S.C. State Bulldogs' season still a success despite loss to Furman

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- The checklist for South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough has few unmarked spaces these days.

Returning the program to a Top 25 standing and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship status – check.

Getting All-State talent to migrate towards Orangeburg, highlighted by the signing of a “Mr. South Carolina Football” quarterback Malcolm Long – check.

Having All-MEAC Offensive and Defensive players of the year in addition to an Offensive Lineman of the Year - check.

Returning to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs after a long absence and getting to play host to one game – check.

This past Saturday, the Bulldogs had hoped to check off the one remaining unaccomplished goal in 12 seasons for Pough – an FCS victory. Once again, however, S.C. State fell short in its quest in a 30-20 loss to Southern Conference co-champion Furman.

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Alabama A&M fires football coach Anthony Jones

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Anthony Jones, whose Alabama A&M team suffered through its third losing season in his 12-year tenure, will not have his contract renewed, the school announced Sunday afternoon.

Director of athletics Bryan Hicks was not available for comment on the decision. He did issue a statement in a press release emailed to local media at 4:30 Sunday.

"We are very grateful and appreciative of the work he has done with A&M athletics. We thank Coach Jones for his efforts and leadership of the football program and wish him much success in his future endeavors," Hicks said.

Jones was 83-57 in his 12 seasons at A&M, with the third-highest winning percentage of any coach in A&M history. His team had the highest academic scores in a conference where a number of teams have recently been ineligible for postseason play because of academics.

Offensive coordinator Cedric Pearl will serve as interim head coach until a replacement is named. The remainder of the staff will be in limbo until the replacement arrives.



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Alabama State Volleyball Heads West for NCAA Tournament

Volleyball NCAA Tournament Bracket

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Alabama State's volleyball team has known since their Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship they would be playing in the NCAA Tournament; they just didn't know where and now they do.

ASU will play in the Los Angeles regional and will open regional play when they travel to Seattle, Washington, where they will face the Huskies of Washington Friday, Dec. 6. The game is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET). The Huskies are the third overall seed in the tournament.

"It was exciting (to see ASU name on the screen) and it's the start of a new era for Alabama State," Head Coach Penny Lucas-White said. "I think Washington is fine, we took the girls to play against Washington State last year. I've seen the product Jim McLaughlin (UW Head Coach) puts out on the court. But hey, we are going out to play we are in it to win it."

ASU received the SWAC's automatic berth and will enter the tournament with a 25-15 overall record. The Lady Hornets finished undefeated in conference play at 8-0.



Like ASU, Washington won the PAC-12's automatic tourney berth with their conference title. It was the third title in the history of their program. They enter the tournament the third ranked team in the nation and carry a 26-2 overall record. They finished PAC-12 conference action with an 18-2 record.

Washington will not be the first team from out west the Lady Hornets have faced this season. They faced Arizona State earlier in the season at Arizona State's tournament and they were ranked 18^th in the nation at the time.

"I think facing Arizona State early in the year will help our ladies tremendously," Lucas-White said. "It's the whole reason for the preseason and that is to prepare for post season. So I think it can do nothing but benefit us."

The other teams that will be playing in Seattle are Michigan (18-13) and Louisiana State (18-12). The interesting fact there is Coach Lucas-White was an All-SEC performer at LSU during her collegiate career.

The Lady Hornets will fly to Seattle Wednesday to begin preparations for the first round match up.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Nuggets lead in both halves but lose at UL Lafayette

Paige Gauthier
17 Points, 10 Rebounds

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana -- Xavier University of Louisiana gained leads in both halves but lost 62-54 Sunday at Louisiana-Lafayette in women's basketball.

Paige Gauthier's 17 points and season-high 10 rebounds led the Gold Nuggets (4-5), who are ranked 15th in NAIA Division I. Whitney Gathright scored 11 points, and Danielle Tucker and Whitney Gaston-Loyd had eight apiece.

Gauthier, a senior guard playing approximately 75 miles from her hometown of Lake Charles, La., produced Xavier's first double-double of the season and the third of her career. Gauthier scored 10 of the Nuggets' first 19 points.

Sylvana Okde scored 19 points and Braile Fields 11 for the Ragin' Cajuns (4-2), and both made three 3-pointers. Adrienne Prejean grabbed 11 rebounds.

The Gold Nuggets scored the first five points and led 16-7 after Gaston-Loyd's basket in the sixth minute. Okde and Brooklyn Arceneaux scored four points apiece in an 18-0 run which gave the Cajuns a 30-19 with 2:15 remaining in the half, but Xavier closed the margin to 31-25 by halftime.

A Fields 3-pointer gave the Cajuns a 34-25 lead with 18:42 remaining, but Xavier rallied again. The Nuggets tied the score at 34 on Gaston-Loyd's basket and took a pair of 1-point leads, the last on Gathright's basket at 12:16 to make it 40-39.

UL Lafayette took the lead for good with a 13-4 run, but Xavier cut the margin to 52-50 on Gaston-Loyd's basket with 2:54 remaining. The Nuggets did not get any closer, committing a turnover with a chance to tie and missing the front end of a 1-and-1 while trailing 55-52.

The Cajuns outshot the Nuggets 36 to 34.5 percent from the floor and outscored them 18-9 in free throws. Xavier had a 5-1 advantage in blocked shots -- two apiece for Gaston-Loyd and Chelsea Broussard -- and was plus-4 in turnovers.

It was the teams' first meeting since the 1988-89 season. It was Xavier's first regular-season road game against an NCAA Division I opponent since winning at Northwestern State in November 2007.

Xavier will visit city rival Loyola at 7 p.m. Tuesday and play its next home game at 5:30 p.m. Thursday against Mobile.

Box score

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

Hampton Volleyball Draws Stanford in NCAA Tourney

NCAA Tournament Bracket

HAMPTON, Virginia – The Hampton University volleyball team will make its first appearance in the NCAA Div. I Volleyball Championships on Thursday, when the Lady Pirates square off against Stanford in Maples Pavilion at 10 p.m. EST.

Stanford (24-5) is the overall No. 7 seed in the tournament.

The Lady Pirates (19-10), in their first season under head coach Karen Weatherington, won their first-ever MEAC Tournament crown on Nov. 17 with a five-set win over Coppin State in Baltimore, Md. Junior rightside Vendula Strakova (Brno, Czech Republic), the MEAC Player of the Year, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Strakova leads the nation in points (6.59 per set), is second in kills (5.64 per set), and is fourth in aces (0.60 per set).

Hampton leads the nation as a team with 1.99 aces per set.

Stanford is one of nine Pac-12 schools to earn bids to this year's tournament, and the Cardinal have won their last five matches – including a 3-1 win over Cal this past Friday. The Cardinal were ranked third in the latest AVCA national poll.

The Cardinal boast five players averaging better than 2.50 kills per set – led by senior middle blocker Carly Wopat's 2.89 kills per set. She is also Stanford's top hitter, coming in at .438 (275 kills, 47 errors in 520 attacks) for the season to rank seventh in the nation. Sophomore outside hitter Brittany Howard is averaging 2.82 kills per set.

Sophomore setter Madi Bugg averages 11.88 assists per set for Stanford, and she has a team-high 32 service aces.

Hampton has never faced Stanford. This will also the Lady Pirates' first-ever match against a Pac-12 foe.

For more information on Hampton University volleyball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.


COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton Lady Pirates Beat Santa Clara, Win CSUN Tourney Title

NORTHRIDGE, California  –  For the second straight day, freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas and senior forward Alyssa Bennett had monster games, and on Saturday, it netted the Hampton University women's basketball team the Cal State Northridge Radisson Hotel Chatsworth Thanksgiving Classic.

The Lady Pirates (5-2) won the title by defeating Santa Clara 70-48.

Bennett (Hampton, Va.) was named Tournament MVP after pouring in a career-high 31 points (20 in the second half) on 14-for-30 shooting to go along with seven rebounds. Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) was named to the All-Tournament Team after scoring 25 points.

Senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) dished out 11 assists (to go along with her eight points and seven rebounds), and redshirt-sophomore forward Brielle Ward (Baltimore, Md.) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

The Lady Pirates got off to a slow start, as Santa Clara took an 11-5 lead with 15:41 left in the first half – and the Broncos later took a 16-7 lead at the 14:14 mark on a 3-pointer from Montana Walters.

But Hampton answered with a 15-2 run, storming back to take a 22-18 lead at the 9:15 mark after Hamilton scored on a fastbreak layup following a turnover. The Lady Pirates never trailed again, though Santa Clara cut the lead to 25-23 at the 6:14 mark on a Nici Gidlay jumper.

The Lady Pirates scored the next nine points, going up 34-23 on a Bennett layup with 3:25 left in the half, and Hampton went into the locker room up 37-25.

Tate-DeFreitas had 16 points at the break. Bennett was also in double figures at half with 11 points.

When Marie Bertholdt hit a jumper in the paint with 15:00 to play, it cut Hampton's lead to 43-35 – but the Broncos would get no closer the rest of the night, and the Lady Pirates answered with an 8-0 run, taking a 51-35 lead with 12:45 to play on a Bennett jumper.

Bertholdt cut the lead to 53-41 with two free throws with 7:34 to play, before Hampton scored the next 15 points – including 10 straight from Bennett – to take a 68-41 lead with 3:53 left to play. Tate-DeFreitas scored the first five points of that run before Bennett went on her five-field goal tear.

Bennett and Tate-DeFreitas accounted for all 13 of Hampton's second-half field goals.

The Lady Pirates shot 37.5 percent (27-for-27) from the floor and hit seven of their 20 3-pointers (35.0 percent). Hampton also went 9-for-12 (75.0 percent) from the free throw line and out-rebounded Santa Clara 45-40.

Hampton also scored 19 points off of 21 Santa Clara turnovers.

The Broncos (2-5) shot just 34.5 percent (19-for-55) from the floor, but only managed eight field goals in the second half. Santa Clara only made two of its 18 3-pointers (11.1 percent) and eight of its 15 free throws (53.3 percent).

Nici Gidlay led the Broncos with 15 points.

The Lady Pirates will return to the HU Convocation Center on Wednesday to take on American at 7 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Box Score

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd: To Those Who Think It’s Okay

Some rights reserved by JotaCePe/CC

To the Athletes, Rappers, Bloggers and Other Entertainers Who All Say It's Okay

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- One of my favorite books is The Crisis of the Intellectual Negro by Harold Cruse. I discovered this book while attending a class as a political science major at Florida A&M University. We studied it for an entire semester and the class so inspired me that in 1998, I attended a conference held in Harold Cruse’s honor at the University of Michigan. There, I presented a paper advocating the use of a strategic planning model to address the current status of black America. My panel of three was the only session Cruse sat in on during the whole two day conference, and in response to my writing and that of another writer he spoke directly to us. It wasn’t that my paper was all that profound, but he knew from my writing that I was properly influenced by his ideas.

Cruse’s text illustrates the crisis that black America faced during the first half of the twentieth century. Cruse defined it as a crisis of identity. The stereotype is that black people are unified and that we stick together. That idea probably comes from our strong response to oppression during the civil rights movement of the 1950’s. In any case, what Cruse shows instead is how difficult it is for black Americans to relate to each other and to identify with a particular culture. All you have to do is look at the writings of Cruse, W.E.B. Dubois, George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington, and E. Franklin Frazier to see the contrast in ideas and the divide even then between the haves and have-nots.

