Westmoreland leads Bowie State to second CIAA Men's Basketball Title in School History

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Byron Westmorland had a huge night in leading Bowie State to the CIAA championship.

The senior forward scored a career-high 38 points including 26 points in the second half to outduel Livingstone's Mark Thomas and help Bowie State break open a tight game for an 85-74 victory over Livingstone in the CIAA finals at Time Warner Cable Arena on Saturday. The Bulldogs (16-13 overall) won their second championship, including the first under Head Coach Darrell Brooks, after entering the tournament as the No. 4 Northern Division seed. The latest title comes 10 years after the Bulldogs claimed their first CIAA crown in 2003.

With the victory, the Bulldogs received the conference's automatic bid in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Blue Bears (22-6 overall) are anticipating an at-large bid after reaching the title game as the No. 6 ranked team in the Atlantic Region. The top eight teams in the region will advance to the tournament.

"I'm so proud of my team, especially my five seniors," Brooks said. "They've worked hard. We've had a lot of adversity this year and all through it, they stuck together and we got a great reward for it."
However, the Blue Bears missed out on that elusive first league championship after winning their first Southern Division title and coming into the tournament as the division's top seed. The Blue Bears can blame Westmoreland, the tournament MVP, for that.


Courtesy CIAA SIDA

The Bulldogs' star sparked a late run which clinched the title for the Bulldogs. Down 53-51 with 14:42 left, the Bulldogs outscored the Blue Bears 34-21 with Westmoreland scoring 18 points during the spurt. The Bulldogs' finish was similar to Friday's semifinal against Winston-Salem State when they went on a late surge to reach the championship game.

The Bulldogs withstood an outstanding effort by Thomas of the Blue Bears, a talented guard who scored a career-high 34 points before fouling out late. Thomas kept the Blue Bears in the game by scoring 18 points in the second half. His layup on a drive cut the Blue Bears' deficit to 75-67. But Westmoreland completed a three-point play of his own for a 78-67 lead with 2:05 left that wrapped up the game for the Bulldogs, who outscored the Blue Bears 42-33 in the second half.

Westmorland finished the night making 13 of 19 shots which ranged from jumpers to layups in transition which resulted in three-point plays at times. He also made 10 of 15 free throws in addition to getting six rebounds and four steals.

Westmorland got support from his inside players. Forward Carlos Smith had 11 points and seven rebounds and forward Najee White contributed 10 points. Forward Dameatric Scott had seven rebounds and five assists. Guard Bryan Wilson also helped out on the boards, grabbing six to go along with eight points. The inside play complemented Westmoreland as the Bulldogs scored 46 points in the paint and 16 second-chance points.

"[The] game was kind of what we expected," Brooks said. "It was a war. We thought it was going to be a very physical game. We thought that the team that did the best job defending and on the backboards would be the team that would probably win the game and fortunately, it was us."

As a team, the Bulldogs shot 56 percent. Meanwhile, the Blue Bears shot 38 percent.

"Bowie came out and scored points," Livingstone coach James Stinson said. "That was the biggest fear. We knew they would score. We knew that Westmoreland was a tough person to stop, but we left some points out there ourselves, by not making free throws, by missing a few layups here and there, and I think we were a little anxious at certain points in time. We've been down this road once before and we just didn't take advantage of the opportunity that was presented to us. I take my hat off to Bowie State and congratulate them for doing such a good job."

Other than Thomas, the Blue Bears struggled from the floor. Thomas was 11 of 21 from the floor and 9 of 13 from the free-throw line in addition to three steals. Darnell Turner added 11 points but he was the only other double figure scorer. Anthony Welch scored nine points on 3 of 4 three-point shooting.
The Bowie State big men impact the contest from the start by limiting the Blue Bears to one shot and getting inside for easy baskets. A dunk by Carlos Smith off a missed layup lifted the Bulldogs to an early 15-7 lead.

Led by Thomas, the Blue Bears came back to pull within 22-19. The Blue Bears led 26-24 on his three-point play.

The Bulldogs reclaimed momentum when Wilson swished a three pointer for a 40-36 Bulldogs lead with under a minute remaining in the half. A three-pointer by Westmorland made the score 43-38 Bowie State, but Thomas answered with a three before halftime to cut the Bulldogs lead to 43-41 at the break.

Thomas scored 16 points in the first half for the Blue Bears. Westmorland scored 12 and Smith with 10 for the Bulldogs. White added eight points for the Bulldogs.

Thomas gave the Blue Bears a 46-44 lead in the second half on a three-pointer, but Bowie State reclaimed the lead at 51-46 on a free throw and layup by Westmorland.

Once again, it was Thomas who brought back the Blue Bears. His free throw and three from the deep corner put the Blue Bears back ahead 53-51. Westmoreland scored five straight points as the Bulldogs regained the lead at 56-53. A dunk by White and a layup by Westmoreland extended their lead to 65-56, giving the Bulldogs the cushion they needed to hold off the Blue Bears. When Scott scored on a tip-in, the lead reached 13 points at 75-62.

The All-CIAA Tournament team featured Westmorland and Scott of Bowie State, and Thomas, Jody Hill and Ethan Anderson of Livingstone. The other All-CIAA Tourney members are Quinton McDuffie of Chowan, Christopher Grier of Virginia State, Justin Glover of Winston-Salem State, Derrick Washington of Lincoln (Pa.), and Angelo Sharpless of Elizabeth City State. Johnson C. Smith won the John B. McLendon Team Sportsmanship Award.

Box Score


BSU Pep Band at Harding University H.S., Charlotte, N.C.

COURTESY CIAA.COM AND CIAA SIDA

Davis has TSU men's hoops program back on track

Men: Davis refuses to let NCAA sanctions stand in the way of getting program back on track

HOUSTON, Texas  --  In the middle stages of what was to become an 11-game losing streak, Texas Southern University offered then-interim men's basketball coach Mike Davis a four-year contract extension. Dr. Charles McClelland, the athletic director, explains it was clear to him Davis was the right man for a tough job.

For Davis, the fit felt right as well, never mind where he had been or the obstacles that lay ahead. Less than half a year after he walked on to the TSU campus for the first time, having never met any of his players - or superiors - face to face, he signed on for the long haul.

 

"I got the job so late I couldn't immediately change the mindset of how I wanted them to play," said the former Indiana and Alabama-Birmingham coach, whose record with the Tigers fell to 1-13 on Jan. 2 after a 15-point lead didn't hold up in a 63-57 loss in TSU's Southwestern Athletic Conference opener against Southern at Baton Rouge, La. "It took some time for them to buy into everything, from how we were going to play to how we were going to work.

"There was a lot that had to be changed. They went from playing zone (defense) for a couple of years to a man-to-man, and I don't like quick shots, which had been their style. I like that extra pass. I like sharing the basketball and rebounding hard. Everything was totally different for them. It wasn't until January that we started playing like should have been playing in November."

So you can imagine how ...

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Texas Southern's Rivera Starts the Spring Season Ranked 6th in the Nation

TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY 2012-13 WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM

Briana Trevino, Kassandra Rivera, Carmen Gonzales, Angela Rafac, Adriana Trevino,
Georgette Rolle (asst. coach)
(Courtesy Texas Southern Athletics)
 

ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana  --  The Texas Southern golf teams will kick-off the spring golf season by hosting the Texas SWAC Invitational Golf Tournament at Oakwing Golf Course in Alexandria, LA.

The two-day tournament runs March 4 & 5^th.

This will be Kassandra Rivera’s first tournament since her national ranking from the Fall Season. Rivera is currently ranked 6^th in the nation among NCAA Division I players with a 71.63 average. She is the highest ranked college player in Texas and among student-athletes from an HBCU.

Rivera’s low round of the season was 66 at the Prairie View A&M Invitational.

William Wells leads the Tigers’ men’s team with a 76.63 average. His low game was 74 in the Black College Hall of Fame tournament in Atlanta, GA.


COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

In matchups of ranked teams, XU beats Belhaven twice

NEW ORLEANS -- Both Xavier University of Louisiana tennis teams defeated ranked NAIA opponents Thursday at the XU Tennis Center. The Gold Nuggets, ranked 11th, beat No. 22 Belhaven 9-0. The Gold Rush, ranked 10th, rallied to defeat No. 12 Belhaven 5-4.

Both XU teams snapped two-dual losing streaks. The women are 4-3, and the men are 4-4. Both Belhaven teams are 3-1.

The XU women did not drop a set against Belhaven. Kourtney Howell, Brion Flowers, Amanda Materre and Simone-Alyse Ewell won in singles and doubles for the Gold Nuggets, and Materre clinched the dual with her 6-2, 6-1 victory against Natalia Krier at No. 3 singles.

"The Nuggets come out and took care of business from start to finish," XU coach Alan Green said. "it was a good match played today."

The victory was the Gold Nuggets' second of the season against a ranked opponent.

The Gold Rush trailed 3-2 before getting singles victories from Loic Didavi, Nikita Soifer and Kyle Montrel, who clinched the dual with his 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 decision against Daniel Prado at No. 3. The No. 1 doubles team of Soifer and Montrel improved to 7-0 this semester after an 8-3 decision against David Mejia and Daniel Duarte.

"The Rush had another tough opponent which came out and was really intense against us," Green said. "We fought back from three match points at No. 2 doubles, which ended up being the deciding factor in the match. I have a bunch of mentally tough guys playing for us."

Soifer and Viktor Svoboda won that No. 2 doubles match 9-8 against Prado and Jefferson Nino.

It was the first Gold Rush victory this season against a ranked opponent. The XU men defeated a school-record 10 ranked opponents a year ago.

Both XU teams will travel to Jackson, Miss., for Saturday duals against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponents Tougaloo and Fisk. But the Gold Nuggets' schedule is a little busier, with a 3 p.m. home dual Friday against Southern and a 4 p.m. Sunday dual at Southeastern Louisiana. The SLU dual was pushed back two hours due to expected cold weather. Both XU teams will play Shorter at 2 p.m. Monday at the XU Tennis Center, which will result in six duals in five days for the Gold Nuggets.

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

Southern beats Gold Nuggets for fourth consecutive year

NEW ORLEANS -- Lois Alexis defeated Simone-Alyse Ewell 7-5, 6-3 at No. 4 singles Friday to clinch Southern's 6-3 women's tennis victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at the XU Tennis Center.

The Lady Jaguars (5-4) won their fifth dual match in a row and defeated the Gold Nuggets (4-4) for the fourth consecutive year. Xavier is ranked 11th in the NAIA.

Southern won 2-of-3 doubles matches and 4-of-6 in singles. Xavier's Kourtney Howell defeated Demetria Woods 6-2, 6-0 at No. 1 singles.

Camara Davis put Southern ahead to stay with a 6-0, 6-2 victory against Vashni Balleste at No. 6 singles.

Amanda Materre won at No. 3 singles for Xavier, as did Amber Brown and Nicole DeLoach at No. 3 doubles.

Materre, winning for the sixth time in seven singles matches this semester, beat Danielle Dixon 6-3, 6-4. Brown and DeLoach won in doubles for the second straight day and gave Xavier a 1-0 lead after their 9-7 defeat of Dixon and Kendall Bunch.

Howell and Materre have three singles victories each this semester against NCAA Division I opponents.

Xavier lost the other doubles matches 9-7 and 9-8. Davis and Morgan Taylor saved six match points at No. 2 in a 9-8 (7-4) victory against Ewell and Materre. Another close match was Gabrielle Moore's 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 decision against XU's Brion Flowers at No. 2 singles.

All four Xavier losses this season are to NCAA Division I opponents.

The Gold Nuggets' next dual will start at 4 p.m. Sunday at Southeastern Louisiana. The XU men's and women's duals against Fisk and Tougaloo, scheduled for Saturday in Jackson, Miss., were postponed and may be rescheduled. Also postponed were Monday men's and women's home duals against Shorter due to a death in the family of Shorter coach Orville Adams. Those matches will be rescheduled for April.

Added to the schedule were men's and women's duals against Northwood (Fla.) In Orlando, Fla., on March 28.


By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Lady Broncos use inside strength to advance to Championship Game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Fayetteville State has its own version of "Shaq", and she led them to a CIAA Tournament women's semifinal win at Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday.

Shuanda Ashford, whose is nicknamed after former NBA great Shaquille O'Neal, poured in 23 points and snatched 10 rebounds in a 71-57 victory over Virginia Union. The Lady Broncos (24-4 overall), the Southern Division champs and top division seed, reached their seventh CIAA finals in school history and the second under Head Coach Eva Patterson-Heath. Her squad won it all in 2010. The

Lady Broncos are shooting for their fourth league crown.

The Lady Broncos reached the CIAA championship game, which is Saturday at 5 p.m., on their inside power and transition game. The Lady Panthers (13-14), the No. 2 seed in the Northern Division, could not stop Ashford, a wide-bodied 6-1 All-CIAA center, despite doubling down on her in a zone defense. Despite the defensive focus on her, Ashford still muscled her way to the basket for easy layups. She was 10 of 16 from the floor.

"In the paint, it's always a battle," Ashford said. "My teammates kept finding the will to get me the ball and I was trying to find the will to put the ball in the basket."

Meanwhile, her frontcourt teammate Tierra Coleman took advantage of attention on Ashford on the weak side of the basket to produce a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Coleman, the Food Lion MVP of the game, was perfect offensively, making 7 of 7 field-goal attempts and 2 of 2 free-throw attempts. Together, the frontcourt duo combined for 39 points and 22 rebounds. Coleman carried the Lady Broncos when Ashford went out briefly after falling out of bounds under the basket in the second half.



Box Score

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Bowie State derails WSSU's hope for CIAA repeat

CHARLOTTE - Bowie State stonewalled Winston-Salem State’s bid to win consecutive CIAA basketball titles during Friday night’s semifinals of the conference tournament.

The fourth-seeded Bulldogs threw up a brick wall of a defense inside and came away with an 83-66 victory. Taking most everything away from WSSU on the inside, Bowie advanced to play Livingstone in tonight’s championship game at Time Warner Cable Arena.For the 10th-ranked Rams, poor free-throw shooting also hurt, but the biggest problem was finding any room inside.

The Bulldogs won their sixth straight and improved to 15-13. They can secure a berth in the Division II Tournament with a win tonight.

The Rams (21-6) will have more basketball to play in the Division II Tournament but that didn’t make the loss sting any less. The Rams were trying to match the 1999 and 2000 WSSU teams that won consecutive CIAA titles.

The Rams (21-6) will have more basketball to play in the Division II Tournament but that didn’t makREe the loss sting any less. The Rams were trying to match the 1999 and 2000 WSSU teams that won consecutive CIAA titles.

Guard Byron Westmorland the Bulldogs with 27 points. and Dameatric Scott added 21. Branden Doughty chipped in nine points. and the Bulldogs shot 83 percent at the foul line (24 of 29).

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Shaw women shoot for third straight CIAA title

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- A rubber match in the CIAA championship Saturday night will settle the season series between Shaw and Fayetteville State.

Fayetteville State took the first game on Friday against Virginia Union 71-57 while Shaw came from behind in the final 12 minutes to top Elizabeth City State 76-61.

After splitting the season series with the visitors winning one apiece, the top two seeds in the tournament will meet at 5 p.m. Saturday for the title.

“They got size and we have size,” Shaw coach Jacques Curtis said. “It’s bigs going against bigs where some other teams don’t have the size we have, so we can really pound them on the glass, and they have really good guard play. We know that’s going to be a battle with them tomorrow.”

Fayetteville State won the first meeting 66-64 on Jan. 30 while Shaw took the second meeting 75-65 on Feb. 20.

VIDEO: Friday's action

 

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Livingstone men return to CIAA finals for 2nd time in 3 seasons

Courtesy CIAA SIDA

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  Livingstone is a game away from its first CIAA men’s championship.

The Blue Bears (22-5) rolled by Elizabeth City State 68-53 Friday at Time Warner Cable Arena to secure their second berth in the title game in three seasons.

Livingstone, the No. 1 seed in the South Division, is playing with the confidence of a team on a mission.

“I feel good with this group but we still have to play a game,” Blue Bears coach James Stinson said. “That’s why you have to play, no matter who it is we have to match up and play LC basketball.”

That meant exploiting its size advantage against the smaller Vikings (17-11), the North’s No. 2 seed, especially on defense.

 The Blue Bears rotated a big lineup that included 6-foot-8 guard Eladio Espinoza to slow down Elizabeth City State guard Angelo Sharpless, the CIAA’s player of the year. Sharpless led all scorers with 20 points, but scored only four in the first half when Livingstone sprinted away. The Blue Bears never trailed and led by as many as 24 points.

Video:  Friday's CIAA action

Video: CIAA fan experience 03.01.13

 Photo Gallery: Livingston 68, ECSU 53

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/03/01/3888091/livingstone-men-return-to-ciaa.html#storylink=cpy

Courtesy CIAA SIDA

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Release 2013 Football Schedule

GREENSBORO -- North Carolina A&T released an interesting and challenging 2013 football schedule on Wednesday.

The Southern Conference, which is widely regarded as one of the best conference in the Division I-Football Championship Subdivision, will have both of its North Carolina schools on the Aggies 2013 schedule. A&T is scheduled to open against Appalachian State on Sept. 7 at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, N.C., at 6 p.m.

A week later A&T will host Elon at Aggie Stadium for the first time in seven seasons. The two Piedmont schools played one another for seven consecutive seasons starting in 2000. When the Aggies and Phoenix play in September, it will be their ninth meeting. They split the previous eight with each team winning four.

The Greatest Homecoming On Earth will take place on Nov. 2 against Virginia University of Lynchburg on Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. It will be the latest A&T's Homecoming has occurred since the Aggies defeated Bethune-Cookman 73-7 on Nov. 2, 1996. It will also mark the first time the Aggies have played a non-conference opponent for Homecoming since beating Johnson C. Smith 19-8 on Oct. 10, 1987.

After a two-year absence, conference foe Hampton returns to the Aggies schedule as well. A&T's last meeting against Hampton resulted in a 35-21 loss at Hampton on Sept. 18, 2010. The two teams will get together again at

  Hampton on Oct. 12. While Hampton is an old rival rotating back onto the schedule, Savannah State will be completely new to Aggie fans.

The Tigers, who joined the conference three seasons ago, has never played A&T on the gridiron. That will no longer be the case on Nov. 16 when the Tigers come to Aggie Stadium for a 1 p.m., kickoff. A&T's other three home games include a Sept. 28 game against Howard, an Oct. 19 game against Delaware State and archrival N.C. Central comes to Aggieland on Nov. 23 for the regular-season finale.

A&T will also play road games against S.C. State (Oct. 5), Florida A&M (Oct. 26) and Morgan State (Nov. 9).

Ticket information for the 2013 season will be announced soon.



2013 Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time (ET)   Sat, Sep 07 Appalachian State at Boone, N.C. 6 p.m. Sat, Sep 14 Elon Aggie Stadium 6 p.m. Sat, Sep 28 Howard * Aggie Stadium 6 p.m. Sat, Oct 05 S.C. State * at Orangeburg, S.C. TBA Sat, Oct 12 Hampton * at Hampton, Va. 2 p.m. Sat, Oct 19 Delaware State * Aggie Stadium 1 p.m. Sat, Oct 26 Florida A&M * at Tallahassee, Fla. TBA Sat, Nov 02 Virginia University of Lynchburg (Homecoming) Aggie Stadium 1 p.m. Sat, Nov 09 Morgan State * at Baltimore, Md. TBA Sat, Nov 16 Savannah State * Aggie Stadium 1 p.m. Sat, Nov 23 N.C. Central * Aggie Stadium 1 p.m.

* Conference Games

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

CIAA commissioner: Tournament could move

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  It's a slam dunk for Charlotte!

The CIAA tournament brings hundreds of thousands of fans to the Queen City and they leave behind about $50 million.

“It's always really good to come and mingle with people we know from different schools and different cities, have a good time talk about the old days and enjoy the games," said Jay Asbury.

He and his wife come from Raleigh for the long weekend of basketball.

"I like the bigness of the city...lots of restaurants and hotels," Jay’s wife Delores said.

But the CIAA commissioner says there aren't enough hotels, and that could cost Charlotte the tournament the Queen City has hosted for the last eight years.
 "We still haven't been able to take care of our teams the way that I'd like to; they are spread out all over the city and I would like to figure out a way to get teams closer to the venue. That’s part of their experience as well," Commissioner Jacque Carpenter said.  READ MORE

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/03/01/3886510/ciaa-commissioner-tournament-could.html#storylink=cpy

8 seed Fisk outworks XU, wins 64-52 in GCAC tourney

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- For most of the past 10 seasons, Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball teams had few problems winning in the quarterfinals of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

But eighth-seeded Fisk caused plenty of problems for the top-seeded Gold Nuggets on Thursday, attacking the basket with ease and shooting 43 free throws in a 64-52 quarterfinal upset at Barton Coliseum.

It's the first time since 2000 that Xavier (24-5) lost in the quarterfinals. The Gold Nuggets entered the tournament with a 12-game win streak, their longest in three years, and a No. 10 ranking in NAIA Division I.

Raona Stowers scored 14 of her 19 points in the second half, including 10-of-14 free throws, for Fisk (9-20). The Lady Bulldogs had lost all five previous meetings against Xavier by an average of 28.6 points during the last two seasons.

"We didn't really focus for this game," said guard SiMon Franklin, Xavier's only senior. "We were looking past this game and not looking at getting through this game first."

Whitney Gaston-Loyd scored 12 points, and Franklin and Danielle Tucker scored 10 each fo Xavier.

Janine Davis scored 17 points and Rasheda Ademosu 11 for Fisk.

Xavier had won its previous 10 quarterfinal games by an average of 20 points, including a 73-49 decision against Fisk a year ago.

But this time Fisk outshot Xavier 46.3 to 28.6 percent from the floor -- 50 to 26.5 percent in the second half -- and made 23-of-43 free throws to the Gold Nuggets' 10-of-15. Although Xavier led 26-24 at halftime, the Lady Bulldogs spent nearly 15 minutes of the first half with the lead. Ademosu made the front end of a 1-and-1 with 12:17 remaining to put Fisk ahead to stay, 33-32. That was the second point of an 11-0 run which gave Fisk a 42-32 lead with 9:11 remaining. The Gold Nuggets never got closer than eight points in the final seven minutes.

"If you don't play with a passion and a determination to win, you can get beat on any given night," said Bo Browder, who lost for just the second time in 13 quarterfinals as XU's head coach. "We did not play Xavier basketball today.

"I am very disappointed in our team, but you have to give a lot of credit to Fisk. Their guards did a great job penetrating to the basket. We didn't do a good job defending them. You get to the line 43 times, and you've got a shot to win."

Fisk will play fifth-seeded Philander Smith, a 65-58 winner against fourth-seeded Tougaloo, in the semifinals at noon Friday. Xavier will wait and hope for an at-large bid Wednesday to the 32-team NAIA Division I National Championship, which will begin March 13 in Frankfort, Ky. The Gold Nuggets reached nationals 16 of the previous 18 seasons, including each of the last three. Xavier defeated higher-ranked teams iin the first round at nationals in 2011 and 2012.

"I think we'll get a bid because of our body of work," Browder said.

But Franklin, after an eye-opening upset, was more cautious. "I can just hope for the best at this point," she said. "We held a high ranking throughout the year. I hope that would be enough to get us there. But we did not perform well today, so there's no guarantee."

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
XULAATHLETICS

City rival Dillard stuns XU Gold Rush in GCAC quarterfinals

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Don't let the calendar confuse you. March Madness was alive and well Thursday, the final day of February, at the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

And for the Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball team -- the GCAC's regular-season co-champion for the second straight year and No. 13 in the NAIA Division I coaches poll -- it was maddening.

City rival Dillard, the tournament's No. 8 seed and beaten decisively by the Gold Rush twice during the regular season, eliminated top-seeded Xavier. The Blue Devils overcame a seven-point deficit in the final 3½ minutes and won 59-56 at Barton Coliseum.

Dillard defeated Xavier after eight consecutive losses -- including 54-34 on Jan. 26 and 70-46 on Saturday -- and won for the first time since 2009 in this series, which dates to the late 1940s.

"We took Dillard lightly," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "Dillard hit shots, had a game plan and played very well. We did not play well and did not follow the game plan."

Jarrain Jenkins, named GCAC Freshman of the Year on Wednesday, led Dillard (4-20) with 23 points and nine rebounds. Tyrone Williams had 16 points and seven rebounds, and Jordan Kilson had 14 points -- including 9-of-10 free throws -- six rebounds, five assists and four steals.

All-GCAC guard Wanto Joseph had 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals and no turnovers. But Joseph was an uncharacteristic 6-of-20 from the floor on a day the Gold Rush (24-7) shot a season-worst 29.6 percent.

Xavier's All-GCAC forwards, Denzell Erves and Anthony Simmons, combined for 14 points, nine rebounds and six of their team's 15 turnovers. Simmons missed 6-of-8 free throws.

Joseph's steal and layup with 3:37 remaining capped a 16-5 run and gave the Gold Rush a 52-47 advantage, but Dillard regained its composure and outscored Xavier 12-4 the rest of the way. Williams' 14-footer on the left baseline with 56 seconds remaining put Dillard ahead to stay, 54-52.

Xavier missed 1-of-5 3-pointers in the final 1:37, and Nick Haywood's 25-footer from the right side at the buzzer prevented Xavier from moving to overtime for the fourth time this season.

Haywood finished with 16 points -- his highest total since Dec. 18 -- and made 3-of-7 3-pointers. But his teammates were a collective 1-of-11 from behind the arc.

Dillard, which shot 39.7 percent from the floor against Xavier in the regular season, shot 50 percent Thursday. The Bleu Devils used just six players; Williams, Kilson and Norvel Shelby played all 40 minutes.

The Gold Rush loss followed Fisk's 64-52 women's upset of Xavier, where another No. 8 seed outplayed and prevailed over a No. 1.

Xavier, which hasn't won this tournament since 1996, will wait for an at-large berth to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship at Kansas City, Mo. The 32-team field will be announced Wednesday, and the tournament will begin March 13.

"We're right there on the bubble probably," Jackson said. "But I think we'll get in because of our body of work the entire season. One game in one tournament doesn't reflect on your season."

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

Texas Southern Tigers surge past Southern behind a Strong night from the field

HOUSTON,  Texas  --  Texas Southern’s Omar Strong scored 34 points, highlighted by seven 3-pointers as TSU won its 11th straight game, 79-66 over Southern on Thursday night effectively taking control of the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season championship race.

Strong was 9 of 15 from the field, including 7 of 13 from 3-point range as Texas Southern surged ahead of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Southern into sole possession of the SWAC lead with just one regular season game remaining. TSU will have the opportunity to clinch the outright title against Alcorn State on Saturday.

“This is what you play for all season long,” said TSU’s Mike Davis. “You play for a chance to win a championship. We never doubted that we could get to this point, we just knew that we needed to continue to get better each day in our practices and games.”

Ray Penn contributed 14 points for Texas Southern, and fellow teammate Fred Sturdivant tallied nine points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots. With the victory the Tigers snapped Southern’s four-game winning streak.

Texas Southern never trailed after the opening minutes and built as much as a 24 point lead in the second half. After a slow night offensively against Alabama State on Monday Strong wasted no time in getting back to his high-scoring ways. Tonight he notched his fourth game in which he has scored at least thirty points this season. TSU clinched at least a share of the regular-season championship with the win tonight over the Jaguars.

"Since we can't go to the tournament, every game we play is like a national championship game," Strong said. "Because of that, we have to play hard and give it our all every single night."

Strong’s outing against SU on Thursday ranks behind only his 39-point scoring outburst against Colorado in November. TSU set the tempo for the game in the first half as Strong made 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to stretch the Tigers advantage to 37-21 with two minutes remaining in the half.
The Tigers pushed their lead to 20 points with 13 minutes left in the second half, and Southern never got back into the game from that point as Texas Southern closed out the victory in front of an enthusiastic home crowd of 4,108.

"There's nothing like winning at home in front of your fans," Strong said. "You hit a shot, and they're screaming your name. It's a great feeling."

Inside the Numbers
Texas Southern outrebounded the Southern Jaguars 43-29 while also edging SU in transistion points 8-6. TSU's Sturdivant nearly captured a double-double as he scored nine points to go along with nine rebounds. Texas Southern shot 43 percent from the field (23-of-53) highlighted by an impressive 52 percent showing from beyond the arc (11-of- 21).

Up Next
The Texas Southern Tigers will host their season finale on Saturday as they get set to host the Alcorn State Braves. Tip-off is slated for 8:00 pm at the H&PE Arena.

Tiger Notables

• Texas Southern concluded SWAC regular season play with a 7-2 record on the road.
• Texas Southern is undefeated at home at 8-0.
• Fred Sturdivant tallied six blocked shots against Southern.
• The Tigers had two players score in double figures against Southern.
• Texas Southern leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference in points scored per game.
• Omar Strong tallied his second highest point total of the season (34).
• Texas Southern has the sixth longest current winning streak in the NCAA (11).

Box Score

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida A&M Athletics Announces 2013 Football Schedule

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- FAMU Athletics announced the much-anticipated 2013 football schedule to the public today. The schedule features five home games, the team's second appearance in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge presented by Walt Disney, a visit to "The Horseshoe" to take on the Buckeyes of Ohio State and culminates in Florida Blue Florida Classic XXXIV. This will be the inaugural full schedule of FAMU's newly hired head football coach Earl Holmes and the first time since 2006 that FAMU has had five home games.

FAMU Athletic Director Derek Horne and his staff have been doing a lot of maneuvering to pull off this schedule.

"We had to make some hard decisions," Horne said. "I am tasked with making sure this department is diligent in pursuing opportunities to be fiscally responsible, as well as improving our brand. We determined that it was best for us to capitalize on our local fan base and build our brand at home in Bragg Stadium and in Florida, as opposed to competing in the Atlanta Football Classic this year. We wish the 100 Black Men of Atlanta much success with their weekend that is vital to the community of Atlanta. We will now have seven games in Florida for our fans to enjoy!"

The Rattlers are coming off a disappointing 4-7 campaign (4-4 MEAC), but are stocked with experience. The Rattlers return All-MEAC (2nd team) quarterback Damien Fleming, who is regarded as the league's top returning quarterback. The junior signal caller should help the Rattlers improve on last season's record. Defensively, the Rattlers will have veterans Brandon Denmark, Terry Johnson and Jonathan Pillow to rely on. Sheridan Broadcasting Network All-American kicker Chase Varnadore represents a dependable weapon in Holmes' arsenal on special teams.

"After careful consideration, we have decided to add more home football games for the upcoming season to minimize travel costs and enhance the opportunity for our student athletes to excel academically," said Larry Robinson, interim president of FAMU. "We believe, the home game that we are playing in lieu of the Atlanta Classic will net comparable revenue to our most recent game in Atlanta. It has been an honor to play in the Atlanta Classic over the years and we look forward to an opportunity to compete in this great series again in the future. These additional home games also give us an opportunity to reinvest in the Tallahassee community and our FAMU fan base."

Season Ticket Brochure and Order Form



The orange and green will open the season the same place they end their regular season, in Orlando.

They will face the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge presented by Walt Disney World on Sept.1 at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The Sunday matchup on Labor Day weekend allows the game to have center stage of college football and a national viewing audience on ESPN.

This will be the Rattlers' second appearance at the MEAC-SWAC Challenge, and it is the first since it moved to Orlando. FAMU and B-CU held a pact not to play in the event when it moved to Orlando, but B-CU broke from that and played in the event the past two seasons. The Rattlers played in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge in 2007 against Southern University in Birmingham, Ala. The 30,000 fans it drew are nearly 10,000 more than it drew before or has drawn since. Last season, the Delta Devils struggled to a 5-6 record (5-4 SWAC) and look to rebuild in 2013.

Sept. 7 will bring the "Big Blue" Tigers of Tennessee State to Bragg Memorial Stadium for the Hall of Fame Game and the 2013 home opener. The Tigers bested the Rattlers 17-14 in the 2012 John Merritt Classic at LP Field in Nashville,Tenn as the Rattlers failed to punch in a touchdown from the one-yard line. The Tigers are said to have one of the best recruiting classes in the country and head coach Rod Reed feels his team will have the maturity to have a successful season. The loss to the Tigers last season was one of five losses by seven points or less the Rattlers had on the 2012 slate. The Tigers compiled an 8-3 record, playing out of the Ohio Valley conference.

On Sept.14, the Rattlers will play the front end of a home-and-home series with the Samford Bulldogs, with this season's game being played in Bragg Memorial Stadium and a future game to be played in Birmingham, AL. The game has been designated as Youth Day. This will be the first meeting between the Rattlers and the Bulldogs, who are members of the Southern Conference. Last season they complied a 7-4 record, while head coach Pat Sullivan was awarded Co-Coach of the Year in the Southern Conference. The Bulldogs will field a veteran bunch as Quarterback Andy Summerlin and defensive lineman Jeremy Towns were granted sixth years of eligibility by the NCAA. The Bulldogs are known to travel well and should make for a competitive and testy third game of the season.

On Sept. 21, the Rattlers take the show to Columbus, OH to take on Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes of Ohio State. The Buckeyes were undefeated in 2012, but were not bowl-eligible, serving NCAA sanctions for previous infractions. That will make Ohio State hungry to repeat and provide a formidable opponent for the Rattlers. The teams have never met before, though their former head coach Jim Tressel had tangled with the Rattlers as head coach of Youngstown State. The game will net the Rattlers $850,000 and provide a historic national stage.

The Rattlers will enjoy an open week on Sept.28, just before the start of MEAC play.

The Rattlers play their first MEAC game on Oct.5 as they take on the Morgan State Bears in Baltimore, MD. The Bears limped to a 3-8 record (2-6 MEAC) and should get the best of coach Don Hill-Ely who is in the last year of his contract. The Rattlers last traveled to MSU in 2009 as FAMU quarterback and MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, Curtis Pulley, led the Rattlers to a 31-28 win on ESPNU.

The Rattlers travel up the road to Savannah, Georgia to take on the Tigers in the second MEAC contest of the season on Oct.12. The Rattlers were not kind the last time they visited T.A. Wright Stadium, compounding a 47-7 win behind the 200-yards rushing of Al-Terek McBurse. Tiger head coach Steve Davenport is looking to rebuild the squad after a grueling 2012 slate which saw them face two solid defeats against Oklahoma State and Florida State, losing by a margin of 139-0 to open the season. The Rattlers pulled off a 44-3 win last season, which turned out to be the last win in the career of FAMU head coach Joe Taylor.

The Rattlers play homecoming on Oct.19, against the Howard University Bison. The Bison are on a two-game winning streak against the Rattlers, after an emotional 17-10 victory in the nation's capital last year. Coach Gary "Flea" Harrell will have to do one of his best coaching jobs to date, as the senior-led team of last year gives way to rebuilding with a host of new players. The Bison finished with a 7-4 mark (6-2 MEAC) and it's highest MEAC finish in years. The Rattlers will look to get revenge for two years of close games, resulting in defeats.

