EL PASO, Texas – University of Denver junior Brett Olson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored 16 points and tied a season-high with four three-pointers, leading the Pioneers to a 67-49 victory over Alcorn State at the 52nd Annual Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational at the Don Haskins Center on Saturday evening.
Senior Chris Udofia (Irving, Texas) added 15 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocked shots, while junior Cam Griffin (San Antonio, Texas) pulled down a game-high eight rebounds and scored eight points. Sophomore Jalen Love (Wichita, Kan.) set a career high with seven rebounds for the Pioneers (6-6).
“I thought we came out ready and played well to build a 20-point lead in the first half,” head coach Joe Scott said. “The second half was what we expected, and I think our guys again did a pretty good job of rebounding and taking care of the ball, and never letting them get it back to within 10 points. That’s what you’ve got to do in a game like this.”
The Pioneers used a 17-0 run midway through the first half, punctuated by back-to-back follow dunks from Griffin and Udofia, to spark a 27-17 lead at the break.
The Braves (3-8) used hot shooting to get back in the game during the second half, hitting their first eight shots and pulling the score to 55-44 with 5:27 remaining.
However, Udofia scored five-straight and Alcorn State went without a field goal over the final 5:31, as Denver sealed the win down the stretch.
The Pioneers shot 48.1 percent (25-of-52) in the game and went 9-of-24 (37.5 percent) from the three-point line. Alcorn State hit 44.7 percent (17-of-38) from the floor, while going 0-for-4 from beyond the arc and 15-of-29 (51.7 percent) from the free throw line.
DU held a 34-24 rebounding advantage over Alcorn State, which was led in scoring by LeAntwan Luckett’s 20 points.
Denver concludes the 52nd Annual WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational against UTEP on Sunday at 7 p.m. MT.
Individual home game tickets for men's basketball are on sale now with prices starting at $9 for adults. Single-game tickets can be purchased in person at the Ritchie Center Box Office, by phone at 303-871-2336 or online at DenverPioneers.com/tickets. DU students are admitted to all Denver men's basketball games FREE with their Pioneer Card.
DU continues its commitment to provide the community with the most affordable and exciting entertainment in the Denver metro area.
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 17 of DU's NCAA Division I sports.
Denver vs. Alcorn State Box Score (PDF)
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF DENVER ATHLETICS
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Robinson, Graham Lead ASU Past AUM
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- DeMarcus Robinson tied his career-high with 21 points and Brandon Graham collected a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead Alabama State (5-5) to a 78-51 win over Auburn Montgomery in a friendly neighborhood basketball game.Both of Graham's totals were career-highs while Luther Page also hit double digits with 10 points to give the Hornets three double-digit scorers.
The Hornets shot 45 percent from the field (32-71) for the game and shot 35 percent (8-23) from beyond the three point line as both Robinson and Graham led the way with three threes each.
"I thought the guys came out today and got off to a good start," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said. "We were able to get some early baskets and we were playing some pretty good defense and things were working for us. Things fell off some when we made some substitutions with our offense, but overall I thought it was a good effort."
"The guys came out and executed well on some things and we got a chance to play some guys that have not played in a while."
Maurice Strong collected a career-high 10 rebounds to help the Hornets our rebound AUM 48-35 and Jamel Waters, the Hornets leading scorer, tied his career-high with 10 assists while scoring seven points.
ASU came out in the second half and scored the first seven points of the half to add to ASU's halftime lead of 37-22 and pushed the lead out to 44-22. The run was a 14-0 run that covered the end of the first half and was stopped by a free throw from AUM's Spencer Jones.
ASU's largest lead of the game came on back-to-back dunks from Bobby Brown that gave ASU a 70-40 lead with 6:44 left in the game.
"Jamel was pushing the ball tonight and I think he had seven assists at halftime and he ended up with 10 and we want to get out and run more," Jackson said. "We have good athletes and we are trying to run more and put pressure on the other teams with our transition offense. There were some things that were good tonight so we just have to continue to work on the things that will allow us to be successful."
Brett Person and Brandon Howard scored 12 points each to lead AUM and Quay Davis came off the bench to add 11. ASU's defense held AUM to 32 percent shooting (18-57) and 28 percent (5-18) from beyond the three point line.
The first half saw the Hornets score the first six points of the game and go on to lead by as many as 18 points (21-3) before the Warhawks started to come back.
AUM's Howard and Davis hit back-to-back three's to cut the led to 30-22 with 3:08 left in the opening half, but that would be as close as the visitors would get.
ASU held AUM scoreless the final three minutes of the half and scored the half's final seven points which ended with Waters hitting a three at the horn to send ASU into the locker room with a 37-22 lead.
Strong and Robinson had nine points each to lead ASU and Strong added eight rebounds as the Hornets out rebounded AUM 26-18 in the opening half.
ASU will be back in action Monday, Dec. 30 when they host Thomas University at 7 p.m. It will be the Hornets final non-conference action of the season before starting Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play at Grambling Jan. 4.
"It's very important (to play AUM and Thomas) to play these games and we have some things we need to work on in our offense as well as our defense," Jackson said. "It's important to play some games before we go into conference play and we have this game scheduled (AUM) and another on Monday (Thomas)."
"We have to come out and play better, especially on defense and getting into the passing lane. I thought we did a good job of rebounding but the challenges are going to get stronger so we have to try and improve day in and day out."
Box Score
COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
WSU Cougars Down MVSU Delta Devils, 85-48
PULLMAN, Washington -- Que Johnson scored 19 points and Royce Woolridge added 16 as Washington State routed Mississippi Valley State 85-48 on Saturday.
The Cougars did it without their leading scorer, DaVonte Lacy. Lacy had an appendix attack early Saturday morning and will miss the conference opener against Arizona next Thursday.
D.J. Shelton recorded his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds for Washington State (7-5) who shot 88 percent from the field in the second half.
Washington State got out to an early 21-3 lead and never trailed in the game. It held Mississippi Valley State (3-8) to just one basket in the early run as they started the game 1-for-16 from the field. The Delta Devils went eleven minutes without a score in the first half.
Washington State continued the rout in the second half, outscoring MVSU 48-18 in the paint.
The Cougars did it without their leading scorer, DaVonte Lacy. Lacy had an appendix attack early Saturday morning and will miss the conference opener against Arizona next Thursday.
D.J. Shelton recorded his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds for Washington State (7-5) who shot 88 percent from the field in the second half.
Washington State got out to an early 21-3 lead and never trailed in the game. It held Mississippi Valley State (3-8) to just one basket in the early run as they started the game 1-for-16 from the field. The Delta Devils went eleven minutes without a score in the first half.
Washington State continued the rout in the second half, outscoring MVSU 48-18 in the paint.
Video: Ken Bone: MVSU Postgame
COURTESY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY COUGARS ATHLETICS
BCU Football to Hold Annual Awards Banquet
The event will take place at the Plaza Resort & Spa, located at 600 North Atlantic Avenue on beachside in Daytona Beach. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the banquet beginning at 7 p.m.
Recently completing the 2013 season under head coach Brian Jenkins, who just finished his fourth year at the helm in Daytona Beach, the B-CU Wildcats ended the year as HBCU National Champions in the BoxToRow media poll. In addition, several Wildcats were named to numerous All-America teams, while Jenkins received his third Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Coach of the Year award in four years – the second consecutive for the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. native.
B-CU claimed its second MEAC title in as many years during the 2013 campaign, and the third in four years under Jenkins. The Wildcats advanced to the NCAA FCS Playoffs for third time in four years, travelling to Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C.
For more information on the Bethune-Cookman University football team, please log onto BCUathletics.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Wildcats football program.
Fans can keep up-to-date with all B-CU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/BCUathletics, in addition to the official football twitter page at Twitter.com/BCUGridIron. You can also become a fan of the Wildcats on Facebook at Facebook.com/BCUathletics.
COURTESY BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
TSU's Miller Nets 30 in 70-69 Defeat at Eastern Illinois
CHARLESTON, Illinois -- The Tennessee State men’s basketball team led by 10 points with four minutes left, but couldn’t fend off Eastern Illinois as the Tigers lost on a buzzer-beater, 70-69, on Saturday.
Guard Patrick Miller tied a career-high with 30 points on 9-of-19 shooting and added a 10-for-11 mark from the free throw line.
Senior Jacquan Nobles and big man M.J. Rhett also scored in the double figures for TSU (1-13, 0-1 OVC) with 14 and 10, respectively.
Nobles was also 4-for-7 from behind the three-point line and Rhett led the Tigers in rebounds with eight.
Miller got the TSU offense going with a wide-open three two minutes into the game, but TSU’s second field goal did not come until the 6:44 mark of the first half.
In the meantime, the Panthers (4-8, 1-0 OVC) raced out to a 28-13 lead thanks to 10-for-20 shooting from the field, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
TSU’s second basket of the contest started a 10-0 Tiger run that was capped by a contested lay-in from Rhett that pulled the visitors within five with 3:25 to go in the half.
Nobles closed the first period scoring with a triple with 53 seconds left and TSU went into the locker room down, 33-28.
The Tigers were 1-of-14 to start the game (7.1 percent), but finished the half 6-of-12 (50 percent). TSU’s stellar free throw shooting (84.6 percent) kept the team in the game, early.
Nobles started the second stanza with another three, and Miller converted a fast-break layup at the 17:26 mark to tie the game at 36. It was the first time the game had been tied since it started 0-0.
Miller’s hoop sparked a 9-2 Tiger run to give TSU a five-point lead, and an old-fashioned three-point play by the senior later in the period made the score 59-51 with under six minutes to play.
The Tigers would not relent, and a great rebound by Rhett led to a quick lay-up by Kennedy Eubanks on the other end of the floor to put Big Blue up by double-digits.
The Panthers clawed back following a TSU timeout and rattled off seven straight points to pull within three and force another Tiger timeout at the 2:35 mark.
The contest remained a one-possession game until a pair of missed free throws by TSU gave EIU a chance to win the game, down by one with 20 seconds to play.
A pair of missed shots from inside the paint allowed Chris Oliver a rebound with just two seconds left. Oliver nailed the shot and got fouled. He missed the ensuing free throw, but EIU hung on to win, 70-69.
The Tigers will look to rebound t when they host Tennessee Tech on Jan. 2. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
South Carolina Gamecocks Soar Past SSU Lady Tigers 82-40
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
| Printable Box Score 
Highlights Mitchell, Dozier Coach Staley
COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- No. 13/12 South Carolina improved to 12-1 in non-conference action Saturday afternoon with an 82-40 win over Savannah State at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks used a 14-3 run late in the first half to establish a 43-25 halftime lead and never looked back. Sophomore guard Tiffany Mitchell turned in a stellar all-purpose effort with 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a career-high five steals to pace the team. Junior Aleighsa Welch, sophomore Asia Dozier and freshman Alaina Coates joined her in double figures with 14, 10 and 17 points, respectively, with Coates wrapping up her third double-double of the season with 12 boards.
"I'm happy for Tiffany (Mitchell) because she works so hard," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. "She is always in the gym, and she wasn't really getting a full return on being in the gym. Now she is, and she is more efficient at everything she does. She plays hard, and she always gets after it."
The Lady Tigers kept it close early, but the Gamecock defense locked in midway through the first half, launching a 7-1 run that pushed the lead to double digits at 22-12 with 6:25 left in the period. Mitchell did a bulk of the damage at the free throw line, making six trips there, hitting three, and adding a floater in the lane to Dozier's transition layup during the spurt.
Savannah State scored on consecutive possessions to get back within six, but a 14-3 Gamecock surge delivered the knockout punch. Olivia Gaines got things going with a jumper from the free throw line, and Welch added a pair of free throws. The junior forward swiped a steal and led the break down the court, feeding Gaines for a transition layup. Mitchell and Gaines combined to forced a turnover on the Lady Tigers' next possession with Mitchell hitting a pair of free throws. She swiped another steal the next time up the floor, and Welch hit a transition layup to make it a 32-16 contest with 3:37 on the clock. Kenyata Hendrix hit a three from the left wing to stem the tide, but Coates came back with a bucket on the other end, and Mitchell added two more free throws to make it 36-19 just a minute later.
The Gamecocks took a 43-25 lead into the locker room behind 20-of-27 free throw shooting, highlighted by career high makes and attempts from Mitchell, who went 10-of-14 on the way to 12 points in the opening 20 minutes.
The second half started with the Gamecocks pounding the ball inside. Welch hit in the lane to start things off. After Elem Ibiam picked up a steal on the other end, she got the ball inside and through the double team found Tiffany Davis for a 3 from the top of the arc. Dozier picked up the steal on the Lady Tigers' next trip up the floor and Mitchell led the break, finding Ibiam on the left block for her first field goal of the game. Welch continued the steal theme with a pick then got the ball back underneath, where she kicked out to Dozier for a 3 from the left corner and a 53-25 lead just two minutes into the half.
Several Gamecocks posted career-high efforts, including Welch with a team-high five assists. Davis netted a career-high eight points, and Gaines added one to her career high with seven points. South Carolina shot 51.1 percent from the field, topping the 50.0 percent mark for the eighth time this season, and made 30-of-48 from the free throw line for season highs in both makes and attempts. The Gamecocks open SEC action on Thu., Jan. 2, traveling to Arkansas. South Carolina is back at home to play Vanderbilt on Sun., Jan. 5, at 1 p.m.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
| Printable Box Score Highlights Mitchell, Dozier Coach Staley 
"I'm happy for Tiffany (Mitchell) because she works so hard," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. "She is always in the gym, and she wasn't really getting a full return on being in the gym. Now she is, and she is more efficient at everything she does. She plays hard, and she always gets after it."
The Lady Tigers kept it close early, but the Gamecock defense locked in midway through the first half, launching a 7-1 run that pushed the lead to double digits at 22-12 with 6:25 left in the period. Mitchell did a bulk of the damage at the free throw line, making six trips there, hitting three, and adding a floater in the lane to Dozier's transition layup during the spurt.
Savannah State scored on consecutive possessions to get back within six, but a 14-3 Gamecock surge delivered the knockout punch. Olivia Gaines got things going with a jumper from the free throw line, and Welch added a pair of free throws. The junior forward swiped a steal and led the break down the court, feeding Gaines for a transition layup. Mitchell and Gaines combined to forced a turnover on the Lady Tigers' next possession with Mitchell hitting a pair of free throws. She swiped another steal the next time up the floor, and Welch hit a transition layup to make it a 32-16 contest with 3:37 on the clock. Kenyata Hendrix hit a three from the left wing to stem the tide, but Coates came back with a bucket on the other end, and Mitchell added two more free throws to make it 36-19 just a minute later.
The Gamecocks took a 43-25 lead into the locker room behind 20-of-27 free throw shooting, highlighted by career high makes and attempts from Mitchell, who went 10-of-14 on the way to 12 points in the opening 20 minutes.
The second half started with the Gamecocks pounding the ball inside. Welch hit in the lane to start things off. After Elem Ibiam picked up a steal on the other end, she got the ball inside and through the double team found Tiffany Davis for a 3 from the top of the arc. Dozier picked up the steal on the Lady Tigers' next trip up the floor and Mitchell led the break, finding Ibiam on the left block for her first field goal of the game. Welch continued the steal theme with a pick then got the ball back underneath, where she kicked out to Dozier for a 3 from the left corner and a 53-25 lead just two minutes into the half.
Several Gamecocks posted career-high efforts, including Welch with a team-high five assists. Davis netted a career-high eight points, and Gaines added one to her career high with seven points. South Carolina shot 51.1 percent from the field, topping the 50.0 percent mark for the eighth time this season, and made 30-of-48 from the free throw line for season highs in both makes and attempts. The Gamecocks open SEC action on Thu., Jan. 2, traveling to Arkansas. South Carolina is back at home to play Vanderbilt on Sun., Jan. 5, at 1 p.m.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Toledo Rolls to 85-66 Win Over Coppin State to Move to 12-0
TOLEDO, Ohio -- Toledo started strong and never trailed on Saturday afternoon as the Rockets
remained unbeaten with an 85-66 triumph over Coppin State (4-8) in Savage Arena.
With the victory, UT improved to 12-0 to match the 1940-41 squad for the
second-longest unbeaten start to a season in school history.
Senior guard Rian Pearson paced a balanced Rocket attack with a game-high 22 points with junior guard Julius Brown (18 pts.), junior guard Justin Drummond (13 pts.) and senior forward Matt Smith (season-high 10 pts.) also scoring in double figures.
Toledo also dominated the glass for a third-straight outing with a commanding 47-25 rebounding advantage. Over its last three contests, UT has outrebounded its opponents by a 136-84 margin.
Freshman guard Jordan Lauf led the Rockets’ rebounding efforts with a season-high 10 caroms with junior forward J.D. Weatherspoon tying a season best with nine boards.
Brown also spearheaded the Rocket offense with a game-high seven assists to help UT tally 19 helpers as a team with just 11 turnovers. Toledo shot 49.2 percent (29-of-59) from the field and limited the Eagles to a 39.7 shooting mark (23-of-58).
Senior guard Andre Armstrong came off the bench to lead the Eagles with 15 points.
Toledo took control in the latter stages of the opening stanza, ending the half on a 16-2 run for a 44-24 halftime advantage that was the Rockets’ largest lead after 20 minutes this season.
UT increased its lead to 22 points early in the second half before the Eagles rallied to within 71-58 with five minutes to play. Brown was able to restore the Rockets’ cushion back to 20 points at 82-62 though with a trey at the 2:06 mark.
Toledo now has a quick turnaround as it returns to action on Monday, Dec. 30 with a trip to Lawrence, KS to battle No. 16 Kansas. Tip-off time from Allen Fieldhouse which can be seen on ESPN 3 is 7:00 p.m. (CT).
Final Stats (HTML)
COURTESY TOLEDO ATHLETICS
No. 17 Memphis Cruises to 75-61 Win Over Jackson State
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery Box Score (PDF)
MEMPHIS, Tennessee -- The No. 17 University of Memphis men's basketball team (9-2) opened up a 21-6 lead and never looked back on their way to a 75-61 victory over Jackson State (4-8) on Saturday afternoon.
Michael Dixon Jr. led Memphis with 14 points while Shaq Goodwin added 13 points and seven boards. David Pellom came off the bench for the Tigers to chip in 12 points on 5-of-5 from the field while Joe Jackson totaled 11 points.
Holding a 6-4 advantage, Memphis capitalized off five JSU turnovers in the first six minutes of the game to go on a 15-2 run and build a 21-6 lead with 10:25 to play in the half.
Dixon Jr. stretched the Memphis lead even further with a basket at the 8:22 mark to make it a 27-10 game. After two free throws from Chris Crawford to extend the U of M lead to 33-14 with 5:37 to go, JSU reeled off an 11-4 run with six points coming from Treshawn Bolden over the next four minutes to cut its deficit to 37-25.
JSU would not pull any closer the rest of the half with Memphis going into the locker room up 40-28. The trio of Jackson, Dixon Jr. and Crawford accounted for 25 of the team's 40 first half points.
In the opening minutes of the second period, JSU pulled within single digits for the first time since the 15:03 mark in the first half at 41-32 following a bucket from Brandon West. However, Memphis answered with a 12-0 run over the next five minutes to push its lead to 53-32 with 12:37 to play.
JSU ended its drought 30 seconds later with a three-pointer from Julysses Nobles followed by a layup from Marcus Love to pull JSU within 16.
Memphis extended its lead back to 20 after a basket from Nick King for a 59-39 advantage midway through the half. JSU answered again with a three-point play from Nobles to bring the Memphis lead down to 14 with 8:33.
JSU would be able to get back within 11 at 65-54 with four minutes left in the game, but that deficit would not dwindle down any further in the final minutes as Memphis held on for the 75-61 win.
Memphis opens American Athletic Conference play on the road Tuesday in Tampa, Fla., when the Tigers take on USF in a televised 6 p.m. (CT) game on ESPN2.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
| Photo Gallery Box Score (PDF)MEMPHIS, Tennessee -- The No. 17 University of Memphis men's basketball team (9-2) opened up a 21-6 lead and never looked back on their way to a 75-61 victory over Jackson State (4-8) on Saturday afternoon.
Michael Dixon Jr. led Memphis with 14 points while Shaq Goodwin added 13 points and seven boards. David Pellom came off the bench for the Tigers to chip in 12 points on 5-of-5 from the field while Joe Jackson totaled 11 points.
Holding a 6-4 advantage, Memphis capitalized off five JSU turnovers in the first six minutes of the game to go on a 15-2 run and build a 21-6 lead with 10:25 to play in the half.
Dixon Jr. stretched the Memphis lead even further with a basket at the 8:22 mark to make it a 27-10 game. After two free throws from Chris Crawford to extend the U of M lead to 33-14 with 5:37 to go, JSU reeled off an 11-4 run with six points coming from Treshawn Bolden over the next four minutes to cut its deficit to 37-25.
JSU would not pull any closer the rest of the half with Memphis going into the locker room up 40-28. The trio of Jackson, Dixon Jr. and Crawford accounted for 25 of the team's 40 first half points.
In the opening minutes of the second period, JSU pulled within single digits for the first time since the 15:03 mark in the first half at 41-32 following a bucket from Brandon West. However, Memphis answered with a 12-0 run over the next five minutes to push its lead to 53-32 with 12:37 to play.
JSU ended its drought 30 seconds later with a three-pointer from Julysses Nobles followed by a layup from Marcus Love to pull JSU within 16.
Memphis extended its lead back to 20 after a basket from Nick King for a 59-39 advantage midway through the half. JSU answered again with a three-point play from Nobles to bring the Memphis lead down to 14 with 8:33.
JSU would be able to get back within 11 at 65-54 with four minutes left in the game, but that deficit would not dwindle down any further in the final minutes as Memphis held on for the 75-61 win.
Memphis opens American Athletic Conference play on the road Tuesday in Tampa, Fla., when the Tigers take on USF in a televised 6 p.m. (CT) game on ESPN2.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
Washington State Cougars to Battle MVSU Devils Saturday
PULLMAN, Washington -- Washington State University men’s basketball (6-5) returns to the hardwood after a week-long hiatus, to take on Mississippi Valley State (3-7 as of Dec. 26), Saturday, Dec. 28 at 5 p.m. • Saturday’s game can be seen on the Pac-12 Networks as Ernie Kent and Rich Waltz have the
• Bud Nameck, in his 21st year with Cougar Basketball, will have the call on the Cougar IMG Radio Network...please see the list of affiliates on page one of today’s notes.
call.
• Live updates can be found on Twitter by following @WSUMensHoops, the official Twitter account of Washington State men’s basketball.
COUGARS TO HOLD FREE KIDS’ CLINIC AFTER DEC. 28 GAME:
• The Cougars will hold a free kids’ clinic to children grades kindergarten through sixth, that attend their game against Mississippi Valley State, Saturday, Dec. 28.
• The game starts at 5 p.m. with the clinic beginning approximately 30 minutes after the final buzzer.
• Pre-registration is required at wsucougars.com.
• More information can be found at wsucougars.com.
COUGARS VS. DELTA DEVILS:• The Cougars and Delta Devils have met three times in the two schools’ histories, with WSU winning all three meetings.
• The two teams first met Nov. 24, 2007 at Spokane Arena as part of the Cougar Hispanic College Fund Challenge hosted by WSU, resulting in a 71-26 victory.
• The next season WSU extended its 45 point margin to 51 with a 76-25 victory at Beasley Coliseum, Nov. 15, 2008.
• The 51-point victory marks the second largest margin of victory for WSU since 1945, while the 45 point victory ranks tied for seventh.
• The last victory came during Ken Bone’s first season as WSU defeated MVSU, 94-66, Nov. 13, 2009.
COUGARS AGAINST THE SWAC:
• Mississippi Valley State is currently a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), along with Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling, Jackson State, Prairie View A&M, Southern and Texas Southern.
• The Cougars are 17-0 all-time against current members of the SWAC.
• Their first meeting with the SWAC came Dec. 9, 1989 against Texas Southern, resulting in a 1-0 victory at Moscow, Idaho.
• Last season WSU defeated two SWAC schools, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 24) and Jackson State (Dec. 13).
• WSU reached the 100-point plateau five times in those 17 games, including a school-record, 131 points against Prairie View A&M, Jan. 14, 1991.
ABOUT THE COUGARS:
• WSU snapped its 3-game winning streak with a loss to UTEP, Saturday, Dec. 21 at Beasley Coliseum.
• The Cougars are 4-2 in home games and 3-2 at Beasley Coliseum this season.
• Junior DaVonté Lacy leads the team with 18.9 points per game.
• He ranks sixth in the Pac-12 and 67th in the nation in scoring with 18.9 points per game, leads the league and ranks 16th in the nation with 3.4 3-pointers made per game, is tied for sixth in the conference with 1.5 steals per game, and is 14th in the Pac-12 and 63rd in the nation with a .407 3-point field goal percentage.
• Fellow-junior Royce Woolridge is contributing 10.5 points per game, as the only other Cougar scoring in double figures.
• Senior D.J. Shelton leads the team and ranks ninth in the Pac-12 and 144th in the nation with 7.7 rebounds per game.
LAST OUTING:
• The Cougars snapped their 3-game winning streak with a 64-51 loss to UTEP at Beasley Coliseum, Saturday, Dec. 21.
• Redshirt freshman Que Johnson led the Cougars in scoring for the first time in his career, finishing with a career-high 21 points…his previous high was 14 against Pepperdine, Dec. 15.
• Johnson made a career-high 4 3-pointers, going 4-for-7 from beyond the 3-point arc.
• For the second-straight game D. J. Shelton was one point shy of a double-double, finished with 11 rebounds and 9 points.
• Junior DaVonté Lacy did not hit a 3-pointer in a game for the first time since Jan. 19, 2013 against Colorado last season.
• WSU had a season-low 51 points…it’s the fewest points since scoring 54 at California last season, Jan. 12, 2013.
• WSU’s 17 first-half point tied their lowest in a half this season…also had 17 against Purdue at the Old Spice Classic, Nov. 29.
WSU GAME NOTES
COURTESY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
#13 S.C. Gamecocks host Savannah State Saturday at Noon
Date: Saturday, December 28, 2013, Noon
Site: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Tickets: $7 adult, $4 youth (17 and under)
Note: Arena will be cleared prior to men's game starting at 4 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports South (Andy Demetra, Debbie Antonelli)
Radio: WNKT 107.5 FM/WISW 1320 AM (Brad Muller); GamecocksOnline.com
Live Stats: GamecocksOnline.com
Series History: SC leads 5-0
South Carolina Game Notes
South Carolina Notables
- One of the offseason focuses for the South Carolina coaching staff was passing, and the work is paying dividends in assist numbers as the Gamecocks rank 37th in the nation at 16.8 per game. In the previous five seasons under Staley, the highest season average was 11.2 per game. At least 60 percent of made field goals have been assisted in eight of 12 games so far this season.
- While guard Tiffany Mitchell is the Gamecocks' leading scorer, South Carolina's offense is driven by what happens in the paint. The Gamecocks have scored 38.7 points per game in the paint - more than half of their 76.8 scoring average.
- Four Gamecocks average double figure points so far this season with two others adding at least 7.8 per game, making it the most diversified offense of the Dawn Staley era. The transition occurred while sacrificing little on the defensive end, where, despite Staley feeling her team needs to prove more in that area, the Gamecocks rank third in the nation (2nd in the SEC) by allowing just 49.0 points per game.
- Junior forward Aleighsa Welch is one of two of the SEC's top 10 rebounders to also rank among the top 15 scorers.
- Alaina Coates turned in the best shooting performance ever by a Gamecock freshman, hitting 7-of-7 from the field and 9-of-9 from the free throw line against SC State (Dec. 22). It was the first time a freshman was perfect from both the field and free throw line (min. 5 attempts at each) in school history. She became the third Gamecock to post a perfect shooting night from the floor this season - Elem Ibiam 7-of-7 vs. Charleston Southern (Nov. 8), Aleighsa Welch 6-of-6 vs. NC Central (Dec. 2). Coates' field goal attempts made her outing against SC State tied for fourth for the best perfect game in Colonial Life Arena history.
- While Tiffany Mitchell posted her first single-digit scoring game of the season against SC State, the sophomore guard still showed the diversity of her game by tying for team-high rebounding honors (9) and leading the team with four assists. It is her all-around impact on the team that led ESPN's Graham Hayes to name her one of his "10 Rising to the Occasion."
A South Carolina Win Would...
- Give the Gamecocks a 12-1 record for the second time in as many seasons, matching the best non-conference mark under Staley and the 2002-03 mark as the best since the program first joined a conference in 1983-84
- Be the Gamecocks' sixth over Savannah State in as many meetings.
1 Perfect shooting game by a freshman in South Carolina women's basketball history (min. five FGA and five FTA) - Alaina Coates vs. SC State (Dec. 22) with 7-of-7 from the field and 9-of-9 from the free throw line
2 Players in the SEC who rank among the league's top 10 in rebounding and top 20 in scoring, including junior forward Aleighsa Welch
2 Gamecocks ranked among the SEC's top 15 scorers, one of four SEC teams to have multiple entries
3 Gamecocks ranked among the SEC's top 20 rebounders, one of three SEC teams to have three entries - Kentucky and Tennessee being the other two
3 Games this season in which five Gamecocks have scored in double figures, which had happened just five previous times in the Dawn Staley era
5 Statistical categories in which the Gamecocks rank among the nation's top five - scoring defense, scoring margin, field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage defense and blocked shots
5 Different Gamecocks who have been the team's high scorer in a game this season - Alaina Coates (Charleston Southern, at San Diego State, SC State), Aleighsa Welch (LA Tech, at Clemson, vs. UNC), Asia Dozier (CofC), Elem Ibiam (Seton Hall, Charlotte) and Tiffany Mitchell (at USC, NC Central, Winthrop)
6 Individual 20-point games this season by the Gamecock - three by Alaina Coates (CSU, at SDSU), two by Tiffany Mitchell (at USC, Winthrop) and one by Aleighsa Welch (vs. UNC)
6 Games in which South Carolina has shot at least 50.0 percent from the field this season after reaching the mark just 12 times in the previous five seasons under Staley
7 Games this season in which South Carolina has scored at least 50.0 percent of its points in the paint, including scoring 70 of 99 points against Charleston Southern (Nov. 8) inside
8 Opponents who have been held to 55 or fewer points by the Gamecocks this season, helping the Gamecocks rank third in the nation in scoring defense (49.0 ppg)
26 Points allowed to SC State by the Gamecocks (Dec. 22), the third lowest in the Dawn Staley era
26 More rebounds by the Gamecocks than SC State (Dec. 22), the second-highest rebounding margin in the Staley era
62.0 Percent of field goals made this season that have been assisted
Savannah State Series NotesSouth Carolina leads the series 5-0, including wins in each of the last three seasons. In last year's 78-47 victory (Nov. 15), forward Aleighsa Welch recorded her first career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Then-freshman Asia Dozier posted her first career double-digit point game with 11, including three 3-pointers.
Scouting the Lady Tigers
The Lady Tigers conclude a season long 10-game road stretch today with their final away match, before returning home on Sunday. SSU lost a close game to Alabama State in their last outing, falling 52-57 after leading 26-23 at the half on Dec. 22 in Montgomery, Ala.
Today's opponent is the second of two Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams that SSU will face this season. They fell to Mississippi State, 63-81, on Nov. 26. SSU played a record four SEC opponents last season. This is the sixth match-up between SSU and South Carolina, since the program's elevation to NCAA Division I in the 2001-02 season. The Lady Tigers are winless against SEC opponents.
The Lady Tigers are led by senior Ezinne Kalu. The Newark, N.J. native is averaging 15.0 points per game and has a 150 points overall. Freshman Tiyonda Davis leads the team in rebounds with 85, averaging 7.7 per game. Jasmine Norman and Kenyata Hendrix are both averaging at least 8.1 points per contest. The Lady Tigers are 2-4 on the road this year, an improvement over last season's 1-15 away record
Five-Second Count
For the first time in her tenure at South Carolina, head coach Dawn's Staley's Gamecocks look different - on the court and in the box score. After seasons of building around defense, Staley finally as a group that is designed for offensive efficiency. The Gamecocks are scoring more (77.5 ppg - 6th in SEC, 48th in nation) and more efficiently (.491 FG %age - 2nd in SEC, 6th in country) than at any time in the Staley era. And, after seasons of talented guards generating their own offense, Staley's 2013-14 success is predicated on getting the ball inside - three primary post players combine to score 47.5 percent of the team's points - and on ball movement creating the best shots as 62.0 percent of made field goals have been assisted, ranking the Gamecocks sixth in the SEC and 37th in the nation with 16.8 assists per game. Defense is still a staple of the program with the Gamecocks ranking third in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 49.0 points per game. Only four opponents this season have scored 55 or more points against South Carolina.
December Decisions
In its 40th season of women's basketball, South Carolina is 159-79 (.668) all-time in the month of December, including a 27-7 record (.794) in the sixth season of the Dawn Staley era. The Gamecocks hold at least a .500 record in all three site possibilities during the month - 96-23 (.807) at home, 34-30 (.531) on the road and 24-24 (.500) at neutral sites.
Home Sweet Home
With comprehensive records beginning in the 1976-77 season (the third for women's basketball at South Carolina), the Gamecocks are 369-155 (.704) all-time in games played at home, including a 124-58 mark (.681) in Colonial Life Arena. In the sixth season with head coach Dawn Staley at the helm, South Carolina is 59-25 (.702) at home, including one game at Carolina Coliseum in the 2012-13 season. The Gamecocks have won 45 of their last 56 games played in Colonial Life Arena.
Make It, Take It
South Carolina is exhibiting its most efficient offense of the Dawn Staley era so far this season, leading the SEC and ranking sixth in the nation with 49.1 percent accuracy from the field. The Gamecocks have shot 50.0 percent or higher six times already this season - the most in a season under Staley. In fact, in the previous five seasons, South Carolina hit at least 50.0 percent of its field goal attempts just 12 times combined. This year's top effort was 60.9 percent against Charleston Southern (Nov. 8) - program best under Staley - followed by a 58.5 percent showing against NC Central (Dec. 2). The Gamecocks made at least 65.0 percent of their attempts in a half five times this season, including a remarkable 73.9 percent (17-of-23) in the second half against Seton Hall (Nov. 17).
Post Presence
South Carolina's trio of primary post players - Alaina Coates, Elem Ibiam and Aleighsa Welch - has been the key to the Gamecocks' offensive production so far this season. The trio has accounted for 438 of the team's 922 points this season - 47.5 percent - and is shooting a combined 64.1 percent from the field (164-of-256). Welch leads the SEC and is third in the nation in field goal percentage at .700 for 14.3 points per game (12th in SEC). Coates' perfect shooting outing for 23 points against SC State has lifted her average to 11.2 points on 64.9 percent shooting. Ibiam's strong three games before the holiday break have her scoring 11.1 points per game on 57.6 percent shooting. In all, the Gamecocks have scored 464 points in the paint this season - 50.3 percent of their total scoring.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Second-Half Rally lifts Washington Huskies over MVSU, 95-80
SEATTLE, Washington -- Nigel Williams-Goss and Andrew Andrews each scored 18 points and helped spark a decisive second half run as the Washington Huskies pulled away for a 95-80 victory over Mississippi Valley State Friday night. Washington (7-5) held the Delta Devils scoreless for over five minutes as the Huskies mounted an 18-0 run to break the game open in the second half. After a layup from Jeffrey Simmons tied the game at 56 with 12:40 left to play, Washington began to pull away. Williams-Goss and Andrews forced the action by attacking the basket. Anthony McDonald finally halted the Huskies run with a layup at the 7:26 mark.
Mississippi Valley State (3-8) couldn't keep the Huskies from getting to the rim and were outclassed on the boards as well. Perris Blackwell scored 17 points with 10 rebounds as Washington out-rebounded the Delta Devils by a 51-29 margin.
Washington built a 10-point lead midway through the first half but couldn't put MVSU away before the break. The Delta Devils kept in the contest on the strength of their 3-point shooting. Mississippi Valley State was 5 of 10 from behind the arc in the first half. Meanwhile, Washington didn't convert a 3-pointer in the half, going 0 for 6.
However, MVSU was just 2 for 19 from 3-point distance in the second half as Washington took control.
A three-point play from Andrews and free throw from Mike Anderson helped the Huskies take a 22-12 lead over MVSU midway through the first half. The Delta Devils slowly closed the deficit and a pair of 3-pointers from Daniel Hurtt helped the Delta Devils close the gap to 39-35 at the half.
After a quick start to the second half from the Huskies, MVSU erased a 10-point deficit in the blink of an eye. Simmons converted a four-point play after being fouled by Washington's Darin Johnson. A pair of free throws from McDonald closed the gap to 54-50 before Washington mistakes allowed the Delta Devils to tie the game. The Huskies turned the ball over on an inbounding violation and with a careless pass under their own basket on consecutive possessions. James Currington scored baskets off both turnovers to knot the score at 54.
C.J. Wilcox also posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds for Washington.
McDonald led the Delta Devils with 19 points on the night.
Box Score
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Cal State Northridge Defeats Morgan State, 86-80
Box Score - CSUN vs Morgan State Audio | Video | Live stats | Box Score
NORTHRIDGE, California -- Going into Friday night's non-league basketball game against Morgan State, senior guard Josh Greene knew he needed six three-pointers to tie the long-time career school record set by Ian Boylan (1997-01) with 182.
Greene wanted to tie or set the record in front of family, friends and fans who faithfully attend basketball games at the Matadome.
Greene raced to a fast start in the first half. Within a two-minute span nearing the midway point of the first half, Greene hit three straight shots from behind the arc, and added a fourth trey near the end of the first half.
Then with 11:24 mark in the second half, Greene hit his fifth three-pointer of the contest to give the Matadors a comfortable 59-48 lead over the Bears.
Greene then turned his attention to his success at the free throw line. Six consecutive free throws in the final 1:36 of the contest helped propel CSUN to a hard-earned 86-80 victory over Morgan State in a non-league game on Friday night at the Matadome.
Greene's 36-minute night looked outstanding from the left margin to the right margin of the official box score. A season-high 28 points (8-for-10 from the floor, 5-for-6 from three point territory), five rebounds, four assists and three steals is a pretty good night of work.
Matador head coach Reggie Theus noticed Greene's outstanding play, and was quick to praise Greene's success on the floor, and the leadership he displays amongst his teammates.
"Josh has an excellent jump shot," said Theus. "When he gets it going, he can make shots all over the court. Tonight he had it going. He has a green light under those circumstances."
Greene is a team player, who says winning as a team will always take top honors over individual achievements.
"I'm really not disappointed," said Greene. "I'm just happy the team won."
Greene's next opportunity to tie or break the school record takes place on Dec. 30 at Stephen F. Austin in Texas.
"It simply means that all hard work pays off," said Greene when asked about his three-point success. "I'm really blessed the Good Lord has put me in this position. All the credit also goes to my teammates. They look for me when I'm open. Making shots give us a good chance to win."
Greene's success at the free throw line has not gone unnoticed. His 7-for-8 effort from the charity stripe included six straight charity tosses late in the game that has given him a percentage of .864, tops on the team and amongst the top three players in the conference.
Greene's career free throw percentage is .846, third-best all-time at Cal State Northridge.
"Just hard work," said the soft-spoken senior. "It's just a matter of coming to work every day and being disciplined along with being dedicated. I'm always striving for perfection."
Stephen Maxwell again displayed his blue collar style of play with a career-high 28 points along with 12 rebounds. At 6-foot-7, 220-pounds, Maxwell worked for every point against his opponent who stood 7-foot-2, and scaled the weights at 270-pounds.
"Stephen never stops working," said Theus. "We have made him a pivotal part of our offense. There are certain things he still has to learn. He draws double teams which means he is doing something right offensively. Now he has to get better at finding the open man."
Stephan Hicks added his third double-double of the season with ten points and eleven rebounds to help the Matadors raise their season record to 8-5.
Morgan State fell to 3-8.
Morgan State led 12-11 at the 16:05 mark of the first half, but the Matadors ripped off ten straight points to take a 21-12 lead at the 13:04 mark. CSUN never surrendered the lead.
Cal State Northridge led at halftime, 39-34, and built its lead to as many as 13 points (61-48) with 10:30 remaining in the game.
Morgan State mounted a late rally that cut the Matadors lead to only three points, 76-73, with 1:21 remaining.
But a 4-0 run in the next 21 seconds thanks to two free throws by Hicks and another two free throws by Greene gave the Matadors a much needed cushion.
In fact, nine free throws in the final minute helped give the Matadors the 86-80 victory.
"We got a little complacent," admits Greene. "We took our foot off the pedal and Morgan State started to make a real run. We are still learning. We will continue to watch film. We will find our mistakes and continue to work to prepare for our next game at Stephen F. Austin."
"We did a lot of good things, and we stuck to our game plan," said Theus. "Good teams, even when things aren't perfect, find a way to win. That is our goal."
Cal State Northridge has now won five of its last six games going into the Dec. 30 game at Stephen F. Austin. The Lumberjacks are 10-2 and have won 23 straight games on their home court.
"I'm enjoying it. I like teaching," when reporters asked Theus about his first season at CSUN. "I like the opportunity to help these players grow. I also like the opportunity to teach the players how to play hard; how to grind a game out … to learn to win. I have had those experiences at all the levels that I have played basketball. These are the type of things I'm trying to teach the team.
Matador Memo … Josh Greene's 28 points gave him 1,184 in his four-year Matador career, ninth-best in school history … Greene's six three-point attempts against Morgan State give him 473 in his CSUN career to move him into second place all-time, just ahead of Vinnie McGhee (472, 2009-12) … Tre Hale-Edmerson tied his school record with six blocks against Morgan State … Earlier this year, Hale-Edmerson had six blocks against La Sierra (12/1/13) to tie the record set earlier by Calvin Chitwood at Washington (12/22/07) … Hale-Edmerson now has 57 career blocks, seventh-best in school history.
By Bob Vazquez, Assistant Athletics Director, Strategic Communications
COURTESY CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
NORTHRIDGE, California -- Going into Friday night's non-league basketball game against Morgan State, senior guard Josh Greene knew he needed six three-pointers to tie the long-time career school record set by Ian Boylan (1997-01) with 182.
Greene wanted to tie or set the record in front of family, friends and fans who faithfully attend basketball games at the Matadome.
Greene raced to a fast start in the first half. Within a two-minute span nearing the midway point of the first half, Greene hit three straight shots from behind the arc, and added a fourth trey near the end of the first half.
Then with 11:24 mark in the second half, Greene hit his fifth three-pointer of the contest to give the Matadors a comfortable 59-48 lead over the Bears.
Greene then turned his attention to his success at the free throw line. Six consecutive free throws in the final 1:36 of the contest helped propel CSUN to a hard-earned 86-80 victory over Morgan State in a non-league game on Friday night at the Matadome.
Greene's 36-minute night looked outstanding from the left margin to the right margin of the official box score. A season-high 28 points (8-for-10 from the floor, 5-for-6 from three point territory), five rebounds, four assists and three steals is a pretty good night of work.
Matador head coach Reggie Theus noticed Greene's outstanding play, and was quick to praise Greene's success on the floor, and the leadership he displays amongst his teammates.
"Josh has an excellent jump shot," said Theus. "When he gets it going, he can make shots all over the court. Tonight he had it going. He has a green light under those circumstances."
Greene is a team player, who says winning as a team will always take top honors over individual achievements.
"I'm really not disappointed," said Greene. "I'm just happy the team won."
Greene's next opportunity to tie or break the school record takes place on Dec. 30 at Stephen F. Austin in Texas.
"It simply means that all hard work pays off," said Greene when asked about his three-point success. "I'm really blessed the Good Lord has put me in this position. All the credit also goes to my teammates. They look for me when I'm open. Making shots give us a good chance to win."
Greene's success at the free throw line has not gone unnoticed. His 7-for-8 effort from the charity stripe included six straight charity tosses late in the game that has given him a percentage of .864, tops on the team and amongst the top three players in the conference.
Greene's career free throw percentage is .846, third-best all-time at Cal State Northridge.
"Just hard work," said the soft-spoken senior. "It's just a matter of coming to work every day and being disciplined along with being dedicated. I'm always striving for perfection."
Stephen Maxwell again displayed his blue collar style of play with a career-high 28 points along with 12 rebounds. At 6-foot-7, 220-pounds, Maxwell worked for every point against his opponent who stood 7-foot-2, and scaled the weights at 270-pounds.
"Stephen never stops working," said Theus. "We have made him a pivotal part of our offense. There are certain things he still has to learn. He draws double teams which means he is doing something right offensively. Now he has to get better at finding the open man."
Stephan Hicks added his third double-double of the season with ten points and eleven rebounds to help the Matadors raise their season record to 8-5.
Morgan State fell to 3-8.
Morgan State led 12-11 at the 16:05 mark of the first half, but the Matadors ripped off ten straight points to take a 21-12 lead at the 13:04 mark. CSUN never surrendered the lead.
Cal State Northridge led at halftime, 39-34, and built its lead to as many as 13 points (61-48) with 10:30 remaining in the game.
Morgan State mounted a late rally that cut the Matadors lead to only three points, 76-73, with 1:21 remaining.
But a 4-0 run in the next 21 seconds thanks to two free throws by Hicks and another two free throws by Greene gave the Matadors a much needed cushion.
In fact, nine free throws in the final minute helped give the Matadors the 86-80 victory.
"We got a little complacent," admits Greene. "We took our foot off the pedal and Morgan State started to make a real run. We are still learning. We will continue to watch film. We will find our mistakes and continue to work to prepare for our next game at Stephen F. Austin."
"We did a lot of good things, and we stuck to our game plan," said Theus. "Good teams, even when things aren't perfect, find a way to win. That is our goal."
Cal State Northridge has now won five of its last six games going into the Dec. 30 game at Stephen F. Austin. The Lumberjacks are 10-2 and have won 23 straight games on their home court.
"I'm enjoying it. I like teaching," when reporters asked Theus about his first season at CSUN. "I like the opportunity to help these players grow. I also like the opportunity to teach the players how to play hard; how to grind a game out … to learn to win. I have had those experiences at all the levels that I have played basketball. These are the type of things I'm trying to teach the team.
Matador Memo … Josh Greene's 28 points gave him 1,184 in his four-year Matador career, ninth-best in school history … Greene's six three-point attempts against Morgan State give him 473 in his CSUN career to move him into second place all-time, just ahead of Vinnie McGhee (472, 2009-12) … Tre Hale-Edmerson tied his school record with six blocks against Morgan State … Earlier this year, Hale-Edmerson had six blocks against La Sierra (12/1/13) to tie the record set earlier by Calvin Chitwood at Washington (12/22/07) … Hale-Edmerson now has 57 career blocks, seventh-best in school history.
By Bob Vazquez, Assistant Athletics Director, Strategic Communications
COURTESY CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Friday, December 27, 2013
Game Day Central: FAMU vs. Wake Forest in FIU Fun & Sun Classic
Live video will be available for all games involving FIU.
Last Time Out
Junior Dearica Hamby scored a career-high 31 points and senior Chelsea Douglas chipped-in with 20 points as the Deacs rolled past South Alabama 92-66 on Dec. 20.
Hamby dominated on both ends of the floor. In addition to her 31 points, she grabbed 11 rebounds, had four steals and dished-out a season-high four assists.
Douglas knocked-down three shots from beyond the arc en route to her seventh 20-point game of the season. She also finished with season-highs of five assists and four steals. Freshman Ataijah Taylor scored nine points and dished-out four assists while redshirt-freshman Kelila Atkinson scored eight points and grabbed a pair of rebounds.
Senior Lindsy Wright came off the bench and provided an immediate spark, scoring six points and pulling-down a total of nine boards.
Wake Forest Storylines
Dearica Hamby has notched nine double-doubles this season. She was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Nugget Classic and currently leads the ACC in scoring at 20.9 points per game.
Senior Chelsea Douglas was the first player in school history to score 20 or more points in the first three games of a season. She is second in the ACC in scoring (19.8) and three-pointers made (38).
Douglas is currently tied for sixth in school history with 1,352 career points and also second with 209 career three-pointers.
The Opposition
Florida A&M opened the season with five wins in its first six games but has since dropped six of its last seven.
Jasmine Grice is leading the Rattlers in scoring at 22.2 points per game and she has also nabbed a team-high 41 steals.
Taneka Rubin (12.8) and Kimberly Sparkman (10.4) are the other two Rattlers averaging in double-figures. Sparkman has dished-out a team-high 41 assists.
Series History
The Demon Deacons are 3-0 all-time against FAMU, including an 80-60 victory last season at the Joel Coliseum.
This will be the first meeting between the two teams outside of Winston-Salem.
Wake Forest Game Notes
Live Stats
Twitter Updates
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Thursday, December 26, 2013
Oregon Ducks Close Out Non-Conference Slate with Morgan State
Oregon wraps up the non-conference portion of the schedule by hosting Morgan State of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference on Sunday, Dec. 29 at noon.#12/#10 Oregon Ducks (11-0, 0-0 PAC-12) vs.
Morgan State (3-7, 1-0 MEAC)
Date Sunday, December 29, 2013
2 - A third of the way into the 2013-14 season, Oregon leads the nation in scoring and continues to be one of the best shooting teams nationally. The Ducks average 90.3 points per game to lead the nation. Oregon is also among the national leaders in field goal percentage (.511/7th), 3-point field goal percentage (.424/11th), free throw percentage (.756/18th) and assists (16.2 per game/24th).
3 - Oregon tied a school record by reaching the century mark for the fourth time this season Dec. 21 against Brigham Young. It is just the third time in 109 seasons of basketball that the Ducks have scored 100 points four times in the same season. Oregon has never had more than four 100-point games in the same year. The Ducks last had four 100-point games in the same year in 2001-02. Oregon first accomplished that feat in 1995-96.
4 - Stealing away. The Ducks have recorded double-digit steals in three of the last four games. That’s after recording 10-plus steals only once in the first seven games.
5 - Johnathan Loyd continues to climb Oregon’s career assist chart. Last week against BYU, he passed Fred Jones (367/1998-02) for sixth. Loyd, who ranks eighth nationally at 6.8 assists per game, comes into the Morgan State contest with 372 career dimes.
SHARED SCORING
The Ducks have reached 80 points in nine of 11 games this season. Oregon has also gone over 90 points six times and 100 four times. Oregon has put up those big scoring totals through a collaborative effort. Oregon has had at least four players score in double figures in each of the last eight games. The Ducks have also had five double figure scorers five times, and six twice.
DOUBLE FIGURES CONTINUE FOR YOUNG
Joseph Young has scored in double figures in all 11 games this season. Dating back to last season while at Houston, Young has scored in double figures in 13 straight games, and 36 of his last 37 outings. The junior recently reached the 1,000 point milestone of his NCAA career. Young scored 916 points in two seasons at Houston, and has added another 218 this year for 1,134 career points. He joins Jason Calliste, who surpassed 1,000 career points in three seasons at Detroit, in the 1,000-point club.
OVC Campaign Begins For TSU Lady Tigers on Saturday
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | VIDEONASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will officially kick-off the Ohio Valley Conference campaign on Saturday, Dec. 28 when the Lady Tigers face Eastern Illinois on the road. The game will be TSU’s first contest after the Christmas break and final of the year 2013.
THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE
Tennessee State is coming off a, 66-58, loss against LaSalle at the Gator Holiday Classic. TSU also dropped a contest to host Florida on the first day of the tournament. The losses extended TSU’s losing streak to three games and moved the Lady Tigers to 3-10 overall.
TSU is averaging 64.8 points per outing while shooting 34.9 percent from the field. Chelsea Hudson leads the team in scoring with 16.4 points per game while Rachel Allen (11.3 ppg) and I’mani Davis (7.6 ppg) round out the top scorers for TSU.
The Lady Tigers, under second year head coach Larry Joe Inman, returned four letterwinners from last year’s squad and added eight newcomers, including seven freshmen, to the roster.
TSU finished last season with an overall record of 13-15 and a 9-7 conference mark. In an Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll that was released in October, TSU was predicted to finish fifth in the East Division standings.
LAST TIME OUT
TSU got off to a slow start and fell behind 24-3 in the first half before forging a comeback that cut the deficit down to just five. The Lady Tigers, however, ran out of time and fell to LaSalle, 66-58, at the Gator Holiday Classic. I’mani Davis recorded her second double-double of the season and led TSU with 15 points to go with 16 rebounds. Rachel Allen finished the game with 14 points.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Eastern Illinois is off to a 5-6 start this season. The Panthers have won two straight with the most recent victory coming against Air Force, 76-44. EIU has won three of its last four games.
In the win over Air Force, Sabina Oroszova recorded a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Katlyn Payne also scored 22 points while Jordyne Crunk added 14.
Oroszova (18.1 ppg), Payne (14.4 ppg) and Crunk (11.3 ppg) are also the team’s leading scorers.
As a team, EIU is averaging 61.1 points per game behind a 39.6 field goal percentage. The Panthers are shooting 35.1 percent from the three-point line and the 68.9 percent from the charity stripe.
TSU vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS
TSU will meet Eastern Illinois for the 38th time in the series history as EIU leads, 27-10. EIU claimed the last meeting between the two teams with a 76-67 victory in the Gentry Center. TSU has not won a game against EIU since the 2006 season when the Lady Tigers defeated the Panthers, 67-62.
COVERAGE
Updates on the game will be available throughout the game on the official twitter page via @TSU_Tigers. Live stats and video will also be available for the games. Links can be found on tsutigers.com under the schedule.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
TSU will return to action in the next year at home against conference foe Jacksonville State on Jan. 4. Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Toledo Aiming for 12-0 in Saturday Matinee vs. Coppin State
TOLEDO, Ohio -- Toledo (11-0) looks to cap off a perfect non-conference home season and remain among the ranks of the unbeaten on Saturday, Dec. 28 when it hosts MEAC foe Coppin State (4-7) in Savage Arena. Tip-off time is set for 2:00 p.m. Entering Friday’s action, the Rockets were one of nine schools in the nation yet to be saddled with a loss.UT has registered its best start to a season since its 1966-67 squad opened with 14 consecutive wins en route to a 23-2 mark. With one more victory, the Rockets would match the 1940-41 squad for the program’s second-best opening to a season.
All five of Toledo’s starters are averaging in double figures in the scoring column, led by senior G Rian Pearson at 16.1 ppg. He is followed by junior G Justin Drummond (14.9 ppg), junior G Julius Brown (12.8 ppg), junior F J.D. Weatherspoon (11.3 ppg) and sophomore C Nathan Boothe (10.7 ppg).Pearson ranks fourth in the MAC in scoring and has ranked among the league’s top four scorers in each of his three seasons as a Rocket.
Brown ranks fifth nationally with 7.4 apg and second in the MAC with a 2.5 assist/turnover ratio. He has registered two double-doubles this season with 23 points and 10 assists at Boston College and 18 points and 11 assists vs. Florida A&M.
Toledo is 5-0 this year in games decided by four points or less, including a 71-67 win over Cleveland St. in its most recent outing.
The Rockets have made 60 more free throws (253) than their opponents have attempted (193). UT has a .744 free-throw percentage and ranks fourth nationally at 22.9 free throws made per game.
Senior F Michael Murray paces Coppin State offensively with 15.7 ppg, while junior F Brandon St. Louis is grabbing a team-high 5.8 rpg.
The Eagles, who will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak, defeated PAC-12 foe Oregon State earlier this season by a 78-73 margin.
GAME NOTES (PDF)
Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk posted a seven-win improvement from Year 1 (10-20) to Year 2 (17-11) at Green Bay. He doubled that feat and more at Toledo in the 2011-12 campaign as UT registered 15 more wins than his first season at the Rocket helm. Last year, Kowalczyk guided Toledo to a 15-13 ledger as the Midnight Blue and Gold tied for first place in the MAC’s West Division. He now has UT in position as one of the favorites to capture the league title and put the Rockets into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1980.
When looking at his career record minus his first season at the helm at both Green Bay and Toledo, Coach Kowalczyk’s record is 171-122 (.584) overall and 86-64 (.573) in conference play.
ROCKETS IN THE POLLS
Toledo is ranked No. 3 in this week’s CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll for its highest ranking ever in the 15-year history of the poll. The Rockets received 717 points and are one of four MAC schools to appear in the poll with No. 11 Akron (485), No. 14 Kent State (351) and No. 18 Ohio (225) also ranked. Eastern Michigan (35) is also receiving votes.
UT also is moving up the national polls and received 27 votes (No. 30) in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll and 13 votes (No. 31) in this week’s ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll.
The Rockets are also a near-unanimous pick to win the MAC’s West Division. UT received 24 first-place votes and 149 points in the conference’s preseason poll, while Akron was tabbed as the East Division winner with 18 first-place votes and 143 points.
ROCKETS RANKING AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Toledo’s red-hot start to the 2013-14 campaign has been buoyed by a high-scoring offense that is tied for seventh nationally (through games played Sunday, Dec. 22) with 86.4 ppg. The Rockets also rank 11th with an impressive 1.65 assist/turnover ratio.
A ROCKET VICTORY OVER COPPIN STATE WOULD...
- Equal UT’s second-best start to a season in school history, matching the 1940-41 squad’s opening. The Rockets’ school record is 14 by the 1966-67 edition.
- Extend Toledo’s winning streak dating back to the 2012-13 campaign to 14, equalling the third-longest in school history. The Rockets’ longest win streak is 17 from Feb. 19, 1940 - Jan. 25, 1941. UT also won 16 in a row from Feb. 14, 1947 - Dec. 30, 1948 and 14 straight from Dec. 3, 1966 - Feb. 1, 1967.
- Improve UT’s home record to 6-0 and extend the Rockets’ home court win streak to seven games.
- Give Toledo its first victory over Coppin State in three meetings.
Toledo will close out its non-conference schedule at No. 16 Kansas (8-3) on Monday, Dec. 30 in a game that can be seen on ESPN3.
UT opens its MAC season at Western Michigan (6-5) on Wednesday, Jan. 8 with its first conf
erence home game vs. Central Michigan (6-5) on Saturday, Jan. 11.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
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