Gold Rush defense steps up late to rally past Wiley

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Chris Iles had 15 points and six assists Saturday, and NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana rallied late for a 64-60 men's basketball victory against Wiley.
The Gold Rush (4-0) have won 20 consecutive home games against non-conference opponents. The Wildcats (2-2) dropped their second in a row.

Wiley had its biggest second-half lead, 58-54, after Freddie Haynes' basket with 7:41 remaining. But Xavier outscored the Wildcats 10-2 thereafter and took the lead for good at 60-58 when Iles passed to Anthony Simmons for a basket with 1:10 remaining. Simmons, who finished with 11 points, scored Xavier's first three baskets of the closing run.

Kevin Miller and Cordell Hadnot scored 10 points apiece for Xavier, and Hadnot grabbed nine rebounds.

Richard Simon had 15 points, six assists and three steals for Wiley, and Kenny La Guerre had 12 points and eight rebounds.

Miller blocked two shots and made two free throws in the final 30 seconds to give Xavier a 62-58 lead. After Simon scored for Wiley with eight-tenths of a second remaining, Iles made two more free throws for the final points.

Iles scored 10 points to lead Xavier to a 34-30 halftime advantage.

Xavier outshot the Wildcats 44.2 to 37.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 36-33. The Gold Rush have won 12 straight at home against Wiley since 1986.

The teams will meet again next Saturday at Wiley, making it the second straight year that the Gold Rush and Wildcats meet in consecutive games.


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

Lady Rattlers Beat BCU, Earn MEAC Title Spot

Baltimore, Maryland -- The Florida A&M Volleyball team returns to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament Championship game, after a one-year hiatus with a 3-0(25-20, 25-15, 25-18) win over Bethune-Cookman in the semifinal round of the tourney, here Saturday afternoon at Physical Education Complex on the campus of Coppin State University.

FAMU (13-12) was led by Maria Ceccarelli as she finished with a game high 16 kills, followed by Marija Jovanic with 11, while Katherine Huanec added 10. Diana Gonzalez led the Lady Rattlers in assists, while Karol Marquez led the team in digs with 14.

BCU (14-18) was led by Jameen Davis with a team high 14 kills, followed by Krysta Gardner with 12. Frances Rodriguez led the Lady Wildcats in assists and digs with 22 digs and five assists.

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MEACSports.TV   Final: UMES Hawks wins 2011 MEAC Volleyball Championship

Turnovers trip up Tennessee State; Tigers post losing record

Nashville, Tennessee -- After winning four of its previous five games, Tennessee State was on a roll, but the Tigers’ season ended with a thud Saturday in a 38-16 loss to Jacksonville State at LP Field. TSU (5-6, 4-4 OVC) posted its third consecutive losing record. Jacksonville State (7-4, 6-2) finished in a thee-way tie for first with Tennessee Tech and Eastern Kentucky.

Tech won the tiebreaker, giving the Golden Eagles the automatic berth in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. TSU tied for fifth in the OVC with UT Martin. Tigers Coach Rod Reed, who was 3-8 in his first season, said the loss would not take away the momentum the Tigers had picked up.

“Come on now, Jacksonville State was a top-10 football team at the beginning of the season and we went blow-for-blow with them today,” Reed said. “We just happened to have some turnovers. You cannot turn the football over and expect to beat good football teams.

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Photo Gallery: TSU vs. Jacksonville State

TSU Tigers' pressure comes too late

Tennessee State’s inability to apply pressure on Coty Blanchard led to Jacksonville State claiming a 38-16 victory Saturday, Tigers defensive end Lawrence Peterson said.

The Tigers sacked Blanchard twice, but he completed 15 of 19 passes for 213 yards and two TDs. He also carried the ball 11 times for 38 yards and gave Jacksonville State a 14-10 lead on a 27-yard run in the second quarter.

“If we had gotten a better pass rush on some of their play-action passes, we could have had a better chance to win,” said Peterson, who sacked Blanchard once and recorded another tackle for a loss. “Me and Antonio Harper tried to get the pass rush going at the end of the game, but it was just too late.”

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Jackson State blows out Alcorn Braves

Jackson, Mississippi -- The 2011 Capital City Classic turned out to be a completely one-sided game at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Jackson Saturday afternoon.

The Alcorn State Braves were on the wrong end of a record-breaking performance by Jackson State quarterback Casey Therriault. Therriault threw for 539 yards and four touchdowns en route to breaking the single-season record for passing yards and total yards at Jackson State. The explosive Tigers’ passing attack and a suffocating defense led to a 51-7 victory over Alcorn State.

“Therriault went to work tonight,” Alcorn State head coach Melvin Spears said. “This is an outstanding team, one of the best in the nation, and we have nothing to hang our heads about.”

Jackson State (9-2, 7-2) ended the game with 687 yards of total offense to Alcorn’s 209.

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Counting Ws and Ls, Braves' Spears is 'in the red'

Following Alcorn State's lopsided 51-7 loss to rival Jackson State on Saturday, Braves coach Melvin Spears didn't take long to answer the question.

"Do you think you'll be back as Alcorn's coach next season?" "Absolutely," said the first-year coach.

Alcorn President Christopher Brown, who said earlier in the week that it was a "50/50" chance Spears would return, didn't sound quite so certain.

"It's too early to say," said Brown. "I'm shocked by the score. But you don't just want to judge a coach just by wins and losses. We will look at the players grades' and look at the revenue for the season. This game definitely helps because Jackson State brought in a big crowd and we share revenue on this one, so that's good. But we had two poor performance games and two poor attendance games this year, so that's going to hurt the bottom line. I have to make sure he's in the black. Wins and losses, he's in the red. You can't change that."



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D'Souza, Kwame Jackson lead Xavier at national meet

VANCOUVER, Washington -- Anna D'Souza and Kwame Jackson were the fastest finishers for Xavier University of Louisiana on Saturday at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships.

D'Souza, a senior, ran 5,000 meters in 20 minutes, 26 seconds to place 238th out of 323 women. Her time is the Gold Nuggets' fastest at nationals, surpassing Katrina Davis' 20:40.9 in 2003, and D'Souza closed her XU career with her two fastest 5K times. She was fifth in 20:24.93 at the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships four weeks earlier.

Jackson, a freshman, ran 8,000 meters in 27:40 to finish 275th out of 312 men. His time is second fastest by a Gold Rush runner at nationals.

Xavier's women finished 30th out of 32 teams, and the men finished 31st out of 32. It's the first time the Gold Nuggets finished ahead of two teams at nationals.

GCAC individual champion Zahri Jackson, Kwame's sister, was 259th in 20:42. Catherine Fakler was 265th in 20:50, Donyé Coleman was 287th in 21:18, Darian Towns was 299th in 21:36, Ashley Taylor was 312th in 21:59, and Hali Yarmush was 315th in 22:09.

In the men's race Xavier's Matt Pieri was 296th in 28:26. Javon Mead was 301st in 28:54, Emmanuel Deteige was 310th in a career-best 30:14, and Jamaal Williams was 312th in 31:37.

Cal State San Marcos won its third consecutive women's championship, and Grand View's Obsie Birru was the individual winner in 17:15. Oklahoma Christian won the men's championship, and Wayland Baptist's Kennedy Kithuka finished in 23:15 to repeat as individual winner.

It was the third time in four seasons that both XU teams competed at nationals.

Women's Individual | Team Results
Men's Individual | Team Results 

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

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Wins Home Finale 42-6 Over Texas Southern

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas – Senior Stephen Jones tallied 92 yards and two rushing touchdowns as Arkansas-Pine Bluff used a solid running game to defeat Texas Southern 42-6 on Saturday in the Golden Lions' regular-season finale.

Benjamin Anderson threw two touchdown passes completing a 27-yarder to Rontrell Bailey in the third quarter, and a 57-yarder to T.J. Shelton in the fourth. Adrian Moore added scoring rushes of 8 and 11 yards as Arkansas-Pine Bluff racked up 262 yards rushing on 48 attempts. With the win the Golden Lions stay alive in the race for a SWAC Championship berth.

“Our players showed a lot of determination out there today,” said UAPB head coach Monte Coleman. “Our running game paved the way on offense and defensively we were able to limit their ability to score. I couldn't be happier for our seniors and our entire team because they truly deserved this victory.”



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Prairie View's SWAC title hopes dashed by Alabama A&M

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M's path to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game was well in sight during the closing seconds against Alabama A&M. The Panthers had possession at their own 7-yard line and trailed by two with 1:23 remaining. A field goal would likely put them ahead for good and provide a dream ending.

But that dream died two plays later.

Freshman quarterback Jerry Lovelocke was sacked and had the ball stripped by Bulldogs defensive end Corey Hart, who recovered it at the Prairie View 7 to send the Panthers to a 17-15 season-ending loss before a homecoming crowd of 10,500 Saturday afternoon at Blackshear Stadium.

Prairie View (5-6, 5-4) fell one win short ...

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Alabama A&M defeats Prairie View to clinch SWAC East title

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas - With its Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game hopes on the line, and with its starting quarterback on the bench with a sprained left knee, Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones turned to little-used David Isabelle on Saturday and asked him to lead the Bulldogs to Birmingham.

Isabelle, whose only appearance at quarterback this season was in a mop-up role against Mississippi Valley State on Oct. 8, delivered.

The former Johnson High School star threw two touchdown passes to G'Alonzo Milton, Kaderius Lacey rushed for 163 yards and the Bulldogs' defense forced a turnover with just more than a minute remaining as A&M turned back Prairie View 17-15 before an announced crowd of 10,500 at Blackshear Stadium.

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North Greenville wins first ever NCAA Division II Playoff Game with 63-14 blowout over Albany State (Ga.)

Tigerville, SC – 212 was the number North Greenville University senior linebacker Carl Dukes posted on Facebook the week before NGU’s first ever NCAA Division II football national championship playoff appearance against Albany State of Georgia. “212 is the boiling point of water and we want to be boiling all week,” Dukes said.

His prediction held true as the Crusaders set a school record for points scored for the second consecutive week by blowing out the Albany State Golden Rams (8-4) of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 63-14 at Younts Stadium. NGU (10-2) has outscored its last three opponents 179-21 and tied the school mark with eight straight victories. The Crusaders also amassed a school best 145 unanswered points dating back to the Wingate game three weeks ago. That streak was snapped in the second quarter when Albany scored. North Greenville, which leads the NCAA Division II in time of possession, held onto the ball for 36:25, to only 23:35 for Albany.

NGU advances to the second round of the Division II playoffs to face second seeded Mars Hill College on Saturday, Nov. 26 at noon in North Carolina. The last loss the Crusaders suffered this season was to Mars Hill 38-28 on September 24.

Box Score

The rout started early when the Crusaders’ Isaiah Johnson intercepted Albany’s Stanley Jennings pass on the second play of the Golden Rams’ first series. Idris Anderson put NGU on the board first on a nine yard run with 6:10 left in the first quarter. Justin Gravely’s extra point made it 7-0.

After forcing an Albany punt, senior quarterback Willy Korn guided NGU into the end zone quickly when Teryan Rucker went in from 15 yards out with 13:42 left in the second. Albany started a drive on its next possession, but had it end quickly when senior cornerback Jereme Green picked off the first of his two interceptions. He returned the ball to the Albany 14, and Willy Korn hit Sean Wright on a scrambling play with a 10 yard touchdown pass. Gravely’s point after made it 21-0. After Albany’s Australian punter Luke Jones kicked it away, Isaiah Johnson took the ball into the end zone for a 62 yard punt return touchdown. Albany’s Brandon Hamilton missed a 35 yard field goal attempt on the Rams’ next series, and Korn then marched NGU down the field on an 8 play 80 yard drive, culminated when Marcus Wilson scored on a 22 yard run that make it 35-0.

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Cal Vulcans blank ECSU Vikings in first round, 44-0

California, PA - Junior running back Lamont Smith (Penn Hills, Pa./Central Catholic) and senior wide receiver Thomas Mayo (Reston, Va./South Lakes) each scored three touchdowns and the defense registered a shutout on Saturday afternoon, as the No. 17 Vulcans cruised to a 44-0 victory over Elizabeth City State (N.C.) in the first round of NCAA Playoffs at Adamson Stadium.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania football team improves to 10-2 overall, marking its fifth-straight season with at least 10 victories. The Vulcans will now travel to face No. 3 Winston-Salem State (N.C.), who is undefeated (11-0), in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 12 p.m. Meanwhile, the Vikings finish the year with an 8-4 record with all four losses coming against nationally-ranked opponents.

Redshirt junior quarterback Peter Lalich (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) posted his third 300-yard game of the season, finishing with 357 passing yards on 26-of-34 attempts with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He became only the third 3,000-yard quarterback in school history and now ranks second with 3,344 yards this season. Lalich is also only one touchdown shy of becoming the third quarterback with 30 touchdown passes in a single-season.

Mayo set a season high with three touchdown receptions (3, 12, 15) on eight catches for 89 yards. He now ranks second in single-season school history with 1,230 receiving yards and his 73 receptions rank as third-highest total in school history. Mayo also is now tied for 12th all-time in NCAA Division II history with 44 receiving touchdowns, including a career-high 16 this year.

