Southern men handle Alabama State

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- The Southern men’s basketball team extended its lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with a 68-55 victory against second-place Alabama State on Monday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

The Jaguars shot 56 percent in the second half to pull away after leading by six at halftime.

At 11-10, Southern raised its record above the break-even mark for the first time this season and improved to 7-1 in the SWAC. The Jaguars host Alcorn State on Saturday.

The Hornets, now tied with Texas Southern for second, fell to 11-7 and 5-2.

“As much as I tried to downplay this game, I still think ...

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SCSU delays recruiting visits in wake of shooting

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- A star-studded group of high school football seniors, which included three Shrine Bowl selections, were expected to visit South Carolina State today.

Friday’s on-campus shooting which resulted in the death of Bulldog linebacker Brandon Robinson apparently prompted the team to postpone this weekend’s final recruiting activities until next week. South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough was unavailable for comment on either issue Friday.

A total of 13 prospects were expected in Orangeburg this weekend, including fullback/linebacker Damu Ford (5-11, 240 lbs.) of two-time Class 2-A Division I champion Dillon, defensive tackle Naquez Pringle (6-2, 315) of Carvers Bay and fullback/middle linebacker Josh Harlan (6-0) of Spring Valley.

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Pough helping Bulldogs cope with loss of teammate

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  From a sports perspective, a coach is defined as “a person who trains or directs athletes or athletic teams.”

In many ways, there’s more to the job title than what’s listed in the dictionary. The daily tasks of a coach often go beyond providing on-field instructions and making sure players are up to speed for an upcoming game.

Oftentimes, coaches must play the role of a surrogate parent. In college, they have as much personal contact and interaction with the student-athletes, over a 4-5 year span at the school, as the parents, and are sometimes leaned on to provide guidance and emotional support.

This is the position South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough finds himself in ...

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Karl Morgan Tapped as Coahoma’s New Football Coach



COURTESY COAHOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ATHLETICS

CLARKSDALE, Mississippi  --  On Monday afternoon during a press conference held in the Vivian M. Presley Administration Building, Coahoma Community College announced that their next football coach would be former UCLA Bruins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Karl Morgan. The former NFL defensive tackle has 20-plus years of coaching experience, most recently as the head coach at Mississippi Valley State.

Morgan will take the reins from Coach Freeman Horton, who had led the program since 2001.

“One thing I can promise you, I will give you 100 percent every day that I am here,” Morgan told the crowd of alumni, media and community members present. “I was excited about the motivation to win here, I could feel that everyone here is serious about turning this program around and I’m glad to be able to be a part of that.”

Coach Morgan spent three years with the Delta Devils program. Before coaching at Valley, he spent five years as the defensive coordinator at the University of North Alabama during which his teams were an impressive 55-10 that included a Gulf South Conference Championship and five NCAA Division II playoff berths.

“We are elated to have someone of Coach Morgan’s stature here at Coahoma, and we are excited to usher in a new era that begins with him,” said CCC President Dr. Valmadge Towner. “This new era is going to be known as the ‘WWW’ era, which stands for ‘We Will Win’.”

Morgan’s best season at MVSU was in 2012 when the Delta Devils finished 5-4 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The new Tigers head coach has also had coaching stints at Nicholls State, Southern University, Purdue and Arkansas State. He served as the defensive coordinator at Alcorn State in 2001 and at Hampton from 2002-04.

While at North Alabama as its defensive coordinator, Morgan worked under Coach Terry Bowden.

Morgan will be tasked with turning around a Tigers program that finished with just one win in 2013 while playing in arguably the toughest junior college conference in the country. The MACJC boasted three teams in the National Top 10 at season’s end — including National Champion East Mississippi. Five MACJC teams finished in the Top 20.

“There are four steps to winning, first you lose big, then you lose by a little, then you win by a little, and then you win big,” Morgan told his supporters. “That’s what we are going to do, start progressing forward. I am not going to make huge promises, I am just going to promise that you will have my best each and every day.”

Ram Ramblings: WSSU football schedule is out

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Winston-Salem State unveiled its football schedule for 2014 and once again it would appear the hardest part for the Rams will be the nonconference games.

I can say that because WSSU has won 24 straight against CIAA opponents (one of those wins was a designated non-conference game against Elizabeth City State in 2011). With the talent coming back the Rams should be favored again for the CIAA title, something that they have won two years in a row. (Last season’s CIAA title game was cancelled.)

