Quinn Gray takes over reins of FAMU's offense

New FAMU head football coach Earl Holmes promotes Rattlers
QB coach Quinn Gray to the offensive coordinator position. 
Gray, 33 years old, replaces Lawrence Kershaw, who was
selected as the head football coach at Fayetteville State University.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  The FAMU football team will definitely run a new-look offense under new head coach Earl Holmes, but one thing that won’t change is the competition that has gone on for the past two seasons between Holmes and Quinn Gray.

The football knowledge that Gray demonstrated during the times they matched wits as assistant coaches in the game-planning room is why Gray has been given the offensive coordinator position, Holmes said Monday. Both have played in the NFL – Gray as a quarterback for five of his seven years as a pro and Holmes as a linebacker for 10 years.

Holmes, who was named head coach almost two weeks ago, was defensive coordinator under Joe Taylor, who retired with two games left in the season. Gray was quarterbacks coach.

Holmes and Gray have tested each others’ football IQ since Gray joined Taylor’s staff two years ago. They won’t stop now, both coaches said.

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CIAA Tournament tickets on sale

HAMPTON, Virginia  --  Tickets for the CIAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in Charlotte went on sale to the public Friday and are available at http://www.ciaatournament.org/.

The tournaments are scheduled Feb. 26-March 2 at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte.

There are four levels of all-session ticket books — platinum ($275), silver ($225), gold ($175) and bronze ($75).

Fans interested in terrace tables, box seats, uptown suites and courtside seats should call the CIAA office at 757-865-0071.

Despite Great Strides, HBCUs and NCAA-Recognized Athletic Conferences Face Challenges

HAMPTON, Virginia  --  In 1912, nine college administrators gathered on the campus of Hampton Institute to discuss collegiate athletics at Black institutions of higher learning. The result of this meeting was the formation of the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the first athletic conference designated for Black collegiate sports.

A century later, the CIAA (now the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) is still around and is one of four NCAA-recognized conferences made up completely or predominantly of historically Black colleges and universities. The others include: the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, formed in 1913; the Southwestern Athletic Conference, formed in 1920; and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, formed in 1970.

At the time, the formation of an athletic league composed specifically of institutions designed for African-Americans made sense, if only as an extension of the logic that formed HBCUs in the first place. African-Americans were shunned from all of mainstream American life in the early part of the 20th century. And in the South, where the majority of Black colleges and universities were located, the Black community may as well have been on another planet.

More than a century later, however, much has changed in the country as a whole and at the institutions that compose the CIAA, SIAC, SWAC and MEAC.

The United States just re-elected a president, who 100 years ago, not only would have been limited to an all-Black institution, but he would not have been able to vote for himself. As a result of integration efforts that started in the Jim Crow era, institutions of higher learning are no longer allowed to discriminate based on race, gender or religion. And Black student-athletes are front and center at many of the institutions that would not allow them in the front door just 50 years ago.

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XU Gold Rush's No. 11 rank is the highest in nearly two years

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed two places to 11th Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. It's the highest national position for the Gold Rush since a No. 10 ranking on Feb. 7, 2011.

Voting was based on games through Sunday. The following day Xavier lost 74-65 at home to Gulf Coast Athletic Conference rival Fisk to snap a six-game winning streak. XU's two most recent victories were 70-68 in overtime against SUNO on Jan. 14 and 84-79 Saturday against then-No. 22 Philander Smith. The Panthers, who share first place in the GCAC with Xavier, fell to 23rd.
Also receiving votes from the GCAC was SUNO, which is 29th with 24 points.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 30th time in 31 polls and the 55th time overall during Dannton Jackson's 10 seasons as head coach. Xavier's current streak is 17 consecutive polls, fifth longest among this week's top 25.

Xavier will visit GCAC and city rival Dillard at 7 p.m. Saturday and Mobile at 7:30 p.m. Monday. The next poll will be released Jan. 22.

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, Jan. 20) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Columbia (Mo.) (11) 20-0 281 1 2 Lee (Tenn.) 17-1 264 6 3 Pikeville 18-2 260 2 4-tie John Brown 17-3 247 10 4-tie Lewis-Clark State 19-2 247 3 6 Westmont 16-3 243 7 7 Lindsey Wilson 18-2 229 tie-8 8 William Carey 16-3 212 4 9 Cal State San Marcos 16-4 210 tie-8 10 Oklahoma Baptist 16-4 209 5 11 Xavier 17-3 184 13 12 Bethel (Tenn.) 18-2 176 15 13 Montana State Northern 17-4 168 12 14 Emmanuel (Ga.) 18-2 159 18 15 Hope International 18-2 158 16 16 Southwestern Assemblies of God 15-3 156 17 17 MidAmerica Nazarene 15-6 126 25 18 Rogers State 15-5 125 20 19 Evangel 14-5 118 11 20 Faulkner 17-3 115 21 21 Science & Arts 10-4 85 23 22 Westminster (Utah) 16-4 84 19 23 Philander Smith 13-5 80 22 24 Shawnee State 11-7 76 RV 25 Cumberlands 15-5 60 14 Others receiving votes: LSU-Shreveport 54, Great Falls 44, Arizona Christian 34, SUNO 24, Georgetown (Ky.) 19, Culver-Stockton 19, Mid-Continent 8, St. Thomas (Texas) 7. By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XULAATHLETICS XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Franklin reaches 1,000 career points in XU win over Fisk

NEW ORLEANS -- SiMon Franklin reached 1,000 career points, and NAIA No. 12 Xavier University of Louisiana led wire-to-wire Monday in a 63-41 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Fisk.

Franklin, a senior guard from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of St. Joseph's Academy, rebounded teammate Jessica Savannah's missed shot under the basket and scored a layup at 7:09 of the first half to reach the milestone and give the Gold Nuggets (14-4 overall, 4-2 GCAC) a 26-9 lead.

Franklin finished with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 26 minutes and has 1,002 points in her career. She is the third recruit in Bo Browder's 14 seasons as XU's head coach to reach 1,000; the others were Jackie Tucker in 2004 and Jarryn Cleaves in 2007.

Whitney Gaston-Loyd led Xavier with 11 points and eight rebounds. She and Franklin were the only Gold Nuggets with more than seven points, but 13 XU players scored.

Also reaching a milestone was XU associate head coach Darrilyn Broussard, who reached her 300th victory since joining the program in 2000-01. The Nuggets are 300-89 during her tenure and never have won less than 23 games in a season. Browder is 338-115 in 14 seasons as XU's head coach.

Janine Davis scored a season-high 23 points, 15 in the first half, for Fisk (4-12, 0-6), which has an eight-game losing streak and hasn't won in more than six weeks.

Xavier held a double-digit lead for the final 31 minutes and led 38-21 at halftime, but the Nuggets never built the lead to 20 points until the 38th minute. The final margin was their largest of the game.

The Gold Nuggets outshot the Lady Bulldogs 36.9 to 25 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 50-37.

It was the first time this season that Xavier recorded back-to-back GCAC victories. The Gold Nuggets gained ground on the leaders when Talladega lost 76-68 at SUNO to move those teams into a first-place tie with 5-1 conference records. Xavier shares third place with Tougaloo, a 76-51 winner at home against Edward Waters.

The victory concluded a four-game home stand for Xavier, whose next game will start at 5 p.m. Saturday at GCAC and city rival Dillard. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 6 p.m. on Jan. 31 against William Carey.


By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Six TSU Tigers Named as NFCA Academic All-Americans

Courtesy: Sam Jordan / TSU Athletics

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State University softball team had six tabbed as 2012 NFCA All-America Scholar Athletes. Susie Burke, Brittany Davis, Ashley Haynes, Tayler Shimizu, Kelly Troglin, and Aisha Walker were honored among the 863 student-athletes representing 140 different NCAA D-I academic institutions.

 

The award is bestowed upon any player who achieved a 3.50 grade point average or higher during the 2011-12 academic year. Burke (HPSS), Davis (Arts & Sciences), and Troglin (HPSS) each graduated from TSU in the spring of 2012. The trio also earned their degrees in four years and, along with juniors' Haynes (Psychology) and Walker (Criminal Justice), has received the honor for the third consecutive year.

 

Shimizu (Education) was acknowledged for her work during her freshman year.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Beltran, SU Jaguars hold off Alabama A&M

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Alabama A&M had whittled Southern’s 17-point lead down to 11 with a little more than six minutes remaining Monday night at Elmore Gym.

The Jaguars, who entered the game unbeaten in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, weren’t about to let their nine-game winning streak come to an end.

Southern coach Roman Banks called a play for guard Derick Beltran, and the 6-foot-4, 185-pound senior delivered.

Beltran banked in a 3-pointer, his third on the night, and that pushed the Jaguars’ lead back to 71-57.
The Bulldogs never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

When it was over, Southern emerged with an 82-68 victory before an announced crowd of 1,284 and a national ESPNU television audience.

“Coach ran a play for me, but I think A&M knew it was coming,” said Beltran, who finished with a game-high 24 points.

“I tried to tweak it a little bit, so I faded off, and the defender went under the screen, and I was able to knock it down.”

Beltran finished 7-of-13 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.

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20-point performances help XU Simmons earn GCAC award

NEW ORLEANS — Back-to-back 20-point performances — the first of his career — helped Xavier University of Louisiana's Anthony Simmons earn Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball for Jan. 14-20.

Simmons, a 6-foot-8 senior forward from Rochester, N.Y., and a graduate of Allendale Columbia School, averaged 21.5 points, five rebounds and three steals and shot 76.2 percent from the floor and 78.6 percent from the line in GCAC home victories against SUNO and NAIA-ranked Philander Smith. Simmons matched his season high of 20 points and had a career-best five steals — the most in a game by a Xavier player this season — in a 70-68 overtime decision over SUNO, then exceeded his scoring high with 23 points in an 84-79 victory against Philander Smith.

This is the fourth time that Simmons received the GCAC award. He won it as a sophomore and twice as a junior.

Simmons has started 20-of-21 games this season, averaged 12.9 points and 7.7 rebounds and shot 63.5 percent from the floor. He has shot 62 percent from the floor in his career to rank second all-time at Xavier. Simmons is 19th at XU with 516 career rebounds.
    
The Gold Rush have accounted for five of the GCAC's 11 weekly awards this season. Philander Smith has four, and SUNO and Talladega have one each. XU's Denzell Erves and Wanto Joseph have won twice each.
    
Xavier — ranked 11th in NAIA Division I, 17-4 overall and the GCAC co-leader with Philander Smith at 5-1 — will visit conference and city rival Dillard at 7 p.m. Saturday.

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

Last-place Fisk pushes Gold Rush back into first-place tie

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana grabbed sole possession of first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference on Saturday. But on Monday the Gold Rush were sharing again.

Brandyn Mungo scored 14 of his career-high 27 points during a second-half rally which gave Fisk a 74-65 men's basketball victory and snapped Xavier's six-game win streak.

The Gold Rush (17-4 overall, 5-1 GCAC), ranked 13th in NAIA Division I, share the conference lead with 22nd-ranked Philander Smith, a 102-80 winner at Dillard. Xavier had broken a tie at the top two days earlier by defeating Philander Smith 84-79. New NAIA rankings will be announced late Tuesday afternoon.

Xavier led 49-37 after Renard Smith's basket with 14:28 remaining, but Fisk (4-12, 1-5), which began the day in sole possession of last place, outscored the Rush 37-16 the rest of the way -- 21-8 in the final five minutes.

The Bulldogs didn't miss a shot in the final three minutes, a streak which began when Mungo -- a senior in his first season at Fisk after transferring from NCAA Division II Ferris State -- passed to Bradley Grayson for a 3-pointer which put Fisk ahead to stay, 62-61, at 2:50. Fisk made eight consecutive free throws in the final 40 seconds.

Jewaun Wynn scored 15 points, Cameron Lewis 13 and Grayson 12 for Fisk, a third-year member which won for the fourth time in 24 GCAC regular-season games. Grayson scored all his points in the final 11½ minutes.

Smith scored 20 points -- he made four 3-pointers -- and Anthony Simmons 18 for Xavier. Denzell Erves recorded his 13th double-double this season, 16 points and 14 rebounds. But senior guard Wanto Joseph, Xavier's leading scorer, did not start and finished with no points -- 0-of-7 from the floor, 0-of-1 from the line -- and five assists in 20 minutes. Joseph averaged 17.7 points and 11 assists in the previous three games.

Fisk made nine 3-pointers -- five by Mungo, three by Lewis -- and outshot Xavier 46.9 to 43.1 percent from the floor. The Gold Rush outrebounded Fisk 41-21 and had a 17-0 advantage in second-chance points, but the Bulldogs' bench outscored Xavier's 39-8.

Smith scored 16 points to lead Xavier to a 33-32 halftime advantage.

Fisk finally broke through for a conference victory after 2-point losses to Tougaloo and Edward Waters and a 3-point loss to SUNO. The Bulldogs' average losing margin in nine losses to NAIA opponents this season was 5.2 points.

Xavier's next game will start at 7 p.m. Saturday at GCAC and city rival Dillard. Fisk and Dillard share last place in the conference.

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

Former Howard U. QB/Coach hired as OC for NFL Colts

INDIANAPOLIS,
Indiana  –  Pep Hamilton is returning to the NFL after a very successful three-year career at Stanford that found part of his official title including the verbiage, “Andrew Luck Director of Offense.”

The title was an endowment from an alumnus after Luck’s marvelous Cardinal career, and now that Hamilton etched a solid career there, he will implement an offense in Indianapolis that includes his former quarterback.

“He (Luck) will be a tremendous asset helping me to make the transition to the Colts,” said Hamilton. “As I install my offense, obviously, he’s had a couple of years of experience. It makes a huge difference when the quarterback is, for the most part, well-versed in the offense.”

This past year, Stanford was 12-2, winning the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1972. The Cardinal made a third consecutive BCS Bowl appearance, and it did so after the departure of Luck and others such as linemen Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro and tight end Coby Fleener.

Stanford has used the West Coast offense in building a 34-5 record over the past three years, and Hamilton was the coordinator for the two past seasons. He envisions installing the same type of attack with Indianapolis.

“It’ll be a variation of the West Coast,” said Hamilton. “(It will have) the West Coast principles, the short, efficient passing game, a high completion rate.”

Stanford was more than just a passing offense. In averaging 43.15 points a game in Luck’s final season, the Cardinal rushed for 210.6 yards per game.

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Howard cruises past North Carolina Central

DURHAM, North Carolina  --   The Howard University women's basketball team extended its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win streak to three games with a 56-30 win over the Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University on Monday, Jan. 21 in the McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on the NCCU campus.

Senior standout Saadia Doyle led the squad with 24 points, while Kara Smith contributed 14 points to the offense. Cheyenne Curley-Payne finished with eight points and nine assists, as Doyle pulled down seven rebounds and Nicole Deterville blocked five NCCU shots.

As a unit, Howard shot 48 percent from the field, 29 percent from the long range and 40 percent from the free-throw line.

The mighty blue and white dominated the contest within the first six minutes of play, as they held NCCU scoreless until the 14:12 mark, with a score of 14-0.

The Lady Eagles put a point on the scoreboard at the 13:09 mark with a single free-throw at the 13:09 mark.

Howard continued its surge with a 6-1 run for a score of 20-1 at the 9:30 mark.




On a 9-8 maroon and gray run, NCCU reached double-figures, 28-10. The North Carolina host continued to score as they finished the first half on a 6-4 run, for a 16-point HU margin lead, 32-16 at the end of the first half.

Howard quickly extended the margin lead to 20 by the 16:39 mark of the second half and reached a night-high 26 margin lead on three occasions prior to the final 26-point 56-30 win.

Howard advances to 10-7 on the season and 5-1 in the MEAC.

HU steps away from conference play and heads to New Jersey, to take on New Jersey Institute of Technology on Thursday, Jan. 24 in Newark, N.J.

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


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

Eight HBCU Marching Bands Selected to Perform at the 11th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase

ATLANTA, Georgia  --  The votes are in and eight of the nation’s top Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching bands have been selected to perform at the 11th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, presented by Verizon Wireless and official banking sponsor, SunTrust Bank. The Showcase is a one-of-a-kind celebratory experience widely known in the HBCU community as “The Honda.” Tens of thousands of HBCU alumni, family and marching band fans will make the journey to Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on January 26, 2013, to witness this spectacular display of music, choreography and showmanship in one of the largest marching band showcases in the nation.

Eight bands have earned a $20,000 grant each from Honda for their school’s music education programs and an all-expenses-paid trip to Atlanta to perform at the 2013 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. These eight bands include a number of America’s most iconic marching bands, as well as one first-time participant, Alcorn State University.



The eight bands performing at “The Honda” are:

• Albany State University, Marching Rams (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
• Alcorn State University, The Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
• Bethune-Cookman University, Marching Wildcats (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
• Edward Waters College, Triple Threat Marching Band (Independent) Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
• Jackson State University, Sonic Boom of the South (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
• North Carolina A&T University, Blue and Gold Marching Machine (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
• Tennessee State University, Aristocrat of Bands (Independent) Ohio Valley Conference
• Winston-Salem State University, The Red Sea of Sound (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association)

Three lucky fans will win a personally-customized trip to the 2013 Invitational Showcase and a chance to take home an all-new 2013 Honda Accord. Fans who want to win the trip for themselves and a guest can enter the sweepstakes by visiting the www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com website, where they can find complete information and rules*.

“The Honda Battle of the Bands is a truly unique event that celebrates and affirms the great tradition of the HBCU marching band experience and the incredibly positive impact that these programs have on the lives of young people, their schools and surrounding communities,” said Marc Burt, assistant vice president, Office of Inclusion and Diversity, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “As we continue into our eleventh year, Honda is happy to support these music education programs and looks forward to another amazing Invitational Showcase.”

The final eight bands are chosen through a voting process incorporating online fan votes, band directors, the presidents of HBCU schools and representatives from American Honda. For the eight participating bands, the journey to the Invitational Showcase involves months of intense practice and training, all in preparation for their Georgia Dome performance, where each band will have 12 action-packed minutes to showcase the musical excellence, distinctive style and superior showmanship that earned them a place in the 2013 Invitational Showcase.

The Honda Battle of the Bands actively engages with fans through social media, providing access to the latest updates, photos and videos. Fans can connect with the Honda Battle of the Bands at:

Twitter – @The_Honda, #HBOB2013 (http://twitter.com/The_Honda)
Facebook – (www.facebook.com/HondaBattleOfTheBands)
YouTube – (www.youtube.com/hondabotb)
Instagram – #HBOB2013

For more information on the 2013 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, including group and individual tickets, updates, photos and video footage, and all details about the program, please visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com.

Struggling SSU women fall to BCU

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Savannah State’s women struggled offensively, didn’t take care of the ball particularly well and lost the battle of the boards Monday afternoon.  That’s not exactly a winning formula.

The Tigers fought, but couldn’t overcome a rough day and fell to Bethune-Cookman 50-41 at Tiger Arena.

SSU (6-13, 1-5 MEAC) dropped its fourth straight game and seventh in the last eight outings.

Bethune (8-9, 3-2) won for the third time in its last four games.

The Tigers’ lone bright spot was Erin Hogue. The Alabama transfer recorded her fifth straight double-double (eight overall), scoring 19 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

Despite Hogue’s solid outing, SSU had its second worst shooting game (26.9 percent), had only five assists and 23 turnovers and was outrebounded 47-39.

No one was looking forward to five days off before the next game more than Tigers’ coach Cedric Baker.


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FAMU Coach Holmes' big plan starts with the fans

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Earl Holmes is putting the onus for digging FAMU athletics out of a financial hole squarely on himself and the football team he will lead next season in his first year as a head coach.

Holmes, a former linebacker for the Rattlers during an era when winning championships was the norm, was hired 10 days ago as the 16th head coach in the program’s history. He takes over at a time when FAMU’s athletics department is facing a financial deficit to the tune of more than $7 million.

Holmes said he couldn’t disclose all of the plans he has for promoting and marketing the Rattlers’ football program until his four-year contract, with an annual salary of $200,000, is approved next month by FAMU’s Board of Trustees. However, he said a big part is to bring fans back to Bragg Stadium.

“It all starts with winning,” Holmes said. “We are going to do our part. We will make sure that we play the type of football that excites people.”

The former FAMU defensive coordinator, who took over as acting head coach late last season, said a passionate fan base impacts more than just the bottom line. He believes their support can also lead to improved play on the field.

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FAMU Community Welcomes Earl Holmes With Rally

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  –  Rattler fans, make sure you don't miss the official FAMU Athletics welcome of Earl Holmes as the 16th head coach of FAMU football. The community welcome rally will be held at The Moon (1105 E. Lafayette St., Tall., Fl. 32301).

Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor and "The Almighty" Joe Bullard are the hosts of the affair. Admission to the event is absolutely FREE. There will be free hors d'eouvres, live music and door prizes.

In addition, you can visit the table of the FAMU Foundation to offer a donation to the football program. The Rattler Boosters will also be there, so you can renew your Booster memberships.

FAMU Athletics would like to challenge all fans to support our efforts. Let's make 2013 a banner year for donations and a record year for our Rattler Boosters.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Freeman, VUU Rally Past Slumping VSU

ETTRICK, Virginia – Virginia Union University women’s basketball coach Barvenia Wooten-Cherry called her players’ first-half performance against Virginia State “unacceptable.” She summoned another word altogether to describe their showing after halftime “fortitude.”

Propelled by 24 points from sophomore Ashle Freeman, the visiting Panthers overcame an 18-point deficit to defeat the Trojans 65-52 on Saturday in a CIAA Northern Division showdown in Ettrick.

VSU started the contest with a 23-5 burst singlehandedly outscored the home team in the second half. The 5-foot-6 guard poured in 21 points in the final 20 minutes, starring in a period that saw the Panthers outscore their rivals 42-19.

“Once [Freeman] found that rhythm, she’s that type of ball player,” Wooten-Cherry said. “She’s going to make it happen.”

The loss was the sixth in seven games for the Trojans and their fourth in a row at home.


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President Obama Delivers His Second Inaugural Address

Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson Sings at the 2013 Inauguration of President Barack Obama

JSU's Hunter Named Interim Coach of the NBA's Suns

PHOENIX, Arizona  --  The Phoenix Suns selected former Jackson State standout Lindsey Hunter to be the interim coach for the second half of the season.

After former four-year coach Alvin Gentry's departure Friday morning, Suns General Manager Lance Blanks led the decision on picking an internal replacement and chose Hunter over Suns veteran assistant coaches Elston Turner, Dan Majerle and Igor Kokoskov.

The former first round pick also played at Alcorn State during the 1988-89 season where he was named to the All-SWAC Freshmen Team. He would eventually transfer to JSU and went to earn the conference Player of the Year award while leading the league in scoring with 27.6 ppg. his senior year.

Hunter, 42, joined the Suns last season as a scout and was named the head of a new player development unit in the summer. Hunter has sat in the second row behind the Suns' coaching staff during most games but had not coached since ending his 17-year NBA playing career in 2010. Hunter was a part of 12 playoff teams and two championships (the 2001-02 Lakers and the 2003-04 Pistons).

Hunter will ran his first practice Sunday in preparation for the team's next game Wednesday at Sacramento. Hunter's hire signals that the Suns intend to use more of their youth, as he has been a proponent of first-round draft choice Kendall Marshall. At 13-28, the Suns are in last place in the Western Conference and assumedly out of the playoff race.

 
COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hunter Charged With Giving Suns a Jolt

PHOENIX, Arizona  --  When Lindsey Hunter went to bed last night, he was the head of player development with the Suns. When he woke up this morning, he was the franchise’s new head coach.

After the organization and former Suns Head Coach Alvin Gentry parted ways Friday morning, Phoenix’s front office spent the next 48 hours talking with the players and interviewing internal candidates, which were comprised of Hunter and Suns assistant coaches Elston Turner and Igor Kokoskov. On Sunday morning, about an hour before practice, Hunter received word that the job was his.

“The organization needed a jolt,” Suns General Manager Lance Blanks said. “We needed something that would shock the systems of us and the players. And the risk trumps safety in this business, and we felt this was the right person to take a risk on.”

A 17-year NBA veteran as a player, Hunter retired following the 2009-10 season after a successful career with the Pistons, Bucks, Lakers, Raptors and Bulls. During his career, Hunter won two NBA Championships, one with Lakers during the 2000-01 season and one with the Pistons during the 2003-04 season.

Coming exactly at the season’s midpoint, Hunter will be charged with leading the team for the remaining 41 games of the season. After the conclusion of the season, the Suns front office will re-open the search for the organization’s next head coach.

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President Obama takes the Oath of Office 1/20/13

Historical photos of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

West St. John trio decides to play football for Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Southern football coach Dawson Odums’ first recruiting class could be rounding into shape.

Three players from West St. John High School lead the list of prospects who made commitments to Odums and his staff after visiting the campus last weekend.

West St. John stars Kylum Favorite, Javen Toney and Justin Bethancourt are all on board, Rams coach Robert Valdez said.

“They said they had a great time,” Valdez said. “And they said the food was very good.”

Other commitments for Southern include Higgins defensive lineman Gerald Brent, De La Salle defensive back Denshawn Jenkins, St. Augustine offensive lineman Damian Daniels, Mandeville cornerback Jamar Mitchell and Salmen wide receiver Chuck Baker. National signing day is Feb. 6.

Baker, a former LSU commitment, is listed as a three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and 247Sports.

Favorite, Toney and Bethancourt would follow Southern quarterback Dray Joseph from West St. John. Joseph, who signed in 2010, led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in passing as a junior last fall, his first season as the full-time starter.

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SU Jaguars to display talents on TV at Alabama A&M

Southern at Alabama A&M

WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Monday.

WHERE: T.M. Elmore Gym,
Normal, Ala.

TV: ESPNU.

RECORDS: Southern 13-6, 7-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference. Alabama A&M 7-10, 3-3.

 

NORMAL, Alabama  --  Fans of Southwestern Athletic Conference basketball have gotten an up-close look at red-hot Southern in recent weeks.

Monday night, so will a national television audience.

When the Jaguars visit Alabama A&M looking to stay unbeaten in SWAC play, ESPNU will be in Normal, Ala., to provide live coverage of the 8:30 p.m. tipoff.

Southern (13-6, 7-0) has won its seven league games by an average of 20 points, with five straight wins by double figures. A&M (7-10, 3-3) lost its first home game of the SWAC season Saturday against Alcorn State after going 3-0 at home to start league action.

“It’s set up that you have to go somewhere on the road and win if you’re going to help yourself,” Southern coach Roman Banks said. “It only gets tougher for us as the season goes on.”

