Feggins out as S.C. State offense moves in new direction

SCSU new offense will cater to QB Derrick Wiley's
strengths and running abilities

We are looking at having a spread offense, a high-tempo offense and we will run some of the Auburn, Oregon ... maybe even some of the style things Clemson is doing." - Coach Buddy Pough

Orangeburg, S.C. - South Carolina State's offense will have a different look when the Bulldogs open spring practice Tuesday night.

And, that look won't include the team's wide receivers coach of the past three seasons, Howard Feggins. Friday, The T&D confirmed that Feggins will not return to the S.C. State program.

"We are looking at (filling the position)," S.C. State head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough said Friday night. "We haven't quite gotten it done. We are just in the process of trying to decide exactly what we are going to do. It looks like he is not going to come back. It appears he may stay in the profession, but he may decide to move on as well."

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Alabama A&M hoops coach Vann Pettaway out after 25 years

Coach Vann Pettaway ends AAMU
era with a 453-279 record

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Vann Pettaway is expected to resign early next week, ending his 25-year tenure as Alabama A&M's men's basketball coach, The Times has learned.

Attempts to confirm Pettaway's resignation with A&M president Dr. Andrew Hugine, athletics director Betty Austin and Pettaway were unsuccessful by The Times.

Sources say Pettaway asked school officials to allow him to talk to his team before an official announcement is released. That meeting is expected to take place Monday night. An official announcement is expected to be made Monday or Tuesday.

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Duke too much for Hampton U; Pirates fall 87-45

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hampton University couldn't give up open looks for 3-pointers. Three of Duke's first six baskets were 3-pointers. The Pirates couldn't allow offensive rebounds. Eight of Duke's first 13 points came on second, or third, chances.

The die cast early, top-seeded Duke was too tall, focused and precise in an 87-45 wipeout Friday in an NCAA tournament West Region game at the Time Warner Cable Arena.

"We ran into a different animal," HU coach Ed Joyner Jr. said. "I mean, it was a lion. (We have) never been to the tournament before. This year was a first for us and we understood that. We made a lot of mistakes early. Those things happen when your nerves sometimes get the best of you."

Defending champ Duke wows Pirates with intensity, efficiency

New York ballers are hard to impress. They hone their games on asphalt jungles, hear tales of legends and hope to etch their names into the city's basketball lore. But Friday afternoon, reigning national champion Duke left Bronx native and Hampton University guard Mike Tuitt with indelible images.

"They looked just like Duke does on television," Tuitt said after the Blue Devils' 87-45 NCAA tournament victory over the Pirates. "They were under control and organized. They just had too much firepower."

Indeed, the game unfolded as most matching No. 1 and 16 regional seeds. Duke was too big, too fast, too deep.

Hampton perseveres in memory of fallen teammate Theo Smalling

Stories come to be told at the NCAA tournament. That’s just the way it works. Players you’ve never heard of from programs you’ve never watched play have a way of giving March its irresistible charm. Of course, there’s the appeal of the big name too. The All-American stars like Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker and the perennial powerhouses like Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky.



PIRATES' STELLAR SEASON ENDS WITH LOSS TO DUKE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Hampton University men’s basketball team saw its stellar 2010-11 season come to an end on Saturday, as the Pirates fell to Duke 87-45 in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena.

The Pirates, who were seeded No. 16 in the West Region, had their five-game winning streak snapped by top-seeded Duke and ended the season 24-9. The Blue Devils advanced to 31-4 and will face Michigan in the third round on Sunday.

“Seeing (Duke) first-hand gives you a different light on the way they work and just how good they are,” Pirates head coach Edward Joyner Jr. said. “They are big and long.”

Duke handed the Pirates their most lopsided loss of the season, as Hampton tied its season low in points scored and set a season high in points allowed.



Falling On His Sword

Like all good leaders, Hampton University head coach Ed Joyner Jr. placed the onus on himself for the Pirates’ 87-45 loss to top-seeded Duke. Not that Joyner could have done anything about the disparity in talent or devised some tactical maneuver that might have kept it close.

“I’ve got 13, 14 players (and) four, five coaches, they’re all hurting in that locker room,” he said. “That’s the first step to us getting better and preparing for the moment later on. Second of all, experience is the best teacher. We’ve never been here before. I don’t put that loss on my players. They did all they can do. That’s my fault.

“I didn’t understand how to prepare them for this moment, but trust me, I understand now, and one thing I’ve never been called a dummy. So, does that mean we’re going to come to this tournament and win a game next year? I don’t know.



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BSU Lady Bulldogs Bowling Ready to Defend CIAA Title

(BOWIE, Md.)-- Bowie State University is ready for the 2011 CIAA Bowling Championships after an outstanding regular season. The Championships will be held Saturday (March 19th) through Monday (March 21st) at AMF Durham Lanes in Durham, N.C.

“I am very proud of how the girls conducted themselves this season,” said head coach Ken Scott. “It took a lot of hard work and dedication to repeat at divisional champions and we’re looking forward to a very good (CIAA Championships) weekend.”

LIVE VIDEO - MONDAY'S (3/21/2011) CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

The Lady Bulldogs finished atop the CIAA Northern Division standings with a 48-1 mark against CIAA opponents. They are one of seven teams with a winning league record. The Lady Bulldogs are 62-2 overall including a 16-1 mark in Baker matches.

As a team, Bowie State ranks second in Team Results (1,018), Total Pins Average (855.9) and Baker Average (167.7), third in High Baker Series (762) and fourth in High Baker Score (235).

Individually, senior Verra Diggs (Fort Washington, MD, Oxon Hill, Hampton Univ.) leads Bowie State with a 187.36 average, which includes a perfect game during the CIAA North and South Round-Up (February 4th). Senior Tycora Brown (Pocomoke City, MD, Pocomoke) ranks seventh in CIAA Top 200 Scores (246) and is joined by fellow seniors Dominique Carroll (Bowie, MD, Bowie) (244) and Rebecca Frusciante (Mahopac, NY, Mahopac) (214). Freshmen Belinda Burns (Temple Hills, MD, St. John's) and Taccarra Matthews (Laurel, MD, Laurel) are also a part of the Top 200 list with games of 214 and 207 respectively.

The first day of the Championships starts Saturday at 11:50 a.m. with the awards program. The matches begin at 1 p.m.

By Bowie State University Sports Information
Visit: bsubulldogs.com

Xavier Gold Nuggets see Stars — and lots of OCU free throws

JACKSON, Tenn. (March 18, 2011) — Xavier University of Louisiana lost 67-51 Friday to Oklahoma City in the second round of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship. But after losing to OCU by 30, 30 and 38 points from 1999-2003, 12th-year XU Coach Bo Browder is certain the talent gap has narrowed between his program and OCU.

Yet a wide gap in free-throw attempts — the Stars made 20-of-40, the Gold Nuggets 12-of-17 — left Browder searching for answers.

"A reporter asked me after the game about the difference in free throws," Browder said. "I told him I didn't have a good explanation. I will say this — it was a very physical game on both sides. (Oklahoma City) wanted to intimidate us, but we didn't give in to them."

The 2010-11 Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball team.
Coach Robert "Bo" Browder.  (Photo courtesy of Xavier University).

Fourth-ranked Oklahoma City committed 16 personal fouls, and 20th-ranked Xavier was called for 30, its most since February 2005. XU freshman Carmen Holcombe, starting for the second straight game at center, fouled out, and teammates Keldra Hall, Marchelle Jones, Jazmoné Kelly and Christina Warren had four fouls apiece.

Reserve guard Tiffany Goldwire, one of seven Stars to attempt four or more free throws, led OCU (27-3) with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Lauren Gober added 13 points and six rebounds and scored five points during an 11-0 first-half run which gave OCU the lead for good.

That run, in which five Stars scored and four of them had assists, turned Xavier's last lead (7-6) into a 17-7 OCU advantage with 12:26 remaining in the half. The Stars led 37-20 at halftime thanks to what Browder said was "some of our worst basketball in a long time."

How bad was it? The Nuggets (27-7) shot 25 percent from the floor — there was a 2-of-16 stretch which covered nearly 12 minutes — and tacked on 14 turnovers and 16 fouls in the first half.

Browder still had praise for Oklahoma City, a national semifinalist in 2009 and 2010 and a team ranked second in the coaches poll the majority of this season. "There's no dropoff in them from those earlier times we played them," Browder said. "Their talent on the roster one-through-10 is the best of any team still in the tournament. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll win out, but they have a lot of talent."

Jones, a junior guard playing her last game for Xavier — she is leaving XU and basketball to pursue academic opportunities for her double major of physics and electrical engineering — had 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. Jones was the Nuggets' only double-figure scorer, and she made a pair of 3-pointers in the final three minutes to equal her output of her first 99 collegiate games.

Brandi Young scored nine points, and Hall and freshman Chelsea Broussard scored seven apiece for Xavier. Broussard grabbed nine rebounds, her third highest total of the season, and Hall had seven. Danielle Kennebrew's six rebounds were her second-most this season.

Xavier limited senior guard Donica Cosby, a first-team NAIA All-American last season, to eight points and 2-of-9 from the floor. But XU's Warren — the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year and a 19-point scorer Wednesday against Lee (Tenn.) — had seven points in 25 minutes and was 3-of-10 from the floor in her final Xavier game.

Oklahoma City led by double digits for the final 27:18. Broussard's 3-point play at 12:56 cut the Stars' lead to 46-36, but Xavier never got closer. OCU answered Broussard's points with an 18-7 run which gave the Stars their biggest lead, 64-43, with 3:04 remaining. Still Xavier outscored Oklahoma City 31-30 in the second half.

The Stars outshot the Nuggets 39.3 to 32.7 percent from the floor. Xavier had a 41-40 rebound advantage but had a season-low two assists and gained a season-low 13 turnovers, almost half of XU's per-game average. Xavier finished with 21 turnovers, and the deficit of eight matched its worst of the season.

Xavier is 0-6 in the second round at the national tournament — Browder's teams are 0-2 — and four times Oklahoma teams eliminated the Nuggets in that round. The Stars have done it twice, and they also have a first-round victory against Browder's first XU team in 1999.

"We fought hard for 40 minutes and I'm proud of that," Browder said. "We were not fully loaded up here because of some injured players, but we'll be OK. We had a great year, and I'm thankful to these young ladies for stepping up and making it happen when we had some tough times."

Box score

NOTES: Ashley McGill, Xavier's other senior, did not attempt a shot in 14 relief minutes . . . The 16-point losing margin was Xavier's largest since a 73-56 loss to Lambuth in the first round of the 2008 national tournament . . . Xavier allowed a school-record-low 50.1 points per game and likely will hold on to No. 1 in NAIA Division I for the second consecutive season. The Gold Nuggets allowed 52.1 points per game in 2009-10.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
Visit: XULASports.com

Howard Tabs Big Conference Wins in Season Finale

MILLSBORO, DEL. – The Howard bowling team wrapped up their season at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference North Tournament on March 5 with three head-to-head wins over Coppin State (840-693), Hampton (884-875) and Morgan State (821-806).

The Lady Bison (30-75, 8-17 MEAC) posted their best winning percentage (66.7 percent) in head-to-head competition in Millsboro, Del. during their third MEAC North Tournament trip this season. Howard’s win over Morgan State was their first win against the Lady Bears all year as MSU held the 5-0 advantage before taking their first loss to the Lady Bison. The Lady Bison also sacked their second season win over Hampton–their first came on Jan. 22, 2011 at the Lady Bulldog Classic.

The win over Coppin State secured a season sweep over the Eagles as HU went 4-0 against CSU over the course of the season.

Howard was unable to overcome Delaware State or Maryland-Eastern Shore in head-to-head matches, as the Lady Bison fell 730-886 and 751-1009, respectively. The Bison failed to force a win over DSU and UMES all season in this category of play.

Jasmine Hardesty bowled a personal high of 189 pins during the tournament, which is her second best this season. Her season high came in the Kutztown Invite on Jan. 28, 2011 where she bowled 198.

Taneeka Hanna averaged 154 pins in her four games, nearly peaking her career best of 159.6 pins, a mark she reached during the first MEAC North Tournament back on Nov. 13, 2010. Alexzandria Johnson also reached her second-best average of the year, averaging 172.2 pins on five games to tie a previous mark she met during the first MEAC North Tournament.

Johnson was second on the team with pins knocked down with 861 behind Briana Uzzell who tallied 888 pins for the Bison. Uzzell has served as a critical member of the Lady Bison and accumulated the most pins for Howard (9,198) this season, averaging 177.6 knock downs. Her personal high came during the Kutztown Invite on Jan. 28, 2011 where she bowled 256, a mark that still leads the Bison.

Johnson and Jordane Frazier aren’t too far behind Uzzell as they rank second and third on the team with pins knocked down with 8,643 and 8,204, respectively.

In a series of four games against CSU, DSU, UMES, MSU and Hampton during Baker play, the Lady Bison posted a 1-4 record, including a win over Coppin State (635-559). Howard dropped to DSU (675-750), UMES (620-809), MSU (699-794), and Hampton (611-677).

Despite leaving with only one win in the Baker matches, the Lady Bison are riding high on their recent accomplishments and notable wins, including that against then-No.1 Vanderbilt. Howard is set to cruise into the MEAC Championship Tournament that will take place in Greensboro, N.C. on March 18 and before entering into the NCAA Championship Tournament in Taylor, Mich. on April 14.

By Tiffany White, Sports Information Assistant
Howard University
Visit: howard-bison.com

FAMU men's basketball parts ways with Harris

Eugene Harris was fired Thursday afternoon, one week after he coached the Florida A&M men's basketball team to a one-and-done appearance in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.

FAMU announced Harris' termination in a news release about five hours after he had a mid-afternoon meeting with athletic director Derek Horne. Harris will be on administrative leave with pay until June 10, the university said in its release.

During his four seasons, the Rattlers won 46 games and lost 80. Harris, who was hired in September 2007, had one year remaining on a five-year contract with an annual salary of $150,000.

FAMU gives Harris his pink slip

After four seasons of "underachieving", Florida A&M has parted ways with former head basketball coach Eugene Harris. Harris was notified of his termination in a four-paragraph letter he received in an afternoon meeting with Athletic Director, Derek Horne.

During his tenure as head coach, Harris amassed a record of 46-80. Over the course of the past two seasons, the losses are double the total of the wins at 21-42. This season completed his third consecutive of 20-plus losses.

Harris was in the fourth year of a 5-year contract at an annual rate of $150,000 per year. He will remain on administrative leave with pay until June 10, according to the FAMU press release.

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Mitchell calls Coppin's contract offer 'unacceptable'‎

Coppin State University Athletic Director Derrick Ramsey

Baltimore, MD -- Fang Mitchell rejected an offer Thursday to remain as coach of Coppin State's men's basketball team, saying the contract was "unacceptable" but that negotiations will continue.

"It wasn't done in good faith," Mitchell said of the offer after a scheduled meeting with university president Reginald Avery.

Mitchell has coached at Coppin for 25 years, won 395 games, gone to four NCAA tournaments and captured 10 regular-season championships in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

He declined to say why the contract was unacceptable, but he said he expected negotiations to resume next week.

Asked if he believed he could still get a deal to remain at Coppin, he said, "Yes, in talking with the president, we should be able to get it done."

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Scrimmage to wrap up Southern U. spring

The Southern University football team will wrap up spring practice with its final scrimmage at 6 p.m. Friday in A.W. Mumford Stadium, and make no mistake:

The Jaguars have plenty of questions to answer if they plan on improving.

They’re coming off a 2-9 record in their first year under Stump Mitchell, finishing last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division.

They came into the spring with two new assistants — offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Gerald Carr and defensive line coach Tayrone Odums.

SU set for final scrimmage of spring

The Southern football team will wrap up spring practice with its final scrimmage at 6 p.m. Friday in A.W. Mumford Stadium.

The Jaguars, coming off a 2-9 record in their first season under Stump Mitchell, started spring practice Feb. 21 with two new assistants: offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Gerald Carr and defensive line coach Tayrone Odums.

Southern has also practiced without several veterans, including quarterback Jeremiah McGinty, who’s nursing an injury to his left (nonthrowing) shoulder.

SU opens its schedule next season Sept. 3 in Nashville, Tenn., against Tennessee State.

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Videographer: AaronMychael; 2011 NFL Draft Prospect Jordan Miller - DT - Southern U. Pro Day

Hampton coach wrote his script

Say this for Hampton men's basketball coach Ed Joyner Jr., he has a sense for the moment.

"What better script can you write?" Joyner asked Thursday, the day before his 16th-seed Pirates were to face top-seed Duke in a second-round NCAA tournament game at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Joyner, 38, a Winston-Salem native who attended Charlotte's Harding High before playing and coaching at Johnson C. Smith, had this script already etched in his mind two weeks ago, as Hampton prepared for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Association tournament in Winston-Salem.

Hampton U. coach looking for any advantage before playing Duke

CHARLOTTE, N.C. —— Ed Joyner Jr. was taking suggestions Thursday for tools he might use to demonstrate that the task at hand is difficult, but not impossible.

In advance of Friday's David vs. Goliath matchup against No. 1 seed Duke in the NCAA tournament, Hampton University's head coach planned to show his players video of the Pirates' upset of second-seeded Iowa State in the 2001 NCAA tournament.

Joyner said, only partly in jest, that he would show them the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team's Miracle On Ice upset of the Soviets, the movie "Rudy" and anything else he could think of.

"I think they're already pumped up," he said. "Anything to show them it has and should be done."

Hampton's chore, 10 years later

From the NCAA tournament in Charlotte:

Meant to say earlier, I thought Hampton coach Ed Joyner was amusing Thursday during his media session, especially when a natural question was raised about a former Hampton U. tournament upset – 10 years ago in Boise, Idaho.

The 15th-seeded Pirates beat No. 2 Iowa State 58-57 that day – how about that; Iowa State (3-13 in the Big 12 this year) was a No. 2! And Joyner was asked why, as a Hampton player noted earlier, he’d not used that video as motivation for his team, seeded 16th, against No. 1 Duke on Friday.

“Everything, I believe, is timing,” he said. “It ain’t the right time yet. Trust me, they’re going to see it tonight along with “Miracle,” “Rudy”, anything else you can find.”

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Tulane women's basketball team routs Southern 61-31 in WNIT

No point for Tulane to sit back and let its WNIT opener against Southern become competitive. The Green Wave swarmed the Jaguars with a full-court press from the onset.

Any lethargic Tulane tendencies the Green Wave might be expected to have after not earning an NCAA Tournament bid never appeared.

Tulane’s pesky defense helped it cruise to a 61-31 win over Southern on Thursday night at Fogelman Arena. The Green Wave will take on Oral Roberts, who defeated TCU, in Tulsa, Okla. either on Saturday or Sunday at 4 p.m.

Missing the women’s NCAA tournament is still a sore spot for tguard Olivia Grayson, who scored a team-high 12 points and still has two years of eligibility remaining.

Tulane Women's Hoops Rolls Past Southern In WNIT Opener, 61-31

NEW ORLEANS - Sophomore Olivia Grayson had 12 points and the Green Wave defense forced 22 turnovers as the Tulane University women's basketball team defeated Southern, 61-31, in the opening round of the 2011 WNIT Thursday evening in Fogelman Arena.

The Wave used its press to tally 12 steals - the 15th double-digit steal outing of the year and the most by the team since having 16 thefts at SMU on Feb. 3 - while limiting the Lady Jaguars to a 16.9 field goal percentage (12-of-71). With the win, Tulane improves to 23-10 on the year and advances to take on Oral Roberts in the second round of the WNIT on Monday, March 21, at 7 p.m. in Tulsa, Okla. Southern, meanwhile, concludes its 2010-11 season at 20-12.

Tulane routs SU in WNIT

NEW ORLEANS – Southern’s stay in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament was over almost before it began as an epidemic of missed shots and turnovers doomed the Jaguars in the first half of a 61-31 loss to Tulane in the first round Thursday night at Fogelman Arena.

Both teams were sloppy offensively at the outset, but the Green Wave (23-10) gradually got a handle on things. Southern (20-12) never did as it finished with its lowest point total of the season, falling short of an 85-36 loss at Miami on Nov. 29. The Jaguars made just 12-of-71 shots (16.9 percent), including 3-for-35 (8.6 percent) in the first half, and committed 22 turnovers.

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WNIT: Virginia rolls past Morgan State

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- Debbie Ryan is proud of her Celtic heritage. But on an oddly unemotional St. Patrick's Night she didn't need the luck of the Irish to prolong her coaching career at the University of Virginia.

All she needed was, well, Morgan State.

Whitny Edwards scored 11 points, and teammate Ariana Moorer added 10 as Ryan's Cavaliers thumped the overmatched Bears 69-56 Thursday night in an opening-round game of the women's postseason NIT. The victory ensured Ryan of at least one more game at the helm of a program she has steered for the past 34 years. Ryan, a Hall of Fame coach with 737 career victories, announced last week that she will step down at season's end.

Video Highlight: Virginia Defeats Morgan State, 69-56, In WNIT First Round

Photo Gallery

Virginia Defeats Morgan State, 69-56, In WNIT First Round

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - The Virginia women's basketball team built an early lead and held on for a 69-56 victory over visiting Morgan State Thursday night in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). With the victory, Virginia's record improved to 17-15. Morgan State's final record is 17-15.

Virginia will face Loyola (Md.) on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., at Reitz Arena in Baltimore, Md., in second-round action.

In the first half, Virginia's lead at times ballooned to as many as 16 points, but Morgan State pulled to within 11 points, 38-27, at the 1:34 mark on a 3-pointer by Brittany Dodson. UVa responded by going on a 5-0 run to end the half and take a 43-27 lead.

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MEAC to Retain NCAA FCS Automatic Qualifying Bid

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's Council of Chief Executive Officers (CCEOs) reaffirmed its position to compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) postseason championships and retain the conference's automatic qualification for the MEAC football champion.

The presidents and chancellors expressed their views that the caliber of talent among the student-athletes and coaches in the MEAC football program were among the best in the NCAA football championship subdivision and, therefore, would allow them to compete with anybody in the nation.

The Council stated that the MEAC football champion will not compete in any post season football bowl game and can and will continue to compete at the FCS highest level.

All questions regarding this matter should be directed to the conference's media relations office.

Written by MEAC Media Relations 3/17/2011

5 questions for JCSU football at spring drills

Charlotte, N.C. - An eight-loss campaign guarantees another offseason of change for Johnson C. Smith football.

The Golden Bulls, who won just two games and finished fifth in the six-team CIAA South, face challenges on both sides of the ball when spring drills open Friday. On offense, they must replace the most accomplished receiver in school history, Jeremy Franklin, and locate a play-making quarterback. Smith also needs to bulk up a defense that allowed an average of 39.9 points 405.5 per game in 2010.

Special teams need shoring up as well after allowing a school record eight blocked punts.

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NAIA Division I National Championship: Xavier Gold Nuggets beat Lee again, advance to second round

Gold Nuggets Coach Bo Browder
(Grambling State 1994) 
13 season record: 300 wins, 109 losses
(Photo provided by Xavier University)

JACKSON, Tenn. (March 16, 2011) — Senior forward Christina Warren scored 19 points Wednesday, and Xavier University of Louisiana's defense excelled again in a 63-53 victory over Lee (Tenn.) in the opening round of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship at Oman Arena.

The Gold Nuggets (27-6), ranked 20th in the final coaches' poll, defeated the 13th-ranked Lady Flames (25-7) by double digits for the second time this season and limited them to 29.4-percent field-goal shooting. Xavier entered the tournament No. 1 in scoring defense in NAIA Division I and fourth in field-goal percentage defense.

Xavier will play fourth-ranked Oklahoma City, an 87-45 winner against Montana Tech, in the second round at 10:45 a.m. Friday.

Box score

Warren, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year, scored 15 points
to carry Xavier to a 33-22 halftime lead. Brandi Young's basket with 14:13 remaining gave Xavier its biggest lead, 39-22, and the Nuggets pulled away with a 10-4 run after Lee closed to 53-49 at 4:38.

"I wasn't concerned about finishing this game," XU Coach Bo Browder said, "because we had a good learning experience at nationals last year."

Last year Xavier led Cumberlands 43-36 in the 34th minute before losing 67-62 in overtime in the opening round at nationals. This time the Nuggets led for the final 34:26 and took the lead for good on a Marchelle Jones basket.



Jones had 14 points, including 8-of-8 free throws, five rebounds and two steals, and Young had 13 points, four rebounds and a career-high-tying six steals.

The Nuggets ended a five-game first-round losing streak at nationals — the last victory had been 64-55 against Trevecca Nazarene in 2003 — and gave Browder his 300th victory a head-coach at four-year colleges. Browder is 298-101 in 12 seasons at Xavier, and he was 2-8 as Evansville's interim head coach to close the 1995-96 season.

"It's good to end the drought," Browder said. "That's been the million-dollar question — when are the Nuggets going to win at nationals again? It's always great to make it to nationals, but it's extremely difficult to win once you get there. Winning games at nationals is like getting some dessert."

Senior guard Brooke McKinnon, the Southern States Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year, was 4-of-13 from the floor and scored 12 points for Lee, an NAIA semifinalist a year ago and in its seventh consecutive appearance at nationals. McKinnon was the Lady Flames' only double-figure scorer.

Xavier shot 44.2 percent the floor — the Nuggets' third-best percentage in 20 games at nationals and their highest since 1997 — and produced defensive stands in which Lee missed 12 and 10 consecutive field-goal attempts. Xavier has limited 15 opponents this season, including the last three, to less than 30 percent from the floor.

"Lee has a great program," Browder said. "They weren't going to give anything to us. We had to go out and earn it."

Xavier's next opponent, Oklahoma City, was No. 2 in the coaches poll for most of the season and was the Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season champion. No Gold Nuggets team has reached the quarterfinals, and Oklahoma teams eliminated XU three of the previous four times in the second round — including a 91-53 Oklahoma City victory in 2003.

NOTES: Lee entered the game No. 3 in NAIA Division I in scoring defense . . . Xavier reached 27 victories for the third time in four seasons . . . It's the fourth time in Louisiana collegiate history that the same school produced men's and women's basketball teams with 27 victories apiece in the same season. LSU did it in 2005-06, and Louisiana Tech did it in 1983-84 and 1984-85 . . . The Xavier-Oklahoma City winner will play in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. Saturday against California Baptist or Shawnee State . . . Xavier has won 20 straight games — 13 this season — when shooting at least 40 percent from the floor and outerebounding the opponent in the same game.

NEXT GAME: Xaiver University of Lousiana Gold Nuggets (27-6) vs. #4 Oklahahoma City (26-3), Friday, 10:45 a.m. CDT . Sign Up and Watch -- CLICK HERE

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

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
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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.

READ MORE, CLICK HERE

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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