The Rattlers will welcome the N.C. A&T Aggies to Bragg Memorial Stadium on Oct.26 for Parent's Weekend. The Aggies held the Rattlers to a 16-3 defeat in Greensboro, N.C. on Nov.13, which was the final game of the Joe Taylor era. It was the morning of the NC A&T game that Taylor announced his intentions to retire. In addition, starting quarterback Damien Fleming was sidelined, putting backup Tyler Bass in to start his first game as a Rattler quarterback. The offense did not respond and the Rattlers were left reeling with little offensive production.

FAMU will visit Norfolk, VA. on Nov.2 to face the Spartans of Norfolk State University. The Rattlers and Spartans did not meet in 2011 or 2012, but in 2010, Philip Sylvester sealed a tight contest with 136 yards rushing and a final 10-yard touchdown run. The Spartans went on to win the 2011 MEAC crown, but fell to 4-7 last season (2-6 MEAC). Head coach Pete Adrian has reloaded the squad in exerting revenge on the Rattlers and making another run at the MEAC title.

The Rattlers will face the South Carolina State Bulldogs on Nov.9. The last time the Rattlers went to Orangeburg, S.C., they broke a streak of over a decade of not beating the Bulldogs at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. The game annually features the two best-traveled teams in all the MEAC. Last season, the Rattlers lost to the Bulldogs 27-20 in overtime. The game featured the winningest active coach in HBCU football in Joe Taylor, and the most successful in recent history in Buddy Pugh. The game will feature two rebuilt teams, with the Bulldogs coming off an uncharacteristic 5-6 (3-4 MEAC) season.

The Delaware State Hornets will come to Tallahassee on Nov.16, for the fifth and final home game of the season. The game has been designated as Community/Senior Day. The Hornets are emerging as a solid team under Kermit Blount. In 2012, the Rattlers escaped Dover, DE., on the signature drive of quarterback Damien Fleming's career. In an offense-dominated game, the Rattlers held a two point lead going late into the game and ended up starting their final possession with 6:33 remaining.

Fleming would lead the offense to five first downs, allowing the Rattlers to run out the clock and preserve the victory for the Rattlers. The Rattlers, however, got a glimpse of what they will have to face this season as rookie running back Dae-Hon Cheung made his debut with 135 yards rushing. The Rattlers will be able to plan on the fact that Fleming surgically carved up their defense for 399 yards passing.

The regular-season finale will take the Rattlers back to central Florida on Nov.23. FAMU vs. B-CU in the Florida Blue Florida Classic, which remains the biggest HBCU football rivalry in the country. Along with the proximities of the schools, the well-connected family and alumni bases and pure competitiveness of the teams, records never matter. It's always a fight to the finish.

B-CU head coach Brian Jenkins, who recently signed an extension with the Wildcats, will look to make it three in a row, while the Rattlers will look to break the streak. The Rattlers put on a valiant effort amid the turmoil of the sudden retirement of head coach Joe Taylor, but fought to a respectable 21-16 loss last season. James Owens, one of the Rattlers' top returnees, thrilled the crowd with a 41-yard scamper for a touchdown. FAMU will come to Orlando with revenge on their minds and an end to the two-game winning streak of B-CU.

Vaughn Wilson 
Interim Sports Information Director 
Florida A&M University 
(850)599-3200 
www.FAMUAthletics.com.



FLORIDA A&M 2013 12 GAME FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION MEAC EVENT TIME 

9/01 @Mississippi Vally State, Orlando, FL, (MEAC/SWAC Challenge)

9/07 Tennessee State, Tallahassee, FL, (Hall of Fame Weekend)

9/14  Samford U., Tallahassee, FL (Youth Day)&
9/21 @Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio, Ohio Stadium
9/28  OPEN
10/05 @*Morgan State, Baltimore, MD, Hughes Stadium
10/12 @*Savannah State, Savannah, GA, Ted Wright Stadium, 6 pm 
10/19    *Howard U., Tallahassee, FL, (FAMU Homecoming 2013) 

10/26     *North Carolina A&T, Tallahassee, FL, (Parent's Weekend)
11/02  @*Norfolk State, Norfolk, VA, Dick Price Stadium, (NSU homecoming) 2 pm
11/09  @*South Carolina State, Orangeburg, SC, Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
11/16      *Delaware State, Tallahassee, FL
11/23   @*Bethune-Cookman, Orlando, FL (Florida Classic)

& The Samford game will be part of a two-game series between the two programs. Florida A&M will travel to Seibert Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama for a game on Sept. 12, 2015.

*MEAC Game
BOLD: Home Game
GREEN: Florida Game

St. Augustine's holds off Virginia State to advance to CIAA Quarterfinals

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The second-round game in the CIAA Tournament involving Saint Augustine's University at Time Warner Cable Arena featured many highs and lows than a ride at the State Fair, but in the end, the Falcons did what they mainly do under a squad coached by Lonnie Blow, Jr. – they win.

 

The Falcons, seeded fourth in the Southern Division, have lost only once in the CIAA Tournament in the three years that Blow has been at the helm. They were pushed to the limit by a game Virginia State squad after controlling the first half and leading by as much as 14 in the second half, but the Falcons prevailed 60-56 on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, with toughness, clutch plays and good decisions.

 

The toughness showed in the latter stages after the Trojans (13-15), seeded No. 5 in the Northern Division, tied the score on two free throws with 30 seconds left. The Falcons could have rolled over, but they were composed after a timeout and made plays down the stretch which ultimately determined the game.

 

"I thought we played well for most of the game," Blow said. "We got off to a really good start. We were consistent for most of the game. We guarded them. We did an outstanding job of rebounding the ball. We gang rebounded in the first half. But down the stretch, I thought we kind of relaxed and didn't do the things that got us the lead, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

 

"We probably played 36 good minutes, but we're not perfect so we're going to make some mistakes. But in the end, I thought we did a good job. I though we made some big plays here and there to pull it out."

 

The clutch plays occurred after the timeout. All-CIAA guard Percy Woods (Sr./Washington, D.C.) drove the middle of the lane and found a wide-open Jonathan Crawley (So./Richmond, Va.) underneath the basket. Crawley missed the dunk, but he gathered his composure, grabbed the rebound and scored a layup as he was fouled. Crawley swished the free throw to erase a tie game and put the Falcons ahead 58-55 with nine seconds left.

 

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Bowie State Topples Chowan to advance to CIAA quarterfinal round

CHARLOTTE, NC- Sharp shooting from Bowie State University and a 25 point performance from All-CIAA selection Byron Westmorland propelled the Bulldogs to a 78-56 victory over the Chowan University Hawks on Wednesday evening in the Time Warner Cable Arena.

 

Bowie State University entered the contest as the #4 seed out of the Northern Division, while the Hawks met up with the Bulldogs as the #6 seed in the North. With the 78-56 win, Bowie State advances to the quarterfinals against Lincoln (PA), the top seed in the North. Tip-off is slated for 9:00pm on Thursday.

 

Bowie State Head Coach Darrell Brooks stated, "We're really excited about tonight's game and about the win tonight. We just came into it like this is our first game and we just have to win. We have to earn every game from here on out. It's not guaranteed and we have to earn our next game and we have to get ready for tomorrow."
 

 

Quinton McDuffie got the Hawks on the board first in the contest with a jumper. McDuffie drew a Bulldog foul and sank two free throws allowing Chowan to take an early 4-0 lead.

 

Najee White's dunk for Bowie State put the Bulldogs on the board at the 17:49 mark. The Hawks answered back with a three pointer from Kyree Bethel and a lay-up from CIAA Rookie of the Year Kortez Smith to earn an early 9-2 advantage.

The Bulldogs battled back with a 10-3 run capped by a jumper from Bryan Wilson with 13:53 clock to tie the game 12-12. Najee White's free throw gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game.

Ashante Ross hit a three pointer to give the Hawks a 15-13 lead with 11:06 left in the first half.

 

 

Byron Westmorland sealed off a 7-0 run for the Bulldogs, drilling a three pointer to secure the 22-15 lead with 9:21 left in the first half. Bowie State extended their lead to 10 points at the 5:41 mark after a three pointer from ByronWestmorland.

 

The Hawks struggled to keep All-CIAA Byron Westmorland under control, as he scored 18 points in the first half alone, and eight out of the team's 12 points in the last five minutes before intermission. The Bulldogs took a 39-25 lead heading into the locker room at halftime.
 

 

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Elizabeth City State Survives and Advances to CIAA Semifinals with Win Over Johnson C. Smith

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Blake Price buried the go-ahead bucket to help Elizabeth City State knock off Johnson C. Smith 65-63 in the quarterfinal round of the CIAA Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Arena.

With the game tied at 63, Price sank a layup with 29 seconds remaining to give the Vikings the lead for good. He drove the length of the floor as time was winding down on the shot clock and got a nice reverse layup off to put the Vikings ahead.

"We're fortunate to be advancing," said Elizabeth City head coach Shawn Walker. "This was a difficult game and we knew it would be difficult. Johnson C. Smith beat us in January by 30. Of course, we know they are a very good team and capable of doing it again. We're very lucky to win and very blessed to be moving on and happy to be moving on."



The Golden Bulls had several chances to make something happen in the latter stages of the game. After a failed lob attempt to Emilio Parks inside, ECSU's Angelo Sharpless tapped the ball out of bounds to give the Golden Bulls another chance.

On the ensuing inbounds pass, the Golden Bulls didn't get the shot they wanted but they were given another opportunity as the ball fell out of bounds once again with .07 left on the clock. A three-point shot by Joshua Linson was short as time expired.

"It was a bit of a miscommunication," said Johnson C. Smith head coach Stephen Joyner, Sr. "I wanted a jump ball in the lane and Emilio went for the jump ball behind the defense, which was to their advantage. I really felt he could have gotten in front of the guy and out-jump the guy to get to the basket and have an opportunity to score the bucket. We didn't get it done."



The Vikings, the No. 2 seed from the Northern Division, were led by four players with double figures. Faulcon had a team-high 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting to lead the way for ECSU. Glenn Patterson added 11 while Price and Shaquil Barber contributed 10 apiece in the win. Angelo Sharpless, the CIAA Player of the Year, was limited to just eight points.

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Winston-Salem State Uses Balanced Attack to Cruise Past Virginia Union

CHARLOTTE, NC- Winston-Salem State barreled past the Panthers of Virginia Union 84-74 to advance to the semi-finals in the CIAA Tournament.

The #10 Winston-Salem State University Rams, the #3 seed out of the South met up with the Virginia Union University Panthers on Thursday afternoon in Time Cable Warner Arena. The Panthers entered the contest as the #2 seed in the Southern Division. With the 84-74 win Winston-Salem State advances to the semi-final game. The Rams will take on the winner of Thursday's 9:00pm game between Lincoln (PA) and Bowie State.

Head Coach of the Rams, Bobby Collins stated, "This is what we've been preparing for all year. We need to be prepared whenever we play, whoever we play. I thought the first half we came out a little flat defensively. I didn't panic because I knew we could turn it up defensively. We just want to continue to play consistently defensively and share the basketball. When we do that we are very hard to beat."



Five players netted double digit for the Rams with Justin Golver and Michel-Ofik Nzege collecting 16 each, Wakefield Ellison and CIAA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Wells grabbing 15 apiece and WyKevin Bazemore scoring 14 points in the rebound. For Virginia Union, Wesley Simmons led all scorers in the game with 22 points. Cordero Holt added 15 points in the loss.

All-CIAA performer Wykevin Bazemore got the Rams on the board first in the contest with a mid-range jumper. A three pointer from All-CIAA selection Justin Glover gave Winston-Salem State a 5-0 lead at the 18:06 mark.

Juan Wilson put Virginia Union on the contest with an inside layup to make the score 10-2 with 16:31 left in the first half. Two made free throws form Cordero Holt made the score 10-4, but a three point basket from Justin Glover on the next possession pushed the Rams' lead to nine points. Justin Glover added a three point basket for the Rams

By the first media time out in the game, the Rams had built a commanding 17-6 advantage over the Panthers. Virginia Union used two made free throws from Juan Wilson and two jumpers for Wesley Simmons for a 4-0 run to pull within five (17-12) of the Rams with 13:06 left in the half.



Photos


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SIAC Basketball Tournament: Day 3 Recap

ATLANTA, Ga. – Monique Weathers hit six 3-pointers and scored 20 points as #1E  Benedict College Lady Tigers rallied to take a 64-55 victory over #5E Albany State University in the quarterfinals of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament on Wednesday.

Benedict, now 17-12 overall, advances to face the winner between #3E Paine and #2 Kentucky State, who play Thursday afternoon, on Friday at 1 p.m. in the semifinals.

The Lady Tigers scored 12 straight points late in the second half to pull away from a close game. Albany State led 53-50 with 5:15 left to play when Benedict started its run. London Richardson hit a pair of free throws, then Weathers hit a 3-pointer, one of six she made in the game, to put Benedict ahead 55-53 with 4:18 left to play and Benedict maintained a lead for the rest of the game.

Alexus Jones followed with a 3-pointer to give Benedict a 58-53 lead with 3:47 left to play. Both teams went the next three minutes without scoring, with a layup by Weathers following a steal by Jones giving Benedict a 60-53 lead with 1:30 left to play.

Benedict, which defeated Albany State by 35 points in Columbia and 12 points in Albany State, struggled against the Lady Rams in the first half. Benedict shot 32.4 percent and committed 17 turnovers in the first half, and trailed by as much as nine points, 28-19, with 3:06 to play in the first half after a layup by Danielle Colson.

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Ninth Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney To Showcase Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida. -- The 2013 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney will feature the Florida A&M University Rattlers of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) against the Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in a gridiron battle at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 1.

The yearly event, which features teams from two prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), brings approximately 20,000 fans to Central Florida over Labor Day Weekend for the start of college football season. ESPN will televise the game; exact times will be announced at a later date.

“As a proud supporter of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Mid-Eastern and Southwestern Athletic Conferences, Disney values our longstanding relationship with the African-American community and we continue to build on this with our sponsorship of the MEAC/SWAC Presented by Disney,” said Eugene Campbell, vice president of Domestic Minority Business Development for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

“The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is more than just a football game – it’s a celebration for our whole community that underscores the importance of diversity and higher education.”
 

The ninth annual game will be only the second meeting between the two storied programs – first meeting in 1990 (FAMU won 28-13). Florida A&M played in the 2007 MEAC/SWAC Challenge and was edged by Southern 33-27.

For Florida A&M, the game will mark the team’s first game under recently named head coach Earl Holmes. The Rattlers went 4-7 overall in 2012, while the Delta Devils ended the 2012 season with a 5-4 mark.

“I consider it an honor and a privilege to open my first full season as head coach at Florida A&M in Orlando at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge,” said Holmes, a FAMU graduate who previously served as defensive coordinator. “The central location in the state will allow Rattlers from across Florida to converge on a place that they are familiar with. We focus our recruiting in the state, so we expect parents, families and friends to support the student-athletes.”

Karl Morgan, Mississippi Valley State’s head coach since January 2010, shares Holmes’ enthusiasm. “I’m very excited our team will have the chance to open the season on ESPN against Florida A&M,” Morgan said. “To play on national TV two years in a row is huge for our program. We can’t wait to get to Orlando.”

Several additional events will take place around the game, including a high school career panel and a special “Fan Day” celebration at Walt Disney World.

“We are thrilled to have Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State in this year’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager, ESPN Regional Television. “Being in our ninth year, we are still focused on our mission, which is to build on HBCU traditions, while providing a stellar experience for the student-athletes and fans alike. This matchup gives us great momentum as we look down the road to our tenth anniversary in 2014.”

Tickets for the 2013 event will go on sale early summer. Travel options to attend the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando are being finalized by Anthony Travel, the event’s official travel provider. Expected offerings will include discounted hotel accommodations, game tickets and specially-priced Theme Park Tickets. For more information, visit www.AnthonyTravel.com/MEACSWAC or call (888) 632-6951 for additional information.

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN. For more information about the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, or to join the event’s following on Facebook and Twitter, visit the event’s official Web site at www.meacswacchallenge.com.

Gold Rush will play Dillard for second time in six days

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's men's basketball team will get a quick rematch with Dillard in the opening round of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.
      
The Gold Rush — a 70-46 winner against the Bleu Devils on Saturday in both teams' regular-season finale — will play Dillard at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock, Ark. It will be the first postseason meeting between the longtime city rivals since 2000.
    
Xavier (24-6) shared the GCAC regular-season championship with Philander Smith, but the Gold Rush won a tiebreaker to earn the tournament's No. 1 seed for the first time since 1987, when the event was known as the NAIA District 30 playoffs. Dillard (3-20) is seeded eighth.
    
The Gold Rush have won eight straight against Dillard during the past four seasons and won by an average of 23.8 points during the last two seasons. Xavier defeated the Bleu Devils 54-34 at Dillard's Dent Hall on Jan. 26 and set a series record for fewest points allowed in a game. Xavier leads the series 78-47 and won 15 of the past 16 meetings.
    
The last time Xavier and Dillard met in the postseason, Dillard won 57-46 in the GCAC Tournament opening round in 2000 at Mobile, Ala. The last time Xavier defeated the Bleu Devils in the postseason was in 1993.
    
The Xavier-Dillard winner will play fourth-seeded Talladega or fifth-seeded SUNO in the semifinals at 2:30 p.m. Friday. The championship game will start at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Xavier was 2-0 each against Talladega and SUNO during the regular season, but those four meetings were decided by an average of four points.
    
Xavier seeks its second appearance in three years in the championship game and its first GCAC Tournament title since 1996. SUNO defeated Tougaloo 79-58 in the championship game a year ago at Jacksonville, Fla.
    
The tournament winner will receive the GCAC's automatic bid to the Buffalo Funds-NCAA Division I National Championship, which will begin March 13 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. Xavier qualified for the national tournament six times in the past eight seasons, including 2011 and 2012 as an at-large selection. Xavier is ranked 16th nationally with a new top 25 to be announced by late Tuesday afternoon.
    
The tournament schedule:
First Round — Thursday, Feb. 28
#4 Talladega vs. #5 SUNO, 2:30 p.m. at Mims Gym
#1 Xavier vs. #8 Dillard, 2:30 p.m. at Barton Coliseum
#3 Edward Waters vs. #6 Tougaloo, 7:30 p.m. at Mims Gym
#2 Philander Smith vs. #7 Fisk, 7:30 p.m. at Barton Coliseum
Semifinals — Friday, March 1
At Barton Coliseum
Talladega-SUNO winner vs. Xavier-Dillard winner, 2:30 p.m.
Edward Waters-Tougaloo winner vs. Philander Smith-Fisk winner, 7:30 p.m.
Championship — Saturday, March 2
At Barton Coliseum
Semifinal winners, 4:30 p.m.


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

XU Nuggets begin title defense against Fisk at noon Thursday

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's women's basketball team, in search of a fourth consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship, will play Fisk at noon Thursday in the opening round at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock, Ark.

The Gold Nuggets (24-4) are seeded first in the tournament after winning the regular-season championship by one game over Talladega and SUNO. Fisk (8-20) tied for seventh place with Edward Waters in the regular season but is seeded eighth after losing a tiebreaker.

Xavier closed the regular season with 12 consecutive victories, including a 63-41 decision against Fisk on Jan. 21 at XU's new Convocation Center and 68-45 against Fisk in Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 11. The Gold Nuggets' last loss was 63-56 at home to SUNO on Jan. 14, but Xavier made amends with a 72-67 victory at SUNO on Feb. 16.

Xavier defeated Fisk 73-49 in the tournament's opening round at Jacksonville, Fla., a year ago. Xavier is 5-0 all-time against the Lady Bulldogs.

Philander Smith will use two sites — the other is Mims Gym on its campus — to play host to all the women's and men's first-round games on Thursday. The women's and the men's top two seeds will play at Barton Coliseum, and for Xavier fans that results in a doubleaheader. After the Nuggets' game Thursday, Xavier's top-seeded men will play Dillard at Barton at 2:30 p.m.

Barton Coliseum will be the site of Friday's semifinals and Saturday's championship games. The Xavier-Fisk winner will play fourth-seeded Tougaloo or fifth-seeded Philander Smith in the semifinals at noon Friday. The championship game will start at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by the men's final at 4:30.

The Gold Nuggets defeated Talladega 58-50 in the GCAC Tournament final a year ago.

The women's tournament winner will receive the GCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I National Championship, which will begin March 13 at Frankfort Convention Center in Frankfort, Ky. Xavier qualified for the national tournament 16 times in the past 18 seasons and reached the second round in 2011 and 2012. The Gold Nuggets never have reached the national quarterfinals. Xavier is ranked 10th nationally with a new top 25 to be announced by late Tuesday afternoon.

The tournament schedule:
 First Round — Thursday, Feb. 28
#4 Tougaloo vs. #5 Philander Smith, noon at Mims Gym
#1 Xavier vs. #8 Fisk, noon at Barton Coliseum
#3 SUNO vs. #6 Dillard, 5 p.m. at Mims Gym
#2 Talladega vs. #7 Edward Waters, 5 p.m. at Barton Coliseum
Semifinals — Friday, March 1
At Barton Coliseum
Tougaloo-Philander Smith winner vs. Xavier-Fisk winner, noon
SUNO-Dillard winner vs. Talladega-Edward Waters winner, 5 p.m.
Championship — Saturday, March 2
At Barton Coliseum
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
XULAATHLETICS