Florida A&M Baseball Shuts Down Jacksonville 5-1

Jacksonville, Florida – Florida A&M (4-6, 2-1 MEAC) pounded out a season-high 12 hits and the pitching staff shutdown the Jacksonville (5-7) offense en route to a 5-1 win at John Sessions Stadium on Tuesday night. The win is the fourth straight over JU. The Rattler pitching staff held the Dolphins scoreless with only four hits over the final eight innings. Eight different Rattlers recorded a hit in the win while Jared Walker, Ryan Kennedy, Marlon Gibbs and Michael Birdsong each had two hits apiece. FAMU’s bullpen has now allowed just one earned run in the last 21 innings.

Kendal Weeks (1-1) earned the win after working a pre-determined four innings and allowed just one run on four hits with a walk for his first win of the season. Ryan Anderson picked up the save as he pitched the final four scoreless innings and gave up just one hit with two strikeouts.

JU scored one run in the bottom of the first inning for an early 1-0 lead. Cameron Gibson and Angelo Amendolare recorded back-to-back singles to start the home half of the first to put runners on the corners with no outs. Connor Marabell’s sac fly to left then scored Gibson from third for the Dolphins only run of the game.

The Rattlers answered and took the lead for good with two runs on three hits in the top of the second inning for a score of 2-1. Gibbs and Birdsong had back-to-back singles of their own to open the top of the second. Peter Jackson drew a walk to load the bases with no outs and Brian Davis singled to right to plate Gibbs from third to tie the game at 1-1. After AJ Elkins struck out, Jared Walker’s bunt popped up back to the pitcher but an errant throw to third allowed Birdsong to score the second run of the inning for the lead.

FAMU pushed across two more runs in the third inning on a pair of RBI from Gibbs and Jackson to increase its lead to 4-1. Kennedy led off the third inning with a double off the wall in left and advanced to third as Jeremy Barlow laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. Kennedy would later score on Gibbs’ RBI single to left. Gibbs stole second on a hit-and-run play, where Birdsong struck out, and then took third on a wild pitch. Gibbs later came home to score on Jackson’s, two out, infield RBI single.

Florida A&M added one more run in the sixth inning for the final score of 5-1. Walker singled up the middle with two outs and stole both second and third. Walker would come home to score on a dropped third strike, passed ball, to Alec Wong that would have ended the inning.

Dolphin starter Shane Wise (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks for the loss.

FAMU returns home to Moore-Kittles Field for a five-game home stretch starting with a doubleheader against Savannah State on Saturday in the MEAC home opener. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM and game two will start shortly after the conclusion of game one. Chase Jarrell (1-1) will be on the mound in game one for the Rattlers, while MEAC Pitcher of the Week David Ogilvie (0-1) will start game two.

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Top-seeded Stillman Tigers Season Ends Versus Benedict in SIAC Quarterfinals, 82-78

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- A second-half comeback fell short despite taking a late lead versus Benedict, ending the season for the Stillman Tigers in the SIAC Quarterfinals, 82-78.  Five players reached double-digits in points, including both seniors - Markeith Madison and Harold Ingram.

After falling behind early in the opening half Stillman took the lead for the first time, 18-17, when Ingram grabbed the offensive rebound and converted with a layup.  Kairo Cannon picked up the quick steal and found Madison for the fast break layup to extend the lead, 20-17, with 9:42 remaining in the opening half.  After Rodnerius Lewis tied the game with 5:26 to play, 25-25, Benedict used a 19-7 run to close the half and lead by a dozen points at the intermission; 44-32.  Benedict held the fist-half advantage in point in the paint, 22-14, and points off turnovers, 13-8.  Stillman turned the ball over 11 times in the opening 20 minutes.

Benedict led by as many as 15 points in the second half, 55-40, before Stillman fought back to tie the game.  Ingram connected with a 3-pointer to knot the score, 66-66, with 3:56 to play.  Ingram tied the game one more time with a long jumper, 68-68, with just over three minutes left in the game.  Lewis made the front end of a pair of free throws for the lone second-half lead for Stillman, 69-68, with 2:30 left in the game.  The game ended with Benedict using a 14-9 run fueled by Benedict converting 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

Lewis scored a team-high 17 points ahead of 14 from Ingram, 13 each from Cannon and Madison, with Maurice Crenshaw adding 12 from the bench.  Both Ingram and Madison pulled in a game-high nine rebounds.  Stillman shot 41.9 percent from the floor and 65.5 percent - 19-for-29 - from the free throw line.

The Tigers end the 2014-2015 campaign with a 17-10 overall record, including 13-6 in SIAC action and 11-1 at home.

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Nuggets, Tougaloo in GCAC 1st-round matchup at DU

NEW ORLEANS — For the sixth time in seven years, the women's basketball teams of Xavier University of Louisiana and Tougaloo will meet in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

The GCAC announced pairings Wednesday. The second-seeded Gold Nuggets (16-14) and the seventh-seeded Lady Bulldogs (4-22) will meet at 5 p.m. Friday at Dillard's Dent Hall in the opening round.

The XU-Tougaloo winner will advance to the semifinals against third-seeded Dillard or sixth-seeded Edward Waters at noon Saturday at Xavier's Convocation Center. The championship game will start at 3 p.m. Sunday at Xavier.

Dillard will play host to all four Friday women's games.

The Gold Nuggets have won 10 consecutive postseason games against Tougaloo, are 2-0 against the Lady Bulldogs this season and have won 22 of the last 23 meetings overall. But Tougaloo has something Xavier doesn't: a victory this season at Dillard.

The Lady Bulldogs shot 51 percent from the floor and made 25-of-32 free throws last week in a 79-57 rout which spoiled Dillard's Senior Day festivities. Nearly four weeks earlier, the Gold Nuggets scored their fewest points ever against Dillard in a 53-42 defeat.

Xavier gained a season split with Dillard by winning 60-57 at home Saturday, but the Nuggets are 9-10 since a season-best five-game winning streak from late November and the first half of December.

"It's been a wild year. I can't lie about that," said 16th-year head coach Bo Browder, whose Nuggets have won four of the past five GCAC tourneys. "We've been searching for consistency and hope we can make a nice run in the tournament. But we know we'll have to play extremely well for 40 minutes at a time. I know we're capable of doing that."

Xavier's largest winning margin of the season was 67-38 at Tougaloo on Feb. 16. The Gold Nuggets won 69-58 at home Jan. 12 against Tougaloo.

"It's March," Browder said. "Lots of upsets happen this time of year. No one had better be taking anyone lightly. Tougaloo played great at Dillard last week. That definitely got our attention."

As a No. 6 seed a year ago, Tougaloo rallied in the second half to upset third-seeded SUNO 81-74 in the quarterfinals at Dillard. Xavier won 60-47 at Dillard in the 2014 quarterfinals, then beat Tougaloo 84-73 in the semifinals and Talladega 66-59 in the final. XU junior guard Whitney Gathright, the team's leading scorer this season with 13.1 points per game, was the 2014 GCAC Tournament MVP.

The tournament winner will receive the GCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I National Championship, which will begin March 18 at Independence Events Center in Independence, Mo. Xavier qualified for the national tournament 18 times in the past 20 seasons, including 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The tournament schedule:

Quarterfinals (First Round) — Friday, March 6 at Dillard's Dent Hall
#4 Talladega vs. #5 Philander Smith, noon
#3 Dillard vs. #6 Edward Waters, 2 p.m.
#2 Xavier vs. #7 Tougaloo, 5 p.m.
#1 SUNO vs. #8 Voorhees, 7 p.m.

Semifinals — Saturday, March 7 at Xavier's Convocation Center
Xavier-Tougaloo winner vs. Dillard-Edward Waters winner, noon
SUNO-Voorhees winner vs. Talladega-Philander Smith winner, 5 p.m.

Championship — Sunday, March 8 at Xavier's Convocation Center
Semifinal winners, 3 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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XU's Mandlekar, Bruins earn GCAC's weekly awards

Tushar Mandlekar, top, and Sha'Nel Bruins are GCAC Players of the Week for Feb. 23-March 1.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana sophomores Tushar Mandlekar and Sha'Nel Bruins are Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Players of the Week in tennis for Feb. 23-March 1.
     
Mandlekar, from Bhilai, India, and a graduate of Deepak Nagar, was 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles to help the XU men extend their win streak to five dual matches. Xavier beat NCAA Division I's Alcorn State and, against Tougaloo, extended its regular-season win streak against GCAC opponents to 48 dual matches.
     
Bruins, from Colfax, La., and a graduate of Grant High School, was 4-0 in singles and 2-1 in doubles during the Gold Nuggets' 3-1 week which included a victory against Alcorn State. In the final completed match against Alcorn, Bruins clinched the dual with a 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (14-12) victory against Aakanksha Punj. Bruins rallied from an 8-4 deficit in the third-set super-tiebreaker.
     
This is the first GCAC Player of the Week award of Bruins' career. The award is the third of Mandlekar's career and his first this season. Bruins is 8-3 in singles and 6-4 in doubles during the spring semester, and Mandlekar is 6-1 in singles and 6-1 in doubles.
     
Both XU teams will play Martin Methodist in opening round of the AUM Invitational at noon Friday at Lagoon Park Tennis Center in Montgomery, Ala. The Gold Rush are ranked sixth in the NAIA, and the Gold Nuggets are seventh.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Howard Football Announces 2015 Schedule

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Howard University announced its 2015 football schedule, which includes three first-time opponents on the non-conference schedule and Homecoming in early October.

The Bison will open the season at perennial FCS power and first-time foe Appalachian State on September 5 in Boone, NC. The following week, the Bison will travel to Boston, MA to take on Boston College for the first time on September 12.

Howard will open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play when it takes on rival Hampton University in the AT&T Nation's Football Classic on September 18 at RFK Stadium. That game will be played "under the lights" on a Friday night.

MEAC play will continue for the Bison when they travel to East Rutherford, NJ to take on Morgan State in the New York Urban League Classic on September 26.

Howard will host Homecoming the following week when the Bison square off against Norfolk State on October 3 in Greene Stadium.


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Following a bye week, Howard travels to Orangeburg, SC to face South Carolina State on October 17 and Greensboro, NC the following week to face the Aggies of North Carolina A&T on October 24.

Howard will play its second of three home games when it hosts Savannah State on October 31. That will be followed by a road trip to New York on November 7 to take on Stony Brook – the final first-time opponent on the schedule.

The Bison will then play its home finale on November 14 against the Eagles of North Carolina Central. The Bison will close out the 2015 season on the road against Delaware State on November 21.


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Listed below is the full schedule:

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
9/5/15 Appalachian State Boone, NC TBA
9/12/15 Boston College Boston, MA TBA
9/18/15 ^ # Hampton Washington, DC RFK Stadium
9/26/15 $ # Morgan State East Rutherford, NJ 4:00 PM
10/3/15 @ # Norfolk State Washington, DC 1:00 PM
10/10/15 BYE
10/17/15 # South Carolina State Orangeburg, SC TBA
10/24/15 # North Carolina A&T Greensboro, NC TBA
10/31/15 # Savannah State Washington, DC 1:00 PM
11/7/15 Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY TBA
11/14/15 # North Carolina Central Washington, DC 1:00 PM
11/21/15 # Delaware State Dover, DE TBA

# Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Game^ AT&T Nation's Football Classic
$ New York Urban League Classic
@ Howard Homecoming
BOLD: Home Game

Check back to www.HUBison.com in the Fall for updates on tickets, Homecoming and more!


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Albany State, Tuskegee cheerleaders ejected from SIAC tourney after brawl

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Members of the Albany State University and Tuskegee University cheerleading and dance teams were sent home Tuesday night following a fight that occurred between the two squads at halftime during their schools’ opening-round game at the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament.

The SIAC office issued a statement Wednesday morning: “The obligation to observe basic principles of sportsmanship and fair play extends to all participants at the SIAC basketball tournament. As a consequence of the incident on Tuesday, the cheerleading and dance teams from both Albany State University and Tuskegee University will not be permitted to participate in our tournament for the remainder of the week.”

ASU Athletic Director Richard Williams said Wednesday that an investigation into the behavior of the university’s cheerleading squad was under way.

“At Albany State University, we take pride in demonstrating exemplary sportsmanship, leadership and good character,” Williams said. “We expect our student athletes and representatives to conduct themselves accordingly; anything less is unacceptable.

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Rush 18th, play at home in GCAC tourney Friday

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana climbed three places to 18th Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The Gold Rush (22-8) closed the regular season with three consecutive victories, the last a 67-41 home victory Saturday against city rival Dillard. Xavier will be the No. 2 seed in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and will play Friday against seventh-seeded Dillard at XU's Convocation Center. Starting times are expected to be announced by noon Wednesday.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 48th consecutive poll. That's the longest current streak of top-25 appearances among NAIA DI men.

The GCAC Tournament's No. 1 seed, Talladega, is No. 1 nationally for the third consecutive week. The Tornadoes received all 10 first-place votes.

The top 25:

1. Talladega
2. Hope International
3. Cal State San Marcos
4. Freed-Hardeman
5. Dalton State
6. Pikeville
7. (tie) Concordia (Calif.)
7. (tie) Campbellsville
9. Martin Methodist
10. LSU-Alexandria
11. Georgetown (Ky.)
12. Columbia (Mo.)
13. Wayland Baptist
14. Mid-America Christian
15. Montana Western
16. Benedictine (Kan.)
17. Our Lady of the Lake
18. Xavier
19. Arizona Christian
20. Lewis-Clark State
21. Westmont
22. Evangel
23. Oklahoma City
24. Southwestern Assemblies of God
25. LSU-Shreveport


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
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PVAMU Panthers defeat Alabama State 67-65 to keep win streak rolling

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Prairie View A&M Panthers built a nine-point lead midway through the second half and then held off an Alabama State comeback attempt Monday to claim a 67-65 win over the Hornets.

In front of boisterous crowd announced at 2,456 spectators, John Brisco scored 20 points, none bigger than the two he made on free throws with 19 seconds remaining to help the Panthers build a 3-point lead. Alabama State's Jamel Waters missed two out of three free throws with a chance to tie the game with 7.1 seconds left.

Tre Hagood scored 13 points and record six assists and five steals for the Panthers (13-16), who improved to 11-5 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. Karim York added 12 points and nine rebounds.

The win was the Panthers' seventh consecutive triumph, eclipsing their six-game winning streak from the 2008-09 season, their best in the past decade. Prairie View A&M's current winning streak is their longest since a run of 12 consecutive wins all the way back in the 1972-73 season.

After Waters missed two out of three free throws in the final seconds, the Hornets got one more chance to tie the game after Prairie View A&M came up empty-handed on a one-and-one foul line trip. The Hornets again gave the ball to Waters, who drove in for a game-tying layup, only to be blocked by Reggis Onwukamuche to seal the win for the Panthers.

Onwukamuche finished the game with nine points and seven rebounds. He also blocked four shots in the contest, including the one that preserved the win. Four of those points came on a pair of monster dunks that only briefly quieted the enthusiastic, heckling Alabama State crowd.

With the exception of the Southern and Alcorn State, who make their treks to Texas this week, the Panthers have now beaten other opponent in the SWAC. Prairie View A&M has beaten the top two teams in the conference on the road this season – Texas Southern (17-12, 14-2 SWAC) and Alabama State (16-9, 12-4 SWAC).

Steve Rogers came off the Alabama State bench to score a game-high 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Rogers' output replaced that of DeMarcus Robinson, who scored 26 points – including the game-winner as time expired – in Alabama State's win in Prairie View one month ago.

The Panthers led by as many as nine points in the second half, only to see Alabama State chip away at the advantage in the late stages of the game. Prairie View A&M took the upper hand with a 17-5 run between the 16:56 and 10:36 marks of the second half to build a 50-41 lead.

Even with the Hornets getting the score back to a one-possession advantage several times, the Panthers had an answer. Brisco stifled a 5-0 State run with a midrange jumper that stretched the visitors' lead to 63-59 with 2:47 remaining in the game.

Hagood hit his biggest shot of the game with 41 seconds remaining when he knocked down a runner in the lane to put Prairie View A&M ahead 65-61.

The Panthers' starters played 167 of the 200 individual minutes in the game.

Zach Hamilton scored six points for the Panthers, while Montrael Scott added four points and four assists.

The Panthers return to action Thursday when they host Southern University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Prairie View A&M's final home doubleheader of the season will be Saturday when Alcorn State visits William J. Nicks Arena.

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TSU clinches share of regular season SWAC title

NORMAL, Alabama -- The Texas Southern Tigers basketball team clinched at least a share of the 2014-15 SWAC Regular Season Title with a big road win over Alabama A&M on Monday.

The Tigers will have the opportunity to clinch the title outright with a win at home on Thursday, March 5 versus Alcorn State.

Under the direction of TSU head coach Mike Davis this marks the third consecutive season the Tigers' basketball program has claimed a championship.

Texas Southern won the 2013 SWAC Regular Season Championship and the 2014 SWAC Tournament Title.

TSU's Deverell Biggs scored 21 points and Madarious Gibbs added 20 as the Tigers defeated Alabama A&M 77-75 in a contest that went down to the wire.

Texas Southern led by 10 with 3:59 to go, but Alabama A&M got several consecutive baskets to tie the game at 73 with 1:44 left.

Malcolm Riley made 1 of 2 free throws and Chris Thomas followed with a key layup to put Texas Southern back up by three with 19 seconds remaining. AAMU made two free throws closing TSU's lead to one.

Gibbs made it a two-point game with a late free throw, as the Tigers
defense subsequently went on the get their biggest stop of the night as the Bulldogs missed a 3-pointer with four seconds to go.

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It was a banner day for Xavier's outgoing president

NEW ORLEANS — During Xavier University of Louisiana's 2009 athletic awards banquet, longtime XU president Dr. Norman C. Francis received a framed basketball jersey with the number 1. The sequel to that event occurred Saturday at the Convocation Center on a much bigger stage.

Before a facility-record crowd of 3,267 during halftime of the XU-Dillard Crosstown Classic men's basketball game, XU Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn unveiled an 8-foot banner honoring Francis for his 47 years as president and his continued commitment to XU's athletics program.

Xavier University of Louisiana's Dr. Norman C. Francis stands next to the banner honoring his years of presidential service to XU and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. With him, from left, are Faculty Athletics Representative Sister Grace Mary Flickinger, Vice President for Student Services Joseph Byrd and Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn. Francis will retire June 30, 2015, after 47 years as Xavier's president.

photo by Yamlak Tsega, Xavier Athletics  

The banner will hang from the rafters of the Convocation Center along with numerous other new banners which spotlight Xavier's championships won and national-tournament appearances.

Francis, who will celebrate his 84th birthday in about three weeks, will retire June 30, 2015.

Before he ascended to Xavier's presidency in 1968, Francis was one of XU's leading proponents in the 1967 reinstatement of intercollegiate athletics after a 7-year absence. Six years later, in 1973, Xavier's men's basketball team led by Donald "Slick" Watts and Bruce Seals upset top-ranked Sam Houston State 67-60 in the second round of the NAIA National Championship at Kansas City, Mo. That was the second of 78 team or individual appearances by XU athletes at NAIA National Championship events during Francis' presidency.

Also during Francis' tenure, Xavier's more than 700 student-athletes have received 79 All-America awards and 67 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar awards. They have won 94 conference, regional or district championships. In 2014, Xavier earned its fourth consecutive Thomas Howell Cup, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's all-sports award. The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets have produced 32 unbeaten conference seasons.

"Dr. Francis is our No. 1, our MVP," Horn said. "None of our success in athletics has been possible without his leadership and support."

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Record crowd attends Crosstown Classic doubleheader

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana attracted a Convocation Center-record 3,267 fans Saturday to its 67-41 men's basketball victory against Dillard in the Crosstown Classic presented by Hotard Coaches.

The previous record in the third-year facility was 2,700 for Xavier's 62-54 Crosstown Classic victory against Dillard on Jan. 25, 2014.

Saturday's opening game of the doubleheader, Xavier's 60-57 victory against Dillard, attracted 2,491 fans, a Convocation Center record for a women's game. The previous record was 1,000 for the Gold Nuggets' 88-34 victory against Johnson & Wales (Fla.) on Nov. 3, 2012, the day the facility opened to the public.

To date, men's basketball has produced a 16.5 increase in average home attendance from 2013-14 and a 23.3 percent increase in total home attendance. Women's basketball has increased 20.3 percent in average home attendance and 38.8 percent in total home attendance. During the fall, women's volleyball increased 9.6 percent in average home attendance and 82.5 percent in total home attendance.

"We would like to thank our students, faculty, staff, alumni and fans for joining us at the Convocation Center on Saturday and all season long," said XU Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn. "Our administrative staff has put a lot of time and effort into growing attendance. We plan to engage our fan base even more in the coming years."

Basketball capacity at the Convocation Center is 3,937. The facility's non-basketball capacity is 4,500.

Xavier's home doubleheader with Dillard attracted 7,189 fans on Feb. 1, 2003, and 6,175 on Feb. 28, 2004. The Crosstown Classics of those years were played downtown at New Orleans Arena, now known as Smoothie King Center.

Xavier will play host to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament this week. The Convocation Center will be the site of men's quarterfinal games Friday, men's and women's semifinals Saturday and men's and women's championship games Sunday. Dillard's Dent Hall will be the site of the women's quarterfinals Friday.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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91 Xavierites qualify for inaugural AD's Honor Roll

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana honored 91 students Saturday who qualified for the inaugural Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Intercollegiate athletes and members of Xavier's three spirit groups made the AD's Honor Roll by passing 12 or more hours with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average during the spring 2014 semester or the fall 2014 semester. They were recognized during the Xavier-Dillard basketball Crosstown Classic at the Convocation Center.

Five teams/groups had double-digit representation on the AD's Honor Roll, led by the Golden Girls Pom Squad with 17. Women's cross country/track and field provided 16 members, followed by women's volleyball with 13, the Gold Star Dancers with 12 and the cheerleaders with 11.

The members of the 2014 AD's Honor Roll:

Men's Basketball
Riley Smith
Jarvis Thibodeaux

Men's Cross Country/Track and Field
Langston Adams
Emmanuel Detiege
Kwame Jackson
Brent Kitto
Javon Mead
Erwin Simmons

Men's Tennis
Adam Albrecht
Jeremiah Capdeville
Vincenzo Ciccone
Nikita Soifer
Viktor Svoboda

Women's Basketball
Daylin Boatner
Emoni Harvey
Kelsey Joseph
Taylor Norman
Alesha Smith
Danielle Tucker

Women's Cross Country/Track and Field
Angelica Alexander
Clarke Allen
Carlie Calais
Drew Chatters
Terri Cunningham
Catherine Fakler
Hannah Finnegan
Zahri Jackson
Chelsea James
Katelyn McMorris
Kaylee Moore
Devinn Rolland
Tramaine Shannon
Briana Simms
Chelsea Simpson
Kailey Williams

Women's Tennis
Amber Brown
Jordyn Goody
Brandi Nelson
Carmen Nelson

Women's Volleyball
Jada Broussard
Jodi Chatters
Chinedu Echebelem
Ralitsa Hadzhistoyanova
Jodi Hill
Kayla Jones
Franziska Pirkl
Taylor Reuther
Kaelan Temple
Jelena Vujicic
Simone White (also qualified as a cheerleader)
CeCe Williams
Aliyah Wilson

Cheerleaders
Micah Anthony
Sierra Blanchard-Hodge
Jessica Carmon
Tatiana Collins
Morgan Dillard
Shacore Nelson
Ashlyn Pinkins
Rotieranna Scott
Kayla Street
Brianna Thompson
Simone White (also qualified in women's volleyball)

Gold Star Dancers
Bryanne Anderson
Chanarion Arnold
Kyla Baron
Brandi Calvin
Sarah Hale
Brehana Hawkins
Kendra Jenkins
Ivyanne London
Shalani Taylor
Jayle Watkins
Colby Williams
Donielle Williams

Golden Girls Pom Squad
BreAwna Barnes
Antoinette Belle
Kerri Brown
Dominique Cameron
Destane Garrett
Jasmine Grandpre'
Theresa Hudson
Alethia Love
Bianca Moore
Candice Moses
Kristen Patrick
Zanola Phillip
Essence Prince
Tasha Smith
KaJanae' Walton
Cassidy Williams
Vernicia Winford

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
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Tigers Advance In SIAC Tournament With 59-46 Victory Over Kentucky State

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- The Benedict College Tigers built a large first-half lead and held on for a 59-46 victory over Kentucky State in the opening round of the 2015 SIAC men's basketball tournament in the Bill Harris Arena on Monday afternoon.

The Tigers now advance to the quarterfinals, and will play Stillman, the No. 1 seed from the western division, at 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday.

Benedict (16-11) shut down Kentucky State (8-18) in the first half, holding the Thorobreds to 29 percent shooting and forcing nine turnovers. Benedict was consistently able to race down the court after turnovers or missed shots and had a 15-point lead, 33-18 at the break.

"We dictated the tempo, we dictated the pace," Benedict coach Fred Watson said. "Defensively, we were aggressive and got the ball out of the guys' hands who could hurt us. We rebounded the ball well. We moved the ball from side to side on the offensive end."

Kentucky State was able to close the gap to seven points late in the game, but the Tigers were able to control the offense and let guard Brennan Reynard attack the basket to seal the victory.

Reynard flirted with a triple-double, scoring a game-high 16 points, while grabbing eight rebounds, equaling for the game high, to go along with a game-high seven assists and four steals.

"We just did a good job down the stretch, particularly Brennan, and getting baskets when we needed. We talked about players having to make plays to win this tournament, and down the stretch, when things kind of tightened up for us, we put the ball in one of our best players' hands and he made plays."

Deonte Johnson added 11 points for the Tigers and had eight rebounds.

Ulysses Thomas led Kentucky State with 12 points.

"They did a phenomenal job of taking us out of what we wanted to do," said Kentucky State head coach Antwain Banks. "They capitalized on turnovers and our bad shots, which are just as bad as turnovers. That deficit in the first half was just too much for us."

Benedict led 12-8 with 11:53 left in the first half before going on a 12-2 run. Kel Robin had back-to-back baskets to start the run, and Andrew Crawford capped off the run with a 3-pointer.

Benedict now takes on Stillman in Wednesday night's final game. In their only meeting this season, Benedict defeated Stillman 67-58 in Columbia on Jan. 3.

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Miles Golden Bears Releases 2015 Football Schedule

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- When Miles football coach Reginald Ruffin took a look at his completed football schedule for 2015, he gave a quick thought to the possibility that he may have signed his Golden Bears up for the toughest slate in Division II.

This year's schedule features the return of the Labor Day Golden Classic, the season opener against North Alabama at Legion Field on Sept. 6, and an appearance in the Turkey Day Classic - the oldest Classic in the land - against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Alabama State to close the season on Nov. 21. In between, contests at West Georgia on Sept. 13 and at home against West Alabama on Sept. 20, as well as a road trip to defending SIAC champion Tuskegee on Nov. 7 sets the Golden Bears up for a demanding run.

"We have the whole summer to cry about it but when August comes, we'll be ready to play it," Ruffin said. "UNA went to the (Division II) quarterfinals last year. West Georgia went to the semifinals. UWA was in the playoffs back in 2013, and when you get into conference play, it doesn't get any easier."

Overall, the 2015 schedule has 11 games and features five games at Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium and one at Legion Field. The Golden Bears make just two trips out of the state of Alabama - at West Georgia and at Central State in Ohio on Oct. 10. Homecoming is on Oct. 17 when Miles hosts Kentucky State and the final home game of the season is a Thursday night matchup with Lane on Oct. 22.

If the Golden Bears win the West Division, they will qualify for the SIAC Championship game on Nov. 14 at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. Title game ot not, Miles will still make a trip to the state capitol when it takes on Alabama State in the 92nd Turkey Day Classic. Ruffin said his team will be plenty prepared to take on the Division I FCS Hornets.

"We don't back down from any competition. Any opponent you have, you give them all that you can," Ruffin said. "They'll be a well-coached team with coach (Brian) Jenkins so it'll be a great measuring stick for our program."

By playing in the Turkey Day Classic, Miles will forego its eligibility for the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2015. But Ruffin does not believe that is a negative for the Golden Bears.

"We have been ranked in the (South) region the last couple of years but we chose to go to the Turkey Day Classic. Sometimes, the deck is stacked against you (in the playoffs). You don't have a chance to get the seed you want. Our teams tend to get a one-and-done," Ruffin said. "The magnitude of playing ASU, the history of the Turkey Day Classic, with them play schools from our conference like Tuskegee and Stillman, it was an opportunity we did not want to pass up."

Click here to view the Miles 2015 Football Schedule.

Date Opponent Location Time

9/6/2015 University of North Alabama Birmingham, AL 6 p.m. Labor Day Golden Classic
9/12/2015 University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA 6 p.m.
9/19/2015 University of West Alabama Fairfield, AL 4 p.m. 
9/26/2015 Morehouse CollegeFairfield, AL, 4 p.m.
10/3/2015 Albany State University Fairfield, AL 4 p.m.
10/10/2015 Central State University Wilberforce, OH 12 p.m.
10/17/2015 * Kentucky State University Fairfield, AL 4 p.m. HOMECOMING
10/22/2015 * Lane College Fairfield, AL 6 p.m.
10/31/2015 * Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL 5:30 p.m.
11/7/2015 * Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL 1 p.m.
11/21/2015 Alabama State University Montgomery, AL TBA Turkey Day Classic

11/14/2015 TBA Montgomery, AL TBA SIAC Championship



COURTESY MILES COLLEGE GOLDEN BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

Claflin Women Advance to Quarterfinal of the 2015 SIAC Tournament

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  — The Claflin University women's basketball team defeats Lane, 73-59, in the opening round of the 2015 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) tournament.  The tournament, which is being played at the Bill Harris Arena in the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Ala., will run thru Saturday, March 7.

With the win, the Lady Panthers improves to 14-13 overall.  Lane College closes out the 2014-15 season with a 5-20 overall record.

Junior Jaquanna Davis led the way for Claflin with a double-double, 17 points, 13 in the first half, and a game-high 19 rebounds.  Davis also had two blocks in the game.  Uniqua Mitchell also had a double-double for the Lady Panthers with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds.  Claflin had three players to finish in double-figures as Shaniece Brown finished with 12 points including 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.



Claflin, who controlled the game from start to finish, scored the first eight-of-12 points of the of the second half en route to its biggest lead of the game, 16, 46-30, at the 13:33 mark.  Lane managed to put together an 8-0 run of its own over the next four-plus minutes to cut the deficit to single digits for the first time in half, 49-41, with just under 10 minutes remaining.  The Lady Panthers remained poised, using a 9-2 run to push its lead to 15, 58-43, with 7:02 remaining in the game.  Lane pulled within 10 points on five occasions but could not get any closer falling by the 14 point margin.

"First I want to congratulate Lane and coach Buchannon on its season," head coach Deont'a McChester said.  "We finally played the type of game I knew we were capable of playing especially Jaquanna who finished the game with a double-double." 

The Lady Panthers opened the first half on a 10-2 run with Davis scoring eight during the run.  Claflin pushed its lead to 15, 19-4, with 13:41 remaining in the half before Lane picked up its offensive intensity.  Lane managed to cut the deficit to five, 25-20, with 7:55 remaining, but the Lady Panthers kept pressing pushing its lead back to 12 at intermission, 38-26.

Claflin will take on the number one seed in the East, the Lady Tigers Benedict at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4. This will be the third times the teams will meet the season.  The Lady Tigers won both meetings this season. 

BOX SCORE

COURTESY CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCAA Responds to Paine Men Not Being in Region Rankings

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- The Paine men's basketball team begins SIAC conference tournament play on Wednesday. They may have to win that tourney to make the D2 NCAA Tournament.

Despite winning the regular season title and finishing the regular season with a 22-5 record, the Lions were not ranked in the last D2 Men's College Basketball Regional Rankings released on February 25th. They had been ranked 7th in the South region in the previous rankings but fell out despite not losing (they won their final 8 games to end the regular season). The rankings are used to determine at large bids to the D2 NCAA Tournament.

WJBF Sports inquired with the NCAA about Paine surprisingly falling out of the rankings. Here is a statement from Donnie Wagner, NCAA Associate Director of Championships and Alliances:

"There are many factors that go into a team's ranking other than just a team's winning percentage. The committee has a number of criteria that they evaluate on a week to week basis to formulate their rankings for each particular week. The committee will evaluate a team's strength of schedule in comparison to others teams under consideration as well as any head to head results, results vs. common opponents and how they have done vs. other ranked teams. The committee had considerable discussion in regards to Paine but in the end, the committee determined that Paine had not done enough to be ranked in the top ten in the region for this particular week. They will continue to be evaluated vs. other teams in the region as the committee completes their rankings again this week."

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Is Paine getting the short end of the stick in region rankings?

Augusta, Georgia -- Paine college is 22 and 5 and regular season champs in The SIAC. All things should indicate this team will be in the D2 NCAA tournament, and the record alone should be good enough. But it might not be and there's issues being raised on why.

You have to be in the top eight in your region, for Paine, that's the South Region, to make the tournament. Last Wednesday, they were ranked seventh in that poll. For some unexplained reason, they fell out of the top ten. A lot of people are wondering why.

"I mean it's ridiculous, I mean, you're voted seventh last Wednesday, this Wednesday, after winning two games in a row, one on the road and both teams are above .500, we dip below 10, and I don't know what the heck happened but they really dropped the ball on that one." said Jimmy Link.



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Bad Weather Gives Wilberforce, Oldest Private HBCU in the Country, a Few More Months

XENIA, Ohio -- A report in the Dayton Business Journal earlier this month said that the "Show-Cause" visit from the Higher Learning Commission, which will determine the fate of Wilberforce University, has been delayed. Due to "inclement weather," the HLC folks won't be visiting the campus in Xenia, Ohio, until April. 

Scene visited Wilberforce back in August to get a more intimate look at the problems facing the oldest private historically black college (HBCU) in the country. The university risked losing its accreditation due to serious financial and leadership issues, not to mention an extreme decline in enrollment. 

Since that time, the school has appointed a new president, completely revamped its board, and is confident that they'll wow the accreditation team when they visit later this year. 

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March gladness for SSU women

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The Savannah State women enter March with big goals in mind as well.

The Tigers are currently in second place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a game behind defending league champion Hampton.

But SSU (16-10) surprised the Pirates earlier in the season to hold the tiebreaker if the teams are deadlocked in the conference standings. Two games remain for both teams, but Hampton must play third-place Norfolk State — a school that handed the Pirates one of their two league losses this season.

Savannah State, a winner of six in a row, ends the regular season with games at home against North Carolina Central (7-19) and on the road against Florida A&M (8-18).

The Tigers would have to win just one of their last two games to earn a first-round bye in the upcoming conference tournament.

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Shell inducted into BCF Hall of Fame; SCSU's Javon Hargrave honored by SBN

ATLANTA,Georgia  --  Former All-American defensive back Donnie Shell was one of seven inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame Saturday during the BCF Hall of Fame and Sheridan Broadcasting Network College Football Awards Ceremony in Atlanta.

Shell is the fourth Bulldog to be inducted in the Black College Football Hall of Fame. He earned All-MEAC and All-America honors during his Bulldog career (1970-73) and went on to an outstanding NFL career as a safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 2015 class also includes DT Roger Brown (Maryland Eastern Shore), DE Richard Dent (Tennessee State), DE L.C. Greenwood (Arkansas Pine Bluff), DT Ernie Ladd (Grambling State), DB Ken Riley (Florida A&M) and Coach W.C. Gorden (Jackson State).

Meanwhile, current S.C. State All-America junior defensive lineman Javon Hargrave was honored by Sheridan Broadcasting Network for being named the SBN Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year.

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