WSSU's Campbell starting to silence hometown critics

#4 Kerry Campbell
Courtesy: WSSU Rams Athletics

Sophomore guard finding his place in WSSU’s lineup

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Playing college basketball in your hometown isn’t always easy.

Kerry Campbell, a point guard at Winston-Salem State, knows that and is aware of the pressure it brings.

“I definitely hear it from my friends who come to the games and even from my family,” said Campbell, a 5-8 sophomore who previously starred at Winston-Salem Prep.

“My uncles and my dad (Kerry Sr.) are my biggest critics, so I hear it a lot, but that’s OK. Maybe, if I’m getting more playing time, more people will come watch me play.”

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Virginia Union Names Mark James Head Football Coach

RICHMOND, Virginia  -- Virginia Union University has named Mark James as the 26th Head Football Coach in the school's history, it was announced at a press conference held on Tuesday, January 21, in the Belgium Building on the VUU campus in Richmond, Va.

James had served as the Panthers' defensive line coach for the past two seasons.

James has made several coaching stops along his way to Virginia Union.  He was a Head Coach for nine years at two major high schools in south Florida.  James was able to build powerhouse programs that gained national recognition for producing some of the top division I prospects and several NFL players.

In his tenure he has worked with a number of successful coaches and future and present NFL players.   His list of NFL players coached includes Patrick Simms, Louis Holmes, Stanley Mcglover, Leonard Hankerson, Major Harris, Hanik Milligan, Daryl Mcglover and Super bowl winning Josh Bynes.



He started his coaching career as a high school defensive assistant at Coconut Creek in 1997.  In 1998, James made the decision to attend Virginia Union University after transferring from University of Louisville.  Upon graduation from Virginia Union University in 2000, he returned back to the south Florida area to return to his coaching pathway.

James was the Head coach at Dillard High in 2004-2005. From 2005-2011 he was the Head coach at Boyd Anderson where James won three district championships and lead the team to become the school's all-time winningest football coach.

James has also had short stints at Norfolk State University (Linebackers) and St. Paul's College in 2011 (Offensive Coordinator).  His thumb print in south Florida athletics is that he is known for placing the most players in college in an eight-year period than any other program in the state of Florida.

James was a defensive lineman at University of Louisville from 1990-1993 and Virginia Union University from 1998-2000.

He earned a degree in history from VUU in 2000.   James was named the National VUU Alumni of the Year in 2007.  He earned his Masters degree in educational leadership from Florida Atlantic University and is scheduled to earn his PhD in higher education administration in June of 2014.

James is married to Adia Middleton-James (Former two-sport athlete at VUU '99). He and his wife Adia have three children, Dane, Malik, and Mark Jr.

Coach                                                Seasons
MARK JAMES                                   2014
Michael Bailey                                  2009-13
Greg Richardson                             2008
Arrington Jones III                           2004-07
Willard Bailey                                   1995-2003
Harold Jackson                                1994
Mel Rose                                           1993
Henry Lattimore                               1993-94
Richard Macon/Willie Spence       1993
Joe Taylor                                         1984-91
Willard Bailey                                   1971-83
"Tricky" Tom Harris                         1950-70
Bernard Smith                                 1949
Sam Taylor                                       1945-48
Henry Hucles                                   1926-42
Thomas W. Harvey                         1924-25
Harold D. Martin                              1921-23
Lt. H.L. Harris                                   1918-20
Wesley A. Daniel                             1917
S.M.F. Fisher                                    1915-16
James E. Garner                             1913-14
Harry E. Barco                                  1911-12
Wesley A. Stevens                          1908-10
John W. Barco                                 1904-07
Harry E. Barco                                  1903
F.C. Dickey                                        1902
J.R.L. Diggs                                     1900-01


COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Bozeman continues to deliver consistency for Morgan hoops program

HEAD COACH TODD BOZEMAN
MORGAN STATE BEARS
Courtesy: MSU Athletics

Bozeman Basketball Program Consistency

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- When the word consistency is brought up in regards to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference basketball, Todd Bozeman and his Morgan State men’s basketball program certainly comes to mind immediately and for a good reason.

The Bears have participated in five of the last seven MEAC Tournament championships, captured back-to-back MEAC Titles, and made appearances in the NIT and two NCAA Tournaments.

It’s not just the March success that indicates Morgan State is a consistent program. The Bears have been among the Top Five ranked teams in the MEAC standings for five of the past seven years, including three MEAC regular season titles and a pair of MEAC championships in that span. It’s truly a remarkable statistic considering the turnover that occurs every season.

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Black, Bears hold off Hampton for win, 80-71

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Justin Black scored 24 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had four steals as Morgan State topped Hampton 80-71 Monday night at the HU Convocation Center.

Ian Chiles added 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for Morgan State (6-10, 4-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) while Anthony Hubbard finished with 12 points and eight boards. Donte Pretlow added 10 points off the bench.

After Jervon Pressley's three-point play pulled Hampton (8-10, 3-2) within 51-49 nearly 8 minutes into the second half, the Bears used a 15-5 run to open up a 12-point lead with 6:58 to play. Du'Vaughn Maxwell scored six points, and Brian Darden four, as Hampton used a 12-4 spurt to pull within 70-66 with 36 seconds to play. Morgan State went 8 of 8 from the free throw line from that point to seal the victory.

Maxwell finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and three blocked shots. Darden, who scored nine points in the final 50 seconds, finished with 12.

The Pirates shot 31.1 percent (19-for-61) from the floor and hit just six of 22 3-pointers (27.3 percent). Hampton also out-rebounded Morgan State 45-44.

Morgan State held a 50-22 edge in points in the paint, and the Bears shot 45.3 percent (29-for-64) from the floor, making three of their nine 3-pointers. The Bears also scored 22 points off turnovers, compared to 12 for Hampton.

The Bears return to action on the road next weekend when they tipoff against North Carolina A&T on Saturday (Jan. 25) at 6 p.m., followed by a matchup at North Carolina Central on Monday (Jan. 27) at 7:30 p.m.

Bear Notes
+ MSU shot 70.4 percent (19-27) from the free throw line - it was the second highest free throw shooting percentage for the Bears this season

+ The Bears collected a season-high 44 rebounds

+ MSU committed a season-high 29 fouls

+ Ian Chiles recorded his first double-double (pts & rebs) of the season

+ The Bears improved to 6-0 when leading with 3:00 left.

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Uh–Oh! Comegy is named the 16th head coach of the MVSU football team; Blake Gaines, Director of University Bands

HEAD COACH RICK COMEGY (r)
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY DELTA DEVILS
(Courtesy: MVSU Athletics)

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  -- Mississippi Valley State has hired Rick Comegy to be its next football coach.

The school announced the hiring of the 60-year-old Comegy on Tuesday. He was fired by Jackson State in December despite a 55-35 record over eight seasons, including an 8-4 mark last season.

He wasn't unemployed for long, landing at a rival school about 100 miles away.

Comegy, who has a career record of 164-86 over 22 seasons at Tuskegee, Cheyney, Central State and Jackson State, will try to turn around a Mississippi Valley State program that has historically struggled. The Delta Devils have the Southwestern Athletic Conference's smallest athletic budget.


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Today, Mississippi Valley hired two bookends...Rick Comegy and Blake Gaines! Regardless of the budgetary challenges at Valley, these two cornerstones will raise the Valley to championship statue in short order.  Congratulations to the Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils family for these monster hires!  Go Delta Devils! Go SWAC!!

-beepbeep

JSU Men’s Basketball Snaps Losing Streak Beats Texas Southern 84-80

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  BJ West recorded his 11^th double-double of the season as the Jackson State men’s basketball team snapped a three game losing streak by beating the Texas Southern Tigers 84-80 in Southwestern Athletic Conference action Monday night at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.

With the win JSU improves to a 6-12, 2-4 record and TXSO falls to 7-10, 3-2.

West scored a team high 19 points and pulled down a game high 12 rebounds. He went 9-13 from the floor and had two blocked shots. Julysses Nobles followed with a 17 point, nine assist effort. Jeff Stubbs scored 14 points for JSU, as he connected on 10-11 free throws and JB Brent chipped in 12 points on 4-7 shooting from three-point range.

D’Aris Scarver led Texas Southern with 23 points.

JSU held a 39-37 halftime advantage.

For the game JSU shot 52.6% from the field (30-57), 53.8% in threes (7-13) and 70.8% from the line (17-24). TXSO shot 56.3% from the field (27-48), 37.5% from three-point range (6-16) and 66.7% from the line.

After trailing for the first six minutes of the first half, JSU scored 10 straight points to take a 22-11 advantage at the 12:43 mark. TXSO opened the second half by taking a one point lead on a Scarver three-pointer at the 19:51 mark. TXSO eventually built an eight point lead, but JSU tied the game at 61-61 with 9:40 left in regulation and didn’t relinquish the lead again.

JSU held its largest lead, 12 points, with 42 seconds left in the game.

JSU returns to action Saturday, Jan. 25 when the Tigers host Grambling State at the AAC. Tip-off is set for 7:30 pm. For ticket information and promotions call the JSU Athletics Ticket Office at 601-979-2420.

    Box Score vs. Texas So.

COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

HU Lady Pirates Pour on the Offense, Dominate Morgan State

MALIA TATE-DEFREITAS
(Courtesy: Hampton U. Athletics)

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- Buckets came early and often for the Hampton University women's basketball team on Monday evening, as the Lady Pirates cruised to a 99-45 win over conference rival Morgan State at the HU Convocation Center.

The Lady Pirates (14-4, 5-0 MEAC) have won their last 35 games against MEAC foes.

Hampton scored the most points in head coach David Six's tenure, bettering the 98 points the Lady Pirates scored against Utah State back on Nov. 29. It was Hampton's largest margin of victory since the Lady Pirates defeated Chicago State 87-35 on Nov. 18 of last season.

Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.), the two-time reigning MEAC Player of the Week, led four Lady Pirates in double figures with 22 points – recording her seventh 20-point game of the season behind a 7-for-15 effort from the floor (and 4-for-7 behind the arc).

Junior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) added 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting (4-for-5 from distance), while senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) chipped in 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting and senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) added 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

She also had six assists and three blocks.

After Morgan State scored the first basket of the game, the Lady Pirates went on a 6-0 spurt to take a 6-2 lead after a free throw from Bennett. The Lady Bears cut the lead to 6-5 on a Dinah Jones 3-point play at the 16:51 mark, but it would be all Hampton from there.

A 12-2 Hampton run gave the Lady Pirates an 18-7 lead at the 13:55 mark after a layup from Tate-DeFreitas, and Tate-DeFreitas added another layup at the 8:40 mark to grow the run to 28-7 and give the Lady Pirates a 34-12 lead.

Tracey Carrington hit two free throws with 5:12 left in the half to cut the lead to 38-20, before the Lady Pirates closed the half on a 14-5 run, taking a 52-25 lead into the half after a layup from senior forward Brascia Audain (St. Kitts, Virgin Islands) with 1:12 left.

Tate-DeFreitas led all scorers with 17 points at the break.

The Lady Pirates opened the second half on a 19-9 run, taking a 71-34 lead with 13:30 left after a 3-pointer from Tate-DeFreitas. Carrington cut the lead to 73-38 with a layup with 12:31 left, but the Lady Pirates responded emphatically with 20 straight points, going up 93-38 after Cole hit two free throws with 5:14 left.

After Carrington's layup, Morgan State did not convert another field goal until Danielle Forrest hit a layup with 3:47 left – cutting Hampton's lead to 93-41.

Redshirt-junior guard Lauren Johnson (Cairo, Ga.) gave the Lady Pirates their largest lead of the game with 2:31 left, converting a layup to put Hampton up 97-41.

The Lady Pirates shot 46.3 percent (37-for-80) from the floor and made 10 of their 24 3-pointers (41.7 percent) – marking the second straight game in which they made 10 or more 3-pointers. Hampton out-rebounded the Lady Bears 52-46, and the Lady Pirates turned 31 Morgan State turnovers into 45 points.

Hampton also held a 10-1 edge in blocks and a 20-4 edge in steals.

Morgan State (2-15, 0-4 MEAC) shot just 26.4 percent (14-for-53) from the floor and went 0-for-4 from behind the arc.

Carrington led the Lady Bears with 23 points, despite shooting just 6-for-19 from the floor.

The Lady Pirates will kick off four straight road games on Saturday, when they head to Savannah, Ga. to take on Savannah State at 4 p.m. For more informatiwww.hamptonpirates.com.
on on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at

Box Score

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

NSU Spartans Bounce Back with 83-71 Win over Coppin State

NORFOLK, Virginia – Malcolm Hawkins scored 22 points and was one of five Spartans to reach double figures as the Norfolk State men's basketball team took care of Coppin State, 83-71, Monday night at Joseph Echols Hall.

Two days after watching their 23-game MEAC win streak come to a close, the Spartans began a new one thanks to an even 50 percent shooting night and their dominance down low. NSU improved to 5-1 in conference play and 11-8 overall, while the Eagles dropped to 6-12 and 3-2 in conference play.

Hawkins hit 8-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, and also led NSU with seven rebounds while adding four assists and two steals. On the night, the Spartans finished with a 42-31 advantage on the glass and also outscored Coppin State, 46-16, in points in the paint.



NSU led by as much as 22 in the second half after going into the intermission ahead by nine. The second half featured back-and-forth runs, and the Eagles got as close as 10 late in the game before coming up short.

The Spartans connected on 31-of-62 from the floor, while Coppin State hit 23-of-59 (39.0 percent). The Eagles shot 9-of-27 from 3-point range, with six of those treys coming in the first half.

The Eagles were hot from downtown to start a first stanza that eventually saw nine lead changes. Hawkins sank a trey at 14:39 for a six-point Spartan edge, but the Eagles had an answer for every NSU score. The Spartans could not push the advantage past six, and CSU scored seven straight to momentarily take the lead, 29-28 with 5:42 to go.

Senior Pendarvis Williams capped a 13-3 NSU run with a trey from the left corner for a 43-34 advantage with just 1:11 left before intermission. Included in that run was a crowd-pleasing alley-oop dunk from senior Brandon Goode on a pass from junior Jamel Fuentes. Two free throws by Williams gave the Spartans a nine-point edge at the half, 45-36.

The Spartans held a 21-13 advantage on the boards and committed just three turnovers in the first stanza. They finished with 14 turnovers overall.

Williams finished with 17 points on the night on 6-of-11 shooting with six rebounds.

NSU caught fire to start the second half, going on a 15-2 run for a 22-point advantage, 60-38. The Eagles answered with a 12-3 run of their own to get to within 13, but the Spartans quickly ended that threat by scoring nine straight. Junior Kievyn Lila-St. rose capped that run by converting a tough shot in the paint and hitting the ensuing free throw to put the Spartans back up by 22.

The Eagles scored 10 straight points before Alexis hit a short baseline jumper. A layup by Andre Armstrong with 40 seconds left cut NSU's lead to just 10, but Armstrong missed two straight 3-pointers as time ticked down to close out the game.

Sophomore RaShid Gaston added 12 points and six boards, while Goode tallied 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Alexis also reached double figures with 10.

Armstrong led the Eagles with 20 points, while Michael Murray added nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

The Spartans had 14 fast break points.

NSU heads to South Carolina State for its next game on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Orangeburg, S.C.

Box Score

By Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Alabama State's Jackson joins SWAC Super Bowl History

TARVARIS JACKSON, QUARTERBACK
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

 

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  --  Former Alabama State University quarterback Tarvaris Jackson will become the 120th player from the Southwestern Athletic Conference ranks as a member of a NFL team's Super Bowl roster.

Jackson and the Seattle Seahawks captured the NFC Championship advancing to Super Bowl XLVIII to face the AFC Champions Denver Broncos. Jackson, a back-up quarterback for the Seahawks, recorded the franchise's second Super Bowl appearance after defeating the San Francisco 49ers, 23-17, on Sunday night.

The 2004 SWAC MVP joins more than 100 players from the conference to either play or have been listed on a Super Bowl team's roster.

He becomes the fifth Hornet since the 1999 season to advance to the Super Bowl, joining LB Eddie Robinson (Tennessee Titans - Super Bowl XXIV), current Hornet Head Football Coach WR Reggie Barlow (Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Super Bowl XXXVII), CB Michael Coe (New York Giants - Super Bowl XLVI), and LB Nigel Carr (Baltimore Ravens - Super Bowl XLVII).

Super Bowl XLVIII is set for Feb. 2  at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT.

 

*The list includes athletes from former SWAC schools and current member institution. - click here

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

Lady Rattlers Caged By SSU Lady Tigers 80-68

C/F JAMIE FOREMAN AND HEAD COACH LEDAWN GIBSON
(Courtesy: FAMU Athletics)

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- Savannah State picked up their second ever win against the Florida A&M Women’s Basketball team with a 80-68 win over the Lady Rattlers, here Monday night at Tiger Arena.

The last time the Lady Tigers defeated the Lady Rattlers was during the 2007-08 season with SSU pulling out a 74-66 win over FAMU at Tiger Arena on January 4, 2008.

Before tonight, FAMU had won 12 straight against SSU and led the series 19-1.

SSU grabbed an early 11-4 first half lead, capped off by an Ezinne Kalu three pointer with 12:03 left in the half.

FAMU would cut SSU’s lead to 18-12 on a Patrice Collie field goal with 7:21 to go in the half, sparking an 8-6 run by the Lady Rattlers.

The Lady Tigers would end the first half with a 12-6 run as the FAMU would go into the break trailing SSU, 40-18.
FAMU finished the first half shooting 18.9 percent (7-of-37), while SSU shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28).

It was the tale of two halves as the Lady Rattlers outscored the Lady Tigers, 50-40 in the second half.

FAMU would cut SSU’s lead to 62-54 on a made jumper by Sparkman with 5:41 to go in the game, capping a 16-6 run by the Lady Rattlers.

SSU would outscore FAMU, 18-14 in the final five minutes for the 80-68 win.

FAMU (8-11, 2-4 MEAC) was paced by both Jasmine Grice and Tierra Prothro as they both finished with a double-double on the night with Grice scoring a team high 23 points and pulling down 10 rebounds, while Prothro pumped in 14 points and pulled down 16 rebounds.

SSU (11-8, 4-1 MEAC) had four Lady Tigers to score in double-figures with Kalu carding a game high 25 points to lead all scorers.  Tiyonda Davis recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Kenyata Hendrix with 12 and Jasmine Kirkland with 11.

The Lady Rattlers will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 25 as they will host Howard University in a 4 p.m. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

from THE EDITOR: Savannah State Stifles FAMU

Dwight Floyd
THE EDITOR
SportsEdit.org
 

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- There is no doubt that the Savannah State Tigers were well prepared to play the Florida A&M University Rattlers men’s basketball team. From the boisterous crowd to knowing the various tendencies of FAMU players like Jamie Adams and Reggie Lewis, Savannah State was ready to defend their home court, but not without a challenge.

In a game of runs it was Savannah State who made the last run to capture the game. Savannah State took the initial lead, but it was FAMU who maintained a 3 point lead for much of the first half. Savannah State slowly chipped away at the lead and led 29-27 with a little less than 5 minutes left in the first half before making a run of their own and leading 41-28 by the 2 minute mark. At the half Savannah State was up 45-33.

CONTINUE READING

Javancy Jones returns to Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- The SWAC Freshman of the Year is back.

Javancy Jones withdrew his enrollment from Southwest Mississippi Community College and is returning to Jackson State. The defensive end initially transferred to the JUCO after Rick Comegy and the football coaching staff were fired in December. But something didn’t sit well for the Macon native.

“It just kept bothering me,” Jones said. “I prayed every night, and it seemed like God was telling me I belong at Jackson State and I felt as if I belonged.”

CONTINUE READING

Stephen Joyner, Sr. to be Inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame for 2014

Hampton, Virginia  -- Johnson C. Smith University director of athletics and head men's basketball coach, Stephen Joyner, Sr., is one of the seven new members inducted into the elite John B. McLendon Jr. Hall of Fame. The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association® (CIAA) made the announcement on Friday, January 17th. A formal induction ceremony will be held at the 2014 Hall of Fame Breakfast on Friday, February 28 at 9 a.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center. Joyner Sr., a Winston-Salem, N.C. native, is in the midst of his 27th season as head men's basketball coach at JCSU. Joyner's success in basketball began at Atkins High School where he was the second leading scorer on the 1969 undefeated North Carolina State 4-A Championship Team. After a stellar high school career, Joyner became the star point guard for the Golden Bulls from 1969-73. After a stint as an assistant coach at Virginia Union University, he received his first head coaching position with JCSU's women's basketball team in 1980, building the Golden Bulls into one of the CIAA's most competitive programs. He guided the women's team to its first appearance in the NCAA South Atlantic Regional Tournament. To get there, Smith won its first CIAA Southern Division Championship and finished second in the conference tournament. After compiling a 92-87 record with the women's team, Joyner took over as the head men's coach in 1987. For almost three decades, he has taken the men's program to unprecedented levels, establishing JCSU as one of the most competitive teams in the CIAA. His career coaching record as head men's coach is 476-287. Throughout his 26-year tenure as head men's coach, Joyner has collected numerous accomplishments during his career. Joyner has the most wins of any men's basketball coach in JCSU history, having recorded over 475 victories. He led the Golden Bulls to the CIAA Western Division Title in 1992, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. In 2000, his team finished fourth in the CIAA, third place finishes in 1991, 1993 and 2003, and second place finishes in 1992, 1998, 2002, and 2006. Coach Joyner has captured the CIAA Tournament Championship in 2001, 2008, and 2009. He was selected as the CIAA Coach of the Year and (1992, 1997, 2001) and NCAA Division II South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 2001. In addition to Joyner, the CIAA inducted the following individuals for their contributions to their respective institutions: Anthony Boggan (Saint Augustine's – Men's Basketball), Lawrence "Peaches" Coleman (Saint Augustine's – Men's Golf), Harold Deane (Virginia State – Men's Basketball), Clifton Huff (Livingstone – Track and Field), Dr. Walter Lovett, Sr. (Virginia State – Football), and Bob Moorman (Hampton/CIAA – Football and Administration). "We are pleased to honor these individuals for their outstanding accomplishments as head coaches, former student-athletes and administrators," said Jacqie Carpenter – CIAA Commissioner. The CIAA recognizes inductees for their excellence in the CIAA, significant contributions in the community, leadership in CIAA sports and commitment to the CIAA mission. The induction is part of the 2014 CIAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament events taking place February 25 – March 1, 2014 in Charlotte, N.C. Individual seats and tables of 10 for the Celebration Breakfast are now on sale and can be purchased by calling (757) 865-0071. Net proceeds from the CIAA Tournament and its sanctioned events go to its 12 member-institutions for scholarships for student-athletes and the student body at-large. COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Monday Morning Football Punts

• Tickets for the Crosstown Classic, a basketball doubleheader involving New Orleans city rivals Xavier University of Louisiana and Dillard University, are on sale.  The Crosstown Classic will be played Saturday, Jan. 25 at XU's Convocation Center. The women's game will start at 5 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7.  Click here for more Crosstown Classic info and Tickets or visit: XULAATHLETICS.
• Super Bowl XLVIII will have three players from HBCUs.  Playing for the Denver Broncos at starting right cornerback, No. 45 is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from Tennessee State University.  Rodgers-Cromartie was apart of the Arizona Cardinals in 2009 when they played in Super Bowl XLIII.  Rodgers-Cromartie is in his sixth season in the NFL having played for Arizona and Philadelphia, before signing with Denver.  Representing the Seattle Seahawks are: second string QB Tarvaris Jackson, No.7 from Alabama State University and Ricardo Lockette, wide receiver No. 83 from Division II Fort Valley State University.  Jackson is a native of Montgomery, Alabama and was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings.  Lockette, who has blazing speed is from Albany, Georgia and originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Seattle July 26, 2011. He spent the first 13 games on the Seahawks practice squad before signing to the active roster December 22, 2011. Rodgers-Cromartie is a native of Bradenton, Florida and was drafted in Round 1/Pick 16 in the NFL 2008 draft.
• Tampa Bay (Florida) Springstead High School OL/DL Shane Wiggins has picked up his first offer, from Cheyney University, a Division II program located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania. Wiggins’ 73 tackles and six sacks as a senior helped the Eagles to their best season in school history.
• Former Mississippi Valley State University head football coach and legend Willie Totten has been hired to coach QBs at Alabama A&M University under new head coach James Spady.  Coach Spady has indicated that he plans to run "the pistol offense" and Coach Totten will have input into the passing game.
• Word out of Itta Bena, Mississippi indicates that the Valley was unable to raise the necessary funds to hire Coach Rick Comegy and his two coordinators that were unceremoniously let go by Jackson State.  The Clarion-Ledger Newspaper posted two interesting articles yesterday -- Records contradict cause for firing and Breaking the Bank: SWAC recruiters deal with shortage of money.  Both articles put into perspective the challenges facing MVSU and JSU -- regardless who the head coach is at each institution. Some administrators may clearly be delusional ... 
• Moving forward, Mississippi Valley is expected to name well-traveled Rich Freeman from Morehouse College as their new head football coach, tomorrow. He will be teaming up with the former "House of Funk" director of bands, Mr. Blake Gaines, who has been hired to direct the MVSU Delta Devil Bands.  Mr. Gaines is an extraordinary talented music composer, arranger and performing jazz bassist.  The Morehouse "House of Funk" Marching Band will be performing in the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase on January 25, 2014, in Mr. Gaines final performance at Morehouse.
• South Carolina State University assistant football coach Joel Taylor has left the Bulldogs family after four seasons to hitch up with Mike Houston, the new head coach of The Citadel.  Taylor will be an assistant coach responsible for the safeties/pass defense coordinator. Houston is coming from Lenoir Rhyne in Hickory, NC, where Taylor served as his outside linebacker coach for 2009.
• CoachingSearch.com is reporting Lane College head football coach Derrick Burroughs is signing on to the Jackson State University football staff as the new defensive coordinator, under new head coach Harold Jackson. 
• CoachingSearch.com is also reporting per source, former Georgia Southern defensive backs coach Orlando Mitjens Jr. has withdrawn from the Virginia-Union head coaching search.
• Good News for Bethune-Cookman and the MEAC for now ... University of Alabama-Birmingham has offered its head coaching job to Jacksonville State head coach Bill Clark, per The Football Scoop.  The Wildcats Coach Brian Jenkins had interviewed for the UAB position last week.
• Alabama State University juniors Isaiah Crowell and Jamel Johnson have filed the necessary paperwork for the 2014 NFL draft.
• Bethune-Cookman's defensive back Nick Addison and offensive tackle Terrance Hackney have also declared for the NFL draft. Hackney was academically ineligible for his junior season and did not play. Addison is projected by the NFL for the 7th round or free agency at best.
• Tennessee State Tight End A.C. Leonard has declared for the 2014 NFL draft.  The former Florida Gator transfer was a top recruit of the Gators.
• If you are in the Atlanta area, do not forget the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at the Georgia Dome, 3 PM - 6PM.  Tickets are as low as $10.00 while quantities last! Big Sean is the special performer... The Bands order of performance are: 1. Morehouse 2. Arkansas Pine Bluff 3. North Carolina A&T 4. Bethune-Cookman -- Special Guest Performance -- 5.  Winston-Salem State  6. Alabama A&M  7. Alabama State   8.  South Carolina State.

-beepbeep

TSU's Rodgers-Cromartie Headed to Super Bowl XLVIII

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- With the Denver Broncos’ 26-16 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday, former Tennessee State defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will represent TSU in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Rodgers-Cromartie will be the third Tiger in the last four years to play in the NFL Championship Game joining former teammates Anthony Levine who was on the Green Bay Packers’ roster in 2011 and the Baltimore Ravens’ in 2013 and Lamar Divens whose San Francisco 49'ers fell to the Ravens last year.

This season, Rodgers-Cromartie has recorded 31 tackles (25 solo) and intercepted three passes, leading Denver to a 15-3 record (including the playoffs).

Rodgers-Cromartie was apart of the Arizona Cardinals in 2009 when they played in Super Bowl XLIII.

Rodgers-Cromartie is in his sixth year as a professional and has amassed 246 stops (222 solo), 19 interceptions and five touchdowns while playing for three different teams. This is Rodgers-Cromartie’s first season with the Broncos.

While at TSU, opposing quarterbacks completed just 55 of 161 passes (34.16%) thrown in Rodgers-Cromartie's immediate area. He intercepted 11 of those throws, deflected 25 and held the opposition to 3.54 yards per pass attempt.

In addition to his stellar football career, Rodgers-Cromartie was also a standout performer for the TSU track team. He qualified for the NCAA Mid-East Regionals in 2007 after he captured the Ohio Valley Conference long jump title (25' 0.75").

During the OVC Indoor Track Championships, Rodgers-Cromartie was named the top male athlete with a sensational performance. He won the 60-meter dash (6.89), long jump (25' 0.75") and high jump (6' 9.5") and finished second in the triple-jump (48'8").

Rodgers-Cromartie is one of 20 Tigers who have reached the Super Bowl.

Rodgers-Cromartie and the rest of the Denver Broncos will meet the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks in New York on Feb. 2.

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Road to the Honda: North Carolina A&T State University Blue and Gold Marching Machine

Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase
January 25, 2014, 3:00-6:00 p.m.
The Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia.

The eight bands selected to perform are:

• Alabama A&M University, Marching Maroon & White (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
• Alabama State University, Mighty Marching Hornets (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
• Bethune-Cookman University, Marching Wildcats (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
• Morehouse College, The Marching Maroon Tigers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
• North Carolina A&T State University, Blue and Gold Marching Machine (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
• South Carolina State University, Marching 101 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
• University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, UAPB Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
• Winston-Salem State University, The Red Sea of Sound (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association)

HU Pirates Suffer First MEAC Loss, Fall to Coppin State

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Despite leading with less than three minutes to go, the Hampton University men's basketball team suffered its first MEAC loss of the season on Saturday, as Coppin State escaped the HU Convocation Center with a 71-68 win.

The Pirates are now 8-9 overall and 3-1 in conference play.

Senior forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) led the Pirates with 16 points, going 6-for-6 from the floor, while junior center Emmanuel Okoroba (Garland, Texas) came off the bench to add 11 points, and senior guard Ramon Mercado (Hollywood, Fla.) added 12 points of 4-for-4 shooting from 3-point range.

Sophomore forward Jervon Pressley (Charlotte, N.C.) grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

The Pirates took a 65-62 lead with 3:15 left in the second half after a layup from Pressley, before Coppin State began its 9-3 game-ending run with a layup from Taariq Cephas and a layup from Michael Murray to give the Eagles a 66-65 lead with 2:30 left.

Redshirt-freshman guard Lawrence Cooks (Charlotte, N.C.) hit a free throw with 1:23 left to tie the game at 66-66, but Coppin State went 5-for-6 from the free throw line down the stretch – including two from Andre Armstrong with 14 seconds left to put Coppin State up 71-68.

Sophomore guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) tried a buzzer-beating trey to force overtime, but the shot fell off the rim.

Coppin State led 16-11 at the 12:18 mark of the first half, before the Pirates went on a 13-3 run to take a 24-19 lead at the 8:12 mark after a 3-pointer at the top of the key from Maxwell. Coppin State answered with a 15-4 run to take a 34-28 lead with 4:15 left in the half.

Armstrong hit a trey at the 1:40 mark to put the Eagles up 37-31, before the Pirates scored the last four points of the half to go into the locker room trailing Coppin State 37-35.

Maxwell had 11 points at the break.

Daquand Brickhouse hit a 3-pointer with 11:12 left in the second half to give Coppin State a 53-47 lead after a lot of back-and-forth play to open the half. Murray followed at the 8:33 mark with a layup to put the Eagles up 57-49.

Hampton answered with a 10-0 run, taking a 59-57 lead after a trey from Mercado with 6:24 left.

Maxwell slammed home a dunk at the 5:12 mark to put the Pirates up 61-58, and Pressley added a dunk of his own with 3:57 left to give Hampton a 63-60 lead. Cephas hit two free throws 19 seconds later to cut the lead to 63-62.

The Pirates shot 54.5 percent (24-for-44) from the floor and hit six of their 11 3-pointers (54.5 percent), but they went just 14-for-27 (51.9 percent) from the free throw line. Hampton scored 21 points off of 19 Coppin State turnovers.

Coppin State (6-12, 3-1 MEAC) shot 34.5 percent (20-for-58) from the floor, but the Eagles held a 35-30 edge on the glass – including a 17-5 advantage in offensive rebounds.

Daquan Brickhouse led Coppin State with 18 points.

The Pirates will return to the HU Convocation Center on Monday, when they take on Morgan State at 8 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.




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NSU men lose to Morgan State; MEAC win streak ends

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- It's wasn't Norfolk State's mere failure to extend its impressive MEAC winning streak that really got under the skin of first-year coach Robert Jones.

It's that the Spartans, right from the get-go, didn't even look like they wanted to.

Justin Black scored 24 points and Anthony Hubbard scored 22 to lead Morgan State to an easy 87-70 MEAC win over slow-starting NSU Saturday night, snapping the Spartans' nation-leading regular-season league winning streak at 23 games.

The loss bumped NSU (10-8, 4-1 MEAC) from atop the league standings for the first time since it finished second in 2011-12.

And it indicated to Jones that his team, which went 16-0 in the MEAC last season and was a heavy preseason favorite to repeat as regular-season champion, might be better off trying to start another streak.

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Jackson State picks up mid-year transfer from Arkansas State

Raeford Worsham #5

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Raeford Worsham is back in Mississippi.

The former Wayne County High School player transferred to Jackson State from Arkansas State. He played seven games as a sophomore this season with the Red Wolves, averaging 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds. During his freshman year, Worsham also averaged 6.4 points and grabbed 3.1 rebounds per game in 29 games.

As a mid-year transfer, the 6-foot-5, 190-pounder would be eligible to play at the end of the Fall 2014 semester. He is officially enrolled in Jackson State for the spring.

Raeford comes to Jackson State under odd circumstances. He quit the Red Wolves, according to a press release by the school in Dec. 14, 2013.  But Arkansas State coach John Brady alleged tampering involved.

“We believe some NCAA Rules may have been breached as it relates to tampering and we will use all avenues to protect the investment we made,” Brady said in the release.

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JSU's records contradict cause for firing

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Increasing local recruiting efforts became a rallying cry for Jackson State in its decision to fire Rick Comegy and hire Harold Jackson.

JSU spokesman Eric Stringfellow, who played football at the school, cited it as a major reason for why Comegy was let go in December.

“It’s clear there is some work to be done in terms of recruiting student-athletes from the Jackson metro area (and) Mississippi recruiting area,” he said.

Jackson then touched on it again during his introductory press conference Monday.

“We (aren’t) going to go outside Mississippi until we saturate Jackson and the outer areas,” the new JSU coach said.

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Breaking the Bank: SWAC recruiters deal with shortage of money

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Karl Morgan had to fill a roster on a recruiting budget of $8,800 a year.

The former Mississippi Valley State coach didn’t have enough money to fly top targets to the Mississippi Delta school. He didn’t have the resources to send hundreds of letters to one prospect, as has become a trend in the recruiting world. He even utilized a free breakfast at the nearby Hampton Inn to feed the Delta Devils’ recruits during official visit weekends.

At one of the poorest Division I programs, Morgan didn’t get a school credit card until his third year there and had to front a lot of the recruiting expenses. During big official visit weekends, he frequently had to give money out of his own pocket to player hosts.

“The head coach had to have enough money in his bank account for ...

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from THE EDITOR: Savannah State and FAMU Streak into Tiger Arena

vs   
January 20, 2014
8:00 PM EST
Tiger Arena; Savannah, Georgia
Video Stream
Listen live at WBMQ
At the beginning of the season Savannah State was predicted to finish 5th in the MEAC conference. Florida A&M was predicted to finish 10th. The predictions didn’t do either school any favors, perhaps discouraging fans from attending home games. Fans should stay away no longer! Savannah State is on a four game win streak and at the top of the conference. FAMU is on a three game win streak and is seventh in the conference. When they clash on Monday night one should expect an exciting game. The way both teams are playing the 5,000 seat Tiger Arena should be full.

The Tigers are coached by Horace Broadnax. Dr. Broadnax played basketball under John Thompson at Georgetown University before obtaining a law degree at ...

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January 18: HBCU Basketball ScoreCard

NCAA Division I - Men

MEAC
Howard 88,  Maryland Eastern Shore 55
North Carolina Central 62, Delaware State 52
Florida A&M 78, South Carolina State 72
Savannah State 70, Bethune-Cookman 60
Morgan State 87, Norfolk State 70
Coppin State 71, Hampton 68
North Carolina A&T 88, New Jersey Institute of Technology 82

OVC
Belmont 79, Tennessee State 65

SWAC
Alabama State 67, Alabama A&M 58
Texas Southern 74, Grambling State 72
Alcorn State 65, Mississippi Valley 53
Southern 60, Arkansas Pine Bluff 56
Prairie View A&M 85, Jackson State 80

WAC
Texas-Pan American 84, Chicago State 61

NCAA Division I - Women

MEAC
Howard 77, Maryland Eastern Shore 75
North Carolina Central 75, Delaware State 61
Hampton 80, Coppin State 52
Savannah State 58, Bethune-Cookman 54
Norfolk State 61, Morgan State 52
South Carolina State 68, Florida A&M 57

OVC
Tennessee State 64, Belmont 51

SWAC
Jackson State 83, Prairie View A&M 82
Mississippi Valley 70, Alcorn State 55
Southern 84, Arkansas Pine Bluff 70
Texas Southern 77, Grambling State 63
Alabama State 92, Alabama A&M 45

 WAC
 Texas-Pan American 66, Chicago State 44

NAIA Division I - Men

GCAC
Xavier (La.) 62, Edward Waters 58
Philander Smith 76, Tougaloo 69
Talladega 84, Southern - New Orleans 66

OTHER CONFERENCES
Huston-Tillotson 84, Jarvis Christian 79
Wiley 90, Langston 85
Our Lady of the Lake 103, Texas College 76
Lindenwood-Belleville 77, Barber-Scotia 63
Missouri Baptist 73, Harris-Stowe State 71
West Virginia Tech 93, Wilberforce 86
Life (Ga.) 110, Carver Bible 97

NAIA Division I - Women

GCAC
Xavier (La.) 63, Edward Waters 40
Talladega 82, Southern - New Orleans 49
Philander Smith 84, Tougaloo 71

OTHER CONFERENCES
Wiley 85, Langston 79
Huston-Tillotson 85, Jarvis Christian 64
Harris-Stowe State 76, Missouri Baptist 75
Southwest (NM) 80, Paul Quinn 65
Our Lady of the Lake 107, Texas College 57

NCAA Division II - Men

CIAA
Winston-Salem State 76, Saint Augustine's 52 PHOTOS
Livingstone 76, Shaw 53
Elizabeth City State 60, Chowan 45
Fayetteville State 72, Johnson C. Smith 67
Lincoln (Pa.) 71, Bowie State 50

SIAC
Fort Valley State 72, Paine 68
Clark Atlanta 68, Claflin 66
Stillman 86, Lane 83
#17 Memphis 101, LeMoyne-Owens 78
Tuskegee 82, Kentucky State 72

NCAA Division II - Women

CIAA
Fayetteville State 56, Johnson C. Smith 31
Winston-Salem State 62, Saint Augustine's 52
Virginia State 73, Virginia Union 65
Shaw 96, Livingstone 71
Elizabeth City State 80, Chowan 74
Lincoln (Pa.) 54, Bowie State 43

SIAC
Fort Valley State 84, Paine 66
Tuskegee 61, Kentucky State 53
Albany State  60,  Benedict 53
Stillman 79, Lane 59
Claflin 77, Clark Atlanta 52 

Southern hold off UAPB to stay unbeaten in SWAC

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas — The Southern men’s basketball team remained undefeated in Southwestern Athletic Conference play with a 60-56 victory against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday night at H.O. Clemmons Arena.

The Jaguars, 9-9 and 5-0, play at Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday in a game postponed two days because of a bomb threat against the Delta Devils’ campus and arena.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff falls to 4-12 and 2-2.

Southern was playing its first game without starting point guard Christopher Hyder, who is sidelined indefinitely because of a blood clot in his left shoulder.

Trelun Banks moved from shooting guard to point guard and finished with seven points, five assists and one rebound in 25 minutes.

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Page, Brown Lead ASU Comeback Against Alabama A&M

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Luther Page scored a career-high 22 points and Bobby Brown had 12 to lead ASU back from a 10-point deficit with 3:17 left to pace the Hornets to a 67-58 overtime win over Alabama A&M.

 The win moved ASU into second place in the conference and was also Lewis Jackson's 129^th career win moving him into third place on the all-time wins list at ASU.

"It was an ugly ball game for us," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said.  "We came into this game as big as it is, unfocused on the things we needed to do in order to put ourselves in position to win the ball game.  We stumbled through the first half and we were lucky just to be down five.  We came out in the second half and kind of went through the same thing; we were rushing through our offense, we weren't making rotations in our defense, but we kept saying during the timeouts you can do it guys just believe."

"We wanted to speed up the game because we were just walking in slow motion and we started to get some turnovers and got some shots to fall and here we are finding a way to win."

ASU (10-6/4-1 SWAC) trailed 51-41 after a Jeremy Crutcher three point field goal to give the Bulldogs their largest lead of the game with 3:17 left.  From there the Hornets outscored AAMU 12-2 with the big baskets coming from Brown who hit two three point field goals. The final three with 28 seconds left evened the score at 53 to send the game into overtime.

After scoring eight of his 12 points in the final three minutes, Brown opened the scoring in the overtime period to give ASU a 55-53 lead, which was their first lead since leading 5-2 with 18 minutes left in the game.  Brown's basket started the Hornets on their 14-5 overtime run in which Jamel Waters scored six of his 17 points, including a steal and layup with 23 seconds left in the game for the final score.

Page may have had the best game of his career, with eight of his points coming in the second half after scoring 14 in the first.  He hit eight of his 14 field goals and was six of seven at the free throw line.  He also added three steals.

"Luther came up big for us," Jackson said.  "I think he had 14 or 15 points in the first half and he was the only thing we had going.  He was playing with some confidence so we wanted to ride him.  None of our shots were falling and the guys we want to shoot the basketball couldn't get anything to fall."

The Hornets struggled shooting the ball all night finishing the game shooting 37 percent from the field, and that includes hitting six of their 10 overtime (60 percent) field goals.  ASU was even worse on their three point attempts only hitting three of 13, with two of the three coming from Brown within 24 seconds of each other in the final minute of the game.

ASU was again solid at the free throw line hitting 16 of their 24 attempts for 75 percent.  ASU also won the rebounding battle 41-30 with Brown's nine leading the way.  Page had eight and Maurice Strong added six.

AAMU (6-9/3-2 SWAC) was led in scoring by Crutcher who scored 15 points, all of which came in the second half.  Demarquelle Tabb came off the bench to score 11 and also had a team-high seven rebounds.

AAMU shot 45 percent from the field until the overtime period where they only hit one of the four attempts.  They finished the game shooting 43 percent from the field.

The Bulldogs hit six of their 17 three point field goals (35%), but only one in the second half.  They hit 71 percent of their free throws hitting 12 of 17.

ASU's shooting woes started in the first half as they only shot 30 percent from the field hitting eight of their 27 field goals.  The Hornets did not record a three point field goal missing all four attempts.

Page actually kept the Hornets in the game with 14 first half points hitting five of his nine attempts.  ASU did manage to out rebound the taller Bulldogs 20-17 with Strong tallying five.

AAMU fought through some foul trouble but their three point shooting is what gave them the 28-23 advantage at halftime.  AAMU knocked down four of their 10 three point attempts and all four came by players that came off the bench.

The Hornets will hit the road for their next two games beginning with the Hornets visiting Alcorn State Saturday, Jan. 25.  The game is scheduled to tip off at 5 p.m.

Box Score

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