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2013 Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands: Southern vs. Grambling

Daniels scores career-high 18, but Gold Rush lose 63-62

MEMPHIS, Tennessee -- Sophomore RJ Daniels scored a career-high 18 points for Xavier University of Louisiana, but the Gold Rush lost 63-62 at LeMoyne-Owen in men's basketball Saturday.

Daequan Mitchell-Fie's 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining gave the Magicians (1-2) the victory.

Morris Wright scored 16 points and Xavier Rogers 13 for the Gold Rush (5-3), ranked 19th in NAIA Division I, and Olivier Siewe and Wesley Pluviose-Philip grabbed eight rebounds apiece.

Marcel Hawkins scored 16 points for LeMoyne-Owen, an NCAA Division II member, and Jerry Hampton had 12 points, seven rebounds and six blocked shots.

Daniels scored 15 second-half points, 13 in the final 10½ minutes. His 3-pointer with 3:26 remaining gave Xavier a 57-55 advantage and its first lead in approximately 25 minutes. Daniels' basket at 1:45 gave the Gold Rush a 61-56 lead.

Baskets by the Magicians' Daquavion McCants and Nick McHenry -- the second on a fast break after Hampton blocked a shot -- cut Xavier's lead to 61-60 with a minute remaining. Siewe was fouled after two offensive rebounds and made 1-of-2 free throws with 25 seconds remaining, then LeMoyne-Owen regained the lead on its final possession.

Mitchell-Fie was fouled while making his winning 3-pointer. He missed the free throw and Siewe rebounded, then Wright missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

LeMoyne-Owen outshot Xavier 46.7 to 41.2 percent from the floor. Xavier committed a season-low 12 turnovers and had a 35-34 rebound advantage.

Daniels scored in double figures for the second straight game and the fourth time this season, one more than he did in 2012-13. Wright reached double figures for the fifth consecutive game and was 6-of-11 from the floor -- the seventh time in eight games he shot 50 percent or higher. Rogers made three of Xavier's season-high-tying seven 3-pointers, increased his streak of made free throws to 13 and reached double figures for the fifth time.

Xavier will play NAIA No. 10 William Carey (4-0) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at XU's Convocation Center.

Box score

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

Washington's game-winner spirals MVSU Delta Devils to victory

COURTESY MVSU ATHLETICS DELTA DEVILS

WEST LONG BRANCH, New Jersey  --  It was deja vu Saturday for Mississippi Valley State.

Friday night, the Delta Devils watched as they tied the game up before Monmouth sprinted down the court to win the game on a last-second layup.

And on Saturday, Valley found itself in the same predicament.

Only this time, the Delta Devils came away with a game-winning layup thanks to freshman guard Jordan Washington and an Anthony McDonald steal to seal a 90-89 win for a Valley team that has started to find its rhythm.

Five MVSU players scored in double-figures, led by McDonald who had 21 including 18 in the first half. He made 5-of-6 three-point attempts and converted all four free throw attempts. James Currington added a career-high 17 points and five rebounds while Cameron Dobbs chipped in 15 off the bench, including a trio of three-pointers.

Daniel Hurtt scored 13 points in the second half off the bench for the Delta Devils, who shot 46.6 from the field. Hurtt scored nine points in the final eight minutes that kept MVSU alive.

The game included 19 lead changes.

McDonald was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Delta Devils will be back in action next Saturday, Dec. 7 when they host Tougaloo College at 4 p.m. at the Leflore County Civic Center.

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Rams hit end of, WSSU can’t overcome Shepherd’s defense, injury to QB Johnson

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. — Winston-Salem State’s season ended Saturday on a cold and clear afternoon.

Sixth-ranked Shepherd scored one touchdown in the third quarter and made it stand up in a 7-0 victory in front of an overflow crowd of more than 6,000 at Ram Stadium. Shepherd (11-0) advances to the Division II quarterfinals and will be at home again next weekend against West Chester.

No. 9-ranked WSSU, the Division II runner-up last season, finishes 10-2 record after being shut out for the first time in Coach Connell Maynor’s four seasons and the first time since 2008.



"It was two great defenses, and both offenses struggled, but basically it came down to who was going to make the plays, and they made more plays than we did," Maynor said. "And they won a football game."

WSSU’s offense struggled more, especially after starting quarterback Rudy Johnson was injured on a first-quarter sack. He was replaced by junior DeShean Townsend, who was seeing the first extended playing time of his career.

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Chicago State Earns Near Wire-To-Wire Win Over Southern Illinois 88-84

CHICAGO, Illinois  --   Chicago State trailed for only 19 seconds in their 88-84 victory over Southern Illinois on Saturday (Nov. 30) afternoon at the Jones Convocation Center. The win is the first for the Cougars over Southern Illinois in school history. It's also the first win for Chicago State over a Missouri Valley Conference team since defeating Northern Iowa on Dec. 21, 2002.

Six Cougars finished in double-figures. Senior Quinton Pippen (Hamburg, Ark./Hamburg) was the high-scorer for the Cougars with 17 points thanks to five 3-pointers. Senior Nate Duhon (Lansing, Mich./Sexton) added 15 points on 7-of-8 free throws. Senior Corey Gray (Houston, Texas/Hightower) came off the bench to play 29 minutes. He added 15 points and recorded zero turnovers while handling the point for most of the game.

"When you look at the box score and see six guys in double-figures, that's the team we want to be," Chicago State head coach Tracy Dildy said. "That balanced scoring and winning the rebounding battle was huge today."



A 10-2 start by the Cougars helped put the Salukis on their heels right out of the gates. The Cougars built their lead to as many as 13 in the first half before SIU climbed back in the game. Two quick 3-pointers off the bench by SIU's Mike Balogun, who finished with 21 points, helped keep SIU in the game. Pippen nailed a deep 3-pointer in literally the final second of the first half to give the Cougars a 39-33 lead at the break after SIU cut their deficit to three points.

Senior Matt Ross (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) made a 3-pointer for the Cougars to open the scoring in the second half, but three Chicago State turnovers and a pair of missed 3-pointers followed to give SIU an opening to take the lead with 10 straight points. However SIU's 43-42 lead at the 16:54 mark would be their only advantage of the game. Junior Clarke Rosenberg (Skokie, Ill./Evanston Township) followed with a layup off a missed basket to put the Cougars up again. It was Rosenberg with a pair of free throws with 11:43 remaining to make it a 55-49 Chicago State lead. The Salukis tied the game at 57 nearly two minutes later on a 3-pointer by Balogun. The Cougars were able to balloon the lead to eight points at 75-67 with 4:05 remaining thanks to a 3-point play by senior Eddie Denard (Chicago, Ill./Foreman). SIU cut the deficit to a single possession (77-74) with 2:19 in the contest but that's as close as SIU would get. The Cougars made 9-of-10 free throws over the game's final three minutes to ice the contest.

"When they took the lead, we didn't panic, not even for a second," Dildy said. "We wouldn't have won this game last year. We rebuilt the lead and then made all of our free throws down the stretch."

The Cougars shot 15-of-17 in the second half at the free throw line after making just 5-of-12 attempts in the first half.

Balogun made 5-of-8 3-pointers for SIU on the day despite being just 1-of-11 on the season entering the game. Desmar Jackson led SIU with 22 points.

Rosenberg (13), Denard (11) and Ross (11) rounded out the six Cougars who finished in double-digits.

The Cougars won the rebounding battle 32-28 including an 11-6 advantage in offensive boards. The home team used that advantage to hold an 11-3 edge in second chance points.

SIU falls to 2-6. Chicago State is now 3-4. The Cougars will look to defeat another MVC team on Wednesday (Dec. 4) when Chicago State heads to Illinois State for a 7:05 p.m. CT tip. The game can be heard on WVON 1690 AM with Emil Williams Jr. on the call.

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COURTESY CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Late First Half Surge Pushes NCCU Lady Eagles to Third-Straight Win

SPARTANBURG, South  Carolina – A late first half surge pushed the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team past the Wofford College Terriers, giving the Lady Eagles their third-straight win, with a 53-44 road victory on Saturday, Nov. 30, in Spartanburg, S.C.

Senior Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.) led NCCU for the fifth time this season earning a game-high 16 points, on 4-of-12 shooting from the field, 2-of-4 from behind the arc and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line while also collected a season-best five steals.

Sophomore Tisha Dixon (Kinston, N.C.) earned her first double-figure rebounding outing of the season pulling down a season-best 10 boards in addition to junior Khyra Conerly's (Oakland, Calif.) second half, 13 point effort.

Wofford was led offensively by Logan Morris who collected 13 points for the Terriers.



WC's Morris opened up the contest with a made basket from three-point range before the Terriers went on a 10-4 run in the first four minutes of action.

Another three ball from Morris at the 13:40 mark gave Wofford its largest lead of the game as the Terriers led the Lady Eagles 13-5.

Two made free throws from rookie Alexus Hynes (Houston, Texas) ended NCCU's five minute scoring drought with 11:26 left in the first frame, pushing them to 10-2 run as a three from freshman Morgan Jones (Stockbrige, Ga.) tied the contest at 15.

The Lady Eagles took their first lead of the game at the 5:01 mark after Jones knocked down back-to-back shots from behind the arc.

After taking the lead, NCCU never trailed again, taking a 23-17 advantage into the locker room at the half.

Starting the second half the Lady Eagles pushed a 9-2 run rallied by Freeman and Conerly, as NCCU saw its biggest lead of 13 with 16:49 left in the game.

The Lady Eagles hit a slump late in the contest not scoring for nearly five minutes as Wofford battled back brining the game within three with 1:34 left on the game clock.

In the closing minute of the game Conerly and Freeman combined for a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line closing out the Lady Eagles nine-point, 53-44 victory over the Terriers.

As a team NCCU shot 16-of-54 from the field, 4-of-10 from behind the arc and 17-of-24 from the charity stripe while collecting 46 rebounds, 14 steals, six blocks and six assists.

The Lady Eagles continue road action in South Carolina on Monday, Dec. 2 as they take on the South Carolina Gamecocks at 7 p.m. in Columbia.  

Box Score

Written By Andrea Wheeler, Assistant Sports Information Director
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton Pirates Snap Skid With Win Over UAPB Golden Lions

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Hampton University men's basketball team snapped its five-game losing streak on Saturday, coming back to defeat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 72-65 at the American Bank Center on the second day of the Corpus Christi Challenge.

The Pirates improved to 3-5 on the season.

Senior forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) led the Pirates with 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting and an 8-for-12 effort from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Brian Darden (Hampton, Va.) added 17 points behind five 3-pointers.

Maxwell also had seven rebounds and three blocks.

Senior guard Ramon Mercado (Hollywood, Fla.) added 10 points off the bench. Sophomore guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Hampton jumped out to a 10-2 lead to open the game, taking that lead at the 17:08 mark after a trey from Darden – two of the Pirates' first three baskets of the game were 3-pointers from Darden – before APB scored eight of the next 12 points to cut the lead to 14-10 at the 14:20 mark.

Marcel Mosley tied the game at 15-15 with a jumper at the 11:06 mark, before the Pirates scored the next four points to take a 19-15 lead with 10:22 left in the half on a pair of free throws from redshirt-freshman guard Lawrence Cooks (Charlotte, N.C.).

APB answered with an 8-0 run to take a 23-19 lead with 7:34 left in the half on a fastbreak layup from Trent Whiting. Hampton cut the lead on the next possession on a trey from Mercado, but the Golden Lions went into the half up 37-32.

Darden had 14 points at the break.

APB scored the first six points of the second half, going up 43-32 on a trey from Tevin Hammond, before the Pirates went on a 15-6 run to cut the lead to 49-47 with 14:08 left on a Maxwell free throw. The Golden Lions scored the next seven points to take a 56-47 lead with 9:14 remaining.

The Pirates answered with an 11-0 run, taking a 58-56 lead with 5:27 left after Mercado hit two free throws. Darden added another 3-pointer with 5:02 remaining to put the Pirates up 61-57.

Davon Haynes cut Hampton's lead to 65-63 with 2:51 left with a free throw, but Hampton answered with a Maxwell layup, a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.), and a jumper from junior forward Emmanuel Okoroba (Garland, Texas) to take a 72-63 lead with 10 seconds to go.

The Pirates shot 46.0 percent (23-for-50) from the floor and made nine of their 24 3-pointers (37.5 percent) – as well as 17 of their 24 free throws (70.8 percent). Hampton also out-rebounded APB 36-26.

The Golden Lions (2-6) shot 44.7 percent (21-for-47) from the floor and made five of nine 3-pointers.

Daniel Broughton led four APB players in double figures with 16 points.

The Pirates will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 7, when they return to the HU Convocation Center to take on MEAC foe Florida A&M at 6 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Box Score

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern topples Grambling in 40th Bayou Classic

NEW ORLEANS  -- The Bayou Classic is usually the final statement of the football season for both Southern and Grambling.

But the 40th edition — a 40-17 Jaguars victory Saturday afternoon in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome — will have a longer-lasting meaning for both programs.

For the Jaguars, it’s a stepping stone on their way to the SWAC Championship Game next Saturday.
For the Tigers, it’s a reminder of the uncertainty surrounding the program in the wake of a disastrous season that came to a merciful end in front of a half-empty building.

Southern (8-4, 7-2) won its fourth consecutive game and second straight Bayou Classic as it prepares to play Jackson State in the SWAC title game in Houston.

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Trio of MVSU Devilettes garner double-doubles in win over EKU

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi -- Three Mississippi Valley State women's basketball players had career outings Saturday in the consolation game of the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic as the Devilettes upended Eastern Kentucky, 68-58, at Reed Coliseum.

Freshman Ashley Beals along with twins Joncyee and Jasmyne Sanders each had a double-double to lead the Devilettes (1-6) to its first win of the season. Four MVSU players scored in double figures.

Beals, a Canton native, led MVSU with 19 points and 15 rebounds while Jasmyne Sanders added 16 points and 11 rebounds. Joncyee Sanders chipped in 15 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.

The Devilettes made just 2-of-18 three-point attempts but shot 40 percent and beat the Lady Colonels in the rebounding category 58 to 37. Valley had 21 offensive rebounds.

DeRita Silas put up 13 points off the bench.

MVSU will be back in action next Saturday, Dec. 7, when they travel to face Ole Miss. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.    
Box Score

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Coastal Carolina rolls past Bethune-Cookman to open FCS football playoffs

CONWAY, South Carolina -- Coastal Carolina will travel from the beach to the tundra to face Montana in round two of the FCS playoffs after easily disposing of first-round opponent, Bethune-Cookman, 48-24 on Saturday.

CCU quarterback Alex Ross threw a career-high four touchdowns – two to Matt Hazel – to help lead No. 11-ranked CCU.

The Chanticleers set a program record with 11 wins, improving to 11-2, while the Wildcats drop to 10-3. Coastal Carolina will now travel west to face No. 8 seed and fourth-ranked Montana for the second round, Dec. 7 in Missoula, Mont.

The long range weather forecast for kickoff calls for sunny skies and a high of 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The forecast low is 1 degree Fahrenheit.

Washington-Grizzly Stadium is one of the largest stadiums within which the Chants will play, with a seating capacity of more than 26,000.

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Furman Rides Hollman To 30-20 NCAA First Round Playoff Win Over South Carolina State

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- Jairus Hollman returned a punt a school record 90 yards for a touchdown and later scored on a 34-yard interception return to power Furman past South Carolina State, 30-20, in NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) first round playoff action at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Furman (8-5), the Southern Conference's champion, league's automatic qualifier, and winner of five straight games, will travel to Fargo, North Dakota, to play top-ranked and two-time defending national champion North Dakota State next Saturday in a 3:30 ET game that will be televised by ESPN3.

Hollman, a sophomore nickel back and second team All-Southern Conference choice, got Furman on the board in the first quarter when he fielded a short punt at the Furman 9-yard line and sprinted up the field in front of the Paladin bench before cutting back to the middle of the field on the way to the end zone.

The return, which cut S.C. State's lead to 7-6, marked the longest punt return in Furman history, topping the previous standard of 88 yards by Vince Perone, Jr., vs. East Tennessee State in 1973.
The Atlanta, Ga., product, who was credited with a game high 11 tackles, including three for-loss, polished off his outstanding defensive performance in the third quarter with a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown that gave the Paladins a 27-13 lead.

His "pick-six" represented Furman's fourth of the campaign.



The Paladins used a 50-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Reese Hannon to Ryan Culbreath midway through the second quarter to take a 13-10 advantage, but S.C. tied the game with a Nick Belcher 23-yard field goal on the first series of the second half.

Furman responded on the ensuing possession, using a 53-yard run by running back Tanner Skogen to help cover 77 yards to the end zone. Quarterback Reese Hannon's 1-yard touchdown sneak on fourth down put the Paladins up, 20-13, following the conversion.

At that point Furman's defense — and Hollman — turned in the game deciding play when he stepped in front of pass by Bulldog quarterback Richard Cue, collecting it at the S.C. State 34 and racing untouched into the end zone for a 27-13 lead.

S.C. State pulled to within a score following a 4-yard touchdown pass from Adrian Kollock to Austin Smith with 13:22 remaining in the game, but the Paladins had the last say on the scoreboard, moving 48 yards in nine plays to set up a 32-yard Ray Early field goal that increased the advantage to 30-20.
Furman's defense forced punts on the Bulldogs' final two possessions, and the Paladins ran the clock out, taking a knee at the S.C. State 3-yard line to end the contest.

Skogen, a sophomore running back who entered the game with only 56 career rushing yards, stepped in for banged up junior Hank McCloud to run 13 times for a career high 116 yards, nearly all of it coming in the second half.  The Paladins registered 216 yards on the ground and finished with 283 total yards on just 47 snaps.

Furman's rushing success helped take the pressure off its passing game, which faced a South Carolina State defensive unit that entered — and exited — the contest with a nation leading 62 sacks.
South Carolina State posted 287 yards in total offense on 75 plays.

Carl Rider and Marcus McMorris joined Hollman in notching 11 tackles apiece, and Gary Wilkins finished with seven stops, including two for-loss, and a sack.

The victory was Furman's first playoff triumph since 2005 and improved the Paladins' all-time playoff record to 18-14.

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Box Score



COURTESY FURMAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Tennessee State Tigers Shutout Butler Bulldogs on the Road, 31-0

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – The No. 17 ranked Tennessee State football team won its first playoff game since 1986 with a, 31-0, victory at Butler on Saturday.

 

The TSU defense held the Bulldogs (9-4) to 257 yards of total offense, forced three turnovers and notched its first shutout since its, 31-0, victory over Southeast Missouri on Nov. 11, 2006.

 

Meanwhile, the TSU (10-3) offense gained 415 and quarterback Michael German completed 14-of-24 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Tim Broughton was the go-to-back on the ground, rushing for 80 yards on nine carries for an 8.2 average.

 

After a slow start to the game for both teams, German got TSU on the scoreboard first, as he found receiver Ryan Mitchell open in the middle of the field for a 25-yard touchdown with 1:38 remaining in the opening quarter. The pitch and catch capped off a 17-play, 82 yard drive in which German was 6-of-9 for 64 yards.

 

With the score, German passed James Wade for 6^th on the school’s all-time passing touchdown list. The redshirt junior now has 43 for his career.

 

After a Butler punt on the Bulldogs’ following possession, the Tiger offense put together another scoring drive that culminated in a 45-yard field goal by Jamin Godfrey. A 19-yard pass to Wesley Samuels and a 15 yarder to fellow tight end A.C. Leonard allowed TSU to jump ahead, 10-0, with 9:10 to go before halftime.

 

Butler had to punt again on its next series, but German fumbled the ball on a third-and-nine at the TSU 22 and the Bulldogs recovered. Butler’s following three plays netted the squad minus-seven yards and BU’s Jon Treloar missed his first field goal of the year, preserving the Tigers’ 10-point cushion.

 

Big Blue took advantage of its opponent’s miscue and marched 79 yards down in the field in seven plays for a TSU touchdown, one minute before halftime. On the scoring play, the Bulldogs rushed six defenders and German took three steps and fired the ball out to Samuels for 17 yards to take a 17-point lead. A 45-yard run by Broughton earlier in the series allowed the Tigers to get within striking distance.



De’Ante Saunders picked off Butler quarterback Matt Lancaster as the first half expired and Tennessee State went into the locker room up, 17-0.

 

TSU outgained BU, 256 to 97 in the first half and held the Bulldogs to just five first downs.

 

The Tigers fumbled the opening kickoff of the second stanza, but recovered. They were not as lucky two plays later when Leonard coughed up the ball following a 25-yard reception. BU’s Jeremy Stephens picked it up, ran down the sideline and was finally brought down at the TSU 20.

 

Again, Butler was unable to capitalize on the TSU turnover, and turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert a fourth-and-one.

 

Later in the quarter, Daniel Fitzpatrick recorded his FCS-leading seventh interception of the year and raced 26 yards for his third touchdown of the season. The pick-six put TSU in control, 24-0, with 10:35 left in the third.

 

Fitzpatrick is now tied with Brent Alexander and Roger Robinson for the second-most interceptions for a single season in school history.

 

Butler went for a fake punt on its next possession, but it failed, giving TSU great field position at the BU-42. Ronald Butler came in at quarterback, and engineered a four-play drive that ended with a 21-yard pass to Mitchell for another TSU touchdown.

 

The extra point that followed made the score 31-0 with 5:07 left in the third and also gave Godfrey his seventh point of the game. The senior is now Tennessee State’s all-time leader in career points with 307, passing Alfred Reese who played from 1969-72.

 

Fitzpatrick picked off another pass on Butler’s next offensive series, but TSU was unable to score, as Telvin Hooks fumbled at the BU 12 yard-line right when the third period expired.

 

Butler had one final chance at points with a 31-yard field goal attempt with 4:14 left in the game, but the kick went wide left, preserving the Tigers’ shutout and extending TSU’s season.

 

With the win, TSU notches its 10^th victory for only the 12^th time in school history.

 

With the victory, Tennessee State will travel to Charleston, Ill. on Dec. 7 for a re-match with the No. 2 ranked Panthers of Eastern Illinois. Kickoff for that contest is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.

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    TSU-BU Book

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COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: WSSU finally runs out of spare parts in 7-0 loss to Shepherd

SHEPHERDTOWN, West Virginia  --  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a better defense than what Winston-Salem State has put on the field over the last three seasons. I finally saw one better this afternoon in Shepherd, an aggressive bunch who aren’t very big but are very quick.

It’s tough to say how things would have turned out if quarterback Rudy Johnson wouldn’t have suffered a collarbone injury in the first quarter after he got sacked. Johnson never did come back into the game and it was up to the seldom-used DeShean Townsend to try and get WSSU on the board.
 To be fair, Townsend, who is 6-3 and 240 pounds, hadn’t been thrust into any meaningful game in his three seasons with the Rams. He’s been the consummate scout-team player and is one of the more vocal players on the team and has a great nickname – “The Big Show.”

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Coastal Carolina Downs Bethune-Cookman 48-24

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Photo Gallery  Watch Replay   Highlights  »

CONWAY, South Carolina  --  Alex Ross threw a career-high four touchdowns - two to Matt Hazel - and Walter Payton Award candidate Lorenzo Taliaferro added one on the ground to lead #11 Coastal Carolina to a 48-24 victory over #12 Bethune-Cookman in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship Saturday afternoon at Brooks Stadium.

The Chanticleers set a program record with 11 wins, improving to 11-2, while the Wildcats drop to 10-3. Coastal Carolina will now travel west to face #8 seed and fourth-ranked Montana for the second round, Dec. 7 in Missoula.

Defensively for CCU, Buck Buchanan Award candidate Quinn Backus led the Chanticleers with 15 tackles, including three for losses, while fellow linebacker Mike McClure had eight stops, three for losses, and a 59-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Sophomore Richie Sampson added nine tackles, including three for losses and two sacks, and forced the fumble McClure returned for a score.

Coastal got on the board first. Taliaferro converted two third downs and accounted for 37 of the 62 yards on five carries. Ross capped the drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Tyrell Blanks. Alex Catron added the point after for a 7-0 lead with 9:55 left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing Bethune-Cookman drive, Richie Sampson knocked the ball out of the hand of Wildcat quarterback Quentin Williams. Chanticleer linebacker Mike McClure grabbed the ball in midair and returned it 39 yards for his first career touchdown.

The Wildcats bounced back to get inside the CCU 25. The big play was Williams turning a busted play into a 23-yard gain. A penalty backed the Wildcats up on third down and they went for it on fourth-and-four. Williams once again made a play with his feet, escaping a near sack and getting to the CCU 12. However, the Chanticleer defense stiffened and Jonathan Cagle came on to make a 23-yard field goal cutting the B-CU deficit to 14-3 with 3:05 left in the opening frame.

The Chants responded by taking to the air, covering 82 yards in just seven plays. Ross hit DeMario Bennett for 12 yards, Niccolo Mastromatteo for 22 and capped the drive with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Hazel as CCU led 21-3 at the end of the first quarter.

To open the second quarter, Williams had a run of 10 yards then completed passes of 12 and 40 yards to Eddie Poole, the second getting the Wildcats down to the four. Two plays later, Williams found paydirt from four yards out to make the score 21-10.

After the teams traded punts, Coastal struck quick with a 50-yard Ross to Tyrell Blanks completion to the B-CU seven yard line. On third down, Taliaferro scored from eight yards out to give Coastal a 27-10 cushion.

Bethune-Cookman attempted to get on the board late in the second quarter, kicking a 33-yard field goal. Coastal blocked the kick, but was offside on the play. The Wildcats then spread the field with their field goal personnel on the field. The pass was complete, but Sampson tackled Jordan Murphy on the CCU three to force a turnover on downs.

The Chants pushed their advantage to 34-10 with 4:39 left in the third quarter with a pair of 23-yard completions. First, Ross hit Mastromatteo then John Israel to cap a four-play, 53-yard drive. On CCU's next drive, Ross hit Israel for 25 yards and the next play Hazel made a highlight-reel, one-hand catch for a 21-yard touchdown and 41-10 lead.

Bethune-Cookman scored and the two-point try with 8:29 left to make the score 41-18. The drive covered 14-plays and 84 yards and ended with Bethune-Cookman facing fourth-and four as Brodrick Waters hit Poole for a 16-yard touchdown pass.

The Wildcats forced a three-and-out and only need two plays to make the score 41-24. Waters found Cary White down the right sideline for a 32-yard gain then he scrambled and scored from 27-yards out.

With just over five minutes to play, Bethune-Cookman  tried an on-side side, which Taliaferro recovered on the B-CU 46. On the Chants' first play from scrimmage, Travis Small had a 29-yard run to the 17, marking his second-longest run of his career. On the next play, he finished the drive with a 17-yard touchdown run, his fourth of the season.

Coastal, hosting its second playoff game, wins its first home playoff game - falling 17-10 to Western Illinois in 2010 at home.  Coastal, who is making its fourth NCAA playoff appearance (2006, 2010, 2012 and 2013), wins its second playoff game, defeating Bethune-Cookman, 24-14, last season in Daytona Beach, Fla. Also, Coastal improves t o 7-0 at home this season, tying the CCU record as the 2004 Chanticleers (the second year of CCU football) also went 7-0 in Brooks Stadium.



COURTESY COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

WSSU falls in D-II playoffs

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Allen Cross scored the only touchdown on a 29-yard run in the third quarter, and Shepherd held on for a 7-0 win against Winston-Salem State on Saturday in the second round of the Division II football playoffs.

Shepherd, seeded No. 1 in Super Region I, improved to 11-0 and advanced to play the West Chester-Bloomsburg winner. WSSU, the national runner-up last season, finished 10-2 and had a 10-game winning streak snapped.

PHOTO GALLERY: Shepherd 7, WSSU 0

  

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Week 14: HBCU Football Scorecard

90th Turkey Day Classic, Thursday, November 28, 2013
Alabama State 41, Stillman 28  Highlights  »  

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(8-4, 7-2 SWAC), (6-4, 4-3 SIAC) 

Saturday, November 30, 2013

NCAA Division II Championship Playoffs, 2nd Round

Shepherd Rams 7, Winston-Salem State Rams 0 
(11-0, 9-0 MEC),  (10-2, 7-0 CIAA)

NCAA Division I FCS Championship Playoffs,  1st. Round

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 48, Bethune-Cookman 24  Highlights  »  
(11-2, 4-1 Big South), (10-3,7-1 MEAC)

Furman Paladins 30, South Carolina State Bulldogs 20   Watch Replay 
(8-5, 6-2 Southern),  (9-4, 7-1 MEAC)

Tennessee State Tigers 31, Butler Bulldogs 0    Highlights  » 

 

(10-3, 6-2 OVC)                 (9-4, 7-1 Pioneer)

The 40th Annual Bayou Classic, New Orleans
Southern Jaguars 40,  Grambling State 17 
(8-4, 7-2 SWAC)          (1-11, 1-8 SWAC)

Career Days Lead Hampton Lady Pirates Past Utah State

NORTHRIDGE, California –  Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas and senior forward Alyssa Bennett each had career days on Friday, as the Hampton University women's basketball team outlasted Utah State 98-88 in the Matadome to open the Cal State Northridge Radisson Hotel Chatsworth Thanksgiving Classic.
Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) poured in a career-high 36 points on 12-for-25 shooting (and 6-for-11 from distance), while Bennett (Hampton, Va.) set career highs in points (26) and rebounds (17) in recording her third double-double of the season.

Senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) added 14 points and 12 assists.

The Lady Pirates (4-2) handed Utah State its first loss of the season. Tate-DeFreitas is the first Lady Pirate to score 30 points or more in a game since Keiara Avant netted 32 at Morgan State last season.

She also set career highs in field goals made, field goals attempted, and 3-pointers made.

Hampton led 6-3 after a Tate-DeFreitas trey – Hampton's first two baskets were 3-pointers from Tate-DeFreitas – at the 18:37 mark, but Utah State battled back to take a 15-11 lead on a 3-pointer from Stephanie Bairstow.

Lynette Johnson put the Aggies up 20-16 at the 13:58 mark with a layup, but the Lady Pirates answered with a 7-0 run to take a 23-20 lead with 11:50 left in the half following a layup from sophomore guard Ryan Jordan (Manassas, Va.).

Utah State clawed back, taking a 32-30 lead at the 7:25 mark on a layup from Franny Vaaulu, but Hampton responded with a 16-4 run, taking a 46-36 lead with 3:33 left in the half on a layup from Hamilton.

The Lady Pirates went into the half with a 51-42 lead – marking the first time since 2009 they had scored 50 points or more in the opening 20 minutes of a game.

Tate-DeFreitas had 20 points at the break.

Hampton scored the first four points of the second half, taking a 55-42 lead at the 19:10 mark of the second half on a Bennett layup. An 11-3 Utah State run cut that lead to 58-53 with 17:11 left to play, before Hampton went on an 11-2 run to take a 69-55 lead on a trey from Tate-DeFreitas with 14:16 to play.

Bennett gave Hampton its largest lead of the game with 11:53 to play, when she converted a layup to put the Lady Pirates up 76-57.

The Lady Pirates led by double digits for much of the second half, though the Aggies cut the lead to 91-82 with 1:52 left to play after a 3-pointer from Vaaulu. Hampton answered by making three of its next four free throws, as Utah State started fouling, to take a 94-82 lead with 1:04 remaining.

Another Vaaulu trey cut Hampton's lead to 96-87 with 49 seconds left, but Tate-DeFreitas hit a pair of free throws with 46 seconds left to put the game away.

Utah State missed its three field goal attempts in the final 34 seconds.

The Lady Pirates shot 46.7 percent (35-for-75) from the floor and made 11 of their 25 3-pointers (44.0 percent). Hampton also held a 50-40 edge on the glass, while also scoring 27 points off of 16 Utah State turnovers.

Hampton's 98 points were the most scored in a game in the David Six era.

Utah State (4-1) shot 43.8 percent (32-for-73) from the floor and made 12 of its 29 3-pointers (41.4 percent). Vaaulu led four Aggies in double figures with 27 points.

The Lady Pirates will play for the CSUN Thanksgiving Classic title on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. EST, taking on either Santa Clara or Cal State Northridge. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Box Score

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

EKU Women's Basketball Falls to Florida A&M, 64-58

SOUTHERN MISS THANKSGIVING TOURNAMENT AT HATTIESBURG, MS

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi  –  The Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team fell to Florida A&M, 64-58, in its opening game of the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Tournament on Friday night at Reed Green Coliseum.

EKU (3-4) led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but FAMU (5-1) went on 15-0 run and took the lead, 55-54, when Taneka Rubin hit a layup with 6:29 remaining in the game.

The Lady Colonels trailed by only one point, 57-56, and had a chance to retake the lead with 1:20 on the clock, but sophomore Shelly Harper failed to convert a layup under the basket.

FAMU's Jasmine Grice sank six free throws in the final minute of play to seal the win for the Lady Rattlers.

Harper finished with a career-high 16 points in the loss, three of which came on her first-career three-pointer in the first half. Senior Marie Carpenter also scored 16 points, sinking 4-of-11 from behind the arc.

Two Lady Colonels, sophomore Miranda Maples and freshman Nicole Bowers, grabbed 10 boards each and led EKU to a 46-39 rebounding advantage over FAMU.

EKU shot just 22.2 percent (8-of-36) from the field in the second half compared to 50 percent (14-of-28) in the first half.

Grice led all players in the game with 25 points.

FAMU led for most of the first half and held a 25-20 advantage with 5:44 on the clock. However, a three-pointer by Carpenter from the top of the key sparked the EKU offense as the Lady Colonels ended the half on a 16-6 run. A jumper in the lane by Carpenter with four seconds on the clock sent EKU into the locker room at halftime up by five, 36-31.

EKU continued to push the tempo in the first eight minutes of the second half, as Carpenter knocked down two more three-pointers and freshman Mariah Massengill connected on a triple of her own to give the Lady Colonels their largest lead of the game, 54-42, with 12:04 remaining.

The Lady Rattlers, however, exploded on a 15-0 run at that point and never trailed again.

EKU will play Mississippi Valley State in the tournament's consolation game on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

COURTESY EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS