Clarksville’s Blake Jenkines, former Kenwood Basketball star, to play in NCAA Tournament

HAMPTON, Virginia  --  Former Kenwood High School basketball star Blake Jenkines is living the dream of any college athlete by going to the NCAA Basketball Tournament. She and her Hampton University Lady Pirates, champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, will be a #15 seed playing #2 seed Duke University, Sunday in Cameron Indoor Stadium at 12:05pm ET.

The game will be televised live on ESPN2.

The Lady Pirates (28-5) are the No. 15 seed in the Norfolk Region, while the Atlantic Coast Conference champion Blue Devils (30-2) are the No. 2 seed.

“It wasn’t what we wanted, but it’s what we got,” Hampton head coach David Six said. “I think we’re better than a 15 seed.”

Hampton has won 19 straight games, tied for the seventh-longest winning streak in the nation, and is coming off Saturday’s 59-38 win over Howard in the MEAC Tournament championship game. The Lady Pirates are just the second MEAC team to go undefeated in conference play and win the tournament in the same season.

The Lady Pirates lead the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 47.2 points per game, while also ranking second in field goal percentage defense (.316) and third in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.238).

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NCAA tournament second round: N.C. A&T vs. Louisville

No. 16 N.C. A&T (20-16) vs. No. 1 Louisville (29-5)

LEXINGTON, Kentucky -- Congratulations, N.C. A&T! You’ve won the first NCAA tournament game in program history.

And, as a prize, you get the chance to play the team that hung a 44-10 run on Syracuse in the Big East tournament finale.

 A No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed at the Big Dance, and Louisville is THE No. 1 seed this season.

But the result isn’t really the point today.

Sure, the Aggies would love to win, just like they’d have loved to have won their only other two forays against the Big East this season, a 93-39 loss to Cincinnati and a 77-66 loss to Seton Hall.

This game against the Cardinals is about going toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the nation on national television.

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Greg Ruffin to Lead Paine College Football

HEAD COACH GREG RUFFIN
PAINE COLLEGE LIONS
(Photo Courtesy: Paine College Athletics)
Paine College has new football coach

AUGUSTA, Georgia  --  Paine College Director of Athletics, Tim Duncan announced today that Gregory A. Ruffin has been named Head Football Coach.

“We are excited to have Coach Greg Ruffin as the first leader of the Paine College football team in over 50 years. His tremendous experience includes being involved in two start-up programs and working at multiple Division I and Division II institutions. He has a contagious energy, his passion for football is evident and his track record as a recruiter is unmatched. Paine College and the CSRA Community are very fortunate to have Coach Ruffin as the leader of Augusta's football team”, states Director of Athletics, Tim Duncan.

Paine College President, Dr. George C. Bradley states “this is a great day for Paine College. The hiring of Coach Greg Ruffin is the realization of the latest step in our strategic goal of Student Engagement - Strengthening our Athletic Program. Coach Ruffin stood out in the interview process because of his detailed vision of how he plans to start and grow the Paine College football team. He has assured me that the young men he recruits will be great representatives of Paine College and will be model student-athletes. I am pleased to have him lead our football program.”

“My family and I are ecstatic about the opportunity that has been bestowed upon me as your next Head Football Coach at Paine College. Dr. Bradley clearly has a vision for the college, and my staff and I will do everything in our power to make sure that we surround ourselves with quality student athletes who understand the mission and core values of the college as it relates to building a high quality NCAA Division II football program and graduate these young men”, stated Ruffin.

Ruffin comes to Paine College from Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, TX, where he served as the Recruiting Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach during the 2012 season. Prior to TSU, he served six seasons at Jackson State University helping the program win the 2007 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship and a runner-up finish in 2009. In his duties at Jackson State, Ruffin served as the Recruiting Coordinator and Running backs Coach. Coach Ruffin came to JSU from Tuskegee University where he served as running backs coach under Head Coach Rick Comegy.

Before his arrival at Tuskegee in 2005, Ruffin served one season (2004) as defensive assistant coach at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, AR. Prior to Ouachita Baptist, he served one year (2002) as head football coach at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., where he resurrected the football Shaw program after a 23-year hiatus, propelling the first-year program to a 7-3 record. Ruffin spent one year at Benedict College (2001) as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.

During two seasons (1999-2000) at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO, he worked in four different capacities - offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach, strength and conditioning coach and recruiting coordinator. He served on the staff of his alma mater for one season (1998) as receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.

His first collegiate coaching assignment was in 1997 with Kemper Military Community College in Booneville, MO, as the running backs coach. In 1997, Kemper Military finished 10-2 and was ranked seventh in the country in the National Junior College Athletic Association.

In 1995, Ruffin coached the wide receivers and defensive backs at Northside High School in Jackson, TN; and running backs in 1996 at Jackson Central-Merry High School, Jackson, TN.

Ruffin started as a freshman at quarterback at Wentworth Military Academy, before transferring to Lane College in 1993. At Lane he was the starting fullback who paved the way for the late Fred Lane. Jr., who had a successful NFL career with the Carolina Panthers. In 1995, Lane posted a 9-1 record, the best in the school's history.

During his career he has been a part of two different programs that have resurrected their football programs after lengthy absences (Lincoln University 1999 & Shaw University in 2002).

He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the American Football Coaches Association and the USSSA Baseball Umpires Association. Ruffin is married to Mia B. Ruffin, and they are the parents of three. He is a graduate of Lane College (B.S. Criminal Justice) Jackson, TN, as well as Jackson State University (M.S. Sports Admin).

Coach Ruffin also states, “It is indeed an honor and a privilege to have been chosen to become the Head Football Coach here at Paine College. I believe with the quality of high school football that is being played in the Central Savannah River Area and the state of Georgia in particular, we should be able to build a formidable football program here at Paine College. We will work diligently & thoroughly to make sure that we recruit from this area and increase the awareness of our outstanding College, as well as the Augusta, GA area”.

For more information on Paine College Football, visit www.paineathletics.com.

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Franklin receives NAIA All-America honorable mention

Xavier Gold Nuggets NAIA All-Americans

SiMon Franklin

First Team 1986-87 — Demetria Lang (WBCA/Kodak team) 1988-89 — Henrietta Mitchell (WBCA/Kodak team) 1989-90 — Henrietta Mitchell (WBCA/Kodak team) 1997-98 — Cassee Davis Second Team 1980-81 — Gwendolyn Brule 2003-04 — Jackie Tucker Third Team 1995-96 — Cassee Davis Honorable Mention 1981-82 — Gwendolyn Brule 2001-02 — Alisheian Graham 2006-0 — Jarryn Cleaves 2007-08 — Jarryn Cleaves 2008-09 — Brittany Powell 2009-10 — Brittany Powell 2010-11 — Christina Warren 2011-12 — Keldra Hall 2012-13 — SiMon Franklin

NEW ORLEANS — For the seventh consecutive season, Xavier University of Louisiana has an honorable-mention selection on the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball All-America Team. This time it's SiMon Franklin, the Gold Nuggets' only senior in 2012-13.

Franklin — a 5-foot-7 guard from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of St. Joseph's Academy — led Xavier with 10.7 points, 2.4 steals and 24.9 minutes per game this season. Franklin also averaged three rebounds and two assists.

Franklin is one of nine Gold Nuggets to reach 1,000 points, 300 rebounds and 200 steals in a career. She was a four-year starter and ranks 17th all-time at Xavier with 1,136 points.
    
Also earning recognition from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference were SUNO senior guard April Perry on the second team and Tougaloo junior guard Portia Craft, Tougaloo junior forward Chasity Kearney, SUNO junior center Sabrina Scott and Dillard senior forward Jazzmin Smith with honorable mention.

Coach Bo Browder's Gold Nuggets were 24-6 this season, won the GCAC regular-season championship for the third consecutive year and qualified for the NAIA Division I National Championship for the fourth consecutive season.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
XULAATHLETICS

MEAC commissioner says Scope is the perfect place

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Early losses by the Norfolk State and Hampton men's basketball teams took some steam out of attendance at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.

Shorn of both local teams, Scope's 9,140 seats appeared about half full for Saturday's championship game. Paid attendance was 7,105, said Patricia Porter, director of media relations.

But Dennis Thomas, the MEAC commissioner, said he was pleased with the crowd and thrilled with the reception fans received in Norfolk.

"For Norfolk State to be out of the tournament and Hampton men to be out of the tournament, I was very happy with the crowd," Thomas said. "Our fans still turned out to watch the game."

The tournament has bounced from Richmond to Raleigh and Winston-Salem, N.C., in recent years. Thomas said he thinks the MEAC has found a home in Norfolk.

"This has been a tremendous tournament," he said. "I talked to many fans from out of town, and everything I've heard has been positive.

"Our fans were very pleased with how the city embraced them as visitors."

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All-America: Erves third team, Joseph honorable mention

Xavier Gold Rush NAIA All-Americans First Team 1972-73 — Bruce Seals Third Team 1981-82 — Alvin "Bo" Dukes 2006-07 — Shaun Dumas 2008-09 — Shaun Dumas 2012-13 — Denzell Erves Honorable Mention 1971-72 — Bruce Seals 1971-72 — Don "Slick" Watts 1985-86 — Derrick Collins 1987-88 — Juan Mercier 1990-91 — Merlin Peters 2000-01 — David Egans, Kermit Smith 2004-05 — Timothy Green 2007-08 — Shaun Dumas 2010-11 — Devin Andrew 2011-12 — Chris Iles 2012-13 — Wanto Joseph Denzell Erves Wanto Joseph

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana seniors Denzell Erves and Wanto Joseph were honored Wednesday by the NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Association All-America Committee. Erves was named third-team All-America for the 2012-13 season, and Joseph received honorable mention.

Erves is a 6-foot-7 forward from Vicksburg, Miss., and a graduate of Vicksburg High School. Joseph is a 5-9 guard from New Orleans and a graduate of O. Perry Walker High School.

]Erves is the fourth XU men's basketball player to be chosen to third-team All-America or higher and the first since third-team guard Shaun Dumas in 2009. Erves averaged 13.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game this season and ranked third in NAIA Division I with 17 double-doubles, He became XU's career leader with 132 blocked shots — Louis Williams (1979-82) held the previous mark of 130 — and No. 4 with 762 career rebounds.

Joseph averaged 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, six assists and 1.9 steals per game. He was one of four NAIA Division I players this season to reach 500 points and 175 assists — the others were first-team All-American Dominique Rambo of Southwestern Assemblies of God, second-team Marshawn Norris of Culver-Stockton and third-team David Rawlinson of West Virginia Tech.

Both Erves and Joseph reached 1,000 career points in the regular-season finale against city rival Dillard. Joseph finished with 1,041 career points, and Erves scored 1,031.

Also earning recognition from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference were Philander Smith senior forward Alvin Nance on the second team and Tougaloo senior guard Juan Gray, Fisk junior Darrell Miller and SUNO senior guard/forward Clyde Moore with honorable mention.

Coach Dannton Jackson's Gold Rush were 24-8 this season, earning a share of the GCAC regular-season championship for the second consecutive year and qualifying for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship for the third consecutive season.


By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

UVA 'Hoos Survive Norfolk State and Advance in NIT

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia  --  In the first round of the National Invitation Tournament, the University of Virginia faced a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a league whose members have never beaten UVa in men's basketball.

In the second round, the Cavaliers will meet a team from the rugged Big East. Moreover, that opponent, St. John's, is 7-0 all-time against UVa in this sport. The Red Storm edged Saint Joseph's in a first-round game Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

Virginia opened its 13th trip to the NIT with a 67-56 victory over Norfolk State before a vocal crowd of 4,790 at John Paul Jones. The Cavaliers' performance thrilled no one associated with their program Tuesday night.

"Obviously we'll probably have to play a little bit better to [beat St. John's]," junior swingman Joe Harris said as midnight approached. The Wahoos (22-11) turned the ball over 17 times and made only 22 of 37 free throws. In the second half, they gave up eight offensive rebounds to the Spartans (21-12). "We got just enough stops, obviously, to be successful,"

Virginia coach Tony Bennett said, "but we had trouble handling the ball, making free throws, keeping them off the glass, and those things kind of cost us. But enough plays were made on the defensive end, and a few buckets here and there, to keep Norfolk State at bay."

The officiating crew called 47 fouls Tuesday night, and at times it seemed the game would never end. Norfolk State, with 18 turnovers, was no more careful with the ball than UVa.



"It was not a pretty game at all," Bennett said. "But at this point, to be able to come away with one not playing well was important." The MEAC's regular-season champion, Norfolk State scored the game's first eight points. By halftime, the `Hoos led 26-16, but their slow start reflected their general lack of concentration Tuesday night.

"That wasn't us," senior point guard Jontel Evans said. "We have to come out with more energy and more focus than that. If we come out like that against St. John's, it will be over."

The `Hoos will host the Red Storm (17-15) in a second-round game Sunday or Monday at JPJ.

Virginia is a No. 1 seed in the 32-team tournament; St. John's, a No. 5 seed. An announcement on the date and starting time is expected late Wednesday night. Tickets for the game, $10 apiece, will go on sale at 10 a..m. Thursday.

The videotape of the Cavaliers' first-round game may give the Red Storm some ideas about how to stymie Bennett's team. UVa, which primarily faced man-to-man defenses during the regular season, appeared perplexed by Norfolk State's 3-2 zone for long stretches Tuesday night.

"We were very stagnant to start out against that zone," Bennett said. "Too many turnovers, guys looked uncomfortable. We haven't had a team play us quite like that most of the year. In the second half I thought we moved a little better. They played some more man-to-man, but even against their zone we had some more movement, and I thought it helped us."

He knew the Spartans "were gonna come in and they were gonna try to beat the state school, just as ODU did [in December]," Anderson said. "That bad taste I got from ODU came back to my memory. I knew they were gonna come in hungry and they were gonna fight. A lot of people look at our school and think we're a bunch of soft guys and all of that, but we're a tough team, and I loved how we battled back. We played through all the jawing that they did, and we stuck to our system, and I think that's why we were successful."

NSU PHOTO GALLERY VS. UVA

|Box Score | Video Highlights | UVa Postgame Notes | Photo Gallery |


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WSSU’s Collins optimistic about next season

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Bobby Collins’ office at the Gaines Center was unusually quiet Tuesday morning.

Collins, who just completed his seventh season as the men’s basketball coach at Winston-Salem State, tried to sum up a season where there were plenty of highs and a few lows. The Rams’ season ended Saturday in yet another first-round loss in the Atlantic Region of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
 The Rams let a late lead slip away in a 69-67 loss to Slippery Rock. The Rams were the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Region and were upset by the No. 7 seed.

“It just wasn’t meant to be for us,” Collins said about the loss that ended their season with a 21-7 record.

It was the third straight season that the Rams lost in the first round — and for seven seniors, it was the end of their careers.

There were high expectations at WSSU with such a veteran team coming back. The Rams were the preseason favorite to repeat as CIAA champions but they lost to Bowie State in the semifinals of the conference tournament, and — despite two weeks between games — they never recovered before losing to Slippery Rock.

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New-look Savannah State Tigers begin spring practice today

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Steve Davenport, who is preparing for his third season as Savannah State University's football head coach, also will be the Tigers' offensive coordinator. He starts his new role at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday when SSU begins the first of 14 daily spring practice sessions at T.A. Wright Stadium.

Davenport fills the void left by Terance Mathis, who resigned as offensive coordinator Jan. 1 after two seasons.

“I've decided that I will take over the reigns at offensive coordinator,” said Davenport, who is preparing the Tigers for their third season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. “It's what my forte is and I'm looking forward to it. We will miss Coach Mathis and his leadership but I'm going to take over at offensive coordinator.”

SSU will practice in full pads for the first time during the fourth session March 25. All practices will be from 7:30-9:30 a.m. except for the Tigers' first scrimmage, which is from 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 6, and the annual spring game April 13, which will be played at a time to be announced later.

Davenport last served as an offensive coordinator during a two-year stint (2005-06) at Rockdale County High School in Conyers but said he is eager to instruct SSU's offensive players on a daily basis instead of being limited to coaching the position coaches.

“I learned under some good guys at UAB and I have some ideas about how I want to do things,” said Davenport, who came to SSU after serving as the University of Alabama-Birmingham's running backs coach since December 2006. “I'm looking forward to it. It's kind of rejuvenated me.

“Coming in, I just didn't know, being a first-time coach at the college level, I just didn't know how much time I would have to be able to do it. To be honest with you, (not coaching a position) made the job kind of boring. You managed the game but you never really felt like you were a part of it.”

As a four-year letterman at Georgia Tech, including three years as a starting wide receiver, Davenport also understands the offense from a player's perspective. When asked if SSU will throw the ball more this season, Davenport issued a challenge to his receivers by saying, “I will if they catch it.”

SSU finished 1-10 last season, averaging 13.4 points per game while allowing 44.9 points. The Tigers' offense averaged 82.1 yards rushing per game and 169.3 yards passing. Defensively, SSU allowed 286.5 yards rushing and 179.5 yards passing.



OFFENSIVE LINE
SSU's offensive line, which allowed 47 sacks for minus-327 yards last season, will have more depth this season.

“Obviously, it was a point of contention for us last season,” Davenport said. “We've signed seven people. The goal coming out of the season was to sign seven. And those kids who were thrown into the fire last year, we've got to get them prepared, too. We went to Oklahoma State with four true freshmen. Now those kids have gotten experience. Epa (Epafara Moananu) looks good. He's lost some weight. Same with Elijah Watson. And Devin Stainrod has really gotten stronger.”

Also returning for spring practice is Ioane Ioane, who was a 6-foot-5, 320-pound freshman last season but received a medical redshirt after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during fall practice. Ioane, whose nickname is “John John,” is a native of American Samoa along with Moananu.

“He's running around, jumping around, but not able to do some of the things in the spring,” Davenport said of Ioane. “But we expect 'John John' to be ready to go once fall camp rolls around. Obviously, (in the fall) it will be one year since he got hurt and that's about how long it takes. But he's looking good.”

QUARTERBACK
SSU returns starting quarterback Antonio Bostick, who will be a senior in the fall. Bostick was 118-of-283 passing (41.7 percent) for 1,629 yards and eight touchdowns with 13 interceptions last season.

Also returning at quarterback is rising junior Victorian Hardison, who was 21-of-52 passing (40.4 percent) for 233 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Leon Prunty, who redshirted last season, also will compete for playing time.

“Every job is open,” Davenport said. “If Leon or Victorian show more improvement than Antonio then they are going to be the starting quarterback coming out of the spring. And that's only fair to every position. Give each and every kid an opportunity to compete.

“From a quarterback's perspective it will be a little different since we're changing the offense. It will be whoever grasps the new offense quickly. We think we're solid at that position in terms of experience. We're looking forward to seeing all three of those guys in the spring.”

RUNNING BACK
Rising senior Sheldon Barnes returns after finishing second on the team in rushing with 316 yards and a touchdown on 101 carries. Bostick was SSU's leading rusher with 345 yards and five touchdowns on 149 carries.

“Obviously, we struggled last year not having an offensive line with ability to push people around,” Davenport said. “It was tough for Sheldon but we expect Sheldon to have a great season for us.”
Rising sophomores Alex Simmons and Lereginald Veals will compete with Barnes for playing time. Simmons ran 30 times for 117 yards and Veals carried 35 times for 114 yards. Isaiah Nearor, a junior last season who transferred from the University of Cincinnati, has returned from a knee injury that forced SSU to redshirt him.

“We've got a lot of experience at tailback,” Davenport said. “At fullback we've got Rashaud Ferrell back for his senior year and Juwhan Arnold will be a junior. We expect those kids to step up and be ready to play.”

RECEIVER
Rising senior receiver Simon Heyward led SSU with 44 catches for 751 yards and six touchdowns. Receiver Dylan Cook, back for his senior season, made 37 catches for 491 yards and a touchdown. Rising junior tight end Kris Drummond had 21 catches for 318 yards and a touchdown.

“We think our receiving corps is as good as it gets in this conference, collectively,” Davenport said. “Simon had a breakout season last year. Dylan is as sturdy as they come. And we expect (rising junior Edward) Lackey to come back fully. He had a back injury last year and we redshirted him.

“At the tight end, Kris Drummond had a disappointing year last year, from our perspective. We expect him to come out ready to go. He looks good. He's put on about 15 pounds so we're expecting big things from him.”

DEFENSIVE LINE
SSU signed four junior-college transfers, three of whom have been enrolled since January.

“What we tried to do was go out and get bigger guys up front. We think we've done that,” said Davenport.

SSU's largest signee is 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive lineman Sebastian Pittman, a Chicago native who played at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Ill. Pittman made 45 tackles, including four-and-a-half sacks, and earned all-conference honors. Another junior-college transfer on the defensive line is 6-foot-1, 295-pound Christian Martinez, who played at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa.

“Olajuwon Swearinger had a productive year at defensive end,” Davenport said of the rising sophomore, who made 25 tackles, including a team-high three-and-a-half sacks.

LINEBACKER
Rising junior linebacker Wayne Burden led SSU in tackles with 75, including two sacks, last season.

“We're deep there,” Davenport said. “We lost Travis Alston (a senior last season) but everyone else is coming back. We feel like we'll be solid there.”
Rising sophomore Trevion Ashford made 33 tackles and intercepted a pass.

“Tre Ashford, we think, is going to be an all-conference-type player at some point,”

Davenport said. “He played well as a freshman. He's gotten bigger, stronger and faster in the offseason.”

SECONDARY
Rising senior cornerback John Wilson was third on the team in tackles with 68 last season and made a team-high four interceptions. Rising senior Javon Moore made 32 tackles and picked off two passes, returning one for a touchdown.

“Cornerbacks? We think we've got the best tandem in the conference with John Wilson and Javon Moore,” Davenport said. “Javon needs to get a little bit stronger, get in the weight room a little bit more. And John Wilson, we thought, was an all-conference player but, unfortunately, he did not get the votes to be All-MEAC.

“Wayne Johnson had a tremendous freshman season for us backing up both sides. We expect him to be ready to compete. We feel so good about that position that we didn't recruit any cornerbacks.”

Davenport said he is concerned about a lack of depth at safety. Rising junior Vaughn Cornelia and rising senior Jovante Miller are expected to catch up after missing time because of injuries.

“At safety, we've got some work to do,” Davenport said. “Injuries had more to do with it than anything. We've got some numbers issues at safety.”

SPECIAL TEAMS
On special teams, SSU returned five punts for 91 yards without a touchdown, while opponents returned 44 punts for 587 yards and three touchdowns. Heyward returned two punts for eight yards total. Simmons, Veals and Alfred Ansley each returned one punt, the longest being Veals' 43-yard return.

Rising junior Brandon Jackson-Bell returned 17 kickoffs for 282 yards, while Heyward took back 11 kickoffs for 286 yards. Cantrell Frazier (13-249) and Veals (13-173) also returned multiple kickoffs.

Rising junior Preston McCarthy was 4-of-6 on field-goal attempts with a long of 33 yards. McCarthy kicked off 28 times for 1,298 yards, an average of 46.4 yards.

Rising sophomore Jacob Thomas punted 86 times for 3,193 yards, an average of 37.1 yards. Three of his punts were blocked.

“We've got both kickers coming back from last season,” Davenport said. “Preston McCarthy had a solid season. We've asked him in the offseason to work from the 50. We thought he was solid last season from 35 in. Jacob Thomas, the thing we're working on with him is consistency. There were times when he would boom it. There were times when he would not.”

Davenport said 61 students attempted to make the team as walk-ons in January.

“We cut it down quite a bit,” he said. “But we got some good-looking bodies who decided to walk on. We've had a tremendous level of interest from our student body wanting to be part of the program.”

The Tigers have spent the last three weeks conducting mat drills, and going through strength and conditioning workouts.

“We signed a bunch of kids to come in here in the fall,” Davenport said. “We're going to give them every opportunity to show us what they can do. (Spring practice) is a head start for those guys (already enrolled) who have been working hard.

“The enthusiasm is definitely there. Now we feel like we're playing with juniors and seniors. That was the plan the day I walked on campus. The teams that have had success in this conference have been senior-laden teams. And now we feel that we're at that level as well. Now we've just got to get prepared and go out and do it.”


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Grambling State University Football Heads to Circle City Classic

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GRAMBLING, La. -- Tiger football fans, friends and supporters will head to the Hoosier state for a clash between the G-Men and the Alcorn State University Braves on October 12th in the Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

“We are thrilled to return to this awesome venue for such a historic occasion,” said Dr. Percy Caldwell, Athletic Director at Grambling State University. “Grambling is excited about being the book-end football team, playing in the first and the 30th Circle City Classic® games.” The fall appearance will make Grambling State University the only HBCU to play in this special classic in four decades, 1984, 1990, 2000 and 2013. “That’s really special.” added Caldwell.

The Tigers participated in the very first Circle City Classic in 1984, when then Head Coach Eddie G. Robinson took his Grambling Tigers into battle against conference foe Mississippi Valley State University. The Tigers lost that game by the score of 48-36 to the Delta Devils.

Tigers head football coach Doug Williams, was the first, and only, black quarterback to take an NFL team to a Super Bowl victory when he led the Washington Redskins to victory 25 years ago this year. “As a longtime HBCU football fan and certainly as a Grambling State University football player and alum, I know what it means to participate in a game such as the Circle City Classic,” said Coach Williams. “Since we haven’t been to Indy in more than a decade, some of our fans may not realize how big a deal this is. It is huge.”

“We are happy that our university will be returning to the place where Grambling State University was an important part of such an influential and important football game,” said Dr. Frank G. Pogue, president of Grambling State University. “We know how far and wide our university’s reputation stretches, and we’re looking forward to paying respect to our strong football heritage as we tell everyone how we’re enhancing academics on campus.”

Pogue said the institution sees several great opportunities to tell the Grambling State University story at some of the Classic’s traditional week of events, including a Miss Circle City Classic coronation; a midweek prayer and praise worship service; a fan fest with celebrities, food and music and the 34th Annual Indianapolis Black Alumni Council HBCU College Fair.

Tickets will officially go on sale on April 1st however, pre-sale tickets are available immediately for the 30th Anniversary of Circle City Classic® by calling the Indiana Black Expo (IBE) Box Office at 317-925-2702 or by completing the pre-sale ticket order form and faxing it to the IBE Box Office at 317-925-4734. The Grambling State University ticket office will also have tickets for sale for this game. An official press conference to include University representatives will take place in Indianapolis at a later date. For more information, go to www.circlecityclassic.com.

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Jackson State University Men's Basketball Coach to Retire

COACH TEVESTER ANDERSON

JACKSON, Miss. – Jackson State Director of Athletics Dr. Vivian L. Fuller announced today that Tevester Anderson will retire from his position as the head men’s basketball coach.

Anderson, who led the Tigers to an 11-18 overall record this season, finished his 10-year run at JSU with a 149-170 record.

“We sincerely thank Coach Anderson for his contributions to Jackson State University,” Fuller said. “He is truly a professional in collegiate athletics.”

During his tenure at JSU, Anderson led the Tigers to seven straight Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament appearances, a SWAC Tournament Championship (2006-07), a NCAA Tournament appearance when the Tigers faced the Florida Gators in the opening round and a post-season NIT bid in 2010.

During the 2006-07 season, the Tigers finished with a 21-14 overall record and a 12-6 conference mark. In 2009-10, the Tigers finished the season with a 17-1 SWAC record.

“It has been a pleasure guiding the Jackson State men's basketball program,” Anderson said. “I think Jackson State is one of the premiere athletic programs in the nation. I am grateful for having been able to come back to my home state and lead the Tigers.”

Anderson came to Jackson State from Murray State University, where he spent five seasons at the helm of the Racers' basketball program. During his head coaching career at Murray State, he accrued an overall record of 103-52 with two Ohio Valley Conference titles and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

JSU will hold a press conference on Monday, March 25, to officially announce Anderson’s retirement and to recognize his contribution to Jackson State. Anderson’s retirement will become effective on June 30.

COURTESY SWAC.org

No. 8 Rush make 15th consecutive top-10 appearance

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed two places Tuesday to eighth in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll. It's the 15th consecutive top-10 appearance for the Gold Rush, a streak which began in May 2011.

Xavier (7-5) won 3-of-4 dual matches since the March 5 poll, including victories against top-25 members Coastal Georgia and Cumberland in the AUM Invitational at Montgomery, Ala. The loss was 5-4 at Auburn Montgomery, this week's No. 1 team. Xavier won 4-of-7 matches on the court against AUM but forfeited matches at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles because of only five available players.

No. 8 is a familiar spot for the XU men, who have been ranked there in 10 of the last 19 polls. This the 45th consecutive Gold Rush appearance in the top 25.

Both XU teams will play at the University of New Orleans at 3 p.m. Wednesday, then play three duals in Florida next week during spring break. For the Gold Rush, that will include matchups with No. 2 Embry-Riddle and No. 15 Northwood. Xavier also will play Webber International, which received votes Tuesday and was 20th in the first two polls this season. Auburn Montgomery will visit Xavier on April 6.

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, March 17) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Auburn Montgomery (5) 10-3 335 2 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (5) 10-2 333 1 3 Vanguard (3) 14-0 328 3 4 Lindsey Wilson 3-2 307 4 5 Westmont 7-7 295 5 6 William Carey 4-1 288 6 7 Bethany (Kan.) 10-1 279 7 8 Xavier 7-5 263 10 9 Concordia (Calif.) 5-7 256 8 10 Bethel (Tenn.) 13-0 241 24 11 Cumberland 5-1 234 11 12 Lewis-Clark State 5-1 216 13 13 Aquinas 9-4 215 9 14 Belhaven 5-2 211 12 15 Northwood (Fla.) 6-1 179 18 16 Oklahoma Baptist 6-4 178 16 17 Campbellsville 3-4 169 15 18 Olivet Nazarene 3-7 162 14 19 McPherson 11-2 139 19 20 Pikeville 1-2 131 20 21 Coastal Georgia 6-3 126 22 22 Northwestern Ohio 7-2 109 21 23 Spring Arbor 15-3 90 25 24 St. Thomas (Fla.) 4-5 79 RV 25 Martin Methodist 3-6 77 NR Others receiving votes: Davenport 64, Graceland 58, Webber International 49, Indiana Wesleyan 47, Our Lady of the Lake 16, Asbury 11, Hope International 8, Georgetown (Ky.) 6, Missouri Valley 4, Warner 3.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 

Tennessee State Tigers' Season Ends in Evansville With 84-72 Loss

Evansville, Indiana  -- The Tennessee State men's basketball season ended on Tuesday night with an 84-72 loss at Evansville in the opening round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Playing in their final games at TSU, Robert Covington and Kellen Thornton paced TSU (18-15, 11-5) with double-doubles.

Coming off the bench, Thornton scored a team-high 20 points on 7-of-19 shooting and added 10 boards and a career-high five steals.

Covington made 8-of-15 attempts for 19 points and secured a game-high 13 rebounds.

Patrick Miller followed with 18 points, six boards and four assists. His four dishes make him TSU's single-season leader with 195.

TSU, which came into the game shooting 44.6 percent from beyond the arc in its last six contests, made just 7-of-32 attempts for a 21.9 clip.

The teams seemed to be feeling each other out to start the game as neither side could gain an advantage through the game's first six minutes. The Tigers and Aces were both 4-of-11 from the floor to start the game and the score was tied at nine apiece.

From that point, Evansville went on an 11-4 run to take a seven-point lead with just under 11 minutes to play in the first half. Five different Aces had points during the stretch and EU made five of its seven attempts.

The Tigers clawed back to within one, 21-22, when Miller and Jay Harris canned back-to-back triples. Harris's jumper was set up by a heads-up steal from Covington on the other end of the court.

Another big run by the Purple Aces, this one 10-0, put them in the driver's seat, 34-23, with 4:39 left in the opening frame. TSU was 0-of-3 during the cold spell and had a pair of turnovers.

Miller ended the first-half scoring with a layup, but TSU still went into the break trailing, 29-38.

TSU never led in the first period.

Tennessee State made 11-of-35 shots (31.4 percent) during the game's first 20 minutes and was outscored in the painted area 26-14.

Evansville extended its lead to 14 during the first five minutes of the second stanza after scoring seven straight points. TSU again helped the Purples Aces' cause with four fumbles and a 0-for-4 line from the floor during the run.

TSU tried hard to mount a comeback and Covington capped an 8-0 Tiger run with a layup at the 8:13 mark. Unfortunately for TSU, his basket only put Tennessee State within 12 at 64-52 and Evansville countered with an old-fashioned three-point play on its next possession.

The Tigers chipped away at the lead and got within eight when Thornton hit a triple with 1:54 to go, but Evansville made 8-of-8 free throws down the stretch to hold on for the 84-72 victory.

TSU outrebounded EU 40-39, but had 17 turnovers compared to just 15 for the Aces.

Final Box COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU Gold Nuggets climb to No. 8 — their highest ranking ever

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed two places Tuesday to eighth — the Gold Nuggets' highest ranking ever — in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The Gold Nuggets (8-6) topped the previous program record of ninth place on March 7, 2007. It's the third time the XU women have been in the top 10 and the second consecutive poll they've been there.

Xavier won 4-of-5 dual matches since the March 5 poll, including victories against top-25 members Cumberland, Coastal Georgia and Campbellsville in the AUM Invitational at Montgomery, Ala.

Starting with the 2012 postseason poll, when they moved from 20th to 19th, this is the fifth consecutive time that the Gold Nuggets have climbed. They were 13th in the preseaason, moved to 11th on Feb. 19 and to 10th two weeks ago. This is the highest NAIA ranking by an XU women's team since basketball was eighth on Feb. 25, 2003.

Both XU teams will play at the University of New Orleans at 3 p.m. Wednesday, then play three duals in Florida next week during spring break. For the Gold Nuggets, that will include matchups with No. 7 Embry-Riddle and No. 14 Northwood. The Nuggets are 5-0 this season against ranked NAIA opponents. Their home finale will be April 6 against No. 3 Auburn Montgomery.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, March 17) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Brenau (12) 8-1 312 3 2 William Carey 4-4 300 1 3 Auburn Montgomery 7-5 290 2 4 SCAD Savannah 3-2 285 4 5 Lindsey Wilson 4-2 271 5 6 Westmont 11-1 261 6 7 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 5-6 252 7 8 Xavier 8-6 238 10 9 Concordia (Calif.) 6-6 236 8 10 Lewis-Clark State 3-4 224 9 11 Vanguard 7-10 212 11 12 Indiana Wesleyan 15-0 198 12 13 Oklahoma Baptist 5-4 188 14 14 Northwood (Fla.) 6-1 177 tie-16 15 Coastal Georgia 3-6 176 tie-16 16 Campbellsville 2-5 158 13 17 Olivet Nazarene 5-5 150 15 18 Lee (Tenn.) 2-2 138 18 19 St. Thomas (Fla.) 4-4 137 21 20 Cumberland 2-3 117 22 21 Marian (Ind.) 14-4 116 19 22 Nebraska Wesleyan 1-4 82 23 23-tie Robert Morris (Chicago) 0-1 76 20 23-tie Belhaven 4-3 76 24 25 Milligan 8-1 74 25 Others receiving votes: Southeastern (Fla.) 68, Davenport 60, Martin Methodist 30, Bethel (Kan.) 25, Ashford 19, Georgetown (Ky.) 13, Aquinas 12, Indiana Southeast 8, Evangel 8, Graceland 5, Hope International 3, SCAD Atlanta 3.

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

North Carolina A&T survives Liberty in First Four, advances to play No. 1 Louisville

DAYTON, Ohio  --  No. 16 North Carolina A&T shot 51.9 percent from the floor, twelve percentage points above its season average, outlasting fellow No. 16 seed Liberty, 73-72, in the opening game of the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, Tuesday night.

A&T missed the front end of two separate one-and-one situations in the final 19 seconds, leaving the door open for Liberty to win it on the final possession. After Lamont Middleton missed a free throw for A&T with seven seconds to play, Liberty guard John Caleb Sanders drove the length of the floor but missed a contested layup as time expired. There was no foul called on the play.

Bruce Beckford led the way for A&T with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor. He added nine rebounds.

PHOTO GALLERY

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NEXT GAME: at LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
Thursday, March 21
#1 Louisville (29-5) vs. #16 North Carolina A&T (20-16)  6:50 PM ET

NCAA - Mid-Major Matchup of the Day: North Carolina A&T vs. Liberty (6:40 p.m. ET, truTV).

DAYTON, Ohio  --  Liberty University was able to catch lightning in a bottle in the Big South tournament and turn a bad start to the season into one worthy of an NCAA tournament automatic berth. They meet a North Carolina A&T team that emerged from the dust in the MEAC tournament after No. 1 and No. 2 seeds Norfolk State and North Carolina Central fell in earlier rounds.

This will be a game of contrasting tempos, with Liberty looking to score the basketball more and North Carolina A&T wanting a more defensive game. A&T will have to shoot well from the field if it wants to advance, though, 317th in Division I.

NCAA Tournament First Four

North Carolina A&T vs. Liberty University (6:40 p.m. ET, truTV)

Saint Mary’s vs. Middle Tennessee State (9:10 p.m. ET, truTV)

Other Notable Games (NIT)

Maryland vs. Niagara (7:00 p.m, ESPN2)

St. John’s vs. Saint Joseph’s (7:00 PM, ESPNU)

Louisiana Tech vs. Florida State (7:15 PM, ESPN3)

Robert Morris vs. Kentucky (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Norfolk State vs. Virginia (9:00 PM, ESPNU)

Northeastern vs. Alabama (9:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Ohio vs. Denver (9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN3)
Washington vs. Brigham Young (9:30 p.m., ESPN)
Stephen F. Austin vs Stanford (11:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

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