FAMU trustees say no to Rick Scott's request to suspend school president

Dr. James H. Ammons, President
 Florida A&M University

TALLAHASSEE — Florida A&M University trustees needed just two minutes Monday to dismiss Gov. Rick Scott's call to suspend President James Ammons as authorities investigate a student's hazing death and allegations of financial fraud.

"We will stand firm against outside influence regardless of how well intended," said Board of Trustees chairman Solomon Badger.

Meeting via conference call, the 12-member board barely discussed a recommendation that Ammons be removed until the investigations are complete.  Badger suggested the board wait for a final report before taking further disciplinary action against Ammons, the university's president since 2007.

"Dealing with a sensitive matter, such as a student's death, allegations of hazing and the well-founded concerns of the students' safety, requires that we operate on facts," he said.

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Howard University upsets Wake Forest in OT

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- (12/18/2011) -- The Howard women’s basketball team upset Wake Forest 63-59 in Winston Salem, N.C. This marks the third time in Howard Women’s basketball history that the Lady Bison have defeated an Atlantic-Coast Conference opponent. Previously, HU women’s basketball knocked off Maryland and N.C. State under legendary MEAC Hall of Fame coach Sandra Tyler.

“Anytime you can make history and follow in the foot-steps of a hall of famer, feels great,” says fourth-year head coach Niki G. “It is great for the team and the program.”


Saadia Doyle, 5-11 R-Junior Forward
 Atlanta, Georgia (Columbia H.S.)

With the victory, Howard (5-5, 2-0 MEAC) improves its win streak to four, while Wake Forest drops to 7-3 on the season.

Saadia Doyle finished with a season-best, 28 points – shooting 10-19 from the field, and 8-9 from the charity stripe. Tamoria Holmes tallied 14 points and seven boards. Cheyenne Curley-Payne chipped in with 10 points, five rebounds, and six steals.

In the second period, the Demon-Deacons threw the first blow pushing the lead to as many as 21 points (46-25) with just under 15 minutes to play. Ignited by a Doyle fast break layup, HU rattled off 15 straight points over a nine-plus span to cut the margin to 46-40 by the 6:13 mark. Sandra Garcia ended the Wake Forest drought with a basket. From there, both teams went toe-to-toe playing to a 52-52 knot by the end of regulation.

To tip-off the extra five-minutes, the Demon-Deacons earned a free-throw from the charity stripe. HU brushed passed Wake Forest and dominated the period by outscoring them 11-7 to a final of 63-59, however.

“Tamoria and Saadia played well,” commented Coach G. “Saadia came up with key back-to-back baskets which gave us the tie to go into overtime. Once overtime began I knew we had the momentum. We gave great defensive effort, especially by holding their leading scorer, Chelsea Douglas, to one point.”

The Deacs were led by Garcia, who finished with a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds. Secily Ray contributed 10 points and nine boards.

Game notes: Wake Forest leading scorer Chelsea Douglas came into the game averaging 14 points, but was held to just one point on the night. HU scored 20 points from the Demon-Deacons’ 27 turnovers. The Lady Bison found much success from the free-throw line, shooting 21-23 (91 percent) for the game. Wake Forest dominated the glass, 53-38, and outscored Howard in the paint, 40-16.

NEXT GAME: The Lady Bison are back in action on Tues. Dec. 20 at home against Buffalo beginning at 7 p.m.

BOX SCORE

PHOTO GALLERY

By  Jamilah Corbett, Assistant Director of Sports Information
VISIT: HOWARD UNIVERSITY
VISIT: HOWARD-BISON

XU's Jacksons, Moses receive All-Louisiana recognition

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana siblings Kwame and Zahri Jackson both received Freshman of the Year honors on the 2011 All-Louisiana collegiate cross country teams announced late Friday, and XU's Joseph Moses was chosen Coach of the Year on the women's team for the fourth time.

The Jacksons, from Kingwood, Texas, and graduates of Kingwood Park High School, also were chosen All-Louisiana.

Kwame Jackson was the first freshman in at least 13 years to win the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's individual championship. He posted five top-10 finishes in eight races, including three in the top five, and recorded the No. 2 four-mile time in XU history, 21 minutes, 46.1 seconds, at the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational in September.

Zahri Jackson became the first XU female freshman to win a GCAC individual championship, and her 5,000-meter time of 19:20.40 was second fastest in 11 years by a female at GCAC meet. She recorded the three fastest 5Ks in XU history and set XU records of 16:27.58 for 4K and 19:15.18 for 5K in her first two meets.



From left: Xavier's Joseph Moses is Coach of the Year on the 2011 All-Louisiana
women's cross country team. Kwame Jackson was chosen to the seven-member All-Louisiana men's team and Freshman of the Year. Kwame's sister Zahri earned the
 same honors on the women's team.
(Click photo to enlarge)

Both the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets won GCAC team championships for a sixth consecutive year and qualified for the NAIA National Championships for the third time in four seasons.

Moses guided XU's women to a 13-6-1 record against NCAA Division I opponents and a school-record 41 victories. Three of his freshmen — Zahri Jackson, Catherine Fakler and Hali Yarmush — combined for eight of the 12 fastest 5K times in Xavier history, including the three fastest. The top two 6K times were run this year.

Moses also won the state coaching award on the women's team in 2006, 2008 and 2009 and on the men's team in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He is the only Louisiana coach to win the women's award more than twice.

Zahri Jackson is the second XU female to be Louisiana Freshman of the Year. Anna D'Souza shared the award in 2008. Kwame Jackson is the fourth Gold Rush runner in 10 years to be the men's Freshman of the Year, joining Prince Mumba (2002), David Salmon (2007) and Mark Dotson (2009).

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel selected the teams.

2011 All-Louisiana Women's Cross Country Team
Paige Callahan, freshman, Tulane
Katherine Crabtree, junior, Tulane
Zahri Jackson, freshman, Xavier
Monica Jepkemboi, junior, SUNO
Leigh-Ann Naccari, junior, LSU
Fionnuala Ross, junior, McNeese State
Amy Talbot, sophomore, McNeese State

Runner of the Year: Paige Callahan, Tulane
Newcomer of the Year: Amy Talbot, McNeese State
Freshman of the Year: Zahri Jackson, Xavier
Coach of the Year: Joseph Moses, Xavier

2011 All-Louisiana Men's Cross Country Team
Alex Bruce-Littlewood, graduate, McNeese State
Silah Chumba, junior, Louisiana-Monroe
Cullen Doody, senior, LSU
Kwame Jackson, freshman, Xavier
Joseph LeGrange, sophomore, Southeastern Louisiana
Mark Manion, freshman, Tulane
Daniel Mutai, junior, Louisiana-Monroe

Runner of the Year: Daniel Mutai, Louisiana-Monroe
Newcomer of the Year: Alex Bruce-Littlewood, McNeese State

Freshman of the Year: Kwame Jackson, Xavier

Coach of the Year: James Malone, Louisiana-Monroe

By Ed Cassiere, SID

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Happy Holidays -- from the Howard University Bison Family

ABOUT THE SINGERS:
Afro-Blue is a fun-loving Jazz/Pop a cappella ensemble from Howard University in Washington, D.C. The group started as a class in the music department at Howard in 2002, with this current version of the group singing together since 2009. They have plenty of soul, and all ten members meld together quite nicely. With beautiful harmonies, soaring solos and a fresh look, Afro-Blue is a legitimate contender in any singing competition in which they are involved.
 
Group members include: Eliza Berkon, Reggie Bowens, Trenton Cokley, Christie Dashiell, Integriti Reeves, Devin Robinson, John Kenniebrew, Mariah Maxwell, Brian Vickers and Danielle Withers.

Hamilton and Reuther earn All-Louisiana honors for Xavier

Christabell Hamilton
COACH OF YEAR

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Christabell Hamilton, who guided the Gold Nuggets to a record-setting turnaround in her debut season, is the Coach of the Year on the 2011 All-Louisiana collegiate women's volleyball team. Xavier's Taylor Reuther was chosen to the second team and tied for second in voting for Freshman of the Year.

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel selected the team, which was announced late Saturday. It's the first time that Xavier received All-Louisiana recognition in this sport.

Hamilton, hired less than 11 weeks before the Gold Nuggets' season opener, led Xavier to a 23-7 record — the program's first winning season — after finishing 11-26 in 2010. The 15½-match turnaround was the fourth best in the NAIA this year. Xavier won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships without dropping a match and earned
its first berth in the NAIA National Championship.

The Gold Nuggets were 9-1 in matches longer than three sets, and they set school records for victories, consecutive victories (8 — twice), home victories (8), conference victories (10), victories on opponents' courts (6) and winning percentage (.767).

Hamilton is the third coach — the second since the 1930s — to win a conference championship in a debut season at Xavier.

Taylor Reuther
2nd TEAM
ALL-LOUISIANA VOLLEYBALL 

Reuther, a 5-foot-7 outside hitter from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School, led Xavier in kills (324), aces (55) and digs (325). She was All-GCAC, GCAC Tournament Co-MVP and GCAC Player of the Week three times.

Reuther ranked 13th in the NAIA — third among freshmen — in aces per set. She produced a team-best 12 kill-dig double-doubles, nine more than Xavier had in 2010. Reuther had 16 matches with 10 or more kills and 18 matches with 10 or more digs.

Reuther received three votes for Freshman of the Year to share runner-up honors with LSU's Malorie Pardo. Northwestern State's Stacey DiFrancesco received five votes to earn the award.

2011 All-Louisiana Women's Volleyball Team
FIRST TEAM
Keelie Arneson, freshman, Northwestern State
Nicole Bowden, senior, McNeese State
Stacey DiFrancesco, freshman, Northwestern State
Desiree Elliott, sophomore, LSU
Madie Jones, junior, LSU
Meghan Mannari, junior, LSU
Cori Martone, sophomore, Tulane
Malorie Pardo, freshman LSU

SECOND TEAM
Becky Bekelja, junior, McNeese State
Zuzana Markova, junior, Louisiana-Monroe
Lesley Mirarchi, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Taylor Reuther, freshman Xavier
Stephany Salas, junior, Louisiana Tech
Michele Williams, senior, LSU
Anna Wruck, freshman Tulane

HONORABLE MENTION
Paige Dollison, senior, Southeastern Louisiana
Nikki Osuna, senior, Tulane
Clara Vido, sophomore, Louisiana Tech
Samantha Worsham, junior, Loyola

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Madie Jones, LSU
Voting: Jones 5, Bowden 3, DiFrancesco 3, Salas 1
LIBERO OF THE YEAR: (tie) Keelie Arneson, Northwestern State; Meghan Mannari, LSU
Voting: Arneson 5, Mannari 5, Salas 2
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Stephany Salas, Louisiana Tech
Voting: Salas 7, Markova 5
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Stacey DiFrancesco, Northwestern State
Voting: DiFrancesco 5, Pardo 3, Reuther 3, Christal Hollins (SUNO) 1
COACH OF THE YEAR: Christabell Hamilton, Xavier
Voting: Hamilton 5, Ernest Vazquez (Louisiana-Monroe) 3, Tommy Harold (Loyola) 2, Fran Flory (LSU) 1

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

Coastal Edged by S.C. Sate in Carolinas Challenge

MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina - Shatia Cole knocked down a three from the left wing with 1:05 remaining to give Coastal Carolina a one point advantage; however, the Chanticleers would not hold on as South Carolina State converted six free throws down the stretch to secure the 61-59 victory in the third game of the Crescent Bank Carolinas Challenge on Sunday.

The setback moves Coastal to 6-2 on the season as SC State improves to 4-6.

For the second time in as many games, four Chants scored in double figures as Shanika Maddox led the way with 14 points. Cole poured in 13 followed by Taylor Epley's career-high 11 points and Kayla Cook's 10. Maddox and Epley each finished with a game-high nine boards.

The teams exchanged baskets in the early going of the second half before the Chants took a four point advantage, 38-34, with 16:49 remaining. The Bulldogs then used a 5-1 run to take their first lead of the game at 39-38 at the 15:18 mark. SC State extended its lead to nine points thanks to several Coastal turnovers the Bulldogs turned into a 13-2 run over the ensuing 7:30.

Final Stats

NEXT GAME: S.C. STATE LADY BULLDOGS VS. UNC-ASHVILLE

MONDAY, DEC. 19 at 6:00 p.m. @ the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center (Tullis Arena) on the campus of Claflin University (adjacent to SC State Campus). Tullis Arena is located at 400 Magnolia Street in Orangeburg, S.C.

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SSU's Babb return key in East's HBCU Bowl win

ATLANTA, Georgia - A happy homecoming wasn't the only return for Justin Babb at the HBCU All-Star Bowl. Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - A happy homecoming wasn't the only return for Justin Babb at the HBCU All-Star Bowl.

Babb's 100-yard return of a failed field-goal attempt fueled the East All- Stars to a 23-13 victory over the West All-Stars on Saturday. Babb, a senior from Savannah State, was playing the all-star game in his hometown of Atlanta. He scored with nine seconds left in the third quarter to push the East's lead to 20-10.

"The coaches put me in the best position to be successful and I did that," Babb said. "I've never done it (a touchdown return) on an attempted field goal. Once I caught the ball, I saw all my blue jerseys escort me down the field. They did great blocking for me. So I just did what I can."



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Head Coach Melvin Spears’ future at Alcorn uncertain

LORMAN, Mississippi -- It’s often difficult to evaluate a head coach’s first year with a team, when players are adjusting to his coaching philosophy and offensive and defensive schemes. So I was perfectly willing to give Alcorn State head football coach Melvin Spears a mulligan for the Braves’ disappointing 2011 season.

On the field, the results are easily forgettable — and Alcornites probably want to forget them. The Braves finished 2-8 overall, 1-8 in SWAC play, capped off by a 51-7 blowout loss to rival Jackson State Nov. 19 in the Capital City Classic.

Still, it usually takes a coach at least one year for himself, the assistant coaches and the players to feel each other out. Players are used to how the previous regime did things, and the first year is often times when the staff finds out which players are willing and able to adjust, and which are better off someplace else.

But after just one year on the job, Spears was recently placed on administrative leave with pay by the university, and a final decision on whether or not to retain him will be coming after the holidays.

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Gray's play makes Xavier Gold Rush blue; Loyola wins in 3 OTs

Nick Haywood
Xavier University Gold Rush

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Corey Gray scored seven of his 23 points in the third overtime Saturday to lift Loyola to a 95-91 men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana at The Den.

The Wolfpack (8-4) completed its first season sweep of the Gold Rush (7-3) and won at home against its city rival for the second time in 17 attempts. Loyola won 66-59 at Xavier on Nov. 29. Xavier leads the series 29-6.

Gray scored all his points after halftime and had 12 points in the extra 15 minutes. His basket with 10 seconds remaining in regulation tied the score at 62, and the game went to overtime when Xavier's Chris Iles missed a running 12-footer from the right baseline at the buzzer.

Nick Haywood's 3-pointer with six seconds remaining tied the score at 72 for Xavier and forced a second overtime. The Gold Rush missed a chance to win in the second overtime when Wanto Joseph missed a second free throw after the making the first with 21 seconds remaining. That left the score tied at 83.

Loyola's McCall Tomeny then missed at the buzzer.

Loyola never trailed in the third overtime and took the lead for good, 90-88, on Chris Joseph's basket with 1:16 remaining. Gray's 3-pointer made it 93-89 with 25 seconds to play, and he scored the game's final points on a pair of free throws with 18 seconds remaining.

Tomeny scored 19 points, Cameron Cates 16, Chris Joseph 15 and Robert Lovaglio 13 for Loyola.

Xavier had six scorers in double figures. Denzell Erves had 17, Wanto Joseph and Haywood had 15 apiece, Iles had 12 and Cordell Hadnot and Jamaan Kenner scored 10 each. Hadnot grabbed a career-high-tying 12 rebounds, and Joseph had a career-high nine assists.

The Gold Rush outshot the Wolfpack 48.5 to 41.4 percent from the floor, but Loyola had a 45-36 rebound advantage and dominated at the line, making 29-of-39 free throws to Xavier's 15-of-21. The Gold Rush committed a season-worst 31 fouls, and Erves and Anthony Simmons both fouled out in the second overtime.

Xavier made 10 3-pointers to tie a season high. Haywood made three treys, and Iles, Kenner and Kevin Miller made two apiece. Gray and Chris Joseph made three treys apiece for Loyola.

Loyola outscored Xavier 7-0 in the final four minutes of the first half to trim the Gold Rush advantage to 30-28. Xavier led 54-46 after an Erves basket with 8:49 remaining in regulation.

It was the first time Xavier and Loyola played overtime. It was the first time the Gold Rush played multiple overtimes since an 80-72 home victory against Mobile on Jan. 29, 2004. XU records on three-overtime games are incomplete, but the Gold Rush won in triple overtime at Dillard during the 1992-93 season and against Loras in the National Catholic Tournament at Dubuque, Iowa, during the 1990-91 season.

Xavier will break for Christmas, then resume its schedule with games in Miami Gardens, Fla., against Florida Memorial on Dec. 28 and St. Thomas on Dec. 29.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown slams Gov. Rick Scott for recommending FAMU's president be suspended

Rep. Corrine Brown (D - FL)
United States House of Representatives

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- In a letter sent late Friday, U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown hammered Gov. Rick Scott for "strongly recommending" that Florida A&M President James Ammons be suspended.

The letter comes a day after a group of angry FAMU students protested in front of the governor's mansion as a result of the Scott's call for a suspension.

"I am extremely disappointed with your effort to suspend the university's President, Dr. James Ammons. By carrying out this action, you may very well jeopardize the academic accreditation of FAMU, one of our nation's finest Historically Black Colleges and Universities," she wrote.

The university is reeling from the hazing-related death of Robert Champion, a drum-major on the school's famed "Marching 100" band. That death was ruled a homicide Friday.

REP. BROWN'S LETTER

READ THE AUTOPSY REPORT ON DEATH OF MR. CHAMPION (PDF)

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Hazing at FAMU exposes culture of silence

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Next year was supposed to be a big year for Florida A&M University. The nation’s largest historically black university is scheduled to celebrate 125 years since its founding in 1887.

Unfortunately, instead of talking about the many contributions its faculty and alumae have made to this country, the FAMU community will be consumed by the H and I words. Not high academic scores, not healthcare solutions for the underserved, but hazing and investigations.

As if to emphasize this sad fact, Tallahassee police on Monday arrested three band members and charged them with hazing for allegedly breaking the thigh of a female band member being initiated into the Red Dawg Order, a band club for Georgia natives.

And on Wednesday, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced that its investigation into the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion has led to the opening of another investigation — into fraud at the university.

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Council scores 30 to help Wolfpack hold off XU Gold Nuggets

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Keiva Council scored 19 of her 30 points in the second half Saturday, and Loyola survived a late Xavier University of Louisiana rally to grab a 67-64 women's basketball victory at The Den.

The victory was the third in a row for the Wolfpack, whose 10-1 start is the best in the program's history. Loyola snapped the three-game win streak of the Gold Nuggets (7-4), ranked 16th in NAIA Division I.

Council, NAIA Division I's scoring leader with 23.1 points per game, scored nine points during a 17-6 run which gave Loyola its biggest lead, 58-43, with 8:23 remaining. Xavier closed to within one point twice in the final two minutes but missed two opportunities to tie the score in the final minute.

Council was 7-of-19 from the floor, 3-of-8 from 3-point range and 13-of-17 from the line with nine rebounds and four steals in 40 minutes. She's the first XU opposing player to reach 30 points since Langston's Matalya McBath-Belvin scored 32 in a 69-66 victory against the Nuggets on the second day of the Xavier Classic on Nov. 24, 2006.

The Nuggets' Keldra Hall missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 48 seconds remaining and Loyola leading 64-62, but Jazmoné Kelly grabbed the offensive rebound. Jasmine Grant was fouled seven seconds later, but made just the first of two free throws.

Loyola clinched the victory when Amy Moody grabbed an offensive rebound after Council's missed second free throw with 18 seconds remaining, then made two free throws for a 67-63 lead with 13 seconds to play.

SiMon Franklin had a season-high-tying 13 points and a career-best eight rebounds for Xavier. Grant and Hall scored 12 points apiece, and Kelly scored 10. Carmen Holcombe grabbed a career-high nine rebounds in 12 relief minutes.

Kelly's basket at 3:05 of the first half gave Xavier its biggest lead, 24-19, but Loyola scored nine of the next 11 points to take a 28-26 advantage at halftime. The Wolfpack went ahead to stay at 25-24 on Raven Lane's fast-break basket at 1:31.

Xavier shot a season-best 51 percent from the floor but made 10-of-19 free throws after making 27-of-31 the previous two games. Loyola shot 38 percent from the floor and made 25-of-35 free throws. Xavier had a 34-32 rebound advantage but committed 25 turnovers, five more than the Wolfpack.

Xavier will travel to Las Vegas for a pair of games in the Vegas Hoopla. The Gold Nuggets will play NAIA No. 1 Oklahoma City on Tuesday and Sterling on Wednesday. Both games will tip off at 4 p.m. PST.

BOX SCORE

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 

Coach Lonnie Bartley Gets 600th Win at Fort Valley State

FORT VALLEY, Georgia - In his 28th season as women's head coach at Fort Valley State University Lonnie Bartley is no stranger to milestones. On Saturday he added another, with his 600th career victory.

The Lady Wildcats topped a resilient West Georgia team 63-56, after leading the Lady Wolves 31-19 at halftime. Carmenonique Dawson led the way for FVSU with 18 points. The victory moves Bartley's team to 6-2 on the season, and adds another impressive figure to the long time coach's resume.

"Had all the teams I coached had the same attitude I have, 600 would've came a long time ago, because I was trying to win every one I coached," Bartley said. "I'm so appreciative that I was able to stay here at my alma mater for 28 years to see 600."

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FVSU’s Bartley reaches 600-win milestone

FORT VALLEY, GA -- When he started, canvas Chuck Taylors from Converse were the hot sneaker of choice. In one of his first major recruiting battles, he beat out Pat Summit of Tennessee.

Soon, the plan was one of “one more year” for a while. And now, here is Lonnie Bartley, hundreds of players and hundreds of wins later. The head women’s basketball coach at Fort Valley State has outlasted athletics directors, school presidents and a good many men’s basketball coaches, as well as interims at some of those positions.

One of the results of that consistency and stability is a milestone for both Bartley and his alma mater. The Lady Wildcats knocked off West Georgia 63-56 on Saturday to give Bartley his 600th career win, all at FVSU.

“I got a lot of texts and a lot of calls in the last three or four days,” Bartley said. “I’m glad to get it out of the way.”

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FAMU runs past Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions, 85-63

HAMMOND, Louisiana -- Southeastern Louisiana senior guards Amber Crenshaw and Jessica Sommers combined for seven of the Lady Lions' season-high nine three-point field goals, but Florida A&M countered with an efficient offensive performance to defeat Southeastern, 85-63, on the final day of the Southeastern Christmas Classic Saturday night at the University Center.

Despite the hot-shooting of Sommers and Crenshaw, Southeastern fell to 4-7 overall with its third straight loss. The Lady Rattlers (5-5) shot 52.5 percent (32-for-61) to win its second straight contest.

Sommers led Southeastern with a career-high 14 points, after hitting four three-pointers in the contest. Crenshaw added 10 points after hitting three attempts from behind the arc.

Senior guards Latoria Holder and Kelli Jenkins hit the other treys for the Lady Lions. Holder led Southeastern with three steals, while Jenkins dished out a game-high six assists.

For the second straight game, Southeastern junior forward Aja Gibson posted a double-double. The Somerville, Tenn. native netted 12 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.

Despite the efforts of Gibson, FAMU held a dominant 50-35 advantage on the boards. The Lady Rattlers also featured a balanced offensive attack, as sophomore guard Kimberly Sparkman put in a game-high 23 points to lead four players in double figures.

Senior post Qiana Donald (17 points), senior guard Tameka McKelton (15 points) and junior guard Keturah Martin (10 points) were the other top scorers for FAMU, who also got nine points apiece from senior forward Antonia Bennett and freshman wing Jaleesa Blue. Blue led FAMU with 10 rebounds, while Donald grabbed nine.

Box Score

2011-12 Southeastern Christmas Classic

Friday, December 16

Florida A&M 77, Northwestern State 53

Alcorn State 62, Southeastern Louisiana 54

Saturday, December 17

Alcorn State 70, Northwestern State 60

Florida A&M 85, Southeastern Louisiana 63

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Bowie State comes from behind for victory

ERIE, Pennsylvania - The Bowie State University men's basketball team improved to 6-1 by coming from behind to earn a 94-93 victory at Mercyhurst College on Saturday in Erie, Pa. The Bulldogs hit 31 of 34 shots at the foul line and erased a 14-point deficit in the second half to notch the victory.

Bishop McNamara High graduate Jay Gavin led five Bulldogs in double figures with 26 points, including a 13 of 14 performance at the foul line. Largo High grad Darren Clark added 22 points, and the Bulldogs got 12 points from Travis Hyman, 11 from Najee White and 10 from Dameatric Scott.

Mercyhurst (6-3) led by two at halftime, and then quickly expanded its lead to 12 points within the first three minutes of the second half. A 10-0 run by Bowie State made it a two-point game again with 16 minutes, 56 seconds to play. Gavin had five points in the run.

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Bethune-Cookman reopens case on hazing complaint

Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- The Bethune-Cookman University president is going to reopen a case involving a complaint of hazing against a band member in August.

Trudie Kibbe Reed said Friday she's taking the now former student's complaint "very seriously" and if there needs to be further inquiries into the Marching Wildcats -- "it will be done."

"The last thing I want to do is send a kid home in a coffin. I just won't do it," Reed said Friday, referring to the death of a drum major last month at Florida A&M University amid hazing allegations.

University officials confirmed media reports that student Christopher King made a complaint that he had been hazed by fellow band members.

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SUNO's Moore gets second Player of the Week honor in a row

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- SUNO's Clyde Moore, a junior guard, has been selected the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball Player of the Week for a second consecutive week. Moore led the Knights in scoring for the week with 38 points. He averaged 19 points per game, shooting 70% from the field. Moore also led in total rebounds with 14 while getting three steals for the week. Moore also made 71% of his foul shots for the week.

In an 84-78 loss to Loyola, Moore scored 15 points, grabbed seven total rebounds, had an assist, and registered one of the team's two blocks on the night. He shot four for seven from the field and made seven of his nine free throws for the night.

In the Knights' 95-82 victory over Johnson & Wales (Fla.), the Jackson, Mississippi native led in scoring with 23 points. He got seven boards, two assists, and two steals. Moore went ten of 13 from the field and made three of his five foul shots.

Tougaloo's Craft Receives GCAC Player of the Week Honors

Portia Craft, Sophomore Guard
McComb, Mississippi

 TOUGALOO, Mississippi -- The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference recently announced its men's and women's GCAC Players of the Week for the week ending December 11, 2011. Portia Craft, a sophomore guard from Magnolia, MS and a member of the Tougaloo College Women's Basketball team received the women's GCAC Player of the Week Honors.

No stranger to the GCAC, Craft receives this player of the week honor for her performance in leading the Lady Bulldogs past then #23 Belhaven University on Saturday, December 10, 2011. Craft's 21 points led the Lady Bulldogs to a 64-60 win. Craft also received player of the week honors earlier this season for her performance in leading the Lady Bulldogs past Division I SWAC Jackson State University. Craft is also the reigning GCAC Co-Freshman of the Year.

Hampton U. Six Invited to Center for Coaching Excellence

Head Basketball Coach David Six
Hampton University Lady Pirates

HAMPTON, Virginia - Hampton University head women’s basketball coach David Six is one of 30 coaches who have been invited to participate in the Center for Coaching Excellence, a joint venture between the Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association and Columbia University.

Six, who is in his third year at the helm, has guided the Lady Pirates to back-to-back MEAC tournament championships – as well as last season’s MEAC regular-season title – and was the 2011 MEAC Coach of the Year.

He is the first Hampton women’s coach to earn that honor since Patricia Cage-Bibbs in 1998.

The Lady Pirates (7-1, 2-0 MEAC) were the preseason favorite to win the MEAC this season, and heading into Monday night’s game at Alabama-Birmingham, Six is 52-20 at Hampton – which equates to a .722 winning percentage – and 29-5 against MEAC foes.

Hampton has won at least 20 games in each of its first two full seasons under Six – the first time the Lady Pirates have recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons since moving up to Division I in 1995. The Lady Pirates were also 15-1 in MEAC play last season – the team’s best conference mark since going 17-1 in 2002-03.

Prior to coming to the Lady Pirates, Six established himself as one of the nation’s best high school coaches, guiding the Hampton High School girl’s basketball teams to a pair of Virginia state titles, nine district championships and an impressive 331-93 record in 14 seasons.

Six was named the Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2007.

The Center for Coaching Excellence is a leadership training program, based on best practices in leadership development. It was developed by the WBCA and Columbia to “safeguard the integrity of college women’s basketball” and “provide college women’s basketball coaches with comprehensive leadership development and cultivate exceptional leaders in college women’s basketball.”

The program, which lasts two and a half days and takes place on Columbia’s campus in New York, N.Y., will take place on May 21-23 (first session) and June 11-13 (second session).

For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at http://www.hamptonpirates.com/.

Hectic pace, history part of Campbell's new gig at HU

Keisha Campbell
 Director of Athletics
Hampton University

HAMPTON, Virginia — Hampton University athletic director Keshia Campbell has yet to settle into her office — the same office (with the same carpet) that she occupied as HU's associate athletic director for administration in 2006.

Looking around the space, crammed with trophies and plaques and shaken once every few minutes by muffled sonic booms from the weight room below, she says, "If I were to leave here today, I would grab my purse and that Germ-X," indicating a bottle of hand sanitizer on her desk. "That's it. I came in and literally just started working and just haven't let up at all."

Campbell returned to Hampton in late July, hired away from the University of Texas-Dallas, where she'd worked since 2009 as the school's director for business affairs and special projects.

A native of Bennettsville, S.C., and the 1987 valedictorian of Blenheim High who carries bottles of Blenheim spicy ginger ale in the trunk of her car to offer to the uninitiated, Campbell is the first female AD in Hampton history.

The historic stop is the latest in a life devoted to athletics for Campbell, a 2006 inductee into the South Carolina State University Athletic Hall of Fame who led the school in scoring and rebounding and was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year as a senior in 1991.

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FVSU Bartley Looks Ahead to No. 600

FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA - When Lonnie Bartley took the women's head coaching job at Fort Valley State he initially thought it would be a five-year commitment. Twenty-eight years later Bartley is one win away from an amazing 600 victories at the collegiate level.

The Lady Wildcats dropped their first two games and are now on a five-game win streak that places the squad at 5-2 overall and undefeated in SIAC play.

This weekend they take a break from conference action when they host state rival West Georgia.



Bartley is admittedly ready to get the win over with so the focus can return to his team. But he says he's also excited about the next win, whenever it may come, because number 600 will be a celebration for everyone.

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Your Black World TV: What to Make of the Band Situation at FAMU?

SYRACUSE, New York -- Professor James Peterson is the Director of Africana Studies and an Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University (Pennsylvania). He has a great deal to say about the recent hazing incidents at Florida A&M University. In recent weeks, a student by the name of Robert Champion, died during a hazing ritual for the FAMU Marching 100 band. Since that time, the band director has been fired, the band’s activities have been suspended and Florida authorities are now claiming that other acts of fraud have been committed on the FAMU campus.

The incident leads many black scholars and members of the community to wonder if the culture of hazing has gone too far. Additionally, we are left wondering if there are other ways to regulate the process to keep it from remaining underground.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins: Senior Editor
Dr. Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. For more information, please visit YourBlackWorld.com.

Yvette Carnell: Political Contributor
Yvette is a former Capitol Hill staffer and graduate of Howard University. She commentates on political issues and news items that affect the African American community.

WSSU's Keaton, Cooper named AP Little All-America

WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina -- Individual awards keep flooding in for players on the best Winston-Salem State football team in school history.

Senior rover Alton Keaton was named a first-team selection Friday on The Associated Press Little All-America team, which honors players from NCAA Division II and Division III teams and from the NAIA, and running back Nic Cooper made the second team.

Keaton, a 5-foot-8, 180-pound spark plug, also was named the CIAA's defensive player of the year. He led the 13-1 Rams in tackles with 104. The All-America honor came as news Friday to Keaton when he was reached by telephone at his hotel room in Atlanta, where he's preparing for Sunday's HBCU All-Star Game.

"It's a great accomplishment, and it's a great feeling to know my hard work paid off," he said.

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Classics Sports Radio Network to broadcast HBCU Bowl

Fuquay-Varina, NC – For the third-straight year, Classics Sports Radio Network will broadcast the HBCU All-Star Bowl on Sunday, December 19 live from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Kickoff is slated for 3:00 p.m. ET and the pregame show will begin at 2:30 p.m.

Donal Ware (play-by-play), Eric Curry (color), who are working together for the eighth season, will call the game. Ivan McDowell will handle sideline duties.

During the broadcast, CSRN will have exclusive interviews with players. The pregame show will include interviews with coaches and players as well.

Established in 2008, Classics Sports Radio Network has broadcast some of America’s most popular HBCU football games and sporting events on radio stations around the country. Games include the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Southern Heritage Classic, State Fair Classic, Atlanta Football Classic, CIAA Tournament, the SWAC Championship Game and the NCAA FCS Playoffs to name a few.



The HBCU Bowl teams are made up of 100 of the top eligible seniors amongst the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, in an East vs. West style format. The East team is made up of players from the MEAC and CIAA while the West team is made up of players from the SWAC and the SIAC. The players will participate in a “combine” atmosphere during the week as NFL personnel administer tests.

The broadcast can be heard on the radio stations listed below and online at www.classicsportsradio.com

Stations that will broadcast HBCU Bowl on Classics Sports Radio Network:

Station Location
WASU-FM 92.7 Albany, GA
KTSU-FM 90.9 Houston, TX
WJAB-FM 90.9 Huntsville, AL
WPRL-FM 91.7 Lorman, MS
WBOK-AM 1230 New Orleans, LA
WHKM-AM 1690 New Orleans
WSSB-FM 90.3 Orangeburg, SC
KAGY-AM 1510 Port Sulphur, LA

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/dwcomm.portal Worldwide http://www.classicsportsradio.com/ Worldwide http://hkingmagic.com// and (click on the Mobile Streaming logo) Mobile device

FAMU Update: Champion’s death ruled a homicide; Ammons considers stepping down

Excerpt:

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The FAMU Marching 100 drum major who died last month in Orlando was a homicide victim, according to the Orange-Osceola Medical Examiner’s Office. The information was released Friday after a meeting between Governor Rick Scott and Florida A&M University President James Ammons. It also came shortly after we learned of a reported molestation at FAMU’s K-12 school last May.



An 18-year-old graduate of FAMU Developmental Research School was arrested by FDLE agents in October for allegedly molesting an 8-year-old in a school bathroom last May. Ralph Monroe II (from Midway, FL) was arrested in Alabama, where he attends Stillman College on a football scholarship. The governor had alluded to another reason why Ammons should be suspended during the protest outside the mansion, but wouldn’t elaborate. FDLE released its report on the molestation shortly after Scott spoke to reporters Friday afternoon.



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