Norfolk, Virginia -- Norfolk State football fans waited in line for seven hours to buy tickets for the school's playoff game this weekend. Katrina Kemp waited in line four hours and left empty-handed.
On the first day that tickets became available to the public, a line of more than 500 fans zig-zagged across the sidewalk outside Norfolk State's ticket center. Annette Johnson, an NSU grad who began taking classes in 1963, arrived at 5:30 a.m. to buy her tickets, plopping her portable chair behind a handful of people already in line.
"I wake up at 4, but usually go back to bed," Johnson said. "We used to play at Foreman Field, and we know what it's about, how many people are getting in. We wanted tickets."
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College football offers The Battle of Norfolk
The Battle of Norfolk will happen sooner than expected. Norfolk State and Old Dominion will meet at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at ODU's Foreman Field in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Earlier this year, the schools agreed to begin a six-year series of games in 2013, but now they won't have to wait.
With the NCAA selection committee emphasizing regionalism in its bracketing, there was no easier pairing than pitting NSU and ODU. The travel distance between the two schools is 4.2 miles. Anticipation was high Sunday as students, alumni and local fans gathered on each campus and held their breath to learn who their first opponents would be.
"If that place seats 20,000, there's going to be 20,000 more outside," Moses Atkins, a 1960 Norfolk State alumnus, said of ODU's Foreman Field after the cheers subsided. "It's going to be one of the best things that's happened to this city."
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ODU to host NSU in first round of FCS playoffs
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Old Dominion got a home game. Norfolk State got a close game.
When the dust cleared at 10 o'clock Sunday morning, the two programs learned the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs selection committee had taken the path of least resistance. The teams will meet for the first time at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in a first-round playoff game at Foreman Field.
Since ODU began playing football three years ago, the Monarchs and Spartans camps have been talking about starting a series. This fall, the two agreed to a six-year deal beginning in 2013.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
No. 16 Marquette Golden Eagles Edge Norfolk State 59-57 To Claim Paradise Jam Title
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands -- Darius Johnson-Odom scored 20 points and Jae Crowder had a tiebreaking dunk with 1:09 left, leading No. 16 Marquette to a 59-57 victory over Norfolk State in the Paradise Jam championship game Monday night.The Golden Eagles (5-0) never trailed and Johnson-Odom was selected tournament MVP after he scored at least 20 points in each game.
Crowder sparked a 10-2 run for Marquette with consecutive 3-pointers. The surge lifted the Golden Eagles to a 47-33 lead with 11:40 left, but Norfolk State (3-2) would not go quietly. The Spartans countered with two separate 7-0 spurts and tied it at 57 on a 3 by Pendarvis Williams with 2:03 remaining.
Box Score (PDF)
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Marquette Men’s Basketball: Tracking individual player progress at Paradise Jam
The Marquette men’s basketball team may have been in the warm sunshine of the Virgin Islands this past weekend, but it took care of business on the court, making mincemeat of Winthrop (95-73), Mississippi (96-66) and battling Norfolk State to a 59-57 victory. Below is an evaluation of each player’s performance this weekend using an academic scale (A,B,C,D,F).
Senior forward Jae Crowder: In the 96-66 dismantling of Ole Miss, Crowder was an astounding 9-of-11 from the field and hit his first two 3-pointers. He finished with 25 points and seven rebounds. Against Norfolk State he posted his second double-double of the year (14 points, 11 rebounds). Crowder was expected to be the second fiddle to DJO, and he hasn’t disappointed thus far. A
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Norfolk State shocks Paradise Jam field
When the Norfolk State Spartans upset Colonial preseason favorite Drexel 61-56 Friday, the immediate reaction was not "hey, check out Norfolk State." It was "hey, check out how bad the CAA is looking right now."
The latter sentiment wasn't wrong. (The CAA has looked bad.) But Norfolk State assistant coach Robert Jones wasn't totally thrilled with the angle. When the link to my reaction was posted on Twitter, he responded:
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Lady Pilots rally in second half to defeat XU Gold Nuggets
Willis, a transfer from NCAA Division I Hampton, came off the bench to make 4-of-5 3-pointers and score 13 points. Simone Brewer scored 14 points for the Lady Pilots (2-2), and Sharde Henry scored 13.
Jasmine Grant, playing in her hometown, scored a season-high 19 points for the Gold Nuggets (4-2). Dalila Robinson scored a season-high 11 points, and Brandi Young scored 10.
SiMon Franklin scored eight points and Young seven to lead Xavier to a 34-29 halftime advantage, but LSUS rallied and took the lead for good, 40-37, on a Willis 3-pointer with 13:48 remaining.
Two Jennifer Hicks free throws at 11:18 gave the Lady Pilots their biggest lead, 50-37.
Grant passed to Robinson for a 3-pointer which cut the Lady Pilots' lead to 66-65 with 31 seconds remaining, but Henry made two free throws with 13 seconds to play. Franklin then missed a 2-pointer, and Willis made 1-of-2 free throws with one second remaining for the final point. Xavier made 8-of-10 from the floor in the first 10 minutes but shot 28 percent thereafter to finish at 38.8. LSUS shot 45.3 percent from the floor, 52 percent in the second half.
Grant and Robinson made three 3-pointers apiece and were a combined 6-of-10 from long range. They combined for 25 of Xavier's 31 second-half points, including 16 by Grant.
LSUS had a 37-30 rebound advantage. Brewer and Jenna Diakos grabbed seven rebounds apiece for the Lady Pilots.
Xavier will play NAIA No. 19 Langston at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Xavier Classic at The Barn. The other games that day will match Dillard vs. Rust at 1 p.m., Holy Names vs. Texas College at 3 p.m. and Mobile vs. Tuskegee at 5 p.m.
Box scoretournament information
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
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TSU Will Conduct National Search for Next Football Coach
HOUSTON, VA - Texas Southern University will conduct a national search to find its next football coach. However, TSU athletics director Charles McClelland told FOX 26 Sports interim head coach Kevin Ramsey is a candidate to retain the position on a permanent basis.Ramsey, who had been the Tigers' defensive coordinator, replaced Johnnie Cole as head coach in April after Cole was fired because of allegations of NCAA rules violations on his watch. TSU won the SWAC Conference championship in 2010, the first outright conference title in the history of the program.
In 2011, under Ramsey, the Tigers were 4-7 overall, and finished last in the SWAC's Western division with a 2-7 record.
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Texas Southern launches search for football coach
Houston, Texas - Texas Southern announced Monday that it has opened a national search for a football coach after the team finished the season 4-7.
Athletic director Charles McClelland said he would immediately begin to identify candidates to present to a university committee and hopes to have a coach named within a month. Interim coach Kevin Ramsey will also be a candidate.
Ramsey recently completed his third season with the Tigers, having spent the first two as defensive coordinator. He was promoted April 1 to replace Johnnie Cole, who was fired in advance of an NCAA report that is expected to reveal major violations.
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Monday, November 21, 2011
Norfolk State's big man too much for TCU; Spartans win 66-53
ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands -- Standing at 6-foot-10, there's no way an opposing team can avoid Norfolk State University's Kyle O'Quinn. Texas Christian couldn't convert from outside so the Horned Frogs drove right at him, which is exactly what the senior center likes.O'Quinn tallied a team-high 17 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots to lift the Spartans to a 66-53 victory over TCU in the 2011 Paradise Jam semifinals at the University of Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center on Sunday.
Norfolk State (3-1), out of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, will play in the tournament championship tonight at 9:30 p.m.
"Everywhere we go, we're always the underdog," said O'Quinn, who was named the MEAC's Defensive Player of the Year last season. "Even in our conference, they picked us fourth and we felt that was a sign of disrespect. We have a team this year. We're using this tournament to prove everyone wrong."
The Spartans held a slim 28-26 advantage at halftime before O'Quinn had two 3-point plays within one minute to fuel a 14-2 scoring run. The latter 3-point play gave Norfolk State a 48-33 lead with 9:54 left.
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NEXT GAME: 8:30 PM ET, Nov. 21, Norfolk State vs. #17 Marquette at Virgin Islands Sport & Fitness Center, St. Thomas, V.I.
Last Game: Norfolk State 61-56 victory over Drexel on Friday at Paradise Jam Tournament, St. Thomas
South Carolina Set To Host Mississippi Valley State On Tuesday
Columbia, South Carolina -- The South Carolina men's basketball team will host Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday, continuing play in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena, with the contest to be televised on SportSouth.OPENING TIP
Date: Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena
Series: First Meeting
Television: SportSouth (check local listings)
Internet: ESPN3
Talent: Andy Demetra (pxp), Daymeon Fishback (analyst)
Radio: Derek Scott (pxp), Casey Manning (analyst)
GameTracker
Game Notes
Probable Starters
South Carolina Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown PPG RPG MPG
G - #30, Lakeem Jackson 6-5 238 Jr. Charlotte, N.C. 7.3 5.3 24.3
G - #32, Damien Leonard 6-4 192 Fr. Greenville, S.C. 5.7 1.3 24.3
F - #13, Anthony Gill 6-8 235 Fr. Charlotte, N.C. 8.3 5.0 24.0
F - #15, Malik Cooke 6-6 215 R-Sr. Charlotte, N.C. 9.7 6.0 28.3
F - #24, Damontre Harris 6-9 226 So. Fayetteville, N.C. 5.3 6.0 20.3
MVSU Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown PPG RPG MPG
12 - #12, Amos Studivant 6-8 230 Sr. Bessemer, Ala. 10.0 8.7 30.0
23 - #23, Falando Jones 6-4 212 Sr. Greenwood, Miss. 8.0 3.0 26.0
32 - #32, Paul Crosby 6-8 245 Sr. Lansing, Mich. 8.7 3.3 27.7
3 - #3, Terrence Joyner 6-3 180 Jr. Mendenhall, Miss. 9.3 4.3 25.3
25 - #25, Kevin Burwell 5-10 185 Sr. Philadelphia, Penn. 9.0 5.3 34.3
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Other Tuesday Games on ESPN3
7:30 PM EST Tennessee State at North Carolina
8:00 PM EST Maryland-Eastern Shore at Kansas State
Tennessee State Tigers gets first win vs. SEC at South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina -- Robert Covington scored 16 points, and Jordan Cyphers came off the bench to add 12 to lead Tennessee State past host South Carolina 64-63 on Sunday night for the Tigers’ first victory in 24 games against a Southeastern Conference team.
South Carolina (1-2), which trailed by 22 points with 14:49 remaining, had a chance to force overtime on two R.J. Slawson free throws with 7.5 seconds remaining, but the 78 percent free-throw shooter missed the second one. Eric Smith scored all 18 of his points in the second half for South Carolina.
“It’s always good to get a road win,” said TSU Coach John Cooper, a former South Carolina assistant coach. “(South Carolina) came out in the second half and outplayed us. We found a way to win. It got ugly for us. We had so many lessons from close losses, but we were finally able to get one.”
The Tigers play at No. 1 North Carolina on Tuesday.
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South Carolina Gamecocks Held Off by Tennessee State, 64-63
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The South Carolina Gamecocks (1-2) suffered a 64-63 defeat against Tennessee State (2-2) on Sunday night at Colonial Life Arena competing in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. Sophomore guard Eric Smith led the Gamecocks with 18 points, doubling a career high.
Tennessee State started a run as the game passed the 10-minute mark and held a 15-9 lead with just over eight minutes left in the opening half. Carolina gained new life 30 seconds later after senior Malik Cooke poked the ball free from a Tiger guard and Lakeem Jackson collected the loose ball to take it down the floor and slam home a two-handed dunk.
Tennessee State's Robert Covington would hit a 3 at the other end, but Cooke would follow with a free throw and Damien Leonard hit a 3 from the corner to pull the Gamecocks to within three points of the Tigers with 5:31 left in the stanza. Following the under-four minute media timeout, Tennessee State's Jordan Cyphers buried two 3s and added three free throws, as the Tigers took a 33-19 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Final Stats | Quotes Highlights
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South Carolina (1-2), which trailed by 22 points with 14:49 remaining, had a chance to force overtime on two R.J. Slawson free throws with 7.5 seconds remaining, but the 78 percent free-throw shooter missed the second one. Eric Smith scored all 18 of his points in the second half for South Carolina.
“It’s always good to get a road win,” said TSU Coach John Cooper, a former South Carolina assistant coach. “(South Carolina) came out in the second half and outplayed us. We found a way to win. It got ugly for us. We had so many lessons from close losses, but we were finally able to get one.”
The Tigers play at No. 1 North Carolina on Tuesday.
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South Carolina Gamecocks Held Off by Tennessee State, 64-63
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The South Carolina Gamecocks (1-2) suffered a 64-63 defeat against Tennessee State (2-2) on Sunday night at Colonial Life Arena competing in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. Sophomore guard Eric Smith led the Gamecocks with 18 points, doubling a career high.
Tennessee State started a run as the game passed the 10-minute mark and held a 15-9 lead with just over eight minutes left in the opening half. Carolina gained new life 30 seconds later after senior Malik Cooke poked the ball free from a Tiger guard and Lakeem Jackson collected the loose ball to take it down the floor and slam home a two-handed dunk.
Tennessee State's Robert Covington would hit a 3 at the other end, but Cooke would follow with a free throw and Damien Leonard hit a 3 from the corner to pull the Gamecocks to within three points of the Tigers with 5:31 left in the stanza. Following the under-four minute media timeout, Tennessee State's Jordan Cyphers buried two 3s and added three free throws, as the Tigers took a 33-19 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Final Stats | Quotes Highlights
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Bethune-Cookman's playoff selection snub 'unbelievable'
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| Coach Brian Jenkins |
The Wildcats were passed over for the 20-team field. "I just think it's unbelievable, really," Jenkins said. "You've got to wonder what the selection committee is evaluating things on and what they're looking at." The Wildcats (8-3 overall, 6-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) defeated Florida A&M 26-16 in Orlando on Saturday to finish the season with six straight victories.
The unfairness of it is really unbelievable, and it's starting to stand out more and more every year," Jenkins said.
ESPNU's Jay Walker, an analyst on the selection show, agreed. The former quarterback at Howard, a MEAC team, said during the broadcast that B-CU deserved one of the 10 at-large spots over James Madison or Eastern Kentucky, two 7-4 teams that will meet each other in the first round of the playoffs next Saturday.
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Bethune-Cookman snubbed in NCAA Division I-AA playoffs
The Bethune-Cookman football team was left out of the Football Championship Series (NCAA Division I-AA) playoffs Sunday when pairings were announced.
BCU head coach Brian Jenkins was quite confident Saturday that his team would be selected to the playoffs as an at-large participant, but he also knew there was the possibilty BCU might be left out. After the Wildcats defeated Florida A&M 26-16 in the Florida Classic in Orlando, Jenkins provided his own foresight on the selection process.
“I’m hopeful that people take notice and do the right thing and put us in the playoffs,” Jenkins. “Not only should we get one (an invite), we belong. You know, I’m gonna say this, If we get overlooked and they take another team with a lesser record … that would be catastrophic, to me, in this division of college football. Something is wrong.”
Jenkins, obviously in no mood to have much conversation about the snub, said Sunday, through the BCU sports information department, "It's really unbelievable."
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Claflin, Paine split contests in front of homecoming crowd
Mario Jordan, on the other hand, was all smiles. The Lions junior guard, who finished with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists, was one of three visiting players to finish in doubie figures as Paine put a slight damper on Claflin's Homecoming game by picking up a 70-61 win.
"This win was very important," Jordan said. "We played three scrimmages against Auburn, Georgia Southern and USC-Aiken. Auburn and Georgia Southern were to exhibition games and we lost both of those. Really, we just wanted to get this win and get that winning feeling to know what that winning feeling feels like. Now, we just want to keep it up."
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Lincoln roars, beats Cheyney in “Battle of the Firsts”
Philadelphia, PA - The Cheyney University men’s basketball team showed a little rust in their season opening contest against arch rival Lincoln University inside Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia Friday night.With virtually an entirely new team, the Wolves fell to the Lions, 65-56, in the 21st annual “Battle of the Firsts” rivalry between the nation’s two oldest historically black universities. All-PSAC East selection Sharif Bray, along with David Burton, Bruce Kennedy and Rob Townsend, graduated, leaving few experienced players on the Wolves roster.
It was his two veteran players who transferred into the program – senior Brandon Baylor (Delaware State) and junior Jason Sabb (Angelina (Tx.) College) – who provided the bulk of the offense for the Wolves. Baylor led all scorers with 21 points, while Sabb added 20 points and eight rebounds.
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Long road ahead: Delta Devils continue their 2-month trip with loss at No. 1 UNC 101-75
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Mississippi Valley State has already lost three road games to start the season — and the journey is just beginning.A 101-75 loss at No. 1 North Carolina on Sunday marked the latest stop in the Delta Devils’ two-month trip to begin the season. They also go to South Carolina, Arkansas, No. 7 Florida and No. 14 Wisconsin before the end of December. At least on Sunday, the Delta Devils (0-3) hung around for about a half with the Tar Heels (3-0).
“It’s going to boost our confidence up,” said Brent Arrington, who scored 33 points. “We see where we’re at and we’re going to keep working from here.”
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UMES Hawks Volleyball Earns 1st Trip to NCAA Tourney; MEAC Champions!!
With the win, UMES has earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Hawks continue their winning streak with their 19th straight victory, improving to 24-6. Florida A&M falls to 13-13.
After Kaveinga Lea'Aetoa (Salt Lake City, Utah) earned the first kill of the match, the Rattlers came strong with a 5-0 run with two aces from Maria Ceccarelli. FAMU built up an 18-6 lead in the game. UMES took five of the next six points including aces from Lea'Aetoa and Zoe Bowens (Long Beach, Calif.) and a kill and two blocks from Ndidi Ibe (North Richland, Texas), but ultimately it was not enough as the Rattlers won set one 25-15.
Game two started back and forth as the score was tied at five each. The Hawks put together a 3-0 run capped by a Lea'Aetoa ace for an 8-5 lead. UMES kept a lead when the Rattlers took three of four points late to get within three at 17-14. The Hawks surged ahead with five straight points including kills from Victoria Williams (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Maline Vaitai (Salt Lake City, Utah), plus a Bowens ace, to take a 22-14 lead. UMES took the set 25-17 to even the match.
At 4-4 in the third game, Saitaua Iosia (Long Beach, Calif.) went to work on a personal 3-0 run with a kill and two aces for a 7-4 UMES lead. The Hawks did not allow any back-to-back points against them until the Rattlers got two to put UMES's lead at 17-14. After FAMU got to within one at 19-18, Iosia got a kill and solo block to put the advantage back to three. At 22-20 UMES, the Hawks took three of the final four points, including two kills from Vaitai, to win the set 25-22 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
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Sunday, November 20, 2011
Florida Classic lives up to hype
Orlando, Florida - There was a proposal at halftime, a battle of the bands that got downright vicious, soldiers doing pushups in the end zone, beauty queens, a mid-afternoon rainstorm, dancers and imagine tailgating and barbecue on steroids. Oh yeah, there was a football game, too.
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats took revenge on the Florida A&M Rattlers for last year’s upset with a convincing 26-16 victory in this year’s annual Florida Classic football game played at the Citrus Bowl.
The super bowl between Florida’s historical black colleges felt exactly like that. A festive, playoff-like atmosphere started in the early morning and lasted throughout the contest that drew 60,218. Before the game, surrounding motorways and neighborhoods were paralyzed with revelers willing to put aside differing school colors and partying side by side, at least until game time.
Photo Gallery: Florida Classic
Bethune-Cookman beats Florida A&M in Florida Classic
Bethune-Cookman played one of its best all-around games of the season on Saturday, beating Florida A&M in the Florida Classic, 26-16. The game was played at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando.
Bethune-Cookman outgained Florida A&M in the rushing game, 256-58, led by 93 yards from Isidore Jackson. Jonathan Moment added 60 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Quarterback Jackie Wilson completed 13 of 18 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Florida A&M was led by quarterback Damien Fleming, who completed 21 of 38 attempts for 282 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also had three passes intercepted.
Bethune-Cookman didn't score in the first quarter and trailed 3-0, but outscored FAMU 10-0 in the second quarter and 14-7 in the third to take a lead it would not relinquish.
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The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats took revenge on the Florida A&M Rattlers for last year’s upset with a convincing 26-16 victory in this year’s annual Florida Classic football game played at the Citrus Bowl.
The super bowl between Florida’s historical black colleges felt exactly like that. A festive, playoff-like atmosphere started in the early morning and lasted throughout the contest that drew 60,218. Before the game, surrounding motorways and neighborhoods were paralyzed with revelers willing to put aside differing school colors and partying side by side, at least until game time.
Photo Gallery: Florida Classic
Bethune-Cookman beats Florida A&M in Florida Classic
Bethune-Cookman played one of its best all-around games of the season on Saturday, beating Florida A&M in the Florida Classic, 26-16. The game was played at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando.
Bethune-Cookman outgained Florida A&M in the rushing game, 256-58, led by 93 yards from Isidore Jackson. Jonathan Moment added 60 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Quarterback Jackie Wilson completed 13 of 18 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Florida A&M was led by quarterback Damien Fleming, who completed 21 of 38 attempts for 282 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also had three passes intercepted.
Bethune-Cookman didn't score in the first quarter and trailed 3-0, but outscored FAMU 10-0 in the second quarter and 14-7 in the third to take a lead it would not relinquish.
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North Carolina A&T Aggies Beat No. 18 Liberty Lady Flames
Greensboro, N.C. - The A.C. was definitely on in Corbett Sports Center on Friday night. Redshirt junior Amber Calvin matched a career-high by scoring 24 points to help propel the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team (2-2) to an 81-74 win against Liberty (1-2), who was ranked 18th among mid-major schools by CollegeInsider.com.
"Amber is as cool as she wants to be when she's doing it," said N.C. A&T head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs. "It's just great to have her back and to have Mikala (Scott)."
Scott finished with 19 points on 6-for-12 shooting. Calvin, who had just 16 points in her first three games, more than doubled her point total with her strong performance. The redshirt sophomore out of Fayetteville, N.C., returned this season after injuring her knee before the start of the 2010-11 season.
She went 6-for-8 from beyond the arc, with four of those coming in the first half, and 6-for-8 at the free throw line. Junior forward JaQuayla Berry had 16 points for the Aggies.
With 11:18 on the clock, the Flames pulled within seven points on a layup by Devon Brown, who finished the game with 14 points. The Aggies went five minutes without scoring, a drought that ended with 7:03 to play, as Berry hit a layup to give the Aggies a three-point lead.
Catherine Kearney brought the Flames within one, at 60-59 with a layup with 6:05 left on the clock. From there, the Aggies worked to keep out of their reach, with layups and free throws. Calvin had five free throws in the last two minutes to help put the game away for the Aggies. The Aggies, in addition to having a strong shooting night, ended the game with just 15 turnovers.
Box Score: Aggies vs. Liberty
"They're a very young team, and to not lose their composure and to just keep doing positive things, is a sign that the chemistry is coming," Bibbs said.
The Aggies finished the first half with a 43-35 lead, propelled by 12 points by Calvin, all of which came from her strong 3-point shooting, 11 points by Scott, who also had a pair from beyond the arc, and 10 points by sophomore Tiffanie Adair.
Liberty pulled ahead to a quick 4-0 lead, but a pair of three-points from Scott and Calvin tied the game at 6. The Aggies took a 17-10 lead with a three-pointer from Calvin, and never trailed again. The Aggies hammered the bigger Flames on the inside, as Adair got inside the paint to score three times in the last five minutes of the first half.
The win marks the 488th career victory for Bibbs, who is now 12 away from joining the 500 win club. For Bibbs, this win against Liberty is one she really wanted.
"We didn't tell the ladies what this team was ranked. They found out later," she said. "I lost to this team, very close each time, seven times, not only here, but when I was at Hampton. I really wanted this win, I really did, and they gave it to me. "
The Aggies will be taking on ACC opponent Clemson on Monday at 7 p.m., in Corbett Sports Center. General admission tickets are $7, but N.C. A&T students can get into the game for free by showing their student OneCard. Bibbs hopes the momentum from the win against a ranked team will help the Aggies in Monday's match-up.
"This really shows us that we can play, that we can do all the things that we need to do. I think more than anything that Monday night is going to be a very, very tough game for us, but I think we're going to be ok, if we play like we did tonight," she said.
| Courtesy: NC A&T Sports Information |
NCA&T Aggies run away with 31-21 win over rival NCCU Eagles
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The tone for North Carolina Central University’s day against rival North Carolina A&T was set on its opening drive. The Eagles moved the ball deep into Aggie territory, but lost a fumble. NCCU played catch-up the rest of the afternoon as A&T regained bragging rights in the series with a 31-21 win in front of 18,413 fans inside Aggie Stadium in Greensboro, N.C.
A&T took that opening fumble down the field 77 yards on 11 plays to take an early 7-0 advantage. In the second quarter, the Aggies converted on fourth down and later on third down and 12 yards to go quarterback Lewis Kindle threw a 37-yard touchdown to Wallace Miles to push the lead to 14-0 at 12:27.
That 14-point cushion proved to be too much for the Eagles to overcome. Each time NCCU scored a touchdown, it pulled the squad close, but not even or ahead, and each time the Aggies had an answer.
A&T dominated the ground game, pounding out 213 rushing yards, including 163 rushing yards by senior Mike Mayhew, while holding the Eagles to only nine rushing yards on 19 carries. The Aggies finished the contest with 414 yards of total offense compared to 224 by NCCU.
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A&T took that opening fumble down the field 77 yards on 11 plays to take an early 7-0 advantage. In the second quarter, the Aggies converted on fourth down and later on third down and 12 yards to go quarterback Lewis Kindle threw a 37-yard touchdown to Wallace Miles to push the lead to 14-0 at 12:27.
That 14-point cushion proved to be too much for the Eagles to overcome. Each time NCCU scored a touchdown, it pulled the squad close, but not even or ahead, and each time the Aggies had an answer.
A&T dominated the ground game, pounding out 213 rushing yards, including 163 rushing yards by senior Mike Mayhew, while holding the Eagles to only nine rushing yards on 19 carries. The Aggies finished the contest with 414 yards of total offense compared to 224 by NCCU.
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SSU Tigers show effort but fall short in season finale to S.C. State
Savannah, Georgia -- It was the final game of the season for Savannah State at the newly renovated T.A. Wright Stadium, and although the Tigers lost to South Carolina State, 20-10, the hard-fought game gave coach Steve Davenport something to build upon.
“Ultimately the sting of the loss is still there, but we can definitely take something positive out of this game,” said Davenport, who finished his first year at the helm of the program with a 1-10 record. “I liked how we fought our butts off today and had a zest for the game.”
The Tigers were coming off losses to Norfolk State (45-3) and Bethune-Cookman (59-3) and hadn’t scored a touchdown since a 47-7 loss to Florida A&M on Oct. 15.
MEAC rival South Carolina State (7-4) scored on its second possession on a 31-yard field goal by Blake Erickson. The 77-yard, 10-play drive was highlighted by a 39-yard pass from quarterback Richard Cue to Dylan Cook.
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“Ultimately the sting of the loss is still there, but we can definitely take something positive out of this game,” said Davenport, who finished his first year at the helm of the program with a 1-10 record. “I liked how we fought our butts off today and had a zest for the game.”
The Tigers were coming off losses to Norfolk State (45-3) and Bethune-Cookman (59-3) and hadn’t scored a touchdown since a 47-7 loss to Florida A&M on Oct. 15.
MEAC rival South Carolina State (7-4) scored on its second possession on a 31-yard field goal by Blake Erickson. The 77-yard, 10-play drive was highlighted by a 39-yard pass from quarterback Richard Cue to Dylan Cook.
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FAMU Drum Major Dies On Orlando Trip
Deputies: No Sign Of Foul Play In Robert Champion's DeathOrlando, Florida -- The drum major for Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University died after being found unresponsive in a bus parked outside of an Orlando hotel Saturday night.
Orange County investigators said Robert Champion, 26, was unresponsive on a bus in the parking lot of the Rosen Plaza Hotel on International Drive just before 10 p.m. The band was staying at the hotel during a trip to the Florida Classic game.
Other band members said Champion had thrown up and could not breathe. His friends called 911 and performed CPR. Paramedics took him to Dr. Phillips Hospital, where he died.
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Deputies: FAMU student found unresponsive on bus
Orange County Sheriff's deputies said a Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University student who died, fell ill and collapsed while aboard a bus parked outside an Orlando hotel where the school's marching band was staying.
Robert Champion, 26, was on the bus with the FAMU marching band in front of the Rosen Plaza hotel on International Drive Saturday when he started vomiting and complained that he couldn't breathe, according to Orange County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Ginette Rodriguez.
Friends called 911 and performed CPR, she said.
Deputies arrived about 9:46 p.m. to find Champion unresponsive, and they transported him to Dr. Phillips hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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Student Dies During Classic Weekend
Rare mistakes motivate Tuskegee's crack cornerback Baker
Tuskegee, Alabama -- Cornerbacks aren't supposed to dwell on failures. With so many pass plays in the average game, and with such a small margin for error, coaches like their defensive backs to shake off bad plays and dumb mistakes quickly. Let it go. Don't think about it again. Move on and play better next time. That's the coach-speak.Tuskegee cornerback Kenneth Baker takes a different approach. "I remember every time I've been beaten," Baker said. "I can remember them all, and I think about them."
For instance, when talking about Alabama State's standout receiver Nick Andrews, two plays come immediately to Baker's mind -- a missed tackle and a double move.
"He got me on that double move last year -- I'll be watching for that this year," Baker said. "There was a missed tackle once, too. That's what I remember about facing him."
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Bell City's Johnson signs to play volleyball at South Carolina State
Bell City, Missouri -- South Carolina State volleyball coach Donika Sutton discovered a gem during her trip to a Missouri Class 1 sectional volleyball match last season. Sutton, who is from Hayti, Missouri, and was an assistant coach at South Carolina State last season, watched Bell City's Jasmine Johnson lead the Cubs into the state quarterfinal round last season."She approached me and was like, 'We're thinking about looking at you from South Carolina State,'" Johnson said. "I didn't know where it was or even heard of it. It's a four-year university, and I was like, 'OK, I want to go there.'"
Johnson visited the South Carolina State campus in early October and finalized her decision last week when she signed a letter of intent to continue her volleyball career with the Bulldogs. "The campus, I like that, the dorm, the team," Johnson said. "The coach I liked a lot. Plus the coach is from down here, so I was like, 'OK.'"
Johnson said she also considered Southeast Missouri State and Murray State as well as some junior colleges before deciding on South Carolina State, which ...
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XU Gold Nuggets' early run buries Huston-Tillotson
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Seven players scored in an early 17-0 run Saturday which carried NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 72-41 women's basketball victory against Huston-Tillotson.The Lady Rams (0-1) scored the first two points, then went scoreless for nearly 7½ minutes. The Gold Nuggets (4-1) led 33-21 at halftime, and the final margin was the game's largest.
Keldra Hall, with 12 points, was Xavier's only double-figure scorer, but 13 teammates scored. Jasmine Grant made three 3-pointers in the first half, and Jazmoné Kelly grabbed a career-best 14 rebounds. SiMon Franklin and Carmen Holcombe scored eight points apiece.
Kandice Smith scored 15 points for Huston-Tillotson, and Jasmine Dukes had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Xavier outshot the Lady Rams 39.5 to 23.1 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 54-37. The Nuggets gained 27 turnovers and had 16 steals, both season bests.
The Gold Nuggets have won 13 straight at The Barn and 112 of the past 119 games in their campus facility, which was built in 1937 but will be replaced next year by a 4,500-seat arena.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
Hampton Pirates have a happy Senior Day; Morgan St. falls 42-18
HAMPTON, Virginia -- The Pirates of Hampton University closed out the 2011 football season it great style, beating the Bears of Morgan State at Armstrong Stadium on Saturday. With the victory, the Pirates closed out the season with a 7-4 overall record and a 5-3 mark in conference play.
The Bears fell to 5-6 on the year and closed with a 4-4 record in MEAC play. Hampton got off a seemingly slow start, punting on their first possession, but they turned around and scored on their second possession, when quarterback Bradford Hudson connected with Isaiah Thomas from 10 yards out to put Hampton up 7-0.
Hampton’s defense also came ready to play in the first half, holding Morgan State to just a 33-yard field goal by Ervin Gonzalez to make the score 7-3 after two quarters. The Pirates came out in the second half firing on all cylinders behind freshman quarterback Travis Champion, who threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns in the second half alone.
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Champion performance
Hampton true freshman quarterback Travis Champion had a pretty good two quarters of work on Saturday.
With the Pirates up 7-3 going into the third quarter after fellow freshman Brad Hudson had gone 6-of-13 for 59 yards and a touchdown in the first half, Champion got the ball to open the third quarter against Morgan State. The product of Rancho Verde (Calif.) High, where he threw for 2,400 yards and 28 TDs as a senior, promptly led a six-play, 63-yard scoring drive, capped by his 25-yard pass to Isiah Thomas.
Champion also threw TD passes of 33 and 27 yards as he went 13-of-17 for 192 yards, three scores and one interception. "That's not bad for a freshman," HU coach Donovan Rose said.
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The Bears fell to 5-6 on the year and closed with a 4-4 record in MEAC play. Hampton got off a seemingly slow start, punting on their first possession, but they turned around and scored on their second possession, when quarterback Bradford Hudson connected with Isaiah Thomas from 10 yards out to put Hampton up 7-0.
Hampton’s defense also came ready to play in the first half, holding Morgan State to just a 33-yard field goal by Ervin Gonzalez to make the score 7-3 after two quarters. The Pirates came out in the second half firing on all cylinders behind freshman quarterback Travis Champion, who threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns in the second half alone.
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Champion performance
Hampton true freshman quarterback Travis Champion had a pretty good two quarters of work on Saturday.
With the Pirates up 7-3 going into the third quarter after fellow freshman Brad Hudson had gone 6-of-13 for 59 yards and a touchdown in the first half, Champion got the ball to open the third quarter against Morgan State. The product of Rancho Verde (Calif.) High, where he threw for 2,400 yards and 28 TDs as a senior, promptly led a six-play, 63-yard scoring drive, capped by his 25-yard pass to Isiah Thomas.
Champion also threw TD passes of 33 and 27 yards as he went 13-of-17 for 192 yards, three scores and one interception. "That's not bad for a freshman," HU coach Donovan Rose said.
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Tarpley TDs help DSU Hornets stun Howard
DOVER, Delaware — Delaware State ended its eight-game losing streak by rallying from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit behind two Travis Tarpley touchdowns to edge Howard 39-36 Saturday for its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win of the season.Delaware State (3-8 overall, 1-7 MEAC) found itself trailing 36-24 with 13:39 to go after the Bison’s Terrance LeFall scored his second touchdown of the game.
“Our mind-set was to keep working hard and keep fighting and just stay together,” Tarpley said. “All season, the obstacle was just staying together as one unit, and that’s what the coaches put in our heads this game. If we played together, we’d have a great outcome.”
Facing second-and-10 at the Bison 38 on the Hornets’ next possession, Nick Elko moved to his right and passed to Tarpley near the line of scrimmage. Tarpley weaved through the Bison defense and ran into the end zone. With Mitchell Ward’s point-after kick, Delaware State closed the gap to 36-31.
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FCS Playoff Field Announced; Strong 8-3 B-CU Team Left Out for Others ...
Scheduling Div. II Fort Valley State may have derailed both B-CU and FAMU opportunity for playoffs
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The field of 20 teams competing for the 2011 FCS title was announced Sunday by the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee.
Sam Houston State (11-0) tops the bracket as the No. 1 seed after capturing the automatic-qualifying berth from the Southland Conference. The Bearkats are making their fifth appearance and first since 2004.
Second-seeded North Dakota State (10-1) is making its second consecutive appearance. The Bison captured the Missouri Valley Football Conference automatic berth.
Georgia Southern University (9-2), which is making its 18th overall tournament appearance, is the No. 3 seed. The six-time national champion Eagles captured the Southern Conference automatic berth.
Montana (9-2) earned the No. 4 seed after winning the Big Sky Conference automatic berth. The Grizzlies, the 1995 and 2001 national champion, are making its 21st appearance in the playoffs.
Rounding out this year’s seeded teams is Northern Iowa (9-2) with the No. 5 seed. The Panthers are making their 16th overall appearance.
FCS Championship Bracket
First-round hosts include Big South automatic qualifier Stony Brook (8-3), Ohio Valley Conference automatic qualifier Tennessee Tech (7-3) along with Old Dominion (9-2) and Eastern Kentucky (7-4).
The top four national seeds will host winners from the first-round matchups. Others hosting second rounds game will be Northern Iowa, Appalachian State (8-3), Montana State (9-2) and the Colonial Athletic Association automatic qualifier Towson (9-2).
Other automatic qualifiers in the tournament include Albany (8-3), the Northeast Conference champion, which clinched its first trip into the championship. Also making its first trip into the championship is Norfolk State (9-2), winner of the automatic bid from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Winning the Patriot League was the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh (10-1).
Other teams in the field: first-time participant Central Arkansas (8-3); James Madison (7-4); Maine (8-3); New Hampshire (8-3); and Wofford (8-3).
Ten conferences received automatic-qualifying berths: the Big Sky Conference, Big South Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Missouri Valley Football Conference, Northeast Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Patriot League, Southern Conference and Southland Conference.
The combination of NCAA.com and ESPN’s family of networks will once again provide coverage of all rounds of the 2011 FCS Championship. Television schedules and games times for all rounds of the 2011 championship will be updated daily at NCAA.com/fcs.
The 2012 FCS Championship Game is slated for 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 7, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The game will be televised on ESPN2 HD and on ESPN3 the championship game.
Courtesy NCAA.com
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The field of 20 teams competing for the 2011 FCS title was announced Sunday by the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee.
Sam Houston State (11-0) tops the bracket as the No. 1 seed after capturing the automatic-qualifying berth from the Southland Conference. The Bearkats are making their fifth appearance and first since 2004.
Second-seeded North Dakota State (10-1) is making its second consecutive appearance. The Bison captured the Missouri Valley Football Conference automatic berth.
Georgia Southern University (9-2), which is making its 18th overall tournament appearance, is the No. 3 seed. The six-time national champion Eagles captured the Southern Conference automatic berth.
Montana (9-2) earned the No. 4 seed after winning the Big Sky Conference automatic berth. The Grizzlies, the 1995 and 2001 national champion, are making its 21st appearance in the playoffs.
Rounding out this year’s seeded teams is Northern Iowa (9-2) with the No. 5 seed. The Panthers are making their 16th overall appearance.
FCS Championship Bracket
| Conference | At-Large Qualifier (Record) |
| Big Sky | Montana St. (9-2) |
| Colonial Athletic Association | James Madison (7-4) |
| Colonial Athletic Association | Maine (8-3) |
| Colonial Athletic Association | New Hampshire (8-3) |
| Colonial Athletic Association | Old Dominion (9-2) |
| Missouri Valley Football Conference | No. 5 Northern Iowa (9-2) |
| Ohio Valley Conference | Eastern Kentucky (7-4) |
| Southern Conference | Appalachian State (8-3) |
| Southern Conference | Wofford (8-3) |
| Southland Conference | Central Arkansas (8-3) |
First-round hosts include Big South automatic qualifier Stony Brook (8-3), Ohio Valley Conference automatic qualifier Tennessee Tech (7-3) along with Old Dominion (9-2) and Eastern Kentucky (7-4).
The top four national seeds will host winners from the first-round matchups. Others hosting second rounds game will be Northern Iowa, Appalachian State (8-3), Montana State (9-2) and the Colonial Athletic Association automatic qualifier Towson (9-2).
Other automatic qualifiers in the tournament include Albany (8-3), the Northeast Conference champion, which clinched its first trip into the championship. Also making its first trip into the championship is Norfolk State (9-2), winner of the automatic bid from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Winning the Patriot League was the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh (10-1).
Other teams in the field: first-time participant Central Arkansas (8-3); James Madison (7-4); Maine (8-3); New Hampshire (8-3); and Wofford (8-3).
Ten conferences received automatic-qualifying berths: the Big Sky Conference, Big South Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Missouri Valley Football Conference, Northeast Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Patriot League, Southern Conference and Southland Conference.
The combination of NCAA.com and ESPN’s family of networks will once again provide coverage of all rounds of the 2011 FCS Championship. Television schedules and games times for all rounds of the 2011 championship will be updated daily at NCAA.com/fcs.
The 2012 FCS Championship Game is slated for 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 7, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The game will be televised on ESPN2 HD and on ESPN3 the championship game.
Courtesy NCAA.com
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