Southern got its third SWAC road win Saturday in a 79-67 victory over Alabama State, a game the Jaguars led by double figures for the final 23 minutes.

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HBCU Players on Super Bowl XLVII Rosters

Baltimore Ravens

12

Jones, Jacoby

WR/RS

6-2

212

28

6

Lane

70

Harewood, Ramon

T

6-6

340

25

3

Morehouse

54

Hamilton, Adrian

OLB

6-3

251

25

R

Prairie View A&M

Reserve/Injured

41

Levine, Anthony

S

5-11

199

25

1

Tennessee State

33

Thompson, Christian

S

6-0

211

22

R

South Carolina State

Practice Squad

42

Carr, Nigel

LB

6-2

232

22

R

Alabama State

San Francisco 49ers

Practice Squad

92	Divens, Lamar	DT	6-3	340	27	4	Tennessee St.
18	Lockette, Ricardo	WR	6-2	211	26	1	Fort Valley St.

Florida A&M Rattlers, new coach seek fresh start

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Under the watchful eyes of a young Kevin Clethen, players hoping for a spot on this year’s FAMU baseball team went through rapid-fire drills during a tryout Saturday morning at Moore-Kittles Field.

Pitchers worked with a radar gun trained on their throws, and players at all positions participated in a workout that lasted 2 1/2 hours.

Not a soul seemed distracted by the controversy surrounding Willie Brown, who coached the Rattlers last season. While Brown, who was fired after an investigation into sexual harassment allegations by walk-on Denard Williams II, fights to get his name cleared, Clethen has the task of keeping the players focused as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Thirty-four players, including Williams, participated in the tryout. Three newcomers from the Big Bend — catcher Garrett Johnson of Leon, pitcher Jordan Montague (Wakulla High) and infielder Kendal Week (Munroe High) — also took park in the workout.

Players weren’t available for interviews because of the circumstances surrounding Brown’s dismissal. They open the season Feb. 15 with a four-game series at Troy University.



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10-minute burst pushes XU Nuggets past PSC Lady Panthers

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana used a 10-minute first-half run Saturday to earn a 65-47 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Philander Smith.

Andraquay Quinnine scored 13 points and SiMon Franklin 12 to lead the Gold Nuggets (13-4 overall, 3-2 GCAC), who are ranked 12th in NAIA Division I and bounced back from a Monday home loss to SUNO. The Lady Panthers (10-10, 1-4) have lost four in a row.

Philander Smith led 4-0 through the first two minutes, then the Gold Nuggets took control with a 24-2 burst in which they gained 18 turnovers, 12 by steals. Franklin scored eight points and capped the run with a basket to give Xavier a 24-6 lead at 8:07.

Xavier led 33-14 at halftime and maintained its double-digit lead throughout the second half -- but the Nuggets never led by more than 22, the last time after Whitney Gaston-Loyd's basket made it 56-34 with 7:44 remaining.

Gaston-Loyd had nine points and blocked two shots. Talor Hixon had six of Xavier's 26 steals, and Paige Gauthier led the Nuggets with seven rebounds and four assists.

Quinnine did not score until two free throws at 4:07 of the first half, and she made three 3-pointers in an 11-point second half. The Gold Nuggets are 6-0 this season when Quinnine leads the team in scoring.

Rubyunnia McHenry led Philander Smith with 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocked shots. Jerricka Scott scored 14 points, and Kanesha Merritt had 13 points and six steals -- but she also committed 10 of the Lady Panthers' 33 turnovers.

Xavier outshot Philander Smith 35 to 30 percent from the floor -- the Lady Panthers missed all 10 of their 3-point attempts -- and had a 46-34 rebound advantage. The Nuggets committed a season-worst 31 turnovers, 17 in the second half.

Franklin needs eight points to become the 19th XU female to reach 1,000 in a career. She'll get her next shot Monday when Xavier plays Fisk at 3 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

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