PLAYOFF CENTRAL: North Greenville vs. Tuskegee

TIGERVILLE, South Carolina -- North Greenville earned the right to move on to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs with a win over Florida Tech on Saturday. The Crusaders now turn their attention to round two and a matchup with the Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University.

NORTH GREENVILLE IN THE PLAYOFFS The win over the Panthers on Saturday improved NGU’s playoff record to 3-1 all time and 2-1 in road playoff games. Saturday’s game against the Golden Tigers will be NGU’s second home playoff game after hosting the opening round in 2011 against Albany State, also of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-TIt’s not often that a football team lacking a conference affiliation earns a bid to the NCAA D-II Playoffs. Even more rare is two football teams claiming the independent tag in the field of 28. Even rarer than two independent teams in the field of 28 is two teams in the same region, but don’t tell that to North Greenville and UNC Pembroke. The Crusaders and Braves, both registered independents (at least until the 2018 season when NGU joins the Gulf South) earned the fifth and sixth seeds in this year’s tournament. The two squads also pulled off first round upsets of Gulf South opponents as the Braves downed Valdosta State while NGU knocked off Florida Tech.

MARCH MADNESS OR THE D-II FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS?Saturday afternoon resembled the first weekend of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament with upsets all over the country. Five lower seeds were victorious in the opening weekend including all three lower seeds in Super Region Two. Also joining in on “Upset Saturday” was Colorado Mines who downed third seeded Southwest Baptist and Indiana PA with an upset win over the fourth seeded Fairmont State in Super Region One.

SURVIVE AND ADVANCETwo familiar opponents await NGU in round three of the playoffs should the Crusaders handle business against the Tigers this weekend. An NGU win over Tuskegee on Saturday would mean a re-match with North Alabama or UNC Pembroke, the first and fifth seeds in the region.

MAKING A NAMENGU redshirt freshman tailback Tracy Scott has quickly become one of NGU’s biggest offensive weapons, but a big game on Saturday would etch his name in North Greenville record books. Should Scott break the 100-yard barrier against the Tigers, he would set a new record for consecutive 100-yard performances with four, while also tying the record for most 100-yards games in a season.

Scott could also set a new record for rushing touchdowns in a season with three against Tuskegee. Should Scott find himself re-writing records on Saturday, the Crusaders should hopefully feel pretty good about their chances to advance to the third round.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN TIGERS North Greenville’s defense faces another tough task this week in the Tuskegee offense. The Golden Tigers are averaging just over 27-points per contest this season while stacking up 353-yards of offense. The Tigers rely heavily on a strong ground game, rushing for 1,598-yards this season on 469 carries compared to just 273 passing attempts. The Tigers have 17-touchdowns on the ground and 22 through the air this season while averaging 208 passing yards.

The Tigers finished the 2016 regular season 8-2 with a first round playoff upset to earn the ninth win. Tuskegee’s defense has been a source of strength for the Tigers as they made their push towards their 10th national championship. Opponents have found little success on the ground against the Golden Tigers, averaging just 113.1-yards per game and just 3.5-yards per carry. Even more impressive is the pass defense for the Tigers, which is holding opponents just 151.4-yards through the air and just eight touchdowns.

PLAYERS TO WATCHGant/Craig/Lacey: Kenny Grant, Jayjerien Craig, and Kevin Lacey has been a three-headed monster for the Golden Tigers this season as all three have turned in 400-yard seasons. The leader of the trio, Kenny Gant has run for 471-yards and two touchdowns while Craig has 460-yards and two scores. Lacey also has two touchdowns on the season and 405-yards.

Kevin Lacey: The do-it-all quarterback is third on the team in rushing, but he has also done some damage through the air. The senior signal caller has thrown for 1,956-yards this season and 17-touchdowns.

Desmond Reece: Desmond Reece is one of three receivers with the bulk of Lacey’s targets. Reece has 842-yards on 49-receptions this season with a team leading nine-touchdowns. Reece has also thrown six interceptions in 255-attempts this season.

Chetham/Gilbert: Javarrius Chetham and Leo Gilbert are second and third one the team in receptions. Chetham has reeled in 28-catches on the season with six touchdowns while Gilbert has 20-receptions and five touchdowns of his own.

Osband Thompson: The team’s leading tackler, Thompson has 123-stops on the season including 10 for a loss and 3.5-sacks.

Daryl George: A name NGU fans hope not to hear very much on Saturday, George leads the Golden Tigers with 7.5 sacks this season from his defensive line spot.

Jonah McCutcheon: McCutcheon is a guy that will have the attention of NGU quarterback Will Hunter and the offensive coaches alike. He is the team leader with three-interceptions The Golden Tigers have 12 picks on the season including two more from Darnell Hill and Eugene Leach.

COVERAGESaturday’s game against the Golden Tigers will be broadcast on the North Greenville Sports Network as well as on 95.5FM The Vibe; NGU’s student run radiobroadcast. Live Stats will also be provided. The links are provided below.

LIVE VIDEO (North Greenville Sports Network)

LIVE AUDIO (95.5FM THE VIBE)

LIVE STATISTICS

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for Saturday’s game will go on sale two-hours before the game and will be sold in the ticket booth in front of Younts Stadium Prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.

NORTH GREENVILLE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS 

Spider Football Gameday Central - North Carolina A&T

RICHMOND, Virginia - A new season begins on Saturday, November 26 when the 2016 FCS Playoffs get underway.

The Richmond Spiders are just one of 10 teams that will be making an appearance in three straight FCS Playoffs when they host Aggies of North Carolina A&T, the #17-ranked team in the country.

Live audio for Saturday's game can be found on RichmondSpiders.com with Live Stats available on RichmondSpiders.com. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

For complete gameday coverage of Richmond Spider football, be sure to scroll down for Gameday Central.

Who	No. 12 Richmond vs. No. 17 North Carolina A&T
When	Saturday, Nov. 26 - 2 PM ET
Where	Richmond, Va. | Weather | Parking Map
Venue	E. Claiborne Robins Stadium | Directions | Tickets
Radio	RichmondSpiders.com | ESPN 950 AM | WBBT 107.3 FM
Live TV/Video	ESPN3
Live Stats	RichmondSpiders.com
Game Notes	Richmond | N.C. A&T | CAA Press Box
Pregame Media	Coach Rocco Presser | Player Presser
SpiderTV	Selection Show Presser | Brian Brown Feature
Spider Voices	What I'm Thankful For
Social Media	Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Hashtags	#OneRichmond | #UnitedInRed | #CAAFB

QUICK SLANTS

- Richmond makes its third straight FCS Playoff appearance when they host North Carolina A&T out of the MEAC in the opening round of the 2016 postseason. It is the 11th all-time playoff appearances for the Spiders, seven of which have come in the past 12 years.

- Those seven playoff appearances in the past 12 years are the eighth-most nationally over that span.

- The Spiders are one of just 10 schools who have earned a berth in the past three FCS playoffs. Others include: Chattanooga, South Dakota State, Sam Houston STate, James Madison, Jacksonville State, Coastal Carolina, North Dakota State, Illinois State and New Hampshire.

- Richmond is one of just five schools that enter the 2016 postseason with a chance to notch a playoff win in each of the past three seasons. Joining Richmond in that group is Chattanooga, Sam Houston State, Illinois State and five-time defending champion North Dakota State.

- The Spiders return to Robins Stadium for their opening FCS playoff game, a place where Richmond is 32-11 (.744). During Coach Rocco’s five plus seasons, Richmond is 26-6 (.813) inside the friendly confines. This senior class for Richmond is 22-4 at home.

- Today marks the first-ever meeting between the Aggies and Spiders. This season, the two teams have one common opponent, Norfolk State. Richmond beat NSU, 34-0 on Sept. 10, while North Carolina A&T toppled NSU, 35-0 on Oct. 6.

- This marks the second time in three seasons that the Spiders have faced an opponent out of the MEAC in the opening round of the playoffs. Richmond battled its way past a tough Morgan State squad in 2014, defeating the Bears, 46-24.

- All time, the Spiders are 5-0 against MEAC schools with three wins over Hampton (2005, 2014, 2015) and single victories over Morgan State (2014) and Norfolk State (2016).

- Richmond enters the postseason facing some adversity with All-American QB candidate Kyle Lauletta suffering a torn ACL in the regular season finale at William & Mary. It was the Spiders’ fourth ACL injury of the year and 18th player season-ending injury that Richmond has suffered. (More details available on page 4 of the notes)

- In his five seasons at Richmond, the Spiders have shown bounce back ability under Head Coach Danny Rocco. Richmond is 13-7 following losses under the current regime. Entering today, the Spiders have won four straight games following losses.

- Richmond boasted the second-most all-league accolades with 12 Spiders earning All-CAA accolades. First team members include WR Brian Brown, K Griffin Trau, OL Thomas Evans, DT Winston Craig and LB Omar Howard. (Full list available on page 4 of the notes)

- With his 144-yard performance against William & Mary in the regular season finale, Deontez Thompson set the freshman record for 100-yard performances with his fifth of the year, breaking Uly Scott’s record of four set in 1991.

COURTESY RICHMOND ATHLETICS

Finishing factors facing S.C. State in final game

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough recognizes that there are a few factors encouraging his Bulldogs to finish the season with a win on Saturday at home against Bethune-Cookman.

A final Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win for the 11 seniors on the team is one factor.

Finishing the campaign with back-to-back conference wins is something else to factor into the equation.

But with young players who have aspirations of playing professional football, along with a 55-year-old who just played his way into the NCAA history books a week ago, there are other factors to consider.

“We have pro scouts around pretty much every day,” Pough said. “Then, after the pro scouts, you get this deal here with ESPN cameras at our practice this week; so there’s always something to give you a little bit of inspiration to go out and do your very best.”

A win won’t make it a winning season for the Bulldogs. But it would make it a winning season in MEAC play. S.C. State comes in with a 4-6 overall record, but a 4-3 record in MEAC competition. The Wildcats, meanwhile, come in with a 4-5 overall record and a 4-3 record in MEAC play.

CONTINUE READING

El Campo receiver commits to Texas Southern

EL CAMPO, Texas -- El Campo senior Wesley Arrambide didn't get a lot of opportunities to catch the ball.

But Arrambide made every reception count.

He caught 20 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns while helping to lead the Ricebirds to the District 12-4A, Division I championship and into the area playoffs before they finished the season with an 11-1 record.

Arrambide's ability to make the most of his chances led to an offer from Texas Southern University.

Arrambide announced a commitment on Thanksgiving to attend the Houston school next season.

"One thing I loved about Texas Southern is that they've always had faith in my abilities," Arrambide said. "Me coming from El Campo, is hard to be recruited as a receiver and my recruiting coach (Dallas Blalock) has always been here for me, supporting my every decision."

Arrambide also led the district in punt returns with a 20.2-yard average and one touchdown

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Second-half push lifts Mississippi Valley State past Northwestern State Lady Demons

NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana -- The Northwestern State women's basketball team overcame a slow start Friday night to take a halftime lead against Mississippi Valley State.

The Lady Demons were unable, however, to repeat that in the second half.

A third-quarter surge from the visiting Delta Devilettes allowed them to overcome a six-point halftime deficit and hand Northwestern State its first home loss of the season, 68-64.

"You've got to give Valley credit," first-year head coach Jordan Dupuy said. "They did some things that shook us. They changed their defenses. Full-court, half-court, they even played a box-and-one, which we hadn't seen. They chased Beatrice (Attura) everywhere. We made her a screener, which ended up working. We just didn't finish around the rim."

Northwestern State (3-2) fell behind by eight points midway through the first quarter before turning in its best statistical defensive quarter of the young season.

NSU did not allow Mississippi Valley State (2-2) to connect on a field goal in 10 second-quarter attempts, limiting the Delta Devilettes to just two Christina Reed free throws in that time.

Sparked by that defense, the Lady Demons carried a lead into the half for the fourth time in five games this season.

While the Lady Demons held the Delta Devilettes to 30.4 percent shooting in the opening half, Mississippi Valley State used the free throw line to start its comeback.

The Delta Devilettes connected on 10 of 11 free throws in the third quarter and 21 of 26 second-half tries from the line.

In a game that saw 57 combined fouls and 54 total free throws, Valley's proficiency at the line was a difference maker, allowing it to answer every Northwestern State second-half push.

After Valley opened a nine-point lead with 2:31 to play, Attura started NSU's comeback attempt, hitting a 3-pointer and knocking down a pair of free throws to get NSU to within two possessions.

Attura pulled NSU within three with 22 seconds left by hitting three free throws, but Kristy Parker knocked down the first of two free throws with 18 seconds to play to seal the victory.

"They shot the ball extremely well from the free-throw line," Dupuy said. "They shot the ball extremely well from 3. We didn't identify their shooters. We knew (Reed) was going to be one who can knock it down, and we didn't find her late.

"Like I told the team in the locker room, it's the little things that make teams great, not the big things. We've got to get better at those little things."
Attura finished with a game-high 25 points, two shy of her career high. Freshman Victoria Miller grabbed 16 rebounds, helping offset a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double from Valley's Ashley Beals.

Miller's 16 rebounds were the most by a Northwestern State player since Trudy Armstead grabbed 18 against Central Arkansas on Feb. 1, 2012.

Reed paced Valley with 18 points, including four 3-pointers, and four assists, the last of which set up a Kenya Arnold jumper that pushed Valley's lead to 61-52 with 2:31 to play.

Cheyenne Brown added 15 points in 19 minutes for NSU.

"(Miller) gave us extra opportunities by crashing hard," Dupuy said. "Her effort is tremendous. We're going to continue to work on her skill-set. She works hard every single day. She's very athletic, very strong. She's the hardest worker in the weight room. Sixteen rebounds off the bench is tremendous. The next step is to get her to finish in the paint, and she finished a couple in the second half and knocked down some free throws. She was definitely a bright spot."

After finishing a stretch of four games in seven days, the Lady Demons will return to action Wednesday at Memphis. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Elma Neal Roane Fieldhouse.

BOX SCORE

NORTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Bayou Classic to decide SWAC West

NEW ORLEANS -- BCSP No. 3 North Carolina Central prevailed over rival and BCSP No. 1 North Carolina A&T 42-21 Saturday in a North Carolina showdown to claim the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference championship and that league’s berth in the 2nd annual Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17 at the Atlanta Georgia Dome.

There’s another spicy rivalry game on tap this week as the attention shifts to New Orleans and the 43rd annual Bayou Classic between Louisiana rivals, the new BCSP No. 1 Grambling State (8-1, 8-0 SWAC West) and BCSP No. 4 Southern (8-2, 8-0 W), for that league’s West Division title. The game will be carried live Saturday on the NBC Sports Network beginning at 4 p.m. The winner of the showdown will face East Division champ Alcorn State next week (Dec. 3) in the SWAC Championship Game for a chance to meet N. C. Central in the Dec. 17 Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.

The SWAC West usually comes down to this season-ending classic in New Orleans and this year is no different. Both teams are 8-0 and undefeated and relatively unchallenged in conference play. All eight of Grambling and head coach Broderick Fobbs’s SWAC wins have been by at least 21 points. Southern had two league wins by single-digits, 28-24 over Jackson State and 41-33 over Alcorn State. The rest have been blowouts. But the teams could not be any closer matched than this year, particularly in conference stats.



