Mitchell, Coppin still at odds

The awkward, three-week standoff between Fang Mitchell and Coppin State University shows no sign of relenting anytime soon. Mitchell, the iconic coach who lifted Coppin to basketball prominence in the 1990s, declined an offer from the university on March 17 to return for his 26th season.

 At the time, he said the offer was not in good faith, but declined to go further. Since then, he has communicated only minimally with university president Reginald Avery, and he had to cancel a Tuesday meeting because of the death of his father-in-law, Rudolph Lewis, on Monday. Now, there will be no talks before the funeral on Tuesday.

All of which leaves Mitchell twisting in the wind. Technically, his contract doesn’t expire until June 30.


Videographer: Andazmedia

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VISIT: COPPINS STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: CSUEAGLES

Spivery out at Southern University

 Spivery leaves the Jaguars with a 37-87 career record, an
 NCAA APR score of  847 and a two scholarships loss.

Southern University has decided to fire men’s basketball coach Rob Spivery — though that’s hardly news to him. The university released a brief statement late Friday afternoon that said Spivery will be terminated effective April 21.

The statement also revealed for the first time that the university informed Spivery of its decision on March 18, eight days after a face-to-face meeting between Spivery and SU Athletic Director Greg LaFleur to discuss the direction of the program. The news release, in its entirety, reads:

“Rob Spivery’s tenure as head basketball coach at Southern University and A&M College will end April 21.

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Alcorn State opts for next best thing to the Wiz

Provine's Riley makes the leap

Lorman, MS - When Alcorn State University decided recently to make a basketball coaching change, one columnist - blush - suggested only partly in jest the school should re-hire 81-year-old Alcorn legend Davey Whitney, the Wiz.

The theory: It worked twice before, why shouldn't it work again?

Turns out, Alcorn has done the next best thing. In Luther Riley, the 38-year-old Provine High School coach, the Lorman university has hired a Whitney clone, a guy who admittedly patterns himself after the elfish, but demanding man who made Alcorn basketball famous.



Riley takes over ASU basketball

LORMAN — Luther Riley saw first hand that Alcorn State men’s basketball could be successful while he was a graduate assistant coach under Davey Whitney.

Now, Riley said he’s looking to take the Braves’ hoops program back to that successful level of play. Riley, who has coached at John W. Provine High School in Jackson for the past 11 seasons, was introduced as the Braves’ new basketball coach Monday at the Jackson Convention Complex.

“We are extremely pleased and excited to welcome Coach Luther Riley back home to Alcorn State University,” said Alcorn President Dr. M. Christopher Brown.

Braves raid JPS for proven winner

Luther Riley entered from the right, walking across the platform before a half-full third-floor theater in the Jackson Convention Complex. Provine High's basketball coach for the last dozen years, Riley's face was unmistakable to the mostly Jackson-based Alcorn State fans before him.

Upon seeing Riley wearing a silver and purple-striped tie and a pinstripe suit, the group gave a standing ovation to the man they hope will turn around their basketball program - three years after being passed over for the job.

"This will be a daunting task," Riley said to the crowd moments later after being introduced as the university's new coach Monday in downtown Jackson.

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Alcorn Head Men's Basketball Coach Search Committee Announces Finalists

The Alcorn State University Head Men’s Basketball Coach Search Committee has narrowed the list of candidates for head men’s basketball coach down to three finalists. The finalists are Richard Horton, David Ponton and Luther Riley.

Horton, a Belzoni native and former Braves standout player under the legendary Davey L. Whitney, was named 1982 All SWAC and All Tournament for Men’s Basketball is currently Head Boys and Girls Basketball Coach and Athletic Director for the Humphreys County School District. Horton was a graduate assistant for Lady Braves Basketball team under the legendary Shirley Walker from 1983-1985 and is also a professional scout for College sports to the NFL, NBA and MLB under James “Bus” Cook. Horton is a 1982 graduate of Alcorn State University.

Ponton, is a Monroe, Louisiana native and former Grambling State Lady Tigers coach and three time SWAC Coach of the Year with over 25 years of experience. He was ...

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FAMU looks to fill coaching vacancy

Tallahassee, FL - The wait might not be too long before the Florida A&M men's basketball team finds out who its next coach will be. Athletic director Derek Horne said Friday that the university will move expeditiously in an effort to have a replacement for Eugene Harris in place by mid-April. Harris was fired Thursday, but remains on FAMU's payroll until June 10.

Harris was terminated after four seasons after leading the Rattlers to as 46-80 record. His five-year contract expires in April 2012 (not Sept. 2012 as previously reported), but Horne hedged on saying specifically how FAMU will settle the remaining 10 months that Harris was contracted through.

Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium-- Home of the FAMU Rattlers Basketball and MEAC Championship Volleyball Teams. 

(The on-campus facility is 135,000 s.f. and has seating for 9,639 fans. Completed on April 4, 2009 at cost of $40 million).

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Alabama A&M hoops coach Vann Pettaway out after 25 years

Coach Vann Pettaway ends AAMU
era with a 453-279 record

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Vann Pettaway is expected to resign early next week, ending his 25-year tenure as Alabama A&M's men's basketball coach, The Times has learned.

Attempts to confirm Pettaway's resignation with A&M president Dr. Andrew Hugine, athletics director Betty Austin and Pettaway were unsuccessful by The Times.

Sources say Pettaway asked school officials to allow him to talk to his team before an official announcement is released. That meeting is expected to take place Monday night. An official announcement is expected to be made Monday or Tuesday.

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Duke too much for Hampton U; Pirates fall 87-45

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hampton University couldn't give up open looks for 3-pointers. Three of Duke's first six baskets were 3-pointers. The Pirates couldn't allow offensive rebounds. Eight of Duke's first 13 points came on second, or third, chances.

The die cast early, top-seeded Duke was too tall, focused and precise in an 87-45 wipeout Friday in an NCAA tournament West Region game at the Time Warner Cable Arena.

"We ran into a different animal," HU coach Ed Joyner Jr. said. "I mean, it was a lion. (We have) never been to the tournament before. This year was a first for us and we understood that. We made a lot of mistakes early. Those things happen when your nerves sometimes get the best of you."

Defending champ Duke wows Pirates with intensity, efficiency

New York ballers are hard to impress. They hone their games on asphalt jungles, hear tales of legends and hope to etch their names into the city's basketball lore. But Friday afternoon, reigning national champion Duke left Bronx native and Hampton University guard Mike Tuitt with indelible images.

"They looked just like Duke does on television," Tuitt said after the Blue Devils' 87-45 NCAA tournament victory over the Pirates. "They were under control and organized. They just had too much firepower."

Indeed, the game unfolded as most matching No. 1 and 16 regional seeds. Duke was too big, too fast, too deep.

Hampton perseveres in memory of fallen teammate Theo Smalling

Stories come to be told at the NCAA tournament. That’s just the way it works. Players you’ve never heard of from programs you’ve never watched play have a way of giving March its irresistible charm. Of course, there’s the appeal of the big name too. The All-American stars like Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker and the perennial powerhouses like Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky.



PIRATES' STELLAR SEASON ENDS WITH LOSS TO DUKE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Hampton University men’s basketball team saw its stellar 2010-11 season come to an end on Saturday, as the Pirates fell to Duke 87-45 in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena.

The Pirates, who were seeded No. 16 in the West Region, had their five-game winning streak snapped by top-seeded Duke and ended the season 24-9. The Blue Devils advanced to 31-4 and will face Michigan in the third round on Sunday.

“Seeing (Duke) first-hand gives you a different light on the way they work and just how good they are,” Pirates head coach Edward Joyner Jr. said. “They are big and long.”

Duke handed the Pirates their most lopsided loss of the season, as Hampton tied its season low in points scored and set a season high in points allowed.



Falling On His Sword

Like all good leaders, Hampton University head coach Ed Joyner Jr. placed the onus on himself for the Pirates’ 87-45 loss to top-seeded Duke. Not that Joyner could have done anything about the disparity in talent or devised some tactical maneuver that might have kept it close.

“I’ve got 13, 14 players (and) four, five coaches, they’re all hurting in that locker room,” he said. “That’s the first step to us getting better and preparing for the moment later on. Second of all, experience is the best teacher. We’ve never been here before. I don’t put that loss on my players. They did all they can do. That’s my fault.

“I didn’t understand how to prepare them for this moment, but trust me, I understand now, and one thing I’ve never been called a dummy. So, does that mean we’re going to come to this tournament and win a game next year? I don’t know.



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FAMU men's basketball parts ways with Harris

Eugene Harris was fired Thursday afternoon, one week after he coached the Florida A&M men's basketball team to a one-and-done appearance in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.

FAMU announced Harris' termination in a news release about five hours after he had a mid-afternoon meeting with athletic director Derek Horne. Harris will be on administrative leave with pay until June 10, the university said in its release.

During his four seasons, the Rattlers won 46 games and lost 80. Harris, who was hired in September 2007, had one year remaining on a five-year contract with an annual salary of $150,000.

FAMU gives Harris his pink slip

After four seasons of "underachieving", Florida A&M has parted ways with former head basketball coach Eugene Harris. Harris was notified of his termination in a four-paragraph letter he received in an afternoon meeting with Athletic Director, Derek Horne.

During his tenure as head coach, Harris amassed a record of 46-80. Over the course of the past two seasons, the losses are double the total of the wins at 21-42. This season completed his third consecutive of 20-plus losses.

Harris was in the fourth year of a 5-year contract at an annual rate of $150,000 per year. He will remain on administrative leave with pay until June 10, according to the FAMU press release.

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Mitchell calls Coppin's contract offer 'unacceptable'‎

Coppin State University Athletic Director Derrick Ramsey

Baltimore, MD -- Fang Mitchell rejected an offer Thursday to remain as coach of Coppin State's men's basketball team, saying the contract was "unacceptable" but that negotiations will continue.

"It wasn't done in good faith," Mitchell said of the offer after a scheduled meeting with university president Reginald Avery.

Mitchell has coached at Coppin for 25 years, won 395 games, gone to four NCAA tournaments and captured 10 regular-season championships in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

He declined to say why the contract was unacceptable, but he said he expected negotiations to resume next week.

Asked if he believed he could still get a deal to remain at Coppin, he said, "Yes, in talking with the president, we should be able to get it done."

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WNIT: Virginia rolls past Morgan State

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- Debbie Ryan is proud of her Celtic heritage. But on an oddly unemotional St. Patrick's Night she didn't need the luck of the Irish to prolong her coaching career at the University of Virginia.

All she needed was, well, Morgan State.

Whitny Edwards scored 11 points, and teammate Ariana Moorer added 10 as Ryan's Cavaliers thumped the overmatched Bears 69-56 Thursday night in an opening-round game of the women's postseason NIT. The victory ensured Ryan of at least one more game at the helm of a program she has steered for the past 34 years. Ryan, a Hall of Fame coach with 737 career victories, announced last week that she will step down at season's end.

Video Highlight: Virginia Defeats Morgan State, 69-56, In WNIT First Round

Photo Gallery

Virginia Defeats Morgan State, 69-56, In WNIT First Round

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - The Virginia women's basketball team built an early lead and held on for a 69-56 victory over visiting Morgan State Thursday night in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). With the victory, Virginia's record improved to 17-15. Morgan State's final record is 17-15.

Virginia will face Loyola (Md.) on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., at Reitz Arena in Baltimore, Md., in second-round action.

In the first half, Virginia's lead at times ballooned to as many as 16 points, but Morgan State pulled to within 11 points, 38-27, at the 1:34 mark on a 3-pointer by Brittany Dodson. UVa responded by going on a 5-0 run to end the half and take a 43-27 lead.

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Top-seeded Buffaloes slam Texas Southern Tigers 88-74

BOULDER, Colo. — If there was going to be a chance for Texas Southern to sneak up on Colorado, it came with five minutes left in the first half Wednesday night.

The Tigers trailed by three points, the crowd of 6,299 at the Coors Event Center was mostly quiet and the Buffaloes looked every bit like a team snubbed for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

“We thought we had the game,” TSU forward Travele Jones said. Colorado pulled away just before halftime and cruised to an 88-74 victory over TSU in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Snubbed Buffaloes pick up NIT victory

BOULDER - Alec Burks had 27 points and seven rebounds, Cory Higgins scored 25 points and the top-seeded Buffaloes beat Texas Southern 88-74 in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday night.

Freshman Andre Roberson had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Buffaloes (22-13), who will face California - a 77-74 winner over Mississippi on Wednesday - in Boulder on Friday night.

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VT Hokies cruise in NIT first-round game vs. Bethune-Cookman

BLACKSBURG - As Virginia Tech's men's basketball team prepared for Wednesday night's National Invitation Tournament first round game, Hokies coach Seth Greenberg realized there was a chance his players could care less about the game.

He made sure nobody would just mail it in and coast against Bethune-Cookman. Even if Tech's players and coaches still were stinging after failing to be included in the NCAA tournament field, there were no lingering signs of misery against Bethune-Cookman.

Tech dispatched Bethune-Cookman 79-54 to advance to the second round. Tech, which is a No. 1 seed in the tournament, will play at 11 a.m. Sunday in Blacksburg against No. 4 seed Wichita State, which defeated Nebraska 76-49 on Wednesday.

Recap: Virginia Tech vs. Bethune-Cookman

Jeff Allen scored 19 points as the Virginia Tech Hokies rolled to a 79-54 victory over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in first-round action of the NIT.

Malcolm Delaney registered 13 points for top-seeded Virginia Tech (22-11), which moves on to the second round to battle fourth-seeded Wichita State. The Hokies also got double-digit scoring performances from Manny Atkins (12 points), Erick Green (11 points, eight assists) and Terrell Bell (10 points).

Garrius Holloman posted 20 points in defeat for eighth-seeded Bethune-Cookman (21-13), which received 10 points and five assists from C.J. Reed.

Father-Son Duo Leads B-CUTo New Heights, Captures Conference’s Top Honors

Bethune-Cookman men's basketball coach Clifford Reed and his son, junior point guard C.J. Reed, have taken the Wildcats to unprecedented heights while achieving what no other father-son combination in MEAC history has achieved.

The elder Reed was voted MEAC Coach of the Year and his son was selected Player of the Year as the Wildcats won their first ever regular-season conference championship and earned their first-ever postseason appearance since moving to Division I. They play Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., in the NIT Wednesday night.

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Today's NCAA Tournament: Alabama State vs. UTSA

No. 16 Texas-San Antonio (19-13) vs. No. 16 Alabama State (17-17)
WHEN/WHERE: 5:40 p.m.CDT, Dayton, Ohio
TELEVISION: truTV Channel



A CLOSER LOOK: Texas-San Antonio likes a fast pace; Alabama State tries to keep games low-scoring. The winner will be the team that imposes its will. Alabama State was an upset winner of the SWAC Tournament. The Hornets have an RPI of No. 257 but have won 11 of 12 games. The Roadrunners upset McNeese State in winning the Southland tournament title. Area hoops fans might remember Texas-San Antonio coach Brooks Thompson, who played at Oklahoma State in the early 1990s before a short NBA career. The winner meets top-seeded Ohio State in the East Region.

Alabama State has tourney's worst record

Alabama State reached the NCAA tournament with a lousy record and a remarkable turnaround. The Hornets (17-17) have the worst record in the 68-team field. Everyone else has more wins than losses.

Alabama State must win its first-round game on Wednesday night against Texas-San Antonio (19-13) to improve to a winning record. Their reward? Heading up to Cleveland to try to knock off top-seeded Ohio State.

Roadrunners battle Hornets in "First Four" encounter

Dayton, OH (Sports Network) - Day two of the inaugural "Field of 68" play-in format for the 2011 NCAA Tournament has the champions of the Southland Conference, Texas-San Antonio, squaring off against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champs, Alabama State, from Dayton, Ohio.

Dubbed the "First Four", Wednesday's matchup is the third of four games over two days at UD Arena as part of the NCAA's re-formatted expansion of the traditional 64-team field. The winner of this matchup moves on to face the tournament's top overall seed, Ohio State, in the East Region Friday in Cleveland, Ohio at Quicken Loans Arena.

ASU basketball: White works to get job done for Hornets

Ivory White spends the first few minutes of every basketball game trying to figure out how he can help his Alabama State team­mates. Need an offensive spark? White is your guy. Looking for someone to shut down the high-octane perimeter offense of your opponent? Call on White.

Hoping someone can bol­ster your inside game with a few rebounds and help speed up the transition game? Then the junior guard from Greensboro is the perfect answer to your problems.

Duncan sparks Hornets' streak

Chris Duncan came to Alabama State with one thing on his mind.

And while he has excelled at defense in his two years with the Hornets, he has started to understand his value to the team as an offensive performer. The Hornets have won six consecutive games, transforming from a team that had underachieved and showed little chemistry to one that has dreams of earning an NCAA tournament bid.

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PV's Wilson shines in own right

Coach Toyelle Wilson

Prairie View A&M’s Toyelle Wilson probably had the toughest act to follow of any first-year women’s basketball coach in the area at the beginning of the season.

Wilson took the reins in May after former coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke stepped down to take the top job at North Carolina-Wilmington. Cooper-Dyke, a Basketball Hall of Famer, went 86-72 in five seasons at Prairie View, leading the Panthers to four postseason appearances, including their first two NCAA Tournament appearances, and three Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season titles.

Wilson, a former assistant under Cooper-Dyke, had a huge shadow cast over her first season as head coach once athletic director Fred Washington opted to promote her. Some doubted she would be able to duplicate her predecessor’s success.

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Historical Black College All-Star Classic

Columbus, GA - The 8th Annual Historical Black College All-Star Classic is coming to Columbus (Georgia) on April 23rd with the game being played the Civic Center. The event pits the best players from the SWAC, MEAC, SIAC, and CIAA against each other in a battle of East and West.



In addition to the College game the event will also feature matchups including local boys and girls high school all stars. Among those expected to attend include: Jordan's Harry Short, Kendrick's Elbert Elliot, Dwayne Belfield, Erica Stanley, and Janai Merritt, Hardaway's Valenta Williams and Jamaine Burrey and many more.

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16th-seeded Prairie View women to face No. 1 Baylor in tourney

The Prairie View A&M Panthers’ anxiety over learning their destination in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament disappeared mere minutes into Monday evening’s selection show on ESPN.
Their name appeared underneath first-round opponent and No. 1 seed Baylor on the flat screens at Buffalo Wild Wings in Cypress, and the attendants at the Panthers’ selection show watch party roared in jubilation.

The 16th-seeded Panthers (21-11) will start their NCAA Tournament run against the Bears (31-2) in the Dallas Region at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Ferrell Center in Waco. The winner advances to face the victor of Sunday’s earlier matchup between No. 8 seed Houston (26-5) and No. 9 seed West Virginia (23-9).



Baylor No. 1 NCAA seed at home vs. Prairie View

Baylor is a No. 1 seed for the first time and playing at home to start this year's NCAA women's tournament.

The Big 12 champion Lady Bears (31-2) open this year's tournament Sunday against SWAC champion Prairie View (21-11). If they want to make it to the Final Four for the second year in a row, there is the real possibility that they will have to beat Big 12 runner-up Texas A&M for...

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2011 Women's NCAA Tournament Bracket: Hampton Receives No. 13 Seed, Will Play Kentucky Saturday

Hampton University second year Head Basketball Coach
David Six wins triple crown -- NCAA Tournament bid, MEAC
Tournament Champions and MEAC Regular Season Champs. 

The Hampton Pirates have received a No. 13 seed in the Spokane Region and will face the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats in the first round of the 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

The Pirates qualified for the tournament by winning the MEAC Tournament with a win over Howard. It was Hampton's second-straight conference championship and they lost only one conference game during the regular season.

Kentucky, on the other hand, was arguably the SEC's second-best team behind perennial favorite Tennessee. The Wildcats enter the tournament with an at-large bid with a 24-8 record overall and 11-5 in the SEC.

NCAA TOURNAMENT WOMEN'S BRACKET

LADY PIRATES TO FACE KENTUCKY IN NCAA FIRST ROUND

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team, fresh off its second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament championship, will face No. 4 seed Kentucky on Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M. in the first round of the 2011 NCAA Div. I Women’s Basketball Tournament.

The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. EST. Television and ticket information will be announced when made available.

The Lady Pirates erupted in jubilation when their name was unveiled on the ESPN broadcast in the Student Center Ballroom. Hampton (25-6) earned a No. 13 seed in the Spokane Region, the highest-ever seed for a MEAC school in the 64-team championship format.  For second-year head coach David Six, the seeding was validating.

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TSU's Harvey named SWAC Coach of the Year

Texas Southern's Tony Harvey was named 2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year on Monday. Harvey, who is in his third season, led the Tigers (19-12) to a 16-2 mark in SWAC play and the regular-season title. TSU fell to Alabama State in the semifinals of the SWAC tournament but earned a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.

The eighth-seeded Tigers will open their NIT run against top-seeded Colorado at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Boulder, Colorado.

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Morgan State To Face Virginia On Thursday In Opening Round Of WNIT

BALTIMORE, Md. (March 15, 2011) - What a difference a year makes. Just a year ago the Lady Bears were invited to the 2010 Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) and had to decline. The WNIT committee replaced Morgan State with then three-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season champion, North Carolina A&T. The Lady Aggies would later earn the MEAC automatic bid into the Postseason WNIT, where it made a historical run, winning two games and advancing to the Round of 16.

This time there will be no declining, as the Lady Bears, who earned the automatic berth for the MEAC, found out Monday night they will head to Charlottesville, Va. to face host University of Virginia in Round 1 action of the WNIT on Thursday, March 17. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.

The game will air locally in the Charlottesville area on WINA 1070 AM. That broadcast will be available on the Internet at VirginiaSports.com with a subscription to Virginia Sports Online Radio. The winner of Thursday's contest will face the winner of Old Dominion vs. Loyola (Md.) in the second round.

2011 WNIT Bracket           MSU TEAM ROSTER

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Southern University Accept WNIT Invite: Travels to Tulane on Thursday

Baton Rouge, La. - Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season women's basketball champion Southern University accepted an invitation Monday to the WNIT, an automatic berth for conference champions that do not win their respective tournament title. The Lady Jaguars will travel to New Orleans to face Tulane on Thursday in the opening round of the 64-team tournament.

There was some speculation as to whether or not the Lady Jaguars would accept the bid to the tournament when head coach Sandy Pugh announced in her post-game interview following the SWAC Tournament championship game that the school might not be able to afford to send the team to the post-season.

2011 WNIT Bracket

SU raises funds, draws Tulane in WNIT

One by one, they started to show up at Southern University with their checkbooks and wallets open, offering to support the women’s basketball team however they could. Thanks to a flood of 11th-hour donations from alumni and booster groups, the women’s basketball team collected enough money to cover last-minute travel costs for the WNIT.

That allowed the Jaguars to accept the automatic bid they received for winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season championship.

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