his contract.

Keys: SU football at crossroads

How’s that for a crummy way to finish off a football season? Saturday afternoon at Delmar Stadium, in a not-so-grand finale before a tiny crowd (attendance was listed at 10,769, but the actual crowd could have practically fit inside a Dodge Neon), Southern played well enough for 58 minutes to defeat Texas Southern. But those pesky last two minutes were a doozy.

The result was a 30-25 loss that seemed to trump all others in shock value. Saturday’s game wasn’t so crushing because the Jaguars lost. It was how they lost. Those final two minutes were peppered with confusion on the sideline and poor execution on the field. TSU took advantage, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left.

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Grambling State 46, Wisconsin 79

Wisconsin 79, Grambling St. 46

MADISON, Wis. - Trevon Hughes had 13 of his 20 points in the second half and added seven rebounds and four assists to lead Wisconsin to a 79-46 victory over Grambling State on Saturday. It was the senior point guard's second straight strong performance, and the Badgers (6-1) didn't show any drop off after winning consecutive games against then-No. 21 Maryland last week and No. 6 Duke on Wednesday night. Even with his team up 74-37, Hughes was still working, diving into press row and landing awkwardly with 3:56 remaining. He came back out with a bandage on his upper right arm. Donald Qualls scored 15 points for Grambling State (1-4), which had problems just getting to the game after 16 hours of travel on a Friday full of delays. The Tigers' only lead came at 4-3 and was quickly erased on a 17-2 run by Wisconsin that was capped by Jordan Taylor's layup just over seven minutes into the game.

No let-down for Badger hoops as they crush Grambling

MADISON - Trevon Hughes scored 20 points and took down seven rebounds, leading Wisconsin to a 79-46 rout of Grambling State at the Kohl Center. Hughes scored 13 of his points in the second half. He also had four assists. The Badgers are 6-1. The Tigers only led the game once at 4-3, but Wisconsin promptly went on a 17-2 run and never was threatened again. The Saturday win, coupled with defeats of top-25 teams Maryland and Duke, means Wisconsin could be ranked when the poll comes out this week.
It was a chore to simply make it to the game for Grambling. The Louisiana school's plane had mechanical problems, meaning the traveling party had to split up. They didn't make it to Madison until after 11 Friday night. They had left Shreveport 16 hours earlier.

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Bethune Cookman 58, Florida A&M 57

FAMU men lose MEAC opener

DAYTONA BEACH — Two minutes and 53 seconds were still on the clock when FAMU men's coach Eugene Harris dipped into his pocket for his play card. He yelled his decision across the court at the Ocean Center. Brandon Bryant delivered. Swish. A 3-pointer that tied the ballgame against Bethune-Cookman University at 55-all. The Rattlers would tie it again at 57, then seconds later find out how costly the simplest of mistakes could be. This one was as basic as calling a timeout left FAMU with a 58-57 loss. The problem was that the Rattlers didn't have one to spare with four seconds left when Larry Jackson signaled for the break with FAMU in possession of the ball. That resulted in a technical foul that sent C.J. Reed to the line, where he nailed the deciding shot for the victory in the MEAC opener for both teams.

B-CU edges FAMU

DAYTONA BEACH -- After C.J. Reed's short jumper rimmed out with four seconds left, the Bethune-Cookman sophomore heard Florida A&M's Larry Jackson call timeout. Then he looked over at the Wildcats' bench and saw the coaches standing and yelling, "They don't have any. They don't have any." FAMU indeed did not have any timeouts remaining and were called for a technical foul, which allowed the Wildcats to win the game on the foul line. Reed missed his first free throw but hit his second to lift B-CU to a 58-57 victory Saturday before 2,328 fans at the Ocean Center. "It was just one of those things," FAMU coach Eugene Harris said. "In our (previous) timeout we told them we have no more timeouts. All we had to do was hold the ball, and we'd go to overtime. It was just a mental mistake."

B-CU star Demetria Frank hits 9 of 9 from the line, and scored 14 points and had 14 rebounds in loss to Lady Rattlers.

Wildcats women fall short

DAYTONA BEACH -- Euneshia Proctor spearheaded a defense that helped Bethune-Cookman rally from a 15-point deficit with a chance to tie Florida A&M in the final seconds.
But she won't remember her three steals in the final three minutes or her team-high 15 points. What she'll picture over and over in her mind is the one missed free throw.Proctor was fouled while taking a 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining and the Wildcats down 63-60. She missed the first of her three free throws and FAMU held on for a 65-62 victory Saturday at the Ocean Center. "I have to make them," said Proctor, who did hit the final two. "I've been struggling at the line. I just have to work harder."

Rattlers women edge past B-CU

DAYTONA BEACH — LeDawn Gibson and Vanessa Inge renewed acquaintances with a long embrace just before the tip at the Ocean Center. The respect they have for each other was clearly obvious. On the court, though, it was a different story Saturday afternoon. Inge's Bethune-Cookman Wildcats showed no love for Gibson and her FAMU Rattlers, playing stubborn before falling short at the free-throw line to give the Rattlers a 65-62 victory. The Rattlers played without leading scorer Deidra Jones who watched in street clothes. She injured her knee last week against UF, but the extent of the injury still hasn't been determined.

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Appalachian State 93, Morgan State 92

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Appalachian State beats Morgan State 93-92 in OT

BOONE, N.C. — Andre Williamson sank a free throw with 18 seconds remaining in overtime to lift Appalachian State to a 93-92 win over Morgan State on Saturday night. Williamson, who went 9-for-10 from the free throw line, was fouled after grabbing a defensive rebound. He missed the first attempt, then sank the second for the game-winner. Williamson finished with 13 points. Donald Sims, who led the Mountaineers (2-3) with 19 points, hit two free throws to tie the game 90-90.

Booth, Williamson lift Mountaineers over Morgan State

Appalachian State had been down the road of overtime before, but could not beat Arkansas. Faced with overtime again, the Mountaineers beat a team that beat Arkansas. Appalachian State got a clutch 3-point shot from Jeremi Booth to tie Morgan State, and then nailed 8-of-10 foul shots in the overtime period to beat the Bears 93-92 in front of 1,576 fans at the Holmes Center Saturday night. Morgan State (4-2), which beat Arkansas 97-94 on Nov. 24, held an 80-75 lead with 38.7 seconds left after Reggie Holmes hit one of two free throws. But Appalachian State (3-3) responded with a 3-pointer from Donald Sims, and a foul shot by Sims on the Mountaineers' next two possessions to close to within 80-79.

After Troy Smith canned two free throws for Morgan State, Jeremi Booth nailed a 3-pointer from the left side of the court to tie the game at 82-82 with .7 seconds left in regulation. "Sims got me the ball and I was open," Booth said. "I let it go and fortunately it went in." Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman blamed a mental breakdown on defense as the reason Booth was open along the perimeter. The Bears guarded Sims, but backed off of Booth when he got the ball. "We were backing off the guy at the end there," Bozeman said. "We generally are pretty good at guarding the 3-point line. But to be backing off the guy, it's like a sin in our book. We backed off and that's a mental breakdown. Basically we relaxed."

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MEAC power Morgan State -- No Cupcake for Majors

Morgan State stuns Arkansas, ends Razorbacks' 45-game home win streak

First win over SEC team in MSU school history.



Having come up nine points short against 20th-ranked Louisville Sunday night, Morgan State's Reggie Holmes was determined to redeem himself against Arkansas Tuesday and did so in a spectacular way. Holmes hit two free throws with 6.3 seconds left and held his breath as Rotnei Clark's 3-pointer clanged off iron before celebrating a wild 97-94 upset of the Razorbacks. The victory before 7,500 fans snapped Arkansas' 45-game home win streak at Bud Walton Arena against non-conference opponents, the second longest in the nation. Holmes finished the game with 34 points. In Sunday's 90-81 loss to Louisville, Holmes scored only nine points before he, Kevin Thompson, DeWayne Jackson and Rodney Stokes all fouled out.

"I'm proud of my guys, it was a hard fought victory," MSU head coach Todd Bozeman told the Morgan State sports information office. "I thought in the first half we fouled a lot, and we just came off a game where a team shot 41 free throws against us. It looked as though we were going in that direction, but they shot 45 and we ended up shooting 41." Indeed, the Bears hit 34 of 41 free throws, while the Razorbacks (2-2) made 35 of their 45 attempts. Joe Davis came off the bench to score 18 points for the Bears (4-1), while Thompson had a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.






















Morgan State Bears upend Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, AR — Morgan State's Bears aren't just better than Arkansas comparing scores with Louisville. They are just better than Arkansas. They proved it head to head Tuesday night, beating the Razorbacks 97-94 at Walton Arena. Rotnei Clarke, hitting threes with 14.5 and 6.5 seconds left to keep the Hogs in it, air-balled his last desperate try at a tying trey as time expired. That enabled the two free throws Reggie Holmes sank at 6.3 seconds to give the Bears their final victory margin. It was the last thing Holmes did to achieve victory but hardly the first. Holmes scored a game-high 34 points including 4 of 4 free throws in the final 13 seconds. Morgan State, which had lost 90-81 to Louisville in Louisville compared to Arkansas' 96-66 loss to Louisville in neutral site St. Louis, advances to 4-1. The Razorbacks fall to 2-2

Louisville basketball downs Morgan State 90-81

With eight freshmen or sophomores on the roster, University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino doesn't expect huge strides from game to game. “Baby steps,” Pitino said on Sunday. The Cardinals took a few more of those baby steps, using better shot selection and some timely defense to beat Morgan State 90-81 for a second win in less than 24 hours before 18,942 fans in Freedom Hall. U of L led by 16 points and was really never threatened. “We're learning and getting better,” Pitino said. “This was a better performance tonight in terms of what we tried to accomplish. We did a nice job.”

The Bears (3-1), who made the NCAA Tournament last season, made just 29 of 71 shots (40.8 percent), including 5 of 20 three-point tries (25 percent). “Louisville is a very good team,” said Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman, the former coach at California. “They're going to have an outstanding season. I'm just glad we don't have to play them again.”

Armed with a new five year contract, Coach Todd Bozeman Bears goes after a 30 win season, another MEAC title and NCAA tournament berth. The Bears were 23-12 last season with signature wins at Maryland, DePaul and Marshall. Bozeman has a career record of 62-42 at MSU and MEAC record of 37-13. Known as a strong recruiter, in four seasons as head coach at the University of California - Berkeley, he lead the Golden Bears to a 63-35 record (64.3 pct.), three NCAA Tournament bids in four years, and was the youngest coach to ever reach the NCAA "Sweet Sixteen".

Photo Gallery: Morgan State at UofL
Photo Gallery: Morgan State at UofL 2
Game stats: U of L vs. Morgan State (11/22/09)

Holmes scores career-high 30 to lead Morgan State to 72-61 win over East Tenessee State ...

BALTIMORE, MD — Reggie Holmes scored a career-high 30 points and Morgan State beat East Tennessee State 72-61 on Thursday night. Holmes was 9-for-18 from the field, including 4-for-9 on 3-point attempts for the Bears (3-0). He also had three steals. Rodney Stokes added 12 points for the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions. The Bears led by as many as 18 points in the first half and built a 22-point advantage in the second half before the Buccaneers began to chip away. Tommy Hubbard had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Buccaneers (1-2), playing their second of three straight games against 2009 NCAA tournament participants.

Boxscore
Photo Gallery: Bear Shots

Morgan State beats UAlbany 69-65

First season opener win since 1988.
ALBANY Senior guard Reggie Holmes scored 23 points to lead Morgan State to a 69-65 victory over the University at Albany in the Great Danes home opener at SEFCU Arena on Friday night. UAlbany (0-2) held a 60-56 lead but went the final 7 minutes, 40 seconds without a field goal. Junior guard Tim Ambrose scored 21 points and senior forward Will Harris added 18 points for the Great Danes, who committed 20 turnovers that led to 28 Morgan State points. The Bears (1-0), the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, won their opening game for the first time since 1988.

UAlbany-Morgan State postgame thoughts

Here are some comments from UAlbany coach Will Brown and others after the Great Danes dropped their home opener 69-65 to Morgan State before 3,434 fans at SEFCU Arena. “I can’t be upset,” Brown said. “I told our guys in the locker room, I think we did a lot of good things against a quality, quality team.” Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman said he was touched by a text message he got before the game from freshman forward Anthony Anderson, who is battling leukemia. Morgan State’s players were wearing patches with Anderson’s No. 4 in his honor. Anderson is undergoing chemotherapy.

“He texted us this morning and told us that he loved us and he wanted to go out and play hard,” Bozeman said. “And at the end, he said, ‘Remember fellas, we’re grinders.’ And it just broke my heart. The kid’s a great kid, 19 years old … That’s kind of what was on our mind there. Those guys fought hard to not let big Anthony down.”

Morgan State - Team Notes -

When Todd Bozeman got to Morgan State, the Bears had never been to the NCAA Tournament, won a conference championship or even played in the title game of the MEAC tourney. Three years later, Morgan State has done all of that, and is favored in the preseason poll to do it again. Bozeman has achieved that feat by instituting a tough-minded culture, targeting talent from the surrounding Baltimore area in recruiting and taking on other schools from around the state of Maryland.

This season, a 1-2 punch of Reggie Holmes and Kevin Thompson leads the way for the Bears. Holmes, a 6-4 guard, is a first team all-conference selection who led the team in scoring and played more than 1,000 minutes last season. Thompson was one of the league's top newcomers as a redshirt freshman and was third in the league in rebounding. Bozeman adds junior college transfer Danny Smith to the mix to replace departed starter Itchy Bolden. Big man Rodney Stokes returns at the five spot.Troy Smith and Ameer Ali also return to the roster, as does sophomore guard Sean Thomas. The X-factor is Joe Davis, active after transferring to the Bears last season from Cleveland State.

Morgan plays for ailing teammate, Anthony Anderson

Morgan State is chafing to step onto the basketball court, having reached the NCAA tournament for the first time last year, where the perks piqued the Bears' appetite. "We had charter flights [to the game], police escorts to practice and workouts in front of the national media," said Ameer Ali, a sophomore forward. "Once you've been, there's no turning back." But Morgan is really driven by a deeper cause. The Bears, 23-12 last year, have dedicated their season to one of their own, 6-foot-10 Anthony Anderson, who was diagnosed with leukemia last month.

Anderson, a redshirt freshman from Southern Maryland's La Plata High School (Charles County, Maryland) who was expected to contribute off the bench this season, is undergoing chemotherapy at Johns Hopkins Hospital, coach Todd Bozeman said. His prognosis is not known. "Anthony is going through a form of treatment right now, but the family wants to keep the particulars private," said Leonard Haynes, a Morgan spokesman. The Bears, two-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, have rallied around Anderson. "The whole team went to the hospital and stood in his room as the doctor explained how he was going to treat him," Bozeman said. "Everybody loves 'Big Ant.' "

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Savannah State athletic director chosen as new Southeastern Louisiana A.D.

Former A.D. W.Bart Bellairs leaves SSU Tigers for Southeastern Louisiana University Lions and Southland Conference.

SSU names interim AD

Savannah State University named Marilynn Stacey-Suggs interim athletics director on Tuesday. Stacey-Suggs, SSU’s Assistant Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator, replaces Bart Bellairs, who was hired as athletics director at Southeastern Louisiana University on Monday. Bellairs was introduced as Southeastern Louisiana’s athletic director Tuesday during a news conference in Hammond, La. Stacey-Suggs, a native of Reidsville, N.C., earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Winston-Salem State University in 1980. She earned an associate in arts degree from Fayetteville Technical Community College in funeral service education in 1983.

SSU athletic director resigns

Bart Bellairs told the Savannah Morning News that he resigned Monday as Savannah State University's athletic director, a position he held since May 20, 2008. During a 3 p.m. telephone interview, Bellairs said he would inform his staff during an athletic department meeting at 4 p.m. Monday. "I am leaving Savannah State University, but I am not confirming where I'm going at this time," Bellairs said. Bellairs, 53, is the first white athletic director at SSU, a historically black university that began playing sports in 1915.

"It's a family thing," said Bellairs, whose wife, Jacki, and four school-age children remained in Lexington, Va., after he accepted the job at SSU. "It's because of my family. I've loved my time here, but I'm a family man and it's always been about my family." SSU paid Bellairs $110,000 annually. He was chosen among 32 applicants to become the Tigers' 15th athletic director.

Bart Bellairs Named Director Of Athletics At Southeastern

HAMMOND, LA – W. Bart Bellairs, former director of intercollegiate athletics at Savannah State University in Savannah, Ga., and a senior athletics administrator at Virginia Military Institute has been selected to serve as director of athletics at Southeastern Louisiana University, it was announced today (Nov.24). His appointment is contingent upon final approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. He is expected to join the Southeastern staff in early January.

“I liked what I saw at Southeastern from the start but when my wife Jacki and I met the people, we knew we had found a home,” Bellairs said. “My whole life I have spent time in college towns; growing up, as a coach, and as an administrator, and I have been blessed by living in some great places. When I started preparing for the interview I was very impressed with the campus and the attention Southeastern paid to supporting the students; but when I met the people -- the faculty, coaches, and members of the community – I wanted to be a part of it.”

At Southeastern, Bellairs will oversee 15 NCAA Division I affiliated programs that compete in the Southland Conference. Bellairs had been at Savannah State, an NCAA Division I program, with 15 teams, since July 2008.

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Bethune-Cookman makes quick, boneheaded decision on Coach Wyatt

Coach Alvin "Shine" Wyatt, Sr., winningest coach in B-CU history, ends 13 year run with a 90-54 football record, two MEAC Championships, and two NCAA FCS Playoff appearances. Wyatt also served for 18 years as the Wildcats women basketball coach finishing with a 260-200 record and two MEAC championships.

B-CU fires coach

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Alvin Wyatt era came to an end Monday when Bethune-Cookman University fired the Wildcats' all-time wins leader, the only head football coach to take B-CU to consecutive playoff appearances and the school's only coach to defeat archrival Florida A&M three straight seasons. Wyatt's 13-year run -- the longest tenure in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference -- ended about 4:30 p.m. Monday.

B-CU athletics director Lynn Thompson summoned Wyatt and told him the news in a face-to-face meeting. "It was one of the toughest situations I've ever been in professionally, having to have that conversation with Alvin Wyatt," Thompson said. "It's been a 13-year career that's included some great accomplishments. But after meeting with the administration, looking at the future, it was decided we needed to begin moving in another direction immediately."

B-CU has big shoes to fill after firing Wyatt

Gotta admit, when Alvin Wyatt was first promoted to Bethune-Cookman head coach 13 years ago, I considered it a punt. But staying in-house with that hire seemed to make sense at the time -- go with familiarity, save a little money in the process, and learn to be happy with four or six wins each year until further notice. The first two assumptions might've been correct, but Wyatt proved to be anything but a caretaker or babysitter for a program that, at that time, was in awkward shape (to put it nicely).

Wyatt hit the ground running -- literally. He employed an option-style offense and, when the blocking was decent and the quarterback sharp and athletic, the Wildcats could run an opposing defense into the ground. But a turnaround in a program, while always welcomed, also breeds expectations, and for a variety of reasons (speculation on the message boards runs the gamut) those expectations haven't been met the past four years.

Wyatt Won't Return as B-CU's Coach

DAYTONA BEACH Bethune-Cookman University will not renew head football coach Alvin Wyatt's contract. The school announced its decision Monday, two days after a 42-6 loss to Florida A&M. Bethune-Cookman Athletics Director Lynn W. Thompson says a national search for Wyatt's replacement will begin immediately. The assistant coaching staff will remain intact until the new coach is named. Bethune-Cookman finished this season with a 5-6 record, the third losing season in the past four years. The team went 8-3 in 2008. Wyatt coached 13 seasons at Bethune-Cookman with an overall record of 90-54.

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Savannah State Tigers 44, Georgetown Hoyas 63

SSU, Georgetown bring out crowd

Harold Lynch visited Savannah State University's campus for the first time in his life Saturday afternoon. The 77-year-old Savannah resident, who is white, was among the 3,176 spectators who came to see No. 19 Georgetown play SSU in the biggest men's college basketball game in the historically black college's history. "We're Georgetown alumni, so we're bringing most of the family here," Lynch said as a line of people in front of a ticket window spilled into the parking lot outside Tiger Arena. "We brought 30 people to support the Hoyas."

Lynch said he was impressed with Tiger Arena and "probably would" return to SSU for future games even if Georgetown is not the opponent. "From what I see, they're very lucky to have this kind of a facility to have their games in," he said. "Everything seems well-organized and looks brand new." SSU tried its best Saturday, both on and off the court. Georgetown defeated SSU, 63-44, but it was a moral victory for a Tiger program that lost, 100-38, to the Hoyas last season in Washington, D.C.

Photo Gallery: View photos from the game.

Savannah St no match for No. 19 Georgetown, 63-44

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Jason Clark scored a career-high 14 points and four Hoyas were in double figures as No. 19 Georgetown rolled to a 63-44 victory against over matched Savannah State on Saturday. Greg Monroe added 13 points for Georgetown (3-0). Austin Freeman had 12 and Chris Wright added 11 in a game that gave the Hoyas a much-needed breather after they squeaked past Temple 46-45 on Tuesday. Darius Baugh scored 10 points to lead Savannah State (2-2), which hit only 13 of 48 field goal attempts. The highlight for Savannah State came when the Tigers shocked the crowd and the Hoyas by jumping out to a 7-0 lead. That prompted Georgetown coach John Thompson III to call a timeout, and it was all Hoyas the rest of the way.

Armchair QB: SSU whiffs on hoops ticket prices

Savannah State reaches out to the local finicky sports fan this weekend. Problem is, the hand is going for your wallet instead of around your shoulder. The school has a rare opportunity Saturday to showcase what has quietly become a quality basketball program. No. 18 Georgetown is in town to play the Tigers, and the Hoyas are the rare draw on SSU’s schedule. To see the game, though, Savannahians will have to part with at least $15 and as much as $50 a head. What should be viewed by SSU as an opportunity to impress potential return customers is a one-time money grab instead.

