Southern's football attendance ranked number one in SWAC

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Southern University football finished the 2012 season ranked No. 9 in the Football Championship Subdivision in average home attendance and No. 1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the university recently announced.

Southern posted an average home attendance of 16,602 with only four home contests at the 25,500-seat A.W. Mumford Stadium. The Jaguars also played in the No. 2 (vs. Grambling), No. 4 (vs. Florida A&M) and No. 21 (vs. Texas Southern) overall highest attended single games.

"This year's significant increase in home attendance and uptick in Bayou Classic attendance was the result of a multifaceted marketing and social media campaign and robust community outreach combining with an improved on-the-field product," said William Broussard, Southern athletics director. "We were able to host 750 area youth and over 1000 prospective high school students through various initiatives and do much more through discounted/group sales."

As a result, Southern football produced a 28 percent increase year-over-year.

Southern, by virtue of the Bayou Classic, also ranked No. 4 in total home accumulated attendance at 112,389.

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No more waiting for Morgan State's Anthony Hubbard

BALTIMORE, Maryland  --  As the team bus left Baltimore and headed south to Norfolk, Anthony Hubbard’s mind began racing.

In a few hours, he would take the court for the first time as a Division I men’s basketball player when Morgan State would play the University of Texas at San Antonio and he wasn’t sure what might happen.

For a year, the Woodbridge resident had waited for this opportunity after the NCAA ruled he had to sit out a year after transferring from Iowa. Hubbard never played for the Hawkeyes, but he had signed a national letter of intent and received institutional aid while attending summer school there. Morgan State applied for a waiver, but to no avail.

Then of course, there was Hubbard’s back story beyond Iowa. At age 18, Hubbard went to jail for almost four years for an armed robbery he and three other boys committed in Woodbridge on Dec. 13, 2003.

When he was released from prison on Dec. 20, 2007, Hubbard had straightened out his life and saw a bright future ahead of him.

Still, as excited as he was about finally suiting up for Morgan State, there was no denying the impact of the moment.

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Close to home, HU Avant thrives as on-court leader

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- Keiara Avant wasn't ready to leave.

After averaging a double-double at Indian River High School and receiving a couple of out-of-state scholarship offers, the Chesapeake native wanted to continue her basketball career close to home.

She loved having her family in the stands - a little extra motivation, she said, that helps her play harder. She wanted the hand-made signs, the cheers and the familiarity.

When Hampton coach David Six extended her an offer, the choice was simple. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school felt like - and was close to - home.

"Having my family come to the games, support me, it's just great," Avant said. "Hampton blue is strong in my family."

The senior said at least six of her relatives are Hampton alumni. They've watched her and the Pirates win three consecutive MEAC championships.

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Crusaders' last-minute comeback defeats Gold Rush

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Jeremiah Dunnings' 5-point play with five seconds remaining lifted William Carey to a 72-71 victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I men's basketball teams Tuesday.

The Crusaders (11-1), ranked 10th, completed a two-game season sweep of the Gold Rush (11-3), ranked 16th.

Dunnings, who finished with 17 points, helped William Carey erase a five-point deficit in the final minute. He scored and was fouled by Wanto Joseph on William Carey's final possession to cut Xavier's lead to 71-69. XU coach Dannton Jackson was assessed a technical foul after Dunnings' basket. Dunnings made three consecutive free throws — the last two as a result of the technical — to give the Crusaders their only lead of the second half.

Xavier then committed a turnover on the final possession.

Denzell Erves scored a season-high 22 points for Xavier and grabbed 10 rebounds in his eighth double-double of the season and 15th of his career. Nick Haywood had season highs of 19 points and six 3-pointers, and Joseph had 12 points and seven assists.

Daron Bell scored 16 points, Guy Payne 14 and Kelvin Nixon 10 for William Carey.

The Gold Rush rallied from an 18-9 deficit to lead 36-33 at halftime. Erves' basket with 11:09 remaining gave Xavier its largest lead, 60-47.

William Carey outshot Xavier 49 to 43.8 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Gold Rush 39-29. The Crusaders made 19-of-27 free throws, and the Rush made 7-of-12 to set season lows for free throws attempted, made and accuracy.

The loss was Xavier's first of the season in six road games and its second consecutive one-point decision. The Rush defeated Voorhees 56-55 Saturday.

The Gold Rush will break for Christmas, then resume the schedule at 2 p.m. on New Year's Eve at Belhaven in Jackson, Miss. The next XU men's home game will start at 5 p.m. on Jan. 12 against Tougaloo in the new Convocation Center.

Box score

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

SC State Women Defeat Coastal Carolina 78-55

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  The South Carolina State women, off to their best start in 31 years, built a 27-point halftime lead over visiting Coastal Carolina and went on to a 78-55 victory over the Chanticleers Tuesday night in a non-conference matchup at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

Guard Cabriel Duren had 15 points and four assists to lead SC State. Also in double figures were guards Kourtney Williams with 12 points and Tiara Knotts with 11. Center Fannie Goodwin added nine points and was one of three Lady Bulldogs with a team-leading seven rebounds. Knotts and forward Brittany Cochran also grabbed seven boards.

Coastal Carolina also had three players in double figures, led by Kayla Cook, who came off the bench for 14 points. Alex Puckett added 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds and Katelyn Connor chipped in 10 points for the Chanticleers, who fell to 6-4 with the loss.

The victory, the fourth in a row for the Lady Bulldogs gave SC State an 8-2 overall mark, the team's best start since the 1978-79 campaign when the Orangeburg institution was 9-1 in its first 10 games on its way to a 33-2 campaign, which included the AIAW Division II National Championship. It is also the best start at SC State for fifth-year head Coach Doug Robertson, who succeeded Tonya Mackey in 2008-2009.

“It's good to be off to a good start,” Robertson said following the game. “We played well in the first half, got a big lead, but played a little lackadaisical in the second half.

“I'm glad we are where we are this point in the season,” he continued, “but we are not at the place where I want us to be yet. We have to learn to put two good halves together. We've gotten off to quick starts several times this season, only to have the teams come back in the second half.”

SC State got off to a quick 18-8 start when Knotts scored on a breakaway with 13:13 on the first period clock. Following a basket by Cook, the Lady Bulldogs went on a 14-2 run to build a 28-10 cushion on a short jumper by Williams with 10:40 left in the opening.

AJ Jordan connected inside the lane for the Chanticleers at the 9:35 mark but a 21-10 spree by the host to end the half sent SC State to the locker room with a 49-22 edge, matching its highest first-half point production of the season. The Lady Bulldogs also scored 49 first-half points in a 94-46 triumph over Southern Wesleyan on Nov. 27th.

Coastal scored 12 of the first 17 points in the second half to slice the lead to 54-34 following back to back baskets by Connor with 11:53 remaining but the Lady Bulldogs got 13 of the next 17 points, to fashion a 67-38 advantage with 8:48 to play on a 3-pointer by Cherisha Floyd, who had seven points in the win.
SC State took its biggest lead – 71-40 – on two foul shots by Duren with 7:46 to play and closest Coastal Carolina came after that was 19 points at 71-52 with 5:28 left on the clock.

SC State will have little time to enjoy the win as the Lady Bulldogs travel to Columbia Friday to face 21st-ranked South Carolina, which was 10-0 on the season going into a Wednesday matchup with No. 1 ranked Stanford.

The Gamecocks dominate the series as SC State's last win in the rivalry came during the 1977-78 campaign by a score of 68-64 in Orangeburg. USC won 63-44 at Columbia last season.

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B-CU women commit just 8 turnovers, rout UNC Asheville

DELAND, Florida — Bethune-Cookman built a 40-16 halftime lead and committed its fewest turnovers since the 2002-03 season in a 74-57 rout of UNC Asheville as part of the Hatter Classic at the Edmunds Center.

“We did a great job of starting the game ahead and taking care of the easy shots we were given,” Wildcats coach Vanessa Blair said. “I thought it was a very good team win.”

B-CU (4-5) had just eight turnovers and was led by 15-point nights from Chastity Rene Taylor and Terrenisha Hollis to cruise past the Bulldogs (2-9).

In the second half, UNC Asheville rode long-range shooting to cut B-CU's lead to 13 points with just under three minutes to go.

However, Hollis and Sharnese Neal hit free throws in the final two minutes to seal the game.

“It was refreshing to see them pull together, knock down their free throws at the end of the game and finish the game with a significant advantage,” Blair said.

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HU scores 'huge' victory against American

HAMPTON, Virginia —  Hampton University coach Ed Joyner Jr. attempted to put the Pirates' signature performance Tuesday in perspective and then just stopped and chuckled.

"Here I am trying to sound all fancy," Joyner said. "Bottom line is, the win was huge. We needed it. It's great for our confidence. That's the way we feel like we can play."

HU's trio of Emmanuel Okoroba, Jasper Williams and Deron Powers fueled a 72-65 win over American at the Convocation Center in the Pirates' most complete effort of the season.

"We played a lot of 35-minute games," Williams said. "I think we kept our focus for 40 straight minutes today."

Hampton (2-7) came off a 10-day break for semester exams and played with energy at both ends of the floor for just its second win.

Okoroba recorded career-highs in points (18) and rebounds (11) in his first ...

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Barclays Center to Host Big Apple Classic in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, New York  --  Big Apple Classic, the original Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) basketball event, has signed a multi-year agreement with Barclays Center and will be held at the Brooklyn venue starting December 2013. The annual showcase features the iconic southern basketball rivals, Howard University vs. Hampton University in the battle of the REAL HU, and Virginia State University vs. Virginia Union University. The BAC had been played at Madison Square Garden in the past.

"Big Apple Classic is a huge men's college basketball event and a great showcase for Historically Black College and University programs," said Louis "Skip" Perkins, Director of Athletics for Howard University. "So to compete in the Big Apple Classic in the brand new Barclays Center in the heart of Brooklyn, N.Y., is an honor and a huge statement for the Bison family."

Off the court, Big Apple Classic (BAC) will provide an exciting platform for BAC festivities, including a dynamic drumline exhibition, a college fair and educational symposium, and an unforgettable halftime show.

"Hosting Big Apple Classic in Brooklyn presents a unique opportunity," said Ken Johnson, CEO of Johnson, Inc. and Founder of Big Apple Classic. "Not only is Barclays Center state-of-the-art, but Brooklyn's love of college basketball is evident as soon as you step foot in the building. The energy is unlike anywhere else."

A portion of the proceeds from BAC will be donated to support the philanthropic efforts of Educational Learning Opportunities, a non-profit organization specifically designed to provide student mentoring, educational workshops, personal and professional development, as well as career planning.

"We are proud to host a tournament that supports the strong tradition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities," said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center. "Our college basketball events this season have brought a lot of excitement and energy to Barclays Center and we are thrilled to add Big Apple Classic to our lineup for next season."

General on-sale ticket information will be announced in 2013. For more information about the BAC weekend, visit www.thebigappleclassic.com, or visit facebook.com/thebigappleclassic.

 

About Big Apple Classic

A historic event, the Big Apple Classic was launched seven years ago as the first ever HBCU basketball competition. Produced by Johnson, Inc., a Richmond, VA-based marketing firm, the Big Apple Classic has one primary goal: to increase the awareness of Historical Black Colleges and Universities in the Northeast region. In addition to exciting basketball action featuring top CIAA and MEAC teams, BAC attendees enjoy the hottest entertainment, an HBCU college fair and more.  In fact, the Big Apple Classic has become the ultimate family and social event that draws thousands of alumni, students, fans of participating schools, and the general public. The Big Apple Classic's commitment to the community doesn't stop with promoting higher education. Each year, the BAC partners with a non-profit organization to donate a portion of ticket proceeds to a charitable cause that impacts the African American community.

 

About Barclays Center

Barclays Center opened on September 28, 2012, and is a major sports and entertainment venue in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. Developed by Brooklyn-based real estate developer Forest City Ratner Companies, and designed by the award-winning architectural firms AECOM (www.aecom.com/architecture) and SHoP Architects (www.shoparc.com), Barclays Center has one of the most intimate seating configurations ever designed into a modern multi-purpose arena, with unparalleled sightlines and first-class amenities. Barclays Center offers approximately 18,000 seats for basketball, 14,500 seats for hockey and up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four clubs, and 40/40 CLUB & Restaurant by American Express.

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Former prep star RB waits on FAMU's decision

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Running back Demont Buice would like to play his last two years of college football at FAMU. At 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, he would add welcomed size to the Rattlers backfield, too.

But there is a little sticking point that’s keeping the two-time finalist for Mr. Football Alabama from committing. FAMU doesn’t have a permanent head coach, and Buice said that’s the reason why he didn’t commit after he made a visit this past weekend.

Buice, who started his college football career at Clemson, told the Democrat he was impressed with acting head coach Earl Holmes, but he had to hedge because of the program’s coaching situation.  Buice said he hasn’t arranged to visit any of his other options, including Auburn and Troy University.

“I have high interest in FAMU (and) I like coach Holmes,” Buice said during a telephone interview. “I told him I would try to commit if I knew he was the head coach but I can’t do that right now because they don’t have a stable coach.”



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SAU Falcons Survive 66-63 Over West Georgia In 2 OTs

CARROLLTON, Georgia. – Whew!

Saint Augustine's University capped their four-game road trip in thrilling fashion on Tuesday, Dec. 18. 2012. The Falcons held off the University of West Georgia 66-63 in double overtime at The Coliseum on West Georgia's campus in a non-conference men's college basketball game.

“Anytime you get a road win, it's special, especially this far from home.” St. Aug Head Coach Lonnie Blow, Jr. said.

The Falcons last played in double overtime on Feb. 26, 2011. They lost at Shaw University 85-84 in a game so exciting that both teams received an ovation from the fans at Spaulding Gymnasium.

This time, the Falcons (7-3 overall) came out on top in a double overtime contest. The victory completed a successful ten-day road swing through Florida and Georgia. The Falcons were 3-1 on the trip including two straight victories with each win going down to the wire. The average margin of victory was three points.

“It is always good that you can play on the road and win,” Blow said. “It helps you in the long run to get used to the pressures of a road game. I thought we did a good job.”

On Tuesday, the Falcons handled themselves under duress. They connected on 16 of 18 free throw attempts for 89 percent which ultimately decided the outcome. Guard Joel Kindred (Sr./Raleigh, N.C.), who finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, canned two free throws with 12 seconds left for the final margin.
“Free throws were big down the stretch,” Blow said.

The Falcons stepped up defensively on the last play, forcing a tough three-pointer which fell short of the rim for the victory. West Georgia (4-5) rebounded the miss but the buzzer sounded on the putback attempt. Credit guard Jordan Baber (So./Washington, D.C.) of the Falcons for the miss. His outstretched arms were difficult for West Georgia's Quincy Hill (16 points) to shoot over.

“The plan was to guard the three-point line and contest any shot they took,” Blow said. “We did a good job of communicating and making it tough for them on the last possession.”

Guard Percy Woods (Sr./Washington, D.C.), the CIAA player and newcomer of the week, added 12 points and 6-8, 340-pound center Jonathan Crawley (So./Richmond, Va.) scored 10 points. They came off the bench to spark the Falcons to a 32-11 edge in bench points.

Starting forward Chris Johnson (R-Jr./Hampton, Va.) pulled down 14 rebounds which was huge considering both teams shot under 40 percent. He also added three steals and six points on 3-for-5 shooting.

“Chris set the tone on the boards,” Blow said. “He was a major force. Joel had a double-double, and both Woods and Crawley were solid. This was the most minutes [Crawley] has played this season and he did a nice job.”

It appeared the Falcons would win in a cakewalk early on. They jumped out to a 10-2 lead which grew to 14 points in the first half. The Wolves eventually chipped away at their deficit despite shooting 28 percent (19-69) from the floor and 56 percent (18-for-32) from the free-throw line. They were also 7-for-32 in three-point attempts for 22 percent.

Kindred of the Falcons made two free throws with over two minutes left in regulation to send the game into overtime. The Falcons had a chance to win in regulation, but Woods' jumper near the top of the key hit the back iron.

Hill of West Georgia hit two free throws with three seconds left in the first overtime to tie the game at 56. Nick Chamblee (Sr./Hampton, Va.), who had a game-high six assists, shot a three-pointer which was off target, forcing a second overtime.

West Georgia began the second extra session with a three-pointer, but the Falcons took the lead for good at 63-62 on Chamblee's three-pointer at the 1:30 mark. The Falcons held on for the win behind Kindred's free throws and tight defense on West Georgia's final possession.

“This was a good win for us,” Blow said. “To win on the road is always hard. I don't care who you play.”

The Falcons are finished with their non-conference schedule, but will play in opposing gymnasiums three more times before returning to the friendly confines of Emery Gymnasium on campus. After a 14-day holiday break, the Falcons open the CIAA portion of their slate at Virginia State University on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. It will be the fourth of seven consecutive road games.

Based on their performances the last several days, the Falcons are prepared for CIAA battle.

“Hopefully, they take what they learned in non-conference games into conference play,” Blow said.

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Odums goes from interim to head coach at Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -  When he arrived at Southern in the spring of 2011 to coach Stump Mitchell’s defensive line, Dawson Odums couldn’t have imagined becoming the face of the program less than two years later.

Yet there he was Tuesday morning, being introduced as Mitchell’s permanent replacement before a room of media and fans on the Southern University campus.

“I believe that God had a purpose for me,” Odums said. “He’s fulfilling it right now.”

Odums served as Southern’s interim head coach this past fall after Mitchell was fired two games into a 4-7 season. He had to wait out a three-week coaching search before learning he’d have the job full time.

After narrowing the search to Odums, Nevada assistant James Spady and Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins, Southern Athletic Director William Broussard recommended Odums to the SU System Board of Supervisors late last week.

Bethune announced Thursday it had agreed with Jenkins on a contract extension.

“Throughout the process, which was a national search and was transparent and robust in nature, we assembled a selection committee that looked for a number of different factors,” Broussard said. “At every level of the application process all the way down to the final interview, (Odums) showed quite clearly that he had all the necessary attributes to be successful.”

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MVSU’s been on a devilish road trip

Mississippi Valley State visits Carver Arena for its 7th straight road game

PEORIA, Illinois — Eighteen days after the nation’s No. 3-ranked men’s basketball team, Michigan, arrived at Carver Arena to play Bradley, the nation’s No. 1-ranked team — in RPI schedule strength at least — is coming to town.

Mississippi Valley State has played a murderers’ row in its first six games — at Mississippi, at Cincinnati, at Northwestern, at LSU, at Virginia and at Virginia Tech.

The Delta Devils, who return just one rostered player, sophomore forward Blake Ralling, from last year’s NCAA tournament qualifier as SWAC champion, have lost all their games this season convincingly. The closest was an 81-68 defeat at Northwestern.

Next for them is a Wednesday date with Bradley (7:05 p.m., Carver Arena), part of the four-game Las Vegas Classic that will resume this weekend in Nevada.

“If we played that schedule, I don’t know how many of the six we would have won,” said BU coach Geno Ford. “This is a team coming in here with nine days off that’s played nothing but high-end competition. So they’re not going to come in here scared or intimidated. They won’t be in awe of our team.

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Southern women score first win

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  It took 10 games into the season, but the Southern women’s basketball team finally chalked up its first win of the 2012-13 campaign, and in about as dramatic a fashion as possible.

Southern held the lead from the start, scoring on its first possession of the contest and maintained that lead until there were just 39 seconds left in the game. That’s when Southeastern Louisiana’s Brandi Simmons dropped in layup for the Lions’ first advantage of the contest.

But unlike previous games, Southern responded by driving down the court, using its last timeout to draw up a play and executing with a baseline floater from junior guard Kendra Coleman that gave Southern a one-point lead and eventual three-point win against SLU 59-56 on Monday night at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

“I think one of the things we did that was positive was we closed the game out,” Southern coach Sandy Pugh said. “Usually when we struggle, we fold. Against Marshall we led, against Southern Illinois we led, but when they press, we folded. I think this time around, the seniors stepped up. That’s what has to happen.”

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Percy Woods of Washington, D.C., Wins Two CIAA Basketball Awards

PERCY WOODS

RALEIGH, N.C.  --  Guard Percy Woods (Sr./Washington, D.C.) of Saint Augustine's University was so hot offensively last week that he won two CIAA basketball awards on Monday, Dec. 17, 2012. He was named the league's player of the week and newcomer of the week.

Woods averaged 20.3 points in leading the Falcons to a 2-1 mark last week. He led the team in scoring while shooting 64 percent from the floor (21-for-33), 80 percent behind the three-point line (8-for-10) and 73 percent from the free throw line (11-for-15).

A 5-10 transfer from the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Woods was at his best late in games. He scored a career-high 30 points against Carver College on Dec. 11 including the last 10 points for the Falcons in an 86-84 win. Woods scored seven points during a decisive 10-6 run in a 73-69 victory over Palm Beach Atlantic University on Dec. 15. His 19 points led both teams in a 75-61 loss to Lynn University on Dec. 14.

Woods is second on the team with a 14.9 scoring average. He leads the CIAA in three-point field goal percentage (60.7).


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Howard scores 32 as Jackson State Holds Off Seattle for First Win

SEATTLE, Washington  --  Kelsey Howard scored 32 points and Dundrecous Nelson added 23 points to help Jackson State to its first win of the season, a 91-82 victory on the road at KeyArena against Seattle Monday.

Howard hit 12 of 19 field goals and six of 10 three-pointers for the Tigers (1-8). Nelson made 9 of 14 free throws.

As a team, JSU made 44.8 percent of its field goals, hitting 30 of 67 tries, enough to overcome a lackluster effort from the free-throw line (22-of-37). The Tigers also had 17 steals but were outrebounded 53-37.

The hot shooting helped Jackson State overcome a 37-35 halftime deficit to the Redhawks (3-5).

Raymond Gregory's layup tied the game 41-all two minutes into the second half. The Tigers took the lead for good, 46-44, when Sydney Coleman banked it in off the glass.

Seattle, led by Sterling Carter's 20 points and 11 points each from Chad Rasmussen and Luiz Bidart, cut their deficit to one point several times, the last being 67-66 with 7:46 to play on a three-pointer from Carter.

 

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Jackson State beats Redhawks for first win, 91-82

SEATTLE, Washington  --  There were plenty of head-shaking stats from Seattle University's men's basketball loss to previous winless Jackson State on Monday.
 

One jumped off the page: 28 Seattle turnovers.

The giveaways were a season worst for the Redhawks, who were trying to rebound from a disappointing loss to Washington last week. Instead, they trailed the final 17 minutes of a 91-82 defeat before a season-low crowd of 1,907 at KeyArena.

In a woeful second half, Seattle made only 5 of 12 free throws, including five straight misses.

"The wheels fell off, and we never able to get it back going," said Redhawks coach Cameron Dollar, whose team has lost four of its last five.

"We had a couple times where we looked like we were going to be able to get back in it and get something going, but then they hit a big three or got a big free throw. We just couldn't plug enough holes to get it done."


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FAMU considers MEAC-SWAC Challenge game

Derek Horne
Florida A&M Athletic Director

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  It’s no secret that football is the breadwinner in collegiate athletics and FAMU will be looking to cash in during the next two seasons when the Rattlers could play up to 12 games.

FAMU athletic director Derek Horne said he’s attempting to put together a slate of games that will maximize the opportunity to generate extra revenue – at least for the upcoming season. That might even mean revisiting the school’s decision not to participate in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge, Horne said.

“We are open to those discussions as it relates to participating in that game,” Horne said. “In the past there have been some discussions about FAMU not participating in it but I think it’s something that can help us benefit the conference. Also, from a financial (standpoint) it will benefit us as well. That’s something that will remain an option for future games.”

The Challenge is a classic-like matchup that annually opens the season for both conferences. The made-for-television game is staged as part of a deal between the conferences and ESPN and is played during the first weekend of September.

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Ram Ramblings: With football over it's time to talk a little basketball

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  I had a chance to catch up with Coach Bobby Collins this morning as he and his WSSU basketball team were riding the steel horse to Richmond, Va. for their game on Tuesday night. The steal horse, better known as a bus, was taking the Rams to Virginia Union.

Collins says he and Lugman Jabber, the coach at Virginia Union, decided to move the conference game to before the Christmas break.

“This way we wouldn’t have so many games early in January,” Collins said. “We thought it would be beneficial to us and Virginia Union was OK with that.”

The Rams are 7-2 and hardly anybody has noticed because of all the hoopla surrounding the football’s team remarkable season. The football team’s season finally ended on Saturday afternoon in a 35-7 loss to Valdosta State in the D-II championship game.

Later that Saturday night at the Gaines Center in front of just 278 of the Rams closest friends and family had a very big win over Anderson (S.C.) What made it more impressive was Anderson had just beaten College of Charleston.



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Morgan Football & Coach Hill-Eley Latest Possible Victims of HBCU Resource Disparity

COACH DONALD HILL-ELEY

BALTIMORE, Maryland  --  Coaching a college athletic team is an extremely challenging job for anybody.  On average, a college football coach holds his job only four years before being fired, according to a USA Today report. The average tenure for a college basketball coach is even shorter at only three years, according to the New York Times.

But the smaller college football coaches who don’t make millions per year or lack the expansive budgets to fund and support a team perhaps face an even greater challenge than top talent such as Alabama football coach Nick Saban, who is reportedly earning $5 million a year.

The Baltimore Sun recently broke news that Morgan State University officials accidentally forwarded an e-mail to their head football coach, Don Hill-Eley, detailing their plans to dismiss him from his position by January, following a 3-8 season. It was the third straight losing season for Morgan State under Hill-Eley, results that university President David Wilson deemed unacceptable.

Hill-Eley told the Sun he knew expectations were high when he was hired by MSU President-Emeritus Earl Richardson two years ago. But, with the school’s spending plans for the football program unchanged, the coach said higher expectations for success became unrealistic.

“He said the expectations had changed," Hill-Eley told the Sun. "But the input didn't change, so how do you expect things to change on Saturday? It's about resources, bottom line.”

“They think that just because they have a stadium ...

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Maynor: No reason for Rams to hold heads down

FLORENCE, Ala.  --  It all happened so fast.
After a long and mostly glorious season, Winston-Salem State couldn’t deliver on the biggest stage. Aggressive, talented and mistake-free Valdosta State had an answer for every challenge in the NCAA Division II football championship game.
The result was a 35-7 WSSU loss — the worst loss in Coach Connell Maynor’s three seasons. The Rams had a season-high six turnovers, also the most in Maynor’s 39-game tenure.

Despite the disappointment of falling short of a goal, Maynor put things in perspective for his players.

“You won the CIAA back-to-back years, and you win your region back-to-back years, and you were the second HBCU to play for the national championship, so you have no reason to hold your head down,” he said he told them.

“(We) fought for 60 minutes, and we didn’t come out on top. That’s OK. We’ll keep fighting, and we’ll learn from it, and we’ll get better.

“They were the better team….”

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WSSU players still champions to local fans

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  During the third quarter with about seven minutes to go, all the people inside Carolina’s Vineyard & Hops were on their feet yelling and cheering as the Winston-Salem State University Rams made it down to first-and-goal.

It was a chance for the team to get within seven points of the Valdosta State University Blazers, and a chance for the fans to gear up in anticipation of a hoped-for win.
A turnover by the Rams snuffed out that chance, but the fans who stayed on to the end of a 35-7 loss said that the team is still a championship one to them.

“I am disappointed, but I am so grateful they have come as far as they have,” said Victoria Cade, who graduated from WSSU in 1983. “They are still back-to-back CIAA winners with a 14-and-0 record.”

The bar was decorated with red and white balloons – the WSSU school colors – and pom-poms were on each table. The fans clapped and cheered as the game got under way, and not even a 14-point deficit early on could shake the enthusiasm.

“I am amazed that our team is strong enough to be in the playoffs,” said Sharon Correll of the class of ’82. “I wanted to be there, but I couldn’t.”

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WSSU Rams fall: ‘Sometimes the bear wins’

FLORENCE, ALA - Nearly 4,500 fans who cheered for Winston-Salem State University for more than three hours Saturday left Braly Municipal Stadium dejected after Rams’ 35-7 loss to Valdosta State, who won the NCAA Division II National Championship in football.

Facebook Question of the Day: What is your favorite memory from the Rams' 14-1 season and their run to the national title game?  

Chancellor Donald Reaves said he wished the Rams had won the game that would have made WSSU the first historically black college or university to win a Division II national championship on the gridiron.

“This experience means an awful lot to our fans,” Reaves said as he stood with other WSSU fans on the field after the game.

“It was a tough game. When you get into a fight with a bear, sometimes the bear wins,” Reaves said. “These young men (WSSU players) brought this team a long, long way. They don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”

The Rams’ fans clapped and cheered when the ESPN reporter Paul Carcaterra congratulated WSSU for being the national champion runners-up. Most of the players then walked to the locker room. Some lingered on the field near their end zone to greet relatives and fans who attended the game.

WSSU’s contingent was among the 7,527 spectators ...

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Parrish McGrath Named TSU Interim Golf Coach

Nashville, Tenn. - Tennessee State University's Athletic Director Teresa Phillips announced Parrish McGrath will become the interim coach for both the men's and women's golf teams. McGrath had previously served as an assistant for the men and women's golf program since September of last year.

The announcement comes after the resignation of Chris Seibel who had coached the Tigers since January of 2011.

"It is sad to see a bright young coach like Chris leave who was a former student-athlete and who had begun the process of establishing solid golf programs," Phillips said. "But we are very excited that we do have an assistant coach in Parrish that can pick up where Chris left off. We are very optimistic that Parrish will maintain and grow both programs."

Seibel returned to his alma mater last year after competing for four seasons with the TSU men's golf team. As a senior, he was named the TSU Male Athlete of the Year and was selected to the 2010 All-OVC team

During Seibel's tenure, the Tennessee State's golf teams had three top-five finishes. In addition, the men's team placed first at the National Black College Invitational in Atlanta, Ga.

Under Seibel and McGrath's tutelage, golfer James Stepp was selected to the Ohio Valley Conference's All-Newcomer team last season as a freshman.

Prior to being appointed at TSU, McGrath worked at the Summerfield Golf Club in Riverview, Fla., for five years. During his stint at Summerfield he served as an assistant professional before stepping into the position of the head pro.

McGrath also worked at the Harpeth Hills Golf Club in Nashville, Tenn. (1992-96). He became a professional in 1993 and qualified for the FedEx St. Jude Classic PGA Tour Event in 1994.

"I would like to thank Teresa Phillips and senior woman administrator Valencia Jordan for allowing me the opportunity to continue my work with the men's and women's golf team as interim head golf coach," McGrath said.

"We have shown signs of improvement for both teams this fall which I see continuing this spring and for many years to come. We participate in the OVC- a very competitive conference- and we look to stake a claim as a contender each year. We aim to set the example of how TSU student-athletes perform on the course, in the classroom and in our community."

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Odums approved as new Southern football coach

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Dawson Odums is no longer keeping the seat warm for Southern University’s next football coach.  He is the next football coach.

On Friday afternoon, the SU System Board of Supervisors approved Athletic Director William Broussard’s recommendation to remove the interim tag from Odums’ title, making him the long-term leader of a football program that will try again after many failed attempts to return to the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The board voted unanimously to approve the recommendation after hearing from Broussard, who reassigned Stump Mitchell on Sept. 14 and promised not to begin searching for a new coach until Southern’s season ended.

The search netted three finalists: Odums, Nevada assistant James Spady and Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins.

Spady, who was offensive coordinator at Grambling for three seasons, interviewed in person Monday. Odums had his final interview Tuesday. Jenkins pulled his name from consideration and got a contract extension at Bethune-Cookman.

In the end, Broussard settled on Odums, who led the Jaguars to a 4-5 record in their final nine games.

“He presented the most complete package for Southern University right now,” Broussard said.

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Southern men shut down ULM

MONROE, Louisiana — Southern entered Louisiana-Monroe’s Fant-Ewing Coliseum with a losing record. But by the end of Thursday night’s game, the Jaguars looked more like an all-star team.

The Jaguars beat ULM 68-39 for their third straight win with some no-look passes, 3-pointer after 3-pointer and a defense that limited the Warhawks to 25 percent shooting.

“Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships,” Southern coach Roman Banks said. “That’s what I constantly tell this team. I think we have some athletic guys, and I think defensively we use our athleticism more than offensively.”

Southern (4-5) dictated most of the game, but it did allow ULM (1-5) to creep back midway through the first half after the Jaguars built a six-point lead in the first seven minutes.

The Warhawks strung together a 16-5 run, including seven straight points in the course of a minute and a half to take a 19-14 lead with 8:23 left in the half.

Southern center Madut Bol came off the bench, and his 3-pointer after ULM extended its five-point lead ignited a 15-2 run as the Jaguars rode a 32-21 lead into halftime. Ten of Southern’s 15 points during the run came from senior guard Derick Beltran, who led all players with 26.

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Free throws help Gold Rush escape with 56-55 victory

MOBILE, Ala. — Xavier Rogers made two free throws with four seconds remaining Saturday to give NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana a 56-55 men's basketball victory against Voorhees on the second and final day of the Spring Hill Classic.

The Gold Rush (11-2) scored the final four points in the final seven seconds, all from the line, after leading 25-14 at halftime and by 18 early in the second half.

Wanto Joseph scored 18 points, Anthony Simmons had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Denzell Erves and Nick Haywood scored 10 each for Xavier. Brandon Allen scored 12 points and Dominick Steverson 11 for the Tigers (9-7).

Andre Datcher's basket with 2:42 remaining gave Voorhees its first lead of the second half, 54-52, and Steverson made 1-of-2 free throws with 17 seconds remaining for the Tigers' final points. But in the final 11 seconds, Voorhees missed a pair free throws and was whistled for two free-throw violations.

Joseph made amends for his turnover with 11 seconds remaining by making two free throws with seven seconds to play to cut Voorhees' advantage to 55-54. Then Voorhees' Jeffrey Evans missed a free throw with six seconds remaining and was called for a violation on his second attempt.

Evans then fouled Rogers, who converted both attempts to clinch the victory and improve Xavier's road record this season to 5-0. Xavier was the only team to win twice in this event.

It was Xavier's first one-point victory since a 43-42 road decision against SUNO on Feb. 7, 2008.

Joseph's basket with 15:27 remaining gave the Gold Rush a 32-14 lead. But Voorhees — 5-of-26 from the floor during the first 24 minutes — looked like a different team during the next 12½ minutes, making 18-of-21 from the floor and outscoring Xavier 40-20. Steverson scored 10 points and Datcher nine during the rally.

For the game, Voorhees outshot Xavier 48.9 to 30.6 percent from the floor, but the Gold Rush made 24-of-31 free throws and outrebounded the Tigers 40-27.

The double-double was Simmons' sixth of the season, all in the last eight games, and the 12th of his career. He had 10 points and 10 rebounds Friday in a 64-57 victory against Martin Methodist.

Simmons made 11-of-14 free throws against Voorhees to establish career highs in both categories.

Martin Methodist defeated Spring Hill 71-62 in Saturday's final game.

The Gold Rush have one more game before Christmas — 6 p.m. Tuesday at NAIA No. 10 William Carey (10-1) in Hattiesburg, Miss. It will be the third of six consecutive XU road games; the next home game will start at 5 p.m. on Jan. 12 against Tougaloo at XU's new Convocation Center.

Box score

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