Fort Valley State University Releases 2016 Football Schedule

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- Fort Valley State University Director of Athletics Dr. Joshua W. Murfree, Jr., has announced the Wildcats 2016 football schedule. The Wildcats 10 game schedule includes three home games, two classic games (Labor Day Golden Classic and Fountain City Classic) and six away games.

Fort Valley State will open the 2016 season in Birmingham, Alabama on Sunday, September 4, with conference foe Miles College in the Labor Day Golden Classic at 6 p.m. The Wildcats last played Miles in the Valley in 2008 and walked away with the on 28-0. FVSU travels to Jackson, Tennessee on Saturday, September 10 to play Lane College at 2 p.m. The Wildcats open at home with Clark Atlanta University on Saturday, September 17 at 6 p.m., and the day being honored as Horace Mann Bond Memorial Game and Military Appreciation Day. On Saturday, September 24, the Wildcats will visit Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina for a 2 p.m. game and from there Saturday, October 1 play Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, West Virginia at 2 p.m. Then, on Saturday, October 8, FVSU will host Kentucky State University on Senior and Open House Day at 2 p.m., before traveling to play Florida Tech University in Melbourne, Florida on Saturday, October 15 in a 2 p.m. matchup. Central State University will visit the Valley for the first time on homecoming and Communiversity Day on Saturday, October 22, with the game scheduled for 2 p.m. The team then travel down I-75 to Atlanta, Georgia for a date with Morehouse College on Saturday, October 29 and rounding out the regular season with Albany State University in the 27th Annual Fountain Classic on November 5 in Columbus, Georgia.

WILDCATS 2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DATE	OPPONENT	LOCATION	TIME
Sun. Sept. 4	Miles College * Labor Day Golden Classic	Birmingham, Alabama	6:00 PM (CST)
Sat. Sept. 10	Lane College *	Jackson, Tennessee	2:00 PM (CST)
Sat. Sept. 17	Clark Atlanta University *	Fort Valley, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Sept. 24	Benedict College *	Columbia, South Carolina	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 1	Alderson Broaddus University	Philippi, West Virginia	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 8	Kentucky State University *	Fort Valley, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 15	Florida Tech University	Melbourne, Florida	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 22	Central State University * (HC)	Fort Valley, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 29	Morehouse College *	Atlanta, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 5	Albany State University * 27th Annual Fountain City Classic	Columbus, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 12	SIAC Championship	Montgomery, Alabama	7:00 PM (CST)

(BLACK) Indicate home games                                (*) Indicate conference games

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Culver Column: New scoreboard nothing to scoff at

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Believe it or not, there are people who claim to be supporters of Florida A&M who aren’t pleased with Florida State’s recent scoreboard gift.

Milton Overton Jr. and Stan Wilcox, the athletic directors of FAMU and FSU, respectively, negotiated the donation of Doak Campbell’s south-end zone scoreboard to Bragg Memorial Stadium. The Seminoles don’t need the old board – they’re spending millions on upgrades.

The components of the board have been taken to Bragg Memorial Stadium, and it’ll cost FAMU’s athletic department about $125,000 to get the scoreboard installed.

Check social media and you’ll see there’s a bit of a 70-30 divide on the board. The majority see the gift for what it is: A much, much larger school helping out another local institution because it needs some assistance.

There’s a group saying something else, though. There are some people who are saying FAMU doesn’t need to be a “charity case.”


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

CONTINUE READING

Texas Southern football star joins basketball team, throws down nasty dunk vs. Syracuse

SYRACUSE, New York -- Texas Southern is once again viewed as one of the favorites in the SWAC, with returnees such as Malcolm Riley and Chris Thomas expected to lead the way for Mike Davis’ team. Another reason for that status is the addition of redshirt freshman forward Derrick Griffin, who as a high school athlete was considered to be one of the top two-sport athletes in the Class of 2014.

The Tigers fell 80-67 at Syracuse Sunday afternoon, but in his fifth game as a member of the program Griffin showed exactly why he’s expected to be an impact addition for Texas Southern.

Griffin scored 20 points, shooting 9-for-9 from the field, and grabbed nine rebounds in a losing effort. And two of those points came on an impressive one-handed alley-oop in which Griffin displayed the hands responsible for more than 700 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on the gridiron this past season.

Griffin was originally a Miami signee expected to play both football and basketball at “The U,” but after failing to qualify academically he landed at Texas Southern.

CONTINUE READING

LA Tech Bulldogs Play PVAMU Panthers in Final Non-Conference Game

RUSTON, Louisiana – Louisiana Tech begins a four-game home stand on Monday night when it takes on Prairie View A&M in the final non-conference game of the season set for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff inside the Thomas Assembly Center.

LA Tech (10-2) is coming off a three-day break from basketball for Christmas, returning to Ruston on Saturday to begin prep for the last tune-up before Conference USA play begins in less than a week.

GameDay Central | Game Notes

“Our team has been focused on daily improvement and that has continued,” head coach Eric Konkol said. “We lifted, watched video and practiced Saturday and the attention to detail was strong after an extended break. This is a great time of year to spend more time on the areas we need to improve.

“Our focus right now is solely on improvement and preparing for Prairie View A&M. We certainly want to play well in our last non-conference game and use this as another opportunity to get ready for C-USA play.”

The Bulldogs went home for the holidays fairly happy after picking up a 66-63 road win over Florida Gulf Coast last Tuesday.

In was a return to the Sunshine State for five players, one of which was Alex Hamilton who had a nice homecoming by scoring a game-high 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting.

It marked the 10th victory of the season and one that was different from the other nine in that it was a grind-it-out, defensive battle. The Bulldogs have been more accustomed to offensive shootouts, but they were able to limit the Eagles to just 63 points on their home floor.

It was only FGCU’s 10th home loss since the 2012-13 season. Meanwhile, LA Tech looks to extend their 37-game home winning streak on Monday night when it faces a winless Prairie View A&M (0-11) team.

“Prairie View A&M changes defenses often and is No. 26 in the country at forcing turnovers,” Konkol said. “They have challenged themselves in difficult environments all year by playing the 15th strongest schedule and just one home game. They will play very hard and have some gifted offensive players.

The Panthers have played nine of their 11 non-conference games so far on the road against the likes of VCU, Houston, UNLV, Wisconsin, Baylor, TCU and Tulane. The most recent game came in an 80-51 loss at Nebraska.

PVAM has two players averaging double figures in scoring -- Tevin Bellinger at 12.8 points per game and Admassu Williams at 11.6 points per game. Both players have started all 11 games.

This will be the fourth and final SWAC opponent that LA Tech will face this season after previously taking on Grambling State, Jackson State and Southern.

Fans can access live video and audio of the game via the Internet by subscribing to LA Tech All-Access at LATechSports.com. The game can be heard live on the LA Tech Sports Network on KXKZ 107.5 FM (Ruston), KRMD 1340 AM (Shreveport), KJVC 92.7 FM (Mansfield) and KTKC 92.9 FM (Springhill). The “Voice of the Bulldogs” Dave Nitz will call the play-by-play and Jack Thigpen will provide analysis.

Twitter users can also receive live in-game updates by following @LATechHoops.

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Orange Extends Winning Streak Against Texas Southern

SYRACUSE, New York – Syracuse closed out the non-conference portion of its schedule with an 80-67 victory against Texas Southern in the Carrier Dome on Sunday, Dec. 27. The Orange will enter ACC play with a 10-3 record, while Texas Southern goes to 1-10.

Grad student Michael Gbinije led a group of five Orange in double figures in scoring with a team-high 15 points. Grad student Trevor Cooney and senior DaJuan Coleman both finished with 14 points. Freshman Tyler Lydon came off the bench to contribute 13 points, while fellow freshman Malachi Richardson added 10 points. Texas Southern's Derrick Griffin led all scorers with 20 points.

Both teams started the game with a hot hand as Texas Southern hit five of its first eight shots, while Syracuse converted seven of its first 10 attempts. One of those baskets was a three-pointer by Cooney on a fast break. It was his 209th of his career, which gives him sole possession of fourth place on Syracuse's all-time three-point field goals made record list.

Gbinije's jumper at the 13:14 mark broke an 11-11 tie and started the Orange on a 6-0 scoring run that gave Syracuse a 17-11 advantage. The Tigers fought back and a three-pointer by Jerron Martin brought Texas Southern within one at 20-19 with 7:15 on the clock. Martin's second three at the 4:53 mark evened the score at 22-22.

Tyler Roberson put the Orange back on top with a layup, which sparked Syracuse on an 18-8 scoring run to end the half. Gbinije hit back-to-back three-pointers and had eight points during the stretch and he led all scorers with 13 points in the first half. Syracuse entered intermission with a 40-30 lead.

Freshman Malachi Richardson scored the first seven points of the second half to extend the Orange's advantage to 47-30. Syracuse maintained its double-digit lead and was up by 14, 70-56, with 5:50 remaining when freshman Franklin Howard converted a pair of free throws to spark the Orange on a 7-0 scoring run. The offensive outburst gave Syracuse its largest lead of the game of 21, 77-56 at the 4:19 mark.

The Tigers, however, wouldn't go away and cut the lead back to 13, but that was as close as Texas Southern could get as Syracuse recorded the 80-67 victory. The Orange now enters ACC play on a three-game winning streak.

Syracuse and Texas Southern both shot well from the field. The Orange was 29-for-62 (46.8 percent), while the Tigers were 27-for-53 (50.9 percent). Syracuse recorded 14 steals in the contest and forced 15 Texas Southern turnovers. The Orange protected the ball, committing only five turnovers in the contest.

Coleman's 14 points equaled his career-best effort, as did his six made free throws.

The Orange opens ACC play at longtime rival Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 9 p.m.

BOX SCORE

PHOTO GALLERY

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Coppin State Travels to Virginia Cavalier Classic Monday and Tuesday

Coppin States, Richmond and Lafayette are playing in the UVA year-end tournament

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia -- The Virginia women’s basketball team (8-4) closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule by hosting the Cavalier Classic Presented by Holiday Inn University Area on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 28-29, 2015. For the second-straight year, the tournament will be played in a true classic format with the match-ups predetermined and no tournament champion crowned. Virginia will play Coppin State (2-8, 0-0 MEAC) on Monday and Richmond (6-5, 0-0 A10) on Tuesday. Both games will take place at 7 p.m. Lafayette (2-7, 0-0 Patriot) faces Richmond on Monday and Coppin State on Tuesday with both of those games starting at 4:30 p.m.

All of the 2015-16 Virginia women's basketball games - home and away - are available locally on NewsRadio 1070 WINA and streaming online at wina.com and VirginiaSports.com with Channing Poole calling the action. There will also be a live video stream of the Virginia games, available with a paid Cavaliers Live subscription.

Cavalier Classic Presented by Holiday Inn University Area
Date and Time	Monday and Tuesday, December 28-29, 4:30 and 7 p.m.
Location	Charlottesville, Va. | John Paul Jones Arena
Media	Live Streaming Video ($) Virginia vs. Coppin State (Mon.) | Live Streaming Video ($) Virginia vs. Richmond (Tue.) |GameTracker Richmond vs. Lafayette (Mon.) | GameTracker Coppin State vs. Virginia (Mon.) | GameTracker Coppin State vs. Lafayette (Tue.) | GameTracker Richmond vs. Virginia (Tue.) | Listen Live Virginia vs Coppin | Listen Live Virginia vs Richmond | Live Streaming Video: Virginia Post Game Press Conference($)
Additional Information	Ticket Information | Game Notes (.pdf) | 2015-16 Season Stats| 2015-16 Fact Book (.pdf)
Social Media	@UVAWBBHoops Twitter | Facebook | VirginiaWBB Instagram

All four teams are suffered losses before breaking for the holidays. Richmond is on a three-game slide, including falling 44-33 at Wake Forest right before the break in a game in which they shot just 21.5 percent (14-of-65). Coppin State has lost its last five games, including falling 69-54 against Auburn after losing three-straight games to ACC teams (Miami - 78-59; Syracuse 88-56; Virginia Tech 72-39). Lafayette has lost its last two contests, including a 72-59 home loss against Colgate.

Virginia is coming off a 93-73 loss at No. 9 Ohio State last Monday (Nov. 21). A 24-point game from sophomore Mikayla Venson and a 26-point performance from senior Faith Randolph (Derwood, Md.) were not enough as the Cavaliers suffered their only 20-point defeat this season. Venson and Randolph combined to make 16 of Virginia’s 25 field goals, shooting 44.4 percent (16-of-36) while the rest of the team went 9-of-34 (26.4 percent).

After hitting a then-season-high 10 threes against Charleston Southern, UVA made 11 at Ohio State. Venson had her best three-point shooting game of the year, going 4-of-5 from long range with Randolph 4-of-6. Sophomore Aliyah Huland El (Randolph, N.J.) came off the bench to go 3-of-6 from three-point range.

In the month of December, Venson is averaging 19.6 points per game, helping her move into the top-10 in the ACC in scoring, ranking No. 8 at 15.3 points per game. Sophomore Lauren Moses (Mount Holly, N.J.) is averaging 10.4 points and 8.8 rebounds in that same five-game span and has moved up to No. 7 in the conference in rebounding, averaging 7.4 boards per game this season.

Virginia is 3-0 all-time versus Coppin State. The Eagles last played in the Cavalier Classic in 2013, with Virginia logging a 70-45 victory. Virginia holds a 14-3 all-time record against Richmond with the last meeting between taking place in the 2012 WNIT with Virginia earning a 68-55 victory. Lafayette played in the 1990 Cavalier Classic, falling 103-41 to UVA and Illinois.

Virginia opens up Atlantic Coast Conference play on Sunday, Jan. 3, hosting No. 23 Miami at 1 p.m. followed by a showdown with No. 3 Notre Dame on Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.

Single-game ticket prices for all home games are $10 for Reserved seating, $8 for adult General Admission and $6 for youth (18 & under), senior (60 & over) and UVA faculty/staff General Admission. Fans may purchase home game tickets through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office online at VirginiaSports.com, by phone and in person. The Virginia Athletics Ticket Office is located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).

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Columbia Men's Basketball Squares Off Against Howard in Program's 2,500th Game Monday

  MONDAY, DECEMBER 28 | 7 P.M. | LEVIEN GYMNASIUM

HOWARD (7-6)

COLUMBIA (8-5)

 Ivy League Digital Network // Talent: Jerry Recco, 

James Buford

Twitter // #RoarLionRoar // #ColumbiaMBB
 Columbia Game Notes  Howard Game Notes
 Directions to Levien Gymnasium 

 Buy Tickets

THE STORYLINES

COLUMBIA’S STATUS
The Lions are back in action after a 14-day break for finals and will look to build on a four game winning streak. Columbia knocked off defending NEC Champions Robert Morris on Dec. 14.

HOWARD’S STATUS
The Bison have dropped three of their last four and are coming off a 72-52 defeat at Central Michigan on Dec. 22.

Howard brings in the nation’s top scorer, James Daneil, who is posting 28.4 points per game, and has taken and attempted the most free throws (116-131) in NCAA Division I. Marcel Boyd is pulling down 9.4 rebounds per contest.

SERIES HISTORY
Monday will be the first meeting between the schools.

COLUMBIA VS. THE MEAC
The Lions are 4-3 against teams currently in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Columbia’s most common foe is North Carolina Central, who they have faced three times (0-3). The Lions will also take on Maryland-Eastern Shore from the MEAC on Jan. 6.

2,5000TH GAME
Monday’s contest marks the 2,500th game in the 115 year history of the program.

ANOTHER RECORD FOR THE CHAIRMAN
Senior Maodo Lo added to his list of Columbia records, tying the Levien Gymnasium mark with eight made 3-pointers against Robert Morris on Dec. 14. He tied the mark initially set by Dragutin Kravic, who knocked down eight from beyond the arc against Yale in March of 2004.

THE FORCE AWAKENS
Junior Luke Petrasek buried a game-winning 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds left to propel Columbia to a 72-71 win at Manhattan on Dec. 9. Petrasek netted a career-high 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting against the Jaspers. He followed that up with a career-high five rejections to go with nine points and seven boards against NJIT to secure Ivy League and Metropolitan Player of the Week honors on Dec. 14.

LIONS SWEEP ‘CHAMPIONS’ WEEK
Columbia closed out the fall semester with a trio of high-quality opponents. The Lions picked up three wins over the likes of two-time defending MAAC Champions Manhattan, NJIT, who reached the semifinals of the 2015 CIT Saturday and last year’s NEC Champions, Robert Morris.

FROM DOWNTOWN
Columbia has been relient on the 3-point shot this season with over half (48.1 percent) of its attempts coming from beyond the arc. The Lions’ 351 attempts are the 11th most and 133 makes are eighth highest in the NCAA. In addition, their 10.2 per game put them 17th in that category.

UP NEXT...

AT STONY BROOK
SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 | 7 P.M.
STONY BROOK, N.Y. | ISLAND FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ARENA

The Seawolves are winners of three-straight heading into their Monday night contest at NJIT. Stony Brook faced off against Columbia twice last season in a non-conference home-and-home. The Seawolves took both games.

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Syracuse Orange Welcomes Texas Southern & ESPNU, Sunday

Syracuse vs. Texas Southern
Game Details	Sunday, Dec. 27 | Syracuse, N.Y. | 2 p.m. Carrier Dome
Game Coverage	TV: ESPNU | ESPN3 Radio: Syracuse IMG Network | Audio | Stats Twitter: @Cuse | @Cuse_MBB Instagram: @cusepics | @cuse_mbb
Syracuse Links	Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
Texas Southern Links	Notes | News | Roster | Schedule

SYRACUSE, New York  --  Syracuse closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule on Sunday, Dec. 27 when it hosts Texas Southern. Game time in the Carrier Dome is set for 2 p.m.

Tickets for Sunday's game are available at Cuse.com, the Carrier Dome Box Office located at Gate B and by calling 1-888-DOMETIX. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN3. Fans can also listen to the game on the Syracuse IMG Radio Network and its flagship station, TK99 in Syracuse.

TOP FIVE STORYLINES

ORANGE LOOKS TO EXTEND WINNING STREAK
Syracuse goes for its third consecutive victory when it takes on Texas Southern. The Orange is coming off an 82-60 victory against Montana State on Dec. 22. The win improved Syracuse's overall record to 9-3 and its home record to 6-1. Grad studentMichael Gbinije led the Orange offense with 17 points.

POWER INSIDE
Syracuse's big men were key in its victory against Montana State. Senior DaJuan Coleman and junior Chinonso Obokoh led the Orange to a 44-22 advantage in points in the paint. Coleman was 5-for-5 from the floor and 3-for-3 from the free throw line for 13 points. Obokoh was 5-for-7 from the field on his way to 11 points. He also pulled down six rebounds.

LYDON CONTINUES STRONG BENCH PLAY
Junior Chinonso Obokoh wasn't the only player to come off the bench and reach double figures in scoring in Syracuse's win against Montana State. Freshman Tyler Lydon was just one rebound shy of a double-double as he finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. He also added four block, two assists and a steal in the victory. Lydon ranks second on the team in rebounding (7.5 rpg.) and fourth in scoring (10.1 ppg.).

SCOUTING TEXAS SOUTHERN
Texas Southern enters Sunday's game on a five-game losing streak and 1-9 overall record. It's only win was a 91-80 victory against UTSA on November 25.Three Tigers average double figures in scoring, led by Derrick Griffin's 16.5 points per game. Malcolm Riley averages 15.9 points per game, while Chris Thomas contributes 14.0 points per contest. Griffin also leads the way on the boards, averaging 10.5 rebounds per game.

THE SERIES
Sunday's game will be the second meeting between Syracuse and Texas Southern. Syracuse won the only other meeting during the 1997-98 season.

UP NEXT…
Syracuse opens ACC play on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at Pittsburgh at 9 p.m.

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SCSU Bulldogs and OSU Buckeyes tip at 6 p.m. Sunday on Big Ten Network

The Ohio State Buckeyes (7-5) vs. South Carolina State Bulldogs (5-8)

 OSU Notes |   SCSU Notes |   Big Ten Notes |

Date: Dec. 27, 2015
Site: Value City Arena (19,049)
Game Time: 6 p.m.
Television: BTN
Talent: Tome Werme (Play-By-Play)
Shon Morris (Expert Analysis)
None (Sideline)
Radio: OSU-IMG Sports Network (56 stations)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 84/XM 84
Local Radio: WBNS-FM 97.1, AM-1460
Radio Talent: Paul Keels (play-by-play)
Ron Stokes (Expert Anelysis)

Starting Five
• Ohio State has shot better from the field than its opponent in 11 of 12 games this season and is 7-5 to date. Ohio State outshot 23 opponents a year ago and was 23-0 in those games. In the Matta era, the Buckeyes have outshot foes 297 times and are 269-28 in those games (.906).
• Since Thad Matta took over the Ohio State program in 2004-05, the Buckeyes have the second most rebounds among Big Ten teams with 13,999. Ohio State also is No. 2 in defensive boards with 9,813. The Buckeyes also are No. 2 in blocks with 1,699.
• Opponents are shooting 75.6 percent (152-201) from the foul line against the Buckeyes, the eighth best nationally. Tulsa foes are shooting 77.9 percent to lead the country. Only one power five conference team is among the Top 20 in free throw percentage defense--Ohio State at No. 8.
• Thad Matta has coached 405 games at Ohio State, the third most in school history. Harold G. Olsen (1923-46) and Fred Taylor (1959-76), have reached 400 or more games at Ohio State. Olsen coached 456 (259-197) and Taylor 455 (297-158).
• Currently, Matta has the second longest tenure in the Big Ten with 12 years on the sidelines in Columbus. Tom Izzo at Michigan State has been with the Spartans over the last 21 seasons.

Matta Owns 11 Wins vs. Top 5 Foes at OSU
Over Thad Matta’s tenure in Columbus (2005-present), the Buckeyes have defeated 11 opponents ranked among the Top 5 in the weekly Associated Press Poll. The most recent win was a 74-67 win over No. 4 Kentucky at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 19, 2015. That game marked the second time an unranked Matta team knocked off a Top 5 foe. The other was his first win over a Top 5 foe while coaching the Buckeyes, a 65-64 win over No. 1 and previously undefeated Illinois March 6, 2005 in the regular season finale for both teams in Columbus. Matta’s Buckeyes have knocked off the nation’s No. 1 team twice, No. 2 three times, No. 3 twice, No. 4 twice and No. 5 twice. Ohio State has four home wins vs. Top 5 in the Matta era, two true road wins and five neutral site victories.

Matta’s 11 wins vs. Top 5 Opponents
Date Opponent AP Rank Score OSU-Opp
3/6/05 Illinois No. 1 65-64
2/25/07 Wisconsin No. 1 49(2)-48
3/11/07 (1) Wisconsin No. 3 66(1)-49
3/24/07 (2) vs. Memphis No. 5 92(1)-76
11/29/12 (3) Duke No. 3 85(2)-63
3/4/12 @Michigan St. No. 5 72(10)-70
3/24/12 (4) vs. Syracuse No. 2 77(7)-70
1/13/13 Michigan No. 2 56(15)-53
2/24/13 Michigan St. No. 4 68(18)-60
3/5/13 @Indiana No. 2 67(14)-58
12/19/15 (5) vs. Kentucky No. 4 74-67
(1)-Big Ten Tournament, United Center, Chicago
(2)-NCAA South Regional Finals, Alamo Dome San Antonio
(3)-Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Value City Arena, Columbus
(4)-NCAA East Regional Finals, TD Garden, Boston
(5)-CBSSports Classic, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Buckeyes Seldom Rejected
In 12 games this season, opponents have blocked just 21 of Ohio State’s 679 field goal attempts, tied for the 10th fewest in the country. Ohio State has blocked 71 of its 685 opponent shot attempts, tied for 17th most5 nationally. Ohio State opponents have rejected just 3.1 percent of the Buckeyes shot attempts while Ohio State swats 10.4 percent of its foes attempts. The Buckeyes are second in the Big Ten in average blocks per game with 5.9.

Ohio State in the Big Ten
Jae’Sean Tate is tied for the No. 7 spot in rebounding with 6.9 boards a game and is No. 3 in steals with 20 total (1.7 spg.). JaQuan Lyle is No. 7 in assists with an average of 4.4 helpers a game. Daniel Giddens is No. 4 in the league in blocks per game at 2.1 a game while Trevor Thompson is No. 10 in rejections with 1.4 a game. Loving is sixth in minutes per game (34.6). As a team, Ohio State is third in steals with an average of 6.9 thefts a game.

Matta Reaches Career, Ohio State History
Thad Matta has made a habit of achieving records and milestones over his coaching career, which spans 16 years. After a season at Butler, three at Xavier and the last 12 in Columbus, Matta coached his 500th career game as a head coach Dec. 13 vs. Morehead State. As an Ohio State head coach, the 13th in the history of the program, Matta set the all-time wins record, surpassing Fred Taylor’s 297 career victories over 18 seasons from 1959-1976, with a 79-73 win vs. Minnesota March 12, 2015 in Chicago. The Minnesota victory also gave him his 400th career win (408-128). Matta teams have never failed to win at least 20 games. His Ohio State teams have averaged 27.2 victories over his 11 full years in Columbus. He coached in his 400th career game (306-98) at Ohio State when the Buckeyes defeated VMI Dec. 5 (89-62).

Scouting South Carolina State
Ohio State and South Carolina State are meeting for the first time. The Bulldogs have started the season 5-8. Wins this season have come against Voorhees College, Longwood, Allen University, Florida A&M and Jacksonville. Losses are to College of Charleston, Eastern Kentucky, Ball State, Kansas State, Bethune-Cookman, Duquesne, St. Bonaventure and Eastern Carolina. The Bulldogs are led by junior guard Eric Eaves (14.3 ppg.), sophomore guard Ed Stephens (13.8 ppg.) and senior forward Gabe McCray (11.1 ppg.) with double digits offensively. Senior center Daryll Palmer is the team’s leading rebounder with 5.5 boards a game.

Ohio State vs. the Mid-Eastern Athletic
Ohio State is 18-0 all-time vs. the current alignment of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Buckeyes are facing the Bulldogs of South Carolina State for the first time. The Buckeyes own wins vs. all conference members except Maryland-Eastern Shore and North Carolina Central, who have never faced the Buckeyes. The last time Ohio State took on a MEAC affiliate was a season ago when the Buckeyes met North Carolina A&T at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus. The Buckeyes, ranked No. 12 at the time, won 97-55. D’Angelo Russell led Ohio State with 21 points followed by Marc Loving and Kam Williams, each with 15. Shannon Scott handed out 12 assists and recorded seven steals. The Buckeyes made 20 of 22 foul shots (.909) and shot 35 of 62 (.565) from the field overall.

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No. 7 Kentucky up Next for TSU Lady Tigers

TENNESSEE STATE (5-6) vs. KENTUCKY (10-0)
MONDAY | DEC. 28 | 5:00 P.M. CT

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE
VIDEO: ESPN3

GAMEDAY
Following the Christmas break, the Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will return to action at Kentucky on Monday, Dec. 28. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum.

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE
Tennessee State is off to a 5-6 start after dropping two straight games at the Lady Griz Classic last weekend. The Lady Tigers fell to Utah State (63-46) before dropping a hard fought contest to Florida Atlantic, 69-64. TSU has lost three of its last four contests.

Juniors I’mani Davis (13.5 ppg) and Jayda Johnson (12.5 ppg) lead TSU in scoring while senior Brianna Lawrence (10.8 ppg) rounds out the top three scorers. These three upperclassmen also lead the Lady Tigers in rebounding.

As a team, TSU is averaging 62.6 points per game and shooting 34.6 percent from the field, including 28.9 percent from beyond the arc and 67.6 percent from the free-throw line.

The Lady Tigers are led by fourth year head coach and Hall of Famer, Larry Joe Inman.

LAST TIME OUT
Tennessee State battled back from a double-digit deficit to take the lead but ultimately fell to Florida Atlantic, 69-64, in the consolation game of the Lady Griz Classic hosted by Montana. Jayda Johnson recorded her third double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Samantha Palma added 12 points. I’mani Davis (11) and Brianna Lawrence (10) also finished with double-digits. Davis was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 13.5 ppg and 7.5 rebounds during the tournament.

ABOUT KENTUCKY
Kentucky is off to a 10-0 start and is the No. 7 ranked team in the nation. The Wildcats are coming off a, 71-61, victory over Duke last Sunday. Evelyn Akhator led UK with 18 points while Janee Thompson (17) and Makayla Epps (17) also notched double-figures.

Epps leads the team in scoring with 17.2 ppg while Thompson turns in 14.1 points per outing. Akhator averages 11.8 ppg and Alexis Jennings (10.2 ppg) rounds out the top scorers for the Wildcats.

As a team, Kentucky is averaging 81.4 points per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from three-point range.

SERIES INFORMATION
TSU will match up with Kentucky for the sixth time in the series history with UK holding a 5-0 series advantage. The two teams last met in the first round of the NCAA on March 20, 2015. TSU fell to UK, 97-52, in Memorial Coliseum.

COVERAGE
Updates on the game will be available throughout the game on the official twitter page via @TSU_Tigers. Links for live stats and live video will also be available on tsutigers.com under the schedule.

UP NEXT
The Lady Tigers will remain on the road and face Youngstown State on Dec. 30. The teams will match up for the fourth time with YSU leading the series 3-0. In the last meeting, the Penguins defeated the Lady Tigers, 73-66 in the inaugural Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic (11/30/14).

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Takes on Tennessee in Knoxville on SEC Network

TENNESSEE STATE (9-3) at TENNESSEE (6-5)

Tuesday, Dec. 29 | 1 p.m. ET (Noon CT)
Thompson-Boling Arena | Knoxville, Tenn. 

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE | TENNESSEE
TV: SEC Network - Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Chris Spatola (color) on the call
RADIO: 102.1 FM The Light - Albert Dawson (play-by-play) and Mark Pittman (color) on the call
LIVE STATS: Statbroadcast.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter - @TSU_Tigers | Instagram -@TSUTigers | #BigBlueRising

OPENING TIP: The Tennessee State men’s basketball team concludes non-conference action with a Dec. 29 game at Tennessee in Knoxville. Tuesday marks the sixth-ever meeting between TSU and Tennessee with the Tigers looking for their first win in the series.

LAST TIME OUT: Completing a stretch with five games in 11 days, TSU suffered a 66-55 road defeat at Illinois State on Dec. 22 at Redbird Arena. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Tigers. Keron DeShields (Baltimore, Md.) scored a game-high 16 points, while Christian Griggs-Williams (Milwaukee, Wisc.) added a career-best 12 points to go with six rebounds for the Tigers. TSU could not overcome a strong shooting effort by Illinois State (6-7), which finished 22-for-47 (46.8 percent) from the field and made nine three-pointers.

ABOUT TENNESSEE: Rick Barnes, the all-time winningest coach in University of Texas history, is now in his first season with the Volunteers in Knoxville. Tennessee, holding a 6-5 record, has faced a number of challenging tests so far this season including games versus Georgia Tech, George Washington, Nebraska, Butler and Gonzaga, among others. Senior Kevin Punter leads Tennessee with 22.1 points and 3.8 assists per game. Three other UT players are averaging double-figures including Armani Moore (15.6 ppg), Robert Hubbs III (13.4 ppg) and Devon Baulkman (11.0 ppg). Tennessee is 6-0 so far at home this season.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. TENNESSEE: TSU has gone 0-5 versus Tennessee in the all-time series, which dates back to Nov. 23, 1990. All of the meetings between the two sides have been in Knoxville.

TSU VERSUS THE SEC: Tennessee State’s all-time record versus teams currently in the SEC is 1-32.  Included in the record is a loss to South Carolina when they were a member of the Metro Conference and a loss to Missouri as a member of the Big 12. TSU’s lone win versus an SEC opponent came on Nov. 20, 2011 in a 64-63 victory at South Carolina.

UP NEXT: The Tigers jump into Ohio Valley Conference play with a Jan. 2 matchup at Southeast Missouri.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Historic Signings Take Place In N.C. A&T Aggie Athletics

(L) Jocelyn Andrews, 5-foot-6, Graham, N.C., Southern Alamance
(R) Deja Smith 5-6, Arlington, Texas, Mansfield Summit
Courtesy: North Carolina A&T State University Sports Information

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- History has been made in North Carolina A&T Athletics just in time for the holidays. N.C. A&T head golf coach Richard Watkins announced on Wednesday the signing of the first two Aggie golf players in the school’s 125-year history.

Jocelyn Andrews (5-foot-6, Graham, N.C., Southern Alamance) and Deja Smith (5-6, Arlington, Texas, Mansfield Summit) will be the answer to a difficult trivia question one day as they are the first two golf signees ever in Aggieland.

“To be able to sign student-athletes of this caliber sets a standard that will attract other quality players to this program,” said Watkins. “I know both players will be assets to the program for years to come. They both love to play which is very important to me as their coach, and both are committed to honing their craft.”

Andrews had tremendous success at Southern Alamance. She qualified for the state tournament as a junior and senior, while being a regional qualifier all four seasons. Andrews was also a four-time all-conference performer. As a senior, she is finished 28th in the state by shooting a 13-over par 85 at Pinehurst No. 6. Earlier in the season, she earned medalist honors for the second straight All-Alamance County match played at the Challenge Golf Club by firing a 3-over 39.

She shot a 5-over 40 to take individual honors to lead Southern Alamance to a one-shot victory at the first All-Alamance County girls match at Indian Valley Municipal Golf Course on Sept. 2, 2015. Andrews plans to major in nursing at N.C. A&T.

“I have already had local contacts just because Jocelyn is known, and her abilities are respected locally,” said Watkins.

Smith was excellent in tournament play. In 2014, she won the Lake Arlington Metro Prep by shooting a 44. She finished fourth at the Shady Valley Golf Tournament with an 89. In 2015, she finished tied for third at the Metro Medalist at Walnut Creek Country Club. At another Metro Medalist tournament, she finished fifth at the Tierra Verde Golf Club. Smith plans to major in food science.

“I know that these two young ladies are both self-motivated, and I expect a quality effort from them because that is what they expect of themselves,” said Watkins.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Morgan State Bears Set To End 2015 at Home Against UC Riverside on Monday

GAME 11: UC RIVERSIDE  (8-5, 0-0 Big West)
Monday, December 28, 2015 • 1:00 p.m. • Hill Field House • Baltimore, Md.
Live Video Stream: n/a
Radio: WEAA, 88.9 FM (weaa.org)
Series Record: UC Riverside leads 1-0
Head Coaches: MSU - Todd Bozeman (152-148, 10th yr) • UCR Dennis Cutts (32-43, 4th)
Website: MSU - www.morganstatebears.com; www.gohighlanders.com

Click for GAMEDAY
 
BEARS SET TO END 2015 AT HOME AGAINST UC RIVERSIDE ON MONDAY
The Morgan State Bears will wrap a three-game homestand Monday, December 28 when they host the UC Riverside Highlanders. UCR will enter the contest riding a 3-game winning streak, while the Bears will attempt to snap a 5-game losing streak. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m at Hill Field House.
 
PREVIEWING THE HIGHLANDERS
• UC Riverside returns four starters and seven letterwinners from its 2014-15 squad that went 14-17, and went 7-9 and placed fifth in Big West Conference play.
• Dennis Cutts (State University of New York at Albany, '90) enters his 4th season as the Highlanders' head men's basketball coach. He currently holds a 32-43 record.
• UC Riverside was picked 5th in the 2015-16 Big West Preseason Poll.
• UC Riverside is looking to finish in the upper echelon of the conference behind senior standouts Taylor Johns and Jaylen Bland.  Johns was named All-Big West First Team after finishing in the conference's top three in scoring and rebounding, while Bland was tabbed the 2014-15 Big West Newcomer of the Year as he led the league with 95 three-pointers. 
• Senior Jaylan Bland is currently leading the Highlanders by averaging 17.2 points per game on 40 percent shooting from the field and has also connected on 48-of-118 (.404) from 3-point territory. Taylor Johns (15.8 ppg) and Secean (10.8 ppg) are also averaging double-figures.
• UC Riverside is shooting 44 percent from the floor as a team and has connected on 110-of-297 (.370) 3-pointers.
• UC Riverside used a 12-0 run to open the second half, turning a three-point lead into a 15-point advantage en route to a 63-54 victory over visiting Denver Tuesday. Taylor Johns, who was held without a shot in the first half, scored eight points in the run, finishing with 14. Jaylen Bland scored 14 of the Highlanders 29 first-half points, and finished with a game-high 20.
 
THE SERIES
• Monday night will mark the second meeting between the teams.
• Dec. 31, 2014 - Taylor Johns scored 31 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as UC Riverside had to fight off a determined Morgan State for a 68-63 win. Morgan State (2-12), which last won when it beat UC Irvine 63-62 on December 16, scored 11 unanswered points to start the game. A jumper by Donte Pretlow gave the Bears a 26-9 lead at the 7:57 mark, its largest lead of the night.  They were up 37-24 at the half. UC Riverside opened the second half with a 16-7 run to close to 44-40. The Highlanders then chipped away at the lead until Steven Thornton's two free throws gave them their first lead 59-57 with 3:41 left. Johns drove in for a layup with 17 seconds remaining to secure the win. Jaylen Bland hit 4 of 7 from beyond the arc to total 18 points and Thornton chipped in 12 for UC Riverside (7-5). Blake Bozeman had 13 and Cedric Blossom andTorin Childs-Harris added 11 apiece for Morgan State. Zech Smith came up just shy of a double-double by posting nine points and nine rebounds to go along with three blocked shots. 
 
NEXT UP
Morgan State will travel west to wrap the non-conference slate when they face Bakersfield on Thursday, Dec. 31. The Bears will bring in the New Year at CSU Northridge on Saturday,  Jan. 2
 
AT THE HELM
Todd Bozeman enters his 10th year at the helm as Morgan State men's head coach. The Bears have participated in six of the last nine MEAC Tournament championships, captured back-to-back-MEAC Titles, and made appearances in the NIT and two NCAA Tournaments.
 
BEWARE THE BEAR
Under the direction of Todd Bozeman, Morgan State has collected a couple of memorable wins against big-time opponents. The Bears have recorded historic wins against: Long Island (2009); Manhattan (2009); Arkansas (2009); DePaul (2008); and Maryland (2009).
 
HOME GROWN 
Morgan State has five (5) players from the DMV (D.C., Maryland & Metropolitan-D.C.) area, including two from Baltimore. Senior Donte Pretlow (Dunbar High) and redshirt junior Cliff Cornish (North County) are both from Baltimore. Senior Cedric Blossom (Montrose Christian) is from Columbia and senior Andrew Hampton is from Germantown (Seneca Valley), while freshman Anthony Tate (Takoma Academy) is from Fort Washington.
 
COMFORTABLE AT HILL FIELD HOUSE 
Todd Bozeman has won at least 10 home games in three of his eight seasons in Baltimore. The 2007-08 (12-1) and 2009-10 (11-1) squads finished with just a single loss, while the 2010-11 squad went 10-2. Bozeman has led the Bears to a 72-32 (.692) overall home record at Hill Field House.

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

NCAA Committee approves plan to assist limited-resource and HBCU schools

Committee on Academics members seek to support academic success

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The Committee on Academics approved a plan Wednesday to continue to assist limited-resource schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in improving the academic success of their student-athletes.

Traditionally, Academic Progress Rates of teams at limited-resource schools and HBCUs have lagged behind the rates of teams at other Division I schools, though the rate for these schools has increased 16 points in the last four years. Teams from those schools also are penalized more often for academic shortcomings. These schools often have a clearly stated mission to provide access to educational opportunities to a broad group of students, including those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend college.

An advisory group comprised of representatives from limited-resource schools and HBCUs studied the issue and recommended a three-part plan. The plan includes a continuation of the existing filters, with a subtle shift in how schools use filters that relieve them of Academic Performance Program penalties. Also, the recommendations involve stronger requirements for schools writing and implementing Academic Progress Rate improvement plans and a robust educational component.

Greg Burke, athletics director at Northwestern State University and a member of the Committee on Academics, chaired the advisory group.

“We agreed that all Division I schools must be committed to the foundational principle of the Academic Performance Program and the academic success of students,” Burke said. “At the same time, these schools serve a very important role and serve an under-represented population in many cases. We tried to balance both of those considerations with our recommendations to the Committee on Academics.”

Under the new recommendations, the filters that allowed schools to escape penalties based on various factors – including resource level, mission and academic improvement – would be available only twice over a five-year period. The filters had been available every year. The committee will revisit this issue at the close of the five-year period.

Additionally, a more rigorous review of the APR improvement plans required of every school that uses a filter will be employed. New criteria for improvement plans will be refined by the committee, but could require:

Schools to directly relate their improvement plans to previously identified critical issues.

Schools to set performance-based, outcome-specific goals for both the long- and short-term and describe how goals will be achieved.

Schools to develop plans with broad-based campus support, including from the highest-ranking academic authority, faculty and technology staff.

A school’s president or chancellor and the APR improvement plan team to present the improvement plan in a video conference with the NCAA staff.

Also, follow-up reports signed by the school’s president or chancellor must demonstrate that initiatives from the plan were implemented.

Finally, the committee approved a comprehensive educational programming approach aimed at helping schools improve academic performance. The educational initiatives will be refined by the committee in the spring, but may include programming designed for individual campus administrators (e.g., athletics directors, head coaches, faculty athletics representatives, presidents), and provide education and enhanced conference involvement. Additional elements will be added over the coming months.

COURTESY NCAA MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU had plenty of bright spots in a rough 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M’s 2015 was had plenty of lows, but the uplifting moments were there for sure.

All signs point to a bright 2016.

The year began with a tragedy. Nelson Townsend, an HBCU icon, died of a heart attack at the age of 73 three weeks after taking over as FAMU’s interim athletic director. Coaches and administrators were left in mourning after Townsend’s death, as many thought he’d be the one to bring stability to the athletic department after years of turmoil.

Still, the Rattlers carried on. The baseball team won a conference title and went to its first-ever NCAA tournament. Darlene Moore, head coach of the entire track program, picked up two more conference titles (women’s outdoor track and field and cross country). The softball program won a conference title and went to the NCAA tournament.

Not all sports shared the success. FAMU’s football and men’s basketball teams both had dismal seasons.

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