Alabama A&M AD Bryan Hicks: Decision to fire Jones in 'best interest of where we want to go'

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama  -- With an eye to the future, Alabama A&M director of athletics Bryan Hicks made a decision that he said was in "our best interest" in choosing not to renew the contract of head football coach Anthony Jones.

"After looking over the program as a whole I made the decision that we just wanted to go in a different direction with the program," Hicks said Monday morning in an exclusive 17-minute interview with The Alabama Media Group/The Huntsville Times. "I looked at everything. I looked at everything. And after looking at everything, our best interest to where we want to go in the future would be going ahead and making a change in direction."

Jones was informed Sunday of the decision and it was announced to local media via an email press release.

Jones, 53, coached at Alabama A&M for 12 years, with a record of 83-57. The Bulldogs had only three losing seasons in that ...

CONTINUE READING

Tennessee State Tennis Signs Local Product

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee State tennis coach Robert Cain announced the signing of Grant Maddox to a National Letter of Intent. Maddox is completing his senior year at Greenbrier High School where he has played for Coach Blaise Miranda.

 

“Grant is in an awesome situation being he has a year to work on his game prior to putting on a TSU uniform,” Cain said. “Upon his arrival, there will be no expectations placed on him because of the make-up of our team. His responsibility will be to get to know our system and working on his game. He is a very hard working young man with a huge upside to his game.”

Maddox led GHS to a 2013 District Championship. The local product has amassed a 60-9 record including undefeated seasons in his sophomore and junior seasons. In doubles action, Maddox claimed district and regional championships in 2012. He also earned an individual District championship in 2013.

Maddox has won numerous individual tournaments as he has totaled a 40-15 record in the USTA 16’s and 18’s divisions. He has increased his skills over the last year as he has worked with private instructors including Cain and Wilson Webb. Maddox played basketball at GHS and is a member of the National Honor Society, BETA Club and Future Business Leaders of America. He intends to major in Business Administration at TSU.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Jackson State can't rely on luck again against Southern

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- It was an unforgettable play for Jackson State.

And a play Southern would soon like to forget.

With about a minute left, Southern quarterback Dray Joseph had Bradley Coleman open in the end zone. But the receiver dropped the potential game-winning touchdown.

JSU won the Sept. 28 matchup, barely, 19-14. But in Saturday’s Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game, the Tigers (7-3, 8-1 SWAC) won’t rely on luck.

“We dodged a bullet in the first game,” coach Rick Comegy said. “That doesn’t happen often with that team now. I think they’re playing with a lot of confidence and a lot of grit.”

CONTINUE READING 

#2 Eastern Illinois Hosts Tennessee State in FCS Playoffs

EIU Game Notes  |  TSU Game Notes  |  Listen Live  |  Watch Live  |  Live Stats  |

No. 2 Eastern Illinois Hosts No. 17 Tennessee State
EIU Opens Playoffs At Home For First Time Since 2006

No. 2  Eastern Illinois vs. No. 17 Tennessee State
O'Brien Field (10,000)   •   Charleston, Illinois
Dec. 7, 2013   •  1 p.m.   •   TV: ESPN3



The Game
Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State will meet for the second time this season as EIU enters the FCS playoffs as the No. 2 overall national seed.  The Panthers were 11-1 during the regular season and posted an 8-0 OVC record.

EIU features OVC Offensive Player of the Year Jimmy Garoppolo who is a finalist for the 2013 Walter Payton Award.  He is joined by senior wide receiver Erik Lora who is also a finalist for the Payton Award.  Lora was the OVC Offensive Player of the Year in 2012 after setting an FCS single season record with 136 receptions.

This will mark the third time in school history that EIU has faced a team in the FCS playoffs that the Panthers previously played during the regular season.  In 1983 EIU played Indiana State in the regular season and lost to the Sycamores in the first round of the playoffs.  In 2006 EIU played Illinois State in the regular season and lost to the Redbirds in the first round of the playoffs.

Tennessee State enters the game having beaten Butler, 31-0, in the FCS playoff first round.  It was the first playoff win by an Ohio Valley Conference school since 2000.

THE SERIES
This will be the 17th meeting between Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State.  EIU holds a slight 9-7 all-time series advantage.  EIU won the regular season meeting between the two schools on Oct. 26 in Nashville, 34-16.  In that game EIU jumped out to a 28-7 lead as Jimmy Garoppolo passed for 410 yards and four touchdowns.  The two schools have previously met in the FCS playoffs.  TSU beat EIU 20-19 in the 1982 FCS Quarterfinals as the Panthers missed a 46-yard field goal with 55 seconds remaining.  TSU later forfeited the contest due to use of an ineligible player.

• Jimmy Garoppolo capped his regular season campaign for the Walter Payton Award with a 477 yard, six touchdown passing day at UT Martin.  It was the fourth highest single passing total in school history and Garoppolo's second best (480 vs. Illinois State).  Garoppolo had the fourth best total offense game in school history with 476 yards.

• Jimmy Garoppolo finished the regular season with 4,489 passing yards and 48 touchdowns as he won Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors.  Garoppolo's totals are the highest among all NCAA Division I players (FBS and FCS).  He is fifth on the all-time FCS single season passing yards list and third on the all-time FCS single season touchdown passes list.

• Without three starters in the line-up Eastern Illinois offense responded with 704 yards of total offense, the second highest total in school history.  EIU scored 70 points, the second highest total in school history with ten touchdowns and one field goal.

• Adam Drake and Jeff LePak combined for the highest total of receiving yards by a pair of EIU receivers in school history.  Drake had 225 yards receiving while LePak had 196 yards receiving as they combined for 421 yards.  Both receivers caught three touchdowns in the win over UT Martin.

• Adam Drake stepped into the role of primary receiver against UT Martin finishing with 14 catches for 225 yards and three first quarter touchdown catches.  The 14 catches tied for the fifth highest single game total in school history.  The 225 yards was the fourth highest total in school history.

• With his big receiving day Adam Drake moved in to the EIU single season top ten in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions.  Drake is fifth on the receiving yards list with 1,145 yards, fourth on the receptions list with 75 and sixth in touchdown receptions with 12.

• Shepard Little had his sixth 100-yard rushing day of the season and third straight at UT Martin as the sophomore won the regular season OVC rushing title with 1,309 yards.  Little earned first team All-OVC honors as his total is eighth on the EIU single season rushing list.

• Shepard Little found the end zone for the seventh straight game with a rushing touchdown at UT Martin as Little finished with 13 rushing touchdowns.  He has two punt returns for touchdown and two touchdown receptions this year to rank fourth on the EIU single season touchdowns scored list with 17.

• Eastern Illinois offensive line was rewarded for its stellar play this season as the Panthers had two players earn first team All-OVC honors in Collin Seibert and Dominic Pagliara.  Center Nick Borre was a second team All-OVC selection and redshirt freshman Jimmy Lowery was on the All-Newcomer team.  EIU ranks third in the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed this season with only 46 TFL allowed.  EIU has allowed just 16 sacks.

• With points in all four quarters of the win over UT Martin, Eastern Illinois has now scored points in 28 consecutive quarters.  The last time EIU did not score in a quarter was the fourth quarter of the 42-7 win over Eastern Kentucky.  EIU did not trail in an OVC game this season as the Panthers posted an 8-0 record.

• Eastern Illinois has had a quick strike, big play offense throughout the season.  EIU has 13 scoring drives this season with touchdowns of 40 yards or more that have taken less than one minute.  EIU's longest scoring play of the season was an 86-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo to Keiondre Gober.  The quickest scoring drive with a touchdown over 40 yards this season was seven seconds when Garoppolo connected with Gober for a 62-yard touchdown pass.

• Eastern Illinois defense forced five turnovers against UT Martin as the Panthers ended the regular season with 32 turnovers which ranks EIU fifth in the FCS in turnovers gained.  EIU has 14 interceptions and 18 fumble recoveries this season.  Jourdan Wickliffe and Alex McNulty are tied for the team lead with three interceptions each.  Pat Wertz has four fumble recoveries.

• While Eastern Illinois offense has taken most of the headlines this season with its 48.8 points first in the nation scoring average, the Panthers defense has been the underlying story line.  EIU is now 20th in scoring defense allowing just 21.7 points per game.  EIU's total defense is second in the conference games only allowing 303.2 yards per game.  During OVC action this year EIU has allowed only one 100-yard rusher and no 300-yard passers in eight games.

• Eastern Illinois has been balanced on defense this season and early leads by the offense have allowed a large number of players to play in games.  EIU has 18 different players with 20 or more tackles this season including 13 players with 3 or more tackles for loss this year.  Jourdan Wickliffe is 7th in the OVC in tackles with 83.  Robert Haynes is the only other EIU player in the OVC top twenty with 66 tackles good for 19th.

• Sophomore Dino Fanti ranks second in the OVC in tackles for loss this season as he leads the Panthers with 13.5.  Fanti needs a half tackle for loss to break into the EIU single season top ten for tackles for loss.  Fanti had 1.5 tackles for loss at UT Martin.

• Eastern Illinois features a diverse group of linebackers with six players all making starts in the rotation this season.  Robert Haynes was a second team All-OVC selection this year and he leads the corps with 66 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss.  Adam Gristick is fourth on the Panthers team with 52 tackles and senior Antonio Taylor is fifth with 49 tackles.  LeQuince McCall, Alex Helms and Kamu Grugier-Hill rank seventh through ninth on the EIU team in tackles.  All six have 40 or more tackles this year.

• Senior Alex McNulty picked off his third pass of the season at UT Martin as he had interceptions to book end the regular season.   McNulty was the FCS National Defensive Player of the Week in week one after EIU beat San Diego State.  McNulty had two interceptions in that win.  The senior has started at both safety and corner this year and is sixth on the team with 47 tackles.

• Eastern Illinois became just the fourth Ohio Valley Conference school to win 11 games in a regular season as the Panthers finished with an 11-1 record.  EIU joins Tennessee State (1999), Murray State (1995) and Middle Tennessee (1985) as the four schools to accomplish that feat.  The record for wins in a season by an OVC school is 13 by Eastern Kentucky in 1982.

• Eastern Illinois set its own school record for wins in a regular season with its 11th win at UT Martin.  The Panthers previously had won ten games in a regular season on four occasions in 1978, 1982, 1986 and 1995.   The record for total wins in a season is 12 by the 1978 NCAA Division II National Championship team.

• Eastern Illinois enters the playoffs with the nation's second longest active home win streak at 10 games.  EIU trails only North Dakota State in that category as the Bison have won 11 straight home games.  NDSU is the number one seed in this year's FCS Playoff field and hosts Furman on Saturday.

• When EIU and TSU meet on Saturday it will mark the third time that OVC teams have met in the FCS playoffs.  Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee met in 1984 & 1991.

OUT OF THE GATES EARLY

Eastern Illinois has put away most of its Ohio Valley Conference opponents in the first half this season as the Panthers have outscored conference foes 273 to 46 in the opening 30 minutes this season.  That is an average of  34.1 to 5.7 points at the half.  Against Jacksonville State, EIU scored 35 points in the first quarter to set a school record for points in a quarter, breaking the previous mark of 30.  In the final regular season game, EIU led UT Martin 47-9 at the half.  EIU's defense has also pitched three first half shutouts in OVC play.

EASTERN ILLINOIS TO HOST 9TH PLAYOFF GAME
Eastern Illinois will be hosting its ninth playoff game when the Panthers take the field against Tennessee State on Saturday.  EIU is currently 4-4 all-time in home playoff games with the last win for EIU coming on Nov. 29, 1986 against Murray State.  The Panthers would lose the following week to Eastern Kentucky on a two-point conversion and are on a four-game home playoff losing streak.

PANTHERS RANKED IN TOP FIVE IN FCS

Eastern Illinois remained at number two in both FCS polls this week.  This is the fifth season that EIU has been ranked in the top five in the nation since the Panthers joined the FCS ranks in 1981.  This matches EIU's highest national ranking set in November of 2002.  EIU is 12-2 in regular season games as a top five ranked team, one of the losses coming to open the 2002 season at Hawai'i with EIU ranked No. 4.  The ranking is the highest for an OVC school since Jacksonville State was ranked No. 2 in October of 2010.

EASTERN ILLINOIS HEAD COACH DINO BABERS
Dino Babers made an immediate impact on the Eastern Illinois program taking the Panthers from last in the OVC in 2011 to first in the conference in 2012 during his first season as head coach. Babers was a former assistant on EIU head coach Bob Spoo's first staff in 1987 and returned to EIU as the head coach in December of 2011. He was named the OVC Coach of the Year in 2012 and finished third in voting for the Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year Award. In 2013 Babers was again named the OVC Coach of the Year and is currently a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award.  Babers record at EIU is 18-6, including a 14-1 record in the OVC. He is a 1984 graduate of the University of Hawai'i.

TENNESSEE STATE HEAD COACH ROD REED
Rod Reed took over as head coach of his alma mater in 2010 and has the program once again competing in the top half of the Ohio Valley Conference.  He has posted a 25-20 mark in four years emphasizing a hard hitting defensive approach.  Reed played at TSU in the 1980's earning his degree in 1989.  As a player he set the school record for tackles and was part of TSU's 1986 NCAA I-AA playoff team.  He was the defensive coordinator and associate head coach in 2009 for the program before taking over as head coach following that season.

SCOUTING TENNESSEE STATE
Tennessee State features one of the best defenses in the country led by OVC Defensive Player of the Year Anthony Bass.  Bass leads the OVC in sacks with ten while TSU is 20th in the FCS in sacks per game this season.  The secondary is ranked 4th in the nation with 20 interceptions led by Daniel Fitzpatrick with eight.  On offense quarterback Michael German has returned and led the team to a 31-0 victory at Butler on Saturday.  Tim Broughton has rushed for over 1,000 yards this season with five rushing touchdowns.

ON THIS DATE IN EIU HISTORY
Eastern Illinois has never competed in a game on December 7 in the history of the football program.  Twice before the Panthers have played a contest on Dec. 6.  In 1980 the Panthers beat North Alabama 56-31 as Kevin Staple ran for 120 yards and two scores in the NCAA Division II national semifinal.  In 1986, EIU lost in the FCS quarterfinals to Eastern Kentucky, 24-22, as Sean Payton threw for 394 yards.  EKU broke up a two-point conversion with 27 seconds remaining to preserve the win. 

COURTESY EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

    

Scott Rabalais: As Southern keeps rising, Grambling’s still stumbling

NEW ORLEANS --  Southern players swarmed the Mercedes-Benz Superdome field, kissed the Bayou Classic trophy, then raised a sign.

“See you in Houston!” it read, site of next Saturday’s Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game.

The Jaguars were already on their way. A side trip to the Bayou Classic to send archrival Grambling back to North Louisiana with a 40-17 smackdown was just a delightful diversion.

The win was also confirmation for Southern — confirmation of how far the Jaguars have come since the 2012 season began in such disarray and how much disparity there currently is between these two programs.

It would have been almost impossible to predict Southern would be playing for a SWAC championship in September 2012. The school jettisoned coach Stump Mitchell, a man with deep NFL roots who clearly knew football but just as clearly couldn’t figure out how to communicate that knowledge to his players.



CONTINUE READING

Southern seeks basketball identity

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- The Southern men’s basketball team plays for the first time in eight days when it visits the University of Denver at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The longest break between games this season gave coach Roman Banks his best opportunity yet to sort out roles for a 2-5 team that is a work in progress. The Jaguars hadn’t had more than three days between games since the start of the season.

“We’re still searching for our identity and team leadership,” Banks said.

“I just have to believe that as time goes on, we’ll find the right chemistry. We’re going to stick with it and mold it, and this team has a chance down the line.”

The Jaguars won their last game, defeating NAIA member Blue Mountain College 76-59 on Nov. 25.

CONTINUE READING

Southern turns its focus to well-rested Jackson State

WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Southern began practicing Monday for its Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship game against Jackson State.

The Tigers, though, have been preparing for the Jaguars for the past two weeks after concluding their regular season with a 48-33 loss Nov. 16 at Alcorn State.

The teams, who have known they would oppose each other since Nov. 9, will meet at 1 p.m. Saturday at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

“We’ve been practicing, trying to stay sharp,” Jackson State coach Rick Comegy said during a conference call Monday. “Sometimes when you have a long layoff, you tend to get rusty and lose your sharpness. We’ve been working a little bit every day, doing a lot of work on our technique and running our base stuff. We’ve watched some film on our opponent, and we’ve been reviewing what we did in (preseason camp) so we don’t have a lot of mistakes. We want to be as mistake-free as possible.”

CONTINUE READING

Ram Ramblings: A final look at long football season with a long blog post

SHEPHERDSTOWN, West Virginia
 – There were plenty of things to think about on our long drive back to Winston-Salem early Sunday morning.

Journal photographer Andrew Dye and I made our way back to Winston-Salem and despite the constant parade of cops who were nabbing drivers for speeding we never got pulled over. I guess when it’s the last day of the Thanksgiving holiday and folks are trying to get home its like fish in a barrel when looking to give out speeding tickets.
One of the things that Andrew and I discussed was the time of possession that Shepherd enjoyed in the 7-0 win over Winston-Salem State on Saturday afternoon. To control the clock for nearly 49 minutes of a 60-minute game is as one-sided as it gets.

That goes to show you just how good WSSU’s defense was in allowing one touchdown. It helped that Shepherd missed two field goal attempts but it was obvious if WSSU was going to win on Saturday it needed its defense to score.

CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING

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.



CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING

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.

 HTML Box Score 

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.

CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING