BCU Wildcats Take Two from Norfolk State in MEAC Baseball

Ormond Beach, Fla. - Marvelous pitching was the story of the day on Saturday as Bethune-Cookman University took both games of a MEAC baseball doubleheader against Norfolk State University, 10-1 & 3-0 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex in Ormond Beach, Fla.

The first game started early for the Wildcats of B-CU (21-13, 8-0 MEAC) as they plated three runs in the bottom of the second to open the game up.

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Healthy Hampton a winner over Norfolk State

Photo: Hampton Pirates 6-1 Sophomore guard Vinny Simpson, from Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal Dougherty, hit for 18 points, 4 assists, 4 steals and 3 rebounds to help beat NSU Spartans.

HAMPTON, VA - Remarkable what healthy bodies and successful jump shots will do for a basketball team. Two days off last week and five days between games gave Hampton University its full complement of players, and seemed to restore the Pirates' perimeter effectiveness.

If Saturday's second half against rival Norfolk State is any indication, the Pirates are capable of a run in the upcoming MEAC tournament. Playing perhaps their best half of the season, HU carved up the Spartans 87-72 at the Convocation Center.

"We had everybody there," HU coach Kevin Nickelberry said. "When we have everybody there, we're a pretty good team.

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WSSU Holds On For 68-65 Victory Over Norfolk State

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The Winston-Salem State University men's basketball team downed one of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's best teams on Monday evening at the Joel Coliseum Annex as second-ranked Norfolk State University could not withstand a late WSSU rally as the Rams earned a 68-65 victory on a night when three WSSU seniors played in the final home game of their careers.

The two teams played dead-even basketball during the first 20 minutes of play as the lead changed hands and was deadlocked a total of 16 times (eight times each).

It would be only fitting that the halftime score found the two teams deadlocked at 23-23 headed into the locker room for intermission.

19 total first-half turnovers would eclipse the total of 18 made field goals, yet the two teams would respond with furious action in the second half as both WSSU and Norfolk State nearly doubled up their first half point totals in a contest that finished with 17 ties and 20 lead changes.

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NSU’s success yields renewed enthusiasm

Photo: Junior Michael Deloach #2, makes move against NCA&T. The 6-0/175 guard is from Bonner Academy, Rocky Mount, N.C.

NORFOLK - There is already tangible evidence that the basketball team is moving the needle. The hotel rooms the school bought in blocks for the MEAC tournament next month are already filled up.

Donations have increased, too, according to Kim Walton, director of the school’s alumni relations department. Normally, 8.2 percent of the university’s graduates contribute money. This year, Phillip Adams, vice president of university advancement, said Norfolk State should be able to realize its goal of securing financial contributions from 10 percent of alumni.

The school’s fundraising campaign, coincidentally, is titled “Winning Season.”

The student community and alumni are gradually embracing the Spartans, who are tied for first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference as they prepare to face South Carolina State this afternoon in Orangeburg, S.C.

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This 4 p.m. game will be televised live on ESPN Classic, Norfolk State University Spartans vs. South Carolina State University Bulldogs.

NSU beats UMES 68-61 with lots of help from Murphy

Photo: NSU senior Tony Murphy stepped up with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 2 steals to keep the Spartans tied with Morgan State for first place in the MEAC.

NORFOLK, VA - When his team needed him most Monday night, Norfolk State senior guard Tony Murphy was there – as he always has been. The Spartans were reeling and on the verge of losing to Maryland-Eastern Shore. But Murphy willed his team to victory, helping Norfolk State prevail 68-61.

First, he helped wrest the lead away from Eastern Shore for the final time, burying a 3-pointer with 4:52 left . Then he knocked out the Hawks with a three-point play two minutes later in what is likely his final home game of his career. It was the defining moment on a night when Murphy scored 25 points.

“It’s good to see him step up,” Norfolk State coach Anthony Evans said. “He’s a senior and it’s great to see him knocking down some shots.”

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Battle of the Bay: Hampton at Norfolk State in major MEAC battle

Photo: NSU Tony Murphy #5, senior guard, 6-4/220, Eastside HS., Paterson, NJ.

The Spartans are seeking their eighth win in nine games and a chance to maintain their chase of first-place Morgan State. NSU has handed the Bears their only league loss this season. Tony Murphy is the team's top offensive threat at 17.9 ppg, but guard Corey Lyons (15.1 ppg) and Michael Deloach (12.4 ppg) provide balance. Lyons has reached double figures in scoring nine straight games and is shooting 50 percent from the field in that span. NSU is perfect at home this season in six games.

Both teams enter the game with 5-1 MEAC records, one-half game behind first-place Morgan State (6-1) in the conference standings. The game can be heard live on WNSB Hot 91.1 FM in the Hampton Roads area. WNSB's audio stream and live stats are available at the NSU official website, www.nsuspartans.com


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Short-handed NSU women surge to stunning victory

Photo: Natasha Huntley, 5-6 freshman guard from Greensboro, N.C. was instrumental in win with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist.

NORFOLK, VA - It started with a 3-pointer. Then another. And another. All in the span of six seconds. A coast-to-coast layup tied it. A clutch free throw provided the lead. And, finally, one frenzied defensive stop later, Norfolk State experienced the joy of six.

"It's overwhelming," said a beaming Tashawna Higgins after her three-point play with 11.7 left propelled the Spartans - all six of them - to an improbable 62-61 victory against Winston-Salem State on Monday night at Echols Hall.

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NSU win over Winston Salem State

Photo: Norfolk State University 6-0/175 junior guard Michael Deloach, Rocky Mount, N.C., Bonner Academy.

NORFOLK, VA - Ugly game. Didn't do the little things. Have to get better in a lot of areas. Norfolk State coach Anthony Evans shook his head as he rattled off areas of deficiency in his team's play Monday night. Imagine if the Spartans hadn't won by 15.

It's been that kind of roll lately for NSU, which is winning big even when the overall play comes up, at least by the coach's standards, relatively small. Michael Deloach scored 23 points as NSU thumped Winston-Salem State 82-67 for its seventh victory in eight games.

The Spartans (9-9) got more good news when they learned Morgan State knocked off Hampton on Monday. Both the Pirates and Spartans are 5-1 in the MEAC, a half-game behind Morgan State (6-1).

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Two Defenders and Star RB make Verbal Commitments to NSU

Photo: Norfolk State Head Football Coach Pete Adrian is making his mark in Tidewater region with topnotch recruits for 2008.

NORFOLK - A pair of defensive players from Indian River High School made verbal commitments to Norfolk State on Wednesday. First-team All-Tidewater defensive end Terrence Pugh and outside linebacker Frank Clemmons said they will play for the Spartans this fall.

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NSU has struck gold in the commitment of Central Virginia's all-time rushing leader, Takeem Hedgeman, Monticello High School (Virginia) star running back. He is a 5-10, 195-pounder with speed, durability and great vision. (See Takeem profile below and view his highlights video.

WARNING: This posted video has offensive Rap music lyrics and you should TURN OFF your computer speakers if you do not want to hear the negativeness and profanity in the audio. The audio/video highlights were prepared and distributed by the player and his advisers and is not the product of MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street, Norfolk State University, the MEAC and The Virginian-Pilot. This audio is highly offensive to some listeners and to children. So, just turn off the music/audio!!

The player's video highlights are awesome.

Video Hightlights-- Running back Takeem Hedgeman, 8 minutes 30 sec.


Norfolk State pipeline is doing a great job in getting information out to the press on their football commitments. If you have noticed, only a few schools have allowed their commitments to speak with the press, alerting us who is on the radar for the respective programs. However, some in the MEAC are silent on this issue until National Signing Day, February 6.

So far, here are the commitments and transfers the have been documented for NSU Spartans:

1. Michael Alphonse LB 6-0 233 Miami, FL (Rivals 1 star)- Transfer from Akron
2. Dennis Brown QB 6-3 196 Miami, FL (Rivals 2 stars)- Transfer from UConn
3. Devon Lesesne OL 6-2 313 5.2 - Washington, D.C.
4. Marquis Cuffee DB 5-10 170 4.55 Virginia Beach, VA
5. Eric Hitch FB/LB 6-2 235 4.75 Virginia Beach, VA
6. Marcus Cooperwood 5-foot-10 175 4.6 Hampton, VA
7. Joey Christine, 6-2/300 OL/DL, Stephen City, VA
8. Blake Matthews, 6-4/295 OT, Manassas, VA
9. Terrence Pugh, 6-4/205 OLB, Chesapeake, VA
10.Frank Clemmons, 6-3/210 LB, Chesapeake, VA
11. Takeem Hedgeman, 5-10/195, Charlottesville, Virginia

Takeem Hedgeman, a.k.a. "The Dream," a.k.a. "Sonic," finished the 2007 season with 400 carries for 2,992 yards and a state-record 51 touchdowns. He holds two VHSL state football records -- 51 touchdowns in a season; and 310 points scored. Hedgeman is said to be a patient, smooth, durable running back and is Central Virginia's all-time rushing leader. He has Division I football talent and the speed to run away from tacklers as showed on the highlight video.

Norfolk State was selected over offers from Hampton University and Rhode Island.

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Delaware State's Douse may be lost for season

DOVER -- Just when things were looking better for Delaware State's men's basketball team, it has another injured player to worry about. The Hornets will play Norfolk State today at 4 p.m. in a game between unbeaten teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference at Memorial Hall, but they'll do so without highly touted transfer Kris Douse, a sophomore guard.

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NSU notebook: Spartans stand 6th in FCS in home attendance

By VICKI L. FRIEDMAN , The Virginian-Pilot

Saturday's crowd of 27,756 was the largest at Price Stadium since the inaugural game was played there in 1997. Before Saturday's total, the crowd of 26,970 that watched the Spartans defeat Virginia State 33-7 in the Labor Day Classic on Sept. 1 was the second-largest.

Norfolk State is sixth nationally in Division I-AA with an average attendance of 19,920. Ahead of NSU: Montana, Delaware, Appalachian State, Youngstown State and Southern University. North Carolina A&T is the closest MEAC school at No. 11, averaging 12,803 fans.

Not so special

Daryl Jones described Saturday's victory against Hampton as "extra special," but one area where the Spartans weren't clicking was special teams. Particularly abysmal was NSU's coverage on punts and kickoffs, which almost cost the Spartans the game.

Among the blunders:

Maury grad James Butts recovered an onside kick that allowed Hampton to attempt a field goal in the final seconds.

Before that, Hampton scored its final touchdown after a 28-yard punt by Brian Jackson allowed the Pirates to start the drive at the NSU 41.

After Jones' second touchdown put the Spartans ahead 20-10 in the fourth quarter, Dennis McPhearson returned the following kickoff 48 yards to the NSU 20. That led to a Hampton field goal.

"Our special teams stunk," NSU coach Pete Adrian said. "Our kickoff coverage was horrendous. Our kickoff returns weren't very good. We made some crucial mistakes that could have cost us the ballgame.

"But the nice thing about our football team is nobody complains. They just say, 'Let's go to work.'"

One game at a time

Spartans fans might be riding high with dreams of a playoff bid after knocking off Hampton and preseason favorite South Carolina State, but Adrian and the NSU players refuse to entertain the notion.

"If you're focusing on something like playoffs, that's basically distracting you," senior linebacker Maguell Davis said. "I'd rather keep playing hard and we'll look back - and then I think we'll be pretty happy with the results."

Preview: Hampton University vs. Norfolk State University

Marty O'Brien, Daily Press

No. 18 Hampton (4-1, 3-1 MEAC) at Norfolk State (4-1, 3-0)
WHEN: 2 p.m. today. WHERE: Dick Price Stadium in Norfolk. RADIO: WHOV/88.1FM, WNSB/91.1FM.

Why is this game important?

The Battle of the Bay appears to be a true rivalry again. Hampton has dominated the series of late, winning the past four games by an average of 52-9. But the Spartans enter this contest tied for first in the MEAC and with a win over preseason conference favorite South Carolina State. This game usually generates high interest because of the proximity of the schools and the fierce halftime battle between the two fine marching bands. The hype surrounding this game makes it a possibility all 30,000 seats at Dick Price Stadium will be occupied today.

What are Norfolk State's strengths on offense?

Photo: NSU Senior QB Casey Hansen, 6-5/235

The Spartans have controlled the clock for about 32 minutes per game behind a solid short passing game. They don't stretch the field often with the pass, but QB Casey Hansen (204 passing yards per game) is a much better decision-maker than he was a year ago, and he does a nice job of putting the ball where his talented receiver corps can get to it. Sturdy tailback Daryl Jones has powered for 92.4 rushing yards per game, but is not a real breakaway threat. The offensive line is good, and the ball-control attack is a good way to deal with Hampton.

How will the Norfolk State defense deal with Hampton's offense?

A lot depends on how the Spartans' front deals with the Pirates' running attack. The Pirates are averaging just 134.4 yards on the ground. But starting tailback Kevin Beverly returned last week after missing three games and scored three touchdowns in the 48-27 win at Princeton. The Spartans boast physical and talented linebackers and defensive backs, but holding the Pirates below their average of 253 passing yards will be difficult. If the Pirates run wild on the ground, it will be another long day for NSU.

What must Hampton do to win?

Photo: HU Soph. QB T.J. Mitchell, 6-3/

A big key will be whether the defensive line can keep Hansen in the pocket. Hansen does a nice job passing when he gets the time to roll out and find his secondary receivers. If pressured often, he'll occasionally come unglued. You can bet the Spartans' defense will key on MEAC leading receiver Jeremy Gilchrist (31 receptions, 575 yards), so Pirates QB T.J. Mitchell must spread the ball to the other receivers. The best thing the Pirates can do is score some points early, because it's unlikely NSU has the ammo to win a shootout. The guess here is that HU wins 31-21.