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CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina -- Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant was a little concerned about how her team would perform after a two-week layoff.
Freshman Aerial Powers and senior Annalise Pickrel put her worries at ease right away.
Powers had 26 points and 18 rebounds, Pickrel had 21 points on 7 of 7 shooting and the fifth-seeded Spartans jumped out to a 32-point halftime lead and cruised to an easy 91-61 victory over No. 12 Hampton on Sunday to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Michigan State (23-9) came into the tournament looking to avenge a 28-point loss to Nebraska in the Big Ten Conference semifinals on March 8 and played inspired basketball almost from the opening tip.
"It felt like an eternity since we played," Merchant said.
"But we did a great job of keeping our composure and moving the ball."
And playing defense.
The Spartans held Hampton to 18 percent shooting in the first half to build a 54-22 lead the break.
They never led by less than 30 points in the second half.
Merchant got a huge day from her three key freshmen.
Powers, who came in as the only freshman in the nation to total at least 400 points, 200 rebounds and 75 assists this season, was dominant in all phases in her first NCAA tournament game. She was 10 of 18 from the field, often slicing down the lane and creating an open shot, and chipped in with two blocked shots and two steals to overcome two early turnovers.
Powers also held Hampton's Malia Tate-DeFreitas to 1 of 15 shooting from the field.
Fellow freshmen Branndais Agee had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Tori Jankoska had 11 points for the Spartans, who shot 58 percent from the field in the first half.
"We need some excitement in our game and it's a positive," Merchant said of the influx of freshmen in women's basketball this season.
"It's a positive and might bring some fans back for four more years - and even attract some new ones."
Of course, Merchant's star senior was pretty good, too.
Pickrel's 21 points tied a career high. She hit all three 3-pointers and was 4 of 4 from the foul line to cap a perfect shooting day.
The taller Spartans outscored the Pirates 46-30 in the paint.
Hampton (28-5), the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, came in riding an 18-game winning streak and looking for its first NCAA tournament win.
But the first half did them in.
It didn't take long for Michigan State to take control.
Trailing 6-5, Powers ignited a 15-1 run by scoring on an offensive rebound and then on a fast break layup to give her team the lead for good. Pickrel knocked down two 3-pointers and Jankoska added another trey during the stretch.
When Michigan State wasn't hitting shots from outside, they were dominating on the boards. They out-rebounded the Pirates 54-42.
The Spartans continued to pull away building a 32-point lead halftime behind Powers, who already had a double-double at the break with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
"We weren't ready to go, and I take responsibility for that," Hampton coach David Six said.
Said Pirates guard Kenia Cole: "You can't have slow starts against a team like Michigan State and expect to win."
Hampton too often settled for one-on-one drives to the hole which often resulted in blocked shots or misses. The Spartans had six blocks alone in the first half.
"We let our emotions get the best of us," Six said. "We did a lot of 1-on-1 play and did not move the ball from side to side."
Part of that might have been Michigan State's preparation.
"We had been preparing for them for a while and knew their offensive sets backward and forward," Pickrel said.
Nicole Hamilton led the Pirates with 19 points. Alyssa Bennett had 16.
Michigan State led by at least 30 points throughout the second half but coach Merchant waited until the final minutes before emptying the bench.
Becca Mills added 12 points for Michigan State, which has advanced to the second round in nine of its last 10 seasons.
Hampton fell to 0-8 all-time in NCAA tournament play.
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Sunday, March 23, 2014
Southern defense keeps learning
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern football coach Dawson Odums said his defense “made some busts” in its first spring scrimmage last week.
He said the defense had one bust in the Jaguars’ second scrimmage Saturday.
“Other than that, it was individual guys making individual plays,” he said. “I like seeing four and five guys on the tackle, and I saw a lot of that today. I thought our safeties got a lot better from the last scrimmage to this scrimmage.”
That improvement is consistent with last season, when the defenders demonstrated that they could learn from their mistakes and get better week after week.
The difference in the performance of the defense in the first three games and the last 10 was about as stark as it could be, and it was one of the keys to Southern’s drive to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.
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He said the defense had one bust in the Jaguars’ second scrimmage Saturday.
“Other than that, it was individual guys making individual plays,” he said. “I like seeing four and five guys on the tackle, and I saw a lot of that today. I thought our safeties got a lot better from the last scrimmage to this scrimmage.”
That improvement is consistent with last season, when the defenders demonstrated that they could learn from their mistakes and get better week after week.
The difference in the performance of the defense in the first three games and the last 10 was about as stark as it could be, and it was one of the keys to Southern’s drive to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.
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Homecoming fallout: JSU seeks legal action against Grambling, SWAC
Jackson State estimates it lost up to $600K on forfeited game
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Still stinging from Grambling State’s no-show for October’s homecoming football game and frustrated by what it perceives as a lack of support from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Jackson State University has been pushing the Mississippi attorney general’s office for five months to pursue legal action against Grambling, the SWAC or both.
Documents obtained by The Clarion-Ledger through an open records request clearly show ...
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JACKSON, Mississippi -- Still stinging from Grambling State’s no-show for October’s homecoming football game and frustrated by what it perceives as a lack of support from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Jackson State University has been pushing the Mississippi attorney general’s office for five months to pursue legal action against Grambling, the SWAC or both.
Documents obtained by The Clarion-Ledger through an open records request clearly show ...
CONTINUE READING
NAIA Div. I Tournament National Championship: No. 3 Wiley College (Texas) Bests No. 1 Westminster (Utah), 75-58; Bound for First-Ever Fab Four
Wiley College Lady Wildcats (30-4) advances to the first Fab Four in program history, and will be the first historically black college to appear in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship semifinals since former member Central State (Ohio) in 2002.
FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- No. 3 Wiley (Texas) bested No. 1 Westminster (Utah), 75-58, in the third quarterfinal game at the Frankfort Convention Center Saturday to advance to its first-ever NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship Fab Four.
The Lady Wildcats had beaten No. 6 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), while Westminster had defeated No. 8 William Woods (Mo.) and No. 4 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), to advance to the quarterfinals.
Wiley never trailed after taking a 6-5 lead on a field goal by junior center Alexia Kelley with 15:28 remaining in the first half. The Lady Wildcats headed to the locker room at halftime with a 19-point lead and kept it at double-digits throughout the second period, despite the Griffins shooting 50.0 percent (3-of-6) from 3-point range and 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from the field in the second half.
Senior guards Danisha Shaw and Kyniddia Purdy led Wiley with 23 and 19 points, respectively.
Shaw’s 23 points was also the game-high. “Danisha Shaw and Kyniddia Purdy are our seniors on our team and they led us. They remember the hurt we felt last year from [our national championship first round loss to] Campbellsville and wanted to come back and prove why Wiley was in the tournament,” said Red River Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Courtney Garrett-Pruitt.
Wiley (30-4) advances to the first Fab Four in program history, and will be the first historically black college to appear in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship semifinals since former member Central State (Ohio) in 2002. The Lady Wildcats will face the last remaining No. 1 seed, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) on Monday at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
Coach Garrett-Pruitt said this of the Lady Wildcats' semifinal matchup, “It’s going to be a tough game. Freed-Hardeman is a great team and a historic program with great coaches. I know we're going to have our work cut out for us, but it's going to be a great game.”
Westminster falls in the national championship quarterfinals for the second-straight year and ends its season with a record of 26-3.
BOX SCORE
By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- No. 3 Wiley (Texas) bested No. 1 Westminster (Utah), 75-58, in the third quarterfinal game at the Frankfort Convention Center Saturday to advance to its first-ever NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship Fab Four.
The Lady Wildcats had beaten No. 6 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), while Westminster had defeated No. 8 William Woods (Mo.) and No. 4 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), to advance to the quarterfinals.
Wiley never trailed after taking a 6-5 lead on a field goal by junior center Alexia Kelley with 15:28 remaining in the first half. The Lady Wildcats headed to the locker room at halftime with a 19-point lead and kept it at double-digits throughout the second period, despite the Griffins shooting 50.0 percent (3-of-6) from 3-point range and 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from the field in the second half.
Senior guards Danisha Shaw and Kyniddia Purdy led Wiley with 23 and 19 points, respectively.
Shaw’s 23 points was also the game-high. “Danisha Shaw and Kyniddia Purdy are our seniors on our team and they led us. They remember the hurt we felt last year from [our national championship first round loss to] Campbellsville and wanted to come back and prove why Wiley was in the tournament,” said Red River Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Courtney Garrett-Pruitt.
Wiley (30-4) advances to the first Fab Four in program history, and will be the first historically black college to appear in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship semifinals since former member Central State (Ohio) in 2002. The Lady Wildcats will face the last remaining No. 1 seed, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) on Monday at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
Coach Garrett-Pruitt said this of the Lady Wildcats' semifinal matchup, “It’s going to be a tough game. Freed-Hardeman is a great team and a historic program with great coaches. I know we're going to have our work cut out for us, but it's going to be a great game.”
Westminster falls in the national championship quarterfinals for the second-straight year and ends its season with a record of 26-3.
BOX SCORE
By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
FAMU Rattlers Split MEAC Doubleheader With NCCU Eagles
COURTESY FAMU SPORTS INFORMATION |
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (March 22) – The Florida A&M University Rattler Baseball team split a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader with visiting North Carolina Central Saturday afternoon at Moore-Kittles Field, winning the opener, 13-5, before dropping the nightcap, 6-5 in extra innings.
@ FAMU (7-14, 4-4 in MEAC) unleashed an 18-hit attack in the first game, led by Bennie Robinson, Marlon Gibbs and Jared Walker with three hits and a run batted in each, along with two hits apiece by Michael Birdsong, Kendal Weeks and Jeremy Barlow. Weeks drove in a team-high three runs, while Birdsong drove in another.
The Rattlers led 3-0 in the fifth before scoring four runs to forge a 7-0 lead, but NCCU (9-13, 6-5 in MEAC) scored four runs in the sixth to slice the FAMU margin to 7-4.
FAMU picked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their edge to 9-4, then the Eagles scored a single run in the seventh to close to 9-5, before the Rattlers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth to salt away the game.
FAMU starting pitcher Chase Jarrell (2-2) got the win, allowing four runs on six hits in six innings with a pair of strikeouts, with reliever Jordan Montague working the final three innings to log his first save. Alex Dandridge (0-4) took the loss for Central.
Zach Lee, Carlos Ortiz and Jake Cagle led NCCU with two hits each.
@ In Game Two, Central built an early lead forcing FAMU to play catch up the entire game, leading 3-0 after scoring two runs in the top of the fourth, before the Rattlers began their climb back into contention with a run in the bottom of the fourth for a 3-1 game.
NCCU scored a single run in the fifth for a 4-1 lead, before the Rattlers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, keyed by Bennie Robinson’s two-run double that tied the game at 4-4.
Central scored two runs in the ninth to take the lead for good at 6-4, although FAMU did rally in the bottom of the frame, plating a run on Devin Perry’s RBI single for the 6-5 final.
Kyle Shields (2-0) was the winning pitcher for NCCU, working three innings in relief of starter Terry McNabb, while Brandon Fleming (0-2) took the loss for FAMU, allowing the two ninth inning runs, and three hits with two strikeouts in two innings of work.
Jeremy Barlow, Jared Walker, Blake Quillin and Devin Perry each had two hits for FAMU, while Carter Williamson and James Dey each had two hits to lead NCCU.
WHAT’S NEXT: FAMU and NCCU will play the rubber match of the three-game set Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Moore-Kittles Field.
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S.C. State football team dons full gear for first time
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Clear, sunny skies and the players donning full gear for the first time this spring made for a long, lively and productive Saturday football practice for South Carolina State at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
The 2½-hour session was the longest so far this spring for the Bulldogs. With several personnel and coaching changes, the team continues to go through a period of installation and adjustments while simultaneously honing their skills at their respective positions.
“We’ve got a lot to learn still and you’re just still sort of swimming because you’ve got so many things going in, but at the same time, it’s going well,” S.C. State head football coach Buddy Pough said.
The competition at quarterback remains an undecided affair, with Pough acknowledging neither redshirt junior TeDarius Wiley nor redshirt freshmen Adrian Kollack and Joey Copeland have distinguished themselves enough yet to be named a starter. All three quarterbacks showed inconsistency throwing the football during passing drills against the defense and Pough said they are working on ways to best fit their talents into the offensive system.
CONTINUE READING
The 2½-hour session was the longest so far this spring for the Bulldogs. With several personnel and coaching changes, the team continues to go through a period of installation and adjustments while simultaneously honing their skills at their respective positions.
“We’ve got a lot to learn still and you’re just still sort of swimming because you’ve got so many things going in, but at the same time, it’s going well,” S.C. State head football coach Buddy Pough said.
The competition at quarterback remains an undecided affair, with Pough acknowledging neither redshirt junior TeDarius Wiley nor redshirt freshmen Adrian Kollack and Joey Copeland have distinguished themselves enough yet to be named a starter. All three quarterbacks showed inconsistency throwing the football during passing drills against the defense and Pough said they are working on ways to best fit their talents into the offensive system.
CONTINUE READING
Gold Nuggets defeat another ranked NAIA opponent
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Xavier's men defeated Milligan 9-0.
The Gold Nuggets (10-5), ranked second in the NAIA, won for the seventh time in their last eight duals. They're 5-2 against ranked NAIA teams. Milligan (9-4) is ranked 18th.
Xavier's Nour Abbes improved to 10-0 in singles with a 6-3, 6-2 decision against Rachel Hodas. Abbes and Simone-Alyse Ewell beat Caroline Morelli and Susan Rainwater 8-1, giving Ewell her 10th consecutive doubles victory.
Kourtney Howell earned her fourth consecutive singles victory, 6-1, 6-1 against Kayla Kelly, and teamed with Brion Flowers to beat Hodas and Kelly 8-1 for the sixth doubles victory in their last seven matches.
The Nelson sisters, Carmen and Brandi, collected the other XU singles victories.
In the men's dual, Kyle Montrel and Nikita Soifer won in doubles and singles for the third consecutive day. They teamed for an 8-4 victory against Colin Bumann and Matias Yanez. In singles, Montrel beat Yanez 6-0, 6-0, and Soifer defeated Bumann 6-4, 6-2.
Vincenzo Ciccone, in his first doubles match of the semester, and Jordan Harrell defeated Caleb Friddell and Alex Delozier 8-3. Adam Albrecht defeated Jackson Lenoir 6-0, 6-1 to give Albrecht consecutive singles victories for the first time this semester.
Ciccone and Harrell also won singles matches, and Kevin Chaouat won in doubles and singles.
The Gold Rush are 6-8, and the Buffaloes are 6-7.
Both XU teams will conclude their trip with 10 a.m. Sunday duals at Cumberland, whose men are ranked eighth and women ranked 15th in the NAIA.
Results: Men Women
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Alcorn State Braves Hold First Scrimmage of Spring Football
LORMAN, Mississippi - The Alcorn State football team took the field Saturday morning completing their first week with their first scrimmage.
The Braves came out with plenty of energy and eager to get after one another in full pads. Both the offense and defense held their own throughout the scrimmage and was able to put in close to 60 plays this morning.
"Well we came out today with a goal to get in as many plays as possible and give our guys plenty of reps," stated Coach Hopson. "We had a pretty good day but it's just the first week and we know what areas we have to improve on before we put on a good show for our fans on April 12th.
The Braves return to practice Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.
COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
The Braves came out with plenty of energy and eager to get after one another in full pads. Both the offense and defense held their own throughout the scrimmage and was able to put in close to 60 plays this morning.
"Well we came out today with a goal to get in as many plays as possible and give our guys plenty of reps," stated Coach Hopson. "We had a pretty good day but it's just the first week and we know what areas we have to improve on before we put on a good show for our fans on April 12th.
The Braves return to practice Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.
COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
In-State Rivals to meet for SWAC Bowling Championship
COURTESY SWAC.ORG |
ARLINGTON, Texas – In-state rivals and top seeded Alabama A&M and Alabama State will meet in the final round of the 2014 SWAC Bowling Tournament on Sunday, March 23, inside the Bowling nternational Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas. Start time is slated for 1:00 p.m. CT.
No. 1 seed AAMU will appear in the Southwestern Athletic Conference bowling championship match for the third consecutive year while No. 2 seed ASU makes its first appearance.
The Lady Bulldogs captured the title during the 2010 season.
No. 1 seed AAMU will appear in the Southwestern Athletic Conference bowling championship match for the third consecutive year while No. 2 seed ASU makes its first appearance.
The Lady Bulldogs captured the title during the 2010 season.
Saturday AAMU made its way into the semifinals after having a first round bye. The Lady Bulldogs topped Jackson State and would later move past ASU to advance to the championship match.
AAMU is powered by All-SWAC selections Rebecca Goodwin and Camille Collins with Arial Dowdy receiving all tournament honors.
ASU also had a first round bye but the road to the title match took a different turn. The Lady Hornets defeated Texas Southern, dropped their next match to AAMU which sent them into the losers bracket. After six matches with JSU, ASU earned a spot in Sunday’s championship game.
SWAC Bowling regular season MVP Danielle Walker leads ASU. Walker is joined by all conference pick, Brianna Wells. Wells was named to the all tournament team along side teammate Kaila Ryan.
The defending SWAC Champion Prairie View A&M's quest for a third straight title fell short as they were eliminated by JSU in the semifinals.
SWAC Bowling regular season MVP Danielle Walker leads ASU. Walker is joined by all conference pick, Brianna Wells. Wells was named to the all tournament team along side teammate Kaila Ryan.
The defending SWAC Champion Prairie View A&M's quest for a third straight title fell short as they were eliminated by JSU in the semifinals.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
No. 3 Wiley (Texas) Handles No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), 81-70
FRANKFORT, Kentucky – No. 3 Wiley (Texas) became the second team to advance to its
first-ever NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship
quarterfinals by defeating No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), 81-70.
The Lady Wildcats knocked off No. 6 Mobile (Ala.), 74-72, on Thursday morning to advance to the second round, while the Bears upset No. 2 Oklahoma Baptist to make their fourth-straight second round in their fourth-straight national championship appearance.
The first half featured five ties and six lead changes, with Wiley never leading by more than the one point advantage they took to the locker room at halftime. Senior guard Alannah Sheets, who scored a tournament-high 45 points in the Bears first round matchup, had a game-high 14 points at the half.
Sheets went cold after scoring the first two points of the second half on free throws. The Mid-South Conference Player of the Year scored just two points in the final 19:37, leaving Shawnee State to rely on their No. 2 scorer, senior guard Priscila Santos. Santos stepped up with 10 second-half points and totaled a team-high 22 in the losing effort.
Wiley never trailed in the final 9:51 after a back-and-forth battle for the first 30 minutes of game action. The Bears finished the contest on a six-point run to end with their largest lead of the game at 11.
Senior guard Danisha Shaw scored 11 in the second half to finish with a game-high 23 as one of two Wildcats in double-figures.
Shawnee State won the battle of the boards (52-40), but Wiley shot better from the field (45.5 percent) and from beyond the arc (50.0 percent) in the win. Wiley’s pressure defense led to 10 steals for the Wildcats and forced the Bears to commit 16 turnovers.
Wiley (29-4) advances to its first-ever quarterfinals and will face the winner of No. 4 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) and No. 1 Westminster (Utah).
Shawnee State is eliminated in the second round for the third-straight year and ends the season with a record of 20-13.
The Lady Wildcats knocked off No. 6 Mobile (Ala.), 74-72, on Thursday morning to advance to the second round, while the Bears upset No. 2 Oklahoma Baptist to make their fourth-straight second round in their fourth-straight national championship appearance.
The first half featured five ties and six lead changes, with Wiley never leading by more than the one point advantage they took to the locker room at halftime. Senior guard Alannah Sheets, who scored a tournament-high 45 points in the Bears first round matchup, had a game-high 14 points at the half.
Sheets went cold after scoring the first two points of the second half on free throws. The Mid-South Conference Player of the Year scored just two points in the final 19:37, leaving Shawnee State to rely on their No. 2 scorer, senior guard Priscila Santos. Santos stepped up with 10 second-half points and totaled a team-high 22 in the losing effort.
Wiley never trailed in the final 9:51 after a back-and-forth battle for the first 30 minutes of game action. The Bears finished the contest on a six-point run to end with their largest lead of the game at 11.
Senior guard Danisha Shaw scored 11 in the second half to finish with a game-high 23 as one of two Wildcats in double-figures.
Shawnee State won the battle of the boards (52-40), but Wiley shot better from the field (45.5 percent) and from beyond the arc (50.0 percent) in the win. Wiley’s pressure defense led to 10 steals for the Wildcats and forced the Bears to commit 16 turnovers.
Wiley (29-4) advances to its first-ever quarterfinals and will face the winner of No. 4 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) and No. 1 Westminster (Utah).
Shawnee State is eliminated in the second round for the third-straight year and ends the season with a record of 20-13.
Box
Score
NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Schedule/Results
NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Bracket
By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Schedule/Results
NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Bracket
By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern
Red River Athletic Conference
Freed-Hardeman Fights Off Talladega Tornadoes, 71-64
KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Tenth-seeded Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) earned its first-ever quarterfinal round berth in the 2014 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship after posting a 71-64 win over No. 7-seeded Talladega (Ala.), Friday afternoon in Municipal Auditorium. The Lions will face St. Gregory’s (Okla.) in the quarterfinal round on Saturday at 2:00p.m. CDT.
Freed-Hardeman (30-5) advances to the round of eight for the first time despite yielding an early 11-point lead in the first half. The Lions used an 11-2 run early on to grab a 24-13 advantage, but the Tornadoes finished the first half by outscoring the opposition, 23-11, to take a 36-35 lead into intermission.
Brandon Peters opened the second half with a basket for Talladega, which was followed by seven-straight points from Freed-Hardeman. The teams traded the lead three more times before the Lions took control of the advantage for the final time.
Damion Wooten and Ben Meis connected on back-to-back offerings from beyond the arc with 7:48 remaining to give the Lions a six-point cushion. Kyle Teichmann helped put the game away with two-straight buckets, the second of which giving Freed-Hardeman an 11-point lead with 3:06 to play.
Neither team was able to shoot above 40 percent for the game, as the Lions posted a 38.7 percent mark while the Tornadoes were held to 33.3 percent from the field. The Lions were efficient from three-point range, connecting on seven of their 17 attempts from outside. The Tornadoes, however, missed on all seven of its long-range attempts after halftime and finished with a 19.0 percent clip (4 of 21) from beyond the arc.
“I thought our effort was really, really good,” said Freed-Hardeman head coach Jason Shelton. “I thought we did a good job defensively of trying to keep guys in front of us, trying to lock into their shooters and not lock into their guys that were drivers and they were still able to get to the basket.”
Orlando Bass led the way for Freed-Hardeman with 19 points and five rebounds, while Kyle Teichmann added 18 points and shared game-high rebounding honors with 12. Meis also chipped in with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
“I felt like we didn’t come out really focused and we weren’t ready to do what we wanted to do,” said Talladega head coach Matt Cross. “I have to give credit to Freed-Hardeman. They took us out of our rhythm offensively, attacked our weaknesses in our zone, and hit some really key shots.”
Peters led all scorers with 21 points for Talladega, while Elijah Jones tallied 20 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. HarifNiron-Hughes matched Teichmann with 12 rebounds for the Tornadoes.
Talladega finishes its season with a record of 29-6.
Game notes:
Freed-Hardeman– Orlando Bass is averaging 22.3 points over the past three games and shooting 54.5 percent from the field in those games … The Lions have won back-to-back games after losing in the first round of their first three appearances in the tournament … Freed-Hardeman came into the game ranked second in NAIA Division I in rebound margin (+10.4) and posted a 49-45 edge on the glass.
Talladega – The Tornadoes dropped to 5-3 on the season in games against teams in this year’s tournament … The 64 points were the third-fewest this season for Talladega and lowest point total since a Dec. 8 win over Shawnee State (Ohio) … The Tornadoes came into the tournament leading NAIA Division I in scoring margin (20.2) and was second in field goal percentage (.509) … Talladega is now 1-2 all-time in the National Championship.
BOX SCORE
By Eric Montgomery | NAIA Staff
COURTESY NAIA.ORG
Freed-Hardeman (30-5) advances to the round of eight for the first time despite yielding an early 11-point lead in the first half. The Lions used an 11-2 run early on to grab a 24-13 advantage, but the Tornadoes finished the first half by outscoring the opposition, 23-11, to take a 36-35 lead into intermission.
Brandon Peters opened the second half with a basket for Talladega, which was followed by seven-straight points from Freed-Hardeman. The teams traded the lead three more times before the Lions took control of the advantage for the final time.
Damion Wooten and Ben Meis connected on back-to-back offerings from beyond the arc with 7:48 remaining to give the Lions a six-point cushion. Kyle Teichmann helped put the game away with two-straight buckets, the second of which giving Freed-Hardeman an 11-point lead with 3:06 to play.
Neither team was able to shoot above 40 percent for the game, as the Lions posted a 38.7 percent mark while the Tornadoes were held to 33.3 percent from the field. The Lions were efficient from three-point range, connecting on seven of their 17 attempts from outside. The Tornadoes, however, missed on all seven of its long-range attempts after halftime and finished with a 19.0 percent clip (4 of 21) from beyond the arc.
“I thought our effort was really, really good,” said Freed-Hardeman head coach Jason Shelton. “I thought we did a good job defensively of trying to keep guys in front of us, trying to lock into their shooters and not lock into their guys that were drivers and they were still able to get to the basket.”
Orlando Bass led the way for Freed-Hardeman with 19 points and five rebounds, while Kyle Teichmann added 18 points and shared game-high rebounding honors with 12. Meis also chipped in with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
“I felt like we didn’t come out really focused and we weren’t ready to do what we wanted to do,” said Talladega head coach Matt Cross. “I have to give credit to Freed-Hardeman. They took us out of our rhythm offensively, attacked our weaknesses in our zone, and hit some really key shots.”
Peters led all scorers with 21 points for Talladega, while Elijah Jones tallied 20 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. HarifNiron-Hughes matched Teichmann with 12 rebounds for the Tornadoes.
Talladega finishes its season with a record of 29-6.
Game notes:
Freed-Hardeman– Orlando Bass is averaging 22.3 points over the past three games and shooting 54.5 percent from the field in those games … The Lions have won back-to-back games after losing in the first round of their first three appearances in the tournament … Freed-Hardeman came into the game ranked second in NAIA Division I in rebound margin (+10.4) and posted a 49-45 edge on the glass.
Talladega – The Tornadoes dropped to 5-3 on the season in games against teams in this year’s tournament … The 64 points were the third-fewest this season for Talladega and lowest point total since a Dec. 8 win over Shawnee State (Ohio) … The Tornadoes came into the tournament leading NAIA Division I in scoring margin (20.2) and was second in field goal percentage (.509) … Talladega is now 1-2 all-time in the National Championship.
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By Eric Montgomery | NAIA Staff
COURTESY NAIA.ORG
UConn women to begin NCAA title defense against lightly regarded Prairie View
GAME TIME: SUNDAY, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN
STORRS, Connecticut – Top-ranked UConn understands the part it's playing in this year's NCAA tournament.
While the rest of the country might like to see more parody in women's basketball, the defending champions are beginning what they hope will be a run at a record ninth title on Sunday, breaking the tie with Tennessee.
"People always have to have somebody that's either the star or the villain," said UConn coach Geno Auriemma. "Somebody's got to play that role."
The Huskies, who just completed their seventh undefeated regular season, open their tournament run with a less than marquee matchup against No. 16 seed Prairie View A&M. The Panthers come into the game 14-17 after winning their fourth consecutive SWAC conference title. The team lost its first 11 games this season, before turning things around late. But they are 0-5 in the NCAA tournament.
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STORRS, Connecticut – Top-ranked UConn understands the part it's playing in this year's NCAA tournament.
While the rest of the country might like to see more parody in women's basketball, the defending champions are beginning what they hope will be a run at a record ninth title on Sunday, breaking the tie with Tennessee.
"People always have to have somebody that's either the star or the villain," said UConn coach Geno Auriemma. "Somebody's got to play that role."
The Huskies, who just completed their seventh undefeated regular season, open their tournament run with a less than marquee matchup against No. 16 seed Prairie View A&M. The Panthers come into the game 14-17 after winning their fourth consecutive SWAC conference title. The team lost its first 11 games this season, before turning things around late. But they are 0-5 in the NCAA tournament.
CONTINUE READING
Hampton Lady Pirates Set For NCAA First-Round Match-Up
CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina – The Hampton University women's basketball team, fresh off its fifth straight MEAC Tournament title, will face Michigan State in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. in Carmichael Arena.
The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
Game Notes
The Lady Pirates (28-4), the No. 12 seed in the Stanford Region, have won 18 straight games after defeating Coppin State 50-47 this past Saturday in the MEAC Tournament championship game. Senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) led the way with 20 points.
Redshirt-sophomore forward Brielle Ward (Baltimore, Md.) recorded her first double-double of the season in that game, with a season-high 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) was named the most Outstanding Player of the MEAC Tournament after averaging 22.3 points and 15.0 rebounds per game in the tournament.
Hampton is the first program ever to win five straight MEAC Tournament titles.
No. 20/24 Michigan State (22-9) won the Big Ten regular-season title before falling 86-58 to Nebraska in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on March 8; that loss snapped a six-game winning streak. Redshirt-freshman guard Aerial Powers, a First Team All-Big Ten selection, leads a balances attack with 13.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Freshman guard Tori Jankoska and senior forward Annalise Pickrel are each averaging 12.4 points per game.
The Spartans are the No. 5 seed in the Stanford Region.
Sunday's games in Carmichael Arena are part of the Stanford Region; No. 4 North Carolina and No. 13 UT-Martin will also be in Chapel Hill, and the winner of that game will face the winner of the Hampton-Michigan State game on Tuesday. South Carolina is the Stanford Region's No. 1 seed, with Stanford holding down the No. 2 seed.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the Lady Pirates and Michigan State.
Hampton is 0-4 all-time against teams currently in the Big Ten, having lost games against Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, and Wisconsin. The Lady Pirates' last game against a Big Ten foe came on Nov. 27, 2004, when Nebraska won 72-54 on a neutral floor.
The Lady Pirates are 21-9 on neutral courts in Six's tenure, including a 6-0 mark so far this season. Hampton has won its last 10 neutral-court games dating back to last season.
This will be the Lady Pirates' fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Div. I Tournament and their eighth overall. Hampton made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a Div. I program in 2000, taking on Connecticut.
The Lady Pirates are in search of their first-ever tournament win as a Div. I program.
For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
Game Notes
The Lady Pirates (28-4), the No. 12 seed in the Stanford Region, have won 18 straight games after defeating Coppin State 50-47 this past Saturday in the MEAC Tournament championship game. Senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) led the way with 20 points.
Redshirt-sophomore forward Brielle Ward (Baltimore, Md.) recorded her first double-double of the season in that game, with a season-high 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) was named the most Outstanding Player of the MEAC Tournament after averaging 22.3 points and 15.0 rebounds per game in the tournament.
Hampton is the first program ever to win five straight MEAC Tournament titles.
No. 20/24 Michigan State (22-9) won the Big Ten regular-season title before falling 86-58 to Nebraska in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on March 8; that loss snapped a six-game winning streak. Redshirt-freshman guard Aerial Powers, a First Team All-Big Ten selection, leads a balances attack with 13.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Freshman guard Tori Jankoska and senior forward Annalise Pickrel are each averaging 12.4 points per game.
The Spartans are the No. 5 seed in the Stanford Region.
Sunday's games in Carmichael Arena are part of the Stanford Region; No. 4 North Carolina and No. 13 UT-Martin will also be in Chapel Hill, and the winner of that game will face the winner of the Hampton-Michigan State game on Tuesday. South Carolina is the Stanford Region's No. 1 seed, with Stanford holding down the No. 2 seed.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the Lady Pirates and Michigan State.
Hampton is 0-4 all-time against teams currently in the Big Ten, having lost games against Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, and Wisconsin. The Lady Pirates' last game against a Big Ten foe came on Nov. 27, 2004, when Nebraska won 72-54 on a neutral floor.
The Lady Pirates are 21-9 on neutral courts in Six's tenure, including a 6-0 mark so far this season. Hampton has won its last 10 neutral-court games dating back to last season.
This will be the Lady Pirates' fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Div. I Tournament and their eighth overall. Hampton made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a Div. I program in 2000, taking on Connecticut.
The Lady Pirates are in search of their first-ever tournament win as a Div. I program.
For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
North Carolina A&T Ends Season At WNIT
TAMPA, Florida – The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team saw the curtains close on yet another stellar season after it suffered at 56-50 loss to South Florida in the first round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, Friday evening at the Sun Dome.
“This loss is bittersweet,” head coach Tarrell Robinson said. “It’s hard to see Tracy King and DeAndra Davis’ careers end. It’s been a pleasure coaching those young ladies. They’ve done a lot for this program which I think is headed in the right direction.”
The Aggies who made their second straight appearance in the WNIT and have advanced to the postseason five out of the last seven seasons finished with a record of 24-7.
A&T trailed USF 31-23 at the half but the Aggies put together an 11-4 run capped off with five straight points from redshirt junior Debbie Smith, a 3-pointer and a jumper to slice the Bulls’ lead to 35-34 with 13:23 to play.
Buckets from redshirt sophomore Eboni Ross and Carter tied the game at 38 at the 10:40 mark. USF tried to pull away but a three from King tied the game at 41 with 8:41 on the clock. It was the closest the Aggies got to the Bulls as South Florida used a 7-0 run to extend its lead to 48-41. A&T got within three 50-47, after Carter drove to the basket with a layup with less than four minutes to play.
Baskets didn’t fall for the Aggies in the final minutes as South Florida took advantage of the charity stripe, where it converted on all four shots, along with a layup from Alisia Jenkins to close out the game.
“I thought we settled for a lot of outside shots,” Robinson explained. “I thought we played a perfect game plan the ball just didn’t fall when we needed it to and we didn’t get to the foul line.”
A&T was just 6-of-7 at the line and was 2-for-15 (13.3 percent) from behind the arc.
The Aggies were plagued with foul trouble in the first half but that didn’t stop redshirt sophomore Aprill McRae who scored eight points in the first half. Layups from McRae and Carter gave A&T a 15-13 edge over the Bulls at the 9:57 mark. South Florida ended the half on a 16-10 rally.
Carter led A&T with 15 points and three assists. Defensively, Ross grabbed eight rebounds.
The Aggies outscored the Bulls 34-20 in the paint and took a 21-6 advantage on second chance points.
Jenkins recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Inga Orekhova added 15 points and Courtney Williams finished with 14.
“I plan on using this for the returners as proof that we’re just as good as anybody. We just have to come and apply our time in the gym, focus and just really take this thing serious and this program can really take off. I think I have a great group of young ladies that are capable of making it happen.”
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COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
“This loss is bittersweet,” head coach Tarrell Robinson said. “It’s hard to see Tracy King and DeAndra Davis’ careers end. It’s been a pleasure coaching those young ladies. They’ve done a lot for this program which I think is headed in the right direction.”
The Aggies who made their second straight appearance in the WNIT and have advanced to the postseason five out of the last seven seasons finished with a record of 24-7.
A&T trailed USF 31-23 at the half but the Aggies put together an 11-4 run capped off with five straight points from redshirt junior Debbie Smith, a 3-pointer and a jumper to slice the Bulls’ lead to 35-34 with 13:23 to play.
Buckets from redshirt sophomore Eboni Ross and Carter tied the game at 38 at the 10:40 mark. USF tried to pull away but a three from King tied the game at 41 with 8:41 on the clock. It was the closest the Aggies got to the Bulls as South Florida used a 7-0 run to extend its lead to 48-41. A&T got within three 50-47, after Carter drove to the basket with a layup with less than four minutes to play.
Baskets didn’t fall for the Aggies in the final minutes as South Florida took advantage of the charity stripe, where it converted on all four shots, along with a layup from Alisia Jenkins to close out the game.
“I thought we settled for a lot of outside shots,” Robinson explained. “I thought we played a perfect game plan the ball just didn’t fall when we needed it to and we didn’t get to the foul line.”
A&T was just 6-of-7 at the line and was 2-for-15 (13.3 percent) from behind the arc.
The Aggies were plagued with foul trouble in the first half but that didn’t stop redshirt sophomore Aprill McRae who scored eight points in the first half. Layups from McRae and Carter gave A&T a 15-13 edge over the Bulls at the 9:57 mark. South Florida ended the half on a 16-10 rally.
Carter led A&T with 15 points and three assists. Defensively, Ross grabbed eight rebounds.
The Aggies outscored the Bulls 34-20 in the paint and took a 21-6 advantage on second chance points.
Jenkins recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Inga Orekhova added 15 points and Courtney Williams finished with 14.
“I plan on using this for the returners as proof that we’re just as good as anybody. We just have to come and apply our time in the gym, focus and just really take this thing serious and this program can really take off. I think I have a great group of young ladies that are capable of making it happen.”
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COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Florida A&M Lady Rattlers Split With Buffalo Bulls
Courtesy: Florida A&M Sports Information Kenya Pererira pitched solidly in both games. |
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers (10-17) fought from down one run to avoid being swept by the University of Buffalo Bulls (14-13), who won the early game in the set. Buffalo took game one by a score of 3-2 in nine innings, while the Lady Rattlers rebounded to take a come-from-behind 2-1 victory under the lights at the Lady Rattler Softball Complex.
Head coach Veronica Wiggins felt the team could have won both games, with a little concentration. “We played a lot of our younger players tonight, because they bring a youthful intensity, and I felt we needed that tonight. Our veteran players, like Kieifi (Myrick) and Alyssa (Weaver) stepped up and did what they needed to do tonight. We’re trying to build a unit and it’s going to take all of them together to get where we want to be,” Wiggins said.
In the first game, the Lady Rattlers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as they mounted a rally off Tori Speckman, as Alyssa Weaver started off with a walk and was ultimately batted in by Danielle Anderson on a hit to right field. Kieifi Myrick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Tashay Irvis, giving FAMU the 2-0 advantage. It would be all the scoring the Lady Rattlers would get in the game.
Speckman, settled in on the mound and struck out 11, pitching a complete game. She only allowed two hits and both runs the Lady Rattlers scored were unearned.
Ashleigh Minter pitched six complete innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs. She struck out two of the batters, while walking one. Kenya Pererira took the loss for the Lady Rattlers as she pitched three innings, giving up one hit, including being on the mound as shortstop Kieifi Myrick handled a hot liner to the left side, but overthrew first base allowing Holly Luciano to score, ultimately giving the Bulls the go-ahead run.
The Lady Rattlers would play solid defense behind the pitching of Minter, until Sammi Gallardo slapped a double to left field, scoring Alexis Curtiss. A wild pitch by Minter allowed Gallardo to advance to third base. She would tie up the game as she scored on a fielder’s choice.
In the top of the ninth inning, Luciano singled off Pererira, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Ryleigh Fitzgerald, moving Lucino into scoring position on second base, where she scored the game-winning run on the throwing error.
In the opening game, FAMU mustered just two hits, while BU collected six hits. Even though Buffalo committed three errors and FAMU committed just one, the Bulls were able to secure the win and move their season record to 14-12, while the Lady Rattlers moved to 9-17 on the season.
In the night cap, the Lady Rattlers fell behind 1-0 in the second inning, as Luciano tripled to left field, and later scored on a Hayley Barrow RBI.
Amber Fullwood pitched five and two-thirds innings to get the win, while Pererira collected a save in one and a third innings. Fullwood allowed five hits and struck out three, while Pererira allowed one hit and got one strikeout. Fullwood also helped her own cause, getting two hits that resulted in two RBI.
For the Bulls, Karly Nevez collected two hits for Buffalo.
The Lady Rattlers will play the Florida State Seminoles on Tuesday at JoAnn Graf Field, with a 6 p.m. start.
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
NCCU Falls in NCAA Tournament Debut to Iowa State
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- In North Carolina Central University's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I level, the Eagles ran into a ninth-ranked Iowa State Cyclone squad that simply couldn't miss on the way to a 93-75 defeat, ending a historic season for the program on Friday night inside the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The maroon and gray finish the 2013-14 season 28-6 overall, tying the 1950-51 and 1988-89 squads with the most wins in a single season.
In the first meeting between NCCU and Iowa State, both teams came out guns blazing as a Karamo Jawara (Bergen, Norway) three-pointer put the Eagles up 14-11 with 14:46 to go.
A 10-2 Cyclone run gave Iowa State a 21-16 following the first of Georges Niang's four three-pointers on the night with 11:27 remaining.
The first half saw seven ties and six leads changes, but Jawara's second straight bucket tied the game at 30-30 with 6:47 left in the first frame, but Iowa State came alive as the Cyclones scored the next eight points with Melvin Ejim sending the crowd to their feet with a fastbreak dunk to make 38-30.
Head coach LeVelle Moton's squad responded with a 9-2 run forcing an Iowa State time out with 1:45 to go in the frame.
ISU took a 45-39 lead into the locker room as Cyclone small forward Dustin Hogue helped take a six-point lead on his putback dunk with four seconds left.
In the final half, the Cyclone buzzsaw keep going as Iowa State missed just nine shots including 7-for-12 (58.3 percent) from three-point range, while the Eagles simply could not keep up.
With 11:09 to go, a DeAndre Kane layup made it 68-53 forcing Moton to call a 30-second timeout, but the Cyclones were well on their way.
Iowa State led by as much as 23 points as the Cyclones advanced to the round of 32 in the 93-75 win over NCCU.
ISU shot a season-high 63.6 percent from the field, including 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from three-point range on the way to the victory, while NCCU shot 46.2 percent from-the-field in the tough defeat.
In his final game donning the maroon and gray uniform, Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.) scored a game-high 28 points to finish his career with 1,525 points which ties him for sixth all-time at NCCU.
Jawara ended up with a career-high 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting with three assists, while senior Emanuel Chapman added 10 points along with four assists to finish his career with 617 helpers.
NCCU ends a historic season as the 2013-14 MEAC Regular Season Champion and the MEAC Tournament Champions.
Visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon for the latest on NCCU Athletics.
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ESPN PHOTO GALLERY OF EAGLES (91 Photos)
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Chris Hooks, Assistant Sports Information Director/Broadcast Media Coordinator
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
The maroon and gray finish the 2013-14 season 28-6 overall, tying the 1950-51 and 1988-89 squads with the most wins in a single season.
In the first meeting between NCCU and Iowa State, both teams came out guns blazing as a Karamo Jawara (Bergen, Norway) three-pointer put the Eagles up 14-11 with 14:46 to go.
A 10-2 Cyclone run gave Iowa State a 21-16 following the first of Georges Niang's four three-pointers on the night with 11:27 remaining.
The first half saw seven ties and six leads changes, but Jawara's second straight bucket tied the game at 30-30 with 6:47 left in the first frame, but Iowa State came alive as the Cyclones scored the next eight points with Melvin Ejim sending the crowd to their feet with a fastbreak dunk to make 38-30.
Head coach LeVelle Moton's squad responded with a 9-2 run forcing an Iowa State time out with 1:45 to go in the frame.
ISU took a 45-39 lead into the locker room as Cyclone small forward Dustin Hogue helped take a six-point lead on his putback dunk with four seconds left.
In the final half, the Cyclone buzzsaw keep going as Iowa State missed just nine shots including 7-for-12 (58.3 percent) from three-point range, while the Eagles simply could not keep up.
With 11:09 to go, a DeAndre Kane layup made it 68-53 forcing Moton to call a 30-second timeout, but the Cyclones were well on their way.
Iowa State led by as much as 23 points as the Cyclones advanced to the round of 32 in the 93-75 win over NCCU.
ISU shot a season-high 63.6 percent from the field, including 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from three-point range on the way to the victory, while NCCU shot 46.2 percent from-the-field in the tough defeat.
In his final game donning the maroon and gray uniform, Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.) scored a game-high 28 points to finish his career with 1,525 points which ties him for sixth all-time at NCCU.
Jawara ended up with a career-high 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting with three assists, while senior Emanuel Chapman added 10 points along with four assists to finish his career with 617 helpers.
NCCU ends a historic season as the 2013-14 MEAC Regular Season Champion and the MEAC Tournament Champions.
Visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon for the latest on NCCU Athletics.
Box Score
ESPN PHOTO GALLERY OF EAGLES (91 Photos)
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Chris Hooks, Assistant Sports Information Director/Broadcast Media Coordinator
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Kollack looking to grab SCSU’s starting QB spot
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Adrian Kollack surprised many South Carolina State football observers when he was actively utilized late in the 2013 season.
The redshirt freshman quarterback out of Spartanburg made an impact on the Bulldogs’ offense, rushing for four touchdowns and passing for another in three games. Despite his success on the ground, Kollack insists there’s more to his game than just running the “Wildcat.”
“I’m more of a pocket passer,” he said. “I like to pass the ball compared to last year when I played when I had to run the ball a lot. I really like to throw the ball a lot and spread it around a lot. I actually run too, but I like to really like to throw the ball more.”
With the graduation of Richard Cue, the starting quarterback position is now open for either Kollack or fellow redshirt freshman ...
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The redshirt freshman quarterback out of Spartanburg made an impact on the Bulldogs’ offense, rushing for four touchdowns and passing for another in three games. Despite his success on the ground, Kollack insists there’s more to his game than just running the “Wildcat.”
“I’m more of a pocket passer,” he said. “I like to pass the ball compared to last year when I played when I had to run the ball a lot. I really like to throw the ball a lot and spread it around a lot. I actually run too, but I like to really like to throw the ball more.”
With the graduation of Richard Cue, the starting quarterback position is now open for either Kollack or fellow redshirt freshman ...
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Howard University Men's Soccer Join Sun Belt Conference
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Howard University men's soccer program joined the Sun Belt Conference as an affiliate member beginning in the 2014 season, the conference announced. The conference will reintroduce men's soccer this upcoming fall.
The Bison join their new league as part of the Sun Belt's revitalization of men's soccer as one of the conference's 18 championship sports after a nearly 20-year hiatus.
The men's soccer group will consist of six institutions that will play a five game, single round robin schedule:
The Sun Belt previously sponsored men's soccer from 1976 to 1995. In fact, the first ever Sun Belt Championship in any sport was the 1976 men's soccer championship.
Of note is the fact that the three new affiliate members were all part of the former Atlantic Soccer Conference (ASC) at some point in the past. Howard was a founding member from 2000-2011 before playing the last two seasons as an independent; NJIT was a member from 2004 (their first season in Division I) to 2011; and Hartwick was as founding member from 2000-2006 before departing for the Mid-American Conference from 2007-2013.
Come July 1, 2014 the Sun Belt membership will consist of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (non-football), Arkansas State University, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, the University of Idaho (football only), the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, New Mexico State University (football only), the University of South Alabama, the University of Texas at Arlington (non-football), Texas State University, and Troy University. Hartwick College, Howard University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology will compete as affiliate members in men's soccer.
COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
The Bison join their new league as part of the Sun Belt's revitalization of men's soccer as one of the conference's 18 championship sports after a nearly 20-year hiatus.
The men's soccer group will consist of six institutions that will play a five game, single round robin schedule:
- Appalachian State (full-time member)
- Georgia Southern (full-time member)
- Georgia State (full-time member)
- HOWARD (affiliate member)
- Hartwick (affiliate member)
- New Jersey Institute of Technology (affiliate member)
The Sun Belt will also have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which will be determined by a full-team postseason tournament where the top two seeds earn a bye to the semifinals. The host site and dates of the tournament will be announced in May.
"Howard University is extremely proud to be a member of the Sun Belt Conference in the sport of men's soccer," said Howard Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Louis B. "Skip" Perkins, Jr. "This gives our soccer program the opportunity to compete in a conference tournament and ultimately a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. We look forward to the challenge and are excited about being a part of the Sun Belt Conference."
"The reintroduction of men's soccer to the Sun Belt Conference means that we will be able to provide valuable opportunities for student-athletes and deliver them a first-class championship experience," said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson. "Our new affiliate members provide us with a full field of competitive teams and we welcome them to the Sun Belt Conference."
"We are looking forward to having an automatic qualifier in the sport to represent us in the NCAA postseason," said Benson. "And we are optimistic at the possibility of sending multiple teams to the tournament field each year."
"Howard University is extremely proud to be a member of the Sun Belt Conference in the sport of men's soccer," said Howard Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Louis B. "Skip" Perkins, Jr. "This gives our soccer program the opportunity to compete in a conference tournament and ultimately a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. We look forward to the challenge and are excited about being a part of the Sun Belt Conference."
"The reintroduction of men's soccer to the Sun Belt Conference means that we will be able to provide valuable opportunities for student-athletes and deliver them a first-class championship experience," said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson. "Our new affiliate members provide us with a full field of competitive teams and we welcome them to the Sun Belt Conference."
"We are looking forward to having an automatic qualifier in the sport to represent us in the NCAA postseason," said Benson. "And we are optimistic at the possibility of sending multiple teams to the tournament field each year."
The Sun Belt previously sponsored men's soccer from 1976 to 1995. In fact, the first ever Sun Belt Championship in any sport was the 1976 men's soccer championship.
Of note is the fact that the three new affiliate members were all part of the former Atlantic Soccer Conference (ASC) at some point in the past. Howard was a founding member from 2000-2011 before playing the last two seasons as an independent; NJIT was a member from 2004 (their first season in Division I) to 2011; and Hartwick was as founding member from 2000-2006 before departing for the Mid-American Conference from 2007-2013.
Come July 1, 2014 the Sun Belt membership will consist of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (non-football), Arkansas State University, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, the University of Idaho (football only), the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, New Mexico State University (football only), the University of South Alabama, the University of Texas at Arlington (non-football), Texas State University, and Troy University. Hartwick College, Howard University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology will compete as affiliate members in men's soccer.
COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
XU Nuggets' rally falls short in 2nd-round loss to Lady Tigers
The Lady Tigers (32-3) overcame an early nine-point deficit and withstood a second-half rally from the Gold Nuggets (24-10), whose season ended in the second round for the third time in four years.
Allen, a senior guard, finished with 15 points. Ellen Sholtes and Kristen Jacob scored 10 points apiece for the Lady Tigers, ranked fourth in the coaches poll and a No. 1 seed.
Xavier, ranked 20th in the poll and a No. 5 seed, got all but four of its points from three players. Whitney Gathright scored 19, Danielle Tucker 17 and Whitney Gaston-Loyd 15.
The Gold Nuggets made five of their first six shots from the floor, including a Gathright 3-pointer which gave them an 11-2 lead at 16:11. But during the next 12 1/2 minutes, Xavier was 2-of-21 from the floor and committed six turnovers to open the door for a 24-5 Campbellsville run.
"That stretch killed us," XU coach Bo Browder said. "We really struggled offensively."
Gathright made 1-of-2 free throws at 10:38 to give Xavier its final lead, 14-11. Allen's 3-pointer at 10:12 tied the score, and a Sholtes basket at 8:06 put Campbellsville ahead to stay, 18-16.
Allen capped the Lady Tigers' run with a 3-pointer at 3:48, and Campbellsville led 31-20 at halftime.
Campbellsville led by 15 early in the second half before Gathright made back-to-back 3-pointers in an 11-2 run to close the margin to 39-33. But the Gold Nuggets didn't move any closer until Gathright scored two baskets in the final 11 seconds.
Gathright, a sophomore guard, made three 3-pointers and also had four rebounds and four assists. Tucker's point total was her best in two XU seasons, and the senior forward led the Nuggets with eight rebounds. Gaston-Loyd, a senior center, grabbed six rebounds and, for the third consecutive game, reached 15 points or more.
It also was the final XU game for seniors Carmen Holcombe (four points, seven rebounds, two steals), Paige Gauthier (no points, six rebounds, two assists, a block and two steals) and Chelsea Broussard (no points, five rebounds, two steals).
The Gold Nuggets' Mount Seniormore of, from left, Whitney Gaston-Loyd, Paige Gauthier, Danielle Tucker, Chelsea Broussard and Carmen Holcombe. |
Xavier is 0-8 in second-round games at nationals, but this was the Nuggets' closest losing margin in that round -- the previous seven losses were by an average of 19.3 points.
"They say if you knock on the door long enough, it'll open for you," said Browder, whose teams are 4-13 at nationals. "We're going to keep knocking."
Campbellsville will take a nine-game win streak into a 4 p.m. EDT Saturday quarterfinal against Oklahoma City, a two-point overtime winner at home against Xavier on Nov. 29. The Stars advanced Friday with a 58-55 victory against Montana State-Northern.
NOTES: The Nuggets limited Campbellsville to their second-fewest points in a game this season. The Lady Tigers entered averaging 82 points . . . Xavier scored 22 points in the final 7:08 -- nine by Gathright and seven by Tucker . . . Tucker, who started her collegiate career at NCAA Division II's Gannon, produced 1,036 points and 608 rebounds in four collegiate seasons . . . Gauthier became the fifth in Nuggets history to reach 600 points, 400 rebounds, 200 assists and 200 steals in a career . . Gathright's 417 points are the most by a Nugget in one season since Brittany Powell's 499 in 2009-10, and they're the most by an XU sophomore since Jarryn Cleaves' 425 in 2004-05 . . . Holcombe who averaged 4.2 rebounds per game during her career, averaged 7.8 rebounds in her final five games.
Box score
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Seventeen Participate in TSU Pro Day
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- On Thursday, Tennessee State held its annual Pro Day inside the Indoor Football Facility. Seventeen took part in the event in front of scouts from 26 NFL teams.
The standouts of the day were safety David Van Dyke and center Demetrius Rhaney who both improved their chances of making a professional team roster.
Van Dyke started the day by recording 18 repetitions in the bench press and then had a vertical jump of 38.5 inches.
In the agility drills, Van Dyke ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds and did the 20-yard shuttle in 4.12.
At close to 300 pounds, Rhaney clocked a 4.89 in the 40-yard dash and a shuttle time of 4.72.
Rhaney impressed in the bench press, recording 24 reps and also hopped 29 inches in the vertical jump.
Van Dyke and Rhaney could join Kadeem Edwards and A.C. Leonard on NFL rosters in the fall.
Edwards and Leonard mostly stuck with their Combine records, but Edwards improved his vertical by two inches to 29 and Leonard finished his shuttle in 4.39 seconds.
The other TSU participants were Gregory Barksdale, Tim Broughton, DeShawn Byrd, Holt Claiborne, Antonio Harper, Marquaveus Jackson, Wilson Robinson, Wesley Samuels, Andrew Taylor and Devin Wilson.
The Tigers will await their fate in the upcoming NFL Draft on May 8-10.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Gold Nuggets, Gold Rush lose at Lindsey Wilson
XU's Kourtney Howell and Nour Abbes |
Xavier's women are ranked second, and the men are seventh. Lindsey Wilson's women are ranked fourth, and the men are sixth.
Lindsey Wilson's women (2-3) rallied from a 3-1 deficit to snap the six-dual winning streak of the Gold Nuggets (9-5). In the final match on the court, Anna Gaprindashvili clinched for the Blue Raiders with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) victory at No. 5 singles against Simone-Alyse Ewell.
XU's Nour Abbes and Kourtney Howell defeated NAIA-ranked singles players. Abbes improved to 9-0 with a 6-1, 6-1 victory against 28th-ranked Sarah Bernos. Howell rallied to beat 19th-ranked Alejandra Galvis 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
In the men's dual, Kyle Montrel and Nikita Soifer accounted for all the Xavier points. Lindsey Wilson won three of the four singles matches which went to a third set, with Pablo Vilches clinching for the Raiders at No. 6 with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 decision against Vincenzo Ciccone.
Montrel defeated 18th-ranked Edberg Espinoza 6-4, 6-2. Soifer beat regionally ranked Raul Mendez 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-1.
Lindsey Wilson's men are 5-1, and the Gold Rush are 5-8.
"Very difficult defeats," XU coach Alan Green said. "We weren't prepared for Lindsey Wilson, and that is my fault. I have to do a better job of getting us ready mentally and physically."
Both XU teams will play Milligan at 11 a.m. Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. Milligan's women are ranked 18th in the NAIA.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Friday, March 21, 2014
MEAC to host 2014 Bowling Championship
NORFOLK, Virginia - The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will host its 2014 MEAC Bowling Championship, March 21-23, at the AMF Lanes in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Coppin State, Delaware State, Maryland Eastern Shore and Morgan State qualified from the northern division, while Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Norfolk State and North Carolina A&T will compete from the southern division.
Maryland Eastern Shore, the three-time defending NCAA Champion, captured their fifth northern divisional title with 28-2 mark in MEAC play. The Lady Hawks posted a 14-1 mark in team play and 14-1 record in Baker games during northern division action this season.
Norfolk State Spartans finished atop of divisional play for the fourth straight year with a 18-6 record en route to the southern crown to clinch the title. The Spartans were 6-2 in team play and 7-1 in Baker games during southern division action this season.
Only the top four teams from each division are eligible to compete in the championship tournament. Howard (11-41), Hampton (9-63), and North Carolina Central (36-53) were eliminated from postseason play.
The tournament begins tomorrow with a qualifying round of traditional play to determine seeding. The action continues on Saturday with teams competing in a best-of-seven Baker series in a bracket format.
The 2014 MEAC Bowling Championship will conclude on Sunday, March 23 beginning with the semifinal round at 9:30 a.m. and concluding with the championship final. The championship finale will air tape-delayed on ESPNU on Monday, March 31 at 10:30 p.m.
For the latest on MEAC Bowling and other sponsored sports, log on to www.MEACsports.com.
After run to MEAC finals, Coppin State women's basketball looks forward to next year
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- After Coppin State lost the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament championship and a bid to the NCAA tournament by three points, coach Derek Brown made the walk upstairs to the concourse level of Norfolk Scope Arena in to meet family and friends.
He looked around the crowded scene and found two of his former players: Sherrie Tucker and Shalamar Oakley, with whom he won league titles in 2005, 2006 and 2008. He approached them, then called over Larissa Carter, who had just played her last game for the Eagles, a demoralizing 50-47 loss to Hampton.
“Even though this group didn’t win a championship, I love these girls just as much as you guys,” Brown said to his former players.
Part of it is because of the fight the ...
CONTINUE READING
He looked around the crowded scene and found two of his former players: Sherrie Tucker and Shalamar Oakley, with whom he won league titles in 2005, 2006 and 2008. He approached them, then called over Larissa Carter, who had just played her last game for the Eagles, a demoralizing 50-47 loss to Hampton.
“Even though this group didn’t win a championship, I love these girls just as much as you guys,” Brown said to his former players.
Part of it is because of the fight the ...
CONTINUE READING
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