Smith finished with 83 rushing yards on 11 attempts (7.5 yards/attempt) and three touchdowns (36, 5, 1) after posting only two rushing scores in the regular season. With his performance, he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark (1,078) and is one of four running backs in school history with 1,000-plus yards in back-to-back seasons.

 Box Score

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Spring Hill's strong start eliminates Xavier in NAIA opening round

MOBILE, Alabama -- Third-team All-American Yiting Cao had 16 kills, 12 digs and two aces Saturday to lead 16th-ranked Spring Hill to a 25-13, 25-11, 25-21 women's volleyball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening round of the NAIA National Championship.

The Badgers (39-1) snapped the school-record eight-match win streak of the Gold Nuggets (23-7) and advanced to pool play in the NAIA National Championship final site Nov. 29-Dec. 3 at Sioux City, Iowa.

Freshman Taylor Reuther had 14 kills and 12 digs in her Xavier-leading 12th kill-dig double-double. Iva Bobkova had six kills, and Patrice Hightower had 27 assists and nine digs for the Gold Nuggets.

Three Cassandra Marchand-Stewart kills keyed an 11-2 run which gave Spring Hill a 15-7 first-set lead. Two Cao kills and seven Xavier errors gave the Badgers a 10-1 lead in the second set.

There were 15 ties and nine lead changes in the third set before Spring Hill took advantage of four consecutive XU errors to emerge from a tie at 20. Jamie Hall's kill, her sixth, ended the match.

Spring Hill outhit Xavier .354 to .097 and had advantages of 38-31 in kills, 57-50 in digs, 5-2 in aces and 10-1 in blocks.

"We were nervous in the beginning, and the first two sets were a struggle for us," said Xavier first-year coach Christabell Hamilton. "We finally started to play Xavier ball in the third set, but it was too late. We waited too long to get settled in. Spring Hill is a very talented and solid team, and they took advantage of our slow start."

Xavier, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champion, set program records in its fourth season for victories, home victories, conference victories and victories on opponents' courts. Xavier was 11-26 a year ago.

"I'm so very proud of my team and how they came together and made history this year," Hamilton said. "No one ever thought we'd get this far. We will miss our four seniors, but we're very excited about getting better in spring practice, and we look forward to more improvement next season."

• Live Stats | Box Score

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

Prairie View A&M eyes spot in SWAC title game

Prairie View, Texas - Blackshear Stadium stands out as an eyesore on the Prairie View A&M campus, but it has been the site of some of the football program's biggest moments in recent years.

The Panthers beat Jackson State there Nov. 10, 2007 to clinch the program's first winning season since 1976. Prairie View topped Alcorn State a year later to finish 9-1 and capture its best regular-season finish since 1964. The Panthers did one better at Blackshear Stadium in 2009, whipping Arkansas-Pine Bluff 49-17 in their home finale to secure an undefeated Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season en route to the program's first conference championship since 1964.

Not bad for a dilapidated 6,000-seat stadium that has stood since 1960.

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3 straight Classic losses too much for B-CU Wildcats

Game Time: 2:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN Classic
Internet: ESPN3

ORLANDO, FL -- Ryan Davis remembers how bad he felt for Bethune-Cookman's seniors after Florida A&M rallied to a victory in last year's Florida Classic. "It was tough to see those seniors go out that way," said the Wildcats defensive end. "I just wanted to win it for those guys last year. I felt bad that we couldn't do it." Davis doesn't want to become one of those seniors.

Florida A&M comes into today's game at the Florida Citrus Bowl with three straight victories over its arch-rival. B-CU's senior class does not want to go out 0-4 against the Rattlers.

"I'm 0-3 against them, so this game is going to mean a little more," Davis said "Never having beaten FAMU has eaten at me throughout my career. So it's very important that we execute in all fazes of the game." Both teams have been on a roll after starting off slowly this year. Florida A&M (7-3 overall, 5-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) has won four in a row, while B-CU (7-3, 5-2) has won five straight. The winner will likely be considered for one of 10 at-large bids to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, which begin next week.

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McKinnis leads talented senior class for upcoming season

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama | If Stillman senior forward Jamila McKinnis excels in basketball the way she did in volleyball, she should be in line for more Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors.

McKinnis was recently named the SIAC Player of the Year in volleyball. She was also a first-team selection on the preseason All-SIAC basketball squad. McKinnis averaged 14.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 blocked shots in C.C. Moorer’s first season as head coach. The Lady Tigers went 16-13 and reached the semifinals of the SIAC Tournament.

McKinnis averaged 14.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 blocked shots in C.C. Moorer’s first season as head coach. The Lady Tigers went 16-13 and reached the semifinals of the SIAC Tournament.

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JCSU builds lead early, stays on top

Charlotte, North Carolina -- J.C. Smith opened its basketball season in top gear.

The Golden Bulls ran with abandon Friday in a 93-67 win against Allen (S.C.) in the Tip-Off Classic at renovated Brayboy Gym. All five starters scored double-figures for J.C. Smith (1-0), led by junior point guard Trevin Parks' 17 points and seven assists, with sophomore Antwan Wilkerson and Phillip Wood, a transfer from Talladega College, adding 13 points each.

"We accomplished what we wanted to do," Golden Bulls coach Steve Joyner said. "We're a little concerned about sustainability. Several times we lost focus and did not execute on both ends of the court. I told the guys it's a work in progress; it's a journey. We've got to get better tomorrow night if we're going to beat Wingate."

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J.C. Smith beats Pfeiffer in Q.C. Classic

DURHAM, N.C. - The Johnson C. Smith women's basketball team remains unbeaten after a 79-54 win over Pfeiffer on Friday during the first day of the Queen City Classic at Brayboy Gymnasium. JCSU improves to 3-0 overall, while the Lady Falcons fall to 1-3 in the standings.

The game was controlled by JCSU from beginning to end. Going into halftime, Pfeiffer trailed 43-28 and only shot 35.7 percent from the field (10-28). By comparison, Johnson C. Smith made 47.2 percent of their field goal attempts (17-36) in the first period.

All-CIAA preseason senior guard Terran Quattlebaum scored 19 of her game-high 22 points in the first half. Quattlebaum hit 7-of-12 from the field, including 5-of-10 from the three point line before the break.

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Xavier's Pieri named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Matt Pieri is one of 159 men's cross country runners named a 2011 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete, the national organization announced Friday.

Pieri, a junior pharmacy major from New Orleans and a graduate of Brother Martin High School, is the only Gulf Coast Athletic Conference runner, male or female, to earn the honor this season.

Xavier's Matt Pieri is the lone Daktronics - NAIA Scholar- Athlete
 in cross country from the GCAC this season.

Pieri is a three-time All-GCAC runner with a fourth-place finish at the 2009 league meet, the individual championship in 2010 and third place this season. He has been GCAC Runner of the Week a conference-record 10 times in his career and has helped Xavier win GCAC team championships in each of his three seasons.

Student-athletes are nominated by their institution's head coach, must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved junior academic status to qualify for Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.

Both Xavier teams will compete Saturday in the season-ending NAIA National Championships at Vancouver, Wash. The men's 8,000-meter race will begin at 10:30 a.m. PST (12:30 p.m. New Orleans time), followed by the 5,000-meter women's race at 11:45 a.m. PST.


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

NCAA Div.II Championship: ECSU ready for playoff opener

California (Pa.) Vulcans (9-2) vs. Elizabeth City State Vikings (8-3)
• When: Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011
• Where: California, Pa.
• Stadium: Adamson Stadium (6,500)
• Kickoff: 12 p.m.
• Live Radio: WCAL (91.9 FM) I WJPA (95.3 FM) I WRVS (89.9 FM)
• Live Video: Click here
• Live Stats: Click here
• Game Notes (.pdf)
• All-Time Series: First Meeting



Elizabeth City, North Carolina - Elizabeth City State’s path to a second appearance in NCAA Division II football playoffs in six years very much mirrors the first.

Both teams lost in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship game. Both were pleasantly surprised to learn the next day that their seasons would be extended, receiving No. 4 seeds. That, however, is where it ends.

Coming off a 38-18 loss to Winston-Salem State in the CIAA championship game last week, the Vikings head to California University of Pennsylvania today to face the No. 5 seeded Vulcans in the first round of the Division II playoffs. This is ECSU’s first playoff appearance since 2006 and third overall.

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Linebackers have stepped up for Cal

California, Pennsylvania - When Brett Diamond went down for the season with a knee injury, California University's football team suddenly had a major hole in its linebacking group. Diamond was the Vulcans' leading tackler last season with 64 and tied for second in quarterback sacks with 41/2. More important, Diamond called the defensive alignments.

That's why the play of sophomore Brian Justice and redshirt freshman Spencer Lynn has been so important. Justice and Spencer have combined for 163 tackles, three quarterback sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

"We were anticipating that Brett would be the center post to our defense," said Cal head coach John Luckhardt. "(Lynn and Spencer) have gotten better and better. They both work hard and look at film all the time."

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Liberty Lady Flames at North Carolina A&T

The Game: N.C. A&T WBB (1-2) vs. Liberty (1-1)
When: Friday, November 18 at 7 PM
Where: Corbett Sports Center
Tickets: Free Admission
Broadcasting Station:
The Light (90.9 FM WWMC)
Video Streaming: North Carolina A&T
Complete Game Notes

Coaching Matchup
Liberty Head Coach: Carey Green
Overall Record (Seasons): 287-95 (13th Season)
Record at Liberty (Seasons): Same
Record vs. North Carolina A&T: 4-0

North Carolina A&T Head Coach: Patricia Cage-Bibbs
Overall Record (Seasons): 487-280 (27th Season)
Record at North Carolina A&T (Seasons): 116-74 (Seventh Season)
Record vs. Liberty: 0-7 (0-4 with Hampton, 0-3 with North Carolina A&T)

Must See: The North Carolina A&T women's basketball team's stellar record at home will be challenged by Liberty University, which was ranked No. 18 in Women's Mid-Major by CollegeInsider.com. The Aggies scored 103 points in their home opener on Tuesday against Division II Virginia Union. It was the first time they had passed the century mark since defeating UMES 105-79 on Feb. 16, 2008. The Aggies had five players score in double figures. The Aggies are 54-12 at home under head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. Sophomores Tracy King and Mikala Scott, who each have scored 20-plus this season, lead the Aggies fastbreak attack. The Aggies had 26 fastbreak points on Tuesday.

What did she say?: "As I was coaching the game tonight, I looked, and I saw, and I thought, 'My goodness, look at our future'". I mean seriously, it is a great future."

-N.C. A&T head women's basketball coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs after their 103-61 win on Tuesday.



The "Starting Five" - Today's Top Storylines
1) Liberty will attempt to become a rare road team to emerge from North Carolina A&T's Corbett Sports Center with a victory. In 2007-08, the Lady Flames were the only visiting team to win on the Aggies' home floor. Since that game, North Carolina A&T is 38-4 on its home court.

2) The Lady Flames are playing in Greensboro, N.C. for the second Friday in a row. Last Friday, Liberty tipped off the 2011-12 season with a 61-46 win at UNC Greensboro.

3) Liberty's Carey Green and North Carolina A&T's Patricia Cage-Bibbs rank among the nation's elite women's basketball coaches. Green boasts a sterling .751 career winning percentage, while Cage-Bibbs has racked up 487 coaching wins during her time at Grambling, Hampton and North Carolina A&T.

4) Liberty redshirt senior center Avery Warley will look to continue her torrid rebounding pace to start the season. She has grabbed 33 rebounds in the first two games, including 19 Tuesday versus VCU. Warley has nabbed 11 boards in each of her two career meetings with North Carolina A&T.

5) The game will feature a battle between North Carolina A&T's high-powered offense (77.3 ppg) and Liberty's stingy defense (49.0 ppg allowed).

A&T Probable Starters: G Mikala Scott (5-11, SO., Dorman, S.C.); G Tracy King (5-10, SO., Alexandria, Va.); G/F JaQuayla Berry (5-11, JR., Douglas, Ga.); G Amber Calvin (5-8, R-SO., Fayetteville, N.C.); C Nikia Gorham (6-2, JR., Bowie, Md.).

Notes and Anecdotes
-- Liberty is playing in Greensboro, N.C. for the second consecutive Friday, after opening the season with a 61-46 win at UNC Greensboro on Nov. 11.

-- North Carolina A&T has played well at the Corbett Sports Center in recent years. In 2007-08, Liberty was the only visiting team to win at North Carolina A&T. Since that game, the Aggies are 38-4 at home.

-- Both Carey Green and Patricia Cage-Bibbs rank among the nation's elite coaches. Green is ranked 11th among active Division I women's basketball coaches for winning percentage, while Cage-Bibbs sits 27th among active Division I women's basketball coaches in victories.

-- Since North Carolina A&T's last win over Liberty, the Lady Flames have won 13 Big South titles and made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Courtesy: libertyflames and ncataggies

NCAA Div. II Championship: Battle of styles for ECSU vs. Cal U.

CALIFORNIA, Pennsylvania -- When it comes to style of play, particularly on offense, California University has little in common with NCAA Division II playoff foe Elizabeth City State (N.C.). That's because Elizabeth City State (8-3) thrives on the running game, while the Vulcans (9-2) love to move the ball quickly through the air.

The teams collide at noon Saturday at Adamson Stadium in a Super Region One first rounder. Cal is seeded fourth and Elizabeth City fifth in the region.

While Cal has a solid running attack, led by Lamont Smith with 995 yards on 115 carries and two touchdowns, those stats pale in comparison to Vikings running back Daronte McNeill, who has carried the ball 334 times for 1,580 yards and scored 22 TDs. He is ranked fifth in the nation in rushing, first in attempts and third in touchdowns.

Elizabeth City State's second-leading rusher, Kevin Swain, has 624 yards on 131 carries with five TDs.

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Florida Classic: Ex-Winter Springs RB Al-Terek McBurse comes home

Orlando, Florida -- Al-Terek McBurse is excited about Saturday's Florida Classic, as would be any member of the teams playing: Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman University.

But for McBurse, it's not just the pomp and precision of the festivities and competition on the field. There will be one very important person off the field there to witness him playing college football for the first time.

And as long as his parents, Allison McBurse and Clinton Dunston, get Mervin McBurse to the Citrus Bowl on Saturday, everything will be perfect for the FAMU running back, who will also be taking part in his first Florida Classic (2:30 p.m., Citrus Bowl, ESPN Classic).

"She'll be getting to see me for the first time ever in college," McBurse said of the woman who raised him, who will turn 81 next month. "As long as they get my grandma there everything will be good."



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Lane alum, Houston Texans player Jacoby Jones returns from NFL to campus

Jackson, Tennessee -- Five years after playing his final college football game and two years since his graduation, Lane College remains a destination for Jacoby Jones. A member of the National Football League's Houston Texans, Jones was at Lane's chapel service Wednesday and intends to spend most of the week in Jackson.

The Texans — who lead the Tennessee Titans by one game in the AFC's South Division — have the week off.

"I love this place," Jones said of Lane. "It made me a better man, and I appreciate what I have now. "It's not a D-I (Division I) school. We have the same field (Lane Field), training room and locker room. It makes you hungry."

A three-time all-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection, Jones was a third round selection of the Texans in the 2007 NFL Draft and the 73rd player selected overall.



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Oklahoma Basketball Entertains Coppin State Friday

Norman, Oklahoma - Oklahoma plays its second of two straight home games to open the season when it hosts Coppin State on Friday at 7 p.m. CT at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners are coming off a 78-74 win over Idaho State last Friday while the Eagles have split their first two games against Cheyney University (won 80-65 last Friday) and Loyola Maryland (lost 78-68 Monday). Friday's contest will air on the Sooner Radio Network (KOKC AM 1520 in Oklahoma City; KTBZ AM 1430 in Tulsa) with Toby Rowland and Mike Houck announcing. The game will be televised by the Sooner Sports Network (KAUT Ch. 43 in OKC; FS Oklahoma outside of OKC market; ESPN Full Court) with Bob Carpenter and Billy Tubbs calling the action.

Date & Tip Time	Friday, Nov. 18, at 7:07 p.m. CT
Location	Norman, Okla. |

TV	Sooner Sports Network KAUT Ch. 43 in Oklahoma City  FS Oklahoma (outside of Oklahoma City market)  ESPN Full Court
Radio	Sooner Radio Network  KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City  KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa
Webcast	SoonerSports.com All-Access
Live Stats	SoonerSports.com GameTracker
Game Info	Game Notes (PDF)

Located in Baltimore, Md., Coppin State is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and finished 16-14 last year with an 11-5 league record (tied for second place). The Eagles return 10 letterwinners and four starters from that squad, and are picked third out of 13 teams in the preseason MEAC poll.

Leading the way for Coppin State through two games (an 80-65 home win over Cheyney University and a 78-68 road loss to Loyola Maryland) is senior guard Tony Gallo. One of four returning players who averaged double figures in scoring last year, Gallo is averaging 20.0 points and 2.5 assists this season. He has already made seven 3-pointers (.389) and is coming off a 23-point effort at Loyola Maryland. Senior guard Akeem Ellis is averaging 14.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game and turned in a 13-point, 6-rebound, 9-assist performance at Loyola Maryland. Michael Harper, another senior guard, is contributing 12.5 points per contest off the bench on .692 field goal shooting (9-for-13). Harper was a second-team all-conference selection last year when he averaged a team-high 15.2 points per game and led the league in 3-point (.438) and free throw (.881) percentage.

The Eagles are under the direction of head coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell, who is 396-358 (.525) over his 25 years, all at Coppin State.

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Courtesy OUAthletics

MSU Spartans Play Texas Southern In Home Opener

Michigan State (0-2) vs. Texas Southern (1-1)
Date	Friday, Nov. 18
Time	6:30 p.m. ET
Location	East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center
Internet Streaming	ESPN3.com (Dan Gutowsky, Bob Donewald)
Radio	Spartan Sports Network (Will Tieman, Gus Ganakas, Matt Steigenga)
Tickets	Available at MSUSpartans.com.
Game Notes	Michigan State
Statistics	Michigan State

The Opening Tip
After opening the season with a game vs. North Carolina on the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego and a game vs. Duke in Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Spartans will finally play their home opener as they host Texas Southern Friday night. Michigan State has not lost a home opener since dropping the 1976 opener. MSU's next four games are part of the Auto-Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational, a six-team, 13-day, partial round-robin tournament.

MSU vs. Texas Southern Notes
Series History
This is the first ever meeting between Michigan State and Texas Southern.

Coach Harvey
Tony B. Harvey (Cameron University, '88) is 44-55 in his fourth season as a collegiate head coach, all at Texas Southern. Last season, he led Texas Southern to its first SWAC regular-season title since 1998.

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Miles College celebrates championship with parade

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --It was a parade in downtown Birmingham that Miles College football fans have been waiting for some time. Today the school celebrated it's first ever SIAC football championship.

"I'm so proud and blessed. I'm so elated that Miles College one of my favorites, has made it," Evelyn Toney, a Miles fan, said. Many of these supporters have suffered through a number of losing seasons backing the Golden Bears.



"It means a lot. It's been years. One and nothing. One and eleven. Now we are seven and four and the championship, it means a lot," Reed Jesse, a Miles fan, said.

First year coach Reginal Ruffin turned the football team into a championship squad. The coach had confidence in his players.

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BCU Wildcats, FAMU Rattlers rolling with Wilson, Fleming at QB

Florida A&M (7-3, 5-2 MEAC) vs. Bethune-Cookman (7-3, 5-2)

WHAT: Florida Classic

WHERE: Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando

WHEN: 2:30 p.m. Saturday

TICKETS: Available seats priced $31.75 to $59.25 can be purchased at Amway Center box office, call 407-839-3900 or go to tickemaster.com

TV: ESPN Classic

RADIO: WELE (1380 AM)

OTHER KEY EVENTS: Friday, Battle of the Bands, Amway Center, Orlando, 7 p.m.; Official Classic Step Show, Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, Orlando, 7:30 p.m. Saturday: Florida Classic FanFare, Citrus Bowl Parking Lot C, 9 a.m.

LAST YEAR: FAMU won 38-27. Attendance: 60,712

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Saturday's Florida Classic may not have the luster of last year's game, but the winner could be rewarded with an at-large playoff bid. And a month ago, that did not seem possible.

This season, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman were expected to build on the success of sharing the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title with South Carolina State last year. But the Rattlers began the season 3-3 and the Wildcats started 2-3, with both teams losing two of their first three MEAC contests.

Since then, FAMU (7-3, 5-2 MEAC) has won four straight, and the catalyst for its success was installing freshman Damien Fleming at quarterback in the fifth game.

Improved play behind center has also contributed to B-CU's surge. Since North Carolina A&T stifled the Wildcats' vaunted spread offense in a 22-3 upset on Oct. 8, B-CU (7-3, 5-2) has won five in a row, averaging 516.8 yards during the streak.


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Jitters over, SU Jaguars set to play Rice

Baton Rouge, Louisiana - The first-game jitters should be gone by now. Roman Banks and his Southern men’s basketball team took care of that Friday with a season-opening win at home against Dillard (67-48).

The road-game jitters should be gone by now.  Sure, the Jaguars might have lost at Texas A&M by 25 points, but they were outclassed, and they didn’t give up. The emotional roller coaster should be over now. Oh, Southern will undoubtedly go through the peak-and-valley routine many times between now and March, but it’s possible that nothing matches how Banks felt when he saw A&M coach Billy Kennedy on the sideline Sunday.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, when the Jaguars (1-1) face Rice at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston, their minds should be centered on nothing more than basketball. Of course, it’s always supposed to be like that. But you had to forgive Banks for  ...

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