Blue Tigers Open 2016 at Emporia State & Washburn

Complete Game Notes
Game #12: Lincoln (6-5, 2-3 MIAA) at No. 3 Emporia State (9-2, 3-2 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016
Time: 1:30 p.m. CST
Site: Emporia, Kan. – William L. White Auditorium
Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/emporia/wbball/
Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/esu/

Game #13: Lincoln vs. Washburn (7-4, 3-2 MIAA)
Date: Monday, Jan. 4, 2016
Time: 5:30 p.m. CST
Site: Topeka, Kan. – Lee Arena (4,179)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/washburn/wbball/
Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/washburn/

THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln women's basketball team opens the new year on the road, as the Blue Tigers head to Kansas for a pair of MIAA contests. Lincoln begins 2016 on Saturday (Jan. 2) with a 1:30 p.m. CST game at Emporia State, which was ranked No. 3 in the country in the most recent WBCA/USA Today Division II Coaches Poll. The Blue Tigers then head to Washburn on Monday (Jan. 4) for a 5:30 p.m. CST tilt with the Ichabods. Both Emporia State (9-2 overall) and Washburn (7-4) are 3-2 in MIAA play while Lincoln closed the month of December with a 6-5 overall record and a 2-3 mark in league play.

FAST BREAKS
- This is the 24th meeting all-time between Lincoln and Emporia State, with the Lady Hornets leading the all-time series, 21-2.

- Monday marks the 23rd meeting between Lincoln and Washburn, with the Ichabods having won each of the previous 22 games.

- On Saturday, Lincoln will play its second-straight game against a ranked opponent, as Emporia State was No. 3 in the latest WBCA/USA Today Division II poll. Lincoln last played on Dec. 20 against No. 16 Missouri Western.

- A win over ESU would be LU's first vs. a ranked team since an 83-77 win over No. 12 Pittsburg State in 2011-12.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Zuri Hill leads LU with 16.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while Lizzie Nessling is next on the rebound chart at 7.9. Hunter Yoakum is averaging 12.0 points while Dorian Briggs averages 10.4. Azaria Nave leads LU with 2.8 assists per contest.

HEAD COACH NICOLE COLLIER:  After leading LU to the postseason in two of her first three years on the job, Nicole Collierreturns for her fourth season as the head coach of the Blue Tigers. A three-year assistant with LU before taking over as the head coach, Collier has helped lead Lincoln to double-digit victories in four of the past six years.

LAST TIME OUT:  It was all tied up at 35 at the half, but No. 16 Missouri Western scored 50 points over the third and fourth quarters to hand the Blue Tigers an 85-62 loss on Dec. 20. Zuri Hill scored 19 and grabbed seven rebounds while Azaria Naveadded a career-high 17 points. Lizzie Nessling scored 11 and led LU with eight rebounds.

SCOUTING THE LADY HORNETS:  Emporia State is outscoring opponents 77.6-59.2, thanks in part to Kelly Moten's 15.5 points per night. Sandra Ngoie averages 12.3 points while Kelsey Barnwell (11.5) and Addie Lackey (9.3) are next on ESU's scoring chart. Kathryn Flott leads Emporia State with 8.8 rebounds.

ESU HEAD COACH JORY COLLINS:  The only coach in Emporia State history to begin his career with five-straight 20-win seasons, Collins has over 130 victories in six-plus years at ESU. Collins has led the Lady Hornets to three-straight MIAA titles and four-straight NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS:  WU averages nearly 10 more rebounds per game than its rivals, led by Jayna Smith's 8.8 average. Erika Lane is the Ichabods only double-digit scorer, averaging 11.2 per night, though Erin Dohnalek & Alyxis Bowen are close with 9.9 and 9.2 ppg., respectively. Smith is WU's assist leader with 3.1 per game.

WU HEAD COACH RON McHENRY:  In 16 years as Washburn's head coach, McHenry has enjoyed tremendous success, leading the WU to over 350 wins and the 2005 NCAA Division II National Championship. McHenry has won eight regular season MIAA championships as well as seven MIAA tournament titles.

DOUBLE THE FUN:  Zuri Hill has been a force for Lincoln both as a scorer and a rebounder, and she has five double-doubles on the year. Hill, who doubled up in each of LU's first four games, leads the MIAA and was ranked 28th nationally in double-doubles as of Dec. 20, and currently is fifth in the conference in rebounding (8.7).

