CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Persistence paid off for The Lincoln University women's basketball team on Monday afternoon in a 64-62 win over Winston-Salem State in the first round of the CIAA Tournament.
"We call ourselves a blue collar team. We will do whatever we have to do. It wasn't always pretty but we got the job done. They willed their way to the win tonight and I couldn't be prouder," stated Lincoln head coach Jessica Kern.
The Lady Rams entered the contest as the third seed out of the Southern Division with the Lady Lions as the sixth seed from the Northern Division. Lincoln advances to the second round on Wednesday and will take on Shaw University at 12:20pm. The Lady Rams end their season with a 15-12 overall record while the Lady Lions move to the next round with a 12-15 mark.
A.G. Hall of Winston-Salem State noted, "Today's game was a tale of two halves really. I thought we played pretty good defense in the first half but allowed them to make some easy shots in the second, and that proved to be devastating."
Zephrah Pam (Syracuse, NY/Monroe CC) led the Lady Lions with 15 points while Courtney Smith (Milwaukee, WI/Nicolet HS) and Cynthia Johnson (Baltimore, MD/Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) added 11 and 10 points respectively. Pam also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds (one offensive, seven defensive) Dionna Scott of Winston-Salem State led all players in the game with 19 points while Jasmine Elum added 16 points in the loss. Amanda Hairston hauled in a game-high nine rebounds (three offensive, six defensive).
Jasmine Elum started off the contest with a jumper for Winston-Salem State. Courtney Smith (Milwaukee, WI/Nicolet HS) drained two free throws for the Lady Lions to knot the score 2-2 within the first minute of play. The teams exchanged baskets until the 16:29 mark.
With the Lady Rams leading 8-6, Jovonah Graham's basket sparked an 8-2 run resulting in a 16-8 advantage for Winston-Salem State with 13:21 on the clock.
The Lady Lions remained resilient as they battled back to tie the score 17-17 with 10:25 left in the half using a layup from Pam. Elum's made free throws at the 9:36 mark returned the lead and the momentum to the Lady Rams.
With 5:59 on the clock, Morgan Smiley's bucket for the Lady Rams made the score 26-22 and led to a Lincoln stayed close on Winston-Salem's heels until Morgan Smiley's basket with 5:59 on the clock (and the score 24-22) led to a 7-0 run for the Lady Rams.
Winston-Salem State remained in control from that point forward and closed out the half with a 37-27 lead over the Lady Lions.
The Lady Rams started out the second half with an 8-2 run before a three pointer by Smith made it a 13 point game for Lincoln (45-32). Johnson capitalized on a steal and drained a three pointer at the 13:00 mark. Jailen Murphy (Nashville, TN/Brentwood Academy) followed with a layup to pull Lincoln within eight points (45-37).
Winston-Salem continued to build on the lead and pulled away 52-40 after Scott drained two free throws with 9:26 left in the game. Lincoln went to work at that point and used a 7-0 run to move within four points with 7:05 on the clock.
The Lady Lions and Lady Rams matched each other bucket for bucket until Amani Clark (Middletown, DE/Appoquinimink HS)'s three pointer and Johnson's free throw returned the momentum to Lincoln, forcing Winston-Salem to take a time out with just under two minutes left in the game.
Down 61-59, Pam's jumper tied the score. A Lady Lion foul led to Amanda Hairston draining a free throw and returning the lead to Winston-Salem. Pam netted two free throws of her own to give Lincoln the 63-62 lead, their first of the contest. Johnson added one additional free throw to propel the Lady Lions to the 64-62 win.
Box Score
COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY LIONS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
JCSU Women's Basketball Beats Chowan 57-49 in the Opening Round of the CIAA Tournament
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team topped Chowan University 57-49 in the opening round of the 2014 CIAA Tournament held in Time Warner Cable Arena. JCSU advances to the quarterfinals to face Fayetteville State University, the top-seed in Southern Division, on Wednesday, February 26th at 2:40 p.m.
Senior guard Karnina Bunch (Vicksburg, MS) scored a game-high 15 points, followed by sophomore center Amena Brent (Chicago, IL) with 11 points.
The production of the JCSU reserves was a big key in the win as the Golden Bulls (14-12) outscored the Hawks 26-12 in bench points. Senior guard Deanna Downer (Elberton, GA) had eight points, seven rebounds and three steals. All-CIAA sophomore center Ashley Porter (Winston-Salem, NC) contributed eight points and five rebounds. Junior center Chelsea Faulhaber (Spartanburg, SC) had six points, three rebounds and two steals.
"These young ladies fought through [a Chowan rally], and we were able to come out with a victory," said JCSU head coach Stephen Joyner Jr.
The contest started with Brent making her first two baskets to give the Golden Bulls a 6-2 lead, but the Hawks came back to tie the score at 8-8 keyed by four straight free throws by Williams.
JCSU reeled off 10 consecutive points for an 18-8 lead. The Golden Bulls were sparked by the play of Bunch and bench players Downer and Faulhaber.
The Hawks stopped the run with a free throw, but JCSU went on another 6-2 run for a 24-11 lead. Brent and Porter combined for six points during the Golden Bulls' run.
The lead was 25-11 when Chantel Roberts (7 points, 6 rebounds) buried a three pointer for the Hawks. The shot cut the deficit to 11 points, but senior guard Marquesha Sparks (San Fernando, CA) answered with a jumper in the paint for a 27-14 lead.
The Hawks came alive in the latter minutes of the first half, scoring six straight points to pull within single digits at 27-20. Freshman guard Quinesha Lynch (Rocky Mount, NC) hit a jumper for JCSU, but Dominique Weldon answered with a basket as the Hawks closed within 29-22 at the half.
Brent led a balanced JCSU scoring attack in the first half with seven points. Porter had five points and four rebounds to spark a Golden Bulls' bench, which keyed their first-half lead. Downer had four points and four rebounds and Faulhaber scored four points off the bench.
Roberts led the Hawks with seven points and Williams had four points. Summer Curtis amassed five first-half blocks.
The Hawks' run continued in the second half when Gostomski hit a three-pointer to pull within 29-25. It was as close as the Hawks had been since the early moments of the contest. Williams added a free throw to slice the margin to three points.
The Golden Bulls stopped the run with two free throws by Brent for a five-point lead. The Hawks wouldn't go away, however, as Gostomski hit a three from the wing to close within 33-30. The Hawks got within two points on Kaela Nelson's free throw.
JCSU pushed the lead to 39-31 on consecutive baskets by Bunch. She later dished off in traffic to Brent for a layup to increase their lead to 42-33 with less than nine minutes left. Brent later nailed a three to get the Golden Bulls' lead back to double digits at 47-35.
The Hawks made one last run. They scored eight straight points to get within four at 47-43. The Hawks later cut the lead to two before Bunch sparked the final Lady Golden Bulls' run.
Rachel Gostomski had 12 points and five steals and CIAA Rookie of the Year Courtni Williams added 11 points for the Hawks (12-16), who pulled within two late after trailing by double digits in the first half. But Bunch, the Food Lion MVP for the Golden Bulls, scored four points during an 8-2 run which ended a Hawks' comeback.
The win sends the Golden Bulls to the quarterfinals where they will face Southern Division top seed Fayetteville State on Wednesday, February 26 at 2:40 p.m. The two teams split wins during the regular season; both winning on their home floor.
Box Score
COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
Senior guard Karnina Bunch (Vicksburg, MS) scored a game-high 15 points, followed by sophomore center Amena Brent (Chicago, IL) with 11 points.
The production of the JCSU reserves was a big key in the win as the Golden Bulls (14-12) outscored the Hawks 26-12 in bench points. Senior guard Deanna Downer (Elberton, GA) had eight points, seven rebounds and three steals. All-CIAA sophomore center Ashley Porter (Winston-Salem, NC) contributed eight points and five rebounds. Junior center Chelsea Faulhaber (Spartanburg, SC) had six points, three rebounds and two steals.
"These young ladies fought through [a Chowan rally], and we were able to come out with a victory," said JCSU head coach Stephen Joyner Jr.
The contest started with Brent making her first two baskets to give the Golden Bulls a 6-2 lead, but the Hawks came back to tie the score at 8-8 keyed by four straight free throws by Williams.
JCSU reeled off 10 consecutive points for an 18-8 lead. The Golden Bulls were sparked by the play of Bunch and bench players Downer and Faulhaber.
The Hawks stopped the run with a free throw, but JCSU went on another 6-2 run for a 24-11 lead. Brent and Porter combined for six points during the Golden Bulls' run.
The lead was 25-11 when Chantel Roberts (7 points, 6 rebounds) buried a three pointer for the Hawks. The shot cut the deficit to 11 points, but senior guard Marquesha Sparks (San Fernando, CA) answered with a jumper in the paint for a 27-14 lead.
The Hawks came alive in the latter minutes of the first half, scoring six straight points to pull within single digits at 27-20. Freshman guard Quinesha Lynch (Rocky Mount, NC) hit a jumper for JCSU, but Dominique Weldon answered with a basket as the Hawks closed within 29-22 at the half.
Brent led a balanced JCSU scoring attack in the first half with seven points. Porter had five points and four rebounds to spark a Golden Bulls' bench, which keyed their first-half lead. Downer had four points and four rebounds and Faulhaber scored four points off the bench.
Roberts led the Hawks with seven points and Williams had four points. Summer Curtis amassed five first-half blocks.
The Hawks' run continued in the second half when Gostomski hit a three-pointer to pull within 29-25. It was as close as the Hawks had been since the early moments of the contest. Williams added a free throw to slice the margin to three points.
The Golden Bulls stopped the run with two free throws by Brent for a five-point lead. The Hawks wouldn't go away, however, as Gostomski hit a three from the wing to close within 33-30. The Hawks got within two points on Kaela Nelson's free throw.
JCSU pushed the lead to 39-31 on consecutive baskets by Bunch. She later dished off in traffic to Brent for a layup to increase their lead to 42-33 with less than nine minutes left. Brent later nailed a three to get the Golden Bulls' lead back to double digits at 47-35.
The Hawks made one last run. They scored eight straight points to get within four at 47-43. The Hawks later cut the lead to two before Bunch sparked the final Lady Golden Bulls' run.
Rachel Gostomski had 12 points and five steals and CIAA Rookie of the Year Courtni Williams added 11 points for the Hawks (12-16), who pulled within two late after trailing by double digits in the first half. But Bunch, the Food Lion MVP for the Golden Bulls, scored four points during an 8-2 run which ended a Hawks' comeback.
The win sends the Golden Bulls to the quarterfinals where they will face Southern Division top seed Fayetteville State on Wednesday, February 26 at 2:40 p.m. The two teams split wins during the regular season; both winning on their home floor.
Box Score
COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
The Black College Football Hall of Fame seven new members prepare for March 1st. enshrinement presented by the Atlanta Falcons.
Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014 Announced
ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Black College Football Hall of Fame announced its seven newest members on October 23, 2013. The Class of 2014 includes six players and one coach. The inductees were selected from a list of 25 finalists who had been determined earlier by the Black College Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee.
The Selection Committee is comprised of black college football sports writers, analysts and commentators Roscoe Nance (Chairman), Donald Hunt, Ty Miller, Charlie Neal and Lloyd Vance; former NFL General Managers Ernie Accorsi and Gil Brandt; long-time NFL scouts Charles Bailey and Charles Garcia; director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Lonnie Bunch; and historian Michael Hurd.
The Class of 2014 includes player inductees Robert Brazile (Jackson State University), Leroy Kelly (Morgan State University), John Stallworth (Alabama A&M University), Michael Strahan (Texas Southern University), Willie Totten (Mississippi Valley State University), Doug Wilkerson (North Carolina Central University), and coach inductee Marino Casem (Alcorn State University).
These men will be honored at the Fifth Annual Enshrinement Ceremony, presented by the Atlanta Falcons on March 1, 2014. The event will take place at the Loews Hotel in Atlanta in conjunction with Black College Football weekend.
“The history of Black College Football is compelling and must be shared,” said Atlanta Falcons Owner & Chairman Arthur Blank. “We are proud to support the Black College Football Hall of Fame, and we congratulate the Class of 2014.”
ROBERT BRAZILE (PLAYER)
Linebacker … Jackson State University (1971-1974) … Inducted into SWAC Hall of Fame (1995) … Inducted into Jackson State Hall of Fame (2003) … Houston Oilers (1975-1984) … 10 seasons … Selected by Oilers in 1st round 6th player overall (1975 NFL Draft) … 1975 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year … Elected to seven Pro Bowls … Named All-Pro six times … Named to 1970s NFL All-Decade Team … Retired with 1,281 tackles which ranks 2nd All-Time in Oilers/Titans record book … Born February 7, 1953 in Mobile, AL.LEROY KELLY (PLAYER)
Running Back … Morgan State University (1960-1963) … MSU Bears won the 1962 CIAA Championship with Kelly leading team in rushing, scoring and punting … Cleveland Browns (1964-1973) … 10 seasons … Selected by Browns in 8th round, 110th player overall (1964 NFL Draft) … 1964 NFL Champion with Browns … NFL Rushing Champ in 1967 and 1968 … Led NFL in touchdowns from 1966-1968 … Elected to six Pro Bowls … Named All-Pro five times … Named to 1960s NFL All-Decade Team … Won Burt Bell Award (1968) … Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame (1994) … Born May 20, 1942 in Philadelphia, PA.JOHN STALLWORTH (PLAYER)
Wide Receiver … Alabama A&M University (1970-1973) … Two-time All-SIAC performer (1972-1973) … Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-1987) … 14 seasons … Selected by Steelers in 4th round, 82nd player overall (1974 NFL Draft) … Played in six AFC Championships and won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII and XIV) … Elected to three Pro Bowls and was twice the Steelers MVP … Scored a touchdown in eight straight playoff games (NFL record) … NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1984) … Named to Steelers All-Time Team and 50th Season All-Time Team … Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame (2002) … Born July 15, 1952 in Tuscaloosa, AL.MICHAEL STRAHAN (PLAYER)
Defensive End … Texas Southern University (1989-1992) … Two time 1st Team All-SWAC and SWAC Defensive Player of the Year … Black College Defensive Player of the Year (1992) … Holds TSU Record with 41.5 career sacks … New York Giants (1993-2007) … 15 seasons … Selected by Giants in 2nd round, 40th pick overall (1993 NFL Draft) … Elected to seven Pro Bowls … Named All-Pro six times … NFL record for sacks in a season (22.5) … NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2001) … Super Bowl XLII Champion … Named to 2000s NFL All-Decade Team … Retired with 141.5 career sacks … Named to Giants Ring of Honor … Born November 21, 1971 in Houston, TX.WILLIE “Satellite” TOTTEN (PLAYER)
Quarterback … Mississippi Valley State University (1982-1985) … First Team All-American in 1984 … Set more than 50 Division I-AA passing records … Team averaged 59 points per game … Threw for a record 58 touchdowns in one year … Division I-AA’s all-time leader and ranks second in career passing yards (12,711) and single-season passing yards (4,557 in 1984) … Twice led the nation in passing efficiency … Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame (2005) … Buffalo Bills (1987) … One season … Played a season in CFL (Toronto Argonauts), and three seasons in Arena Football League (1988-1989, 1991) … Born July 4, 1962 in Leflore County, MS.DOUG WILKERSON (PLAYER)
Guard … North Carolina Central University (1966-1969) … Three time All-CIAA honoree … Kodak All-American (1969) … #63 retired by North Carolina Central University (1970) … Inducted into North Carolina Central University Hall of Fame (1984) … One of fastest lineman to play the game (9.8sec 100yd dash) … Houston Oilers (1970), San Diego Chargers (1971-1984) … Selected by Oilers in 1st round, 14th pick overall (1970 NFL Draft) … Elected to three Pro Bowls (1981-1983) … Inducted into San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame (2000) … Named to Chargers 40th and 50th Anniversary Teams … Born March 27, 1947 in Fayetteville, NC.MARINO “The Godfather” CASEM (COACH)
Coach … Alabama State University (1963-1964), Alcorn State University (1964-1985), Southern University (1987, 1988, 1992) … Won seven SWAC Championships at Alcorn State. Four time Black College National Champion (1968, 1969, 1974, 1984) … 1984 team finished as Number One team in all of Division I-AA football, the first ever for a HBCU … Resigned from Alcorn to become ABthletic Director at Southern … Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (2003) … Career coaching record is 159 wins, against 93 losses with 8 ties … Born June 23, 1934 in Memphis, TN.READ MORE
CIAA Sports Information Directors Announce 2014 All-Rookie Basketball Teams
HAMPTON, Virginia -- The 2014 CIAA Basketball All-Rookie Teams along with their respective Rookies of the Year have been announced as selected by the CIAA Sports Information Directors' Association.The 2014 CIAA Women's Rookie of the Year is Courtni Williams of Chowan University. Named the CIAA Rookie of the Week four times this season, Williams, a native of Chesapeake, VA, has had an outstanding rookie campaign having made 23 starts at point guard. She has scored double-digit points 10 times (in games through 2/21) and has only fouled out twice over the entire season.
Ray Anderson of Virginia Union University has been voted the 2014 CIAA Men's Rookie of the Year. A native of Wilmington, DE, Anderson has been tabbed as the CIAA Rookie of the Week four times this season. He is the Panthers' second leading scorer averaging 14.6 points while shooting 46.8% from the field. He has tallied double figures in all but five games this season and started the season with a career high 32 points against Tuskegee University.
The Men's and Women's All-Rookie Basketball teams will be honored at the tip off luncheon in Charlotte, NC at next week's CIAA Basketball Tournament.
2014 CIAA Women's All-Rookie Team
| NAME | SCHOOL | POS | HOMETOWN |
| De'Aira Smith | Fayetteville St. | Guard | Godwin, NC |
| Jasmine Nixon | Elizabeth City St. | Forward | Elizabeth City, NC |
| Dejah Taylor | Lincoln | Forward | Nanuet, NY |
| Courtni Williams | Chowan | Guard | Chesapeake, VA |
| Jasmin Dancy | Virginia Union | Forward | Silver Spring, MD |
2014 CIAA Women's Rookie of the Year - Courtni Williams, Chowan University
2014 CIAA Men's All-Rookie Team
| NAME | SCHOOL | POS | HOMETOWN |
| Ray Anderson | Virginia Union | Forward | Wilmington, DE |
| Joshua Dawson | Fayetteville St. | Guard | Kinston, NC |
| Warren Powers | Chowan | Forward | Finksburg, MD |
| Anthony Gaskins | St. Augustine's | Guard | Greenville, NC |
| Timothy Mckenzie | Lincoln | Guard | Central Islip, NY |
2014 CIAA Men's Rookie of the Year- Ray Anderson, Virginia Union University
COURTESY THECIAA.COM
CIAA Announces All-Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams
HAMPTON, Virginia -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Basketball Coaches Associations have selected the 2014 slate of All-Conference honorees. This season’s line-up features Men’s Player of the Year, Mark Thomas of Livingstone College and Lamesha Deal of Virginia State University as Women’s Player of the Year.Thomas, a senior forward from Saginaw, Michigan, leads the conference in scoring averaging 21.2 points per game. He is second in the CIAA in assists dishing 5.1 assists per contest. Averaging over 32 minutes per game, Thomas is 3rd in the CIAA in assist to turnover ratio (2.5)
Lamesha Deal, a Norfolk, Virginia native and senior forward for the Lady Trojans ranks second in the CIAA in free throw percentage (85.0) and third in scoring (17.9 ppg). Last year she was defensive player of the year and has helped lead VSU to its first national ranking in school history.
Thomas and Deal are joined by Omar Briggs (VUU) and Deja Middleton (FSU) as Defensive Players of the Year. All four honorees and their fellow All-Conference selectees will be formally recognized at the Men’s and Women’s Tip-Off Awards Luncheon, scheduled for Monday, February 24th at the Charlotte Convention Center.
2014 All-CIAA Men’s Basketball Team
| NAME | SCHOOL | CL | POS | HOMETOWN |
| FRONTCOURT | ||||
| Emilo Parks | Johnson C. Smith | Junior | Forward | Ashtabula, OH |
| Tyrrel Tate | Fayetteville St. | Senior | Forward | Raleigh, NC |
| Preston Ross | Winston-Salem St. | Senior | Forward | Fayetteville, NC |
| Wykevin Bazemore | Winston-Salem St. | Junior | Forward | Kelford, NC |
| Jonathan Crawley | St. Augustine's | Senior, | Center | Richmond, VA |
| Miykael Faulcon | Elizabeth City St. | Sophomore | Forward | Durham, NC |
| Omar Briggs | Virginia Union | Senior | Forward | Richmond, VA |
| BACK COURT | ||||
| Mark Thomas | Livingstone | Senior | Guard | Saginaw, MI |
| Jody Hill | Livingstone | Senior | Guard | Detroit, MI |
| Amere May | St. Augustine's | Junior | Guard | South Haven, MI |
| Marquez Jones | Winston-Salem St. | Junior | Guard | Kinston, NC |
| Derrick Washington | Lincoln | Senior | Guard | Washington, DC |
Mark Thomas, Livingstone College
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Omar Briggs, Virginia Union University
2014 All-CIAA Women’s Basketball Team
| NAME | SCHOOL | CL | POS | HOMETOWN |
| FRONT COURT | ||||
| Tiffanie Adair | Virginia St. | Junior | Forward | Spartanburg, SC |
| Lamesha Deal | Virginia St. | Senior | Forward | Norfolk, VA |
| Deja Middleton | Fayetteville St. | Junior | Center | Richmond |
| Alisha Mobley | Chowan | Sophomore | Forward | Winchester, VA |
| Zephrah Pam | Lincoln | Junior | Forward | Syracuse, NY |
| Dionna Scott | Winston-Salem St. | Junior | Forward | South Riding, VA |
| Ashley Porter | Johnson C. Smith | Sophomore | Center | Winston-Salem, NC |
| BACK COURT | ||||
| Ashle Freeman | Virginia Union | Junior | Guard | Richmond, VA |
| Cierra York | Livingstone | Sophomore | Guard | Winston-Salem NC |
| Amber Calvin | Fayetteville St. | Senior | Guard | Fayetteville, NC |
| Jessica Lyons | Virginia St. | Junior | Guard | Upper Marlboro, MD |
| Jasmine Elum | Winston-Salem St. | Senior | Guard | Philadelphia, PA |
Lamesha Deal, Virginia State University
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Deja Middleton, Fayetteville State University
COURTESY THECIAA.COM
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
13th-ranked Gold Rush go wire-to-wire to defeat Belhaven
NEW ORLEANS -- Freshman guard Lucas Martin-Julien scored a career-high-tying 16 points Tuesday to lead NAIA No. 13 Xavier University of Louisiana in a 78-64 men's basketball victory against Belhaven.The Gold Rush (21-7) won for the third consecutive time and never lost the lead after scoring the first four points.
Martin-Julien also had five rebounds, three assists and tied a career high with three steals. He did not miss a shot in scoring 10 second-half points.
Morris Wright had 15 points -- he made 8-of-8 free throws -- and a career-best seven rebounds for Xavier. Anthony Goode had 13 points and five rebounds, and Xavier Rogers had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Jordan Bedford made five 3-pointers, scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Blazers (14-13). Dycus Juste scored 10 points.
Goode and Wright scored 11 points apiece to lead Xavier to a 39-24 halftime lead. It was the third consecutive game that the Gold Rush led by double digits at halftime -- the first time that's happened since the start of the 2003-04 season. Two Wesley Pluviose-Philip free throws with 3:31 remaining gave Xavier its largest lead, 69-42.
The Gold Rush outshot the Blazers 51.1 to 30 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 43-24. It was the third consecutive game that Xavier shot better than 50 percent and the 11th time this season that the Gold Rush produced a double-digit rebound margin.
It also was the third straight game that the Gold Rush shot 84 percent or better from the line. Xavier made 26-of-29 free throws -- all 17 in the second half -- to finish at a season-high 89.7 percent.
Belhaven made 11 3-pointers, five in the final 3½ minutes.
Xavier is 30-1 at home all-time against Belhaven and leads the series 47-13. The Gold Rush won 64-55 in overtime at Belhaven on Dec. 30.
Xavier will close the regular season with a 5 p.m. Saturday game at Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and city rival Dillard. Xavier will play host to GCAC tournaments for men and women next week.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorXULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Gold Rush climb one spot, rank 13th in NAIA Division I
The Gold Rush (20-7 overall, 9-2 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) climbed one spot from the previous week after defeating then-NAIA No. 24 Philander Smith 103-99 in overtime and Tougaloo 83-61. The XU men reached 20 victories for the fourth consecutive season.
Xavier is in the top 25 for the 34th consecutive time -- the longest active streak in the division -- and the 47th time in the last 48 polls. It's Xavier's fifth consecutive week in the top 15.
Talladega, another GCAC member, is the top 10 for the eighth consecutive poll. The Tornadoes dropped from sixth to eighth.
Cal State San Marcos is No. 1 for the fifth consecutive week.
The Gold Rush played host to Belhaven on Tuesday, then will close the regular season in a 5 p.m. Saturday game at conference and city rival Dillard. Xavier will play host to the GCAC Tournament from March 6-9.
New rankings will be announced next Tuesday.
The top 25:
1. Cal State San Marcos
2. Pikeville
3. William Carey
4. Columbia (Mo.)
5. Southwestern Assemblies of God
6. Freed-Hardeman
7. Emmanuel (Ga.)
8. Talladega
9. Benedictine (Kan.)
10. Vanguard
11. Rocky Mountain
12. LSU-Shreveport
13. Xavier
14. Georgetown (Ky.)
15. Culver-Stockton
16. Arizona Christian
17. Oklahoma City
18. Montana State-Northern
19. Evangel
20. St. Gregory's
21. Westminster (Utah)
22. Our Lady of the Lake
23. St. Catharine (Ky.)
24. Lindenwood-Belleville
25. Biola
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorXULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Nuggets 25th in NAIA coaches poll for 2nd straight week
NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana is 25th -- the same position as a week ago -- in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25. The 10th rankings of the season were announced Tuesday.The Gold Nuggets (19-9 overall, 9-2 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) were tied for 25th last week with Mobile, but the Lady Rams moved to 24th. Falling out of the top 25 was Central Methodist, which was 20th last week.
The Gold Nuggets are in the top 25 for the sixth consecutive week and the 51st time in the last 54 polls. This past week they were 2-0 with victories at home against Philander Smith (70-59) and Tougaloo (76-62).
Talladega climbed from 19th to 18th and is the GCAC's other top-25 team.
Vanguard, Freed-Hardeman and Westminster (Utah) rank 1-2-3 for the sixth consecutive week. Vanguard, No. 1 in every poll this season, is a unanimous choice for the second straight week.
The Gold Nuggets will close the regular season in a 3 p.m. Saturday game at conference and city rival Dillard, then play host to the GCAC Tournament from March 6-9.
New rankings will be announced next Tuesday.
