XU Gold Nuggets come from 16 down to win at Georgetown (Ky.)

GEORGETOWN, Kentucky -- Senior center Keldra Hall scored eight points during a closing rally Saturday which lifted NAIA No. 16 Xavier University to a 79-76 women's basketball victory against host Georgetown in the Chick-fil-A Classic.

The Gold Nuggets (3-1) trailed by 16 points late in the first half, 41-28 at halftime and 70-61 with 4:09 remaining before an 18-6 run in which they scored on their final eight possessions.

Hall had a pair of 3-point plays during the rally, with the second putting Xavier ahead to stay at 71-70 with 1:54 remaining.

"It's hard on the road," Xavier coach Bo Browder said. "But the Gold Nuggets know how to fight!"

Hall finished with 10 points and five rebounds. Brandi Young scored 17 points -- including 2-of-2 3-pointers and 9-of-10 free throws -- Jasmine Grant scored 12 and Carmen Holcombe and Jessica Savannah had 11 apiece. Grant made 4-of-8 3-pointers. Holcombe added a career-high eight rebounds and Savannah, a freshman, did not miss any of her seven shots.

Grant's final 3-pointer followed a Holcombe steal and gave Xavier a 74-70 lead with 1:42 remaining. Young made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 12 seconds.

It was the first time in five years that the Nuggets won despite surrendering 75 or more points.

Andrea Howard had 19 points and six rebounds for Georgetown (4-1). Mikkah Rogers scored a season-high 18 points. Jessica Waddle had 17 points and five rebounds, and Devon Golden had 10 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.

Howard scored 15 first-half points and passed to Waddle for a 3-pointer which gave the Tigers their biggest lead, 41-26, with 27 seconds remaining in the first half. Grant answered with a 3-pointer on the next possession.

Georgetown outshot the Nuggets 39.6 to 35.3 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 46-35.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

ASU unable to capitalize

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - It was a formula the Alabama State Hornets have used all season. Force turnovers on defense that lead to big plays on offense. Give up yards, but not points. Alabama State played the same card for the eighth time in 10 games. This time, the formula didn’t work.

Brian McCain’s 1-yard touchdown run with nine seconds left gave Southern an improbable 26-23 victory over the Hornets at the Cramton Bowl on Saturday afternoon. Improbable because the Hornets had scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to shake off a sluggish start. Improbable because the defense, one of the nation’s best at forcing turnovers, had forced three fumbles and intercepted a pass, doing its job to secure another victory.

Stunned as the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Hornets wept openly on the sideline and in their locker room, unable to figure out how they lost not only the game but quite possibly the Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division title as well.

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Another comeback for GSU; Tigers beat Texas Southern 29-25

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Wide receiver Mario Louis and linebacker Cliff Exama came up with some of Senior Day's biggest plays in their final home game, but freshman Tyree Hollins provided the coverage on the final play to clinch the victory.

On a fourth down from the 5-yard line, the Carroll alumnus covered Texas Southern senior receiver Joe Anderson tightly in the end zone as time expired to help the home Tigers hang on for the 29-25 victory that took a 15-0 fourth-quarter run just to set up.

"We hadn't made a play all day, so we had to put somebody back there that would make a play," Grambling coach Doug Williams said. "The throw helped him a lot because the throw was close to being out of bounds. I don't know what happened in the end zone, did he get his hands on it or what. I was just hoping the receiver didn't put his hands on it."

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Jason Pugh: Grambling's victory worthy of big 'screen'

GRAMBLING, LA — Mario Louis claims he only went to the Grambling coaching staff "twice or three times" Saturday asking them to let him make a play. Freshman quarterback D.J. Williams was more than happy to allow his senior receiver that opportunity — repeatedly.

Louis, whose big plays are serenaded with calls of "Suuuuuuuper Mario, to the rescue" over the Robinson Stadium speakers, saved perhaps his biggest play of the season for his final catch in the natural bowl Grambling calls home.

The senior from New Orleans took a jailbreak screen 34 yards — covering the final 3 with a headlong dive into the end zone — to keep secure a 29-25 comeback victory over Texas Southern on Saturday, keeping the host Tigers' conference title hopes alive for another week.

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Grambling State edges Texas Southern 29-25

GRAMBLING, LA — D.J. Williams threw his third touchdown pass of the game with 1:45 remaining, capping an 89-yard drive, to lift Grambling State to a 29-25 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday.

Williams, who completed 14 of 19 for 253 yards for Grambling State (6-4, 5-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference), found Mario Louis for a 34-yard score at the end of the eight-play drive. On the play before the touchdown, Williams completed an 11-yarder to Louis on fourth-and-7.

Texas Southern (4-6, 2-6) got the ball back at its 20 after a touchback on the kickoff and drove to the Grambling State four on completions of 11, 25 and 23 yards by Riko Smalls and runs of 12 and 5 yards by the quarterback. Smalls was sacked for 10 yards by Cliff Exama on third down and his fourth-down pass was incomplete.

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Miles College upsets Albany State 20-17 to win SIAC championship

Atlanta, Georgia -- The Miles College Golden Bears, under first-year coach Reginald Ruffin, are the champions of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Bears upset Albany State 20-17 on a 29-yard Patton Chambers field goal with nine seconds left in the first SIAC Championship Game on Saturday in Atlanta.

Miles, 7-4 and the Western Division champs going into the game, ended Albany State's bid for a seventh straight bid in the Division II football playoffs.

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Miles upsets Albany State for SIAC championship

Make room for Miles at the top of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The Golden Bears stunned Albany State for a 20-17 victory on Patton Chambers’ 29-yard field goal with nine seconds left for a 20-17 victory at Clark Atlanta’s Panther Stadium. Miles (7-4) earned its first SIAC championship and knocked Albany State (8-3) out of contention for its seventh consecutive bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

It’s the first time since 2000 that either Albany State or Tuskegee didn’t win the SIAC. With only four winning seasons since 1963 and a 3-8 record in 2010, Miles seemed like an unlikely candidate to break through. But first-year coach Reginald Ruffin led Miles to the West division championship and won the league’s first championship game.

“When I interviewed for the job, we didn’t talk about just competing,” Ruffin said. “We talked about winning, and winning right now.”

 photo gallery

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Alcorn gets blown out by Prairie View

LORMAN, Mississippi — Alcorn State had no problem moving the ball against Prairie View A&M Saturday afternoon. It was scoring that proved elusive.

And the Braves didn’t help themselves with four turnovers and 14 penalties for minus-120 yards as the Panthers (5-5, 5-3) pulled away in the third quarter en route to a 40-14 blowout loss for Alcorn. Alcorn scored just once in two trips to the Panthers’ red zone, and Braves head coach Melvin Spears said inconsistency and lack of focus was the culprit.

“First-and-15, second-and-15 (killed us),” Spears said. “We’d have a great play here, then we’d come back and have some mishap. It really boils down to our focus. We have to continue to hone in on the finer things of the game. There’s no substitute for great discipline.”

After failing to score on its opening possession, Alcorn punted  ...

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Pitt Women's Basketball Dropped by Hampton, 60-37, In Season Opener

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -– Sophomore Asia Logan had 12 points off the bench, but it was not enough to stop Hampton as the Panthers lost a 60-37 decision on Saturday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center. The contest was the season opener for both teams.

Sophomore Marquel Davis and freshman Brianna Kiesel each had eight points for the Panthers (0-1). The Lady Pirates (1-0) were paced by a game-high 22 points from Choicetta McMillian. McMillian drained six 3-pointers, tying an individual Petersen Events Center record by an opponent.

The Panthers jumped out of the gate early, moving to a 6-1 lead less than three minutes in on a fast break layup from Davis. The sophomore scored four of Pitt’s first six points. HU tallied the next eight-straight points, the last on a jumper from Sherena Abercrumbia to take a 9-6 advantage with 13:46 on the clock.

Davis and Kiesel scored on two of the next three Pitt possessions to make it 10-9, but that would be the last lead of the afternoon for the Panthers. Hampton used a 22-2 run to take a 31-12 lead just prior to the half. Pitt would go from the 11:47 mark until the halftime horn without a field goal, trailing 31-15 at the break.

Box Score 

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HAMPTON LADY PIRATES OPEN SEASON WITH ROUT OF PITTSBURGH

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team opened the 2011-12 season in style on Saturday, upending the University of Pittsburgh 60-37 at the Petersen Events Center.  Dating back to last season, the Lady Pirates (1-0) have won 15 of their last 16 games.

Senior guard Choicetta McMillian (Fairfield, Texas) led the Lady Pirates with 22 points, thanks in large part to a 6-for-15 effort from behind the arc. Senior forward Melanie Warner (Tallahassee, Fla.) poured in 12 points and was two rebounds shy of a double-double. Junior forward Ariel Phelps (Virginia Beach, Va.) added 10 points to go along with a team-high nine rebounds.

Pitt jumped out to a 6-1 lead, before the Lady Pirates scored eight straight points to take a 9-6 lead after a jumper from senior center Sherena Abercrumbia (Dallas, Texas). Brianna Kiesel gave the Panthers the lead again with a jumper at the 11:47 mark, but a layup from sophomore forward Alyssa Bennett (Newport News, Va.) put the Lady Pirates on top for good.

From there, Hampton closed out the half on a 22-5 run; after Kiesel’s jumper, Pitt would not score another field goal until Asia Logan’s layup at the buzzer.


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Stillman drops homecoming game to Concordia

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama | The Stillman football team could not pull out a victory Saturday, losing a close game to the Concordia-Selma Hornets 12-7 on homecoming. It was also a homecoming of sorts for former Stillman coach and Concordia defensive coordinator L.C. Cole, whose defense held Stillman to just 115 yards and forced two turnovers.

“We don’t sit back, we bring that heat,” Cole said. “We try to get the quarterback disturbed a little bit, our goal was to contain him, and I think we did just that.”

Stillman got the scoring started on its opening possession behind a strong rushing attack. After long runs by Carlos Wilson and Deandre Holley, quarterback Dondre Purnell took the ball in for a touchdown from 6 yards out on third-and-goal.

After forcing a three-and-out on defense, the Hornets struck back, scoring on a 12-play touchdown drive. The key play was an 18-yard fourth-down pass from ...

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XU Gold Rush rally in second half to defeat Bobcats

NEW ORLEANS -- Another home victory, another free-throw feast. It was more of the same Friday for the Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball team.

Chris Iles scored 17 points, Anthony Simmons 16 and Wanto Joseph 10 to lead Xavier, ranked 21st in NAIA Division I, to a 69-59 decision over St. Thomas (Fla.) at The Barn.

The Gold Rush (2-0) rallied from a 34-30 halftime deficit, outscored the Bobcats 33-7 in free throws -- 11-0 in the second half -- and won for the 22nd time in the past 23 home games.

Xavier attempted 48 free throws and improved to 31-0 since November 2009 when making more free throws than opponents. Iles, the team's most accurate free-throw shooter this past season, was 10-of-10 from the line, all in the first half. Joseph made 8-of-12 free throws, and Kevin Miller was 4-of-4.

Simmons scored 11 second-half points, and his basket with 8:48 remaining put the Gold Rush ahead to stay at 49-47. That followed 16 ties and 12 lead changes.

Joseph's free throws with 27 seconds remaining gave the XU men their biggest lead, 67-55, and capped a 10-0 run which covered nearly 3½ minutes.

Jeffery Remmington scored 16 points and Dylan O'Sullivan 15 for the Bobcats (1-2), who lost Thursday at Loyola. Both players had nine first-half points.

St. Thomas, an NAIA Division II member, outshot Xavier 44.4 to 39.5 percent from the floor. Both teams grabbed 27 rebounds, and the Gold Rush committed 19 turnovers and gained 25.

The Bobcats were assessed with 33 fouls, two less than they committed at Loyola.

The Gold Rush and Bobcats will meet again Dec. 29 in the St. Thomas Classic. Next for Xavier will be a 7:30 p.m. Tuesday game at Mobile.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

MVSU ends season with loss to UAPB

TTA BENA, MS — Mississippi Valley State had one of their best defensive outings of the season Saturday against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, but it still didn't end in the Delta Devils' favor.

The Golden Lions (5-5, 4-4 SWAC) used 15 first-half points to take down MVSU (1-10, 1-8 Southwestern Athletic Conference) 15-3 in the season finalé for Valley.

Pine-Bluff scored all 15 points in the final three minutes using a Benjamin Anderson 1-yard touchdown plunge and a 10-yard scamper by Stephen Jones.

Valley's three points came on a 27-yard fourth quarter field goal by Carlos Sanchez.

The Delta Devils outgained the Golden Lions 203 to 174 and held them to 63 passing yards. Garrick Jones and Marvin Pittman split duties at quarterback. Jones went 5-of-12 for 33 yards and two interceptions while Marvin Pittman finished 3-of-11 for 22 yards.

Jones also paced the Delta Devils with 73 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Pittman added 35 on the ground.

In his final game, Paul Cox hauled in two catches for 22 yards. Brandon Stansell, Kenneth Dabneyand Malcolm Sam added two catches each.



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UWG men suffocate Clark Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia -- The University of West Georgia men’s basketball team capped off a 2-0 season-opening weekend behind a suffocating defensive performance in a 79-53 victory over Clark Atlanta at the SIAC/GSC Challenge in Atlanta on Saturday evening.

“We just played tremendous defense. I mean, championship level. We just went after them. Those guys remind you of a Delta State or a Henderson State type with their size,” UWG coach Michael Cooney said. “Our guys just never gave them a chance to breathe. A huge win.”

The Wolves (2-0) won a hard-fought, 50-49 decision over Morehouse College on Friday night in the Challenge opener and Cooney said it was a great way to start the season heading into Wednesday’s home opener against Point University.

“To come out here 2-0, it just gives us a huge lift. I really think the team grew this week. It sets us up nicely coming home with these two big home games this week,” Cooney said.

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Xavier Nuggets outlast Dillard, reach title round of GCAC tourney

Moira Kirk

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — No deficit, it seems, is too great for the Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball team.

Moira Kirk had 13 kills and four blocks, and Taylor Reuther had 10 kills, 23 digs and two aces Friday to help the Gold Nuggets rally for a 20-25, 18-25, 27-25, 26-24, 17-15 victory against Dillard in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

"It was such a great comeback," said Xavier coach Christabell Hamilton, whose team trailed 15-8 in the fourth set and fought off four Dillard match points — one in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth. "When we won I was jumping up and down like a kid, which is something I never do."

Taylor Reuther

Xavier (22-6), the tourney's top seed and only unbeaten team, will play Dillard or SUNO in the championship round of the double-elimination event at 1 p.m. Saturday. It's the first time in the Gold Nuggets' four seasons that they reached the finals.

Dillard, the defending champion and No. 2 seed, and third-seeded SUNO will play at 11 a.m. Saturday in an elimination match. SUNO stayed alive with a 23-25, 25-12, 25-11, 25-9 victory against Tougaloo and a 25-18, 25-12, 25-16 victory against Talladega.

A Xavier victory in the 1 p.m. match will end the tournament. If the Gold Nuggets lose, they and their opponent will meet again at 3 p.m. to decide the championship and the GCAC's automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship, which begins next Saturday.

Patrice Hightower

Chinedu Echebelem's fifth-set kill, her 10th of the contest, saved a Dillard match point and tied the score at 15, then Xavier advanced with its seventh straight victory after consecutive Dillard attack errors.

"We have such fight and such heart," said Reuther, whose kill-dig double-double was her 11th of the season. "I always know we have a chance to come back."

Jeanay Butler and Iva Bobkova had eight kills apiece for Xavier, and Patrice Hightower had nine digs and a career-best 45 assists

"We communicated a lot more those final two sets," Hightower said. "We made adjustments on defense and in our blocking. I wasn't surprised we came back because we've done it all year. I have faith and trust in my teammates. I love this team so much."

Chinedu Echebelem

The Gold Nuggets have won 10 consecutive matches which lasted longer than three sets. They're 3-0 this season against Dillard (18-11), the defending tournament champion.

Xavier's current victory streak includes three matches in which the Nuggets trailed by a set. It was the second time in the program's history that Xavier rallied from a 2-sets-to-none deficit — the other time was against Dillard a year ago at The Barn.

"Those first two sets we weren't playing Xavier volleyball," Hamilton said. "We were not looking like ourselves and that's what frustrated me so much."

Reuther produced 17 digs in the final three sets and finished with a career high.

Jeanay Butler

"We started fighting as a team instead of individually," Reuther said. "That's why we meshed so well and came back as strongly as we did."

There were 15 ties and five lead changes in the third set, which Xavier capped with kills by Echebelem and Bobkova, but the Nuggets never led in the fourth until Kirk closed the set with consecutive kills. Kirk, the GCAC Freshman of the Year, had five kills in that set after the Nuggets trailed by seven.

The fifth set had 10 ties and four lead changes. Xavier led 8-5 after a Dillard attack error, and the Lady Bleu Devils had match point after Paula Ogbevoen's kill made it 15-14. But the Nuggets rallied one more time in a deciding set in which Dillard aided Xavier with eight errors.

"We never, ever give up," Hightower said.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

VISIT: GCACSPORTS

Elon Opens Charlotte Smith Era With Win Over Virginia Union

ELON, N.C. – Charlotte Smith earned her first win as Elon head women’s basketball coach in impressive fashion on Saturday, Nov. 12, as the Phoenix used a second-half surge to cruise to a 70-46 win over Virginia Union inside Alumni Gym in the regular-season opener for both squads.
 
“We came out of the gates a little bit slow today, so we’ll need to work on coming out more focused on our defense and rebounding moving forward,” Smith said. “We had a lot more intensity in the second half and our team did an incredible job on the boards.
 
Overall, it feels great to get the victory today. It took some time for us to pull away but we’re excited with the win and we know there’s still a lot of room to get better.”
 
Juniors Ali Ford and Kelsey Evans led the Phoenix offense in the win, as the preseason all-conference selections combined for 40 points in the victory. Ford led all scorers with 26 points on 7-of-19 shooting, including a 5-of-13 clip from three-point land. Evans recorded her 16th career double-double with 14 points and a game-high 15 boards and three blocks in the win.

Box Score

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UT Martin's Jason McNair shows flashes of his late uncle

Nashville, Tennessee -- His last name is McNair, he plays hard and plays hurt, and he’ll be at LP Field today. Jason McNair, nephew of late Titans quarterback Steve McNair, hopes to lead UT Martin (5-4, 4-2 OVC) to a victory over Tennessee State (4-5, 3-3).

McNair, a 5-foot-9, 192-pound junior from Mount Olive, Miss., leads the Skyhawks with 737 rushing yards and has scored five touchdowns. He has fond memories of LP Field. It’s where he scored his first touchdown as a freshman when he entered the game against TSU late with the Skyhawks safely in the lead (21-7) and scored on an 11-yard run. “I’m sure I’ll always remember that run,” McNair said.

But LP Field already was a special place for McNair. It’s where he watched his uncle become one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. “My uncle left his blood, sweat and tears on that field,” McNair said.

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Analyzing Florida A&M at North Carolina Central

Time: Today at 2 p.m.
Records: N.C. Central (2-7 overall, 1-5 MEAC); Florida A&M (6-3 overall, 4-2 MEAC)
Site: O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium, Durham, N.C.
Series: FAMU leads 4-1-1.
Forecast: Mostly sunny, temperatures in the low-to-mid-60s.
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
Radio: WEED 1390 AM (Rocky Mount, N.C.); WARR 1520 AM (Warrenton, N.C.); “GameCentral” at NCCUEaglePride.com. Starts at 12:30 p.m. (Chris Hooks, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, color analyst; Danielle Johnson-Webb, sideline)
Video: NCCUEaglePride.com features “GameCentral” by Stretch Internet ($8.95 per game). Starts at 1:45 p.m. Link: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/nccu.portal#

WHEN FLORIDA A&M HAS THE BALL

The Rattlers come into today's game off another exciting come-from-behind win last week against North Carolina A&T. Quarterback Damien Fleming tossed two more touchdown passes and now has seven in the seven games he's played — with only two interceptions. Completing 60 percent of his passes and a 7-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio puts Fleming third in the MEAC in pass efficiency.

The running back trio of LaVante Page, Al-Terek McBurse and Eddie Rocker could see plenty of carries today against a defense that ranks ninth in the MEAC by allowing just over 180 yards per game on the ground.



N.C. Central linebacker Brandon Outlaw leads a defense that has struggled for most of the year, but is coming off its best performance in a 14-7 win over Delaware State. Outlaw has 86 tackles, despite only four in the Eagles' first MEAC win of the season last week.

Cornerback Malik Cromartie was the hero for NCCU last week, blocking a first-quarter field goal to keep the game tied and intercepting a pair of passes. His second pick came with Delaware State driving late in the game to seal the win. Fleming will also need to keep an eye on junior defensive back Marc Lewis, who leads NCCU with seven pass breakups.

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One more win, NSU cinches best season in its history

Norfolk, Virginia -- The Norfolk State football team is not happy with history.

The Spartans clinched a share of their first MEAC championship last weekend, making history in the process, but you'd never have known it. No. 22 Norfolk State didn't rush the field or dump a bucket of Gatorade on head coach Pete Adrian. Norfolk State huddled near its sideline, walked off the field and hopped on a bus.

"I don't know what I expected, but it's the attitude that I hoped they'd have," Adrian said. "We felt like we were the better team and we went in and we did what we were supposed to do."

It's the same mindset the Spartans are taking into today's game at Morgan State. With a win, Norfolk State can polish off its best Division I season in school history, its first playoff bid and win the conference championship outright.

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N.C. Central looks for second MEAC win

Durham, North Carolina -- Last weekend's first victory in the MEAC wasn't one that North Carolina Central coach Henry Frazier wanted his team to spend too much time celebrating. But it was a huge sense of relief. At the mention during his weekly conference call that it might have been like a monkey off his back, Frazier laughed.

"I wouldn't say it was a monkey," he said. "I say it was a big, old gorilla. We had been close a few times and just hadn't been able to pull it out."

In fact, the Eagles (2-7, 1-5) have held fourth-quarter leads in four of their previous six games before hanging on to beat Delaware State last weekend in Dover, Del.



One reason that Frazier didn't want to spend too much time savoring the win is because his team has the challenge of trying to beat Florida A&M in its last home game today at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham,N.C.

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Stillman Tigers seeking homecoming win

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - The Stillman Tigers have achieved a winning record in Teddy Keaton’s first season as coach. If they win today’s homecoming game, they’ll have the best mark since joining the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2005.

“I tell my kids homecoming is not really for you right now,” said Keaton, a 1999 Stillman graduate. “Homecoming is for the alumni and the people that come back and support them. I really believe people are coming back to homecoming to see what we’ve done with this program in this short amount of time. I’m excited about some of my classmates coming back.

“More importantly, I want to make sure my team stays focused and that we don’t forget what’s at stake here; what’s the ultimate goal about finishing and not overlooking your opponent. Let the alumni and everybody else celebrate, and you stay focused on what we came here to do today.”

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ECSU vs. Winston-Salem State for CIAA crown today

Elizabeth City, North Carolina -- The Vikings are hoping the third time is the charm. Elizabeth City State has been chasing a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football title since 1971 and gets another chance to win that elusive championship today when it takes on No. 4 Winston-Salem State in Durham.

For ECSU (8-2), which won its only CIAA championship in 1971, it is its third championship game appearance in the last six years.

“I am trying to stay grounded approaching this game and focusing on what the kids can do,” said ECSU coach Wavery Tillar, who is 0-2 in CIAA championship games as head coach. “I feel real good going into this game based on what the kids can do offensively, defensively and on special teams. I’m just trying to stay grounded and not looking so much at the 0-2 record, but saying we can win this one.”

Across the field will be a familiar foe in Winston-Salem (10-0)...

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Free Throws Help Virginia Union Down Clarion in PSAC-CIAA Challenge

California, Pennsylvania -- Calvin Brown sank two free throws with seven seconds left to give Virginia Union an 82-81 victory over Clarion in the opening round of the PSAC/CIAA Challenge at California, Pennsylvania Friday.

The challenge pits schools of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference against the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The Golden Eagles (0-1) had just taken the lead 81-80 when Quintus "Bud" Teers sank two free throws of his own with 24 seconds remaining in a seesaw contest. However, teammate Paul McQueen fouled Brown as he tried to muscle up a shot at the other end of the court.

Clarion's Calvin Edward missed a jumper with two seconds left and time ran out before anyone could get to the rebound. Brown finished with 22 points for the Panthers (1-0), who gave new head coach Lugman Jabeer his first win.

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No. 12 Baylor Bears Rolls Over Texas Southern, 77-57

WACO, Texas - The new Quincy is already getting comfortable on the court for No. 12 Baylor. Quincy Miller had an impressive debut with a game-high 17 points, including two 3-pointers when the Bears put the game away with 11 points in less than a minute, in a 77-57 victory over Texas Southern on Friday night.

"My teammates were looking for me to score, just looking for me every time," Miller said. "We were just feeling it. That's all I can say."

Returning senior starters Quincy Acy and Anthony Jones had 11 points each for Baylor while Cory Jefferson, who redshirted last season after playing as a freshman, had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jones led the Bears with 12 rebounds.



Box Score | Quotes | Photos  | Highlights 

Miller is a 6-foot-9 freshman power forward from Chicago whose senior season at Westchester Country Day in North Carolina was cut short by an ACL injury. He scored 12 points after halftime, when he was 5 of 6 from the field.

"We expect so much because we know he has that in him. ...

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2011 SIAC Football Championship

No.1 Ranked Baylor Lady Bears Blows Past Howard Lady Bison

Howard Lady Bison 28, Baylor Lady Bears 82

Box Score | Quotes | Notes Photo Gallery  | Highlights

Waco, Texas -- Howard trailed No. 1 Baylor even before tipoff because of a technical foul. Things only got worse in the season opener once Brittney Griner and the Lady Bears really got their hands on the ball.

Baylor scored the game's first 28 points, including the technical free throw because Howard didn't turn in its starting lineup in time, and went on to an 82-28 victory in a preseason WNIT game Friday night.

"When you're playing the No. 1 team in the country, and there's not another team in the country that has a 6-8 in the middle who can do what (Griner) does," Howard coach Niki Reid-Geckeler said. "They came out and controlled the game from the beginning."



Griner began her junior season with 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocked shots and Baylor easily won its first season opener as a No. 1 team. Griner, the 6-foot-8 phenon who was a unanimous preseason AP All-America selection, had nine points in Baylor's opening 11-minute surge that matched Howard's scoring total for the entire game.

"It feels good to be back on the court," Griner said. "Definitely, I remember that last game, I wish we could start in March."

During pregame, the Lady Bears unveiled three more banners in the rafters -- one each for their Big 12 regular season championship, Big 12 tournament title and making it to another NCAA regional final.

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WSSU's Maynor named CIAA's top coach

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Coach Connell Maynor of Winston-Salem raised some eyebrows when he said what was on his mind in July. He proclaimed that his Rams would finish the season undefeated, win the CIAA title and contend for the Division II national champion.

He's right on one count so far — the Rams went 10-0 in the regular season, an accomplishment that won Maynor the CIAA's coach-of-the-year award in voting by his peers. The announcement was made Friday afternoon at a banquet in Durham. Maynor can take care of the CIAA title today, if WSSU defeats Elizabeth City State.

Bill Hayes, WSSU's athletics director, said the thing that impresses him the most about Maynor — who is 18-2 in two seasons leading the Rams — has nothing to do with football.  "I didn't know he was as committed to his religion and what he believes and his trust in God," Hayes said. "I didn't know that about him, but it's real to him, and he practices what he preaches. A lot of people preach it but don't practice, but he's not that way."

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Hampton Lady Pirates opens season at Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania – The University of Pittsburgh women’s basketball team will open the 2011-12 season against Hampton on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Petersen Events Center. Tip-off time is set for 2 p.m. Live stats, audio and video will be available through www.pittsburghpanthers.com. Scott Stiller and former Panther Karyle Lim, in her first broadcast, will have the call courtside on WJAS 1320 AM.

Head Coach Agnus Berenato begins her ninth season at Pitt on Saturday, 14 victories away from tying the all-time program mark for wins in women’s basketball.

Pitt returns five letterwinners from a squad that went 14-17 a season ago. The Panthers will take on the task of replacing over 75 percent of its scoring from a season ago with the highest recruiting class in program history (No. 19/Hoopgurlz).

The Pirates have captured the last two-straight MEAC tournament crowns and have won 24 of their last 27 contests. Hampton’s last loss came in the NCAA Tournament first round, an overtime setback at the hands of Kentucky.

Scouting the Lady Pirates

Hampton went 25-7 in 2010-11 and captured the MEAC title, advancing to the NCAA Tournament with the league’s automatic bid. The squad won 14 of its last 15 games before the overtime loss to Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. In total, Hampton has won 24 of its last 27 contests.

The Lady Pirates return three starters led by senior guard Jericka Jenkins. The Texas native played in 28 games last season, averaging 13.4 points and 3.1 rebounds. Jenkins – a 5-4 guard - had a breakout season and was named Honorable Mention All-America, while ranked second in the nation in assists (201/7.2 assists per game). She is joined by classmates Choicetta McMillian (11.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game) and Melanie Warner, (9.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, .5 bpg). Hampton brings in eight newcomers to complement its roster.

The Lady Pirates have won the past two-straight conference tournament crowns (and one regular season title) and rank among the most successful programs in Virginia over the past two seasons. The 45-19 two-year record is third only to James Madison (52-15) and Liberty (49-17) over the same span. The change coincides with head coach David Six, who begins his third season at Hampton this season.

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Game 1 vs. Hampton
Video Live: www.pittsburghpanthers.com.

Championship Saturday for CIAA and SIAC