Alabama State rallies to punch ticket for NCAA tourney

The Alabama State University men's basketball team answered the second-half bell like a boxer who had been stung hard in the early rounds. The top-seeded Hornets counter-punched the Jackson State Tigers with a vengeance, though, and battled their way into the NCAA Tournament as Southwestern Athletic Conference champions. ASU came from a bucket down at the half to claim the title 65-58 in front of a raucous Fair Park Arena crowd and a national television audience Saturday night.

Alabama State became the sixth regular-season champ to also take the tournament crown since 1999. The Hornets have twice before advanced to the NCAA Tournament, losing in the opening round to Michigan State in 2001 and to Duke in 2004. ASU's first-round opponent will be announced this afternoon at 5 p.m. on CBS 42. Hornets coach Lewis Jackson said the play-in game in Dayton was a possibility for his 22-9 squad. "I have no control over that," said the fourth-year head coach who went to the NCAA Tournament as an assistant to Rob Spivery in'04. "We have accomplished a lot with our record. We hope that's enough to get us straight in, but we have to do whatever they say."

ASU 7-1/265 center, Chief Kickingstallionsims will be a load for the opponent that the Hornets will face in the "play in" game in Dayton, OH on Tuesday.

After being rocked on their heels as the Tigers dominated the boards in the first half and ran to a 23-13 lead with 2:30 left, the Hornets scrambled back. ASU outscored the Tigers 7-0 in the final 1:33 of the first half that ended with JSU up 25-23 and then claimed its first lead since 13:05 of the opening period with an 11-8 run.

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Morgan State wins MEAC men title

Point guard James "Itchy" Bolden helped scratched a 32-year itch for the Morgan State Bears. Bolden spearheaded the Bears first Mid-Eastern Athletic title on Saturday with an 83-69 victory over upstart Norfolk State at Joel Coliseum. It was the steady play of Bolden, who delivered 18 points, two assists and five rebounds, but more importantly helped break the full-court pressure of the Spartans at key moments.

MSU Coach Todd Bozeman completes the Bears rebuilding journey...three seasons...MEAC Championship... NCAA bid with possible 14 or 15 seed.

Backing Bolden was Reggie Holmes who had 20 points and six rebounds, and Rogers Barnes scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had two assists. Freshman Kevin Thompson came off the bench to score 15 points and grab 11 rebounds. The victory for the Bears gives them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament as they improved to 23-11 and can look forward to a possible 15th or even maybe a 14th seed in the tournament when the pairings are announced tonight.

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Prairie View wraps up second NCAA bid in three years

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Gaati Werema had 29 points and 16 rebounds to lead Prairie View A&M to a 74-49 victory over Southern in the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championship game Saturday. The Lady Panthers (23-10) will carry a 19-game winning streak into the NCAA tournament, earning an automatic berth with their second SWAC title game victory in three years.

Werema, the league player of the year and tournament MVP, scored 11 points in a 16-0 run that turned a close game into a rout. Southern (16-13) had cut a 14-point deficit down to two by halftime but managed only one field goal in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. The Jaguars scored just 14 points after the break, making 5-of-30 shots. Southern had been the last team to beat Prairie View, winning 65-59 on Jan. 5 for the Lady Panthers only conference loss. The Lady Panthers have won two of the past three tournament titles, losing in last year’s championship game.

Candice Thomas had 18 points for Prairie View on 8-of-12 shooting, while Dominique Smith added 15 points and eight assists.

North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies wins MEAC crown

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - It started ugly and only got worse for the Hampton Lady Pirates on Sunday. Playing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament championship at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the Lady Pirates had more turnovers than field goals, struggled to slow down top-seeded North Carolina A & T and never seriously threatened as the Lady Aggies claimed a 76-54 victory.

The win secured the MEAC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the Lady Aggies. "This all started from the day we lost (in last year's MEAC title game)," A & T coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs said. Senior forward Brittanie Taylor-James agreed. "Every day, in the locker room, we saw this posterboard that said 'unfinished business.' " Taylor-James said. "We took care of business today."

Defense helped the Lady Pirates (15-16) stay in the game early. Hampton trailed 7-4 with 12 minutes left in the first half, until N.C. A&T senior guard Amber Bland, a three-time first-team all-conference player, took over. Bland, the preseason conference player of the year, hit six straight shots, including four 3-pointers, as the Lady Aggies (26-6) won for the eighth straight time and 20th time in its past 21 games.

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This time, Morgan defeats Coppin in MEAC

Bears withstand Eagles' late charge to reach MEAC tournament final, 75-67.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - When Morgan State rebuffed one last, desperate rush from Tywain McKee and Coppin State last night, the Bears were finally able to let go of their 2008 nightmare. McKee's torrid 30-point performance almost brought Coppin back from an 18-point deficit in the second half, but Morgan escaped Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum with a 75-67 victory that was as much backyard brawl as it was tournament basketball.

The Real Deal! Morgan State Coach Todd Bozeman is on the cusp of leading his second Bears team to the NCAA Tournament with the Morgan Bears projected at a 15th seed, if they win the MEAC Tournament. Bozeman led the California Golden Bears to three NCAA Tournaments in '93, '94 and '96 and made the Sweet 16 at age 29, the youngest coach ever to do so.

The win sent the No.1-seeded Bears (22-11) into tonight's 7 o'clock Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference final in search of their first NCAA Division I tournament berth. They still have to beat Norfolk State, which outlasted South Carolina State, 74-71, in last night's second semifinal. A year ago, Morgan was denied that opportunity when Coppin pulled a 62-60 upset in the MEAC final. This year the Battle of Baltimore was played out in the semifinals, but with eerie similarities to last season.

"They're crosstown rivals, and we see them a lot in the summer," Morgan's Rogers Barnes said, seated at an interview table with teammates Reggie Holmes and Jermaine "Itchy" Bolden.

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What ESPN is saying about Morgan State and Coach Bozeman...

"The (NCAA) committee doesn't have to worry about two bids out of the MEAC Saturday. But if Morgan State can beat Norfolk State in Winston-Salem, N.C., it could cause a ripple on two fronts. Former banished Cal coach Todd Bozeman would be back in the NCAAs after a 12-year absence and would complete one of the remarkable career turnaround, while the Bears, who beat Maryland by the way, might be an intriguing 15-seed instead of a 16. That would be great news for a conference constantly looking for some positive pub. "

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Southern Jaguars quarterback Lee back at work

Southern quarterback Bryant Lee went through this drill before, so he’s better equipped a year later to handle the situation. A year ago, as SU went through spring practice, Lee was limited to non-contact work as he recovered from wrist surgeries to fix a broken bone in his hand. Lee went on to be named the Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year. This time, he’s recovering from knee surgery and is, according to SU coach Pete Richardson “about 80 percent” after beginning conditioning work a few weeks ago.

“I think he’s (benefited from last year’s experience,” Richardson said. “He understands the system.” Lee, who will be a senior in the fall, threw for 2,682 yards and 20 touchdowns against only seven interceptions, while completing 61.6 percent of his passes last season. Lee has thrown for 5,579 yards in his career and chases Eric Randall (1992-95), who threw for 7,826 yards, for the school’s all-time passing mark.

All-SWAC senior QB Bryant Lee

As Southern began the first of 15 spring practices Thursday (and concluding April 18), Lee was back out on the field. “I wanted him to be in situations to go through practice, to develop chemistry with our young receivers,” Richardson said. “But we’ll keep him out of contact situations. We don’t want to put him in situations where he can take undue shots, and also we don’t want to rush it.”

Video: Southern & LSU begin spring football

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Morgan misstepped by not signing Bozeman to extension

Bears risk losing successful basketball coach

With the Ravens' run deep into the playoffs and Maryland men's basketball program surrounded by flashing lights and blaring alarms these past couple of months, I didn't get to see Morgan State play as much as I'd have liked.

I was able to follow the Bears, though, thanks to the highly entertaining and mostly unpredictable blog maintained by coach Todd Bozeman at toddbozeman.blogspot.com . One minute he's lamenting a loss ("The guys came out with NO energy, NO focus, NO respect for their opponent and NO respect for each other. It was embarrassing for sure!"), the next he's ripping an official ("dude is a clown ... case closed!") and the next he might be talking politics ("One NATION under a groove ... gettin down just 4 the funk of IT! WOW! Barack Obama is the next President of the United States!!!!!").

There is one blog post I've been waiting for, one that is long overdue: Bozeman announcing a new contract that will keep the coach at Morgan State for several years to come. Bozeman hasn't written it, though, because it's not true. In fact, as Morgan State begins play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament tonight, just three wins away from its first trip to the NCAA Division I tournament, Bozeman has amazingly reached the end of his contract with nothing in place to secure his future at the school.

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Let's get real! Morgan State has no chance re-signing Coach Bozeman. This marriage of convenience is over with the expiration of this contract, as both parties accomplished their goals. Bozeman is back and his name is at the top of the "want list" on every major college with a non-winning Division I program. Unfortunately, the MEAC does not have the collective vision to be a serious basketball conference, nor is there the level of fan support to scale basketball head coaches salaries over $175,000.

What is Norfolk State head men's basketball coach earning? $95,000 annually for three years! FAMU's coach Eugene Harris earns $155,000 per year (4 year contract). FAMU's athletic director earns $175,000 annually. You get the picture.

Dang shame for the MEAC and Morgan State to lose this talented young coach over a few thousand dollars, but you can't spend what you don't have. The days of the Clarence "Big House" Gaines is long over with for young, ambitious black coaches. Money does matter! Bozeman has to take the money and the bigger stage to display his skills and earning power.

Sorry MEAC--30 years from now you will still be small potatoes playing before an arena of empty seats.

-beepbeep

Top-seeded Morgan State crushes FAMU in MEAC

Morgan State used three big offensive runs, a decided edge in rebounding and a solid effort from point guard Jermaine "Itchy" Bolden to race past Florida A&M 71-41 in a quarterfinal-round game of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at Joel Coliseum last night. The top-seeded Bears opened the game with a 13-2 run, then posted a 15-0 stretch, which started at the end of the first half, to build a 44-22 lead with 16 minutes remaining.

The Bears held a 52-32 rebounding edge and outscored the Rattlers 26-14 in the paint.
Bolden, a 5-9 senior, finished with 12 points, six assists, six rebounds and two steals for Morgan State (21-11). The Rattlers pulled to 46-31 with a 6-0 run, but Morgan State came right back with a 13-0 burst that delivered the knockout blow in the rout. "Basketball is a game of runs, so it's who makes the most, the longest or the last (run)," Coach Todd Bozeman of Morgan State said. "We wanted to continue to keep playing and I kept telling the guys in timeouts, ‘Do not play the score.' We don't play that way; you want to keep playing the game."

The Bears will face the Coppin State-N.C. A&T winner in a semifinal-round game on Friday at 6 p.m. Reggie Holmes, a 6-4 junior and the Bears' leading scorer at 16.5 points per game, had a game-high 18 points and added nine rebounds, while teammate Marquise Kately chipped in with 10 points. Florida A&M, the tournament's No. 8 seed, finished the season 10-21, and had no players in double-figures scoring. The Rattlers shot a dismal 24.5 percent from the field and made only 12 field goals.

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Photo Gallery: Bears/Rattler Shots
Boxscore

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SWAC tournament full of intriguing matchups

Of the many beautiful things about college basketball in March, one is that teams seem to channel their inner Forrest Gump at the right time. Sure, each conference has its share of dominant teams and standout players, and usually, those favorites prevail in their postseason tournaments. Still, from league to league and game to game, there’s that element of surprise a budding star or an upset no one saw coming. As Gump himself would put it, you never know what you’re gonna get.

Its only fitting, then, that the champion of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournaments must win three games in Gump’s home state. Both tournaments begin Wednesday at Fair Park Arena in Birmingham, Ala. Here’s a quick look at people, games and teams to watch for when the madness gets under way.

Women

Most intriguing first-round matchup: It’s a little bit of an upset to call a No. 2-No. 7 matchup the best. It might not be the best. But it could be the most intriguing. Second-seeded Southern and seventh-seeded Texas Southern have plenty in common. They split their regular-season series, with each team winning at home. And they both believe in playing defense first.

Most dangerous player: The kneejerk reaction is to go with the highest-ranking scorer left in the tournament which, in this case, is Alabama A&M’s Katrich Williams, who averages 13.8 points per game, but it’s worth noting that Gaati Werema, the 6-foot junior forward from Prairie View, ranks seventh in the SWAC in scoring (11.7 points per game), first in rebounds (7.5 per game) and second in field-goal percentage (47.7).

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2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Preview

The 38th Annual Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament will begin Tuesday March 10th and will come to a conclusion Saturday March 14th. The Morgan State Bears showed their dominance in league play, earning the top spot in the tournament with a 13-3 mark. It is the second consecutive regular- season title for the Bears, who finished with an impressive overall ledger of 20-11. However, Morgan State has not enjoyed much success in this event, winning the title just once, way back in 1977.

Looking to keep the Bears from capturing that long overdue title will be the South Carolina State Bulldogs, who finished the regular-season with a 10-6 mark and the second seed. After Morgan State and SC State there was a log jam in the conference standings, as four teams finished with a 9-7 record. Norfolk State rose above the other 9-7 teams thanks to a three-game win streak down the stretch, including a season-finale victory over North Carolina A&T. The Spartans, who have never won this event, are now the third seed and will also elude opening round action.

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Rams to be host to MEAC party they can't enjoy

Imagine having a party in your own backyard and being unable to get closer than a look through the sliding-glass door. That's the situation Winston-Salem State is in as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournaments roll into Joel Coliseum this week. WSSU is still in transition to Division I, and if it decides to stay on that path, it would be eligible for the tournament in 2011. Nobody said that the transition would be easy, but men's coach Bobby Collins said that having the tournament here makes it tougher on his Rams.

"That's what has made it worse is everybody is coming here for the tournament, and we can't be there to compete in it," Collins said. "We are hosting and are the home team, and it's now hitting home that we aren't invited." At least the WSSU men's team will get to play -- it will meet N.C. Central in a bonus game on Saturday between the women's and men's championship games. But that's just an exhibition to try to draw more fans to Joel Coliseum for the title games.

"It's a party we can't come to, but we are going to crash the party anyway," Collins said, referring to the game against N.C. Central. Adding to the disappointment for the Rams is that WSSU has spring break this week, so friends of players are taking vacations far from campus. The Rams will practice most of the week, and some will venture to Joel Coliseum to watch, said guard Brian Fisher. "We'll sit in the stands and maybe heckle some of the players," Fisher said jokingly. "Nobody wants to just watch, but that's what we'll do until the game with N.C. Central on Saturday."

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FAMU's Ammons believes in Hayes

Entrance to FAMU new on-campus teaching gym will be opened in time to host Spring Graduation with a seating capacity over 9,000 seats.

Through the negotiations that resulted in Bill Hayes being hired as athletic director, Florida A&M President James Ammons knew his choice would be second-guessed. More than anything else, Ammons expected Hayes' years of competing against the Rattlers as a football coach from North Carolina A&T would be an issue. But Ammons could empathize.

When Hayes was athletic director at his alma mater, North Carolina Central, Ammons served as chancellor. Back then, Ammons got an earful about his ties to FAMU, where he had a previous tenure as provost and professor.

Now it's Hayes' turn and he's getting some resistance as FAMU faces tough economic times with a $4.2 million deficit. Ammons said Hayes is the right man to fix financial woes and recently gave him a vote of confidence during an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat. Hayes took over a situation at FAMU that is similar to what he met at NCCU before turning the Eagles into a championship program. He was named Athletic Director of the Year by the the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) the last two years before he came to FAMU.

Florida A & M University President James Ammons, left, presents Eugene Harris a FAMU cap after naming Harris as the new men's head basketball coach on September 20, 2007, in Tallahassee, Florida. Hayes, Harris and Ammons have the gargantuan task of filling 9,000 seats in the new multi-purpose teaching gym due to open next season for Rattler basketball.

Hayes was hired 15 months ago with a three-year contract that pays him an annual salary of $175,000. He spent four years as athletic director at NCCU before coming to FAMU. During his 27 years as football coach at Winston-Salem State and North Carolina A&T, he coached the football teams to multiple championships.

FAMU athletic director William "Bill" Hayes

"Nobody is going to work as hard for Florida A&M athletics as Coach Hayes," Ammons said. "I have the utmost confidence in his ability to get this job done. I would hope that there is nobody out there among the alumni that's questioning my commitment to Florida A&M because he wouldn't be here if I didn't think he could do the best job that I want done."

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Prairie View tops Southern University Lady Jaguars

PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS — Prairie View avenged its only Southwestern Athletic Conference loss of the season by holding off the Southern women’s basketball team 59-51 Saturday night at the William J. Nicks Building. Dominique Smith scored 17 points and Candice Thomas added 15 points, seven rebounds and five steals to lead PV (20-10, 17-1), which has won its third straight SWAC regular-season title, all under former WNBA superstar Cynthia Cooper-Dyke.

The Lady Panthers have won 16 straight games, all since losing 63-58 on Jan. 5 in Baton Rouge. Gaati Werema added 10 points and 10 rebounds and Shondria Combs 11 points. Deidra Jackson scored 17 points and had seven rebounds and three steals to lead SU (14-12, 11-7). Ashley Augerson added 14 points and eight rebounds, while Jamie Floyd had 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Lady Panthers Coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke is poised for a breakout post-season in the SWAC and NCAA Tournaments.

“I was really pleased with the kids’ effort,” SU coach Sandy Pugh said. “I thought they played really hard.” PV scored the game’s first 11 points, holding Southern scoreless for nearly four minutes to start the game. SU recovered and eventually led 35-33 after Jackson made a pair of free throws with 14:35 remaining in the game. “I think they were in a tentative mode, and then Deidra took over,” Pugh said. “They made some stops, and their confidence got up.”

“We couldn’t get the stop at the other end,” Pugh said. “We were tired. … We gave it all we had. “Prairie View is solid, playing at the top of its game. We have nothing to be ashamed of.”

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B-CU holds off Michigan State

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Ryan Durrence's three-run homer highlighted an eight-run third inning and Bethune-Cookman hung on to defeat Michigan State 11-9 Saturday night in the Bethune-Cookman Invitational at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. "Sometimes you've got to tip your hat to your opponent," B-CU coach Mervyl Melendez said of Michigan State (1-8), which battled back from a 10-3 deficit. "They never gave up and they kept the ball in play."

It was Durrence's second homer in two nights. He also hit a three-run shot Friday night against Xavier. B-CU's Eric Thomas (1-2) earned his first win of the season, although he allowed seven runs in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out seven, walked two and gave up eight hits. Justin Dahl stranded two baserunners in the ninth to earn his third save.

"I thought (Thomas) did a good job," Melendez said. "Our mentality when we're up by that many runs is to attack the hitters. I thought he commanded the strike zone. He threw hard." The Spartans scored five runs in the seventh against three B-CU pitchers, but the key hits were a bad-hop single and a misjudged fly in center field that fell for an RBI double. Atlantic High grad Chris Brown smacked two RBI doubles for B-CU (7-5). Leadoff batter Jose Ortiz scored three runs on two walks and a double. He scored twice in the decisive third inning.

"I'm very happy with the way we're hitting so far this season," Melendez said. "It's a long season, and we're counting on a lot of guys, and they're coming through for us." The Wildcats sent 12 men to the plate in the third. Durrence hit a towering three-run shot over the left-field fence, while Alejandro Jimenez had an RBI single and Brown ripped his second RBI double of the game.

B-CU 11, Michigan State 9, Final Box Score
Invitational Tournament Central Link - All Game Scores/Highlights

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On a Mission: Aggie women want in NCAA Tournament

The rising tide that is the N.C. A&T women's program has continued under the patient guidance of Coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. The Aggies, seeded No. 1 for this week's MEAC Tournament, are favorites because everything seems to be pointing in their direction. They have talent galore, senior leaders in Amber Bland and Brittanie Taylor-James, a veteran coach who has been to the NCAA Tournament six times and a pseudo homecourt advantage.

"It's been a tough one," Cage-Bibbs said about the steady rise of her program. "We have just been truly blessed getting these players here who were highly-recruited. People don't really realize it's not automatic because you don't know from Day 1 if one kid might go out or whatever."

Patricia Cage-Bibbs’ Aggies are the No. 1 seed in this week’s MEAC Tournament.

Cage-Bibbs, who is in her fourth season at A&T after stops at Grambling and Hampton, shook up the program pretty well when she was first hired. She got rid of most of the returning players and hit the recruiting trail hard. This season has been one of her best. Earlier this season, she collected her 400th career win. Her six NCAA appearances came at Grambling and Hampton, and in 23 seasons of coaching, Cage-Bibbs has had just four teams finish with losing records.

The Aggies fell short of the NCAA Tournament last season, losing in the MEAC final to Coppin State. Bland, who is the second-leading scorer in school history with more than 1,500 points, says that getting to the NCAA Tournament is something the players have talked about all season. "Seeing how we had a letdown last year losing in the tournament championship game, we all came back with one mission and that's to go forward," Bland said. "Now we want to go to the NCAA Tournament and to do that we have to win the MEAC Tournament, so we want to get that respect from our league."

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Grambling State stockpile top quarterback recruits

Efferlan Williams is hoping to bring the same success he had during his brief time at Greer High to Grambling State University. Williams, Greenville County's player of the year during the only season he played for the Yellow Jackets, has signed a national letter of intent with Grambling. Williams transferred in from Maryland during his junior year and played for the Jackets as a senior. He rushed for 1,844 yards and passed for 734 yards and led Greer to a 10-2 record and the Region 3-AAA championship.

"Efferlan made a huge impact in regards to our offensive production," Greer coach Will Young said. "His ability to throw the ball well and, of course, run the ball made us multi-dimensional."

Efferlan Williams Sr. said North Greenville, Livingstone and North Carolina A&T showed interest in his son, but Grambling was the best fit. "Efferlan could play a number of positions, but his heart was set on playing quarterback, and we told him we wanted him to be happy and play the position where he wants to play," Efferlan Sr. said.

Greer, S.C. QB (#7) Efferlan Williams signs with Grambling State

"At first, there were a lot of smaller schools that were looking at me. I tried to wait it out. Grambling was the last one, and I liked what they had to offer," the younger Williams said. "I like their tradition. They run a similar offense to what we ran. When I came to Greer, I liked the type of offense that we ran."

Tarpon Springs High School (Florida) quarterback Danny Reyes will be continuing his football career at Grambling State University, said Spongers head coach George Kotis. The senior signed his letter of intent on February 20. Reyes led the explosive Spongers offense to the regional quarterfinals this season by throwing for over 2,400 yards and completing 61.6 percent of his attempts. According to stats compiled by maxpreps.com, Reyes threw for the second highest amount of yardage of all Tampa Bay area quaterbacks in 2008.

Reyes and Williams will join incoming Tigers freshmen All-State student-athletes Brendan Crawford and Justin Higgins, who signed their letters of intent on National Signing Day.

Brenda Crawford is a 6-5 205 quarterback from El Paso, Texas Chapin High School. Crawford was an All-State performer who transferred into Chapin High School before the start of the 2007 season and made an immediate impact. He passed for 2,207 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 266 yards and nine touchdowns. The talented Crawford also averaged 40.6 yards per punt with a long of 64 yards.

Justin Higgins is a talented QB from Rayville, Louisiana. The 6-2 185 Rayville High School product is one of the top athletes in the state who’ll play quarterback for Grambling State. He was named to the 2007 Class 3A LSWA All-State Team as an athlete and was named as the LSWA’s Outstanding Offensive Athlete as a junior in 2006. Higgins passed for over 6,000 yards, rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and surpassed the 60-touchdown mark in his high school career. He was also an standout linebacker in high school.

ASU Hornets win SWAC outright

Alabama State University Hornets head coach Louis Jackson wins SWAC Regular Season Championship and number one seed with 19-9, 16-2 record.

GRAMBLING, La. -- The Hornets finished the season with the Southwestern Athletic Conference's best record. Brandon Brooks and Roland Fitch each scored 15 points to help Alabama State beat Gram­bling State 65-58 on Saturday night.

Wesley Jones added 14 points and Andrew Hayles chipped in with 10 for the Hornets (19-9, 16-2 Southwestern Athletic Confer­ence), who won 10 of their final 11 games. Ariece Perkins scored 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting to lead the Tigers (6-23, 4-14). Don­ald Qualls chipped in with 12. Grambling State ended their regular season on a nine-game losing streak. Alabama State shot 50 percent from the field (24-for-48) and outrebounded the Tigers 32-26. The Hornets head into the SWAC tournament, which begins on Wednesday, as the top seed.

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Special Feature: Romona Robinson undaunted by risky solo-anchor format on TV

A six-time Emmy Award winning news anchor, Robinson is one of Cleveland's best-known and admired television Broadcasters. The Lincoln University grad is solo anchor at WKYC Channel 3 Television Station, Cleveland, Ohio.

On a June morning filled with promise, a teenage Romona Robinson stood up in her tiny church in rural Missouri to declare what her future would be. Each graduating senior announced their plans and dreams to the congregation. When it was Romona's turn, she said she was going to college to become a television anchor. The bold statement was her defining moment, a first step in a long career. Afterward, a well-meaning church lady buttonholed Romona's mother, Henrietta Robinson, for some frank talk, with Romona listening in the background.

"You tell that girl to get that notion out of her head. She ain't gonna get no job reading the television news. White people never gonna let black people sit next to them and give the news. Tell that girl to study something sensible." After all, in the 1970s, black news anchors were rare. Years later, as the minutes ticked down to Robinson's debut as Cleveland's first black female evening anchor on WUAB Channel 43's inaugural newscast, she flashed back to that well-meaning but narrow-minded advice. Her mind replayed the steps that had taken her from that Missouri childhood to an anchor desk. I've arrived, she thought. I'm here.

Channel 3's anchor Romona Robinson goes solo on evening news

IN THE SPOTLIGHT, ON THE HOT SEAT

Robinson, a statuesque beauty who radiates the warmth and sincerity of a favorite sister, is the only solo anchor in Cleveland news, the 15th-largest media market in the country. She was named WKYC Channel 3's evening anchor after her longtime co-anchor, Tim White, left in December when he and the station could not agree on a contract. Robinson is the first black woman to be the sole anchor of a weeknight newscast here. She joined Channel 3 in 1997. Channel 3 news director Rita Andolsen said the solo-anchor format is a bit risky but Robinson is a proven talent in the Cleveland market. "I would not have tried it with anybody but Romona," she said.

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Shelby running back signs with N.C. A&T

When Shelby High running back Larry Raper didn't announce immediately where he's going to college to play at the NCAA's early signing date in February, the questions started. "Where's he going ... is he going ... who's after him?" were constant inquiries for him and his coaches. The 5-10, 165-pound Golden Lion running back put all that to rest Wednesday when he signed to play for the North Carolina A&T Aggies. Raper has been a three-year starter for the Golden Lions and raked in numerous honors during his career, one in which he played on a state championship (2006) and runner-up squad (2007).

He was a three-time all-conference selection at running back, was an All-Cleveland County choice and was named to the 2008 North Carolina Shrine Bowl team. Raper, who's been clocked in the 40-yard dash as low as 4.25 at football combines, also has been a track standout for the Golden Lions. "He came (to us) right after Van (Eskridge, now at East Carolina) and was able to step right in and play," Shelby coach Chris Norman said of Raper. "He made a lot of good plays for us." Besides his halfback duties in Shelby's double-wing attack, he also ran back kicks and was pressed into service in the secondary when needed.

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North Carolina A&T Aggie women end regular season with win

NORFOLK, Va. — N.C. A&T played without two starters and two reserves on Thursday, but finished the regular-season with a 97-65 win over Norfolk State at Echols Hall. Brittanie Taylor-James led the Aggies with 30 points. Her performance marked the third time this season she has scored 30 or more points. It also marked the first time an Aggies player has scored 30 points in back-to-back games since Malveata Johnson did during the 2000 season. Taylor-James closes out the regular season as the MEAC's leading scorer.
























Brittanie Taylor-James led the Aggies in scoring with a season average of 19.5 ppg.

Junior Ta'Wuana Cook added a season-high 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting, while junior Reisha Bullock finished with 12 and freshman center Nakia DeBlanc had 10 points and seven rebounds. The Aggies closed out their regular season 23-6 and 15-1 in the MEAC, despite missing All-MEAC performer Amber Bland and starting power forward Jaleesa Sams. Reserves Brittane Neely and Shantar Waddell also missed the game. "We have so many people that are hurt, but we also have so many people that are willing to step up," said A&T head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs.

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