How Florida Plans to Beat Norfolk State

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Norfolk fans, wherever you are, you need to know what it will be like on Sunday to play the favored Florida Gators. If you do not want to be at a disadvantage from the start then I advise you read this.

While Norfolk carefully executed their game plan against Missouri, Florida’s coach Billy Donovan sat quietly watching. There can be no greater scouting report than a bird’s eye view of the opponent’s talent. Donovan will not say whether he is impressed with Norfolk, but one thing is for sure. He is determined to make sure that what happened to Missouri will not happen to Florida. By Sunday he will know the strengths and weaknesses of every Norfolk player and have a strategy not just to beat them, but to demoralize them.



Here is what we know about Florida. The quest to beat Norfolk will begin well before Florida enters the arena to play. The players will prepare as if they are about to play their rival Florida State. Donovan will make it clear that it would be shameful for Florida to lose a game they are supposed to win. “Just look at what happened to Missouri,” he’ll say.

READ MORE AT SPORTSEDIT.ORG

Norfolk State Win Was Not an Upset

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - When the Norfolk State Spartans defeated the Missouri Tigers on Friday evening it was for a brief period the biggest upset of the NCAA tournament. Then Ohio beat Michigan and Lehigh defeated Duke. While the Michigan and Duke defeats were huge upsets there was something unique about the Norfolk win.

Duke wasn’t its usual self and Michigan played like a team without a game plan. Missouri, on the other hand, played up to their potential shooting 53 percent from the field. No one can say that Missouri “sucked” or even that the referees didn’t favor them. They played the way they did all season to get their 30 wins against some of the top teams in the country. So, why was Norfolk able to beat them?



Frankly, Missouri was outplayed and outcoached in this one. Norfolk came into the game with confidence having played in tournaments at the beginning of the season and coming close to a win against Marquette. It didn’t hurt either that Norfolk did have a win against Drexel or that ...



READ MORE AT SPORTSEDIT.ORG

TSU Football Completes Day One of Spring Practice

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State football held its’ first practice of the spring season on Friday. The Tigers wore just helmets with no pads to kick off the third season for TSU head coach Rod Reed.

On Friday, the Big Blue focused on fundamentals and participated in 25 limited contact periods. Per NCAA rules, TSU can only participate in 12 contact days during the spring season. The Tigers compete in full pads on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m.

“The tempo was great for opening the year,” said Coach Reed. “We focused on fundamentals, especially with our young guys. There is a lot of work to be done, but I am excited about the way we performed to start the spring.”



The Tigers practice on Monday and Wednesday at 4 p.m. TSU will take Friday off before participating in a scrimmage on Saturday. The time for the scrimmage will be announced later this week.

On Friday, March 23, Tennessee State will host its’ annual pro day with numerous scouts from the NFL and other professional leagues in attendance.

All practice sessions are open to the public with the exception of pro day. For more updates on spring practice, check out TSUTigers.com.

UPCOMING SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Monday, March 19 – 4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 21 – 4 p.m.
Friday, March 23 – Pro Day (closed to the public)
Saturday, March 24 – Scrimmage – TBA

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Nuggets lose to La. Tech, then both XU teams defeat Loyola

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana, playing two women's tennis dual matches on the same day for the first time this season, lost 9-0 to Louisiana Tech and defeated city rival Loyola 9-0 Saturday.

Xavier's men, ranked ninth in the NAIA, defeated Loyola 8-1.

The XU-Tech dual was played in the morning at City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center, and the XU-Loyola duals were played during the afternoon at the University of New Orleans.

The Gold Nuggets (3-14) suffered their ninth loss of the season to an NCAA Division I opponent, then snapped a five-dual losing streak by winning every set against Loyola (2-4). Freshman Jordyn Goody clinched against the Wolfpack with her 6-0, 6-0 victory against Cristiana Krtalic at No. 5 singles.

Louisiana Tech (8-3), playing for the first time in 13 days, won its third in a row and fifth dual in six tries.

"It was good to see the Nuggets get that win, especially after a tough morning and a tough week," XU coach Alan Green said.

The Gold Rush (10-3) snapped a two-dual losing streak and won every set against Loyola's men (1-4). Amir Rahbar clinched at No. 5 singles with a 6-0, 6-2 victory against Eduardo Garcia.

The XU women will play Central Oklahoma, ranked 42nd in NCAA Division II, at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Park. Both XU teams will play at 4 p.m. Saturday at UNO against Auburn Montgomery, whose women are No. 1 in the NAIA and men are ranked fifth.

Results: Men Women vs. Louisiana Tech and Loyola


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

Tennessee State Earns 20 Top-5 Finishes at Morehouse Relays

ATLANTA, Georgia – Tennessee State University’s men’s and women’s track & field teams used a solid weekend to capture 20 top-5 finishes at the 41st annual Morehouse Relays.

The Tigerbelles captured eight podium finishes and three individual titles, while the Flying Tigers snagged three podium marks.

Brielle Moore won the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 15.05, LaTia Carney finished in third at 15.69 seconds.

In the long jump, freshman Ashontae Jackson leapt 5.62 meters (18-5 ¾) to win the Morehouse Relays title. Jackson earned fifth in the 200-meter dash at a time of 25.04.

Also in the long jump, JaLyn Burr connected with a distance of 5.41 meters (17-9) to tie for second place. Burr also finished fourth in the women’s triple jump with a distance of 11.60 meters (38-0 ¾).

Gabrielle Todd ran 57.28 for fourth overall in the 400-meter dash and placed third in the high jump by clearing 1.57 meters (5-1 ¾).

In the shot put, Brittani Logan tossed the silver ball 11.58 meters (38-0).

The Tigerbelles claimed three podium finishes in the relay events. The 4x200m team won the event at 1:39.03, while the 4x400m finished second at 3:51.78. The 4x400m relay squad earned third at 47.24 seconds.

For the Flying Tigers, Alex Griffin tossed a distance of 13.23 meters (43-5) to claim second place in the men’s shot put.

In the sprint events, Julian Mallory came in fourth with his time of 21.89. Michael Johnson placed fifth in the 400-meter dash (48.94), while Arthur Combest also notched fifth with his sprint of 14.78 in the 110m hurdles. Combest’s time is ranked 14th

Sean Jenkins cleared 1.92m (6-3 ½) in the high jump for fifth in the meet. The 4x800m relay team claimed third with a time of 8:12.21 in the distance relay event. The 4x200m squad was fourth at 1:28.47.

The Tigers track & field programs compete next Saturday, March 24 at the Weems Baskin Invitational hosted by the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

MOREHOUSE RELAYS RESULTS

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Georgetown Uses Second-Half Surge to Take Down Southern - New Orleans, 78-52

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- No. 14 Georgetown (Ky.) used a 46-24 second-half scoring burst to eliminate Southern University-New Orleans (La.) ("SUNO"), 78-52, in the final game of the second round in the 2012 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship.

The Tigers head to their eighth quarterfinal since 1998 with the late contest on Saturday at 8 p.m. CDT. They battle No. 11 Mountain State (W.Va.), a team that beat Georgetown last year in the semifinals.

"I am proud of our guys," said Georgetown head coach Chris Briggs. "I really thought Garel Craig stepped up. I thought Jordan Demercy made some plays and Josh Lockett played well in place of Maurice Pearson. We are going to work as hard as we can, and I thought for the most part, we did that."

Both clubs struggled to score points in the first half. Georgetown took a 32-28 lead into the half, but shot just 36 percent (10-of-28) from the field. The Tiger advantage came at the free throw line where they scored six more points (11-5) than Southern-New Orleans.

Clyde Moore made a jumper in the lane to hand the Knights a 16-12 lead at the 14:05 mark. But Georgetown went to work behind nine points from Garel Craig and seven from Jordan Demercy. The Tigers crept ahead late in the half and led 32-28 at the break.

A basket by Jared Lewis and Merlin Walker were the only points scored by the Knights in the first nine minutes of the second half. Conversely, a 34-30 Georgetown lead turned into a 57-32 gap that Southern-New Orleans could not threaten.

SUNO seemed to run out of gas in the second half after a grueling, come-from-behind overtime win last night over No. 2 seed Robert Morris (Ill.). That game ended after 1 a.m. CDT last night.

Garel finished with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Demercy recorded 13 points and 12 boards. Josh Lockett and Allan Thomas chipped in 10 points each.

Kevin Dukes was the lone SUNO player in double figures with 10 points. One night after scoring 34 and grabbing 21 rebounds, Clyde Moore struggled offensively with just two points and six rebounds.

Thanks to a 61 percent clip in the second half, Georgetown shot 49 percent overall. Southern-New Orleans posted a 36.4 percent shooting total.

Southern will head home with an 18-14 record and a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament championship.

"It (getting to the second round) was a big accomplishment," said Southern-New Orleans head coach Dale Valdery. "They played hard. There are some things we need to work on, but I was extremely proud of their effort. They didn't give up and they kept hustling even though we were down. They (Georgetown) were well prepared and did what they needed to win. Those are the things we're going to have to work on in the future."

Game Notes: Southern-New Orleans was a second-round participant for the third-straight appearance at the national tournament ... The Knights' all-time national tournament record dropped to 3-7 with the loss ... This is the second appearance in a row the Knights have been knocked out of the tournament by a team from the Mid-South Conference, falling to Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) in the 2004 second round ... The loss snapped a season-long six-game winning streak ... The 52 points was a season-low for the Knights and their fewest in their history at the national tournament.

Georgetown - Georgetown will be making its fifth quarterfinal appearance in the last 10 years ... The Tigers will be matched up with Mountain State (W.Va.) for the second-straight season and third time in five years after falling to the Cougars in the semifinal round in both 2008 and 2011 ... Georgetown ran its all-time record at the national tournament to 54-29 ... The 52 points allowed was the fewest given up by a Georgetown team at the national tournament since yielding 49 in a victory over Arkansas Tech in 1996.

COURTESY: NAIA.org

HU sends letter to NCAA selection committee

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton is not taking the perceived slight of being seeded No. 16 in the women's NCAA tournament lying down.

Rodney Smith, HU's vice president for administrative services, sent a letter dated Tuesday to Greg Christopher, chair of the Division I women's basketball committee, expressing the school's disappointment.

The letter said, in part: "In comparison with other teams that were seeded better than Hampton University, we feel that Hampton University as well as its Lady Pirates, coaches, faculty, staff, students, administration, alumni, and all friends and supporters of the University have been deeply disrespected and insulted."

"We didn't want it to go by and not let our voices be heard," HU athletic director Keshia Campbell said Wednesday. "Coach (David) Six has done his due diligence with this in breaking down every team, (and) we just felt the need to come up with a university response to the seeding."

READ MORE

Top-seeded UConn revved for opener with PVAMU Lady Panthers

BRIDGEPORT, CONN. - Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut Huskies are raring to go after being off for 10 days. The top-seeded Huskies open up their NCAA tournament Saturday in Bridgeport, Conn., against No. 16 Prairie View A&M. Eighth-seeded Kansas State will face No. 9 Princeton in the first game of the doubleheader.

After struggling through the latter part of the regular season with losses in their final two home games, UConn rallied to win the Big East tournament. The Huskies topped Notre Dame in the championship game, earning Geno Auriemma his 800th career victory. The Hall of Fame coach became the fastest to reach that milestone.

The time off allowed senior guard Tiffany Hayes to rest a stress reaction in her right foot. She wasn't able to practice the first few days but returned Thursday.

READ MORE

Union keeps Xavier Gold Nuggets winless in NAIA second round

FRANKFORT, Kentuky — Second-ranked Union (Tenn.) overcame a 13-point deficit to earn a 58-43 women's basketball victory Friday against 18th-ranked Xavier University of Louisiana in the second round of the NAIA Division I National Championship.

The Lady Bulldogs (33-2) got 14 points from Shelby Ashcraft and 13 points and 13 rebounds from Lavanda Ross to extend their win streak to 17 games and reach the quarterfinals for the ninth consecutive season. Union won national championships in 1998, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010 and was runner-up three times, including 2011.

Jasmine Grant scored 12 points for the Gold Nuggets (26-9), whose eight-game win streak ended. Xavier is 0-7 in the second round at nationals.

Xavier made its first three 3-point attempts — two by Grant and the other by Brandi Young — and led 13-0 after Keldra Hall's basket at 15:09 of the first half.

Union answered with a 19-2 run and went ahead to stay, 17-15, on a Ross 3-pointer at 7:46. The Lady Bulldogs led 29-21 at halftime and held their biggest advantage, 56-36, after Amy Philamlee's two free throws with 2:31 remaining.

Union led by double digits for the final 13:49. Xavier closed to 32-26 on Young's 3-point play with 17:58 remaining, but the Lady Bulldogs scored the next 11 points.

Union outshot Xavier 38.8 to 30.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Nuggets 37-33. Xavier made 2-of-16 3-pointers after its opening run.

"It was a great start for us," XU coach Bo Browder said, "but after the first five minutes we struggled to score."

One day after scoring its most points at nationals since 1997, the Nuggets scored their fewest ever at this tournament.

Union will play unranked Biola, a 73-58 winner against 10th-ranked Langston, in the quarterfinals at 8 p.m. EDT Saturday. Also advancing to the quarterfinals were top-ranked Oklahoma City, No. 4 Westmont, No. 5 Lubbock Christian and the defending champion, No. 9 Azusa Pacific.

NOTES: It was the final XU game for seniors Grant, Young (six points, four rebounds), Keldra Hall (six points, six rebounds), Jazmoné Kelly (no points but five rebounds and three assists) and Danielle Kennebrew (five points, five rebounds) . . . Paige Gauthier made the final XU 3-pointer with 2:24 remaining, giving the Nuggets 167 for the season to tie the school record of 2003-04 team . . . The Nuggets are 7-16 in 16 trips to nationals. Browder's teams are 3-11 in 11 appearances . . . Xavier and Union are among nine teams to win first-round games in 2011 and 2012. The others are Azusa Pacific, Langston, Lewis-Clark State, Lubbock Christian, Oklahoma City, Shawnee State and Westminster (Utah) . . . This is the final NAIA women's basketball tournament for Union, which will begin the transition to NCAA Division II next season. Southern Nazarene, Xavier's first-round opponent, will begin that same transition next season.

BOX SCORE

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

NAIA MEN'S DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP: Southern University - New Orleans Shocks No. 3 Robert Morris

KANSAS CITY, Missouri  -- Kevin Dukes' fade-away jumper in the lane with 3.9 seconds remaining lifted unseeded Southern University - New Orleans to an improbable 94-92 overtime victory over No. 3 Robert Morris (Ill.) tonight (3/15/12) at the 75th Anniversary of the 2012 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship.

Appearing in their first championship since 2004, the Knights completed a comeback after trailing by 11 points with nine minutes remaining.

Southern-New Orleans advances to play No. 14 Georgetown (Ky.) on Friday at 9:45 p.m. CDT.

"I just thought the second half we played much better defense and were more under control on offense," said Southern-New Orleans head coach Dale Valdery. "Those were the things that carried us. Also, we knew (Diante Watkins) was going to get his points, so we had to limit the other guys and we did a pretty good job of taking them out of the game in the second half. That's a tremendous team. My hat goes off to them. If we continue to play defense the way we are, we'll probably be in every game we play."

Clyde Moore of Southern-New Orleans and Robert Morris' Diante Watkins were the highlight shows. Moore finished with 34 points and 21 rebounds, while Watkins went for a career-tying 38 points before fouling out in 39 minutes of play.

Valdery commented on the play of his junior forward. "Clyde is one of those guys who gives you everything he has out there on the floor, whether it be on offense or on defense. He's our inspirational leader. When he plays hard, it's a follow up for the rest of the players. He's just somebody that we go to when we really need a bucket. Twenty-one rebounds and thirty-something points; that's amazing."

This was a game of runs with the Knights striking first. They took their largest lead of the game at 24-17 at the 6:30 mark. Then, the Eagles rattled off a 20-4 spurt to head into the locker room with a 37-28 advantage. Watkins had 12 points to lead the charge and the defense held Southern-New Orleans to 29 percent shooting.


Watkins made a two-point basket at the 16:32 mark in the second half and things appeared to be going smoothly with Robert Morris leading 46-34. But that is when Moore and the Knights had an answer. In the game's next 16-plus minutes, Moore scored 20 points and was the hero.

Trailing 64-53 at the 9:15 mark, Nicholas Washington's two points in the paint fueled a 14-2 run that made the upset seem a reality. Robert Morris was poised for the win in regulation, but allowed two baskets in the final minute as the game went to overtime.

In the extra session, Brian Bradley for Robert Morris made the first shot of a bonus free throw and on his second attempt, his miss was cleaned up by Tyler Warden. That lay-up tied the score at 92-92 with 37 seconds left. But, Dukes would have the final answer as he dribbled down the lane and made the bucket for the Knights first win in the tournament since 2004.

"Give Southern-New Orleans a lot of credit for a great effort," said Robert Morris head coach Al Bruehl. "We made a lot of mistakes tonight that we don't normally make and we weren't strong enough on the boards. Besides rebounding, I thought we played good defense and our guys played hard the whole game, especially our bench players who haven't seen much time. It's the national tournament and you need to make plays to win. Unfortunately, we didn't make enough of them to win tonight."

Robert Morris exits the tournament in the first round for the first time in five years as it snaps a four-game opening round win streak. The Eagles head home with a 27-5 record.

BOX SCORE

Game notes:
Robert Morris: Robert Morris made its ninth-straight national tournament appearance and had won each of its previous eight first round contests (2007 win vs. Westmont was later forfeited) before losing to Southern-New Orleans ... The Eagles dropped to 17-9 all-time in the national tournament and 1-3 in overtime contests ... Under the guidance of head coach Al Bruehl, Robert Morris has advanced to the Fab Four on three occasions with the most recent appearance coming in 2010 ... The Eagles have averaged almost 29 wins over the past nine seasons including five campaigns with at least 30 victories ... Robert Morris entered the national tournament ranked No. 3 in the NAIA in scoring offense (87.5), No. 4 in scoring margin (14.7) and 3-point field goal made per game (9.9), and seventh in blocks per game (4.6) and turnover margin (+4.6) ... Robert Morris was the highest-seeded team to lose in the first round since No. 1-seeded Rogers State fell in the 2009 opener.

Southern-New Orleans: Southern-New Orleans is appearing in its seventh national tournament with an all-time record now sitting at 3-6, including a 3-4 mark in opening round contests ... The Knights are making their first appearance in the national tournament since 2004 when they advanced to the second round ... Southern-New Orleans brought a five-game winning streak into the national tournament that included three-straight victories to claim the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship ... Junior forward Clyde Moore posted the highest single-game rebounding total in the first round of this year's tournament with 21 boards.

COURTESY NAIA.ORG

Norfolk State alum commentary: Behold, the green and gold!

By G.E. Branch III, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON, D.C. --  Behold, the green and gold!

If folk in Omaha didn't know the significance of that rallying cry before Saturday – and, let's face it, why would they? – they certainly had a better understanding after Norfolk State's ginormous upset of Missouri.

To NSU alums, the chant always has meant that the Spartans were about to strut their stuff. Over the years, the most consistent performer has been the award-winning marching band. To be sure, the athletic teams have had their share of success but consider the context.

Norfolk State used to be (self-proclaimed) king of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, an NCAA Division II conference back in the day. The track program was top notch by any measure and the basketball team would make a quick visit to the national tournament every now and then. The football team? Well, the halftime show was sure to be great.

READ MORE

Omaha fans embrace Spartans

OMAHA, Nebraska -- The whirlwind, rock star existence that members of the Norfolk State team are sure to experience over the next couple days in Omaha didn't take long to start.

Not long after finishing their interview priorities and meeting back in the locker room, a handful of the Spartans made their way back to the arena floor — some still in uniform — to catch a little bit of the next game.

An ordinary media timeout of the St.Mary's-Purdue game quickly turned into a moment that the broadcast would later show.

The Spartan players received a standing ovation from a half-full CenturyLink Center, and they returned the favor by standing and applauding as well. It wasn't much later that the autograph seekers showed up, looking for a little ink from anyone in green and gold.Even their exit got cheers.

READ MORE

15-seeds - MEAC's Norfolk State, Lehigh steal show at NCAAs

OMAHA, Nebraska -- The NCAA Tournament belongs to Lehigh and Norfolk State, at least for a day, after they made Ohio's upset of No. 4-seed Michigan ho-hum news and pushed Virginia Commonwealth's postseason show to the back burner.

Only four times had a No. 15 seed beaten a No. 2 seed in the tournament, and not at all since 2001. Then it happened twice within three hours Friday.

It is noteworthy that the three biggest upset losers - Michigan, Duke and Missouri - are perimeter teams that lack size and rely on guards making outside shots. They can look great some days, and then other days, this happens.

Norfolk State introduced us to the personality of the event - lovable, quotable Kyle O'Quinn - while eliminating Missouri 86-84, and Lehigh used the "organic" approach to stun Duke 75-70.

Lehigh forward Jordan Hamilton had told reporters on Thursday, "I think we're able to approach this from a more organic perspective."

READ MORE

Norfolk State's historic win resonates

OMAHA, Nebraska -- Moments after the most stunning NCAA tournament upset of the past decade, the Norfolk State Spartans reacted like typical college students. They hurried into the locker room -- and pulled out their cellphones.

"We're trending on Twitter right now -- nationally," one player said. A teammate spoke up from across the room. "I just got a text. People are jumping into the fountain back on campus."  Soon it was revealed that the website for Norfolk State's student newspaper had crashed because of an overload of traffic.

Then came the announcement that only two of the 6.45 million participants in ESPN.com's bracket challenge still had perfect records -- mainly because of No. 15 seed Norfolk State's 86-84 victory over Missouri on Friday at the CenturyLink Center. Even U.S. President Barack Obama had No. 2 seed Missouri going to the Final Four.



READ MORE

No. 15 Norfolk State shoots lights out, stuns 2-seed Missouri

OMAHA, Nebraska -- Welcome to the NCAA tournament, Norfolk State.

Might as well stick around a while.

Kyle O'Quinn had 26 points and 14 rebounds, making several key plays in the closing minutes, and the gritty No. 15 seed Spartans held on through a tense final minute to topple second-seeded Missouri 86-84 on Friday in the West Regional.

Pendarvis Williams and Chris McEachin each added 20 points for the MEAC champion Spartans (26-9), who made their first trip to the NCAA tournament a memorable one. They became the fifth No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 and the first since fellow conference member Hampton in 2001.

BOX SCORE

READ MORE

Florida A&M players impress on Pro Day

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Based on the reactions of Florida A&M football fans who packed into the Hansel Tookes Recreation Center, the 18 former Rattlers who went through a battery of strength tests were impressive.

But ultimately the biggest impression they want to make is on the throng of professional football scouts who showed up with stopwatches and legal pads. For about two and a half hours they clicked times and made notes as the players leaped, lifted and sprint outdoors on an artificial turf field adjacent to the recreation center.

They got plenty of advice from former FAMU cornerback Curtis Holcomb, who was impressive enough during last season to be drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. "I've been telling these guys to just calm down," Holcomb said. "This is your day. This is for you; calm down and be yourself."

READ MORE

Jerry Eaves Out As NC A&T Men's Basketball Coach

GREENSBORO, North Carolina (4/13/12) -- Jerry Eaves has been relieved of his duties as the head men's basketball coach at North Carolina A&T, Director of Athletics Earl M. Hilton III announced today. Scott Bollwage will serve as interim head coach until a permanent replacement is hired.

Eaves' contract with the school expires May 30, 2013. Eaves finishes his tenure at A&T with a 99-180 record over nine seasons. He is third on the program's all-time wins list. In 2003, Eaves took over a one-win program. During his stint, he led the Aggies to wins over SMU, DePaul, Middle Tennessee State and was 2-0 against cross-town rival UNC Greensboro.



READ MORE

A&T fires basketball coach

EXCERPT:
GREENSBORO — Jerry Eaves has been fired as the men's basketball coach at N.C. A&T, athletics director Earl M. Hilton III announced in a news release. Scott Bollwage will serve as interim head coach until a permanent replacement is hired.

Eaves finishes his tenure at A&T with a 99-180 record over nine seasons. Eaves' contract runs through May 30, 2013, and the university said he will be paid in full. Eaves' contract is worth $135,000 per year plus benefits.

READ MORE 

2012 Prairie View A&M Panther Football Schedule Unveiled

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M University Athletic Director Fred Washington today announced the 2012 Panther football schedule. The Panthers will play an action-packed 11-game slate in 2012 highlighted by a contest at the defending FCS National Champions, nine Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) games, four football classics, two on-campus contests and the return to the Golden Triangle area of Texas for the first time since 1998.

The Panthers kickoff the 2012 season on Saturday, Sept. 1 against state and conference rival Texas Southern in the 28th edition of the State Farm Labor Day Classic as it returns to Reliant Stadium in Houston after a one-year hiatus at 7 p.m. For the second straight season, the rivalry will feature a new but familiar face as second-year head coach Heishma Northern will square off against longtime friend and new TSU head coach Darrell Asberry.

On Sept. 8, the Panthers will make the short trek down the highway to the Golden Triangle as they'll meet Lamar University of the Southland Conference for the first time since 1985 in Beaumont, Texas. In addition to the first meeting between both teams in nearly 27 years, the Panthers will return to the city of Beaumont and Provost Umphrey Stadium for the first time since 1998.

One week later on Sept. 15, Prairie View A&M travels to Huntsville, Ala. for a 6 p.m. match-up at Alabama A&M in the third annual Lewis Crews Classic before closing out non-conference play with a game at defending 2011 FCS National Champion North Dakota State on Sept. 22 in Fargo, N.D. The month of September concludes on Sept. 29 as the Panthers step back into SWAC play with a trip to Jackson, Miss. for a meeting at Jackson State.

The annual State Fair Classic in the Cotton Bowl kicks off the month of October as PV will square off against Grambling State in Dallas on Oct. 6. After a much-deserved weekend off on Oct. 13, the Panthers make their Blackshear Field debut on Oct. 20 as Alcorn State comes to town in a homecoming showdown at 2 p.m. One weekend later on Oct. 27, Prairie View will participate in the third annual Shreveport Classic at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. against divisional foe Southern University.

The schedule's homestretch begins on Saturday, Nov. 3 as the Panthers return home to Blackshear Field to face Alabama State. The Panthers will honor their 2012 senior class during the contest in addition to the third annual PV Marching Storm Band Appreciation Day. The season concludes on the road for consecutive weekends as the Panthers will travel to Mississippi Valley State on Saturday, Nov. 10 and Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday, Nov. 17.

“This is one of our most competitive schedules we've had in quite some time,” said Northern. “From the opening week to the final week, we're going to have to bring our 'A' game to the field as we have two solid non-conference teams plus our league foes. I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

Panther fans will have an opportunity to get an early jump on the action for next season as season tickets for the 2012 season will go on sale April 15. For more information and to see finalized game times once they're available, log on to the department's official athletic website at http://www.pvpanthers.com/.

2012 Prairie View A&M Football Schedule (.pdf)

Day Date Opponent Location/Stadium Times

9/1/2012 *Texas Southern Houston,Tx - Reliant Stadium 7:00 p.m. State Farm Labor Day Classic XXVIII 
9/8/2012 Lamar Beaumont, Texas TBA
9/15/2012 *Alabama A&M Huntsville, Ala. 6:00 p.m. Lewis Crews Classic 
.9/22/2012 North Dakota State Fargo, N.D. TBA 
 9/29/2012 *Jackson State Jackson, Miss. TBA
 10/6/2012 *Grambling State Dallas, Texas - Cotton Bowl 6:00 p.m. State Fair Classic
 10/20/2012 *Alcorn State Prairie View 2:00 p.m. Homecoming 2012
 10/27/2012 *Southern Shreveport, La. - Independence 4:00 p.m. Shreveport Classic
 11/3/2012 *Alabama State Prairie View 1:00 p.m.
 11/10/2012 *Mississippi Valley Itta Bena, Miss. 1:00 p.m.
 11/17/2012 *Arkansas-Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, Ark. TBA

COURTESY PVAMU SPORTS INFORMATION

North Dakota State completes 2012 Football Schedule with PVAMU

FARGO, N.D., North Dakota State University issued the following news release on March 13:

North Dakota State University director of athletics Gene Taylor announced the completion of the 2012 schedule with Prairie View A&M University on Sept. 22 at the Fargodome.

Prairie View A&M, located in Prairie, Texas, compiled a 5-6 record in 2011 including a 5-4 record in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). This will be the first meeting with the Panthers, coached by Heishma Northern. The Bison have a 3-0 record against the SWAC, 2-0 vs. Mississippi Valley State and 1-0 vs. Grambling State.

Prairie View A&M is the second-oldest public institution of higher education in Texas, second only to Texas A&M University. The Panthers have won 11 SWAC championships, the last coming in 2009, and have claimed five Black College National Championships in its football history.

North Dakota State opens the season Sept. 1 against Robert Morris, a rematch of the 2010 NCAA FCS first-round playoff game. The Bison then travel to Fort Collins to face Colorado State of the Mountain West Conference on Sept. 8.

NDSU is scheduled to open Missouri Valley Football Conference action Sept. 29 at Northern Iowa. The Bison have home conference games with Youngstown State on Oct. 6, the annual homecoming game vs. Indiana State on Oct. 13, the Harvest Bowl on Oct. 27 with Southern Illinois and the annual Dakota Marker game with South Dakota State on Nov. 10.

Valley Football road games include stops at South Dakota on Oct. 20, Missouri State on Nov. 3 and Illinois State on Nov. 17

The Bison do not play Western Illinois in 2012.

North Dakota State won the program's first NCAA Division I Football Championship with a 17-6 win over Sam Houston State on Jan. 7 and also claimed the program's first Missouri Valley Football Conference title. Head coach Craig Bohl led the Bison to a 14-1 overall record and 7-1 record in MVFC.

NDSU is scheduled to start spring football drills on March 24 and culminate with the annual Green-Gold Spring Game at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21, in the Fargodome.

Friday's NCAA Tournament Preview: (15) Norfolk State vs.(2) Missouri

• WHEN/WHERE: About 3:40 p.m. Friday at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb.

• TV/RADIO: TNT (Ch. 203 and 1203 on Time Warner, Ch. 51 and 204 on Comcast in Missouri, Ch. 69 and 204 on Comcast in Kansas, Ch. 48 and 600 on Surewest, Ch. 108 on AT&T U-Verse, Ch. 245 on DirecTV and Ch. 138 on Dish Network); KMBZ (980 AM and 98.1 FM).

•  WHEN/WHERE: About 3:40 p.m. Friday at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb.
•  TV/RADIO: TNT (Ch. 203 and 1203 on Time Warner, Ch. 51 and 204 on Comcast in Missouri, Ch. 69 and 204 on Comcast in Kansas, Ch. 48 and 600 on Surewest, Ch. 108 on AT&T U-Verse, Ch. 245 on DirecTV and Ch. 138 on Dish Network); KMBZ (980 AM and 98.1 FM)

P	No.	Norfolk State	Ht.	Yr.	PPG
F	32	Marcos Tamares	6-7	Sr.	6.8
C	10	Kyle O’Quinn	6-10	Sr.	15.9
G	15	Rodney McCauley	6-5	Sr.	3.4
G	35	Chris McEachin	6-6	Sr.	12.8
G	11	Pendarvis Williams	6-6	So.	11.8

•  ABOUT NORFOLK STATE (25-9): The Spartans finished 13-3 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, good for second place. They qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history by winning the league tournament. … Norfolk State is a relative newcomer to this level of basketball, as it made the leap to Division I in 1997. … Senior center Kyle O’Quinn said several teams in the MEAC play similar styles as Missouri, which spreads the floor with four shooters and a single post player. “This is not the type of game that we haven’t seen a game plan (for),” he said. “Yes, we are going against better players from a different conference, but the style of play is what we see a lot (of) in the conference.”

READ MORE

Stillman Tigers extend softball win streak to 12 games

JASPER, Alabama | The Stillman College Lady Tigers softball team picked up two wins Thursday at the SIAC Crossover at Memorial Park. Stillman (15-6 overall, 10-0 SIAC) shut out the Fort Valley State Wildcats, 9-0, then beat the Claflin Panthers, 10-4.

In the opener, Stillman’s Bailey Braughton, Gabrielle Quarles and Ashley Savage each had two hits as the Lady Tigers won their 11th consecutive game. Danielle Hewitt hit her first home run of the season in the top of the third inning.

Savage pitched all five innings for Stillman, surrendering one hit, a game-opening single by FVSU’s Tawana Barker. Savage threw 49 pitches, 32 for strikes, while striking out six.

The Tigers trailed Claflin 2-1 in the top of the second inning, but Braughton hit a three-run home run to give Stillman a 4-2 lead. Stillman scored four more runs in the third and two more in the fourth to take a 10-2 lead. Claflin scored a run in the top of the fifth and seventh innings for the final score.

BOX SCORE

READ MORE

Benedict Tigers Announce 2012 Football Schedule

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Benedict College will play four home football games this season, including its second home Thursday night contest in two consecutive years when new rival, Bowie State University, comes to Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. This match up will also be televised nationally on Comcast Sports South (CSS).

The 2012 football schedule also includes two Classics - the Palmetto Capital City Classic against Virginia State University and the Augusta City Classic against conference foe Albany State University.

The Tigers play all three of their non-conference opponents in the opening month of the season, facing Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) opponents Virginia Union in the opening game, Sept. 1 on the road; Bowie State the following Thursday night which will be televised on CSS, and on Sept. 15 the Tigers will host new opponent Virginia State University which will finish their non-conference schedule.

“The 2012 schedule is very competitive. As a matter of fact, it's a great schedule with good non-conference opponent teams,” said interim head football coach James Woody. “We feel we will be competitive and will definitely be up for the challenge.”

From that point onward, it's all SIAC foes: Sept. 22 at Fort Valley State University; Sept. 29 Miles College in Birmingham; Oct. 6Stillman College; Oct. 13 at Clark Atlanta; Oct. 20 homecoming in Columbia against Morehouse College; Oct. 27 Albany State University in Augusta featuring the Augusta City Classic; Nov. 3 Lane College in Jackson, TN.

The Tigers will be tested early in their first three contests against Bowie State, Virginia Union, and Virginia State. During the 2011 season the Tigers recorded losses to Bowie and Virginia Union while their new opponent Virginia State defeated both teams by a significant margin. However, the Tigers are rebounding under new interim head coach James Woody, as he boasts the largest recruiting class ever in Tiger history with 37 2012 signees.

“I am very, very excited about the class. This is probably the best class I've put together in my years of doing this,” Woody said. “We filled a lot of needs. We think we have some talented young men, but we won't know for sure until we see them in training camp. We were able to bring in young men with great character and athletic ability.”

2012 Benedict Football Schedule

DATE TEAM LOCATION TIME
Sept. 1 Virginia Union Richmond, Va. 2:00 PM
Sept. 6 Bowie State (CSS Television) Columbia, S.C. 8:00 PM

Sept. 15 Virginia State (Capital City Classic) Columbia, S.C. 4:00 PM

Sept. 22 Fort Valley State * Fort Valley, Ga. 2:00 PM

Sept. 29 Miles * Birmingham, Ala. 2:00 PM CST
Oct. 6 Stillman * (High School Day) Columbia, S.C. 2:00 PM

Oct. 13 Clark Atlanta * Atlanta, Ga. 2:00 PM

Oct. 20 Morehouse * (Homecoming) Columbia, S.C. 2:00 PM

Oct. 27 Albany State *(Augusta City Classic) Augusta, Ga. 2:00 PM

Nov. 3 Lane * Jackson, Tenn. 2:00 PM CST

Nov. 10 SIAC Championship TBA
* SIAC game

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION
VISIT: BENEDICTTIGERS.COM
VISIT: BENEDICT COLLEGE

Stanford Begins NCAA Tournament Saturday Against Hampton

Game #33
NCAA Tournament First Round
No. 2/2 Stanford Cardinal (31-1) - vs. - Hampton Lady Pirates (26-4)

Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 10:30 a.m. PT
Ted Constant Convocation Center (8,600) - Norfolk, Va.
Seeds: Stanford (1); Hampton (16)
Series History: First Meeting
Last Meeting: N/A
TV: ESPN2 (P-x-P: Mark Jones, Analyst: Mary Murphy)
Webcast: ESPN3 (www.espn3.com)
Radio: 90.1 KZSU (P-x-P: Sam Fisher)




Hampton women prepare for first round matchup versus Stanford

HAMPTON, Virginia -- The Hampton University women’s basketball team won a school Division-I record 26 wins this year, finishing with a 26-4 overall record. The Lady Pirates were 15-1 in the MEAC conference and won the MEAC Tournament title for the third straight year. The team is top ten in the nation in a variety of categories - leading the nation in 3-point field goal defense (20.3%), second in scoring defense (46.8 ppg), third in field goal defense (32.3%), and ninth in turnover margin (+6.4).

However, the Hampton Lady Pirates enter the NCAA Women’s Tournament as the 16th-seed in the Fresno region. In the first round, the Lady Pirates will face the top-seeded Stanford Cardinal. While Hampton is the “visiting” team, the game will be played in Norfolk and will essentially be a home game for the Lady Pirates. The game will be played on Saturday, March 17 at 1:30 pm and will be preceded by Texas versus West Virginia, playing in the 8/9 matchup, tipping off at 11:10 am.

Hampton enters the game having won 11 straight games and are led by All-MEAC First-Team selection Jericka Jenkins. Jenkins was second in the nation in assists (7.2 apg) and also led the team in scoring (14.0 ppg). After finishing last season with a 25-7 record and winning the MEAC Tournament, Hampton earned a 13-seed from the Tournament Committee, which was the highest seed ever earned by a MEAC team.

The Lady Pirates and their head coach, David Six, feel disrespected by their 16th-seed this year and hope to use the perceived slight as motivation to overcome the 31-1 Stanford team.

READ MORE

Frahm, Maryland Eastern Shore bowling team begin MEAC today

KRISTINA FRAHM
INTERIM HEAD BOWLING COACH
UMES LADY HAWKS

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- When she graduated from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore last spring, Kristina Frahm wanted to eventually get into coaching. What the former Hawk bowling standout didn't count on was how fast the opportunity came.

In January, Frahm's coach, Sharon Brummell -- who built the school's bowling program and captured three national titles during her tenure -- called her former player to say she'd be leaving mid-season to become an administrator at Georgetown University.

Brumell also floated this idea to the 22-year-old Illinois native, who is a first-year graduate student at Salisbury University: come back and serve as interim head coach. "She called me up one day, asking my thoughts about it and seeing if I wanted to do it," Brummell said. "And I thought about it for a few days and I chose to start coaching."

Brummell said she approached Frahm because Frahm always wanted to see how the program operated -- helping to fill out paperwork, going on recruiting trips.

READ MORE

HAWKS STAY FIFTH IN CURRENT NTCA POLL

HACKENSACK, N.J. - The latest National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) poll has come out and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) has stayed put in the fifth position. The Hawks, as well as the top-ranked Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) are, however, the only teams in the top ten not to reposition in the March poll.

UMES amassed 526 points and sport a 94-29 overall record. They trailed the new No. 4 team Vanderbilt by 66 points. The Commodores are up three spots from seventh in the last poll. Arkansas State is the new number two team in the nation with 700 points and seven first place votes. They are up three spots as well, previously being No. 4. The Red Wolves trial FDU by 46 points. The Knights had 19 first place votes.

Nebraska is the new No. 3 team, sporting 602 first place votes; they are up five spots from eighth. They have bowled only 74 matches total this season and are 57-17.

Valparaiso, Central Missouri, Sacred Heart and Sam Houston State round out the top nine teams while Norfolk State and Stephen F. Austin tied for tenth. Valpo dropped three spots, UCM one spot and Sacred Heart seven spots. The Pioneers were the biggest mover in the latest poll. NSU was up one spot.

Delaware State and Morgan State are both ranked in the latest poll from the MEAC, giving them four teams in the top 20 in the nation. The Bears return to the poll for the first time in a few months to 20th while DSU dropped one spot to 14th.

The Hawks are currently ranked in four polls, standing at 15th in the BWAA poll, 12th in the NCBCA tally and fifth in the NTCA Media poll.

UMES is coming off of a second place finish in the USBC ITC Allentown sectional where they qualified for the Intercollegiate Team Championships. They are hoping to defend their National Championship at that event. This weekend the Hawks are off to Greensboro, N.C. where they are looking for their sixth MEAC Championship and second straight title. Play starts Friday the 16th and continues through Sunday.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

UMES T'nia Falbo named MEAC Bowler of the Year

T'NIA FALBO
MEAC BOWLER OF THE YEAR

NORFOLK, Va. - University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) junior T'nia Falbo (Greensburg, Pa.) has been named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's Bowling Player of the Year, the league announced today. Falbo had a brilliant season, coming on strong in the second half of the year to boast three MEAC Player of the Week honors and three All-Tournament Team selections.

She averaged a 203.8 over 49 games with a pinfall of 9,989, helping UMES clinch its third MEAC Northern Division Title with a 29-1 conference mark. The Hawks sport a 94-29 overall record and are currently ranked fifth in the latest NTCA Coaches' and Media polls.

Falbo is the second Hawk to earn the accolade, following three-time MEAC Player of the Year Maria Rodriguez (Ibague Tolima, Colombia). Rodriguez won the inaugural award in 2009 and UMES has never let another school take it home since. Falbo has the highest game in the league this season, sporting a 280 at the Prairie View Invitational with an average of 235.2 over five games in Texas.

Mariana Alvarado (Leon, Guanajuanto, Mexico) earned the schools second ever bowling MEAC Rookie of the Year. She recorded a 7,826 total pinfall and notched a high game of a 242 at a MEAC North meet. She averaged a 185 or above in nine of 10 events this season and finished sporting a 190.8 average.

Norfolk State's Wilhelmenia Harrison earned MEAC Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season.

Also earning conference accolades is Anggie Ramirez (Bogota, Colombia) who was the pre-season player of the year for the MEAC and also the only other MEAC Rookie of the Year from UMES back in 2009. Ramirez also had a solid season that earned her inclusion on the First-Team All-MEAC squad. Ramirez had the highest average on the team this season, a 206.81, thanks to a sensational first half of the year. She tallied a pinfall of 8,686 over 42 games and rolled a 277 high game this season at the first MEAC North match-up. She was a four-time MEAC Bowler of the Week and her 277 was the third highest game this season and the best recorded in MEAC only play.

Filling out the First-Team was Tiffany Lebahn of Delaware State, Thea Aspiras of Norfolk State and Keisheena Waldon of Morgan State.

UMES didn't stop there however, getting two more nods on the MEAC Second-Team. Despite holding higher averages than other members of the First-Team, Megan Buja (Rockford, Ill.) and Paula Vilas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) were both tabbed for that accolade. They joined Jazmyne Hefflefinger of DSU, Laverne Jones of North Carolina Central, Chelsea Krall of Norfolk State and Staci Hillard of Bethune-Cookman.

Buja carried a 197.07 average over 44 games with a pin count of 8,671. Her high game on the season came at Prairie View with a 264 where she joined Falbo on the All-Tournament Team. That game was the sixth best in the league this year. She was also an All-Star at the N.J. Jamboree to open the season

Vilas, the lone senior on the squad, earned All-MEAC honors for the second straight year. She averaged a 192.63 over 40 games and tallied a pin fall of 7,705. Her high game, a 256 came at the first MEAC North meet of the season. That was the ninth best game in the league this season.

UMES is coming off of a second place finish in the USBC ITC Allentown sectional where they qualified for the Intercollegiate Team Championships. They are hoping to defend their National Championship at that event. This weekend the Hawks are off to Greensboro, N.C. where they are looking for their sixth MEAC Championship and second straight title. Play starts Friday the 16th with qualifying rounds and continues through Sunday.

On Saturday the teams compete in a best-of-seven Baker series. The championship concludes on Sunday, March 18 beginning with the semifinal round at 9:50 a.m. and concluding with the championship final at 11:45 a.m. The championship finale will air tape-delayed on ESPNU on March 26 at 10 p.m.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

Tulane Downs Mississippi Valley In WNIT Opener, 68-61

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - For five minutes, it looked like it was going to be a runaway. Midway through the game, it looked like it was going to be an upset. When the clock finally hit zero, it was the Green Wave who came out on top as the Tulane University women's basketball team defeated Mississippi Valley State, 68-61, in the 2012 WNIT opener on Thursday evening in Fogelman Arena.

Freshman guard Danielle Blagg had a game-high 18 points and the Green Wave duo of senior center Brett Benzio and junior guard Olivia Grayson both posted double-doubles to help spearhead the victory. After going ahead 17-5 to start the game, Tulane trailed 38-35 at the break and were down by four at 40-36 just over two minutes into the second half. From there, the Green Wave went on a 13-7 run over the next five minutes to take a 49-47 it would not relinquish.

With the win, Tulane improves to 23-10 on the year and advances to take on Texas Tech on Sunday in Lubbock, Texas. Tipoff for the game is slated for 2 p.m. Mississippi Valley State, meanwhile, concludes its 2011-12 season with an 18-14 record.

"I thought it was a hard-fought game on both ends," Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton said. "Defensively, we did a much better job in the second half. In the first half, we gave up way too many points in transition. Only giving up 23 points in the second half was a much better effort.

"I thought at times we played really fatigued. Whether that's energy, whether that's mental or whatever, there were times after that first five minutes that we just didn't have that same energy out there and that's something that we have to make sure we're ready for on Sunday."

Blagg, who hit four 3-pointers on the night, was one of four Tulane players to finish in double figures as Grayson had 13 and both Benzio and freshman forward Tiffany Dale tallied 12 each. Benzio and Grayson completed their double-doubles with 10 rebounds apiece and Benzio headlined the team with a game-high five blocks. Rookie guard Jamie Kaplan came off the bench to lead the Wave with a career-high seven assists, and Dale posted a team-best three steals.

As a team, Tulane hit 43.1 percent of its shots from the field (25-of-58), including a .471 clip from beyond the 3-point arc (8-of-17). After allowing the Delta Devilettes to hit 16-of-34 field goals (.471) - including a .714 clip from 3-point land - over the first 20 minutes of play, the Green Wave defense held Mississippi Valley State to just eight buckets in the second half.

"We definitely got out on them early and we kind of let off the gas a little bit," Grayson said. "They continued to fight, so I give them props for that. We just gutted it out and got the win."

Tulane got off to a red-hot start, jumping out to a 17-5 lead 4:14 into the ballgame. The Delta Devilettes, however, refused to go away quietly and used a 5-of-7 performance from 3-point distance to outscore the Green Wave 33-18 the rest of the half and go into the locker room at the break on top by three.

After the two teams trading buckets early in the second half, Tulane reclaimed the lead on a Grayson jumper with 11:59 to play. Valley answered with a Brittney Lakes bucket on the ensuing possession to go back up 44-43, but a Benzio layup the next time down the floor to put the home team back on top momentarily. Lenise Stallings drained a 3-pointer to give the Delta Devilettes a 47-45 edge with 9:36 on the clock, but a Dale layup tied things up at 47-all and sparked a 12-0 Tulane run.

The Green Wave led by as many as 11 at 62-51 courtesy of a Blagg trey with 4:35 to go and Mississippi Valley whittled the deficit down to as few as six three times down the stretch. Tulane's run midway through the final frame, however, proved to be the difference in the ballgame.

"In the beginning of the game I definitely missed a lot more than I made, so I'm really happy that I was able to come out and made some in the second half," Blagg said of her three 3-pointers after the break. "You can't get down on the missed shots."

De'Kisha Fondon led the Delta Devilettes with 15 points while Alia Frank and Ka'Neshia Smith had 12 each. Smith led the team with nine rebounds and six assists. Fondon led all players with four steals.

Final Stats | Quotes

Tulane/Mississippi Valley State Game Book In PDF Format

COURTESY TULANE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Xavier Gold Nuggets feeling OK after beating Southern Nazarene

FRANKFORT, Kentucky — For the second year in a row, the Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball team ended a losing streak in the NAIA Division I National Championship.

The Gold Nuggets got 16 points from SiMon Franklin and defeated Southern Nazarene 74-67 Thursday to earn their first victory at nationals in eight attempts against an Oklahoma opponent.

Xavier (26-8), ranked 18th and winner of eight in a row, will play second-ranked Union (Tenn.) in the second round at 8:45 p.m. Friday. Southern Nazarene, in its final NAIA season before beginning a transition to NCAA Division II, finished 24-10.

A year ago Xavier ended a five-game first-round losing streak by defeating Lee (Tenn.), then was eliminated in the next round.

The Gold Nuggets trailed Southern Nazarene 26-16 after 10 minutes and 39-35 at halftime but took the lead for good, 42-41, on Keldra Hall's basket with 16:03 remaining. Xavier led 58-49 with 8:18 remaining after freshman Jessica Savannah's second consecutive basket.

The Crimson Storm twice cut the Nuggets' lead to one point in the final six minutes, but the Nuggets survived. Franklin, a junior guard and the MVP of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament two weeks ago, converted a frontcourt steal into a layup to give Xavier a 72-67 lead with 29 seconds remaining. Brandi Young made two free throws with 22 seconds remaining for the Nuggets' final points.

Young scored 11 points, and Hall and Jasmine Grant had nine apiece. Grant's 3-pointer with 12:53 remaining was the 200th of her career. Her final 3-pointer, which followed Carmen Holcombe's offensive rebound, gave the Nuggets a 69-63 lead at 2:19.

Southern Nazarene missed a third opportunity to cut the lead to one when Ashley Mantooth scored a basket and Franklin fouled her. But Mantooth missed the free throw with 1:22 remaining — leaving Xavier with a 69-67 advantage — and Southern Nazarene didn't score again. In the final minute the Crimson Storm missed a pair of 3-pointers and committed three turnovers.

"Southern Nazarene shot lights-out early," XU coach Bo Browder said. "I guarantee you the first 12 or 15 minutes were the best basketball they've played all season. They were making contested shots. But we withstood that early punch and came back."

Southern Nazarene had five double-figure scorers, led by Mantooth with 16 points and Logan Martin and Oumoul Thiam with 14 apiece. The Crimson Storm outshot the Nuggets 43.9 to 39.1 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 47-31. But Xavier offset that with a season-high-tying eight 3-pointers, a season-best plus-14 turnover margin and 31 points from its bench.

"I told our bench before the game if they played well, we'd win," Browder said. "I thought our starters and their starters were an even match, but our bench made the difference."

In addition's to Hall, reserves Danielle Kennebrew and Dalila Robinson provided a spark with eight points apiece. Kennebrew, who entered the game 5-for-37 in her career from 3-point range, and Robinson each made a pair of treys. Robinson made hers on consecutive possessions midway through the first half and produced her most points in nearly eight weeks. Kennebrew scored her second-most points of the season.

Union (32-2) advanced with a 63-50 victory against Lindsey Wilson in the game immediately preceding Xavier-Southern Nazarene.

"Great program, great talent, great coaching, great tradition," Browder said of Union. "Southern Nazarene had a bigger team than we did, and Union's a little bigger than Southern Nazarene. So we'll have another difficult challenge to deal with."

There will be another streak to overcome, too. The Nuggets are 0-6 in the second round at nationals.

Box score

NOTES: The victory was Xavier's first against Southern Nazarene, which beat the Nuggets twice in the regular season during Browder's first two years as head coach (1998-99 and 1999-2000) . . . The Nuggets' seven straight losses at nationals against Oklahoma teams were by an average of 20.9 points . . . Grant is the third Gold Nugget to make 200 career 3-pointers. Jarryn Cleaves (2003-08) made 283, and Courtney Simon (1992-96) made 204 . . . It's the first time since 1998, when Browder was an XU assistant, that the Nuggets won first-round games at nationals in consecutive years . . . The Nuggets scored their most points at nationals since a 77-52 first-round victory against LeTourneau in 1997.

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