USF edges FAMU in fourth straight nail-biter, 73-70

TAMPA, Florida  -- If USF keeps prevailing like this, coach Stan Heath won't just need a bracketologist. He'll need a cardiologist.

Depending on one's perspective, the Bulls (8-2) either played down to their opposition or up to their propensity for high drama, or both, Thursday against Florida A&M. Either way, their 73-70 victory was their fourth in a row by one possession. That hasn't happened for this program since 1979.

Only the latest escape left Heath far more flummoxed and, at times, furious than inspired.

"I wish I could explain our team, but I can't," said Heath, whose squad boards a plane this morning for Las Vegas, where it faces Mississippi State on Sunday in the third round of the Las Vegas Classic. "Florida A&M outhustled us, outworked us, outscrapped us. It hurts me to my heart to say that, but we slipped out with the win."

Two nights after needing double overtime and a waved-off buzzer-beater to defeat Florida Gulf Coast 68-66, and before that Alabama 66-64 and George Mason 68-66, the Bulls got a baseline 3-pointer from Corey Allen (career-high 22 points) with 37 seconds to play to put them ahead 72-70.



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Jerry Mack named NC Central's new football coach

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- N.C. Central’s new head football coach will be Jerry Mack, wide receivers coach at South Alabama, university officials announced Thursday.

“His energy during his interviews and how he articulated his vision, not just academics but everything,” Athletic Director Ingrid Wicker-McCree said. “His presence and how he’s been prepared professionally, that’s what you want for our young men and women. That type of knowledge.”

Mack, 33, who has no head coaching experience, will have the challenge of rebuilding a program after the firing of Henry Frazier III. He has also been an assistant at four other D-I programs: Jackson State, Central Arkansas, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Memphis, dating back to 2006. Mack was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2010, where the offense ranked in the top 30 in the country at the Football Championship Subdivision level.

He spent two years at South Alabama, helping three individuals finish among the top five on the school’s season record lists for receptions and receiving yards.

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Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/12/19/3473065/south-alabama-mack-expected-to.html#storylink=cpy

Alcorn State president resigns amid investigation

M. Christopher Brown II

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  Alcorn State University President M. Christopher Brown II has resigned amid an investigation into university purchasing practices.

The resignation was announced Thursday by Higher Education Commissioner Hank Bounds.

Bounds said a continuing investigation into purchasing practices has already led to the resignation of two other Alcorn employees. They include special assistant for university initiatives Jeremy Mason and former Chief Financial Officer Betty Roberts.

Bounds said the College Board has turned over its findings to state Auditor Stacey Pickering and the state Ethics Commission. That's an indication that civil or criminal penalties could be pending against those involved.

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Message from Dr. Hank M. Bounds, Commissioner of Higher Education

Lorman, Miss. (December 19, 2013) - Good afternoon. While change is not always easy, we all understand that it is part of life. Alcorn State University is a strong institution that has weathered many changes during its history and has always held firm to its mission of teaching, research and service. The close of this semester brings change to the university, but I have no doubts that the university will continue serving its students and community with the commitment and dedication that is such a part of the fabric of Alcorn State University.

Alcorn State University President M. Christopher Brown II stepped down today. The Board of Trustees and I appreciate his service to the university.

Dr. Norris Edney, former Interim President for Alcorn State University, will serve as Acting President, effective immediately. I appreciate his willingness to serve in this important role.

Board President Bob Owens will appoint a search committee and begin the search process in the very near future.

Alcorn State University does an excellent job of serving our state, particularly the residents of Southwest Mississippi. You have an important mission and play a vital role in our university system. I want to assure the faculty, staff, students and alumni that the Board is committed to moving quickly to begin the search process for the next President of Alcorn State University.

Thank you for your commitment to Alcorn State University and helping to write the next chapter in the institution’s history.

Alcorn State University is a premier comprehensive land-grant university that develops diverse students into globally competitive leaders, and applies scientific research through collaborative partnerships that benefit the surrounding communities, state, nation, and world.

ON TV TONIGHT: Miami Hurricanes at Savannah State Tigers - 7PM ET

Dec. 19, 2013 | 7 p.m.
Savannah, Ga. | Tiger Arena

TV:  CSS  |  CSN California | CSN Mid-Atlantic | TCN Philly

Radio: 640 WMEN | Sirius 85 | XM 85
Web: http://wftlsports.com

Miami 5-5

Game Notes | Stats | Record Book | Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results

The GameMiami hits the road to face Savannah State in Georgia on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.

The Series
Miami is 3-0 in the all-time series against Savannah State, which dates back to the 1988-1989 season. The Canes are 3-0 against the Tigers at home. Miami was won three straight matchups against Savannah State, defeating the Tigers, 107-98, on March 2, 1989; on Nov. 30, 2002 they defeated Savannah State 91-57, and most recently downed the Tigers 105-65 on Jan. 3, 2004, all in Coral Gables.

The Broadcasts
Catch the game on CSS with Mike Morgan and Bobby Cremins making the call. Also check out the game on 560 WQAM Radio with Joe Zagacki.

The Coach
Head coach Jim Larrañaga has a 524-359 overall record in his 30th season as a head coach. He is 54-25 in his third season at the University of Miami.

The Weather
Projected temperatures on game day: Coral Gables - 78/72. Savannah, Ga.- 70/53.

Up Next
Miami returns to the BankUnited Center for a pair of non-conference matchups against La Salle on Dec. 22 at 3 p.m. and Loyola at 7 p.m. on Dec. 30.

Rion Brown Returns to Georgia
Senior guard Rion Brown returns to his home state of Georgia when the Canes play Savannah State. Brown grew up in Hinesville and played for Liberty County. His father, Tico, played at Georgia Tech and in the CBA, primarily for the Savannah Spirits.

Miami in National Stats
The Canes are ranked No. 47 nationally in turnovers per game, with just 10.7 per game. Miami has had less turnovers than its opponent in six games, and is forcing opponents into 11.6 turnovers per game.

Round Two with Savannah State
This fall the then-ranked No. 16/17 Miami football team defeated Savannah State 77-7 on Sept. 21, 2013.

COURTESY Hurricanesports.com Release

SU unveils logo to commemorate 2013 SWAC title

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- The significance of claiming the program's first SWAC championship since 2003 will now be forever immortalized for Southern football fans who witnessed the Jaguars crowning achievement inside Reliant Stadium.

Southern University athletics and Harley Creative have partnered to create the school's 2013 SWAC Champions logo which commemorates the Jaguars 34-27 double overtime win over Jackson State to claim the league's title in Houston Dec. 7. The Jaguars, which finished 9-4, 7-2 in SWAC play, recorded the program's first winning season in three seasons.

The mark, which features the Eddie Robinson trophy and the interlocking "SU" logo in a columbia blue and gold palette, was developed by Harley Creative, a Smyrna, Ga. based graphic design company which has created similar national championship artwork for the University of Alabama (2011) and Auburn (2010).

Harley Creative also has an extensive working relationship with the Southwestern Athletic Conference dating back to 2008, providing several championship logos including the 2013 SWAC Football Championship and Battle of the Bands and the 2014 SWAC Basketball Tournament.

"I’ve been working with the SWAC on their championship marks for quite a number of years, so it was a real thrill to get the call to work with one of their institutions,” said T.J. Harley, owner of Harley Creative.

Championship merchandise with the new logo are available for purchase online at GoJagsGear.com at a 10 percent discount for fans for a limited time. Retailers interested in selling the gear with the official championship logo must be licensed CLC vendors in order to acquire the mark.

Harley Creative  

SU 2013 SWAC Football Championship Merchandise

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU basketball continues road stretch at USF today

TAMPA, Florida  -- There’s no championship on the line and even with the odds against FAMU for its men’s basketball game tonight against South Florida, the Rattlers’ fans are planning to make their team feel at home in the Sundome.

For more than a week, FAMU alum Michael Reid has been encouraging FAMU fans in Tampa and surrounding area to show up in support of the Rattlers. His appeal comes at a time when the Rattlers are in the midst of a four-game road trip that began Tuesday in Mississippi and will end Dec. 24 after a tournament in Las Vegas.

Having a larger-than-usual crowd of supporters on the road couldn’t come at a better time, said coach Clemon Johnson. The Rattlers (2-7) were headed to Tampa on Wednesday morning after playing in Starkville, Miss., where they lost 78-65 to Mississippi State.

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Southern University signs football coach Dawson Odums to a three-year extension

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Southern University and football coach Dawson Odums have agreed in principle to a multi-year contract extension that will keep the 2013 SWAC Coach of the Year in Baton Rouge through 2017, the school announced Thursday.

Terms of the extension included a three-year extension in addition to the one-year remaining on his contract, at a base salary of $175,000.

Athletics Director Dr. William Broussard is expected to present the contract for final approval at the SU Board of Supervisors meeting in early January 2014.

"I'm pleased to extend this offer to Coach Odums as a commitment to continued student-athlete success at Southern," said Broussard. "We look forward to continuing to win and win the right way with him at the helm of the program."

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South Alabama's Jerry Mack to be named N.C. Central head coach, according to report

MOBILE, Alabama -- South Alabama receivers coach Jerry Mack will be named the head coach at North Carolina Central University, www.coachingsearch.com is reporting.

Mack just completed his second season as receivers coach for the Jaguars.
 

This would be Mack's first head coaching stint. In a telephone interview with Alabama Media Group recently, Mack confirmed he was a candidate for the position.
 

South Alabama head coach Joey Jones told AMG today he expects Mack to be named the school's head coach.
 

The former Arkansas State receiver has been an assistant coach at Delta State, Jackson State, Central Arkansas, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Memphis prior to arriving in Mobile.

 

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The HBCU Head Football Coaches Help Wanted Ads

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- If you thought the excitement was over for 2013 HBCU football season, guess again.  This is usually the time of the year that university administrators make their moves to improve their "cash cow" football programs at the FCS and Division II levels.

But this season is very unusual with some big names in the profession being bounced out the door.  We thought the Doug Williams (Grambling) situation was a head twister; but perennial winner  -- Rick Comegy being kicked off the Jackson State campus is beyond reasonable comprehension. 

If you listened to the JSU press conference yesterday, the official statements by the school provided more questions than a straight forward answer to Why?  This is a  head scratch and it will be interesting to see who this administration will select to take them to the next level.  Call it progress if you may, but I recall the Tigers 2-8 seasons before Comegy.

Everyone has an opinion....JSU College Football Hall of Famer Willie Richardson shared his perspective on the Comegy firing and the possible path forward on ESPN The Zone yesterday.  Take a listen.

If you have been reading the universities' vacancy releases, did you recall a requirement for recruitment limitations within 50 miles of main campus; or football players must be as disciplined as the professors on campus 24/7; or the coach must win 100 percent of SWAC games each season?

I didn't see that either. 

So, what the heck was JSU director of university communications, Eric Stringfellow talking about? 

Was he making it all up as he went through the press conference?  And where was the athletic director during this important announcement?  Maybe she was preparing the help wanted ads for the coaches magazine, while Coach was being booted unceremoniously out the door after his 8-4 (8-1 SWAC) competitive championship season. 

Third in all-time wins in JSU history wasn't good enough, they said.

Coach Comegy has 20 years under his belt as a head football coach with a career record of 172-65-2, winner of 0.723 of games played.  But, its not all about wins and losses, they said. 

One of his mentors, William "Billy" Joe (Central State/FAMU/Miles) is in the College Football Hall of Fame with a record of 200-74-2 (0.728), based upon information in the football data warehouse http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com. 

Good luck with that new hire, JSU Tigers.

Interesting.

Hampton University got their man in former Division II Winston-Salem State Head Coach Connell Maynor (45-6).  No doubt, Maynor is the real deal and the Pirates instantly becomes a targeted destination for premier division I Florida, North Carolina and Hampton Roads football talent.  My guess is it won't take Coach Maynor long to make the Pirates a feared powerhouse on the FCS level.  Dr. William R. Harvey and Hampton University IS the standard of excellence. Soon, the same will be said of the Pirates football program with Maynor calling the shots.

Enough of my opinions (everyone has an opinion), now the rest of the story on the coaching vacancies and new head football coach appointments (in bold)

1. Grambling State: Broaderick Fobbs    Previous: Doug Williams;  George Ragsdale (Interim) and Dennis "Dirt" Winston (Interim)

2. Alabama A&M:  TBA    Previous: Anthony Jones

3. Hampton: Connell Maynor   Previous: Donovan Rose

4. Mississippi Valley State: TBA;  Previous: Karl Morgan

5. Jackson State: TBA   Previous: Rick Comegy

7. North Carolina Central:  *Jerry Mack     Previous: Henry Frazier III; Dwayne Foster (Interim)

8. Morgan State: TBA   Previous: Donald Hill-Eley

9. Winston-Salem State:  TBA   Previous: Connell Maynor

10. Virginia Union:   TBA   Previous: Michael Bailey

11. Central State (Ohio):  TBA (Darrell Suber (Interim))   Previous: E.J. Junior

12. Kentucky State: Josh Dean   Previous: Josh Dean (Interim)

13. Livingstone: Daryl Williams    Previous: Daryl Williams ( Interim)

14. Virginia University - Lynchburg: Luther Palmer   Previous: Willard Bailey

15. Edward Waters College: Alvin Wyatt, Sr.    Previous: Brad Bernard

16. Norfolk State: Seeking Offensive Coordinator   TBA   Previous: Howard Feggins

* To be announced today.

If we missed anyone, please let us know.

-beepbeep

HU Lady Pirates Storm Back, Steal Win at Drexel

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania  –  The Hampton University women's basketball team found itself down by 14 points at halftime Wednesday night at the Daskalakis Athletic Center, but the Lady Pirates stormed back in the second half to beat Drexel 50-47.

It was the third straight win for the Lady Pirates (8-3).

Senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) led the Lady Pirates with 18 points – 12 of which came in the second half – and a team-high six assists and three blocks. Senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) added 13 points and a team-high 14 rebounds.

Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) added 11 points, and redshirt-sophomore forward Brielle Ward (Baltimore, Md.) grabbed 13 rebounds.

Drexel led by six with 3:48 to play, 45-39, before Hamilton scored six straight points – a layup, a jumper, and another layup with 1:11 left to tie the game at 45-45. Tate-DeFreitas gave the Lady Pirates their first lead of the night with two free throws with 1:03 left, putting Hampton up 47-45.

Sarah Curran tied the game at 47-47 with a layup with 50 seconds left, before Bennett hit a free throw with 32 seconds left to give Hampton a 48-47 lead.

Hamilton knocked down a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left, and Meghan Creighton's 3-pointer at the buzzer sailed long to complete the Lady Pirates' comeback.

Drexel led 32-18 at the break, closing the first half with an 11-4 run after Hamilton cut the Dragons' lead to 21-14 at the 5:44 mark with a fastbreak layup. Rachel Pearson was a big reason for Drexel's early success, hitting five 3-pointers in the first half.

She had 17 points at the break.

But the Lady Pirates opened the second half by holding Drexel scoreless until the 12:29 mark, when Pearson hit a layup to end a 9-0 Hampton run and give the Dragons a 34-27 lead. But that was Pearson's only basket of the second half.

Bennett hit a jumper at the 10:16 mark to cut the lead to 34-31, but Drexel held the Lady Pirates at bay, leading by as many as six on several occasions – including a 45-39 edge with 3:48 to play after Curran hit a pair of free throws.

The Lady Pirates shot 30.9 percent (21-for-68) from the floor and made just two of their 22 3-pointers, but Hampton held a 45-39 edge on the glass and forced Drexel into 20 turnovers – which turned into 13 Hampton points.

Drexel (4-6) shot 35.4 percent (17-for-48) from the floor, but only shot 25.0 percent (6-for-24) in the second half. After going 6-for-9 from distance in the first half, the Dragons were just 1-for-10 from 3-point range in the second half.

Pearson led Drexel with 19 points, but only scored two after the half.

The Lady Pirates will return to the HU Convocation Center on Saturday to take on Kansas State at 4 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

 

Box Score

 

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

MSU Lady Bears Overcome Second Half Deficit; Defeat Towson, 69-63

BALTIMORE, Maryland  --  Tracey Carrington scored 30 of her career- and game-high 35 points in the second half to lead Morgan State to a 69-63 come-from-behind victory over crosstown rival Towson on Wednesday evening at Hill Field House.

The Lady Bears (2-7), who trailed 30-24 at the intermission and by as much as 12 points in the second half, ended their five-game losing skid with the win, while also avenging last season's four-point loss at Towson.

Carrington, who shot just 1-for-7 in the first half, finished 8-for-19 from the field and connected on 18-of-19 from the free throw line. The Baltimore native also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. Danielle Forrest added 11 points on 3-for-4 shooting all from three-point range.

Towson (5-5), which was making its first trip to Hill Field House since the 2003-04 season, was led by Tanisha McTiller, who recorded a double-double with a team-high 20 points and 12 rebounds. McTiller also added team and game highs in assists with six and steals with two. Dominique Johnson added 18 points, while Nyree Williams had a game-high three blocks and tied McTiller with a game-high 12 rebounds to help the Tigers outrebound Morgan State, 51-35.

The Lady Bears faced a 48-36 deficit after a layup by McTiller gave the visiting Tigers a 12-point lead with 11 minutes remaining in the game. That's when Morgan State began to put things together, scoring 18 consecutive points in the midst of a 22-2 run a little under six minutes to take a 58-50 lead with 5:14 to play.

Towson would get within three points on three separate occasions, the last coming at 66-63, following a layup by Johnson with 21 seconds remaining. But the Tigers would get no closer, as Morgan State, whose final 13 points of the game all came at the free throw line, sealed the deal at the line with three more for the win.

The Lady Bears finished the game shooting 26-of-29 (89.7 percent) from the charity line, while Towson was 12-of-25 for 48 percent at the free throw line.

Morgan State will be off for 10 days for the Christmas break, before heading to Coral Gables, Fla. to take on host Miami in the opener of the Miami Holiday Classic (Dec. 28-29). The Lady Bears and host Hurricanes will tip-off at 1 p.m. on Saturday and will either meet Western Carolina or New Mexico on Sunday at either 1 or 4 p.m. All games will be played at the BankUnited Center.

Box Score

By Kevin Paige, MSU Athletics Media Relations
COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Texas Southern Tops Temple, 90-89, Behind Aaric Murray's 48 Points Record-Setting Performance

Box Score (PDF) l Photo Gallery | Dunphy Interview | Player Interviews

ESPN Watch Replay 

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania  -- After a furious comeback gave Temple men's basketball a one-point lead with 14 seconds remaining, the Owls came up just short in the end, falling 90-89 to Texas Southern (4-7) on Wednesday night. The Tigers' Aaric Murray scored 48 points to set both the Liacouras Center record and the record for most points scored by an opposing player against Temple.

Dalton Pepper rebounded a missed shot for the Owls (4-5) with one second remaining, but his shot at the buzzer was ruled too late after review.

Hitting 8-of-9 from the field, Temple's Quenton DeCosey scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Owls, who also had four other players finish in double figures. Anthony Lee scored 18, Will Cummings finished with 16, Pepper scored 14 and Daniel Dingle scored a career-high 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Pepper was not far off a triple-double, adding eight rebounds and a career-high eight assists to his 14 points.

In addition to his records set as a Temple opponent, Murray's 48 points are the most by any player in NCAA Division I so far this season.

Temple trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half before mounting a comeback down the stretch. Lee hit 2-of-2 at the line for an 89-88 Temple lead with 14 seconds remaining, but the Tigers' Madarious Gibbs was fouled at the other end after collecting an offensive rebound. He hit 2-of-2 as well, with seven seconds remaining, for the final margin.

The shooting percentages were impressive for both teams, particularly in the first half. Texas Southern shot 59 percent in the contest, while Temple hit at a 56 percent clip.

The first half was a high-scoring affair with a combined 87 points scored by the break. Both teams shot over 60 percent, with Texas Southern edging the Owls just slightly, 64 percent to 62 percent.

Murray had 21 first-half points for the Tigers, while DeCosey led Temple with 11 points, shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor.

Texas Southern jumped out to an early eight-point, 16-8 lead in the first five minutes, but it would be its largest lead of the half. Sparked by a three-pointer from Jimmy McDonnell, Temple used a 9-1 run to tie the game at 17-17 just past the 12-minute mark.

The Tigers went on to lead by six points on three more occasions, the final time at 32-26. The Owls then hit their next six shots in a row from the field to tie the game at 40-40. Texas Southern went back ahead by five before Pepper hit a buzzer-beating jumper to close the gap to 45-42 at halftime.

Murray scored on his first four field goal attempts of the second half, and the Tigers quickly increased a three-point halftime lead to 12, 58-46 at 16:19. They went on to lead by as many as 14, 63-49 at 14:34.

Near the midway point of the second half, an 8-2 run got the Owls within seven, 69-62 at 10:38, but Murray struck again with a three-pointer to get his team's lead back to double digits.

Trailing by seven, 78-71 with just under seven minutes remaining, Temple used a 13-5 run to come within a point, 83-82 with 1:20 remaining. The run was capped by a steal and fast break dunk for Pepper. The Tigers then went back ahead by six thanks to a pair of buckets from Murray over a 10-second stretch.

Cummings hit a falling-down three-pointer at 36 seconds to cut the deficit to three, and Dingle scored a putback at 16 seconds to bring Temple within a point, 88-87. He was fouled but missed the free throw, leading to an offensive rebound for Lee, who was fouled and hit two shots for the one-point lead.

Temple will have just two full days off before its next game, a 5:30 p.m. contest vs. Long Island at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Saturday, Dec. 21.

COURTESY TEMPLE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

North Carolina Central Eagles Outduel Winthrop

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- The rust of an 11-day layoff for North Carolina Central University didn't take much time to shake off as the Eagles outlasted Winthrop University 72-66, to earn their 13th straight victory inside McDougald-McLendon Gym on Wednesday night.

In a game that included five lead changes and 17 combined three-pointers, Winthrop made a statement from the opening tip, flying out to an 11-3 lead, highlighted by two Keon Johnson shots from behind-the-arc.

NCCU countered with a 13-4 run of their own with Reggie Groves (Raleigh, N.C.) and Jordan Parks (Queens, N.Y.), providing a boost off- the-bench, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to give NCCU its first lead of the game 16-15.

With the score tied at 27, the maroon and gray forced two consecutive WU turnovers, in which NCCU converted into five straight points to take a 32-27 lead with 2:21 left in the half.  In fact, the host Eagles turned 10 Winthrop mistakes into 16 first half points.

A  Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.) three-pointer at the top of the key with eight seconds left in the first stanza helped the maroon and gray take momentum into the locker room, with a 39-32 advantage, their largest of the first half.

Entering the second half, Winthrop eyed a comeback, outscoring the Eagles 8-to-4 cutting the margin to three at 43-40, which was followed up by Emanuel Chapman's lone shot from deep to spring the margin back to six at 46-40.

Thanks in part to WU's Josh Davenport, who scored 12 of his 15 points in the second half, the visiting Eagles climbed all the way back in the contest. With 10:51 to go in the game, an Andre Smith three-pointer put Winthrop in front at 53-51. That marked the first lead for WU since 6:51 mark in the first half.

With their backs against the wall, the maroon and gray refused to be denied, executing down-the-stretch with the prime example coming with 7:25 to go when Groves drilled his third shot from deep to give NCCU the advantage at 58-56.

A 4-1 spurt gave the Eagles a 62-57 lead with 6:04 to go, prompting Winthrop head coach Pat Kelsey to call a 30-second timeout.

A Keon Johnson 25-foot three-pointer cut the deficit to 62-60, but that was as close as the visiting Eagles got on the night as the maroon and gray shot 6-of-8 from the foul line to clinch the win.

Three student-athletes scored in double figures, led by Ingram's 24 points, Parks chipped-in with 18 points, while Groves contributed with 12 points. Ingram is now No.  29 in all-time scoring with 1,026 career points, passing former Eagle C.J. Wilkerson.

Emanuel Chapman (Raleigh, N.C.) recorded nine assists with just two turnovers, to make him the first Eagle in school history to amass over 460 assists in a career. Chapman currently has 465 career helpers and with his two steals on the night he moved to ninth on NCCU's all-time steals list with 126 thefts in his career.

Josh Davenport led the way for Winthrop with 15 points, along with 12 points from Keon Johnson, while current Big South player of the week Joab Jerome added 11 points in defeat.

The host Eagles outscored Winthrop 30-to-20 in-the-paint and converted 18 turnovers into 23 points.

During NCCU head coach LeVelle Moton's tenure the Eagles are 35-2 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.

NCCU (7-2) shifts its focus to Sunday, Dec. 22, as the Eagles travel to Wichita, Kansas to face  nationally-ranked Wichita State University. Tipoff between the maroon and gray and the No. 9/11 Shockers inside Charles Koch Arena slated for 8:00 p.m. (EST).

For more information about NCCU athletics, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.

Box Score

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton University Press Conference to Introduce Coach Connell Maynor on Friday

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- The Hampton University Department of Athletics will hold a press conference on Friday at 2 p.m. in the team meeting room at Armstrong Stadium to introduce Connell Maynor as the new head football coach.

Maynor will come to Hampton from Winston-Salem State, where he went 45-6 in four seasons. He will be the university's 20th head football coach.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Talladega Lady Tornades beat second NCAA Division I opponent Arkansas Pine Bluff 77-75

Tianna Jones
5'-6"Guard
Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  -- Senior Tianna Jones hit a layup with 2 seconds left as the  Lady Tornadoes knocked off the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Lions 77-75 Tuesday night at H.O. Clemmons Arena .

Talladega lead 75-69 3:13 in the game. A free throws and layup by UAPB tie the game at 75 with 10.1 second left in the game. Following a timeout by Talladega College, Jones took the inbound pass and ran down the left sideline before forcing up the layup – handing the Lady Lions the lost.

Talladega College, which was ranked 13th in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 poll coming into Tuesday's game, trailed by as much as 12 points in the first half. They close the half with a 14-3 run to cut the deficit to 35-34 before halftime.

Talladega was lead in by Ryann Drear with 23 points. Arielle George 18 points.  The Lady Tornadoes went 8-20 from behind the arc and 45 percent from the field.  Talladega also went 21-28 from the free throw for 75 percent.

This mark the second time this season Talladega beat NCAA Division I opponent.  On November 14 Talladega beat Samford 50-49.

Talladega 11-1 returns to action January 4 for a  home conference game against Dillard University. Tipoff at 3:00 pm.

COURTESY TALLADEGA COLLEGE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Justin Black Leads MSU Bears by High Point, 85-74

BALTIMORE, Maryland  --   Justin Black scored 23 points to lead five Morgan State players in double figures as the Bears defeated High Point 85-74 on Wednesday night at Hill Field House.

The Bears (3-7), led 43-36 at halftime and used a 13-2 run midway through the second half to help extend to their largest lead of 17 points, 72-55, with 9:22 left. The Panthers wouldn't get closer than nine after that.

With the win, Morgan State improved its series record against High Point to 2-0, and the Bears notched its second win in a row.

Black finished the game shooting 8-for-18 from the field and including a game-high six steals to go with three rebounds. Ian Chiles added 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

The Bears (3-7) hit 29 of 57 shots for 50.9 percent, outscoring the Panthers 46-18 in the paint. The Bears also collected 11 steals, six by Black, and scored 23 points off 19 High Point turnovers.

Anthony Hubbard added 13 points and eight boards, while Blake Bozeman added 12 points and Shaquille Duncan had 10.

High Point (3-6), which extended to a four-game losing streak, was paced by John Brown who led all scorers with 26 points and went 14-for-17 from the free throw line. Baltimore native (Dunbar HS) collected a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Morgan State hit 24-of-41 (58 percent) from the free throw line, while High Point shot 82 percent (23-28).

Box Score 

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS        

ASU Lady Hornets Win Thriller In Final Seconds Against FAMU

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  With 29.7 seconds left in the game the Alabama State women's basketball team captured their fifth straight home victory an impressive fashion behind a Nakiya Smith jump shot Tuesday night, at the Dunn Oliver Acadome with a the final score of 64-63 against the Florida A&M Rattlers.

"It was a very tough game," said head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson. "Tonight we managed to contain their top scorer Jasmine Grice down the stretch when the game got close; Taila Arrington did a fantastic job on defense forcing her into tough shots and situations,"said Freeman-Jackson.


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In the first half the game was knotted early with a 2-2 tie at the 19:31 mark, the Lady Hornets went on to advance the score taking  their largest lead of the half , 11 points with 5:15 left in the opening half. The Rattlers began chipping away pulling within three points going into the locker room (31-28). 

The senior duo of Smith and Quentori Alford led the Lady Hornets in scoring. Smith had 18 points, while Alford pitched in 13 points and three rebounds. From off the bench freshman Kayla Tucker stepped up and contributed 12 points all of which came from behind the arc. Jasmine Peeples led the team in rebounds with six and Taila Arrington pitched in with a team high four assists. 

"Kayla did an excellent job tonight coming in shooting three's scoring 12 points," said Freeman-Jackson. " Nakiya also had a very impressive game, she has done everything we brought her in do to, she's an all-around athlete, that can shoot the three and a leader on the court. Quentori tonight showed a lot of leadership and toughness, she stepped up like a veteran should and helped us seal the victory."

In the first half the Lady Hornets came out shooting 46.7% and going 2-8 behind the arch. Nakiya Smith led the Lady Hornets in the half with 12 points and a rebound. Alabama State's defense held the Lady Rattlers to just 34.6 % from the field forcing them to go 9-26. Off the bench Kayla Tucker contributed six points, while Daniele Ewert had four rebounds underneath the basket. The Lady Hornets scored seven points off of turnovers with the bench adding 13.

In the second half the Rattlers  behind Jasmine Grice 's game high 23 points fought back into the contest, The Lady Hornets scored 33 points and gathered rebounds in the second half, finishing the game shooting 45.5 % from the field . Defensively ASU held the Rattlers to just 40.4% from the field.

The Rattlers jumped out to a lead as big as 11 at the 8:35 mark in the final half.  In the final stretch of the contest the Lady Hornets cut the Rattler lead down on Tucker's pair of three pointers pulling ASU within six points with 3:24 left in the game.  Alabama State went on to cut the lead to one after a key 11-0 run. After a 30 second timeout and defensive stands by both teams, Smith hit what would be the game-winning  jumper with 29 seconds left  giving the Lady Hornets the victory.

Alabama State plays host to Mercer University Friday, December 20 at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome. The contest is slated for 6 p.m.

Box Score

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

AAMU Bulldogs win second straight contest

NORMAL, Alabama – A&M women's basketball captured their second straight win of the year with an 81-78 victory over the Lady Bulldogs of South Carolina State Tuesday evening.

The new look women's basketball team opened a 3-0 lead in the first half and held South Carolina State scoreless until the 17:52 mark when Kourtney Williams scored her first basket putting the Lady Bulldogs on the board.

The game would continue to go back and forth with A&M holding an 11-8 lead at the first media timeout.  SCSU would need to call a timeout at the 12:14 mark as the back and forth was favoring the home Bulldogs to the tune of a 21-16 lead.

SC would not go away as they took their second lead of the contest with 9:50 remaining in the first on a Williams's lay-up. Turnovers were the name of the MEAC's Lady Bulldogs game as they forced AAMU into 11 giveaways which allowed SCSU to maintain their lead. The advantage would eventually get slimmer as baskets were made on both sides of the court.



A&M scored a season high 40 points but allowed 46 in the first half.  The Maroon & White also shot a season high 46 percent on 13 of 28 shooting.  They shot 5 of 9 from the three point line for 56%.

The second half started just as fast as the first with A&M pushing out to a 7-0 run that allowed them to regain the lead 47-46.  It wasn't until 16:55 remaining when Williams put the Lady Bulldogs on the board with a jumper giving her 16 up to that point. The lead would be lost again as the Bulldogs got stuck on 47 for three minutes and twenty-four seconds

Not only did these teams share the same Mascot but they played similar styles of basketball, up-tempo with high percentage shots.  The game remained close with 20 lead changes and 10 ties.

Things started to get interesting down the stretch with the score at 76-75 in favor of SCSU. As the time winded down Alganese Gatson drove in and went up for a layup but missed, it was then rebounded by Jasmine Sanders who passed it out to Alyssa Strickland who then hit her third three-pointer of the game to put the Maroon & White up 78-76.  South Carolina State tied the game with a MyKala Jones layup at the 1:11 mark. Jasmine Sanders then missed the second of two free-throws and saw A&M up only 79-78. South Carolina would have two more opportunities but missed and fouled Brittney Strickland who hit her second of two free-throws and Taylor Sippal who hit her first giving AAMU their second win of the year.

Brittney Strickland finished with a team high 21 points and four rebounds while Alyssa put up a season high 17 points.  Shabr'an Richardson posted a season high of 15 points with Sippial added her season high of 14 to round out the double digit scorers for A&M.

The Lady Bulldogs were led by Williams who ended the game with 23 while Mykala Jones added 18.

A&M posted a season high in total points scored and recorded the second occasion four players scored double figures.

Next up will be a trip to Louisiana for a date with the Lady Techsters of Louisiana Tech University on Sunday, December 22.

Box Score  

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION        

Photo Essay: SWAC Battle of the Bands

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

TSU Lady Tigers Visit the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Football Inks JUCO Transfer Archie Dennard

ARCHIE DENNARD
 6'-4" 240 TE
Sophomore, Itawamba CC (MS)
Simmons High School (MS)
Hometown: Hollandale, Mississippi
(Courtesy: Itawamba Community College)
 

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  On Wednesday, Tennessee State head coach Rod Reed announced that
tight end Archie Dennard from Itawamba Community College will transfer and join the Tigers next season. The addition coincides with the conclusion of National JUCO Signing Day.

In one season for the Indians, Dennard appeared in nine games and made two catches for 23 yards in his very first collegiate contest. Dennard averaged 11.5 yards per reception and helped lead Itawamba to a 6-4 record in 2013.

 

Prior to attending community college, Dennard starred at Simmons High School playing both defensive end and tight end. In three years, he totaled 134 stops (122 solo), 13 quarterback sacks and two forced fumbles.

 

Offensively, Dennard caught 13 passes in two seasons for 178 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 13.7 yards per grab and even recorded a 45-yarder.

 

Dennard’s athletic ability earned him Best Defensive Lineman honors in 2011 and 2012 while being named MVP and First-Team ALl-State in baseball team in 2012.

 

Dennard will be called upon to replace senior Wesley Samuels who caught 24 passes for 235 yards and six touchdowns last year, and supplement A.C. Leonard’s 34 catch, 441 yard, five touchdown junior campaign.

 

Itawamba has a strong pedigree of producing tight ends as former Indian Wes Saxton had 50 receptions for 635 yards this past season playing for South Alabama of the FBS.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

South Alabama aide emerges as NCCU coach candidate

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- Hampton intercepted one of the football coaching candidates N.C. Central has been targeting, picking off former Winston-Salem State coach Connell Maynor, and that has better positioned South Alabama wide receivers coach Jerry Mack to become NCCU’s next football coach.

South Alabama is a Division I team in the Sun Belt Conference. Mack was still on staff at the school late Tuesday, but he has interviewed for the NCCU job, South Alabama assistant athletics director for media relations Brian Fremund confirmed.

NCCU’s Board of Trustees has scheduled a special meeting for Thursday, and one of the agenda items calls for discussion about a coaching candidate for the school’s football team.

In August, NCCU athletics director Ingrid Wicker-McCree terminated Henry Frazier III as NCCU’s head coach after ...

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JCSU Golden Bulls exceed expectations

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- J.C. Smith is moving past the Trevin Parks era.

The Golden Bulls opened their CIAA schedule with a 74-66 win against Lincoln (Pa.) on Wednesday at Brayboy Gym – and in the process signaled they are exceeding preseason expectations. J.C. Smith (8-2, 1-0) doesn’t have a marquee player like Parks, a two-time all-American who graduated in May, but the results have been good.

“It’s definitely a key for us,” said Golden Bulls forward Emilio Parks, who led all scorers with 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting. “We want to send a message that we’re here. We’re in construction over one player. We’re ready and we’re competing.”

J.C. Smith was especially competitive with the game on the line, outscoring Lincoln 18-8 over the final five minutes to pull in front. Parks started the rally with ...

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Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/18/4554751/golden-bulls-exceed-expectations.html#.UrJ0q8uA1jo#storylink=cpy

Instant Analysis: Jackson State fires Comegy as football coach

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Rick Comegy is out as Jackson State's head football coach. The entire coaching staff was also let go, except for recruiting coordinator Antonio Knight, who was named interim head coach.

“We’re looking for a coach who is going to recruit local, build a local program,” JSU spokesperson Eric Stringfellow said in a press conference.

“We’re looking for somebody where discipline is a part of their DNA. And the last thing is when you look at our fan base, you look at our numbers from what they once where to where they are now, I think it’s clear that there’s some work to be done in terms of recruiting student athletes from the Jackson metro, Mississippi area.”



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Comegy out as JSU football coach

HEAD COACH RICK COMEGY
(COURTESY JSU ATHLETICS)



JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State University officials have confirmed that Rick Comegy is out as head football coach.

Nine members of the coaching staff were terminated Wednesday, JSU officials said. People were seen carrying boxes out of the building where the coaches have their offices.

Antonio Knight, who had served as JSU's recruiting coach, was the one staff member who remained. JSU officials announced Wednesday afternoon that Knight would serve as interim head football coach until a replacement for Comegy could be found.

Poll: Do you think Rick Comegy should have been fired as JSU's football coach?"

"We are grateful to Coach Comegy and his staff for their service to Jackson State," said JSU Director of Athletics Vivian L. Fuller in a statement. "We appreciate the work he has done with JSU athletics and we wish him well."

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