Charleston Cougars Host Howard In Final Non-Conference Tune-Up

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (7-7, 0-0 CAA) vs. HOWARD (3-13, 1-1 MEAC)
Game #15
January 4, 2014 • 4:00 p.m. (ET)
TD Arena/John Kresse Court (5,100)
at Charleston, S.C.

Television: MyTV Charleston
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM)
Series History: CofC Leads 1-0
Last Meeting: CofC def. Howard, 77-73, on Dec. 30, 2002 at State Farm Classic in Charleston, S.C.
Internet: Free Live Statistics at www.CofCSports.com
Free Live Video: www.ustream.tv/channel/charleston-sports-network---cofcsports-com
Twitter: @CofCBasketball

THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Doug Wojcik
Second Year at CofC: 31-18 (.633)
Ninth Year Overall: 171-110 (.609)

Howard: Kevin Nickelberry
Fourth Year at Howard: 25-79 (.240)
Seventh Year Overall: 75-126 (.373)

RADIO (College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
Color Analyst: Danny Johnson

TELEVISION (MyTV Charleston)
Play-By-Play: Jeff McCarragher
Color Analysts: Nate Ross and John Kresse

GAME PREVIEW
The College of Charleston men’s basketball team (7-7) plays host to Howard (3-13) in its final non-conference tune-up on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 4 p.m. (ET) at TD Arena. The game will be televised live locally on MyTV Charleston. The Cougars are looking to make it a 3-0 week after claiming a pair of road victories at former Southern Conference rivals The Citadel (72-48) on Dec. 29 and Davidson (76-64) on Jan. 1. The squad is playing some of its best basketball of the year shooting a season-best 60.5 percent from the field at Davidson on New Year’s Day. They also outrebounded the Bulldogs and Wildcats by an average of 12.0 boards per contest and outscored them by an average margin of 18.0 points combined. Defensively, CofC held both teams to one of its lowest-scoring outputs of the season – a stat category the Cougars have consistently ranked in the top 30 nationally and tops in the Colonial Athletic Association this year holding opponents to 62.9 points per game. Graduate senior Willis Hall (Charlotte, N.C.) reeled off a monster game at Davidson with career-highs in points (26) and rebounds (21), while junior floor general Anthony Stitt (Charlotte, N.C.) has led the team to a 1.38 assist-to-turnover ratio (29-21) in the last two outings including a personal-best nine assists versus the Wildcats. Hall became the first known CofC player to record a 20/20 double-double performance in the Division I era of the program (1991-Present). Meanwhile, Howard is fresh off of coast-to-coast travel having last played at Southern Cal (L, 82-60), prior to the New Year on Dec. 29 in Los Angeles.

THE SKINNY ON THE BISON

Howard is looking to end a two-game losing stretch. The Bison last defeated Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) foe Delaware State in a 64-62 overtime thriller won on a last-second layup by freshman guard/forward James Miller on Dec. 15 at the Big Apple Classic held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. CofC will be the program’s second CAA opponent of the season having lost in overtime (84-79) at home to William & Mary on Nov. 30. Howard has one of the youngest teams in the country with nine freshmen on the roster including leading scorer, James Daniel, who is averaging 19.8 points per game which ranks among the top 40 nationally among NCAA Division I scoring leaders. The former Virginia Tri-State Player of the Year also ranks in the top 20 in three-point field goals made per game (3.33 avg.) and missed the USC game with a toe injury.

WATCH MYTV CHARLESTON

Local affiliate MyTV Charleston can be viewed locally over the air on Channel 36.1, on Channel 36 for DirecTV, Dish Network and AT&T U-verse subscribers as well as Channel 13 for Comcast, Knology and Time Warner cable subscribers in the Charleston, South Carolina, television market. MyTV Charleston also reaches as far as the Orangeburg, Walterboro and Georgetown areas.

SERIES REWIND

College of Charleston leads 1-0 in the all-time series with Howard. Both teams last met in the championship game of the State Farm Good Neighbor Classic on Dec. 30, 2002 held at the old John Kresse Arena. Former CofC standouts Thomas Mobley and Troy Wheless scored 18 and 16 points respectively to lead the Cougars to a 77-73 win over the Bison. It marked CofC’s fifth consecutive State Farm Classic title. Howard took a 58-57 lead with 6:38 remaining on a layup by Quadir Habeeb, however, the Cougars answered with a 10-3 run and hit their last eight free throws over the final 43 seconds to secure the win. Wheless and Mobley were named to the all-tournament team along with MVP Mike Benton, who registered 15 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots against the Bison. CofC beat Maryland-Baltimore County, while Howard downed Oral Roberts for a spot in the title game.

PROJECTED COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STARTERS

#22 Anthony Stitt, G, 6-1, 180, Jr. (9.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 34.1 min)

#24 Canyon Barry, G, 6-6, 195, RS-Fr. (9.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.4 apg, 24.7 min)

#3 Anthony Thomas, SF, 6-7, 207, Sr. (7.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 23.3 min)

#53 Willis Hall, F, 6-6, 235, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.0 apg, 32.0 min)

#1 Adjehi Baru, F, 6-9, 225, Jr. (9.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.0 apg, 29.0 min)

PROJECTED HOWARD STARTERS

#10 Keon Hill, G, 5-9, 170, Fr. (3.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 16.8 min)

#2 Kofi Andoh, G, 6-4, 185, Fr. (2.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.6 apg, 13.9 min)

#3 Prince Okoroh, F, 6-5, 220, Jr. (15.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 33.0 min)

#20 Solomon Mangham, F, 6-7, 210, Fr. (7.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.0 apg, 27.1 min)

#5 Marcel Boyd, C, 6-10, 230, Fr. (5.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.6 apg, 18.8 min)

CONFERENCE PLAY ON THE HORIZON

The Cougars will commence their inaugural season in the CAA with their home opener against James Madison on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. (ET) at TD Arena. Prior to joining the league on July 1, 2013, CofC compiled a 33-12 (.733) overall record against the Colonial and their current and past members.

COUGARS AGAINST THE MEAC

CofC is 17-13 (.567) all-time against schools hailing from the MEAC including Coppin State (1-3) which it last faced in 1992, Hampton (1-0) in 1999, Howard (1-0) in 2002, Maryland Eastern Shore (1-1) in 1990, Morgan State (2-0) in 1992, North Carolina A&T (1-1) in 1993 and South Carolina State (10-8) in 2010.

   Howard Game Notes

COURTESY COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Charlotte 49ers Host N.C. A&T In Final Non-Conference Game

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- The Charlotte 49ers (8-4) play North Carolina A&T (3-10) in their final non-conference game, Saturday, January 4 at 7 pm. The game will broadcast in the Charlotte area on WCCB Charlotte.

The 49ers are 18-4 since the 1991-92 season in their final non-conference home game. The 49ers are 16-6 since the 1991-92 season in their final non-conference game. Since the 2000-01 season, the 49ers are 10-3 in their final non-conference home game. Since the 2000-01 season, the 49ers are 9-4 in their final non-conference game. Last season, Charlotte defeated UNC Asheville, 71-63 in overtime, in Halton Arena in their final non-conference game, January 2, 2013.

Last time out, Charlotte lost to Georgia Tech, 58-55, December 29. The 49ers found themselves down nine points (51-42) with 3:01 left in the second half. The 49ers went on a 13-4 run over the next 2:50 tying the score at 55 when Shawn Lester knocked down a three from the top of the key with 10 seconds on the clock. Georgia Tech’s Trae Golden knocked down a three with four seconds left giving Georgia Tech the win. Pierria Henry nearly sent the game into overtime as he made a three-pointer from the top of the key but after the officials reviewed the shot it was shown to leave his hands barely after the clock hit zero. Denzel Ingram recorded his first career 20-point scoring game with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field. Willie Clayton recorded his 11th straight double-figure scoring game with 11 points. Clayton also grabbed nine rebounds. Henry dished out seven assists.

 

Lester has scored in double-figures in 10 of Charlotte’s 12 games this season. Lester (13.8 ppg) leads the 49ers in scoring. Clayton (11.9 ppg), Terrence Williams (10.9 ppg), Henry (10.4 ppg) and Mike Thorne (10.3 ppg) round out the 49ers double-figure scorers. Ingram averages 9.2 points per game.
Henry leads Conference USA in steals per game at 2.55. Clayton is third in Conference USA in rebounding at 9.6 boards per game. Clayton leads Conference USA in offensive rebounds (5.2 per game). Ben Cherry has knocked down 22 threes in the last nine games. Cherry is second in Conference USA in three-point field goal percentage (50.0%). Clayton leads Conference in field goal percentage (62.2%). Marcus Bryan has given the 49ers solid production off the bench this season so far.

North Carolina A&T has three players averaging double-figures led by Lamont Middleton’s 17.9 points per game. Richaud Pack averages 16.5 points per game. Bruce Beckford averages 12.5 points and a team-leading 7.0 rebounds per game.

Saturday’s game will mark the ninth meeting between Charlotte and North Carolina A&T. The 49ers have won all eight of the previous meetings including a 102-39 victory over North Carolina A&T in their last game which was played in Halton Arena, November 24, 2003.

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COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - CHARLOTTE SPORTS INFORMATION 

Hampton Pirates to take on Radford at Home

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- The Hampton University men's basketball team will go for its second straight win on Saturday, as the Pirates play host to the Highlanders of Radford at 4 p.m. at the HU Convocation Center.

The Pirates (6-7) snapped a two-game skid back on Dec. 29 with a 101-95 double-overtime win over Winthrop at the HU Convocation Center, marking the first time since 2006 that Hampton scored 100 or more points in a game.

Senior forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) led five Pirates in double figures with 20 points to go along with 10 rebounds, while sophomore guard Brian Darden (Hampton, Va.), a Radford transfer, added a career-high 19 points.

Sophomore guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.) added 16 points, while sophomore guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) chipped in 13 points and redshirt-freshman guard Lawrence Cooks (Charlotte, N.C.) added 12 points.

Radford (10-4) is riding a four-game winning streak after defeating The Citadel 76-59 at home on Thursday night, and the Highlanders are in their third season under head coach Mike Jones. Radford is a young team, with 10 underclassmen and just one senior on the squad.

Junior forward Javonte Green was a Preseason Second Team All-Big South selection, and he currently leads the Highlanders in both scoring (17.1 points per game) and rebounding (6.7 boards per contest). Junior guard R.J. Price is the only other player averaging double figures in scoring, pouring in 14.2 points a night.

Hampton is 2-3 against Radford, and the two teams met last season – with Radford coming away with a 73-64 win on its home court. The Pirates won back-to-back meetings in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons; the 2004-05 matchup came on a neutral court, and the Pirates beat Radford at the Convocation Center in 2005-06. Radford has made two previous trips to the HU Convocation Center, splitting those two games.

Hampton is 13-11 all-time against schools currently in the Big South Conference, including a 70-53 loss to Liberty earlier this season in the Corpus Christi Challenge on Nov. 29 and a 101-95 double-overtime win over Winthrop on Dec. 29.

The Pirates are 0-1 against Campbell; 1-0 against Charleston Southern; 1-1 against Coastal Carolina; 2-0 against High Point; 2-3 against Liberty; 3-1 against Longwood; 2-3 against Radford; and 2-2 against Winthrop.

The Pirates have never faced Gardner-Webb, Presbyterian, UNC Asheville, or VMI.

The Pirates went 7-8 at the HU Convocation Center last season, even though they won three of their last five home contests. During Edward Joyner Jr.'s career as a head coach, Hampton is 31-23 overall in the Convocation Center, and the Pirates are 4-1 at home this season after beating Winthrop on Dec. 29.

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.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

UMES Concludes Road Trip Against the SSU Lady Tigers

The women's basketball team finishes their seven-game road trip versus Savannah State University

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland  – Tomorrow, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) women’s basketball team wraps up their seven-game road trip as they head to Savannah, Ga. to face the Lady Tigers of Savannah State University inside Tiger Arena. Game-time is 6:00 p.m. (EST)

LAST TIMEOUT

In their 50th meeting, the Lady Hawks dropped their conference opener to South Carolina State University (SC State), 63-50. UMES scored the first bucket of the second half on an offensive put back from senior Shanyce Stewart (Mount Vernon, N.Y.), 27-23, but the Lady Bulldogs controlled the tempo as they went on a 12-4 run with less than 11 minutes in regulation, 39-25. Within the next seven minutes, the Lady Hawks climbed back into the game after back-to-back free-throws by Shawnee Sweeney (Chester, Va.) to cut the deficit to single-digits, 49-40. SC State withstood UMES’ late surge as they finished the contest hitting their free-throws down the stretch to win, 63-50.

TOP PERFORMERS

Jessica Long (Fort Washington, Md.) paced the Hawk attack with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Senior Breonna Evans (Melfa, Va.) recorded a career-high eight points, including two triples, while Ashleigh Claybrooks (Manassas, Va.) finished with seven points and 10 boards in a losing effort.

Other notable Hawk performances included Stewart recording her 12^th career 10+ rebound game with a game-high 18 boards. With her efforts, she surpasses Adobi Agbasi with the second-most 10+ rebound performances since the 2005-06 season, trailing only April McBride (39).

MATCHUP PREVIEW

Tomorrow’s matchup is the eight meeting between these two institutions where UMES leads the all-times series, 5-2, including last season’s overtime victory over the Lady Tigers, 55-44. In that contest, four Lady Hawks scored in double-digits, led by Sweeney recording 12 points. Alexis Udoji (Randolph, Mass.) was one block shy of posting a triple-double as she finished with 11 points, 12 boards, and nine blocks. Savannah State’s Erin Hogue notched a double-double in the last meeting with 13 points and 13 boards in 41 minutes of action.

This season, the Lady Tigers are among the top the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) leaders in field goal percentage, shooting nearly 39% from the floor, led by senior guard Ezinne Kalu. She leads the team in multiple categories, including points (14.8), steals (2.3), and minutes (29.4). Other notable Lady Tiger includes Charmaine Greene as she was selected to the 2013-14 MEAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Team.

For the Lady Hawks, they remain among the conference leaders in rebounds-per-game (47.3) and three-pointers-per-game (6.5). Long leads the team in scoring (14.7) and assists (4.7), which is third in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Stewart and Udoji provide the frontcourt presence as they are among the top rebounders, averaging 9.7 and 8.8 boards-per-game, respectively. Sweeney continues her hot streak as she is currently 14^th in the nation, averaging 3.2 three-pointers-per-contests. Click Here to view UMES game notes.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

On Jan. 11^th, the Lady Hawks return to the William P. Hytche Athletic Center to face Norfolk State University. Game-time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (EST)

For complete recaps, results and news of Hawk athletics, please visit www.umeshawks.com.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS 

Towson Tigers Head to Coppin State on Saturday

MEDIA INFORMATION Date Saturday, Jan. 4 | 2:00 p.m. Location Baltimore, Md. | Physical Education Center Tickets CoppinStateSports.com Live Video/Audio Towson Sports Network Game Notes Towson | Coppin State Twitter @Towson_WBB TOWSON TIGERS Record 5-7, 0-0 CAA Last Game Dec. 28 - Towson 67, Loyola 46 Head Coach Niki Reid Geckeler (Georgetown, 1993) Coppin State Eagles Record 4-8, 1-0 MEAC Last Game Dec. 29 - Alabama 82, Coppin State 60 Head Coach Derek Brown (Montclair State)

TOWSON, Maryland  -- The Tiger women's basketball team wraps up its non-conference slate with a trip to Coppin State. Towson visits the Eagles on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m.

Series History: Towson faces its final non-conference local opponent today in Coppin State.

The Tigers hold a 10-3 advantage in a series that began in 1985. Towson has won two straight in the match-up after a 58-55 win in the Towson Center last year. Then senior Michelle Peebles led the Tigers with 15 points and nine rebounds in that game.

Going Deep: The Tigers hit a season-high eight three-pointers in the win over Loyola. It was the most three-pointers by the Tigers in a single-game since they hit eight in the win over William & Mary last March.

Towson’s efforts against the Greyhounds were led by sophomore guard Dominique Johnson, who connected on four. Four other Tigers hit one three-pointer in the game.

Keep It 50 Below: A strong defensive effort against Loyola allowed the Tigers to limit the Greyhounds to just 46 points. Towson is now 2-0 this season when it holds an opponent to 50 points or less. The Tigers held Loyola to just 20 points in the first half of that game.

The last time the Tigers held an opponent to 20 points or less in a half was the season opener against Manhattan last year. Since the start of the 2009-10 season, the Tigers are 16-3 when they hold an opponent to 50 points or less in a game.

I’ll Take That: The Tigers grabbed 12 steals in the win over Loyola. Four different Tigers recorded at least one steal in the game led by redshirt senior Nyree Williams and junior Ciara Webb, who had four swipes each. It was the seventh time in 12 games that the Tigers recorded double-digit steals in a game. Towson entered play on Friday ranked fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) while averaging 9.8 steals per game.

Six Tigers have recorded at least 12 steals this season, led by Williams, who has 27 steals. Williams enters play this weekend ranked fourth in the CAA while averaging 2.3 steals per game.

Up Next: The Tigers are back in action on Thursday, Jan. 9 when CAA play begins. Towson travels to Hofstra for a 7 p.m. game to kick off its conference slate.

Support Towson University Athletics by making a tax deductible donation to the Tiger Club. For more information follow this link or to give now, click here.

Follow this link to purchase tickets to upcoming events.

COURTESY TOWSON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

B-CU football assistant Denson takes job at Miami (Ohio)

COACH AUTRY DENSON
(Courtesy: B-CU Athletics)

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman running backs coach Autry Denson has left the Wildcats to take the same job with Miami University (Ohio), B-CU head coach Brian Jenkins confirmed Thursday.

Denson, Notre Dame's all-time leading rusher, had been on Jenkins' staff for three seasons. At Miami, he will serve under new head coach Chuck Martin, who had been an assistant at Notre Dame the past four seasons — the last two as offensive coordinator.

 

Martin was not at Notre Dame when Denson played there from 1995 to '98.

 

“Autry did an exceptional job in the time he was here,'' Jenkins said. “Me and the coaches and the Bethune-Cookman family wish him and his family well. We lost a great one.”

 

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MVSU releases 2014 softball schedule

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  -- The Mississippi Valley State softball program has released its 2014 schedule. Click here to view the full schedule.

The 45-game schedule for the defending SWAC Tournament champions includes five non-conference tournaments and the annual SWAC Round-Up Tournament in Longview, Texas.

The Devilettes will kick off the season Feb. 7 at a tournament hosted by Mississippi State where they'll face MSU, Jacksonville State and Northern Kentucky.

The non-conference schedule for the Devilettes includes games against Northwestern  State, Purdue, Samford, Bradley, Arkansas, Western Kentucky, Memphis, William Carey, University of Mobile, Spring Hill College and LSU-Alexandria.

Valley will host two non-conference teams this season – Central Arkansas on March 12 and Mississippi State on April 1.

Alumni Weekend has been set for March 28-29 when the Devilettes host rival Alcorn State. Then, Valley will close out its regular season schedule April 25-26 when they host another rival, Jackson State, on Senior Weekend.

The 2014 SWAC Softball Tournament has been scheduled for May 7-10 in Decatur, Ala. at Wilson Morgan Park.

MVSU finished 25-32 last season and won five straight games at the SWAC Tournament to claim its ninth tournament title in school history. The Devilettes fell to South Alabama and Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament.     
COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Texas Southern basketball teams set to face Alcorn State Saturday at 3 and 5 pm

HOUSTON, Texas  -- The Texas Southern Men's and Women's basketball teams will open conference play this upcoming weekend as they both get set to face Alcorn State at home at the H&PE Arena.

This women's game will start at 3:00 pm followed by the men's contest at 5:00 pm on Saturday, January 4^th. TSU's women's team is headlined by Jazzmin Parkers who is currently one of the top scorers in the nation.

The men are lead by transfer standout Aaric Murray. Murray posted a NCAA season high 48 points versus Temple last month.

A complete listing of TSU home basketball games can be found by clicking the schedules link located at www.tsuball.com. 
COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern’s Roman Banks, Champion Baptist coach ‘clear the air’

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- The head coaches for the Southern and Champion Baptist College men’s basketball teams said Thursday there are no bad feelings in the wake of the Jaguars’ 116-12 victory Monday night.

FoxSports.com had quoted Tigers coach Eric Capaci as saying he had “no idea why” Jaguars coach Roman Banks would have pressed deep into such a lopsided game and “try to destroy us like that.’

But, Capaci said in a telephone interview Thursday that his comments were misconstrued and he and Banks have “a great relationship.”

“I was not angry or upset,” Capaci said. “In fact we had a great conversation before the game and after the game. During the course of a game like that when your team is being pressed and trapped, it gets frustrating. But I respect coach’s decision. I’m not upset at all.”

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Alabama A&M Bulldogs prepare to hit the road to begin SWAC play

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M coach Willie Hayes sees an improved, more challenging Southwest Athletic Conference this basketball season as the Bulldogs prepare to hit the road to begin league play.

Alabama A&M, 3-7 in preconference play, plays at Jackson State on Saturday at 5:30, with the women's game at 3 p.m. A&M will then travel to Grambling for a Monday night doubleheader.

"It'll be pretty tough," Hayes said of the SWAC, a 10-team league in which only seven teams are eligible for postseason play due to academic issues (Arkansas State-Pine Bluff, Grambling and Mississippi Valley are ineligible.) "You look across the board, and there are a couple of teams five wins or so in preseason. You can see the change. The whole conference is playing better in non-conference games."

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Lane Dragons drops first SIAC game

JACKSON, Tennessee  -- A little rust after a long break from games is expected, and that’s OK. A lack of effort is not OK.

Lane men’s basketball lost its conference opener to Fort Valley State (Ga.) 88-81 Thursday afternoon, and that was the main point on coach Bryanth Basemore’s mind in the moments afterward.

Lane trailed 13-2 to start the game, its first in nearly a month, but more troublingly the Dragons didn’t respond well after cutting their deficit to one point at halftime.

For Basemore, that means changes must be made before the Dragons’ next game Saturday.

“Lack of intensity, lack of effort, lack of heart — ...

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FSU Broncos Escape with Opening CIAA Victory over Chowan

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  --  The Chowan University men's basketball team fell short in a 65-62 contest against the Fayetteville State University Broncos on Thursday evening.  The Hawks slip to 3-5 overall and 0-1 in CIAA competition while the Broncos improve to 8-3 overall and 1-0 in the league.

Tiron Brown led all players in the game with 16 points in the loss.  Kyree Bethel and Ashante Ross each added 13 points for the Hawks with Ross grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds (three offensive, eight defensive) to earn a double-double.

For Fayetteville State, Tyrrel Tate led the effort with 10 points and nine rebounds (two offensive, seven defensive).  Juwan Addison added nine points in the win.

The Broncos scored first to open the first half and grabbed a 2-0 lead before a 5-0 run put Chowan ahead 5-2 with 16:19 left to play.  A tip-in and jumper for Fayetteville State at the 14:53 mark put the Broncos ahead 6-5; a lead they would maintain for the remainder of the half.  With 5:55 on the clock, a three pointer by Brown brought the Hawks within three (16-13), but Fayetteville State used lay-up by Addison to head into halftime with a 30-21 advantage.

Chowan outscored the Broncos 41-35 in the second half despite trailing by 10 points (55-45) with just under six minutes left in the game.  A jumper by Bethel with 39 seconds left capped a 17-8 run for the Hawks and put Chowan within striking distance (63-62).  Missed opportunities proved to be costly for Chowan as a missed lay-up followed by two missed free throws and a Hawk foul put the momentum back in the Broncos grasp.  Torian Showers drained both free throws to clinch the 65-62 victory for Fayetteville State.

The Hawks travel to Shaw University on Saturday to take on the Bears.  The CIAA crossover contest is slated for a 4:00pm tip-off.

Box Score    

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY HAWKS SPORTS INFORMATION      

Huge Second Half Scoring Boosts LU Lions over Pace, 64-57

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania  -- The Lions outscored Pace University 40-29 in the second half and defeated the Setters 64-57 in a non-conference matchup on Thursday, January 2^nd. In the final twenty minutes, Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) scored 14 of his 16 points while George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) scored 11 of his game-high 22 points to lead The Lincoln University.

Lincoln got off to a slow start offensively against the Setters of Pace University. The Lions made eight shots from the field (27%) in the opening half but used their defense to stay within striking distance of Pace. Pace shot 40% from the field but was forced into 11 turnovers that turned into 14 points for the Lions. Lincoln's George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) accounted for 11 first half points. Jackson made two three-pointers and was a perfect 3-3 from the free-throw line. Pace broke out to their biggest lead of nine points (20-11) at the 9:09 mark and led at the half 28-24.

Coming out of the break, Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) and George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) both hit back-to-back three-pointers giving the Lions a 32-30 lead. Pace took their final lead of the night with a three-pointer to pull ahead 33-32, but Jackson and Washington hooked up for a fast-break layup on the ensuing possession igniting the Lions offense recaliming the lead.

Lincoln held on to a small lead and leaned upon their veteran backcourt duo down the stetch that combined for 25 points and 9-9 made free-throws in the second half. Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) and George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) lifted their play late in the game to carry the Lions to victory. Washington scored 14 points and dished out three assists while Jackson had 11 points and three assists as the Lions outscored the Setters 40-29.

Defensively, Pace was held to 34% shooting from the field and eight turnovers. Lincoln converted on 12-13 attempts from the free-throw line and made all eight in the final minute of play to defeat Pace 64-57.

George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) led the Lions with 22 points and three assists. He was a perfect 9-9 from the free-throw line and made three shots from behind the arc against Pace. Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) led the bench with 16 points and a team-high four assists and four rebounds. Chris Kinney (Washington, DC/Theodore Roosevelt SHS) had six points and a team-high seven rebounds. Tony Efese (Spring Valley, NY/St. Joseph Regional HS) has four rebounds, two blocks, and one steal and James Stewart (Washington, DC/Charles Herbert Flowers HS) grabbed five rebounds.

Lincoln improves to 8-2 and Pace drops to 3-8 after their matchup on Thursday night. The Lions will hit the road on Saturday, January 4^th to Winston-Salem, NC to battle the Rams of Winston-Salem State University in their next game.

Box Score

COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY LIONS SPORTS INFORMATION

Second Half Thriller Powers Livingstone Blue Bears to Victory

SALISBURY, North Carolina  -- The Livingstone College men's basketball team defeated Bowie State University 73-67 in a late second half thriller.

The victory improves the Blue Bears record 8-2 overall and gives them their first conference win of the season over the defending CIAA Champions.

Daresse Johnson played big in the paint for the Blue Bears. He grabbed seven rebounds early in the first half.

The Blue Bears struggled offensively in the first half, only shooting 27 percent from the field; compared to Bowie's 50 percent.

The Blue Bears ended the first half trailing 34-26.

Jody Hill powered the Blue Bears as he hit five three pointers in the second half alone to edge the Bulldogs for the lead. Hill finished the game with 21 points.

The Bulldogs led throughout the entire game until the Blue Bears found their rhythm beginning with a steal by Anthony Welch with less than five minutes left to play. Welch recorded 10 points and five rebounds for Livingstone.

Eric Mayo and Mark Thomas also played very well for the Blue Bears. Mayo recorded a double-double, 14 points and 11 rebounds while Thomas scored 11 points and snatched six rebounds.

Christian Henry contributed seven points to the win.

The Blue Bears forced the Bulldogs to commit 21 turnovers compared to their 11.

As a team the Blue Bears shot 31 percent from the field and 79 percent from the free throw line. Livingstone's consistency at the charity stripe aided in the win.

The Blue Bears will return to action Saturday, January 4 as they face Virginia Union University. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

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Shaw Bears Build Early Lead, Hold Off ECSU 96-81 in CIAA Opener

RALEIGH, North Carolina  --  The Shaw University men's basketball team built an early lead, then held off a late charging Elizabeth City State squad to claim the 96-81 win in the contest played Thursday night at Shaw's C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

 

The game was the CIAA opener for both squads.  Shaw improves to 3-8 overall, while Elizabeth City State falls to 5-6.

 

The Bears built their first half lead on hot shooting from the field, while the Shaw defense kept ECSU from finding the bottom of the net.  Shaw hit 57.7 of their shots in the first, and held the Vikings to 31 percent shooting.  Both teams improved in the second half, with ECSU hitting 69 percent of their shots while the Bears hit 68.2 percent.

 

Shaw built their lead early, and increased it to as many as 36 in the second before ECSU hit some critical threes and cut that lead by more than half before time ran out.

 

With 15:54 left in the first half, Mykael Faulcon hit a three to give ECSU a 7-6 lead.  Those would be the last points they would hit for over seven minutes.

 

In those intervening minutes, Shaw scored 20 straight, including ten from Curtis Hines, making the score 26-7 with 9:17 left in the half.

 

The two teams traded buckets for three minutes, then Larry Richardson hit a three for the Bears, giving them a 37-15 advantage with 4:58 left.  The lead would hover around the 20-point mark for most of the rest of the half.

 

With two seconds left in the half, Derrick Hunter hit a long three to give the Bears a 46-23 lead going into the half.

 

In the first seven minutes of the second half, the Bears outscored ECSU 21-8 to stretch the lead to 36 on a layup from DaAaron Ward.

 

Brachon Griffin hit a three for ECSU to cut the Shaw lead to 67-34.  This would be the first of eight three pointers that the Vikings would hit the rest of the way, trimming the Shaw lead from 36 to as few as 14.  Hines closed out the Shaw scoring with 24 seconds left, hitting a three of his own to make the score 96-79.  Jake McDaniels would add a layup for ECSU to close out the scoring, giving Shaw the 96-81 win.

 

Four Bears finished in double digits on the evening, led by Hines with 26 and Hunter with 24.  Larry Richardson added 19, and Joe Reid had 14.  Hunter's seven rebounds and eight assists were tops in the game for both teams.

 

Faulcon was the leading scorer for the Vikings with 24 points -- 12 off of threes.  LaShawn Alexander added 12 points.  Alexander had five rebounds and Griffin had four assists to lead ECSU.

 

Shaw returns to action Saturday afternoon when they host Chowan at C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium on the Shaw campus.   Tipoff is 4:00 p.m.

Box Score

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Bluefield State storms back to edge NCCU

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- After falling behind 10-0 in the game’s opening two minutes, Bluefield State came back to edge N.C. Central 54-43 in a women’s non-conference basketball game at McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium Thursday.

The West Virginia visitors answered NCCU’s opening 10-0 salvo with an identical 10-0 run of its own to tie the game at 10-0 with 14:45 left in the first half.

For the half saw the two teams trade the lead five times and tie four more times before the Lady Blues (5-9) took a 24-22 lead into the half.

NCCU (5-6) could not regain momentum in the second half, only going ahead by as many as three in the closing five minutes of action.

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Eyes on the Stars

Eyes on the Stars from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

“This is a story about young Ronald McNair, an African-American astronaut aboard the ill-fated Challenger space shuttle, and how he stood against racism, and wanted to turn science fiction into science fact.”

from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd: FAMU Believes

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- On Thursday night the Florida A&M University men’s basketball team defeated the 8-6 Florida International Panthers. In some ways the game resembled a MEAC matchup including former Norfolk State head coach Anthony Evans leading FIU on the Panther bench. This was an important win for the Rattlers because they have been competitive in almost every loss this season and have not been able to close out games to get a win.

The stats will show that FAMU won the game in overtime, but it was the last two minutes of regulation where FAMU actually stole the momentum and won the game. FAMU trailed the entire game, never tying or taking the lead. That is, until eight seconds was left in the game and senior Jamari Bradshaw sank a three pointer to tie the game.

At the two minute mark things looked bleak for the Ratters with ...

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TTU Golden Eagles nab big 57-53 win at Tennessee State in OVC opener

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – A hot start to conference play is always an advantage for a college basketball program, especially when it comes on the road. The Tennessee Tech men's basketball team took advantage right off the bat Thursday night in its Ohio Valley Conference opener, defeating Tennessee State, 57-53, in Nashville.

A dogfight the whole way, the Golden Eagles were able to find fire from the 3-point line in the second half to eke out the four-point victory. Redshirt sophomore Josiah Moore paced the Tech offense, scoring 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting while also grabbing four rebounds. Big man Dwan Caldwell joined him in double-figures, collecting 10 points on the night.

The Tech defense proved stout in the affair, holding the OVC's leading scorer, Patrick Miller, to just 13 points, nearly eight below the guard's average. Kennedy Eubanks led all players with 15 points and finished with 10 rebounds for a double-double. M.J. Rhett also added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The first half was a complete slugfest as the two sides bullied their way for position while taking long possessions to try and wear down each respective defense. The score reflected the defensive struggle as TSU took just a three-point advantage into the half, leading 25-22.

The Golden Eagles looked to take control of things in the middle of the first 20, snapping together a 14-2 run while jumping to an 18-13 lead with just over 8:00 to play. But the Tigers responded with a little 10-0 run of their own, retaking the lead and keeping it for the remainder of the half.

Both teams came out firing on all cylinders in the second half, combining for four 3-pointers in the first four minutes. Tech went on to keep that hot streak going, connecting on a total of six treys in the final 20 minutes.

Senior guard Jeremiah Samarrippas finished the game with seven points and six assists, connecting on two 3-pointers while also helping on two more. Javon McKay added eight points to the scoring as well, dropping a career-high two treys.

Tech will have a quick turnaround for its next OVC contest as the Golden Eagles will return to Nashville on Saturday to face in-state foe Belmont in a 4 p.m. CT game.

Box Score

By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
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WSSU opens CIAA play with a 91-84 victory over Virginia Union

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Grinding it out in the CIAA is sometimes the only way to get a victory.

That’s exactly what Winston-Salem State did Thursday night in a 91-84 win over Virginia Union at the cavernous Gaines Center. With the students on break just over 500 were on hand to watch the Rams go to the free-throw line 40 times and play just enough solid defense.
 “We definitely had to grind this out,” Coach Bobby Collins of the Rams said. “There are no easy nights in this conference. Virginia Union just beat Virginia State and they were at the top of that division.... I was happy we did what we needed to do but we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

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FAMU Rattlers Resilient In Scrappy 93-88 Win Over FIU

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  - The Florida A&M Men’s Basketball Team scored 60 second half points en route to a 93-88 overtime win over FIU, here Thursday night at the Al Lawson Center.  It was a big accomplishment for the Rattlers to get their second consecutive win, after faltering down the stretch throughout the season.

Head coach Clemon Johnson had seen the scenario play out several times this year.  “Tonight I take away that we know how to win and we can win.  I know there was doubt in some of our players, because we’ve been this close virtually all year.  Tonight, we didn’t make the mistakes down the wire and we were able to pull out a big win,” Johnson said.

FIU would take a 73-64 lead with 1:59 to go in the game, capped off by a Cody Man three pointer.

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    The Rattlers would then go on a 17-9 run as Jamari Bradshaw nailed a three pointer to tie the contest at 81-81 with three seconds left, to send the contest into overtime.

Bradshaw knew the team had clawed their way back into the game and just needed a boost to get to the extra period.  “I was thinking we needed a good basket to tie the game up and go into overtime and give us another shot to try to win the game.,” he said.

FAMU, who never led in the contest to that point, would take the lead for the first time on a D’Andre Bullard layup with 2:52 to go in the overtime period.

The Panthers would tie the contest at 87-87 at the 2:22 mark on a pair of Tyrnell Murphy free throws.

FAMU would retake the lead on a Bradshaw traditional three-point play, giving the Rattlers a 90-87 lead with 2:10 left in the contest.  He would then convert on two free throws with 33 second s left, followed by a Trey Kellum free throw to give the Rattlers, the 93-88 overtime win.

FAMU (4-10) was paced by Bradshaw as he scored 19 of his game high 26 points in the second half to lead all scorers.  Jamie Adams poured in 20 points, while Trey Kellum pumped in 17.  Bradshaw led the Rattlers on the boards with nine.

Johnson feel this was the type of momentum booster that could give the team much-needed confidence.  “This is what we’ve been looking for, a win like this.  I’ve been telling people if we can get two straight, and this is our second straight, this will help us to go.  We’ve had problems winning games, playing down to the wire and then making turnovers and losing the games in the last two minutes.  Tonight we came through and pulled it out like a champion,” Johnson said.

FIU (8-7) had six Panthers to score in double-figures with Dennis Mavin scoring a team high 24 points.  Cody Mann dropped in 16 points, followed by Murphy with 15 points and Jerome Frink with 12.  Rakeem Buckles recorded a double-double on the night as he scored 11 points and pulled down 16 rebounds.  Jason Boswell scored 10 points to round out the cast of double-digit performers.

In the first half, FIU jumped out to a 20-11 lead, capped off by a Frink layup with 11:53 to go.  FAMU would close out the half with a 14-6 run as they went into the break trailing FIU 39-33.

The Rattlers finished the first half shooting 32.5 percent (13-of-40), where the Panthers shot 56.5 percent.

In the second half, FIU would extend their lead to much as 10 points and nine points on three occasions, before the Rattlers would make their 17-9 run.  The Rattlers made their run from the paint, contrary to their usual perimeter game.  “Coach talked about getting to the basket and not settling for jumpers and that’s where most of my points came, from getting to the basket and being aggressive.  He preaches about it all the time.  He says you’ve got to have heart.  Tonight that heart meant getting rebounds and getting stops at the end and putting the ball in the basket,” Bradshaw said.

FAMU finished the contest shooting 43.4 percent (36-of-83), while FIU shot 49.1 percent (26-of-53).

The Rattlers will return to action on Saturday, January 4 as they will travel to Auburn, Ala., to take on Auburn in a 7 p.m. CST.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Two TSU Tigers Record Double-Doubles in 57-53 Loss to TTU

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State men’s basketball team came up just shy in a defensive battle, falling to Tennessee Tech 57-53 on Thursday night.

Kennedy Eubanks led the Tigers with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting and tied a career-high with 10 rebounds.

M.J. Rhett recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 boards, and Patrick Miller recorded 13 points and six assists.

 

The Tigers outrebounded the Golden Eagles 34-32 and forced 17 turnovers, but their bench was bested, 24 to 11.

 

Rhett got the Tigers started offensively, scoring six of his team’s first nine points. On the other end of the floor, TSU forced four turnovers through the first six minutes, and posted an 11-5 lead.

 

The Golden Eagles responded with seven straight points to take the lead at the 11-minute mark. Jaleel Queary finally ended TSU’s scoring drought with a two-handed alley-oop off of a perfect pass from Eubanks, making the score 13-12 in favor of the home team.

 

Later in the opening stanza, the Tigers went on a 10-0 run that spanned 5:34 to extend their lead to 23-18. Miller had six points during the stretch and TSU held TTU to a 0-for-5 shooting line.

 

Eubanks ended the half with a dunk with 14 seconds to go in the half and the Tigers led 25-22 heading into the break.

 

TSU was outshot in the first half, 41 to 33 percent, but forced 10 turnovers on defense.

 

The Tigers drained three triples during the first eight minutes of the second half, but TTU canned four and the game was all-squared at 38. Rhett broke the tie with a powerful slam at the 11:15 mark, but the game remained close.

 

The back-and-forth game continued until TSU went cold from the field, allowing Golden Eagles to go on a 10-0 run that spanned over five minutes.

 

The Tigers were within three at 54-51 with 28 seconds to play, and Jay Harris came up with a steal and then was immediately fouled.

 

Harris missed both free throws and Tennessee Tech walked away with a 57-53 victory.

 

TSU was 2-for-7 from the charity stripe during the final minute of play and made just five of its last 15 freebies.
 

The Tigers made one field goal during the game’s final 8:18.

 

TSU will remain at home and host another conference game when the squad takes on Jacksonville State on Saturday, Jan. 4. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Final Box

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UC Irvine 'Eaters Turn Back Morgan State, 75-63

IRVINE, California  -- Sophomore guard Alex Young had 18 points and six assists to lead UC Irvine past Morgan State, 75-63, in a non-conference game at the Bren Center Thursday night.

Junior forward Will Davis II added 14 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season and ninth of his career.  Junior post John Ryan also scored 14 points to tie his career high, hitting 6 of 6 from the field, as the Anteaters improved to 8-7 on the season.

Mamadou Ndiaye, UCI's 7-6 freshman center, added 12 points and four blocked shots.  He converted all six of his field-goal attempts as he and Ryan combined to go 12 for 12 from the floor.

Freshman guard Luke Nelson registered nine points and four assists.  Senior guard Chris McNealy scored eight points and he now has 995 in his career as he closes in becoming the 23^rd player in Anteater history to score 1,000 points.

Young and McNealy pulled down six rebounds apiece while Ryan snared five boards in the first-ever meeting between the schools.

UCI, which led 32-26 at halftime, shot 62 percent from the field in the second half and 56 percent for the game.

Justin Black led Morgan State (3-10) with 17 points and he added nine rebounds.  Ian Chiles scored 16 points while Anthony Hubbard had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

A three by Young with 6:29 left in the first half snapped a 17-17 tie in giving UCI the lead for good at 20-17.  That three keyed a 10-0 run by the 'Eaters.



The Anteaters extended their six-point halftime lead to 18 at 53-35 on a basket by Davis with 11:41 remaining.  UCI maintained a double-digit lead the remainder of the game, with its largest lead coming at 72-53 on a free throw by Ryan with 2:31 left.

The Bears, from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, shot 38 percent from the floor and committed just six turnovers.  UCI had a narrow 37-34 edge on the boards and the Anteaters had 13 turnovers.

"We've had a tough schedule lately and tonight showed us that we continue to get better," UCI head coach Russell Turner said.  "What I like is our ability to play different styles with the personnel we have on the floor."

The Anteaters host San Diego Christian Saturday night at 7:00 in their final non-conference game before opening Big West Conference play at Long Beach State next Thursday night.

Box Score

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FAU Women's Basketball Continues Hot Streak, Downs Bethune-Cookman

BOCA RATON, Florida  -- Four players reached double figures as the Florida Atlantic University women's basketball team reached double-digit wins on Thursday, topping Bethune-Cookman 81-65 in the Burrow.

The Owls (10-3) continue the best start in the program's Division-I history as they prepare to enter Conference USA play next week. With the victory over the Wildcats (3-11), the Owls have won a school-record 10 non-conference games.

Seniors Chenise Miller, Latavia Dempsey, Kimberly Smith and Shanequa Schrouder each scored double figures for the Owls, who have won 10 of their last 11 games. Miller led FAU with 14 points, five rebounds and three blocks in the contest. Her 89 career blocks places her in fourth all-time at FAU.

Dempsey scored 13 points, reaching double figures for the fourth-straight game. Smith flirted with a triple-double, posting 11 points, eight rebounds and a career-high eight assists while Schrouder earned her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Wildcats led by as many as six in the first half and took a two-point lead into the break after FAU's Takia Brooks hit a three in the closing seconds to cut into the margin.

FAU would open up the second half with a barrage of shots including a pair of three-pointers by Dempsey and Smith to take a two-point lead that they would not relinquish.

The Owls went on a 10-2 run midway through the second half to pull ahead to a 59-49 lead. FAU forced 14 turnovers in the second half and capitalized on those for 17 points. The Owls also out-rebounded BCU 30-17 in the second half for 16 second-chance points.   

FAU opens Conference USA play on the road at East Carolina (12-1) on Jan. 8. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. in Greenville, N.C. Box Score COURTESY FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS