HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The story hasn’t changed much for Jackson State — slow beginnings, strong finishes.
The Tigers clawed back to defeat Alabama A&M 26-20 on Saturday afternoon at Louis Crews Stadium.
“It doesn’t matter,” Tigers coach Rick Comegy said. “I would like to start a little faster, but I’ll take it. If that’s the way we play, that’s the way we play. If that’s our ammo, that’s our ammo.”
But there was reason to worry when Jackson State (8-2, 8-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) trailed 13-0 in the opening of the second quarter. The Tigers had two turnovers in the first quarter alone — a fumble loss and interception — and struggled to get out of its own side of the field.
The Bulldogs (3-7, 3-5 SWAC) did what they did best — play defense. As the league leader in total defense and No. 6 in the FCS, Alabama A&M held Jackson State to only 32 offensive yards in the first quarter, opposed to its 169.
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Sunday, November 10, 2013
Hampton rushing attack leads Pirates over NCCU Eagles
HAMPTON, Virginia – Thanks to 256 yards on the ground, the Hampton University football team held on to defeat North Carolina Central 29-21 at a blustery Armstrong Stadium on Saturday afternoon.The Pirates (4-6, 4-2 MEAC) have won four of their last five games.
"We had to make it interesting," head coach Donovan Rose joked. "But I'll take the win."
Freshman Marcus Hampton (Williamstown, N.J.) led the Pirates with a career-high 166 rushing yards on 16 carries. He averaged 10.4 yards per carry and scored a touchdown on the day. Junior Jorrian Washington (Los Angeles, Calif.) added 72 yards on the ground on 22 carries.
Washington also had two touchdowns on the day.
Freshman quarterback Bryan Bailey (Woodruff, S.C.) completed 21 of his 31 passes for 226 yards. Senior Antwon Chisholm (Belle Glade, Fla.) caught a team-high eight passes for 89 yards on the afternoon.
"This is who we are," Rose said of the Pirates' rushing attack. "This is who we have to be. We're a running team, and we're more than just (Washington). Marcus showed that today."
The Pirates were up 29-21 after a 33-yard field goal from freshman Anthony Prevost (Chesterfield, Va.) with 1:18 to play, but the Eagles responded with a 38-yard kickoff return and a long completion from Jordan Reid.
But two throws later, senior Carvin Johnson (New Orleans, La.) made a leaping, one-handed interception at the 2-yard line to end NCCU's hopes of a comeback.
From there, all the Pirates had to do was take a knee.
NCCU (4-6, 2-4 MEAC) jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the opening kickoff after Adrian Wilkins took the kick 96 yards for the touchdown. Hampton first cracked the scoreboard with 6:43 left in the first quarter after a 22-yard field goal from Prevost to cut NCCU's lead to 7-3.
The Pirates took a 10-7 lead with 14:46 left in the second quarter, capping off a 13-play, 80-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run from Hampton. After forcing an NCCU three-and-out, Hampton scored again when Washington found the endzone from two yards out to cap a 13-play, 95-yard drive and take a 17-7 lead with 10:03 left in the half.
NCCU got on the board again with 6:54 left in the half, when Deyonta Wright ran in from eight yards out to cut Hampton's lead to 17-14.
Prevost hit a 42-yard field goal with 35 seconds left in the half to put the Pirates up 20-14.
Washington's second touchdown of the afternoon came with 8:58 left in the third quarter, when he scored from seven yards out to cap an 8-play, 47-yard drive and take a 26-14 lead after a failed PAT attempt.
Reid cut the lead to 26-21 with a 14-yard run with 4:35 left in the third quarter.
Senior linebacker Delbert Tyler (Monroeville, Pa.) led the Pirates defensively with 11 tackles, leaving him 23 shy of the all-time career tackle mark set by Gareth Brooks. Tyler also had a sack, one of four on the day for the Pirates.
Junior defensive lineman Charles Owens (Upper Marlboro, Md.) had two sacks.
"This might sound bad," Rose said, "but pretty much the moment this game ended, my first thought was Bethune-Cookman. That would be a big statement win for us if we could pull that off."
The Pirates will hit the road on Saturday to take on Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla. at 4 p.m. For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
Box Score
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Murray and Rodriguez power TSU past Norfolk State 95-83 in season opener
HOUSTON, Texas -- In their opening game of the season the Texas Southern Tigers basketball team got impressive debut performances from Aaric Murray and Jose Rodriguez as the duo combined for 58 of Texas Southern's 95 points.Texas Southern shot 58.9 percent from the field going 33-of-56 including an 8-of-17 showing from beyond the arc. Collectively the ball movement was good for TSU as they distributed 21 assists as a team.
D'Angelo Scott chipped in 12 points and fellow teammate Ray Penn dished out 10 assists as the Tigers clicked on all cylinders the majority of the night in route to a dominating victory over the MEAC's Preseason #1 pick the Norfolk State Spartans.
"I thought we played well tonight," said TSU head coach Mike Davis. "There's always things we can improve on but overall we're very pleased with the way we went out and performed tonight against a quality opponent."
Texas Southern got 11 points in transition while also tallying 13 second chance points. The Tigers took a 47-32 lead into intermission and never looked back. Overall Murray went 12-of-23 from the field in what was his first career game as a member of the Texas Southern basketball team.
Rodriquez's performance was equally impressive as he was the definition of efficiency throughout the evening going 9-of-12 from the floor and a perfect 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. He tallied a double-double during the contest pulling down 11 boards to go along with two assists and one blocked shot.
"Aaric and Jose have a lot of talent and it showed out there tonight," said Davis. "As a team we've been working hard each day in practice and tonight they were able to reap some of the benefits of that hard work."
Texas Southern plays host to Wiley College on Monday, November 11th at 2:00 pm at the H&PE Arena.
Box Score
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Miles upsets Tuskegee 41-36 to advance to SIAC championship
Miles celebrates SIAC West title win 11.09.2013 (al.com)
TUSKEGEE, Alabama --- Miles did just about anything it wanted in the first half and everything it needed to in the second half of its 41-36 upset victory against defending Southern Intercollegiate Athletic champion Tuskegee Saturday.
The Golden Bears forced four first-half turnovers to take a 20-point lead into the break and held off the surging Golden Tigers in the second half to punch its ticket to next week's conference title game at Lakewood Stadium in Atlanta. "They got fight in them. They don't quit," Miles coach Reginald Ruffin said of this team which won its third-straight since losing to previously winless Central State (Ohio) on the road.
"I got a good group of guys that I love, guys that come to work, guys that don't anything to embarrass the institution. Guys that work hard in the classroom. We're real proud of our guys."
The Golden Bears (6-3, 6-1) will face Albany State (Ga.) at 6 p.m. next Saturday for the SIAC title. It will be Miles second appearance in the league title game in three seasons under Ruffin. The former Tuskegee assistant led the Golden Bears to the league title in his first season in 2011.
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FAMU Lady Rattlers Win Opener 69-64 Over JU Dolphins
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Nov.8) – The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers got their season off to a good start with an impressive 69-64 win over the visiting Jacksonville University Dolphins today at the Al Lawson Center on “Field Trip Day,” where hundreds of elementary school students packed the gym to support the Lady Rattlers.
Jasmine Grice led the Lady Rattlers with 16 points, much like she has done over the last three seasons at FAMU. But, the team now boasts legitimate-sized post players, who at times took the game their way. Head coach LeDawn Gibson said getting size in the middle was a priority for the Lady Rattlers. “Last season we played with post players who were 5’8” and 5’9”, so we went out and got some big girls. Some of our returnees like Patrice Collie came in and got some big baskets for us, but once our new girls get the system down, they will add more of an impact later,” she said.
Collie chipped in 10 second half points to keep the Lady Rattlers in the fold when the game was tight. The newcomers Gibson recruited to help bolster the team’s inside play were Taneka Rubin who added 11 points, and Adenike Dawodu scored 10, to round out the quartet of Lady Rattlers in double figures.
Gibson felt that the team began to gel during the game and will only improve during the season. “For the first game, I thought we did pretty good. The first half was merely jitters, but the second half we gained our composure and did our defensive assignments, which helped us out a lot,” she said.
Grice welcomes the well-rounded approach to the team this season. “To start off, shots weren’t falling and our defensive rotation was not there. Once we started talking and communicating with one another, that’s when we started having success. Our inside game has really gotten better. It helps free us up and takes some of the stress off us,” she said.
FAMU shot 39.1 percent from the field for the game, 18.2 percent from three-point range and 73.9 percent from the free throw line. Jamie Foreman led the team on the boards with eight rebounds. Rubin grabbed six rebounds, while Grice pulled down five.
For Jacksonville, Sherranda Reddick lit up the scoreboard with a game-high 26 points, including 6-for-9 from the three-point stripe. Queen Alford would be the only remaining Dolphin in double figures with 13 points. Briona Brown led all rebounders with 11 for JU.
With the game in the balance in the second half, the sixth man jumped in on cue. The hundreds of kids began shouting “Let’s Go Rattlers,” and even began doing the wave. The Lady Rattlers were down by three points at the time, but used the crowd to gather momentum.
“They (kids) definitely helped. The atmosphere was unbelievable. I’m a little hoarse because I couldn’t scream louder than all those kids, but I think it was a great idea for us to do this and to bring that atmosphere back to FAMU,” Gibson said.
The kids came from schools across Leon and Gadsden counties. They were accompanied by several teachers, faculty and chapperones who added to the atmosphere. Grice, from Quincy, Fla., was particularly surprised to see so many folks from Gadsden County. “It was very big for all of these kids to be out here. I know it was personally very big for me. For my hometown to come, and me not even know they were coming. To see so many familiar faces was added motivation for me,” Grice concluded.
The Lady Rattlers will travel to Troy, Ala., to take on the Troy Trojans on Nov.10 in a non-conference matchup.
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Jasmine Grice led the Lady Rattlers with 16 points, much like she has done over the last three seasons at FAMU. But, the team now boasts legitimate-sized post players, who at times took the game their way. Head coach LeDawn Gibson said getting size in the middle was a priority for the Lady Rattlers. “Last season we played with post players who were 5’8” and 5’9”, so we went out and got some big girls. Some of our returnees like Patrice Collie came in and got some big baskets for us, but once our new girls get the system down, they will add more of an impact later,” she said.
Collie chipped in 10 second half points to keep the Lady Rattlers in the fold when the game was tight. The newcomers Gibson recruited to help bolster the team’s inside play were Taneka Rubin who added 11 points, and Adenike Dawodu scored 10, to round out the quartet of Lady Rattlers in double figures.
Gibson felt that the team began to gel during the game and will only improve during the season. “For the first game, I thought we did pretty good. The first half was merely jitters, but the second half we gained our composure and did our defensive assignments, which helped us out a lot,” she said.
Grice welcomes the well-rounded approach to the team this season. “To start off, shots weren’t falling and our defensive rotation was not there. Once we started talking and communicating with one another, that’s when we started having success. Our inside game has really gotten better. It helps free us up and takes some of the stress off us,” she said.
FAMU shot 39.1 percent from the field for the game, 18.2 percent from three-point range and 73.9 percent from the free throw line. Jamie Foreman led the team on the boards with eight rebounds. Rubin grabbed six rebounds, while Grice pulled down five.
For Jacksonville, Sherranda Reddick lit up the scoreboard with a game-high 26 points, including 6-for-9 from the three-point stripe. Queen Alford would be the only remaining Dolphin in double figures with 13 points. Briona Brown led all rebounders with 11 for JU.
With the game in the balance in the second half, the sixth man jumped in on cue. The hundreds of kids began shouting “Let’s Go Rattlers,” and even began doing the wave. The Lady Rattlers were down by three points at the time, but used the crowd to gather momentum.
“They (kids) definitely helped. The atmosphere was unbelievable. I’m a little hoarse because I couldn’t scream louder than all those kids, but I think it was a great idea for us to do this and to bring that atmosphere back to FAMU,” Gibson said.
The kids came from schools across Leon and Gadsden counties. They were accompanied by several teachers, faculty and chapperones who added to the atmosphere. Grice, from Quincy, Fla., was particularly surprised to see so many folks from Gadsden County. “It was very big for all of these kids to be out here. I know it was personally very big for me. For my hometown to come, and me not even know they were coming. To see so many familiar faces was added motivation for me,” Grice concluded.
The Lady Rattlers will travel to Troy, Ala., to take on the Troy Trojans on Nov.10 in a non-conference matchup.
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC RELEASE
TSU Tigers Defense Holds APSU to 92 Yards in 31-6 Win
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- After dropping two straight contests the Tigers returned to their winning ways Saturday with a 31-6 win over Austin Peay.
Anthony Bass came into the weekend with 7.5 sacks, the second best total in the OVC. Bass finished the game with two tackles and 1.5 sacks, to improve his sack total to nine on the year. Detorious Shipley added two sacks for the Big Blue Defense. As a team the Tigers racked up five sacks the most since Oct. 19 at UT Martin.
On Tennessee State’s next drive the Tigers marched down to the APSU 22-yard line behind 15 rushing yards from Broughton. The drive ended there with Jamin Godfrey connecting on a 39-yard field goal to push the lead out to 10-0.
With the win Tennesee State (8-3, 5-2) claimed the Sargent York trophy, to become the first team to hold the title outright since 2010.
The TSU defense flexed their muscle Saturday afternoon holding Austin Peay (0-10, 0-6) for under 100 yards of total offense. APSU only managed 92 total yards on the day, which is the lowest total Tennessee State has allowed since before 2006.
Anthony Bass came into the weekend with 7.5 sacks, the second best total in the OVC. Bass finished the game with two tackles and 1.5 sacks, to improve his sack total to nine on the year. Detorious Shipley added two sacks for the Big Blue Defense. As a team the Tigers racked up five sacks the most since Oct. 19 at UT Martin.
On offense the Big Blue rushing attack was the story of the day, as the Tigers totaled 146 yards on the ground. Tim Broughton led TSU’s two headed attack with 73 yards on 21 carriers. In the third quarter the senior went over 1,000 yards on the season, becoming the fifth running back in school history to reach the milestone. Broughton’s season mark now sits at 1,029 yards.
Telvin Hooks provided the lightening to Broughton’s thunder, as the sophomore tailback rushed for 66 yards on just nine carries, providing two touchdowns for TSU on the day.
Tennessee State started the game with a defensive stop of the Austin Peay attack, forcing a three-and-out on their first drive. The stand forced the Governors to punt the ball away, giving the Tigers good field position on their own 48 yard line.
The offense wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Facing a third-and-five from the Peay 48 yard line, Ronald Butler connected with Devin Wilson for a 19-yard pass play which extended the drive. On the next play Butler found a wide open Chris Sanders-McCollum, the Tigers receiver cut to the outside and racing to the endzone to give TSU the early 7-0 lead, with 12:49 left in the first quarter.
On Tennessee State’s next drive the Tigers marched down to the APSU 22-yard line behind 15 rushing yards from Broughton. The drive ended there with Jamin Godfrey connecting on a 39-yard field goal to push the lead out to 10-0.
In the first quarter the TSU defense held Austin Peay to -15 yards rushing and three yards total.
Offense proved hard to come by in the second period with five consecutive three-and-outs for both teams.
Austin Peay used a 3:35 second drive to get into the redzone for the first time on the afternoon. With APSU facing a first-and-goal from the TSU nine, the Big Blue defense stood tall pushing the Governors back nine yards to the Tigers 18. APSU settled for a 39 yard field goal from Chase Dunlap to get on the board and cut the Tennessee State lead down to seven, 10-3.
The road team used a surprise onside kick to get another shot at the endzone before the half. The Governors recovered at their own 44 with 2:27 left in the quarter.
APSU drove 35 yards to the TSU 31 to give Dunlap another chance at a field goal with just over 10 seconds on the clock. Dunlap connected from 48 yards out with 12 seconds on the clock, cutting the Tigers lead down to 10-6 heading to the break.
TSU opened the second half the same way they began the game marching the full length of the field to score. Telvin Hooks carried the offense gaining 47 yards on the ground including the final 45 yards on the drive. Hooks five yard run pushed the TSU lead to 17-6.
After an APSU three-and-out the Tennessee State was back at work. Starting at their own 23 yard line the Tigers marched the length of the field in 13 plays on the back of their two running backs Broughton and Hooks.
The duo combined for 47 of TSU’s 50 yards rushing on the drive. Hooks ended the drive bursting through the line of scrimmage and racing to score untouched from 27 yards out. The drive ate up 5:37 of game clock.
Austin Peay used a long drive to close the third and enter the fourth quarter pushing to the Tennessee State 27-yard line. APSU capped the drive with a 44-yard field goal attempt from Dunlap, this time the kick was short, preserving the Tigers 24-6 lead.
Tennessee State tacked on another score in fourth. With 4:41 left on the clock Ronald Butler hit Wesley Samuels in the corner of the endzone for the second passing touchdown of the contest.
Big Blue closes out the season next Saturday at LP field when the Tigers play host to OVC rival Murray State. Prior to the 2 p.m. kick-off, the Tigers will honor the seniors for Senior Day.
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XU Gold Nuggets defeat Badgers 79-49 in home opener
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| Paige Gauthier |
Paige Gauthier scored 11 points and Whitney Gaston-Loyd 10 for the Gold Nuggets (2-0), who won their home opener for the 22nd consecutive season and extended their regular-season win streak to 14.
Xavier took a 9-1 lead through four minutes on 3-pointers by Whitney Gathright, Gauthier and Taylor Norman. The Nuggets made 7-of-10 from behind the arc -- Gathright and redshirt freshman center Kelsee Singleton were both 2-of-2 -- to build a 41-21 halftime lead.
Spring Hill (0-2) never got closer than 17 points in the second half. Xavier led by 34 points twice in the final six minutes.
The Gold Nuggets finished 8-of-14 on 3-pointers and shot 50 percent from the floor, their most accurate game since the 2011-12 season. Thirteen Xavier players scored, including Vinnie Briggs with nine points and Gathright and Singleton with eight apiece.
Gathright, who scored a career-best 19 in the Nuggets' opener a week ago, had a career-high eight assists and one turnover in 20 minutes against the Badgers.
Corinne Missi scored nine points and was 4-of-4 from the floor to lead Spring Hill.
Xavier limited the Badgers to 27.1 percent from the floor.
The Gold Nuggets will visit Mobile at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Their next home game will start at noon on Nov. 23 against Texas College during homecoming weekend. Nine of the Nuggets' next 11 games will be on the road.
Box score
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
Norfolk State Spartans Stun 1st-Place B-CU Wildcats, 27-24
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — After four consecutive disheartening losses, the Norfolk State football team pulled off the shocker of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference season to date, scoring a 27-24 upset of first-place Bethune-Cookman on Saturday evening at Municipal Stadium.The Spartans (3-7, 3-3 MEAC) sprinted out to a 27-7 lead after three quarters behind a big-play defense and a ball-control offense, then held on down the stretch to send the Wildcats (8-2, 5-1) to their first MEAC loss since a 22-3 defeat to North Carolina A&T on Oct. 8, 2011 – some 19 games ago. The win was also the Spartans' first-ever in Daytona Beach after nine unsuccessful tries.
The Spartans had numerous standouts on both sides of the ball, none bigger than running back Rolandan Finch and linebacker Lynden Trail. Finch ran a season-high 38 times for 110 yards and a score against the MEAC's top defense, his fifth 100-yard game of the year and second straight. Trail was all over the field, recording eight tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a pass breakup and his third receiving TD of the year.
NSU scored on its first three drives of the night. Finch capped the game's first possession, a 10-play, 81-yard drive, with a 2-yard TD run with 9:57 left in the first quarter. The key play in the drive was a leaping 22-yard catch of a Tyler Clark pass by tight end Joseph Hawkins to set up the Spartans with a first-and-goal. Finch darted into the end zone for his third TD of the year on the next play.
After holding B-CU's offense to a three-and-out, the Spartans put together a seven-play, 32-yard march which freshman Cameron Marouf punctuated with a career-long 43-yard field goal.
Isidore Jackson got the Wildcats on the board with a 35-yard TD run on the Wildcats' next possession, cutting NSU's lead to 10-7.
But the Spartans responded with a 17-play, 84-yard drive to again seize control. Trail scored on a 2-yard TD catch, his team-leading third scoring reception and fourth total TD, to give NSU a 17-7 lead with 10:52 left in the first half.
NSU didn't need much time to add to its lead. On the third play of the ensuing drive, Trail blew up the Wildcats' third-down option play, forcing B-CU quarterback Quentin Williams' pitch to go awry. NSU defensive back Natturner Harris scooped up the loose ball and sprinted 31 yards for the Spartans' second defensive score in as many weeks, extending the lead to 24-7.
B-CU had two prime opportunities to score later in the half, but NSU got a pair of key interceptions in its own end. Freshman safety Leroy Parker had the first, and junior safety Keenan Lambert had the second just before halftime on Williams' throw into the end zone.
NSU added to its lead on Marouf's 29-yard field goal in the third quarter, making it 27-7. Marouf's second field goal of the day capped another time-consuming drive which lasted 10 plays.
The Wildcats, whose only previous loss this year came to No. 2-ranked FBS power Florida State, rallied with 17 points in the fourth quarter. On the first play of the period, Clark completed a short pass to Derrick Demps, who was stripped by B-CU safety Nick Addison while fighting for extra yardage. Addison jaunted 14 yards into the end zone to cut NSU's lead to 27-13.
Jonathan Cagle's 23-yard field goal on the Wildcats' next possession brought his team within 27-16. After forcing an NSU punt, the Wildcats needed just two plays to make it a one-score game. Reserve Wildcats quarterback Jackie Wilson hit Jontavious Carter for a 61-yard pass play, and then Jackson darted in from the 11 on the next play. A two-point conversion brought the Wildcats within 27-24 with 5:48 remaining.
But NSU picked up two key first downs on the next drive to all but salt the game away. NSU was faced with a fourth down and a punt situation, the Wildcats were called for a personal foul during the punt that kept the drive alive. Clark added a key 11-yard run to pick up another first down near mid-field later in the possession.
Bethune-Cookman called its last timeout and the Spartans eventually turned the ball back over on downs with six seconds left. But Wilson's last-gasp heave was picked off by Darrin Marrow well shy of the end zone, NSU's fifth takeaway of the day.
NSU held B-CU's MEAC-leading offense to just 272 total yards. Jackson rushed for 69 yards and two scores for the Wildcats. Wilson and Williams, B-CU's two quarterbacks, were 9-of-18 for 118 yards and three interceptions.
Clark was 12-of-25 for 151 yards with one TD and one interception. In addition to Trail's defensive effort, fellow linebacker Marcell Coke had nine tackles and forced a second-quarter B-CU fumble which teammate Brent Singleton recovered. Lambert had four tackles, forced a fumble, intercepted a pass and added a pass breakup.
Finch's big game increased his season total to 948 yards on the ground, most in the MEAC.
The Spartans play their final road contest of the year next Saturday at North Carolina Central. Kickoff is 2 p.m. in Durham, N.C.
By Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
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Xavier Gold Rush pick the Wright time to defeat Albany State
NEW ORLEANS -- Sophomore guard Morris Wright's 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining Saturday lifted NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 71-68 men's basketball victory against Albany State.
The Gold Rush (2-0) outscored the Rams (0-1) 9-3 in the final two minutes to win for the 51st time in 55 non-conference home games.
Larry Bullock's 3-pointer with 1:03 remaining gave Albany State a 68-66 lead, but Xavier tied the score with 35 seconds remaining after's Sydney Coleman offensive rebound and dunk.
Bullock stepped out of bounds near his bench with 13 seconds remaining to set up Xavier's winning possession. Gary Smith passed to the left corner to Wright, who sank his fifth 3-pointer in six attempts.
After an Albany State timeout, Joseph Williams' inbound pass hit the scoreboard at center court and went out of bounds to give Xavier possession.
Wright finished with 15 points. Coleman led Xavier with 18 points and grabbed six rebounds. Smith scored nine points to tie a career high and grabbed a career-best five rebounds.
Xavier used 10 players, all of whom scored.
Jamorris Gaines made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points for Albany State, an NCAA Division II member, and Bullock scored 20.
Xavier shot 57.1 percent from the floor for the second consecutive game and outrebounded the Rams 30-16. Redshirt freshman Wesley Pluviose-Philip led the Gold Rush with seven rebounds and has 17 in two games.
Xavier trailed 19-12 through nine minutes before rallying for a 39-32 halftime lead. Wright made 4-of-4 3-pointers in the first half.
The XU men will play their first regular-season road game at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the University of Mobile. The next home game will start at 7 p.m. Thursday against Wiley.
Box scoreBy Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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JCSU Golden Bulls Trumps Tuskegee 73-69 for second victory
ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Johnson C. Smith University men's basketball team improves to 2-0 with a 73-69 win over Tuskegee University on Saturday, November 9th at the Forbes Arena. Four Golden Bulls scored double figures led by junior forward Emilio Parks (Ashtabula, OH) with a game-high 18 points.The first half was tightly contested and ended tied up 30-30. There were nine times when the score was knotted up in the opening including just before halftime. Tuskegee held a 30-28 lead with less than a minute to play. On the final possession of the half, senior guard Richard Daniels, Jr. (Winston-Salem, NC) penetrated down the lane and released a 10-ft teardrop shot that evened the score.
Senior forward Antwan Wilkerson (Greensboro, NC) set the tempo for the Golden Bulls in the initial half. Wilkerson shot 5-of-8 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the free throw line for 12 points and seven rebounds. Parks had nine points at the break. JCSU shot 38% (11-29) from the field, but 80% (8-10) from the foul line.
Graham Olatunji carried the load for the Golden Tigers with eight points and three boards in the opening. Tuskegee shot 42% (13-31) from the field and won the rebounding battle 23-14.
The Golden Bulls created some distance in the second half with a 10-0 run. Freshman guard Patrell Rogers (Wilson, NC) checked in and scored a layup to give JCSU a 36-35 lead at the 17:09 mark. Senior forward Robert Williams (Atlanta, GA) added five of the next nine points for a 45-35 advantage with 13:30 remaining.
Tuskegee managed to cut their deficit down to two points on a few occasions, but trailed for the remainder of the contest after the JCSU scoring run. Williams sealed the game for the Golden Bulls with a free throw for a 73-69 lead with four seconds on the clock.
JCSU shot 65% (13-20) from the field in the second half to finish the game shooting 49% (24-49).
Parks shot 60% (6-10) from the floor and had four rebounds, two assists, and a block. Wilkerson missed a double-double by one board with 16 points and nine rebounds (seven defensive). Williams finished with 15 points, shooting 7-for-11 from the free throw line. Junior guard LaMarquis Letchaw (Dallas, TX) had a full stat line of 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Olatunji had a team-high of 14 points for Tuskegee. Javier McKinney and Richard Dixon chipped in 13 and 12 points, respectively for the Golden Tigers.
The Golden Bulls return to action at home on Friday, November 15th in the annual JCSU Claude Saunders/Wendy's Tip-off Classic. JCSU will face Allen University inside Brayboy Gymnasium at 8:00 p.m.
Box Score
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Southern gets “signature win” over Alabama State
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Southern mathematically clinched the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division title when Prairie View A&M lost to Alcorn State on Thursday night.But on Saturday, the Jaguars put their imprint on their first division title in nine years by beating Alabama State 31-28 in dramatic fashion in New ASU Stadium.
“We didn’t have that signature win to say we’re an elite team in this conference,” Southern coach Dawson Odums said. “Not until tonight.”
Mike Jones caught a career-high three touchdown passes as the Jaguars overcame the absence of leading receiver Lee Doss, who was serving a one-game suspension for violating an unspecified team rule. And Greg Pittman drilled a career-long 43-yard field with 18 seconds left to give the Jaguars the win.
After the Hornets scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the game, the Jaguars limited them to 14 points the rest of the way and bottled up the SWAC’s leading running game for most of the second half.
Southern (6-4, 6-2 SWAC) has a nonconference game against Clark Atlanta next Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium before ending the regular season against Grambling in the Bayou Classic on Nov. 30.
The Jaguars also learned ...
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XU sweeps SUNO, earns GCAC Tournament three-peat
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| Xavier defeated SUNO 25-23, 25-18, 25-15 in the GCAC Tournament final. |
Tournament MVP Claudia Haywood and Moira Kirk had 10 kills and two blocks apiece for the Gold Nuggets (26-7), who increased their school-record win streak to 20 and earned a third consecutive automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship.
Teammates Taylor Reuther and Chinedu Echebelem joined Haywood on the all-tournament team. Reuther had nine kills, a block and an ace, and Echebelem had seven kills. It was the third consecutive year for Reuther and the second straight year for Echebelem to be named all-tournament.
Three times Xavier trailed by three points in the opening set -- the last at 19-16 -- before scoring nine of the final 13 points. Kirk's kill put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay at 23-22, and she clinched the set on her sixth kill.
SUNO (16-13) scored the first point of the second set, but that was the last time Xavier trailed. The Gold Nuggets scored the next six points -- on three SUNO errors, a kill and a block from Kirk and an ace by Franziska Pirkl -- and led 18-12 after Reuther's consecutive kills.
Consecutive blocks by Jodi Hill, Haywood and Kirk gave Xavier a 9-2 lead in the final set. Haywood and Reuther had four kills apiece, and Haywood ended the match with a kill.
An early first-set dig by Reuther gave her 1,000 for her career. The junior outside hitter reached 1,000 career kills earlier in the season.
"This was a really great weekend for us," said first-year XU head coach Hannah Lawing, an assistant on the 2012 team. "Everyone got playing time at some point or another. Every win we acquired was a team effort. Whoever was on the court or on the bench was completely involved at all times, I think that was the biggest accomplishment for us this weekend.
"We were fully united for three full matches in a row. If I could nominate every one of my players for the all-tournament team, I would."
The Gold Nuggets have won 43 consecutive matches against GCAC opponents, 11 in the tournament. The Nuggets tied a school record with their 11th consecutive road victory.
Xavier beat SUNO in the final for the second time in three years. It was the Lady Knights' third appearance in four years in the championship round.
NAIA National Championship pairings will be announced Nov. 18, and first-round matches will be played Nov. 23.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
Tulsa Women's Basketball Team Falls to Texas Southern, 88-80
TULSA, Oklahoma -- The Tulsa women's basketball team dropped an 88-80 decision to Texas Southern in the season opener on Friday afternoon at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. TU is now 0-1 on the season, while TSU moved to 1-0 overall.
"We scored enough points to win," Head Coach Matilda Mossman said. "Anytime you score 80 points you like your chances of winning, but we just didn't guard anybody. We were really disappointed with our defensive effort and the fact that we didn't play with any kind of defensive presence or intensity."
Loren McDaniel posted her sixth career double-double as she netted 14 points and pulled down a team-leading 10 rebounds. Ashley Clark scored a team-high 19 points, just one shy of her career-best set against SMU last season, while Kadan Brady came in off the bench and hit four three-pointers for 12 points.
Stevi Parker added eight points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Mariah Turner and Jasmine Vasquez each tallied six points, and Erika Lane earned a team-best five assists.
TU shot 42-percent from the field, 32-percent from behind the arc and hit 14-of-19 free throws for 73-percent. The Golden Hurricane had 29 points off the bench, 28 points in the paint and 20 points off turnovers. Tulsa had a 42-34 lead in rebounds and a 15-9 advantage in assists, but Texas Southern had a 12-7 lead in steals.
Texas Southern had four players with double-digit points, including 32 from Jazzmin Parker, 20 from Alexus Johnson, 14 from Sarah Williams and 12 from Brianna Sidney. The Tigers shot a solid 50-percent from the field, including 50-percent from three-point range, and 83-percent from the charity stripe.
There were five lead changes and three tied scores, but when Parker hit a three-pointer for TSU with 12:21 remaining in the first half, the Tigers took the lead and never relinquished it. TU pulled to within one (40-39) with 1:00 minute to play in the first half, but Parker again hit a three-point basket to give Texas Southern a 43-39 lead at the break.
In the second half, the Tigers climbed to a 14-point advantage (72-58) with 9:09 left to play, but Tulsa chipped away at their lead and pulled to within four with 3:20 on the clock. TSU inched ahead again and earned the eight-point victory.
Tulsa will return to action against Lamar on Sunday, Nov. 17th. Game time is set for 2:00 pm in Beaumont, Texas.
Box Score
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"We scored enough points to win," Head Coach Matilda Mossman said. "Anytime you score 80 points you like your chances of winning, but we just didn't guard anybody. We were really disappointed with our defensive effort and the fact that we didn't play with any kind of defensive presence or intensity."
Loren McDaniel posted her sixth career double-double as she netted 14 points and pulled down a team-leading 10 rebounds. Ashley Clark scored a team-high 19 points, just one shy of her career-best set against SMU last season, while Kadan Brady came in off the bench and hit four three-pointers for 12 points.
Stevi Parker added eight points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Mariah Turner and Jasmine Vasquez each tallied six points, and Erika Lane earned a team-best five assists.
TU shot 42-percent from the field, 32-percent from behind the arc and hit 14-of-19 free throws for 73-percent. The Golden Hurricane had 29 points off the bench, 28 points in the paint and 20 points off turnovers. Tulsa had a 42-34 lead in rebounds and a 15-9 advantage in assists, but Texas Southern had a 12-7 lead in steals.
Texas Southern had four players with double-digit points, including 32 from Jazzmin Parker, 20 from Alexus Johnson, 14 from Sarah Williams and 12 from Brianna Sidney. The Tigers shot a solid 50-percent from the field, including 50-percent from three-point range, and 83-percent from the charity stripe.
There were five lead changes and three tied scores, but when Parker hit a three-pointer for TSU with 12:21 remaining in the first half, the Tigers took the lead and never relinquished it. TU pulled to within one (40-39) with 1:00 minute to play in the first half, but Parker again hit a three-point basket to give Texas Southern a 43-39 lead at the break.
In the second half, the Tigers climbed to a 14-point advantage (72-58) with 9:09 left to play, but Tulsa chipped away at their lead and pulled to within four with 3:20 on the clock. TSU inched ahead again and earned the eight-point victory.
Tulsa will return to action against Lamar on Sunday, Nov. 17th. Game time is set for 2:00 pm in Beaumont, Texas.
Box Score
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Last-second Morgan State field goal secures second straight comeback win
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- A second straight fourth-quarter comeback gave Morgan State a second straight win Saturday. But this one came down even closer to the wire.A week after a Bears touchdown with 26 seconds remaining secured a narrow win over Hampton, kicker Chris Moller made a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 1.9 seconds left for a thrilling 24-23 victory over North Carolina A&T.
Trailing the Aggies (5-4, 2-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) 23-14 in the fourth quarter, Morgan (4-6, 4-2) stormed back before an announced 6,478 at Hughes Stadium.
With junior quarterback Robert Council struggling in the second half, Bears coach Donald Hill-Eley made a change.
After Council threw a fourth-quarter interception, he was benched. Although Council had led the Bears to a 14-10 lead at the half, finishing the game with 16 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns, Hill-Eley felt the Bears needed someone else under center.
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Saturday, November 9, 2013
Virginia State Downs Virginia Union 46-3 to Win Eighth Straight Game
ETTRICK, Virginia --- Jordan Anderson set the Virginia State single-season rushing record and scored three touchdowns and the Trojan defense limited Virginia Union to just three points and 194 yards as Virginia State (9-1, 7-0) dumped the Panthers (3-7, 3-4), 46-3, at Rogers Stadium in Ettrick, Va.Virginia State, the CIAA's Northern Division Champion, closed out the regular-season with eight consecutive victories and will play for the league Championship next Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C. against Winston-Salem State (9-1, 7-0).
Jordan rushed for 121 yards on 21 totes to lead the Trojan offense. His second-quarter 74-yard TD run eclipsed the single-season rushing record set in 2008 by Taron Hampton (1,076 yards). Anderson finished the regular-season with 1,142 yards. In addition, Anderson added to his school record rushing touchdown total with two, giving him 21 for the season.
The Trojans got on the scoreboard first when Jaivon Smallwood caught the first of his two touchdown passes, this one for six yards, from Justin Thorpe. Virginia Union answered with a 42-yard field goal by Troy Krepich late in the first quarter to make it, 8-3.
Virginia State pulled away in the second quarter by scoring 21 unanswered points. Smallwood caught his second TD pass, a nine-yard perception, and Anderson hauled in a 10-yard TD strike from Thorpe to give the Trojans as 22-3 edge. Jordan's breakaway 74-yard scoring run gave the Trojans a 29-3 advantage at the half.
Shawn Hunt booted a 21-yard field goal with 10:30 left in the third quarter and Dontrell Jones intercepted a Virginia Union pass and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown to boost the lead to 39-3 with 10:19 left in the third quarter. Anderson capped a nine play-60 yard drive by bulling over from the one-yard line with 1:42 left in the third quarter to close out the scoring.
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Southern rallies to top Alabama State 31-28; will face JSU in SWAC title game
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Southern got a 43-yard field goal from Greg Pittman with 18 seconds left and recovered a late fumble to clinch a 31-28 comeback victory over Alabama State on Saturday afternoon at New ASU Stadium.
The Jaguars (6-4, 6-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) entered Saturday’s game having already clinched the Western Division title. They prevailed without their leading receiver, Lee Doss, who was suspended for violation of unspecified team rules.
Southern also learned Saturday that it will face Jackson State in the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 7 in Houston.
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The Jaguars (6-4, 6-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) entered Saturday’s game having already clinched the Western Division title. They prevailed without their leading receiver, Lee Doss, who was suspended for violation of unspecified team rules.
Southern also learned Saturday that it will face Jackson State in the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 7 in Houston.
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Back to CIAA title game Lewis leads WSSU to win, division crown
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Teams coached by Connell Maynor don’t play conservatively very often, but with the CIAA’s Southern Division title on the line Saturday, Winston-Salem State went to its power running game and defeated Fayetteville State 28-14. Maurice Lewis did most of the damage at Bowman Gray Stadium, rushing for a career-high 186 yards on 29 carries and scoring two first-quarter touchdowns to provide a cushion.
"We just went back to smash-mouth football when we needed to get a touchdown," said Maynor, whose Rams ran for 277 yards.
It appeared the Rams would have an easy time after touchdown runs of 3 and 10 yards by Lewis, a junior who has more than 2,000 career rushing yards. But the Broncos kept the Rams in sights, and it was still a 14-0 game when the fourth quarter started.
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B-CU falls 27-24 to Norfolk State
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Norfolk State held off Bethune-Cookman 27-24 on Saturday, ending the No. 12 Wildcats’ 18-game conference winning streak and leaving B-CU no room for error in its quest to win a second straight MEAC championship.
B-CU scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to battle back from a 24-7 halftime deficit. But a personal foul penalty against the Wildcats kept the Spartans’ final drive alive with 3:49 left. And B-CU did not get the ball back until 6 seconds remaining.
Jackie Wilson’s hail mary pass was intercepted by Darrin Morrow. It was B-CU’s third interception and fifth turnover of the game.
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Jackie Wilson’s hail mary pass was intercepted by Darrin Morrow. It was B-CU’s third interception and fifth turnover of the game.
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Week 11: HBCU Football ScoreCard Finals
Saturday, November 9, 2013
OVC
Tennessee State 31, Austin Peay 6
SWAC
Alcorn State 50, Prairie View A&M 35 (Thursday)
Mississippi Valley 20, Texas Southern 17
Southern 31, Alabama State 28
Jackson State 26, Alabama A&M 20
Arkansas Pine Bluff 45, Grambling State 42
MEAC
Norfolk State 27, Bethune-Cookman 24
Morgan State 24, North Carolina A&T 23
Hampton 29, North Carolina Central 21
Howard 42, Savannah State 14
South Carolina State 25, Florida A&M 21 H
CIAA
Chowan 77, Lincoln (Pa.) 14
#10 Winston-Salem 28, Fayetteville State 14
Livingstone 36, Virginia University Lynchburg 13 (4th Q) H
Bowie State 30, Elizabeth City State 21
Shaw 32, Saint Augustine's 14
Johnson C. Smith 26, Central State 24
Lane 48, Benedict 7
#25 Virginia State 46, Virginia Union 3
SIAC
Lane 48, Benedict 7
Kentucky State 44, Morehouse 0
Miles 41, #25Tuskegee 36
Albany State 19, Fort Valley State 10
Stillman 42, College of Faith 0
Clark Atlanta 35, Edward Waters 28
Other Conferences and Independents
Shippensburg 42, Cheyney 0
#7 Shepard 47, West Virginia State 0
Livingstone 36, Virginia University Lynchburg 13
Delta State 77, Concordia-Selma 0
Lincoln (Mo.) 42, Northeastern State 33
SW Assemblies of God 38, Texas College 14
Stillman 42, College of Faith 0
Clark Atlanta 35, Edward Waters 28
(H) Homecoming
OVC
Tennessee State 31, Austin Peay 6
SWAC
Alcorn State 50, Prairie View A&M 35 (Thursday)
Mississippi Valley 20, Texas Southern 17
Southern 31, Alabama State 28
Jackson State 26, Alabama A&M 20
Arkansas Pine Bluff 45, Grambling State 42
MEAC
Norfolk State 27, Bethune-Cookman 24
Morgan State 24, North Carolina A&T 23
Hampton 29, North Carolina Central 21
Howard 42, Savannah State 14
South Carolina State 25, Florida A&M 21 H
CIAA
Chowan 77, Lincoln (Pa.) 14
#10 Winston-Salem 28, Fayetteville State 14
Livingstone 36, Virginia University Lynchburg 13 (4th Q) H
Bowie State 30, Elizabeth City State 21
Shaw 32, Saint Augustine's 14
Johnson C. Smith 26, Central State 24
Lane 48, Benedict 7
#25 Virginia State 46, Virginia Union 3
SIAC
Lane 48, Benedict 7
Kentucky State 44, Morehouse 0
Miles 41, #25Tuskegee 36
Albany State 19, Fort Valley State 10
Stillman 42, College of Faith 0
Clark Atlanta 35, Edward Waters 28
Other Conferences and Independents
Shippensburg 42, Cheyney 0
#7 Shepard 47, West Virginia State 0
Livingstone 36, Virginia University Lynchburg 13
Delta State 77, Concordia-Selma 0
Lincoln (Mo.) 42, Northeastern State 33
SW Assemblies of God 38, Texas College 14
Stillman 42, College of Faith 0
Clark Atlanta 35, Edward Waters 28
(H) Homecoming
Pack Scores 30, A&T Aggies Beat Greensboro College
GREENSBORO –- Richaud Pack’s Friday night performance had been building for some time. The Detroit native had to sit out a year after transferring from Florida International. He wetted everyone’s appetite with three strong performances in the Dominican Republic over the summer.He then led the Aggies in scoring over their first two preseason games.It all culminated in Pack scoring 30 points and leading the Aggies to a season-opening 91-64 win over Greensboro College at Corbett Sports Center as he put together one of the best debut performances in school history.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve played a Division I game,” said Pack. “That’s why I was so anxious to get out there and play. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”
Pack also added four rebounds and four assists to his totals and was aided by Lamont Middleton’s 27. The Aggies shot 64 percent from the floor, 67 percent from 3-point range and 81 percent from the foul line.
“I love this team,” said Pack. “We share the ball and play like a team. We’ve got good chemistry and tonight was a good tune-up for the road.”
The Pride played scrappy early on. Strong 3-point shooting helped GC build a 14-5 lead over the first six minutes of the game. The Aggies countered the smaller Pride by going to a smaller, quicker lineup that at times included four guards and a power forward. They used that lineup to attack the basket which resulted in the Aggies making 22 of 26 first-half free throws as they took a 40-31 lead into the locker room at the half.
Once the second half started, Pack got hot, the Aggies pressure defense started rattling the Pride and A&T was able to get easy buckets in transition. A&T hit their first six shots of the second half to take a 59-40 lead. After a Lamont Middleton miss, the Aggies then went on a streak where they hit five straight baskets to take a 72-46 lead with 10 minutes to play.
The Aggies hit 19 of 23 shots (83 percent) in the second half and dished out 13 assists in the process.
“We did a much better job of sharing the basketball in the second half,” said A&T head coach Cy Alexander. “I thought we also turned up our defensive intensity in the second half. It’s always good to get that first W, and now we’re on the road for about seven more games.”
GC was led by Jester Tracy’s 18 points. Damian Dixon added 14. The Aggies will be at Utah Valley Monday night before traveling to Kingston, R.I., to face the Rhode Island Rams Friday night at 7 p.m. They don’t return home again until Dec. 5 when they face Wright State at 7 p.m.
 | A&T 91, GC 64 |
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Florida A&M Rattlers Fall Short In Opener 92-84 To Rutgers
The Rattlers shot an impressive 40-percent from the field and 35-percent from three-point range. From the free throw line, the Rattlers shot just 65.4 percent.
Coach Clemon Johnson utilized the entire team, as 13 players scored for the Rattlers. Recruiting size was a priority for Johnson coming off last season, and it resulted in 32 points in the paint for FAMU. The Rattlers outscored the Scarlet Knights in second chance points, putting back 20 points after an initial miss. The Rattlers allowed Rutgers to score 21 points off 20 turnovers.
Kadeem Jack led Rutgers with 30 points off 12-for-18 shooting from the field. Myles Mack added 19, J.J. Moore added 17 and D’Von Campbell scored 10, forming a quartet of Scarlet Knights scoring in double figures. Jack also pulled down 12 rebounds for a double-double.
The Rattlers return to action on Sun., Nov.10 as they will face Princeton at 1 p.m.
ESPN3 GAME REPLAY
FAMU vs Rutgers Box ScoreEDDIE JORDAN POST-GAME QUOTES (Rutgers University)
Opening Statement: “It was a game that had a lot of ebbs and flows to it. I want to give FAMU a lot of credit, they kept attacking and the scouting report, we told our team, this team is athletic, they will hit the offensive glass at a high level and they will keep attacking, attacking and attacking. That’s what happened tonight. I thought we did what we were supposed to do the first five, six, seven minutes and then they got the juice. I said with this team, once they get the juice they’re going to ride that momentum and they’re going to keep pushing at us, and they kept coming at us. They were more physical than we were in the end of the first half, they were dominating the glass, they were attacking again, they were getting the shots they wanted to get in the paint, threes, and we just couldn’t get a handle on them. But even at half time, I told our guys, look, even though they’re taking it to us, we have got to get better at that, but we’re still shooting 48 percent, they’re shooting 37 percent. Free throws are just about the same, threes were just about the same and we we’re leading, so let’s just get better and take the game to them physically and athletically. That’s what Kadeem did, J.J. did, Myles did. That’s what we did better in the second half.”
On Florida A&M’s 84 points: “They went right through us and that was disappointing. That’s their style. Now maybe when we play a team that doesn’t attack like that we can get a better feel and a better hold on them. Our scouting reports said this team will attack every which way and they’ll come off the bench. I thought they played 11 deep themselves.”
On feeling different coaching for his alma mater: “It did feel different a little bit. Just coming into the game I had some feelings, but I had to fight against those. I had to say, look, I have got to lock in. We have to lock in and do things well. I have to get used to the opponents. I’ve seen my team, I have to get used to the skill level and the way they play on this level. That’s what I was looking at. That’s why I kept saying, even in the scrimmage and the exhibition game, I wanted to see the opponent and get a sense of who we’re going to play against.”
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Daniel, Okoroh Combine To Lead Howard To Win In Opener Over Washington College
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| (LEFT) PRINCE OKOROH AND (RIGHT) JAMES DANIEL Courtesy HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS |
A 5-11 freshman guard from Hampton, VA, Daniel scored eight of his points during a key two-minute stretch that saw Howard pull away after The Shoremen had mounted a NIEcomeback. The sharpshooter canned two three pointers and converted on two free throws during a two-minute stretch that gave his team the lead for good at 44-36.
Okoroh, the only returning starter for the young Bison, who feature 10 new players on the roster, kept the visitors at bay with some steals and breakaway dunks.
"We got after them early," said Howard Coach Kevin Nickelberry, in his fourth year at the helm. "It's still a work in progress. We created a lot of pressure. When we come out with that much energy, it creates positive outcomes. The more we learn to play the Frantic 40 system, the better we will get offensively."
The Bison came out of the blocks applying full-court pressure and went to their bench early and often. But Washington College (0-1) was able to stay close on the three-point shooting of Sean Flanagan (team-high 18 points).
Howard was able to get some distance at the end of the first half as Marcel Boyd and Ausar Madison were able to contribute. The Bison led 32-25 at the half.
Howard began to turn the ball over early in the second half and the Shoremen were able to take advantage when Sean Brooks and Bryan Shapiro combined to help them tie the game.
But from there, the Bison pressure and the scoring combination of Daniel and Okoroh proved to be the difference.
"It's a game of runs," said Nickelberry. "All we had to do was be consistent with the press and cause turnovers. We knew they were going to make threes, but we thought if we could turn them over enough, that would be what we needed to win the game.
It's hard pressing for 40 minutes, but we have five guys who well together."
Okoroh finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven steals, three of which he turned into dunks.
"The Frantic 40 system is set up to speed up the game and create havoc," said Okoroh. "We were able to use our athleticism and youth to our advantage. We were able to capitalize on that tonight by getting ball pressure and reading the passing lanes."
The Bison got an outstanding floor game from freshman point guard Madison, who handed out seven assists while scoring six points in 34 minutes of play.
Marcel Boyd, a red-shirt freshman came off the bench to score eight points and grab eight rebounds in 17 minutes of play.
The Bison host Gwynedd Mercy College on Sunday at 5 pm.
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Hampton men open with 77-69 win against William and Mary
HAMPTON, Virginia — Brian Darden was understandably nervous heading into his first college basketball game in a year. Once he buried his first shot, though, he and Hampton University were off and running.
Darden's 3-point barrage fueled an early surge and the Pirates held off William and Mary 77-69 Friday at the HU Convocation Center in the season opener for both teams.
"My nerves were crazy," said Darden, who starred at Phoebus High and transferred to HU after a year at Radford. "I was so anxious for this first game. But I prepped myself for this moment, so when the moment came I was able to capitalize."
Darden hit four 3-pointers and scored a dozen points in the first half, as Hampton sprinted to a 19-3 lead and the Tribe played catch-up the remainder of the game. He finished with 18 points, as one of four Pirates in double figures and one of 10 to scratch in the box score.
"I feel like this team isn't about two or three people or one 20-point scorer," said HU coach Ed Joyner Jr. "We feel like we can have eight or nine 10-point scorers. I think we showed that with our ball movement and our people movement tonight. That was a great team victory. Everybody had their moments, where they stepped up for us."
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Bethune-Cookman aims to extend its 18-game MEAC win streak
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins doesn't care about Norfolk State's 2-7 record.The Wildcats, who are riding an 18-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win streak, return home to face the Spartans (2-7, 2-3) Saturday at Municipal Stadium. Kickoff is at 4 p.m.
"They could be very dangerous team," B-CU coach Brian Jenkins said of Norfolk State. "They are going to do what they must to come away with a victory. They have everything to gain and nothing to lose."
The Wildcats are closing in on the MEAC title. They have three games remaining all against conference adversaries with a combined record of 8-29.
Bethune-Cookman (8-1, 5-0) is ranked No. 10 in the FCS coaches and No. 12 in the media poll. The team's sole loss this season is to Florida State, which is ranked No. 2 in the BCS standings.
Norfolk State is coached Pete Adrian, who was the Wildcats' defensive coordinator from 1997-2000 and 2002-2004.
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