The decision is as baffling as milking alumni for $125 to tailgate at Homecoming and then charging an additional $20 at the gate. Bart Bellairs, SSU’s athletic director, explains the situation from a pure business perspective. Selling 2,000 tickets at $15 apiece nets much more profit than 3,000 tickets at the regular price of seven bucks. He has officials and game operations people to pay and a budget to meet, not to mention the fact playing the game in Savannah costs the Tigers a huge paycheck: To coax Georgetown to Tiger Arena, SSU had to forego the $30,000 to $40,000 guarantee the school usually receives to play the big boys. And besides, he believes the 3,000-plus tickets reserved for the public will sell anyway.

Attendance: 3,176@ Tiger Arena, Savannah, GA.

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Note to Readers: The connection here is SSU Coach Horace Broadnax is a Georgetown alumnus and played for John Thompson II in the '80s with Patrick Ewing. However, you got to give credit to SSU athletic director Bart Bellairs for capitalizing on the connection and bringing the 19th ranked Hoyas to Tiger Arena. What other HBCU has a "home and home" deal with a Top 25 basketball program? (answer: none) This is what all HBCUs should be doing, in lieu of "barn storming" for $30K-$40K guarantees at someone else arena. Simply, play us at our place for no cost and we will play at your place next season for no cost. This is how you build the local fan base using Top 50 "brands" to get the entire community out to your arena.

The SSU game drew 3,176 fans to Tiger Arena (facility capacity: 6,000)--more or slightly less than the Alabama A&M vs. Mississippi Valley (2,776), Delaware State vs. Howard (2,731) and Tennessee State vs. Eastern Illinois (3,509) football games played in Week 12. In other words, Savannah State made money on this game where the others lost a truck load of money.

Alabama A&M 17, Mississippi Valley State 12

A&M beats MVSU to advance to SWAC title game

HUNTSVILLE --- Ulysses Banks rushed for 160 yards and scored a touchdown to lead Alabama A&M to a 17-12 victory over Mississippi Valley State Saturday. With the win, A&M (7-4, 4-3) captured the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Eastern Division title and will play Prairie View in the championship game on Dec. 12 at Birmingham's Legion Field. MVSU ended the season 3-8 and 1-6.

MVSU finishes season with loss at Alabama A&M

NORMAL, Ala. — The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils fought hard in their season-ending contest with the Alabama A&M Bulldogs, but fell 17-12 on the road at Louis Crews Stadium. Backup QB Eddie Ivory ended the day with 200 yards passing on 11-of-28 passing with a touchdown and an interception. Starting QB Anthony Bowie was knocked of the game early in the first half. The Devils got on the board late in the second quarter when Stephen Robert scored from two yards out capping a seven-play, 78-yard, 2:45 drive. At the intermission, AAMU led 17-6. MVSU put one final score on the board as Ivory found WR Chris Williams for a six-yard score with two seconds remaining in regulation. The point-after attempt failed.

Will this be Totten's last game at Valley?

Coach Willie Totten record - Eight Seasons: 31-56; Totten blamed the school's small budget and scholarship restrictions (39 compared to 63 for the other nine SWAC schools) in remarks he made to the The Greenwood Commonwealth newspaper.

Beleaguered Valley football coach Willie Totten will lead the Delta Devils into their season finale Saturday at Alabama A&M in what might be his last game at his alma mater. The Delta Devils enter the game at 3-6 overall, 1-5 in the Eastern Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Huntsville, Ala. The big question is will this be it for Totten. Speculation continues to swarm the Itta Bena campus about the future of Totten, who has just two winning seasons and a combined record of 31-56 in his eight years at Valley. Win or lose Saturday, his coaching fate has probably already been decided. Totten's current contract, which pays him $92,928 annually, expires Dec. 31.

PHOTO GALLERY: A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State Football

Attendance: 2,776@ Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL

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Arkansas - Pine Bluff 49, Grambling State 42

Pine Bluff prevails over Grambling in shootout

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lion football (5-3, 3-2 SWAC) team prevailed over the Grambling State Tigers (5-4, 3-2 SWAC) 49-42 on Saturday. Offensively UAPB erupted for its largest point total output of the season as they clicked on all cylinders rushing and throwing the ball with a high success rate. Josh Boudreaux went 11-of-18 for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mickey Dean led all Golden Lions rushers with 20 carries for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dean also threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Raymond Webber to put Arkansas-Pine Bluff ahead 14-10 in the second quarter.

SWAC Big-play bonanza lifts Lions

It took a little more than two minutes for Arkansas Pine-Bluff to flip the momentum in Saturday’s Delta Classic 4 Literacy. UAPB scored 28 points in a span of 2:14 and held on for a 49-42 victory over Grambling State before 26,211 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Golden Lions scored three times in the final 1:56 of the first half, using a roughing-the-kicker penalty, a mistake by the Grambling State punter and an interception to turn a 10-7 deficit into a 28-10 halftime lead. UAPB then ran back the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown and a 35-10 lead early in the third quarter.

UAPB SCORES SEASON HIGH IN GRAMBLING WIN

LITTLE ROCK — For the last couple of weeks, Arkansas-Pine Bluff has felt as if it were on the verge of breaking loose. During a period of just over two minutes at the end of the second and beginning of the third quarters on Saturday, the Golden Lions took risks, hit on big plays and took advantage of Grambling State mistakes to help them score more points than they have in a single afternoon in more than four years. The 28-point barrage that ended with a 95-yard kickoff return by Mareo Howard to start the second-half turned a four-point UAPB deficit into a 25-point lead that the best defense in the league almost let slip through its fingers.

But, it didn’t. UAPB made enough plays after Grambling State twice cut the lead to a single touchdown and eventually held on for a 49-42 win over the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions at War Memorial Stadium.

TRICK PLAY HELPS GOLDEN LIONS JUMPSTART RALLY

LITTLE ROCK — Five years ago Mickey Dean stood on the turf at War Memorial Stadium and, from his running back position, threw a touchdown pass that helped Little Rock Central beat West Memphis for a state championship. Dean was a high school senior then. On Saturday, as a senior for Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Dean lofted a similar pass in the same stadium that helped kickstart a rally that has kept UAPB in another title hunt. Dean’s pass, gloved-hands and all, found Raymond Webber in the back of the south end zone and gave the Golden Lions a 14-10 lead and jumpstarted a string of big plays that pushed that lead to 35-10 just 15 seconds into the third quarter.

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Texas Southern hiring Nick Van Exel as assistant

Former NBA guard Nick Van Exel is being hired as an assistant coach for Texas Southern University, a Houston television station reported. Van Exel retired in 2006 after 14 years in the NBA. He spent his first five years with the Los Angeles Lakers and also played for Denver, Dallas, Golden State, Portland and San Antonio.

"I said I was going to retire in '06, take two years off and try to get into coaching," Van Exel told KRIV-TV. "It didn't work out as planned. "So here I am my fourth year retired, couldn't sit around in the winter this time. Coach (Tony) Harvey brought me on the staff. It's going to be something exciting."

Nickey (Nick) Maxwell Van Exel --Beyond the Glory...

Florida A&M 31, Morgan State 28

Morgan passes up field goal for tie in 31-28 OT loss

Morgan never led in a topsy-turvy contest after one of the league's top offenses struck its defense for two quick touchdowns to start the game. But the Bears kept battling back and eventually had a chance to pull it out after Florida A&M settled for a 35-yard field goal by Trevor Scott on its overtime possession. When the Bears took the ball, Jackson was sacked for a 9-yard loss by LeRoy Vann, the Rattlers' nationally rated kick retrurner. But a 15-yard completion to Terrell White and Jackson's 3-yard gain carried the ball to the Rattler 16 and set up the strange ending.

Donald HIll-Eley said he never considered the field-goal attempt to force a second overtime because "we were down by three and at home and we only needed inches." He applauded his team for consistently fighting back against the offensive assault of Florida A&M quarterback Curtis Pulley, who rushed for 231 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 174 more yard and another TD. We're always going to battle," said Hill-Eley. "We did what we had to do. Jackson played well (16 for 22, 207 yards, two touchdowns) and moved us down the field.."

Scott's 35-yard field goal in overtime lifts Florida A&M to 31-28 victory over ...

BALTIMORE — Trevor Scott kicked a 35-yard field goal on the first series of overtime, and the Florida A&M defense made a fourth-down stop for a 31-28 victory over Morgan State on Saturday. Scott's field goal gave Florida A&M (6-2, 4-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) a three-point lead. On the next series, the Bears tried to convert a fourth-and-1 instead of trying a game-tying field goal, but Florida A&M's Cameron Houston stopped Carlton Jackson to end the game.

"It was a heavyweight fight," FAMU coach Joe Taylor said. "I'm just proud of the way we hung in there, persevered and made the plays."


Around FCS: Florida A&M continues resurgence

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Since their last FCS playoff appearance in 2001, the Florida A&M Rattlers have looked to re-establish themselves atop the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings. Now, halfway through the 2009 season, the Rattlers are well on their way to accomplishing that goal. The rebuilding stage really took hold in 2008. After the 2007 season in which the Rattlers finished 3-8, Joe Taylor was named the team's third coach in five years, as Rattler fans scratched their collective heads in uncertainty.

The highly respected Taylor wasted no time instilling confidence in FAMU supporters as his team, under then-new Kentucky transfer quarterback Curtis Pulley, went 9-3 in 2008, finishing second in the league behind South Carolina State. Pulley took over the starting duties mid-season in 2008 and proved to be the dynamic leader the Rattlers desperately needed.

Rattlesnake has a fun bite to it

BALTIMORE, MD -- This Rattlesnake thing might just become a common occurrence for FAMU — just as much as coach Joe Taylor loves running the ball. Both times the Rattlers put something a little tricky into the offensive scheme, it produced points Saturday at Hughes Stadium. First it was LeRoy Vann lining up in the backfield. He ran for 12 yards and three plays later the Rattlers were in the end zone. On the next series, running back Philip Sylvester took a direct snap and ran 5 yards. On the next play, Sylvester scooted into the end zone from 19 yards out.

Just like that FAMU was on top. The new formation has to be a keeper. And, apparently, it has to have a unique name — or at least something other than Wildcat, the name of the Rattlers' fiercest rival. So, Rattlesnake it is. Of course, all the points the single-wing formation produced came before Morgan State University fought back and forced overtime. The idea of changing up the offense had been discussed during the first spring after Taylor took over the program two years ago. He and offensive coordinator Lawrence Kershaw hedged.

Vann is searching for the longest yards

BALTIMORE, MD — As elusive as getting one more punt return for a touchdown has become, FAMU return specialist LeRoy Vann isn't giving up on his chase for the NCAA record. Vann took two punts back for touchdowns in two consecutive games earlier this season, but hasn't had a good shot since. He came close Saturday against Morgan State and will have to try again in the Rattlers' three remaining games. Vann's stretch of frustration reached five games going into the game at Hughes Stadium. He needed one punt TD return, which would give him the NCAA record for total TD returns. That one also would tie the FCS single-season mark of five that was set by Curtis Deloach of North Carolina A&T eight years ago.

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South Carolina State 52, Delaware State 10

S.C. State 2nd string QB Derrick Wiley serves as Malcolm Long backup but would be the starter at most MEAC programs.

Delaware State Falls to S. Carolina State

ORANGEBURG, S.C. --- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference leader South Carolina State racked up more than 500 total yards in a 52-10 win over Delaware State before 21,257 delighted homecoming fans at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs won their fourth straight game to improve to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the MEAC. SC State has won 16 straight league games since the 2007 season. The defending MEAC champions were ranked 10th in the latest SportsNetwork and AFCA Coaches polls of Top 25 Football Championship Subdivision teams entering the contest.

The Hornets fell to 2-6 overall and 2-4 in the MEAC. The 42-point margin was the Bulldogs' largest over the Hornets since a 52-6 victory in 1979. "South Carolina State is an outstanding team, and my greatest fear this week was realized," said Delaware State head coach Al Lavan, who fell to 2-4 vs. South Carolina State and 38-28 in MEAC games. "We gave the Bulldogs a short field for most of the first half, and they took advantage of every opportunity. South Carolina State showed everyone why they are the best team in our league."

Bulldogs win with full house

ORANGEBURG Tre Young was happy - but puzzled - when he heard his name announced Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in the late moments of South Carolina State's 52-10 demolition of Delaware State. Young, a senior receiver, had just broken the school record for career reception yards previously held by Charlie Brown (1977-80). With four catches for 135 yards, including a game-changing, 80-yard touchdown toss from Malcolm Long, Young has 1,734 yards.

Just one problem: Young professed not to know anything about Brown, the former Washington Redskins great who - oh, callow youth! - was in attendance for S.C. State's homecoming. "I heard that over the (public-address system), and I was shocked. I never broke any records in high school even," he said. So what about his famed predecessor? "I'm gonna have to Google him," Young said, shaking his head. Never mind that a recount later revealed Young had broken Brown's record the week before, one day before his 24th birthday. These days, S.C. State, ranked 10th in the FCS, is so prolific in all areas that it's easy to lose count.

Photo Gallery: S.C. State vs. Delaware

Little goes right for DSU in blowout

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- The game was long out of hand when Delaware State quarterback Nick Elko looked to his right and let go of a pass to Phillip Adams late in the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon inside Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. It was a nice pass from Elko, a spiral into the flat, and Adams caught it clean. If Adams had been a Hornets' receiver it would have likely been a 10-yard pickup or so. Unfortunately for Delaware State, Adams was a South Carolina State defensive back, by himself in the right place at the right time, and instead of a nice pickup for the Hornets, the senior turned the play into a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown with just 12 seconds to play, giving the 10th-ranked Bulldogs the final points in a 52-10 win.

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South Carolina State 35, Florida A&M 20

FAMU vs. SCSU REPLAY: Watch Replay »

Victory a big rush for SC State

ORANGEBURG - Will Ford picked the perfect stage to make history on Saturday before 24,449 fans at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. The senior running back from Travelers Rest ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns to help the 12th-ranked Bulldogs score a 35-20 win over No. 22 Florida A&M in a key MEAC game. It was the Bulldogs' 14th consecutive conference win - a school record - and their seventh victory in a row against Florida A&M. In the process, Ford became S.C. State's all-time leading rusher. His 7-yard run on the first play of the second half allowed him to surpass previous leader Michael Hicks.

Ford, who has 4,164 rushing yards, also moved into second place on the MEAC rushing chart. He needs 480 yards to surpass Hampton's Alonzo Hampton. "Getting a win is always the first priority, but luckily I was able to get the record too," Ford said. "It was a great day all the way around. We knew this was a game we had to win, and playing in front of a crowd like that made it even more special."

Famu's MEAC hopes bitten by Bulldogs

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — FAMU is going to need a lot of help from somebody else in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to remain in contention for the league title. South Carolina State simply refused to give the Rattlers an assist. Saturday, the Rattlers sputtered in every way possible, falling prey to costly mistakes and an SCSU defense that allowed only 35 yards rushing. FAMU got 320 yards in the air but that meant little in a 35-20 loss that jeopardizes its chances of winning its first conference title in more than a decade.

"They just played a little harder than we did for whatever reason," said Coach Joe Taylor after FAMU's first conference loss this season at Dawson Stadium. "Their defensive line kept on our offensive line and rushed (quarterback Curtis) Pulley the whole day." Both teams came into the game with undefeated MEAC records, their only losses being to BCS schools. Conference championship implications and even a post-season berth added to the hype that drew the second largest crowd (24,496) to attend a home game for the Bulldogs.

Photo Gallery: FAMU v SC State

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Ford Powers SCSU Over FAMU 35-20

#11 Miami (FL) 48, Florida A&M Rattlers 16

Hurricanes not rattled

UM manhandled Florida A&M, beating the Rattlers for the seventh time in a row. Six Hurricanes scored one touchdown apiece, and 12 Canes caught at least one pass in the rout.

The FAMU Marching 100 did not disappoint. The No. 11 Miami Hurricanes did pretty well, too. Though the biggest cheers Saturday night went to Florida A&M's famed marching band for its tribute to Michael Jackson, the University of Miami showcased plenty of its own young talent in a 48-16 victory against the Rattlers. Starting quarterback Jacory Harris played the first half and completed 16 of 24 passes for 217 yards and touchdowns to wide receiver Leonard Hankerson and tight end Jimmy Graham. Harris did enough to power UM (4-1) to a 31-3 halftime lead, but he was pressured more than usual and did a good deal of scrambling. Harris threw two interceptions.

Watch ESPN's 360 FAMU Rattlers vs. Miami Hurricanes Game Replay

Junior tailback Damien Berry got the first carries of his career and made them count. Berry rushed for 162 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries. It marked the most rushing yards by a Hurricane since Tyrone Moss had 195 yards in 2005 at the Orange Bowl. ``I was a little nervous,'' Berry said. ``My heart was going 150 miles an hour. After I got in and I got used to it, everything went great.'' Berry scored UM's final touchdown on a 35-yard run down the left side in the fourth quarter.

Rattlers get good experience by playing Hurricanes

MIAMI GARDENS — Jacory Harris had already engineered six touchdown drives and yet the Miami crowd kept cheering for more. They rooted a little louder each time that FAMU's defenders found one of the few gaps to put pressure on Harris. Linebacker Greg Boler quieted them for a moment. He sacked the Hurricanes' star quarterback, briefly disrupting yet another drive that still ended with a Miami touchdown on the way to a 48-16 victory. The Rattlers defense didn't have too many other shots at Harris or any other Miami playmakers for that matter, but the unit showed some encouraging signs. The defensive front created enough of an opening to pressure Harris into two mistakes that resulted in interceptions for Fabian Wilson and Curtis Holcomb.

The interceptions were the first by the defense in five games. That they came against a BCS team is a statement — however small — for the defense. "The experience was good," FAMU coach Joe Taylor said. "We will be better as a result. That was some good competition and we competed. It's definitely going to make us better for the rest of the way."



Photo Galleries: UM vs. FAMU Oct. 10, 2009
Game stats UM 48, FAMU 16
Blog FAMU postgame notes, thoughts

Miami Hurricanes backup AJ Highsmith has strong debut

Somewhere, former Hurricane Alonzo Highsmith was sweating bullets Saturday night. His son, UM freshman quarterback A.J. Highsmith, saw his first action of the season in the second half against Florida A&M. And he didn't disappoint the Canes -- or his dad. After going three-and-out on his opening series, Highsmith completed his first pass -- a 4-yarder to redshirt freshman fullback John Calhoun -- then led UM to a field goal on his next drive. Along the way, Highsmith rolled out of the pocket and completed a 29-yard pass to Tommy Streeter, who was wide open along the sideline. Highsmith finished 3 of 3 for 36 yards and ran once for a 2-yard loss. More importantly, he didn't fumble and didn't make any bad decisions.

Attendance: 47,859 @ Land Shark Stadium, Miami, FL

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GAME BLOG: Final Score FAMU 16, Miami 48 »
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Touchdown Saturday: South Carolina State Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

Bulldogs brace for USC test

Winston-Salem State was a trap game. Now S.C. State is readying itself to enter a proverbial "hornet's nest" Saturday at South Carolina. That is how Bulldogs coach Buddy Pough is approaching the second meeting between the schools. While S.C. State (3-0) has the national ranking (No. 14 by the FCS coaches poll) and is seeking its first 4-0 start since 1997, the Gamecocks (3-1) are riding high following their 16-10 win over previously fourth-ranked Mississippi. That goes without mentioning the adjustment the Bulldogs face in playing at raucous Williams-Brice Stadium. "But at the same time, we'd like to try to get in there and try to run it down their throat and control the ball for 40 minutes, said Pough. "

Bulldogs turn attention to game against South Carolina

A weary Malcolm Long would have rather put off a day talking about this Saturday’s nationally-televised game against the University of South Carolina. The Gaffney native and junior quarterback had just posted his best statistical game as a college player, throwing for 274 yards on 22 of 33 passing in a 27-10 victory over Winston-Salem State Saturday. Instead of just celebrating the win as the Palmetto State’s only undefeated team, he took rapid questions from the media about the second game in three years between the two in-state schools.

S.C. State Bulldogs best defense for the Gamecocks may be a punishing running game with RBs Travil Jamison (32) and speedster Will Ford.

South Carolina's best since Holtz

COLUMBIA -- Mississippi might have been the worst No. 4-ranked college football team in poll history, though the Rebels are probably at least the fourth-best team in the state of Mississippi. It was not even close to a sellout, though a hundred thousand more Gamecock fans will swear they were at Williams-Brice Stadium to see South Carolina's first-ever home win over a top 5 opponent. But this is Steve Spurrier's best South Carolina team and the soon-to-be-ranked Gamecocks proved it Thursday night with a 16-10 Southeastern Conference win. "Our fans needed this one," Spurrier said, "as well as all of us." C'mon, now. Admit it.

SC State hopes for glory in nationally-televised USC game

SC State is getting ready to make its second trip ever to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday to play the Gamecocks. There are going to be plenty of eyeballs on this game since it's nationally-televised. The Bulldogs are excited about the big-time exposure. SC State's visit to Air Force in September 2007 was the program's first taste of division one football. These days, you can call the Bulldogs veterans. Over the past two seasons, they've traveled to UCF, Clemson and South Carolina, but Saturday's game against the Gamecocks has the added bonus of national airtime.

"I think it means a lot," said SC State Coach Buddy Pough. "I think if anytime you've got an opportunity to have that kind of publicity and notoriety around the whole world -- because that's what you deal with when you deal with the ESPN family of channels -- I think it's really, really special."

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Game Time: 7 pm ET, Columbia, S.C.
Saturday 10/3/09
TV: ESPN Classic
South Carolina State Bulldogs at South Carolina Gamecocks