Grambling State Baseball to Start Cooper Era

James Cooper is about to begin his first season as a Division I baseball coach, but he'll have plenty of experience within the Grambling Tigers to draw from. The Tigers return nine of the 12 players who started at least 20 games last season. Despite a 17-37 record last season, Grambling did come within one win of playing for the SWAC Tournament title. Cooper, a native of Cullen (La.) and Grambling graduate, replaced former coach Barret Rey. Although he'll have plenty of help in the lineup, including 2009 leading hitter Steve Kletke, Cooper will look for some new help on the mound as the season begins at Stephen F. Austin on Friday.

Coach Cooper started season at 0-2, dropping games on the road at Stephen F. Austin, 4-0 and 9-4. The Tigers play this afternoon to end the series.

Gone are starting pitchers Baron Hinton and Manny Kumar, who combined for eight of the Tigers' 17 victories last season and finished 1-2 in innings pitched. Hinton led the team (players who pitched more than 10 innings) with a 4.59 ERA. The Tigers lose 30 starts from five departing pitchers, but retain Adrian Turner. The Kenosha, Wis., product tied for the team lead with seven starts as a sophomore in 2009.

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Southern Jaguars Rise Early for Football Spring Practice

When players reported for the first session of Stump Mitchell’s first spring practice at Southern University, the lights shone above A.W. Mumford Stadium, and the temperature stood still at 33 degrees. It was Friday morning, while much of Baton Rouge was still hugging its pillow. Practice began at 5:30 a.m. — and in the month since Mitchell took over at SU, players have learned how to read pro football time. In other words, they needed to be ready at 5:20.

Why so early? The No. 1 reason, Mitchell said, is logistics. Because many players at SU have afternoon classes, before-dawn sessions are the only way to get the entire team together at once. “You have to have reps at something,” Mitchell said. “You can’t just watch it on video or watch somebody else do it and think you can be pretty proficient at it. ... So we go early, unfortunately. Or fortunately. It depends on if you’re an early riser or not.” Of course, there are a few ancillary benefits to the early rise. First, players aren’t as likely to oversleep and blow off class — and blowing off class, Mitchell said, is a big no-no with him.

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Southern women fall, 65-62 to Alabama A&M

Pugh says ‘game stolen from us’

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Southern University’s women’s basketball coach Sandy Pugh didn’t consider Saturday’s 65-62 loss to Alabama A&M a heartbreaker. Not under these circumstances. “I’m not sure we lost the game,” Pugh said. “I feel the game was stolen from us.” The Jaguars were whistled for 27 fouls to 15 for the Bulldogs. And A&M shot 31 free throws to Southern’s 16. And Southern had two players foul out while no one for A&M had as many as four fouls.

The loss played out in heartbreaking fashion. The Jaguars never trailed until Katrich Williams hit three free throws with 11 seconds left for a 63-62 edge. Then Williams iced the win with two more free throws with two seconds left. A&M outscored Southern 23-10 at the foul line. Asked about the disparity in fouls, Pugh said, “Like I said, I don’t feel like we lost the game. I feel like it was stolen from us.” A&M coach Altherias Warmly had her own theory on the foul disparity.

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North Carolina A&T women have plenty of bounce in victory

North Carolina A&T Senior guard Ta'Wuana Cook leads Lady Aggies to victory with six 3-pointers and 25 points over the S.C. State Lady Bulldogs.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- After losing their first conference game of the season to Hampton on Monday, the N.C. A&T Aggies bounced back on Saturday with an 83-63 win over S.C. State at Corbett Sports Center. The Aggies (18-8, 12-1 MEAC) won by 38 after their first conference loss in 2008, and they won by 33 after their first conference loss in 2007. Senior Ta'Wuana Cook led the Aggies with 25 points on six 3-pointers. Senior Lamona Smalley recorded her sixth double-double in seven games with 11 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Jaleesa Sams added 14.

A sideline intra-squad altercation occurred on the A&T bench during the game. School officials said they were unclear about the altercation. According to a staff journalist who attended the game, midway through the second half, freshman Amber Calvin and junior Jaleesa Sams had to be separated by fellow teammates and coaches. After the game, the journalist also said a man approached Sams and there was a brief scuffle between the two.

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After 9 Years, South Carolina State's Buddy Pough Still Having Fun

S.C. State's Coach Buddy Pough is becoming a bigger name in South Carolina football than his previous mentor-employer at the University of South Carolina, Coach Steve Spurrier. Coach Pough was named the 2009 Palmetto State College Coach of the Year, amongst many other awards. (Photo: Spurrier and Pough at mid-field following hard fought 38-14 win by Gamecocks over Bulldogs in 2009).

After nine years, the job is still fun for South Carolina State head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough. What’s not to love about coaching his alma mater in his hometown? From leading the Bulldogs to three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles, two Top 15 finishes in the national Football Championship Subdivision rankings and a black college football national championship, Pough has reached many of his goals since succeeding Willie Jeffries in 2001.

Pough’s 67-26 record after eight seasons is virtually identical to the legendary Jeffries’ after nine seasons (66-27-4). Nevertheless, Pough begins preparation for Year Nine of his tenure with the start of spring practice Monday with many unattained goals on his agenda.

In this week’s Sunday Conversation, Pough discusses the program, life in Orangeburg and what to expect during the spring.

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JSU Tigers Work Overtime to Claim 9th Straight Win

When teams scout Jackson State to ID the shooters and scorers, Rod Melvin and Cason Burk aren't likely to be in the conversation. The two entered Saturday's game against Grambling State averaging less than 10 points combined. Burk is the rebounding, hustle man. Melvin is a true pass-first point guard. Nobody at Hobdy Arena was ready, then, for the duo to come out firing, but they did, and for SWAC-leading JSU that was a good thing.With Burk scoring a career-high 19 and Melvin adding nine, the visiting Tigers held on for an 84-79 overtime victory, extending their winning streak to nine games.

"Teams are keying in on me. They think they know how to stop us," said Garrison Johnson, JSU's leading scorer with 22. "They fail to realize we have an arsenal. ... They held it down. "They bring it every night, but usually it's in a different aspect." JSU (15-11, 13-1) looked like it would glide to victory after opening with a 15-5 run and extending the lead to 14. Grambling (6-16, 4-10) cut it to six at halftime, but JSU jumped the lead to 13 early in the second half.

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Mississippi Valley Delta Devils Deliver Statement to TSU

Texas Southern University head basketball coach Tony Harvey.

Mississippi Valley State basketball coach Sean Woods wanted this game in the worst way. His message to his players was well received by the Delta Devils as they blew out Texas Southern 62-44 Saturday night at the R.W. Harrison Complex in Itta Bena. Woods, whose team lost 74-73 at TSU four weeks ago, called this a "statement win." When asked why he put so much into this game, Woods didn't hold back: "They (TSU) are so arrogant. They've got a lot of talent, but, hey, so do we. I told our guys that we have just as much talent as they do. We've just got to put it all together and believe in ourselves."

With the win, MVSU moves to 8-19 overall, 7-7 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. TSU falls to 12-13, 8-5 in the SWAC. Valley led 30-23 at the break and controlled things for most of the second half. TSU made a little noise when it quickly trimmed an 11-point deficit to four. Travele Jones had a 3-point play to make it 40-36 with 11:38 left. But less than two minutes later, the Delta Devils pushed their lead to 15 before the Tigers knew what had hit them. Shannon Behling capped the home team's 11-0 run with a slam dunk and a layup in less than a 20-second span.

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UAPB Lady Lions Upset Short-Handed Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers

University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Women Basketball Head Coach Cary Shelton.

It was right at tip-off that Cary Shelton realized the best team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference was at less than full strength. Shelton’s Arkansas-Pine Bluff women’s basketball team entered Saturday’s game in need of a win to keep its hopes for a berth in next month’s SWAC Tournament alive, and facing it was the team at the top of the standings — Prairie View A&M. But missing from Prairie View — which suited just eight players — was leading scorer Latara Darrett, second-leading scorer Candice Thomas and leading rebounder Gaati Werema, thanks to an assortment of injuries.

Shelton, though, said it didn’t matter that his Lady Lions were playing a skeletal form of the Lady Panthers. UAPB needed a win. And thanks to a decrease in turnovers from a loss on Monday and a continued emphasis on forcing them, the Lady Lions got a win, 72-59, over the defending conference champions at H.O. Clemmons Arena.

“It doesn’t matter who is out on the floor, you’ve got to go out and compete at a high level,” Shelton said. The first-year coach was disappointed with a level of competition displayed in a loss Monday night at Alcorn State, a game in which the Lady Lions committed 29 turnovers. On Saturday, he had no complaints.

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Ark.-Pine Bluff 57, Prairie View 55

Southern Jaguars 12, Cal State Northridge 9

Jaguars rebound for 12-9 triumph

COMPTON, Calif. — Silenced and humbled in its season opener, the Southern baseball team responded well Saturday. The Jaguars rallied twice, and they won. On the second day of the Major League Baseball Urban Invitational, Southern scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning against Cal State Northridge, and reliever Brian Foster held off the Matadors in the top of the ninth for a 12-9 victory. “We played much better today,” SU coach Roger Cador said. “We needed something from the bottom of our lineup and we got it. We needed something from Doc (Foster), and we got it from him too.”

The Jaguars’ win came less than 24 hours after UCLA roughed them up 16-2 in the season opener Friday night in Los Angeles. In that game, the Bruins scored nine runs in the first inning, and SU never recovered. On Saturday, Cal State Northridge jumped on starter Jarrett Maloy for four runs in the top of the first. The Jaguars rallied and took a 7-5 lead into the top of the seventh, when Northridge scored three times off SU reliever Joshua Rochelle.

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UMES Hawks Don't Disappoint on Homecoming

Coach Frankie Allen: 'It was a game that we felt we had to win.'

PRINCESS ANNE, MD -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team looked to finish off the tail end of a homecoming doubleheader on a winning note Saturday. With the help of big runs in the first and second halves, UMES eased to a 66-52 victory over Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival Coppin State. It was the Hawks' first homecoming win in eight years. "It's a great feeling," UMES coach Frankie Allen said. "So much is put into your homecoming, and we had a big crowd, and it was a game that we felt we had to win."

The beginning of the game saw both teams struggle on the offensive end, with the score being 3-3 after the first five minutes. The offensive woes continued for both teams, for it was close to the 10-minute mark before either team reached double digits when UMES guard Josh Bright hit two free throws to break a 9-9 tie. After Bright's free throws, the Hawks (9-18, 7-6 MEAC) went on to outscore Coppin State by a 17-12 margin to end the half, capped by a Hillary Haley 3-pointer in the closing seconds. The Eagles (7-18, 2-10) were sluggish following the break, and were outscored 14-2 by the Hawks in the first five minutes of the half.

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Spiders Rattle Florida A&M, 23-1, In 2010 Season Baseball Opener

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Richmond baseball team exploded for 10 runs in the second inning and senior Matt Zielinski was dominant in the season-opener as the Spiders rolled past Florida A&M, 23-1, Friday in the first game of the North Florida Classic. Zielinski fanned five and scattered just five hits over six innings to pick up the Spiders third-straight season-opening win under head coach Mark McQueen. The senior lefty allowed just one walk and a run in the winning effort.

"We threw strikes, only walked one and didn't commit an error," said McQueen. "I liked that we did the little things well and that's a credit to our guys. Even though we've practice outside only once with all the snow, we've worked hard and came ready to play today." Sophomore C Chris Cowell launched a three-run homer in the Spiders 10-run second inning and set a career-high with six RBI to lead an offensive attack that struck for 21 runs on 11 hits and benefited from 16 walks by Rattler pitching.

"The big second inning really gave us a chance to relax and allowed our guys to get in a zone," said McQueen. "We had good at-bats and I liked the approach." Junior DH Billy Barber had two hits, a solo homer, three RBI and scored four times, while sophomore LF Phil Ruzbarsky had two hits and scored a career-high three runs. After Barber led off the second inning with a single, Brown followed with a towering shot to left and Cowell later tomahawked a three-run homer over the left-center field wall. Richmond feasted on five walks in the frame and ended the day of FAMU starter Miguel Parga quickly.

North Florida Classic Schedule / Results
Friday, Feb. 19
Richmond 23, Florida A&M 1
Boxscore

Ohio State 4, North Florida 2
Boxscore

Saturday, Feb. 20
Richmond 16, North Florida 11
Boxscore

Ohio State 16, Florida A&M 1
Boxscore

Sunday, Feb. 21
Richmond vs. Ohio State
11:00 a.m.

Florida A&M vs. North Florida
3:00 p.m.

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No. 23 UCLA Baseball Defeats Southern, 16-2, in Season Opener

LOS ANGELES - Right-hander Gerrit Cole allowed two runs and one hit in 6.0 innings to lead the No. 23 UCLA baseball team past Southern, 16-2, in the season opener for both teams in an MLB Urban Invitational contest on Friday evening at UCLA's Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium.Cole (1-0) recorded nine strikeouts and no walks as the Bruins' starter.

UCLA (1-0) received at least one hit from each of its nine starters in the lineup. Designated hitter Blair Dunlap led the way with a 3-for-4 effort, including one homer, two RBI and two runs. Dunlap led off the bottom of the first by connecting on the first pitch from Southern left-hander Chase Richard for a solo homer to left. Right fielder Brett Krill finished 3-for-5 with one run, and shortstop Niko Gallego went 2-for-4 with a career-high four RBI. Catcher Steve Rodriguez belted one three-run homer in a 1-for-3 effort, collecting a career-high four RBI and two runs.

Richard (0-1) absorbed the loss for Southern, surrendering 13 runs (seven earned) and 12 hits in 4.0 innings. UCLA led 9-0 after the first inning by taking advantage of seven hits and one fielding error. Dunlap's solo blast in the first inning put the Bruins on the board. With one out and the bases loaded, Espy reached on a sacrifice fly to center that was dropped, sending home Rahmatulla.

After an RBI-single by freshman Cody Keefer and a two-out bases-loaded hit-by-pitch from Rodriguez, Dunlap reached on an RBI-bunt single and Gallego blooped a three-run double to center field. Rahmatulla's second hit of the inning scored Gallego for the Bruins' ninth run. Espy's solo homer in the bottom of the second extended UCLA's cushion to 10-0. Southern scored two runs in the top of the third. With one out, left fielder James Armstrong lined a run-scoring triple down the right-field line, scoring right fielder Michael Lindsey. A sacrifice fly to center by first baseman Frazier Hall plated Armstrong from third.

Box Score (PDF)

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Cal State Northridge rolls to win over Bethune-Cookman

COMPTON, Calif. -- Cal State Northridge kicked off the third annual Urban Invitational presented by the U.S. Army in a big way, beating Bethune-Cookman, 18-4, on Friday at the Urban Youth Academy. The three-day tournament, which also includes UCLA and Southern University and helps spotlight Historically Black Colleges and Universities by giving them national exposure, began Friday with a game billed as a pitchers' duel between the club's aces on the first day of the college baseball season.

It appeared that way for Bethune-Cookman left-hander Ali Simpson, as his club led, 4-0, after three innings with a pair of two-runs homers by Peter O'Brien and Matt Wright against Northridge right-hander Ryan Juarez. But Northridge overcame that early 4-0 deficit by breaking out in the sixth inning with nine runs and added five more in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach. All told, 12 different players had a hit for the Matadors as they club pounded out 20 hits.

"It was a little dicey there at the beginning because we made some mental mistakes," Northridge coach Steve Rousey said. "So early on, we weren't playing well, but I don't know if the guys loosened up or what, but it turned around."

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Hall Returns to Savannah State Tigers Football Staff

Alan Hall will return to the Savannah State University football coaching staff as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, interim athletics director Marilynn Suggs announced. Hall’s first day at SSU will be March 1, 2010. “We are excited about Coach Hall rejoining our football staff,” said Suggs. “He did a great job as offensive coordinator for us in 2008 and we are confident that he will pick up where he left off.”

While at Savannah State in 2008, Hall served as offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach and helped the Tigers win five games, the most since 1999. The year before Hall arrived, SSU averaged 8.4 points per game and 189 yards per game. In 2008, Savannah State averaged 314 yards per game and 19.2 points a game. “I am happy to be back at Savannah State. I really enjoyed my time here,” Hall said. “When I was at SSU, I grew very close with many of the players. I thank the administration for the opportunity to work with the team again.” Hall served as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Winston-Salem State during the 2009 season. The Tampa, Florida native has worked on the college level since 1998.

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'Raggedy' MVSU puts on own Ritz with Notre Dame

'Raggedy' MVSU puts on own ritz

ITTA BENA, MS — Yes, those were the Notre Dame Fighting Irish out there on the modest baseball diamond of Mississippi Valley State on Friday - Notre Dame with all the trimmings: Brilliant, old gold batting helmets, navy blue jerseys, with gold numbers and lettering and bright green shamrocks on the sleeves. This was Notre Dame, in Itta Bena, playing on a field that Valley coach Doug Shanks and his coaches worked on through Thursday night making sure it would be playable. This is Magnolia Field, where the one-man grounds crew dresses in green and white striped pants, courtesy of a nearby penal farm where he is housed and fed. "Hardest worker you ever saw, but we have to have him back by 4," Shanks says.

This was Notre Dame, the gold standard of college athletics, winning 12-4 over Mississippi Valley State, which Shanks quite frankly will admit, has "the worst Division I baseball facilities in America." The crowd was standing room only Friday. Of course, at Magnolia Field, there is essentially standing room only. The official nickname for MVSU's athletic teams is Delta Devils. The baseball players call themselves the Ragamuffins. No explanation necessary.

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Coach Doug Shanks at the Valley.

Irish Upend Mississippi Valley State, 8-3

GREENVILLE, MS - Notre Dame senior RHP Billy Boockford (Glen Elyn, Ill.) picked up his first career victory and senior 1B Casey Martin (Chesterton, Ind.) added two hits, including a solo home run for the second consecutive day, to lead the Irish past Mississippi Valley State, 8-3, in college baseball action from Legion Field Saturday afternoon. An energetic crowd of 1,875 watched Notre Dame improve to 2-0 on the season. Boockford, who entered today's contest with just one previous pitching appearance, tossed 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings of relief. The right-handed hurler walked a batter and recorded a strikeout.

Junior Todd Miller (Franklin, Tenn.) picked up the save. Miller, who tied for the team-lead in saves last season with five, worked 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. He surrendered three hits and one walk, but also struck out one. Martin and junior Cameron McConnell (Bannockburn, Ill.) were the only two Irish players with more than one hit, but seven of the nine starters registered a base hit. It marked the second consecutive day with seven of the nine starting players recorded a hit.

Notre Dame grabbed an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second inning. Senior 2B Ryne Intlekofer (Moorpark, Calif.) opened the game with a double and came around to score on senior OF David Mills' (Battle Creek, Mich.) RBI single. Junior 3B Greg Sherry (Mendham, N.J.) added an RBI single in the second to score McConnell, who reached with a one-out single.

After the Delta Devils cut the Irish lead in half, 2-1, Notre Dame pushed the lead to 4-1 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. Junior David Casey (Whitefish Bay, Wisc.) drew a two-out walk and raced home on junior Mick Doyle's (LaGrange Park, Ill.) RBI double. Doyle would eventually score on a Mississippi Valley State error to make it 4-1.

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Murray State Racers set school record for win streak, down Morgan State

You couldn't dream much more of a senior night for a trio of Murray State basketball players. A national television audience, a record-setting victory over a tough non-conference foe and a sneak preview of the intensity of March. But Danero Thomas and the rest of the Racers weren't thinking much about it after Saturday's 75-66 victory over Morgan State at the Regional Special Events Center on ESPNU.

“When we cut down the nets in Nashville, I'll think about it then,” the senior from New Orleans said after the Racers outlasted an equally as hot Bear team in a slugfest between two of the nation's top mid-major teams. The win was a school-record 17th at home and pushed the Racer record to 26-3 overall. And it came against an opponent that owns 20 wins on their resume. Morgan State fell to 20-9 overall and is 12-1 in the MEAC.

GAME BOXSCORE Morgan State coverage GORACERS.COM

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UAPB Golden Lions Moving on Without Townsend

A second opinion from a Pine Bluff doctor provided the best of both worlds for Arkansas-Pine Bluff guard Savalace Townsend. The sophomore broke his right hand in a Feb. 8 game against Alabama State and an initial prognosis recommended season-ending surgery. He spent the next week pondering his next move — play with a broken bone in his shooting hand or check out of a season that still could end in a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship for UAPB.

UAPB 6-1/160 guard Savalace Townsend (#23) had successful hand surgery yesterday and is expected to return to play before the SWAC Tournament. The former Long Beach, Mississippi (Long Beach High School) star is averaging 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said Thursday. A day later, his decision was made a bit easier. Townsend had surgery on his hand in Pine Bluff Friday, but coach George Ivory said the recovery time is not expected to take up the rest of the season. The coach said he won’t be available for either game this weekend — UAPB (10-14, 10-3) hosts Prairie View A&M (13-10, 8-4) at 7:30 tonight — but the Golden Lions’ second-leading scorer is expected to return for the regular-season finale against Mississippi Valley State March 4. Hearing that news Friday, Ivory said, made the decision to have surgery easier for Townsend.

“I think when he realized he could play and come back and help the team, that was good for him,” Ivory said. “He had surgery and came back (during practice) and he’s doing well.” A day earlier, Townsend said he was struggling with the decision. At that time, though, he had only seen one doctor, and had been told surgery was required and that the procedure would make it so he missed the final five games, the SWAC Tournament and whatever games UAPB played after that. “I wasn’t having any of that,” Townsend said.

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Jackson State outlasts Texas Southern in OT

Garrison Johnson and Tyrone Hanson combined for 14 points in overtime to help Jackson State ease past Texas Southern in a televised SWAC contest at Health & PE Center in Houston Monday. Johnson hit two three-pointers and two free throws for eight of his game-high 27 points for Jackson State (14-11, 12-1). Hanson made four free throws and a layup for six points in the overtime contest that was aired live on ESPNU. He finished the game with 18 points.

Texas Southern's DeAndre Hall kept TSU close with six of his 14 points in the extra period. TSU sent the game into overtime when Marc Ellis hit the second of two free throws to knot the game at 53-53 with :08 left. Seconds earlier, Johnson had nailed another trey to give Jackson State a brief 53-52 edge. Phillip Williams added 12 points for Jackson State, which shot just 38.2 percent from the floor, but made 10 of its 28 three-point tries.

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FAMU's Benson moves from gridiron to diamond

FAMU Head Baseball Coach Robert Lucus and the Rattlers season opener is Friday, Feb. 19 in Jacksonville in a three-team tournament at the University of North Florida. The Rattlers will face Richmond, followed by Ohio State and UNF. (See complete schedule below)

Four years ago when Mykel Benson asked his FAMU football coach's permission to join the Rattlers' baseball team, he was denied. He didn't ask third-year coach Joe Taylor for fear of the answer he might have gotten. Now that his career as a fullback is over, Benson is making a comeback to the diamond after seven years. He's shown in practice that he hasn't lost much — at least with his bat — to earn a starting position at first base. "It's actually brought me some joy," said Benson, 6-foot, 240 pounds. "It's gotten me back to loving the game.

When I was trying out for high school, it wasn't fun to me, but I like it out here with these guys. They're a lot of fun." Benson grew up in Palm Bay playing football and baseball on several youth teams. He couldn't convince his baseball coach at Bayside High School that he deserved a starting position. Instead, he devoted time to playing football. But all the time that he was plowing over defensive players on the gridiron, he believed that he could still swing a bat and make plays. The rust was there during his first week in practice and he remains a work in progress, said coach Robert Lucas, who expects Benson to become more of an offensive spark for the team.

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Florida A&M University Rattlers 2010 Baseball Schedule
Date Opponent Location Time

North Florida Tournament
2/19/2010 University of Richmond Jacksonville, FL 3 PM
2/20/2010 Ohio State University Jacksonville, FL 5 PM
2/21/2010 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL 3 PM
2/23/2010 Mercer University Tallahassee, FL 4 PM

Savannah State Tournament
2/26/2010 Delaware State University Savannah, GA 11 AM
2/27/2010 Savannah State University Savannah, GA 11 AM
2/27/2010 Norfolk State University Savannah, GA 3 PM
3/2/2010 Mercer University Tallahassee, FL 4 PM
3/5/2010 Jackson State University (DH) Tallahassee, FL 2 PM
3/6/2010 Jackson State University Tallahassee, FL 12 PM
3/10/2010 Albany State University Tallahassee, FL 3 PM
3/13/2010 Savannah State University Tallahassee, FL 11 AM
3/14/2010 Savannah State University Tallahassee, FL 12 PM
3/16/2010 Mercer University Macon, GA 6 PM
3/17/2010 Mercer University Macon, GA 4 PM
3/20/2010 * Bethune-Cookman University (DH) Tallahassee, FL 1 PM
3/21/2010 * Bethune-Cookman University Tallahassee, FL 1 PM
3/25/2010 Selma University (DH) Tallahassee, FL 12 PM
3/30/2010 Edward Waters (Fla.) Jacksonville, Fla 1 PM
3/31/2010 Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FL 6:30 PM

April
4/2/2010 * North Carolina A&T (DH) Greensboro, NC 1 PM
4/3/2010 * North Carolina A&T Greensboro, NC 1 PM
4/7/2010 Alabama State Montgomery, AL 1 PM
4/13/2010 Edward Waters (Fla.) Tallahassee, FL 2 PM
4/14/2010 Alabama State Tallahassee, FL 1 PM
4/17/2010 * Delaware State (DH) Dover, DE 1 PM
4/18/2010 * Delaware State Dover, DE 1 PM
4/21/2010 Southern Baton Rouge, LA 6 PM
4/22/2010 Southern Baton Rouge, LA 3 PM
4/24/2010 * Maryland Eastern Shore (DH) Tallahassee, FL 12 PM
4/25/2010 * Maryland Eastern Shore Tallahassee, FL 12 PM
4/27/2010 Jackson State University (DH) Jackson, MS 3 PM
4/28/2010 Jackson State University Jackson, MS 12 PM

May
5/1/2010 * Coppin State (DH) Tallahassee, FL 1 PM
5/2/2010 Coppin State Tallahassee, FL 1 PM
5/4/2010 Albany State Albany, GA 3 PM
5/5/2010 Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FL 4 PM
5/8/2010 * Norfolk State (DH) 1 p.m.
5/9/2010 * Norfolk State Noon
5/12/2010 Alcorn State Alcorn State, MS 6 PM

5/20 -22/2010 MEAC TOURNAMENT, Daytona Beach, FL , TBA

Morgan falls to S.C. State, 71-68

South Carolina State punctured Morgan State's aura of invincibility at Hill Field House on Monday night and dealt the Bears their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference loss in nearly a year, 71-68. Led by Jason Flagler's 24 points, the Bulldogs hit 57.1 percent of their shots and held a 12-point lead with 6:39 to play. But Morgan had one final run and narrowly missed pulling off a dramatic comeback when a pair of 3-point shots missed in the final seconds.

The Bears battled foul trouble - they lost leading scorer Reggie Holmes and DeWayne Jackson in the final minute - but still got to within 70-68 on a runner by Joe Davis with 21 seconds left. Both teams missed free throws in the final minute. "It's a great win on their floor because they're a great team in our conference," South Carolina State coach Tim Carter said. "It's a great win because you don't go on their floor and beat them. We did a tremendous job executing the game plan, but we were frazzled the last two minutes."

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Hampton Pirates hand North Carolina A&T Aggies first MEAC defeat

HAMPTON, Va. -- Bernadette Fortune scored 30 points and added 11 assists as Hampton knocked off N.C. A&T 90-80 on Monday night in MEAC women's basketball. It was the first conference loss of the season for the Aggies (17-8, 11-1). Hampton is 14-10 overall, 9-3 in the league. Jaleesa Sams led A&T with a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds. JaQuayla Berry added 20 points, and MEAC Player of the Week Lamona Smalley recorded her fourth double-double in five games (16 points, 12 rebounds).

"That was our first loss," said Patricia Cage-Bibbs, A&T's coach. "I'd much rather have it happen now than to have it happen in the tournament. My young ladies really wanted to go undefeated in the conference. ... If we take care of business, everything will be fine."

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Texas Southern Extends McClelland's Contract

Texas Southern University athletic director, Charles McClelland (L) and President, John Rudley, Ph.D.

The Board of Regents at Texas Southern University approved a contract extension on Friday for Tigers athletics director Charles McClelland. McClelland told FOX 26 Sports TSU has given him a two-year extension that ties him to the school until Dec. 31, 2014. "I am ecstatic about the confidence that (TSU) President (John) Rudley has in my abilities to continue to lead this Texas Southern University athletics program to achieving our goals," McClelland said.

"President Rudley and the Board of Regents have shown this commitment to me personally and I want to show my commitment to Texas Southern and its alumni that I am here for the long haul." TSU hired McClleland in 2008 when he signed his original five-year contract. He has three years to go on that deal before his extension kicks in. On McClelland's watch TSU has flourished on the field of play and in the all-important arena of raising money. "Over the past two years we have generated over $825,000 in corporate sponsorships and in-kind gifts," McClelland said. "We proposed a new student fee that was approved by the students that generates approximately $2.2 million a year which goes into the TSU athletics budget."

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Norfolk Women Wins MEAC Indoor Track Championship

LANDOVER, MD — The Norfolk State women’s track team moved one step closer to completing the cross country and track and field MEAC sweep on Saturday when they tallied 159 points en route to their first MEAC indoor track and field title since 2000 at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex. A total group effort carried the Spartans to victory as they scored in each event they participated in.

“Our expectations were there and our ladies performed in every event,” said head coach Ronda Berard, who was named the Women’s Outstanding Coach. “The women put their heart into it and I’m extremely proud of the full they gave. To win the championship on both the men’s and women’s side is exceptional,” stated Berard.

Elaine Rhoades (Norfolk, Va.) was named the Outstanding Field Performer after scoring 17 points in three events. She finished second in both the pentathlon (3,394 points) and the triple jump (39 feet, 6 inches) and came in eighth in the long jump (17-5 ¾). NSU dominated the pole vault for the second straight year by taking the top four spots in the event. Katie Wright (Virginia Beach, Va.) defended her 2009 title by clearing 10-2 ¼ for the win. Candace Shoates (Newport News, Va.) was the runner-up (9-8 ½) and Andrea Saunders (Chesapeake, Va.) and Ashleigh Joseph (Chesapeake, Va.) tied for third after clearing 8-8 ¾.

Final Results Photo Gallery

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Norfolk State Spartan Men Win Record 5th Straight MEAC Indoor Track Title

LANDOVER, MD – The Norfolk State men’s track & field team was in a record-breaking mindset on Saturday, tallying a meet-record 188 points en route to its MEAC-record fifth consecutive indoor championship at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex. NSU broke its own record for points at the indoor meet, surpassing the 2008 title team’s total of 170. Saturday’s biggest star was first-year sophomore Sean Holston (Springfield, Va.), who earned a sweep of the men’s 200 and 400 meters. He just missed a meet-record with a winning time of 47.88 seconds in the 400, and a short while later set a new meet standard with his winning time of 21.32 seconds in the 200.

Holston claimed half of NSU’s four individual wins on Saturday. Senior Raphael Hall (Chesapeake, Va.) won the high jump (6 feet, 8.75 inches) and sophomore Philemon Kimutai (Eldoret, Kenya) won the mile (4:16.24). That trio of winners joined pole vaulter Brett Dodd (San Antonio, Tex.), 3,000-meter winner Amos Kipkosgei (Eldoret, Kenya) and the victorious distance medley relay team to give NSU a total of seven victories in the two-day event.

Final Results Photo Gallery

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New Louisiana Museum Pays Tribute to Grambling's Eddie Robinson

(New York Times) - BATON ROUGE, LA — When Eddie Robinson was growing up here in Louisiana’s capital city about 80 years ago, he discovered the only way a black person infatuated with football could attend a game at the state university: He showed up at 5 a.m. on Saturdays to clean the stadium. To take his first job as a football coach, in 1941, Mr. Robinson had to travel several hundred miles north, to a segregated teachers’ college in an unincorporated hamlet called Grambling. Mail arrived by train, and students helped harvest peaches and sweet potatoes from the college farm.

As for the white world, it was if anything more hostile than Baton Rouge. Just three years before Mr. Robinson’s arrival, a black man had been raped with a hot poker, then lynched in the neighboring town of Ruston. Yet Mr. Robinson worked and lived nowhere else for the rest of his life. In 55 years of coaching the Grambling Tigers, he amassed 408 victories and an .844 winning percentage and sent more than 200 players to the pros. He also personally oversaw their regular attendance at class and church.

And now, three years since Mr. Robinson died at age 88, the state that once subjugated him has put its money and imprimatur on a museum devoted to his life and legacy. Some 900 coaches, admirers, and former players, including the head coaches of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Notre Dame, are streaming into Grambling for the official opening of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum on Saturday.

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