SWEET CHARITY:  Lincoln rarely has to worry when Lizzie Nessling and Hunter Yoakum are sent to the charity stripe, as both players are among the best free throw shooters in LU history. Both Nessling and Yoakum both have career free throw percentages of .838, with that accuracy rate leading all players in program history with at least 50 career attempts and two seasons on the team.

NO WORRIES WITH ZURI:  Zuri Hill has been one of the best players in the MIAA, as she is fifth in the league in rebounding (8.7) while ranking sixth in scoring (16.3). Hill, who is the only player ranked among the top-six in the MIAA in both rebounding and scoring, is also second in the league in both field goal percentage (.543) and
offensive rebounding (3.7), and she additionally is eighth in defensive rebounding (5.0).

NOTHING BUT NESS:  Lizzie Nessling was Lincoln's rebounding leader last season after grabbing at least four boards in 17 contests for an average of 6.3. Nessling is off to a great start again in 2015-16, ranking second on the team and seventh in the MIAA with 7.9 rebounds per night. Nessling has pulled down at least six boards in every game, highlighted by a career-high 14-in LU's win over Rockhurst.

REAPING REBOUNDS:  Rebounding has been Lincoln's forte this year, as LU ranks second in the MIAA with 41.3 boards per game. Lincoln is third in offensive rebounding (14.5) and defensive rebounding (26.7) with Zuri Hill (8.7, fifth) and Lizzie Nessling(7.9, seventh) each ranked among the top-10 in the conference.

COMING UP BRIGGS:  Dorian Briggs has turned into one of Lincoln's top scorers this year, reaching the double-digit mark five times while ranking third on the team with 10.4 points per night. Briggs is also averaging 1.7 assists and leads the Blue Tigers, and ranks 20th in the MIAA, with 17 steals.

POINTS A-PLENTY:  No player in the history of Dixon High basketball, female or male, has ever scored as many points as LU junior Hunter Yoakum, who scored 2,578 during her four-year career. Yoakum hasn't had any trouble finding the basket in college, as she's averaged 11.3 points throughout her Lincoln career, including 12.0 this season.

CENTURY SCORER:  With three long-distance baskets against Illinois-Springfield, Hunter Yoakum became just the fifth Blue Tiger to make 100 career three-point shots. Yoakum, who has drained 112 shots from downtown, is three treys shy of tying Allis Parker for third on the career list and 42 shy of Sheila Leopold's all-time mark of 151

HUNTING FOR REBOUNDS:  Hunter Yoakum has been one of LU's best scorers over the past three seasons, but this season she's also given LU a boost as a rebounder. After averaging 2.1 boards as a freshman and 2.9 last year, Yoakum is third on the team with 4.5 rebounds this year, grabbing at least five in five of Lincoln's past six games.

MANY MINUTES:  Lizzie Nessling and Hunter Yoakum have put in some work through LU's first 11 games, as both players lead the league in minutes played with 35.7 per game.

GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  Get your Blue Tiger jerseys, apparel, accessories, office supplies and much, much more at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store of LU athletics. You can get everything you will need for basketball season, with a portion of all sales going directly to support all 12 LU athletic programs.

NEXT UP:  Lincoln returns home on Thursday (Jan. 7) to host Nebraska-Kearney for a 5:30 p.m. CST contest.

By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

LU Puts Win Streak On The Line With 2 Games In Kansas

Complete Game Notes
Game #12: Lincoln (8-3, 4-1 MIAA) at Emporia State (5-5, 3-2 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016
Time: 3:30 p.m. CST
Site: Emporia, Kan. – William L. White Auditorium (5,000)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/emporia/mbball/
Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/esu/
 
Game #13: Lincoln at Washburn (7-3, 3-2 MIAA)
Date: Monday, Jan. 4, 2016
Time: 7:30 p.m. CST
Site: Topeka, Kan. – Lee Arena (4,179)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/washburn/mbball/
Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/washburn/

THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln men's basketball team will try to keep its winning streak going into the new year as the Blue Tigers open 2016 with a pair of road games this weekend. Lincoln, which is 8-3 on the year and riding a four-game win streak, will open January in Emporia, Kan. on Saturday (Jan. 2) with a 3:30 p.m. CST game vs. Emporia State. Lincoln then travels to Topeka, Kan. on Monday (Jan. 4) to play Washburn at 7:30 p.m. CST. The Blue Tigers are tied for second in the MIAA with a 4-1 league record and takes on a pair of opponents who each are 3-2 in conference play.
 
FAST BREAKS
- Saturday marks the 22nd meeting all-time between the Blue Tigers and Emporia State, with the Hornets owning a 17-4 advantage in the series.
 
- Lincoln will play Washburn on Monday for the 28th time, with the Ichabods leading the series, 24-3.
 
- The Blue Tigers enter 2016 with eight victories, their highest win total in a season since 2005-06.
 
- Lincoln is seeking its first nine-win campaign since going 14-12 in 2001-02.
 
- The Blue Tigers' four-game winning streak is the team's longest since 2004-05. On Saturday, Lincoln will seek its first five-game win streak since 2001-02.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Anthony Virdure (22.1) and Jaylon Smith (20.7) are each averaging over 20 points per night while O'Shai Clark averages a team-best 4.9 rebounds while scoring 9.0 per game. Richie Lewis leads the MIAA in steals with 27 and dishes 3.6 assists per game, the second best on the team after Virdure's 4.1. Tacourrus Mattox averages 4.6 rebounds and has blocked six shots over LU's last three games.
 
HEAD COACH JOHN MOSELEY:  In his second year as the head coach of Lincoln, Moseley has the Blue Tigers off to their best start in over a decade. Moseley joined LU after helping North Carolina Central reach the second round of the NCAA Division I tournament in 2013-14 as the associate head coach.
 
LAST TIME OUT:  Lincoln limited Missouri Western to just one made field goal over the final 8:18 of the game to win its fourth-straight contest, 82-67, on Dec. 20. Jaylon Smith led LU with 31 points while Anthony Virdure scored 15 to go with five assists.Richie Lewis added 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS:  Emporia State has four players averaging double-digit points, led by Terrence Moore with 14.3 per game. Brandon Hall averages 12.7 points, followed by Charles McKinney and Joshua Oswals with 10.8 apiece.
 
ESU HEAD COACH SHAUN VANDIVER:  A former first-round NBA draft pick, Vandiver is in his fifth year leading the Hornets. Vandiver was an All-Big Eight performer as a junior and senior at Colorado and has 57 wins at Emporia State.
 
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS:  Brady Skeens leads Washburn with 7.9 rebounds per game and is scoring 9.8 points, the third-best average after Cameron Wiggins' 14.6 ppg. and Javion Blake's 13.1 ppg. Randall Smith has dished a team-high 41 assists and is next on the scoring chart at 9.0, while Jeremy Lickteig averages 6.6 points
 
WU HEAD COACH BOB CHIPMAN:  The all-time winningest coach in MIAA history, with 780 victories, Chipman is in his 37th season as the head coach at Washburn. In that time, Chipman has coached the Ichabods to 16 national tourney appearances, including the 1986-87 NAIA title, and has led WU to more than 500 MIAA wins.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  After averaging 23.0 points on .694 shooting, Jaylon Smith was named the MIAA Men's Basketball Player of the Week on Dec. 21. Smith, who led LU to three wins that week, including one over a Northwest Missouri team ranked No. 25 in the country, is Lincoln's first player of the week since 2010, when Lionel Booker was the Heartland Conference honoree.
 
...AND HERO:  In addition to being the league's player of the week, Smith was also one of 11 D2 players nominated for HERO Sports Hero of the Week. Smith was recognized for scoring 27 points on 10-13 shooting in LU's win over NWMSU.
 
REGIONAL LOVE:  After beginning the season 8-3, including 6-0 at home, people are beginning to notice the Blue Tigers. On Dec. 21, Lincoln was among the teams receiving votes in D2SIDA's Central Region poll, marking the first time ever that LU has been mentioned in those rankings.
 
HE GIVES AND HE TAKES:  Richie Lewis is one of the top thieves in the country, leading the MIAA and ranking seventh in NCAA Division II (as of Dec. 20) with 27 steals. With his teammates, Lewis is much kinder, as his 3.6 assist average is second on the team and sixth in the league. Lewis leads the MIAA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9) and is 16th nationally in steals per game (2.5).
 
GIVE HIM A PASS:  Lincoln leads the MIAA in assists with 15.2 per game, which is well above its average of 10.3 from last season. Anthony Virdure leads the team, and is third in the league, with 4.1 per game while Richie Lewis is sixth at 3.6 per night. 
 
NO PLACE LIKE HOME:  Jason Gym has been kind to the Blue Tigers so far, as LU is 6-0 and out-scoring opponents 93-70. Beyond being perfect at home, LU is shooting .545 from the floor and .475 from long distance at Jason Gym.
 
LEAGUE LEADERS:  Lincoln leads the conference in five statistics, including scoring (87.6) and turnover margin (+4.5). The Blue Tigers also lead the MIAA in assists (15.2), three-pointers made (9.4) and scoring margin (+10.9) while owning the conference's second-best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.34) and field goal percentage (.496).
 
ALL-AMERICAN:  Anthony Virdure was an NJCAA All-American at Mineral Area, and his play has translated well to the NCAA Division II level. Virdure's scoring average of 22.1 ranks fourth in the MIAA, and 30th in the country (as of Dec. 20), and he ranks third in the league with 2.8 made three-point shots per night. Virdure additionally is third in the MIAA in both assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) and assists (4.1) and is 24th nationally in total points (243).
 
MR. SMITH:  Jaylon Smith is also off to a hot start in 2015-16, averaging 20.7 points through LU's first 11 games. Smith, who is currently fifth in the MIAA in scoring, has reached double digits in every contest, and has hit the 20-point plateau seven times. Smith leads the MIAA with 3.2 treys per night, and his .402 percentage rate from long distance is the eighth-best in the league.
 
DEFENDER:  Scoring hasn't been an issue for LU all season, as Lincoln leads the MIAA with 87.6 ppg., but LU is also a difficul team for opponents to score against. Lincoln is fourth in the league in three-point defense (.346) and fifth in field goal defense (.446) as well as third in steals (7.0).
 
BLOCK PARTY:  In addition to defending well, Lincoln has blocked 17 shots over the past four games, including eight against Northeastern State. Tacourrus Mattox had four blocks in that game while Jaylon Smith rejected three in the win over Missouri Western.
 
GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  Lincoln fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.
 
NEXT UP:  The Blue Tigers will put their perfect 7-0 record at home on the line on Thursday (Jan. 7) when Lincoln hosts Nebraska-Kearney for a 7:30 p.m. CST contest.
 
By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Denver Broncos add rookie guard Robert Myers (Tennessee State) to 53-man roster

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado -- The Broncos filled the vacated 53rd spot on their roster by signing rookie offensive lineman Robert Myers off the Ravens' practice squad.

A fifth-round pick of the Ravens this year, the Tennessee State product flew onto draft radars because of a solid college career which he distinguished himself with his power, quickness and size (6-foot-5 and 335 pounds). He said that he sees himself as more of a right guard, but can play either side.

Myers displayed those attributes during a solid week of practices at the Senior Bowl last January, proving that he could handle the step-up in class from the Ohio Valley Conference.

At the National Scouting Combine last February, he earned the nickname "Quadzilla" because of his massive quadriceps that are 33 inches in circumference. His quads were on full display when he rolled his shorts up high during his Combine workout.

"Anything that looks that good, you've got to be proud of," he said with a smile. "I worked hard, you know?"

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FAMU Rattlers playing with confidence after win over Clemson

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- It took a few games, but Florida A&M’s women’s basketball team is playing with confidence.

The team has won three of its last four games after losing three straight earlier in the season. The Rattlers, now 6-7, are playing with some more swagger after a 77-68 road win over Clemson (4-9) on Tuesday to close out their out-of-conference schedule.

Coach LeDawn Gibson said the victory gave the team a huge boost of confidence. The Rattlers will try to follow up their success with a win over MEAC foe Savannah State Friday at the Lawson Center.

“Just watching the team practice, you can tell it gave them a boost of confidence,” Gibson said. “It helped us mentally and morally. That confidence is helping us get to where we need to be. You can really tell the game gave them a boost.”

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JSU Women's Basketball close out non-conference play with 53-52 win over Lipscomb

JACKSON, Mississippi – Radejah Woodson, junior guard, shot 5-10 from the field, 2-5 in three-point range for 12 points to lead Jackson State in their 53-52 win over Lipscomb University in the final game of non-conference play on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

The Lady Tigers (6-5) created a solid start against the Lady Bisons (3-12) scoring 33 points in the first half while holding Lipscomb to 18.

In the first half of the game, the Jackson State played hard defense putting up 33 points while holding Lipscomb to 18.

Lipscomb adjusted to Lady Tigers defense and revved up their own in the third scoring 23 points while holding JSU to 5. The Lady Bisons also took their first lead (41-38) of the game with 1:07 left in the third making it anyone’s game to take in the fourth.

With just 2 minutes left in the game, Daisha Williams landed a three-point shot to tie the game at 50. Loren Cagle delivered a lay-up to put Lipscomb up two on the Lady Tigers near the one-minute mark.

With just three-seconds left in the game, Williams hit another three to seal the Lady Tiger win.

Nyahok Bile, senior forward, recorded another 10-plus rebound game bringing down a game high of 15 boards.

Daisha Williams went 4-7 from the field and 3-5 in three-point range to add 11 points to the JSU scoring effort which included her game winning shot.

As a team, the Lady Tigers shot 38.9 percent from the field, 25.0 percent in three-point range, and 50.0 percent at the free-throw line while Lipscomb shot 29.5 percent from the field, 31.3 percent in three-point range, and 75.0 percent at the free-throw line.

The Lady Tigers will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 2 when they host Alabama State in the first conference game of the season. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. in the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. The women’s game will be followed immediately by the men’s.

Follow Jackson State basketball and the rest of JSU Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Join the conversation using the #JSUMoreThanAGame.

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FAMU Finishes 11th In FCS Home Attendance For 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University’s football program got some good news from the 2015 season, as they finished 11th in the nation in average home attendance among the 125 NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision teams.

The Rattlers drew 60,240 fans for the four home games at venerable Bragg Memorial Stadium, good for a per-game average of 15,060.

Rattler Football’s 2015 numbers were a major improvement over their 2014 showing at the turnstiles in Bragg, when four games drew 48,188 fans, good for 12,047 per game average.

In 2015, FAMU finished second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in average home crowds, behind South Carolina State (15,629), which drew 78,147 fans in five home games.

The 2015 Rattler home schedule was highlighted by the 18,020 fans for the Sept. 26 home opener against Tennessee State, the fifth-largest home opening crowd in Bragg, followed a month later by the homecoming game crowd of 22,678, which was the third largest homecoming draw in the past 10 years.

FAMU Athletic Director Milton Overton was elated at the news from the NCAA Statistics Service, saying: “These attendance numbers are evidence of the great passion and dedication our fans have for Rattler Football. This was a tremendous showing even with the team’s record, and we believe that bigger and better things are just ahead for our athletic program.”

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

JSU Men’s Basketball Remains Perfect at AAC with 89-66 Win Over SELA

JACKSON, Mississippi – The Jackson State men’s basketball team finished the non-conference portion of its scheduled and closed out 2015 in grand style. Five Tigers scored in double-figures en route to an 89-66 victory over the Southeastern Louisiana Lions Wednesday night at the Lee E. Williams AAC.

Paris Collins led the Tigers (5-8) with a 22 point, four rebound, four assist and three steal effort. He went 8-15 from the field, 2-5 from three-point range and finished 4-4 from the free throw line in 36 minutes of action. Kaven Bernard came off the bench to add 21 points, three rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes. Chace Franklin also came off the bench to score 15 points on 4-10 shooting. He also went 4-5 from the line and pulled down four rebounds over 27 minutes. Janarius Middleton put together a solid game as he scored 12 points on 4-8 shooting and grabbed six rebounds. Raeford Worsham posted his third double-double of the season as he finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds. He went 5-7 from the field and was 4-4 from the line.

Zay Jackson led the Lions (2-11) with a 23 point and a six rebound effort.

JSU led 45-34 at halftime and outscored SELA 44-32 in the second half.

JSU returns to action Saturday, Jan. 2 to face Alabama State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener at the AAC. Tipoff for the men’s game is set for 5:30 p.m. (immediately following the 3 p.m. women’s game). The game will be broadcast on SWAC TV. For ticket information call the JSU Athletics Ticket Office at 601-979-2420.

For all of the information on JSU Athletics visit www.jsutigers.com, Facebook (JSTATETIGERS), Twitter (JSTATETIGERS) and Instagram (JSTATETIGERS).

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Nuggets lose to Lady Demons; Browder denied again

NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana -- Senior guard Janelle Perez scored a season-high 22 points Tuesday, leading Northwestern State to a 73-57 women's basketball victory against NAIA No. 9 Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Lady Demons (6-5) are 6-0 at home this season. They gave the Gold Nuggets (9-5) their third consecutive loss -- their first of the season by double digits -- and denied Bo Browder his 400th XU coaching victory.

Emoni Harvey's 3-pointer at 6:55 of the first quarter gave Xavier its only lead, 3-2. Northwestern State then scored the next seven points and led for the final 36 1/2 minutes.

Perez, who was first-team All-Southland Conference this past season, was 7-of-10 from the floor, 1-of-2 on 3-pointers, and 7-of-7 from the line in 30 minutes. She also led her team with seven rebounds and four assists.

Cheyenne Brown scored 13 points, Shahd Abboud 12 and Beatrice Attura 10 for Northwestern State, which is 4-0 this season against non-NCAA Division I opponents.

Donyeah Mayfield scored 13 points, Whitney Gathright 10 and Harvey eight for Xavier. Mayfield's eight rebounds and Gathright's six assists were game highs. Reserve guard Kelsey Joseph made her first two 3-pointers of the season and scored a season-high six points.

After trailing 34-22 at halftime Xavier twice cut its deficit to six points in the first three minutes of the third quarter. Northwestern State then produced an 11-0 run and led by double digits for the final 15 1/2 minutes.

Xavier made a season-best eight 3-pointers, but the Lady Demons outshot the Gold Nuggets 53.5 to 34.8 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 36-31. Northwestern State dominated at the line, making 25-of-34 free throws to Xavier's 3-of-4. Xavier attempted two free throws in each half and did not get to the line in the second half until 2:30 of the fourth quarter.

Browder is 399-147 in his 17th season at Xavier. His 18-year record as a head coach at 4-year colleges is 401-155.

Xavier is 0-2 this season against NCAA DI opponents. The Gold Nuggets lost 77-69 Nov. 12 at Louisiana-Lafayette.

Xavier's next game will start at 3 p.m. Saturday against LSU-Shreveport at the Convocation Center. The Gold Nuggets will play their first Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game at 5:30 p.m. Monday at home against Edward Waters.

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
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Gold Rush wallop Fisk, finish 2-0 in Holiday Classic

NEW ORLEANS -- Morris Wright and Gary Smith combined to make 8-of-8 3-pointers in the final 32 minutes, and Elex Carter recorded his first double-double for Xavier University of Louisiana in a 68-44 men's basketball victory Wednesday against Fisk in the Gold Rush Holiday Classic.

The Gold Rush (12-4), ranked 17th in NAIA Division I, finished 2-0 in this event and won for the third straight time. The winning margin is Xavier's largest this season.

Wright, scoring in double figures for the 24th consecutive game, had 19 points and made his final six field-goal attempts, five of them 3-pointers. Smith scored 13 points and made a career-high three 3-pointers without a miss. Carter, in his first year at Xavier after transferring from Southern University, produced his team's first double-double of the season, career highs of 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Wright had a season-high six assists and zero turnovers one day after committing a season-worst seven turnovers in a victory against LSU-Shreveport. His five treys matched a season high. Smith tied his career best with three steals and produced back-to-back double-figure point performances for the first time in his career.

Jason Perry had eight points, nine rebounds and four blocks for Fisk (5-12), and Kameron Foster scored eight points.

Xavier took the lead for good in the fifth minute, and a 13-2 run gave the Gold Rush a 17-6 lead at 11:07 of the first half. Xavier led 37-19 at halftime -- its biggest intermission advantage of the season -- and took its biggest lead, 64-38, on Charles Savoy's free throw with 2:25 remaining.

Xavier outshot the Bulldogs 42.6 to 31.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 42-33. Xavier's 11 turnovers matched a season low and were 10 fewer than the previous day. It was the first time this season that the Gold Rush limited an opponent to less than 50 points.

In Wednesday's opening game, LSU-Shreveport built a 26-point lead and won 86-73 against Mobile. Fisk defeated Mobile Tuesday.

Xavier will be at home for its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener at 7:30 p.m. Monday against Edward Waters. The Gold Rush are 10-0 at home this season.

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Racial prejudice is driving opposition to paying college athletes. Here’s the evidence

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the money made from college sports increasing every year, the way colleges treat their athletes has become controversial.

That’s because college sports is a tremendously lucrative business for everyone but the athletes. The National College Athletic Association (NCAA) will receive $7.3 billion from ESPN for the right to broadcast the seven games of the College Football Playoffs (CFP) between 2014 and 2026, and $11 billion from CBS and Turner Sports to broadcast “March Madness” over the next 14 years.

Individual colleges also make out well: The University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team’s trip to the Final Four this year, for example, brought more than $8 million in revenue to the universities of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Each of the “Big 5” conferences will make an estimated $50 million from the college football playoffs this year.

And none of this counts the money made from concessions, merchandise and licensing fees.

Meanwhile, most college athletes are “paid” with scholarships that cover only tuition, room, board, books and fees — although in 2015, the NCAA allowed Division I universities the option of increasing this to pay the full cost of attendance. After adding up the time spent on practice, training and games, college athletes often “work” the equivalent of full-time hours for the universities they play for.

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Gold Rush hold on to defeat LSUS Pilots 63-58

NEW ORLEANS — RJ Daniels scored 18 points to match his career high, and Xavier University of Louisiana shut out LSU-Shreveport in the final three minutes to earn a 63-58 men's basketball victory Tuesday in the second game of the Gold Rush Holiday Classic.
     
The Gold Rush (11-4), ranked 17th in NAIA Division I, are 9-0 at home this season.
     
Fisk defeated Mobile 60-36 in the opening game.
     
Daniels, a senior guard/forward, was 7-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the line in 29 minutes as a reserve. He scored in double figures for the sixth time this season, and he led Xavier in rebounds with six.
     
Daniels scored 14 points to lead Xavier to a 32-13 advantage through the first 16 minutes. The Gold Rush led 36-24 at halftime.
     
Lyndale James' basket with 3:03 remaining gave LSUS (6-6) its only second-half lead, 58-57, but the Pilots went 0-of-8 from the floor and committed one turnover thereafter. Xavier tied the score at 58 with 2:31 remaining when Lucas Martin-Julien made 1-of-2 free throws, then took the lead for good at 2:14 when Martin-Julien made two more free throws.
     
Gary Smith's basket with 41 seconds remaining gave Xavier a 62-58 lead.
     
Martin-Julien scored 13 points, Smith 11 and Morris Wright 10. It was the first time in 18 games that Wright did not lead Xavier in scoring. Martin-Julien had five assists and a career-high-tying four steals.
     
Daniels' other 18-point performance was Nov. 30, 2013, on the road against LeMoyne-Owen.
     
Josh Walker scored 14 points, Tyrell Springer 13 and Manny Martin 11 for LSUS. Zay Henderson grabbed eight rebounds.
     
Xavier, in the opener of a five-game home stand, outshot the Pilots 51.2 to 35.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 37-28. LSUS was plus-9 in turnovers, committing 12 and gaining 21.
     
The teams split their two-game season series. LSUS won 65-55 Nov. 24 at Shreveport, La.
     
On Wednesday, LSUS will meet Mobile at 3 p.m., and Xavier will play Fisk at 5 p.m. to conclude the event.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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What's at the top of GSU's 2016 wish list? A QB

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — For the first time during his tenure at Grambling, coach Broderick Fobbs heads into the offseason without a starting quarterback, or at least one he feels comfortable naming as the guy with spring practice just a few months away.

An embarrassment of riches at the position spoiled Grambling, and Fobbs, the past two years. In Fobbs' first season, Grambling had three starting-caliber quarterbacks, and this past year the Tigers rode the coattails of Johnathan Williams, who led all of FCS with 37 touchdown passes.

So what's the top priority for Grambling heading into the offseason as the Tigers try to attain its goal of a Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship? Yes, a quarterback.

"We're a work in progress. Johnathan is a senior and he's moving on," Fobbs said earlier this month. "There's some work that still needs to get done to solidify a starter at that position.

"We are hitting the recruiting trail to bring other people in to compete for ...

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