XU 11th, in preseason top 25 for 10th time in 11 years

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was 11th Tuesday in the 2016 NAIA Women's Tennis Preseason Top 25 Poll.
    
The Gold Nuggets are in the preseason top 25 for the fourth consecutive year and the 10th time in 11 seasons. Although Xavier's streak of 25 consecutive appearances in the top 10 ended, it's the Nuggets' 31st straight appearance in the top 25 and 28th straight time in the top 15.
    
Defending champion Auburn Montgomery received 11-of-12 first-place votes and is preseason No. 1 for the 13th time in 16 seasons. Second-ranked Georgia Gwinnett, the 2014 champion, received the other first-place vote.
    
Already announced XU opponents in the top 25 are No. 6 William Carey (Feb. 6 at Xavier, March 4 at Hattiesburg, Miss.) and No. 12 Northwestern Ohio (March 29 at Xavier).
    
The Gold Nuggets, a semifinalist at the NAIA National Championship in 2013 and 2014, will open their spring schedule at 10 a.m. Saturday against city rival Loyola at XU Tennis Center. The XU men will play their home opener against Loyola at the same time.
    
Xavier returns six letterwomen from 2015.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll
1. Auburn Montgomery
2. Georgia Gwinnett
3. Lindsey Wilson
4. SCAD Savannah
5. Cardinal Stritch
6. William Carey
7. Brenau
8. Keiser
9. Westmont
10. Arizona Christian
11. Xavier
12. Northwestern Ohio
13. Lewis-Clark State
14. Cumberland
15. Olivet Nazarene
16. Indiana Wesleyan
17. Davenport
18. McPherson
19. Southeastern (Fla.)
20. Coastal Georgia
21. SCAD Atlanta
22. Evangel
23. Marian (Ind.)
24. Campbellsville
25. Ottawa

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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No. 4 NAIA ranking is best in Xavier Gold Rush history

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis was No. 4 Tuesday — its highest NAIA ranking ever — in the first national coaches poll of 2016.
    
The Gold Rush were 13-8 a year ago and reached the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Championship for the fourth consecutive year. Xavier returns five lettermen, led by three-year All-American Kyle Montrel. He and newcomer Karan Salwan are in the top 10 of the ITA's NAIA preseason singles rankings.
    
The previous best ranking by a Gold Rush team was fifth three times in 2013, including the postseason poll. Xavier was sixth in the final seven polls of 2015.
    
The XU men are in the top 25 for the 69th consecutive time — that streak began April 4, 2007 — and in the top 10 for the 39th consecutive time. Additional streaks are 60 straight appearances in the top 20 and 45 times in a row in the top 15.
    
Two-time defending champion Georgia Gwinnett received all 12 first-place votes. Auburn Montgomery is second, and Lindsey Wilson is third. Already announced XU opponents in the top 25 are No. 5 Northwestern Ohio (March 29 at Xavier) and No. 7 William Carey (Feb. 6 at Xavier, March 4 at Hattiesburg, Miss.).
    
The Gold Rush, 0-2 after a pair of losses Jan. 18 at Louisiana-Lafayette, will play city rival Loyola at 10 a.m. Saturday at XU Tennis Center. Xavier's women will open their spring schedule against Loyola at the same site and time. Admission is free to all XU home tennis events.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll
1. Georgia Gwinnett
2. Auburn Montgomery
3. Lindsey Wilson
4. Xavier
5. Northwestern Ohio
6. San Diego Christian
7. William Carey
8. Coastal Georgia
9. Dalton State
10. McPherson
11. Keiser
12. Reinhardt
13. Bethany (Kan.)
14. Campbellsville
15. Westmont
16. Graceland
17. Cardinal Stritch
18. Olivet Nazarene
19. Asbury
20. Lewis-Clark State
21. SCAD Savannah
22. Cumberland
23. Aquinas
24. Marian (Ind.)
25. Tennessee Wesleyan

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Shaw University Sheldon Saddler to Participate in NFL Reginonal Combine

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Shaw University senior offensive lineman Sheldon Saddler (Kannapolis, NC) has been invited to participate in the 2016 National Football League Regional Combine on March 5, 2016 at the Minnesota Vikings Winter Park practice facility.

Saddler anchored the Bears offensive line with 2500 total yards on the season, while earning CIAA Offensive Lineman during week 9 for Shaw.

The regional combines serve as a supplement to the NFL's National Scouting Combine and provide an opportunity for current draft-eligible players to display their skills before NFL talent evaluators. The NFL's national, week-long combine starts Feb. 23 in Indianapolis.

The regional combines are only open to players who played college football during the 2015 season. Players are tested and evaluated by experienced NFL scouting personnel, and measurements, combine results and videos are compiled and entered into a database available to all 32 NFL clubs.

For the most up-to-date information on Shaw football team and its 11 varsity sport teams, visit shawbears.com.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Dan Mullen: I haven't spoken to Hopson about an offer

STARKVILLE, Mississippi -- Dan Mullen vehemently denied a report Tuesday night that linked him to offering a position to Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson.

"I haven't talked to Jay Hopson," Mullen said. "I haven't offered anyone a contract. We're going to wait until after signing day."

FootballScoop.com first reported the offer. A source SWAC league source also told the Clarion-Ledger of a potential offer.

Mullen said Thursday night that he had yet to even narrow a list of candidates down to finalists. His primary concern for the next eight days is National Signing Day.

Hopson, a Vicksburg native, has been at ...
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Alabama A&M banned from postseason in all sports for 2016-17

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Alabama A&M has been banned from the postseason in all sports for the 2016-17 school year and the athletic department placed on probation for one year, the school announced today.

The punishments came after an NCAA review of Alabama A&M's Academic Performance Program data, the school said in a press release. The NCAA determined that documentation submitted by the school was insufficient to verify the Academic Performance Rate and academic eligibility of student-athletes for the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years.

Alabama A&M's probation period began Jan. 18.

The NCAA implemented APRs in 2003. As described on the NCAA website, it "holds institutions accountable for the academic progress of their student-athletes through a team-based metric that accounts for the eligibility and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term."

Teams must have a 930 four-year average APR to take part in NCAA championships. Only two of Alabama A&M's 16 athletic programs - softball and men's golf - scored lower than 930 for the most recent results released by the NCAA (the period that ended with the 2013-14 school year).

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AAMU PRESS RELEASE...

NORMAL, Alabama -- During a review of Alabama A&M University's Academic Performance Program (APP) data by the NCAA Division I Committee on Academics Subcommittee on Data, subcommittee members determined the documentation submitted was insufficient to verify the Academic Performance Rate (APR) and the academic eligibility of student-athletes for the 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 academic years.

The NCAA is providing Alabama A&M University with additional time to resubmit the necessary documentation. In the meantime, effective January 18, 2016, the NCAA has placed AAMU athletics on one year probation and the AAMU athletic programs are ineligible for postseason competition beginning this fall (2016-17 championships).

"This is not a sanction. The post-season ban potentially can be lifted prior to the 2016-17 fall sports championships if the university corrects and re-submits the necessary data by August 15, 2016," said Bryan Hicks, Director of Athletics. "We are collaboratively working with the NCAA Division I Committee on Academics Subcommittee on Data, the Compliance Group and university administration to ensure each concern and question is fully addressed. We have also engaged a company with expertise in compliance certification, one that has assisted other SWAC institutions in a similar manner."

As required, all student-athletes were notified of the NCAA ruling and how it would apply to them. The Department of Athletics, the university Registrar's Office, faculty and staff and President Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. are committed to resolving the issues revealed by the NCAA Division I Committee on Academics Subcommittee on Data as quickly as possible.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Biloxi Shuckers to host exhibition game with Jackson State on April 4

BILOXI, Mississippi -- The Biloxi Shuckers today announced an exhibition game which will take place at MGM Park on Monday, April 4 between the Shuckers and Jackson State University.

The 6:40 pm game will be the second exhibition game for the Shuckers during the preseason, which includes the matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, April 2. The game will be nine innings in length with both teams pitching for themselves and using wood bats.

The Jackson State Tigers are located in Jackson, MS and a member of the NCAA Division 1 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The baseball program began in 1957 accruing a 1,313-914-6 record with their last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014. The Tigers return four starters and 11 letter-winners from last season's 32-25 squad that finished second in the SWAC's Eastern Division.

Head Coach Omar Johnson enters his 10^th season at Jackson State and has amassed a 301-198 (.604) coaching record for the Tigers.

"This is a great opportunity for our kids to see baseball at the highest level - against Double-A professional players," said Johnson. "(Playing at MGM Park) will be the first time many of our kids have had a chance to play on a pro field, and they are excited about the challenge. It's just a great opportunity for our program."

This will be the second of three contests for Jackson State at the home of the Shuckers this season, as the Tigers will face Southern University on March 1 and take on Alcorn State on April 15 at MGM Park.

Tickets for the exhibition game will be general admission, with Biloxi Shuckers Season Ticket and Suite holders receiving free admission to the game. All plan holders will receive additional information regarding this game in the very near future. Tickets will be $7 for the general public.

Season Tickets, Shmini Plans, which feature 18-game and 10-game plans that include the best games at MGM Park in 2016, Flex Plans and Group Tickets are available for the 2016 season by calling 228-233-3465.

About the Biloxi Shuckers:
The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and a member of the Southern League. For up-to-date news and notes throughout the offseason, visit biloxishuckers.com, follow the club on Twitter (@biloxishuckers), Instagram (@officialbiloxishuckers) or like the team on Facebook (facebook.com/biloxishuckers).

COURTESY BILOXI SHUCKERS MEDIA RELATIONS

Source: MSU extends offer to Alcorn State's Jay Hopson

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Mississippi State has offered Alcorn State head coach Jay Hopson a position on staff, a source confirmed to The Clarion-Ledger on Tuesday.

Hopson, a Vicksburg native, has been at the helm of Alcorn State since 2012. He guided the Braves to back-to-back first-place finishes in the SWAC's Eastern Division, and the Braves played in the Celebration Bowl in 2015. It's still uncertain how much interest Hopson would have transitioning from head coach to a position coach without any titles.

FootballScoop.com first reported the offer.

MSU coach Dan Mullen hoped to fill the vacancy left by Deshea Townsend with someone who has close ties to Mississippi to help in recruiting, another source said. Townsend accepted a position with the NFL's Tennessee Titans to coach their defensive backs.

Hopson played at ...

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Dillard picks up 4th straight GCAC victory with 25-point destruction of Edward Waters

Demetric "Tree" Austin calmly prepares to sink a free throws against Edward Waters.

COURTESY: J. Williams & Dillard University Athletics

NEW ORLEANS --The Bleu Devils held a 3-point lead at the half before holding its opponent to just 21 second half points en route to an 80-55 victory at the Battlefield in Dent Hall over Edward Waters. The win marks Dillard's fourth straight victory in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

Dillard (12-6, 4-1 GCAC) was led by junior Demetric Austin (JR/Washington, D.C.) who finished with yet another double-double, scoring 24 points and grabbing 10 boards in the victory. Teammate Jesse Ward (SO/Maringouin, La.) continued his solid GCAC campaign with 14 points, four boards, three assists and two steals in 33 minutes of action while Dennis Hightower (JR/Chicago, Ill.) and Dennis Reed (JR/England, Ark.) both chipped in with 10 points apiece.

The first half proved to be an exciting contest as the Tigers and Bleu Devils exchanged baskets throughout the 20 minute period, but Dillard would eventually pull away thanks to a solid transition game. Once again, the Bleu Devils outrebounded its opponent 43 to 34. During one stretch of the competition, the game began to get chippy in the latter half as double-technical fouls were called on two separate occasions, even resulting in an ejection.

Keith Williams Jr. led Edward Waters with 12 points while teammate Oceann Maddox finished with 11 points.

Dillard takes a break from GCAC action and faces Texas College on Wednesday, January 27. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

FULL STATS

COURTESY DILLARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

JCSU Men's Basketball Triumphs Over Livingstone, 89-81

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Johnson C. Smith University men's basketball team limited visiting Livingstone to just 31.4%% shooting in the second half while getting 24 points and 14 rebounds from senior Diondre Pratt en route to an 89-81 CIAA Southern Division win on Monday night at Brayboy Gym.

Pratt, a Morven, N.C. native, went 9-of-19 from the field including a 6-of 8 mark from the free throw line against the Blue Bears.  He also dished five assists and had two steals on the night.  Teammates Stedmon Lemon (Lithonia, Ga.) and Alandre Davis (Florence, S.C.) also eclipsed the 20 point mark with Lemon registering 23 points and Davis chipping in 22.

Lemon finished 6-of-8 from the free throw line and was 7-of 11 from the field, including a 3-of-6 mark from long range in the win.  Davis was perfect from the line (8-of-8) and was 7-of-10 from the field.  Sophomore Robert Davis (West Friendship, Md.) also had a productive night, scoring eight points while dishing nine assists.

After being tied at 40-40 at halftime, JCSU quickly built and eight point lead at 52-44 after Pratt knocked down a jumper with 13:13 left.  The Blue Bears would eventually tie the game at 60-60 with 6:32 to play when Daryl Trynham knocked down two free throws after forcing a JCSU turnover.

JCSU would respond by building a nine point lead at 75-66 after a free throw from Lemon with 3:12 to play.  The Blue Bears would trim the lead to six points on two occasions down the stretch, with the latter coming after Eric Dubose converted a layup with 59 seconds to play.  JCSU would then go on to make
4-of-5 free throws down the stretch and added an exclamation point when Lemon broke away for a highlight-reel dunk off the backboard that made it 89-77.  A tip in from Livingstone's Nasir Austin and a layup at the buzzer from Trynham provided the 89-81 final.

The win improves JCSU to 10-8 overall, 5-4 in CIAA play and 3-0 in the Southern Division while Livingstone falls to 8-12, 3-5 in CIAA play and 1-2 in Divisional play.

The Golden Bulls will hit the road for their next game, travelling to Winston-Salem State on Wednesday for a Southern Divisional battle with the Rams.  Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Gaines Center.

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

NSU Ties School Record for 3’s, Scores Season High in 92-73 Win over SSU

NORFOLK, Virginia -- For the second straight game and the second time in three days, the Norfolk State men's basketball team tied the school for 3-pointers, and the Spartans scored a season high in points in a 92-73 win over Savannah State on Monday night at Joseph Echols Hall.

Senior Charles Oliver hit 6-of-8 from beyond the arc and shot 8-of-11 overall for a career-high 25 points. He helped NSU hit 14-of-30 from 3-point range, tying the record originally set in November against DePaul in the Paradise Jam and then tied again on Saturday against South Carolina State.

The Spartans tied their season high for points in a half with 52 in the second after holding a 14-point lead at the break. Savannah State's only lead on the night came at the beginning when the Tigers scored the first bucket of the game. NSU led by double digits for most of the last 15 minutes of the first half, and by at least 20 most of the second stanza.



With the win, its fifth in the last six games, NSU improved to 10-12 overall and 6-1 in the MEAC. The Spartans now sit a half game behind Hampton for first place after the Pirates (7-1) lost to South Carolina State on Monday night.

NSU and Hampton will play the first Battle of the Bay of the season next Saturday when the Spartans travel to Hampton for a 6 p.m. matchup with first place in the league on the line.

Senior D'Shon Taylor and junior Jonathan Wade each added 14 points to the Spartan scoring effort, combining to hit 10-of-14 from the field in front of a crowd of 1,812. Senior Jeff Short also reached double figures with 13, and he, Taylor, Wade and sophomore Devonte Banner each had two 3-pointers.

The Spartans again started off on fire, jumping out to a 13-2 lead to start the game. The Spartans still led by 11 on a jumper by Wade and then two free throws by Oliver at the 11:03 mark. Those two points started a 10-0 run that put NSU up by 19, 27-8, with Oliver capping that spurt with a trey with eight minutes left before the half.

Taylor and Short each added buckets from beyond the arc for the Spartans, who eventually went up by as much as 21 when freshman Alex Long converted two from the foul line with just 4:26 left. The Tigers (7-11, 3-4 MEAC) did outscore the Spartans 10-3 from that point forward to close out the half, cutting the Norfolk State lead to 40-26 at the break.

NSU hit 7-of-14 from long range in the first half but just 43 percent overall. The Spartans hit better than 50 percent from the field in the second half and finished the game 24-of-51 (47.1 percent).

Norfolk State was also helped by a season-high 30-of-35 effort from the free throw line. The Spartans came into the game leading the nation in free throw percentage at 77.9 and bumped that number up by hitting 85.7 percent against the Tigers.

Isaiah Felder drained a 3-pointer less than a minute into the second half to get the Tigers to within 13. The Spartans quickly countered by scoring the next eight points in the game, and a short time later sophomore Zaynah Robinson hit two from the charity stripe to give NSU a 21-point lead, 54-33, with 15:50 still to go.

The advantage never dipped below 21 after that point, and a 10-0 run near the eight-minute mark gave the Spartans their biggest lead of the game at 32, 81-49.

Oliver had 12 points in second half after tallying 13 in the first. Long, meanwhile, posted career highs of nine rebounds, four blocks and three assists while scoring six points. Junior Brian Kelley had a career-high five assists and two of NSU's nine blocks on the night.

The Spartans held the edge on the glass, 35-29, although the Tigers did outscore NSU 28-14 in points in the paint and 13-6 in second-chance points. Norfolk State, meanwhile, had a season-high nine blocks.

Savannah State shot 25-of-60 (41.7 percent) from the floor, including 8-of-23 from 3-point range. Christopher Martin was one of five players in double figures for SSU with 16 points. Dexter McClanahan had 15, while Troyce Manassa tallied 14 points with a team-leading six rebounds.

NSU got another strong effort from its bench with 45 points.

Box Score

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

S.C. State Bulldogs Knock Off Top-Ranked Hampton on the Road

HAMPTON, Virginia -- South Carolina State junior guard Eric Eaves scored a team-high 18 points, while sophomore guard Ty Solomon nailed a late 3-pointer and tossed in two important free throws, to give Hampton their first conference loss of the season ,67-62, Monday (Jan.25) at the HU Convocation Center.

The Bulldogs gave head coach Murray Garvin his only true birthday wish with the road victory over league leading Hampton. SC State improves to 11-11 overall, 6-2 in the MEAC, while Hampton falls to 11-8 overall, 7-1 in the league.

Eaves was 8-of-11 shooting for South Carolina State, while senior forward/center Daryll Palmer chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds and sophomore forward Tashombe Riley added the games only double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Soloman finished with seven points.

Despite 15 lofty turnovers, the Bulldogs controlled the tempo in the paint outscoring (38-32) and out rebounding (47-42) the Pirates, while producing 36 unanswered points from bench play.

The game was tied at 60 with 1:28 left. After a Hampton miss, Soloman drilled a 3-pointer to go up 63-60. Senior guard Quinton Chievous made a layup to cut it to one, and Hampton fouled three straight times to send sophomore guard Ed Stephens to the line.

Stephens made both to make it a three-point game again. Hampton's Brian Darden missed a 3, and Soloman gathered the rebound, was fouled, and made both free throws for the final margin.

Hampton was led by Reginald Johnson Jr. with 19 points. Darden had 13 points and Chievous had 12 points and nine boards in the loss.

For more information, on South Carolina State Athletics visit the official website at www.scsuathletics.com or call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 5
36-7060.



BOX SCORE

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Southern women waste no time in putting away Alabama A&M

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- After playing from behind for almost the entire game in an overtime loss to Alabama State on Saturday night, the Southern women never trailed in an easy victory against Alabama A&M on Monday afternoon.

The Jaguars scored the first eight points of the game, led by 18 after one quarter and never led by fewer than 15 points the rest of the way. The result was a 77-38 victory in the F.G. Clark Activity Center that improved Southern to 6-2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and 9-8 overall. The Jaguars host Alcorn State on Saturday. The Lady Bulldogs are 2-5 and 3-14.

“We were in a wait-and-see mode Saturday night,” Southern coach Sandy Pugh said. “I wanted us to just go and go and keep the energy up.”

Southern had the lead just twice during the 45 minutes of a 60-59 loss to Alabama State, but took the lead for good against AAMU on two free throws by Skylar O’Bear 19 seconds into the game.

Britney Washington led the Jaguars with a game-high 18 points, Briana Green scored 14 and Cortnei Purnell had 13.

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Southern wins its sixth straight by beating Alabama A&M 73-52

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Alabama A&M brought the leading scorer in the Southwestern Athletic Conference into the F.G. Clark Activity Center on Monday night.

But Southern neutralized Ladarius Tabb, not only holding him to eight points, 13 below his season average, but also by having four Jaguars outscore him.

Adrian Rodgers scored a game-high 20 points, Christopher Hyder had 14 and Rashad Andrews and Trelun Banks had 10 each as Southern beat the Bulldogs 73-52.

“We had individuals step up against him, but it was all about team defense,” Southern coach Roman Banks said. “I don’t think you can ever stop him, but I thought we controlled him and got him out of his rhythm.”

Tabb made 3-of-9 shots and missed all four of his 3-pointers, playing just 20 minutes because of foul trouble and the lopsided margin. Quinterian McConico came off the bench to lead AAMU with 12 points, and Nicholas West scored 10.

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Talladega Tornadoes defeat XU Gold Rush 62-58 in overtime

NEW ORLEANS — Jordan Washington scored 32 points, including the go-ahead points in overtime, to lead NAIA No. 8 Talladega to a 62-58 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against 21st-ranked Xavier University of Louisiana.
     
The Tornadoes (16-4, 4-1) remained in a tie in the GCAC with Dillard, which won 80-55 at home against Edward Waters.
    
Washington's only points of overtime occurred on a 3-point play that put Talladega ahead to stay, 55-52, with 1:51 remaining.
    
Washington was 11-of-17 from the floor and 9-of-11 from the line in 42 minutes but also committed nine turnovers. It was his third 30-point game this season. Courtney Mack had 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for Talladega.
    
Morris Wright scored 23 points for the Gold Rush (15-8, 2-4), and Seth Jackson had 11 points and five assists.
    
Talladega led 30-24 at halftime. Gary Smith's basket for Xavier with 13 seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 48 and forced overtime.
    
The teams made a combined 4-of-30 on 3-pointers. Talladega was 0-of-13 on treys after halftime.
    
Xavier will visit GCAC and city rival SUNO at 7:30 p.m. next Monday.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Talladega gives Nuggets 1st home loss of season

NEW ORLEANS — Shakeena Benton scored 12 points and sparked a late rally which lifted NAIA No. 19 Talladega to a 62-55 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against 20th-ranked Xavier University of Louisiana.
    
The Lady Tornadoes (16-3, 4-0) won their sixth straight and gave the Gold Nuggets (14-8, 3-3) their first home loss of the season.
    
Xavier led 50-49 after Whitney Gathright made two free throws with 5:43 remaining, then Benton scored half of the Lady Tornadoes' points during a 10-1 run which gave them a 59-51 lead at 1:44. Benton's 3-pointer at 4:17 put Talladega ahead to stay, 53-50, and she capped the surge with two free throws.
    
Ashley Burchfield and Tashieba Henry scored 10 points apiece for Talladega, and Latisha Brown had nine points, nine rebounds and three steals.
    
Freshman Keira Robinson, playing for the first time in six games, had 13 points, six rebounds and a career-high three steals for Xavier. Gathright had 11 points, seven rebounds and six rebounds.
    
Xavier, which is 8-1 at home this season, led 28-26 at halftime.
    
Talladega outshot Xavier 46.7 to 28.1 percent from the floor, 47.8 to 19.4 percent in the second half. The Gold Nuggets were plus-10 in turnovers, committing 14 and gaining 24.
  
Gathright, a senior point guard, became the 16th Gold Nugget to reach 1,200 career points. She has 1,206. Donyeah Mayfield's 3-pointer at 3:03 of the third quarter made her the second Gold Nugget to reach 20 3-pointers and 20 blocked shots in the same season. Mayfield, a senior forward, has 20 treys and 26 blocks in 21 games. Antasha Jones made 21 3-pointers and blocked 23 shots for Xavier in 36 games in 1996-97.
    
Xavier will visit GCAC and city rival SUNO at 5:30 p.m. next Monday.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Texas Southern Lady Tigers' defense sets the tone in win over UAPB

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Texas Southern University Lady Tigers basketball team continued its dominance in conference play Monday night as they rolled past the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Lions, 57-30.

The win pushes the Lady Tigers to a perfect 7-0 record in SWAC competition and an 11-6 overall record. It was the tenth-straight win for TSU.

When asked if anyone on the team has any superstitions that they are maintaining throughout the streak, head coach, Johnetta Hayes-Perry, said, "no strange superstition, but we are in a routine where we do the same thing everyday in warm-ups and where we stand in line. That's our little corny thing."

The Lady Tigers were balanced and efficient on the offensive side of the ball as they had four players score in double figures. The distribution of scoring was reflected by the fact that of 22 made baskets for TSU, 18 came off of assists.

Senior forward, Toni Cheadle, posted a double-double as she scored 12 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. She also contributed 5 assists. She received a lot of help from another senior as guard, Brianna Sidney, led all scorers with 13 points.

Freshman point guard, Joyce Kennerson, scored 12 points and had 5 assists while senior center, Keiana Vines, poured in 12 points and was a force to be reckoned with on defense as she blocked 8 shots.

Vines' tenacity down low was matched by her teammates as the Lady Tigers turned up the intensity on defense and stifled the Lady Lions all night. For the game, UAPB was held to a meager 18 percent shooting from the field and did not make a three-pointer. TSU also dominated on the boards as they outrebounded the Lady Lions 49-34.

Next up, the Lady Tigers go for their eleventh-straight win as they head to Montgomery, Alabama to take on Alabama State, Saturday ni
ght. Tip-off is set for 3:00 pm.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Jackson State turns in another solid recruiting weekend

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State built some recruiting momentum last weekend when it had its initial official visits and brought 20 recruits on campus.

The Tigers were able to secure nine verbal commitments and they were able to keep the ball rolling this past weekend.

JSU had 20 to 25 recruits in town and received nine more verbal commitments, according to a source.
Tupelo defensive end Kyree Bradford, who stands at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, gave his pledge to the Tigers. JSU was able to add more bodies to its defensive line when it received commitments from a pair of Provine defensive ends in Kahlil Johnson and Devon McNeil, who both stand at 6-foot-4.

Leake County receiver Kobe Gates (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) gave first-year Tigers coach Tony Hughes another wideout commit. JSU picked up two receiver commits last week.

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Ram Ramblings: WSSU football schedule has balance for 2016

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- It’s that time of year when sports are colliding in a big way at WSSU.

I was able to check out the baseball team practicing indoors in preparation for its Feb. 5 opener at BB&T Ballpark against Millersville. I was also keeping tabs on both the women’s and men’s basketball teams at the Gaines Center. They were taking on Fayetteville State.

I was also able to get a hold of the WSSU football schedule for 2016, and it’s a good one.

The Rams, the defending CIAA champions who went 6-5, will open at home on Sept. 3 against UNC Pembroke before traveling down Route 52 to play Catawba on Sept. 10. The Rams will then have consecutive home games against Virginia Union and Virginia State.

The Rams will have a balanced schedule with five home games and five away games. This season will also mark the first time the Rams will travel to take on Lincoln (Pa.) since they rejoined the CIAA in 2010.

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"Golf Saved My Life"... Champion LeMoyne-Owen golfer Dominique Worthen has much to be grateful for — and a great golf game

(L) Dominique Worthen

Dominique understands he could have fallen in the same trap as his older brother, who is currently in prison and facing a possible sentence of nearly 200 years on numerous charges.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee  -- Golf has been good for former LeMoyne-Owen standout Dominique Worthen. He reminds himself of this as he reflects on his short but amazing two-year run at LOC.

During the 2015 college golf season, Worthen won the PGA National Minority Collegiate Championship. He also won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Tournament title and was named the conference’s golfer of the year. Late during the summer, he set the course record at Ted Rhodes Golf Course in Nashville by posting a 60 in the Duffers Golf Tournament benefiting Sickle Cell research.

He has taken pictures with former Memphis Mayor AC Wharton, laughed it up basketball hall of famer Magic Johnson, rubbed shoulders with local hoops legend Penny Hardaway, and appeared on a social media post with Grizzlies’ Tony Allen.

But those things are part of the icing. The cake is represented in the name of his website, golfsavedmylife.com. It is what Worthen believes: Golf saved his life.

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Wheeling Park’s Bell bound for FCS North Carolina A&T

WHEELING, West Virginia — With the national football signing period set to begin Wednesday, February 3, several prominent senior standouts from the past year in the state have been weighing their options.

One of those has been Wheeling Park receiver/defensive back Elijah Bell who is also in the middle of basketball season with the Patriots. Bell recently announced his commitment to North Carolina A&T out of the MEAC, a Division I FCS program.

Bell made the announcement on his Twitter account.


Bell was a force on both sides of the ball this past season as the Patriots won the Class AAA football state championship. Bell collected 50 catches for 1,214 yards (24.3 yards per catch) and 17 touchdowns. Defensively, Bell added 57 tackles.

Bell finished third in both the MetroNews Player of the Year and Kennedy Award voting, while being named USA Today’s Offensive Player of the Year in West Virginia.

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ESPN Commentator Stephen A. Smith giving $250,000 donation to WSSU over 5 years

PHOTO GALLERY

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Stephen A. Smith doesn’t mind putting his money where his mouth is when making a point on his ESPN show “First Take.”

Smith also made a point Saturday morning at a Winston-Salem State fund-raising breakfast by committing $50,000 toward his alma mater for each of the next five years.

“It’s the right thing to do,” said Smith, a 1991 graduate and former sportswriter who started at the Winston-Salem Journal as a part-time clerk when he was in college.

WSSU officials said the breakfast raised $33,000. This was the first year the fundraiser was held.

Smith said he’s proud of being a product of a historically black college, but he also said the institutions need help.

“A lot of HBCUs are hurting financially, but I’m here to tell you they are needed in a big way,” Smith said.

Smith, a member of the Big House Gaines Hall of Fame at WSSU for his service to the university, attended WSSU on a basketball scholarship but injuries limited his time on the court.

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Deeper Southern men will try to extend their winning streak Monday against Alabama A&M on ESPNU

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Now that Southern has its full complement of players, men’s basketball coach Roman Banks has the most options he has had since the start of Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

With guard Trelun Banks and center D’Adrian Allen having returned from ankle injuries, the Jaguars expect to have everyone available for a conference game for the first time this season when they meet Alabama A&M at 6 p.m. Monday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center. The game will air on ESPNU.



Trelun Banks returned from a two-game absence to start, play 38 minutes and score a team-high 21 points in Saturday’s 73-69 home victory against Alabama State. Allen wasn’t as far along in his recuperation, but he still managed to come off the bench and contribute three points and two rebounds in 12 minutes.

Coach Banks used 10 players in the game, more than he had used in any of the previous SWAC games for Southern (13-7, 5-2).

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Heinecke is a one-man band of strength at WSSU

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- In his cramped office inside the Bowman Gray Stadium Fieldhouse Marc Heinecke sees plenty of clutter.

But for Heinecke, the busy head strength and conditioning coach at Winston-Salem State, there’s not enough time in the day to keep a clean office.

As a one-man staff he’s in charge of keeping the more than 200 athletes at WSSU in top shape. That means long hours, but for somebody who has a passion for his job he isn’t complaining.

At the Division II level, Heinecke is what you call a bonus baby. There aren’t a lot of schools, at least in the budget-conscious CIAA, that have the luxury of a full-time strength coach.

“I think there are about three or four schools (out of 12) in the CIAA who have a full-time strength guy,” said Heinecke, who is entering his fourth year at WSSU.

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Benedict women top Albany State in SIAC East first-place battle

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- The 15th-ranked Benedict College Lady Tigers used a dominating second quarter to defeat Albany State 82-53 in a rematch of last year’s SIAC Championship game Saturday afternoon at Benedict.

In a battle for first place in the SIAC East Division, Benedict outscored the Lady Rams 26-2 in the second period to take a 49-26 halftime lead and held on for the victory.

Benedict improved to 19-1 overall and 9-1 in the SIAC with its 14th straight victory. Albany State dropped to 8-10 overall and 8-2 in the SIAC.

Zuri Frost led Albany State with 16 points.

Albany State will play host to Miles College Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

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Stillman Tigers too quick for Spring Hill Badgers, 83-78

MOBILE, Alabama – The Spring Hill College (SHC) men's basketball team lost an 83-78 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) West Division contest on Saturday evening versus the Stillman College Tigers at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center.

The West Division leading Tigers (12-5, 8-1 SIAC West) fought out to a 41-37 lead at halftime and built a 12-point 58-46 advantage with 12:30 left in the second half. The Badgers rallied to cut the lead to just two points on three occasions only to see Stillman respond each time with either successful free throws or layups on the other end to keep the Badgers from wresting away the lead.

Freshman guard Sawyer Glick dropped in two 3-point buckets in the final five seconds, but it would prove to be too late as Stillman converted 5-of-7 free throws over the last 22 seconds to secure the victory.

Glick paced SHC with 17 points and eight rebounds while sophomore forward Walter Massey pitched in 16 points, senior guard Wesley Pietri added 14 points off the bench and freshman forward Chase Shellman contributed 12 points. Spring Hill shot 46.8% (29-62) from the floor and was 33.3% (6-18) in 3-point attempts. The Badgers won the rebounding war by a 39-35 margin, but lost 15 turnovers to nine Stillman steals.

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