CNN analysis: Some college athletes play like adults, read like 5th-graders

CNN Video: College Sports Illiterates

Former basketball star Isiah Thomas responds to the investigation and discusses the state of black male college athletes on The Lead with Jake Tapper, today at 4 ET.

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina -- Early in her career as a learning specialist, Mary Willingham was in her office when a basketball player at the University of North Carolina walked in looking for help with his classwork.

He couldn't read or write.

"And I kind of panicked. What do you do with that?" she said, recalling the meeting.

Willingham's job was to help athletes who weren't quite ready academically for the work required at UNC at Chapel Hill, one of the country's top public universities.

But she was shocked that one couldn't read. And then she found he was not an anomaly.

Soon, she'd meet a student-athlete who couldn't read multisyllabic words. She had to teach him to sound out Wis-con-sin, as kids do in elementary school.

And then another came with this request: "If I could teach him to read well enough so he could read about himself in the news, because that was something really important to him," Willingham said.

Student-athletes who can't read well, but play in the money-making collegiate sports of football and basketball, are not a new phenomenon, and they certainly aren't found only at UNC-Chapel Hill.

A CNN investigation found ...

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What Social Media is saying about this story...

Problem is, academic ability doesn't generate many many millions for a school...athletic ability does. In the end money always wins. (Netflix Sux)

Schools adjust to new JUCO standards

Players need 2.5 GPA to qualify for FBS programs

JACKSON, Mississippi-- More than 50 Mississippi junior college players signed letters of intent with FBS schools this week.

But if you talk to junior college coaches around the state, those numbers will go down in the future.

No, the coaches aren’t expecting a sudden shortage of Division I talent. There will still be plenty of recruits capable of playing in the SEC. Instead, new NCAA academic requirements will make it more difficult than ever for junior college recruits to academically qualify at four-year institutions.

The NCAA passed legislation last spring which states by the start of the 2014 academic year, athletes must have a 2.5 grade-point average in their transferable credits to academically qualify. That is a significant jump from the previous 2.0 GPA requirement and higher than what is required of incoming high school student-athletes.

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WSSU Rams Announce Basketball Venue Changes

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- The Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletic has announced two changes to its basketball schedule for upcoming games.

Winston-Salem State will host St. Augustine's University at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, January 18th, at 5:00 p.m. for the women's game and 7:00 p.m. for men's game.

A special tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be at halftime, as well as recognizing winners of an essay contest from local Forsyth County middle schools about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Burke Singers will also be on hand to perform the National Anthem.

The Rams will also move their January 25th game versus Fayetteville State to Goldsboro, N.C. at Charles B. Aycock High School. The women's game will tip at 5:00 p.m. and the men at 7:00 p.m.

For more information on Winston-Salem State University Athletics, please visit www.wssurams.com or call 336-750-2152.

COURTESY WINSTON SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCCU comes up hot in MEAC 'preview' showdown

DURHAM, North Carolina -- A preview of coming attractions in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference ended with N.C. Central upstaging Hampton 74-61 in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on Tuesday.

This one didn’t count in the MEAC standings. Hampton coach Ed Joyner Jr. and NCCU coach LeVelle Moton agreed before the season to have their teams meet on the court without the game being recorded as a conference matchup. The coaches needed a game to fill out their schedules.

“We treated it as a conference game,” Moton said. “I really had concerns about this Hampton team. They were really good on video. Once they get comfortable with you, they can kill you and attack you in so many different ways.”

So the Eagles kept switching up their defenses, keeping the Pirates guessing.

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5 Home Games, 7 in Virginia on Tap in Challenging 2014 NSU Football Schedule

NORFOLK, Virginia - The Norfolk State University Athletics Department announced its 2014 football schedule on Wednesday. The Spartans' 12-game slate includes five home games and seven total played within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

After playing one of the most challenging schedules in school history in 2013, the Spartans could have just as difficult a slate in 2014. The Spartans' four non-conference opponents next season went a combined 33-17 with one FBS bowl appearance, one FCS playoff appearance and two league titles among them. NSU's four 2013 non-conference opponents (Maine, Rutgers, Charleston Southern, Old Dominion) combined for a 34-17 record.

NSU opens up the year on Aug. 30 at defending Colonial Athletic Association champion Maine, which beat NSU 23-6 in Norfolk last fall en route to a 10-3 overall record. The Black Bears ended the year ranked No. 12 in the final Sports Network Poll Division I FCS top 25 poll.

The Spartans play their home opener on Sept. 6 when they welcome Liberty to Dick Price Stadium. The Flames are coming off an 8-4 Big South Conference co-championship season. This marks the sixth meeting all-time between the teams. The Flames lead the series 3-2, but NSU has won the last two contests, including a 31-24 win in Lynchburg in 2012.

The following week, NSU faces another tough CAA opponent when the Spartans travel west up Interstate 64 to face William & Mary on Sept. 13 in Williamsburg. The Tribe went 7-5 last fall and finished sixth in the others receiving votes category in the final Sports Network top 25 poll of the year. The teams have met four times previously, with the most recent meeting coming in 2009. W&M owns a 4-0 edge in the series.

NSU concludes its non-conference slate with its annual road game with an FBS opponent at the University of Buffalo on Sept. 20. The Bulls are coming off an 8-5 season in 2013, including a berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Buffalo went 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), placing second in the East Division. The teams have never met, though NSU played Ohio University of the MAC in 2012.

"We certainly have a very demanding schedule in 2014," NSU football coach Pete Adrian said. "I think our non-conference schedule should be as difficult as anyone in the FCS. But I know our players are looking forward to the challenges that await us."

NSU's final eight games of the year are against MEAC opponents. The Spartans will play the same eight conference teams as last year, though the home and road locations will be reversed from 2013. NSU welcomes Morgan State (Sept. 27), Delaware State (Oct. 11 for Homecoming), Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 8) and North Carolina Central (Nov. 15) to Dick Price Stadium. The Spartans' MEAC road slate takes them to Savannah State (Oct. 4), Hampton (Oct. 18), Florida A&M (Nov. 1) and South Carolina State (Nov. 22).

Season ticket information will also be released in the coming months.

2014 NSU Football Schedule (.PDF)

Date Opponent Location Time/Result
8/30/2014 Maine Orono, Maine TBA

9/6/2014 Liberty Norfolk, Va. 4 p.m.

9/13/2014 William & Mary Williamsburg, Va. TBA

9/20/2014 Buffalo Buffalo, N.Y. TBA

9/27/2014 * Morgan State Norfolk, Va. 4 p.m.

10/4/2014 * Savannah State Savannah, Ga. TBA

10/11/2014 * Delaware State (Homecoming) Norfolk, Va. 2 p.m.

10/18/2014 * Hampton Hampton, Va. TBA Details

11/1/2014 * Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla. TBA

11/8/2014 * Bethune-Cookman Norfolk, Va. 2 p.m.

11/15/2014 * North Carolina Central (Senior Day) Norfolk, Va. 2 p.m.

11/22/2014 * South Carolina State Orangeburg, S.C. TBA

COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Jackson State still searching for coach

JACKSON, Mississippi - It’s been about three weeks since Jackson State fired Rick Comegy as head football coach, and the school hasn’t named a hire.

“The search is ongoing, and we expect to name someone as soon as possible,” JSU spokesperson Eric Stringfellow said Monday afternoon.The seven-person search committee met Friday to discuss candidates, according to a source with knowledge of the hiring process. The committee came up with a short list of candidates and contacted them in the past few days, the source said.

Among the names linked to the Jackson State post are ...

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Nucleus of Alabama A&M football staff won't be retained by new coach

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- New Alabama A&M football coach James Spady will not retain the nucleus of the coaching staff he inherited when he was hired last week, including a coach with nearly a half-century relationship with the university.

The freedom to structure his staff as needed within budgetary limitations was one of the assurances given Spady by director of athletics Bryan Hicks, who said he would have no influence on Spady's decisions.

Most notably, Brawnski Towns, who came to Alabama A&M as a player in 1965 and spent 34 years as an assistant coach at his alma mater, was not retained. Towns was the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Anthony Jones and worked for nine head coaches, including the legendary Louis Crews, who recruited Towns to A&M as a defensive back.

Others not retained are offensive coordinator and interim head coach Cedric Pearl, defensive line coach Gary Harper, receivers coach John McKenzie, linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Jay Martin, secondary coach Knute Walker and kicking coach Richard Williams; the latter two were part-time coaches.

Spady will keep tight ends coach and video coordinator Andy Fuller as well as strength and conditioning coach James Hester and equipment and operations manager Henry Harris.

Last Friday, after he was introduced to media and Bulldog fans, Spady said that he had a list of assistant coaching candidates but would first meet with the current staff. The assurance he needed from the holdovers, he said then, was to assure they would be dedicated to the message of the new offensive philosophy.

Two incoming assistants were in transit on Tuesday and two more have committed to Spady and will come to A&M later in the month. Spady would not reveal the names of new coaches until they have the opportunity to meet with their current employers.

"My strategy is to surround myself with people I've coached with or coached, or who came recommended to me by coaches with whom I have a relationship," Spady said. "I want somebody who will carry my message and philosophy. I made the decision to bring in guys that are more comfortable to me.

"But this was a difficult thing. These guys (incumbent staff) are all good coaches. It was nothing personal."

Spady said he will meet with A&M players on Wednesday morning.

Towns coached the secondary at Alabama A&M after he completed his playing career, then spent eight years at Arkansas-Pine Bluff before returning to A&M in 1984. He was named defensive coordinator in 1989.

Pearl was at A&M for 11 seasons as offensive line coach, being named offensive coordinator in 2007. He played collegiately at Tuskegee and came to A&M from Morehouse, where he worked for Jones.

Harper spent one season at Alabama A&M but was a 28-year veteran of coaching. He had been assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Benedict College before coming to A&M.

Fuller, a Huntsville native and former Auburn standout, played seven years with the Tennessee Valley Vipers, a time in which he also worked as a graduate assistant at A&M before being promoted to tight ends and fullbacks coach.

Martin, son of the late Jim Martin, the former Alabama A&M director of athletics, spent 12 seasons on the football staff and for three seasons was also the school's head baseball coach. He played at Tuskegee, then coached at South Carolina State before coming to A&M.

McKenzie came to Alabama A&M in 2009 to coach receivers and oversee the academic program; A&M had the top APR in the conference. The former Jackson State quarterback had been offensive coordinator at North Carolina A&T, Alabama State and Alcorn State as well as head coach at Delaware State.

Walker, who earned Hall of Fame honors as an A&M cornerback, was an assistant for nine seasons and also served as assistant director of intramurals at A&M.

Williams, who has also coached at Lee High School, served as kicking coach on part-time status.

Hester, who came to Alabama A&M in 2002, was credited by Pro Bowl linebacker Robert Mathis for much of his development. He is the strength and conditioning coach for football, men's basketball, volleyball and softball. He previously worked at South Carolina and South Carolina State.

Harris, a former All-SEC defensive lineman for Georgia, has been affiliated with the A&M program for 23 years, first as defensive line coach for eight seasons, then as equipment and operations manager.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Reception for AAMU Coach James Spady

NORMAL, Alabama -- Everyone is cordially invited to join us for a reception welcoming James Spady the 20th head football coach at Alabama A&M University.

This event will also mark a celebration for the 2014 athletic season. It will take place on Thursday, January 9, 2014 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Embassy Suites at 600 Monroe Street Southwest in Huntsville, Alabama 35801.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern Poly ends Gold Nuggets' 8-game win streak

MARIETTA, Georgia -- Xavier University of Louisiana's eight-game winning streak in women's basketball ended Tuesday in a 73-63 loss to Southern Poly.

Shana Ward scored a season-high 17 points for the Hornets (7-4), and Sarah Ogoke had 14.

Whitney Gathright scored 19 points, Vinnie Briggs 18 and Danielle Tucker 13 for the Gold Nuggets (12-6).

Both teams had first-runs. Southern Poly led 11-2 through the first 3½ minutes, Xavier led 20-12 and 23-15, then the Hornets closed with an 8-1 run in the final 3:36 for a 32-29 halftime advantage.

There were nine ties and six lead changes in the second half. Tucker's basket with 8:15 remaining gave Xavier its final lead, 52-50. Ward's basket with eight minutes remaining tied the score at 52, then Quentessa Bullock's basket -- her first points of the game -- put the Hornets ahead to stay, 54-52, at 6:20.

It was still a one-possession game at 59-56 after Gathright's two free throws with 2:06 remaining, but Southern Poly made 10-of-13 free throws thereafter to preserve its lead and snap a four-game losing streak.

Southern Poly outshot Xavier 45.3 to 37.3 percent from the floor and won the rebound and turnover battles by narrow margins. The Hornets missed their only 3-point attempt but made five more field goals and three more free throws than the Nuggets.

Gathright and Briggs produced their highest-scoring games in more than a month. Gathright scored 13 second-half points.

Xavier blocked a season-high six shots.

It was the third road game in four days for the Gold Nuggets, who opened their Gulf Coast Athletic Conference schedule with victories on Saturday and Monday. Xavier will begin a four-game home stand at 5:30 p.m. Saturday against GCAC and city rival SUNO at the Convocation Center.

NOTES: The Nuggets received votes in the NAIA Division I coaches poll announced Tuesday but missed the top 25 for the second straight time after 45 consecutive appearances. Xavier received five points and was 34th. The Gold Nuggets ranked 15th and Southern Poly 20th in the preseason.

BOX SCORE

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Xavier-SUNO doubleheader will tip off 2½ hours later

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has pushed back by 2½ hours its starting times for a Saturday basketball doubleheader against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and city rival SUNO.

The new starting time of the women's game will be 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30 at XU's Convocation Center.

"We respect that many of our fans want to watch the New Orleans Saints' playoff game this weekend," said Dannton Jackson, XU's interim athletics director and men's basketball coach. "We hope they'll enjoy watching a Saints victory in Seattle, then come out to the Convocation Center and support Xavier."

The Saints and the Seahawks will kick off their NFL divisional playoff at 3:35 p.m. Saturday.

Both Xavier teams are 2-0 in the GCAC and defending regular-season champions.

SUNO will be the first of six consecutive home games for the Gold Rush and the first of four consecutive home games for the Gold Nuggets.

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

No. 24 Gold Rush extend NAIA-best poll streak to 27

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana, which has the longest active streak of appearances in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25, climbed one spot to No. 24 Tuesday.

The Gold Rush (12-4) are in the top 25 for the 27th consecutive time. The streak began with the Dec. 12, 2011, poll. Xavier has been in the top 25 in 40 of the last 41 polls.

Xavier, which leads NAIA Division I in field-goal percentage defense, has won 5-of-6 games since the previous poll on Dec. 10.

Xavier is one of three from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in the top 25. Talladega is No. 7, and Philander Smith is No. 17. Talladega is the GCAC's first top-10 team since Xavier was 10th on Feb. 7, 2011.

Pikeville became the third No. 1 in as many polls this season. The Bears replaced Columbia (Mo.), which dropped to third.

The next rankings will be announced next Tuesday (Jan. 14).

Xavier will begin a six-game home stand with a 7:30 p.m. Saturday game against GCAC and city rival SUNO at the Convocation Center. The Gold Rush will play host to Spring Hill in a non-conference game at 7 p.m. Monday.

The top 25:

1. Pikeville
2. Southwestern Assemblies of God
3. Columbia (Mo.)
4. Cal State San Marcos
5. Concordia (Calif.)
6. Evangel

7. Talladega

8. Arizona Christian

9. William Carey

10. Rocky Mountain

11. Freed-Hardeman

12. St. Gregory's

13. Georgetown (Ky.)

14. Wiley

15. (tie) Benedictine (Kan.)

15. (tie) Montana State Northern

17. Philander Smith

18. Mid-America Christian

19. Culver-Stockton

20. Martin Methodist

21. Vanguard

22. John Brown

23. St. Catharine (Ky.)

24. Xavier

25. Faulkner

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

FAMU trims list of candidates for president

ORLANDO, Florida -- Florida A&M University is narrowing its list of candidates for university president.

A university search committee on Monday interviewed six semifinalists for the position. Two candidates were asked to meet with FAMU trustees later this week.

The two chosen were Elmira Mangum, vice president for budget and planning at Cornell University and John Ellis Price III, the former president of University of North Texas at Dallas.

But the Tallahassee Democrat reported former FAMU president Walter Smith told the search committee the school should hire its current interim president.

John Ellis Price III, Bio

Elmira Mangum Bio

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FAMU Baseball Inks Three Early Signees

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  –  FAMU head coach Jamey Shouppe is already loading the team for 2014-2015.  He has inked three top-notch recruits for next season.  With an emphasis on pitching, he has also added a dynamic speedster in the mix.

The early signees are as follows:

Ventavis (Tay) Jerger     MIF/RHP                             6’2” 190 lbs.
Darton State College, Albany, GA                                     Rickards High School, Tallahassee, FL

Comments:  Tremendous two-way player with outstanding speed.  He has been clocked at 6.2 in the 60 yard dash.  During his freshman season last year at Darton College, Tay batted .327 with 3 triples and 26 stolen bases.  He will also be used as a relief pitcher this season at Darton.

Shouppe’s Comments:  Tay is one of the fastest players in the country! He has really learned how to use his speed on the baseball field, which should lead to him having a great sophomore season at Darton.  He has the potential to come to FAMU and be an everyday player in the infield, as well as a relief pitcher.   His fastball has been clocked as high as 90 mph.  Tay also possesses the leadership qualities that coaches look for when recruiting players.

Jessie (Sawyer) Betts          RHP                                6’1” 205 lbs.
Wallace State College, Dothan, AL                                   Godby High School, Tallahassee, FL

Comments:  Outstanding RHP with the ability to pitch in any role.  Sawyer was used primarily as a relief pitcher and closer last season at Wallace, where he posted a 3 - 4 record with 7 saves, and a 2.67 ERA.  He also pitched in a team high 22 games last season.

Shouppe’s Comments:  I was always impressed with Sawyer’s pitching ability during his high school career.  He has a bulldog mentality on the mound, loves to compete and has gained velocity while pitching in junior college.  Sawyer’s fastball now tops out at 90 mph, and he has great command with his curve and changeup.  I believe he will be an impact pitcher at FAMU.  He is the type of pitcher that can fill any role, and one that gives you a good chance to win whenever he is on the mound pitching.

Ronnie Williams                 RHP/OF                           6’1’ 185 lbs.
American Senior High School, Miami, FL

Comments:  One of only 144 players in the entire country to be invited to try out for USA Baseball’s 18U National Team.  He recorded a 6.65, 60 yard dash during this event.  During his junior season in high school he recorded a .394 batting average, and was 4 - 1 on the mound, with a 2.58 ERA.

Shouppe’s Comments:  Ronnie is one of the top, two way high school players in the country!  He pitches with a fastball that can reach as high as 93 mph, and also has the ability to play any of the OF positions.  I am very excited to get a high school player of his ability from the talent rich Miami area. I look for Ronnie to be a player that has a great FAMU career, before moving on to enjoy a lengthy professional baseball career.




COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: Search narrows for WSSU football coach

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- The on-going search for a head football coach is alive and well, so says Bill Hayes, the athletics director at Winston-Salem State.

I was able to carve out a few minutes over the phone with Hayes this afternoon and while he couldn’t talk as freely as he usually does, he did say the search for Connell Maynor’s replacement is on schedule.

There have been phone interviews and at least four candidates who have had face-to-face interviews with the hard-working search committee. Kienus Boulware, the defensive coordinator under Maynor for the last four seasons, and Steed Lobotzke, the former offensive coordinator at Wake Forest, have been confirmed as two who had interviews with the committee.


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Gold Nuggets win eighth in a row, second in conference

DENMARK, South Carolina -- Whitney Gaston-Loyd's 14 points and Danielle Tucker's season-high-tying 11 rebounds helped Xavier University of Louisiana earn a 60-47 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Voorhees on Monday.The Gold Nuggets (12-5, 2-0) have an eight-game win streak. They've won 12 straight GCAC games dating to last season.

Gaston-Loyd made 7-of-10 from the floor in 19 minutes, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked a shot. Tucker reached double figures in rebounds for the third time this season, scored five points and had a season-high-tying three assists.

Twelve Nuggets scored, including Vinnie Briggs with nine points. Taylor Norman had three assists and matched career highs with six points, eight rebounds and three steals.

Kritofia Smart led Voorhees (6-7, 0-2) with 13 points, and Miasha Hackett had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Xavier limited Amber Johnson, who entered the game averaging 19.3 points, to a season-low six points in 38 minutes.

Xavier led 34-22 at halftime. Briggs was 2-of-2 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the line to lead the Nuggets with eight first-half points.

The Nuggets outshot the Lady Tigers 35.5 to 28 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 50-36. Voorhees made 16-of-44 free throws -- 11-of-27 in the second half -- and Xavier made 14-of-26.

It was the first-ever meeting between the Nuggets and Voorhees, which joined the GCAC in July.

The Nuggets will stay on the road and visit Southern Poly in a non-conference game at 6 p.m. EST Tuesday. Their next home game will start at 3 p.m. Saturday against GCAC and city rival SUNO at the Convocation Center.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

SWAC losing streak hits 20 for Grambling

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Just when Grambling though it escaped one losing streak, yet another one has emerged.

Less than a month after snapping a 32-game losing skid — the longest active streak in Division I — the Tigers saw their Southwestern Athletic Conference losing streak move to 20 games after a 70-58 loss to Alabama A&M on Monday night.

Grambling (1-10, 0-2) now hasn’t won a conference game since 2012, when it ended the season with an overtime win over Alabama A&M (5-7, 2-0).

A’Torri Shine scored 22 points to lead the Tigers, who have lost 47 of their last 49 games.


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Gold Rush win at Voorhees, improve to 2-0 in GCAC

DENMARK, South Carolina -- Sophomore guard Morris Wright, one of four double-figure scorers, had 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals Monday to lead NAIA No. 25 Xavier University of Louisiana in a 70-51 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Voorhees.

The Gold Rush (12-4, 2-0) have won three straight and 7-of-8, including five road victories.

Wright was 5-of-9 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the line in 37 minutes. It was the 12th time this season he scored in double figures.

Wright leads the Gold Rush this season with 13.8 points and 3.4 assists per game.

Xavier Rogers scored 16 points, Sydney Coleman 15 and RJ Daniels 11 for Xavier. Coleman grabbed eight rebounds, and Daniels had a career-high-tying seven rebounds for the second consecutive game. Rogers grabbed six rebounds and made both his 3-point attempts.

James Williams scored 15 points for Voorhees (5-7, 1-1).

Xavier outshot the Tigers 56.4 to 35.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 33-22. The Gold Rush shot 68.8 percent in the secons half.

Coleman scored nine points and Wright seven to lead the Gold Rush to a 31-23 halftime advantage.

Voorhees is a first-year member of the GCAC.

Xavier will play GCAC and city rival SUNO at 5 p.m. Saturday at XU's Convocation Center. It will be Xavier's first home game after six in a row on the road.


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

WBB Game vs. Tennessee Tech Canceled Due to Weather

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  Due to the inclement weather in the Nashville area, the Tennessee State University women’s basketball game scheduled for Monday, Jan. 6 against Tennessee Tech has been canceled.

The game has been rescheduled for Jan. 16, 2014 at 6 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

“Due to the severe weather, both teams decided that it was in the best interest of the institutions that we reschedule the game,” said Athletics Director Teresa Phillips.

The Lady Tigers will return to action on the road on Saturday, Jan. 11 at Southeast Missouri.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Pugh looking for Southern to continue SWAC success

HOUSTON, Texas — Six minutes into Saturday afternoon’s game against Prairie View, Southern women’s coach Sandy Pugh had already used 11 different players.

Never shy to make a substitution, Pugh was trying to find the right combination to slow down the three-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Panthers.

While it may appear like Pugh has a quick hook when it comes to changing the lineup, the Jaguars have given their coach those options because of the roster’s flexibility.

“I think everyone on this team is capable of playing every position,” said junior Jasmine Jefferson, who led the Jaguars with 22 points Saturday. “Every guard can run every play, and every post can do the same thing.”

Against the Panthers, the different looks helped the Jaguars rally down the stretch for an 88-74 win at the William Nicks Building.

On Monday, Southern (4-5, 1-0) will look to continue that success against Texas Southern (4-8, 1-0). The Tigers beat Alcorn State 69-44 on Saturday.

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Tennessee State University Shines at Ed Temple Classic

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  After taking nearly a month off the Flying Tigers and Tigerbelles returned home for the Ed Temple Classic. On the day, both groups won a combined five events in their first home meet of the indoor year.

The Flying Tigers took home three titles on Sunday, including the 800 meters, high jump and pole vault. On the women’s side the Tigerbelles won the 55 meter hurdles and the long jump.

 

Tennessee State boasted the top three finishers in the men’s high jump in Caleb Carrothers, Kenji Anderson and Daryl Rice. Carrothers took the event with a jump of 2.03 meters, Anderson and Rice both jumped 1.98 meters to tie for second.

 

The Flying Tigers also took ahold of the men’s pole vault, with a 1-2 finish. Tamorron Key posted the best mark, clearing 4.10 meters, followed closely behind by Justin Young’s mark of 3.80 meters.

 

A 1-2 finish in the long jump highlighted the Tigerbelles day at the Ed Temple Classic. Clairwin Dameus won the event, with a season’s best jump of 5.99 meters.  Ashontae Jackson finished second jumping 5.71 meters.

 

Amber Hughes had the other win for the women’s side, taking the 55 meter hurdles with a season’s best time of 7.96. Thrower Brittani Logan also posted strong performances on the day, finishing 2^nd in the shot put (13.47 meters) and 3^rd in the weight throw (15.65 meters).

 

Both the Tigerbelles and the Flying Tigers will return to action later this week when they travel to Birmingham for the UAB Blazer Invitational. The two-day event kicks off Friday at the Birmingham CrossPlex.

   Ed Temple Classic Results

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Book of the Month - Earl The Pearl: My Story

NEW YORK, New York  --  Earl “The Pearl” Monroe is a basketball legend whose impact on the game transcends statistics, a player known as much for his unorthodox, “playground” style of play as his championship pedigree. Observers said that watching him play was like listening to jazz, his moves resembling free floating improvisations. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with the ball,” Monroe once admitted, “and if I don’t know, I’m quite sure the guy guarding me doesn’t know either.”

Traded to the New York Knicks before the 1971–72 season, Monroe became a key member of the beloved, star-studded 1972–73 Knicks team that captured the NBA title. And now, on the 40th anniversary of that championship season—the franchise’s last—Monroe is finally ready to tell his remarkable story.

Written with bestselling author Quincy Troupe (Miles, The Pursuit of Happyness) Earl the Pearl will retrace Monroe’s life from his upbringing in a tough South Philadelphia neighborhood through his record-setting days at Winston-Salem State, to his NBA Rookie of the Year season in 1967, his tremendous years with the Baltimore Bullets and ultimately his redemptive, championship glory with the New York Knicks. The book will culminate with a revealing epilogue in which Monroe reflects on the events of the past 40 years, offers his insights into the NBA today, and his thoughts on the future of the game he loves.

ORDER INFORMATION   Also, ask for it at your College or Public Library!!

What Social Media is Saying....

Clarence Gaines @ClarenceGaines2

Read @EarlThePearl_15 new book http://amzn.to/1lqJl3b  yesterday - fun to read his 1st impressions of my dad & frustrations as a frosh.

Retweeted by John Dell

Clarence Gaines
Earl's impact on the game is legendary. Known as the father of the spin move, Earl captured the imagination of the nation's basketball fans in his rookie year with the Baltimore Bullets. Before gaining national acclaim in the NBA, he had already captured the hearts of many southerners, both black and white, with his defining game and brilliant play in his four years at Winston-Salem State College (now WSSU). In the 1966-67 season Earl led his team to a national championship in the NCAA's College Division averaging 41.5 points per game. My dad always felt Earl Monroe's greatest contribution as a basketball player was helping to break down racial barriers in North Carolina.

Ross' Game Winner Gives Chicago State 57-55 WAC Win At Idaho

Senior Matt Ross' last second rebound and basket gave the
 Cougars a road WAC win over Idaho.
(Courtesy Chicago State Athletics)

MOSCOW, Idaho  -- Senior Matt Ross (Dixon, Ill./Dixon)' put back basket with 3.2 seconds remaining lifted Chicago State to a 57-55 victory over Idaho on Saturday (Jan. 4) evening at the Cowan Spectrum. The win gives the Cougars their first Western Athletic Conference in program history.

"We told the guys in the huddle to hit the boards in that final possession and that's just what Matt did," Chicago State head coach Tracy Dildy said. "This is a big win for us. We knew Idaho was going to make a run but the guys didn't panic in the final minute."

Idaho's only lead of the game came on the first basket of the game at 2-0. Senior Quinton Pippen (Hamburg, Ark./Hamburg) drained a deep 3-pointer from the top of the arc at the buzzer of the first half to put the Cougars up 38-28 at the break. Chicago State scored the first four points of the second half, including two on a turn around jumper by Pippen, to build a 14-point lead.

While the Vandals kept it under double-digits for most of the second half it seemed Chicago State was close to putting the game away when senior Corey Gray (Houston, Texas/Hightower) made a step back jumper with 2:39 left to put the Cougars up 55-48. Then the Vandals went on a run. Idaho scored the next seven points while Chicago State committed two turnovers and missed a pair of free throws in the process.

Idaho's Mike Scott capped the 7-0 run on a layup with 1:05 left. On the ensuing possession, first it was Pippen missing a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left. Gray grabbed the long offensive rebound and asked for a timeout. Chicago State drained the clock before Gray drove to the basket with five seconds. He saw his layup attempt roll off the rim but Ross was there for the rebound and the basket.

Idaho still had 3.2 seconds remaining but failed to get a shot off in the final moments.

The Cougars were led by Pippen's game-high 18 points. The senior made his first six shots of the game. Pippen finished with four 3-pointers to bring his career total at CSU to 103. He is now tied for seventh all-time in career 3-pointers at Chicago State with Tony Weeden (2003-05) .

Senior Eddie Denard (Chicago, Ill./Foreman) added 13 points, with 11 coming in the first half.

"Our start was big," Dildy said. "We shot 54 percent in the first half and 44 percent from three in the first half. On the road you need starts like that. We went inside early and Eddie got some of those big shots in the first half."

Ross finished with eight points and eight rebounds. Grey added four points, five assists and three steals.

Chicago State shot 22-of-50 (44.0 percent) from the floor. Idaho finished 19-of-47 (40.4 percent) from the field.

The win was the Cougars' first road victory of the season.

Idaho falls to 6-10 (0-2 WAC). Chicago State improves to 6-8 (1-0 WAC). Chicago State steps out of WAC play on Tuesday when UW-Green Bay comes to town. Tip at the JCC will be 7 p.m.

PDF Box Score

COURTESY CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Second-half run pushes TU Golden Tigers ahead of Morehouse

ATLANTA, Georgia -- In a game that was never really in doubt, the Tuskegee Golden Tigers earned a 77-66 victory over the Morehouse Maroon Tigers in a nationally televised game inside the friendly confines of the Daniel 'Chappie' James Center early Saturday morning. With the exception of Morehouse's first made basket, Tuskegee led the entire game to kick off conference play with a 1-0 start (4-6 overall) in the win, which was simulcast on both the CBS Sports Network and NCAA.com.

An 11-point halftime lead was stretched out to as many as 26 points, and Tuskegee earned the first win over their cross-state rival in five tries. The last time Tuskegee defeated Morehouse was also the last time the Maroon Tigers visited the James Center two seasons ago, when TU picked up a 69-60 victory on Jan. 21, 2012. Morehouse had won three in a row, with all of those games being played at the Frank Forbes Arena in Atlanta.

Coach Leon Douglas said he wasn't satisfied, even though his team was up comfortably going into halftime. He hinted at halftime adjustments that quickly became prevalent in an interview before the start of the second half.

"I'm not exactly happy, because we're not doing a good job of rebounding," Douglas said of the halftime lead. "You see, rebounding is a key to controlling tempo. We have to do a better job of rebounding and getting the ball out to our guards, so that we can create a faster pace. Our strength is our quickness and our uptempo style. Now, I'm not upset, because we're leading. But, I would like a more comfortable lead."

Douglas would get his wish of a bigger lead, which ultimately ended the game. The Golden Tigers out rebounded Morehouse 42-34 for the contest, as the home team was able to stretch the lead out on the strength of a 17-4 run during the first 5:30 of game time after intermission. This gave TU their second-largest lead of the day, at 52-28 with 14:34 remaining.

Javier McKinney led TU with 22 points and a couple of highlight dunks, including a two-handed, staple-punching alley-oop from Kevin May that served as the nail in the coffin. This put the Golden Tigers back up by double-digits with 52.1 seconds remaining. Just moments earlier, Morehouse had cut Tuskegee's massive lead down to just seven with less than two minutes remaining. May also had a solid game across the board, as he finished with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Morehouse was able to keep the game competitive in spots, especially late in the contest. But, they never posed a significant threat for the Golden Tigers, even though Darrius Williams made his season debut for the visitors. Williams, the SIAC's leading scorer from last season, finished with the game's only double-double, as he had 14 points and 11 rebounds. He was one of four Maroon Tigers to score in double digits, as David Buchannon had a game-high 26 points. But, both efforts were not enough, as Morehouse shot just over 40 percent for the game, and 34 percent in the first half. By comparison, Tuskegee shot almost 47 percent from the field, and was buoyed by a second half in which the home team shot almost 52 percent.

Both Tuskegee basketball teams will be back in action Monday afternoon, and the times for both games have been moved up to avoid conflict with the BCS National Championship that will be played later that evening. The Tuskegee Tigerettes will take the floor at the James Center, with a 2:00 p.m. tip off against the Lady Rams of Albany State University. Coach Douglas' squad will look for consecutive wins to kick off 2014 in a 4:00 p.m. match up against ASU.

Box Score

COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATON

Livingstone Blue Bears Breeze Past VUU, 113-96

SALISBURY, North Carolina  -- The Livingstone College men's basketball team defeated Virginia Union University 113-96 on Saturday night.

Livingstone had seven players to score double figures.

The Blue Bears owned the first half as they dominated the Panthers in the field. The Blue Bears hit 21-of-40 shots (52 percent) compared to the Panthers 28 percent. The Blue Bears forced the Panthers to commit eight turnovers in which they scored 13 points.

 The Blue Bears were a dominating force in the paint, scoring 18 points with the help of Christian Henry and Eric Mayo.

 Henry finished the game with 16 points and six rebounds while Mayo added 13 points to the score and grabbed eight rebounds.

 The Livingstone bench also played a major role in their success in the first half by adding 30 points to the score collectively.

 The Blue Bears ended the first half 61-37.

 In the second half, the Panthers out scored the Blue Bears 59-52, however the Blue Bears maintained control of the game. 

Mark Thomas led the Blue Bears with 21 points and seven assists. Anthony Welch followed Thomas' performance with 18 points. Welch hit four-of-six shots from behind the three point line, he also recorded six rebounds.

Eric Dubose contributed 13 points and five assists.

Cameron LeFear and Jody Hill paced the Blue Bears with 11 points respectively.

The Blue Bears are now 9-2 overall and 2-0 in the conference.

Livingstone will return to action on January 6 as they face Lincoln University (PA). Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

 

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
  

Grambling to receive $50K scholarship donation from Allstate

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  -- Grambling State University was selected to receive a $50,000 scholarship from Allstate thanks to its supporters who voted during the Allstate/Tom Joyner Foundation ‘Show Your School Pride’ Competition.

The program was established to support students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. More than 100 colleges and universities competed for the top prize.

When Grambling dismissed for the Christmas holidays, President Frank Pogue said Grambling was trailing in the competition to Lincoln University of Missouri by more than 2,000 votes. He assumed Lincoln would take home the scholarship funding, but Friday morning he received word Grambling supporters rallied to put the university in first place.

“After the year we had last year it was great to get such wonderful news first thing this morning. What a way to start the new year,” Pogue said. “There’s been a lot of excitement around here. No one needs scholarship money more than our students since we have about 90 percent of our student body on some form of federal or state financial aid. I could start every day off feeling this way.”

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