Gold Nuggets' Reuther, Kirk receive postseason honors

Moira Kirk

Taylor Reuther

NEW ORLEANS — Two from Xavier University of Louisiana's women's volleyball program received postseason honors Monday. Outside hitter Taylor Reuther earned honorable mention on the Tachikara-NAIA All-America team and made the American Volleyball Coaches Association's All-MidSouth Region team. Middle blocker Moira Kirk received All-MidSouth Region honorable mention.

Reuther, a junior from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School, led Xavier in kills (395), aces (39), digs (403) and double-doubles (18) for the third consecutive season. She became the first to reach 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in an XU career.

Kirk, a junior from Dallas and a graduate of Bishop Lynch High School, produced 311 kills and led the Gold Nuggets in hitting percentage (.347) and blocks (87) for the third consecutive year. Kirk hit .436 during the Nuggets' school-record 20-match win streak.

Reuther and Kirk were honorable-mention all-region as freshmen.

Xavier was 26-8 in 2013, winning Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships for the third consecutive year and qualifying for a third straight NAIA National Championship. The Gold Nuggets set a school record for season victories and extended their winning streak against GCAC opponents to 43.


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

NSU Spartans offensive coordinator will not return

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Norfolk State offensive coordinator and receivers coach Howard Feggins will not be retained for next season, head coach Pete Adrian said Tuesday.

Feggins, a former NFL defensive back, spent three seasons on Adrian's staff. He was promoted from receivers coach to a dual role in 2012 before being let go last week.

Adrian, who called the offensive plays and coached the quarterbacks in 2013, declined to discuss the specifics of Feggins' departure.

The Spartans went 3-9 overall and 3-5 in the MEAC this season and were last in the 11-team league with 14.0 points per game. They averaged 271.7 yards of total offense and 148.9 passing yards per game, both ninth. With 122.8 yards per game, NSU was seventh in rushing offense.

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NSU captain out for season with torn ACL, meniscus

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- The news on Norfolk State guard Jordan Weathers' right knee was as bad as first-year coach Robert Jones feared.

Weathers, a scrappy senior captain and sixth man, will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL and a torn meniscus, Jones confirmed Monday after receiving MRI results.

The injury leaves the Spartans (7-3, 2-0 MEAC) without what Jones called the team's "glue," even if Weathers' 4.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game might not seem significant.

"He was one of our best captains, really, keeping guys together and making sure everybody's doing the right thing," Jones said. "We're going to lose that."

Weathers, a 6-foot-5 Los Angeles native, suffered the injury with 8:10 remaining in NSU's 91-87 MEAC-opening win over Florida A&M on Thursday. He landed awkwardly after driving to the basket in transition.

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Carnegie Corporation Honors Spelman President Beverly Daniel Tatum as Higher Education Innovator with 2013 Academic Leadership Award

First HBCU President and Georgia higher education leader to earn the prestigious prize

ATLANTA, Georgia  -- Carnegie Corporation of New York today announced that Spelman College President Beverly Daniel Tatum is one of four recipients nationally of its 2013 Academic Leadership Award.  The other winners are Richard H. Brodhead, President, Duke University; Michael M. Crow, President, Arizona State University; and John L. Hennessy, President, Stanford University.

Each winner is being recognized as an exceptional president of a U.S. college or university.  The award is in the form of a $500,000 grant to be used in support of each honoree’s academic initiatives. 

President Tatum is the first president in the State of Georgia and the first at an historically black college or university to win the award.

“It is a tremendous honor to receive this recognition.  I am grateful to work with colleagues who believe in the transformative power of education, and who understand the opportunities we provide are not for our students alone, but for the communities they will influence when they leave our gates. I am thrilled to receive this award and use it in the service of our mission,” said President Tatum.

The Academic Leadership Award, established in 2005, builds on Carnegie Corporation’s long tradition of developing and recognizing leadership in higher education. The award honors university presidents who are not only resourceful administrators and managers, but also have a keen interest in the liberal arts and a commitment to excellence and equity, curricular innovation, reform of K-12 education, international engagement, and the promotion of strong links between their institutions and their local communities.

“At a time when we all recognize that education is crucial to the future of our society, economy, and democracy, the quality of the leadership of higher education institutions is of paramount importance,” said Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation of New York. “I’m very proud that Carnegie Corporation, since 2005, has singled out 16 exemplary college and university presidents in the United States.”

Since being named President of Spelman College in 2002, Dr. Tatum has proven that, with vision and commitment, access and excellence in higher education do not have to be mutually exclusive. The college is known for admitting—and graduating a large percentage of low-income, first generation students. During her tenure, the percent of students qualifying for federal Pell Grants has risen from some 30 percent to over 50 percent, about 87 percent of all students receive some form of financial aid, and scholarship support has tripled.  Further, The Carnegie Corporation noted that President Tatum has:

*Championed women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math); almost a third of Spelman students earn degrees in those fields, defying what President Tatum calls “the low expectations for women and minorities in science.” The National Science Foundation reports that between 1997 and 2006, Spelman prepared more African American women to earn Ph.D.s in STEM than Georgia Tech, Duke, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill combined.

*Cultivated community service; each year, Spelman students contribute a total of more than 40,000 hours of service to their community through programs such as Project Impact.  Students volunteer within a designated 1.7 mile area surrounding the campus with activities that focus on education, economic development, health, and environmental sustainability in partnership with some 40 community organizations, including 15 schools and education programs.

*Dropped intercollegiate sports in favor of a focus on student health. Concerned over the fact that an alarming proportion of young black women are prone to having serious health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes, she invested the money saved by eliminating team sports in favor of fitness and intramural programs that emphasize activities that career women are likely to maintain for a lifetime, such as tennis, golf, and yoga. Read Hall, the college’s gymnasium built in the 1950s, is being renovated to serve as a state-of-the-art fitness facility.

The Corporation solicits nominations from previous winners, as well as from the leaders of national organizations representing higher education. The nominations are carefully reviewed, with particular scrutiny given to a candidate’s long-term record of accomplishment and innovation.

About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was created by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 “to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding.” In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation’s work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

About Spelman College
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a highly selective, liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, Ga., the college’s picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Outstanding alumnae include Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman; Sam’s Club CEO Rosalind Brewer; former acting Surgeon General and Spelman’s first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley; Georgia State Representative and House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, former Harvard College Dean Evelynn Hammonds; author Pearl Cleage; and actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.

Bennett College closing dorm to save money

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  — Another casualty of Bennett College’s financial woes: a dorm.

The college said late Friday it will close one of its five residence halls to save money.

The college said Nov. 22 it was laying off nine of roughly 200 employees to help close a budget gap of about $2.9 million.

 

The college says the budget shortfall is the result of a decline in enrollment. A college spokeswoman said Bennett based its annual budget on enrollment of 668 students. Only 613 students enrolled this fall.

 

The college had 663 students last fall.

 

“As a result of the enrollment decline, the administration created a financial plan to address the budget shortfall,” college spokeswoman Wanda Mobley wrote in an email. "Pfeiffer Residence Hall will close as one of the cost-saving measures in the plan."

 

Pfeiffer was built in 1924 and is ...

 

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The Whitest Historically Black College In America

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia  -- It opened in the late 19th century as the Bluefield Colored Institute, created to educate the children of black coal miners in segregated West Virginia. Although it still receives the federal funding that comes with its designation as a historically black institution, today Bluefield State College is 90 percent white. The road that separates those realities is as rocky as any story of racial transition in post-World War II America.

We went to the campus of Bluefield State to see what campus life was like at this unusual college.

The very first student we met, Antonio Bolden, or Tony as he introduced himself, looked like any other student you might see at a historically black college or university (HBCU). He's a laid-back 19-year-old, stocky with shoulder-length dreadlocks and green eyes. But at Bluefield State, Tony is an outlier for several reasons. He's a teenager; the average age of his classmates is 27. He started college right after high school; many of his classmates are working full-time jobs, raising children, or both. And of course, he's black, whereas the student body is only historically so.

Tony came to Bluefield State to play baseball, hoping to win the starting spot on third base. But he was surprised by what he found when he got to campus. "My first thought was: There are a lot of white people," he said.

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Monday morning rewind: Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  The Southern coaching staff returns to the recruiting trail beginning Monday. The Southwestern Athletic Conference champions can tout their success this season as a perk to high school players. The Jaguars (9-4 and 8-2 against SWAC competition) won their first conference title in 10 years when they defeated Jackson State 34-27 in double overtime in the league’s title game Saturday at Reliant Stadium in Houston. The victory avenged a 19-14 loss against the Tigers on Sept. 28 in A.W. Mumford Stadium.

LOOKING BACK
The Jaguars put together a clutch, all-around performance to beat JSU. Senior QB Dray Joseph threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns. Two of the scoring passes went to Willie Quinn, who finished with seven catches for 142 yards. The first touchdown came on a 34-yard pass to Quinn and gave Joseph the Southern record for career touchdown passes. He finished with 73. Joseph added a 35-yarder to Quinn and a 16-yarder to Lee Doss, which provided the game-winning points in the second overtime. Doss finished with 10 catches for 125 yards. Lenard Tillery had his third consecutive 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 118 yards on 16 carries. The Southern defense forced four turnovers and the Jaguars outgained the Tigers 512-381.

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2013 SWAC Championship Battle of the Bands

WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Hayes impressed by Maynor’s work

WSSU’s AD calls 10-2 finish in rebuilding year a great accomplishment

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Bill Hayes admits to getting a queasy feeling in his stomach when his cell phone rings and he sees Connell Maynor’s name on the caller ID.

Winston-Salem State’s football season ended last weekend with a second-round loss to Shepherd in the NCAA Division II playoffs, leaving the Rams with a 10-2 record. Now it’s open season on Maynor, the Rams’ coach.
There are plenty of job openings at Division I schools, and Maynor’s name certainly will be mentioned in connection with some. Maynor said Tuesday that N.C. Central has contacted him, but that’s all he would say.

Hayes, WSSU’s athletics director and a former football coach, knows the drill. Maynor, 44, has a 45-6 in four seasons at WSSU, and he has explored Division I jobs after every season.



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Sexton: How much punishment is enough?

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  The question can’t be found in any of the statute books, nor will you ever hear a judge ask it aloud. Still, in a case such as state v. Lamont Britt, it’s one that should be asked and answered before any sentence is imposed.

How much punishment is enough?

You might not recall Britt’s name, but I’d be willing to bet you remember the incident for which he was charged with assault inflicting serious injury.

Britt is the Virginia State football player – make that former football player – whose arrest for beating up the Winston-Salem State quarterback made national news, caused the cancellation of the CIAA championship game, and in all likelihood, cost his team a spot in the Division II playoffs.

Yeah, that guy.

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Xavier's Fakler selected Louisiana Runner of the Year

Kwame Jackson

Catherine Fakler

Joseph Moses

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's record-setting Catherine Fakler has been selected Runner of the Year on the 2013 All-Louisiana women's cross country team.
   
Fakler is the first female runner from a non-NCAA Division I school to receive this honor.
   
Xavier also was represented on the All-Louisiana men's team. Kwame Jackson was chosen for the second time in three years, and Joseph Moses was selected Coach of the Year.
   
The Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced the teams late Saturday. An LSWA panel of sports publicists selected the teams.
   
Fakler, a junior from Phoenix, Ariz., and a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory High School, ran 5,000 meters in 18 minutes, 8.32 seconds at the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 26 — a school record by more than 30 seconds and the fastest at the GCAC meet since 1998. She set XU records in 3-of-5 meets before nationals, became the second female in the program's history to win consecutive races, and she recorded Xavier's highest-ever finish (68th) at the NAIA National Championships.
   
It's the third consecutive academic year that an XU athlete won the highest award on an All-Louisiana team. Loic Didavi was the Louisiana Player of the Year in men's tennis in 2012 and shared the award this past season. Prior to this streak, no Louisiana athlete from an NAIA school had won a highest award since 1995.
   
Jackson, a junior from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, won the GCAC men's title for second time in three years, and his 8K time of 27:15.84 was the second-fastest of his career and the second-fastest at the GCAC meet in the last five years. It was his second victory of the season.
   
Jackson is the first Gold Rush runner to be named All-Louisiana twice.

"Great job this year by Catherine and Kwame," Moses said. "Catherine had the best year in Xavier women's cross country history. She has improved tremendously since she arrived at Xavier. Kwame ran strong all season. He has a chance to win his third GCAC title next year. That's never happened in our league before."
   
Moses is the men's Coach of the Year for the fourth time — he also won in 2006, 2007 and 2008 — and broke a tie with Ron Bazil (1995, 1998, 2001) for the most awards. He led the Gold Rush to two meet victories, including an eighth consecutive GCAC title, and produced a .692 winning percentage, XU's best since the program was reinstated in 1994.
   
