Gold Nuggets in NAIA top 10 for third consecutive poll

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana remained ninth Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. This is the fourth poll of 2012-13, the third of the regular season and the first since Dec. 11.

The Gold Nuggets are in the top 10 for the third consecutive poll and in the top 25 for the 35th consecutive time dating to January 2010. The latter streak is the longest during Bo Browder's 14 seasons as head coach.

Voting was based on games through Sunday. Xavier lost 68-65 at Talladega the following day to fall to 11-3 overall and 1-1 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

The Nuggets' most notable victory between polls was a 75-67 double-overtime victory against Bethel (Tenn.) on Jan. 2. Bethel is 14th in this week's poll.

The Gold Nuggets will play their next four games at XU's new Convocation Center, including Tougaloo at 3 p.m. Saturday and city rival SUNO at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

The next poll will be announced Jan. 15.

NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, Jan. 6) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Lubbock Christian (10) 16-0 281 1 2 Vanguard (1) 9-0 272 3 3 Freed-Hardeman 14-1 263 2 4 Westminster (Utah) 14-2 254 5 5 Lee (Tenn.) 13-1 241 6 6 Oklahoma City 10-2 239 8 7 Cumberland 14-1 225 7 8 The Master's 13-0 221 13 9 Xavier 11-2 205 9 10 Campbellsville 12-3 196 10 11 MidAmerica Nazarene 14-2 194 11 12 Westmont 9-3 182 4 13 Shawnee State 14-3 173 15 14 Bethel (Tenn.) 13-3 171 12 15 Rogers State 12-4 149 14 16 William Woods 11-1 144 18 17 Central Methodist 15-1 135 25 18 Auburn Montgomery 13-3 114 20 19 Lyon 11-2 108 23 20 Wiley 13-1 103 RV 21 Benedictine (Kan.) 13-3 93 22 22 Faulkner 14-3 89 24 23 Georgetown (Ky.) 9-6 85 21 24 Our Lady of the Lake 13-1 83 19 25 LSU-Shreveport 10-2 81 17 Others receiving votes: Carroll (Mont.) 46, St. Catharine 41, Cumberlands 33, Biola 30, Columbia (Mo.) 18, Robert Morris (Chicago) 16, Coastal Georgia 13, Southern Poly 3.

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

Erves earns fifth career GCAC Player of the Week award

DENZELL ERVES

NEW ORLEANS — For the second time this season and the fifth time in his career, Xavier University of Louisiana's Denzell Erves has been chosen Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball.

Erves, a 6-foot-7 senior forward from Vicksburg, Miss., and a graduate of Vicksburg High School, won the award for Dec. 31-Jan. 6 after averaging 19 points and 12.5 rebounds and shooting 59.1 percent from the floor and 75 percent from the line in two games, both XU road victories. He recorded double-doubles in both games, giving him three in a row, 10 this season and 17 in his career. Against Belhaven in a 73-63 victory on New Year's Eve, he became the first Gold Rush player of the past nine seasons to record 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds in consecutive games. He tied his career high of 23 points, and his 15 rebounds were a career best. He then had 15 points and 10 rebounds Saturday in a 67-58 victory at Edward Waters.

Erves — who also won the GCAC award for Nov. 19-25 and three times in 2011-12 — tied for second in voting for Louisiana Player of the Week.

    

Teammate Wanto Joseph also has won two GCAC weekly awards this season.
    

Through 17 games, Erves is averaging 14 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots and is shooting 51.5 percent from the floor and 71.9 percent from the line. He ranks first in NAIA Division I with 155 rebounds, third in rebounds per game, 11th with 21 blocks, 15th with 3.4 offensive rebounds per game, 16th with 5.8 defensive rebounds per game, 24th in blocks per game and 36th in field-goal percentage.

Xavier, 14-3 overall and tied for first in the GCAC at 2-0, will play its next four games at XU's new Convocation Center, including Tougaloo at 3 p.m. Saturday and city rival SUNO at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

 

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

 

Hampton Pirates hold off JMU, 69-65

HAMPTON, Virginia —  Hampton's frustrating South Carolina road trip prompted a lot of film study, self-scouting and introspection. The result was the Pirates' best total performance of the season.

Hampton spotted James Madison a double-figure lead early, then responded well and held off the Dukes 69-65 Monday at the Convocation Center.

"We went back after we lost those two on the road and began to look at ourselves," HU coach Ed Joyner Jr., said, referring to consecutive losses to Winthrop and USC Upstate. "We watched a lot of film. We did more work off the court: talking, showing, seeing. Hopefully, tonight, we will begin to turn the corner."

Freshman guard Deron Powers scored all of his 19 points in the final 24 minutes, as the Pirates (3-10) opened as much as a 14-point lead in the second half. HU then weathered a frantic comeback and made just enough plays and free throws in the final three minutes for the win.

JMU (7-8) lost its second straight, in the midst of a difficult stretch. The Dukes were playing their third game in six days – all on the road – and the Hampton game was a non-conference affair sandwiched between CAA games last Saturday and Wednesday.

"We let our guard down," JMU coach Matt Brady said, "and we didn't do the things we needed to do to sustain the same effort. That's what it came down to, I thought. When we eventually lost the lead, we lost our focus and let them get a double-figure lead."


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Three double-figure outings lead Howard to a 67-54 victory over Coppin State

BALTIMORE, Maryland   --  (www.howard-bison.com)  – With a double-double from senior Saadia Doyle, double-figure performances from senior Kara Smith and freshman Victoria Gonzalez and a season-high 14 assists from senior Cheyenne Curley-Payne, the Howard University women's basketball team defeated the Lady Eagles of Coppin State 67-54 on Monday, Jan. 7 in Baltimore, Md., at the Physical Education Complex.

In their second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win of the season, MEAC Player of the Week (January 7), Doyle notched 26 points and 15 rebounds on a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe, a perfect 2-of-2 from behind arc and a 9-of-17 outing from the field. Smith, who was also an exceptional 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, finished with 18 points, as Gonzalez finished with 11 points on a 5-of-6 performance from the field.

The mighty blue and white notched a season-high 92 percent from the charity stripe (12-13), while going 50 percent three-point range (7-14) and 45 percent from the field (24-53).

Howard advances to 7-6 on the season, 2-0 in the MEAC and 2-5 on the road.

Even with HU defeating CSU by 13 points, the contest encompassed numerous runs that sent the Lady Bison on their heels.

During the first 20 minutes of play, Howard reached an 11-point lead by the 12:04 mark, but turnovers by HU permitted Coppin State to hit a 16-5 run and come within one, 21-20.

HU regained its composure and paced a short 6-2 run, which Smith topped off with a three pointer at the five second mark for a first-half seven point 29-22 lead.

Following the halftime intermission, Howard commenced a 14-3 run for the largest lead of the night at 15 for a score of 43-28 by the 11:44 mark.

Coppin State broke through the double-figure margin lead on an 8-2 run, 45-36.

HU retained another dominant lead by the 7:19 mark with a score of 54-40.

By the final two minutes of the contest, Coppin State came within six, nonetheless a final three pointer from Smith and a pair of free throws from Gonzalez halted Coppin State and secured Howard's 67-54 win.

Howard returns home to host Hampton University on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 2:00 p.m. and Norfolk State on Monday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m., both contests will be held in Burr Gymnasium.

For more information on Howard University women's basketball, visit the official athletics website at www.howard-bison.com.

Box Score


By Ariel V. Germain, Assistant Sports Information Director
Howard University

NCAA rule forces VSU, Norfolk State Spartans to end tradition

Athletic Director
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Norfolk State will not play Virginia State in football next season, ending an annual tradition that began in 1962.

While the teams had planned to take a year off from the series in 2015, the application of an NCAA rule has resulted in voided contracts between the schools for games in 2013 and 2014.

The loss of the VSU games takes one of NSU's most well-attended games off the schedule and leaves the Spartans scrambling to find opponents, particularly for next year's opening. Over the past six years, all NSU wins and by an average margin of 27.5 points, the game has drawn an average of 20,316 fans.

"It's put us in a tough spot," NSU athletic director Marty Miller said. "It's caused us to scramble a little bit. We're... having discussions with a couple of schools, working hard and trying to come up with a replacement."

Miller said he's certain that he'll find a replacement game and that he could have a team in place within days.

The rule that voided the games has been in the Division II handbook since 2010, but VSU athletic director Peggy Davis said CIAA schools had been granted waivers by the NCAA in the past to play early-season games because the conference had lost members.

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Glover leads WSSU to ninth straight win

BOWIE, Maryland –  Winston-Salem State ran its winning streak to nine with a 77-72 win over Bowie State on Monday night.

The Rams improved to 10-2 overall and 3-0 in the CIAA as Coach Bobby Collins has his longest win streak in his seven seasons.
 Leading the way was guard Justin Glover, who scored a career-high 31 points. Glover, the Rams leading scorer coming in at 14 points a game, was 10 of 20 shooting and 9 of 14 from the foul line.

WyKevin Bazemore added 15 points and six rebounds and Joe Thompson scored 10 points and had six rebounds as the Rams shot 46 percent. They were just 3 of 15 on 3-point attempts.

Wakefield Ellison added nine points for the Rams.

Collins said after the game that his team showed a lot of poise.

“We never panicked,” Collins said by telephone. “We knew we could make a run and we took our time and just made the plays when we had to.”

The Rams were down by eight with 10 minutes to go but came roaring back thanks to their defense.


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CIAA road still rocky for Virginia State women

ETTRICK, Virginia  —  Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association play has been unkind to Virginia State’s women.

The Trojans, who completed their nonconference schedule at 7-3, lost their third straight contest Monday night when they fell 71-59 to 18 th-ranked Shaw at Daniel Gymnasium. Each of the Trojans’ loses during the skid has come against a CIAA opponent.

“Our performance wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what we wanted,” said Virginia State coach James Hill Jr. “Our defensive intensity wasn’t there and that’s something we talk about every day at practice — about how hard we want to make stops on defense.”

Said Hill, “I don’t know what it is, but it seems that after Christmas, we start off slow every year. It’s just one of those things. But as I told the team, if we continue to work hard good things will happen.”

The Trojans were led by Lamesha Deal’s 14 points, all of them in the second 20 minutes. Deal also collected nine rebounds. Da’Shae Jones came off the bench to score 13 points and Kiara Walton added 10.

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Rush win on road with another second-half comeback

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Wanto Joseph scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half Monday to rally NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 70-66 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Talladega.

The Gold Rush (14-3 overall, 2-0 GCAC) won a conference road game for the second time in three days after trailing by four at halftime. It was Xavier's third consecutive victory and its eighth in nine road games this season.

It was the third time this season that Joseph scored 25 or more points. The 5-foot-9 senior guard has scored in double figures in every game this season.

Xavier outscored the Tornadoes (6-6, 1-1) 35-27 in the second half after trailing 39-35 at halftime. Talladega's biggest first-half lead was 12 points.

"I don't care what Talladega's record is. They're a very good team with good size," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "Our guys are trying to get better. We grew up a little tonight. It was standing-room-only in a small gym. Talladega's band was behind our bench. It was a loud and festive atmosphere."

Anthony Simmons scored 13 points for the Gold Rush, and Renard Smith had 12 points, a career-high-tying six rebounds and a career-best five assists. Denzell Erves missed his fourth consecutive double-double but finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

Darrion Booker and Jimmie Davis each scored 18 points for Talladega, which won 84-64 at home against the Gold Rush a year ago.

Xavier outshout Talladega 67 to 30 percent from the floor in the second half. "We got some big stops down the stretch," Jackson said. "Our defense did a good job locating shooters."

For the game, Xavier shot 46 percent from the floor, 66.7 percent from the line (20-of-30) and committed 18 turnovers. The Gold Rush made four 3-pointers. Each team grabbed 32 rebounds.

The Gold Rush share first place in the GCAC with Philander Smith, an 84-81 winner in double overtime at home against Tougaloo. Xavier's next game will start at 5 p.m. Saturday against Tougaloo at XU's new Convocation Center. It will be the first Gold Rush home game in more than a month.

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

Talladega defeats ninth-ranked Gold Nuggets 68-65

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Arielle George scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half Monday to lead Talladega to a 68-65 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against NAIA No. 9 Xavier University of Louisiana.

George made a season-high-tying five 3-pointers, three in the second half, to help the Lady Tornadoes (6-6 overall, 2-0 conference) give the Gold Nuggets (11-3, 1-1) a rare GCAC defeat.

Megan Iloff scored 13 points for Talladega, and Ryann Drear had 11. SiMon Franklin scored 18 points, all in the second half, for Xavier, and Whitney Gaston-Loyd scored a career-high-tying 13 points.

Talladega led 25-22 at By, then scored the most second-half points, 43, by a Xavier opponent this season. Xavier's defense allowed its most points and most 3-pointers (8) in a game this season.

Xavier made six 3-pointers, two apiece by Franklin and Paige Gauthier. It was the third consecutive game that Gauthier made multiple 3-pointers.

The loss was the third in 40 GCAC regular-season games for Xavier in four years. Talladega is responsible for two of the defeats, including a 68-62 decision this past season.

Xavier's next game will start at 3 p.m. Saturday against Tougaloo at XU's new Convocation Center. It will be the Nuggets' first GCAC game in the 3,937-seat facility, which opened Nov. 3.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Penn Women's Basketball Takes on Morgan State in Doubleheader

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania  --  Just off their first home loss since Nov. 12, the Quakers (6-5) will hope to rebound against Morgan State (4-9) on Tuesday. It is the first game of a Penn doubleheader at The Palestra. The women tip off at 5 p.m., while the Penn men take on Lafayette at 7:30 p.m. Anyone with  ticket to the men’s game can attend the women’s game for free.

Catching the Game  Video and live stats will be available on the Penn Sports Network (PSN) at PennAthletics.com. A complete recap and box score can then be found at PennAthletics.com shortly after the conclusion of each game.

In the Series vs. Morgan State
This will mark the first all-time meeting for Penn against Morgan State. This is the fourth time this season the Quakers are meeting an opponent for the first time in program history. Penn fell to Norfolk State in their inaugural matchup, but defeated LIU Brooklyn and Alabama State in the first encounter with those programs. Against the MEAC, Penn is 0-3 all-time, including a loss at Norfolk State in the season opener.

Against the MEAC
In three games, Penn has never beaten a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). However, this is the first time a MEAC opponent has played the Quakers at The Palestra. Most recently, the Red and Blue fell to Norfolk State in the season opener, 60-51. Penn also has losses to Howard and Delaware State on neutral courts. The Quakers lost in the EAIAW postseason tournament to Howard, 77-59, on March 4, 1978. Then 25 years later, the Quakers fell in to Delaware State, 74-68, at the UMBC Retriever Classic in Baltimore, Md., on Nov. 23, 2003. 

Live Video | Live Stats | Game Notes

Twitter Updates (@PennWBB) | Facebook | Shop
 
Penn Trends
Penn is 5-1 when leading at the half and 1-4 when trailing (only win was 18-point comeback at St. Francis Brooklyn) ... Penn has won seven of their last 10 non-conference home games ... In 11 games, sx different Quakers have led the team in scoring this year, including five different players in the last six games ... Penn is 6-2 with its current starting lineup of Baron, Ray, Roche, Allen and Bonenberger ... Kathleen Roche has multiple threes in three straight games ... Including ties, six different Quakers have led the team in rebounding in the first 10 games, including four different player in the last four games ... Three different Quakers have scored more than 20 points in a game this season (Baron, Roche, Ray) ... Alyssa Baron has started 67 consecutive games for the Quakers ... Junior Meghan McCullough played in 59 straight games dating back to the 2010-11 season opener prior to suffering a season-ending injury at Army (Nov. 18).

Climbing the Record Books
Junior Alyssa Baron became the 19th Penn women’s player to reach 1,000 career points on Nov. 30. She is the third-fastest Quaker to accomplish that milestone (60 games) and the first since Carrie Biemer topped the landmark in 2008. Only Penn’s all-time leading scorer (man or woman), Diana Caramanico (48 games) and Mandy West (52 games) were faster to 1,000 points. A two-time Ivy scoring champion, Baron became the first freshman in Ivy history to lead the league in scoring and now has 1,077 points in her career, which ranks 12th all-time at Penn. She is now just 14 points from reaching the top 10.

A Penn Win Would...... mark seven wins in the last nine games.
... be the first ever over a MEAC opponent.
... make the Quakers 7-5 on the year.

A Penn Loss Would...... be the second straight and drop the Quakers to 2-3 at home this season.
... mark four losses in four meetings against the MEAC.
... make the Quakers 6-6 on the year.

Charge for a Cure!   For the third straight year the women’s basketball team is dedicating its entire season to the fight against several diseases and the team needs your help. In its first two years, 109 donors have joined the “Charge for a Cure” program which helped the team raise nearly $7,000. Each month of the season will be devoted to help a specific disease with personal ties to the program—The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Go4theGoal, the American Cancer Society, The Dave Bryan Ride on Fund, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of America. At the end of each month, the coaches will total the number of offensive charges the Quakers have taken as a team and fans can pledge a donation per charge. This month the Quakers will be taking charges for the American Cancer Society, but the team is turning to its fans to lend a hand in its efforts. Here is how you can help!

CHARGE FOR A CURE! Join Today!
Last Game:	0
January Total:	0
Season Total:	15

Last Time Out
For the second straight year, Penn held a second-half lead over Big 5 rival Saint Joseph’s, but could not hold on down the stretch. The Quakers fell, 66-53, in Saturday’s matinee at The Palestra. The Quakers held a 33-32 lead with under 12 mintues to play, but Saint Joseph’s went on a 17-4 run and held off the Red and Blue from there. After trading baskets early, the Hawks went on a 14-5 spurt over the next five minutes to take a 20-12 lead at the 9:11 mark. Penn then held the visitors to just two baskets over the final nine minutes and forced 13 first-half turnovers, and the Quakers trailed by just three, 24-21, at intermission. Kara Bonenberger started the second half with a three-point play to tie the game at 24-24. Moments later, sophomore Kathleen Roche drained a three to cap a 17-6 Penn run and give the Quakers a 29-26 lead with 16:34 to play. Saint Joseph’s scored back-to-back buckets, but another Roche three - here third straight game with multiple triples - gave Penn a two-point edge. Then senior captain Brianna Bradford hit one of two from the charity stripe for a 33-32 advantage with 12:09 to play, but it was the last lead of the day for the Quakers. The Hawks went on their game-changing run and led by double digits for the last five minutes.

Up Next
Its another doubleheader for the Penn men and women. And its the Ivy opener for both teams. Traditionally the Ivy League’s first game of the season, Penn and Princeton will matchup for a matinee at Jadwin Gym on Saturday. The women will tip off the Ivy season at 3:30 p.m. and the men will tip at 6 p.m.

Courtesy: Eric Dolan, associate director of athletic communications
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

A&T Baseball Releases Schedule

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  The North Carolina A&T baseball team has released its 2013 schedule that includes 51 total games and 29 home games, including the first nine, at the historic War Memorial Stadium.

"We don't play on the road until our first conference series actually, so hopefully we get our guys playing consistent, and use being at home to get us off to a good start," he said.

The Aggies start the season against Buffalo (Feb. 15-17) before playing Elon on Feb. 19, and then welcoming Marshall to town Feb. 22-23. A&T will wrap up the month of February with home games against Duke and Gardner-Webb.

The Aggies will also host non-conference opponents Binghamton (March 8-9), Lehigh (March 13), Appalachian State (March 19), Campbell (April 2), Radford (April 3) and Winthrop (May 8).

"All of our mid-week games are against mid-major teams that are always competing toward the top of their respective conferences," Sanchez said. "It'll be another challenging non-conference schedule. We play a majority of the DI schools in the state."

The Aggies will also face a tough slate in the MEAC Southern Division, with two series apiece against defending champions Bethune-Cookman, archrival N.C. Central, Savannah State and Florida A&M. The Aggies open up conference competition in Durham from March 2-3 against the Eagles.

2013 A&T Baseball Schedule

The Aggies, who finished 20-36 overall and 12-12 for third place in the division last season, look to make a return appearance in the MEAC tournament this spring. To earn a berth, the Aggies must finish fourth or higher of five teams in the division. The last time the Aggies won the MEAC Tournament was in 2005.

"We can't take anybody lightly, that's for sure, because the Southern Division is pretty competitive," Sanchez said. "I'd like to better our positioning for the conference tournament this year. We've got to go out and win every conference series we can."

The 2013 MEAC Championship Baseball Tournament will be held in Norfolk, Va. from May 15-19.

 
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS

Landry Dazzles as UH Women's Basketball Tops Delaware State, 71-58 in O.T.

HOUSTON, Texas  --    Senior guard Porsche Landry turned in a career performance with 30 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to lift the University of Houston women's basketball team to a 71-58 victory over Delaware State in overtime on Sunday afternoon at Hofheinz Pavilion.

 Landry hit the 30-point mark for the fourth time in her career while setting career highs in rebounds and assists to flirt with a triple-double performance.

Freshman guard Alecia Smith scored in double figures for the second time in the last three games with 16 points, while junior forward Yasmeen Thompson registered her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Smith gave Houston its largest lead of the contest at 35-24 with a fastbreak layup with 17:52 remaining, but the Lady Hornets stormed back with a 24-7 run to take a six-point lead with just 5:53 left to play.

Landry then took the game over, finding Thompson under the basket for layup to trim the deficit to four. After Delaware State's Tierra Hawkins knocked down a jumper, Landry answered with a layup to keep the deficit at four with just over four minutes remaining. Smith trimmed the deficit to two points with a pair of free throws, and after another Hawkins jumper, junior forward Te'onna Campbell made the first of two shots from the charity stripe, where Landry grabbed the offensive rebound and converted the putback to make it a one-point contest.

On the defensive end, Campbell grabbed a steal and Landry sunk a fadeaway jumper from the baseline to put the Cougars ahead by one with 1:02 left to play.

Junior forward Marissa Ashton snagged another steal with 36 seconds remaining and Thompson grabbed an offensive board and followed with a layup with just over seven seconds left to put Houston up by three, but Delaware State's Chelsea Dukes drained a 3-pointer with less than a second on the board to force overtime.

The Cougars (6-7) quickly put the contest out of reach in the overtime period, as Smith opened with a 3-pointer at the 4:36 mark. Landry then followed with back-to-back 3-point plays, racing for a fastbreak layup before stealing the ball on the opposite end for another layup to give Houston a nine-point lead in just over a minute.

The Houston native tallied 12 of the Cougars' 16 points in the extra five-minute period. Ashton also turned in a solid performance, posting eight points and three steals while pulling down 10 boards for her third double-digit rebound contest this season. T

he Cougars shot 45 percent (27-of-60) from the field while the Lady Hornets turned in a 39-percent (23-of-59) effort from the field. Houston outrebounded Delaware State by a 42-37 margin on the glass while forcing 19 turnovers and swiping 10 steals. The Cougars open Conference USA action against Memphis at 7 p.m., Thursday at Hofheinz Pavilion.

GAME NOTES
• Sunday's contest was the first-ever meeting between the two schools and only the second time Houston has met a current opponent from the MEAC, as it improved to 2-0 against the league.
• The Cougars improved to 6-2 this season inside the friendly confines of Hofheinz Pavilion.
• Senior guard Porsche Landry tallied a game-high 30 points, marking her fourth-career performance of 30 or more points.
• Landry notched a career-high nine rebounds while tying a previous career best of nine assists, which she's accomplished on four occasions.
• Landry scored 12 of Houston's 16 points in the five-minute period during overtime and 18 of the team's 25 points over the final 9:19 of the contest.
• Landry moved into 10th spot on Houston's all-time career scoring chart, surpassing Darla Simpson (1988-92) with 1,301 career points.
• Freshman guard Alecia Smith posted 16 points, marking her third-career double-digit scoring performance and the second in the last three games.
• Junior forward Yasmeen Thompson registered her third double-double of the season and the first since Nov. 27 with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
• Junior forward Marissa Ashton pulled down 10 rebounds, marking her third double-figure rebounding contest of the season.

Game Book| Season Stats | Quotes

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON COUGARS ATHLETICS

GW Women's Hoops Drops Non-Conference Finale at North Carolina A&T, 67-56

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  -- Seniors Shi-Heria Shipp and Megan Nipe combined for 31 points, but the George Washington women's basketball team dropped its non-conference finale, 67-56, to North Carolina A&T at the Aggies' Corbett Sports Center on Sunday evening.

A North Carolina native, Shipp scored a career-high 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting in her homecoming, while Nipe tallied a season-best 15 points and added five rebounds. Senior Danni Jackson added eight points and six assists.

The Aggies (9-5) scored the first six points of the game, but GW (6-8) responded with seven straight, including five by Nipe, to take a 7-6 lead. The next eight minutes saw four ties and six lead changes, as neither team led by more than two points until a pair of free throws by Shipp gave the Colonials a 20-16 advantage with 5:26 left in the half.

GW, however, managed just one free throw the rest of the period, as A&T ended the half on a 10-1 run to take a 26-21 lead at the break.

The Aggies stretched their lead to seven points out of the intermission, but a layup by Jackson and a three-pointer by graduate student Tara Booker brought the Colonials within four at 30-26. The teams alternated baskets for five minutes until another triple by Nipe made it a two-point game, 37-35, with 11:46 to go.

That was as close as they would get, however, as A&T began to pull away with a series of free throws, then a three-pointer by Adriana Nazario gave the Aggies a double-digit lead, 48-38, with 7:45 left. GW appeared to regain some momentum after Shipp made a pair of foul shots and Booker drained a jumper to pull within seven, but Nazario responded with another triple on the Aggies' next possession.

A&T took a game-high 14-point lead three times in the final three minutes, but did not make a field goal after Tracy King's layup at the 2:24 mark. Instead, the Aggies sank six of eight free throws to seal the victory.

Nazario led A&T with 14 points, while King and Eboni Ross each scored 11. King added a game-high nine rebounds, as the Aggies outrebounded the Colonials, 35-25. GW shot nearly 44 percent from the floor in the game, including 46 percent in the second half, but A&T connected on nearly 48 percent of its attempts in the game. The Colonials return to action on Saturday, when they open Atlantic 10 play at Massachusetts.

COURTESY THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Hampton's Overtime Buzzer Beater Downs American U. Women's Basketball, 61-58

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  The American University women's basketball was able to tie Sunday's game and send it to overtime, but Hampton's Alyssa Bennett drained the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Pirates to a 61-58 overtime victory in Bender Arena.

Shaquilla Curtis hit a jumper with five seconds remaining in regulation to send it to overtime, but Hampton (11-5) went 3-of-4 from the line to start the extra period to take a 54-51 advantage. The Eagles were never able to take the lead in overtime, despite tying the game three times. Curtis came up with a steal after free throws from Geleisa George tied it at 58 with 1:25 remaining, but George missed the jumper and the Pirates were able to hang onto the ball for the final shot.

"You have to give Hampton credit for hitting a big game-winning shot," said Head Coach Matt Corkery. "It was a competitive game that will pay off for us down the road. Now we shift our focus to Patriot League play."

Michelle Holmes registered her first career double-double in the game with a career-best 11 points and 11 rebounds, going 5-for-7 from the floor. George also scored in double figures, matching her career-high with 13 points while Stephanie Anya and Curtis added eight each. Curtis and Micaela Sancisi tallied three assists apiece for the Eagles.

American (7-7) took the early lead in the game, with Ti'Asia McGeorge drilling in the three-pointer for the 9-5 advantage at the 16:44 mark. The Eagles went up by 10 after a jumper from Sarah Kiely on the dish from Sancisi and back-to-back jumpers from George maintained the 23-14 lead with 6:30 to play. The Pirates were able to chip away at American's lead in the closing minutes of the half, with a lay-up from JoNiquia Guilford putting the score at 30-23 heading into the intermission.

The Eagles out shot Hampton from the floor, 44.4 to 34.5 percent, hitting four three-pointers in the first half while the Pirates went just 1-for-9 from beyond the arc.

Hampton opened the second half on a 10-0 run before Curtis sank a pair of free throws to cut the Pirates' lead to one, 33-32. Five straight points from George, including a three-point play, gave American back the lead and Holmes laid it in to put the Eagles up 45-41 with 7:17 to play as Hampton called a timeout. The Pirates took a 51-49 lead with 1:20 to play after Bennett knocked it away and laid it in, but Curtis was able to hit the jumper to tie it.

Three players scored in double-digits for Hampton led by 18 points from Bennett. Keiara Avant notched a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Nicole Hamilton added 12 points with a team-best five assists.

American shot 38.6 percent for the game but went 4-of-14 from beyond the arc. Hampton went 34.8 percent from the field, hitting just two three-pointers.

The Eagles open Patriot League play on Saturday, January 12 at 2 p.m. when they host Colgate. The game will be broadcast live on Patriot League All*Access.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY AMERICAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES ATHLETICS

Braves Come from Behind to Win a Nail-Biter at Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  The Alcorn State men's basketball team bounced back from a disappointing loss on Friday night against Texas Southern. The Braves outscored Jackson State 33-20 in the second half to take the first out of two games, 51-48.

Jackson State struck first with a basket by Jeff Stubbs to go up 2-0 and it was dead tight for the first few minutes of the first half. Marquiz Baker gave the Braves their first lead of the game, 7-5 at the 16:50 mark.

The Tigers controlled the rest of the second half opening up a 11-0 run led by Kelsey Howard who knocked down a three-pointer with 8:15 to go in the first.

LeAntwan Luckett made a layup to give the Braves their only two points in six minutes and found themselves down by ten, 28-18 at the half.

Both teams were in slow motion after halftime but the Tigers managed to extend their lead to 33-22 early in the second half but the Braves fought back.

A layup by Marius Myles gave the Braves their first lead of the second half, 35 -34 with 8:16 to play. The Tigers guard Dundrecous Nelson caught fire five straight points to giv e the Tigers a slight edge 44-42 with 4:51 left.

The Braves retook the lead when LeAntwan Luckett found an opening in the Tigers defense an went in for a dunk to silence the Tigers. Baker later connected on two free throws to seal the deal for the Braves.

The Tigers got off a shot with 3.5 seconds left but it fell short.


COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard Pushes Through A 17-Point Deficit to Clutch Win over Temple

Saadia Doyle

WASHINGTON, D.C. (www.howard-bison.com) – With a 17-point deficit on their shoulders, the Howard University women's basketball team ignited a 23-5 run over 11 minutes of action to secure a 61-58 victory over the Lady Owls of Temple University on Friday, Jan. 4 in Burr Gymnasium on the HU campus in Washington, D.C.

Lady Bison senior Saadia Doyle, who was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Pre-Season Player of the Year in November, seized an season-best 32 points, while pulling down nine rebounds and going 11-12 from the charity stripe, 10-of-19 from the field and 1-of-1 from behind the arc. Fellow classmates Cheyenne Curley-Payne and Kara Smith, who consistently play apart in the offense mix, supplemented the winning effort; Curley-Payne snatched a team-high 10 points and grabbed four steals, as Smith finished with 11 points on the night.

The collective effort consisted of a 41 percent outing from the field, a 36 percent effort from the long range and an 80 percent finish from the free-throw line, which is the best free-throw performance on the season.

Friday's comeback effort advances Howard to 6-6 overall, 4-0 at home and 5-6 in non-conference competition.

The first half of play gave little detail towards the final result, as Howard and Temple remained within an 8-point proximity and varied between six ties and 10 lead changes. In fact, it wasn't until the final second of the first half that Temple reached above a 5-point lead, attained by Tyonna Williams with a three-point basket.

By the half, the HU scoring phenomenon Doyle scored 13 of the team's total 28 points, while Temple boasted two student-athletes in double figures; Temple's Natasha Thames led with 13 and a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, followed by Williams with 10 points.

The Lady Owls return to the court after the halftime intermission still feeling the effects of Williams' final second long-range success. Temple commenced a 15-4 run to reach its 17-point margin lead at the 13:28.

In spite of the double-figure, the Howard defense and offense complimented one another for a 22-5 run to tie the contest at 56 points and piece and leave Temple scoreless from the field for 10 minutes and 11 seconds of action by the 3:17 mark.

Howard took the lead at the 2:28 on a pair from the free throw by Doyle and closed out the contest 61-58 despite going 4-of-3 from the free throw in last minutes of the game.

Temple drops to 5-8 on the season, while extending its losing streak to six consecutive losses.

The remainder of January consists of MEAC play, with Howard taking on Coppin State University on Monday, Jan. 7 at 6:00 p.m. in Baltimore, Md. Howard then returns home to host Hampton University on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 2:00 p.m. and Norfolk State* on Monday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. The mighty blue and white then heads to North Carolina to take on North Carolina A&T State University on Saturday, Jan. 19 and North Carolina Central University on Monday, Jan. 21. On Thursday, Jan. 24, HU interrupts conference play to face New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, N.J., before concluding the month in Hampton, Va., for the second matchup against Hampton University on Monday, Jan. 28.

For more information on Howard University women's basketball, visit the official athletics website at www.howard-bison.com.

| Box Score |Photos


By Ariel V. Germain, Assistant Sports Information Director
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
HOWARD-BISON.COM

Paine College Christens HEAL Complex With Sweep of Stillman

AUGUSTA, Georgia  --  The Paine College Lions earned a pair of wins in their debut at the brand new HEAL complex.

For over a year now, the Paine College basketball teams have played at the Academy of Richmond County while their old gym was undergoing an $8.6 million renovation.

Paine College president George C. Bradley and othr administrators drained the ceremonial first shots, and then the Lions took the proverbial ball and ran with it.

The Ladies led from wire to wire and earned a 64-44 conference win over Stillman College behind 23 points from former Butler star Ashley Watts.




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Late Three-Pointer Lifts Livingstone Past VUU 79-76

RICRICHMOND, Virginia  --  Virginia Union University's Marcel Crump scored 20 points as VUU placed four players in double-figures, but a three-pointer by Livingstone College's Ashley Welch with 16 seconds left lifted the Blue Bears past the Panthers 79-76 on Saturday, January 5, in Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.

VUU's Cordero Holt scored 17 points while Calivin Brown added 14 points in the game. Virginia Union's Wesley Simmons scored 13 points.

VUU's Kimar Johnson and Simmons each had seven rebounds to lead Union on the boards.

Livingstone was paced by Mark Thomas' 24 points and Tyler Johnson's nine rebounds.

The loss dropped VUU to 2-7 overall and 0-2 in the CIAA. Livingstone is now 10-1 overall and 2-0 in CIAA play.

Virginia Union now faces Johnson C. Smith University at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, January 7, in Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.

Box Score


COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

#23 Winston-Salem State slips past Lincoln, 70-66

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – The Lincoln University men's basketball team led by as many four points late in the second half, but couldn't hold on as the Lions dropped a hard fought, 70-66 decision to No. 23 Winston-Salem State University in a CIAA contest on Saturday at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium.

“We're moving on,” Lincoln head coach John Hill said. “It's going to be a journey and one game doesn't make this season. We considered this game a measuring stick and we just came up a bit short.”

Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy) paced four players in double figures as he finished with 14 points and six assists. Derrick Washington (Washington, D.C./Coolidge SHS) added 13 points, while Justin Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS) had 12 points off the bench. George Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS) poured in 10 points as the Lions (8-3 overall, 1-1 CIAA) shot 42 percent (24-of-57) from the field.

Winston-Salem State (9-2, 2-0) raced out to an 11-2 advantage after a Justin Glover jumper with 16:15 remaining in the opening half. However, Lincoln responded with a 13-2 run as Justin Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS) sank a 3-pointer to give the Lions a 15-13 lead with 13:46 left.

Neither team grabbed a lead larger than two points during the final 13 minutes as they headed into the break tied at 36.

The Lions held a 64-60 advantage after a Washington dunk with 5:14 remaining, but the Rams used a 9-0 run, capped by a Tyre Desmore jumper with 2:21 left to give Winston-Salem State a 69-64 lead.

A pair of free throws by Sharpe cut the deficit to 69-66 with 1:10 remaining, but the Lions couldn't get any closer.

Justin Glover led the Rams with 16 points, while Joe Thompson added 13. WyKevin Bazemore pulled down a game-high 12 boards as Winston-Salem State was 26-of-52 from the floor for 50 percent.

Lincoln concludes its three-game CIAA homestand at 8 p.m., on Monday, Jan. 7 at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium against Livingstone College. To follow the action through live stats, click here.

Lions Notebook: Lincoln was 6-of-20 from behind the 3-point line (Justin Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS) (2), Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy), George Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS), Jai Kellman (Brooklyn, N.Y./George Westinghouse HS) and Derrick Washington (Washington, D.C./Coolidge SHS))…The Lions finished with 32 rebounds, 10 assists, four steals and a pair of blocked shots…Lincoln held the advantage in points off turnovers, 17-13 and second chance points, 12-8…There were eight ties and 22 lead changes…


By Brian Howard, Sports Information and Media Specialist
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ATHLETICS

Bowie State Comes Back to Beat Johnson C. Smith

BOWIE, Maryland  --  The Bowie State University Bulldogs used a huge second-half run to claim a 84-80 victory in a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) contest against Charlotte, North Carolina’s Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) on Jan 5 in Bowie, Md. The victory improves Bowie State to 5-6 overall and 1-1 in the conference. JCSU's Golden Bulls move to 7-5 overall and 0-2 in the CIAA.

“We did a tremendous job defending in the second half,” said an elated Bowie State head coach Darrell Brooks. “We didn't press full court as much tonight as we normally do, but we thrive off of turnovers that lead into fast breaks.”

The opening half was close until JCSU grasped an advantage resulting in Bowie State going into the locker room at halftime trailing 51-43. The Bulldogs were outscored 34-18 in the paint for the first half.
Johnson C. Smith stayed on the attack initially in the second half. After a three-point play from junior forward Robert Williams the Golden Bulls held a 64-51 advantage with 13:56 remaining.

But Bowie State turned the tide from that point with a 19-0 run over the next six minutes to regain the lead for good at 70-64.The Golden Bulls got within two (76-74) with 3:05 left to play, but would not get any closer. Bowie State was able to close out the game from the foul line for the win.

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ASU fires athletic director Stacy Danley

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- After nearly four months of paid administrative leave and a contentious termination hearing, Alabama State fired athletic director Stacy Danley.

Danley confirmed to the Montgomery Advertiser on Friday evening that a hearing officer had upheld several charges against him and that he had received a termination letter from the university on Wednesday, ending his two-plus-year tenure in charge of the Hornets’ athletic programs.

“I’m very disappointed in how the hearing process played out,” Danley said. “I do appreciate the opportunity I was given, and I’ll never be able to replace the experience of working at ASU during the time of building a stadium. I worked with a lot of good people and great student-athletes.”

Danley wouldn’t go into the specific reasons he was fired, saying only that the university listed 10 charges against him at the hearing and that the hearing officer upheld four of them. Those four charges were deemed sufficient cause for termination.

Reached in his office at ASU Friday evening, executive vice president John Knight wouldn’t comment on Danley’s termination or on why the second-year AD was placed on paid leave four months earlier.

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Alabama State releases charges in Danley firing

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  Alabama State University released a list of charges Saturday that were used to justify the dismissal of athletic director Stacy Danley.

According to records requested by the Montgomery Advertiser and other media outlets, ASU executive vice president John Knight recommended Danley's termination based on 10 charges related to his job performance.

Six of the charges were dismissed, but the following four were upheld in a "pre-termination" meeting Nov. 15-16:

- Failure to ensure paperwork was submitted in a timely manner for a student athlete's reinstatement. The student's name was redacted by the university, but he is described as a high-profile football transfer from a FBS institutiion.

- Failure to ensure accountability in the athletic department, including failure to properly execute staff evaluations.

- Behaving in an "unprofessional, disrespectful and hostile manner" toward Knight in a June 4 meeting on academic supports for student athletes. Danley's manner is described as "insubordinate" by associate provost and vice president of enrollment management Cherise Peters, who was present at the meeting.

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Gold Nuggets win at Edward Waters in GCAC opener

2012-13 GOLD NUGGETS
ROSTER

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Paige Gauthier's 12 points and career-high 11 rebounds led NAIA No. 9 Xavier University of Louisiana in a 77-59 women's basketball victory Saturday against Edward Waters. It was the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

The Gold Nuggets (11-2) won for the ninth time in 10 games. They trailed 11-5 after seven minutes but outscored the Lady Tigers 34-18 to take a 39-29 halftime lead. It was Xavier's most first-half points since its opener Nov. 3. Jessica Savannah's basket at 5:30 put Xavier ahead to stay, 21-19.

Gauthier, a reserve junior guard, scored in double figures for a career-best third consecutive game. She had eight points, including two 3-pointers, and nine rebounds in the first half. Her previous high for rebounds in a game was eight. Gauthier is the only XU guard since the start of the 2003-04 season to record a double-double.

Carmen Holcombe also scored 12 points for Xavier — she reached double figures for the second straight game — and Danielle Tucker grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds. Talor Hixon had a season-high seven assists with no turnovers in 26 minutes.

Edward Waters (4-9) cut Xavier's lead to 49-44 after Amber Antoine's basket with 11:40 remaining, but the Nuggets outscored the Lady Tigers 28-15 thereafter. Gauthier hit her career-best third 3-pointer at 7:45 to make it 59-47 at 7:45.

Jacqui Harries and Daphne Walker led Edward Waters with 11 points each.

Xavier committed 14 turnovers to match a season low, outshot the Lady Tigers 40 to 35.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 66-36. The Nuggets grabbed their most rebounds in a game since the start of 2003-04.

Xavier won its GCAC opener for the 20th time in 21 seasons and is 37-2 in GCAC regular-season games since the start of 2009-10.

Xavier will remain on the road and play Talladega at 5 p.m. Monday. It will be a rematch of last season's GCAC Tournament final, which the Nuggets won for the third consecutive year. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 3 p.m. next Saturday against Tougaloo in XU's new Convocation Center.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, SID
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Joseph rallies Gold Rush past Edward Waters in 2nd half

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Wanto Joseph scored 18 points Saturday and led a second-half rally which carried NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 67-58 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Edward Waters.

It was the conference opener for both teams. Xavier, the defending GCAC regular-season co-champion, is 13-3 and has won 7-of-8 on the road. Edward Waters is 2-8.

Joseph, a 5-foor-9 senior guard from New Orleans and a graduate of O. Perry Walker High School, has scored in double figures in every game this season. He accounted for all the points — scoring 10 and assisting on a pair of 2-pointers — during a 14-0 run which lasted 5½ minutes and turned a 52-47 deficit into a 61-52 lead with 47 seconds remaining. Jospeh scored 14 second-half points.

Denzell Erves had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Xavier — his third consecutive double-double, his 10th of the season and 17th of his career — Renard Smith scored a career-high 14 points, and Anthony Simmons had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Xavier trailed 32-28 at halftime. Smith, Simmons and Erves scored six points each for the Rush in the first half.

Nathaniel Hill scored 19 points, 14 in the first half, for the Tigers.

Xavier outshot Edward Waters 48.9 to 41.4 percent from the floor — 48 to 28.6 percent in the second half — and outrebounded the Tigers 33-29. Xavier made six 3-pointers — Smith had a career-high three, and freshman reserve RJ Daniels made 2-of-3.

It was the second time this season the Gold Rush won after trailing at halftime. It was the first time the Rush accomplished that on an opponent's court since December 2010. Xavier won its GCAC opener for the third consecutive season.

Xavier will remain on the road and play Talladega at 7 p.m. Monday. The next Rush home game will start at 5 p.m. next Saturday against Tougaloo in XU's new Convocation Center.

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

FVSU’s Bartley ties HBCU record for wins

COACH LONNIE BARTLEY
623-216 Career Record
FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY

FORT VALLEY, Georgia  --  Fort Valley State women’s head coach Lonnie Bartley tied the record for wins by a women’s head coach at an historically black college or university Saturday with the Lady Wildcats’ 73-63 win over visiting Kentucky State.

Now, Bartley will try to break the record on Thursday at Tuskegee. FVSU improved to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in the SIAC with its third straight win.

Bartley is 623-216, in his 29th season at his alma mater.

The mark of 623 wins was held by the late Nelson Brownlee of Claflin for the most wins by a women’s head coach at an historically black college or university. Brownlee, who retired in 2001 and died two years later, went 623-192 at Claflin when the current SIAC member competed in the NAIA.

Bartley is fourth on the Division II wins list of active coaches, 11 wins behind Tom Shirley of Philadelphia University, who is 634-295.

Bartley is eighth among active Division II women’s head coaches with a 74.3 winning percentage. He is 15th all-time in percentage and eighth in wins.

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Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/01/05/2306119/fvsus-bartley-ties-hbcu-record.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/01/05/2306119/fvsus-bartley-ties-hbcu-record.html#storylink=cpy