Gold Rush extend longest NAIA poll streak of Jackson era

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was 16th in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday. The Gold Rush are in the top 25 for the 15th consecutive time — the program's longest streak since the start of the 1999-2000 season, which also makes it the longest streak during Dannton Jackson's 10 seasons as head coach.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 28th time in 29 polls.

This is the fourth poll of 2012-13, the third of the regular season and the first since Dec. 11. The Gold Rush were 16th in the previous poll.

Voting was based on games through Sunday. Xavier won 70-66 at Talladega the following day to improve to 14-3 overall and 2-0 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. The Gold Rush share first place in the GCAC with Philander Smith, which received votes and tied for 28th place.

The Gold Rush won 5-of-6 games between polls, with the only loss a 72-71 decision at then-No. 10 William Carey. The Crusaders are sixth in this week's poll.

GCAC and city rival SUNO, which was 25th in the previous poll, dropped out.

The next poll will be announced Jan. 15.

Xavier will play its next four games at XU's new Convocation Center, including Tougaloo at 5 p.m. Saturday and SUNO at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, Jan. 6) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Cumberlands (7) 15-1 276 2 2 Columbia (Mo.) (4) 16-0 265 6 3 Lewis-Clark State 18-0 264 11 4 Oklahoma Baptist 14-2 258 1 5 Pikeville 15-1 254 4 6 William Carey 13-2 229 10 7 Lee (Tenn.) 13-1 221 3 8 Westmont 12-3 218 5 9 Science & Arts 8-2 195 14 10-tie Montana State Northern 15-2 186 tie-22 10-tie Cal State San Marcos 13-4 186 15 10-tie Texas College 13-2 186 24 13 Evangel 11-4 171 18 14 Lindsey Wilson 15-2 166 8 15 Concordia (Calif.) 11-3 158 19 16 Xavier 13-3 148 16 17 Bethel (Tenn.) 14-2 143 17 18 Westminster (Utah) 13-3 128 7 19 Rogers State 12-4 127 9 20 Emmanuel (Ga.) 15-2 117 NR 21 Southwestern Assemblies of God 12-3 94 RV 22 Oklahoma City 8-2 81 tie-22 23 Faulkner 14-3 78 21 24 Campbellsville 14-3 61 RV 25 John Brown 12-3 60 RV Others receiving votes: MidAmerica Nazarene 55, The Master's 47, Texas Wesleyan 35, Philander Smith 35, Hope International 27, SUNO 8, Our Lady of the Lake 6, Great Falls 5.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

SCSU Lady Bulldogs get key win against Winthrop, 62-52

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Doug Robertson was too emotionally drained Tuesday at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center to carry through with his promised “celebration”.

The South Carolina State women’s basketball coach saw great significance in a victory over visiting Winthrop University. It not only would snap a two-game losing streak, but also give the Lady Bulldogs a perfect 4-0 mark against Big South opponents and 7-1 against fellow Palmetto State teams.

After the Lady Eagles erased a 16-point lead in the second half, it appeared Robinson would have to put his post-game plans on hold. Instead, S.C. State regrouped to dominate the final 6:48 of the contest and claim the 62-52 win before 472 fans that included students from Felton Laboratory.

“I think our conference (the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) benefits a lot from having success against any conference,” S.C. State head coach Doug Robertson said. “Our RPI (Ratings Performance Index) as a conference, it’s a little low (28th as of Jan. 6 compared to 31st for the Big South). But I think the more success we continue having as a conference in terms of non-conference victories, I think our image and perception will continue growing. We’ll get a little more respect on a national level.”

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Chatting with Howard U. head women's basketball coach Niki Reid Geckeler

HEAD COACH NIKI REID GECKELER
HOWARD UNIVERSITY LADY BISON

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  Question: You are hours away from embarking on three months of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action, how did non-conference play prepare the team for the conference road?

Coach G: We had a very challenging out-of-conference schedule with nationally ranked opponents and I feel that every game tested us in different ways. We have always been a defensively oriented team and we have played some of the best perimeter and post players in the country with this non-conference schedule. So, I truly believe that this schedule has prepared us for the tough MEAC games that we have ahead.

Question: Currently, you are at .500 and boasting victories against Temple, Pepperdine, Loyola (Md.), Mount Saint Mary's and Bowie State, how did you achieve those wins and what has been the consistent coaching strategy in those wins.

Coach G: Defense…defense…defense. Our young ladies understand that they must defend in order for us to win games. The Temple game truly supports my philosophy. Defense along with a blue-collar approach and teamwork will help propel us in this conference this season. I am proud of our young ladies and the defensive effort that they bring to the hardwood each and every day.

Question: What growth and understanding have you gained from your losses?

Coach G: Our losses always force the staff and I to reflect on areas of improvement. We want to be playing our best basketball in the months of February and March so as a staff we continue to teach, motivate and make sure our young ladies remain together during those challenging moments.

Question: Saadia Doyle, Cheyenne Curley-Payne, Kara Smith, Jerrelle Gorham and Nicole Deterville have started each contest thus far, why these five?

Coach G: Four of these young women started for us a season ago and led this team to a 24-9 record and a postseason bid. Jerelle Gorham has worked hard during the off-season and earned herself the final fifth starting position. The chemistry that they bring to the court has proven to be beneficial for the program.

Question: On Jan. 4, 2013, Saadia Doyle reached her second season-best outing with 32 points what did you tell to get such an outstanding offensive outing?

Coach G: Saadia is a special player who always steps up when her team needs her. She has proven that she can play with the best of them as she had 36 points at Penn State early in November. Her offensive performance against Temple was one of the best I have witnessed. She was effective in the paint, with her midrange game and even from the 3-point line. When you have a special player like this it is our job to put her in situations to score and she has done that for us this season.

Question: Cheyenne Curley-Payne is 5 feet 4 inches, but continues to be a top rebounder, especially in the defensive rebounding category, how does she do it?

Coach G: She may be 5'4" but her heart, her grit and her passion for the game makes you think she is 6'4. As a head coach you want that point guard who can run the show and one who commands the respect of her teammates...that is Cheyenne Curley-Payne. She has a tremendous basketball IQ and her timing is impeccable, she is a head coaches dream.

Question: What excites you the most about conference play?

Coach G: This conference is so competitive and you can see it by the wins that several of our MEAC counterparts have won. So what excites me the most is the fact that every game in conference play will be a fight and you must bring your best basketball every night.

Question: Would you like to say anything to Howard Lady Bison fans and followers?

Coach G: Every city we have traveled to whether it is Malibu, Calif., or Columbus, Ohio or Chicago, Ill., or our faithful DC metropolitan family, there has been great support for our program. I would like to say thank you Bison Nation and we will continue to work hard to make the Mighty Blue and White proud! HU...You Know!

NEXT WOMEN'S GAMES:  Hampton at Howard, 2 p.m., Saturday, January 12, 2013.
Norfolk State at Howard, 5:30 p.m.,  Monday, January 14, 2013.

NEXT MEN'S GAMES: Hampton at Howard, 4 p.m., Saturday, January 12, 2013.
Norfolk State at Howard, 7:30 p.m., Monday, January 14, 2013


COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
VISIT: HOWARD-BISON.COM
VISIT: HOWARD UNIVERSITY

Ram Ramblings: Collins, Rams finding a nice groove

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Coach Bobby Collins and his Winston-Salem State men’s team are in a good groove these days.

The Rams hit the road after the Christmas break and beat Lincoln (Pa.) and Bowie State to run their winning streak to nine games. The Rams are 10-2 and will head into a home matchup with Virginia State on Thursday with a lot of momentum.

 After Monday night’s win I talked to Collins on his cell phone before the Rams headed back to campus and he was very encouraged.

This afternoon the new coaches Division II poll came out and the Rams jumped from No. 23 to No. 17.

The nine-game win streak is the longest in Collins’ seven years at WSSU and it comes at a good time. The Rams are getting to their meat of the CIAA schedule, and Collins knows they will get every opponents best shot.

“I’m happy to be winning and ...

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Lincoln Lions looking for new head football coach

LOWER OXFORD, Pennsylvania  – It may not be a surprise, but it is official: Olabaniji (O.J.) Abanishe is out as Lincoln’s head football coach.

“We’re looking for a new head coach and hopefully we’ll be able to identify someone by the end of March,” said LU Athletic Director Dianthia Ford-Kee.

 

“It wasn’t a surprise,” Abanishe confirmed. “We had talked about it prior to the start of the season and when we struggled, it was a move they felt they had to make.”

The Lions went 1-9 last fall in Abanishe’s fifth and final season at Lincoln. He was hired in 2008 to resurrect a program that had been discontinued for nearly half a century. His overall record (8-42) reflects the inherent difficulties starting a program from scratch, but he helped guide Lincoln through uncharted waters, including a move from NCAA Division III to II in 2010, paving the way for entry into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 

“I thanked my assistant coaches before ...

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Big dreams: Choctaw grad chasing NFL aspirations

FORT WALTON BEACH  –  From his outsized personality to his 6-foot-8, 335-pound frame, nearly everything about Choctaw graduate Terren Jones is big.

And so are his dreams.

Four years ago, Jones was a little-recruited behemoth of an offensive tackle coming out of Choctaw, sliding under the radar of big-name programs and going unnoticed as a recruit despite his size and ability. But that didn’t stop Jones. Instead, Jones followed his dream of continuing his football career and turned in an incredible four years at Alabama State University in Montgomery, a tenure that included becoming the school’s first four-time All-SWAC performer and one that has landed him in a spot in the Raycom Collegiate All-Star Game in Montgomery, Ala. on Jan. 19.

But again, Jones isn’t stopping here.

Instead, the Fort Walton Beach native is doubling down on his football aspirations, following his dream of playing professional football as he begins preparations for the 2013 NFL Draft. Coming off a senior year where he earned recognition as an Associated Press First Team FCS All-American, Jones is looked upon by some draft experts as one of the top small-school players in the country.

For Jones, the chance to enter the NFL Draft conversation is just another chance to prove people wrong – and it’s a chance to keep playing the sport he loves.



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CAU Athletics Celebrate 82 Scholar-Athletes

ATLANTA, Georgia  —  The Clark Atlanta University’s Department of Athletics will honor 82 scholar-athletes who have achieved a 3.0 semester or cumulative grade point average as of fall 2012 including two football student-athletes who earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Freshman kicker/punter Austin Castillas, a biology major from Gilbert, Arizona, along with linebacker Bernard Williams, an SIAC second-team All-Conference player from Tifton County High School in Omega, Georgia, topped all student-athletes with a 4.0 grade point average (GPA). Collectively, the CAU football team will celebrate its highest number of the scholar-athletes in recent years with 20 while 16 other student-athletes have earned a 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA as listed below.

“ I applaud our student-athletes and staff who continue to uphold the department’ s 5A’s standard of excellence by maintaining high Academic achievement, producing Athletic Championships, serving as Ambassadors, and being Accountability and Accessible as leaders on and off the playing field,” said Director of Athletics Dr. Tamica Smith-Jones. “We will sustain our overall success with continued support of our faculty and administration.”

Student-athletes in all 11 sports will be recognized for their academic achievement Saturday, Jan. 19^th, during half-time of the women’s basketball game as the Lady Panthers and Panthers tip-off against conference foe Claflin University at 6 & 8 p.m., respectively, in Epps Gymnasium.

Student-Athletes with a Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or Higher

Football
Justin Parham-Mass Media Arts (3.81), Terrance Pryor- Criminal Justice (3.66), Jeremy Roberts- Social Work (3.66) and Vincent Hembrick- Biology (3.51).
Cheerleading
Deja Francis-Psychology (3.71, Tatiana Smith-Accounting (3.66) and Breanna Collier- Social Work (3.62)
Baseball
Kelvin Tanner –Computer Information Systems (3.55)
Men’s Cross-Country
Tyree Squires-Math (3.64)
Women’s Cross-Country/Track and Field
Ariel Lomax-Accounting (3.7) and Nekesha Whitaker –Criminal Justice (3.73)
Women’s Tennis
Kasey Dawson-Psychology (3.76), Brionne Bachus- Accounting (3.78) and
Vonnick Boyogueno- Accounting (3.75)
Women’s Track and Field
Asia McClain- Education (3.56)
Volleyball
Kailyn Blackmon- Psychology (3.74)
 
COURTESY CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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. 

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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