This is the ninth season at Xavier for Moses. He is a five-time women's Coach of the Year in Louisiana and was the runner-up for that award this season.

2013 All-Louisiana Women's Cross Country Team
Andria Aguilar, junior, LSU
Tessni Carruthers, junior, Nicholls State
Catherine Fakler, junior, Xavier
Pauline Muiruri, sophomore, Louisiana-Monroe
Morgan Schuetz, sophomore, LSU
Katharine Smiley, freshman, Tulane
Amy Talbot, senior, McNeese State

Runner of the Year:  Catherine Fakler, Xavier
Newcomer of the Year:  Pauline Muiruri, Louisiana-Monroe
Freshman of the Year:  (tie) Claire Hodges, Louisiana-Lafayette; Katharine Smiley, Tulane
Coach of the Year:  Andy Canegitta, Loyola

2013 All-Louisiana Men's Cross Country Team
Paul Freese, junior, Loyola
Kwame Jackson, junior, Xavier
Dussan Makevic, freshman, Louisiana-Monroe

Logan Pearce, freshman, Louisiana-Lafayette
Philip Primeaux, junior, LSU
Paul Sakit, sophomore, Louisiana Tech
Adam Yohanan, sophomore, Tulane

Runner of the Year:  Paul Freese, Loyola
Newcomer of the Year:  Paul Sakit, Louisiana Tech
Freshman of the Year:  (tie) Dusan Makevic, Louisiana-Monroe; Logan Pearce, Louisiana-Lafayette
Coach of the Year: Joseph Moses, Xavier

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

Odums’ hire pays dividends for SU

HOUSTON — A year ago Southern coach Dawson Odums didn’t know if he would be the head football coach of Southern University.

Odums had taken over for former coach Stump Mitchell after the Jaguars had lost its first two games of the 2012 campaign, including a humbling 6-0 defeat at the hands of lowly Mississippi Valley State.

Yet the North Carolina native was able to rally the team and finish the season with a 4-5 record as interim head coach, including wins over two rivals: a 28-21 victory over Jackson State and a 38-33 victory over Grambling.

The way in which the Jaguars would end the regular season gave Southern Athletic Director William Broussard plenty to think about in terms of retaining Odums.

One year later, Broussard would be vindicated for his decision to hire Odums as the Jaguars became 2013 Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions.

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East: From also-rans to champions in just one year

HOUSTON — Amid the chaotic celebration on the turf inside Reliant Stadium late Saturday afternoon, a loud voice boomed.

“Come on, men,” Southern football coach Dawson Odums bellowed to his smiling, laughing and dancing players. “Come on. Get your helmets.”

Even as the Jaguars were celebrating their Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship, Odums was orchestrating his team — his program.

The allotted time for Southern to celebrate its heart-pounding, 34-27 double-overtime, marathon victory against Jackson State had expired.

It was time for the players to grab their stuff, get back to the locker room and reflect on the university’s first conference championship in 10 years.

It was mission accomplished for Odums’ team, but Odums’ mission continues.

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Southern brings SWAC title back to Baton Rouge

HOUSTON. Texas — The Southern football team took a victory lap around Reliant Stadium, slapping hands with their jubilant fans.

Quarterback Dray Joseph stopped and posed for pictures.

Linebacker Anthony Balancier hoisted the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship trophy.



Wide receiver Lee Doss danced while coach Dawson Odums toweled off after a celebratory dousing at the hands of his players.

The rest of the squad scrambled into formation to pose for a team photo to commemorate their 34-27, double-overtime victory against Jackson State in the SWAC title game Saturday.

The Jaguars had avenged a 19-14 regular-season loss that gnawed at them for two months. They had won Southern’s first SWAC championship in 10 years, concluding an improbable but thoroughly legitimate turnaround after three consecutive losing seasons.

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Lady Pirates Squeak Past FAMU for First MEAC Win

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- The Hampton University women's basketball team withstood a second-half push from Florida A&M Saturday evening at the HU Convocation Center, emerging with a 70-67 win to pick up their first conference victory of the season.

The Lady Pirates (6-3, 1-0 MEAC) have won 31 straight games against MEAC foes.

Senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) led three Lady Pirates in double figures with 22 points and nine rebounds, going 10-for-22 from the floor. Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) added 15 points, and sophomore guard Ryan Jordan (Manassas, Va.) scored 13 points.

Senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) dished out a team-high eight assists.

Hampton led by 11 with just over seven minutes to play, up 55-44, but Florida A&M went on a 12-2 run to cut the lead to 57-56 with 4:42 left after Taneka Rubin hit a 3-pointer. Hampton answered by scoring the next six points to take a 63-56 lead with 2:46 left after a pair of Tate-DeFreitas free throws.

The Lady Rattlers then went on an 11-4 run, which culminated in a layup from Jasmine Grice to tie the game at 67-67 with 41 seconds left in regulation. But Hamilton hit three free throws down the stretch, and FAMU turned the ball over on its last two possessions.

The Lady Pirates jumped out to an 8-0 lead to open the game, taking that lead on a Tate-DeFreitas layup with 17:16 left in the half, before Grice answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the lead to 8-6 at the 16:26 mark.

Kimberly Sparkman added a trey at the 12:14 mark to cut the Lady Pirates' lead to 17-13, but Hampton answered with an 8-0 run to go up 25-13 with 8:51 left in the half following a jumper from Bennett. FAMU couldn't get any closer than within nine for the rest of the half, and Hampton went into the break up 36-24.

Bennett had 16 points at the half.

The second half started much the same way the first half ended, with the Lady Pirates maintaining a 9- to 14-point lead. When redshirt-sophomore forward Brielle Ward (Baltimore, Md.) hit a stickback with 14:40 to play, Hampton led 45-35.

FAMU scored the next five points to cut the lead to 45-40, but Hampton answered with a 5-0 spurt of its own, going up 50-40 after a Jordan 3-point play with 9:35 remaining.

Jordan added a layup with 7:13 to play to put the Lady Pirates up 55-44.

The Lady Pirates shot 38.9 percent (28-for-72) from the floor and made two of their 18 3-pointers. Hampton went 12-for-20 (60.0 percent) from the free throw line, and the Lady Pirates scored 16 points off of 24 Florida A&M turnovers.

Hampton also held a 40-28 edge on the glass.

FAMU (6-4, 1-1 MEAC) shot 42.6 percent (20-for-47) from the floor and made eight of its 20 3-pointers. Rubin led three Lady Rattlers in double figures with 24 points, while Grice added 21 points.

The Lady Pirates will return to the HU Convocation Center on Monday at 6 p.m. to take on Bethune-Cookman. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of www.hamptonpirates.com.
Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at

Box Score

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

DSU Hornets downed by Coppin State in MEAC Opener

DOVER, Delaware -- Coppin State shot nearly 53 percent from the field, highlighted by 10 three-point field goals (10-20), in a 73-54 win over Delaware State in the MEAC opener for both teams in Memorial Hall today.

The Hornets had won their last three and 12 of their previous 13 MEAC openers.

Casey Walker led three Delaware State players in double figures with 18 points. Walker was 7-for-14 from the field, including four-of-10 from three-point territory.

Kendal Williams had 16 points, while Tyshawn Bell added 12 for the Hornets.

Coppin State's Michael Murray led all players with 28 points on 11-for-15 shooting from the field, including 3-of-5 from the beyond the arc.

Sterling Smith had 15 points, while former Delaware high school star Taariq Cephas added 12 points and a game-high 10 assists for the Eagles.

Walker hit a three-pointer and a lay-up to help give the Hornets a 7-5 lead in the early going.

Coppin State outscored DSU 16-4 over the next 11 minutes and opened up a 21-11 lead on a three-pointer Arnold Fripp with 5:39 left in the first half. The Eagles nailed four three-point field goals during the spurt.

The Hornets trailed 28-14 when Coppin’s Sterling Smith hit a three-ball with 3:20 left in the half.

Delaware State pulled to within 28-19 on a short jumper by Kendall Gray, but Brandon St. Louis hit a lay-up at the first half buzzer to extend Coppin State’s lead to 34-22 at the break.

The Eagles scored the first seven points of the second half, and opened up a 42-22 lead on a lay-up Cephas with 17:14 left to play.

Delaware State fell behind 54-32 on two Coppin State free throws with 10:12 remaining in the game. The Hornets answered with a 9-2 run, and pulled to within 56-41 on a three-pointer by Walker with 7:36 left. The run included a four-point play by Williams, who was fouled while hitting a three-point shot.

The Hornets could get no closer the rest of the way,

Coppin State was 27-for-51 from the field for the game (52.9%), including 14-of-24 in the second half (58.3%)

Delaware State was 17-of-44 (38.6%) from the field. The Hornets had seven three-point field goals in 25 attempts (28%). .

The Eagles also won the rebound battle 32-to-23.

Coppin State improved to 3-4 overall. The Hornets fell to 2-7.

Gray matched his season–high with five blocks for the Hornets. It was his 12th career game with at least five blocks.

Delaware State returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 15 against Howard University in the Big Apple Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y. Game time is 6:00 p.m. at the Barclays Center, home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

2013 SWAC Championship Show: JSU Sonic Boom of the South vs. Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band

Hampton Pirates Pick Up Conference Win Over FAMU

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- The Hampton University men's basketball team picked up its first conference win of the season Saturday evening at the HU Convocation Center, defeating Florida A&M 72-62.

The Pirates (4-5, 1-0 MEAC) have won back-to-back games.

Sophomore guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) led three Pirates in double figures with 22 points, going 7-for-12 from the floor and dishing out a team-high four assists. Senior forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) added 15 points and eight rebounds.

Junior center Emmanuel Okoroba (Garland, Texas) added 10 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.) grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

The Rattlers had control early, leading 17-9 at the 10:13 mark after a layup from Muhammad Abdul-Aleem, but the Pirates answered with a 16-6 run to take a 25-23 lead on a jumper from Powers with 3:55 left in the half.

A FAMU free throw cut the lead to 25-24, before the Pirates jumped out to a 32-26 lead with 1:29 left in the half following a 3-point play from Okoroba. Meikle added a jumper with 45 seconds left in the half to put Hampton up 34-28.

The Pirates went into the half with a 36-31 lead.

FAMU scored the first six points of the second half to take a 37-36 lead with 17:44 remaining after a layup from Bobby King, before Hampton answered with a 14-1 run to take a 50-38 lead with 12:05 to play after Maxwell slammed in a one-handed dunk on a breakaway.

Sophomore guard Ke'Ron Brown (Savannah, Ga.) hit a 3-pointer with 8:22 to go to give Hampton a 57-41 lead, and Maxwell hit a jumper of his own with 5:42 to play to put the Pirates up 61-45, matching their largest lead of the night.

FAMU went on a 12-4 run to cut the lead to 65-57 with 1:44 left after Trey Kellum sank a layup, before a pair of Powers free throws at the 1:38 mark put the Pirates back up by double digits, 67-57.

Jamie Adams hit a 3-pointer with 1:07 left to cut Hampton's lead to 70-62.

Sophomore guard Brian Darden (Hampton, Va.) and Meikle each added a free throw down the stretch to give the Pirates the final margin of victory.

The Pirates shot 43.3 percent (26-for-60) from the floor and made two of their 13 3-pointers. Hampton out-rebounded FAMU 46-40, and the Pirates turned 21 Rattler turnovers into 22 points. Hampton also outscored FAMU 32-22 in the paint.

FAMU (2-7, 0-2 MEAC) shot 37.3 percent (22-for-59) from the floor and made five of its 15 3-pointers. Lewis led the Rattlers with 19 points, while Adams added 15 points.

The Pirates will return to the HU Convocation Center on Monday to take on Bethune-Cookman at 8 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

Photo Gallary

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU Holds Back Bethune-Cookman 59-45

NORFOLK, Virginia – Up by just two at the break, the Norfolk State men's basketball team pulled away from Bethune-Cookman in the second half in a 59-45 victory on Saturday evening at Joseph Echols Hall.

The Spartans were held to more than 25 points below their season average, but a strong defensive effort allowed NSU to win its 21st straight conference regular season game, the longest active streak in Division I basketball.

Norfolk State improved to 7-3 overall, the best 10-game start in the D-I era, and 2-0 in the MEAC. Bethune-Cookman dropped to 2-9, 0-1 after shooting just 16-of-53 (30.2 percent) for the game.

Senior Riley Maye tied his career high and led NSU with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting coming off the bench.

He had 11 in the second half as the Spartans turned a 30-30 tie into a double-digit lead over a six-and-a-half minute span. Senior Pendarvis Williams made it 44-33 at the end of the run after hitting a pair of free throws.



A short time later, Williams hit a driving layup with an outstretched left hand for a 52-40 advantage. Senior Marese Phelps got the kind bounce on his 3-point shot, and Williams hit a baseline jumper to cap an extended 15-5 run that lasted another eight minutes and put the Spartans up by 17.

After a slow start, Williams finished with 11 points, while seniors Brandon Goode and Malcolm Hawkins each added 10. Goode also added a game-high nine rebounds with five blocks.

Malik Jackson led the Wildcats with 16 points and seven boards.

Neither team could get much going offensively in the early going before the Spartans took a 16-10 lead on Maye's hook shot in the lane from 10 feet out. Goode's alley-oop layup then made it 21-17 at the 4:37 mark.

Jackson, who had 13 of his 16 points before the break, hit a trey with less than a minute to go to tie it up, but a last-second lay-in by senior Anell Alexis gave the Spartans a 27-25 lead at the break.

NSU hit 22-of-52 (42.3 percent) for the game and had a 32-12 advantage in points in the paint. The Spartans also connected on 13-of-16 (81.3 percent) from the free throw line two days after attempting a school-record 62 shots against Florida A&M.

Junior Jamel Fuentes had a career-high nine rebounds with seven assists. Norfolk State won its 16th straight home game.

The Spartans will take the week off before heading up to Boston University for an afternoon contest on Dec. 15.

Box Score

By Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Track and Field Puts in Strong Performance at MTSU’s Christmas Invitational

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee – At Saturday’s Christmas Invitational the Flying Tigers and Tigerbelles took a combined three of five dual meets.

 

The women’s side took dual meets against Western Kentucky, 230-110 and Austin Peay, 218.5-147.5. Middle Tennessee State was the only group to top the Tigerbelles, and they did so by the narrowest of margins, 193.5-187.5.

 

Tenneessee State’s men’s team split its pair of dual meets against Western Kentucky and MTSU. The Flying Tigers edged out the Hilltoppers 60-56 and dropped their contest against the Blue Raiders 64-38.

 

For the Tigerbelles, freshman Amber Hughes posted the best finish winning the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 7.95 seconds. Hughes was followed closely by fellow freshman India Smith who finished fourth in the event at 8.30 seconds.

 

Junior JaLyn Burr put in solid performances in the jumps placing second in the triple jump (11.91 meters) and third in the high jump (1.63 meters). Burr was joined by sophomore Clairwin Dameus who put in a third place finish in the long jump with a hop of 5.86 meters.

 

In the sprints, junior Ashontae Jackson ran a time of 58.47 seconds in the 400 meters earning a fourth place finish. The Tigerbelles received a standout performance from senior Britani Logan with throws of 13.89 meters in the shot put (2^nd) and 14.17 meters in the weight throw (3^rd).

 

For the men two first place finishes highlighted the invitational. The 4X440 A relay topped the eight team field with a time of 3:16.66, the relay included: senior Michael Johnson, freshman Perry Stokes, junior Osafa Hippolyte and Joshua Price. The Tigers also finished with the top four spots in the high jump, with junior Daryl Rice’s jump of 2.03 meters winning the event.

 

Sophomore Shaquille Cragwall finished second in the triple jump, with a distance of 14.10 meters. The Flying Tigers received a second place finish out of Quamel Prince in the 800 meters, with a time of 1:55.43.

 

The Tigerbelles and Flying Tigers will now break for the winter holidays before returning to competition on Jan. 5, 2014 for the Ed Temple Classic, hosted by Tennessee State.

 

Dual Meet Scores

 

Overall Individual Scores

 

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MSU Bears overwhelm Howard in MEAC Opener, 87-58

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Justin Black scored 17 points and led five teammates in double-figures as Morgan State won its conference home opener against Howard University 87-58 on Saturday at Hill Field House.

Howard (2-9, 0-1) and Morgan State opened Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play and also celebrated their 101st meeting. The Bears and the Bison have split the last two meetings.

Morgan State (2-7, 1-0), who was tabbed pre-season as a second-place finisher in the MEAC, led 37-29 at the break.

Black, the Bears leading scorer (17.8 ppg) accented a second half 48-32 lead with a steal and a two-handed slam at 16:59 and then scored on another dunk two minutes later to go up 53-35.

Black not only led the Bears in scoring, but he also finished with six rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman spoke about his team's second half performance.

"I was proud of the guys, we picked it up the second half," Bozeman said. "Cedric Blossom in particular stepped up and brought it."

"Prince Okoroh had 21 points in the first half, so we wanted to make sure we focused on him. We put Ced on him and I thought he did a good job; he has good size and he can really defend. I thought that was key for us and I thought the play of Thair Heath was big for us; his physical presence inside." 

Howard, a loser of eight straight games could not match the pace set by Morgan State and trailed by as much as 29 leading up to the buzzer.

Okoroh paced the Bison with a game-high 25 points, while James Daniel had 17 and four assists.

The Bears held a commanding 38-25 advantage on the glass and outscored Howard in the paint by a 20 point margin (42-22).

Anthony Hubbard and Blake Bozeman had 13 points apiece, Thair Heath added 12 points in a reserve role, and Cedric Blossom added 10 as Morgan State shot a season-best 59 percent (33-56) from the field.

"I'll take a win," said Bozeman, "and a conference win and the first conference game is always important to get off to a good start."

Bear Notes

+ Thair Heath finished with a career-high 12 points (6-7 FG)+ Blake Bozeman connected on 3-of-5 3-pointers and finished with a season-high 13 points

+ MSU's bench outscored Howard 25-2

+ The Bears honored Nelson Mandela with raised fists during the playing of the national anthem.

 

Box Score Bear Shots 

 

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Michael Murray returns to Coppin State basketball, but coach Fang Mitchell says senior has work to do

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- The Coppin State men’s basketball team dropped a pair of decisions to national powerhouses over Thanksgiving weekend, but there was at least one positive.

Senior forward Michael Murray returned from a broken right (shooting) hand and made his season debut in Friday’s 87-45 loss to No. 22 Michigan. He scored four points on 1-for-8 shooting, including 0-for-5 from the 3-point arc, and grabbed four rebounds in 23 minutes.

Murray made his first start in Sunday’s 86-51 loss to then-No. 11 Gonzaga and had eight points on 4-for-13 shooting and three rebounds in 33 minutes.

Eagles head coach Fang Mitchell said Murray showed some rust from being unable to practice because of a cast on his hand that kept him out of the first four games of the year.

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Ex-B-CU football coach Wyatt to be named head coach at Edward Waters

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  -- Former Bethune-Cookman football coach Alvin Wyatt will be named the head coach at Edward Waters College next week, the Jacksonville school announced Thursday.

Wyatt, who had been the Tigers' defensive coordinator, was named interim coach on Oct. 22 after head coach Brad Bernard was fired. The Tigers, an NAIA team, finished 2-2 under Wyatt after losing their first seven games.



Wyatt, who won more games than any coach in B-CU history, will officially be announced the Edward Waters head coach at a press conference on Tuesday, the school announced. Wyatt will turn 66 on Dec. 13.

A Jacksonville native, Wyatt will become the Tigers' fourth head coach since they reinstated football in 2001. Wyatt was B-CU's head coach for 13 years, compiling a 90-54 record.

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Hakeem Baxter not playing like a freshman for UMES men's basketball

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland  -- Hakeem Baxter is the leading scorer for the UMES men’s basketball team. That might not qualify as a revelation, until you learn that Baxter is a freshman.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pound guard is averaging 17.2 points per game, is tied for second on the team in steals (five total) and ranks third in rebounds (4.8 per game) and fourth in assists (1.5 per game). Baxter’s debut has stunned even Hawks coach Frankie Allen.

“You don’t expect that kind of success so quickly from a freshman,” Allen said Tuesday afternoon.

“He’s off to a very good start. The thing about Hakeem is, he’s a competitor. I watched him play in high school [at Philadelphia Electric & Technology], and he’s just one of those guys that brings it every night.

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MVSU Delta Devils bounce Tougaloo to earn third win of the season

GREENWOOD, Mississippi  --  Mississippi Valley State scored more than 70 points for the sixth time this season Saturday in a 89-81 win over Tougaloo College at the Leflore County Civic Center. 

Jordan Washington made 10 of 11 free throws for the Delta Devils (3-6) and finished with a team-high 19 points while James Currington chipped in 16. 

The Delta Devils shot 59.6 percent from the field.

As a team, MVSU took advantage of its free throw opportunities, converting 22 of 32 attempts.

Valley led 43-31 at halftime and withstood a Tougaloo comeback in the second half to get the victory.

MVSU will be off until Dec. 16 when they travel to face Northwestern. 

 

Box Score

 

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