Mississippi Valley State, You're No Belmont

In the above photo, taken in the second half of last night's game, UCLA players Kevin Love, Darren Collison, Russell Westbrook and Josh Shipp are laughing as they watch their bench-warmer teammates toying with Mississippi Valley State. UCLA won, 70-29, and Mississippi Valley State's point total was the lowest in an NCAA Tournament game since the field expanded to 64.

Yes, it was an ugly performance by the 16-seeded Delta Devils, a performance that was in sharp contrast to the other little-known squad taking on a college basketball powerhouse last night, as 15-seed Belmont gave Duke all it could handle.

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UCLA makes sure it's not sweet for 16, MVSU Delta Devils

Photo: Mississippi Valley State University head basketball coach James Green.

Josh Shipp wasn't apparent, Darren Collison didn't score in the first half, Kevin Love played with intelligent caution and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute didn't play at all, not that it mattered on this first night of the 2008 tournament basketball for UCLA.

The top-seeded Bruins coasted to a 70-29 win over 16th-seeded Mississippi Valley State on Thursday night in the first round of the NCAA West Regional at the Honda Center. The Bruins (32-3) will play ninth-seeded Texas A&M (25-10) in the second round Saturday. The Aggies beat eighth-seeded Brigham Young, 67-62.

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MORE PHOTOS: http://www.pe.com/multimedia/slideshow/2008/20080321_ucla

Highlights: The 29 points scored by the Delta Devils was the lowest total in a NCAA Tournament game since college basketball began using a shot clock in 1985.

UCLA held Mississippi Valley State to just 19.7 percent shooting from the field and 7.1 percent from 3-point range.

The Bruins had 6 blocked shots in the first five minutes and finished with 13 overall, one shy of tying the record for a single NCAA Tournament game.

Coach Ben Howland pulled his UCLA starters from the game midway through the first half and played reserves the rest of the way.

Larry Cox led the Delta Devils (17-16) with seven points.

ALABAMA STATE FOOTBALL: New offense has effect on defense

When Reggie Barlow began entertaining the idea of bringing in a coordinator to run the spread offense at Alabama State, he had a couple of concerns.

The first was the ASU running game. The Hornets had a talented group of ball carriers that saved the team more than a few times last season and Barlow didn't want to cut any of them out of playing time. He was pleased to discover that the pass-happy spread wasn't so pass-happy and that the running back was only slightly less important than the quarterback.

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Tallahassee Rickards H.S. hires Rudy Hubbard as football coach

Photo: #12, Former FAMU head football coach Rudy Hubbard with members of the Rattlers 1978 1-AA National Championship Team, at the 2007 FAMU Homecoming game at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Leon County Superintendent of Schools Jackie Pons told the Tallahassee Democrat that former Florida A&M University football coach Rudy Hubbard has been hired as the head football coach for Rickards High School.

Hubbard coached the Rattlers from 1974-1985 and ranks second in FAMU history with 83 victories (83-48 career record). His FAMU teams won the Black College National Championship in 1977 and the inaugural NCAA Division 1-AA National Championship in 1978. He was fired in 1985 after two losing season, when his teams finished 7-14-1.

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Excellent move by the Leon County School System. That's what we need--more strong male role models in the high schools, and Coach Hubbard brings exceptional maturity and accomplishments that can inspire students in a positive way.

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Free agent quarterback Quinn Gray to visit Houston Texans

Photo: Former FAMU QB Quinn Gray is seeking a new NFL team and fatter contract.

The Texans have set up a free agent visit with Jacksonville quarterback Quinn Gray on Sunday at Reliant Stadium.Gray, 28, is entering his sixth season. He has played in 11 games, starting four, with the Jaguars.

The Texans have carried just two quarterbacks on their active roster the past two seasons, and both Matt Schaub and Sage Rosenfels are slated to return.

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Quinn Gray, also visited the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers, and is contemplating which environment suits him best. From the news reports, Gray has already been replaced by fourth-year quarterback Cleo Lemon.

On Chip Silverman: Ailing ex-coach made lasting mark on lacrosse at Morgan State

Even as he lies on a hospice bed with cancer, Chip Silverman perks up when he hears his fiancee, Gail Wolven, answer questions about his days as Morgan State's lacrosse coach. Silverman, 65, has been flooded with visits, phone calls and text messages from former players since he was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma Oct. 5.

The cancer has spread through his body, but Silverman is strong in spirit. He speaks barely above a whisper. "The turnout has been great," Silverman said of the players' response. "It's amazing. I've been blown away by it. I know it's my time."

But Silverman has been more than just a lacrosse coach. He has been the head of the state drug commission and authored several books, including Ten Bears, which he co-wrote with Dr. Myles Harrison Jr., and Diner Guys. He also is an accomplished photographer.

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READ MORE ON THE MORGAN LACROSSE DOCUMENTARY FILM AND VIEW PREVIEW TRAILER: http://meacswacsports.blogspot.com/2008/03/morgan-state-bears-lacrosse-story.html

MVSU Delta Devils understand odds they face tonight

ANAHEIM, CALIF. — No one has to tell the Mississippi Valley State players or coaches the odds they face tonight in the NCAA Tournament.

The stats are right there in black and white in the 2008 NCAA Final Four record book: 0-92. That's the record No. 16 seeds have posted against No. 1 seeds since the tournament field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The Delta Devils (17-15) would like to change that tonight when they play UCLA, which is 31-3 and favored by 32 points.

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