Dorton's points and passes rally Tuskegee against Mobile

NEW ORLEANS — Amelia Dorton accounted for 16 points in the final 11½ minutes Thursday to help Tuskegee rally for a 61-58 women's basketball victory against Mobile in the Xavier Classic.

The meeting was the first between these Alabama colleges.

Dorton scored 10 of her 14 points — including four consecutive made baskets — and assisted on three scores to lead the Tigerettes (3-1) back from a 45-39 deficit, their largest of the game.

Kajuanna Rivers scored on a pass from Dorton with 4:03 remaining to put Tuskegee ahead to stay, 57-55. Mobile's last lead was 55-53 on Alice Honnery's basket with 4:42 remaining, but the Lady Rams (2-4) committed four turnovers and went 1-of-5 from the floor thereafter. Mobile missed two shots on the final possession, including Allison Michael's 3-point attempt with four seconds remaining.

Nnenna Eze scored 12 points and Jennifer Anoka 11 for Tuskegee, an NCAA Division II member, and both grabbed seven rebounds. Eze, Torreece Maxey and Alondra Rivers had four steals apiece.

Freshman reserve Briana Edwards had season-highs of 22 points and 13 rebounds for NAIA member Mobile. Courtney Bayliss and Honnery scored 10 points apiece, and Honnery had nine rebounds and four blocked shots.

Anoka scored four points in the final 14 seconds of the first half to give Tuskegee a 31-26 lead at the break.

Mobile outshot the Tigerettes 40 to 36.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 50-37, but the Lady Rams committed a season-worst 32 turnovers, 18 more than their opponent.

On Friday Mobile will play Rust at noon, and Tuskegee will play Texas College at 2 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, SID
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Ronolo's 3-point play helps Holy Names top Texas College

NEW ORLEANS — Britni Ronolo scored a season-high 21 points, including a 3-point play with 15 seconds remaining, to help Holy Names earn a 63-59 women's basketball victory Thursday against Texas College in the second game of the Xavier Classic.

Ronolo, a senior center, was fouled while scoring on an offensive rebound, then made a free throw to give the Hawks (4-7) a 62-59 advantage. Myesha Carrington missed two free throws for Texas College (0-5) on the next possession, then Annie Mahoney made the first of two free throws with three seconds remaining to clinch the victory.

The Lady Steers took their final lead, 57-56, when Sekeya Roberson made two free throws with 1:36 remaining. Danika Potestio's 3-pointer gave the Hawks a 59-57 lead with 53 seconds remaining, then Shirley McGowen scored eight seconds later to tie the score.

Souljah Evans scored 13 points for Holy Names, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Adrienne Davis scored a season-best 13 points, all in the second half, for Texas College. Roberson scored a season-high-tying 11, and McGowen had 10. Roberson had nine rebounds and five steals, but she also committed 11 of the Lady Steers' 41 turnovers.

Holy Names committed 35 turnovers. Neither team shot well from the floor — the Hawks finished at 32.9 percent and the Lady Steers at 30.8.

Holy Names led 28-20 at halftime. Texas College grabbed its biggest lead, 50-46, when Ashli Smith made the second of two free throws with 6:18 remaining. There were five ties and five lead changes thereafter.

It was the first time this season that the Hawks allowed fewer than 68 points.

On Friday Texas College will play Tuskegee at 2 p.m., and Holy Names will play NAIA No. 16 Xavier at 6 p.m. in a PSBlive.com webcast.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Collins' 3-pointer gives Dillard its first victory of season

NEW ORLEANS — Reserve guard Brianne Collins' 3-pointer with five seconds remaining Thursday lifted Dillard to a 77-76 overtime women's basketball victory against Rust in the opening game of the Xavier Classic.

The Lady Bleu Devils (1-2) outscored Rust 6-1 in the final 67 seconds after Rust took its biggest lead, 75-71, on an Al'Lisha Hudson basket.

Jasmine Bradley preserved the victory by stealing Kala Williams' pass near midcourt on the final play.

Ariel Mitchell scored 14 points, Jazzmin Smith 13 and Lauren Daniel 10 for Dillard, which never trailed in regulation. Collins finished with a season-high seven points, and the 3-pointer was just her second in 12 attempts this season.

Williams scored 18 points, Jessica Brown 17 and Hudson 13 for Rust (2-5), an NCAA Division III member. Dillard is an NAIA member.

Daniel's free throw at 2:29 of the first half gave Dillard its biggest lead, 32-18. The Lady Bleu Devils led 35-24 at halftime and 54-43 with 8:58 remaining in regulation. Rust forced overtime when Hudson's basket tied the score at 63 with nine seconds remaining. Another Hudson basket at 3:49 in overtime gave the Lady Bearcats their first lead, 67-66.

Rust outshot Dillard 50 to 34.7 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Lady Bleu Devils 48-43. Dillard outscored Rust 23-10 in free throws.

On Friday Rust will play Mobile at noon, and Dillard will play NAIA No. 19 Langston at 4 p.m.

Box Score

By Ed Cassiere,Sports Information Director

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA ATHLETICS

Old Dominion meets Norfolk State in first round FCS action

Norfolk, Virginia -- Five miles separate the campuses of Norfolk State and Old Dominion, the idea of scheduling a series between the football programs was bound to happen one day. One day has come two years early.

The two schools were set to begin a six-year series in 2013 with the first game to have taken place at NSU. The Football Championship Series playoffs will give fans a preview of this series this weekend when the Spartans and Monarchs – both 9-2 – meeting the first round at Old Dominion’s S.B. Stadium.

This matchup will have that new car smell. NSU, champion of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, is playing its first FCS appearance. ODU, a first-year member of the Colonial Athletic Conference and in just its third year of playing football, is making its first playoff appearance.

Pete Adrian, NSU’s head coach, noted this week that there are no bad teams in the tournament at this point. But that his team is playing a rival, heck, a neighbor adds to the intensity. The rosters are loaded with local kids. The Spartans have 31 players from the area, while the Monarchs have 40 from the Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, and Hampton communities.

“The excitement here on this campus has never been higher ...

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Undefeated foe, WSSU poses challenge for Cal U. Vulcans

California, Pennsylvania -- If California University's football team is going to advance in the NCAA Division II playoffs this weekend, it will have to overcome a handful of obstacles. First, a Winston-Salem State University team that is undefeated at 10-0 and top-seeded in the region is waiting for a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday.

Second, the Vulcans will be leaving the confines of Adamson Stadium for the long bus trip to Winston, N.C., where the temperature change and expected crowd of 7,000 fans will make for a difficult place to win.

Finally, Cal will go into this game without head coach John Luckhardt, who will miss the game because of kidney stones and accompanying infection. Offensive coordinator Mike Kellar will run the offense and defensive coordinator Mike Conway will handle the defense.

Luckhardt is the winningest coach in Cal history and has guided the Vulcans into the Division II playoffs five consecutive seasons.

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WSSU Rams try to buck CIAA playoff history

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- CIAA teams have had limited success in the Division II football playoffs, but Winston-Salem State hopes to be the exception.  WSSU (11-0) will try to take its first step in that direction Saturday, when it plays California (Pa.) in a second-round game at 1 p.m. at Bowman Gray Stadium.

The CIAA started the postseason with a playoff record of 2-27 since 1978, then fell to 2-28 last weekend when California pounded Elizabeth City State 44-0.  Coach Connell Maynor said the CIAA's playoff history doesn't bother him.

"I think our guys are ready, and this is what we set out to do," he said. "We got our first goal out of the way, and that was to win the CIAA championship. The guys really believe that we can win four more football games."




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B-CU Wildcats turn 2011 football season around

Daytona Beach, Florida - Bethune-Cookman started the 2011 season resembling last year's offensive juggernaut when it dismantled Prairie View A&M 63-14 in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando

But then the Wildcats lost three out of their next four games, turning the ball over 13 times. They went back to the drawing board, reinventing themselves as a running team and attacking opponents' backfields with a strong defensive front seven.

They won their final six games, ending with a 26-16 victory over Florida A&M on Saturday, to finish 8-3 overall, 6-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.  Though they didn't return to the playoffs, they added to the foundation head coach Brian Jenkins established in his first year in 2010 when B-CU won the MEAC championship and finished 10-2

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Achieving the dream of coaching

Charlotte, North Carolina -- The players call him "Coach Deanou can see DeAngelo Dean on the sideline at every Johnson C. Smith football game, making sure the team gets the right personnel into the game in third-and-long situations and conferring with other coaches like former Carolina Panther Mike Minter about the Golden Bulls’ defensive strategy.

For Coach Dean, the sideline feels like home. And every time he walks onto the field feels like a victory.

Dean, 24, has cerebral palsy - a neurological disorder that appears in infancy or early childhood and permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination. But that hasn’t stopped Dean from becoming a valued member of coach Steve Aycock’s J.C. Smith staff in 2011. Aycock was the one who took a chance on Dean to begin with, and the student assistant coach has surpassed expectations as the Division II Golden Bulls have posted one of their best seasons in years.

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Time off has not dulled WSSU's intensity

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Third-ranked Winston-Salem State enjoyed some much-needed down time with a bye in the first round of the Division II football playoffs.

But coach Connell Maynor said Wednesday, while having lunch with his team in the school cafeteria, that the break doesn't mean the Rams have lost momentum. WSSU will be back in action Saturday, when it plays California (Pa.) in a second-round game at 1 p.m. at Bowman Gray Stadium.

"I really don't think we've lost that momentum from winning the CIAA," Maynor said. "We've got a good, solid football team that understands our goals and what we are trying to do. They understand that the off week was about staying in shape but getting healthy and concentrating on your books."

The Rams (11-0) are in unfamiliar territory ...

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Florida A&M University band director is fired amid hazing investigation

Dr. Julian E. White
Former Chairman, Music Department and Director of
Florida A&M University Bands career comes to end
after 39 years of service with high distinction.

(click on photo to enlarge)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida A&M University has fired longtime band director Julian White, four days after the death of a drum major in which police say hazing was involved.

"Dr. White has been terminated from employment at the university," said FAMU President James Ammons, citing White’s "inability to stop hazing in the department of music and in the band."

"We are serious: This has to stop," Ammons said in an interview with The Orlando Sentinel. "The highest priority we have as a university is protecting the health, safety and well-being of our students."

The news comes a day after Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings announced that hazing is being investigated in the death of Robert Champion, who collapsed aboard a parked charter bus in front of the Rosen Plaza hotel Saturday night after the Florida Classic football game. The FAMU band performed during halftime.

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Former FAMU band member: Directors knew about hazing

SMYRNA, Georgia -- When Ivery Luckey heard that hazing may be to blame for Robert Champion's death, he wasn't surprised. Thirteen years ago, as a sophomore clarinet player in FAMU's Marching 100, Luckey was beaten so badly he spent 11 days in the hospital.

"I had full renal failure," he said. "My organs were beginning to shut down and toxins were building in my body and I had to go into dialysis."

Luckey joined Florida A&M University's famed band as a freshman in 1997. He later became friends with 26-year-old Robert Champion, the Southwest DeKalb High School grad and FAMU drum major who died last weekend after suspected hazing.

In an exclusive interview with 11Alive's Blayne Alexander, Luckey described his own hazing ordeal. He said it began his sophomore year, when he wanted to secure his place on the field.

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Director of famous marching band fired as university president vows to end initiation ceremonies after 'healthy' drum major dies

• Julian White fired by Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University president
• James Ammons disappointed White could not stop alleged 'hazing' events
• Robert Champion, 26, died after initiation ceremony on Saturday in Orlando

United Kingdom -- A world-famous university marching band has been thrown further into chaos after its long-serving director was last night fired after the death of a drum major in a suspected initiation ceremony.

Julian White, of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, was unable to stop the alleged ‘hazing’ events in the band and music department, college president James Ammons said.

Robert Champion, 26, was found unresponsive on a bus parked outside a hotel in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday night after the school's football team lost to Daytona Beach rival Bethune-Cookman.

Mr Champion was vomiting and had complained he couldn't breathe before he collapsed. Mr White meanwhile has been placed on paid administrative leave and has 10 days to respond to his firing.

The incident happened following a popular football and marching band competition between two of the state's historically black universities at the Florida Clasjavascript:void(0)ic in Orlando.

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READ RELATED ARTICLES:
FAMU band director to be fired following drum major's death
FAMU student death prompts probe of hazing practices

Task force will review death of FAMU student

XU makes a splash in Campbell's-ITA preseason rankings

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana has three singles players and three doubles teams in the Campbell's-Intercollegiate Tennis Association NAIA preseason rankings announced Wednesday.

Most notably:

• Loic Didavi is seventh in men's singles — Xavier's highest ranking since Miroslav Vukicevic was fifth in March 2008.

• Didavi, Steffen Giles-Osborn (career-high 13th) and Amir Rahbar (career-high 46th) give the Gold Rush three nationally ranked singles players for the first time since April 2009.

• The Gold Rush have two nationally ranked doubles teams for the first time. Didavi and Zach Taylor are third — Xavier's highest NAIA ranking ever — and Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson are 21st.

Nicole DeLoach and Kourtney Howell are 22nd in women's doubles. All the aforementioned XU men and women are ranked in the South, with Didavi second in singles and second in doubles with Taylor. It's the fourth consecutive season that Giles-Osborn has been nationally ranked at least once in singles.

Updated individual rankings will be announced March 7, April 11 and May 23. The NAIA will announce its preseason top-25 team rankings Jan. 31 and first regular-season rankings Feb. 21.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Morgan State Lacrosse Day -- Coming Soon!

St. Aug's RJ Daniels signs scholarship with XU Gold Rush

R.J. Daniels

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — RJ Daniels, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from New Orleans and Saint Augustine High School, signed a men's basketball scholarship Tuesday with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Daniels averaged 8.9 points, six rebounds and two steals per game this past season for the Purple Knights, who were 31-6 and won the Class 5A state championship and the District 10-5A championship. Daniels scored nine points Monday in St. Aug's season-opening 63-43 victory at Brother Martin.

"We are excited to bring RJ into the Xavier family," ninth-year Gold Rush coach Dannton Jackson said. "He is a great addition to our program. He brings a winning attitude and academic excellence to our university. He knows how to win. He's a tough player. He can shoot the ball and take it to the rim."

Daniels, Xavier's first signee for 2012-13, will be a biology/pre-medical major.

RJ Daniels signed a men's basketball scholarship with Xavier University of
Louisiana at the St. Augustine High School library Tuesday. In attendance were,
 from left: XU athletics director Dennis Cousin, XU head coach Dannton Jackson,
 family members Marcel Daniels, Angerean Taylor, Connie Daniels,
Roland Daniels, Caleb Daniels and XU assistant coach Alfred Williams.

(click on all photos to enlarge)

The Gold Rush are 4-0 and ranked 21st in NAIA Division I. The XU men were 27-6 in 2010-11 and qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship for the fifth time in seven seasons. Xavier's 26 seasons of 20 or more victories are the most in the history of Louisiana men's college basketball.

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

NEXT GAME: XU Gold Nuggets 
Live Webcast - Xavier vs. Holy Names , Nov. 25, 6 p.m. (click here)

Xavier Classic at The Barn tournament information      Thursday, November 24 (Thanksgiving Day) 1 p.m. — Dillard vs. Rust 3 p.m. — Holy Names vs. Texas College 5 p.m. — Mobile vs. Tuskegee 7 p.m. — Xavier vs. Langston Friday, November 25 Noon — Rust vs. Mobile 2 p.m. — Tuskegee vs. Texas College 4 p.m. — Dillard vs. Langston 6 p.m. — Xavier vs. Holy Names

Sheriff Demings says hazing involved in death of FAMU student/Marching 100 Drum Major Robert D. Champion

4:24 p.m. EST, November 22, 2011

Orlando, Florida -- Orange County Sheriff Jerry L. Demings announced today that hazing was involved in the death of FAMU student Robert D.Champion in Orlando last weekend. Results of an autopsy performed Monday were inconclusive, Demings said. More medical tests will be performed.

Demings' comments came just hours after Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University announced it has suspended all band performances while the university investigates the circumstances of the drum major's death in Orlando amid allegations of hazing within the school's famed marching band.

FAMU President Dr. James Ammons announced today that FAMU is organizing an independent task force related to "unauthorized and questionable" activities within the 375-member marching band. The panel would try to "determine if there are patterns of inappropriate behavior within the culture of the band," Ammons said.

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Today's FAMU Press Conference Talking Points - James H. Ammons, President


A Musical & Photographic tribute to the late Robert Champion. Mr. Champion was a Drum Major for the FAMU Marching 100 Band. (this video was originally uploaded by: Twan Born'Bleszed Miller at Facebook. Music by Florida A&M University Marching 100, "Order My Steps," with solo by Star Crawford.

Authorities investigate FAMU student’s death

Orlando, Florida -- New details about the mysterious death of a Florida A&M student following this weekend's Florida Classic. University president James Ammons suspended all practices and performances for the Marching 100 band as the investigation into how a member died continues.

Robert Champion died Saturday night in the parking lot of the Rosen Plaza Hotel on International Drive.

Ammons announced the school will form an independent task force to look into the death and determine if there were ongoing inappropriate band customs or traditions. He was a drum major for the FAMU marching band that played at the Florida Classic.

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To our brothers and sisters of Florida A&M University, The Marching 100 and the Champion Family. It's pointless to try to express how we feel for you in words. We dedicate this song from the 1999 FSU Marching Chiefs, originally performed for the loss of one of our own. We turn to it again for the same purposes. May you always find comfort in music...

-The Florida State University Marching Chiefs

& The Entire Seminole Family

Southern and Grambling preparing for Bayou Classic battle

New Orleans, Louisiana -- Needing a win against Southern in this Saturday’s Bayou Classic to clinch a berth to next month’s Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game, Grambling Coach Doug Williams said his team will be ready.

Williams and Southern Coach Stump Mitchell were in New Orleans today for the annual coaches news conference at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome that kicks off the week of events related to the big rivalry game.

Grambling (6-4, 5-3) is on a five-game winning streak since starting the season at 1-4. Southern (4-6, 4-4) can clinch a four-way tie for a share of the SWAC Western Division with a victory. Grambling has won the previous three games against Southern.

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Win Saturday puts GSU in title game

GRAMBLING, LA ­— Grambling head football coach Doug Williams had forgotten Alabama A&M and Prairie View were playing last Saturday afternoon until he heard A&M had a 14-0 lead on the Panthers.

And the reason for his distraction wasn't because he was watching the Tigers men's basketball team's home opener.

"It's not that I didn't have an idea, but it wasn't on my mind at the time," Williams said of A&M's 17-15 win that left Grambling alone atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division. "I was probably thinking next week. Scotty (Boatright) came to me and said it's 14-0 A&M. At that time, my heart was like, 'Ummph.' I forgot."

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New events planned for Bayou Classic weekend

The 38th Annual State Farm Bayou Classic kicks off this weekend starting Thanksgiving Day. For the first time, a Bayou Classic Thanksgiving Day parade will be held.

This annual extravaganza features one of America's greatest college sports rivalries, bringing the fans and alumni of Southern University and Grambling State University for a celebration of football, family and the traditions and pageantry surrounding Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The Bayou Classic parade will begin at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24)-- starting at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and ending at the French Market on North Peters. It will feature the Human Jukebox as well as the Marching Tigers and several other local bands.

The weekend culminates with the Bayou Classic football game at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26. Other events include the annual Battle of the Bands and Greek Show on Friday, an HBCU Summit which features a conversation about the challenges facing Black Colleges moderated by CNN's Soledad O'Brien also on Friday, a Coaches' Luncheon, and an Inspirational Gospel Brunch.

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Evans seeking first Bayou Classic win after 3 losses

This is it. For three seasons, Southern wide receiver LaQuinton Evans stood on the field level at the Superdome, watching the final seconds of the Bayou Classic fade away. Three seasons, three losses. Now, he’s a senior. Now, this week, Evans has one more shot at the one win he wants more than all the others.

At 1 p.m. Saturday in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Evans and Southern (4-6, 4-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference) face archrival Grambling (6-4, 5-3).  The Jaguars once dominated this series, winning 10 of 11 meetings from 1993-2003. Now, they’ve lost three straight to Grambling.



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Billiot has been solid for WSSU offensive line

Winston Salem, N.C. - Darrell Billiot is one of the few Texas natives to have played football at Winston-Salem State, but he fits in fine.

The only senior starter on the offensive line, he came from Blinn Junior College in Texas two years ago and has been a starter since Day 1. He's one reason the third-ranked Rams (11-0) are in the Division II playoffs and preparing for a second-round game Saturday against No. 17 California (Pa.) at Bowman Gray Stadium.

"He's everything that we'd thought he'd be," line coach John Eder said of the 6-foot-3, 340-pound Billiot.

When Connell Maynor took over as coach in 2010, the Rams were in dire need of quality linemen. Eder heard about Billiot, who played at Blinn in 2009 when quarterback Cam Newton led the team to the national junior college championship.

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NSU fans, students wait hours for tickets to ODU game

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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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

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana -- Christy Willis made two 3-pointers during a 21-3 run to open the second half Monday and rally LSU-Shreveport to a 69-65 women's basketball victory against NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana.

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 score

tournament information

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

Thursday, November 24 (Thanksgiving Day) at THE BARN 1 p.m. — Dillard vs. Rust 3 p.m. — Holy Names vs. Texas College 5 p.m. — Mobile vs. Tuskegee 7 p.m. — Xavier vs. Langston Friday, November 25 Noon — Rust vs. Mobile 2 p.m. — Tuskegee vs. Texas College 4 p.m. — Dillard vs. Langston 6 p.m. — Xavier vs. Holy Names

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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MEAC Championship Highlights

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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Bethune-Cookman's playoff selection snub 'unbelievable'

Coach Brian Jenkins

Daytona Beach, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman football coach Brian Jenkins watched the FCS playoff selection show Sunday morning, and his worst fear was realized.

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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