CONTINUE READING

Nuggets dig a Trench, and LSU-Shreveport falls in it

NEW ORLEANS — Maya Trench scored a career-high 21 points Thursday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 69-61 women's basketball victory against LSU-Shreveport in the Xavier Classic.
     
Trench, a 5-foot-2 freshman point guard, tied a career high with eight assists, and she had six rebounds and one turnover in 34 minutes. She is the first XULA player this season to reach 20 points in a game.
  
Mikayla Bates scored a career-high-tying 10 points for the Gold Nuggets (5-5), and Angelle Simon had career highs of nine points and five rebounds. Aliyah Bell grabbed 10 rebounds and reached double figures for the second time this season.
     
Kourtney Pennywell had 17 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and two blocked shots for the Lady Pilots (1-6). Courtney Randle and Chaterra Cage scored 11 points apiece, Quiana Tucker grabbed 12 rebounds, and Bria Freeland had a career-high nine assists.
     
After a halftime tie at 28, XULA went ahead to stay, 34-33, on Jordan Coleman's basket at 7:03 of the third quarter. The Gold Nuggets led 51-42 by the end of the period and took their biggest lead, 56-42, on a Trench 3-pointer with 7:28 remaining. The trey was Trench's third of the game, also a career best.
     
XULA outshot LSUS 38.2 to 32.4 percent from the floor. The Gold Nuggets made eight 3-pointers for the second consecutive game.
     
XULA has won two straight after losing five in a row. It was the fourth consecutive loss for LSUS, whose only win this season was at home Nov. 12 against XULA.
     
Langston defeated Dillard 67-66 in the opening game of the event. On Friday, Dillard will play LSUS at 1 p.m., and XULA will play Langston at 5 p.m. A girls high school game between East St. John and Ellender will tip off at 3 p.m.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

McWright's late basket lifts Langston over Dillard

NEW ORLEANS — Ri'Kell McWright's basket with nine seconds remaining Thursday lifted Langston to a 67-66 women's basketball victory against Dillard in the opening game of the Xavier Classic.

McWright, a senior guard, did not start but had game highs of 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Lady Lions (2-1).

After McWright's score, the Lady Bleu Devils (6-2) missed a pair of shots, including a Shaelynn Moore 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Reagan Widener scored 21 points for Langston, and Akia Frett had 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

Moore had 20 points and four steals for Dillard. Adriiana Jackson scored 14 points, Keona Favis had 13 points and nine rebounds, and Alyssa Washington scored 10.

The teams were tied at 33 at halftime after Langston led 17-6 late in the first period. Dillard led by five twice in the third quarter and took its final lead on Moore's 3-pointer with 1:08 remaining.

Langston outshot Dillard 51.9 to 37.5 percent from the floor. Dillard was plus-12 in turnovers, committing 14 and gaining 26. The loss was the Lady Bleu Devils' second in a row after six straight victories to open the season.

On Friday, Dillard will play LSU-Shreveport at 1 p.m., and Xavier University of Louisiana will play Langston at 5 p.m. A girls high school game between East St. John and Ellender will tip off at 3 p.m. XULA defeated LSUS 69-61 in the second game Thursday.

Date: 11/24/2016 Arena: Convocation Center
Time: 5:01 pm City, State: New Orleans, LA

VISITOR: Langston (2-1)
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
NO PLAYER P FG FGA FG FGA FT FTA OFF DEF TOT PF TP A TO BK S MIN
22 Dickerson, Kaylyn F 2 2 0 0 1 2 0 5 5 3 5 0 2 2 1 15:15
34 Lewis, Che'Ron F 3 4 0 0 1 2 1 4 5 3 7 1 5 1 1 27:28
1 Frett, Akia G 5 10 0 3 0 1 1 5 6 4 10 7 8 0 1 40:00
5 Climpson, Destiny G 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 20:38
32 Widener, Reagan G 9 15 2 3 1 2 0 4 4 0 21 3 4 0 1 38:49
3 McWright, Ri'Kell 9 15 1 1 4 6 3 9 12 3 23 2 5 1 1 33:23
10 Brox, Calynne 0 1 0 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 8:00
21 Betts, Kennady 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4:23
24 Strong, Alexandra 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 5:57
30 Anderson, Nyesha 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 6:07
TEAM REBOUNDS 0 0 0 0
Team Totals 28 54 3 13 8 15 6 31 37 17 67 14 26 4 5 200

Total FG% - 1st: 15/29 0.517 2nd: 13/25 0.520 Game: 0.519 Deadball
3-PT FG% - 1st: 2/9 0.222 2nd: 1/4 0.250 Game: 0.231 Rebounds
Total FT% - 1st: 1/4 0.250 2nd: 7/11 0.636 Game: 0.533 (4,6)

HOME: Dillard (6-2)
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
NO PLAYER P FG FGA FG FGA FT FTA OFF DEF TOT PF TP A TO BK S MIN
45 Favis, Keona F 5 12 0 0 3 5 5 4 9 4 13 1 1 0 1 31:39
1 Lumar, Shantrell G 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 3 0 0 1 22:25
3 Moore, Shaelynn G 8 21 3 12 1 2 2 0 2 2 20 2 4 0 4 31:46
11 Jackson, Adriiana G 6 10 1 2 1 2 1 3 4 0 14 3 2 0 1 32:53
32 Washington, Alyssa G 4 9 2 3 0 0 1 4 5 3 10 4 2 0 0 30:23
4 McDonald, Alexia 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 4 4 0 0 0 3 0 1 12:01
00 Verrett, Chelsea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1:52
23 Norris, Daizha 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 9:52
31 Taylor, Lauren 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 6:51
34 Ephrom, Destiny 2 6 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 2 5 0 1 0 0 10:09
35 Collins, Makeedah 1 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 2 2 2 0 0 1 10:09
TEAM REBOUNDS 1 1 2 0
Team Totals 27 72 6 20 6 12 11 22 33 19 66 17 14 0 9 200

Total FG% - 1st: 13/34 0.382 2nd: 14/38 0.368 Game: 0.375 Deadball
3-PT FG% - 1st: 3/10 0.300 2nd: 3/10 0.300 Game: 0.300 Rebounds
Total FT% - 1st: 4/8 0.500 2nd: 2/4 0.500 Game: 0.500 (3,1)

Technical Fouls: LU (0)
: DU (0)

OFFICIALS : Sterling Higgins Jake Regal Robert Brown
ATTENDANCE : 378

SCORE BY PERIODS 1st 2nd 3rd 4th TOTAL
Langston 19 14 20 14 67
Dillard 11 22 17 16 66

Last FG: Langston 4th-00:09, Dillard 4th-01:08
Largest lead: Langston by 11 1st-01:22, Dillard by 5 3rd-07:02
Score tied: 5 times, Lead changed: 10 times

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Southern, Grambling prepared for 43rd annual Bayou Classic

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Bragging rights are always on the line whenever the Bayou Classic comes around, but there will be much more than that at stake when Southern takes on Grambling at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Saturday.

In the 43rd edition of the Bayou Classic, both teams come in with 21 victories in the all-time series and 8-0 records against Southwestern Athletic Conference competition in 2016.

The winner of the game will take the lead in the Bayou Classic's all-time series and advance to next week's SWAC Conference championship game against two-time defending conference champion Alcorn State.

"It's gonna be a great contest, I wouldn't have it any other way," Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs said during the SWAC's weekly teleconference. "Two teams from the state of Louisiana, two teams that are undefeated in conference and two teams that have really good talent. I'm looking forward to it."

That talent with both teams begins with the play on the offensive side of the ball.

CONTINUE READING

Grambling ready for 'dog and pony show' at Bayou Classic

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Broderick Fobbs likes to refer to the annual Bayou Classic as a dog and pony show.

This year's version happens to be one of the biggest in recent memory.

Grambling and Southern meet Saturday in New Orleans for all the marbles. The Tigers and Jaguars are undefeated in conference play for the first time in a Bayou Classic, and the winner will be crowed as the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division championship.

Fobbs, Grambling's third-year coach who has played and coached in several Bayou Classic's, wants his players to stay in character. Defensive coordinator Everett Todd only hopes to be less nervous than the past two years.

"It's a big-time game. It's always that way," Todd said. "There's always a bit of butterflies on the stomach because it is important and you want to be successful and you want to do good things and you want to play. Anybody in their right mind who walks into any game has a little bit of that, then particularly one you have an opportunity to have the championship on the line."

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Jeff Mills: Playoffs feel like consolation prize for N.C. A&T in Celebration Bowl era

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Once upon a time, two short years ago, this was the ultimate goal.

N.C. A&T would start the season on a quest to get to the FCS playoffs and compete in a 24-team football tournament to win a national title.

The Aggies made it. They’re back in the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. No. 17 A&T (9-2) will play at No. 12 Richmond (8-3) at 2 p.m. today in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championships.

It’s the Aggies fifth appearance in the FCS playoffs and their first at-large berth.

What: First-round game of NCAA Division I Football Championships

Who: No. 17 N.C. A&T (9-2) at No. 12 Richmond (8-3)

When: 2 p.m. today

Where: Robins Stadium (8,700), Richmond, Va.

Broadcast: ESPN3, WCOG-93.7, WCOG-1320

And yet, somehow it feels like getting socks for Christmas. You appreciate the gift, but it’s not what you really wanted.

That’s because a funny thing happened in 2014 when ESPN negotiated the deal for a made-for-TV postseason game matching the champions of the MEAC and SWAC.

The Celebration Bowl became a priority. It’s the priority in black college football.

“Our goal going into this season was definitely the Celebration Bowl,” A&T coach Rod Broadway said. “But this is not a bad consolation prize. It’s a great honor for this team at this time.”



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Everything you need to know for Coastal Carolina vs. Hampton

CONWAY, South Carolina

Series record
Coastal Carolina 1-0

Last meeting
CCU 50, Hampton 17, on Sept. 21, 2013

Coastal Carolina
Strength: Running game, defense
Weakness: Injuries at quarterback and offensive line

Hampton
Strength: Defense
Weakness: Running game

Key matchup
Coastal Carolina’s offense against Hampton’s defense: Down to its seventh quarterback, CCU turns to graduate senior and former Chants baseball player Tyler Chadwick as he gets his first career start under center in his last game ever. Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina has relied on its rushing attack most of the season and likely will again Saturday, giving the Pirates a tough matchup.

Players to watch
Coastal Carolina
Senior running back De’Angelo Henderson: The All-American has one game left in his career and plans to leave it all on the field. He has recovered from a shoulder injury that kept him out for three games, but has now played two games since then. He is the program’s all-time leading rusher and will look to tack on quite a few more yards to his name Saturday.

Senior linebacker Alex Scearce: He is now on the list for the FCS Buck Buchanan Award, given to the NCAA Division I-AA’s best defensive player. He led the team in tackles last season and is the leader again this season.

CONTINUE READING

Savannah State has another chance to achieve more goals on Saturday

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Goals for a 3-6 team in the season finale?

Savannah State first-year coach Erik Raeburn didn’t have to look hard for reasons to be excited about today’s game with visiting Morgan State.

“Geez, if you’re a senior and you don’t want your career to end on a positive note, if that doesn’t motivate you, there’s nothing I can do for you,” Raeburn said.

“As a team, we have a chance to go undefeated at home for the first time in a long time. If we win, we’d be .500 in the MEAC so we’d avoid having a losing season in the MEAC for the first time ever.

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The Series: Morgan leads the series, 8-0.

“Winning would carry some momentum into our offseason workouts. It would carry momentum into our recruiting. It’d be a great thing for our program.”

So the seemingly meaningless 1 p.m. tilt at T.A. Wright Stadium — a makeup of an Oct. 8 game postponed because of Hurricane Matthew — comes with program-enhancing implications.

After losing to South Carolina State 32-0 a week ago, the Tigers (3-6, 3-4 MEAC) can’t get to a .500 record for the first time since 1998. But considering SSU hasn’t had more than one win a year during the last six seasons, every chance of victory should come with eager anticipation.

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Bayou Classic is 'alive and well' despite recent perceived decline

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Eric Dooley knows legendary Grambling coach Eddie Robinson will be smiling down on the Superdome this weekend.

Grambling's offensive coordinator, who has experience on both sides of the Bayou Classic as an assistant for Grambling and Southern, can speak with certainty that the biggest game of the year in black college football is alive and well.

"This is what he envisioned for the Classic to be something of this nature. He wouldn't back down from the competition," Dooley said earlier this week. "It's great. Both teams are doing well and it helps out both schools. I think it's at a good spot right now."

Dooley's opinion hasn't changed, but outsiders questioned the annual rivalry played in New Orleans on Thanksgiving weekend.

This year's matchup Saturday afternoon has all the fixings and then some with Grambling and Southern entering with 8-0 records in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The winner secures the division title and a spot in next weekend's championship game against Alcorn State.

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UC Bearcats to Welcome Howard Bison on Saturday

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team will host the Howard Bison on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 5:30 p.m. inside Fifth Third Arena.

Cincinnati Game Notes | BearcatsTV | Live Stats

// THE GAME
UC (3-1) will begin a three-game homestand Saturday when it welcomes the Howard Bison (0-4) to Fifth Third Arena at 5:30 p.m. in the second game of a men’s and women’s basketball double-header. Admission to the game will be complimentary, as it is all season long, as part of the Experience UC initiative. Fans unable to attend can watch the game live on Bearcats TV. A subscription is required to watch online.

// THE SERIES
Saturday’s contest will the second all-time matchup between UC and Howard with the Bison holding a 1-0 series advantage. In the only previous matchup, Howard knocked off UC, 72-70, on a neutral floor on Dec. 29, 1994.

// SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
UC picked up its third-straight road victory of the season Tuesday when it knocked off the Miami Redhawks, 49-43, inside Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio.

With the win, UC improved to 3-1 on the season -- including 3-0 on the road -- while Miami dropped to 2-2 on the year and 0-1 inside Millett Hall.

In their second midweek, midday game in seven days, the Bearcats got off to a sluggish start but were able to muster enough production to take a 26-25 lead into halftime. UC was able to separate from the Redhawks in the third quarter, outscoring the home team 14-8 to take a 40-33 lead into the final quarter. Scoring the first five points of the fourth proved to be the difference as UC went scoreless for eight minutes but were able to lock down enough on defense to get the win.

Senior guard Bianca Quisenberry (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh) led all scorers in the game with a season-high tying 13 points and a season-best eight rebounds. Junior Shanice Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal O’Hara/Monroe CC) recorded her second-consecutive double-double with 11 points and a game-best and season-high 14 rebounds.

At Miami, UC got 16 points from its bench and scored 18 points in the paint. The Bearcats limited the Redhawks to 24 percent shooting for the game including only five made field goals in the second half. Cincinnati committed a season-high 25 turnovers which Miami turned into 10 points.

Freshman guard Antoinette Miller (Detroit, Mich./Southfield-Lathrup) posted her second-consecutive double-figure scoring game with 10 points and a season-high tying six rebounds. Junior guard Ana Owens (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) scored a season-low three points on 0-of-11 shooting from the field. Sophomore forward Maya Benham (Douglasville, Ga./Osborne) scored her first point of the season.

// SCOUTING THE BISON
Howard will enter Saturday’s game at 0-4 on the season after falling 67-55 at Cornell on Tuesday night at Newman Arena.

Rookie Jayla Myles had a career night with 13 points and 15 rebounds at Cornell while for the fourth consecutive game, redshirt senior Te’Shya Heslip topped the team in scoring with 17 points to go along with three steals, two rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Redshirt junior Erin Blaine finished the night with nine points and seven boards.

As a team, Howard went 12-for-16 (.750) at the free throw line and scored 29 points in the paint. The Bison also had 19 second chance points.

For the season, the Bison are led by Heslip’s 18.8 points per game. Blaine paces Howard with 4.0 rebounds per contest. Howard averages 55.8 points per game which ranks 10 out of 13 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and gives up 88.5 points a contest which ranks last in the league. The Bison shoot 71.2 percent from the free throw line which is second best in the conference.

Senior forward Sydni Johnson was selected to the MEAC Preseason All-Conference Third Team. The Bison, who went 7-24 (4-12 MEAC) last season, were picked to finish ninth out of 13 in the league preseason poll.

// MOBILE APP: CINCINNATI GAMEDAY
Improved for the 2016 season, the Cincinnati Gameday app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices offers fans a wide variety of information on the Bearcats — home and away. The free app is available in the App Store and Google Play. The app offers live scores & stats, social interaction, and fan maps, among other features, to enhance the Cincinnati gameday experience.

// EXPERIENCE UC
Again this season, the Bearcats will be participating in the University’s “Experience UC” initiative which offers complimentary, free of charge admission to home games. The initiative is geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the University. Groups interested in attending games in 2016-17 should contact Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Branding Luke Willman (513-556-1081; luke.willman@uc.edu) for more information.

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI BEARCATS ATHLLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Western Carolina Travels West to Face First Time Foe JSU

CULLOWHEE, North Carolina --  The Western Carolina men’s basketball team will travel to Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) member Jackson State for a Saturday night clash which will mark the first meeting between the two programs. Both teams enter the contest having fallen to North Carolina Central, Marshall and Ohio State in the Global Sports Invitational. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm Saturday night with audio coverage through the Catamount Sports Network with Daniel Hooker on the call.

Western Carolina (1-4, 0-0 SoCon) at Jackson State (1-4, 0-0 SWAC)
Saturday, Nov. 26 | 7 p.m. | Jackson, Miss. | Williams Athletics Center (6,000)

MEDIA
Radio: Catamount Sports Network 
Talent: Daniel Hooker (PxP)
Live Stats: CatamountSports.com 
Twitter Updates: @Catamounts

WCU Game Notes 

Catamounts Versus Jackson State
• Saturday night’s game will be the first meeting between Western Carolina and Jackson State in men’s basketball.
• Jackson State is one of two first time opponents for the Catamounts this month. WCU had also never faced Miami (Fla.).

WCU and the SWAC
• The Catamounts have played just one of the 10 current members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and hold a perfect 1-0 mark in those games.
• The only SWAC school the Catamounts have faced is Grambling State University.
• The lone meeting took place in 1991 at the Ball State/Cardinal Varsity Club Classic in Muncie, Ind. WCU won the contest 112-87.

On The Road Again
• The game against Jackson State marks the third of a seven game road swing for the Catamounts.
• WCU will travel to five different states for the seven games.

International Flair
• Three of Western Carolina’s five starters come from outside the United States.
• Starting guard Haboubacar Mutombo is from just north of the U.S. in Pickering, Ontario, Canada while WCU’s two forwards call Europe home.
• Sophomore forward Marc Gosselin is a native of Lyon, France while freshman forward Yalim Olcay comes from Izmir, Turkey.
• Olcay has the longest journey home which is 5,670 miles. Gosselin has to travel 4,439 miles home while Mutombo has a relatively short 861 mile journey.

Rebounding The Ball
• Haboubacar Mutombo and Marc Gosselin have each led the Catamounts in rebounds in two of the last four games.
• Mutombo led the squad against Hiwassee and Marshall while Gosselin grabbed the lead against North Carolina Central and Ohio State.
• They have each surpassed their career-highs in boards over the last two games as well.
• Mutombo ripped down a career-best 13 boards against the Thundering Herd while Gosselin had a career-high 14 rebounds at Ohio State.

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Hampton Pirates to close out season at Coastal Carolina

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

CONWAY, South Carolina -- The Hampton University football team will wrap up its 2016 season on the road on Saturday, traveling to take on Coastal Carolina at Brooks Stadium at 2 p.m.

 
Game Notes: Click here.
Radio: WHOV 88.1 FM.
Live Stats: Click here.
 
Last Time Out: The Pirates (5-5) are coming off a 17-10 loss to Norfolk State in their home finale this past weekend, while the Chanticleers (9-2) defeated Liberty 42-7 this past Thursday.
 
The Series: The Pirates are 0-1 against Coastal Carolina, having fallen 50-17 on the road to Chanticleers in 2013.
 
Pirates on the Road: Hampton opened the 2016 season with a road game at Old Dominion, falling 54- 21, before falling 31-9 at North Carolina A&T on Sept. 29, defeating Delaware State 27-17 on Oct. 8, and falling 31-14 at Florida A&M. The Pirates went 2-3 on the road last season, closing out the campaign with a 42-3 defeat of Savannah State. Hampton's only other road win last season came at Morgan State – and the Pirates are a combined 4-11 in true road games under head coach Connell Maynor. Hampton has five true road games this season, including two non-conference games (ODU, Coastal Carolina).
 
Picked to Finish Fifth: The MEAC preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, picked the Pirates to finish fifth this season. The Pirates picked up one first-place vote and 265 points, while defending co-champion North Carolina A&T was picked to repeat. Twarn Mixson and Christian Faber-Kinney were both Preseason First Team selections, while Dwayne Garrett, Donovan Johnson, Ryan Gould, and Myles Morris all earned Preseason Third Team honors.


Mixson Among the Leaders: Mixson was a First Team All-MEAC selection and a Black College All-American in 2015, and coming into 2016, he again finds himself on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team. Mixson led the MEAC in both receiving yards (93.4 per game) and receptions (5.4 per game) last season, becoming just the second Pirate ever to have a 1,000-yard receiving season (1,027). Mixson had five 100-yard receiving games last season, including a season-high 172 yards at Savannah State, and he caught a season-high four touchdowns in the season opener against Kentucky State. He had his best game of 2016 against South Carolina State, catching six passes for 130 yards and a score. So far this season, Mixson is fifth in the MEAC, averaging almost four catches per game.
 
Proctor Coming On: After back-to-back 100-yard games -- a career-high 188-yard performance on Sept. 29 at North Carolina A&T, in which he caught 12 passes, and a 102-yard, seven-catch effort at Delaware State -- wideout Rashawn Proctor leads the MEAC in both receiving yards (93.2 per game) and receptions per game (6.5). He caught nine passes for a then-career-high 161 yards in the season opener at Old Dominion (the first 100-yard receiving game of his career), and he added eight catches for 61 yards and a touchdown against William & Mary. Against Morgan State, Proctor caught six passes for a team-high 93 yards and a touchdown.
 
Williamson Airing it Out: Eleven weeks into the 2016 season, quarterback Jaylian Williamson leads the MEAC in passing, averaging 210.9 yards in the air per game. A large part of that came to the tune of 388 yards on 32-for-54 passing on Sept. 29 at North Carolina A&T. That total ranks fifth in program history; Williamson now has two of Hampton's five best single-game passing performances (in terms of yardage); he also holds the program record for passing yards in a game, thanks to the 407 he racked up in 2014 at Old Dominion. Williamson followed that up on Oct. 8 with 252 yards and a score on 17-for-22 passing at Delaware State, and in the upset win over South Carolina State, he had 271 yards and three touchdowns.
 
At or Near the Top: Through 11 weeks, the Pirates lead the MEAC in passing offense (222.9 yards per game), while ranking second in total defense (341.9 yards per game), punting (34.8 yards per punt), opponent first downs (17.0 per game), third down conversions (39.5 percent), fourth down conversions (60.0 percent), and opponent penalties (77.8 yards per game). Hampton is also third in the MEAC in scoring defense (24.3 points per game), rushing defense (149.7 yards per game), PATs (26-for-27), and time of possession (32:06 per game).
 
Carter Returning: Eric Carter Jr. will be in the backfield again this season, making his return after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the Pirates' 2015 opener. Carter was second on the team in rushing as a freshman in 2014, averaging 5.8 yards per carry while racking up 541 yards on 94 carries. He had three 100-yard rushing games that season, including a season-high 120 in an upset of then-nationally ranked Bethune-Cookman. He also had 113 yards at Delaware State and 103 at Howard. Carter had 41 yards on nine carries in his return at Old Dominion, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, before averaging 4.6 yards per attempt against William & Mary. Carter ranks 10th in the MEAC in rushing (48.9 yards per game), and he rushed for a career-high 127 yards at Delaware State – his first 100-yard game of the season.
 
Johnson Breaks Out: Yahkee Johnson had his breakout with the Pirates on Sept. 10, rushing for a game-high 115 yards on 12 carries against William & Mary. He averaged almost 10 yards per carry (9.6). He also had three catches for 11 yards, and in eight games so far this season, Johnson is fourth in the MEAC in rushing, averaging 74.5 yards per game after rushing for a team-high 112 yards two weeks ago against Savannah State.
 
Garrett Providing Depth: Garrett had his best game as a Pirates against Florida A&M last season, celebrating Senior Day with a career-high 147 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown for Hampton's lone 100-yard rushing effort of the season. Garrett, a transfer from San Diego State, averaged 7.4 yards per carry, and for the season, he was ninth in the MEAC in rushing with 52.1 yards per game. For the season, Garrett had 478 yards on 87 carries and two touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He led the Pirates with 57 rushing yards against Howard, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.
 
Faber-Kinney Reliable: After being named Second Team All-MEAC in 2013, Faber-Kinney was a First Team All-MEAC selection each of the last two seasons. He led the conference in punting in 2015, averaging 40.9 yards per kick and recording 11 punts of at least 50 yards. He pinned nine punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, and he had a season-long boot of 59 yards at William & Mary. Faber-Kinney also starred in track & field last season, winning MEAC titles in both the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon. Faber-Kinney is second in the MEAC in punting after nine weeks (41.6 yards per punt).
 
For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5757, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION