MEAC Announces Men's Basketball All-Conference Honors

KENDALL GRAY
DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY
2015 MEAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
2015 MEAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Delaware State’s senior center Kendall Gray was named the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player and Defensive Player of the Year, announced by the conference on Friday. Ryan Andino of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore was selected as Rookie of the Year. Maryland Eastern Shore’s Bobby Collins was named the MEAC Coach of the Year.

All awards are voted on by the conference’s head men’s basketball coaches and sports information directors.

Gray averaged 12.4 points and 12.4 rebounds, while starting all 30 games. He leads the nation in total rebounds, defensive rebounds and rebounds per game, hauling in a total of 371 boards this season, including 106 on the offensive end. He also ranks seventh in the NCAA in double-doubles with 17. Gray concluded the season with 83 blocks, 33 assists and 13 steals. In his final game of the season he recorded 33 points and 30 rebounds in a 104-92 victory over Coppin State. This is the second time in conference history that a student-athlete earned both Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors during the same season. In 2011-12, Norfolk State’s Kyle O’Quinn became the first MEAC student-athlete to earn both honors in the same season.

Andino totaled 229 total points (7.4 avg.), 32 rebounds, 21 assists and 16 steals in 31 games. He ranked second in the MEAC in 3-point field goal average, hitting 43-percent of his shots (62-of-146). He earned Rookie of the Week honors in December and closed the 2014-15 regular season with a career-high 18 points against Delaware State.

Bobby Collins was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks to an 11-5 MEAC mark and 18-13 overall finish. In his first year at the helm, Collins led the Hawks to a third-place finish in conference standings, greatly improving upon the team success that notched just four MEAC victories in the 2013-14 season and finishing last in the MEAC standings.

Gray is joined on the 2015 All-MEAC First Team by teammate Amere May, Norfolk State’s Jeff Short, North Carolina Central’s Nimrod Hilliard, and Howard’s James Carlton.

North Carolina Central recorded its second straight MEAC regular-season title this season with an unblemished 16-0 conference mark and 24-6 overall finish. The Eagles were the only team in the conference to post a 20-win season and finished with an eight-game win streak, including winning the last 9-of-10 contests. The Eagles finished the season with a 12-0 record at home.

N.C. Central earned the first-round bye and will open up play on Wednesday, March 11 beginning at 6 p.m. They will face the winner of the No. 8 Bethune-Cookman/No. 9 Coppin State matchup set for Tuesday, March 10 at 6 p.m.

Norfolk State finished as runners-up with a 12-4 MEAC record and 19-12 overall finish.

The 2015 regular season champion, regular season runners-up, first-team members and top honorees including Player/Defensive, Rookie and Coach of the Year selections will be recognized in pre-game presentations prior to their first games of the 2015 MEAC Basketball Tournament. Tournament play tips off March 9-14 at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.

2014-15 Men’s Basketball All-MEAC Teams As voted on by the Conference’s Head Men’s Basketball Coaches and Spo rts Information Directors Player of the Year: Kendall Gray, Delaware State Rookie of the Year: Ryan Andino, Maryland Eastern Shore Defensive Player of the Year: Kendall Gray, Delaware State Coach of the Year: Bobby Collins, Maryland Eastern Shore First Team Name Pos. Cl. School Hometown Jeff Short G r-Jr. Norfolk State Bronx, N.Y. Nimrod Hilliard G Sr. North Carolina Central Madison, Wis. Amere May G/F Sr. Delaware State Covert, Mich. James Carlton F Sr. Howard Winterville, N.C. Kendall Gray C Sr. Delaware State Dover, Del. Second Team Name Pos. Cl. School Hometown James Daniel G So. Howard Hampton, Va. Anthony McDonald G Sr. North Carolina Central Aberdeen, Miss. Sterling Smith G/F Jr. Coppin State Chico, Calif. Jordan Parks F Sr. North Carolina Central Queens, N.Y. Karamo Jawara C Sr. North Carolina Central Bergen,Norway/Olsvikaasen Third Team Name Pos. Cl. School Hometown Taariq Cephas G Sr. Coppin State Bear, Del. Deron Powers G Jr. Hampton Williamsburg, Va. Dante Holmes G/F r-Jr. North Carolina Central Baltimore, Md. Mike Myers F Sr. Maryland Eastern Shore Camden, N.J. Dominique Elliott C Jr. Maryland Eastern Shore Savannah, Ga. Rookie Team Name Pos. Cl. School Hometown Ryan Andino G Fr. Maryland Eastern Shore Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Jorge Rosa G Fr. Florida A&M Orlando, Fla. Edward Stephens G Fr. South Carolina State Columbia, S.C. Khalen Pinkett G Fr. Savannah State Norcross, Ga. Jordan Butler F Fr. Norfolk State Hartford, Conn.

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XU Rush, Nuggets beat Martin Methodist in AUM Invitational

2014-15 team photo, XU women's tennis
ROSTER

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Xavier University of Louisiana's men's and women's tennis teams extended several streaks Friday in victories against Martin Methodist in the opening round of the AUM Invitational.

The Gold Rush, ranked sixth in the NAIA, won 7-2. The Gold Nuggets, ranked seventh, won 9-0.

The XU men (7-1) have won their last six duals, their longest streak since the second half of the 2012 season. The Gold Nuggets (8-5) have won four in a row.

Gold Rush highlights included:

•  Nikita Soifer improving to 5-0 in singles and 5-0 in doubles this semester. After teaming with Kyle Montrel for an 8-6 doubles victory against Ramiro Vargas and Cristian Arias, Soifer beat Arias 7-5, 6-4.

•  Montrel winning his sixth consecutive singles match, 6-2, 6-2 against Vargas at the top flight. Montrel is 8-0 in doubles this semester, 4-0 with Soifer.

•  Manav Chakma and Tushar Mandlekar extending their doubles win streak to six. They defeated Salomon Persson and Daniel Emirzian 8-3. Mandlekar won for the sixth straight time in singles, a 6-3, 6-2 decision against Nicolas Galleguillo which clinched the dual.

Gold Nuggets highlights included:

• Nour Abbes beating Gema Bolada Yusta 6-1, 6-0 for her 39th singles victory in 40 XU decisions. Abbes is 22-1 this season and 9-0 this semester.

• Brion Flowers and Brandi Nelson defeating Victoria Ryjak and Laura Ariza 8-1. Flowers and Nelson are 4-0 in doubles this semester.

•  Newcomers Caroline Vernet and Jana van der Walt producing their third consecutive singles victories. Vernet defeated Brenda Rique 6-2, 6-1, and van der Walt beat Ariza 6-0, 6-0.

Clinching the dual for the Gold Nuggets was Flowers, who defeated Michaela Maher 6-0, 6-1.

Martin Methodist's men are 1-4, and the women are 0-5.

Both XU teams will play Cumberland at noon Saturday. Cumberland's men are No. 10 in the NAIA, and the women received votes in this week's coaches poll.

Results:  Men    Women 

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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MEAC Men’s Basketball Bracket Set for 2015 Basketball Tournament

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its men's pairings for the 2015 MEAC Basketball Tournament, March 9-14, at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. The North Carolina Central Eagles clinched the No. 1 seed, for the second straight year, after posting an unblemished 16-0 conference record.

N.C. Central earned the first-round bye and will open up play on Wednesday, March 11 beginning at 6 p.m. They will face the winner of the No. 8 Bethune-Cookman/No. 9 Coppin State matchup set for Tuesday, March 10 at 6 p.m.

Men’s action starts on Monday with No. 5 Delaware State taking on No. 12 Savannah State beginning at 6:30 p.m. Hampton (No. 6) faces off against Morgan State (No. 11) at 9 p.m. to end the first day of competition.

2015 MEAC TOURNAMENT BRACKET

Norfolk State (No. 2) earned the runners-up trophy with a 12-4 record and will face the winner of the No. 7 S.C. State vs. No. 10 North Carolina A&T State matchup scheduled for Tuesday, March 10 at 8 p.m. Maryland Eastern Shore earned the No. 3 seed, to receive a two-day bye, and will take on the winner of the No. 6 Hampton vs. No. 11 Morgan State game on Thursday, March 12 at 6 p.m. Monday, March 9 slated for 9 p.m.

No. 4 Howard, also received a two-day bye, and will play the winner of the No. 5 Delaware State vs. No. 12 Savannah State matchup on Thursday, March 12 beginning at 8 p.m.

The 2015 regular season champion, regular season runners-up, first-team members and top honorees, including Player, Rookie, Defensive and Coach of the Year selections, will be recognized in pre-game presentations prior to the honorees first games in tournament play.

The 2015 MEAC Basketball Tournament tips-off Monday, March 9, and will conclude on Saturday, March 14 with the men's and women's championship games. The men's game will start at 1 p.m. and will broadcast live on ESPN2. The women’s finale will begin thirty-minutes after the men’s finish and will broadcast taped delayed on ESPNU beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 15. The preliminary games are streamed on ESPN3. Live statistics of all games will be available on the conferences' official website and the tournament's official website, www.MEAChoops.com.

2015 MEAC TOURNAMENT BRACKET

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MEAC Women’s Bracket Set For 2015 Basketball Tournament

2015 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL BRACKET

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its women's pairings for the 2015 MEAC Basketball Tournament, March 9-14, at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. The five-time defending MEAC Tournament champion Hampton Lady Pirates will enter the tournament as the top seed after concluding the regular-season with a 14-2 mark in MEAC play.

The Lady Pirates earned the tournament’s first-round bye and will open up play on Wednesday, March 12 at noon. They will face the winner of the No. 8 Maryland Eastern Shore vs. No. 9 North Carolina Central matchup slated for Tuesday, March 10 at noon.

Games will start on Monday, March 9 with No. 4 Norfolk State vs. No. 13 Delaware State at 11 a.m. and No. 5 South Carolina State vs. No. 12 Howard at 1:30 p.m.

Savannah State finished the season with a 13-3 mark to secure the number two seed and the runners-up trophy, while North Carolina A&T State earned the third seed with a 12-4 mark in MEAC play. The Lady Tigers will meet the winner of No. 7 Morgan State vs. No. 10 Coppin State on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.

The Lady Aggies of North Carolina A&T State will face the winner of No. 6 Bethune-Cookman/No. 11 Florida A&M on Thursday, March 12 at 12 p.m. South Carolina State and Howard open tournament play on Monday, March 11 at 11 a.m. The Lady Bulldogs won the tiebreaker over Bethune-Cookman to secure the No. 5 spot.

The 2015 regular season champion, regular season runners-up, first-team members and top honorees including Player, Rookie, Defensive and Coach of the Year selections, will be recognized in pre-game presentations prior to the honorees first games in tournament play.

The 2015 MEAC Basketball Tournament tips-off Monday, March 9, and will conclude on Saturday, March 14 with the men’s and women’s championship games. The women’s game will begin at 4 p.m. and will be tape-delayed on ESPNU. It will air the following day, Sunday, March 15, at 11 a.m. The men’s finale will begin at 1 p.m. and will broadcast live on ESPN2. The preliminary games will also be streamed live on www.ESPN3.com. Live statistics of all games will be available on the conferences’ official website and the tournament’s official website, www.MEAChoops.com.

For tournament information, log on to www.MEAChoops.com. For the latest on MEAC sports, visit www.MEACsports.com.

2015 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL BRACKET

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Grambling on the verge of another winless D-I season

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling’s basketball program is running out of time to avoid finishing winless against Division I teams for the second time in three years.

The Tigers, fresh off a 78-46 loss to first-place Alabama State on Thursday, sit at 2-25 (0-17 Southwestern Athletic Conference) with one regular season game left and at least one game in next week’s SWAC tournament.

Since a pair of wins against NAIA foes Lyon College (Arkansas) and Selma University (Alabama) in November and December, Grambling has lost 20 straight games.

“We’re just eager to win as ...

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Rush on target in rout of Dillard at GCAC quarterfinals

NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Goode scored 18 points Friday, and NAIA No. 18 Xavier University of Louisiana shot a season-best 63.8 percent from the floor in a 75-52 men's basketball victory against Dillard in the quarterfinals of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament at the Convocation Center.

The Gold Rush (23-8), the tournament's No. 2 seed, will play third-seeded Tougaloo in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Saturday at Xavier.

Goode made three of Xavier's six 3-pointers and matched his career high of six assists.

Xavier made all 15 of its 2-point attempts in the first half. Xavier's full-game percentage was its highest since shooting 71.1 percent against Wiley on Nov. 24, 2012.

Sydney Coleman scored 14 points -- he was 7-of-7 from the floor -- and Morris Wright had 13 points and six assists for the Gold Rush. RJ Daniels was 6-of-6 from the floor and had 12 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

Daniels is 26-of-31 from the floor -- 83.9 percent -- in the past 10 games.

Kristopher Allmon scored 14 points and made four 3-pointers for the Blue Devils (5-25). Marcel Daniels, younger brother of RJ Daniels, scored 10.

Xavier's 27 assists were its most since collecting 34 in a season opener against Wesley (Miss.) on Nov. 6, 2007. Freshman Troy Salvant had a career-high five assists.

After a pair of 1-point deficits, the Gold Rush took the lead for good, 23-22, on Wright's basket at 8:12 of the first half. Xavier led 46-34 at halftime, and the final margin was its largest of the game.

Xavier routed its longtime city rival at home for the second time in seven days. The Gold Rush lead the series 83-48 with 20 victories in the past 22 meetings.

Dillard shot 42 percent from the floor, 26.9 percent in the second half.

Tougaloo advanced with a 100-89 victory against Voorhees. Top-seeded Talladega, the NAIA's No. 1 team, beat SUNO 92-74. Fourth-seeded Philander Smith defeated Edward Waters 80-70.

Talladega will meet Philander Smith in the first men's semifinal at 2 p.m. Saturday. It will be a rematch of last year's championship game, which Talladega won 104-95 in overtime.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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TSU Advances to OVC Championship with 71-59 Win

 

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – On the 20^th Anniversary of the Tennessee State women’s basketball team’s last OVC Championship Game appearance, the Lady Tigers are back again in 2015 after a 71-59 win over SIUE, Friday.

 

The TSU (17-12) post players were the team’s main offensive weapon, as Jayda Johnson (17), Chelsea Hudson (17) and Briana Morrow (11) all scored in double figures.

 

The Lady Tigers also had success shooting from outside and were 10-of-21 from beyond the arc. Those 10 triples were the second-most for the team this season.

 

SIUE (19-12) also had three players score in double-figures led by Tierny Austin’s 20.

 

Morrow paced the Lady Tigers early on, netting her team’s first five points of the game. Despite her effort, TSU still trailed, 9-5, after a three-pointer by SIUE’s Austin at the 15:06 mark.

 

The Lady Tigers fought back, draining five-of-six to spark a 10-0 run and a 17-11 advantage. TSU’s defense started the run by forcing a pair of turnovers and four consecutive Cougar misses.

 

TSU shooters went cold later in the half and the squad went on a scoring drought that lasted 4:45. SIUE took advantage and rattled off nine straight points to go back on top, 23-19, with 4:24 remaining in the half.

 

Morrow finally broke the spell with a layup and Jemilah Leonard scored five-straight to put her team ahead by three.

 

After another lead change, Rachel Allen canned a deep three to give the Lady Tigers a, 31-28, edge heading into the locker room.

 

The sides played it close in the opening stanza as turnovers (nine), rebounds (18), bench points (10) and assists (eight) were even.

 

Brianna Lawrence got TSU off to a good start in the second period, netting her first points of the game on a triple. The hoop gave the Lady Tigers their largest lead of the game up to that point at, 38-32.

 

Two technical fouls on Tennessee State let SIUE get back into the game and nine straight Cougar points gave SIUE the lead, 49-47.

 

A huge three-pointer by Hudson as the shot clock was expiring hit its mark and halted the SIUE momentum and put TSU back on top with seven minutes to go.

 

After trading the lead two more times, Hudson later nailed a jumper and Johnson tossed up a wild, high-arcing three-pointer that somehow found the back of the rim and went in. The hoops put the Lady Tigers up, 61-55, with 3:29 to play.

 

TSU would not take the foot off the pedal and a slicing layup from Allen with 1:41 to go gave the Lady Tigers a double-digit lead.

 

All that was left was making the ensuing free throws and the Lady Tigers made good on those, making 11-of-14 for the game.

 

The Lady Tigers will play for the OVC Championship and a berth of the NCAA Tournament by taking on UT Martin tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the Municipal Auditorium.

 

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Gold Nuggets' Gathright selected All-GCAC again

WHITNEY GATHRIGHT

NEW ORLEANS -- Repeat selection Whitney Gathright is Xavier University of Louisiana's lone representative on the 2014-15 All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball team.

Gathright, a 5-foot-4 junior guard from New Orleans and a graduate of John Curtis Christian Academy, leads the Gold Nuggets in a slew of statistical categories, including scoring (13.1 points per game), assists (111), steals (59), free-throw percentage (.785) and 3-point field goal percentage (.418).

Gathright also has climbed steadily up several XU career lists. She is the Gold Nuggets' all-time leader in 3-point accuracy (.386), second in free-throw percentage (.769), fifth in made 3-pointers (110) and seventh in made free throws (269). She is 25th with 895 career points and will take aim at becoming the 20th Gold Nugget to reach 1,000.

If Gathright maintains her team scoring lead, she'll become the fourth Gold Nugget to lead the team in scoring as a sophomore and junior. The others were Kay Williams (1978-79 and 1979-80), Henrietta Mitchell (1987-88 and 1988-89) and Jarryn Cleaves (2004-05 and 2006-07).

The All-GCAC women's and men's teams were announced Thursday at a GCAC team luncheon at the Crowne Plaza New Orleans Airport hotel in suburban Kenner, La. The GCAC Tournament will begin Friday in New Orleans.

The Gold Nuggets (16-14), the defending champion and winner of four of the past five GCAC tourneys, are seeded second. They'll play seventh-seeded Tougaloo (4-22) at 5 p.m. at Dillard's Dent Hall in the opening round.

If the Nuggets win, they'll play third-seeded Dillard or sixth-seeded Edward Waters at noon Saturday at XU's Convocation Center. The championship game will start at 3 p.m. Sunday at Xavier.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorXULAATHLETICS
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All-GCAC: Wright 1st team, Coleman, Goode 2nd team

From left, Xavier's Sydney Coleman, Anthony Goode and Morris Wright 

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Morris Wright, Sydney Coleman and Anthony Goode have been selected All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in men's basketball for the 2014-15 season.

Wright and Coleman were All-GCAC a year ago.

Awards were announced Thursday at a GCAC team luncheon at the Crowne Plaza New Orleans Airport hotel in suburban Kenner, La. The GCAC Tournament for men (Xavier's Convocation Center) and women (Dillard's Dent Hall) will begin Friday with quarterfinal games at two New Orleans sites. Xavier will be the site of the men's and women's semifinals and finals.

Wright, a 5-foot-10 junior guard from Zachary, La., and a former Zachary High School and Baton Rouge Community College standout, leads Xavier this season with 14.0 points per game. He became the first Gold Rush player to reach 400 points, 100 rebounds, 100 assists, 50 steals, 100 made free throws and 50 made 3-pointers in one season.

Coleman, a 6-7 senior forward from Meridian, Miss., and a graduate of Meridian High School, ranks third on the Gold Rush with 11.6 points per game and second in rebounding at 5.1. He is shooting a team-best 61.4 percent from the floor.

Goode, a 6-foot senior guard from Baltimore, Md., and a graduate of Milford Mill Academy, made All-GCAC for the first time after averaging 12.4 points and making 55 3-pointers. He has made 86.8 percent of his free throws in 2014-15 and ranks No. 4 on Xavier's all-time season list.

Xavier — 22-8, ranked 18th in NAIA Division I and seeded second in the GCAC Tournament — will play seventh-seeded city rival Dillard (5-24) at 7 p.m. Friday in the quarterfinals at Xavier. Friday's other men's matchups are Philander Smith against Edward Waters at noon, Tougaloo against Voorhees at 2 p.m. and Talladega — NAIA Division I's top-ranked team — against SUNO at 5 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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TSU Earns Berth in the Semi-Finals After 81-66 Win

NASHVILLE, Tennessee --  Rachel Allen and Chelsea Hudson scored 20 points apiece and the Tennessee State women’s basketball team won an OVC Tournament game for the first time since 2009, beating Morehead State 81-66 on Thursday afternoon.

Hudson was 7-of-16 from the field and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season.

Allen was a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the three-point line and added six assists and four rebounds for Tennessee State (16-12).

Brianna Lawrence chipped in with 19 points and seven rebounds. She also had three triples, helping TSU to a 9-of-17 (53 percent) mark from downtown.

Morehead State (12-18) also had three players in double-figures led by Almesha Jones’s 19.

Allen dominated the early portion of the game, scoring nine of her 14 first-half points on three triples within the first five minutes to put the Lady Tigers in front, 11-7.

The TSU offense sputtered later in the half and was held without a point for over five minutes, allowing Morehead State to go on a 10-0 run to take a, 25-19, lead with under seven minutes left in the half.

The Eagles’ offense, meanwhile, kept rolling and the squad nailed five-straight shots to pad their advantage to a half-high 10 at the 3:38 mark.

Allen finally broke the spell with her fourth triple of the half and Jayda Johnson canned TSU’s sixth-straight freebie to cut the lead to five with just under two minutes to go in the half.

Lawrence was fouled near her own basket and made one-of-two free throw attempts on the other end with 0.8 seconds left and TSU went into the locker room down, 35-32.

The Lady Tigers shot just 30 percent (10-of-33) during the opening 20 minutes, but forced nine turnovers on the defensive end, leading to nine TSU points.

MSU converted two old-fashioned three-point plays early in the second stanza to open up a nine-point lead with four minutes gone in the period. The shooting disparity continued to be a problem for TSU as the Eagles made three straight, while the Lady Tigers were 2-of-9 nine during the same stretch.

Lawrence got the Lady Tigers back on track with a pair of corner three-pointers and then Hudson drew a charge on the defensive end, igniting the TSU fan base.

Hudson and Allen continued to pump up the crowd while taking the ball down the court and Allen fed off the energy by nailing a deep triple. Her hoop put the Lady Tigers ahead 59-58 and forced MSU to call timeout at the 7:57 mark.

TSU never relinquished the lead.

Hudson continued her effort on the defensive end, drawing another charge and hitting the floor for long rebounds. Her persistence paid off as a Davis layup on the other end put TSU in charge, 68-61, with 3:45 to go.

A Lawrence lay-in at the 1:25 mark provided the final dagger that her team needed and Johnson hit a deep three-pointer for good measure on the Lady Tigers’ next possession to help Tennessee State to an, 81-66 round one victory.

The Lady Tigers will play No. 2 seeded SIUE tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the semi-finals of the OVC Tournament in Municipal Auditorium.

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Second Half Blitz Lifts Rattlers Past SSU, 64-57

TALLAHASSEE, Florida --The FAMU Men’s Basketball team closed out a challenging 2014-15 campaign with a sweet Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory Thursday night, 64-57 over visiting Savannah State at the Al Lawson Center.

FAMU (2-27, 2-14 in MEAC) ended their season Thursday, as NCAA academic sanctions ban them from any postseason tournament, but the final game left a good taste in their mouths as they overcame a halftime deficit with a white hot shooting second half.

The Rattlers shot 63.6 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes, erasing their 28-23 halftime deficit with a 41-29 winning surge.

Craig Bowman's layup with 8:29 left gave FAMU the lead for good at 45-44, and Jermaine Ruttley put on a dominating performance down the stretch, scoring 21 of his game-high 28 in the second half.

Junior guard Jermaine Ruttley led all scorers with 28 points on 10 of 15 shooting, with a pair of three-pointers and six-of-nine free throws.

Graduate student Quentin Bastian, who was honored as a senior prior to Thursday’s game, added 11 points and a team high six rebounds.

Savannah State (9-21, 5-11 in MEAC) was led by Khalen Pinkett’s 11 points and 10 more from Hikeem Champaigne.

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Four-guard lineup sparks SU men to 77-73 win over PVU

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas — Trailing by 15 points midway through the second half, Southern was running out of big men and time.

Keith Davis just picked up his fourth foul. Frank Snow was already sitting with three, and Jared Sam couldn’t get back in the game after trying to play on a sprained ankle.

So, the Jaguars did the only thing they could do — put out a four-guard lineup and hope for the best.

Christopher Hyder and Trelun Banks delivered just that in a dramatic 77-73 win over Prairie View at the William Nicks Building.

“It’s one of the gutsiest wins we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Southern coach Roman Banks said. “To come back like we did — I don’t know if you can do that again and get away with it.

“I know this team isn’t the most talented team we’ve ever had, but it was one of the best wins we’ve had in a long time.”

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Southern women rout Prairie View

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- With a conference title showdown looming Saturday, the Southern women’s basketball team had one order of business to take care of first.

It didn’t take long.

Southern used a 20-0 run in the game’s first 12 minutes to run away with a 78-50 victory over Prairie View on Thursday night at the Williams Nicks Building.

Freshman Briana Green scored a career-high 23 points, while Kendra Coleman added 20 as the Jaguars coasted toward their 14th straight win.

More importantly, the victory gives Southern a chance for at least a share of Southwestern Athletic Conference title with a win against Texas Southern on Saturday.

“We want to play for a championship and we know if we didn’t get this win tonight, we can’t do that,” Southern senior Jasmine Jefferson said. “We were very focused. That’s all we had our mind on.”

The Jaguars (17-10, 15-2) didn’t waste any time taking care of business, shooting 55 percent from the field — including 5-of-7 from 3-point range — and made 15 of 20 free throws.

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TSU's rough ride pays off with men's basketball SWAC title

HOUSTON, Texas  --  The grueling basketball schedule Texas Southern Coach Mike Davis put together for the 2014-15 season paid off.

Some questioned Davis' strategy, and his sanity, prior to the season. The Tigers' non-conference schedule included losses to big-name programs Gonzaga, Baylor, Indiana, Tennessee, SMU, Florida and Auburn. All on the road. The Tigers won at Michigan State and Kansas State.

But what the early-season defeats did was prepare the Tigers for the rigors of SWAC games.

And on Thursday at the H&PE Arena, the Tigers clinched the SWAC title outright with a 94-73 going-away win over Alcorn State for their seventh straight win.

"That's our goal and that's our measuring stick every year is try to be the conference champs or win the conference tournament," Davis said.

The Tigers (18-12, 15-2) received stellar play from senior guards Madarious Gibbs and Deverell Biggs, who both scored 21 points, junior guard David Blanks (15 points) and junior forward Malcolm Riley (15 points, 10 rebounds).

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Chowan University Hawks president big supporter of teams and CIAA

Dr. M. Christopher White
President
Chowan University

CHARLOTTE. North Carolina  -- What better supporter and cheerleader could a team have than to have the president of their university at courtside pulling for them? The Chowan University Lady Hawks and the Men’s team were competing in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Chowan President Dr. M. Christopher White was spotted at courtside during both teams games.

Chowan University is a four-year co-educational institution. It is the second oldest of North Carolina’s seven Baptist Colleges. Chowan opened its doors in 1848 as a four-year college for women as Chowan Baptist Female Institute. It was renamed Chowan College in 1910, admitted male students in 1931 and established itself as one of the leading junior colleges in the South in 1937. In 1992, the college returned to four-year status when it admitted a junior class. In April of 2006, Chowan’s President Dr. M. Christopher White, who has been at the helm for the past 12 years, announced changing of the institution’s name from Chowan College to Chowan University.

White is excited about the growth in the student population and being part of the CIAA conference. 

“This is the sixth full year that Chowan University has been a member of the CIAA. It was amazing to be asked to join the CIAA,” he said. “This is the first time in American history that a traditional white school has been asked to join a black conference. Our time with the CIAA has been absolutely wonderful. This is a first-class conference that has been around for over 100 years. The tournament is just the highlight of it, and we have done everything except win this tournament.”

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Liberty lineman Kris Sheppard commits to Virginia State football

BEALETON, Virginia -- National Signing Day passed last month without a scholarship offer for Kris Sheppard.

At least six NCAA or NAIA Division II football teams had recruited the Liberty senior during the 2014 high school season, but none pulled the figurative trigger by Feb. 4.

Still “extremely confident that he would get a football scholarship,” Eagles coach Sean Finnerty said. Because of “his size and agility.”

Virginia State University came through during the last week of February by offering a 75 percent scholarship. Sheppard quickly accepted and plans to officially sign a National Letter of Intent later this week.

"It was great," he said. "It finally happened – a scholarship to a place that really wants me. Honestly, it was kind of" surreal.

A lack of early offers didn't discourage the 6-foot-3, 320-pound offensive lineman. 

“I wasn't really down or anything because … it was just about my test scores,” he said. “I had to get those up."

Kris Sheppard Senior Highlights Video

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SIAC reschedules tournament games due to weather

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- Due to the reported inclement weather in the Birmingham (Ala.) metropolitan area, the SIAC announced it will postpone the remaining three games of today's quarterfinal round.

The teams slated to match-up included: No. 2E Albany State vs. No. 3W Stillman from the women's bracket, with the No. 2W Lane vs. No. 3W Claflin and the No. 2E Morehouse vs. No. 3W Tuskegee contests form the men's section.

The three games have been rescheduled for tomorrow, March 6, starting at 1:00 p.m. CST.

The semifinal round is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. CST on Saturday with the championship games set for early Sunday morning.Tip-off is slated for 10 a.m. CST.

The post game concert featuring Slick Rick will be held following the semifinals with the Youth Health and Wellness Initiative originally scheduled for Saturday will take place after the men's championship game.

The adjustments to the schedule are listed below:

WOMEN'S BRACKET
FRIDAY - MARCH 6
Game 16 - #2E Albany State vs. #3W Stillman - 3:15 p.m.

SATURDAY - MARCH 7 - SEMIFINAL ROUND
Game 18 - No. 1E Benedict vs. #2W LeMoyne-Owen - 10:00 a.m.
Game 20 - #1W Kentucky State Winner of Game 16 - 2:30 p.m.

SUNDAY - MARCH 8 - CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Game 22 - Winner of Game 18 vs. Winner of Game 20 - 10:00 a.m.

MEN'S BRACKET
FRIDAY - MARCH 6
Game 15 - #2W Lane vs. #3E Claflin - 1 p.m.
Game 17 - #2E Morehouse vs. #3W Tuskegee - 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY - MARCH 7 - SEMIFINAL ROUND
Game 19 - #1E Paine vs. Winner of Game 15 - 12:15 p.m.
Game 21 - #4E Benedict vs. Winner of Game 17 - 4:45 p.m.

SUNDAY - MARCH 8 - CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Game 23 - Winner of Game 19 vs. Winner of Game 21 - 1 p.m.

N.C. Central finishes MEAC schedule undefeated

DURHAM, North Carolina -- For a minute it looked as if the N.C A&T was primed to come back and upset rival N.C. Central.

But only for a minute.

After a 17-8 run cut the Eagles’ lead to three with 3:42 minutes remaining, N.C. Central buckled down on defense and hit tough contested shots. They won 69-58 and finished the conference undefeated with a perfect 16-0 record. The Eagles made their first trip in school history to the NCAA tournament in 2014 and are looking to repeat in 2015.

Senior forward Jordan Parks led the way for the Eagles with 21 points and 13 rebounds. He finished the game with an alley-hoop dunk and flexed his muscles for the cameras flashing in front of him.

The crowd in the sold-out arena roared.

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Maryland -Eastern Shore Roar Past MSU Bears on Senior Night

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team concluded a phenomenal season with another impressive win over Morgan State, an 89-76 final score on Thursday evening. UMES (18-13, 11-5) finishes the regular season on a four-game winning streak, heading into the MEAC Tournament with the school's best record since the 1973-74 season.

UMES honored six Hawks prior to the contest for Senior Night with a presentation for each graduating player. Coach Collins then started seniors playing in their final home game, Ishaq Pitt, Devon Walker, Isaac Smith and junior Travis Trim who will graduate this spring. The unusual lineup did not slow things down for UMES, establishing an early 8-2 lead. Morgan State hung tough, keeping things close at 19-18 after nine minutes of action. Devin Martin rattled off seven straight points for UMES to help open up a double-digit lead. As the teams went to the locker room, UMES led comfortably at 42-29.



While Morgan State prevented the game from getting out of hand, the Bears never truly threatened in the second half. The closest margin was eight points at 53-45 with 15:47 to go, but UMES responded with 11-3 run to keep the Bears at bay. Freshman Ryan Andino hit back-to-back three-pointers, turning one of them into a four-point play, to build the lead out to 16 points. The advantage ballooned to 18 points at its largest, and eventually UMES coasted to the 89-76 final margin.

All 12 active players got on the floor for UMES, with ten players getting in the scorebook. Five Hawks cracked double digits with Martin leading the bunch with 17 points. Both Dominique Elliott and Mike Myers recorded double-doubles with 15 and 13 points respectively, and both bigs grabbing ten rebounds apiece. Sharpshooters Walker and Andino each nailed three long-range shots. Walker finished with 11 points, while Andino racked up 10 points. Pitt, a senior who was part of a two-win team during his sophomore year, added seven assists in the victory.

The Hawks' offense thrived in nearly every aspect of the game, shooting solid marks from all areas of the floor. As a team, UMES shot 50.0% overall, 52.9% from beyond the arc (9-of-17) and 82.4% from the free throw line (14-for-17). The Hawks also controlled the interior, outrebounding Morgan State by a wide margin of 44 to 27. UMES also outscored their in-state rivals in the lane by a total of 44 to 34.

With the victory, UMES sweeps their season series with Morgan State for the first time since 2012. The win is also the 18th of the year for UMES, the most for the program since the historic 1973-74 season, which culminated in an NIT appearance. The Hawks complete the season at an 18-13 overall record, and 11-5 in conference play for a third-place finish. For the Hawks, it's the best finish in the MEAC since the 1993-94 season when they tied for second place.

Next week, UMES will travel down to Norfolk, Va. for the MEAC Tournament, held at the Scope Arena from Monday March 9 to Saturday March 14. The Hawks will play on Thursday with a 6:00 p.m. scheduled tip-off against the winner of the first round matchup between the 6-seed and 11-seed. Hawk fans can listen live to the MEAC Tournament on the Hawks Radio Network, powered by SFMSports.net and Fox Sports 960 AM in Salisbury, Md.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton U. women defeat rival Norfolk State, clinch No. 1 seed

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton University's women finished in a familiar place, but traveled an uncommon path to get there.

The Lady Pirates clinched their fifth consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season title behind yet another top-shelf performance from their breakout freshman forward.

Kaylah Lupoe continued her torrid late-season emergence as Hampton bounced rival Norfolk State 64-49 Thursday in the regular season finale at the HU Convocation Center.

The Lady Pirates (18-11, 14-2 MEAC) earned the No. 1 seed in next week's MEAC tournament with their eighth consecutive win, and in the process avenged an overtime loss at Norfolk State on Jan. 31.

"I'm not belittling the tournament, because that's important," HU head coach David Six said, "but the regular season is harder to win than the tournament. It's 3-4 months, it's tough, it's a grind. I'm proud of the kids and where we came from early in the season until now."

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