Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Norfolk State Lady Spartans scores first MEAC win--over Howard Bison

Photo: Danelle Tate led NSU with 23 points and 14 rebounds in the OT win over the Howard University Lady Bison. The 5-10 freshman forward is from North Stafford H.S., Stafford, VA and is majoring in Business Administration.

NORFOLK, VA - After 40 minutes of basketball and with just six players available, no one could have blamed the Norfolk State women if Howard was the fresher team in overtime Monday night. Instead, the Spartans were quicker to loose balls and played with renewed energy. "We just wanted it real bad and it showed out there," guard Ebony Gibbs said.

Gibbs hit two free throws with 5.5 seconds left to force overtime and NSU took over, rolling to its first MEAC win 94-88 at Echols Hall.

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UAPB's Football Schedule Includes Cotton Bowl Visit


PINE BLUFF, AK -- New coach Monte Coleman's first Arkansas-Pine Bluff football team will take on three familiar opponents from the old Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and will make a trip to Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas next fall, as UAPB's athletic department released its 2008 slate on Monday.

Old AIC members Arkansas-Monticello (Aug. 30 in Pine Bluff), Henderson State (Sept. 6 in Arkadelphia) and Central Arkansas (Sept. 13 in Little Rock) are all three on the Golden Lions' schedule for the first time since the 1994 season.

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2008 UA-Pine Bluff Football Schedule

AUG. 30 ARK.-MONTICELLO PINE BLUFF 6 p.m.
Sept. 6 at Henderson State Arkadelphia 6 p.m.
Sept. 13 vs CENTRAL ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK 6 p.m.
Sept. 20 at Alcorn State Lorman, MS 6 p.m.
Sept. 27 ALABAMA A&M PINE BLUFF 6 p.m.
Oct. 4 BYE
Oct. 11 JACKSON STATE PINE BLUFF 4 p.m.
Oct. 18 PRAIRIE VIEW* PINE BLUFF 4 p.m.
Oct. 25 LINCOLN (HC) PINE BLUFF 2:30 p.m.
Nov, 1 at Southern* Baton Rouge 6 p.m.
Nov. 8 vs Grambling State* Little Rock 4 p.m.
Nov. 15 MISS VALLEY STATE PINE BLUFF 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 29 vs Texas Southern** Dallas 2:30 p.m.
*-West Division SWAC Games
**-at Cotton Bowl

FAMU gets seven commitments for '08 football

Florida A&M has received oral commitments from seven high school football prospects, including Florida High safety Oye Ojo on the eve of National Signing Day on Wednesday. Ojo is one of five commitments from Florida. The others are wide receiver Tyrone Brantley and kicker Nicardo Blake from Boyd Anderson High School, athlete Derek Shaw from Lake Brantley High School, and quarterback Martin Ukpai from Fort Lauderdale High School.

FAMU also has received commitments from defensive back Michael Greene from Lovejoy High School in Hampton, Ga. as well as strong safety Sean Rush out of Otay Ranch High School in Chula Vista, Calif.

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Surging Morgan State Bears too much for Delaware State Hornets

Photo: Todd Bozeman, second-year head basketball coach has Morgan State University on top of MEAC standings.

BALTIMORE, MD -- The experts said it wouldn't take Todd Bozeman long to figure out the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. How does two seasons sound? Bozeman's Morgan State men's basketball team maintained its lead in the MEAC on Monday, beating three-time defending regular-season champion Delaware State 64-59 in a wild game at Hill Field House.

The Bears (13-8 overall, 8-1 MEAC) kept their unbeaten record at Hill (7-0) intact. "It was a grind-out win," Bozeman said. "It was a conference win; that's what's most important."

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Attendance was 3409 for this matchup.

North Carolina A&T blast Hampton Lady Pirates

Photo: North Carolina A&T State University head women basketball coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs has Aggies undefeated in conference play.

GREENSBORO,N.C. – What started out as a battle for first-place turned out to be a game that strongly solidified the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team as the team to beat in the MEAC.

The Aggies forced the MEAC’s second-place Hampton Pirates into 39 turnovers and placed four players in double figures to earn a 73-41 win. Junior forward Brittanie Taylor-James led the Aggies with 18 points. Junior Amber Bland scored 14 points and added seven rebounds. Senior Nancy Rembert finished the night with 13 points and nine boards.

With the win the Aggies (15-5, 8-0) have defeated the four teams ranked below them in the standings. They don’t play Coppin State again and their return games against Maryland-Eastern Shore and Delaware State are at home, while they will have to go on the road when they next meet the Pirates.

“I don’t want to lose any games (during the regular season) but our focus is on winning a championship,’’ said head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs.

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Why I'm OK taking University of Alabama over an HBCU

"I have three more months." That is the phrase I keep repeating to myself. Then it's all over - high school that is. I can even picture me and my friends throwing, or holding up, our square hats in the air, as we say our last goodbyes to high school hallways and our first hellos to college campuses.

But will the college campus I chose be the right one for me? With careful consideration, I've decided to attend the University of Alabama. As I broke the seal of my acceptance letter to UA, I felt as if my decision to attend the capstone university was the first great choice of my adult life.

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Kid did not want to give his name--do you blame him?

Thompson's bucket helps DSU women rally over Morgan State

Photo: Ashley Thompson pulled down 8 rebounds and scored 4 points in the Lady Hornets win over Morgan State. The 6-0 Sophomore forward is from Southern Maryland's McDonough HS, La Plata, MD.

BALTIMORE -- The first-half statistics for Delaware State's Ashley Thompson were less than stellar Monday night. Two shots from the field. One point. Ouch. Thompson's second-half numbers weren't spectacular, either, but she redeemed herself in the nick of time.

Playing for injured senior Katreem Palmer, Thompson scored the tying bucket with less than a minute to play to help the Hornets women's basketball team to a 52-49 victory over Morgan State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Hill Field House.

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Alabama State Hornets outgun PVAMU Panthers

The Hornets opened up a 25-point lead midway through the second half and coasted to a 98-86 win, improving to 12-7 overall and 8-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. "This was a good win for us," ASU coach Lewis Jackson said. "We played well for portions of the game, but we also have some things to work on."

First on Jackson's list is getting his players to put games away when they have the chance. "When we got up by 25, the guys thought the game was over," Jackson said. "We made a substitution there to get some guys a breather and we just lost all aggression. We spent the rest of the game going through the motions. And that's not going to get it done. We need to have that killer instinct."

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UMES Lady Hawks soars over Coppin State Lady Eagles

BALTIMORE, MD -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team has extended its winning streak against MEAC opponents as they defeated Coppin State 69-62 on Monday night. For Coppin State, Shalamar Oakley had 25 points with teammate Rashida Suber adding 17 points.

The Hawks were led by both April McBride and Casey Morton, who each tallied 18 points. McBride, the reigning MEAC Player of the Week, had a double-double, adding 16 rebounds to her 18 points. Tiffany Reid had another good performance as the reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Week had 15 points and three steals. Brittany Adkins was the fourth Hawk in double digits with 13 points and 13 rebounds. This was the fifth straight win for the Lady Hawks.

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Hampton gets past cold North Carolina A&T

Photo: Vincent Simpson, 6-1/170 guard scored 13 points against the Aggies. The sophomore is from Cardinal Dougherty H.S., Philadelphia, PA.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Teams that live by the 3 will die by the 3. One game after setting a season high with 65 percent shooting on 3-pointers, N.C. A&T hit just 4-of-21 shots from the beyond arc and fell, 68-52 to Hampton on a nationally televised game Monday night at the Corbett Sports Center.

In a contest that featured two of the top scorers in the MEAC, the Pirates' Rashad West outdueled Steven Rush. West scored a game-high 17 points, including three 3-point baskets. Meanwhile, Rush had seven points and was 1-for-7 on 3s. A&T (11-10, 5-3 MEAC) shot just 30 percent for the night, hitting only 15 field goals.

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SC State overpowers FAMU Lady Rattlers

Photo: Guard Taniyah Dawson scored 13 poinst, 3 assists and 3 rebounds in 38 minutes of action against the SCSU Lady Bulldogs. Dawson is a 5-7 junior from Poteet H.S., Mesquite, Texas, majoring in Pharmacy at FAMU.

Super-sub Marie Reid came off the bench for 23 points to power South Carolina State to a 74-63 win over Florida A&M Monday night in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. Reid, a transfer from Memphis, has come off the bench to lead the Lady Bulldogs in scoring in four of the last five games and has averaged 24 points in three consecutive contests, two of which Coach Tonya Mackey's team has been victorious.

The visiting Lady Rattlers were led by Q'Vaunda Curry with 20 points and eight rebounds. Stephanie Foster added 15 points and Taniyah Dawson 13 in the loss, which dropped FAMU to 10-10 overall and 1-7 in the league.

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FAMU simply had no answer for Lady Bulldog 6-4/210 sophomore center Marie Reid who hit 9 of 15 shots, 6 of 8 free throws and nabbed 4 rebounds. The Lady Rattlers are currently 10-10, 1-7 MEAC with nine remaining conference games. Seven of the nine games are at home in Gaither Gymnasium so we need to make that run starting with Saturday's home game with conference leader North Carolina A&T (15-5, 8-0 MEAC).

-beepbeep

Monday, February 4, 2008

La Vergne's Gray commits to Tennessee State

La VERGNE, TN — All-State wide receiver Chris Gray has committed to play football next season at Tennessee State University. Gray caught 54 passes for 814 yards and nine touchdowns for the Wolverines last fall, which made him one of the most productive receivers in all of Middle Tennessee. He also was named All-Region 4-5A and first team All-Area by The Daily News Journal.

“I think there’s no doubt that he can play at that level,” La Vergne coach Will Hester said. “From my personal perspective, TSU got a steal. I feel he can play at that level and play at any level above that.”

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Gray is 6-0/189 and runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds. You may view the Rivals.com two star receiver highlight videos by clicking on this link:

Sumter star commits to Jackson State Tigers

Photo: WR Carlos Everett has 4.45 speed and has accepted an offer from Jackson State University to play for the Tigers .

BUSHNELL, FL — Former South Sumter High school football star Carlos Everett has committed to continue his football career at Jackson State University. Everett played the last two seasons for Hinds (Miss.) Community College where he caught 13 passes for 277 yards and one touchdown in 2007. He also scored a touchdown on a 60-yard punt return in the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior College All-Star Classic.

The 6-foot-1, 190 pound wide receiver scored 36 touchdowns in his career at South Sumter and played on the Raiders team which went to the 2005 Class 2A state championship game. Upon graduation from South Sumter, Everett signed to play for coach Chuck Amato at North Carolina State, but was a non-qualifier. Everett had chosen the ACC school over the University of Florida and Miami.

Everett chose Jackson State over Kansas State and North Carolina A&T.

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Scout.com has Everett ranked as a two star talent.

Transfers put NSU ahead of the recruiting curve

Photo: Norfolk State University Quarterback Dennis Brown is from Miami, Florida.

NORFOLK, VA - Dennis Brown stepped out of the car after driving 10 hours from Storrs, Conn. He had never set foot on Norfolk State’s campus but wasn’t in the mood for a tour. He wanted to watch film, maybe lift some weights. He asked football coach Pete Adrian for keys to the weight room. “Dennis, let’s get you settled in a room first,” Adrian recommended.

Don’t blame Brown if he’s a little overeager. The former Connecticut quarterback said it feels as if he has waited forever for an opportunity to show off his arm strength and athletic ability. “I was out running the stadium stairs at 7 the next morning,” said Brown, 6-foot-3 and 196 pounds.

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Recruiting: Diversity on Their Fields - HBCUs

Photo: Native Washingtonian and Florida A&M University Head Football Coach Joe Taylor.

Some Historically Black Colleges Are Recruiting More White Players for Football.

It's definitely a trend," said Florida A&M University Coach Joe Taylor, who spent 16 years as head coach at fellow MEAC member Hampton University before joining the Rattlers in 2007. "If you look at the sidelines and the coaching staffs, you see a trend where diversity is very prevalent."

Players and coaches said there are several reasons for the increase in white players at some HBCUs: more comprehensive recruiting efforts because of an increasing pressure to win; the rising level of play in historically black college football; and a generally more diverse society. "Athletics does more for our society in terms of transcending social ills than anything else," Taylor said. "It is about having bigger minds, broader minds, more open minds. If you love the sport, if you have a passion for it, really color tends not to be an issue."

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A 'Magic' project: New documentary explores historic effect of black colleges on basketball, the NBA

DURHAM, N.C. – Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (www.fullframefest.org), has announced that it will host the world premiere of the theatrical cut of “Black Magic”, a documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker Dan Klores.

The premiere will be held Monday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Carolina Theatre, located at 309 W. Morgan St. in Durham. “Black Magic,” which will air in its entirety as a four-hour, two-part commercial-free series on ESPN in March 16-17, 2008, features two prominent North Carolina basketball legends, Winston-Salem State University graduate, Earl Monroe and North Carolina A&T State University graduate, Al Attles.

Klores, director of “Black Magic” and the 2007 critically acclaimed film festival hit “Crazy Love”, will join Attles and Monroe for a panel discussion following the screening to discuss the history that inspired the film. “Black Magic” tells the story of the injustice that defined the Civil Rights Movement in America through the lives of basketball players and coaches who attended historically black colleges and universities. The film features interviews with Basketball Hall of Fame honoree Willis Reed; Earl Lloyd, the first black athlete to ever play in an NBA game, as well as John Chaney, retired basketball coach of Temple University. Other notable interviewees include Ben Wallace, Charles Oakley and Avery Johnson.

Individual tickets for the “Black Magic” World Premiere and panel discussion are $12 and may be purchased at the event or by visiting the Box Office at www.fullframefest.org. Tickets for both the pre-screening party and film are available to Full Frame members for $35 and $50 for non-members. The 2008 Festival Preview Benefit — "Black Magic" world premiere is sponsored by Duke University Office of the Provost, the Visiting Artist Fund of the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies at Duke University, North Carolina Central University and the City of Durham.

About Black Magic:

Directed by award-winning director Dan Klores and in collaboration with ESPN Original Entertainment and Shoot the Moon Productions, “Black Magic” is a new four-hour, two-part film scheduled to air commercial-free on ESPN in March 2008. The film will make its world premiere at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival on Monday, Feb 11. “Black Magic” is a story of the injustice that defines the Civil Rights Movement in America, told through the lives of basketball players and coaches who attended historically black colleges and universities.

The film is produced by basketball legend and Winston-Salem State University graduate, Earl Monroe, and narrated by Wynton Marsalis, Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Paul.

Feature interviews include Willis Reed, Avery Johnson, Ben Wallace, John Chaney, Bob Love, Al Attles, Pee Wee Kirkland, Earl Lloyd, Dick Barnett, Woody Sauldsberry, Cleo Hill, Bob Dandridge, Sonny Hill, Perry Wallace, Dave Robbins, Harold Hunter, Charles Oakley, Donnie Walsh, Bobby Cremins, Howie Evens, the widows of coaches Clarence “Big House” Gaines and John McLendon, and historians Skip Gates, Cleveland Sellers and Milton Katz.

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SC State Bulldogs to face Florida A&M Rattlers

Both South Carolina State basketball teams will be trying to extend one-game winning streaks Monday when they host Florida A&M in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader, beginning with the women's contest at 5:30 p.m. The men's game will follow at approximately 7:30 p.m.

The Lady Bulldogs will have a different look as they will wear pink uniforms to support the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's "Think Pink" initiative to bring awareness to breast cancer. Attendees are encouraged to wear pink and bring a donation for the organization.

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Pop diva Roberta Flack sets musical future for students at Bronx school

Photo: Famed pop singer Roberta Flack was raised in Arlington, Virginia (born in Asheville, NC) and entered Howard University on a music scholarship at age 15 and graduated at age 19.

The house was packed, but easily the most enthusiastic fan at the Roberta Flack School of Music's first Winter Music Festival last week was the school's chief benefactor and namesake. Time and again the multi-Grammy Award-winning Flack leaped from her first-row center seat to lead the applause during the two-hour program, held in the Hyde Leadership Charter School auditorium in Hunts Point, the Bronx.

She stalked the footlights for better angles, hugged every child - and many adults - who ventured within arms' reach and even admonished the crowd to quiet down. "I didn't know it was going to be this good!" Flack said with a grin. "These children have worked so hard. Please give them your undivided attention."

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The school is trying to raise $12,000 to send a dozen students to the 28th annual Alcorn State University Jazz Festival in Lorman, Mississippi on April 19, 2008. Contributions can be sent to the school, 730 Bryant Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10474. The phone number is (718) 991-5500.

Roberta Flack - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Morgan State Bears claw way to top of MEAC

Photo: MSU guard Jamar Smith #34 is leading the Bears in scoring averaging 18.2 ppg. The 6-2/210 senior is from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and played at San Bernadino Valley College/Patrick Henry H.S.

BALTIMORE, MD - Morgan State’s men’s basketball team, just two years removed from a four-win season, has won five straight games to ascend to the top the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference. The Bears are off to their best start in 29 years and have a chance to qualify for a postseason tournament for the first time as Division I school, yet Coach Todd Bozeman is quick to put it all in perspective.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said. “We play Delaware State [today].” The Bears (12-8, 7-1 MEAC) cannot afford to look ahead. After all, opponents will not be looking past them. “When you have that bull’s eye on your back,” Bozeman said, “everybody’s gonna get up for you.”

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DSU athletes excel at Thomson Invitational

NEWARK, DE -- Delaware State University's Jasmine Rogers and Nekisha Franklin recorded first-place finishes on the women's side of the Thomson Invitational indoor track and field meet on Saturday at the University of Delaware, while Donte Holmes and two Hornets relay teams won for the men.

The Delaware State men placed third with 96 points, trailing Temple (149 1¼2) and Monmouth (129). The DSU women were fourth with 73 1¼2 points, behind Delaware (137 1¼2), Temple (133 1¼2) and Maryland (92 1¼2) in the 12-team field.

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Sunday, February 3, 2008

Southern Lady Jaguars tops Alcorn State

The Southern women’s basketball team beat Alcorn State 46-39 Saturday even while missing 49 shots in a victory that provided further proof of how the Jaguars win with their energetic defense and their ultra-active freshman forward Freda Allen.

Allen played the final 10 minutes with four fouls and still came up with her customary double-digit rebounding and making a host of hustle plays — and also canceling out one of the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s top scorers. “Freda is one of those players like (Dennis) Rodman was to the (Chicago) Bulls,” Southern coach Sandy Pugh said.”

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Alabama A&M hot shooting down PVAMU Panthers

Trant Simpson scored the first 11 points of the game for Alabama A&M en route to a career high 29 points and led the Bulldogs to a 74-62 victory Saturday at Elmore Gym over Prairie View A&M University. The win was the second straight for A&M and gets the Bulldogs to 3-5 in the SWAC and 6-12 overall. Evan Hilton recorded a double-double for the Bulldogs with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Despite being out rebounded 52-40 and giving up 18 offensive boards, AAMU forced 19 PVAMU turnovers while committing just eight on the night. Along with Simpson and Hilton, the Bulldogs got double digit scoring from Andrew Williams with 12 and Mickell Gladness with 10. Gladness also blocked five shots.

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S.C. State men pull out 51-48 victory over Bethune-Cookman

Junior guard Jessie Burton tossed in 12 of his 13 points in the second half as S.C. State (7-14, 3-4 MEAC ) sparked a 24-3 run to pull out a close 51-48 conference win over Bethune-Cookman (8-13, 3-5 MEAC) at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center Saturday. Freshman guard Carrio Bennett added 9 points, including two big 3-pointers in the closing minutes of the second-half in the win.

Bethune-Cookman senior guard Dewayne Pettus poured in 12 points in the loss.

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UMES Lady Hawks sinks Morgan State from long range

Tiffany Reid leads all scorers with career-high 24 points.

BALTIMORE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Lady Hawks capitalized on an impressive shooting effort in route to a 95-80 win over Morgan State University (MSU) on Saturday afternoon in the Hill Field House. UMES (11-8, 4-2 MEAC) connected on 32-of-59 (54.2 percent) from the field and 13-of-21 (61.9 percent) from downtown in the game, while limiting the Bears to just three-of-18 (16.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

"I thought we shot the ball extremely well and it helped open up the entire floor for our team," said Head Coach Fred Batchelor. "Coming in we knew this was an important game and it was a total team effort in the win."

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Gritty DSU Hornets women fall short at end to Coppin State

Delaware State misses two potential tying 3-pointers in final 12 seconds.

The Hornets matched the grit of their opponent for much of the way, but still came up short in a 60-57 loss at the Coppin Center. "It's another lesson learned," Delaware State coach Ed Davis said. "Coppin State is still the defending champion. It was another tough MEAC game. "And we didn't quit."

Coppin State (11-10, 6-2) successfully defended two potential tying shots by DSU over the final 12 seconds to run its winning streak against the Hornets to five games. The Eagles also won their sixth straight overall. Rocky Collier led the Hornets (9-11, 4-2) with 16 points. Thea Littlepage had four points and 10 rebounds.

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