Scrimmage Concludes First Week of TSU Spring Practice

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Big Blue took to the field at Hale Stadium on Saturday for a scrimmage to conclude the first week of spring practice. The Tigers worked both 7-on-7 and full team drills during the early morning workout.

"I liked the intensity of the scrimmage, but we turned the ball over too much today on offense," said Coach Rod Reed. "I think we had 3 fumbles and 2 interceptions, and it doesn't matter which team you do it with. You can't turn the ball over and expect to be successful in football. But I saw some good things defensively."

"The defensive line did not get a good pass rush but they played the run well," Reed continued. "We have to do a better job with the pass rush. On the flip side, I thought our offensive line protected well, even when we threw a few stunts and blitzes."

Coach Reed seemed pleased with the outing by sophomore quarterback Mike German. "Mike was sharp," Reed commented. "He stood in the pocket and made some throws with pressure coming and that's what we want from him."

TSU ran 15 plays in 7-on-7 before finishing with 88 plays with both units in full 11-on-11. Coach Reed also used the first scrimmage to take a look at the running game.

"I thought in some instances we ran it well," said Coach Reed. "In coming out situations, we didn't do very well running the ball. We gave up a safety and you can't do that coming out. So we need to go back to the drawing board. The main thing is you got to block up front in those situations. I thought the defense did a good job in those situations when they had them down tight."

The Tigers will continue spring practice and will take to field again next Saturday trying to improve on their first week of preparation.

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"Never ranked" Shaw Bears come home to welcoming rally

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- The Shaw Bears’ flight back home from the NCAA Division II championships was delayed by over 30 minutes Saturday, which pushed the women’s basketball team’s arrival an hour past the scheduled campus celebration.

But nobody was complaining, as students, faculty and fans patiently waited with open arms for the new national champions to walk through the doors of Spaulding Gymnasium.

At 3:40 p.m. they did just that to roaring applause and high-stepping music by the pep band. For the first time since 1947, Shaw University has a national champion.

The Bears (29-6) rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 2 ranked Ashland 88-82 in overtime. Shaw is just the third CIAA women’s program in conference history to win it all.

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Finally, Shaw's Williams can celebrate



ASLEA WILLIAMS

 Senior post helps achieve goal that goes back to recruitment

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Aslea Williams celebrated another championship Friday and this time, her coach, Jacques Curtis was right along with her. This was the big one. This one was why this senior post was recruited to Shaw. And this one was for the ages.

Williams’ oh-so-timely baskets late and stellar guard play throughout helped the Lady Bears beat Ashland in overtime 88-82 to win the Division II women’s championship.

Finally, Williams can express her unbridled glee at a team accomplishment without drawing the ire of Curtis. You see, last year after Shaw won the CIAA championship, Williams was beside herself with joy — until she got in the locker room afterward.

“The comment I made to them then was I didn’t bring you here to win the CIAA,” Curtis said. “I brought you here to win the national championship. [Williams] was like, this is my first championship that I’ve won, so I’m going to be happy we won the championship. Now, we’ve got what I brought her here to do. That was the goal.”

SHAW PHOTO GALLERY

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HIGHLIGHTS

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WSSU: Cutting sports means more scholarships and hopefully more victories

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina - It was a rough couple of days last week for the Winston-Salem State athletics department and it had nothing to do with wins and losses.

Making a move toward enhancing its revenue sports (football and basketball) the athletics department decided to disband men’s golf and the men’s track programs. That means by next fall the school will no longer offer golf or indoor or outdoor track.

The money saved will go toward scholarships that could possible fully fund the football team.

Last season with just 28 scholarships the WSSU football team had its best season in school history going 13-1 and advancing to the Division II semifinals. With the extra scholarship money the football team could have 36 scholarships, the most allowed in Division II, by 2013.

Even though having a full 36 scholarships isn’t a guarantee of championships and national glory, it certainly helps if your depth is better.

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FAMU's Bennett looking at pro career

ANTONIA BENNETT

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Antonia Bennett wasn't even sure she'd complete her high school career, much less finish a collegiate career at Florida A&M as the best offensive player in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Now she is preparing to take the next step in hopes of catching on with a professional team, either in the WNBA or playing professionally overseas. Bennett was invited to participate in two free-agent camps, beginning March 30 in Denver.

The invitations came despite having mixed feelings after the Rattlers were bounced from the MEAC tournament in the semifinals round three weeks ago. The loss ended a remarkable season for FAMU that culminated with the school's best record (22-8) in 15 years.

"I was real hurt after the loss, but in my mind I was thinking what's next," Bennett said. "I knew I wanted (to play professionally) real badly."

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Sequoyah stands tall as Shaw reigns

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Sequoyah Griffin scored 24 points and Shaw rallied to win its first national title, beating Ashland 88-82 in overtime on Friday night in the national championship game.

Aslea Williams added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Kyria Buford had 10 points for the Lady Bears (29-6), who erased an 11-point halftime deficit.

Jena Stutzman scored 32 points, and Kari Daugherty had 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Eagles (33-2). Alyssa Miller added 12 points for Ashland.

Shaw opened overtime with a 13-2 run and held on to snap Ashland’s 33-game winning streak following its loss in the season opener.

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VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: CLICK HERE

BOX SCORE

Sequoyah stands tall as Shaw reigns

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Shaw (N.C.) coach Jacques Curtis predicted the NCAA Women's Division II championship game against Ashland (Ohio) would go down to the wire. His evaluation was spot on, and he got to celebrate a happy ending. Sequoyah Griffin scored 24 points as Shaw claimed its first national title with an 88-82 come-from-behind overtime victory Friday night at Greehey Arena.

Defense was a main reason the Lady Bears (29-6) were in the Elite Eight, and that was their key against Ashland in overcoming a 14-point second-half deficit.  “I'm a good predictor,” Curtis said with a laugh. “We wanted it to be a close game, because that is to our advantage. We knew in a close game we would be fresher. We knew we would have a good chance to win.”

In addition to forcing 11 of Ashland's 21 turnovers in the second half, the offense picked up. Aslea Williams finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Brittany Ransom added 12, and tournament MVP Kyria Buford tacked on 10.

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Lady Bears Claim D-II National Championship With OT Win

SAN ANTONIO, Texes – "We are going to give them a game worthy of television." Shaw head coach Jacques Curtis had said those words in a press conference prior to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship.

Tonight, his players made him a prophet as Shaw came from an 11-point halftime deficit to claim an 88-82 overtime victory over #2 ranked Ashland to claim Shaw's first national championship in any sport.

"This is what Coach recruited us for," said Shaw senior center Aslea Williams. "I wasn't going to finish my senior year with a loss. Even when I didn't play well, my teammates had my back." Senior guard Brittney Spencer echoed her sentiment. "This feels awesome. This is what I dreamt about. This is what I play basketball for."

"It's a surreal feeling right now," said senior forward Kyria Buford. "After all we've gone through, it just feels unreal."

The Lady Bears got off to a quick start, but soon fell behind Ashland and trailed by 11 at the half.

"We weren't that concerned that we were down by 11 at the half," said Curtis. "We knew we hadn't played our best, but we felt good and had a lot of energy. We felt we could wear them down."

He continued, "We had to make sure we could still see them. They had a chance to put us away in the first, but didn't take advantage of it. We felt a close ballgame was to our advantage."

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Pro Day a Success for Tennessee State Tigers Football

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State football conducted its' annual pro day on Friday at the TSU Indoor Practice Facility.

Several professional scouts from the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the National Football League (NFL) were in attendance. Over 300 spectators were at the facility on Friday.

The Tigers had scouts from numerous NFL teams including the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans.

Most of the 2011 TSU seniors participated including Rico Council, John Jones, Jr., Calvin McNairl, Dante' Thomas and Joseph Wylie.

TSU continues spring practice on Saturday with a scrimmage at 10 a.m. All scrimmages and practice are open to the public.

UPCOMING SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Saturday, March 24 - Scrimmage - 9 a.m.
Monday, March 26 - 4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 28 - 4 p.m.
Friday, April 6 - 4 p.m.

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Giants GM, NFL scouts observe Jaguars at Pro Day

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University welcomed several officials from around the NFL, including New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese, to Doug Williams Field at the Louisiana Leadership Institute for Pro Day Thursday.

Eleven Jaguars worked out for NFL scouts after being measured and weighed. The players were put through a series of combine drills, including the broad jump, 225-pound bench press, 40-yard dash, the shuttle run and the three-cone drill before conducting individual position workouts.



"What really impressed me were some of the guys that are in the stands, our underclassmen, that had an opportunity to see these guys and see the pro scouts," said Southern head coach Stump Mitchell.

"It will assist them in getting serious about their (own) workouts."

Wide receiver Laquinton "Smoke" Evans ran the fastest 40-yard dash on Thursday with a 4.46 time. Wide receiver Jared Green recorded a 10'9" broad jump. Dexter James (23), Kedy Enabulale (21), and Lee Almanza (20) each surpassed the 20-rep plateau in the 225-pound bench press.

Over seven NFL team were represented at Pro Day, including the New Orleans Saint, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, and Dallas Cowboys.



Former Southern standout wide receiver Juamorris Stewart, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was on hand to watch some of his former teammates at Pro Day. Last year, former defensive tackle Jordan Miller used his Pro Day workout to fuel his campaign to reach the NFL and was eventually signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears.

"When you're at an HBCU, if you don't (perform) well its a slap in the face," said Mitchell.

"You usually have to go the Canadian (Football League) route or something like that. When you do (perform) well from an HBCU, usually it gets you an opportunity to get in the door a lot sooner than if you were at a major school."



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Shaw Lady Bears win Division II National Championship 88-82 OT

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Shaw University Lady Bears are Division II Women's National Basketball Champions for 2011/12, ending  powerful Ashland University's 33 game win streak in the process. The Lady Bears bigs got the job done on the inside, as Ashland put on a shooting clinic, hitting NBA range 3-point shots to take the game into overtime. But momentum stayed with the Lady Bears as they hit clutch shots and free throws to wrap up the victory.
The CIAA and NCAA National Champions ends the season with a 29-6 record  and the schoo'ls first national championship in women's basketball.

Ashland ends the season with a 33-2 record and the national runner-up trophy.

More to be posted later...

‘Big Three’ leads Shaw into Div. II National Final Tonight

NCAA DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012,

TIME: 8:00 PM EDT

TV: CBSSPORTS CHANNEL (check your local listing)

INTERNET: NCAA.COM VIDEO STREAM - CLICK HERE

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Jacques Curtis wearied of the sameness in college basketball. He was going to do something about it to not only shake things up, but give his Shaw team a better chance to win.

It was last season and he knew he had a star in 6-foot-1 forward Demaria Liles, but his team was struggling. Why, Curtis reasoned, was because his team was using the style of basketball everyone else was playing. Shaw would play with three guards and two big people in the front court, their opponents would do likewise. With the strength of the offense being with the three guards, the team with the better trio, Curtis said, wins. That wasn’t a good thing for Shaw.

“We didn’t think we could put three guards out there better than theirs,” Curtis said. “But if we could put three bigs out there, we’re better than anybody. That’s when we created our triple post offense.”

2011/12 SHAW UNIVERSITY LADY BEARS ROSTER

It helped Shaw make it to the Elite Eight last season and it has been the primary reason Shaw (28-6) is in Friday night’s championship game against Ashland (33-1).

Shaw advanced to the title game with a textbook night from its “Big Three” – Kyria Buford, Aslea Williams and Chrystal Harris, all 6-1. Each had a double-double and dominated Rollins in an 87-71 win.

Shaw had 48 points in the paint, 37 off of second chances and outrebounded Rollins 61-38.

READ MORE AT NCCA.COM 

Ashland's Daugherty ready to cap run

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Ashland (Ohio) junior forward Kari Daugherty is having a memorable year. She leads the nation in rebounding (13.8) and double-doubles (26) while pacing the Eagles to a 33-1 record.

Now, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Midwest Region Player of the Year is trying to add another memory by leading her team past Shaw (N.C.) for the NCAA Division II championship. Tipoff is set for 7 tonight in Greehey Arena.

“I was hoping we would have a great season,” Daugherty said. “Going into every season you always want to be playing in the last game, but only two teams get to do it. You have to have a good team and a bit of luck. I'm so grateful to be here.”

Daugherty has made her presence felt during Ashland's first Elite Eight appearance. She scored 13 points with 13 rebounds as the Eagles knocked off Alaska-Anchorage 71-51 in the opening round. In a 77-62 semifinal win over Bentley (Mass.), she poured in 31 points and grabbed 22 rebounds.

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Eagles, Lady Bears to Play for First National Titles

SAN ANTONIO – It has been a wild ride in San Antonio for the AU women's basketball team thus far in San Antonio.  Between seeing the Alamo, attending a banquet, handling media requests from across the state, signing autographs for kids at a basketball clinic and attending a pep rally at a local elementary school, the Eagles have managed to squeeze in some basketball.

And those have been some big basketball games. The Eagles toppled No. 8 Alaska-Anchorage on Tuesday and No. 5 Bentley to advance to Friday (March 23) night's NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Game.

The Eagles will play Shaw (N.C.) University in a matchup of two schools looking for their first national titles in a team sport. The game will tip off at 8 p.m. EDT and will air on CBS Sports Network, Mansfield's WMFD and NCAA.com. Fans can attend watch parties on AU's campus at the student center and Kates Gymnasium. Fans at Kates Gymnasium are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

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Obama on Trayvon Martin: ‘If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon’

WASHINGTON, D.C. -  President Obama, addressing the shooting of an unarmed Florida high school student, made a personal appeal for further investigation into an incident he described as a “tragedy.”
“If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” Obama said from the Rose Garden, referring to 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was killed by a neighborhood watch guard last month. “When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids.”

The case has stirred immense passions nationwide for its racial element: Martin, who was black, was killed by George Zimmerman, 28, a Hispanic neighbor, who has since claimed self-defense. Zimmerman has not been charged in the shooting.

Obama had refrained from commenting on the case, leaving it to Attorney General Eric Holder to navigate the details, and on Friday, Obama chose his words carefully. He did not declare the shooter guilty, and said it is “imperative that we investigate every aspect of this.”

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Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.)

Rep. Allen West on Trayvon Martin: ‘This is an outrage’

EXCERPT: 

President Obama isn’t the only political leader speaking out about the case of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed Florida high school student shot to death by a neighbor last month. 

But comments by Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) — one of two African American Republicans in Congress — were far more direct.

In a lengthy, pointed discourse posted Thursday night on his Facebook page, Allen said, “This is an outrage.” Noting that he had taken some time to “assess the current episode,” West wrote: “The US Navy SEALS identified Osama Bin Laden within hours, while this young man laid on a morgue slab for three days. The shooter, Mr Zimmerman, should have been held in custody and certainly should not be walking free, still having a concealed weapons carry permit. From my reading, it seems this young man was pursued and there was no probable cause to engage him, certainly not pursue and shoot him….against the direction of the 911 responder.”

The congressman added: “Let’s all be appalled at this instance not because of race, but because a young American man has lost his life, seemingly, for no reason.”

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Students from Miami-area schools walk out in protest of Trayvon Martin shooting

MIAMI, Florida -- Miami Central high school students walk out in protest of the Trayvon Martin killing. Walkouts continued Friday morning at several South Florida high schools Friday in protest of the recent killing of Miami Gardens teen Trayvon Martin.

Students joined national appeals for the arrest of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood crime captain who is accused of shooting Martin in Sanford.

Schools participating in the walkouts included Miami Northwestern, Central, Dr. Michael Krop, Norland, Carol City, William H. Turner Technical Arts and Edison high schools. At Norland Senior High, hundreds of students left the school about 9 a.m. They coordinated the walkout through text messages and received support from their principal, Luis Solano.

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Dwyane Wade offers 'hoodie' support in Trayvon Martin case

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — On the day President Obama commented for the first time on the fatal shooting of unarmed Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade also injected himself into the conversation.

Martin, 17, was shot nearly a month ago after a confrontation in a gated community with neighborhood-watch captain George Zimmerman, with the youth's body discovered Feb. 26. Zimmerman who has claimed he shot Martin in self-defense, has not been charged.

Martin was wearing a "hoodie" hooded sweatshirt when he was shot, which has added to the debate about racial profiling.

To that end, Wade on Friday posted to his Facebook page a picture of himself wearing a hoodie. On his Twitter accounted, he simply posted, "#hoodies #stereotype #trayvonmartin" with a link to the photograph of himself wearing a hoodie.

Later, LeBron James posted a picture on his Twitter account of the entire Heat team in hooded sweatshirts, apparently taken at the team hotel upon the return from practice, with the Twitter post, "#WeAreTrayvonMartin #Hoodies #Stereotyped #WeWantJustice."

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Golden State Warriors sign Mickell Gladness to 10-day contract

MICKELL GLADNESS
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

SAN FRANCISCO, California - The Warriors have been looking for a backup center since Kwame Brown tore a chest muscle Jan. 10, and after flirtations with Kyrylo Fesenko and a three-week audition for Earl Barron, they settled on Mickell Gladness on Thursday.

The Warriors were interested in inking Gladness earlier, but he opted to sign a second and final 10-day contract with Miami last month. Since the Heat didn’t t sign him for the rest of the season, the Warriors were able to make another run at him.

The 6-foot-11, 220-pound rookie averaged 0.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.1 blocked shots in his first eight games for the Miami Heat, but the Warriors are banking on flashes he’s shown in the past. Gladness, who was waived by Miami on Feb. 7 and re-signed to an initial 10-day contract Feb. 12, has displayed improvement in three NBA Development League seasons and was one of the best rim protectors in college history.

He played three seasons at Alabama A&M after transferring from ...

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FAMU Rattlers find their man at center in Kawika Pieper

TALLAHASSSEE, Florida -- Drenched in sweat, sophomore center Kawika Pieper walked from the field with a little concern that was obvious by the expression on his face Thursday afternoon. He wanted to know if his stepping was right.

Pieper turned to upperclassman Steven Robinson for advice. Robinson had a ready response: "You've got to be forceful." Pieper smiled. He knew he'd been taking the right tact.

Coach Joe Taylor had been watching, knowing that Pieper's youth might be a factor as he takes over a role that was held down by Shelley Anthony last season. It was only the Rattlers' first day of spring practice in pads, but Taylor gave Pieper satisfactory marks for execution.

"He did some things in terms of blocking," Taylor said, "and he is not afraid."


FAMU Pro Day 2012

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Albany State releases 2012 football schedule; VSU left off

ALBANY, Georgia — Mike White still feels the sting, and so do his players.
It’s been less than four months since the Albany State football team was blown out by North Greenville in the opening round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, but the pain is still fresh from the Rams’ 63-14 loss — White’s most lopsided defeat in his 12-year coaching career.

The Rams now have a shot to avenge that loss. Albany State’s 2012 schedule was released Thursday evening, and the Rams will open up the season Sept. 1 at home against the Crusaders. “I think that definitely catches the eyes of the players and gets the coaches’ attention,” White said. “They really beat up on us.”

The rematch with North Greenville, which went on to rout Mars Hill in the second round of the playoffs before falling to Delta State in the quarterfinals, is just one of several marquee matchups the Rams have on their 2012 schedule — but noticeably absent is bitter rival Valdosta State.

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Jackson ready to build Bluefield State program

JAMAAL JACKSON
HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
BLUEFIELD STATE COLLEGE

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia — Have a house for rent? Give Jamaal Jackson a call. He’s planning on staying for a while. Jackson has had the ‘interim’ tag taken off his job title, making Jackson simply the head coach of the Bluefield State men’s basketball team.

“I am thankful to be able to stay here and really build a program the way I envisioned doing the program,” Jackson said. The process of finding a house continues, with Jackson hopeful of bringing his wife, Mary, and children, Jarius and Laila, to Bluefield.

“We are looking now. We are trying to find a house to rent, but it has been difficult,” said Jackson, who added with a smile, “you can stick that in there, somebody reading might contact me.”

Hired less than two days before practice began last fall, Jackson’s family stayed behind in Alabama while Jackson served for a season in an ‘interim’ role. It hasn’t been easy time for Jackson, whose Big Blues finished the season with just eight players and one win, compared to 26 losses.

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WSSU football team already back to work

WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina -- Quarterback Kameron Smith of Winston-Salem State is hoping for better results from spring practice this year after a run of bad luck. "One spring at Navy I got hurt, and then last spring I got sick, so I'm just hoping for a healthy spring," Smith said Thursday after a team meeting.



Smith had surgery for Crohn's disease last year, missed most of spring drills and lost about 30 pounds. He recovered quickly enough to lead the Rams to a school-best 13-1 record, the CIAA title and a trip to the NCAA Division II semifinals.

WSSU's spring practices started this week and will continue until April 14 and the spring game at Glenn High School. Until then, coach Connell Maynor and his staff will focus on seeing what the team's younger players can do.

The Rams lost ...

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TSU Track & Field Visits Palmetto State

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Tennessee State Track & Field keeps pace this weekend with a visit to the Palmetto State as the Flying Tigers and Tigerbelles partake in the Weems Baskin Invitational at the University of South Carolina.

The two-day meet begins with field events at Noon on Friday, March 23 and concludes Saturday, March 24 with the 4x4 relays.

27 schools are participating in this weekend's meet. Among those schools include: Appalachian State, Charlotte, Dartmouth, host South Carolina and St. John's.



As of Thursday, TSU has nine top mark on the Ohio Valley Conference performance list.


Travon Alexander's time of 11.22 in the 100-meter dash set at the Morehouse Relays is the best in the OVC, just two tenths ahead of Royce Dates (11.24) set at the Florida A&M Relays.

In the long jump, Dates is 23rd nationally and tops in the OVC with his leap of 23-8 ¼ (7.22m) at the FAMU Relays.

Senior Arthur Combest is the league's top hurdler, clocking a blistering speed of 14.72 at the 110-meter hurdles and a time of 56.37 in the 400-meter hurdles.

For the Tigerbelles, Ashontae Jackson has two of the league's best marks. The freshman is the leader in the 200-meter dash, clocking a time of 25.04. She also leads in the long jump with a distance of 18-5 ¼ (5.62m).

TSU has been strong in the triple jump as well with Ja'Lyn Burr leading the way (38-0 ¾, 11.60m) and Felicia Oladokun in second (36-7 ¾, 11.17m).

In the 400-meter dash, Gabrielle Todd has the top time of 57.16 recorded at the FAMU Relays. The junior is second in the high jump with a cleared height of 5-3 ¼ (1.61m).

In the relay events, the Flying Tigers clocked in league-best time of 42.13, while running 3:18.90 in the men's 4x4. The Tigerbelles are second in the 4x4 after pacing 3:51.72.

After this weekend's meet, Tennessee State takes a two week breather before hosting the annual Boston-Moon Classic on April 13-14. Results of the Weems Baskin Invitational will be posted online at TSUTigers.com.

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Norfolk State left Omaha a winner

NORFOLK, Virginia - Norfolk State returned home Monday to a warm welcome, coming upon patches of fans at the airport and along campus streets before a crowd of almost 500 took part in a 5 p.m. reception at the student center. It was lively and special, Athletic Director Marty Miller said, after the Spartans pulled off the biggest basketball upset in school history three days earlier in Omaha.

"It was a big celebration," Miller said. "I think the players were surprised." But Miller said the appreciation for what Norfolk State had done started long before the Spartans were eliminated from their first NCAA tournament by Florida on Sunday night at the CenturyLink Center.

"It was a surprise to us the way that we seemed to win over the fans (in Omaha)," Miller said Tuesday. "We didn't expect that. But for some reason, the fans seemed to have gotten attached to our program and our student-athletes, and it was such a warm feeling."


Norfolk State made an impression in its first NCAA tournament, getting standing ovations across Omaha.

The main reason, of course, was the giant-killer role the Spartans played in upsetting Missouri 86-84. Before that second-round game, only four No. 15 seeds had beaten No. 2s under the current NCAA tournament format — and none since Hampton clipped Iowa State in 2001.

Some Norfolk State players were given a standing ovation by fans when they re-entered CenturyLink Center on Friday to watch some of the Purdue-St. Mary's game. The Spartans continued to get pats on the back or asked for autographs throughout their Omaha stay.

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Shaw Lady Bears Downs #15 Rollins 87-71, to Advance to NCAA D-II Championship Game

THE SHAW UNIVERSITY LADY BEARS AND HEAD
COACH JACQUES CURTIS WILL GO FOR THE
 DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ON FRIDAY
AGAINST ASHLAND.  THE GAME WILL BE 
NATIONALLY TELEVISED LIVE ON
CBSSPORTS CHANNEL AND VIDEO STREAMED
AT http://www.ncaa.com/ AT 8 PM EDT. 

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Three Lady Bears had double-doubles to lead Shaw past #15 Rollins 87-71 in a game played at Bill Greehey Arena on the campus of Saint Mary's University. With the win, the Lady Bears advance to play #2 Ashland for the Division II NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship Friday night.

The game is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EDT and will be nationally televised live on CBSSports Channel and video screamed at NCAA.com.

Crystal Harris led the Lady Bears with 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Kyria Buford had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Aslea Williams scored 12 and pulled in 14 boards.

Rollins had no answer for Shaw's "bigs" and could not find an outside shooting touch, hitting only five of 29 from beyond the arc and only 36.5 percent from the field. In contrast, Shaw sank 40.3 percent of its shots.

"Rollins is a good team," said Shaw head coach Jacques Curtis. "You don't get to the Final Four by being lucky. We had a good start and were able to ride it out. We went with our bigs and they did the job. Now we have the chance to win the national championship."

The Lady Bears broke on top early, then built a 20-point lead before halftime. The Tars fought back in the second, trimming the Shaw lead to as little as 12 early in the half employing a full-court press and sinking key shots.

"We knew they'd make the run. There were just times they played harder than we did," said Curtis. "We beat a good team tonight."

The game started slowly, with neither team hitting the scoreboard for nearly two full minutes. Williams finally broke the ice with a jumper in the lane with 18:05 left in the first half.

It would be another three minutes before the Tars hit the scoreboard, and by then, Shaw had scored eight.

At the 12:52 mark, Shemieka Brown missed a jumper, got her own rebound and hit the layup to give Shaw a 15-5 lead.

Rollins fought back, trimming the Shaw lead to only four when Ashley Jones hit a three pointer for the Tars with 10:20 left on the first half clock.

Shaw then reeled off a 17-2 scoring run, culminating in a Sequoyah Griffin layup on the fast break that gave Shaw a 36-17 lead with 5:47 left in the half. The Lady Bears would build the lead to as many as 22, and led by 18 at the half, 48-30.

Buford hit a layup to open the scoring in the second half, but the Tars responded with an eight-point run punctuated by Jasmine Bradley's layup that cut the Shaw lead to 50-38.

With 12:56 left in the game, Paris Moore hit a jumper in the paint for the Tars, was fouled, and sank a free throw for the old-fashioned three-point play to trim Shaw's lead to 13.

Buford and Harris then combined for six straight points, extending the lead to 19 and effectively putting the game out of reach, even with 11:31 left on the clock. It took five minutes for the Tars to cut the lead to 13 again, and the Lady Bears answered with five straight.

In addition to the three double-doubles, Shaw was led in assists by Brittney Spencer and Allyssa Lane who had three apiece.

For Rollins, Jones and Paris Moore led the way with 13 points apiece. Three players had five rebounds and another three had four apiece. McDaniel had three assists to pace the Tars.

Shaw will now face Ashland, the second-ranked team in the nation, in the title game Friday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern. The Eagles are led by Kari Daugherty who averages 21.2 points and 14.0 rebounds per game.

"We're going to pound the ball inside," said Curtis of the upcoming game, "and they're going to pound the ball inside. We hope to have a chance to play a triple-post against them with all three of our bigs (Williams, Buford and Harris) in the game at a time. We haven't had a chance to play our jumbo offense yet, but this might be the game."

VIDEO: Bears oust Tars, off to finals 

 

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COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Rollins women fall 87-71 to Shaw in NCAA Division II semifinals

SAN ANTONIO -- The Rollins women's basketball team made much history during the 2011-12 season but the ride stopped one game short of a shot at the national title.

The Tars fell behind big early and never recovered in an 87-71 loss to Shaw in an NCAA Division II Final Four semifinal game late Wednesday night in San Antonio.

Shaw (27-6) jumped to an 8-0 led in the first four minutes. Rollins battled back to trail only 19-5 when Ashley Jones sank a 3-point basket with 10:20 to play in the first half. That was as close as the Tars could get. Over the next 6 minutes, Shaw ripped off a 22-4 run for a 44-19 lead, and from there coasted into a berth in Thursday's national championship game against Ashland.

It was the first time Rollins played in the Final Four. Rollins (28-5) had ...

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Savannah State Releases 2012 Football Schedule

SAVANNAH, Georgia - The Savannah State 2012 football schedule includes games against Football Championship Subdivision schools and features four home games.

The Tigers will open the season September 1 on the road against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Oklahoma and the following week, on Sept. 8, SSU will play Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida. It will be the first time SSU has met OSU and FSU in football.

After a bye on Sept. 15, Savannah State will play their home opener against North Carolina Central at Theodore A. Wright Stadium. SSU defeated NCCU 33-30 last season.

Other home games include Morgan State on October 6, Edward Waters on Oct. 20 and Bethune-Cookman on November 10. The Tigers have not played Edward Waters since the 2009 season, a 45-24 victory.

Kickoff for the North Carolina Central and Morgan State games will be 7:00 p.m. The contest against Edward Waters is Homecoming and will start- at 2:00 p.m. while the Bethune-Cookman game is slated to begin at 5:00 p.m.

Other road games include Howard (Sept. 29), Florida A&M (Oct. 13), Hampton (Oct. 27), Norfolk State (Nov. 3) and South Carolina State (Nov. 17).

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contests are North Carolina Central, Howard, Morgan State, Florida A&M, Hampton, Norfolk State and South Carolina State.

Coming off a 1-10 season, the Tigers are entering their second season in the MEAC and are looking for their first winning season since 1998.

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Template for success: SSU's football team sees model in men's hoops squad

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The success of the Savannah State men’s basketball team in winning the MEAC regular-season championship and playing in the NIT could have some unexpected side benefits for other Tiger teams.

“I know we can win in the MEAC because we beat North Carolina Central,” rising junior quarterback Antonio Bostick said following SSU’s first day of spring football practice. “That was the most memorable win I’ve been a part of, and then after going to the arena and watching what the basketball team did, the only thing I can think is, ‘Why not us?’

“What they did was amazing to watch,” Bostick said. “It was great to go with my teammates and the teams from our other sports and support the basketball team.

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Arkansas-Pine Bluff sets 2012 schedule

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -/- Arkansas Pine-Bluff will open its 2012 football season against Langston in the Delta Classic 4 Literarcy and play four home games as part of an 11-game schedule.

The Delta Classic will be played on Sept. 1 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The Golden Lions will return home to play Alabama A&M in their SWAC opener on Sept. 8.

They will face Jackson State (Oct. 6), Mississippi Valley State (Oct. 27, Homecoming) and Prairie View A&M (Nov. 17) in their other home games.

UAPB also will go on the road to face Alcorn State (Sept. 15), Alabama State (Sept. 22), Tennessee State (Sept. 29), Southern (Oct. 20), Texas Southern (Nov. 3) and Grambling State (Nov. 10).

Last year, the Golden Lions finished with a 6-5 record, including 5-4 in the SWAC, under coach Monte Coleman.



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Xavier's Iles, Hall earn NAIA All-America honorable mention

KELDRA HALL
Xavier Gold Nuggets

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana basketball players Chris Iles and Keldra Hall received honorable mention on the NAIA Division I All-America teams announced Wednesday.



Iles, a 5-foot-11 senior point guard from Houston and a graduate of Alief Hastings High School, led the Gold Rush with 9.9 points per game, 4.0 assists per game, 55 made 3-pointers and a .433 3-point field-goal percentage. He ranked 14th in NAIA Division I in 3-point field-goal accuracy, and his percentage is the fifth best in a season in Xavier history.

Hall, a 6-foot senior center from Dallas and a graduate of Angelina College and Molina High School, averaged 9.7 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Gold Nuggets and had a team-leading .504 field-goal percentage and 22 blocked shots. She had three consecutive double-doubles over five days, all on the road in early January, and amassed 54 points and 44 rebounds in just 60 minutes. Her 17 rebounds in a 60-59 victory at then-NAIA No. 18 Shorter were the most in a game by an XU female since the start of the 2003-04 season.


CHRIS ILES
Xavier Gold Rush



The XU men finished 23-9, shared the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship, qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship and ranked 21st in the coaches poll of March 7. The XU women finished 26-9, won GCAC regular-season and tournament championships, reached the national tournament and ranked 18th in the coaches poll.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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