Aggies cruise past Hampton in O.T. thriller

Aggies battle back from six-point overtime deficit

RALEIGH, N.C. – One day soon Patricia Cage-Bibbs will no longer have to describe Lamona Smalley as if she is someone who just stepped on campus. Those who know N.C. A&T women’s basketball, realize Smalley has been the spark plug in a number of the Aggies wins this season.

Count Friday afternoon’s 74-71 overtime victory over Hampton in the semifinals of the MEAC Tournament at the RBC Center as one of those games. Smalley hit the game-tying shot to send the game into overtime. She then hit a crucial game-tying overtime shot and made the assists on the game-winning basket in overtime.

In addition, she made several key defensive stops down the stretch and her line was reflective her performance. She scored 12 points, had 12 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals to help the Aggies advance to their first MEAC Championship game in 14 years. It was Smalley’s seventh career double-double and her sixth of the season.

The Aggies will play Coppin State Saturday afternoon at 1 from the RBC Center.

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Florida A&M recruit named Florida's 1A Player of the Year

Photo: #4 Ashley Hampton shot 70 percent from the floor this past season.

Ashley Hampton, Ocala St. John Lutheran, has been named the Florida 1A Player of the Year for the 2007/08 season. She is now one of six finalists for the Miss Basketball Award.

The awards are sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers, Inc., and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association to honor the top high school girls’ basketball player and coach for the 2007-08 season.

Hampton averaged 28 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists per game and shot 70 percent from the floor, leading her team to a 22-6 record and the Class 1A Final Four. She holds school records for career points (2,107) and rebounds (1,088).

Hampton has signed a national letter of intent with Florida A&M University for the 2008/09 incoming class. She has maintained a 4.42 GPA and plans to major in Pharmacy at FAMU.

The 5-9 guard was coached by Kim Pompey-Bell (her mother) at St. John Lutheran and is slated to play the three -guard position for the Rattlers. More than seven family members of Hampton have graduated from Florida A&M University and she is the second to receive an athletic scholarship with the Rattlers.

Fans, coaches, athletes reminisce about the historic Orange Blossom Classic

MIAMI – At the age of three, Chico Wesley lined the streets of northwest Miami with crowds of parade goers to get a peek at the pageantry and showmanship that the Orange Blossom Classic was sure to bring. He wanted to see and hear performances by Florida A&M University’s marching band, as well as those from local high schools, and the colorful parade floats.

“I saw a drum major dancing in the streets,” said Wesley, now 53 and a legendary WHQT Hot 105 FM radio personality.

“I decided right then I wanted to be a drum major in FAMU’s band.”

Despite his early aspirations, Wesley became known as “Chico the Virgo” in 1974 on FAMU’s WANM radio station, graduated from the university in 1976, and married that drum major’s daughter, Veronica, who has been his wife for 17 years.

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FAMU v. Kentucky State, Orange Blossom Classic (Miami) December 6, 1975


Sorry for the poor quality of the picture--color and digital had not been invented for the mainstream during this era.

The sound of the Marching 100 was from the creative genius of Rich Powers, who served as Chief Composer and Arranger for the FAMU Music Department with a young Lindsey B. Sarjeant, Associate Composer and Arranger. Powers had a way to arrange music to get the maximum power from the lower and upper brass winds without overblowing (like Southern U. and most SWAC Marching Bands) and without distortion in tonal quality of the various instruments.

Under the direction of Dr. William P. Foster, the Marching 100 marched only 196 pieces during this era, and larger bands twice the size of the hundred could not compete with a Powers/Sarjeant musical arrangement of the top song of the day played by the FAMU Marching 100.

The Orange Blossom Classic was where FAMU legends were made on the gridiron and with the bands, and was a top recruiting tool for the University.

I have no ideal which of the drum majors is Chico the Virgo.

-beepbeep

A&M's Atkins shines in spring game

Alabama A&M football coach Anthony Jones figured his team would have a competitive spring game Thursday night. He was right.

The Bulldogs battled hard on offense and defense in their annual Maroon and White Game at Louis Crews Stadium. The Maroon team, which generally had the first team offense and defense, prevailed 20-3.

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Film on black colleges a slam dunk

"Black Magic," 8 p.m. CDT, Sunday and Monday, ESPN

Dan Klores stands 5-foot-9, weighs about a buck-seventy and is white.

His emotionally uplifting film, "Black Magic," is a neck-craning 7-feet tall, can jump out of Madison Square Garden and is Earl Lloyd black (but more on Earl later).

No, the Brooklyn-raised director of this captivating documentary - which details the triumphs and utter degradation experienced by the student athletes who played basketball at historically black colleges and universities - does not remotely resemble the protagonists of his heart-wrenching film.

Still, the words uttered by those he featured in this long-overdue project, produced in conjunction with ESPN, speak volumes.

"He literally saved my life," said former Southern University coach Ben Jobe, one of many captivating stories captured by Klores that slam back the glory days of college basketball at schools such as Winston-Salem State, Tennessee State and Morgan State.

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This film is a tremendous Black History lesson and each of us need to make time to watch this documentary. Additional video footage is available by clicking this link: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blackhistory2008/index

FAMU coach Billy Joe inducted in MEAC Hall of Fame

Photo: Hall of Famer and Miles College head football coach, William "Billy" Joe.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Former Florida A&M football coach Billy Joe had to laugh as he told the story. He's wearing a brace on his right wrist, he said, because he tried to teach one of his players at Miles College how to deliver a forearm shiver.

"I've got to remember I'm not 21 any more," Joe said with a huge grin. "I'm 67 -- but I don't feel it."

Joe has plenty of reasons to feel good about himself these days.

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A familiar tune for A&M Lady Bulldogs

Bulldogs fall in SWAC first round for sixth time

BIRMINGHAM - Alabama A&M women's basketball coach Altherias Warmley had hoped this year would be different. Unfortunately for A&M, it was a lot like the previous ones.

A&M, which struggled early, battled back and appeared to be in control midway through the second half. But A&M faded down the stretch as Mississippi Valley State came away with a 67-61 victory in the opening round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Thursday afternoon at Fair Park Arena.

"We made too many mistakes and got outhustled," said Warmley, whose team committed 20turnovers and was outrebounded 37-26. "Valley played hard and we didn't match their intensity. We made some mistakes at crucial periods in the game and time ran out on us.

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Late FTs lift Jackson State over Southern Jaguars

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The great game Southern Univerisity men’s basketball coach Rob Spivery predicted came to be. He just didn’t get the ending he wanted.

Guard Catraiva Givens made a pair of free throws with 6.5 seconds to play to lift Jackson State to a 56-55 Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinal final Thursday at Fair Park Arena.

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Welcher's follow puts Delaware State in semis

Photo: DSU head basketball coach Greg Jackson said, "This game epitomized our season."

Freshman steals spotlight

RALEIGH, N.C. -- It could have been Roy Bright's night Thursday. For the most part it was, until a freshman stepped up and stole the senior's show.

First-year guard Trevor Welcher's rebound basket with 1.7 seconds left gave Delaware State a 64-62 win over North Carolina A&T in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament at the RBC Center.

The Hornets (14-15), seeded fourth, move on to play top seed and regular-season champion Morgan State (21-9) in today's 6 p.m. semifinals. The other semifinal pits third seed Norfolk State against No. 7 Coppin State.

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Golden Lions knock out Alabama A&M in SWAC first round

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Familiarity breeds confidence. The Arkansas-Pine Bluff men’s basketball team knows that motto, especially considering that they were going up against an opponent they had defeated twice during the regular season.

With their 72-59 victory over Alabama A&M Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament, the Golden Lions defeated the Bulldogs three times this season.

UAPB (13-17, 8-10 No. 6 SWAC) will take on second-seeded Mississippi Valley State at 2:30 p.m. today in Birmingham, Ala. in the semifinals of the SWAC Tournament.

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FAMU men fall short in MEAC tourney

Photo: FAMU's senior L.C. (Leslie) Robinson ends his Rattlers career scoring 18 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists against Norfolk State in MEAC Tournament.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The legs just weren't there when the Florida A&M men's basketball team needed some support.

Worn ragged after battling third-seeded Norfolk State on every possession, the sixth-seeded Rattlers simply couldn't make the shots they needed most in the final minutes. After taking a 53-51 lead with just over four minutes remaining, FAMU was running on fumes as the Spartans pulled away for a 69-61 victory in the quarterfinals of the MEAC men's basketball tournament.

FAMU ends its season 15-17.

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Hampton advances over Maryland-Eastern Shore

Photo: 20 points, 8 rebounds and senior leadership from Rachel Butler provided the Lady Pirates a another big win towards the MEAC Tournament Championship.

RALEIGH, N.C.-- Bad basketball can still lead to good results. The Hampton Pirates took what they could get in the second round of the MEAC Tournament Thursday — a 56-49 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore and a ticket to the semifinals vs N.C. A&T.

But getting there wasn’t pretty. A combined 5-for-31 on 3-point attempts and a 24.2 first half shooting percentage for the Pirates. But still, they advanced. “We might have been a little nervous. I talked to some of the freshman and tried to calm them down,” said Hampton guard Rachel Butler, one of the game’s bright spots, scoring 20 points.

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Delaware State Lady Hornets ends Morgan State's post-season, 67-49

Photo: Katreem Palmer scored a double/double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 2 block shots in the win over Morgan State.

Raleigh, NC --- The Delaware State women’s basketball team has reached the MEAC Tournament semifinals for the sixth time in eight years after a 67-49 win over Morgan State in a tournament quarterfinal at the RBC Center Thursday afternoon. The third-seeded Lady Hornets, defending MEAC Tournament champs, will face #2 Coppin State in the semifinals on Friday at 2:30 p.m.

Delaware State has won five in a row and eight of the last nine to improve to 18-13 on the season.

Jameka Smith scored a season high 15 points, and Katreem Palmer tallied 12 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Lady Hornets. Smith was five-for-seven from the field and five-for-eight at the free throw line.

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Howard U. grad coaches Mount St. Mary's into the NCAA tournament

Photo: Mount St. Mary's head basketball Coach Milan Brown.

Jim Phelan must be smiling. Mount St. Mary's is back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since the coaching great handed the program over to his assistant, Milan Brown, five years ago.

Jean Cajou and Kelly Beidler each scored 15 points and the Mountaineers (18-14) beat Sacred Heart, 68-55, last night in the Northeast Conference championship game in Fairfield, Conn.

"In the back of my mind, I knew that bringing a championship home would definitely be great for me," said Brown, a former Howard University point guard who was an assistant to Phelan the last time the Mount went to the NCAA tournament in 1999. "But it's going to put a smirk on his face too, even though I know he was so nervous that he didn't watch the game."

Grambling elminated by Mississippi Valley, 79-73

BIRMIMGHAM, Ala. – Grambling State's season came to end on Wednesday afternoon as the Tigers were eliminated by Mississippi Valley State 79-73 in the first round of the SWAC Tournament at Fair Park Arena.

After a sluggish start, GSU overcame a 24-14 deficit by going on a 16-5 run to take a one-point lead into halftime. The Tigers picked up where they left off and opened the second half with a 5-1 spurt as they led 36-30 after three straight jumpers by Andrew Prestley. Grambling held on for dear life after the early run as MVSU kept chipping away at the lead but they managed to remain ahead until midway through the second half.

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No offense, but ASU too much for TSU

BIRMINGHAM, AL -- Following Alabama State's final regular-season game -- a 20-point thrashing of Jackson State -- ASU head coach Lewis Jackson made no secret of the fact that he was unhappy with his team's defense. The Hornets had allowed 83 points, and that was simply unacceptable in Jackson's world.

So, in an effort to please their head coach, the ASU players went into their match up with Texas Southern in the first round of the SWAC Tournament on Wednesday with a defense-first mindset. Pretty much everything the TSU tried, the Hornets shut them down.

The Tigers shot a meager 26 percent from the floor and were out-rebounded by 15. ASU won easily, 67-49.

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Alabama State no match for PVAMU Lady Panthers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- After defeating the Alabama State Lady Hornets 74-57, two victories is all that stands between the Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers (21-10, 15-3 SWAC) and their second consecutive NCAA tournament berth.

The Lady Panthers used an all around team effort to knock off ASU in the quarterfinal round of the 2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament. Shavonne Smith had a huge night offensively scoring a game high 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor.

Smith contributed 25 of the Lady Panthers 40 first half points. The 5-8 senior guard also connected on 4-of-9 three point attempts while dishing out 3 assists and tallying 2 steals.

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JSU beats Alcorn 62-51 in women's quarterfinals

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Jackson State University women's basketball team opened the 2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament with a 62-51 win over in-state rival Alcorn State Wednesday afternoon.

First team All-SWAC performer LaSharee Christian scored a game high 22 points to lead JSU to the win. Erlexis Cooper followed with 19 points on 8-12 shooting. Cooper also recorded a game-high four steals. Brittney Dowdy came off the bench to score 10 points on 5-8 shooting.

Tanika Nunez led Alcorn State with 14 points and Corneshia Hollis added 10 on 4-8 shooting.

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Hampton Pirates lose in OT to Coppin State

Photo: Senior guard Rashad West had a monster scoring game with 27 points and 3 assists in loss to Coppin State Eagles to closeout his MEAC career.

Hampton squanders a 17-point lead and drops a heartbreaking MEAC tournament quarterfinal.

RALEIGH, N.C. - Coppin State ousted No. 2 seed Hampton University from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament, 75-74 in overtime Wednesday in a quarterfinal at the RBC Center.

Hampton dominated the first half and led by 15 points at halftime, but the Pirates allowed the Eagles to chip away at their lead. It was down to single digits midway through the second half and soon gone.

There was life for Hampton (17-12) late, but eventually the inspired seventh seed pulled this one out.

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SC State Falls to Top-Seeded Morgan State Bears 77-68

Photo: Jerrell Green, Jarmar Smith and Marquise Kately enjoys the success of the Bears historic MEAC champiionship season.

RALEIGH, NC – South Carolina State’s first season under Tim Carter came to an end Wednesday at the RBC Center where the 7th-seeded Bulldogs fell 77-68 to top-seeded Morgan State in quarterfinal action of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Tournament.

Guard Jessie Burton had a game-high 22 points and center Jason Johnson added 17 and a game-high 10 rebounds in the loss for SC State which completed the season at 13-20. Julius Carter came off the bench for 10 points and eight boards for the Bulldogs.

Morgan State, which is having its best season in 14 years, improved to 21-9 and advanced to Friday’s semifinals. Marquise Kately and Reggie Holmes each had 19 points to lead the Bears while Jamar Smith added 15 in the victory. MEAC Defensive Player of Year Boubacar Coly contributed nine points and nine boards each for the Bears.

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FAMU knocks off UMES 70-58

Photo: FAMU's Lamar Twitty scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds in a superb effort against the UMES Hawks.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The defending MEAC champions look right at home at the RBC Center.

On the same floor that it won the MEAC tournament a year ago, the Florida A&M men's basketball team took its first step toward repeating by beating Maryland-Eastern Shore 70-61 in the first round of the conference tourney.

The sixth-seeded Rattlers (15-16) saw a 10-point halftime lead trimmed to one midway through the second half before finally pulling away from the 11th-seeded Hawks.

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Both Rattlers teams played extremely well today, and the Lady Rattlers can hold their heads high for putting a scare into the Lady Aggies. Our men's team will give Norfolk State more than they handle tomorrow. The Rattlers are still defending MEAC Tournament Champions for another day, and anything can happen.

Coppin State streaks past Lady Bulldogs to Semifinals

Photo: Shooting guard Rashida Suber had a lights-out game scoring 24 points to lead the Eagles to the Semifinals.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Senior Rashida Suber scored 24 points and Coppin State advanced to the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament with a 64-51 victory over South Carolina State at the RBC Center. Coppin State (20-11) won its ninth straight game by limiting South Carolina State to 27.9 percent shooting.

It marked the 19th consecutive game in which the Eagles held an opponent below 40 percent shooting for the game. Marie Reid led South Carolina State (13-17) with 15 points, while Brittany Baity added 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The Eagles also received 15 points from Shalamar Oakley and 10 points from Danielle Anders.

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FAMU takes Lady Aggies to wire before falling 76-65

Photo: Denise Tate snatched 8 rebounds and 11 points in season ending loss to the #1 seeded Lady Aggies.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The shots that seemed to fall so easily in the first half were nowhere to be found. The crisp passing, the sure hands, the air of confidence -- all gone when it mattered most.

What was left for the Florida A&M women's basketball team was a group of players who simply had nothing left to give. Their faces on the court told that story well enough. Their words after the game simply confirmed what was plainly evident.

The Lady Rattlers pushed top-seeded North Carolina A&T to the absolute limit in the second round of the MEAC tournament Wednesday morning. But the Aggies pushed back a little harder in the closing minutes to claim a 76-65 victory.

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S.C. State Topples Bethune-Cookman

Photo: SCSU head basketball coach Tim Carter records first MEAC Tournament win over Bethune Cookman Wildcats.

Jason Flagler scored 19 of his game-high 23 points in the second half as No. 8 South Carolina State rallied past No. 9 Bethune-Cookman for a 78-69 win in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament first-round game on Tuesday night at the RBC Center.

The Bulldogs (13-19) advance to a 7 p.m. quarterfinal game on Wednesday against top seed Morgan State. The Wildcats’ season ends at 11-21.

Flagler scored nine points in a decisive second-half run that gave SCSU the lead for good. After a three-point play by Bethune-Cookman’s Kevan Creppy tied the game at 56 with 6:27 left, the Bulldogs went on a 15-4 spurt over the next three and a half minutes to take a 71-60 lead. Flagler started the run with two free throws, and also added a put-back, a three-point play and a short jumper off the glass.

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No surprise, Morgan State routs Norfolk Lady Spartans

Photo: MEAC 2008 Defensive Player of the Year, Corin Adams.

by MSU Sports Information

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 11, 2008)-It took Morgan State a little longer to get going than head coach Donald Beasley would have liked, but in the end his sixth-seeded Lady Bears had an 86-65 victory over No. 11 Norfolk State on Tuesday evening in the opening of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament, held at the RBC Center.

Phylicia Jones recorded her first collegiate double-double, pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds and scoring a career-high 14 points, while Corin Adams and Jasmine Sellers added 14 and 12 points, respectively for the Lady Bears.

With the victory, Morgan State improved to 19-10 on the season, thus setting the school record for victories on the Division I level, surpassing the previous mark of 18 wins, which they recorded last season. It was also the second consecutive year that Morgan State has won its first tournament game and the first time that’s happened since 1996-2000 when the Lady Bears won four-straight tournament openers.

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