NAIA Division I National Championship: No. 12 Tougaloo 'Magnificent Seven' Cruises Into Second Round with 73-58 Win Over Emmanuel (Ga.)

Coach Lafayette Stribling is still
 building winners in his 54th
 year of coaching basketball.

Kansas City, Mo. (March 17, 2011) - No. 12 seed Tougaloo College (Miss.) earned its way into the second round of the 2011 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship with a 73-58 victory Thursday against Emmanuel College (Ga.) at Municipal Auditorium.

Junior guard Marquise Mems registered a game-high 23 points and added seven rebounds to help lead the Bulldogs to their 13th consecutive victory. Tougaloo pushes its season record to 28-4 and moves to Friday's second round for an 8 p.m. CT game against either No. 5 seed Martin Methodist College (Tenn.) or William Jewell College (Mo.). This will mark the second trip to the round of 16 for the Bulldogs, with the other coming in 2009.

Emmanuel scored the first eight points of the contest and eventually built a nine-point advantage before Tougaloo began to battle back. Trailing 18-9, the Bulldogs reeled off 15 consecutive points to grab the lead for good, 24-18, with 5:38 left in the first half. After the Lions pulled to within three points, Mems hit a three-pointer and another basket to spark an 8-0 run to end the first half and give the Bulldogs a 32-21 lead.

Tougaloo extended its advantage to as many as 21 points in the second half on its way to the first-round victory. Junior guard Donteeno Todd came off the bench to record 14 points for the Bulldogs, including four three-point field goals. Senior forward Mario Luckett added 13 points, while junior forward James Carter just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Juan Gray pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for Tougaloo, which held a 46-32 advantage on the boards.

Senior guard Tedrick Hudson led Emmanuel with 15 pionts, while junior forward Asmatiek Fields helped out with 11 points. Freshman guard Michael Stanley led the Lions with seven rebounds. Emmanuel, which was making its second appearance at the NAIA Naitonal Championship, closed out its season with an overall record of 26-8.

BOX SCORING

Tougaloo College coach Lafayette Stribling and assistant Harvey Wardell took only seven players to the nationals in Missouri -- Mario Luckett, Marquise Mems, Donteeno Todd, Jurmond Cattenhead, Juan Gray, Kadon Day and James Carter.  The 'Magnificent Seven' Bulldogs move on to the Sweet 16, after bouncing Emmanuel College (Ga.) 73-58.  

Who is this 76 Year Old Dynamo?
The legendary Coach Stribling coached at Mississippi Valley State University, in Itta Bena, Mississippi for 22 years. The team won its first SWAC Championship in his third year as head coach. He retired with 7 SWAC championships, a Black College Championship, and 3 NCAA Division I Tournament berths. Stribling is also a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Hall of Fame.

Game Notes:
Tougaloo: Bulldogs overcame not scoring for the first four minutes and 27 seconds to lead by 11 at the half ... Outscored Emmanuel 14-3 over the final nine minutes of the first half ... Limited Emmanuel to 32.2 percent from the floor after being ranked No. 15 in scoring defense at 65.5 PPG during the regular season ... The 58 points surrendered by the Bulldogs is the lowest point total given up through 13 games of the opening round.

Emmanuel: Second opening-round loss by Emmanuel in their second tournament appearance ... Leading scorer Tedrick Hudson finished two points shy of his season average of 17.2 PPG with a team-high 15 points ... Averaging 72.0 PPG during the regular season, the 58-point final total for the Lions was their fourth-lowest output of the season.

NEXT GAME: FRIDAY, 8 p.m., CDT, TOUGALOO BULLDOGS (28-4) VS. MARTIN METHODIST REDHAWKS (32-2)

Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information & Media Services

Evangel shoots past Xavier Gold Rush at NAIA national tourney

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 17, 2011) -- Senior guard Spud Harbour scored 27 points Thursday to lead Evangel University to a 79-71 victory over Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening round of the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship.

The Crusaders (26-8), from Springfield, Mo., shot 52.8 percent from the floor and earned their 11th consecutive victory. They'll play second-ranked Concordia (Calif.) in the second round at 2:15 p.m. Friday. Xavier, ranked 17th and in the national tournament for the first time since 2008, finished 27-6 with its winningest season since 1983-84.

Senior guard Michael Harvey, in his final Xavier game, led the Gold Rush with 18 points, including a career-high-tying four 3-pointers. Chris Iles had 16 points and four assists, Cordell Hadnot had eight points and eight rebounds, and Denzell Erves had eight points and seven rebounds. In the first half Harvey scored 11 points, and Iles had 10 after going 4-of-4 from the floor.

The 2010-11 Xavier University of Louisiana 27-6 men's basketball team.
Head Coach Dannton Jackson,  Eighth season at Xavier, 179 wins 81 losses 
17 of 18 seniors to play for Coach Jackson have earned degrees from Xavier; 1 still enrolled
(Photo courtesy of Xavier University)

Evangel, ranked 15th in the final coaches poll, spent more than 38½ minutes with the lead. Xavier's only advantage was at 7-6, and there were ties at 3 and 44 before Evangel went ahead to stay on Chad Gillaspy's basket with 16:49 remaining. The Crusaders stretched their lead to 68-56 on Mitch McHenry's basket with 7:17 remaining, then made 8-of-8 free throws in the final 3:15 after Xavier closed the gap to 71-69 on Hadnot's free throw at 3:29.

Harbour scored 15 points to help Evangel lead 39-34 at halftime. Harbour finished with three 3-pointers, three assists and 10-of-11 free throws.

McHenry made 7-of-10 from the floor and scored a season-high 17 points, all in the second half, for Evangel, and Gillaspy had 15 points, 7-of-11 field goals, six rebounds and two blocked shots.

Evangel was the first team this season to shoot better than 50 percent from the floor against Xavier, which entered the game in the top five nationally in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense. The Gold Rush shot 45.9 percent but made 1-of-8 from 3-point range after hitting 5-of-9 in the first half.

Harvey finished his career with 143 3-pointers. He scored Xavier's first points on a trey at 18:42, giving him sole possession of fourth place on Xavier's all-time list. He entered the game tied with Michael Varnado, who played from 2001-05.

Xavier lost in the first round at nationals for the ninth time in its last 10 appearances. The Gold Rush are 4-12 in 12 appearances, and each of the last five losses was by single digits.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
Visit: XULA Athletics

Hampton's Joyner learned much from family of coaches

Soon after Hampton and coach Ed "Little Buck" Joyner dispatched Norfolk State last weekend in the MEAC tournament semifinals, Joyner made his way to his team's locker room at Joel Coliseum.

As he walked in, he was holding the hand of one of his sons, 5-year-old E.J., and someone asked E.J. if he would be the next branch of the Joyner coaching tree. "He's got a lot more to learn in life before then," his father said, "but why not?"

Joyner, a Winston-Salem native, is still a young coach at age 38, but as the son and nephew of coaches, he's more of a veteran than his age would indicate.



Hampton has played Cinderella role before in NCAA Tournament

Bobby Collins says he has seen the highlight on TV about a thousand times in the past 10 years. Collins, who just completed his fifth season as the coach at Winston-Salem State, was an assistant coach at Hampton in 2001 when the 15th-seeded Pirates, playing in their first NCAA Division I Tournament, upset second-seeded Iowa State 58-57 in Boise, Idaho.

The clip that might make it to television again in the coming days shows head coach Steve Merfeld, now an assistant at Creighton, being lifted by power forward David Johnson after the victory.

"It doesn't seem like it's been 10 years, it seems like it was last year," Collins said earlier this week. "That's one of the most memorable things I've ever been a part of."

"Big Dance" Interviews: Hampton head coach Ed Joyner

Earlier today CHN writer Jon Teitel spent a few minutes with Hampton head coach Ed Joyner, whose Pirates won the MEAC conference tournament to earn an automatic bid. The 16-seed in the West Region, Hampton will take on top-seed Duke in a second round matchup on Friday in Charlotte. 

Jon Teitel: Your father and uncle are both Division II coaches. Who is the best coach in the family?

Ed Joyner: Right now I think my little cousin Steven is the best. He is the woman's coach Winston Salem State, and he just gets to sit around and talk to all of us!

JT: They grew up living next door to Hall of Fame coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines. Did you ever get to meet him yourself, and what is the most important thing you ever learned from him?

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Gold Nuggets lose eighth in a row, this time to Rutgers

NEW ORLEANS, LA — Rutgers completed its three-match trip to Louisiana with a 9-0 women's victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at the University of New Orleans Tennis Center.

The Scarlet Knights (8-4) won all three matches during their trip and gave Xavier (2-10), ranked 24th in the NAIA, its eighth consecutive loss.

Amy Zhang and Jennifer Holzberg defeated Amber Brown and Carmen Nelson at No. 1 doubles, and Zhang beat Brown 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. Xavier defaulted matches at No. 3 doubles and No. 5 and 6 singles for the fifth consecutive dual, and the Zhang-Holzberg doubles victory clinched for Rutgers.



Brown, a freshman, played No. 1 singles for the second time as a collegian. Teammate Melissa DeLoach, 2-0 in singles at the AUM Invitational this past weekend, lost 6-2, 6-0 to Leonora Slatnick at No. 4.

Four of the Gold Nuggets' losses during their streak are against NCAA Division I opponents.

It was the Gold Nuggets' first home match since Feb. 5 and their first-ever meeting with Rutgers. The Nuggets' next match will start at 3 p.m. Tuesday against SCAD Atlanta at UNO.

Results
Visit: XULA Athletics

NAIA Division I National Championship Tournament: Tougaloo's legendary Stribling leads 'Magnificent 7' to NAIA tourney

GAME TIME: Today at 4:30 p.m., CDT, Kansas City, Mo.

Tougaloo  (27-4) vs. Emmanuel (Ga.) (26-7)

TV: Internet Streaming Video Live: CLICK HERE

Not all news is bad where Mississippi college basketball is concerned. Leave it to Lafayette Stribling, the 76-year-old veteran of 54 years in coaching to show the big guys how to succeed amid the most vexing of circumstances.

First things first: Stribling's Tougaloo College Bulldogs (27-4) will play Emmanuel College of Georgia on Thursday afternoon at 4:30 in the first round of the NAIA National Division I Tournament at Kansas City. It shouldn't cost Tougaloo much to get to Missouri. The Bulldogs have only seven players.

That's right. At Tougaloo, academics still come before athletics. You don't make the grades, you don't play. First semester grades left Stribling with seven of his original 13 players. The Bulldogs were 12-3 at the time. They are 15-1 since. So let's just borrow from Hollywood and call them the Magnificent Seven.

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NAIA Division I National Championship Tournament: Xavier Takes Down Lee in First Round, 63-53

JACKSON, Tenn. - (Box Score) Xavier (La.) took down Lee (Tenn.), 63-53, in the first round action at the 2011 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Wednesday in Oman Arena. The win for the Gold Nuggets (27-6) snaps a six-game losing skid at the National Championship dating back to 2003 when they defeated Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) in the first round. Xavier moves on to face #1 seed Oklahoma City in the second round Friday at 10:45 a.m. CDT.

The Lady Flames exit from their eighth National Championship with a 6-7 all-time mark in the event and wrap up their season at 25-7.

Leading the way for Xavier in the first half was Christina Warren. The senior forward had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting to help the Gold Nuggets to a 33-22 halftime advantage. In the opening 20 minutes, Lee was only able to knock down six of its 24 shot attempts (.250). The Lady Flames were able to find a better touch in the second half, shooting 33 percent, but it was not enough as Xavier's offense remained steady (.423).

Warren went on to finish as the game's leading scorer with 19 points and was one of three Gold Nuggets players to pull down five rebounds. Also pouring in double-figure efforts were Marchelle Jones and Brandi Young with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Young also had six steals.

Lee's offense was directed by a 12-point outing from Brook McKinnon. She was the only Lady Flame to score in double figures, as the next highest scorer was Angela Spann with nine points. Hollie German had a game-high nine rebounds in the loss.

NEXT GAME: Xaiver University of Lousiana Gold Nuggets  (27-6) vs. #1 Oklahahoma City (26-3),  Friday, 10:45 a.m. CDT .  Sign Up and Watch -- CLICK HERE

By Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information & Media Services

ASU can't battle back from slow start in NCAA tournament game

DAYTON, Ohio -- Ala­bama State was hoping to make history on Wednes­day night.

Those dreams fell apart quickly against Texas-San Antonio. The Roadrunners roared out to a 27-point halftime lead to earn the team's first NCAA Tour­nament victory, hanging on for a 70-61 win over the Hornets in the "First Four" at the University of Dayton Arena.

Texas-San Antonio (20-13) will face the tour­nament's No. 1 overall seed, Ohio State, on Fri­day in Cleveland.

Texas San Antonio wins 'First Four' game

DAYTON, Ohio — Shot by shot, Melvin Johnson III played up to his penmanship. The smooth guard with "SWISH" scrawled on the side of each orange shoe scored a career-high 29 points Wednesday night, putting on the most scintillating show so far in the NCAA tournament while leading Texas San Antonio to a 70-61 victory over Alabama State in the "First Four" round.

The Roadrunners (20-13) and their smooth guard head to Cleveland for a game Friday against top-seeded Ohio State, which won't allow all those open shots.  Against Alabama State (17-18), Johnson took advantage of...

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Top-seeded Buffaloes slam Texas Southern Tigers 88-74

BOULDER, Colo. — If there was going to be a chance for Texas Southern to sneak up on Colorado, it came with five minutes left in the first half Wednesday night.

The Tigers trailed by three points, the crowd of 6,299 at the Coors Event Center was mostly quiet and the Buffaloes looked every bit like a team snubbed for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

“We thought we had the game,” TSU forward Travele Jones said. Colorado pulled away just before halftime and cruised to an 88-74 victory over TSU in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Snubbed Buffaloes pick up NIT victory

BOULDER - Alec Burks had 27 points and seven rebounds, Cory Higgins scored 25 points and the top-seeded Buffaloes beat Texas Southern 88-74 in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday night.

Freshman Andre Roberson had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Buffaloes (22-13), who will face California - a 77-74 winner over Mississippi on Wednesday - in Boulder on Friday night.

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VT Hokies cruise in NIT first-round game vs. Bethune-Cookman

BLACKSBURG - As Virginia Tech's men's basketball team prepared for Wednesday night's National Invitation Tournament first round game, Hokies coach Seth Greenberg realized there was a chance his players could care less about the game.

He made sure nobody would just mail it in and coast against Bethune-Cookman. Even if Tech's players and coaches still were stinging after failing to be included in the NCAA tournament field, there were no lingering signs of misery against Bethune-Cookman.

Tech dispatched Bethune-Cookman 79-54 to advance to the second round. Tech, which is a No. 1 seed in the tournament, will play at 11 a.m. Sunday in Blacksburg against No. 4 seed Wichita State, which defeated Nebraska 76-49 on Wednesday.

Recap: Virginia Tech vs. Bethune-Cookman

Jeff Allen scored 19 points as the Virginia Tech Hokies rolled to a 79-54 victory over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in first-round action of the NIT.

Malcolm Delaney registered 13 points for top-seeded Virginia Tech (22-11), which moves on to the second round to battle fourth-seeded Wichita State. The Hokies also got double-digit scoring performances from Manny Atkins (12 points), Erick Green (11 points, eight assists) and Terrell Bell (10 points).

Garrius Holloman posted 20 points in defeat for eighth-seeded Bethune-Cookman (21-13), which received 10 points and five assists from C.J. Reed.

Father-Son Duo Leads B-CUTo New Heights, Captures Conference’s Top Honors

Bethune-Cookman men's basketball coach Clifford Reed and his son, junior point guard C.J. Reed, have taken the Wildcats to unprecedented heights while achieving what no other father-son combination in MEAC history has achieved.

The elder Reed was voted MEAC Coach of the Year and his son was selected Player of the Year as the Wildcats won their first ever regular-season conference championship and earned their first-ever postseason appearance since moving to Division I. They play Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., in the NIT Wednesday night.

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Andrew Jackson High coach Quinn Gray resigns; new QB Coach at Florida A&M

Jackson High coach Quinn Gray quits, blames budget crisis

JACKSONVILLE, FL - Quinn Gray wanted to stay on as Jackson High School's football coach. However, the looming elimination of athletics from the Duval County public schools system created too unstable a future.

The former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback resigned his post on Monday to accept an assistant coaching position with Florida A&M, his alma mater. The 31-year-old Gray spent six seasons in the NFL, including the first five (2003-07) with the Jaguars. Facing a $97 million shortfall, Duval County School Board Chairman W.C. Gentry has stated that all athletic programs will be cut if that figure remains largely in tact.



Jackson Football Coach Resigns Amid Cuts

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Andrew Jackson football coach Quinn Gray is leaving Jacksonville disappointed after just one season at the helm. The idea that high school sports could be eliminated altogether is something the former Jaguars quarterback can hardly believe.

"The determining factor was all the uncertainty when it comes to Duval schools and athletics for the season," Gray said of why he's resigning. "It would be a shame for the kids in the upcoming year, because a lot of students use sports as an outlet, and they use it as a motivator as well."

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FAMU Shows Off at Pro Day

Tallahassee, FL - Six seniors from last year's MEAC championship winning team showcased their skills in front of scouts today.

Lincoln grad Isaac West impressed at wide receiver. Marianna (FL) speedster Philip Sylvester also turned some heads as well. Curtis Holcomb made his impression on the defensive side of the ball. Qier Hall, Marquiste Ramos, and Kendrick Washington also participated in Wednesday's Pro Day.



FAMU football players give their all during workout

They gave their best shots in front of 14 NFL scouts during Wednesday's Pro Day testing. The next best thing would be a phone call with an invitation to attend one of the team's training camps.

"I think it was a good impression overall," said running back Philip Sylvester, one of the Rattlers' leading prospects for playing at the next level. "We did well; did what was expected. I've been working out six days a week and I met my expectation.

"It was just going out there and doing your business. That's all you can do." What they did was a battery of physical tests that included weight lifting, running the 40-meter dash and vertical jumps during the two-hour workout.

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NCCU Eagles: A new hill to climb for Frazier

DURHAM, N.C. -- Hills: Henry Frazier III knows a few things about hills.

He learned how to win from the high school coach who made him run up the hill behind the field, over and over again, and he never forgot, becoming a winning quarterback at Bowie State and a winning coach there.

He climbed what may the biggest hill in all of college football, making a winner out of Prairie View A&M. The Panthers, famous for an NCAA-record 80-game losing streak, hadn't had a winning season in 31 years. Frazier needed only four to do it.


Videographer: NCCUEagles

Now Frazier faces a new challenge: seeing how far he can take N.C. Central in Division I and the MEAC. The Eagles have a long tradition of success in Division II, but this is a whole new ballgame.

FRAZIER ANNOUNCES NCCU FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF

DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – Henry Frazier III, who was named North Carolina Central University’s new head football coach on Dec. 16, has announced his coaching staff.

Among the 10 assistant coaches, four rejoin Frazier from his prior coaching position at Prairie View A&M University, including Dwayne Foster (Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Offensive Line), Michael Bryant (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Roy Jones (Director of Football Operations/Tight Ends) and Lamar Manigo (Wide Receivers).

Four coaches have been retained from last season’s Eagles staff, including Mike McGlinchey (Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs) and Antoine Rivens (Defensive Line), along with former NCCU gridiron student-athletes Jamar Harp (Assistant Offensive Line/Video Coordinator) and Andre George (Assistant Defensive Backs).

Rounding out the staff are John Morgan (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs), who served as defensive coordinator at NCCU in 2007, and Mike Mendenhall (Linebackers/Assistant Special Teams).


Videographer: NCCUEagles

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Today's NIT: Texas Southern vs. Colorado

CU Buffs' resiliency will be tested in NIT opener in Boulder

The prevailing feeling from coast to coast is that Colorado deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament. Well-respected Seattle Times columnist Bud Withers on bubble teams scorned: "Clearly, the team with a beef is Colorado, which was 6-7 against the top 50, usually a figure that would guarantee entry."

ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale, known for his love of all things Big East and ACC, said if this were a beauty contest, at-large selection Alabama-Birmingham would be Roseanne Barr and shunned CU would be Scarlett Johansson.

TEXAS SOUTHERN (19-12, 16-2 SWAC) vs. COLORADO (21-13, 8-8 BIG 12)
INTERNET STREAMING BROADCAST: 7 p.m., ESPN3.com
GAME NOTES: Game Notes #35: NIT 1st Round

Brooks: Buffs Working Up An Appetite For The NIT

BOULDER - In most cases, the NIT is all about appetite - that is, which teams can summon the hunger to stay competitive and keep playing in the aftermath of an overlook by the NCAA or being bounced out via an upset in a conference tournament.

Colorado is an uncomfortable fit in the first category, having been passed over by the NCAA Selection Committee, while Texas Southern falls into the second. They could commiserate Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center (7 p.m., ESPN3.com) in the first round of the NIT, but CU Coach Tad Boyle isn't expecting that from the Buffaloes.

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Today's NIT: Tech, a top seed in NIT for third time, hosts Bethune-Cookman

Bethune Cookman Wildcats (21-12) at Virginia Tech Hokies (21-11)

TELEVISION: 8 p.m. EDT, ESPNU

While Virginia Tech was still trying to come to grips with yet another NCAA Tournament snub Sunday evening, Bethune-Cookman’s players and coaches waited excitedly to find out who they would play in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

They cheered wildly as ESPNU revealed their matchup with Tech.

The Wildcats (21-12) take on the Hokies (21-11) tonight in Blacksburg in the first round of the NIT. The game tips off at 8 p.m. and will be televised by ESPNU. The winner advances to play the Witchita State-Nebraska winner in the second round.

'Cat has better Reed on game

DAYTONA BEACH -- C.J. Reed doesn't need to glance at the newspaper box scores from the MEAC tournament to recall his rare back-to-back off nights. The league's Player of the Year has every aspect of his struggles memorized.

"Four for 19, four for 17, three free throws in the first game and five in the second," Reed said of his stat lines during two games in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"I know those numbers inside and out. I don't think I made the shots I normally make and didn't get to the line enough. That hurt us in the long run."

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Today's NCAA Tournament: Alabama State vs. UTSA

No. 16 Texas-San Antonio (19-13) vs. No. 16 Alabama State (17-17)
WHEN/WHERE: 5:40 p.m.CDT, Dayton, Ohio
TELEVISION: truTV Channel



A CLOSER LOOK: Texas-San Antonio likes a fast pace; Alabama State tries to keep games low-scoring. The winner will be the team that imposes its will. Alabama State was an upset winner of the SWAC Tournament. The Hornets have an RPI of No. 257 but have won 11 of 12 games. The Roadrunners upset McNeese State in winning the Southland tournament title. Area hoops fans might remember Texas-San Antonio coach Brooks Thompson, who played at Oklahoma State in the early 1990s before a short NBA career. The winner meets top-seeded Ohio State in the East Region.

Alabama State has tourney's worst record

Alabama State reached the NCAA tournament with a lousy record and a remarkable turnaround. The Hornets (17-17) have the worst record in the 68-team field. Everyone else has more wins than losses.

Alabama State must win its first-round game on Wednesday night against Texas-San Antonio (19-13) to improve to a winning record. Their reward? Heading up to Cleveland to try to knock off top-seeded Ohio State.

Roadrunners battle Hornets in "First Four" encounter

Dayton, OH (Sports Network) - Day two of the inaugural "Field of 68" play-in format for the 2011 NCAA Tournament has the champions of the Southland Conference, Texas-San Antonio, squaring off against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champs, Alabama State, from Dayton, Ohio.

Dubbed the "First Four", Wednesday's matchup is the third of four games over two days at UD Arena as part of the NCAA's re-formatted expansion of the traditional 64-team field. The winner of this matchup moves on to face the tournament's top overall seed, Ohio State, in the East Region Friday in Cleveland, Ohio at Quicken Loans Arena.

ASU basketball: White works to get job done for Hornets

Ivory White spends the first few minutes of every basketball game trying to figure out how he can help his Alabama State team­mates. Need an offensive spark? White is your guy. Looking for someone to shut down the high-octane perimeter offense of your opponent? Call on White.

Hoping someone can bol­ster your inside game with a few rebounds and help speed up the transition game? Then the junior guard from Greensboro is the perfect answer to your problems.

Duncan sparks Hornets' streak

Chris Duncan came to Alabama State with one thing on his mind.

And while he has excelled at defense in his two years with the Hornets, he has started to understand his value to the team as an offensive performer. The Hornets have won six consecutive games, transforming from a team that had underachieved and showed little chemistry to one that has dreams of earning an NCAA tournament bid.

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Stillman's Dream Run Ended by Alabama-Huntsville

For a while, it looked as if Stillman's dream run in the NCAA Division II tournament might continue as the Tigers held a 43-42 halfttime edge against regional host Alabama-Huntsville Tuesday night. Alas, the Chargers proved too much, overcoming Stillman and eventually holding on for an 88-81 victory in a Sweet 16 matchup at Spragins Hall.

Alabama-Huntsville (29-4) will now take on Minnesota State-Mankato in the Elite 8. Stillman (25-8), which began its run in the tournament by upending heavily-favored second-seeded Harding and then defeated Florida Southern, began this game on a similar high note. The Tigers took...

Stillman Tigers Enter Sweet 16

Huntsville, AL-- Stillman reached yet another milestone with a win over the Florida Southern Moccasins 92-86 and advanced to the NCAA DII South Region final for the first time in school’s history in Spragins Hall at the University of Alabama campus.

The Tigers trailed 38-51 at the half. Following the half, the Tigers overcame a 13-point deficit to tie the game 56-56 at the 14:43 mark. Both teams exchanged baskets and enjoyed the lead until the 5:31 mark when junior LaDarius Rhone made a 3-points basket and the Tigers went ahead for the last time and held it to the end of regulation.

LaJay Sears led the Tigers with 31 points on 10-20 shooting from the field and 7-8 from the free-throw line. Sears was followed by Kevin Johnson and Lee Riley both with 16 points. LaDarius Rhone chipped in 14 points. Rakee Anderson, despite not having a great shooting performance, added a game-high 11 assists.

NCAA South Regional: 'Special journey' for UAHuntsville continues next week at the Elite Eight

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Josh Magette, who typically holds the basketball game in his hands, was at the moment holding a thin strand of twine in his right hand. It was a piece of a basketball net, surgically removed Tuesday night in the middle of the warmest, loudest, lovingest, darndest bit of celebration and history this building has seen.

"You can't dream of something like this," said Magette, the UAH point guard. A couple of weeks ago, he had collected another piece of twine, from UAH's official coronation as Gulf South Conference East Division champion.

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PV's Wilson shines in own right

Coach Toyelle Wilson

Prairie View A&M’s Toyelle Wilson probably had the toughest act to follow of any first-year women’s basketball coach in the area at the beginning of the season.

Wilson took the reins in May after former coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke stepped down to take the top job at North Carolina-Wilmington. Cooper-Dyke, a Basketball Hall of Famer, went 86-72 in five seasons at Prairie View, leading the Panthers to four postseason appearances, including their first two NCAA Tournament appearances, and three Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season titles.

Wilson, a former assistant under Cooper-Dyke, had a huge shadow cast over her first season as head coach once athletic director Fred Washington opted to promote her. Some doubted she would be able to duplicate her predecessor’s success.

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Historical Black College All-Star Classic

Columbus, GA - The 8th Annual Historical Black College All-Star Classic is coming to Columbus (Georgia) on April 23rd with the game being played the Civic Center. The event pits the best players from the SWAC, MEAC, SIAC, and CIAA against each other in a battle of East and West.



In addition to the College game the event will also feature matchups including local boys and girls high school all stars. Among those expected to attend include: Jordan's Harry Short, Kendrick's Elbert Elliot, Dwayne Belfield, Erica Stanley, and Janai Merritt, Hardaway's Valenta Williams and Jamaine Burrey and many more.

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Paine College Appoints Link as Men's Head Basketball Coach

Augusta, GA (March 15, 2011) - Interim Athletic Director, Selina Kohn, announced today that Coach Jimmy Link will lead the Lions Basketball team. He served as the Interim Head Men’s Basketball Coach after being appointed the position mid-way during the 2010-2011 Season. Since then, Link has gone on to lead the Lions with an 11-17 record and second round appearance in the 2011 Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (SIAC) Tournament.

Link brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a former player and coach. During his basketball career, Link was a four-year letterman in men’s basketball at Flagler College, where he led the team to its first NAIA National Tournament bid as a point guard in 2002-2003. His team was ranked in the NAIA Top 25 nationally in each of Link’s four seasons as a player and he helped lead the team to a Florida Sun Conference Tournament Championship as a senior.



“I’m elated to be a part of the Paine College legacy,” Link said. Being named head coach is a highly regarded position and I am excited to take on the responsibility of successfully growing the Paine College Athletics Program through recruiting and coaching talented student athletes.”

Link sang the praises of several during a press conference, “I am so excited for the opportunity I have been given here at Paine College. I promised everyone, especially Dr. Bradley, that I would make him proud of choosing me to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Coach Ronnie Spry.”

“I am grateful for assistants, Coach Beard and Coach Smith, for helping me to move the team forward this season. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

He also shared, “Coach Spry recruited me to work as an Assistant Coach at Paine College.” “He has been an unbelievable influence in my life and I am so thankful that he brought me to Augusta, Georgia. Even throughout this transition, he has supported me as a Coach and as a Person. And, I thank him for that,” he said.

During the press conference, Link shared his goals for the Athletic Program. “We have three main goals for the Men’s Basketball Program. We want to graduate Players; mold men so that after they graduate, they make the Paine College Community proud, and win Games and contend in the SIAC Conference,” Link said.

Link has over eight years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, from Division I to the NAIA. He began his career as assistant basketball coach at Flagler College, an NCAA Division II institution in 2004, during which his team ranked Top 10 in the country and made a Sweet 16 Tournament Appearance in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Florida Sun Conference.

He moved on to serve as assistant basketball coach at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland from 2005-2006. Link helped recruit 13 players to the NCAA Division III program, all of which ended up having a school best record. During this time he also assisted.

After a successful career at Washington College, Link returned to Flagler College from 2006-2008 as assistant basketball coach, where he helped sign one of the best recruiting classes ever, three freshman and one transfer and went on to have 20-7 season in their 2nd year of Division II.

Previously, Link served assistant basketball coach at the University of North Florida, an NCAA Division II institution, and member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. There he served along side long time head coach Matt Kilcullen for the 2008-2009 season. He also served as assistant men’s basketball coach at Newberry College NCAA Division II under Steve DeMeo for the 2009-2010 Season.

Touchingly, Link expressed his appreciation to his family who rendered tremendous support throughout his career. Expressing deep gratitude to his deceased mother, he commented, “To my mom, it was her kind soul and amazing heart that made my life special. And, to my Dad, thank you for raising me into the man that I have become and for supporting me in my career when times were tough.”

Link held a very special announcement toward the end. Referring to his biggest fan and the love his life, Link thanked his wife Jennifer for her support. He commented, “My wife Jen and I are expecting our first child. I am so excited to become a father.”

In closing, he said, “as you can tell, I am a family man, husband, and soon to be father. I have also added these young men to my family. I will take care of them like they are my own. We will go through great times and tough times and learn from our experiences. I welcome all of Paine College into my family and encourage all of Paine’s former athletes and men and women who bleed purple and white to come back to their Alma Mater to support the Athletic Program.

Link earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Flagler College in 2003. Link currently resides in Augusta, Georgia with his wife Jennifer.

By Natasha Carter, Office of Communications and Marketing
Paine College Lions
Visit: Fear the Paine/Lions Athletics

Some Sports Could Be Cut as WSSU Faces Budget Deficit

 

Some sports could be cut as Winston-Salem State University works to recover a $3.9 million deficit in its athletic program. The school went back to Division II this year after four years in the Division I ranks. That saved $2 million, but left the aforementioned $3.9 million deficit.

The downgrade has led to an upgrade in basketball game attendance, increasing by nearly 400 a game this year.

"Attendance was definitely up. It was more support for the team, especially since the basketball team went to the CIAA this year," said Kelsey Mobley, student.

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Red Flash Snap Howard's Three-Game Winning Streak

LORETTO, PA. (March 13, 2011) – The Lady Bison lacrosse team suffered their first loss during the month of March after dropping 19-3 to Saint Francis (Pa.), ending their three-game winning streak.

Howard (3-4) started slow compared to the Red Flash (2-4) who sprinted to a 9-0 lead with 16 minutes into the opening half. Senior Desiree Cox scored Howard’s first goal in the first half with 13:55 left on the clock. The Red Flash limited Cox to only one score, marking a season low for Howard’s leading scorer.

The Lady Bison were outshot 16-31. The Bison recorded six saves while St. Francis chimed in with nine.

Cox and Courtland Lackey led the Bison with five shots a piece, while Cheryse Cox and Cynithia Smalls garnered two each. Chastity Dailey managed to only throw in one shot, but made it worthwhile as she converted it into Howard's second goal during the second half.

Lackey was responsible for the Lady Bison’s remaining goal. Lackey found the back of the net with 1:15 left in regulation to round out the final score, 19-3.

The Red Flash were able to secure the game over the Lady Bison after controlling every major statistical category.

Saint Francis dominated the draw control throughout the game, generating a 13-5 advantage. The Lady Bison were unable to grab ground balls in the second half, as Saint Francis garnered 12. Overall, the Bison relinquished 16 ground balls to their opponents, and only scooped up one throughout the entire game.

The Lady Bison will look to bounce back from their loss as they hit the road to take on Central Connecticut State on Friday, March 18 at 3 p.m.

Visit Howard-Bison.com for more updates on the Lady Bison lacrosse team.

By Tiffany White, Sports Information Assistant
Howard University

Howard Softball Suffers Tough Weekend at Diamond Devil Invitational

TEMPE, AZ  (March 14, 2011) – The Howard University softball team underwent a tough weekend, as they dropped five games at the Diamond Devil Tournament. The Bison suffered losses to Florida Gulf Coast, No. 7 Arizona State, Creighton, Campbell and Virginia Tech. With the weekend skid, Howard slides to 3-13 on the season.

The Bison faced off against tournament hosts No. 7 Arizona State on Friday, in its first game of the weekend slate. HU dug an early hole – giving up six runs in the opening inning. The Bison answered in the bottom half of the frame when Lorae Robinson rounded the bases to put Howard on the scoreboard. ASU proved to be too much for the Bison as they pushed the margin to 11-1 after two complete innings. The Sun Devils recorded two more runs in the fourth for the 13-1 final.

Carly Martin and Samantha Gatson combined for a total of four strikeouts against the nationally-ranked powerhouse.

Following the tough loss, the Bison played Florida Gulf Coast (11-15) for its first of a trio of Saturday games. Howard recorded two runs on three hits to take a quick 2-0 advantage over the Eagles in the top of the first. Christine Sborz led off with a double to left field before a Robinson single to the same side put runners on first and third. Robinson stole second and a sacrifice fly by Marissa Coats drove in Sborz. A ground out to second moved Robinson to the corner and then was knocked in by a Candace Rogers single.

Howard held FGCU scoreless until the bottom of the third when the Eagles scored three runs to take a slim 3-2 advantage. The Bison were unable to regain the lead as HU was only able to manage two hits over the next four innings.

Samantha Gatson took the loss on the mound – pitching a complete game – allowing just three hits while fanning seven batters.

In the second game, the Bison took an 8-0 shutout loss to Creighton (9-12). The Bluejays exploded for six runs in the bottom the second to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Rogers and Sborz notched the only hits for Howard, as the Bison were held scoreless for the fifth time this season.

For the final matchup of the day against Campbell (10-12), Sborz homered to lead off the game – her first of the season. A wild pitch with the bases loaded allowed Robinson to score from third to give the Bison a quick 2-0 lead heading into the bottom frame.

The Camels tied the game in the second. Pinch runner Katie Andrews scampered home with the team's first run, and then Katie Hinton walked to drive in Sarah Forgacs from third with the second run.

The Bison promptly took the lead back in the third inning. Coats walked, moved to second on a fielder's choice and third on the overthrow by the CU pitcher on the play. A wild pitch on the next pitch allowed Coats to score the team's third run. The Camels erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the frame and didn’t look back.

The Bison added an unearned run in the top of the second as Sborz drew a one-out walk and dashed all the way around the bases on the single by Robinson and throwing error from the CU first baseman. The Camels kept the offensive show with five more runs in the fourth for the 15-4 final.

Howard wrapped up play at the Diamond Devil Invitational by dropping a 5-1 decision to Virginia Tech on Sunday. Robinson rounded the bases was knocked in on a Coats double to right center to give the Bison their only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Sborz saw her seven-game hit streak snapped as she was unable to connect her bat the entire game.

Howard softball now shifts its focus to the Cherry Blossom Classic hosted by George Mason from March 18-20.

By Jamilah Corbitt, Assistant Director of Sports Information
Howard University
Visit: howard-bison.com

On To the Elite Eight: Shaw Beats JCSU For NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Title

Shaw University Women's Head Coach Jacques Curtis

The best season in Johnson C. Smith women’s basketball history ended a step from the Division II Elite Eight.

CIAA South rival Shaw beat the Golden Bulls 74-54 Monday in the Atlantic Regional Championship in Edinboro Pa. JCSU ends the season 26-5, the most wins in a single season in school history. The previous best was a 22-5 mark in 2009.

“We’ve had a good season, even though it didn’t end the way we would have liked,” said CIAA Coach of the Year Vanessa Taylor, who led the Golden Bulls to a pair of tournament wins – the first in six regional appearances. “Sometimes you give your best and it isn’t good enough, but we have certainly learned more from this experience and will apply these lessons as we prepare for next season.”

No. 8 seed Shaw upsets Johnson C. Smith in D-II regional

EDINBORO, PA -- Eighth-seeded Shaw University, led by D-I transfers Kyria Buford and Demaria Liles, ran away from CIAA rival and second-seeded Johnson C. Smith for a 74-54 victory Monday to win the Division II Atlantic Regional at McComb Fieldhouse in front of 93 fans.

The Bears (24-11), the CIAA tournament winner, advanced to the Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Mo., March 22-25. The Golden Bulls finished 26-5.

The 6-foot 1-inch Buford, a junior forward who played one season at Florida State, had 24 points and five assists, and MVP Liles, a 6-foot 1-inch senior forward who played at Maryland for one season, had 17 points and 14 rebounds. The Bears were 13-1 after Liles joined the team.

"Demaria took so much pressure off of me when she became eligible,'' Buford said.



Lady Bears Earn Berth in D-II Elite Eight With Win Over JCSU

Edinboro, PA - It was a drama in three acts - a game that was the fourth in a series, but had the highest stakes: a trip to the NCAA Division II Women's Elite Eight Tournament.

In the end, Shaw claimed the first and third act - and the win - downing CIAA rival Johnson C. Smith 74-54 to earn the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Title and a spot in the Elite Eight.

It was the fourth time the two teams had met this season. Johnson C. Smith (26-5) won the two regular season contests while Shaw (24-11) claimed the two post-season contests: the CIAA Championship and tonight's game, held at McCombs Field House on the campus of Edinboro University.

Shaw broke on top early, fought off a furious charge from the Lady Golden Bulls, and then built an increasing lead as the game ended.

"Smith changed their style today," said Shaw Head Coach Jacques Curtis. "They were running the ball, but today they basically took the air out of the ball. We weren't playing well at all."

Shaw's transfers too advanced for Edinboro women

EDINBORO, PA -- There are Division I players transferring to Division II schools all the time, but many of them saw little playing time or didn't fit and did not want to sit out the year necessary to play for another D-I school.

Then there's Shaw University's pair of Demaria Liles, who spent one full season starting on Maryland's Elite Eight team in 2008-09, and Kyria Buford, who played at Florida State as a freshman in 2005-06. Buford was homesick and first transferred to Johnson C. Smith, Shaw's rival and opponent at Edinboro's McComb Fieldhouse on Monday night.

CIAA schools had done little in the Atlantic Regional, to which the conference was moved before the 2008-09 season. They were a non-factor when host California (Pa.) won in 2009 and when Gannon captured the regional in 2010.  Edinboro, which had a magnificent season (26-4) and was top seed and host of the Atlantic Regional, was a victim of bad luck.

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16th-seeded Prairie View women to face No. 1 Baylor in tourney

The Prairie View A&M Panthers’ anxiety over learning their destination in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament disappeared mere minutes into Monday evening’s selection show on ESPN.
Their name appeared underneath first-round opponent and No. 1 seed Baylor on the flat screens at Buffalo Wild Wings in Cypress, and the attendants at the Panthers’ selection show watch party roared in jubilation.

The 16th-seeded Panthers (21-11) will start their NCAA Tournament run against the Bears (31-2) in the Dallas Region at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Ferrell Center in Waco. The winner advances to face the victor of Sunday’s earlier matchup between No. 8 seed Houston (26-5) and No. 9 seed West Virginia (23-9).



Baylor No. 1 NCAA seed at home vs. Prairie View

Baylor is a No. 1 seed for the first time and playing at home to start this year's NCAA women's tournament.

The Big 12 champion Lady Bears (31-2) open this year's tournament Sunday against SWAC champion Prairie View (21-11). If they want to make it to the Final Four for the second year in a row, there is the real possibility that they will have to beat Big 12 runner-up Texas A&M for...

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2011 Women's NCAA Tournament Bracket: Hampton Receives No. 13 Seed, Will Play Kentucky Saturday

Hampton University second year Head Basketball Coach
David Six wins triple crown -- NCAA Tournament bid, MEAC
Tournament Champions and MEAC Regular Season Champs. 

The Hampton Pirates have received a No. 13 seed in the Spokane Region and will face the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats in the first round of the 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

The Pirates qualified for the tournament by winning the MEAC Tournament with a win over Howard. It was Hampton's second-straight conference championship and they lost only one conference game during the regular season.

Kentucky, on the other hand, was arguably the SEC's second-best team behind perennial favorite Tennessee. The Wildcats enter the tournament with an at-large bid with a 24-8 record overall and 11-5 in the SEC.

NCAA TOURNAMENT WOMEN'S BRACKET

LADY PIRATES TO FACE KENTUCKY IN NCAA FIRST ROUND

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team, fresh off its second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament championship, will face No. 4 seed Kentucky on Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M. in the first round of the 2011 NCAA Div. I Women’s Basketball Tournament.

The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. EST. Television and ticket information will be announced when made available.

The Lady Pirates erupted in jubilation when their name was unveiled on the ESPN broadcast in the Student Center Ballroom. Hampton (25-6) earned a No. 13 seed in the Spokane Region, the highest-ever seed for a MEAC school in the 64-team championship format.  For second-year head coach David Six, the seeding was validating.

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