Howard Lady Bison Captures 20th Win, Extends Streak to Seven

HOWARD UNIVERSITY 2011-12 LADY BISON BASKETBALL TEAM

ROSTER

Record: 20-7, 12-2 MEAC (Tied for 1st place with Hampton & FAMU)

HEAD COACH: Niki Reid Geckeler, 4th season (Georgetown '93)
Associate Head Coach: James Simmons, 1st season (Belford '98)
Assistant Coach: Brian Johnson, 4th season (Drexel '98)
Assistant Coach: Mathew Jones, 1st season


(Click photo to enlarge)

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Tamoria Holmes hit a three pointer in the last six seconds of regulation to secure a 50-49 victory for Howard (20-7, 12-2 MEAC) in an exciting MEAC matchup against Coppin State (15-11, 10-3 MEAC). This marks the first 20-win season for the Lady Bison since the 2000-01 campaign when the team went 21-10 under head coach Cathy Parson.

The win also marks the seventh consecutive victory for the Lady Bison and puts HU ahead of Coppin in the MEAC standings, just under Hampton and Florida A&M.

Holmes tallied a game-high of 23 points while collecting four steals and grabbing five boards on the night. Saadia Doyle put together a solid effort with 12 points, six rebounds, and five steals.

Prior to tipoff, CSU was called for an administrative technical foul. HU gained a one point lead after converting on one-out-of two free throw attempts.

The Eagles began regulation with five-straight points. Doyle ended the run at 16:05 with a basket. Holmes then scored a lay-up to put the team to within one at the 15:41 mark.

The score remained tight as both teams battled to take the lead. By halftime the score was knotted 21-21.

Second half tipped off with a quick jumper by Holmes at the 19:40 mark for a 23-21 margin. Crystal Whittington tied the score again on the following play.

Larrissa Carter made a three-point play to give CSU a 46-43 advantage at the 2:13 mark. With 51 seconds left, Holmes then dropped a bucket inside the paint to decrease the margin to 46-45. CSU responded with a lay-up by Leola Spotwood with 41 seconds left in the ball game. Seconds later, a foul placed Spotwood on the free throw line. Spotwood converted just on one the stripe. Holmes answered with an immediate shot off the glass at 18 seconds. With the score set at 49-47, Holmes ended the game with a deep three-ball to win the game 50-49 over Coppin State.

Carter led CSU with 11 points and nine boards. Leola Spotwood pitched in with nine points. Crystal Whittington and Shawntae Payne both grabbed nine off the glass.

Howard forced CSU into 24 turnovers and gained 11 points from the Eagles' mishaps. The battle of the boards was won by Coppin State, 50-35. CSU converted only four points off of HU's 16 turnovers. Tough shooting night for both teams as Howard went 27 percent from the field (16-for-58), while Coppin State finished with a 33.9 clip (19-for-56).

HU will return home to face Maryland-Eastern Shore on Mon. Feb. 20 for senior night. Jump ball is set for 5:30 p.m. in Burr Gymnasium.

Follow Coach G's fan page on facebook to get a behind the scenes look at the team as they make their push toward the Big Dance: www.facebook.com/NikiGeckeler.

BOXSCORE

Written by Julee O'Neal, W. Basketball, Broadcast Journalism '13

Jamilah Corbitt, Assistant Director of Sports Information

VISIT: HOWARD-BISON.COM

VISIT: HOWARD UNIVERSITY

Air Force Downed by Alcorn State 7-5, at 'The Box'

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Air Force baseball opened the 2012 season with a 7-5 loss to Alcorn State Friday morning at LSU's Alex Box Stadium. The Falcons return to action later tonight, taking on LSU at 7 p.m. (CST).

Air Force could not hold a 5-0 lead as Alcorn State scored seven unanswered runs to rally to the win. After scoring its first run of the game in the sixth, the Braves put up a five-run seventh inning to take the lead.

The Falcons got a solid opening outing out of starting pitcher Evan Abrecht. Abrecht held Alcorn State in check for most of the game, holding the Braves scoreless through his first five innings. The senior pitched 6.2 innings, allowing four runs while striking out one.

Air Force had seven hits in the game, led by catcher Garrett Custons. Custons went 3-for-4 with three doubles in his first three at bats. Leftfielder and leadoff hitter Taylor Ausbun also played well, going 2-for-4 in his Falcon debut.

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Hoop dreams draw national spotlight to Hampton University

By Wayne Dawkins

HAMPTON, Virginia  -  Hampton University is in the news, mostly for better, a little for worse.

Darian Pellum, star of the men’s basketball team, performed a dunk so spectacular it was rated the No. 2 most spectacular athletic move on Feb. 16 ESPN Top Plays.

During the second half of the game against Division 1 rival University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Pellum stole the ball at midcourt, took several dribbles then launched the sphere against the backboard. He leaped over a shorter defender to catch his rebound and then dunk ferociously with two hands.

Pellum’s play trumped continuing Lin-sanity! in New York, where the Knicks’ Jeremy Lin cooled off his 20-plus point per game scoring. Instead, the point guard from Harvard rung up 13 assists and facilitated a dunk-a-thon blowout for consecutive win No. 7.

Here, in Virginia, a well done to Pellum for calling national attention to HU.

So, since viewers were drawn to the second-best ballers on our campus, they should linger the on campus stars: The women’s basketball team, last year’s conference champs and currently 10-1 in their conference and 18-4 overall.

READ MORE AT POLITICS IN COLOR

Roberts plays big-time game plays well in small-town Grambling

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Bright lights, big city, most famous basketball arena in the world, Quincy Roberts has been there and done that. Small towns, back roads, courts with little or no fanfare, Roberts is doing that now — and loving it.

The former St. John's University star has blended seamlessly into small-town Grambling, both on and off the court. "Grambling's excellent, man," Roberts said. "They do a good job. They make me feel comfortable. The students around the area are all friendly. I felt at home the minute I got here."

Nowhere does Roberts feel as comfortable as on the court. Since becoming eligible 13 games ago, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Harrisburg, Pa., native has given the Tigers' offense a New York City-sized boost.

Pairing a jumper with seemingly unlimited range and an ability to get to the basket, Roberts carries a 24 points per game scoring average into GSU's 5 p.m. today contest against Jackson State. He has done so with no ego, something GSU coach Bobby Washington wasn't sure would happen.

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Offseason surgery, injuries force Bulldogs to miss spring practice

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M will be without six key players, including four potential starters, when spring practice begins Friday.

Coach Anthony Jones' team will be without offensive tackle Alan Cruz, defensive end Melvin Payne, defensive tackle Quinton Robinson, inside linebacker Denzel Cotton and defensive backs Derrick Harris and Jeremy Isabelle.

Cruz, Cotton and Robinson are out after undergoing offseason knee surgery, while Payne is out after having offseason shoulder surgery. Cruz, Cotton and Payne are potential starters next season. Harris, who started at cornerback last season, has a back injury, while Isabelle, who sustained a neck injury late last season, hasn't fully recovered according to Jones.

"We'd love to have those guys this spring, but they need time to get healthy," he said. "This will give us a chance to look at some other guys and hopefully, develop some much-needed depth."

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Urban Invitational helps MLB try to lure more blacks to baseball

HOUSTON, Texas  -  For Michael Robertson at Texas Southern, Waskyla Cullivan at Prairie View A&M and the other coaches at Major League Baseball's Urban Invitational, coaching at a historically black university is a mixture of outreach and pragmatism. 

In a sport where black participation is dwindling, Robertson, Cullivan and their colleagues are determined to advance their schools' traditional mission of expanding opportunities. But they also want to - and have to - win games.

And so the six-team field that will compete through Sunday at Minute Maid Park and at Sylvester Turner Park in Acres Homes looks a lot like America - and unlike the bulk of NCAA baseball teams. Blacks accounted for only 5.1 percent of baseball players in NCAA Division I in 2010-11, down from 6.6 percent in 1999-2000. Across all NCAA divisions, blacks make up 3.9 percent of baseball players, down from 4.6 percent in 1999-2000.

By contrast, teams such as TSU, Prairie View and traditional Southwestern Athletic Conference powerhouse Southern are likely to include significant numbers of non-black players.

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FAMU refocused after first MEAC loss

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -  Two games prior to suffering its first loss in conference play, the Florida A&M women's basketball team managed to put itself within reach of making school history despite chronic ball-control issues. So when Howard handed the Rattlers their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference loss, 68-61, last weekend, it wasn't all that shocking to see FAMU was the victim of 23 turnovers.

"It woke us up and let us know that we can be beat any given time," FAMU coach LeDawn Gibson said. "It was very emotional for them. Some girls even shed some tears. It let me know that it bothered them, but they are refocused and ready to go."

The loss in Washington, snapped a 14-game win streak and one more victory would have tied the school record for consecutive victories. FAMU looks to get back on the winning path during its final two road games, first at Savannah State today and then South Carolina State on Monday.

FAMU (17-6, 10-1) has had an entire week to ...

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Big Dance could have some new participants

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This is a club with 306 members, from Air Force to Yale. There are more just dying to get in, from Bethune-Cookman to Youngstown State.  It's the Big Dance Club, and there is only one simple entry rule: Qualify for the NCAA basketball tournament. Just once is all you need, and then you're in the same record book with UCLA and Kentucky.

While 306 schools have done it, new enchanted faces show up every year -- is there any time more magical than the first time? -- with more likely in March.

The top candidates for 2012? Glad you asked.

Savannah State never has made it. But the Tigers lead the MEAC at the moment, although they were picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll. They have won 11 of 12, and hardened themselves with a nonconference march that included Georgetown, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arkansas and Georgia Tech.

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Dunk of the Year Candidate: Hampton’s Derrion Pellum

HAMPTON, Virginia - Whereas most players who attempt an off-the-backboard dunk in a game are accused of favoring style over substance, Hampton's Derrion Pellum managed to pull off the risky move at a time when it wasn't all flash.

In Wednesday night's game against Maryland Eastern Shore, Pellum poked away the ball from guard Mark Robertson at midcourt but didn't have a good angle after he retrieved the ball and raced up court in transition. As a result, Pellum evaded Robertson by tossing the ball off the glass, moving around him and throwing down an emphatic two-handed slam.


Pellum's dunk, posted on YouTube has received more the 1.15 Million Views in 72 hours.

Pellum's self alley-oop earned top play honors on "SportsCenter" and helped the Hampton star receive the type of exposure that is typically difficult for players in the MEAC to get.

Pellum, a senior guard, leads the MEAC in scoring at 18.4 points per game. He scored 33 points against Maryland Eastern Shore, three shy of his career high.

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WSSU badly needs win against J.C. Smith

WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina - No room for error. That's the situation Winston-Salem State is in after two straight losses, to No. 9 Shaw and to Livingstone.

The fast-fading Rams (17-6, 3-4 CIAA Southern Division) are ranked No. 7 in the Atlantic Region and clinging to hopes of making the NCAA Division II Tournament, but they need to win. They'll try to end their losing streak tonight when they play Johnson C. Smith (10-13, 3-4) at 7 o'clock at the Gaines Center.

The Rams have three regular-season games left before the CIAA tournament in Charlotte. Losses in four of the last six games will make their road to the NCAA tournament tougher, with only the top eight in each region advancing.

Coach Bobby Collins was not happy after Monday's lethargic 83-65 loss to Livingstone. There was an hour-long meeting after the game to clear the air, and Collins also put the Rams through a 6 a.m. practice later in the week.

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FSU carries hot streak into CIAA showdown with Shaw

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  -  Learning how to win meant losing a lot for the Fayetteville State men's basketball team this season. But after enduring a seven-game losing streak that included two overtime defeats in late January and early February, the Broncos have won four of their least five and three straight.

Coach Alphonza Kee hopes FSU can continue its hot streak into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament that begins Feb. 28 in Charlotte. But first the Broncos must close out the regular season with three pivotal CIAA games, starting today when Shaw comes to Capel Arena for a 7:30 p.m. game.

The Bears (21-2 overall, 13-0 CIAA) are the nation's No. 9-ranked NCAA Division II team and feature senior point guard Malik Allen. Allen ranks second in CIAA scoring (20.7) and is averaging 3.9 assists.

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Cedric Blossom discusses his commitment to Morgan State

BALTIMORE, Maryland  - During the summer he was the leading scorer on his AAU team. For his powerhouse high school program, he’s the ultimate “glue guy.” No matter the level of competition, and no matter the quantifiable contributions, Cedric Blossom’s do-it-all game has made him a favorite of coaches and players alike.

Blossom’s versatility also made him a prime mid-major recruit, with Bryant, Dartmouth, Holy Cross, Loyola, Morgan State, New Hampshire and Towson among the programs that expressed interest in the 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward. For the Montrose Christian co-captain and Columbia resident, one school seemingly always stood out above the rest.



“Morgan State first saw me on the AAU circuit, probably this summer actually,” Blossom said. “That’s where the head coach basically told me he fell in love with me. He said he needed me on the team.”

Blossom accepted Todd Bozeman’s offer last weekend, giving the Bears coach someone who “does all the little things to help you win.”

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J.C. Smith loses assistant coaches Flowers, Minter

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Johnson C. Smith football has lost a pair of high-profile assistant coaches during the offseason.

According to campus sources, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Maurice Flowers has taken the same position at CIAA South rival Shaw while defensive passing game coordinator Mike Minter left for the special teams coordinator’s position at Liberty University (Va.), an FCS program playing in the Big South Conference. Minter’s photo and biography are on Liberty’s football website.

Flowers, a former JCSU quarterback and East Mecklenburg High graduate, turned the Golden Bulls’ offense into one of the CIAA’s best in two seasons.

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JSU Baseball to Open Season with Tournament

JACKSON, Mississippi  -  The Jackson State baseball team will open its 2012 season this weekend when the Tigers host Mississippi Valley State, Eastern Illinois and Florida A&M in the JSU Tournament at the Robert "Bob" Braddy, Sr. field on the JSU campus.

Jackson State will take on Florida A&M at 6 pm on Friday, Feb. 17. On Saturday, Feb. 18 JSU will face Eastern Illinois at noon and FAMU at 3 pm. The Tigers and Eastern Illinois will square off again Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1 pm. For ticket information, call the JSU Athletics Ticket Office at 601-979-2420.

2012 Jackson State University Baseball Outlook

The Jackson State Tigers baseball team has experienced tremendous success under sixth year head coach Omar Johnson. In five seasons at the helm of the Tiger program, Johnson has recorded a .608 winning percentage (which is the highest winning percentage in school history for anyone that has coached over two seasons). His 169 victories ranks second in program history, behind Robert "Bob" Braddy's 811 wins during his 28 year career as JSU's baseball coach. Johnson's program has produced All-American and All-Conference standouts, set school records for single-season wins and finished as the top team in the SWAC at the conclusion of the regular season. The only thing that is missing from Johnson's stellar JSU resume is a Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship.

"Our outlook is basically the same every season," Johnson said. "Our goals are to (1) win our division, (2) win the conference tournament and (3) win in the regional. We are not changing our philosophy. We are going to be aggressive on the bases, situational hit, pitch and play defense. Hopefully we will continue to do that this season and if we hit the ball well, I am confident that we will have the success that we are expecting."

Last season the Tigers finished with a 27-26 overall record and a 14-11 conference mark. JSU went into the conference tournament as a No. 2 seed. The Tigers opened the 2011 SWAC Tournament with a 6-3 win over Prairie View A&M, but 13-6 to Southern. JSU bounced back to beat Prairie View A&M 6-2, eliminating the Panthers from the tournament and JSU advanced to the semifinals. However, the Tigers faced Southern for the second time in the tournament and fell 14-9 to the Jaguars.

Individually, Desmond Russell (So., UT, Freeport, Bahamas), Charles Epperson (Jr., OF/P, Huntsville, AL) and Jose Cruz (So., C, Kissimmee, FL) all received All-SWAC honors. Russell was named SWAC Freshman of the Year and received a second team All-SWAC nod. He was also named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. Epperson was a first team All-SWAC member and Cruz was a second team member.

"These players got a significant amount of playing time last season," said Johnson. "I am expecting them all to perform better than they did last season. "

The Team - Jackson State will have a seasoned team. The Tigers will have 10 players who competed in at least 30 games last season and another six returners with game experience. JSU's key contributors from last season include: Kendall Logan (Sr., OF, Natchez, MS), Frank Solis (Sr., 3B, Miami Lakes, FL), Quintavious Drains (Sr., P, Riverdale, GA), Jose Garcia (So., UT, Deltona, FL), Cruz, Russell, Epperson and Stephen Curtis (So., IF, Nassau, Bahamas).

Logan had a .366 batting average, with 67 hits, 63 runs, 44 RBI and a team-high 12 home runs. He also was 19-21 in stolen base attempts. Solis had a .302 batting average, with 55 hits, 41 runs and 21 RBI. Drains posted a team high seven wins as a starting pitcher. He had a 4.24 earned run average last season. In 99.2 innings pitched he struck out 95 batters while giving up 102 hits and 54 runs. Garcia finished the season with a 4.18 ERA. He struck out 36 batters, while giving up 29 hits in 32 innings of work. Cruz posted a .199 batting average last season, with 30 hits, 18 runs and 19 RBI. Russell hit .310 with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 5 homers, 49 RBI, 10 stolen bases. As a pitcher he had a 4-6 record, 4.52 ERA, 3 saves, 79 strikeouts, 32 walks in 81 2/3 innings. Epperson had a .299 batting average with 56 hits, 12 doubles, four home runs and 39 RBI. He was also 14-15 in stolen base attempts. Curtis hit .289, with 43 hits, five doubles and three home runs. He was 10-11 in stolen base attempts.

Pitchers and Catchers - Drains returns as the projected ace of the Tigers pitching staff. His 7-3 record led the team in wins. His 95 strikeouts also led the team. Over the last two seasons he has a 20-7 record and 183 strikeouts to go along with 11 complete games. Drains may also have the opportunity to break JSU's all time pitching wins record this season.

Russell is expected to record even better numbers as a sophomore. He was tied for third on the team in wins (4) behind Drains and Terrance Washington (5). Russell will also play a field position. Kiarious Hall (Sr., P, Moss Point, MS) is expected to make significant contributions for the Tigers as a member of the rotation. Last season he was the only member of the staff who did not suffer a loss, with his 3-0 record. In 10 appearances he pitched 21 innings and allowed 21 hits.

The other returners to the pitching staff include Raymond Rodriguez, Jose Garcia and Andre Rodriguez.

The returning catchers include Cruz, who coach Johnson believes will swing the bat better this season, and Gary Mele (So., C, Atlanta, GA).

Infield and Outfield The Tigers have experience and talent in the infield and outfield. JSU's infield will be anchored by third baseman Frank Solis. Solis is a three year starter for JSU. He is the only player on the team who has played every year he has been here.

"We are expecting him to be one of our big leaders, but at the same time play defense like he has played the past three years," Johnson said. "He has only committed 10 errors in the three he has played, which is outstanding."

JSU will return all three starting outfielders in Kendall Logan, Charles Epperson, and Gabriel Babineaux.

Newcomers - Jackson State will not have many freshmen this season, but the following players will have an opportunity to get some playing time: Luis Torres (Fr., Ceiba, Puerto Rico), Gary Thompson (Fr., Meridian, MS) and Aric Thompson (Fr., Memphis, TN). Gary Thomas and Aric Thompson are expected to compete for shortstop position this season.

COURTESY: JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF SPORTS MEDIA

Virginia State Trojan Football Releases 2012 Football Schedule

PETERSBURG, Virginia  -  Virginia State University has released its 2012 football schedule that features Norfolk State University coming from the MEAC conference, Benedict College coming from the SIAC conference, and West Liberty State University coming from WVIAC conference. The Trojans will host five home games this season compared to only having three home games the entire last season. The Trojans practically lived on the road last season taking on two NCAA I-AA schools in Norfolk State University and Gardner-Webb University.

Virginia State will kick-off their season on Sept. 1 in Norfolk, VA at the Annual Labor Day Classic against Norfolk State University. The Trojans suffered a disappointing lost to the Spartans, falling 37-3 in last season’s match. On Sept. 8 the Trojans open at home against the visiting West Liberty State University at Rogers Stadium in Ettrick, VA.

Virginia State will hit the road for the next two weekends traveling to Columbia, SC and Charlotte, NC. The Trojans take on Benedict College on Sept. 15 and then begin their CIAA conference schedule headed to Charlotte, NC, to play the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University. Last season the Trojans suffered a heart breaking lost to the Golden Bulls 14-7. The Trojans lost on a last second offensive turnover that lead to a Golden Bulls score with under a minute left in regulation. VSU looks to avenge the tough lost last season.

On Sept. 29, VSU will play their home conference opener against Shaw University at Rogers Stadium in Ettrick, VA. The Trojans and Bears last squared off in the 2010 CIAA Championship game with the Bears edging the Trojans 14-7 at Durham County Stadium.



Their next opponent will be northern divisional rival Elizabeth City State University on Oct. 6. Last season the Vikings finished the regular season with a record of 8-4 and 6-1 in conference play. They also played in the CIAA Championship game and fell to the Rams of Winston-Salem State University.

On Oct. 13, the Trojans travel to Bowie, MD to take on the Bulldogs of Bowie State in another northern divisional game. Last season, the Trojans defeated the Bulldogs 28-21 in a thrilling overtime game at home. Freshmen running back, Tyler Wilson carried the Trojans to a win with 149 all-purpose yards.

On Saturday, October 20th Virginia State University’s football team will host Homecoming 2012 against Lincoln (Pa.) at 1:30 p.m. in Rogers Stadium. VSU holds a 6-0 lead in the series, winning last season meeting 21-16 on the road in West Grove, PA.

Following Homecoming the Trojans will host the visiting Hawks of Chowan closing out the 2012 home schedule on Saturday, Oct. 27. In their last meeting the Trojans defeated the Hawks at home in a superior fashion, 38-20. Prior to the kickoff versus the Hawks, Virginia State will honor its 2012 senior class.

Virginia State closes the season with a road game against I-95 rival, Virginia Union University on Nov. 3 in Richmond, VA. The Trojans tamed the Panthers last season with a 39-14 win on Homecoming 2011.

2012 VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DATE   OPPONENT  LOCATION TIME
9/01/12 at Norfolk State, Norfolk, VA  6:00 p.m.
9/08/12 West Liberty State, Ettrick, VA  4:00 p.m.
9/15/12 at Benedict College, Columbia, SC 4:00 p.m.
9/22/12 at Johnson C. Smith, Charlotte, NC TBA
9/29/12 Shaw University, Ettrick, VA  6:00 p.m.
10/6/12 Elizabeth City State, Ettrick, VA 6:00 p.m.
10/13/12 at Bowie State, Bowie, MD TBA
10/20/12 Lincoln (Pa.) (Homecoming), Ettrick, VA 1:30 p.m.
10/27/12 Chowan, Ettrick, VA  1:30 p.m.
11/03/12 at Virginia Union, Richmond, VA TBA

COURTESY: VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Jackson State Releases 2012 Football Schedule

JACKSON, Mississippi - The Jackson State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has released its 2012 football schedule. The Tigers offer JSU fans an exciting 11 game slate of football action, four of which are home games.

JSU, which finished the 2011 season with a 9-2 record, opens the season with a trip to Starkville, MS to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs in only the second ever meeting on the gridiron on Sept. 1. The Tigers will remain on the road for the next two weeks. On Sept. 8 JSU will take on the Tennessee State Tigers in Memphis, TN for the Southern Heritage Classic. JSU will then travel to Houston, TX to face the Texas Southern Tigers in their brand new stadium, which is shared with the Houston Dynamos professional soccer team.

JSU will open its home schedule on Sept. 22 for the Battle of the Big Cats game against the Southern Jaguars. The Tigers will round out the first month of the season against the Prairie View A&M Panthers on Sept. 29 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.



The Tigers will open the month of October with a two game road trip. On Oct. 6, JSU will travel to Pine Bluff, AK to face the Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions. The Tigers will then make their way to Montgomery, AL to face the Alabama State Hornets on Oct. 13.

The 2012 homecoming football game is set for Oct. 20 when the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils visit Memorial Stadium. The Tigers will have an open week before traveling to Grambling, LA to face the Grambling State Tigers on Nov. 3. JSU's final home game is set for Nov. 10 when the Alabama A&M Bulldogs come to Jackson for senior day and military appreciation day. The Tigers and the Alcorn State Braves will square off in the regular season finale (Capital City Classic) on Nov. 17 at Memorial Stadium.

Jackson State will make 2012 football season tickets available to the general public on May 7 and roll out special ticket promotions prior to that date.

2012 Jackson State Football Schedule

Sept. 1 at Mississippi State "Bulldogs"
Sept. 8 vs. Tennessee State "Tigers" (Southern Heritage Classic)
Sept. 15 at Texas Southern "Tigers"
Sept 22 Southern "Jaguars" (Battle of the Big Cats/Honoring W.C. Gorden)
Sept. 29 Prairie View A&M "Panthers" (High School Day)
Oct. 6 at Arkansas Pine Bluff "Golden Lions"
Oct. 13 at Alabama State "Hornets"
Oct. 20 Mississippi Valley State "Delta Devils" (Homecoming)
Oct. 27 Open
Nov. 3 at Grambling State "Tigers"
Nov. 10 Alabama A&M "Bulldogs" (Senior Day/Fan and Military Appreciation Day)
Nov. 17 Alcorn State "Braves" (Capital City Classic)
Dec. 8 SWAC Championship Game

COURTESY: JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF SPORTS MEDIA

Dutchtown's Hill is Nuggets' first signee for 2012 season

JODI HILL

NEW ORLEANS — Jodi Hill, a 5-foot-9 middle blocker from Prairieville, La., and Dutchtown High School, is Xavier University of Louisiana's first women's volleyball signee for the 2012 season.

Hill signed an XU scholarship Thursday afternoon at her school.

Hill was a Baton Rouge Advocate All-Metro selection as a senior and junior.

In 2011 she had 391 kills and 83 blocks to help the Griffins reach the second round of the Division I (Class 5A) state playoffs. Hill had 387 kills and 111 blocks her junior season.

She was first-team all-district as a junior and senior and second-team all-district as a sophomore. Hill helped Dutchtown reach the state quarterfinals in 2010 and the second round in 2009. Her match highs include 23 kills and 14 blocks, both recorded in the same contest her senior year.

"I'm very excited about Jodi coming to Xavier," XU coach Christabell Hamilton said. "I'm really impressed by her physique and her athleticism. She will add depth to our team. She's also a great young lady from a great family. She's very respectful. She's going to fit right in with our Xavier volleyball family."

Hill plays club ball for Louisiana Volleyball Baton Rouge. She plans to major in political science at Xavier and attend law school after graduation. Her great grandmother was an XU graduate.

Xavier's Gold Nuggets were 23-7 in 2011, won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship.

photos from the signing ceremony (via Facebook) Jodi Hill's YouTube video

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XULA ATHLETICS AT FACEBOOK.COM

2012 Tennessee State University Football Schedule Released

2012 TSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE PDF 

Nashville, Tenn. - This fall brings a lot of excitement as the Tennessee State University Athletic Department announced its 2012 football schedule on Thursday.
The Big Blue will play 11 games and renews rivalries with three HBCU programs. TSU will also play five home games during the 2012 campaign.

TSU opens the season with long-time rival Florida A&M at LP Field in the 14th annual John Merritt Classic on Saturday, Sept. 1. The Rattlers and Tigers are renewing a rivalry that was briefly halted last season. September's meeting will be the 50th between the two historic programs.

The following weekend on Sept. 8, the Tigers face rival Jackson State for the 21st time in the 23rd annual Southern Heritage Classic presented by Fed Ex.

TSU reignites some historic memories in honor of the University's 100th centennial celebration. The Tigers welcome in-state rival Austin Peay to Hale Stadium, affectionately known as the Hole, on Sept. 15.



From there, Tennessee State visits Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 22 for the seventh time and the first meeting since 1987.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff and the Big Blue are meeting for the first time on the girdiron during the Tigers' annual Homecoming celebration on Sept. 29 at LP Field.

TSU resumes OVC action when Eastern Kentucky travels to Nashville on Oct. 6. The Tigers embark on a two game road swing at Southeast Missouri (Oct. 13) and Jacksonville State (Oct. 20).

Senior Day 2012 is slated for Oct. 27 when Tennessee Tech visits the Music City. The Tigers close out the season with trips to Murray State (Nov. 3) and UT Martin (Nov. 17).

Tennessee State is coming off 5-6 overall mark in 2011 and a fifth place finish in the OVC (4-4), moving up four spots from the 2010 season.

"We are very excited about the schedule this season," said TSU Athletics Director Teresa Phillips. "This schedule allows TSU to connect with some of our historic rivals, while rekindling fond memories of Hale Stadium. The team is headed in the right direction under head coach Rod Reed and we look forward to the 2012 campaign."

Season ticket prices and details, as well as game times will be announced at a later date.

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

OVC Announces Divisional Play for Basketball

Brentwood, Tennessee  -  On Thursday the Ohio Valley Conference announced the plan for divisional play for men's and women's basketball beginning with the 2012-13 academic year.

The addition of Belmont University on July 1, 2012 will give the OVC 12 member institutions, the largest the Conference has been since it was formed in 1948 (the OVC is currently the nation's eighth-oldest Division I conference).

The sports of softball and volleyball will use schedules based on a divisional format but have yet to determine if those sports will formally recognize divisions. The sports of baseball, women's soccer and men's and women's tennis will not use divisional play because those sports currently have less than 12 participating teams.

The East Division will include Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Morehead State, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech.

The West Division will include Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Murray State, Southeast Missouri State, SIUE and UT Martin.

Some of the factors in determining the divisions included geography and balance while also being mindful of matchups and rivalries (both current and future).

Finalized 2012-13 men's and women's Conference basketball schedules will be released in the coming weeks.

The final piece of divisional play will be to determine tournament seeding and bracketing. The OVC Championships sub-committee is studying those issues now and the Directors of Athletics will make a decision soon.

Divisions for OVC Basketball in 2012-13

East

Belmont

Eastern Kentucky 

Jacksonville State 

Morehead State 

Tennessee State

Tennessee Tech 

West
Austin Peay
Eastern Illinois
Murray State
Southeast Missouri (SEMO)
Southern Illinois - Edwardsville (SIUE)
UT Martin

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU Spartans' possible MEAC title in jeopardy after stinging loss

NORFOLK, Virginia - The Norfolk State Spartans failed to exorcize the demon that has become Delaware State on Wednesday night. Now they need help if they are to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's regular-season title. And the Spartans will probably have a nightmare or two about the six-point lead they blew in the game's last three minutes. They will lament the 10-1 run they allowed the Hornets to make to start overtime.

Delaware State ended up winning 73-63. But from the looks on the Spartans' faces, the Hornets won this game when Tahj Tate rebounded a missed 3-pointer by teammate Casey Walker and banked home the stickback with 1.4 seconds remaining to force the overtime with the game tied at 59.

"I think we were really deflated by that tip-in," Spartans coach Anthony Evans said. "It really got to us."

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VUU -- Pistons' Ben Wallace sets NBA record for games played by undrafted player

Auburn Hills, Michigan — If Pistons coach Lawrence Frank had a vote, he wouldn't hesitate voting Ben Wallace (Virginia Union University) into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Frank's endorsement Tuesday came about 90 minutes before Wallace set an NBA record for games played by an undrafted player (1,055).

"Oh, yeah," Frank said. "Who knows in terms of the voting? But (from my perspective), without a doubt (Wallace is in). "You look at what he's done — he's a champion, four-time defensive player of the year. I think without a doubt he has credentials to be Hall of Fame-worthy."

Ben Wallace Airballs Free Throw, Makes Three-pointer

Wallace set the record when he replaced Greg Monroe with 54.8 seconds remaining in the first quarter of Tuesday's game against the Spurs. The Pistons trailed 29-20 at the time, and eventually lost 99-95. The record had been held by former Spurs guard Avery Johnson (NJ Nets Head Coach), (Southern University graduate).

Wallace said he's not worried about the Hall of Fame, but would gladly accept the nod if he gets voted in. "It doesn't matter what (the player) thinks, it's all up to what everybody else thinks," Wallace said. "If (voters) say I'm a Fall of Famer, then I gotta agree with them."

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TSU Track & Field Inks Four during Signing Period

 Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University Track & Field Director Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice announced the signing of four student-athletes during the recent National Letter of Intent signing period that began on Feb. 1.

Clairwin Dameus, Leslye Williams, Jerome Henderson and Quamel Prince all signed their National Letter of Intents to suit up for the Tigers during the 2012-13 academic year.

"I am excited about our incoming class," noted Cheeseborough-Guice. "We went after some strong student-athletes that will make a difference right away."

Dameus, a native of Boynton Beach, Fla., is known as a multiple event specialist. The Santaluces Community High School (Palm Beach County) product won a first place medal at the 2011 ESPN Rise Championships in Orlando. Dameus recorded personal bests of 19-6 ½ in the long jump and 14.50 in the 100-meter hurdles. The incoming freshman competed in the AAU National Junior Olympic Multis Championships and finished as state runner-up in the long jump.

View Dameus' video here.

Williams, a native of Nashville, joins the Tigerbelles after setting four school records at Martin Luther King Magnet School. The sprinter was an AAU National Qualifier in 2007, 2010 and 2011. She also claimed a state title in the 200-meter dash with a run of 24.92 seconds. Williams holds several regional championships in the 100-meter, 200-meter and both relay events.

Clarksville product Jerome Henderson joins TSU next season after competing in the AAU Junior Olympics on four occasions. Henderson won the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.74 at the 2011 Great Eight at Vanderbilt University. The Clarksville High football star also earned top-10 finishes in the TSSAA 100-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relays.

View Henderson's video here
Antioch's Quamel Prince captured the state title in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:51.27. Prince also clocked times of 48.71 in the 400-meter dash and 4:03.53 in the 1,500-meter run.

Coach Cheeseborough-Guice feels that these four additions along with others in the future will help continue the Flying Tigers and Tigerbelles' goal of reaching an OVC title.

"I think this adds another piece to the puzzle," said Cheeseborough-Guice. "This will help us continue to move forward and contend for an OVC Championship."

TSU Track & Field competes in the 2012 OVC Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Gentry Center on Feb. 24-25.

2012 TSU Track & Field Signees - Feb. 1 Signing Period
Clairwin Damues, Fr. - Sprinter - Boynton Beach, Fla. (Santaluces Community High School)
Quamel Prince, Fr. - Sprinter/Middle Distance - Nashville, Tenn. (Antioch High School)
Jerome Henderson, Fr. - Sprinter - Clarksville, Tenn. (Clarksville High School)
Leslye Williams, Fr. - Sprinter - Nashville, Tenn. (Martin Luther King Magnet School)

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU's Divens Signs NFL Contract with Tennessee Titans

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Former Tennessee State University football player Lamar Divens signed a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday.

Divens, who played for the Tigers in 2006 and 2007, signed an undrafted free agent contract with Baltimore in 2008. In the summer of 2011, he was released by the Ravens. The Fayetteville, Tenn., native signed a practice squad contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in December, but was a free agent this season. Divens has played in five NFL games during his four-year career.

At TSU, Divens played in 14 games and inked 46 tackles during his career. He also notched six tackles-for-loss during that span. For Lincoln County High School, Divens won 5A Mr. Football honors and was named first team All-State.

Divens joins four other Tigers already in the National Football League: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Philadelphia Eagles), Anthony Levine (Green Bay Packers), Cecil Newton (Baltimore Ravens) and Javarris Williams (Houston Texans).

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida A&M Rattlers Release 2012 Football Schedule

2012 Rattler Football Schedule (.pdf)

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - The Florida A&M Department of Athletics announced its 2012 football schedule today with the Rattler gridders heading to Music City USA to face the Tennessee State Tigers in the "Big" John Merritt Classic, then traveling west to face the Oklahoma Sooners of the Big 12 Conference.

Head Coach Joe Taylor and the Rattlers aim to improve on its 7-4 record last season and compete for the MEAC crown. With a core of returnees and a host of promising newcomers, the Rattlers start off the season with a visit to Nashville, Tenn. on Sept. 1, to face the "Big Blue" Tigers of Tennessee State. The match-up will be the first for the Rattlers and Tigers since the 2010 Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic.

The Rattlers and Tigers had previously mixed it up in the Atlanta Football Classic for 13 straight years before the "100 Black Men of Atlanta" brought in the Jaguars of Southern University as the Rattlers' opponents last season. TSU defeated FAMU 29-18 in their last meeting in 2010. Prior to that, the Rattlers had won eight consecutive Atlanta Football Classics over the Tigers. TSU is banking on a strong recruiting class from head coach Rod Reed to strengthen its team for the upcoming season.

On Sept. 8, the Rattlers visit the Sooners of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. The Rattlers will face one of the favorites in the Big 12 Conference on their home turf.

On Sept. 15, the Rattlers will return home to the friendly confines of Bragg Memorial Stadium to face the Pirates of Hampton University. The Rattlers would like to get revenge on the Pirates for a tough 23-17 loss in Hampton, Va. last season.

Sept. 22 finds the Rattlers in Dover, Del., to face the Hornets of Delaware State University. Head Coach Kermit Blount looks to improve on the Hornets' 3-8 record in his inaugural season. Last season, the Rattlers bested the Hornets 34-7 at Bragg Stadium.

The Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic, which takes place annually on the final weekend of September, will take place on Sept. 29 in the Georgia Dome. This will mark the second consecutive year the Rattlers will face the Jaguars of Southern University in the classic. Last season, FAMU freshman quarterback Damien Fleming led the Rattlers to three second half scores to defeat the Jaguars 38-33. Jaguars head coach Stump Mitchell will look to exert revenge on the Rattlers, especially since they were interested in Fleming as well.

On Oct. 6, the Rattlers will visit the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., for a MEAC matchup with the resurgent Howard Bison. Last season, the Bison pulled an improbable comeback to defeat the Rattlers on homecoming. The 29-28 upset catapulted the Bison into the spotlight, finishing with a record of 5-6. They capped their wins last season with a 10-7 win over Hampton in the battle of the HUs.

On Oct.13, the Rattlers will celebrate Homecoming against the Savannah State Tigers. Last season the Rattlers romped to a 47-7 victory over the Tigers, led by a 200-yard performance by running back Al-Terek McBurse. This will be the first visit to Tallahassee for the Tigers since they were fully admitted into the MEAC.

In back-to-back home football weekends, the Rattlers will welcome Buddy Pugh and the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University on Oct. 20. The Rattlers snapped their eight-year drought against the Bulldogs with a gritty 27-24 win in Orangeburg, S.C. Quarterback Damien Fleming was solid for the Rattlers, completing 34-of-40 passes for 297 yards. The game would be locked away for the Rattlers as Ronald Jackson got a crucial first down in Bulldog territory on a fake punt.

The Rattlers will be open on Oct.27.

The North Carolina A&T Aggies will get another shot at the Rattlers after feeling they allowed victory out of their grasp last season. In the 2011 game, the Rattlers eked out a 26-20 win in a hotly contested battle. The fiercely competitive game resulted in 299-yards in penalties.

The Prince Hall Shriner's Diabetes Football Classic will take place on Nov.10, against the Eagles of North Carolina Central University. It will be the Eagles' first visit to Tallahassee as full members of the MEAC. Last season the Rattlers handily defeated the Eagles 31-10 in Durham, N.C.

The pinnacle of the season will be on Nov. 17 as the Rattlers take on the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Florida Classic in Orlando. The Wildcats took advantage of Rattler turnovers to prevail 26-16 on 2011. Joe Taylor and B-CU's Brian Jenkins are now 1-1 in head-to-head matchups. The Rattlers will look to tame the Wildcats on the final day of the regular season to have their shot at the MEAC title.

2012 Florida A&M Football Schedule

Sept. 1, at Tennessee State, Big John Merritt Classic, Nashville, TN
Sept. 8, at Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Sept. 15, Hampton,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Sept. 22, at Delaware State,* Dover, DE
Sept. 29, at Southern, Atlanta Football Classic, Atlanta, GA
Oct. 6, at Howard, * Washington, D.C.
Oct. 13, Savannah State* (Homecoming), Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Oct. 20, South Carolina State,* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Nov. 3, at North Carolina A&T,* Greensboro, NC
Nov. 10, North Carolina Centra,l* Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Nov. 17, Bethune-Cookman, at Florida Classic, Orlando, FL

Season Tickets Prices
$60 General Admission (Limited Quantity
$75 - Reserved
$100 Chair Back Box Seating (Renewal Only)
$125 - Reserved Basketball Included
$150 - Chair Back Box Seating with Basketball Included (Renewal Only)

For ticket information, please call (850)599-3141

Rattler Booster packages are available now by calling their office at (850) 224-6093. For more information on the Rattler Boosters, please visit TheRattlerBoosters

Don't forget, if you can't make it to a home game, you can sign up to Rattler Vision, where you can watch the game streamed to your laptop or home computer. To sign up to Rattler Vision, go to FAMUAthletics

COURTESY: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

OU Sooners finalize 2012 schedule with UTEP, Florida A&M

NORMAN, Oklahoma - The OU football team will face UTEP, Florida A&M and Notre Dame in nonconference play during the 2012 season, the university announced Wednesday morning.

The announcement comes one day after the Big 12 released its 2012 conference schedule. The full release means the Sooners will play six home games, five road games and the OU-Texas game in Dallas on Oct. 13.

OU coach Bob Stoops said the athletic department has a philosophy of playing a challenging schedule to give the Sooners a chance to vie for a championship.  "I know that Joe Castiglione puts our program's best interests at the forefront when scheduling our opponents and it shows with the quality of teams on our schedule," Stoops said.

Florida A&M, Kansas State, Kansas, Notre Dame, Baylor and Oklahoma State will each make the trip to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in 2012.

The Sooners' home opener against Florida A&M on Sept. 8 marks the first meeting between the schools. The Rattlers are a Football Championship Division program that compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

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Rattlers of Florida A&M likely headed to OU's Owen Field on Sept. 8

CAMPUS CORNER, Oklahoma — Add this to your schedule intel from today: Florida A&M will likely fulfill the FCS role in the fall.

My friend Coley Harvey at the Orlando Sentinel saw something today indicating OU (University of Oklahoma) and FAMU will get together Sept. 8 at Owen Field. I see no reason at all to doubt it — especially considering I first heard the Rattlers as an option early this morning. (I inserted FAMU as a possibility in our web story when the Big 12 schedule was released.)

Let’s hope they bring the band. (Coley reminded me a hazing scandal currently has the band in timeout.)

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