The ASU Marching Band will march in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 16
ALBANY, Georgia -- Albany State University has exceeded its goal to raise $270,000 for the “Rams in the Roses and Beyond” campaign. The campaign raised $332,775; thanks to supporters, the Albany State University Marching Band will head to the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. The remaining funds will be used to support need-based scholarships.
“This is an outstanding accomplishment for the university and the hundreds of supporters who donated, not only funds, but time and effort to help us send this talented group of scholar musicians to Pasadena,” said Chanta Haywood, vice president of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the ASU Foundation.
The ASU Marching Band is the only Georgia band, the only university band from the southeastern United States, and the only historically black university band in the nation to participate in the event that serves as a prelude to the nation’s oldest bowl game.
“We really can’t thank everyone enough who donated to help us get to Pasadena,” said Band Director Michael Decuir. “All of the alumni, students, and supporters in Albany and around the nation, on behalf of the band, I want to let you know that we couldn’t have done this without you. We’re ready to show the world what it means to be a Golden Ram.”
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Saturday, December 19, 2015
Alcorn State falls short in close Celebration Bowl loss
ATLANTA, Georgia -- On Friday, Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson said every football team wants to go as far as it can go.
The Braves went as far as they could this season, but still fell 9 yards short of taking home a trophy.
Alcorn State quarterback Lenorris Footman’s pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 9 with 13 seconds left, which sealed North Carolina A&T’s 41-34 victory in front of 35,528 fans in the inaugural Celebration Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday.
“It was a hard-fought football game; those are always tough to lose,” Hopson said. “Give North Carolina A&T a lot of credit. They played a very good football game, exceptional game … we played hard and gave ourselves a chance, but just fell short.”
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The Braves went as far as they could this season, but still fell 9 yards short of taking home a trophy.
Alcorn State quarterback Lenorris Footman’s pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 9 with 13 seconds left, which sealed North Carolina A&T’s 41-34 victory in front of 35,528 fans in the inaugural Celebration Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday.
“It was a hard-fought football game; those are always tough to lose,” Hopson said. “Give North Carolina A&T a lot of credit. They played a very good football game, exceptional game … we played hard and gave ourselves a chance, but just fell short.”
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2015 Celebration Bowl Battle of the Bands: North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State
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Tarik Cohen rushes for 295 yards as North Carolina A&T tops Alcorn State in Celebration Bowl
ATLANTA, Georgia -- A pair of conference champions from the HBCU ranks kicked off the bowl season on Saturday with a thrilling showcase in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl, as North Carolina A&T defeated Alcorn State 41-34 to claim the title on Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Here's a breakdown of the action:
What the win means for North Carolina A&T: It completes an impressive rise for this program over the past five seasons since coach Rod Broadway took the helm. In the season prior to Broadway’s arrival, the Aggies were 1-10, were stuck in a streak of seven straight losing seasons and had scholarship and practice limitations because of low NCAA Academic Progress Rate scores. This win gives the Aggies (10-2) a total of 33 victories over the past four years and marks North Carolina A&T’s first 10-win season since 2003. In addition to finishing atop the MEAC -- where they earned a berth to this game via a three-way tiebreaker -- winning the Celebration Bowl caps off an impressive season for the Aggies, giving them the HBCU national title, as well.
What the loss means for Alcorn State: It’s a disappointing end to an otherwise great season for the Braves (9-4), who won the SWAC championship on Dec. 5. It stops the Braves just short of having back-to-back 10-win seasons, but they still have had marked success under coach Jay Hopson.
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What the win means for North Carolina A&T: It completes an impressive rise for this program over the past five seasons since coach Rod Broadway took the helm. In the season prior to Broadway’s arrival, the Aggies were 1-10, were stuck in a streak of seven straight losing seasons and had scholarship and practice limitations because of low NCAA Academic Progress Rate scores. This win gives the Aggies (10-2) a total of 33 victories over the past four years and marks North Carolina A&T’s first 10-win season since 2003. In addition to finishing atop the MEAC -- where they earned a berth to this game via a three-way tiebreaker -- winning the Celebration Bowl caps off an impressive season for the Aggies, giving them the HBCU national title, as well.
What the loss means for Alcorn State: It’s a disappointing end to an otherwise great season for the Braves (9-4), who won the SWAC championship on Dec. 5. It stops the Braves just short of having back-to-back 10-win seasons, but they still have had marked success under coach Jay Hopson.
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Aprill McRae Leads North Carolina A&T Past NDSU
WICHITA, Kansas – North Carolina A&T looked turned to their all-conference center to end a two-game slide. Aprill McRae scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Aggies to a 72-64 win over North Dakota State during the first day of the Wichita State Christmas Tournament.McRae connected on 10 of her 13 field goal attempts and all four of her free throw attempts. Dana Brown added 15 points for the Aggies who improved to 4-6 on the season. Taylor Thunstedt led the Bison with 23 points on 5 3-pointers. Marena Whittle added 20 points.
Turning point
The Aggies started the game hitting shots and ended the game hitting shots. That was a big for a team shooting 31.7 percent from the floor over its previous two games. On Friday, the Aggies opened the game by hitting four of their first five shots capped off by a Brown 3-pointer that gave the Aggies a 9-2 lead in the first four minutes.
Over time the Bison gained their footing and led by as many as nine, 34-25, with 1:53 remaining in the first half before the Aggies rallied with an 8-1 run to trail 35-33 at halftime as Kala Green scored at the buzzer. The Aggies found themselves back in the lead by the end of the third quarter, 55-51, but Taylor Thunstedt’s 3-pointer cut the lead to one in the first nine seconds of the fourth.
N.C. A&T went back to hitting shots, namely McRae. Another Thunstedt 3-pointer cut the Aggies lead to 61-59. McRae quickly answered with a layup. Thunstedt could not respond as she missed on a 3-pointer. McRae then took a pass from Christina Carter to score again to cap off a string of eight straight points as the Aggies grabbed a 65-59 lead with 2:55 remaining.
Player of the game
When Aprill McRae is making baskets the Aggies are hard to beat. Friday marked the fourth time the graduate center scored 20 or more points in her career. The Aggies are 3-1 in those games with the only loss coming to William & Mary by two points. McRae is shooting 76.1 percent (35-for-46) from the floor when she scores 20 or more points.
Stats of the game
North Dakota State outrebounded the Aggies 46-32 and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, yet the Aggies matched the Bison in second chance points, 8-8.
The paint was the Aggies paradise on Friday. They outscored the Bison 40-14 in the paint. The 40 points in the paint are a season high. N.C. A&T is 4-0 this season when they outscore their opponents in the paint.
N.C. A&T had a season-low 11 turnovers on Friday. The Aggies also dished out 14 assists. The Aggies are 4-1 when they have more assists than turnovers this season. The Aggie point guards were especially good with the basketball as freshman Rejoice Spivey had a season-high four assists and only one turnovers. Graduate guard Adriana Nazario had three assists and no turnovers and Carter had four assists and two turnovers.
Next Game
The Aggies continue play in the Wichita State Christmas Tournament by playing host Wichita State Saturday at 4 p.m., EST on ESPN3.
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COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
DWIGHT FLOYD COMMENTARY: Air Force Reserve Clebration Will Be Short Lived
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Ever heard of the “Brain Bowl.” It is a competition for intellects performed at schools across the country. Like the international spelling bee, you are considered cream of the crop if you win one. Not as prevalent is the “Black Brain Bowl,” an event once had in Tallahassee, Florida to celebrate black history.I was the school advisory chair at the middle school where my sons and daughters attended and as such was vested in any and everything that promoted learning and gave the school a positive image. I recall my twin boys competing with their friends in the middle school Black Brain Bowl. It was a special program run through a college grant and no the college was not an HBCU. Though humorous at times to watch, it was pleasing to see the boys practicing in preparation for the brain bowl event.
Every middle school in the county was involved and the group of contestants were diverse. To give an idea of what the program was about, one of the questions asked was “who was the football player seen running across the airport to catch a plane in a TV commercial.” The answer was O.J. Simpson.
When it was all said and done my sons’ middle school team made up of all black males brought home the first place trophy. Reporting back to the school I was excited and proud, that is until the school principal gave me that look. She really cared about these kids, but didn’t have the heart to celebrate much about the victory.
At that point the O.J. question completely registered as ...
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Gold Rush shooting touch knocks off Concordia
MEMPHIS, Tennessee — In its final game before Christmas, the Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball team was hotter than chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
The Gold Rush, ranked 17th in NAIA Division I, shot 60 percent from the floor for the game and 68.2 percent in the second half — both season highs — and pulled away for a 65-55 victory against Concordia (Ala.) in the Jerry C. Johnson Classic at LeMoyne-Owen College.
After trailing 31-30 at halftime, Xavier (10-4) made its first eight field-goal attempts of the next period, seven during a 15-0 run in which the Gold Rush seized momentum and didn't let go.
Another season high: four starters scoring in double figures. All-star senior guard Morris Wright had 15 points and led for the 17th straight game, and he was followed closely by Lucas Martin-Julien with 11 points and Elex Carter and Jarvis Thibodeaux with 10 apiece.
Martin-Julien reached double figures for the third time in four games and the sixth time this season. Carter and Thibodeaux matched their season scoring highs. Thibodeaux had consecutive dunks during the second-half run.
Concordia (4-8), a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, made 7-of-10 3-pointers during a first half with 11 lead changes. But Xavier's defense was as effective as its offense in the second half. The Gold Rush limited the Hornets to 29.4 percent from the floor and 3-of-7 from behind the arc.
Wright's 3-pointer at 18:21 put Xavier ahead to stay, 35-33, and Martin-Julien's shot-clock-beating trey from the top of the key at 10:19 gave Xavier its largest lead, 50-38. Concordia never came closer than six points thereafter.
The fifth Xavier starter, Kevin Murph, did not score less than 24 hours after making 3-of-3 3-pointers in a loss to LeMoyne-Owen. But Murph, in his first collegiate start, recorded his first two blocked shots of the season and played a career-best 20 minutes.
Wright matched his season high of five assists, and his final points — a 3-pointer at 1:13 — made him the 18th Gold Rush player to reach 1,200 in a career. Wright has 1,202 points; next in line are Louis Williams (1979-82) with 1,206, Webster Stewart (1987-91) with 1,231 and Alvin "Bo" Dukes (1979-83) with 1,285.
For the game, Concordia shot 41.2 percent from the floor and made 10-of-17 3-pointers. Five Hornets made at least one trey, but only Ken Atwood (four treys, 16 points) scored in double figures. Xavier won the boards by four and was plus-3 in turnovers.
Xavier will begin a five-game home stand after Christmas. Next will be a rematch with LSU-Shreveport at 5 p.m. Dec. 29 in the Gold Rush Holiday Classic at the Convocation Center. Mobile and Fisk are the other two teams in that event.
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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Florida A&M's Tiffany Greene blazes path as college football play-by-play commentator
TAMPA, Florida -- Tiffany Greene always aspired to work at ESPN.
The Tampa native put herself on that path as an undergraduate after meeting a recruiter at a 2000 job fair at Howard University. The recruiter suggested Greene take on a production job at the network; she declined.
She wanted to be a reporter.
So Greene took her degree from Florida A&M University and poured everything into her work.
Her big break came this year when she earned a fulltime job with the sports network. She's handling play-by-play duties on college softball, volleyball and basketball, but it's her work on college football that stands out.
Greene, who will work as the sideline reporter Saturday for ABC's broadcast of the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl from Atlanta, became one of only a handful of women to ever handle college football play-by-play for the network this year.
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The Tampa native put herself on that path as an undergraduate after meeting a recruiter at a 2000 job fair at Howard University. The recruiter suggested Greene take on a production job at the network; she declined.
She wanted to be a reporter.
So Greene took her degree from Florida A&M University and poured everything into her work.
Her big break came this year when she earned a fulltime job with the sports network. She's handling play-by-play duties on college softball, volleyball and basketball, but it's her work on college football that stands out.
Greene, who will work as the sideline reporter Saturday for ABC's broadcast of the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl from Atlanta, became one of only a handful of women to ever handle college football play-by-play for the network this year.
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Three reasons to watch the Celebration Bowl: Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T
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ATLANTA, Georgia -- Bowl season kicks off on Saturday with a new flavor. FCS schools Alcorn State and North Carolina A&T will meet in the first Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl at the Georgia Dome (Noon ET, ABC). Why should you watch this game? Here are three reasons:
1. It pits two conference champions: So many bowl games involve teams with six-win seasons (or in this year's case, 5-7 teams) or teams with interim head coaches since the coaching carousel has completed a few spins already in the offseason. Why not watch two quality teams who actually won something of substance -- a conference championship -- do battle? Alcorn State won the SWAC championship game, beating Grambling State on Dec. 5; North Carolina A&T won the MEAC via a three-way tiebreaker over Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina Central. Both teams won nine games; these are good football teams.
2. It's historic: This is a new game but the third attempt at a MEAC-SWAC bowl that would be considered a national championship of sorts for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which comprise both conferences. The last attempt at such a game, the Heritage Bowl, ran from 1991 to 1999. Could the third time be a charm? Perhaps this is the game that sticks around for a long time and becomes a mainstay for the champions in each conference. Plus, the bands are certain to put on a show. HBCUs are known for their excellent marching bands and Alcorn State's Sounds of Dyn-O-mite and A&T's Blue & Gold Marching Machine are sure to impress.
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ABC Airs Inaugural CELEBRATION BOWL Today
ATLANTA, Georgia -- ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN, announced today that the inaugural Celebration Bowl will be televised live on ABC. The new postseason COLLEGE FOOTBALL bowl game will kick off at noon ET today, Dec. 19, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
The Celebration Bowl, which showcases the legacy, values and traditions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will pit the conference champion from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion.
"We could not be more pleased to have the Celebration Bowl kicking off the COLLEGE FOOTBALL bowl season on ABC," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Events. "Not only will the first annual Celebration Bowl deliver a first-class postseason experience to the teams, their fans and their alumni; the live telecast on ABC will bring the thrill and pageantry of the bowl to fans across the nation."
"We are excited about today's announcement that the Celebration Bowl will be telecast on ABC," said Dennis Thomas, commissioner, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. "We are eagerly looking forward to participating in this wonderful opportunity to showcase our student-athletes, coaches, institutions and our conference on this national stage. We are appreciative to ESPN for their continued partnership and commitment to this postseason experience."
"The SWAC is excited about the announcement of the inaugural Celebration Bowl being televised on ABC," SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said. "This stage will provide the nation with a front-row seat into the passion, pride and heritage of the SWAC and HBCU football. Our coaches, student-athletes and SWAC fans across the nation look forward to meeting in ATL on December 19.
"The SWAC appreciates ESPN and their family of networks for their continued support and for providing our fans and student athletes the opportunity to perform on this national platform."
"We are excited to collaborate with ESPN to launch the Celebration Bowl and continue our longstanding tradition of delivering an annual HBCU COLLEGE FOOTBALL showdown to fans in Atlanta," said John Grant, Chief Executive Officer, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. "Having the game televised on ABC will showcase the best in HBCU football on a national stage."
ESPN Events also manages the COLLEGE FOOTBALL season-opening MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney, another game that features these two conferences and highlights the traditions of HBCUs, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Orlando Citrus Bowl, live on ESPN.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend COLLEGE FOOTBALL games, 13 college bowl games, nine college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 250-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Boca Raton, Boise, Birmingham, Dallas-Fort Worth, Albuquerque, St. Petersburg and Las Vegas, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, providing unique experiences for teams and fans. ESPN Events also manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.
Collegiate Football
AdvoCare Texas Kickoff (Houston); AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl (Houston); Birmingham Bowl (Alabama); Boca Raton Bowl (Florida); Celebration Bowl (Atlanta); Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise); Gildan New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); Hawai'i Bowl (Honolulu); Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth); MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.); Orlando Kickoff (Florida, 2016); Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (Nassau); Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.); Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl (Nevada); St. Petersbug Bowl (Florida); The Home Depot COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS (Atlanta) and Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth)
Collegiate Basketball
Armed Forces Classic (Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan); DIRECTV Wooden Legacy (Orange County, Calif.); COLLEGE BASKETBALL AWARDS Presented by Wendy's (Los Angeles); Gildan Charleston Classic (South Carolina); Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Honolulu); Jimmy V Men's Classic Presented by Corona (New York City); Jimmy V Women's Classic Presented by Corona (Hartford/Storrs, Conn.); Orlando Classic (Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.); Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan) and State Farm Champions Classic (Chicago)
For more information, visit www.espnevents.com or follow on Twitter and Facebook.
The Celebration Bowl, which showcases the legacy, values and traditions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will pit the conference champion from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion.
"We could not be more pleased to have the Celebration Bowl kicking off the COLLEGE FOOTBALL bowl season on ABC," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Events. "Not only will the first annual Celebration Bowl deliver a first-class postseason experience to the teams, their fans and their alumni; the live telecast on ABC will bring the thrill and pageantry of the bowl to fans across the nation."
"We are excited about today's announcement that the Celebration Bowl will be telecast on ABC," said Dennis Thomas, commissioner, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. "We are eagerly looking forward to participating in this wonderful opportunity to showcase our student-athletes, coaches, institutions and our conference on this national stage. We are appreciative to ESPN for their continued partnership and commitment to this postseason experience."
"The SWAC is excited about the announcement of the inaugural Celebration Bowl being televised on ABC," SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said. "This stage will provide the nation with a front-row seat into the passion, pride and heritage of the SWAC and HBCU football. Our coaches, student-athletes and SWAC fans across the nation look forward to meeting in ATL on December 19.
"The SWAC appreciates ESPN and their family of networks for their continued support and for providing our fans and student athletes the opportunity to perform on this national platform."
"We are excited to collaborate with ESPN to launch the Celebration Bowl and continue our longstanding tradition of delivering an annual HBCU COLLEGE FOOTBALL showdown to fans in Atlanta," said John Grant, Chief Executive Officer, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. "Having the game televised on ABC will showcase the best in HBCU football on a national stage."
ESPN Events also manages the COLLEGE FOOTBALL season-opening MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney, another game that features these two conferences and highlights the traditions of HBCUs, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Orlando Citrus Bowl, live on ESPN.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a subsidiary of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend COLLEGE FOOTBALL games, 13 college bowl games, nine college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 250-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Boca Raton, Boise, Birmingham, Dallas-Fort Worth, Albuquerque, St. Petersburg and Las Vegas, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, providing unique experiences for teams and fans. ESPN Events also manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.
Collegiate Football
AdvoCare Texas Kickoff (Houston); AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl (Houston); Birmingham Bowl (Alabama); Boca Raton Bowl (Florida); Celebration Bowl (Atlanta); Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise); Gildan New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); Hawai'i Bowl (Honolulu); Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth); MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.); Orlando Kickoff (Florida, 2016); Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (Nassau); Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.); Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl (Nevada); St. Petersbug Bowl (Florida); The Home Depot COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS (Atlanta) and Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth)
Collegiate Basketball
Armed Forces Classic (Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan); DIRECTV Wooden Legacy (Orange County, Calif.); COLLEGE BASKETBALL AWARDS Presented by Wendy's (Los Angeles); Gildan Charleston Classic (South Carolina); Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Honolulu); Jimmy V Men's Classic Presented by Corona (New York City); Jimmy V Women's Classic Presented by Corona (Hartford/Storrs, Conn.); Orlando Classic (Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.); Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan) and State Farm Champions Classic (Chicago)
For more information, visit www.espnevents.com or follow on Twitter and Facebook.
Coach Rod Broadway changed culture of N.C. A&T's bowl-bound football program
GREENSBORO, North Carolina — A team loses or underachieves. A new coach gets hired. The team starts to win.
Presto! People start to use the catchphrase “changing the culture.”
But what exactly does that mean? Is it a simple synonym for winning? Or does it run deeper than that?
You could use the same buzzwords to describe the football programs at both N.C. A&T and Alcorn State, the MEAC and SWAC champions who play in the inaugural Celebration Bowl in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome at noon today.
People who tune in to ABC will see programs that lost for years — eight seasons in a row at A&T, five at Alcorn — but rebuilt under new coaches and have both won back-to-back league titles.
The architect of A&T’s success is Rod Broadway, hired as head coach in 2011 and 37-19 in the five seasons since. It’s remarkable, considering the Aggies were 15-61 under four coaches in the seven seasons before Broadway’s hiring.
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Alcorn expects the best from NC A&T
ATLANTA, Georgia -- There once was a time were teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference would just play for the conference championship, but now there’s a new destination in sights after claiming the SWAC title.
Alcorn State has traveled to Atlanta to meet up with the co-champion of the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference North Carolina A&T in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl game to crown a Historically Black College and University national football champion.
In his Celebration Bowl press conference, Alcorn coach Jay Hopson agreed to the notion of Atlanta being the new destination for teams in the SWAC to play for.
“You have to play in the SWAC title to get to Atlanta. Your first goal is Houston; your second goal is Atlanta,” Hopson said. “Every football team wants to go as far as they can go and we know this is far as we can go. Certainly it’s a great opportunity for our program and both conferences and I imagine North Carolina A&T feels the same way.”
The game will be televised today at 11 a.m. on ABC and the national attention will provide exposure for both the Braves and Aggies on a platform they might not have received otherwise, which could have a positive impact on recruiting.
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Friday, December 18, 2015
Nuggets lose to Georgetown, end Cruzin Classic 0-2
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — For the Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball team, it was close-but-no-victory again in the Cruzin Classic.The Gold Nuggets lost 54-48 to Georgetown (Ky.) Friday to finish 0-2 in this event for the second consecutive year. Xavier's average losing margin in the four games: 3 1/2 points.
Xavier (9-4), ranked ninth in NAIA Division I, shot 26.5 percent from the floor, made 7-of-9 free throws — its second-fewest attempts of the season — and was outrebounded 49-34 overall, 25-15 in the second half. It was the fourth time this season the Gold Nuggets shot less than 30 percent, and the rebound deficit was their worst since November 2013. Xavier made five 3-pointers, all in the second half, but shot a season-low 21.7 percent from behind the arc.
After trailing 9-5 after the first quarter, Xavier rallied to lead 19-18 at halftime. But the Gold Nuggets led for only two minutes in the second half, and unranked Georgetown (6-6) dominated at the line, making 17-of-18 free throws in the final two quarters to Xavier's 4-of-5.
Freshman Joi Simmons scored 19 points, 13 in the second half, and led the Nuggets for the second time this season. There were no other XU double-figure scorers. Whitney Gathright scored eight points, and freshman Bianca Brown had a career-high six, all in the first half.
Xavier had a season-high 19 steals. Gathright's five matched her career high, and freshman Mikayla Bates' five were a career best.
Jessica Foster scored 12 points for Georgetown. Haley Armstrong and Teonia McClure scored nine apiece for the Tigers — Armstrong blocked five shots, the most by an XU individual opponent this season — and Emilie Ziese had eight points and 13 rebounds. Georgetown shot 31.3 percent from the floor, made 21-of-24 free throws, committed 30 turnovers and overcame a minus-11 turnover margin.
Simmons' 3-pointer with 8:24 remaining — it was her third of the game, a career best — gave the Gold Nuggets their final lead, 38-36. Georgetown then scored the next eight points and took the lead for good on two Ziese free throws at 6:54.
Xavier lost 75-74 in overtime Thursday to Indiana Wesleyan, ranked ninth in NAIA Division II. The Gold Nuggets lost by four to Briar Cliff and by three to Northwood (Fla.) &38212; which has since been renamed to Keiser — in the 2014 Cruzin Classic.
The two-game losing streak is Xavier's first of the season. For the second straight game, the Gold Nuggets denied Bo Browder his 400th victory as Xavier's head coach. Browder is 399-146 in his 17th season.
The Gold Nuggets will break for Christmas, then resume their schedule at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 29 at NCAA Division I's Northwestern State. The next XU home game will start at 3 p.m. Jan. 2 against NAIA No. 22 LSU-Shreveport at the Convocation Center.
BOX SCORE
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Rush rally from 18 down but lose on late free throws
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| XULA men's basketball team with retired LeMoyne-Owen coach Jerry C. Johnson, 97 years young, at the JCJ Classic Breakfast. |
The Gold Rush (9-4) trailed by 18 points late in the first half but rallied to tie the score twice in the final 30 seconds.
Brown made his free throws after Xavier's Gary Smith made a driving layup to tie the score at 63 with nine seconds remaining.
Brown scored 14 points, Larry McGaughey 13, Justin Street 12 and Johnnie McGhee 11 for the Magicians (4-6), who won their fourth straight.
Morris Wright scored a season-high 26 points for Xavier — he made five 3-pointers for the third time this season — and led the Gold Rush in scoring for the 16th consecutive game. Freshman Kevin Murphscored a career-high nine points, all in the second half, and was 3-of-3 on 3-pointers. Murph entered the game with two 3-pointers in eight games.
Dontarion Wright's 3-pointer at 3:56 of the first half gave LeMoyne-Owen a 33-15 lead. Xavier reduced the deficit to 37-26 by halftime, then used a 14-2 run to get within striking distance in the final eight minutes. The only Gold Rush opportunity to take the lead came with 7:17 remaining, when Murph missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with LeMoyne-Owen leading 53-52.
LeMoyne-Owen shot 46.5 percent from the floor — the highest this season by an XU opponent — and Xavier shot 44.4. Both teams were more accurate on 3-pointers, with Xavier making 8-of-17 and the Magicians sinking 6-of-12. The teams missed 12 free throws apiece. Xavier, which shot 79.3 percent from the line in its previous five games, was 15-of-27 overall, 9-of-17 in the second half.
Xavier and LeMoyne-Owen split their two-game season series. The Gold Rush won 71-62 for homecoming Nov. 21. It was Xavier's first loss in five games this season against NCAA Division II opponents.
Xavier will play Concordia (Ala.) at 4 p.m. Friday in this event. Concordia lost 74-69 to SUNO in the opening game.
NOTES: It was the fourth consecutive XU game decided by five or fewer points. The Gold Rush are 2-2 during that time . . . Wright has reached 20 points seven times this season. His previous best in 2015-16 was 25 points against LeMoyne-Owen in November. No teammate this season has scored more than 17 points in a game . . . Xavier will meet Concordia for the first time since the 2012 Memphis HBCU Classic . . .
Xavier is 1-4 on the road this season.
BOX SCORE
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Two Darton State College sports teams to survive consolidation with ASU
ALBANY, Georgia — Darton State College’s Athletic Department on Friday announced the future of its athletic sports teams. Following the Fall 2016 season, and as a part of the consolidation process with Albany State University, two sports from Darton — men’s golf and women’s soccer — will be added as part of the new Albany State Athletic Department.Darton’s Women’s Soccer program will continue to compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) through the Fall 2016 season as Darton State College. Following the conclusion of the Fall 2016 season, Women’s Soccer will become a part of the new Albany State University Athletic Department.
Darton’s men’s golf program will be added to the Albany State University Athletic Department beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year and will compete as a part of the NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Darton’s golfers will be eligible to compete as Albany State University athletes in the fall.
“This is the best news we could have hoped for. We’ll compete in the GCAA for another season, and the year after that we’ll look around and see where we can compete,” said a parent of of a women’s soccer player who asked not to be identified. “We are hoping for the best in the future because Darton soccer has always been a jewel. We have two regulation soccer fields on campus and you can’t find that anywhere else in southwest Georgia.
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Evans inducted into SWAC HOF for officiating
SELMA, Alabama -- Officiating has taken Selma Mayor George Evans all around the country. He’s officiated NCAA Tournament games involving legendary coaches, including Bobby Knight, Jim Boeheim and John Calipari.He’s officated an Elite Eight game, which is one of college basketball’s biggest contests.
Now, officiating has taken him all the way to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame. Evans was one of seven inducted during a ceremony held earlier this month in Houston, Texas.
“I never dreamed of that,” Evans said. “I never expected to be into the Hall of Fame for the SWAC.”
Evans said it was a humbling experience. It’s not often officials get recognized for their work on the court. Most of the time the best officials find a way to stay out of the headlines and do not impact the final result of a game, so he was surprised to find out the SWAC wanted to honor him.
Given all his accomplishments, he probably shouldn’t have been.
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Former Coppin State, UMES basketball coach John Bates, 'a legend in the MEAC and beyond,' mourned
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| COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS |
It wasn't until the younger Bates went to South Carolina State to play for the football team there that he understood why his father was frequently absent.
"When I was young, I didn't understand until I went away to college and I realized that coaches are the parents of the kids they have," he said Friday afternoon. "You make a promise to the parents you're going to take care of their kids. That's the life of a coach."
John Bates, who also coached the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball program, died Wednesday night of an apparent heart attack near his home in Ellicott City. He had turned 77 last Sunday.
Mr. Bates, who began coaching the Eagles in 1974, guided the program to the 1976 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship with a 96-91 victory over Henderson State in the title game. That squad set a school record for wins in a single season with 39.
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Power and Glory of HBCUs on Display at 1st Celebration Bowl
Celebration Bowl
(MEAC vs. SWAC - This year: North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State )
When Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015 Sponsor Air Force Reserve. The game is also managed by 100 Black Men of Atlanta, a service organization dedicated to empowering black youths
Inaugural game 2015
Watch it on ABC
Payout $2 million ($1M per participating conference)
Anticipated attendance TBD (it’s the first year, after all)
Most unusual eligible mascot The Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)
Coolest ancillary event 5th Quarter. After the game, the crowd sticks around for an encore from each school’s marching band—often a bigger attraction than the game itself.
ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN
(MEAC vs. SWAC - This year: North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State )
When Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015 Sponsor Air Force Reserve. The game is also managed by 100 Black Men of Atlanta, a service organization dedicated to empowering black youths
Inaugural game 2015
Watch it on ABC
Payout $2 million ($1M per participating conference)
Anticipated attendance TBD (it’s the first year, after all)
Most unusual eligible mascot The Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)
Coolest ancillary event 5th Quarter. After the game, the crowd sticks around for an encore from each school’s marching band—often a bigger attraction than the game itself.
ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN
N.C. A&T's Broadway: Aggies, Alcorn State similar in philosophy
ATLANTA, Georgia -- N.C. A&T football coach Rod Broadway sees the Aggies in Alcorn State’s Braves.Run the ball. Stop the run. Limit game-changing errors.
The Aggies and Braves, who play in the Celebration Bowl Saturday in Atlanta (noon, ABC), have many similarities. Broadway and Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson were assistants at Florida 20 years ago, so they’re familiar in approach.
“They’re very similar to us as far as what they do,” Broadway said. “Alcorn’s coach and I were on the same staff at Florida in ’95. I think his philosophy is somewhat similar to mine in that they’re going to run the ball and they’re going to try to stop the run defensively and try to make as few mistakes as possible.”
A&T (9-2, 7-1 MEAC) earned a share of the league title for the second straight year, just like Alcorn State (9-3, 7-2 SWAC). Both teams have dynamic running attacks – the Aggies are powered by all-America tailback Tarik Cohen; the Braves have Darryan Ragsdale. Success on the ground will be paramount.
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How the Celebration Bowl came into existence
ATLANTA, Georgia -- To fulfill his vision for his conference’s football teams, Dennis Thomas was willing to play a long game of persuading, listening and waiting. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference commissioner’s patience will be rewarded Saturday when North Carolina A&T and Alcorn State meet in the Georgia Dome for the inaugural Celebration Bowl.It will be the fruition of a plan first hatched 11 1/2 years ago by leaders of the MEAC, the Southwestern Athletic Conference and ESPN. A former football coach and athletic director, Thomas called it a highlight of his career.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I’m very, very pleased.”
In the college football universe, a bowl game between two teams that couldn’t hold a candle to power-conference competition (Alcorn State was drilled by Georgia Tech in the season opener) may not make much noise. But it carries its own significance. The game matches the champions of the two FCS leagues comprised of historically black colleges and universities. It will be televised on ABC, is expected to draw around 35,000 and will be the first bowl game of the 42-game bowl season.
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Thursday, December 17, 2015
XU loses by 1 in overtime to ninth-ranked Warriors
XU loses by 1 in overtime to ninth-ranked Warriors
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Jessica Brown's two free throws with eight seconds remaining Thursday gave Indiana Wesleyan a 75-74 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening game of the Cruzin Classic.
The Warriors (11-2) snapped the six-game win streak of the Gold Nuggets (9-3). Both teams are ranked ninth in the NAIA — Xavier competes in Division I, Indiana Wesleyan in Division II.
Brown's free throws resulted in the sixth lead change of overtime. Xavier led 74-73 after Trana Hopkins scored a basket with 12 seconds remaining. After Brown's free throws, the Gold Nuggets were unable to take a shot before time ran out.
Xavier led by 15 points late in the second quarter, by seven in the 37th minute and by two with possession with less than a minute remaining in overtime.
The Warriors' Jessica Stewart tied the score at 63 with a free throw with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Xavier's Whitney Gathright missed a 2-pointer at the buzzer, and the Gold Nuggets went to overtime for the third time this season.
Hopkins scored a career-high 21 points, 16 after halftime, and had a season-best three steals. Donyeah Mayfield had 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and two steals, and Gathright and Joi Simmons had 10 points and three steals apiece. Gathright had seven assists, and Gathright and Mikayla Bates each made a pair of 3-pointers.
After a tie at 14 at the end of the first quarter, Xavier took its largest lead, 33-18, on Mayfield's basket at 2:21 of the second quarter. But Indiana Wesleyan closed the period with seven unanswered points, and Xavier's halftime lead was 33-25.
Mayfield's basket at 3:13 of the fourth gave the Gold Nuggets a 61-54 lead, but the Warriors forced overtime with a 9-2 run that included eight points by Kelsey Key, who finished with a career-high 20.
Chelsea Winner scored 13 points for the Warriors, and Carlee Cottrell had 11. Cottrell grabbed nine rebounds and helped Indiana Wesleyan win the boards 41-35.
Indiana Wesleyan outshot Xavier 47.9 to 35.8 percent from the floor, 56 to 35.3 percent after halftime. The Gold Nuggets were plus-14 in turnovers, committing a season-low nine and gaining 23.
Xavier will play Georgetown (Ky.) at noon EST Friday in the Gold Nuggets' second and final game of this event. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 3 p.m. Jan. 2 against NAIA No. 22 LSU-Shreveport.
NOTES: The game was the Gold Nuggets' first since the end of the fall semester and first since climbing into the national top 10 Dec. 8 . . . The Nuggets are 2-1 in overtime this season. It's the first time since 2006-07 that the Nuggets played three overtime games in a season . . . Xavier is 0-2 all-time against Indiana Wesleyan . . . It was the first time the Nuggets committed fewer than 10 turnovers in a road game since an opening-round victory against Westmont in the 2014 NAIA Division I National Championship.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Jessica Brown's two free throws with eight seconds remaining Thursday gave Indiana Wesleyan a 75-74 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening game of the Cruzin Classic.
The Warriors (11-2) snapped the six-game win streak of the Gold Nuggets (9-3). Both teams are ranked ninth in the NAIA — Xavier competes in Division I, Indiana Wesleyan in Division II.
Brown's free throws resulted in the sixth lead change of overtime. Xavier led 74-73 after Trana Hopkins scored a basket with 12 seconds remaining. After Brown's free throws, the Gold Nuggets were unable to take a shot before time ran out.
Xavier led by 15 points late in the second quarter, by seven in the 37th minute and by two with possession with less than a minute remaining in overtime.
The Warriors' Jessica Stewart tied the score at 63 with a free throw with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Xavier's Whitney Gathright missed a 2-pointer at the buzzer, and the Gold Nuggets went to overtime for the third time this season.
Hopkins scored a career-high 21 points, 16 after halftime, and had a season-best three steals. Donyeah Mayfield had 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and two steals, and Gathright and Joi Simmons had 10 points and three steals apiece. Gathright had seven assists, and Gathright and Mikayla Bates each made a pair of 3-pointers.
After a tie at 14 at the end of the first quarter, Xavier took its largest lead, 33-18, on Mayfield's basket at 2:21 of the second quarter. But Indiana Wesleyan closed the period with seven unanswered points, and Xavier's halftime lead was 33-25.
Mayfield's basket at 3:13 of the fourth gave the Gold Nuggets a 61-54 lead, but the Warriors forced overtime with a 9-2 run that included eight points by Kelsey Key, who finished with a career-high 20.
Chelsea Winner scored 13 points for the Warriors, and Carlee Cottrell had 11. Cottrell grabbed nine rebounds and helped Indiana Wesleyan win the boards 41-35.
Indiana Wesleyan outshot Xavier 47.9 to 35.8 percent from the floor, 56 to 35.3 percent after halftime. The Gold Nuggets were plus-14 in turnovers, committing a season-low nine and gaining 23.
Xavier will play Georgetown (Ky.) at noon EST Friday in the Gold Nuggets' second and final game of this event. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 3 p.m. Jan. 2 against NAIA No. 22 LSU-Shreveport.
NOTES: The game was the Gold Nuggets' first since the end of the fall semester and first since climbing into the national top 10 Dec. 8 . . . The Nuggets are 2-1 in overtime this season. It's the first time since 2006-07 that the Nuggets played three overtime games in a season . . . Xavier is 0-2 all-time against Indiana Wesleyan . . . It was the first time the Nuggets committed fewer than 10 turnovers in a road game since an opening-round victory against Westmont in the 2014 NAIA Division I National Championship.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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VUU Coach Blow Earns 100th Career Win
ETTRICK, Virginia -- VSU Head Men's Basketball Coach Lonnie Blow, Jr. secured his 100th career win against his former CIAA institution, St. Augustine's University, on December 15 with a final score of 86-63.
Blow came to VSU in 2013 from St. Augustine's with a 62-27 record. Since then, he has lead the Trojans to a current winning record of 38-23, 6-2 this season.
"It is a great feeling to earn such a major accomplishment in my career," said Blow. "This accomplishment is also attributed to the other people that I have worked with through my career to include assistant coaches and student-athletes. They all helped make it happen."
Although Blow earned the victory over his former team, the St. Augustine's Falcons, he feels that it was just another game. "It is always great to go back and see familiar faces and players that you recruited, but when the ball goes up, you have to be ready to play hard," said Blow. "In any game that is played, you have to jump in and do your best!"
This monumental win has added to a week of great honors for Blow. In addition to the Trojans currently holding the highest CIAA men's basketball winning percentage of .750, Blow was also named CIAA Coach of the Week after taking down I-95 rival, Virginia Union University, on December 6.
Coach Blow will be back on the road with the Trojans for their Thursday, December 17 game against the Broncos of Fayetteville State University. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. VSU will round out 2015 on December 19-20 in Daytona Beach, FL for the Embry-Riddle Tournament.
For more information on VSU Trojans men's basketball, follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports, or call 804-524-5030.
COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UN IVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
AD Overton promises big changes at FAMU in 2016
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- One last time before the New Year, Milton Overton Jr. was peppered with questions from the 220 Quarterback Club.During the nearly 45-minute conversation on Wednesday at the New Times Country Buffet on Monroe Street, he made some pretty bold statements to the group of Florida A&M sports enthusiasts.
Overton, who started as FAMU’s athletic director on Aug. 3, said he wants to begin work on a new athletic performance center to replace the Galimore-Powell Field House by next year. The field house hasn’t been renovated since it opened in 1983.
He said recruits must see something new when they come to FAMU. Over each of the past two weekends, the football staff has brought in about 20 recruits to visit FAMU’s facilities.
“You all call it a field house, I call it a sports performance facility,” Overton said. “It’ll have an academic center in there for all student-athletes and a new training room for everybody and new weight room for everybody and new locker rooms.”
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SC On The Road: What the Celebration Bowl means to HBCUs
ATLANTA, Georgia -- This year's bowl season will kick off a little differently.Forget teams with six-win seasons or squads teetering along with an interim head coach. The 2015 college football postseason begins with two conference champions squaring off: Alcorn State and North Carolina A&T.
The two FCS programs -- both known as historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) -- will make history when they meet in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl on Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta (noon ET, ABC).
"That's really a cool deal," Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson said.
The game pits the champions from the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) and the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) in what North Carolina A&T coach Rod Broadway calls the "black college national championship" since both conferences are comprised of HBCUs.
"I'm happy for our guys to have an opportunity to experience a bowl game," Broadway said. "I've been there and done it but for our kids to have the opportunity to experience something like that, it's a beautiful thing, especially with it being the first."
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Alcorn looks to separate itself in Celebration Bowl
ATLANTA, Georgia -- Some MEAC games ended with scores of 9-6 and 14-7 this season, which may suggest the conference is a bit more physical and defensive-minded.It was the opposite for the SWAC as some games ended with scores of 70-54 and 53-49, which may suggest the conference is free-flowing and focused on offense.
As SWAC champion Alcorn State (9-3) prepares for a meeting with MEAC champion North Carolina A&T (9-2) in the Celebration Bowl at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Georgia Dome, Braves offensive coordinator Fred Kaiss, who has spent time in both conferences, says there isn’t much difference between the two.
“I don’t know if I buy into all that,” Kaiss said. “I guess you could say we have a little more spread teams, I guess that would be true. But it’s just a different style from coaches. I’m looking at North Carolina (A&T), they’re very athletic, they’re very well-coached. They’re a physical football team, then so is Grambling.”
This is the first MEAC opponent that Alcorn State has faced during Jay Hopson’s time as coach. And stats show their mindsets are pretty similar.
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