GSU's hopes for SWAC West fall on final play of Classic

NEW ORLEANS -- The 2014 edition of the Bayou Classic had a little bit of everything to offer the intrepid spectator.

There was the annual battle of the bands. A Mercedes-Benz Superdome filled packed with fans of the two marquee names in historically black college football. Even a marriage proposal at halftime — she said yes.

As for the game itself? How about a wild fourth quarter that not only saw Grambling pull within seven points of Southern, but have a shot to tie the game with eight seconds left at the goal line.

Johnathan Williams — along with Grambling's chances at the SWAC West title — was ...

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Lewis: This win can’t make up for their loss, but Southern’s Dray Joseph and Austin Howard can smile today

NEW ORLEANS -- At the end of the Saturday’s Bayou Classic, Dray Joseph sought out Austin Howard for an extra-long, tear-filled hug.

And for the first time in two weeks, they could smile, even celebrate.

Joseph, Southern’s record-setting quarterback of the previous four seasons, and Howard, the freshman who threw three touchdown passes to lead the Jaguars to their 52-45 victory against Grambling on Saturday, have been united in grief over the Nov. 17 shooting death of Juan Joseph, Dray’s older brother and Howard’s quarterbacks coach at West St. John High School, the trio’s prep alma mater.

“I know my brother’s proud of Austin today,” said Dray, now a volunteer assistant coach at Southern. “He’s probably got a big old smile like he usually did.”



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2014 Bayou Classic Band Battle Showcase

Tennessee State Lady Tigers Come Up Short in OT, 65-58 to Norfolk State

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NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State women’s basketball team dropped its first game in the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic to Norfolk State, 65-58, in overtime on Saturday.

Chelsea Hudson led TSU (1-4) with 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting (46.1 percent) and tallied a game-high 11 rebounds.

Kayla Robberts poured in 23 points for Norfolk State (1-4) and secured a team-best eight boards.

Jemilah Leonard canned a three at the 12:47 mark, ending a seven-minute drought to start the game. The hoop ignited a 9-0 run – which Leonard capped with a jumper – and gave TSU an, 11-10, lead.

The Spartans built a five-point advantage later in the half, but two Rachel Allen triples in a two-minute span put the Lady Tigers within one with 3:07 to go in the half.

Each side had just one point during the final three minutes of the first half and NSU went into the break clinging to a, 23-22, lead.

The Lady Tigers crushed the Spartans on the glass during the opening 20 minutes, 23-14, but 12 TSU turnovers led to the gap on the scoreboard.

Hudson converted an old-fashioned three-point play 25 seconds into the second period and Briana Morrow had one, too, a minute later. Hudson then converted an easy lay-in to give the Lady Tigers a, 30-23, lead.

The Spartans fought back with a 12-3 run later in the half and went up by four with a jumper at the 8:58 mark. TSU was 1-for-6 (16.7 percent) during the stretch while NSU made 4-of-8.

The Lady Tigers were down two with 1:40 left in the game when Hudson nailed a layup to tie the game at 52. Hudson was fouled on the play, but missed the ensuing free throw.

NSU canned a three on the next trip down the floor, but Imani Davis answered right back with a three of her own with 36 seconds left to tie the game again at 55.

The Spartans were called for an offensive foul on their next possession, but the refs called Allen for one on TSU’s next chance, forcing overtime.

Jayda Johnson had the first hoop in the extra period, but the Lady Tigers could only muster one more point from there, and fell by seven.

TSU shot 56 percent from the charity stripe (9-of-16) and NSU had more chances (22) and eight more makes (17).

Tennessee State will close out the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic against Youngstown State tomorrow at 2 p.m.

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Norfolk State Edges Saint Peter's Men's Basketball In Barclays Classic Saint Peter's Division Championship Game

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JERSEY CITY, New Jersey – Saint Peter's scored 10 of the final 14 points in the last 56 seconds of the game, but a shot to tie the game at the buzzer hit off the back of the rim and Norfolk State earned a 60-58 victory to take the Barclays Classic Saint Peter's Division Championship in non-conference men's basketball action on Saturday.

With the Spartans (4-3) leading 56-48, Travis Hester (Crozet, Va./The Miller School [Harcum]) hit a trey with 56 seconds left. After Jamel Fuentes made two free throws eight seconds later, Hester nailed another triple with 43 seconds left to make it a four-point game. A Norfolk State turnover, helped trim the margin to 58-55 after Tyler Gaskins (Roswell, Ga./Centennial [Lawson State]) hit 1 of 2 at the free throw line with 37 seconds left. Malik Thomas made the front end of two free throws and Gaskins drained a 3-pointer from the corner to make it a one-point game at 59-58 with 18 seconds left. D'Shon Taylor gave the Spartans a 60-58 lead after making 1 of 2 at the line with 15 ticks remaining. Gaskins shot to tie the game from inside the 3-point line in the right corner hit the back of the rim and out as time expired.

Marvin Dominique (Miramar, Fla./Miramar [Fordham]) paced the Peacocks (2-5) with 17 points to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team. Gaskins and Hester each added 12 points apiece in the loss.

Short was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player after scoring 20 points for the Spartans. RaShid Gaston also earned a spot on the All-Tournament team after tallying 14 points and 10 rebounds while Taylor added 14 points in the winning effort.

Saint Peter's held the lead for most of the game before the Norfolk State pressure defense helped to rally to give the Spartans the advantage and then Norfolk State held off a comeback in the waning minute of the contest to earn the Barclays Classic title in the first meeting between the two programs.

With the Peacocks holding a 48-37 lead after two Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) free throws with 6:54 left, the Spartans scored 14-unanswered points to take the lead they would not relinquish.

Short started the decisive run with a jumper at 6:32 before Gaston hit 1 of 2 at the line at 5:35. Short then converted a traditional 3-point play with 5:18 on the clock to trim the margin to 48-43. Gaston made consecutive baskets inside and Short gave Norfolk State the lead for good on a layup at 3:04 for a 49-48 edge. Gaston then recorded a tip-in basket and a layup before Taylor hit two free throws and Short capped the run with the one charity toss with 65 seconds left for the 56-48 margin. Fueled by two 3-pointers by Hester and a trey by Gaskins Saint Peter's nearly rallied for the victory as the game-tying shot hit off the rim as time expired.

Powered by five points from Short and four from Gaston, the Spartans jumped out to a 13-3 advantage to start the championship bout.

The Peacocks then closed the half on a 24-7 run to take a 27-20 advantage going into the locker room. Dominique sparked the run with eight points.

Saint Peter's then took its largest lead at 34-20 after starting the second half with seven-straight points. Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) opened the run with a layup 32 seconds into the stanza before Dominique hit a jumper at 18:43 and Hester drained a 3-ball at 16:01 for the 14-point advantage.

Norfolk State answered with a 12-4 spurt thanks to eight points from Taylor to cut the margin to 38-32 with 11:15 on the clock.

Welton answered with two free throws at 10:24 and Gaskins drained a trey at 9:37 to regain an 11-point edge at 43-32. The Spartans then used a 22-5 run to take the lead en route to the 60-58 victory.

Welton finished the contest with five points and seven rebounds while Wyche added five points, six assists and five boards.

The Peacocks made 12 3-pointers in a game for the second time in three games and have posted 32 treys in the last three games after only hitting 17 in the first four contest.

Saint Peter's, who has played four times in the last seven games in the Barclays Classic, returns to action when the squad hosts Canisius in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play on Wednesday. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m.

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UMES men's basketball handles Fordham 72-66

BRONX, New York -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team never trailed, as they defeated Fordham 72-66 Saturday night.

The Hawks (2-6) held a 32-26 lead over the Rams at halftime, as the Rams brought the game to within two points, with 3:33 left in the game, but the Hawks held on to earn the win.

Michael Myers led the Hawks with 20 points, and Dominique Elliott and Ryan Andino each chipped in with 12 points.

The Hawks outshot the Rams 52.4 percent to 46.7 percent and UMES bench outscored Fordham 27-12, but the Rams out rebounded the Hawks 30-27.

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NCCU nips NAU in Emerald Coast Classic finale; back at .500

NICEVILLE, Florida — N.C. Central used a 14-2 run midway through the second half and played lockdown defense the rest of the way to hold off the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona 40-36 to win the 2014 Emerald Coast Classic consolation bracket championship.

It marked the fewest points the Eagles had scored in a win in 70 years — since NCCU beat West Virginia State 37-31 on Jan. 29, 1944.

After a 19-19 first half, NAU made a big move early in the second, taking a 26-21 after a 7-2 run keyed by a three-point play by Lumberjack forward Quinton Upshur who led NAU with 13 points. Jordan Parks led NCCU with 12.

NCCU never backed down as it trailed 29-23 after Aaseem Dixon’s lone three-pointer, but the Eagle offense awoke as senior Anthony McDonald drilled back-to-back three-pointers for a 35-31 lead with 10:04 left.

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MVSU Delta Devils win first game of Payne era

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- The Mississippi Valley State men's basketball team won its first game under first-year head coach Andre Payne on Saturday in the final game of the Corpus Christi Challenge.

The Delta Devils beat North Carolina A&T, 66-63, behind a career-best performance from redshirt sophomore guard Jordan Washington, who had 20 points -- surpassing his 19-point performance against Tougaloo College last season. The Memphis native made 6-of-14 field goal attempts, including a pair of 3-point shots. He was also named to the All-Tournament Team.

DeAngelo Priar added 14 points and Jeffrey Simmons chipped in eight points off the bench.

Valley controlled the game for most of the first half, leading by as much as 11 points. By halftime, the Delta Devils had a controlling 38-29 advantage.

MVSU stretched its lead back to 11 in the second half before the Aggies cut the lead to just one point, 62-61, with 26 seconds remaining following a 3-point play by Steven Burrough.

With A&T forced to foul, Washington made all four free throws down the stretch to keep the Delta Devils ahead. The Aggies had a chance to send the game into overtime but missed two 3-point attempts in the final seconds.

Next up
The Delta Devils will be nearly 2,500 miles away from home on Wednesday when they travel to face Oregon State. The game will be broadcasted live on the Pac-12 Network at 7 p.m. CT.

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Southern defeats Grambling 52-45 to win Bayou Classic in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome

NEW ORLEANS -- Southern is going back to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.

The Jaguars (9-3 and 8-1 in the SWAC) claimed the West Division title with a wild 52-45 victory against Grambling (7-5, 7-2) on Saturday in the Bayou Classic on Saturday in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Jaguars led wire to wire Saturday but had to withstand a dramatic comeback by the Tigers and stop them at the half-yard line on the final play of the game.

Freshman Austin Howard, named Southern’s Most Valuable Player, passed for 258 yards and three touchdowns and Lenard Tillery rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Tillery became the Jaguars first 1,000-yard rusher in 11 years, increasing his season total to 1,141.



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Richmond Crushes Morgan State To Advance In Playoffs

RICHMOND, Virginia -- The No. 16/18 Richmond Spiders defeated the Morgan State Bears, 46-24, on Saturday afternoon at Robins Stadium to advance to the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

With the victory, the Spiders advance to the second round of the FCS Playoffs and will face the No. 6/6 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday in Coway, S.C. at 1 p.m.

Richmond QB Michael Strauss had four touchdown passes on the day, while RB Seth Fisher accounted for three scores in the win. WR Reggie Diggs finished with eight receptions for 132 yards and two TDs.

Defensively, DL Evan Kelly had three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble, while DB Justin Grant had eight stops and an interception. LB Eric Wright and DB Tafon Mainsah also had one interception each in the victory.

The Spiders seized control of the contest early, scoring the game’s first 22 points to take a commanding lead after the first quarter. Strauss connected with Diggs on a 16-yard TD to open the scoring, while Fisher added a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs to take the 22-0 advantage.



After Morgan State scored the next 10 points, Diggs’ second touchdown reception pushed the lead back to 19. Strauss notched his third TD pass of the game to begin the third quarter, connecting with Fisher on a 22-yard score.

Leading 36-17 midway through the third quarter, K Peter Yoder connected on a 42-yard field goal – setting the Richmond school record with 19 field goals made this season. Strauss put an exclamation point on the team’s win in the fourth quarter, hitting WR Rashad Ponder on a 38-yard touchdown. Morgan State added a late score, but it would not be nearly enough as Richmond defeated the Bears, 46-24.

The 46 points scored for the Spiders on Saturday is the most in the team’s 18-game FCS Playoff history.

Defensively, the Spiders continued to force turnovers. After forcing the William & Mary Tribe in to three turnovers last week, UR was back at it again, forcing the Bears to turn it over three times as well.

LB Omar Howard had a team-high eight tackles, while four Spiders tallied six tackles a piece.

The No. 16/18 Richmond Spiders will travel south to face the No. 6/6 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday, December 6. Kickoff in Conway, S.C. is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

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Bloomsburg Huskies Stifle CIAA Champion Virginia State To Move On In National Playoffs, 35-14

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BLOOMSBURG, Pennsylvania -- For the majority of the season, the Bloomsburg University football team has generated most of the headlines with its ball-hawking defense that finished the regular season with the most turnovers generated in the nation.

The Huskies defense lived up to the billing on Saturday afternoon at a wintry Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium, piling up a season-high eight sacks in a 35-14 NCAA Playoff victory over visiting Virginia State. The win moves second-seeded Bloomsburg (11-1) into next weekend's Super Region One championship game at top-seeded Concord (WV), which defeated West Chester in its second round game on Saturday.

"It was good to get back on the field after losing a tough game in the (PSAC) championship game. We knew they were a good team, we just had to do what we do, which is run the football and play good defense," Huskies head coach Paul Darragh said. "This is the first playoff win for this senior class. I'm happy for them and the coaching staff."

Bloomsburg opened strong, taking the opening kickoff and marching 70 yards in nine plays with a pounding rushing attack that saw senior running back Eddie Mateo (Bethlehem/Freedom) carry seven times including a 21-yard touchdown sprint off right tackle for his 42nd career rushing score in a Huskies uniform and a 7-0 lead.

The Trojans (10-3) quickly counter-punched, however, scoring on a five-play, 71-yard drive for the tie when quarterback Tarian Ayres found Jaivon Smallwood down the far sideline for a 50-yard strike and a 7-7 score just halfway through the first quarter.

Virginia State, the champions from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and No. 3 seed in the Super Region One bracket, threatened to take control at the end of the first quarter when Andre Rawls blocked a Huskies 42-yard field goal attempt, allowing Trevon Bryon to pick up the loose ball and run 46 yards to the Huskies 19. The pendulum swung back to the Huskies on the very next play, however, as the defense stood tall again with Donovan Morris (Philadelphia/George Washington) intercepting an Ayres pass to end the threat.

"We didn't panic. (Defensive Coordinator) Coach Henicle stayed with the game plan," Darragh said. "The biggest thing was getting them into third down situations where it was manageable for us and we were able to get after the quarterback."

The teams exchanged punts on the next two drives, but an 11-yard punt from Virginia State early in the second quarter set the Huskies up near midfield. Two plays later, D.J. McFadden (Willow Grove/Abington) beat the VSU defense, hauling in a strike over the middle from Tim Kelly (Camp Hill/Cedar Cliff) for the longest BU pass of the season – 58 yards for the score and a 14-7 lead.

Bloomsburg again had good field position later in the second quarter, starting at its own 40 before driving 60 yards in nine plays to find the end zone once again. A 20-yard run by Mateo put the Huskies in Trojans territory on the first play of the drive, and from there, Bloomsburg methodically marched toward the goal line. Kelly faked a handoff and rolled out to the left, walking into the end zone from six yards out to take a 21-7 lead into halftime.

Stifling defense quickly gave Bloomsburg the ball back. After receiving the second half kickoff, the Virginia State drive ended when Joe Wetty (Downingtown/Downingtown East) and Ezra Ranco (Collegeville/Perkiomen Valley) combined for a sack of Ayres with Ranco forcing a fumble recovered by Wetty at the VSU 40.

The Huskies wasted little time in converting the turnover into points – Mateo ran back-to-back for 20 and 11 yards respectively to enter the red zone and from five yards out on third-and-goal, Kelly dropped two steps back and then had space up the middle on a designed quarterback draw for the touchdown.

Virginia State's next drive again ended with a sack of Ayers, and a nine-play, 72-yard drive from the Huskies culminated with Kelly finding the end zone for the third time on the ground with a one-yard plunge for the 35-7 advantage with 1:08 left in the third.

From there, moving on in the national playoffs was a mere formality for the Huskies. Virginia State found the end zone late in the fourth on a one-yard run from tailback Kavon Bellamy for the game's final scoring, but the game was already out of reach.

Kelly finished with four total touchdowns – a career-high three on the ground along with 12 of 20 passing for 175 yards and a touchdown through the air. McFadden led the team with 61 receiving yards while Chad Hoffman (Drums/Hazleton) hauled in three passes for 30 yards.

Mateo registered 129 yards and a score on 21 carries.

Justin Shirk (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) totaled 12 tackles with 2.5 sacks and a pair of pass breakups to power the Huskies defense while Ranco made seven stops with 1.5 sacks. Tony David (Allentown/Salisbury) also recorded 2.5 sacks while Shawn Mitchell (Nazareth/Nazareth), Andrew Harris (Bethlehem/Whitehall) and Joe Wetty (Downingtown/Downingtown East) all had half a sack each.

"After the loss to Slippery Rock (in the PSAC Championship Game), we knew we had to redeem ourselves and I think we did that today and hopefully we can keep that rolling throughout the playoffs," Shirk said. "Hopefully it is a springboard for us to continue in the playoffs."

Smallwood stood out offensively for VSU, making six catches for 117 yards. Ayres finished 14-of-28 passing with 154 yards and a touchdown.

Bloomsburg totaled 405 yards of offense, 230 of which came on the ground, holding VSU to 267.

GAME NOTES: Concord earned hosting rights for next week's game as the only undefeated team in Super Region One (12-0), defeating West Chester on Saturday in the first-ever home playoff game for the Mountain Lions, who finished the regular season as the Mountain East Conference champions … The Huskies have their most wins (11) since 2008. The school record for victories in a season is 12, done three times … Mateo moved into fourth place all-time in Huskies career rushing touchdowns (42) and fifth in career rushing yards (3,432) … The touchdown on the opening drive from the Trojans was the first scored by a Huskies opponent on an opening drive this season … VSU entered the game on a 10-game winning streak … Bloomsburg scored its first national playoff win since 2010 and first at home since 2008 … Saturday was the first playoff game for the Huskies against a non-PSAC opponent since 2006 and the first-ever meeting with Virginia State … next Saturday's game will be a national quarterfinal contest with just eight teams remaining in Division II. Bloomsburg last reached the national quarterfinals in 2008 … This year's senior class now has the second-most victories of any in school history, currently with a 40-7 record over the past four seasons including a 21-3 mark at Redman Stadium.

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MEAC Announces 2014 Football All-MEAC Awards

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Howard quarterback Greg McGhee and North Carolina A&T Staterunning back Tarik Cohen were selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Co-Offensive Players of the Year and Javon Hargrave of South Carolina State earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, as voted on by the MEAC’s head football coaches and sports information directors.

South Carolina State’s Darius Leonard earned the Rookie of the Year award and Morgan State’s Darren Pinnock was selected as Offensive Lineman of the Year. 

First-year head coach Lee Hull of Morgan State was selected as the Coach of the Year.  Hull guided the Bears to a share of the MEAC title, the first MEAC football title for the institution.  Under his leadership, the Bears finished 7-5 overall and 6-2 in conference play. The Bears defeated Savannah State 69-7 in their final game of the season to secure the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Championships.

Howard senior Greg McGhee became the conference’s all-time leader in total offensive yards (10,168 yards) after capping his four-year career as the Bison quarterback.  As a senior, he led the MEAC in total offense (3,235 yards), 21^st in the FCS, and passing yards (2,388).  He completed 56-percent of his passes (222-for-399) with 15 touchdowns, ranking 28^th in the nation, and threw only eight interceptions, in 12 games.  He ranks fourth in the MEAC in rushing yards (847) and averaged a team-best 70.6 yards per game. 

McGhee led the team’s rushing output with 164 carries and posted 13 touchdowns.

Sophomore Tarik Cohen of North Carolina A&T State led the MEAC in rushing and recorded his second straight 1,000 yard season with 1,340 total yards to help the Aggies to a share of the conference title. He led the MEAC with 121.8 rushing yards per game, carrying the ball 197 times with 15 touchdowns in 11 games.  He led the MEAC in scoring (96 points) and touchdowns (16) and finished second in all-purpose yardage (143.4 avg./g.). He has earned the Sports Networks’ Player of the Week honor once and received the conference’s offensive player of the week nod twice this season.

South Carolina State’s Javon Hargrave led the MEAC and ranks third in the nation in sacks with 16 for a loss of 199 yards and ranks fourth in the FCS in tackles for loss with 23.5.  He finished the season recording 55 total tackles, three forced fumbles, one recovered fumble (61 yards), eight quarterback hurries and two breakups.  He is listed on the Sports Networks’ Buck Buchanan Award List and has earned national and conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after tying a conference and FCS-best record of six sacks in a single game in a win over ranked Bethune-Cookman. 

As a freshman, South Carolina State’s Darius Leonard led the MEAC and ranked 30^th in the nation in solo tackles (73).  He tallied 88 total tackles (9^th in MEAC) and ranked t-11^th in the conference in tackles for loss with 13.5.  He garnered the MEAC’s Defensive Player of the Week honors once and Rookie of the Week honors twice this season.  Leonard is currently listed on the Sports Networks’ Jerry Rice Award list.

 
Morgan State’s Darren Pinnock started in every game this season for the Bears. He paved the way for the MEAC’s second best rushing offense (211.3 avg.; No. 24 in FCS) and second top scoring offense (28.2 avg./g).  He did not allow a single sack through 11 games and helped the lead the Bears to sacks allowed (15).  He shouldered the offensive line that helped account for 4,464 total offensive yards including 2,536 on the ground. He earned two conference Offensive Lineman of the Week honors this season.

North Carolina Central led with 12 student-athletes to be recognized to the three MEAC post-season teams. North Carolina A&T State and South Carolina State each finished with 11 and Norfolk State followed closely behind with. The N.C. A&T State Aggies received the most first-team honors with seven student-athletes. 

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) - 2014 Football All-Conference Teams

Co-Offensive Players of the Year: Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T State and Greg McGhee, Howard
Defensive Player of the Year: Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Darren Pinnock, Morgan State
Rookie of the Year: Darius Leonard, South Carolina State
Coach of the Year: Lee Hull, Morgan State

First Team
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
QB Greg McGhee Sr. Howard Pittsburgh, Pa.
RB Tarik Cohen So. North Carolina A&T State Bunn, N.C.
RB Herb Walker Jr. So. Morgan State Cleveland, Ohio
WR Adrian Wilkins r-Jr. North Carolina Central Forest City, N.C.
WR Twarn Mixon r-So. Hampton Charlotte, N.C.
TE Tammarrick Hemmingway r-Jr. South Carolina State Loris, S.C.
C Ronald Canty r-Sr. North Carolina A&T State Chester, S.C.
OL William Ray Robinson III r-Sr. North Carolina A&T State Clinton, Md.
OL Darren Pinnock Sr. Morgan State Miami, Fla.
OL Devin Flowers Sr. South Carolina State Charlotte, N.C.
OL Clevonne Davis Jr. North Carolina Central Miramar, Fla.

DEFENSE
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
DL Javon Hargrave Jr. South Carolina State Salisbury, N.C.
DL Deon King Jr. Norfolk State Reston, Va.
DL George Riddick Sr. Norfolk State Suffolk, Va.
DL LeBranden Richardson Sr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla.
LB Lynden Trail r-Sr. Norfolk State Miami, Fla.
LB D’Vonte Grant Sr. North Carolina A&T State Charlotte, N.C.
*LB Cody Acker Sr. Morgan State Landover, Md.
*LB Ralph Williams Sr. Bethune-Cookman Miami, Fla.
DB Tony McRae Sr. North Carolina A&T State Laurinburg, N.C.
DB Donald Mattocks r-Sr. North Carolina A&T State Burlington, N.C.
DB Michael Jones So. North Carolina Central Baltimore, Md.
DB Keenan Lambert r-Sr. Norfolk State Norfolk, Va.
P Christian Kinney R-So. Hampton Williamsburg, Va.
PK Cody Jones So. North Carolina A&T State Gastonia, N.C.
RS Michael Jones So. North Carolina Central Baltimore, Md.

Second Team
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
*QB Malcolm Bell r-So. North Carolina Central Richmond, Va.
*QB Damien Fleming Sr. Florida A&M Jacksonville, Fla.
RB Jorrian Washington Sr. Hampton Los Angeles, Calif.
RB Andre Clark r-Sr. North Carolina Central Mauldin, S.C.
WR Isaac White Jr. Norfolk State Portsmouth, Va.
WR Quentin Atkinson Jr. North Carolina Central Raleigh, N.C.
TE Myles Williams r-Jr. Howard Perris, Calif.
C Clarence Swain r-Sr. Morgan State Fayetteville, Ga.
OL Christopher Pressley Sr. North Carolina Central Upper Marlboro, Md.
OL Toree Boyd So. Howard Miami, Fla.
OL Domanic Wilson r-Sr. South Carolina State Lake City, S.C.
OL Kory Alpichi Sr. Hampton Winchester, Calif.

DEFENSE
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
DL Christopher Robinson r-Sr. Morgan State Baltimore, Md.
DL Marquis Ragland r-So. North Carolina A&T State Fayetteville, N.C.
DL Rodney Gunter Sr. Delaware State Lake Hamilton, Fla.
*DL Ty Brown r-Sr. North Carolina Central Charlotte, N.C.
*DL Felix Small Sr. North Carolina Central Brooklyn, N.Y.
LB Tavarus Dantzler Sr. Bethune-Cookman Homestead, Fla.
LB Josh Thorne Jr. Hampton Oxon Hill, Md.
LB Darius Leonard r-Fr. South Carolina Lakeview, S.C.
DB Antonio Hamilton r-Jr. South Carolina State Johnston, S.C.
DB C.J. Moore Sr. North Carolina Central Raleigh, N.C.
DB Paul Eatman Jr. Sr. Morgan State Jersey City, N.J.DB Chris Pauling Jr. South Carolina State High Point, N.C.
P Lawrence Forbes r-So. Morgan State Upper Marlboro, Md.
PK Chase Varnadore r-Sr. Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla.
RS Tony McRae Jr. North Carolina A&T State Laurinburg, N.C.
RS Antonio Hamilton r-Jr. South Carolina State Johnston, S.C.

Third Team
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
QB Kwashaun Quick Jr. North Carolina A&T State Laurinburg, N.C.
RB Jalen Simmons Jr. South Carolina State Charlotte, N.C.
RB William Parker Jr. Howard Stone Mountain, Ga.
WR Milton Williams III Sr. Delaware State Washington, D.C.
WR Desmond Lawrence Sr. North Carolina A&T State Durham, N.C.
TE Jvon Simmons Fr. North Carolina Central LaPlata, Md.
C Andrew Edouard Sr. Bethune-Cookman Philadelphia, Pa.
OL Ronald Rose Sr. Hampton Fort Washington, Md.
OL Brandon Parker r-Fr. North Carolina A&T State Kannapolis, N.C.
OL Justin Myler r-Sr. Norfolk State Woodbridge, Va.
OL Malcolm Rutledge Sr. Howard Detroit, Mi.

DEFENSE
Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown
DL Curtis Hill r-Sr. South Carolina State Columbia, S.C.
DL Miles Groom Jr. Hampton Richmond, Va.
DL Rony Barrow Sr. Bethune-Cookman Brooklyn, N.Y.
DL Erik Williams Grad Bethune-Cookman Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
LB Devin Rollins Jr. Howard Miami, Fla.
LB Marcell Coke Sr. Norfolk State Orlando, Fla.
LB Akil Blount Jr. Florida A&M Pittsburgh, Pa.
DB Darrin Marrow r-Sr. Norfolk State Virginia Beach, Va.
DB Terriick Colston Jr. Delaware State Lakeland, Fla.
DB Devonte Johnson Jr. Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla.
DB Dalonte Hall Jr. Morgan State Fort Washington, Md.
*P Dylan Shaddix r-Sr. Norfolk State McDonough, Ga.
*P Colby Blanton r-So. Florida A&M Jacksonville, Fla.
PK Cameron Marouf So. Norfolk State Woodbridge, Va.
RS Antonio Hamilton r-Jr. South Carolina State Johnston, S.C.

*Indicates Tie 

COURTESY MEAC MEDIA RELATIONS

from THE EDITOR: Spiders Game Will Tell All

My apologies to THE EDITOR...forgot to check my e-mail this morning. Still a great read, as I am watching Grambling vs. Southern at Bayou Classic.  How 'bout Delaware State men's basketball bouncing back from a 126-76 loss to Iona  (Wed.) to knock off Wake Forest 72-65 on Friday.  beepbeep


Morgan State Bears vs Richmond Spiders    
November 29, 2014
1:00 P.M. EST
Robins Stadium
Richmond, Virginia
Radio: 88.9 FM/ESPN3
Weather Forecast: 49 degrees; Partly Cloudy, No Rain Expected

DWIGHT FLOYD
THE EDITOR

Is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference suffering from parity, or are they just a weak conference that deserves little respect? In a year when no one team dominated in the MEAC, the Morgan State University Bears had the right combination of wins to take the automatic bid for the FCS playoffs. Though it is of historic importance that the Bears made the playoff for the first time, it was their consistency at the end of the season that made the difference.

Throughout the season the Bethune Cookman University Wildcats received most of the attention and accolades. Most of it was based on early season wins and a built reputation from prior years’ success. In the end the Willdcats fizzled out and with a last chance win against the discombobulated Florida A&M University Rattlers did not do enough at the end of the season to get an at large bid. The same can be said of the North Carolina A&T Aggies.

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Turnovers Prove Costly in IUPUI Loss to Texas Southern

NORTHRIDGE, California -- The IUPUI women's basketball team outscored Texas Southern from the three-point and free throw line, but turnovers proved to be costly in a 71-61 loss to the Tigers Friday afternoon in the first game of the Radisson Chatsworth Thanksgiving Tournament hosted by Cal State Northridge.

Nevena Markovic led all players with 18 points and nine rebounds and Akilah Sims added 13 points, but four Tigers scored in double-figures led by Morgan Simmons' 16 points.

IUPUI (2-3) hit 41.2 percent of its three's on the night and outscored Texas Southern 22-12 at the free throw line, but it connected on just 28.1 percent of its looks inside the three-point line compared to the Tigers connecting on 48.1 percent of its shots inside the arc.

Additionally, the Jaguars committed a season-high 28 turnovers resulting in 32 points for TSU.

"I'm very disappointed in the level of toughness with this basketball team. We have to improve in taking care of the basketball and defending with pride," head coach Austin Parkinson said. "We look forward to coming back tomorrow and seeing if we can improve as a basketball team."

Both teams struggled shooting in the opening minutes, but Markovic was the lone exception scoring five of the Jaguars first 10 points to push them to a 10-4 lead six minutes in.

For the next 5:36, however, IUPUI went 0-for-6 from the floor and committed three turnovers aiding a 16-2 Texas Southern run that propelled it in front, 20-12, with 8:22 remaining. The only two Jags points during the run came on a pair of Markovic free throws.

The Tigers lead reached double-digits at 25-15, but two Kelsi Byrd triples in a two-minute span kept the Jaguars within two possessions, 27-21, with 4:48 on the clock. However, another cold spell ensued with IUPUI picking up just one field goal and a free throw over the final four-plus minutes allowing Texas Southern to finish the half on an 11-3 spurt to take a 38-24 cushion into the half.

Out of the break, the Jags went scoreless from the field for the first 4:13 before a Sims lay-up ended the drought, Despite their struggles, the Jags managed to score from the line to help trim its deficit to 10 points, 46-36, with 12:55 to play.

A Sims triple inched IUPUI within seven as the under-12 media approached, and the Jags remained seven down following a Mikale Rogers lay-up on the next possession, but the Jags wouldn't be able to get any closer.

Following that Rogers lay-up, IUPUI went more than six minutes without a field goal allowing Texas Southern to expand its lead back to double-figures at 60-44.

Two three's in the final minute 1:15 from Markovic helped the Jags bring their deficit to nine, 70-61, and a free throw from that point secured the 71-61 for Texas Southern.

The Jaguars will close the tournament on Saturday, Nov. 29, when they take on either Cal State Northridge or Montana State. The starting time will be determined at a later time.

Box Score 

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Delaware State Hornets Stun Wake Forest 72-65 for First Win Against ACC Team

Final Stats | Quotes|  Photo Gallery  Watch Replay 

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Delaware State recorded one of the biggest wins in school history Friday evening, stunning Wake Forest 72-65 at the Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum this evening. It also marked the Hornets' first-ever win against an Atlantic Coast Conference team.

Amere May scored a game and career-high 32 points to lead the Hornets. May was 10-for-20 from the field, including a career-high six three-point field goals (6-10). He was also six-of-six at the free throw line.

Kendall Gray was two blocks shy of the first triple double in modern school history. Gray had 14 points (6-8 FGs), a career-high 16 rebounds and tied the school record for the third time in his career with eight blocks.

"This is a tremendous win for our team and our university," said Delaware State head coach Keith Walker. "To defeat an Atlantic Coast Conference team on their home floor after losing our previous game by 50 points two nights ago (Nov. 26 vs. Iona) says a great deal about the character of the young men on this team. I couldn't be more proud of the guys and my staff."

Delaware State trailed 38-36 at the half, but outscored the Demon Deacons 72-65 in the final 20 minutes.

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NSU Triumphs in OT Thriller, 72-70, against St. Francis Brooklyn

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey – Things looked bleak early on when the Norfolk State men's basketball team fell behind by double digits before even scoring its first points of the game against St. Francis Brooklyn. But in a late Friday afternoon matchup in the Barclays Center Classic, it was the Spartans who ended up pulling off the remarkable comeback.

A wild finish to regulation led to an even wilder overtime ending, and the Spartans came away with a 72-70 victory at the Yanitelli Center on the campus of Saint Peter's.

All of it came after NSU (3-3) faced a 15-0 deficit to start the contest. But that Terrier lead dropped to just nine at the half and was completely erased with a little more than nine minutes left in regulation. From there, the madness ensued.

The Terriers (0-5) scored seven points in a row, while the Spartans were held scoreless for a three and a half minute span to fall behind by six. Junior Jeff Short hit a 3-pointer from the left corner and junior RaShid Gaston converted a layup to cut the St. Francis Brooklyn lead to just one, 57-56, with 3:39 left in the game.

Junior D'Shon Taylor twice sank a pair from the line, the latter with 1:25 left for a 3-point Spartan edge, 61-58. Brent Jones, though, drained a tough-angle trey from the right corner with 53.8 seconds left to tie it up. NSU came up empty on the next possession, but Jones was called for traveling in the middle of the lane to give the Spartans one last shot with seven seconds left. Short got the ball at midcourt and drove down the left side of the lane, but his off-balance layup right at the buzzer did not fall.

In overtime, Taylor got things going by sinking a pair from the line. He later hit a short floater in the middle of the lane – he had eight of NSU's nine points between the end of regulation and the start of overtime – and senior Malik Thomas got the loose-ball offensive rebound for an easy layup for a 67-64 Spartan lead at the 3:22 mark. On the very next possession, however, Antonio Jenifer answered with a 3-pointer from the right corner to tie it up.

Jones converted a traditional 3-point play with 1:02 left to put the Terriers back up by three. Short hit two free throws with 41.3 seconds left, and junior Jamel Fuentes crashed into the courtside chairs going after the inbounds pass. Before he fell out of bounds, though, Fuentes got the ball to Thomas, who drove into the middle of the lane and hit a floater from a few feet out.

Now up 71-70, NSU had to weather one last storm from the Terriers. Jones missed a trey deep beyond the left wing with 13 seconds left, and Thomas corralled the rebound and went 1-of-2 from the line. Jones got the loose ball rebound off the second shot, but Tyreek Jewel missed from the right baseline, around 15 feet out, to close out the crazy finish.

Thomas finished with a career-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting to go with seven rebounds. Short totaled 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while Gaston contributed a double-double of 14 points (6-of-8 from the floor) with 10 rebounds.

Taylor added 14 points as well, while the rest of the team scored just four.

NSU hit 54.2 percent overall for the game on 26-of-48 shooting but committed 21 turnovers. St. Francis Brooklyn also had 21 giveaways while connecting on 24-of-54 field goal attempts, including 6-of-22 from 3-point range.

Jalen Cannon finished with 23 points and nine rebounds for the Terriers.

NSU got off to a slow start, committing six fouls in the first four-plus minutes and falling behind by a 15-0 score. Short hit a short runner in the lane to end the drought at 15:27 and start an 8-0 run for the Spartans. The Terriers then scored seven straight, part of a longer 15-6 run for St. Francis Brooklyn that extended its lead to the largest of the half, 30-14, with 5:16 to go.

Taylor made a pair of free throws to cap an 8-1 run as NSU held the Terriers to without a field goal for the last five minutes of the first stanza. Short's 12-foot baseline jumper with 1:16 left cut the deficit to 33-24 going into the intermission.

Cannon had 15 points and seven rebounds in the first half.

The Spartans struck quickly early in the second half, cutting the deficit to four at 35-31 when Thomas drained the team's first 3-pointer of the game from the right wing. He hit another trey four minutes later and then a pair of free throws to make it 42-39 in favor of the Terriers at the 12:50 mark.

Gaston hit a turnaround hook shot and then found Taylor streaking down the court thirty seconds later for a fastbreak dunk to tie it up at 45-45. On NSU's next possession, Thomas drained a shot near the left elbow to finally give the Spartans their first lead of the game.

The Spartans shot 12-of-19 from the floor in the second half.

The game featured a combined 47 fouls between the two teams.

NSU will face Saint Peter's Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the championship game.

Box Score

Mike Bello, Asst. SID
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NCCU Eagles Dominate EIU Panthers in Third Round of Emerald Coast Classic

NICEVILLE, Florida -- North Carolina Central University raced out to a 20-point first half lead behind stellar defense as the Eagles dominated Eastern Illinois on the way to a 65-40 victory in the third round of the 2014 Emerald Coast Classic inside Raider Arena in Niceville, Florida.
 
Through the first four minutes, NCCU led EIU 9-5, but an 11-2 spurt overt the next three minutes forced Panther head coach Jay Spoonhour to call a timeout as the Eagles led 20-7 with 12:10 remaining in the first stanza.
 
Redshirt junior Dante Holmes (Baltimore, Maryland) stormed out with 10 points in the first eight minutes, going a perfect 4-for-4 from-the-field, including 2-for-2 from-deep.
 
NCCU continued to pressure the Panthers, forcing Eastern Illinois to shoot a paltry 6-for-23 (26.1 percent) from-the-field , just 1-of-8 (12.5 percent) from three-point range as the Eagles pulled away for a 40-20 halftime advantage.
 
Both Holmes and senior forward Karamo Jawara (Bergen, Norway) scored in double figures through the first half as Jawara ended up with 10 points, while point guard Nimrod Hilliardadded four helpers and just one turnover through the first 20 minutes.
 
The second half was more of the same as the maroon and gray gave Eastern Illinois no chance to comeback as the lead grew to as high as 26 following one of the three three-pointers by senior Anthony McDonald (Aberdeen, Mississippi) to make 57-31 with 11:26 to go in the game.
 
NCCU (2-3) went on to win 65-40 to end a two-game skid, while EIU (1-5) dropped its fourth straight matchup.
 
The Eagles outrebounded the Panthers 33-23 and outscored EIU 30-to-12 in-the-paint.
 
Senior Jordan Parks (Queen, New York) finished the night with 13 points, while McDonald gave the maroon and gray four players in double figures with 11 points in the win.
 
NCCU will take on the winner of the Northern Arizona/Southern matchup at 2:30 p.m. (EST) for the final round of the Emerald Coast Classic inside Raider Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Florida.
 
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   

NCCU's LeVelle Moton's Postgame Comments  

PREVIEW NEXT GAME: Northern Arizona University, 2:30 p.m., Nov. 29, 2014. 

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION   

Texas Southern's Thomas secures a double-double in 71-59 win over Lamar

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Texas Southern Tigers defeated Lamar 71-59 on Friday in a game in which TSU played well on both sides of the ball.

Chris Thomas erupted for 23 points and 10 rebounds to help lead the Tigers to their first win of the season.

Malcolm Riley added 15 points and four rebounds as Texas Southern played dominate basketball for the majority of the contest.

"We did a good job of moving the basketball and getting stops when we had to have them," said TSU head coach Mike Davis. "Offensively I thought we started off slow but we got things going as the game progressed."

Texas Southern will face Baylor on Dec. 1 in Waco, Texas.

Box Score

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State Hornets Basketball Picks Up Win Over Texas-Pan American

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- Alabama State got back in the win column with a 91-79 win over Texas-Pan American out in Salt Lake City at the Utah Tournament.

"I thought unlike last night we came out tonight with a lot of energy," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said. "Guys were out there giving second and third efforts in what we were trying to do. We wanted to get the ball out and run and press them. In the first half it was going really, really good for us. We played a lot of guys and they were all doing what we ask them to do."

The Hornets (2-2) made a big run at the midway point of the first half. With the score even at 21 ASU went on an 18-5 run to push the lead out to 39-26 lead and went on to lead by as many as 19 in the first half.

"If we could have kept going (without halftime) it would have been good for us," Jackson said. "Like all good teams we knew they were going to come out in the second half and make a run. Our thing was to try and hold off the run and not panic and lose our cool. They ran off five quick points early and I thought our guys stuck with it. We didn't do everything right because we turned it over way too much in the second half, but the guys were able to hold on and get a good team victory."

Five players reached double figures for ASU with Jamel Waters and Wendell Lewis leading the way with 14 each. Bobby Brown and Luther Page added 13 and DeMarcus Robinson added 10.

Waters added a game-high eight assists and three steals. ASU out rebounded UTPA 47-34 with Lewis leading the team with nine. Maurice Strong had eight and Brown added seven.

The Hornets finished the game shooting 45 percent from the field and hit eight of their 17 three point attempts for 47 percent. ASU managed to get to the free throw line 17 times and hit 13 (77%).

During its second half run the Broncs got as close as nine points (85-76) with 1:23 left in the game, but that would be as close as they would get. Janari Joesaar had a solid game for UTPA (3-2) with a double-double. He finished with a game-high 28 points and another game-high 11 rebounds.

Free throws also helped the Broncs get back in the game. They finished the game shooting 36 free throws and hitting 27 of them for 75 percent. They managed to shoot 43 percent from the field and hit six of their 12 three point field goals.

The Hornets had a big advantage in the paint out scoring UTPA 48-21 in the paint. ASU had 18 second-chance points on 20 offensive rebounds and scored 21 points off 18 UTPA turnovers. The Hornets also had a huge game from its bench outscoring UPA 32-5.

ASU put 55 points on the scoreboard in the first half as they pushed the ball up the court on each possession. Page was the only Hornet in double digits with 11 points, but the Hornets had 10 players score in the opening half.

ASU shot 48 percent from the field and hit seven of its 10 three point field goals (70%). The Hornets also hit the boards out rebounding UTPA 25-22.

Joesaar scored 15 first-half points to keep UTPA in the game. He also led the Broncs with seven first half rebounds. UTPA shot 38 percent from the field but did get to the free throw line attempting 18 free throws and hitting 13 of those.

"Our defense has to be better going into tomorrow," Jackson said. "In saying that we have to help more and we have to be poised on offense. We had the lead there and took some ill-advised shots early in the shot clock when we were up 12 or 13 points and that gave them a chance to get some run outs. It's still early and we are still working on everything."

The Hornets will end their trip to Utah by playing the host Utes tomorrow at 8 p.m. (CT). The game will be carried live on the Pac-12 Network. Check for all the viewing opportunities on Game Day Central tomorrow at bamastatesports.com.

Box Score

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Win Away From Home, Defeat ORU

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi  --  The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team saw its first action away from Corbett Sports Center in 2014-15. Despite the different venue, the Aggies were victorious.

The 17th-ranked Aggies (mid-major poll) used 13 points, five assists and four steals from Christina Carter to defeat Oral Roberts 47-38 the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic at Southern Mississippi University.

This win was head coach Tarrell Robinson’s 50th. He is the fastest to 50 wins (68 games) in school history. Teams are shooting just 36 percent against the Aggies this season and only one team, William & Mary, scored more than 50 points.

“Defense will continue to be the staple of our team and my program,” said Robinson. “I thought our team came down here and set the tone.”

The Aggies defense was certainly relentless Friday night. A&T held the Golden Eagles to just 36 percent shooting. The one bright spot for the Golden Eagles (2-4) was Vicky McIntyre who finished with 10 points, 19 rebounds and six blocks on 5-for-7 shooting. Outside of McIntyre, however, the Golden Eagles were 10-for-35 (.286) from the floor.

A&T (4-1) didn’t exactly have superb day from the floor, shooting just 33 percent. But the Aggies significantly cut down on their turnovers – 15 – while forcing the Golden Eagles into 33 miscues.

For the second straight game, the Aggies found themselves down 5-0. Also, for the second straight game the Aggies initial run gave them the lead for good. Debbie Smith took a pass from Carter and gave the Aggies an 11-9 lead eight minutes into the game. The Aggies turned Smith’s jumper into an 11-0 run that was capped off by an Eboni Ross steal and a Carter transition layup to give the Aggies a 20-9 advantage.

The Golden Eagles scored the next four points before an Adriana Nazario 3-pointer gave the Aggies a double-digit lead. The Aggies relinquished their double-digit lead once the remainder of the first half as McIntyre’s jumper with 1:19 to play made it a 28-19 halftime score.

It didn’t take the Aggies long to rebuild their lead once the second half started. Dana Brown scored in transition and Carter pumped in a three to give the Aggies a 33-19 lead. Nazario, Carter and sophomore Kenya Hailey all followed with baskets of their own to complete the 11-0 run to start the half as A&T took its biggest lead of the game at 39-19 at the 14:26 mark.

Oral Roberts did get the lead down to seven, 45-38, on a McIntyre jumper with three minutes to play. But the Aggies, who had 20 steals, picked up two more over the next two minutes to keep the Golden Eagles at a distance.

The Aggies are now 4-1 overall as they look to win the tournament tomorrow night at 7 against Southern Mississippi.

BOX SCORE

 

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCCU Makes Astounding Comeback in Victory over UNC Asheville

DURHAM, North Carolina -- The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team created a 19-0 comeback run in the final 3:27 to beat out the UNC Asheville Bulldogs, 55-52 Friday, Nov. 28 in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

"I'm excited for the young women," said head coach Vanessa Taylor. "To see the tenacity and the toughness and the fight we have to play with, and for it to materialize into a win for us is really exciting."

Redshirt senior Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, New York) accumulated 18 points, 17 rebounds, and five steals during Friday's contest.

Redshirt senior Khyra Conerly (Oakland, California) added 15 points and three steals.

With a low-scoring first half of 29-20, NCCU was down by as much as 16 points, and was only shooting 22.7% from the field. The Lady Eagles also allowed 20 Bulldog points off turnovers.

The Lady Eagles sparked a fire with 3:27 remaining in the game, taking the Bulldogs on a 19-0 run led by Davis, who contributed 11 of her 18 points.

During the NCCU comeback, freshman Imani Atkinson (Greensboro, North Carolina) collected three steals and the Eagles managed to score 20 points off turnovers in the second half.

NCCU was trimming the Bulldogs' lead point-by-point, and a free-throw shot by Davis knotted the score at 52 with 25 seconds remaining on the clock.

"We were clutch with our free-throw shooting at the end of the game," said Taylor, as the Lady Eagles shot 71% from the free-throw line.

A steal from Davis and a Bulldogs' foul put Davis back at the free-throw line for two shots; both were good and the Lady Eagles took a three-point lead.

UNCA sophomore Ja'Da Brayboy attempted a game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds, but was unsuccessful as NCCU took the victory against the Bulldogs, 55-52.

The Lady Eagles will be on a six-game road trip, starting with No. 1/2 University of South Carolina Monday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m., in Columbia, South Carolina.

BOX SCORE

Written By Andrea Wheeler, Assistant Sports Information Director
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION