Florida A&M Cagers Open New Season At Home, Nov. 13

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  The 2015-16 FAMU Rattler Basketball schedule features two rare events - home games to open the season for the first time in many years.

Coach Byron Samuels' second-year squad will tip off the season in the friendly confines of the Al Lawson Center on Friday, November 13 against Johnson University at 7:00 p.m.

After a Sunday road game at Southern Illinois (Nov. 15) which is part of a month-long MTE Tournament, FAMU returns home for a Tuesday night bout against Thomas (Ga.) University.

The Rattlers will spend the rest of November out in the Lone Star State of Texas, opening  at Houston (Saturday, Nov. 21). 

The remaining three dates: Texas-El Paso (Tuesday, Nov. 24) and in Corpus Christi to face Abilene Christian (Friday, Nov. 27) and either Troy (Ala.) or Oakland (Saturday, Nov. 28) will be in the MTE Invitational.

FAMU will play a road date at Kennesaw State (Monday, Dec. 2), before returning home to open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play on Saturday, December 5 against South Carolina State.

The full FAMU Men's Hoops schedule is online at www.FAMUAthletics.com.

FAMU RATTLERS 2015/16 MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Fri, Nov 13	JOHNSON UNIVERSITY	AL LAWSON CENTER	TBA
Sun, Nov 15	Southern Illinois	at Carbondale, Illinois	TBA
Wed, Nov 18	THOMAS UNIVERSITY	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Sat, Nov 21	University of Houston	at Houston, Texas	TBA
Tue, Nov 24	UTEP	at El Pasco, Texas	TBA
Fri, Nov 27	Abilene Christian	at Corpus Christie, Texas	TBA
Sat, Nov 28	Troy Univ. or Oakland	at Corpus Christie, Texas	TBA
Wed, Dec 02	Kennesaw State	at Atlanta, Georgia	TBA
Sat, Dec 05	SOUTH CAROLINA STATE *	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Sat, Dec 12	SAMFORD	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Tue, Dec 15	SE LOUISIANA STATE	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Sat, Dec 19	University of North Florida	at Jacksonville, Florida	TBA
Mon, Dec 21	Jacksonville University	at Jacksonville, Florida	TBA
Tue, Dec 29	FIU	at Miami, Florida	TBA
Tue, Jan 05	SAVANNAH STATE *	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Sat, Jan 09	Norfolk State *	at Norfolk, Virginia	TBA
Mon, Jan 11	Hampton University *	at Hampton, Virginia	TBA
Sat, Jan 16	MORGAN STATE *	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Mon, Jan 18	COPPIN STATE *	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Sat, Jan 23	Howard University *	at Washington, D.C.	TBA
Mon, Jan 25	UMES *	at Princess Anne, Maryland	TBA
Sat, Jan 30	Bethune-Cookman *	at Daytona Beach, Florida	TBA
Mon, Feb 01	NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIV. *	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Mon, Feb 08	DELAWARE STATE *	TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA	TBA
Sat, Feb 13	NC A&T University *	at Greensboro, North Carolina	TBA
Mon, Feb 15	North Carolina Centeral Univ. *	at Durham, North Carolina	TBA
Sat, Feb 20	BETHUNE-COOKMAN *	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Sat, Feb 27	NC A&T UNIVERSITY *	AL LAWSON CENTER - TALLAHASSEE	TBA
Thu, Mar 03	Savannah State *	at Savannah, Georgia	TBA

* Conference Games

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5 things we’ve learned about TSU

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- This is Tennessee State’s bye week and it comes at a good time because the Tigers are so beaten up.

Several key players were missing in last Saturday’s 30-14 win over Florida A&M and more joined them on the injury list.

The Tigers already were without starting quarterback O’Shay Ackerman-Carter, wide receivers Isaiah Jeffries-Freeman and Andrew Bather, offensive tackle James Lewis and guard Duaron Williams along with middle linebacker Justin North and strong side linebacker Demetro Stephens.

Offensive tackle Evan Clay left the FAMU game with an injury early in the first quarter and cornerback Bernell Brooks joined him later in the same quarter.

Most, if not all, are expected back when the Tigers return to action on Oct. 10 at UT Martin.



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Tennessee State Tigers on the Road (Week 3&4 Highlights)

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State University's football team has been on the road. First stop Jacksonville, AL against the Gamecocks. Then the Tigers travel down to Tallahassee, FL to take on the FAMU Rattlers.



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FAMU AD Overton: 'No quick fixes' for Rattlers

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. is still optimistic about where the university’s athletic department — particularly the football program — is going.

Overton said the Rattlers 0-4 start to the season is a product of years of attempted “quick fixes” for the program. Coaches have been fired before having time to build programs, and that instability has led to a glaring depth issue the Rattlers are competing with in 2015.

Overton on Wednesday said he fully expects FAMU head coach Alex Wood to be with the school for at least three years – the length of Wood’s current contract.

“I know what Alex Wood needs,” Overton said.

“We are in agreement with what he needs. He needs to fix the talent and the depth issue. And the resources and recruiting. Those are really the biggest things. What I’m not saying we don’t have talent on the football team. What I’m saying is we need widespread talent. Talent from the 1’s to the 3’s.”

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'Beat-up' N.C. A&T Aggies head to Hampton for MEAC opener

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — A month into the season, N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway still isn’t exactly sure what kind of football team his Aggies are.

They’re 2-1, a record that could’ve been scripted back in August. They clobbered inferior Shaw, got clobbered by superior North Carolina and eked out a victory against Elon.

But now what? A&T hits the road for its MEAC opener at Hampton at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Pirates (2-2, 1-1) are coached by A&T Hall of Famer Connell Maynor, a star quarterback for the Aggies in his playing days.

“They’re the favorites. They’re the team to beat, the big Aggies,” Maynor said this week. “They’ve got a great football team. ... That team last year could’ve been undefeated and should’ve been a playoff team.”

Maybe so. But this year’s Aggies have struggled with a young offensive line through three games, and they’re not the same team they were in August.

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Alcorn State heads to UAPB in crucial SWAC contest

LORMAN, Mississippi -- The Braves (3-1, 2-0 SWAC) travel to Arkansas-Pine Blufff at 4 p.m. Saturday at Golden Lion Stadium, hoping to remain unbeaten in league play. A victory over the Golden Lions puts Alcorn in the Driver's seat for the Eastern Division title at the mid-season mark.

Senior wide receiver Jordan Payne has emerged as a big-play threat for All-SWAC quarterback Robert Gibbs Jr., making an already dangerous Braves offense more explosive.

Grambling at Jackson State, 6 p.m.: Quarterback LaMontiez Ivy is having one of the best seasons in school history. The junior leads the SWAC with 317 yards passing a game and has thrown for over 1,100 yards this season.

The Tigers (1-3, 1-1 SWAC), however, must generate a running game and improve defensively to support Ivy in the toughest stretch of their season.



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Well-rounded SU Jaguars in position to make SWAC title run

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern’s open date this week gives it an opportunity to analyze the first month of the season before entering the heart of the Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule.

The Jaguars are just 2-2, but most importantly they are 2-0 in the SWAC, and so far they have been about as well-rounded a team as they could be in a 50-13 win at Mississippi Valley State and a 50-31 victory against Jackson State in their only home game.

In SWAC games, Southern is second in the league in scoring offense and total offense as well as second in scoring defense and total defense. Offensively, it ranks third in rushing and fourth in passing yards (first in passing efficiency). It is second in rushing defense and sixth in passing yardage defense (second in pass efficiency defense.)

“I think we’ve been able to run the football, I think we’ve been able to throw the football,” coach Dawson Odums said. “On defense, I think we’ve been able to stop the run and I think we’ve been able to stop the pass and I think we’re getting better at doing that.”

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Walker resigns as JSU interim AD

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Robert Walker, Jackson State’s interim athletic director, announced his resignation from his position during an athletic department meeting on Wednesday afternoon, a JSU spokesperson told the The Clarion-Ledger.

Wheeler Brown, associate athletic director of compliance, will move into the interim athletic director role.

The timing of the news seems quite abrupt. Walker was interviewed on JSUTV as recently as Monday to discuss athletics and this Friday’s JSU Sports 2015 Hall of Fame Banquet.

But Walker, who was retired before assuming the interim position, contends he originally looked at the position with a six-month window.

“I’ve reached a point in life where I desire and need to spend more quality time with my family,” Walker said in a phone conversation Wednesday afternoon. “I made a decision myself. I shared with (JSU President) Dr. (Carolyn) Meyers that I needed to get out into the private world. I’ll always be a Tiger and bleed blue and white.



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JSU defense aims to keep energy high

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The energy level on Jackson State’s defense appeared low when it gave up 50 points against Southern in the SWAC opener two weeks ago.

Maybe there was some desperation after an 0-3 start, but the intensity level went up a notch against Texas Southern, and defensive coordinator Alonzo Lee feels that was the key to a better showing on defense last week.

“That intensity level we played at was a solid level,” Lee said. “If we can bring that energy and those things every week, we’re going to be fine.

“When your energy level is up and you’re getting after it, it looks like you’re attacking more than you really are.”

The Tigers’ defense, which is allowing 46.2 points per game, will need to use all the energy it has when Grambling steps onto the field to face it at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Grambling (2-2, 2-0 SWAC) has the No. 1 scoring offense in the conference and ranks second in total offense. The offense is spearheaded by quarterback Johnathan Williams.

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Is there a blueprint for SWAC teams to stop GSU’s offense?

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Eric Dooley paused, started to speak, then paused again when asked how to stop Grambling’s offense.

It was a difficult question for Dooley to answer since he’s the man running Grambling’s high-powered attack as the offensive coordinator of a unit that is averaging 42.8 points per game this season and 52.3 points in the last three weeks.

Before Dooley could answer, Grambling defensive coordinator Everett Todd, who was sitting four feet away from Dooley, chimed in.

“You can’t,” Todd deadpanned.

That’s about the same feeling defensive coordinator in the Southwestern Athletic Conference have when trying to defend Grambling’s offense.

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SWAC Game of the Week Tonight on ESPNU: ASU vs. TSU

Alabama State (1-3/1-2 SWAC) at Texas Southern (2-2/1-2 SWAC)

Oct. 1, 2015
BBVA Compass Stadium (22,000)
7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Houston, Texas
 

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Claflin University Women’s Basketball Releases 2015-16 Schedule

Orangeburg, South Carolina  --  The Claflin University women's basketball program has released its 2015-16 schedule, which includes five teams which participated in the 2015 NCAA Division II tournament. For the third straight season, the Lady Panthers will open their season at home.

Claflin will open the season with five-of-six games at home, beginning with Florida Tech University on November 14. The Lady Panthers will then host Brevard College (Nov. 15), Newberry College (Nov. 18), and Allen University for homecoming on Nov. 21. Claflin will travel to Fayetteville, NC to face Fayetteville State University on November 23 before returning home versus Florida Southern University.

Claflin University 2015-16 Women's Basketball Schedule

"Playing against five 2015 NCAA Division II Tournament participants early in the season will definitely help prepare us to meet the challenges we will face later," said head coach Deont'a McChester, who is in his third season at the helm of the Lady Panthers. "Our conference opponents will be a tough go night-after-night and facing the high caliber of competition early will definitely prepare us for the challenges." McChester continued, "I believe our senior leadership will provide us with the tools we need to be competitive inside and outside of the conference."

The Lady Panthers will open Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) play on Thursday, Dec. 3 at Lane College. Claflin will play its next two conference games on the road as well, traveling to Kentucky State University (Dec. 5) and Central State University (Dec. 7).

All Claflin home games are played at the Tullis Arena inside of the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center on the campus of Claflin University. You can keep up to date with the Claflin University women's basketball team and purchase tickets by visiting athletics.claflin.edu. Live streaming for all home games will be available via pay-per-view on the Claflin athletics website. Live stats will also be available at no charge on the Claflin athletics website.

For a complete schedule visit the 2015-16 schedule link on the Claflin University women's basketball page at athletics.claflin.edu.

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