FSU Broncos Tramples Winston-Salem State 67-50

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- The Fayetteville State University men's basketball team topped Winston-Salem State University in a 67-50 win on Saturday, February 13th at Felton J. Capel Arena. FSU improves to 11-13 overall, 5-9 in conference, and 3-5 in the Southern Division.

The Broncos led from wire to wire. Sophomore Carl McCray (Roper, NC) opened up the game with a three-pointer off a pass from junior forward Michael Tyson (Kinston, NC). On the ensuing possession, junior guard Joshua Dawson (Kinston, NC) hit a three-pointer of his own.

WSSU faced a 9-1 deficit four minutes into the ball game. As the period progressed, the Broncos stretched their lead to 22-10 with eight minutes left in the half following a jumper from freshman forward William Tibbs (Winston-Salem, NC).

Fayetteville State outscored the Rams 17-4 off turnovers en route to a 35-26 halftime lead. Dawson produced 14 points and two assists in the opening half.

The Broncos fully dictated the pace the second half. WSSU trailed by double figures for the last 16 minutes of the contest. Senior guard Juwan Addison (Fairmont, NC) made a layup with 2:50 remaining for a 64-22 FSU lead; their largest of the game.

FSU shot 40% (19-47) from the floor, while holding the Rams to 22% (12-53) shooting. Winston-Salem State only made four field goals in the second half (4-of-23). Dawson ended the evening with a game-high 20 points and five assists. Addison added 11 points and three rebounds. McCray finished with 10 points and two steals. The frontcourt of Tyson and junior forward Jason Lee (Raleigh, NC) combined for 18 points and 18 rebounds; Lee with 10 boards and nine points.

Fayetteville State concludes their final road game of the season against Shaw University on Wednesday, February 17th. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

Final Stats

COURTESY FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bethune-Cookman football player killed in shooting at party

Don'Kevious Johnson

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- A suspect accused of shooting three Bethune-Cookman University students, killing one of them, has turned himself in to police, according to Police Chief Mike Chitwood.

The shooting happened just after 1 a.m. Saturday at the Indigo Lakes Golf Club in Daytona Beach.

"It's a little close to home to have a shooting in your neighborhood," said Rodney Logan.

Police said Lamont Postell Jr., 23, who also goes by "Cornbread," shot the students after a fight broke out during a party inside the golf course's clubhouse.

Chief Mike Chitwood, of the Daytona Beach Police Department, said more than 200 students were at the party.

"It's a typical Friday night, typical of what college kids do. I mean, they look to rent a place to have a party and nobody expects when you're in college, you're going to end up like this," Chitwood said.

Postell shot and killed Bethune-Cookman student Don'Kevious Johnson, 23, police said. According to the university's athletic website, Johnson was listed as a linebacker on the football team.

The two other students who were shot, Justine Cunninghman and Tre Jamal Williams, 21, were taken to Halifax Medical Center. They are expected to be OK.

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Earnest Wilson III leaving SSU for Elizabeth City State

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Savannah State University is once again searching for a new head football coach.

Earnest Wilson III is leaving Savannah to become the new head coach at Elizabeth City State University.

According to sources at SSU, players and assistant coaches were notified of the decision Friday night.

Linebacker coach Tony Pierce will serve as interim head coach.

In three seasons at Savannah State, Wilson led the Tigers to a 2-32 record. SSU finished the 2015 campaign with a 1-9 record.

Wilson was named the 24th head football coach at Savannah State back on June 7, 2013. Prior to taking over the Tigers, he was offensive coordinator at Hampton University.

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Chowan Hawks Dismantle Bowie State

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina -- The Chowan University women's basketball team earned their fourth straight win on Saturday afternoon after topping Bowie State University 70-54 in the Helms Center. The Hawks improve to 18-6 overall and 12-2 in league play with the victory while the Lady Bulldogs slide to 9-15 on the year and 2-12 against CIAA opponents after the setback.

Dhyamond Crenshaw tallied 20 points for the Hawks in the win and added nine rebounds (six offensive, three defensive). Alisha Mobley added 17 points while Jordan Payne recorded a double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds (five offensive, 11 defensive). Shaikeyla Jordan drained 15 points in the victory.

Kyah Proctor paced the Lady Bulldogs with 20 points in the loss. Robin Heard added nine points and nine rebounds (five offensive, four defensive).

The Hawks raced to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, holding the Lady Bulldgos to just 16 points over the first two quarters of play. After taking a 37-16 advantage over Bowie State heading into the locker room at halftime, the Hawks extended their lead to as many as 31 points (53-22) after Jordan's three-pointer and layup with 4:27 left in the third quarter.

Bowie State battled to cut the deficit in the fourth quarter but Chowan maintained a comfortable advantage for the remainder of the contest; easily securing the 70-54 win.

The Hawks return to action on February 17th as Chowan plays host to Lincoln University (PA). Tip-off is slated for 5:30pm in the Helms Center. Wednesday's game marks Chowan's 8th Annual Play4Kay game. For more information about the event, click HERE.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bowie State Bulldogs Mortify Chowan Hawks 78-62

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina – The Bowie State University men's basketball team won a key CIAA divisional game at Chowan University on Saturday afternoon, beating the Hawks 78-62.

Bowie State (15-10, 7-5 CIAA, 4-3 North) were led in scoring by seniors Justin Beck (Ellicott City, Md.) and Andre Jackson (Baltimore, Md.) with 18 and 17 points respectively. Jackson and Beck tied for team-high rebound honors with eight apiece. Senior Julian Livingston (Bowie, Md.) tallied 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting behind the 3-point line.

"It started for us on the defensive end … Chowan was averaging almost 80 points per game and we held them to 62, we did a great job on the boards and we were offensively efficient today", said Bowie State head coach Darrell Brooks. "We're starting play our best basketball going down the stretch and heading into the tournament and our guys really starting to understand their roles and flourishing"

Bowie State trailed early (4-0) but took a 7-6 lead at the 16:22 mark of the first half following a layup by Beck of the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs' lead moved to 23-17 by the 4:31 mark and used 37.1 percent field goal shooting (13-for-35) to take a 39-30 advantage into intermission.

The Bulldogs led by 13 points twice in the first 20 minutes and Beck led the team with a dozen points heading into halftime.

The second half started just like the first with Chowan scoring the first four points before a pair of Beck free throws stopped the short run. Bowie State used a 4-0 burst of their own to get a little breathing room at 44-36 at the 16:35 mark, forcing the Hawks to call timeout.

Chowan trimmed the Bowie State lead down to two 46-44 on a Carlos Arroyo (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico) only to see the Bulldogs go on a 12-0 run to take a 56-44 lead with just over 11 minutes left in the contest and never let the Hawks back into the game.

Chowan (17-7, 9-4 CIAA, 3-4 North) was led by Jeremy Smith (Kenansville, N.C.) with game-highs of 19 points and nine rebounds while Kortez Smith (Waldorf, Md.) finished with 10 points in the Hawks' loss.

The Bulldogs and Hawks will play again in 48 hours, this time on Bowie State's home court (A.C. Jordan Arena) on Monday (2/15) at 7 p.m.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Benedict Lady Tigers Edge Claflin In Overtime, 61-55

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Terri Jacobs scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to help lead the 16^th-ranked Benedict College Lady Tigers to a 61-55 overtime victory over Claflin University on Saturday, avenging their loss in Orangeburg two weeks ago.

Benedict improves to 22-2 overall and 12-2 in the SIAC and clinched the top spot in the SIAC East Division for the 2016 SIAC Tournament. Claflin dropped to 15-10 overall and 10-5 in the SIAC.

Claflin's Ashley Fields tied the game at 49 with 2:32 left to play in the fourth quarter, then the Lady Panthers missed two field goals and two free throws, while Benedict missed two field goals down the stretch. In overtime, Claflin pulled ahead 53-51 with 2:35 on the clock. A jumper by Jacobs tied the game at 53. Regime McCombs then hit six consecutive free throws to give Benedict a 59-53 lead with 12 seconds left. Two more free throws by Dorothy Brown gave the Lady Tigers a 61-53 lead before Claflin got a jumper by Briana Chisolm with six seconds left for the final score.

McCombs finished with 11 points.

Shaniece Brown led Claflin with 16 points.

The Lady Tigers had a 14-13 lead after the first quarter. A layup by DaVontaye Merritt with 20 seconds left before the half gave Benedict a 32-25 lead at the break. Benedict scored the first eight points in the third quarter to take its largest lead of the game, 40-25, after a layup by Jacobs with 6:12 left in the quarter.

Claflin scored the next 11 points to cut the lead to 40-36 and Benedict took a 42-38 lead heading into the fourth period.

A free-throw by Jacobs gave Benedict a 44-39 lead with 8:47 left in the game, but the Lady Panthers scored the next six points to take their first lead in the second half, 45-44, with 4:34 left to play. After Claflin took a 47-46 lead, KaDeeja Vaughn hit a 3-pointer with 3:37 left to play to give Benedict a 49-47 lead. Claflin then tied the game with a jumper by Ashley Fields to send the game into overtime.

Benedict is back in action with its final home game on Thursday against Clark Atlanta. Benedict will honor its seven seniors.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Benedict Tops Claflin, 68-62

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Quiron Cooke scored a season-high 18 points to help lead the Benedict College Tigers to a 68-62 victory over Claflin University on Saturday afternoon in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena, avenging the overtime loss to the Panthers two weeks ago in Orangeburg.

With the win, the Tigers remain in the race for the top spot in the SIAC East and move to 16-9 overall and 11-5 in the SIAC. Claflin falls to 12-12 overall and 8-8 in the SIAC.

Cooke hit a jumper in the corner with the shot clock running down to give the Tigers a 63-59 lead with 31 seconds left in the game. Lafonzo Smith hit two critical free throws with 23 seconds left to give the Tigers a 65-59 lead with 23 seconds left.

Claflin's De'shon Nails hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 65-62 with 16 seconds left. Cooke then hit three free-throws in the final 16 seconds to seal the win.



Brennan Reynard added 11 points, while Quayshun Hawkins and Jordan Smith had 10 points each.

Nails led Claflin with 20 points.

Benedict shot 55.8 percent from the floor, the third-best shooting effort for the season.

The Tigers are back in action on Thursday, hosting Clark Atlanta University at 7:30 p.m. It will be Senior Day, as the Tigers will recognize their four seniors.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU Sets School Record for Blocks, Gets Balanced Effort in 79-73 Win over MSU

NORFOLK, Virginia --  The Norfolk State men's basketball team set the school record for blocks in a game and got a balanced scoring effort on Saturday night in a 79-73 victory over Morgan State at Joseph Echols Hall.

Five players scored in double figures for the Spartans, all between 11 and 13 points. Sophomore Jordan Butler finished 7-of-9 from the free throw line and led the team with 13 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks. His seven swats tied a career high and the school's Division I record shared with Kyle O'Quinn.

With the former Spartan great – and NSU career leader in blocks – in attendance on a day when NSU handed out bobbleheads with his likeness, Norfolk State finished with 17 blocks on the night. The Spartans surpassed the previous school record of 13 set at Savannah State on Jan. 5, 2005.

The victory improved NSU's record to 9-2 in the MEAC and 13-13 overall. Following South Carolina State's loss to Savannah State on Saturday, the Spartans moved into a tie for first place in the MEAC with Hampton, which was idle.

Morgan State, meanwhile, fell to 5-18 overall and 3-7 in the MEAC.

Junior D'Shon Taylor tallied 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks for the Spartans, while freshman Alex Long also had 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting with five rebounds and a career-high tying four blocks. They helped NSU outscore Morgan State 40-34 in points in the paint on a day when the Spartans hit just 3-of-23 (13.0 percent) from 3-point range.

The Spartans surged ahead late in the first half and led by as much as 17 later in the game before the Bears cut it down to single digits.

NSU built a five-point advantage with 14:05 on the clock in the first half on junior Preston Bungei's bucket in the lane. He also had another field goal with less than 10 minutes to go before the half, beginning a 9-2 run for NSU that pushed the lead to double digits for the first time on the night.

Senior Charles Oliver drained a 3-pointer from way beyond the right wing to cap that spurt and put NSU ahead by a 31-19 margin. Junior Jonathan Wade went to the free throw line twice within 14 seconds and made all four shots to get the lead up to 15. MSU's Rasean Simpson got the steal and layup with just seconds to go in the half to make it 43-30 at the break.

Oliver and senior Jeff Short each scored 11 points in the game.

Only once in the early part of the second half did Morgan State get to within single digits. NSU led by as much as 16 when Short drained a 3-pointer on the team's first possession of the second half. Up by 13 on a layup by Long with 14:48 left, NSU saw its lead shrink to eight on a trey and layup by the Bears on two straight possessions.

In a contest lacking major runs, NSU scored seven of the game's next eight points with less than 10 minutes remaining. Up 69-52 at that point after two free throws by Short at the 7:42 mark, NSU seemed to be in control. The Bears made it interesting by scoring eight straight to get the deficit to nine. Cedric Blossom later had a 3-point play and sank two from the line for a 76-67 Spartan lead with just 2:37 left.

MSU also scored six of the last seven points of the game to cut the deficit to six. Surprisingly, the Bears did not foul down by just five after a 3-pointer by Phillip Carr and a timeout with 28 seconds, at least not until there were just 4.5 seconds left in the game.

Blossom carried the Bears in the second half with 17 points, part of a 28-point effort in the game on 11-of-17 shooting. He also completed the double-double with 15 rebounds, as MSU held a slight 41-37 edge on the glass, including 17-9 in offensive boards and a 19-11 advantage in second chance points.

Simpson added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Carr and Andre Horne each tallied 11 points.

The Bears hit 29-of-72 (40.3 percent) for the game but just 5-of-18 from 3-point range and 10-of-19 from the foul line.

NSU, meanwhile, made 22-of-30 from the free throw line and 27-of-61 from the floor (44.3 percent). Bungei had six points for the Spartans and also added three blocks. Sophomore Zaynah Robinson contributed eight points and six assists as well.

NSU will travel to Delaware to face the Hornets of Delaware State next Saturday.

Box Score

Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Morgan Lady Bears Extend Winning Streak To Five Straight; Defeat Norfolk State, 59-56

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Danielle Robinson came off the bench to score nine of her game-high 14 points in the first half to lead five Lady Bears in double figures scoring, as Morgan State held onto a 59-56 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory on Saturday afternoon at Echols Hall.

The win was the fifth straight for the Lady Bears (11-12, 9-2 MEAC), matching their longest winning streak since the 2012-13 season. The victory also kept the Lady Bears in a first-place tie with Bethune-Cookman (15-9, 9-2 MEAC), which defeated North Carolina Central earlier in the day, 63-46.

Hampton (10-13, 8-2 MEAC), which entered the day tied with Bethune-Cookman and Morgan State for first in the standings, was idle today. Morgan State and Hampton will meet on Monday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. at the HU Convocation Center. The Lady Pirates defeated Morgan State earlier this season in Baltimore (12/5).

Lexus Spears recorded her fourth double-double of the season on Saturday, finishing with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds against the Spartans. Zuri White added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Tykyrah Williams and Braennan Farrar each scored 10 points. 
Morgan State, which led 33-28 at halftime, took its largest lead of the game of 14 points (51-37) after a layup from Spears with 6:06 to play in the game.

Norfolk State (2-20, 2-10 MEAC), which had won its last two games, countered with a 17-3 run over the next five minutes. The run was capped off by a three-point play by Brehanna Daniels to even the score at 54-54 with 55 seconds left in the contest.

Spears would score the next three points and Robinson later knocked down two free throws to give the guests a 59-54 advantage with 12 seconds remaining. Norfolk State's Kayla Roberts would hit the second of two free throws for the game's final score.

Norfolk State was led by Koryn Lawrence's team-high 13 points and Daniels finished with 10 points as a reserve.  

The Lady Bears held a 46-35 rebounding advantage over the Spartans for the game. The Lady Bears also held a 32-22 advantage in points in the paint and a 16-4 cushion in second chance points. The Spartans outscored Morgan, 27-16 in bench scoring.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Balanced Southern defeats Arkansas-Pine Bluff

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern used a balanced offense to beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 66-58 on Saturday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Eight of the nine Jaguars who played scored, none of them scored fewer than five points and none scored more than 12. Southern had 13 assists on 24 field goals.

Southern’s top three scorers in Southwestern Athletic Conference play — Adrian Rodgers, Trelun Banks and Christopher Hyder — are averaging a combined 42.5 points but combined for 27 on Saturday.

“A lot of people have just been worrying about me, Adrian and Trelun and leaving other players open, so we wanted to get them going,” Hyder said. “That’s good because it gets everybody’s confidence going.”

Rodgers scored the Jaguars first eight points, but didn’t score during the final 16½ minutes of the first half. Rashad Andrews and Tony Nunn each had six first-half points as Southern consistently got good looks in the lane against the Golden Lions’ zone.

“We wanted to penetrate to the basket instead of settling for outside shots,” said Andrews, who finished with eight points.

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Tougaloo's Porter scores GCAC-record 51 points in win over Rust College

QUE PORTER
TOUGALOO COLLEGE

 

TOUGALOO, Mississippi -- For the second consecutive year, a Tougaloo Bulldog has broken the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference single-game scoring record. Last season it was Kelsey Howard, who scored 49 points in an overtime win over Philander Smith. This season Quintarius Porter topped that mark, and he only needed regulation to do it. Porter scored 51 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 116-77 win over Rust College on Thursday night.

Quintarius Porter also set NAIA season high for single-game points (51), field goals made (18), field goals attempted (37), and three-point field goals attempted (21). In addition to his historic scoring performance, Porter finished with a double-double, grabbing 13 rebounds. He added six assists, two steals, and a block for good measure.

He scored Tougaloo's first 15 points as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 55-31 halftime lead. The Bulldogs had the Dawg Pound howling as they were even more potent in the second half, putting 61 points on the board.

Tougaloo had three other players in double figures. De'Andre Scott finished with 23 points, Andravious Smith added 12 points and eight rebounds, and Marquavious Smith chipped in with 10 points and seven boards. Denevian Cunningham just missed a double-double of his own with nine points and 11 rebounds. Dixon Gardner had a team-high eight assists.

The Bulldogs shot 52 percent from the floor (45/86), 34 percent on three-pointers (11/32) and 88 percent on free throws (15/17).

Tougaloo outrebounded the Bearcats 48-29 and held Rust College to 42 percent shooting. Rush shot a dismal 4-of-22 from beyond the three-point arc.

The Bulldogs also held advantages in points of turnovers (27-18), second chance points (22-12), and
bench points (21-5).

In short it was complete domination.

Rust did have four players in double figures, led by Allen Potts with 21 points and 10 rebounds. O'darius Lowe also had a double-double with 18 points and 11 boards. Jonathan Bownes (18) and Ryan Wilkins (11) had solid efforts in the loss.

The Bulldogs (10-10, 2-6 GCAC) will play three of their final four games at home, starting with Edward Waters on Feb. 15.

COURTESY GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA RELATIONS

SUNO Lady Knights' rally comes up short as Talladega moves to 10-0 in GCAC

TALLADEGA, Alabama
-- Talladega College survived a furious fourth quarter rally by Southern University at New Orleans to beat the Lady Knights 75-73 and remain undefeated against GCAC opponents this season.

Shakeena Benton had a team-high 16 points for the 15th-ranked Lady Tornadoes, who have won 11 straight games overall.

SUNO took an early 19-15 lead after the first quarter, but the two teams entered the half tied at 36.

For half of the third quarter the two teams stayed within a basket of each other. It was 47-45 Talladega after SUNO's Taiya Jackson scored with 4:47 to play in the quarter. From there the Lady Tornadoes would outscore the Lady Knights 15-2 to finish the third to go up 62-47 entering the final period.

SUNO fought back from the outset of the fourth, scoring the first 16 points of the quarter to go up 63-62 with 3:33 to play. Ashley Burchfield would score off an assist from Sashanique Youngblood to put Talladega right back in front. Youngblood would complete a three-point play with 2:02 remaining to give the Lady Tornadoes a 71-64 lead.

The Lady Knights weren't finished as they clawed back once again from the brink. SUNO would go on a 9-2 run to tie the score at 73 with :21 seconds remaining. The game would be decided at the foul line when Londyn Thomas was called for contact with Tatyana Calhoun. Calhoun would convert both shots to give Talladega the win.

Talladega (21-3, 10-0 GCAC) had five players reach double figures in the win. Benton's 16 set the pace. Thomesha Smith had 13 points and seven rebounds, Ashley Burchfield finished with 12, while Youngblood and Calhoun added 10 points each. Tajanee Wells had eight points and a game-high 13 boards.

SUNO (9-11, 4-5) was led by Rayvin Miller, who had a game-high 21 points and five rebounds. Taiya Jackson finished with 18 points and nine boards, while Jophiea Irvin finished with 14.

Both teams are on the road for their next games with Talladega visiting former GCAC member Voorhees in a non-conference matchup and with SUNO facing in-town rival Xavier.

 

COURTESY GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA RELATIONS

B-CU Men Repeat As MEAC Indoor Track Champs

LANDOVER, Maryland -- The 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships concluded on Saturday at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Md. as the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University repeated as MEAC Champions. The championship for Bethune-Cookman was the second all-time for the Wildcats.

Bethune-Cookman scored 122 points to out-distance North Carolina A&T State University with 113. Finishing third was the University of Maryland Eastern Shore with 103.5 points and Hampton University rounded out the top four with 100 points. It was the exact finish from 2015 for the top four teams.

Maryland Eastern Shore’s Khalil Rmidi Kinini won the Outstanding Runner honors for the second year in a row. He won the 5,000 meters, the 3,000 meters, the mile run and was a part of the winning distance medley relay team to account for 32.5 points. His win in the 3,000 on Saturday set a record time of 8:30.44 to beat the previous mark of 8:34.21 by Josef Tessema of Norfolk State in 2012.

Kenneth Fisher of Bethune-Cookman was named the Men’s Outstanding Field Athlete after his first place in the long jump, second in the high jump and third in the triple jump accumulated 24 points for the victorious Wildcats.

Bethune-Cookman head coach Donald Cooper won his second straight MEAC Coach of the Year honor.

“We knew we had some tremendous guys that would finish up on the final day and we just had to wait on it,” said Cooper. “It was good for us to get the points in the triple jump. To win back-to-back MEAC Indoor titles is remarkable.

Final Results

Men’s Results - Team	Points
1. Bethune-Cookman	122
2. North Carolina A&T State	113
3. Maryland Eastern Shore	103.50
4. Hampton	100
5. Norfolk State	66
6. Coppin State	57
7. Morgan State	28
8. South Carolina State	20
9. Howard	18.50
10. North Carolina Central	16
11. Savannah State	14

Men’s Outstanding Track Performer: Khalil Rmidi Kinini (UMES)

Men’s Outstanding Field Performer:  Kenneth Fisher (B-CU)

Men’s Outstanding Coach: Donald Cooper (B-CU)

 

MEN

All-MEAC First Team
Khalil Rmidi Kinini, Maryland Eastern Shore (5,000m, DMR, mile, 3,000m); Kenneth Fisher, Bethune-Cookman (LJ); Christian Faber-Kinney, Hampton (Hep.); Oussama Chouati, Maryland Eastern Shore (DMR); Taj Showalter, Maryland Eastern Shore (DMR); Jordan Leon, Maryland Eastern Shore (DMR); Michael Dickson, North Carolina A&T State (60mH); Jonathan Moore, Bethune-Cookman (400m); Maurice Eaddy, North Carolina A&T State (60m); Steve Coles, Norfolk State (200m); Christopher Lee, Norfolk State (SP); Dolphurs Hayes, Savannah State (PV); Michael Tiller (TJ); Justin Hamilton, North Carolina A&T State (4x400); Dorian Claggett, North Carolina A&T State (4x400); Corey Aiken, North Carolina A&T State (4x400); Dajuan Harding, North Carolina A&T State (4x400)
 
All-MEAC Second Team
Oussama Chouati, Maryland Eastern Shore (5,000m, 3,000m); Naje Benton, Maryland Eastern Shore (LJ); Jerrick Powell, Hampton (Hep.); Ronaldo Ball, Coppin State (DMR); Michael James, Coppin State (DMR); Mark London, Coppin State (DMR); Alaric Coker, Coppin State (DMR); Jordan Leon, Maryland Eastern Shore (mile); Ramoye Simon, Hampton (60mH); Rayon Black, Hampton (400m); Jasper Savoy, Hampton (60m); Jasper Savoy, Hampton (200m); Sulaiman Fared, Hampton (SP); Trey Clark, Hampton (PV); Shane Green, Coppin State (TJ); Christopher Gaddist, South Carolina State (4x400); Khorvon Nelson, South Carolina State (4x400); Tyrell Richard, South Carolina State (4x400); Jared Jeter, South Carolina State (4x400).

All-MEAC Third Team
Darren White, North Carolina A&T State (5,000m); Frank Quarles, North Carolina A&T State (LJ); Donmanique Hardy, Hampton (Hep.); Desmond Fogg, Norfolk State (DMR); Rashad Ramsey, Norfolk State (DMR); Justin Pinder, Norfolk State (DMR); Haileysus Demise, Norfolk State (DMR, 3,000m); Oussama Chouati, Maryland Eastern Shore (mile); Malik Lewis, Bethune-Cookman (60mH); Justin Hamilton, North Carolina A&T State (400m, 200m); Hendrick Bailey, Bethune-Cookman (60m); Rajae Gayle, Howard (SP); Willard Ward, Norfolk State (PV); Kenneth Fisher, Bethune-Cookman (TJ); Gabriel Johnson, Hampton (4x400); Jerrick Powell, Hampton (4x400); Stanley Davis, Hampton (4x400); Rayon Black, Hampton (4x400)

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Hampton U. Women Win Sixth Straight MEAC Indoor Crown

LANDOVER, Maryland – For the sixth year in a row the Hampton Lady Pirates captured the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Indoor Track and Field Championship winning on Saturday at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex.

The Lady Pirates have either won or shared the MEAC Championship now for 14 of the last 16 years. In 2008, they tied Maryland Eastern Shore for the team title and Delaware State won it in 2002.

Hampton amassed 143.33 points to outdistance Florida A&M who was second with 114 points. North Carolina A&T State was third with 81 points while Bethune-Cookman was fourth with 75.

Ce’aira Brown of Hampton was the Women’s Outstanding Runner as she set meet records winning the 800 meters (2:05.19), the mile run on Saturday (4:51.63) and also the 3000 meters along with the anchor leg of the distance medley relay team.

Zoe Ellis of North Carolina Central and Kiara Howell of Norfolk State shared the Outstanding Field Performer award. Ellis took first in the triple jump and third in the long jump, while Howell took second in the shot put and the weight throw.

Also setting a MEAC record on Saturday was Morgan Knight of North Carolina A&T State who won the pole vault with a leap of 3.50m (11-5.75) to beat the previous mark of 3.49m by Sasha Smallwood of Bethune-Cookman in 2013.

Maurice Pierce of Hampton was named the MEAC Coach of the Year for the sixth year in a row. “We made a lot of mistakes, but with Ce’aira Brown doing her thing, the rest of the team filled in the blanks,” he said. “ I thought the team did a good job and Ce’aira took it to another level. Every time she ran and broke another record, that got the team more excited. I think this championship right here was a combination of a serious group effort and Ce’aira was the knockout punch.”

Final Results

Women’s Results - Team	Points
1. Hampton	143.33
2. Florida A&M	114
3. North Carolina A&T State	81
4. Bethune-Cookman	75
5. Coppin State	58
6. Maryland Eastern Shore	55.33
7. Morgan State	41
8. Howard	30.33
9. Norfolk State	23
10. North Carolina Central	19
11. Delaware State	17

 
Women’s Co-Outstanding Field Athlete: Zoe Ellis (NCCU); Kiara Howell (NSU)
Women’s Outstanding Runner: Ce’aira Brown (Hampton)
Women’s Outstanding Coach: Maurice Pierce (Hampton)
 
WOMEN
All-MEAC First Team
Cynthia Chelelgo, Florida A&M (5,000m); Kierston Bond, Coppin State (LJ); Summer Brown, Bethune-Cookman (Pen.); Jailah Mason, Morgan State (HJ); Ce’aira Brown, Hampton (800m, DMR, mile, 3,000m); Kaylor Murray, Hampton (DMR); Tiara Robinson, Hampton (DMR, 4x400); Pollyanna Velasco, Hampton (DMR); Morgan Knight, North Carolina A&T State (PV); Dominique Bynum-Cooper, Howard (SP); Melissa Caddle-Hope, Coppin State (400m); Kayla White, North Carolina A&T State (60mH); India Brown, North Carolina A&T State (60m, 200); Zoe Ellis, North Carolina Central (TJ); Erin Morrison, Hampton (4x400); Kristian Young, Hampton (4x400); Tanisha Greene, Hampton (4x400)
 
All-MEAC Second Team
Judith Kibii, Florida A&M (5,000m, DMR, mile, 3,000m); Siobhan Ford-Holland, Hampton (LJ); Khemani Roberts, Coppin State (Pen.); Deandra Daniel, Coppin State (HJ); Jennaya Hield, Maryland Eastern Shore (800m); Cynthia Chelelgo, Florida A&M (DMR); Jharna Alston, Florida A&M (DMR); Destiny Johnson, Florida A&M (DMR); Keyoshia Harris, Bethune-Cookman (PV); Kiara Howell, Norfolk State (SP); Tanisha Greene, Hampton (400m); Morgan Knight, North Carolina A&T State (60mH); Tristie Johnson, Bethune-Cookman (60m, 200); Ashley Ivey, Florida A&M (TJ); Alexis Marsh, Coppin State (4x400); Kadeem Curtis, Coppin State (4x400); Melissa Caddle-Hope, Coppin State; Tanaya Yarde, Coppin State (4x400)

All-MEAC Third Team
Kaylor Murray, Hampton (5,000m); Zoe Ellis, North Carolina Central (LJ); Kaitlin Scott, Hampton (Pen.); Quamecha Morrison, Bethune-Cookman (HJ); Rachel Halmon, Maryland Eastern Shore (800m, DMR, 4x400); Alicia Colson, Maryland Eastern Shore (DMR); Lenneisha Gilbert, Maryland Eastern Shore (DMR, 4x400); Jennaya Hield, Maryland Eastern Shore (DMR); Johari Privott-Yeiser, Hampton (PV); Andrea Aaron, Florida A&M (SP); Pollyanna Velasco, Hampton (mile); Michelle Cole, Howard (400m); Shelasia Leitch, Maryland Eastern Shore (60mH); Kayla White, North Carolina A&T State (60m); Yakira Love, North Carolina A&T State (200m); Cynthia Chelelgo, Florida A&M (3,000m); Shauntel Lucius, Maryland Eastern Shore (TJ); Alicia Colson, Maryland Eastern Shore (4x400); Tanaya Yarde, Maryland Eastern Shore; Dypna Umunakwe, Maryland Eastern Shore (4x400)

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Hampton Pirates Fall to Roberts Wesleyan in Historic Debut

HAMPTON, Virginia --  Kendall Sapp scored two goals and had an assist, while Brock Robinson scored once for Hampton University on Saturday, as the Pirates fell 20-3 to visiting Roberts Wesleyan College at Armstrong Stadium.

But the result was almost secondary in what was a historic day.

For the first time since 1981, when head coach Lloyd Carter played at Morgan State, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) fielded a varsity men's lacrosse team -- and Saturday's game marked the first time ever on the NCAA Div. I level.

Dom Cianfarino scored six goals for Roberts Wesleyan (1-0), while Matt Benedict had a goal and six assists with three others had two goals each. Cianfarino scored five of his goals in a first period that saw the Redhawks soar to a 10-0 lead.

Robinson scored the first goal in Pirates history 58 seconds into the second 15-minute period, as he took a feed from Sapp and blasted one from the left side. Sapp then closed the scoring in the second period picking up a loose ball and putting it past goalkeeper Keith Keehn to make the halftime margin 15-2.

Sapp repeated his goal to close out the scoring in the contest with 4:42 left in the game. He finished with two goals and an assist on three shots. Alex Hudson took a team-high four shots for the Pirates.

Alyn Jordan-Bass made eight saves for the Pirates.

The Redhawks outshot Hampton 44-13 in the game, but the Pirates (0-1) outshot them 5-4 in the fourth quarter.

Roberts Wesleyan held a 28-8 edge in shots on goal and 23-4 in faceoffs.

The Pirates will be on the road for their next varsity game to take on Thiel College on Saturday, Feb. 27 in Greenville, Pa. at 2 p.m. For more information on Hampton University lacrosse, 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

Xavier's Bruins returns home in LSUA's home opener

Sha'Nel Bruins

ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana -- LSU of Alexandria's home opener is set to have an NAIA tournament feel to it.

LSUA will host No. 11 Xavier Saturday at Alexandria City Park as both teams are focused on trying to return to the NAIA Tournament.

For Gold Nugget junior Sha'Nel Bruins, it will be a return home to Central Louisiana, where she was a two-sport star at Grant, being named to the All-Cenla basketball team and winning the Class 4A girls singles tennis title in 2013 as a senior.

While she is seeing it as another match and looking to help her team rebound from a 6-3 loss to No. 6 William Carey Feb. 6, she is happy that her family can see her play.

"I don’t really feel any nervousness or anything, I just want to focus on our team winning and playing my best to help ensure us of a win," Bruins said. "I’m grateful that I will have the opportunity to return home and play. My parents sometimes travel down to New Orleans to watch me, but that is seldom. So it’s nice that it’s closer to home so they’re able to come."

This season, Bruins made the C-Flight semifinals at the HBCU National Championships and reached the consolation finals at the USTA/ITA NAIA South Regional Championships and has steadily improved her game over the last two seasons.

CONTINUE READING

After 20-year hiatus, Tuskegee to play FAMU in 5th Quarter Classic

MOBILE, Alabama -- The Mobile Sports Authority (MSA) and Promoter, Robert Buck, are proud to announce that after a 20-year break, Mobile will be the host for the revival of a college football rivalry which dates back over 100 years. It was announced today, Mobile will be the host of the first annual 5th Quarter Classic Powered by the Mobile Sports Authority.

This college football game will feature the Florida A&M University Rattlers hosting the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers on September 17, 2016 at historic Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. With the Rattlers holding a 27-15-2 advantage in the series, Florida A&M and Tuskegee have had a rivalry that dates back to 1908. In 1996, due to a conference change, the schools ended their 44-game rivalry. With today’s announcement, the Mobile Sports Authority (MSA) along with Promoter, Robert Buck, announced that this 20-year hiatus will be awakened with the 2016 5th Quarter Classic Powered by the Mobile Sports Authority.

Kick-off is scheduled for 6 PM at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on week three of the season. Ticket information will be forthcoming.


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

“This year, an old foe will return after a 20-year absence from competing against us. We look forward to facing the Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University in Mobile, Ala. on Sept. 17.” said Milton Overton, Athletic Director of the Florida A&M Rattlers. “The revitalization of one of FAMU’s traditional foes dates back to the first meeting in 1908. We listened to our constituents, including alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends of FAMU. This game will provide an opportunity for Rattler and Golden Tiger fans to enjoy the action and the spirit on and off the field with the addition of the Battle of the Bands.”

This will be the first “Classic-style” football game to be played in Mobile since 2009. The Gulf Coast Classic was played in Mobile for 35 years from 1974-2009 with Alabama State being the home team every year. However, that game was discontinued after the 2009 Classic.

Tuskegee University Athletic Director, Curtis Campbell added, “"We are excited about the opportunity to compete against Florida A&M University in the 5th Quarter Classic. The history between TU and FAMU goes back many years, and has left its mark on HBCU football as they are two of the winningest programs in football. This is an opportunity for our alumni and new generation of Tuskegee Golden Tiger football fans to be involved in such a historic game. We look forward to the game being played in Mobile this year and seeing all our alumni and fans at the game."

The Mobile Sports Authority began discussions to bring a Classic-style football game back to Mobile, Ala. in early 2014.


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Knowing that Mobile, in all its rich history, would be a perfect backdrop for this long-standing historical competition, the MSA and Promoter, Robert Buck, are proud to be reviving this competition in an all-out “Classic-style” experience on a neutral playing field for both teams.

"I am proud to announce the return of an HBCU Classic to Mobile, Alabama. It has been a pleasure to establish the 5th Quarter Classic for the Gulf Coast community. Florida A&M University and Tuskegee University are elite institutions with outstanding athletic programs, excellent marching bands, and awesome fans. We are honored to feature both as participants in 2016” said 5th Quarter Classic Promotor, Robert Buck. “The Mobile Sports Authority and I are working together to make the entire weekend an eventful experience for fans. 5thQuarterClassic.com is the best source to learn future plans for the weekend."

Danny Corte, Executive Director of the Mobile Sports Authority added, “One of the events which we at the Mobile Sports Authority thought was missing on our annual Mobile sports calendar was a “Classic-style” college football game. It’s been almost 7 years (2009) since the last Classic was played here. So, several years ago, we started working to create another Classic game for Mobile. We’re very proud to have two traditional teams, that being Florida A&M and Tuskegee, playing in Mobile this fall. We’re looking forward to welcoming the teams, officials, and fans for both teams to Mobile in September. The job of the Mobile Sports Authority is to bring quality sporting events to the Mobile County area. We're proud that we've had a good deal of success in recent years, but it's really due to a team effort with support from both Mobile County and the City of Mobile.”

With discussions continuing, Mobile Sports Authority and Promoter, Robert Buck, are working to finalize all the ancillary events surrounding the 5th Quarter Classic Powered by the Mobile Sports Authority. If interested in being a sponsor for any ancillary event(s), please contact Susan Shaw, Mobile Sports Authority, Sports Events & Marketing Director (Susan@mobilesportsauthority.com).

About The Mobile Sports Authority

The Mobile Sports Authority (MSA) is a non-profit sports commission formed in 2008 by the Mobile County Commission. The main mission is to create a positive economic and public relations impact for Mobile County, the City of Mobile, and the region through attracting, hosting, managing and supporting sporting events. MSA is the main point of contact for sports and sports-related activities for the Mobile County area. For more information on MSA, please visit www.mobilesportsauthority.com.

Courtesy of Mobile Sports Authority (MSA)

UDC Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore Reaches 1,000 Career Points; Firebirds Earn Blowout Win vs. Dowling, 86-50;

Senior guard Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore became the 5th UDC women's
basketball student-athlete to reach 1,000 career points.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  Senior guard Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore led all scorers with 26 points en-route to a lopsided, 86-50 victory for the University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team vs. East Coast Conference foe Dowling College Wednesday night at UDC Sports Complex.
 

With her 26-point scoring effort, Baldwin-Kollore became the 5^th UDC women's basketball student-athlete to reach the 1,000-point career milestone, and just the 3^rd to have done so entirely as a Firebird. Tonight's win saw UDC improve to 17-6 overall and remain 2^nd in the ECC standings at 12-3. Dowling, which has now lost 13 straight, fell to 2-19 overall and 2-13 in league play.

 

Baldwin-Kollore, who also tied for the game-high with six assists and had a team-high two steals, was aided by senior forward Iman Scott (11 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals) and junior transfer guard Brandi Henton (10 points, six assists, five rebounds), as well as a near double-double by senior reserve forward Tatyana Calhoun (nine points, game-high nine rebounds).

 

Dowling was led by the ECC's top scorer, Krstina Surlan, who registered 19 points, five rebounds and a game-high four steals. Forward Kaelan Ward hauled in a team-high eight rebounds.

 

The Firebirds out-shot their guests 52-percent to 31-percent from the field, and 38-percent to 24-percent from long-range, and they had a decisive, 47-30 rebounding advantage. UDC's 13 offensive rebounds (four of which were by Calhoun) led to 21 2^nd chance points, and a 34-16 points advantage in the paint.

 

UDC also took much better control of the ball with 17 assists and 13 turnovers, while holding Dowling to eight assists and using a suffocating press to force 16 turnovers. The Firebirds cashed in for 26 points off of Golden Lions turnovers on the night.

 

Team depth also played a factor as UDC had eight substitutes at its disposal and its bench out-scored Dowling's, 35-10.

 

Kaelen Ward's jump shot two minutes into the action in the first quarter gave Dowling its 2^nd and last lead of the night, 5-4, as Scott put the Firebirds ahead to stay with a layup at the 7:04 mark. An 8-2 run by UDC, capped by a Baldwin-Kollore three-pointer at 4:55, had UDC up 14-7. Surlan then scored five straight points to make it 14-12, but the Firebirds answered with an 11-2 surge, highlighted by a three-pointer each by Henton and senior forward Tiara Goode. The Firebirds would lead 25-21 at the end of the first quarter.

 

In the second quarter, UDC's defense held Dowling to just two points on 1-of-16 FG shooting (0-for-9 from behind-the-arc) and six turnovers. The Firebirds, led by Baldwin-Kollore's eight points and freshman guard Ryonna Marshall's five, scored 17 in the period, and led 42-23 at halftime. The Golden Lions' two points is the lowest point total allowed by the Firebirds in a quarter this season.

 

UDC kept its foot on the gas in the 3^rd quarter, out-scoring Dowling, 14-5 over the first six minutes to double-up the Golden Lions, 56-28. The Firebirds would take a 63-37 advantage heading into the 4^th quarter.

 

Baldwin-Kollore and Henton each knocked down a pair of three-pointers in a little over three minutes of action to start the 4^th quarter during a 15-4 tear by the Firebirds that saw their lead swell to its largest of the night, 78-41.

 

With 2:16 remaining in her 2^nd to last regular season home game at UDC, Baldwin-Kollore made the 1^st of two free-throws for her 1,000^th career point to make it 83-49, and the Firebirds would cruise to a 36-point victory – their largest margin this season.

 

Next up, UDC will visit ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Saturday, February 13^th at 1 p.m.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPORTS INFORMATION
 

FAMU baseball handling expectations while improving field

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- For the first time in more than 20 years, Florida A&M’s baseball team will step on the field on opening day as the defending MEAC champion.

There are some extra expectations surrounding the team’s season, brought on by the group’s recent success under head coach Jamey Shouppe. In Shouppe’s second season at the helm, the Rattlers won their first MEAC title since 1994.

Shouppe, now in his third season, said he’s comfortable with his team heading into the Rattlers season opener against Marshall on Feb. 19 — but, of course, he’s looking for more success.

“As a coach, all you want to do is be comfortable,” he said.

“We’ll go down to Miami during the season and we’ll be comfortable. That doesn’t mean we’re going to come out of there winning two out of three, but that doesn’t mean we won’t. We’re comfortable with our pitchers. We’re comfortable with our lineup. We’ve got some depth. That’s exciting for us.”

CONTINUE READING

Meet Howard Bison James Daniel, college basketball's unlikely, undersized leading scorer

JAMES DANIEL III
COURTESY: HOWARD UNIVERSITY

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With less than a month to go in college basketball's regular season, a glance at the national scoring leader race hits most fans with a handful of familiar names.

There's Buddy Hield, the runaway favorite to win national Player of the Year, sitting at No. 2 with an average of 25.7 points per game. Well-known non-power conference stars Jack Gibbs of Davidson (24.6 ppg) and Kahlil Felder of Oakland (24.6 ppg) are just behind him. Anthony "Cat" Barber from NC State (23.5 ppg) and Stefan Moody from Ole Miss (23.3 ppg) are also right there near the top.

But what about the guy with a firm grip on the top spot?

 

James Daniel has a boring name, he is, by basketball standards, a boring size (5'11, 165-pounds) and he plays for a Howard program which hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1992. He's also on pace to average more points in a season than any Division I player since Jimmer Fredette in 2010-11.

 

This wasn't supposed to happen for Daniel, who enters the weekend pouring in 27.4 points per contest. A season ago, he averaged a solid, but not spectacular 16.1 ppg while playing more of a traditional point guard role for the Bison. He knew he'd be asked to do more scoring in a junior season, but a rash of injuries to his teammates left Daniel -- who also goes by "J-Byrd" -- shouldering more of the offensive load than he could have ever imagined.

 

CONTINUE READING

Morgan State, ex-star O’Quinn to visit NSU

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State gets a slight reprieve from what has been a challenging portion of its MEAC schedule when Morgan State visits Echols Hall at 6 tonight.

The Bears (5-17, 3-6 ), 11th in the 13-team league, have lost two straight and five of their past seven.

The third-place Spartans (12-13, 8-2), meanwhile, are coming off consecutive road wins over Howard and Maryland Eastern Shore, both mid-level teams or better.

Fans will have extra incentives to attend the game, which is part of Alumni Day. The first 750 to arrive wearing NSU apparel will receive a bobblehead likeness of former Spartans star and current New York Knicks forward Kyle O’Quinn, who plans to be at the game.

CONTINUE READING

Tony Hughes took a pay cut to come to Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi -- A Division I head coach's seat is a prized position.

"They only thing I'll say is, in my 31 years of coaching, I would love to be a head coach," then-Mississippi State assistant head coach Tony Hughes told reporters on Dec. 12. "As a career assistant in the SEC, a high school coach, junior college, I would love to be a head coach in my career. There are few opportunities that arise in a career that you may get an opportunity or not."

How valuable is a head coaching opportunity? Well for Hughes, it was worth more than $130,000.

Later that day, Hughes signed an agreement to become Jackson State's head coach for $265,000 for the next three seasons, according his contract, which was obtained this week by The Clarion-Ledger through a public records request.

Hughes was paid $400,000 as Mississippi State's assistant head coach, safeties coach and recruiting coordinator in 2015, according to USA Today.



CONTINUE READING 

TSU's Griffin proving himself again as dual-sport phenom

DERRICK GRIFFIN
COURTESY: TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
 

HOUSTON, Texas -- Derrick Griffin enjoys peace.

He didn't have it in the wild world of being a sought-after football and basketball star at Terry High School. He's found it at Texas Southern.

"My circle, it was way too big," Griffin said. "It messed me up a lot. Now my circle's small. Everything is going how I like it. How I want it."

Griffin, a 6-7, 225-pound forward, learned from his past. The redshirt freshman dual-sport star is re-establishing his name at TSU because of that.

In basketball, Griffin has 11 double-doubles in 16 games for the Tigers (10-12, 9-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference). He's the SWAC's leader in rebounds (10.9 per game) and blocked shots (2.3), and is TSU's third-leading scorer (13.2 points) entering the first-place Tigers' game again
st Jackson State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at H&PE Arena.

CONTINUE READING

William Carey wins at XU, stretches streak to 12

NEW ORLEANS — Senior guard Donta Pittman scored seven points in a closing run Thursday that carried NAIA No. 15 William Carey to a 65-51 men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.
    
The Crusaders (17-8) won their 12th in row — their seventh straight by double digits — and snapped the two-game win streak of the Gold Rush (17-9).
    
Xavier led 48-47 — its only advantage of the second half — after Morris Wright's 3-pointer with 8:56 remaining, but the Crusaders outscored the Rush 18-3 thereafter. Pittman scored seven points in a 9-0 run during the final 2:23.
    
Pittman also had six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Teammate Leo Garrett scored 14 points, including 4-of-5 3-pointers.
    
Wright scored in double figures for the 34th consecutive time, but his 13 points were his third-lowest this season. Wright was 5-of-18 from the floor, 2-of-11 on 3-pointers, and made 1-of-4 free throws. Wright's first points came on a trey in the 15th minute. Elex Carter had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Gold Rush, and Kevin Murph and Jarvis Thibodeaux scored eight apiece. Thibodeaux grabbed five rebounds, and Murph had career highs of three assists and three steals.
    
William Carey outshot Xavier 50 to 38 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Gold Rush 35-26. The field-goal percentage was the best by an XU opponent this season.
    
Pittman had 10 points and Garrett eight to lead the Crusaders to a 36-28 halftime advantage. But Xavier rallied, and Thibodeaux's two free throws and basket gave the Gold Rush ties at 43 and 45.
    
The Gold Rush and Crusaders split their two-game season series — Xavier won 64-61 at Hattiesburg, Miss., Dec. 12 — and William Carey won for the third time in four tries at Xavier's Convocation Center, which opened in 2012. The Crusaders scored their biggest winning margin at Xavier since the 1998-99 season.
    
Xavier will play its final regular-season home game at 7:30 p.m. Monday against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponent SUNO at the Convocation Center.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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