Defensive Slate for Mississippi Valley Delta Devils Football

Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils new head football coach Karl Morgan brings 21 years of coaching experience to Valley.

Miss. Valley tabs Morgan as coach

ITTA BENA, Miss. — Mississippi Valley State on Monday named Karl Morgan as its new head football coach. Morgan, a native of Houma and a former defensive line coach at both Nicholls State and Southern, spent the past five seasons as defensive coordinator at North Alabama. Morgan replaces Willie Totten, who stepped down Nov. 30 after eight seasons as the head coach of his alma mater. Morgan was introduced Monday on campus. A standout defensive lineman at Vandebilt Catholic and UCLA before playing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Oilers and the Saskatchewan Rough Riders, Morgan has 21 years of coaching experience, including stints as defensive line coach at Nicholls State, Southern, Purdue and Arkansas State and as defensive coordinator at Alcorn State, Hampton and North Alabama.

UNA was a Division II semifinalist in 2005 and 2008 and a quarterfinalist in 2006, 2007 and 2009. Morgan got his start in coaching as the head football coach at Central Catholic High in Morgan City from 1989 to 1992. After spending the 1994 season as the defensive line coach at Nicholls State, Morgan spent 1995 as the defensive line coach at Southern. That year, SU went 11-1 and won the black college national title.

Valley introduces new football coach

Mississippi Valley State University’s new football coach, Karl Morgan, has “experience, professionalism, discipline, energy and a demonstrated winning attitude,” Interim Athletic Director Donald Ray Sims said Monday. The selection of Morgan, the former defensive coordinator at the University of North Alabama, was announced at a press conference. Morgan, a 48-year-old Louisiana native, will replace Willie Totten, who resigned after eight years as head coach. Valley has had only 13 winning seasons in its 58-year history. Morgan said he actively pursued the position.

“I went after this job full of energy and excitement,” he said. “I heard about all the things about consolidation, scholarships and all that kind of stuff. It did not deter me. I saw potential and I saw opportunity here.” After cleaning out his office at North Alabama, he plans to return to Valley on Wednesday. He said he already had a prospective staff put together and plans to serve as defensive coordinator as well as head coach. “The staff has been put together for the most part, but everybody has to now get away from where they’re at,” he said. “Some are going to take some time, as far as two-week notices and all that kind of stuff.”

Morgan has 21 years of coaching experience including stints as defensive line coach at Nicholls State, Southern University, Purdue University and Arkansas State University. He has also served as defensive coordinator at Alcorn State University, Hampton University and North Alabama. North Alabama, an NCAA Division II program, was 55-10 during Morgan’s five years as defensive coordinator. This past season, his defense led the Gulf South Conference in scoring defense, total defense and passing defense.

Valley fans ready to support new football coach

Greenwood-area Mississippi Valley State fans are excited about their new coach, and most of them hope Karl Morgan will recruit the Mississippi Delta more heavily. Morgan, a 48-year-old Louisiana native, replaces Willie Totten, who resigned Nov. 30 after eight years as head coach. Valley had a 3-8 record this year this past season. It was the sixth losing season for Totten, who went 31-58 at the helm of his alma mater. Morgan spent the past five seasons as the defensive coordinator at North Alabama, one of the nation's top NCAA Division II programs. The Lions went 55-10 during Morgan's stint as defensive coordinator. This past season, Morgan's defense led the Gulf South Conference in scoring defense, total defense and passing defense.

Greenwood High School football coach and athletic director Clinton Gatewood, a former Valley player, is excited about meeting Morgan and learning how the new coach plans to turn things around in Itta Bena. "One of our former players, Leroy Collins, played under Morgan at North Alabama, and he loved him as a coach," Gatewood said. "I would love to see coach Morgan recruit the talent in the Delta a lot more because we have a host of talent in this area." Fred Ford, an assistant football coach at Amanda Elzy and a former player at Valley, believes his alma mater selected the right man for the job.

New hire embraces task

ITTA BENA, MS - Karl Morgan knows exactly what he's getting into as the new coach at Mississippi Valley State. He knows that the program can't fill the 63 scholarships allotted to Football Championship Subdivision teams. He knows Gov. Haley Barbour has proposed consolidating Valley and Alcorn State into Jackson State. He knows some of his assistant coaches will have to teach classes. Morgan, formerly the defensive coordinator at North Alabama, doesn't care about any of that.

"It wasn't a deterrent because I think I can be successful raising money," he said. "We're going to be proactive. We're going to hit everybody that we think has some money. If you ask, you can find. "We just need the basics so we can compete. There's a lot of things we need that we probably don't have. But there's not going to be any buyer's remorse. We're going to get it done." The first words out of Morgan's mouth after being introduced by interim athletic director Donald Sims were, "I want to be here." He needed the Valley faithful to understand that he actively pursued the job, looking for an edge by calling several contacts and even getting some help from his two sons to put together a PowerPoint presentation for his interview. A collegiate assistant coach since 1993, this is the head coaching opportunity Morgan has been looking for.

MVSU names new head football coach

Former UCLA standout Karl Morgan has been named the new head football coach at Mississippi Valley State. Morgan, who has served as defensive coordinator for NCAA Division II powerhouse North Alabama for the past five season, was announced as the man to replace MVSU legend Willie Totten on Tuesday. Totten, who starred as a quarterback for Valley during the 1980s, went 31-57 during his eight seasons as the head coach in Itta Bena. The Delta Devils were 3-8 last season. Morgan was defensive coordinator at Alcorn State in 2001 and also coached at Southern University in 1995. He played two years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was captain of UCLA's 1983 Rose Bowl Championship team.

NOTE: Valley brought five candidates to the campus last week for interviews and public forums. In addition to Karl Morgan, the university interviewed Charlie Brown, ex-head coach at Savannah, Ga., High School; Sam Washington, Grambling State assistant and a former MVSU defensive coordinator; Richard Wilson, head coach at Arkansas Baptist; and L.C. Cole, head coach at Stillman College.

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New Beginning for Southern Jaguars Football

Southern University Coach Lyvonia ‘Stump’ Mitchell: "Football games aren’t won in that September, October and November. They’re won in that spring and summer workout programs," Mitchell said. “That’s something the guys are going to have to understand. But that’s all secondary to getting their butts to class.”

Stump has big shoes to fill

Wednesday marked a new day in Southern's football rich history. A day the school hadn't seen in 17 years. At 9:30 that morning, inside the J.S. Clark Administration Building, when new Jaguars coach Stump Mitchell stepped to the podium and adjusted the microphone to fit his 5-foot-9 frame, a new era begun. It was the first time a football coach other than Pete Richardson had addressed the schools administration and alumni in almost two decades. It was Mitchell's first time on campus. As a matter of fact, it was the first time Mitchell had ever seen the campus.

To be clear, leadership atop the SU football program changed hands not because Richardson was 6-5 the past two seasons with consecutive losses in the Bayou Classic. Not because he had gone ringless since 2003, by far his longest drought without a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship during his time. But because he wasn't producing at, well, a Pete Richardson-like pace. From 1993-2009, Richardson stockpiled a hefty 134-62 record, claiming five SWAC titles and four Black College National Championships. Three of those championships came in a three-peat from '97-99. Since then, things changed.

Mitchell begins to woo critics

Complaints? Concerns? Criticism? Even before Stump Mitchell became Southern University’s new football coach, he heard about them all. Oh, did he hear about them. Over the phone. Over the Internet. From overhead, down below and every other angle. Mitchell said he heard all the stories about upset fans: about the crowd that said his hiring was an outright tragedy, about the groups of alumni who threatened to not renew their season tickets, about the people who said he’ll wind up begging for work in a few years.

To sum it up, Southern’s choice of Mitchell wasn’t roundly accepted. In time, he said, he will win over the critics. “That’s another thing I have to do, and I understand that,” he said. “I’m excited to be here. And trust me: You all are going to be excited to have me here. That’s just the bottom line. I came here to do a job, and I’m going to get the job done.” Mitchell started the campaign that first day, attempting to pound out the dents in his armor, doing his best to please the crowd. He said that as a high-school recruit, he simply wasn’t tall enough or strong enough to earn a scholarship offer from Southern. Heck, he barely earned a scholarship offer from anywhere.

Mitchell says it starts in classroom

He rose from his chair, walked toward the lectern and adjusted the microphone to suit his 5-foot-9 frame. He rested his hands on either side of the wooden box. All the while, a smattering of Southern University fans, alumni and faculty members clapped, quietly and politely. Then Stump Mitchell started to speak. He praised his predecessor, Pete Richardson, noting all the success Richardson had in 17 seasons. “I don’t have to create history,” he said. “I just to have to try to repeat history.” Then Mitchell got to brass tacks.

A mere 14 seconds into his first public speech as the Jaguars’ new football coach, he outlined what seemed to be his first priority within the program. It had little to do with recruiting, video equipment, or so much as a new set of hip pads. “More than me trying to repeat history is the players on this football team,” he said. “(They) have to try to repeat history — not necessarily on the football field, but in the classroom. “I’ve got problems coming in here. I’ve got 12 guys who are trying to learn a new system who won’t be able to participate in spring ball. That’s a problem. We’ve got to fix that. It’s got to start with discipline.”

Southern introduces Mitchell as new coach

Ricky Diggs was thrilled. No, Southern University officials weren’t there to introduce him. Alumni weren’t there for him. None of the fans had come to inspect Diggs, size him up, to judge for themselves if he was a good fit for the program. On Wednesday morning, those people gathered on the second floor of the J.S. Clark Administration Building to see and hear Stump Mitchell, who, at long last, addressed a crowd as Southern’s new head football coach.

Still, Diggs sat quietly, a few feet to Mitchell’s right. A full head of snow-white hair sat atop his head. He wore a sharp suit, a fedora and a grin that doesn’t come with a price tag. This wasn’t his day. But it sure felt like it. More than 30 years ago, Diggs was a running backs coach at The Citadel, where a certain 5-feet-9 ball of energy — Mitchell — was on his way to becoming the school’s all-time rushing leader. “He’s a far better person than he’s ever been as a football player. That comes across immediately,” Diggs said. “Sometimes people can put on a façade. And eventually, their true colors are going to show. But Stump was always the same.”

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Chicago Bulls -- Lindsey Hunter

Chicago Bulls guard Lindsey Hunter, a SWAC Hall of Famer who played basketball at Alcorn State and Jackson State, is defying the odds. The average NBA career is just five years, but Hunter is in his 17th season. Only Shaquille O’Neal, in his 18th season, has been in the league longer. This season, the average NBA player is 27.71 years. Hunter celebrated his 39th birthday on Dec. 3 and is the oldest player in the league.

The Detroit Pistons used the first of their back-to-back first round picks to select Hunter 10th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft, one spot ahead of University of Tennessee guard Allan Houston. Everyone else in 1993 draft class has moved on. Most notably No. 1 pick Chris Webber is an analyst on TNT’s NBA telecasts; Houston works in the New York Knicks’ front office, and Sam Cassell, the 24th pick, is an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards. Not Hunter, even though he said two years ago that he planned to retire at the end of the 2007-08 season. “I say that every year,” says Hunter, who is in his second season with the Bulls. “The biggest reason (for continuing to play) is I love the game. I really love the game of basketball.”

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3-Time BCU All-American Ash moves to Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma hurdler Ronnie Ash and triple jumper Will Claye have been named to the pre-season watch list for the 2010 Bowerman Award, collegiate track and field's top individual honor. With only 10 individuals named to the watch list for the award that is the equivalent to the Heisman, the Oklahoma Track and Field program is one of only two in the nation to have multiple athletes on the watch list joining the University of Oregon with two athletes.

Both athletes enter the 2010 season with NCAA titles to their name as Ash, a junior and recent transfer from Bethune-Cookman, won both the 60-meter hurdles and 110-meter hurdles NCAA titles in 2009 and Claye, a sophomore, claimed the NCAA outdoor triple jump title. A newcomer to the OU program, Ash arrives in Norman as the nation's top-ranked collegiate hurdler having won the 2009 NCAA titles in the 60- and 110-meter hurdles. The junior from Raleigh, N.C., was a three-time MEAC Champion while at Bethune-Cookman and earned three All-America honors as well.

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Delaware State University cuts two sports programs

Athletic Director Derek Carter and DSU may soon be facing Attorney Ronald G. Poliquin, who cited the fact that both the women's equestrian and men's tennis teams are comprised almost entirely of white student-athletes at a historically black college.



DOVER, Delaware - Delaware State University announced on January 13, 2010, that it will eliminate two sports programs to address budgetary issues and to help the institution's other athletics programs become more competitive within its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The University will drop the men's tennis and women's equestrian programs at the end of the 2009-2010 athletics year. The university will continue to honor its financial commitment to the student-athletes who are impacted by this decision and will assist those interested in transferring to another institution of higher education.

The DSU athletics budget is approximately $12 million during the current 2009-2010 athletics year - the largest budget among institutions within the conference. DSU Athletics Director Derek Carter said that the Board of Trustees has recommended that the athletics budget be reduced to a level that is more comparable with the top teams in the MEAC. "The five MEAC institutions that are below DSU in what they spend on athletics all have budgets that are $8 to $9 million this year," said Mr. Carter. "Couple that with the tough economic times that this University is facing, it is impossible to justify such a disparity between DSU and the other top institutions' athletics spending."

Mr. Carter said that DSU regrets the impact this decision will have on the affected student athletes. "We know today's announcement is not good news for our Men's Tennis and Equestrian team members, their dedicated coaches and their faithful supporters," the DSU athletics director said. "While we hope that the student-athletes from the affected teams will continue to attend DSU, we will understand if they decide to transfer to another institution and are prepared to assist them any way we can."

The DSU athletics director said he recommended making the announcement at this time to give the student-athletes as much opportunity as possible to weigh their future directions. The elimination of men's tennis and women's equestrian will reduce the number of DSU intercollegiate athletics teams to 15. In 2009, the University dropped its wrestling program. There are no plans to eliminate any additional DSU sports programs at this time, Mr. Carter said. DSU President Harry L. Williams said while the decision to drop the programs "was extremely difficult," it is nevertheless consistent with his vision of excellence for the overall athletics program at DSU.

"We want all of DSU's athletics teams to be competitive and win championships in the MEAC. But it is impossible to support all our teams toward that end with a budget that is spread too thin," said Dr. Williams. "While it is not a decision we wanted to make, we are confident that it is in the best interest of the overall athletics program and the University as a whole."

Dr. Williams added that as a founding member of the MEAC, Delaware State University has an obligation to continually strive to be a strongly competitive institution within the conference. "This reduction in the number of sports programs helps DSU continue to be a strong permanent partner of the MEAC," the DSU President said. Mr. Carter said that the elimination of the two sports will save the University almost $700,000. He said he will be recommending other cost saving measures that can be implemented to enable the athletics budget to most effectively support the remaining 15 DSU sports programs.

Both the university's men's tennis and the women's equestrian teams will continue to compete in their respective remaining 2009-2010 seasons. DSU will continue to field and support its remaining 15 NCAA Division I sport programs. Those include the women's sports of basketball, bowling, cross country, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball, as well as the men's sports of basketball, football, indoor and outdoor track, baseball and cross country. All of the remaining DSU intercollegiate teams compete in the MEAC with the exception of the women's soccer team, which plays in the Great West Conference.

Delaware State equestrian team may ride to court

DOVER -- There is a place for a women's equestrian team at Delaware State University, its members said Thursday, one day after the school announced it was eliminating the program to cut costs. The complete roster of riders assembled at Delaware State's Administration and Student Services building Thursday afternoon -- including three on horseback -- to protest the school's decision. DSU will also eliminate men's tennis.

The Equestrian team has a 100 percent graduation rate, has served more than 400 hours of community service, has raised $50,000 by itself to help fund the program and has an average grade point average of 3.0. "Sometimes the only way to remedy these kinds of problems is to go to court."

Attorney Ronald G. Poliquin and team member Morgan Scuse addressed DSU's Board of Trustees for a little more than five minutes. No members of the men's tennis team spoke at the meeting. DSU athletic director Derek Carter said the school's decision was final. "Of course it was a difficult decision and a lot of thought went into arriving at the decision," Carter said. "The decision was made and approved by the board. It is final." The team, which has several meetings scheduled with school officials over the next couple of days, is not so sure about that. It did not rule out taking Delaware State University to court to save the program.

Poliquin cited the fact that both the women's equestrian and men's tennis teams are comprised almost entirely of white student-athletes at a historically black college. "In a school that celebrates diversity, it certainly smells bad," Poliquin said. "I think African-American students, caucasian students and Asian-American students should look at this as a sad day at Delaware State. "Sometimes the only way to remedy these kinds of problems is to go to court."

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Norfolk State wide receiver Chris Bell enters NFL draft

Norfolk State wide receiver Chris Bell, who left Penn State after a host of legal and academic issues, announced Thursday he is leaving school a year early to enter April's NFL draft.



The Virginian-Pilot reported the NFL Advisory Board informed Bell he could be selected anywhere from the fifth to seventh rounds, and Bell is working out in New Jersey preparing for the draft. Bell (6-3, 210) caught 51 passes for 958 yards and 13 touchdowns and was Norfolk State's best receiver. The rest of the team combined for just five touchdown passes and 1,279 yards. "Once the NFL said he was draftable, it was pretty clear he was gone," Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian said. "I wish him the best."

2010 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced by MEAC

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA - The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced today the five members of its' 2010 Hall of Fame Class that will be honored during a banquet on Friday, March 12, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the M.C. Benton, Jr. Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. "We are excited to recognize another outstanding class of inductees who have made a significant impact on their institutions and our conference during their collegiate days and beyond," said Dennis E. Thomas, MEAC Commissioner. "I'd like to congratulate the 2010 MEAC Hall of Fame Class for all of their achievements both athletically and professionally."

The Hall of Fame Class will be honored in conjunction with the 2010 MEAC Basketball Tournament, held March 8-13 at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum (LJVM) in Winston-Salem. Enshrinees were selected by an 11-person committee made up of administrators from each member institution. The MEAC Hall of Fame includes former student-athletes, coaches, university and/or conference administrators as well as special contributors, who have enriched the legacy of the conference since its inception in 1969.

The MEAC Hall of Fame inducted its first class on May 29, 1981, during a 10-year anniversary banquet in Greensboro, N.C. Since its establishment in 1981, the Hall of Fame has enshrined 103 people, including the Class of 2010.

The 2010 MEAC Hall of Fame Inductees are:

Inducted as a Student-Athlete:
Rickey Anderson, South Carolina State: was the first South Carolina State football player to surpass the 1,000 yard mark with 1,195 total yards. In 1977, he guided the Bulldogs to a 6-0 conference mark en route to their fourth consecutive MEAC title. That same year, he earned All-MEAC First-Team accolades and was named the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year. The 1977 Associated Press College Division All-American holds the school record for career averages per carry (6.5; 1974-77). Anderson was a third-round draft choice by the San Diego Chargers in the 1978 National Football League (NFL) draft. He was inducted into the South Carolina State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 and was a member of the South Carolina State Centennial football team in 2008.

Jacquay Nunnally, Florida A&M: was a three-time football Division I All-American at Florida A&M, who led the Rattlers to the NCAA Division I FCS (formerly I-AA) playoffs in 1997-2000. He is second all-time in NCAA Division I FCS football record books in career pass receptions with 317 for 4,239 yards and 38 touchdowns. Nunnally holds the NCAA Division I FCS record for most yards gained by a freshman during a game in his 284 yard performance on October 11, 1997 against North Carolina A&T. He caught 13 passes in the victory. Nunally led the FCS in 1998 in receiving with 96 receptions for 1,316 yards and 12 touchdowns. The four-time All-MEAC First-Team honoree (1997-2000) was named the Black College Player of the Year in 1998 and 2000. He concluded his collegiate career with 362 catches and was inducted into the Florida A&M Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

Ira Smith, Maryland Eastern Shore: led the nation and was the NCAA Division I batting champion in 1989 (.488) and 1990 (.519). Smith is sixth all-time in the NCAA Division I record books with the highest season batting average of .519 (1990) and 14th all-time with a .431 batting average from 1986 and 1988-90. Smith was Maryland Eastern Shore's Valuable Player in 1989 and had a career batting average of .330. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1991 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft and played professionally up until 1999. He was inducted into the Maryland Eastern Shore Hall of Fame in 2004.

Ted White, Howard: served as quarterback for the Howard football team from 1995-1998 and was named the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1996. He holds the MEAC and school record for passing completions (638), passing yardage (9,908) and touchdown passes (92) during his tenure at Howard. White set the MEAC record for a single-game best mark in passing yards with 561 and eight TD's against Florida A&M on October 17, 1998. He leads the MEAC with 1,169 passing attempts and 9,845 total offensive yards in his four-year career. White played professionally in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1998 and the Kansas City Chiefs in 1999.

Inducted as a Conference Administrator:

Ed Hill, Howard: has served as the Sports Information Director at Howard for over two decades (1983-present). The talented writer's stories have appeared in USA Today and the NCAA News. Hill is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and Black College Sports Information Directors of America (BCSIDA). He is also active in the Washington, DC community where he served as head coach and co-founder of the DC Warriors basketball program and as a counselor for the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP). Hill is also an adjunct professor at Howard where he teaches a course on Sports and the Media. He has worked 283 consecutive Howard football games and has not missed a game since the 1984 season. In 2005, Hill was honored by CoSIDA as the Bob Kenworthy Award recipient for his community service outside the profession. He was honored by CoSIDA again in 2009 when he was presented with the 15-Year Service Award. Prior to his appointment at Howard, Hill was a staff writer for the Winston-Salem Chronicle and the Black College Sports Page. He has also worked as a news aide and freelance writer for the Washington Post.

FAMU marching band picked to perform at Super Bowl pregame show

Florida A&M University's marching band has been selected to perform in the Super Bowl XLIV pregame show at Dolphin Stadium on Feb. 6 -- and they're rehearsing a tribute to Michael Jackson. This marks the third time in five years that the marching "100" has been invited to participate in a Super Bowl. "We are extremely honored and proud to be selected by the National Football League to perform during the pregame show," said Julian White, director of bands and chair of FAMU's Department of Music, who received a telephone call from the entertainment director for the National Football League.

"To be invited for a third time in only five years is confirmation that we give a quality performance," Dr. White said in a news release issued by the Tallahassee school on Tuesday. "It is only fitting that we salute the King of Pop for the world to see," White said. (Read More, Click Blog Title)

FAMU Rattlers 'Hawk' Dawson finally wings his way into MLB Hall of Fame

Former Florida A&M University Rattlers baseball star and alumnus, Andre Dawson (1973-75) was the lone inductee to Major League Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday. A graduate of Miami's Southwest High School, Dawson will be enshrined on July 25, 2010 in Cooperstown, NY., 15 days after his 56th birthday.

OTTAWA, Canada — Baseball graduated its 2010 Hall of Fame class on Wednesday, which turned out to be a class of just one player: Andre Dawson. At last, The Hawk is in the Hall. A joyous day, not just for the elegant outfielder and his cast of supporters, but for fans of the Montreal Expos, able to reflect on another fond figure from their long-gone ball team. Dawson, in his ninth year on the ballot, received 77.9 per cent of the vote, comfortably past the 75 per cent margin. He leaped more than 10 per cent in the voting by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America after reaching 67 per cent last year.

Dawson, angular, powerful and fleet in his youth, had Hall of a Fame markings in his 21 seasons with four clubs, but was severely hampered by injury late in his career. It wasn’t character that slowed Dawson, but a pair of bad knees, preventing this “five-tool” player from posting automatic Cooperstown numbers. Dawson finished his career as a .279 career hitter with 438 home runs, 1,591 runs batted in and 314 stolen bases. He was the National League’s rookie of the year with the Expos in 1977 and the 1987 NL most valuable player with the Chicago Cubs. Eight times he was an all-star and 12 times he underwent knee surgery. In history, only Willie Mays and Barry Bonds shared Dawson’s combination of at least 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases. (Read more, click main blog title)

'Well worth the wait' for baseball hall inductee Andre Dawson

The Hawk has a new nest: the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Andre Dawson, considered by some to be the best player ever produced by the Montreal Expos, was elected Wednesday to the baseball shrine — the only player to make the cut this year in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America. "It was well worth the wait. I can’t really describe the elation," Dawson, who made the Hall on his ninth try, told reporters on a conference call. "If you’re a Hall of Famer, eventually you’re going to get in, no matter how long it takes."

Dawson appeared on 77.9 per cent of the ballots, after falling 44 votes short last year of 75 per cent needed for induction. A strong-armed outfielder whose speed and power on the diamond and class off it made him a fan favourite, Dawson played 21 seasons for four teams (the Expos, the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins), hitting 438 home runs, collecting 1,591 RBIs and stealing 314 bases. He is one of only three players in MLB history to hit 400 home runs and steal 300 bases in his career. Willie Mays and Barry Bonds are the others.

Dallas Green recalls Andre Dawson 'blank check' signing

Most free-agent negotiations are conducted under clandestine circumstances, far from the prying eyes of the public and media. But in 1987, for all to witness during spring training in Mesa, Ariz., free agent Andre Dawson and agent Dick Moss demanded the immediate and undivided attention of Cubs management. Dallas Green, then the Cubs' bombastic general manager, took umbrage at the fact the future Hall of Famer and Moss showed up with a blank contract. Green huffed and puffed, then referred to Dawson and Moss as "a dog and pony show."

I was the Tribune's Cubs beat reporter at the time, and In the Wake of the News columnist Bob Verdi and I thought the entire surreal scene was made for TV, as well as newspapers. I spoke with Green on Wednesday about the scene and he provided some background. "It all started in 1984 when we won (the division) and I had to sign all of those guys to multiyear contracts, and big contracts," said Green, 75, now the senior adviser to the general manager of the Phillies.

"You know, Rick Sutcliffe and Steve Trout and Scott Sanderson and Dennis Eckersley. ... I had to re-sign all of those guys because they were on one-year deals. It took a pretty good chunk of dough. And, of course, in '85 we didn't do too well, and in '86 we struggled a little, as well. It was where Tribune Co. finally had to put (its) foot down and say, 'Hey, we're approaching the payroll we want to be at.' I said, 'Well, I love this guy (Dawson)'.

Andre Dawson receives just due with Hall of Fame election

Never one to sweat the details, Andre Dawson is happily on his way to Cooperstown. A man who generated respect along with run production throughout his 21-year career, six of his most satisfying seasons coming when he was based at Wrigley Field, Dawson will take his place in the Hall of Fame alongside Ryne Sandberg, who like "The Hawk" knew Wrigley before there were lights. There was never a real question of Dawson's Hall of Fame worthiness -- anyone who saw him dominate the National League with the Cubs and Montreal Expos knew he had earned his spot among baseball's greats. The question was how long he would have to wait, and that finally was answered Wednesday.

Dawson, whose signing with the Cubs in 1987 was one of the most amazing stories in team history, was more gracious than he needed to be on the subject of hard-to-convince voters. "The wait isn't a big factor in the scheme of things," said Dawson, 55, who was a huge fan favorite on the North Side. "You get frustrated when people say, 'When are you going to get in?' and you don't have an answer for that. As I sit here now, I think it was well worth the wait."

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Howard Bison 72, Navy Midshipmen 65

Howard Uses Late Run to Push Past Navy, 72-65

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Howard men's basketball team outscored Navy, 9-0, in the final minute of play to hand the Midshipmen a 72-65 setback on Monday night. The loss snapped Navy's modest two-game winning streak and drops Navy's record to 6-9 overall. Howard improved to 2-13 with the victory. Navy has lost six straight games away from Annapolis and has a 1-7 record away from Alumni Hall, entering Saturday night's Patriot League opener at Bucknell.

"We didn't do enough tonight for 40 minutes to be successful. When we don't play together, we aren't going to beat anyone," said Navy head coach Billy Lange. "We were careless defensively and didn't show enough patience on offense. It just seemed we got antsy in the second half and weren't patient enough. When we were, we got any shot we wanted." Howard was aided by seven three-point plays. Three of the seven came on fouled three-point shot attempts, while the Bison also connected on four and-one opportunities. "It's just a lack of focus, and we didn't close out on shooters properly," said Lange. "Our heads were somewhere else."

Final Stats

White, Collins Lead Balanced Attack In Win Over Navy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Curtis White scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the second half and Dadrian Collins added 10 of his 15 after intermission to lead Howard to a 72-65 win over Navy in a non-conference men's basketball game at Burr Gymnasium. The Bison (2-13), who snapped a five game losing streak, rallied from a 36-30 halftime deficit on the scoring of White and Collins who combined for 12 of the team's points during a key 15-9 run that tied the score at 45-all.

Buoyed by the run, Howard embarked on an 11-4 run to open up a 56-49 lead at the 10:48 mark of the second half. This time it was Mike Phillips and Calvin Thompson who keyed the run as they combined for 8 of the points. But the scrappy Mids (6-9) put together a rally of their own, a 16-6 spurt that helped them regain the lead at 65-63 with 3:08 remaining.

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Hampton Pirates 78, Fordham Rams 54

Senior 6'-8" forward Michael Freeman took the Atlantic-10 Fordham Rams to school scoring 18 points, 10 rebounds in leading the Pirates inside attack.








Freeman's fourth double-double of the season leads HU to rout of Fordham

HAMPTON - — It's always nice to come home after a long trip … even if nobody's at the house. The Hampton Pirates put together their most complete performance in their first home game since Nov. 23, pounding Fordham 78-54 Sunday at the Convocation Center. And while there weren't many in attendance — just 342 showed up for the rare Sunday night game, even with free admission — those who were there got to see the Pirates (3-10) in rare form.

The 24-point margin of victory is Hampton's biggest since a 65-31 win Dec. 1, 2007 against Howard. The Pirates snapped a five-game losing streak and gave coach Edward Joyner Jr. his first home win. Their 51 percent field-goal shooting is a season-best, and they won the rebounding battle 42-31 — the first time they've done that all season. "We wanted more rebounding, and we got it," Joyner said. "We wanted better shooting, and we got it. The only thing we have to work on is turnovers (21, including 13 in the second half). Some of that was being ahead by a lot in the second half, but we need to play the complete 40 minutes."

Final Stats

Hampton Pounds Fordham

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men’s basketball team started 2010 strong, beating the Rams of Fordham University 78-54 at the HU Convocation Center on Sunday night. It was Hampton’s largest margin of victory since the Pirates beat Howard 65-31 on Dec. 1, 2007. The Pirates also snapped a five-game losing streak and gave interim head coach Edward “Buck” Joyner Jr. his first home win. Hampton (3-10) went on a 15-5 run late in the second half to pull ahead to its largest margin of the night, 69-37 with 5:25 to play after a 3-pointer from Brandon Tunnell (Wilmington, Del.). Fordham closed the game on a 17-8 run, but the Pirates’ lead was so large at that point, the Rams couldn’t complete the comeback.

Michael Freeman (Alexandria, Va.) led the Pirates with 18 points on 5-for-9 shooting and an 8-for-9 performance from the free throw line. Freeman also pulled down 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Vincent Simpson (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored 11 points for the Pirates, who shot a season-best 51.0 percent (25-for-49) from the floor and 5-for-11 (45.5 percent) from 3-point range. Read More...

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Is Southern, SWAC any good?

1. What’s the state of men’s basketball in the SWAC?

Not good. Not good at all. Seventeen years have passed since 13th-seeded Southern upset Georgia Tech in the NCAA tournament. Nowadays, the SWAC is simply not competitive. Take last year’s champion, for instance. Alabama State cruised through the league with a 14-4 record ... won the SWAC tournament ... and lost in the NCAA play-in game. The SWAC has taken at least a few corrective steps. It moved the conference tournament from the archaic, crumbling Fair Park Arena in Birmingham, Ala., to the modern CentruyTel Center in Bossier City. And next year, the tournament will end a week earlier, giving the champion more time to prepare for the NCAAs.

2. Where does Southern stack up?

Who knows? The Jaguars were hardly world-beaters in nonconference play; they were blown out by the likes of Utah, Brigham Young and Southeastern Louisiana. They have just two wins in 12 games. Then again, that’s two more wins than they had entering SWAC play last year. They have shown glimmers of hope, as well, with better play at the point, bench players with potential and some inside muscle. As the conference schedule begins, they at least have a chance to finish in the top half of the league. Any doubts? Please refer to Question No. 1.

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Morgan State 61, Coppin State 50

Senior guard Corin Adams hit five three pointers (career high) and 25 points for the Lady Bears in their victory over the Lady Eagles.

BALTIMORE, Md. --Corin Adams scored a game-high 25 points and Brittany Noel came off the bench and added a career-high 14 points to help visiting Morgan State to a 61-50 victory over cross-town rival Coppin State on Saturday afternoon in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opener for both teams at the Physical Education Complex on the campus of Coppin State. The 11-point victory for Morgan State is its largest margin of victory over Coppin State in 11 years, since a 76-53 win over the Eagles on March 4, 1999 in a MEAC Tournament quarterfinal game in Richmond, Va. It is also Morgan’s largest regular season road win at Coppin since an eight-point (63-55) victory at the Coppin Center on Jan. 5, 2008.

With the win, Morgan State (4-8, 1-0 MEAC) put an end to its season-long five-game losing skid, which it had to close out the 2009. The victory was also the Lady Bears’ third consecutive MEAC opening win against the Eagles and spoiled Coppin’s first conference opener in its new facility. Adams, the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year, shot 9-of-21 from the field, including a game- and career-high five three-pointers (5-of-10) for Morgan State, which has now won three of the last five meetings over its city and league rivals. Adams also added five rebounds, a team-high five assists and recorded a game-high two of Morgan State’s three blocks.

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SU choice Mitchell prepares to lead Jaguars

Thursday night, across the nation, millions of people chugged champagne and threw confetti, preparing for the new decade. Stump Mitchell sat in a room by himself on the East Coast, ostensibly working two jobs at once. At the moment, he is the assistant head coach and running backs coach of the Washington Redskins. Next week, he is in line to become the new head coach at Southern University. He can’t come out and say that exactly. But he’s certainly preparing that way.

On New Year’s Eve, Southern offered the position to Mitchell, who has spent the last 11 seasons as an NFL assistant coach but only three as a college head coach. Mitchell can’t say yes to the offer until next week; the Redskins finish their season Sunday at San Diego, and after that, he must meet with team management. “I can’t accept the job until I talk with our legal counsel,” he said. “I will get that opportunity next week. Then, everything should occur like we want it to.” In the meantime, he has started to put a plan in place.

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A Zebra Closeup: Niles native officially loves football

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Referee Kevin Violette describes the MEAC as a league comparable to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), which includes Youngstown State University. "There is an awful lot of talent throughout the league. Some truly outstanding athletes," Violette said. The speed, size and talent of these guys makes for a condition where anything is possible."

Most former football players who wish to remain close to the game generally do so by playing a little touch football, or perhaps by joining a fantasy league. Niles (OH) native Kevin Violette is living out his football fantasy by putting himself smack-dab in the middle of the action. Violette spends his autumn weekends traveling up and down the East Coast as part of an officiating crew that works college games. Violette recently completed his fifth season as an official in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference - a nine team league that includes, South Carlina State, Florida A&M, Norfolk State, Morgan State, Bethune-Cookman, Hampton, North Carolina A&T, Delaware State and Howard.

The MEAC is a Division I-AA conference made up of historically black institutions located across the Atlantic coastline. A 1986 Niles McKinley High graduate, Violette currently resides in Wilmington, N.C. After graduating from Niles, Violette attended Ohio Northern, where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Biology. He then earned a Masters Degree in Marine Biology while attending the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. When he's not keeping order on the football field, Violette serves as Director of Enterprise Solutions. The company is the software development group which serves the University of North Carolina Wilmington. "I've always loved football and I always wanted to stay involved in the game in some way," Violette said. "Quite honestly, I never expected it to be as a referee."

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Mitchell has head-coaching offer from Southern University

Lyvonia 'Stump' Mitchell, currently the Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach for the Washington Redskins served as Morgan State's assistant head coach/offensive coordinator (1995) and head coach, 1996-1998, posting an overall record of 8-24.

Mitchell has head-coaching offer from Southern

While the future of just about every member of the Redskins' coaching staff will likely be up in the air following Sunday's game in San Diego, running backs coach Stump Mitchell has an offer on the table. Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., has offered Mitchell its head coaching position, according to a news release from the school. The terms of a contract have not been worked out and the school didn't expect to make any final announcement until after the Redskins conclude their season Sunday against the Chargers.

"Stump Mitchell's 21 years in the NFL, 10 as a player and 11 years as an assistant coach, combined with his head coaching experience, will bring a wealth of diverse knowledge to our football program," Greg LaFleur, Southern's athletics director, said in the news release. Mitchell told Joseph White of the Associated Press today that he'll make a decision after the season is concluded, but the quotes in today's news release from Southern sure sounded like the school was welcoming its new coach on board.

SU picks NFL vet Mitchell

Hours before he learned his fate with Southern University, Stump Mitchell said an offer to become its next football coach would be “a dream come true.” It’s not a dream anymore. Southern’s 24-day search for a new coach ended with its original lead candidate, Mitchell, a man who likely will arrive in Baton Rouge next week with a long history in the NFL, but only three years of experience as a college head coach. Mitchell, the Washington Redskins running backs coach and assistant head coach, has agreed in principle to take over at SU next season, Chancellor Kofi Lomotey said.

“We’re very excited,” Lomotey said. “Stump will be a tremendous addition for us. I believe he’ll add a boost to our athletic department, and he’ll also bring some excitement back to (A.W.) Mumford Stadium.” The Redskins play their final regular-season game Sunday at San Diego, and technically, Mitchell cannot agree to a contract with Southern until after the Redskins’ season ends. “I think it’s great that they considered me as being qualified to take over a program like that,” Mitchell said. “They’ve offered it to me. I don’t know what’s going to happen here. But if it’s not here, it’ll be there,” he said.

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Morgan State Bears 87, Long Island Blackbirds 70

MEAC leading scorer Reggie Holmes leads Bears over Blackbirds in University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Dr. Pepper Classic.

Recap: Long Island vs. Morgan State

Reggie Holmes scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Morgan State Bears to an 87-70 win over the Long Island Blackbirds in the consolation game of the Dr. Pepper Classic at McKenzie Arena. Kevin Thompson scored 13 points and collected 17 rebounds for the Bears (8-5), who were upended by Eastern Kentucky in the event last night. Troy Smith added 16 points and DeWayne Jackson tallied 15 points and seven boards off the bench for Morgan State.

Kyle Johnson had 21 points to pace the Blackbirds (4-8), who have now dropped five in a row. Jamal Olasewere added 13 points, David Hicks scored 12, and Michael Culpo finished with 10 points in the loss. LIU jumped out to a 27-19 lead on a layup by Culpo at the 10:09 mark of the opening half. However, the Bears responded with a quick 9-2 flurry, and they would eventually head to the locker room with a 42-38 halftime advantage. The Bears were simply too much in the second stanza, as they shot 54.8 percent from the floor and knocked down 6-of-9 three-pointers to pull away.

Men's Basketball Outlasted by Morgan State at Dr Pepper Classic

Chattanooga, Tenn. – The Long Island University men’s basketball team was unable to keep pace with an experienced Morgan State squad, falling 87-70 on Wednesday night in the consolation contest at the Dr Pepper Classic in McKenzie Arena. The Blackbirds held a lead for much of the first half and were close early in the second half before the Bears began to pull away.

Long Island (4-8) took a lead early in the contest after rolling off seven unanswered points. Freshman Jamal Olasewere sandwiched two pairs of foul shots around a three-point play by junior Kyle Johnson to give LIU a 12-6 lead at the 16:02 mark in the opening half. Kevin Thompson snapped the run, but the Johnson and sophomore Michael Culpo connected on three pointers in three straight LIU possessions to keep the Bears at bay. Freshman Kenny Onyechi and Culpo hit back-to-back layups to give the Blackbirds their largest lead of the day at 27-19 with 10:09 to play in the opening period.

Morgan State (8-5) promptly held LIU to just three field goals the rest of the half and outscored the Blackbirds, 23-11, to take a four-point lead into halftime. Troy Smith led the charge with seven points during the extended run, including a pair of foul shots with 0:03 left in the period to make it 42-38 at the intermission.

A three-pointer by Culpo got LIU within 50-44 early in the second half, but that was as close as it would be the rest of the way. Morgan State used a 16-4 spurt over the next 6:29 to build an 18-point cushion. DeWayne Jackson scored the final three points in a run of 11 unanswered points to make it 66-48 with 9:32 to play. The Blackbirds managed to cut the deficit to 79-66 with 2:34 to play on a driving layup by junior David Hicks, but Jackson answered with a three-pointer at the other end to push the game out of reach. Reggie Holmes capped the scoring on a jumper with 0:45 left sending LIU to its fifth straight defeat.

Box Score

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College Basketball Conference Power Rankings—New Year Edition

MEAC and SWAC basketball has absolutely nothing to talk about this season other than Morgan State and its leading scorer Reggie Holmes. Both conferences football playing schools would be better served to move that scholarship money from basketball to football and play non-scholarship basketball for 2011 and beyond. They couldn't possible do any worst than what they have shown the past decade.

28. MEAC (Morgan State, Bethune Cookman, NC A&T) 38-81 (31.9 %)

The MEAC already has four teams with 10 or more losses, and only three teams from the MEAC are above .500 (Morgan State, South Carolina State, Bethune-Cookman). Morgan State is the only respectable team from the MEAC, led by one of the nation's leading scorers, Reggie Holmes. It is hard to tell if South Carolina State has the potential to be good because they got crushed by Miami and Iowa, but then played Clemson to the buzzer. Bethune-Cookman does not deserve to be .500. Three of their seven wins are against Division II schools, and two of them are against Independents.

33. SWAC (Prarie View A&M, Alabama A&M, Texas Southern) 22-88 (20.0 %)

Last, and most certainly least, is the SWAC. Alcorn State is most likely the worst team in college basketball. Up until Wednesday night, they had lost every game 15, most of their losses being by much more. On Wednesday night, they played their first home game and only lost to Central Michigan by four. The SWAC has five teams with at least 10 losses. Not one team is an even .500. Two teams are winless (Alcorn State and Arkansas Pine Bluff), and Alabama State and Mississippi Valley State do not have any wins against Division I teams.

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Southern Jaguars 84, Talladega Tornadoes 86

Senior guard Ramondo Banks from Bernice, LA returned home to help the 2009 USCAA Division I National Champions Talladega Tornadoes achieved another college basketball milestone by defeating Southern 86-84. The second year program achieved two humongous milestones last season by defeating five NCAA Division I programs (Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Mississippi Valley State, Southern, and Grambling State) in a single season on its journey to winning the NAIA Division I National Championship in its first season of competition.

Talladega triumphs in tight tilt over SU, 86-84

The game featured six lead changes in the first half alone, a box score that showed neither team with a significant edge in any area and — yes — a frantic final minute that decided the outcome. A couple of missed opportunities kept Southern from winning that final minute. As a result, the Talladega College men’s basketball team left F.G. Clark Activity Center with a victory for the second year in a row, this one an 86-84 triumph that went to the wire.

“I felt like Urban Meyer down the stretch,” Talladega coach William Brown said, referring to the Florida football coach. “My chest got tight.” Then again, Brown, whose NAIA team has lost twice in overtime and once in double overtime, has seen his share of close calls through an 8-8 start. The Tornadoes were on the right end of this one thanks in large part to Kerry Harvis and Micah Hagens, who combined for 48 points on 15-of-29 shooting.

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Delaware State Hornets 49, UCLA Bruins 66

Reeves Nelson leads UCLA to victory over Delaware State

Reeves Nelson scored a career-high 21 points and UCLA defeated Delaware State 66-49 Sunday. The Bruins have won three of their last four games, but their 5-7 record leaves them last in the Pac-10 in nonconference play. UCLA opens its Pac-10 schedule against Arizona State on Thursday at home. Marcus Neal led the Hornets (4-6) with 15 points. Frisco Sandidge added 12. Tyler Honeycutt and Nikola Dragovic scored 11 points apiece for a UCLA, which shot 52 percent from the field.

The Bruins grabbed their largest lead, 51-22, with 12:55 to play before Delaware State ended the game on a 27-15 run. Sandidge scored nine of his points during the run. In what started out as a battle of jump-shooters, the Bruins took over midway through the first half when they started taking the ball inside to Nelson, who helped spark a 14-0 run that put UCLA up 26-10.

Bruins Lock Delaware State in a Full Nelson

Box Score Photo Gallery

Reeves Nelson scored a career-high 21 points and UCLA defeated Delaware State 66-49 Sunday. The Bruins have won three of their last four games, but their 5-7 record leaves them last in the Pac-10 in nonconference play. UCLA opens its Pac-10 schedule against Arizona State on Thursday at home. Marcus Neal led the Hornets (4-6) with 15 points. In what started out as a battle of jump-shooters, the Bruins took over midway through the first half when they started taking the ball inside to Nelson, a 6-foot-8 freshman center.

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What Can the MEAC and SWAC Learn from the Southland Conference?

Coppin State University Coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell has been accused of over-scheduling the Eagles with powerhouse money games. However, the Eagles do have their share of lower Division cup-cake games this season...Lincoln (Pa.), West Virginia Tech and Washington Adventist University.

Raising the level of its competition

To improve seeding in NCAA Tournament, Southland wants teams to cut down on number of lower division foes.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Southland Conference is building its regional television network, and commissioner Tom Burnett is working with ESPN to expand the league’s reach. But there still are obstacles impeding the Southland’s quest for an enhanced national profile. They are seemingly small stumbling blocks, but part of a big issue. Try Harris-Stowe, Paul Quinn or Ecclesia. Maybe the University of Science and Arts or Mid-America Christian. Perhaps a name off Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s schedule — Oklahoma Panhandle State.

Those schools are a sampling of the non-Division I opponents that line Southland men’s schedules this season. They are part of the reason the league is stuck in a rut of being seeded 14 or higher in the NCAA Tournament. Non-Division I schools do not count toward a Division I team’s win total when analyzed by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. The games are a lost opportunity to improve the RPI, the NCAA’s rating of a team’s or league’s strength of schedule, its opponents’ strength of schedule and how it fared against opponents. Division I teams can face up to four non-Division I schools a season, but it’s best not to use the full allotment, if any. Yet the 12 Southland men’s teams combine to face 44 non-Division I opponents this season. That does it no favors with the selection committee, which factors the RPI into its seeding process.

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The MEAC and SWAC should take note of the strategy of the Southland Conference. A 16th seed in the NCAA Tournament is always a guaranteed ticket for a quick exit home.

MEAC Men Basketball Scheduled Cup-Cakes...

1. Delaware State: Holy Family, Wilmington and Mary Washington
2. Coppin State: Lincoln (Pa.), West Virginia Tech and Washington Adventist University
3. South Carolina State: Erskine College, Allen, Southern Wesleyan
4. Florida A&M: Albany State (Ga.)
5. North Carolina A&T: Brevard College, Davis & Elkins and Carson Newman
6. Bethune Cookman: Edward Waters, Florida Gulf Coast, Carver Bible, Florida Christian College and Jacksonville
7. Winston Salem State: Atlanta Christian, Milligan, Ferrum College and Columbia Union
8. Morgan State: None
9. UMES: Stevenson
10. Howard: None
11: Hampton: None
12: Norfolk State: None

SWAC Men Basketball Scheduled Cup-Cakes...
1. Alabama A&M: Oakwood, Martin Methodist, Stillman and Tuskegee
2. Alabama State: Columbus State and West Alabama
3. Alcorn State: Tougaloo College, Mississippi College and University of Detroit-Mercy
4. Grambling State: Centenary College (Louisiana), Paul Quinn College (Texas)
5. Jackson State: Spring Hill
6. Mississippi Valley: Champion Baptist
7. Prairie View A&M: Schreiner, Florida Gulf Coast, Champion Baptist, Ecclesia, Dallas Christian
8. Southern: Xavier (La.), Talladega, Central Arkansas and Chicago State
9. Texas Southern: Northern Colorado, Dickinson State, Jarvis Christan University
10. Arkansas Pine Bluff: None

Other Division I HBCUs
1. Tennessee State (OVC): Detroit-Mercy
2. North Carolina Central (Indep/MEAC): North Carolina Wesleyan, Carver Bible College, Florida Gulf Coast, Tennessee Temple University and The Apprentice School
3. Savannah State (Indep): Webber International, University of North Florida, University of Virginia-Wise, Allen University, Carver Bible College and Jacksonville University.

Delaware State: A speed bump for UCLA? Not likely

A speed bump for UCLA? Not likely

The Bruins, looking for some momentum heading into Pac-10 Conference play later this week, meet Delaware State today -- a deliberate, disciplined team that moves at a snail's pace. Momentum has been tough to come by -- or too often moving in the wrong direction -- for a struggling UCLA team this season. So when the Bruins face Delaware State at Pauley Pavilion this afternoon, they will be eager to grab a second consecutive victory. But they can't be too eager, not against an opponent that tends to move at a snail's pace.

Delaware State (4-5) averages only 49 shots a game by holding the ball for 15 or 20 seconds, trying to score near the end of each possession. Impatient defenses can get burned with back-cuts and back-screens. "It's going to be a game where the tempo is slow," Coach Ben Howland said. Last week, the Hornets held No. 17 Ohio State to a season low in scoring, losing 60-44. "They may be the most disciplined team I've ever seen in my life," Ohio State Coach Thad Matta said. "I would have had a hard time in that one as a player. Our guys had to focus for the full 40 minutes."

Heading into the UCLA game, Hornets Coach Greg Jackson has a 311-221 career record. More importantly, the Hornets are nearly unbeatable at Memorial Hall with a 74-22 record over the past ten years.

Ben Ball Gameday Roundup: End Of Out Of Conference Season

Excerpts:
"The only plan we had was to limit their possessions and keep them out of transition, and I thought for the most part our kids did that. We don't have the talent that they have." It was as close to a stall game as you'll find during the era of the shot clock. Ohio State was held to a season-low in points despite coming in 10th nationally (84.7 per game). "To hold them to 60 points is obviously a success for us," Jackson said. "We had a plan to come in and shorten the game and keep them on the defensive end as much as possible. The only chance we had was to limit possessions and take them out of areas that they like to operate."

The Hornets are lead in scoring by Marcus Neal, who averages 13 points a game and Frisco Sandidge who leads the team with 6.4 rebounds per game. Sandidge is also second in the scoring department as he averages about 12 points per game. Despite some recent struggles, Delaware State has played solid defense all season and that can be reflected in the stats. So far this year, DSU has only allowed opposing teams to score 58.8 points per game, which is the nation's 26th best scoring defense. The Hornets also rank pretty high in turnover margin (22nd with +4.8) and steals (15th 10.0).

Delaware State starting guard Jay Threatt has been one of the best players in the country in steals this season. As of Dec. 13, Threatt was ranked No. 5 in the nation in steals with an average of four per game and had recorded 25 overall. Also, Threatt tied the school record for steals in a game Nov. 16 against Wilmington when he recorded nine. The Hornets are now 0-4 on the road this season. This is just the 3rd meeting between the Hornets and UCLA with the Bruins leading the series 2-0 with both games being contested in Pauley Pavilion. UCLA posted a 56-37 victory in the last meeting on Nov. 19, 2005.

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