Coach Kienus Boulware’s Rams will open at home against UNC Pembroke then play at a high-school stadium near Atlanta against Valdosta State, the 2012 national champions. They will follow that up with a home game against Tuskegee.

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Black Men as College Athletes: The Real Win-Loss Record

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- Frustrated by the endless grumbling about black men's failures, I have spent much of my career examining how black men get to college and what helps them succeed. We now have hard data, and many of the most effective strategies cost relatively little.

So I am particularly troubled that major collegiate athletics programs, known for generating significant revenue for their institutions, do not use proven methods to get their black male athletes through baccalaureate-degree programs and prepared for careers beyond professional sports. I am also amazed that these programs continually fail the men whose minds they have promised to develop along with their athletic prowess.

There's no question that athletics can be a pathway to education that transforms lives. But all too often, black male student-athletes leave college without degrees, and with little in the way of the training they need to succeed in life beyond sports. Recently I heard from a senior athletics administrator who was startled when ...



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Charlotte officer indicted in deadly shooting case of former FAMU student-athlete, Jonathan Ferrell

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  WBTV) -- A Mecklenburg County Grand Jury has indicted a Charlotte police officer on voluntary manslaughter charges in a deadly shooting.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer Randall Kerrick was indicted in the September 2013 death of Jonathan Ferrell. The indictment came down just before 4 pm on Monday afternoon.

Earlier Monday, a Mecklenburg County judge denied a motion to block the North Carolina Attorney General's Office from resubmitting charges against Kerrick to the grand jury.

WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC

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Expected winter precipitation postpones Gold Rush game

NEW ORLEANS -- Due to winter precipitation expected in metro New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana has canceled all classes and events on Tuesday, including a men's basketball home game against Belhaven.

The non-conference game was rescheduled for 6 p.m. on Feb. 25 at XU's Convocation Center.

Intellicast.com's Monday afternoon forecast for Tuesday called for morning rain and sleet turning to rain in the afternoon. There will be an 80-percent chance of a mix of wintry precipitation on Tuesday evening, followed by an overnight low of 29 degrees.

Xavier is 16-5 overall, 5-1 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and ranked 16th in NAIA Division I.

The next Gold Rush game will start at 5 p.m. Saturday against GCAC opponent Tougaloo at Tougaloo, Miss. The next home game will start at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 against NAIA No. 21 Philander Smith.

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

TSU Knocks Off Division Leader EKU on Kids Day

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  In front of a crowd of nearly 2,000 kids, the Tennessee State University women’s basketball team defeated OVC East Division leader Eastern Kentucky, 78-63, Monday afternoon on Metro Schools Day.

TSU (8-13, 5-3 OVC) won its second straight while handing EKU (11-7, 5-2) only its second league loss of the season.

 

Chelsea Hudson recorded her seventh double-double of the year, third consecutive, with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Alana Morris scored in double-figures for the fourth straight game with 13 points while Briana Morrow (12) and Rachel Allen (10) also finished in double-digits. Allen also recorded five assists and two steals in the contest.

 

Eastern Kentucky was led in scoring by Marie Carpenter’s 18 points. Miranda Maples added 12 while Michaela Hunter scored 11. Shelly Harper chipped 10 points and eight rebounds.
 

Though it moved at a somewhat slow pace, TSU controlled the tempo early on in the first half. At the 10:59 mark, Chelsea Hudson scored to put the Lady Tigers on top, 17-11, before TSU outscored EKU, 17-9, the final eight minutes of the stanza.

 

The home team led by as many as 15 before going into the break with a, 39-26, advantage.

Eastern Kentucky posted eight straight points to open the second half and cut the deficit down to just three points, 43-40, behind a 12-4 run.

 

The Lady Tigers, however, regained their composure and scored the next 12 points to go ahead, 55-40. During TSU’s scoring rally, EKU went 0-of-6 from the field and committed three turnovers.

 

The Lady Colonels closed the gap to 13 points on a jumper by Carpenter but the Lady Tigers maintained control and continued to build on the lead.

 

With about five minutes remaining, Brianna Lawrence connected a couple of free-throws that made the score, 65-46, in favor of the Lady Tigers.

 

TSU grabbed its largest lead, 72-51, before claiming the victory.

 

Tennessee State shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the field while only making, 3-of-15 from three-point range. TSU made 25-of-38 from the free-throw line.

 

Eastern Kentucky shot 33.8 percent (22-of-65) from the field while going 5-of-13 (38.5 percent) from beyond the arc. The Lady Colonels made 14-of-24 from the charity stripe.

 

Tennessee State returns to action on Monday, February 3 at Tennessee Tech. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Eblen Center.

 

FINAL STATS

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

FAMU's Jasmine Grice Named MEAC Player Of The Week

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Florida A&M’s Jasmine Grice was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday. Bethune-Cookman’s Kailyn Williams was selected the Rookie of the Week, while Coppin State’s Larissa Carter earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.

 

Grice (G, 5-10, Sr., Quincy, Fla.) totaled 57 points, 17 rebounds and 11 steals as the Lady Rattlers were 1-1 in conference games during the week. Grice poured in 34 points, on 12-of-17 shooting, in a 87-42 win against Howard. She also finished with eight steals and seven boards against the Lady Bison. Grice began the week with 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 80-68 loss to Savannah State.

 

Williams (C, 6-5, r-Fr., New Orleans, La.) averaged 12.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in conference games against South Carolina State and Maryland Eastern Shore. Williams recorded a double-double of 17 points, on 8-of-11 shooting, and 11 rebounds in a 71-53 win against SCSU. Against Maryland Eastern Shore, Williams added eight rebounds, seven points and four blocks.

 

Carter (F, 6-0, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.) totaled 21 rebounds in a pair of wins against Norfolk State and North Carolina Central. Carter registered 14 boards, to go along with 18 points, in a 67-58 win against North Carolina Central. She had seven rebounds and three blocks in a 71-52 victory against Norfolk State.

 

Other Top Performers: 

 

Raven Bankston (DSU) registered 21 points, four rebounds and two steals in a 50-47 loss to North Carolina A&T.

 

Alyssa Bennett (Hampton) averaged 19.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals in wins against Morgan State and Savannah State.

 

Ashleigh Claybrooks (UMES) recorded a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds in a 78-70 loss to Bethune-Cookman.

 

Shakeyia Colyer (BCU) finished with 24 points, on 9-of-18 shooting, in a 78-70 win against Maryland Eastern Shore.

 

Rae Corbo (NSU) dropped in 17 points, including 10 from the free-throw line, in a 59-54 win against South Carolina State.

 

Ashle Craig (CSU) scored a career-high 27 points, on 9-of-13 shooting, in a 71-52 win against Norfolk State.

 

Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Hampton) averaged 18.5 points, 3.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals in wins against Savannah State and Morgan State.

 

Cherisha Floyd (SCSU) recorded eight defensive rebounds, two blocks and a pair of steals in games against Bethune-Cookman and Norfolk State.

 

Jessica Freeman (NCCU) averaged 18.5 points in games against North Carolina A&T and Coppin State.

 

Victoria Gonzalez (Howard) shot 60 percent (6-of-10) from the field to finish with 14 points in a loss to Florida A&M.

 

Rachel Gordon (NSU) totaled 23 points, 21 rebounds, two blocks and a pair of assists in games against Coppin State and South Carolina State.

 

Nicole Hamilton (Hampton) finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three blocks and one steal in a 99-45 win against Morgan State.

 

Tierra Hawkins (DSU) grabbed 15 boards and dropped in 11 points in a 50-47 loss to North Carolina A&T.

 

Tracy King (NCAT) totaled 21 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and eight steals in wins against North Carolina Central and Morgan State.

 

April McRae (NCAT) recorded 20 points, six rebounds and two blocks in a 59-47 win against North Carolina Central.

 

Logan Powell (NSU) averaged 9.0 rebounds and 8.5 points in games against Coppin State and South Carolina State.

 

Tierra Protho (FAMU) pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds in a 80-68 loss to Savannah State.

 

Kourtney Williams (SCSU) finished with 23 points, four steals and a pair of rebounds in a 59-54 loss to Norfolk State.

 

Courtesy MEACSports.com

Alabama State: Several Hornets with NFL aspirations

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Isaiah Crowell is in Florida training for NFL workouts after completing the paperwork to enter the NFL draft as a junior, his head coach said.

Reggie Barlow said the former Alabama State tailback is working out at EXOS in Gulf Breeze, Fla., at The Andrews Institute in preparation for the NFL Combine on Feb. 23 and the Hornets’ Pro Day workout in mid-March.

“He’s been down there training since Jan. 2,” Barlow said. “According to (draft analysis), they have a fifth-round draft grade on him. Obviously, that’s prior to the Combine. He has selected representation and is off training now, getting ready for the Combine.”

Barlow said Crowell is working out with ...

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Historically black college football programs struggling to keep up

Photo Courtesy: Tennessee State University Athletics

Tennessee State’s Kadeem Edwards (#73) is the only Senior Bowl player from an HBCU, despite a history of producing legends. (Note: Jackson State's All-American defensive back Qua Cox was a late addition to the game after this article was published).  The 3-Times All-Ohio Valley Conference lineman Edwards, earned his Bachelor's Degree in December 2013 with Honors, in Human Performance and Sports Sciences with an overall 3.5 GPA.

MOBILE, Alabama  --   Kadeem Edwards ( Sanford, FL, Seminole H.S.) has a quarrel with a certain tradition, and for that, he may get struck down by a lightning bolt thrown by the lords of historically black college and university (HBCU) football.

It is sacrilegious not to bow to the spectacle of the bands at an HBCU football game, but Edwards takes a deep breath and says something sacrilegious anyway. He wishes the bands and the halftime extravaganza did not reign over the game.

Edwards is a big fan of the music. He appreciates the skill and the thrill of a show. He understands the culture and the allure of the HBCU halftime show and the postgame pageantry. The bands draw a crowd.

But he wants black college football to be about more than the bands.

He wants it to be more about the football again.

“The first time I saw half the people in the stands leave after the halftime show by the band, it upset me,” said Edwards, a 6-foot-4, 309-pound offensive guard who played at Tennessee State University in Nashville. “It was a little disrespectful.”

He sighed and shook his head slowly side to side.

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.The C.S. Podcast: TSU's NFL Prospect A.C. Leonard, Tight End

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- 2014 NFL Draft Prospect out of Tennessee State University, TE A.C. Leonard joined Chris Shanafelt on The C.S. Podcast on January 17, 2014 for an interview to talk about his college football career and to talk about the possibilities of playing in the NFL.

During his time at Tennessee State, Leonard recorded 85 receptions, 1,134 yards & 12 TD's. A.C. Leonard is a name that you will want to watch out for come May during the 2014 NFL Draft! Be sure to follow on Twitter @ChrisShanafelt & @LaidWayyBack1.

TSU Lady Tigers Welcome EKU for Metro Schools Day

GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | VIDEO

GAMEDAY

The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will welcome youth from all of the Davidson County Metro Schools to the Gentry Center as the Lady Tigers host Eastern Kentucky, Monday morning at 11 a.m. in an OVC contest. The game will be TSU’s second in three days.  On Monday, Inman will coach against one of his former players, Chrissy Roberts, and a team that he led for twenty years.   

 

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE

Tennessee State is coming off an, 87-70, win over Morehead State on Saturday. The win improved TSU to 7-13 (4-3 OVC) and gave coach Larry Inman his 500th career win. The victory was TSU’s second straight home win.

 

TSU is averaging 68.0 points per outing while shooting 36.6 percent from the field. Chelsea Hudson leads the team in scoring with 16.1 points per game while Rachel Allen (12.0 ppg), Alana Morris (7.1 ppg) and Brianna Lawrence (6.7 ppg) round out the top scorers for TSU. TSU is currently tied for second place in the East Division.

 

The Lady Tigers, under second year head coach Larry Joe Inman, returned four letterwinners from last year’s squad and added eight newcomers, including seven freshmen, to the roster. TSU finished last season with an overall record of 13-15 and a 9-7 conference mark. In an Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll that was released in October, TSU was predicted to finish fifth in the East Division standings.

 

LAST TIME OUT

Tennessee State fell behind early but used a 29-13 scoring run in the last eight minutes of the first half to go ahead, 35-26 at half time. TSU pulled away in the second frame and went on to defeat Morehead State, 87-70, in the Gentry Center. Chelsea Hudson had a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds while Brianna Lawrence had 14. Rachel Allen and Alana Morris each tallied 13 points as Briana Morrow chipped in 11. 

 

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Eastern Kentucky (11-6, 5-1 OVC) has won three straight including the most recent victory over Belmont. The Lady Colonels defeated the Bruins, 75-59, in the Curb Event Center on Saturday.  EKU is in first place in the East Division.

 

In the win over Belmont, Marie Carpenter tallied 27 points after knocking down six three-pointers in the game. Shelly Harper and Pilar Walker eached chipped in 12. 

 

Overall, Eastern Kentucky is led in scoring by Marie Carpenter who averages 22.1 points per game. Shelly Harper (11.2 ppg) and Pilar Walker (10.8 ppg) round out the top scorers for EKU.

 

As a team, the Lady Colonels average, 69.1 points per game while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from long range.

 

TSU vs. EASTERN KENTUCKY

Tennessee State will match-up with Eastern Kentucky for the 52nd time in the series history with EKU holding a, 36-16, advantage. Last season, TSU split with EKU,  falling to the Lady Colonels, 62-54, on the road before clipping the opponent, 69-66, in the Gentry Center on Senior Night. TSU had dropped four straight to EKU before picking up the victory last season.

 

COVERAGE

Updates on the game will be available throughout the game on the official twitter page via @TSU_Tigers. Live stats and video will also be available for the games. Links can be found on tsutigers.com under the schedule.

 

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Tennessee State will return to action on Monday, Feb. 3 on the road at Tennessee Tech. Game time is slated for a 7 p.m. tip-off in the Eblen Center.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

from THE EDITOR: FAMU Men, Referees Not in Sync

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The fans got the message as they showed up in numbers not seen since a win at home against Bethune Cookman in 2012. The 2,577 fans watching the game is almost twice the number in attendance for any other home game this season. Rumors are that the Rattlers are back. Some still wishing for the unlikely return of former head coach Mike Gillespie, or a Gillespie look alike, were hoping to see a revitalized Rattler program. What they saw instead was a senior laden Rattler team that was outgunned by a freshman dominant Howard team.

FAMU was not alone in what will be considered a night of upsets. On this night the “lowly” Bethune Cookman, who had lost 17 games in a row, in a mild upset beat the other conference cellar dweller Maryland Eastern Shore 69-63. Not to be outdone, a struggling South Carolina State University Bulldog team defeated Norfork State in stunning fashion 73-61; and the woeful North Carolina A&T after getting pummeled by Norfolk last week defeated the previously undefeated Morgan State in overtime 68-67. Perhaps not as much an upset, Hampton with two conference losses handed the previously undefeated Savannah State its first conference loss of the season 80-71. The only MEAC team to win a game when they were supposed to on this night was North Carolina Central, who defeated Coppin State 87-63.

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Sights and Sounds from 2014 Honda Battle of the Bands

WATCH IN 1080p HD, Wide Screen

GREAT JOB, BANDS!!!

Banks leads balanced offense; SU men roll past Alabama A&M

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  The Southern men’s basketball team made sure it wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.

The Jaguars suffered their first Southwestern Athletic Conference loss Wednesday night when a lethargic start led to a 15-point halftime deficit and a disappointing loss at Mississippi Valley State.

So when they returned to the court Saturday night they were determined to start fast and make it count.

The result was a nearly wire-to-wire 66-52 victory against Alabama A&M in the Clark Activity Center.

“We needed to respond in a big way just to get our focus and our confidence back,” guard Trelun Banks said. “It was a team effort and a big win for us.”

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North Carolina Aggies Win In Overtime

A&T knocks off previously MEAC unbeaten Morgan State.

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  Lamont Middleton and Richaud Pack had big games for North Carolina A&T Saturday night at Corbett Sports Center. Middleton finished with 26 points and five rebounds, while Pack ended the night with 25 points and eight rebounds on 10-for-10 shooting at the foul line.

But the biggest minutes played in A&T’s 68-67 overtime win over Morgan State may have been the ones played by a freshman who came into the game averaging just 6.3 minutes per game. Six-foot-nine center Steven Burrough hit two big free throws to send the game into overtime and then played solid defense on Morgan State’s 7-2 center Ian Chiles down the stretch to give the Bears (6-11, 4-1 MEAC) their first conference loss.

“I thought he effectively took Ian Chiles out of the game the last four minutes,” said Alexander. “They couldn’t get the ball to him. He did a tremendous job on him.”

A&T (7-13, 3-2 MEAC) sent the game into overtime despite never taking the lead in regulation. With the Aggies trailing 57-51 with a little more than four minutes remaining, Pack hit back-to-back threes to tie the game at 57 with 2:48 to play in regulation.  The Bears tried to respond by getting the ball to Chiles who finished the game with 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. In attempt to prevent Chiles from receiving the ball on the block, A&T center Bryan Akinkugbe was called for a foul, sending Chiles to the line and sending Akinkugbe to the bench with his fifth foul. The call left Alexander with a decision to make.

“When Bryan fouled out I had to make a decision on who would be best to guard (Chiles),” said Alexander. “My gut said Steven was the biggest, so let’s go with the biggest. He was probably the least experienced, but he was the biggest.”

Alexander’s decision would pay off in more ways than one. Chiles hit his two free throws to give the Bears a 59-57 advantage. After an Aggies turnover, Blake Bozeman’s 3-pointer rimmed out. As Burrough went for the rebound, Chiles came over his back for the foul, sending Burrough, a 57 percent free throw shooter with only 14 attempts this season to the line with 1:26 to play.

Burrough calmly knocked down the two free throws that would eventually send the game into overtime tied at 59.

A&T took its first lead of the game in the overtime period as Middleton’s two free throws gave A&T a 63-62 lead with 3:19 to play. Two more Middleton free throws increased the Aggies lead to three, but MSU guard Justin Black quickly came down the floor and hit a step back 3-pointer, his first and only three of the night, to tie the game at 65 with 2:30 remaining.

Pack gave the Aggies the lead back with a free throw, but on his second free throw, he was called for a lane violation, which gave MSU the ball back with a chance to take the lead. Black did just that by hitting a baseline jumper with 11 seconds to play to give MSU a 67-66 lead.

Even with timeouts remaining, the Aggies didn’t hesitate. Senior point guard Jeremy Underwood pushed the ball up the floor and found and sprinting Pack going toward the basket. Underwood’s laser pass landed in the hands of Pack who scored with a layup over the extended arm of Chiles to give A&T a 68-67 lead with 6.9 seconds remaining.

“It was more of Jeremy’s idea to be honest,” said Pack about the decision to try to score in transition. “I saw we were pushing the ball up the floor and Jeremy turned to me and threw it. I just had to make a play.”

Everything seemed to be looking up when Black, in an attempt to win the game, ran over Underwood and was called for an offensive foul with five seconds to play. But on the inbounds pass, Underwood was called for a backcourt violation, giving the Bears the ball back with 3.6 to play.

Hubbard would get to the rim, but his layup came up short as the Aggies improved to 5-1 at home this season. Black led the Bears with 19 points and nine rebounds.  Chiles scored the first two points of overtime, but never scored again in the extra period.

The Aggies, who bounced back after enduring their worst MEAC loss in school history last Wednesday night, will face Coppin State 6 p.m., Monday at Corbett.

“This game was a test of our character,” said Alexander about the MSU win. “Everyone in this room knows what happened to us Wednesday. Either we were going to stand up like men; which was my request to the team, my challenge to them. Or we were going to fold our tent and have a mediocre season. This was a great show of resiliency.”

Photo Album

A&T 68, MSU 67 OT

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Greene, Partida join SU baseball staff

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Southern baseball coach Roger Cador brought in two new assistant coaches because they had more to offer than just their baseball acumen.

Former LSU and major league right-hander Rick Greene was brought in not just to teach the Jaguars pitchers, but also to strengthen the program’s standing in the Baton Rouge community.

New hitting coach Mike Partida was brought in not just to work with the hitters, but also to use his roots in the athletes-rich Houston area to boost recruiting.

Cador said Greene, who has maintained visibility in the community through his 2 Seam Dream Foundation that raises money and awareness for cancer research, “fit the bill.”

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WSSU falls flat against Fayetteville State

PIKEVILLE, North Carolina — Somewhere between Forsyth County and Wayne County, Winston-Salem State lost its shooting touch.

WSSU also didn’t have much defense as Fayetteville State rolled to a 74-56 victory at Aycock High School on Saturday night. Playing in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 1,500, the Rams were flat, and Coach Bobby Collins had no explanation.
“I don’t know,” Collins said. “We came here and had a good shoot-around, and we had plenty of rest, and it was a great atmosphere and for some reason we just didn’t have it.”

Things got so bad in the second half that the Rams (11-8, 2-1 CIAA Southern Division) went 11 minutes with a field goal. The Broncos (12-6, 2-1) took charge during that stretch, turning to their swarming and physical defense and going inside on offense.

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Texas Southern closes out MVSU in the second half to capture 65-55 win

HOUSTON, Texas -- Jazzmin Parker scored 24 points and tallied eight rebounds to help lift Texas Southern over Mississippi Valley State 65-55 Saturday night at H&PE Arena.

Morgan Simmons registered in her fourth double-double on the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds while Brianna Sidney tacked on 11 points of her own. Rounding out the scoring charge, Ashley Ferguson provided the Lady Tigers with an offensive spark, scoring 10 points off the bench for TSU (8-9,5-1).

The Lady Tigers were able to use a 15-10 points in the paint advantage in the first half to give them a 39-25 lead at the break.

After trailing by as many as 21 points in the second half, MVSU used a 17-6 run to pull within three points of the Lady Tigers with five minutes remaining, but it was not enough. TSU used a series of free throws in the last three minutes of the game to take home the win.

"I'm extremely happy with the way our team battled through adversity in the second half," said TSU head coach Johnetta Hayes-Perry. "When Mississippi Valley made their run in the second half we were able to maintain our composure and close the game out on a strong note. Mississippi Valley is a well coached team and they play hard for 40 minutes. This was another big win for our program early in conference play."

Texas Southern will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday closing out a two-game home stand. Tip-off for Monday's game has been slated for 5:00 pm.

Box Score    

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Golfweek: Men's spring preview - SWAC

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- During the month of January, Golfweek will preview the spring season for each conference. Today, we look at the SWAC Conference.

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Top of the class: Alabama State

•Player to watch: Francis Berthiaume, Alabama State.

•Freshman to watch: Donnell Lynch, Jackson State

•Conference championship: April 21-23, Oak Wing Golf Club, Alexandria, La.
•Past champions (since 2009): Alabama State (2012-13), Jackson State (2009-11)

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CONFERENCE CAPSULES
(Golfweek/Sagarin rank in parentheses)

• Alabama State (No. 219): Won the ASU Fall Classic while sophomore Francis Berthiaume captured the title for a clean sweep at home.

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HU Lady Pirates Stifle Savannah State on the Road

SAVANNAH, Georgia – Host Savannah State couldn't buy a basket in the opening 20 minutes on Saturday at Tiger Arena, and the Hampton University women's basketball team took full advantage en route to a 70-46 win.

The Lady Pirates (15-4, 6-0 MEAC) have won their last 36 games against MEAC foes, and they have not lost since the start of the new calendar year – a streak of five games.

Senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) led four Lady Pirates in double figures with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, and she finished one rebound shy of her eighth double-double of the season. Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) added 15 points.

Junior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) and senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) each added 11 points and four assists.

The Lady Pirates led 5-0 to open the game, and when Tate-DeFreitas hit a pair of free throws with 12:45 left in the half, Hampton had opened up a 16-6 lead. Savannah State cut the lead to seven, 16-9 on a 3-pointer from Kenyata Hendrix, but Hampton scored nine of the next 13 points to take a 25-13 lead at the 7:16 mark after a Bennett free throw.

Ezinne Kalu cut the lead to 26-18 with 4:38 left in the half with a trey, but the Lady Pirates closed out the half on a 10-0 run, punctuated by a floating 3-pointer from Hamilton at the buzzer.

Hampton went into the break up 36-18.

Bennett led the Lady Pirates with 13 points in the first half, and Savannah State went just 7-for-29 from the floor (24.1 percent) in the opening 20 minutes, while also committing 12 turnovers.

Savannah State cut Hampton's lead to 41-24 with 13:42 left in the second half – after the half got off to a slow start for both teams – before the Lady Pirates scored the next nine points to take a 50-24 lead at the 10:24 mark on a jumper from Cole.

Cole later added two free throws with 5:42 left to put the Lady Pirates up 59-32, giving Hampton its largest lead of the game. Savannah State went on an 11-3 run to cut the lead to 62-43 with 3:29 left on two Kalu free throws.

But the Lady Pirates maintained control, and a 3-pointer from freshman guard Georgianna Gilbeaux (Washington, D.C.) with 15 seconds left pushed the game to its final margin.

The Lady Pirates shot 40.7 percent (22-for-54) from the floor and made five of their 16 3-pointers (31.3 percent). Hampton held a 43-39 advantage on the glass, and the Lady Pirates turned Savannah State over 22 times.

Savannah State (11-9, 4-2 MEAC) shot just 28.3 percent (17-for-60) from the floor and went just 3-for-16 (18.8 percent) from behind the arc. The Tigers also went just 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from the free throw line.

Kalu led the Tigers with 15 points, despite going just 4-for-16 from the floor.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Monday, when they head to Orangeburg, S.C. to take on South Carolina State at 5:30 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.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern women roll past AAMU Bulldogs

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- The Southern women’s basketball team overwhelmed Alabama A&M from the opening tip and rolled to an 81-59 victory Saturday afternoon in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

The Jaguars remained undefeated in Southwestern Athletic Conference play with their most one-sided league victory.

Southern (10-5, 7-0 SWAC) will host Alabama State on Monday night. The Bulldogs are 3-13 and 1-5.

“Overall I was pleased with the effort,” Jaguars coach Sandy Pugh said. “We came out with the intensity I wanted. I was pleased with the bench coming in.

“Defensively we had some good sequences where we kept the pressure up, then I thought we got lackadaisical.”

CONTINUE READING 

Pirates Bounce Back, Roll Past Savannah State

SAVANNAH, Georgina  – The Hampton University men's basketball team looked like it felt right at home in Tiger Arena Saturday evening, withstanding a couple Savannah State runs to emerge with an 80-71 win.

The win snapped a two-game skid for the Pirates (9-10, 4-2 MEAC).

Senior forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) led three Pirates in double figures with 21 points on 9-for-18 shooting, and he fell one rebound shy of his third double-double of the season. Sophomore guard Brian Darden (Hampton, Va.) added 17 points.

Sophomore guard Breon Key (Hampton, Va.) came off the bench to score a season-high 14 points.

A Jyles Smith dunk with 5:12 left in the game cut the Pirates' lead to 66-60, but Hampton withstood the pressure with a 6-1 run that ended with a dunk from Maxwell to put the Pirates up 72-61 with 2:15 left to play.

Key added a free throw with 1:38 left to give Hampton a 74-63 lead.

Savannah State answered with an 8-2 run, cutting the Pirates' lead to 76-71 with 38 seconds left after a clutch 3-pointer from Jeremiah Hill. But the Pirates hit all four of their free throws down the stretch – all from Key, who went 8-for-11 from the charity stripe – to ice their second MEAC road win.

The Pirates led for most of the game, despite being tied 2-2 early – mostly because Hampton answered that with a 7-0 run to take a 9-2 lead with 16:56 left in the first half after a layup from sophomore guard Ke'Ron Brown (Savannah, Ga.).

Darden added a 3-pointer at the 14:57 mark to put Hampton up 15-4.

Savannah State scored 10 of the next 13 points, cutting Hampton's lead to 18-14 with 11:44 left in the half following a jumper from Patrick Hedley. The Pirates scored the next seven points after that, taking a 25-14 lead at the 8:33 mark after a Maxwell jumper.

Sophomore guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) hit two free throws at the 4:58 mark to give the Pirates their largest lead of the half, 33-21, before Savannah State went on a 13-1 run to tie the game at 34-34 on a Deven Williams free throw with 17 seconds left.

A Maxwell layup 15 seconds later sent the Pirates into the intermission with a 36-34 lead.

Savannah State opened the second half with an 8-2 run to take a 42-38 lead with 17:24 left, before the Pirates answered with a 10-0 run, taking a 48-42 lead with 15:01 remaining after a jumper from Maxwell.

After the Tigers cut the lead to 48-45, the Pirates scored the next seven points to take a 55-45 lead after a free throw from junior center Emmanuel Okoroba (Garland, Texas) with 11:35 left to play. Sophomore guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.) added a trey with 9:24 left to put Hampton up 58-48.

The Tigers scored the next five points, cutting the lead to 58-53 with 8:48 left, but another 10-0 Hampton run put the Pirates up 63-53 with 8:00 left after Key hit a pair of free throws. Alante Fenner hit a layup with 7:28 left to cut that lead to 63-58, but the Tigers never sustained a long run to catch the Pirates.

The Pirates shot 40.0 percent (24-for-60) from the floor and hit four of their 13 3-pointers (30.8 percent). On top of out-rebounding the Tigers 47-42, Hampton also hit 28 of 44 free throws (63.6 percent) and turned 19 Savannah State turnovers into 15 points.

Savannah State (7-13, 5-1 MEAC) shot 40.9 percent (27-for-66) from the floor, but the Tigers only went 6-for-22 (27.3 percent) from behind the arc and 11-for-20 (55.0 percent) from the free throw line.

Hill led four Tigers in double figures with 15 points.

The Pirates will be in Orangeburg, S.C. on Monday, when they take on South Carolina State at 7:30 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.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION