Florida A&M 61, Alabama 52

FAMU scores big comeback win, 61-52

Alabama was on a run that produced a five-point lead over FAMU with eight minutes left in the game, when Qiana Donald summoned the rest of the Rattlers into a huddle. "Once they started taking the lead, I had to call everybody together and let them know this is our game," Donald said. "We couldn't let them walk out with the win." The Crimson Tide didn't, as the Rattlers regained the lead with 6:01 left and completed a stunning comeback for a 61-52 victory Tuesday night at the Lawson Center. It was FAMU's second third victory over a major women's basketball program and its second over a SEC team. This one seemingly was headed the way of a blowout loss to Kentucky just four days ago as the Rattlers (6-3) spotted Alabama (6-5) a 13-point lead early in the first half. During the Alabama run, not even routine plays worked for the Rattlers.

Photo Gallery: FAMU vs Alabama Basketball

Women's Basketball Drops 61-52 Decision at Florida A&M

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The women's basketball team fell 61-52 to Florida A&M on Monday at the Al Lawson Center. With the loss, the Crimson Tide drops to 6-5 overall, while the Lady Rattlers up their season standing to 6-3. "You can't go on the road and shoot the way we did tonight," said head coach Wendell Hudson. "We have to step up and make those shots. We did all the things we were supposed to do from a defensive standpoint and all that added up, you would have thought we won the game. Like I've said before though it's hard to win basketball games on the road, and even harder if we can't make shots."

Final Stats

NEXT GAME: Dec. 30, FAMU at Alabama State, 8 p.m.

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Morgan State 83, Manhattan 74

MSU Bears Reggie Holmes waxes the Jaspers with 31 points, hitting 4 of 6 three's.

Holmes scores 31 in Morgan's win over Manhattan

Reggie Holmes scored 31 points and Morgan State held off Manhattan 83-74 on Saturday.
Troy Smith came off the bench to score 12 points, and Kevin Thompson had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Bears (6-4). The Bears led 33-28 at halftime and never trailed in the second half. Leading 50-49 with 9:38 to play, the Bears went on a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach, capped by a jumper by Joe Davis for a 59-49 lead with 8:17 to play. The Bears built their largest lead at 78-65 with 1:18 to play on a pair of free throws by Troy Smith. Morgan State shot 46.2 percent from the field (24 of 52) while the Jaspers shot 37.1 percent (23 of 62).

The expression of Morgan State Bears Coach Todd Bozeman says it all--Please, tell me these scores are a mistake. The MEAC and SWAC really didn't get beat like this!

SCORES FROM AROUND THE MEAC...

West Virginia 69 (7-0), Coppin State 43 (5-4)
Arizona State 76 (7-3), Delaware State 34 (4-4)
Miami (FL) 91 (9-1) S. Carolina State 54 (5-2)
Central Fla. 63 (7-2), Bethune Cookman 50 (5-4)Minnesota 94, Morgan State 64 (12/8/09)

SCORES FROM AROUND THE SWAC ...

Chattanooga 82 (5-4), MVSU 60 (1-8)
S. Illinois 82 (5-2), Alabama State 63 (1-6)
Southern 78 (1-8), New Orleans 73 (5-3)

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Prairie View wins first SWAC title in 45 years

PVAMU Coach Henry Fraizer III does the impossible--makes Panthers into SWAC Champions!

Prairie View wins first SWAC title in 45 years

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Nasty weather, a tough Alabama A&M squad and a few costly mistakes couldn’t keep Prairie View A&M from reaching its season-long goal of winning the school’s first conference championship since 1964. With quarterback K.J. Black leading the way, the Panthers claimed a 30-24 victory over Alabama A&M on Saturday in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game before a crowd of 20,218 at Legion Field.

Black, voted the game’s Offensive Most Valuable Player, completed 18 of 28 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter when Prairie View (9-1) seized control. “When I got here, all anybody was talking about this year was a championship,” said Black, a first-year transfer from Western Kentucky who went 8-0 as a starter this season. “When you can see that in somebody’s eyes and you know everybody is striving for the same goal, it makes you want to work that much harder. That collective effort got us to where we are right now.”

WATCH REPLAY SWAC Championship - Prairie View A&M vs. Alabama A&M

Happy days here again for Prairie View

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As a glorious celebration carried on behind him, Henry Frazier III — the coach of the championship Prairie View A&M football team — struggled to fit the title belt around his waist. He joked that his expanded waistline made things a bit more difficult than he imagined it would be last January when he purchased the belt to inspire his squad. If only building a champion at Prairie View were as easy as fitting a prong through an eyelet.

What nerve and courage Frazier showed to have even imagined Prairie View as a football champion. But that is what the Panthers are after they fended off Alabama A&M 30-24 on Saturday to claim their first Southwestern Athletic Conference title since 1964. It came in a chilly 40 degrees with a steady drizzle at Legion Field, but the Panther faithful were warm with pride after witnessing the final step in their program's climb from the depths of the college football world to the height of the SWAC.

Prairie View's Title Is Its First in 45 Years (New York Times)

Prairie View, which lost 80 straight games in the 1990s, won the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship Saturday, beating Alabama A&M, 30-24 in Birmingham, Ala. It was the program’s first conference title in 45 years. “Nobody on this staff, nobody on this team was born in 1964,” Coach Henry Frazier III said. “This is a special time.” K. J. Black threw for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns. Two of his scoring passes came in the fourth quarter as Prairie View (9-1) rallied past Alabama A&M (7-5).

Harry Williams finds a coaching home at Prairie View A&M

Former Jackson-Olin High, Tuskegee University and Houston Texans star Harry Williams #86 is at home on the football field as an assistant for Prairie View.

The place that Harry Williams feels most at home — the foot­ball field — felt for­eign to him in the days of early August. His steps were tentative. His thoughts were guarded. His decisions didn’t come easily. His new boss — Prairie View A&M head football coach Henry Frazier III — noticed. “When he first went on the field, it was different for him,” Frazier said. “I watched him, because, you know, you got a new guy and don’t really know how he’s going to be around my kids. I kind of watched him the first few days and he would just wander around. I went to him and said, ‘Hey Harry, get involved with whatever you want. I trust your judgment, so get involved." So how did things work out after that conversation? “He’s been a blessing,” Frazier said.

Updated, with photos: Prairie View tops Alabama A&M to win SWAC title

Former Western Kentucky starter K.J. Black threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, leading Prairie View A&M to a 30-24 victory against Alabama A&M in the SWAC Championship Game today at cold and wet Legion Field. Alabama A&M had one last shot on the game's final play, but freshman Deaunte Mason's Hail Mary heave into the end zone was knocked down as the horn sounded. Prairie View finishes the season 9-1, its only loss to Division I-A New Mexico State. Black was named the Offensive MVP and Panthers defensive end Quinton Spears was voted Defensive MVP.

SWAC Championship Game: It's cold and wet, but offenses are hot

Despite drizzling rain and chilly temperatures, the SWAC Championship Game is off and running (for the live telecast, tune into ESPN Classic). Both offenses started hot, scoring on their first possession. Prairie View got on the board first, thanks to a 39-yard Brady Faggard field goal. Alabama A&M answered with a 2-yard touchdown run from Ulysses Banks, the Birmingham native, and takes a 7-3 lead into the second quarter.

Prairie View rallies past 'Bama A&M for SWAC title

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Prairie View A&M, a program once synonymous with football futility, is a conference champion for the first time in 45 years.K.J. Black threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, two coming in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers ralllied for a 30-24 win over Alabama A&M in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game on Saturday."It's been a long time coming," said Prairie View coach Henry Frazier III. "Nobody on this staff, nobody on this team was born in 1964. This is a special time."Frazier is the one most responsible for turning around a program that gained notoriety during the 1990s by losing 80 consecutive games. "It's a special occasion," Frazier added. "I'm very proud of this football team."

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SC State moves to extend Pough's contract

SC State moves to extend Pough's contract

At a time when colleges are filling head football coaching vacancies, South Carolina State furthered efforts Friday to keep around longer Oliver ‘Buddy’ Pough. On Friday, school attorney Ed Givens presented to the Board of Trustees a copy of a four-year contract extension offer given Thursday to Pough’s attorney Ricky Lefft. The deal would retain Pough at his alma mater through 2015 and increase his annual base salary starting in 2012 to $225,000. Pough was also reportedly given the right to hire nine assistant coaches and raise on his own outside funds, 40 percent of which would go back to the university’s athletics department.

Bulldogs take in $250000 more in 2009 season

South Carolina State University’s Bulldogs brought in more fans and money this year, the athletics director said. The creation of the Gamezone helped increase gross revenue for the 2009 football season more than $250,000 over 2008, Charlene Johnson said during an S.C. State board committee meeting. “I attribute promotion of football earlier in the year and Gamezone to that success,” Johnson said. Gamezone, “is still a work in progress.” Starting this season, the university began requiring fans to have a ticket to gain entry to the Gamezone area surrounding the stadium and pay for special parking passes in advance. The controversial policy is meant to generate additional revenue for the university during tight financial times, cut down on loitering and get more fans into the stands.

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Job market for black coaches improving

Alabama A&M University Coach Anthony Jones has played in the NFL, coached successfully at the NCAA Division III, II and I-AA levels, but has not received any head coaching offers to move to the Division I-A level. Why?

Anthony Jones and Henry Frazier III can match resumes with any football coach in America. Both have taken over programs that were among the worst in the country: Frazier's Prairie View A&M team once went 0-80 in the 1990s and Alabama A&M's Jones got his first head coaching job at Morehouse College, which he says had won "eight games in 70 years" before he got there. Today in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game at Legion Field, Frazier has Prairie View playing for its first SWAC championship since 1964, which could lead to the school's first Black College National Championship since that year. Hoping to stop him is Jones, who left Morehouse for Alabama A&M and has the Bulldogs playing for their second SWAC title in his eight years.

"Anybody else with that resume, taking over programs like that and turning it around, would be considered a hot (coaching) prospect," Jones said. Yes, this another column about the shocking lack of opportunity for minority head coaches at the college level. Only this time, the situation seems to be getting better. Four minority head coaches have been hired at the Division I-A level this offseason: Charlie Strong at Louisville; Mike London at Virginia; Larry Porter at Memphis; and Willie Taggart at Western Kentucky. The hiring of Strong and London at BCS schools is a particularly good sign, considering that Miami's Randy Shannon was the only black coach among 66 BCS programs this past football season.

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Prairie View, Alabama A&M meet for SWAC title

Prairie View, Alabama A&M meet for SWAC title

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Prairie View A&M's football program has come a long way. The team that once couldn't win now doesn't bother pondering the possibility of losing. The Panthers face Alabama A&M Saturday at Legion Field in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game, and coach Henry Frazier III was taken aback when asked if his team would still consider the season a success if it loses. “I haven't even thought about that,” Frazier said. “Not winning, that's not even something we've thought about. Ask me Saturday. I can't really answer that. That's not even in our minds.”

Yep, Prairie View (8-1) hardly resembles the program that lost 80 consecutive games in the 1990s. The Panthers are playing in their first SWAC title game and haven't won the league title since 1964. They won 11 league titles before there was a championship contest. Alabama A&M (7-4) made it to the championship game by winning its last two games following a 33-27 loss to Prairie View. The Bulldogs rallied from a 33-7 deficit midway through the third quarter before the comeback stalled.

Prairie View climbs from rock bottom to top of SWAC

Once a rock-bottom program, PV has made one of college football’s all-time-great climbs.

PRAIRIE VIEW — While his assistants prepare the Prairie View A&M Panthers for their next football game, head coach Henry Frazier III swaps stories during practice with John “Doc” Mayes, the school's longtime director of athletic training. Most of Mayes' tales have a similar theme — the time one of the team's buses caught fire en route to a game, the road trip on which each player's daily meal allowance was $12.50, the overnight stays when the Panthers had to sleep three to a hotel room, with the odd man out relegated to a rollaway bed. They all end the same way: At the final gun, Prairie View always lost.

Frazier makes the implausible a reality

Prairie View goes from basement mainstays to conference title game

PRAIRIE VIEW — Prairie View A&M coach Henry Frazier III does not have a large office, but what there is contains a lot of significant mementos. On his desk are pictures of family members. Nearby are trophies in recognition of his coaching achievements. And nestled against a wall is Frazier's signature “championship” belt. The belt, which reads “PV Football 2009” on one side and “SWAC Champions” on the other, has become the symbol of Frazier's primary goal since he took over the program Dec. 22, 2003. That goal can become a reality if the Panthers (8-1) defeat Alabama A&M in Saturday's Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game at Birmingham, Ala.

Thanks to Frazier, Prairie View no joke

Long before Anthony Jones became the head football coach at Alabama A&M, he knew about Henry Frazier III, an up-and-coming coach at Bowie State. Jones coached against Frazier during his days at Morehouse College. The two hit it off, Jones said, during a recruiting fair in Maryland a few years ago. "I brought my son with me and he was going around recruiting players for me to come to Morehouse," Jones said. "Frazier was impressed with that. We became friends from that point on. "I have a lot of respect for him." Jones and Frazier, now the head coach at Prairie View, will put their friendship aside Saturday when the Bulldogs (7-4) take on the Panthers (8-1) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game at Birmingham's Legion Field. Kickoff is 1 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN Classic.

Prairie View's Black wins top SWAC offensive honor

Prairie View A&M junior quarterback K.J. Black was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year when the conference's postseason honors were released Wednesday. Texas Southern junior quarterback Arvell Nelson received Newcomer of the Year honors. Grambling State defensive end Christian Anthony was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Grambling kicker Ari Johnson was named Freshman of the Year.

Black, a transfer from Western Kentucky, threw for 1,775 yards and 19 touchdowns against four interceptions to lead Prairie View (8-1) to its first SWAC Western Division title. The Panthers will face Alabama A&M in Saturday's SWAC championship game in Birmingham, Ala. Black, who was also named to the All-SWAC second team, began the season as a backup, but started the Panthers' last seven games, all wins. He completed 71.3 percent of his passes and was second in the FCS in passing efficiency (172.18).

Seniors have sad history vs. Prairie View

Ulysses Banks has never beaten Prairie View. Neither has Thomas Harris, Xavier Manuel, Jeremy Maddox or Maurice Thomas just to name a few. In fact, only one of Alabama A&M's 12 seniors - fifth-year receiver Anthony Mitchell - has ever beaten Prairie View. That came in 2005. Since then, Prairie View has beaten A&M four straight times. Banks and the rest of A&M's seniors will take their final shot at Prairie View Saturday in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game at Birmingham's Legion Field. Kickoff is 1 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN Classic.

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Morgan State Bears vs. Minnesota Gophers - ESPNU @ 6 p.m CT TONIGHT.

Morgan State at Gophers (6 p.m. CT, Tuesday, ESPNU)

U faces coach making best of his 2nd chance

Taking over at Morgan State after eight years in exile for a Cal scandal, Todd Bozeman led the team to a MEAC title.

Morgan State doesn't have Cal's prestige, TV contracts, weather or pay scale. And Todd Bozeman has a better chance of winning the lottery than recruiting future NBA lottery picks -- an annual feat for him when he coached Cal in the early '90s -- to the Baltimore-based historically black college that plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. But he's content to have a second chance, albeit as head coach of a midmajor program. Bozeman viewed recruiting as a "life or death" pursuit when he took over at Cal as a 29-year-old in 1993. In 1996, he resigned after admitting that he paid the parents of a player $30,000. In 1997, the NCAA banned any school from hiring him without permission for eight years.

After a lengthy hiatus that included a stint in pharmaceutical sales, a wiser Bozeman took over at Morgan State in 2006. And in three years, he took a team that won four games the season before he arrived to a conference championship at the conclusion of the 2008-09 season. The cherry on the sundae of Morgan State's redemption -- and Bozeman's -- was the school's first Division I NCAA tournament bid last season. Bozeman signed a new five-year contract in April. "We've just been trying to build slowly but surely and take positive steps every year," said Bozeman, whose team faces the Gophers tonight at Williams Arena.

U men gameday

Preview: Todd Bozeman has rebuilt Morgan State (5-3), taking the Bears to their first NCAA tournament appearance last season. The Gophers (5-3) hope to get their second victory in a row and continue to shake a startling three-game losing streak.

Key players: Reggie Holmes, a 6-4 guard, averages 24.6 points per game for Morgan State. Stat line for Minnesota's Damian Johnson: 11.6 points, 2.3 blocks and 2.4 steals per game.

Numbers: Minnesota is Morgan State's eighth road opponent in nine games. Entering the week, the Gophers had the Big Ten's top scoring defense (57.6 points allowed per game).

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Southern University fires football coach Pete Richardson

BREAKING SPORTS NEWS: Southern fires football coach Pete Richardson

BATON ROUGE – Southern University has fired Head Football Coach Pete Richardson. Athletic Director Greg LaFleur said Richardson was notified at 3 p.m. that after 17 years in the post his services were no longer needed. “We’re concerned about the direction of the football program,” LaFleur said. “It’s time to go in a different direction.”

Southern ended the 2009 season with a 6-5 record but lost perhaps the biggest game of the season – the Bayou Classic in New Orleans – to Grambling 31-13. The Jaguars also dropped its final game to Texas Southern 30-25, giving up a touchdown with 16 seconds remaining. “No one game did it,” LaFleur said. “You have to look at it as a whole.”

Southern U fires football coach

BATON ROUGE, La. - Pete Richardson, the football coach at Southern University for 17 years, has been fired. Southern's Athletic Director Greg LaFleur announced the move on Monday. Lafleur says offensive line coach Damon Nivens will serve as interim coach until a replacement is named. Known as the "Dean of the SWAC,'' Richardson had a 134-62 record in his 17 years at Southern. That included four, 11-win seasons and one 12-win season.

Southern fires football coach Pete Richardson

The run for Pete Richardson "On the Bluff" in Baton Rouge has come to an end. The man known as Coach Pete was fired as head football coach at Southern University. In his 17 seasons at the school, Richardson led the Jaguars to a 105-38 record, second only to legendary A.W. Mumford. He coached the Jags to 5 SWAC championships and one black college national championship.

In 2009, the Jaguars finished up at 6-5, losing their last two contests to Grambling in the Bayou Classic and Texas Southern on the road. Southern was 3-5 this season in the SWAC. The listless finish to the season as well as questionable management style regarding timeouts in the finale versus Texas Southern sealed the deal. Richardson had one year remaining on his contract.

Keys: SU football at crossroads

How’s that for a crummy way to finish off a football season? Saturday afternoon at Delmar Stadium, in a not-so-grand finale before a tiny crowd (attendance was listed at 10,769, but the actual crowd could have practically fit inside a Dodge Neon), Southern played well enough for 58 minutes to defeat Texas Southern. But those pesky last two minutes were a doozy.

The result was a 30-25 loss that seemed to trump all others in shock value. Saturday’s game wasn’t so crushing because the Jaguars lost. It was how they lost. Those final two minutes were peppered with confusion on the sideline and poor execution on the field. TSU took advantage, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left.

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Grambling State 46, Wisconsin 79

Wisconsin 79, Grambling St. 46

MADISON, Wis. - Trevon Hughes had 13 of his 20 points in the second half and added seven rebounds and four assists to lead Wisconsin to a 79-46 victory over Grambling State on Saturday. It was the senior point guard's second straight strong performance, and the Badgers (6-1) didn't show any drop off after winning consecutive games against then-No. 21 Maryland last week and No. 6 Duke on Wednesday night. Even with his team up 74-37, Hughes was still working, diving into press row and landing awkwardly with 3:56 remaining. He came back out with a bandage on his upper right arm. Donald Qualls scored 15 points for Grambling State (1-4), which had problems just getting to the game after 16 hours of travel on a Friday full of delays. The Tigers' only lead came at 4-3 and was quickly erased on a 17-2 run by Wisconsin that was capped by Jordan Taylor's layup just over seven minutes into the game.

No let-down for Badger hoops as they crush Grambling

MADISON - Trevon Hughes scored 20 points and took down seven rebounds, leading Wisconsin to a 79-46 rout of Grambling State at the Kohl Center. Hughes scored 13 of his points in the second half. He also had four assists. The Badgers are 6-1. The Tigers only led the game once at 4-3, but Wisconsin promptly went on a 17-2 run and never was threatened again. The Saturday win, coupled with defeats of top-25 teams Maryland and Duke, means Wisconsin could be ranked when the poll comes out this week.
It was a chore to simply make it to the game for Grambling. The Louisiana school's plane had mechanical problems, meaning the traveling party had to split up. They didn't make it to Madison until after 11 Friday night. They had left Shreveport 16 hours earlier.

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Bethune Cookman 58, Florida A&M 57

FAMU men lose MEAC opener

DAYTONA BEACH — Two minutes and 53 seconds were still on the clock when FAMU men's coach Eugene Harris dipped into his pocket for his play card. He yelled his decision across the court at the Ocean Center. Brandon Bryant delivered. Swish. A 3-pointer that tied the ballgame against Bethune-Cookman University at 55-all. The Rattlers would tie it again at 57, then seconds later find out how costly the simplest of mistakes could be. This one was as basic as calling a timeout left FAMU with a 58-57 loss. The problem was that the Rattlers didn't have one to spare with four seconds left when Larry Jackson signaled for the break with FAMU in possession of the ball. That resulted in a technical foul that sent C.J. Reed to the line, where he nailed the deciding shot for the victory in the MEAC opener for both teams.

B-CU edges FAMU

DAYTONA BEACH -- After C.J. Reed's short jumper rimmed out with four seconds left, the Bethune-Cookman sophomore heard Florida A&M's Larry Jackson call timeout. Then he looked over at the Wildcats' bench and saw the coaches standing and yelling, "They don't have any. They don't have any." FAMU indeed did not have any timeouts remaining and were called for a technical foul, which allowed the Wildcats to win the game on the foul line. Reed missed his first free throw but hit his second to lift B-CU to a 58-57 victory Saturday before 2,328 fans at the Ocean Center. "It was just one of those things," FAMU coach Eugene Harris said. "In our (previous) timeout we told them we have no more timeouts. All we had to do was hold the ball, and we'd go to overtime. It was just a mental mistake."

B-CU star Demetria Frank hits 9 of 9 from the line, and scored 14 points and had 14 rebounds in loss to Lady Rattlers.

Wildcats women fall short

DAYTONA BEACH -- Euneshia Proctor spearheaded a defense that helped Bethune-Cookman rally from a 15-point deficit with a chance to tie Florida A&M in the final seconds.
But she won't remember her three steals in the final three minutes or her team-high 15 points. What she'll picture over and over in her mind is the one missed free throw.Proctor was fouled while taking a 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining and the Wildcats down 63-60. She missed the first of her three free throws and FAMU held on for a 65-62 victory Saturday at the Ocean Center. "I have to make them," said Proctor, who did hit the final two. "I've been struggling at the line. I just have to work harder."

Rattlers women edge past B-CU

DAYTONA BEACH — LeDawn Gibson and Vanessa Inge renewed acquaintances with a long embrace just before the tip at the Ocean Center. The respect they have for each other was clearly obvious. On the court, though, it was a different story Saturday afternoon. Inge's Bethune-Cookman Wildcats showed no love for Gibson and her FAMU Rattlers, playing stubborn before falling short at the free-throw line to give the Rattlers a 65-62 victory. The Rattlers played without leading scorer Deidra Jones who watched in street clothes. She injured her knee last week against UF, but the extent of the injury still hasn't been determined.

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Texas Southern 30, Southern 25

Texas Southern University Coach Johnnie Cole ends second season with 6-5, 5-2 SWAC record.

A bitter way to end it all

HOUSTON — At the shocking, bitter 30-25 loss, Southern left tackle Chris Browne slammed his helmet so hard on the plastic turf that the inner pads came loose and flew in three directions. Minutes later, receivers coach Eric Dooley took a knee, led his group in prayer and rose with tears in his eyes. So did star wideout Juamorris Stewart. All four of Southern’s starting defensive backs stood in place, looking around at nothing in particular, stunned over what they’d seen Saturday. On a cold, clear afternoon inside the rickety Delmar Stadium, the Jaguars had nearly sewn up a victory over Texas Southern in the season finale, only to watch it fall apart.

In the fourth quarter, SU took the lead; botched a two-point conversion; missed a field goal; then rebounded to block a TSU field-goal attempt with 1:23 remaining — seemingly clinching a win. Finally, the Jaguars gave the ball back to TSU one more time. The Tigers were all too happy to take it. Arvell Nelson threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Joe Anderson with 16 seconds left, securing a nearly impossible 30-25 win over Southern that left players, coaches and fans in a haze.

Photos: Texas Southern 30, Southern 25

Richardson: 'I think I'll be back'

HOUSTON — Saturday afternoon, in the cold air at Delmar Stadium, Southern football coach Pete Richardson had only a brief postgame huddle with his team. He told his players to concentrate on their academics, to get ready for the offseason strength-and-conditioning program, and to start preparing for next year. For Richardson, and for the Jaguars, this disappointing season was over. SU’s last-minute 30-25 loss to Texas Southern clinched a second straight year in which the Jaguars finished 6-5. Until late October, they had hoped for a berth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game. Instead, thanks to Saturday’s loss, they finished fourth in the Western Division.

House makes mark with interceptions

HOUSTON — One of the nicest surprises of Southern’s season had one of his finest games in the season finale. Free safety Jason House, who moved from wide receiver during training camp, finished his first season with 10 interceptions, the most in the Football Championship Subdivision. House and Coastal Carolina’s Josh Norman started the weekend in a first-place tie for the national lead, though Norman’s season had already ended. House picked off two passes against Texas Southern. The first one came during the second quarter, when House stepped in front of an Arvell Nelson pass at the TSU 40-yard line, then weaved down the sideline and broke a tackle near the goal line for his first touchdown of the season.

TSU WR Anderson gets redemption

HOUSTON — As the final minute ticked away from the Delmar Stadium scoreboard Saturday night, Texas Southern sophomore receiver Joe Anderson thought he had missed out on his last opportunity. With his team trailing 25-23, Anderson couldn’t hold onto a pass in the end zone on a crucial third down, and on the next play, Southern blocked a TSU field-goal attempt and seemed to be on its way to victory with just 1:23 left. Little did Anderson know, his fortune would change quickly. After some questionable clock management by the Jaguars, TSU got the ball back with 55 seconds left and Anderson and quarterback Arvell Nelson didn’t waste any time getting to work.

How They Scored: Southern-TSU

First quarter

SOUTHERN — Isaiah Nelson 25-yard pass from Bryant Lee (kick blocked) at 13:30. DRIVE: 5 plays, 58 yards, 1:23. KEY PLAYS: On the first play from scrimmage, Lee runs right on a designed play for a 19-yard gain. On the touchdown, Nelson gets behind the defense and dives into the end zone, stretching the ball across the goal line. TSU’s Michael Shelton blocks the PAT. Southern 7, Texas Southern 0.

SU gets close, but falls to 0-8

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — After seven losses, the Southern University men’s basketball team got a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel Saturday when it took on Central Arkansas in the in the Etech Lumberjack Classic. Anchored by a four-point play, Jaguars guard Jazz Williams reeled off seven straight points and Norm Nixon Jr. stole an inbounds pass and drove for a layup that pulled Southern within three of the Bears with 8:25 to play. But that was as close as the Jaguars (0-8) got before dropping a 79-63 decision. UCA’s Tadre Sheppard scored inside to trigger a 14-2 run that turned things back in the Bears’ favor and they never looked back. Chris Poellnitz led Central Arkansas (3-5) with 21 points and Sheppard added a career-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Cole has Texas Southern on cusp of winning season

Prairie View A&M’s run to a berth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship game isn’t the conference’s only feel-good story coming out of Texas this season. Texas Southern is also having a breakthrough season, which has largely gone unnoticed. The Tigers can end the year with their first winning record since 2000 with a victory over Southern in Houston on Saturday. A 6-5 record wouldn’t warrant a second thought for a number of programs. But if you’re a team that has gone 20-68 the previous eight seasons — with a pair of winless campaigns in the mix — 6-5 is something to get excited about. “The first wining season (since 2000) would be big,’’ Johnnie Cole, Texas Southern’s second-year coach and a former quarterback for the Tigers, said. “Winning is contagious, just like losing."

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Alabama A&M 0, Florida State 3

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State head volleyball coach Chris Poole couldn’t have asked for a better time to earn his 600th career win. The No. 12 Seminoles’ second-year coach reached the milestone Saturday afternoon as his third-seeded team swept Alabama A&M (25-10, 25-19, 25-10) in the first round of the NCAA Championship at Tully Gym to move on to Sunday’s second round game. The straight-sets win is FSU’s (29-2) 16th sweep of the season and is the second NCAA Tournament victory in program history. At 2-10 all-time in the Big Dance, it is also the Seminoles’ first ever NCAA Tournament win in Tallahassee.

”I certainly was pleased the way we played most of the match,” said Poole, who became the 16th active Division I coach to reach 600 victories. “We’ve really have worked hard the last few weeks to try to limit our errors as much as possible and to go three sets and only have seven hitting errors is very good. We also limited the amount of serving errors we had and that’s something else that we’ve really been trying to focus on is to really play in more control on our side of the net.” Senior Jordana Price paced the balanced FSU attack against the Bulldogs (22-13) with seven kills. She also had a team-best six total blocks.

After running away with 25-10 win in the first set – a score that was the ’Noles second largest margin of victory all year – FSU was pushed by an Alabama A&M team that won the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the second. The Seminoles will now play a Jacksonville State team that defeated Florida A&M in an exciting five-set match earlier in the day. FSU and JSU will match up for the first time in the history of both volleyball programs on Sunday at 5 p.m. in Tully Gym.

Final Stats

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Florida A&M 2, Jacksonville State 3

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Faced with a 2-1 deficit, the Jacksonville State volleyball team rallied to win the final two sets and claim the Gamecocks’ first-ever NCAA Tournament win in the form of a 3-2 defeat of Florida A&M in Saturday’s first round. The Gamecocks (27-7) won their 12th-straight fifth-set match but had to rally to force the deciding game. After claiming a 25-22 win in the opening set, the Lady Rattlers (17-10) rolled to wins in the second and third sets and put JSU’s backs against the wall. A late fourth-set rally forced the match into the deciding one, a place the Gamecocks are a perfect 10-0 in 2009.

The Lady Rattlers were led by Maria Gomez’s double-double of 19 kills and 11 digs. Gomez hit .375 in the win, while Jovana Blazeski added 16 kills on 58 swings and 14 digs on the back row. In the opening set, neither team led by more than three points until a late 9-1 JSU run turned an 18-15 deficit into a 24-19 Gamecock lead. The Rattlers rattled off the next three points before a Whitten kill gave Jax State a 25-22 win. The victory was the Gamecocks’ first ever set win in their NCAA Tournament history.

FAMU stormed out of the gates in the second set to build an early 11-5 lead. JSU never pulled any closer than three points before the Rattlers tied the match with a 25-18 win. JSU hit for a slightly better percentage in the second set than the first but saw the Rattlers commit just two errors and hit .429 en route to tying the match. In the third set, the Gamecocks built an early 8-5 lead, but FAMU put together a 9-1 run that put the Rattlers in control of the set with a 14-9 lead. JSU slowly cut into the lead before pulling to within one at 16-15 and tying it at 17-17. The two exchanged points twice before a FAMU error gave JSU a 20-19 lead. With the Gamecocks trailing 23-22, an Alyx Schulte attack was ruled in by the line judge but overturned by the lead official setting up a 25-23 FAMU win that put the Gamecocks’ backs against the wall.

BOX SCORE



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Virginia Award named for Richmond -- Morgan State gridiron great Willie Lanier

RICHMOND, Va. -- The greatest football player ever to come out of Richmond wasn't recruited by Virginia or Virginia Tech. When Willie Lanier graduated from Maggie Walker High School in 1963, those schools weren't an option for him. College football still was a segregated game, so the best African-American players went to play in the CIAA or MEAC. Lanier had a scholarship offer from Virginia State College, now Virginia State University, but he turned that down because he wanted to escape the segregation that still ruled the South.

Instead, he called Morgan State College coach Earl "Papa Bear" Banks, who told him he could play but that he had no scholarships to give. It didn't take long for Lanier to earn a scholarship. By his senior season, he was a Small College All-American and attracting the attention of pro scouts. Lanier went on to become one of the greatest linebackers in football history. He earned a place in both the College and Pro Football halls of fame. He also returned to Richmond and became a successful businessman and community leader.




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Gateway Classic founder Earl Wilson Jr. passes torch to son

In a bustling kitchen, Earl Wilson Jr. searched for a little elbow room to cut the cakes for his community Thanksgiving dinner last Thursday. One of the women in the kitchen looked at him and said, “Don’t mess with the cake, Earl.” She shooed him out back to the barbeque pit. According to his apron, which read “Earl, BBQ King,” that’s where he belonged. The St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation, which Wilson founded, hosts a dinner for the needy every November. That’s in addition to investing $2.6 million in scholarship funds to send more than a hundred students to college during the organization’s 16 years.

The foundation has invested even more in assisting youth-related programs. Throughout the year, it sponsors its namesake HBCU football game, an amateur boxing tournament, high school basketball match-ups, a scholarship golf tournament, the Miss Gateway Classic Scholarship pageant and a local Walk of Fame inauguration. “If you asked me what Gateway Classic is about, I’d say it’s about giving back,” Wilson said. The foundation doesn’t receive grants, he said. About 80 percent of the funding is raised through ticket sales at the sporting events. He runs the foundation by a mantra of self-sufficiency and integrity. “Don’t sell out, don’t cop out, stay the course,” he said. “The course needs people with commitment.”

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Welcome to the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation

Alabama-Birmingham 90, Florida A&M 59

Howard Crawford leads UAB to win over Florida A&M

UAB spent the early part of the basketball season sharing the role of go-to guy. On Saturday night, it was Howard Crawford’s turn again. The 6-foot-8 senior scored a career-high 26 points and added a team­high eight rebounds to lead UAB to a 90-59 non-confer­ence victory over Florida A&M before a Bartow Arena crowd of 3,860. It was the second con­secutive Saturday that Crawford set a career high in points. Last Saturday, he scored 21 points in a 72-56 win over Georgia. He fol­lowed that by making only 3-of-9 shots from the field against Troy and finishing with nine points.

Eugene Harris may have inherited a mess when he accepted the position of head basketball coach at Florida A&M on the eve of the 2007-08 season. But, Harris is seven games into his third season and sports a 0-7 record and 25-45 career mark in 70 games. Coach Harris is proving to be unable to recruit blue chip players, especially a mobile 6'-10"+ center --with a brand new 10,000 seat facility with three practice courts, that is second to none in the Southeast. The question of the day--when will FAMU President James Ammons get the message that the Rattler fans wants a winner and Harris is unable to deliver!

“It’s the first time in his career to be the guy,” said UAB head coach Mike Da­vis. “He’s going to have his good nights and bad nights while he adjusts. I just told him to keep playing.” It was a good night for Crawford against a Florida A&M team that was consid­erably smaller than the Blazers. Crawford shot 4-of-5 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line on his way to 14 first­half points. He added five rebounds as UAB (6-1) built a 38-23 halftime lead. In the second half, Craw­ford was 4-of-5 from the field again and 4-of-5 from the free throw line. He tied a season high with eight re­bounds overall, matching his total against Troy.

The Alfred Lawson Multipurpose Center may not see a victory until Division II Albany State (Ga.) visits on 12/19/09. The Rattlers are expected to be 0-11 by then, with losses at Florida, FIU, at BCU and Georgia State. For sure, the Rattlers will not be returning to the big dance under this coaching staff nor will they finish with a .500 record under Coach Harris.

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The Harris File:
15-17 (2007-08)
10-21 (2008-09)
0-7 (2009-10)
______
25-45 (.357)

Florida A&M reached the NCAA tournament in 2006-07, but has been in a state of disarray ever since due to what Coach Eugene Harris indicates was a poor job of recruiting during that championship season. Harris personally recruited every player on the Rattlers roster that is being blown out by Mid-Major teams that FAMU should be competitive. Even with the mess, Harris was able to win 15 games with Coach Mike Gillespie's players. What's his excuse for going 10-28 with his own recruits?

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Appalachian State 20, South Carolina State 13

Is ASU's dominance at an end?

The Appalachian State football dynasty has been built on several factors, including the decision of coach Jerry Moore and his staff several years ago to commit to the spread offense, the successful recruiting of athletes who can play that style, a loyal, talented coaching staff that provides continuity and the full backing of an administration that has figured out how vital a successful football program can be for the entire university. Since 2006 the Mountaineers are 62-11, won three consecutive national championships (2006-08), four Southern Conference titles (stretching that domination to five straight league crowns) and have posted a 14-1 record in the playoffs.

Will Ford's college career comes to a sudden, crashing halt

BOONE, N.C. — The end came sooner for Will Ford than it ultimately did for South Carolina State Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium. It came with 2:04 remaining and the Bulldogs trying to drive downfield for the go-ahead score against Appalachian State. With the Mountaineers’ defense shutting down the Bulldogs’ rushing game, Ford looked to catch a short pass from quarterback Malcolm Long for a first down. Ford was tackled two yards shy of the first down and began to favor his left knee.

The team trainers rushed to the field and helped carry the all-time Bulldog and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rushing leader to the sidelines. As Ford cheered the team from the training table with his sprained knee wrapped in ice, little did he realize it was the last time he would carry the football in college. For the Travelers Rest native, how the Bulldogs lost 20-13 to Appalachian State was less important than seeing his prolific college career abruptly end.

South Carolina State Bulldogs Quarterback Malcolm Long was 18 of 36 for 189 yards and a season-high three interceptions against Appalachian State.

Mountaineers benefit from SC State error to break tie

BOONE, N.C. - As S.C. State was lining up for a fourth-quarter field-goal attempt that could have put the continuation of Appalachian State's football season in grave danger, Mountaineers coach Jerry Moore was studying his notes in preparation for one, maybe two more possessions. The score was tied, the Bulldogs were staring at a 41-yard field-goal attempt and the Mountaineers were in trouble.

When Moore looked up, the ball was loose, Appalachian State's Dominique McDuffie was scooping it up and on his way to a 50-yard touchdown run with 7minutes, 42seconds remaining that proved to be the difference in the Mountaineers' tough 20-13 victory Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium. In a game littered with 10 turnovers - five by each team - Appalachian State (10-2) was able to advance to a quarterfinal game next Saturday at Richmond. "When you're in a playoff run, you've got to be good enough, some would say lucky enough, to win a ballgame like today," Moore said.

Attendance: 12,216 (56% of Capacity) @ Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, N.C. (Capacity: 21,650).

Richmond, Appalachian State meet again

Again, they meet. For the third time in three years, the University of Richmond will face Appalachian State in the FCS playoffs. The Mountaineers visit UR Stadium on Saturday in the FCS quarterfinals (time to be determined). The teams combined to win the past four FCS titles. The Mountaineers captured national championships in 2005, 2006 and 2007. UR won last season. "I think it's going to be an incredible physical battle," said Elon coach Pete Lembo, whose Phoenix fell 27-10 to Appalachian two weeks ago, and to the Spiders 16-13 yesterday.

"These are two big, strong, physical teams. I think they're two teams with corners that can really cover and obviously quarterbacks that are winners. [ASU's Armanti Edwards and UR's Eric Ward] just find a way to make plays." Richmond (11-1) gets home-field advantage as the fourth seed in the FCS tournament. Unseeded Appalachian (10-2) has won 10 straight after opening with losses to East Carolina (29-24) and McNeese State (40-35). ASU hasn't played a playoff game on the road since 2001.

Bulldogs await next group of leaders

BOONE, N.C. - Another year, another difficult loss at the hands of perennial FCS power Appalachian State. S.C. State coach Buddy Pough wasn't ready to look ahead after Saturday's 20-13 loss to the Mountaineers, but he realizes the Bulldogs have established themselves as a power as well. The two-time defending MEAC champions just haven't quite been able to get past ASU. He's losing two great offensive players in running back Will Ford and receiver Tre Young, the leading rusher and pass catcher, respectively, in school history. But he isn't concerned about a big drop-off in talent in Orangeburg. "We'll be OK," Pough said. "The good thing about being a decent program is you'll lose good players every year, but as you lose them, other guys are waiting in the wings to take those responsibilities."

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2009 Bayou Classic: Battle of the Bands - Grambling State vs. Southern University

Bayou Classic: Grambling State 31, Southern 13

Coach Rod Broadway is 2-1 in Bayou Classic wins.

Grambling grounds Southern

NEW ORLEANS — Grambling ran its way to a second Bayou Classic victory in as many years — and fifth since 2000. Frank Warren led all GSU rushers with 166 yards and two touchdowns in an eventual 31-13 win over Southern, its in-state Southwestern Athletic Conference rival. "That was the plan, to give it to Frank and (fellow junior running back) Cornelius (Walker), and let them take it over," said junior GSU quarterback Greg Dillon. Grambling's 53 rush attempts were most all year; its 308 yards were also a season high. Every GSU touchdown came on the ground. "Our offensive line really did an outstanding job," said Grambling coach Rod Broadway, now 2-1 against Southern. "Any time you rush for that many yards, you're doing something right." A game featuring teams tied at 18-18 all time in the Dome — and 4-4 in the 2000s — played as scripted, with Grambling and Southern trading pairs of touchdowns in the first half.

Grambling attack well-grounded

NEW ORLEANS — Grambling played a game of keep-away in its 31-13 victory against Southern in the Bayou Classic on Saturday afternoon in the Superdome. The Tigers ran for 308 yards and all four of their touchdowns as they exceeded even their league-leading rushing standards. Grambling, which came in averaging 178.4 rushing yards per game, had more running plays (58) than the Jaguars had total plays (56), enabling it to possess the ball for 37:01 while running 85 total plays. “We wanted to keep their offense on the sideline because they’re explosive and are capable of making big plays,” Grambling coach Rob Broadway said of Southern. “Any time you rush for 308 yards, your offensive line is doing a great job.” The offensive line sprung Frank Warren, the SWAC’s third-leading rusher, for 166 yards and touchdown runs of 13 and 1 yards on 24 carries. Cornelius Walker, the SWAC’s fifth-leading rusher, ran for 57 yards on 11 carries.

Photos: Grambling 31, Southern 13

Bayou domination

NEW ORLEANS — With 1:06 remaining in the biggest game of the season, just after the final timeout of the Bayou Classic, Grambling’s offense emerged from the west sideline of the Superdome, full of life and sure of its fate. A crowd of 53,618 fans had looked on as the Tigers spent much of their Saturday pounding Southern University at the line of scrimmage. They sensed victory. In a 31-13 win, all that remained was the final blow. Behind the west sideline, Grambling fans waved their arms in celebration, and the World Famed Band screamed right along. Offensive lineman Keir Boyd skipped and danced his way to the Jaguars’ 1-yard line, ready for more. A few feet behind the line of scrimmage, tailback Frank Warren prepared for his last handoff.

Attendance: 53,618@Louisiana Super Dome, New Orleans, LA

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Appalachian State 93, Morgan State 92

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Appalachian State beats Morgan State 93-92 in OT

BOONE, N.C. — Andre Williamson sank a free throw with 18 seconds remaining in overtime to lift Appalachian State to a 93-92 win over Morgan State on Saturday night. Williamson, who went 9-for-10 from the free throw line, was fouled after grabbing a defensive rebound. He missed the first attempt, then sank the second for the game-winner. Williamson finished with 13 points. Donald Sims, who led the Mountaineers (2-3) with 19 points, hit two free throws to tie the game 90-90.

Booth, Williamson lift Mountaineers over Morgan State

Appalachian State had been down the road of overtime before, but could not beat Arkansas. Faced with overtime again, the Mountaineers beat a team that beat Arkansas. Appalachian State got a clutch 3-point shot from Jeremi Booth to tie Morgan State, and then nailed 8-of-10 foul shots in the overtime period to beat the Bears 93-92 in front of 1,576 fans at the Holmes Center Saturday night. Morgan State (4-2), which beat Arkansas 97-94 on Nov. 24, held an 80-75 lead with 38.7 seconds left after Reggie Holmes hit one of two free throws. But Appalachian State (3-3) responded with a 3-pointer from Donald Sims, and a foul shot by Sims on the Mountaineers' next two possessions to close to within 80-79.

After Troy Smith canned two free throws for Morgan State, Jeremi Booth nailed a 3-pointer from the left side of the court to tie the game at 82-82 with .7 seconds left in regulation. "Sims got me the ball and I was open," Booth said. "I let it go and fortunately it went in." Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman blamed a mental breakdown on defense as the reason Booth was open along the perimeter. The Bears guarded Sims, but backed off of Booth when he got the ball. "We were backing off the guy at the end there," Bozeman said. "We generally are pretty good at guarding the 3-point line. But to be backing off the guy, it's like a sin in our book. We backed off and that's a mental breakdown. Basically we relaxed."

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