The top 25:
1. Vanguard
2. Freed-Hardeman
3. Westminster (Utah)
4. Campbellsville
5. Oklahoma City
6. Oklahoma Baptist
7. The Master's
8. Georgetown (Ky.)
9. Wiley
10. Our Lady of the Lake
11. Westmont
12. Columbia (Mo.)
13. Baker
14. MidAmerica Nazarene
15. Lewis-Clark State
16. John Brown
17. Hope International
18. Talladega
19. Bethel (Tenn.)
20. Lyon
21. Montana State-Northern
22. Wayland Baptist
23. Cumberlands
24. Mobile
25. Xavier
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorXULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Single-Session Tickets for OVC Basketball Championship Now on Sale
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Photo courtesy of Tennessee State Athletics |
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Single-session tickets for the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championship are now on sale.
There are a limited number of reserved men's single session tickets that have been made available at the Municipal Auditorium box office. The seats are located in the corner mezzanine seating areas and can only be purchased with CASH in-person at the Municipal Auditorium box office. The reserved tickets are for the men's sessions (Sessions 2, 4, 6 and 8) and are $30 per ticket per session. The quantity is extremely limited and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
There are also single-session tickets available in general admission seating areas. For men's sessions, the single-session general admission tickets will be available for the balcony level and baseline mezzanine seats and are $30 apiece. All tickets for women's sessions are general admissions and are $15 each.
Fans can purchase single session general admission tickets through Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster.com and Municipal Auditorium (615-862-6390).
There are also single-session tickets available in general admission seating areas. For men's sessions, the single-session general admission tickets will be available for the balcony level and baseline mezzanine seats and are $30 apiece. All tickets for women's sessions are general admissions and are $15 each.
Fans can purchase single session general admission tickets through Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster.com and Municipal Auditorium (615-862-6390).
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
HU Lady Pirates Suffocate Cold-Shooting UMES
The Lady Pirates (23-4, 14-0 MEAC), on top of recording their 13th straight win, finished their regular-season road slate with a 10-3 mark (including 8-0 in conference road games).
Hampton has won its last 28 straight MEAC road games.
Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) led three Lady Pirates in double figures with 26 points – 18 of which came in the first half – while senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) added 21 points and a team-high 11 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season.
Junior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) added 18 points.
Jessica Long gave UMES a 3-2 lead with a trey at the 17:54 mark of the first half, but the Lady Hawks wouldn't hit another field goal until the 8:44 mark, when Long converted a fastbreak layup. In that span, the Lady Pirates went on a 23-6 run, and they led 25-9 after a Tate-DeFreitas trey at the 10:07 mark.
All told, UMES managed just three first-half field goals, shooting 9.1 percent (3-for-33) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. After Long's layup at 8:44, Hampton ended the first half on an 18-4 run, taking a 43-15 lead into the half after a 3-pointer from redshirt-freshman guard Sade King (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) with nine seconds left.
UMES' cold streak continued well into the second half, as the Lady Hawks didn't hit a field goal until the 14:41 mark on a layup from Shanyce Stewart. Prior to that, the Lady Pirates held a 58-25 lead after two free throws from Bennett.
Even though UMES shot 32.5 percent in the second half (13-for-40), the Lady Pirates never lost control, maintaining a 28-to-33 point advantage for much of the latter frame. The Lady Pirates' largest lead of the game came with 6:19 left, when Tate-DeFreitas hit a layup to put Hampton up 78-42.
UMES could never get any closer than within 27, cutting Hampton's lead to 87-60 with 1:04 left after a free throw from Briana Mack. Redshirt-junior guard Lauren Johnson (Cairo, Ga.) added a trey with 31 seconds left to give Hampton a 90-60 lead.
Hampton has now scored 90 or more points five times this season.
The Lady Pirates shot 42.9 percent (27-for-63) from the floor and hit nine of their 26 3-pointers (34.6 percent). Hampton turned UMES over 17 times, resulting in 13 points.
UMES (7-18, 3-10 MEAC) shot just 21.6 percent (16-for-74) from the floor, but out-rebounded Hampton 61-47.
Long led UMES with 19 points.
The Lady Pirates return home on Saturday to take on Norfolk State at 4 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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COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
Southern men clinch tie for first
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — The Southern men’s basketball team doesn’t know whether it will be allowed to compete for the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament championship next month.
But the Jaguars know they have at least a share of the league’s regular-season championship, no ifs ands or buts.
That came courtesy of a dominant performance against their closest competitor.
Southern blasted second-place Alabama State 87-64 on Monday night in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome to improve to 17-11 and 13-2 in the SWAC, 3½ games ahead of the Hornets (15-10, 9-5).
The Jaguars, who play at Alcorn State on Saturday, beat Alabama State for the second time, having prevailed 68-55 Jan. 27 in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.
SU women fall out of first place in SWAC
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — The Southern women’s basketball team has fallen out of first place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference for the first time this season.It happened after a game in which the Jaguars scored the first 11 points of the game and the first nine of the second half, but still lost to Alabama State 73-63 on Monday night at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
The loss dropped Southern, which plays at Alcorn State on Saturday, to 16-7 and 13-2 in the SWAC. Texas Southern beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 67-64 to pass Southern and move into first place at 13-1.
The Jaguars won their first eight conference games and handed Texas Southern its only conference loss on Jan. 6, but TSU has been unbeaten since and Southern has been erratic.
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Hampton Pirates Win Crazy, High Scoring Affair at UMES
The Pirates (16-11, 11-3 MEAC) have won five straight games and wound up 7-1 in road MEAC games this season. Hampton eclipsed the 100-point mark for the second time this season. The Pirates also scored 100 points on Dec. 29 when they defeated Winthrop 101-95 in double overtime.
Sophomore guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) led five Pirates in double figures with 20 points.
Senior forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Brian Darden (Hampton, Va.) poured in 14 points, thanks to four 3-pointers.
Sophomore forward Jervon Pressley (Charlotte, N.C.) and sophomore guard Breon Key (Hampton, Va.) each added 12 points. Pressley also had a team-high 12 rebounds.
Maxwell also had a team-high seven assists and two blocks.
In a game that featured nine technical fouls (five on UMES), the Pirates maintained control throughout much of the second half, despite UMES holding a 54-49 lead with 16:36 left. Hampton answered with a 7-0 run to take a 56-54 lead at the 15:33 mark after a fastbreak layup from Key.
Sophomore guard Ke'Ron Brown (Savannah, Ga.) added two free throws with 10:10 left to give the Pirates a 65-57 lead. Some of the oddities began at the 8:31 mark, when Kyree Jones was assessed a technical foul and ejected.
Double technical fouls were called at the 8:18 mark, and for the rest of the game, it seemed as if technical fouls were being handed out like candy.
Once things began to calm briefly, Maxwell added a pair of his own free throws at the 7:33 mark to give the Pirates a 75-61 lead, and Pressley slammed home a monster dunk with 6:51 left to give Hampton a 79-66 lead.
Devon Walker cut Hampton's lead to 83-75 with 4:19 left in the contest with a pair of free throws, and a Troy Snyder tip-in with 2:59 left cut the lead to 87-79. But the Pirates answered with another Pressley dunk, and he added a free throw for a 3-point play, giving Hampton a 90-79 lead with 2:50 remaining.
Maxwell dunked on his own with 1:32 left, putting Hampton up 94-79, but he was called for his second technical of the evening and ejected. Walker hit both free throws to cut the lead to 94-81.
Sophomore guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.) gave the Pirates a 96-83 lead with a layup with 1:23 left, before back-to-back baskets from UMES cut that lead to 96-87 with 54 seconds left. Key stopped the momentum with a pair of free throws, and he added two more with 33 seconds left to give Hampton a 100-89 lead.
Meikle added a dunk two seconds later, before sophomore guard Miles Jackson (Silver Spring, Md.) hit two free throws with six seconds left to clinch the win.
The Pirates led 44-42 at halftime.
The Pirates shot 50.0 percent (33-for-66) from the floor and hit six of 15 3-pointers (40.0 percent). Hampton also went 32-for-43 from the free throw line, clocking in at 74.4 percent. Hampton also held a 45-30 edge in rebounding.
UMES (4-22, 2-11 MEAC) shot 43.8 percent (28-for-64) from the floor. Snyder led four Hawks in double figures with 23 points.
The Pirates will return to the HU Convocation Center on Saturday to take on rival Norfolk State at 6 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 ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
Texas Southern Lady Tigers keep winning streak going with 67-64 victory over UAPB
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- The Texas Southern University women's basketball team won their 12th consecutive game defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff in impressive fashion on the road Monday night 67-64.
TSU's Jazzmin Parker erupted for 27 points going an efficient 9-of-15 from the floor while connecting on 5-of-7 free throw attempts. The Lady Tigers and Lady Lions went into the break tied at 30 after a back and forth half between the two teams.
Texas Southern took a 66-58 advantage after a Brianna Sidney three point basket with 47 seconds left to play in regulation. The Lady Lions chipped away at the lead after two successful late three pointers from Christina Lasane.
A three point attempt by UAPB in the closing seconds fell short as Texas Southern got the win on the road while moving into first place in the SWAC regular season race with a 13-1 overall conference mark.
The Lady Tigers will now get set to host their final two home games of the 2013-14 campaign as they get set to face Alabama A&M and Alabama State respectively. TSU will host AAMU on Saturday, March 1st at the H&PE Arena at 5:30 pm.
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Sailing Finishes Fourth in Hampton Pirates 3-on-3
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| COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS |
HAMPTON, Virginia – The Hampton University sailing team opened its spring 2014 slate on Saturday and Sunday with a fourth-place finish in the Pirates 3-on-3 Team Race at Strawberry Banks.
The Pirates went 2-3 on the weekend.
Hampton won challenges against Christopher Newport and Virginia, while only falling to Navy by one point and two points each to SUNY Maritime and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
Veronica Maccari, Giuditta Di Laghi, and Kimannee Simon were the skippers, while Joshua Gopeesingh, Ramatoulie Sallah-Mohammed, and Albert Berk Toledo served on the crew.
Navy and SUNY Maritime each ended the weekend with a 4-1 mark.
The Pirates will be in Norfolk, Va. this Saturday and Sunday for the ODU Spring Open. For more information on Hampton University sailing, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
Lady Panthers Fight Back To Defeat MVSU, Sweeps Road Trip
GREENWOOD, Mississippi – Playing in a hostile environment, the Prairie View A&M women's basketball team battled back from a nine-point second half deficit with clutch free throw shooting for a 73-70 win over Mississippi Valley State Monday night in the LeFlore County Civic Center.Needing only six points to score her 1,000th career point, junior guard Jeanette Jackson wasted no time in doing so as her second trey of the game at the 14:56 mark gave PVAMU a four-point lead and the record in only her third year as a Lady Panther.
With the feat behind her, the Lady Panthers got back to business as treys by Jackson and LaReahn Washington upped their lead to 19-13 with 8:12 remaining. The PVAMU defense continued to come through from that point as they forced two more MVSU turnovers that led to a 21-13 lead on Washington's layup a minute later.
MVSU scored the next four points on an Ashley Beals' free throw and Olivia Kennedy's trey to close its gap to 21-17 at the 5:50 mark. However, Washington countered with another three-pointer followed by a free throw from Alexus Parker to lead 25-17.
MVSU's Joncyee Sanders answered with a jumper for a six-point PVAMU lead but the Lady Panthers kept charging as Parker hit another free throw along with a Shaneece Stephens' basket to lead 28-19 with 4:45 left in the first half.
Despite the solid start, the Lady Panthers lost momentum after their run as MVSU closed out the first half on a 10-3 run for a 31-29 PVAMU halftime lead.
MVSU's Danielle Clark opened the second half with a three-point play for a 32-31 lead. Two free throws by Parker gave PVAMU the lead for a brief second until a Joncyee Sanders' basket gave MVSU a 34-33 advantage. Prairie View A&M struggled from the field as the half began as they were 0-for-6 until Gabrielle Scott's basket for a 35-34 PVAMU advantage.
MVSU reclaimed the lead on the ensuing possession until a free throw by Jackson knotted the contest at 36-all with 16:27 remaining. PVAMU continued its cold streak as they would hit only one field goal over the next six minutes while MVSU heated up and put together an 11-4 run to claim a 51-42 advantage with 10:55 remaining after a three-pointer from Joncyee Sanders.
PVAMU fought back with a 10-4 run to claw back within 55-52 with 7:53 left. From that point, the Lady Panthers put on a free throw shooting clinic to chip away at the lead as Shamiaya Brooks and Parker hit four straight to draw within 58-56 at the 6:26 mark. A MVSU trey upped the margin to 61-56 but Parker put the team on her back with back-to-back treys to reclaim a 62-61 margin.
MVSU countered with a pair of baskets to move ahead 65-62 but Gabrielle Scott closed the margin to 65-64 on a layup. A MVSU free throw upped the score to 66-64 but Scott once again was money from the charity stripe with a pair of baskets to knot the game at 66-all with 2:45 left.
The PVAMU defense forced another turnover and a Devilette foul led to two free throws from Washington and a 68-66 lead. On the ensuing possession, MVSU was harassed by the PVAMU defense at halfcourt and the ball landed in the hands of Gabrielle Scott, who pushed it up the court and was fouled for a three-point play the old-fashioned way.
Scott's basket gave PVAMU a 71-66 lead but the lead was cut to 71-69 12 seconds later on a Kennedy trey.
The contest got sloppy over the final 1:58 as both teams combined for three turnovers and four missed shot attempts. With 10 seconds left, MVSU's Joncyee Sanders was fouled and had a chance to tie the game but hit only 1-of-2 baskets for a 71-70 margin.
MVSU opted to foul Brooks with eight seconds left and the Georgia native made them pay as she hit both free throws for the final margin as MVSU's three-point attempt fell short at the buzzer.
PVAMU once again received a balanced scoring effort as Jackson led the way with 19 points and four steals. Parker followed with 18 points while Washington chipped in with 12. Both Brooks and Gabrielle Scott added 11 points apiece.
The Lady Panthers return home this Saturday for a match-up versus Alabama A&M at 3 p.m. in the Baby Dome. The team will honor its two seniors in LaReahn Washington and Tonisha Lacey on Saturday.
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NSU Comes Away with 66-60 Win Over Howard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Norfolk State erased an eight-point deficit early in the second half and then held off a late rally by Howard as the Spartan men's basketball team downed the Bison 66-60 on Monday night at Burr Gymnasium.
The Spartans trailed by eight at the intermission and then again early in the second half after the teams traded 3-pointers. Over the next eight and a half minutes, though, the Spartans limited the Bison to just one bucket during a 17-2 run that put NSU up by seven.
The Spartans led by as many as 11 with five and a half minutes to go, but Howard put up one last fight with an 11-2 run to get to within two with 2:32 on the clock. NSU scored the last four points of the game to hold on to the win, and more importantly move into sole possession of third place in the MEAC at 10-3 following Morgan State's loss on Monday night.
The victory, the fourth in the last five games for the Spartans, moved their overall record to 16-11 and guaranteed NSU a winning record for the season for the third year in a row.
NSU shot 21-of-47 for the game (44.7 percent) and also had a big edge in free throw attempts, hitting 19-of-31 compared to just a 6-of-12 effort from the Bison.
Senior Riley Maye finished one point short of his career high with 14 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting off the bench. Seniors Anell Alexis and Pendarvis Williams added 13 and 12 points, respectively, while junior Kievyn Lila-St. Rose also scored in double figures with 10.
Alexis hit 6-of-6 from the free throw line, part of a 9-of-12 effort on the night, during that big second-half run for NSU, and Maye closed it out with a pair of free throws and a bucket for a 44-37 lead at 10:39. Marcel Boyd's 3-point play for Howard finally ended that drought, but just as the Bison got to within four, NSU scored 12 of the game's next 17 points.
Maye sank a 3-pointer to give NSU its largest advantage of the night at 11, 60-49, with 5:29 left in the game.
James Daniel scored 13 straight points to get the Bison to within two at 62-60 with 2:32 to go before Howard went cold the rest of the game.
Daniel finished with a game-high 20 points. Howard finished the night 23-of-58 (39.7 percent) from the floor, including 8-of-21 from beyond the arc.
The first half was marred by a nearly six-minute stretch when neither team scored. Howard's Solomon Mangham drained a shot from beyond the arc with 12:49 on the clock to finally kick-start the scoring.
The Bison held the lead for six minutes, jumping ahead by six at one point before NSU tied it up at 19-19 on a trey from Williams with 4:40 before the half. After a bucket from senior Brandon Goode gave NSU a two-point lead, the Bison closed out the first half on an 13-3 run to take a 32-24 lead into the break.
Goode ended the night just short of his third straight double-double with eight points and nine boards. He helped NSU finish with a 39-31 edge on the boards.
NSU will play its last road game of the year at Hampton on Saturday at the HU Convocation Center at 6 p.m.
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Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
The Spartans trailed by eight at the intermission and then again early in the second half after the teams traded 3-pointers. Over the next eight and a half minutes, though, the Spartans limited the Bison to just one bucket during a 17-2 run that put NSU up by seven.
The Spartans led by as many as 11 with five and a half minutes to go, but Howard put up one last fight with an 11-2 run to get to within two with 2:32 on the clock. NSU scored the last four points of the game to hold on to the win, and more importantly move into sole possession of third place in the MEAC at 10-3 following Morgan State's loss on Monday night.
The victory, the fourth in the last five games for the Spartans, moved their overall record to 16-11 and guaranteed NSU a winning record for the season for the third year in a row.
NSU shot 21-of-47 for the game (44.7 percent) and also had a big edge in free throw attempts, hitting 19-of-31 compared to just a 6-of-12 effort from the Bison.
Senior Riley Maye finished one point short of his career high with 14 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting off the bench. Seniors Anell Alexis and Pendarvis Williams added 13 and 12 points, respectively, while junior Kievyn Lila-St. Rose also scored in double figures with 10.
Alexis hit 6-of-6 from the free throw line, part of a 9-of-12 effort on the night, during that big second-half run for NSU, and Maye closed it out with a pair of free throws and a bucket for a 44-37 lead at 10:39. Marcel Boyd's 3-point play for Howard finally ended that drought, but just as the Bison got to within four, NSU scored 12 of the game's next 17 points.
Maye sank a 3-pointer to give NSU its largest advantage of the night at 11, 60-49, with 5:29 left in the game.
James Daniel scored 13 straight points to get the Bison to within two at 62-60 with 2:32 to go before Howard went cold the rest of the game.
Daniel finished with a game-high 20 points. Howard finished the night 23-of-58 (39.7 percent) from the floor, including 8-of-21 from beyond the arc.
The first half was marred by a nearly six-minute stretch when neither team scored. Howard's Solomon Mangham drained a shot from beyond the arc with 12:49 on the clock to finally kick-start the scoring.
The Bison held the lead for six minutes, jumping ahead by six at one point before NSU tied it up at 19-19 on a trey from Williams with 4:40 before the half. After a bucket from senior Brandon Goode gave NSU a two-point lead, the Bison closed out the first half on an 13-3 run to take a 32-24 lead into the break.
Goode ended the night just short of his third straight double-double with eight points and nine boards. He helped NSU finish with a 39-31 edge on the boards.
NSU will play its last road game of the year at Hampton on Saturday at the HU Convocation Center at 6 p.m.
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Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
YSU Starts Two Game Series at Alabama State Tuesday Night
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Youngstown State baseball team will continue its eight-game road trip with two contests at Alabama State on Tuesday and Wednesday. First pitch for both games will be at 7 p.m. Eastern, and live stats will be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/alasu/baseball/.
Junior left-hander Austin Lujano will make his first start as a Penguin against the Hornets on Tuesday, and junior right-hander Ryan Krokos will start on Wednesday. Lujano pitched two scoreless innings of relief against UAB in the season opener last Friday, and Krokos allowed an unearned run in two-thirds of an inning on Saturday. Alabama State will counter with junior righty Mike Estevez on Tuesday and either freshman southpaw Patrick Coffin or freshman right-hander Drake Hloska on Wednesday.
The Penguins were swept at UAB in their first series of the season over the weekend, falling 4-2, 4-0 and 7-3. YSU had seven position players and five pitchers make their YSU and Division I debuts during the series, and several veterans adjusted to new positions. Perhaps the most encouraging part of the weekend was the pitching staff, particularly the bullpen. YSU's relief pitchers allowed just one earned run on 11 hits in 12.1 innings against the Blazers.
Alabama State starts an 11-game home stand with Tuesday's game against YSU. The Hornets won two of three at home against Eastern Kentucky to start the season, and it beat South Alabama and Auburn on the road on Feb. 18-19. Alabama State then split a four-game series at Pacific over the weekend. Junior outfielder Richard Amion is the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Week, and redshirt freshman Tyler Howe is the SWAC's Pitcher of the Week.
Following the two-game series at Alabama State, YSU will travel to Cary, N.C. to play three games at the USA Baseball-Irish Classic. The Penguins will play Appalachian State on Friday, Notre Dame on Saturday and North Carolina State on Sunday.
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Source: Walker acting AD at WSSU
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Tonia Walker, the associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator at Winston-Salem State University, has been named the acting director of athletics, replacing Bill Hayes.
Coaches were told of the move at a short meeting Monday, according to a person close to the athletics department who had knowledge of the change but asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the move.
Another person close to the athletics department, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Walker, not Hayes, attended the CIAA basketball tournament luncheon at the Charlotte Convention Center on Monday. Athletics directors generally attend the luncheon, at which All-CIAA basketball players are honored.
The CIAA Releases Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament Pairings and Times; Watch Live Action at Live Stream
Women's Bracket | Men's Bracket
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Women
#4S Saint Augustine’s vs. #5N Elizabeth City State 10:00 a.m.
#3N Virginia Union vs. #6S Livingstone 12:20 p.m.
#3S Winston-Salem State vs. #6N Lincoln (PA) 2:40 p.m.
#4N Chowan vs. #5S Johnson C. Smith 5:00 p.m.
Men
#5S Johnson C. Smith vs. #6N Virginia Union 7:20 p.m.
#5N Chowan vs. #6S Saint Augustine’s 9:40 p.m.
ciaa on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free
Wednesday, February 26
Women’s Quarterfinals
#2N Bowie State vs. 3N/6S winner 10:00 a.m.
#2S Shaw vs. 3S/6N winner 12:20 p.m.
#1S Fayetteville State vs. 4N/5S winner 2:40 p.m.
#1N Virginia State vs. 4S/5N winner 5:00 p.m.
Men
#4S Shaw vs. 5N/6S winner 7:20 p.m.
#4N Virginia Sate. vs 5S/6N winner 9:40 p.m.
Thursday, February 27
Men’s Quarterfinals
#1S Livingstone vs. 4S/5N/6S 1:00 p.m.
#1N Bowie State vs. 4N/5S/6N 3:00 p.m.
#2N Lincoln (PA) vs. #3S Fayetteville State 7:00 p.m.
#2S Winston-Salem State vs. #3N Elizabeth City State 9:00 p.m.
Friday, February 28
Women’s Semifinals
1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Men’s Semifinals
7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 1
Women’s Championship - 5:00 p.m.
Men’s Championship - 8:30 p.m.
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No. 6 XU beats No. 5 Brenau; Ewell rallies twice to clinch
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| Simone-Alyse Ewell Hometown: Detroit, Michigan H.S: The Roeper School |
The Gold Nuggets (4-4), ranked sixth, snapped a two-dual losing streak and recorded their first-ever victory in five attempts against the fifth-ranked Tigers (4-1).
Ewell, playing at the fifth flight, defeated Valeria Savina 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 after trailing 5-2 in the second set and 4-1 in the third.
"I had two options -- let the deficit get the best of me or relax and play like it was 0-0," Ewell said. "I just kept focusing. In the third set I tried to put a lot of pressure on my opponent. I was hitting approach shots and coming to the net. I was volleying for winners or forcing my opponent into errors."
"My teammates were there cheering for me every point, and that helped a lot, too."
Ewell won in three sets for the first time at Xavier. As a freshman she played three three-set matches, losing two with the other not completed. Ewell said she had not won in three sets since a juniors tournament about four years ago.
"Simone had an amazing match. Probably her best since she's come to Xavier," XU coach Alan Green said. "It came at a perfect time, because we needed it."
Xavier won 2-of-3 doubles matches -- Ewell and Amber Brown won 8-6 against Savina and Kelley Cohron at No. 3 -- and got singles victories from freshmen Nour Abbes and Sha'Nel Bruins.
Ewell was the only XU player to win in doubles and singles.
Abbes improved to 7-0 with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory against Dominika Jasova at the top flight. Bruins beat Cohron 6-0, 6-2 at No. 6 for her team-leading eighth singles victory of the season, which includes fall tournaments.
Brion Flowers and Brandi Nelson earned their first victory as doubles team, 9-7 at No. 2 against Maria Perdomo-Medina and Stephanie Moniz. Flowers also went three sets in singles, losing 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to Zalina Nazarova at No. 3. That tied the dual at four victories apiece.
"It was a tough, grueling day for us," Green said. "It was as even a match as it could be. We did not have the fast start we had last night against Southeastern (Louisiana). All the doubles were tight. Brenau deserves a lot of credit for that (Coach) Andre (Ferreira) had his team ready to play. But we gutted it out."
It was Xavier's second victory of the season against a top-5 opponent. The Gold Nuggets won 9-0 at then-No. 2 William Carey on Feb. 14.
Xavier's next duals will be Saturday in Jackson, Miss., against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponents Fisk at 10 a.m. and Tougaloo at 2 p.m. The Gold Nuggets' next home dual will start at 2 p.m. on March 12 against Oral Roberts at XU Tennis Center.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Monday, February 24, 2014
WSSU officials: Hayes is still AD
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- A familiar face has been missing from recent games at Winston-Salem State, and that was evident Saturday night when Bill Hayes, the energetic athletics director, was not at the Gaines Center for Senior Night of the women’s-men’s basketball doubleheader.In fact, Hayes, 70, hasn’t been around for at least the last two weeks.
Officials in the athletics department have said he has been on vacation.
Kevin Manns, an assistant athletics director in charge of sports information, said as far as he knew, Hayes is still the athletics director.
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XU's Goode performances make him GCAC Player of Week
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| ANTHONY GOODE Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland H.S: Millford Mill Academy |
Goode, a 6-foot junior guard from Baltimore and a graduate of Milford Mill Academy, earned the award for Feb. 17-23 after averaging 22 points during Xavier's 2-0 week. Goode scored 24 points, including the first five of overtime, in a 103-99 home victory against then-NAIA No. 24 Philander Smith this past Monday, then scored 20 points on 8-of-10 from the floor in an 83-61 home victory against Tougaloo on Saturday.
He is the first Xavier player this season to record back-to-back 20-point games. For the week, Goode shot 52 percent from the floor and 88.2 percent from the line. He made 12-of-13 free throws against Philander Smith.
Goode, in his first season at Xavier, is averaging 9.4 points in 27 games with eight starts. He averaged a team-best 16.3 points in the past 10 games.
Xavier is 20-7 and ranked 14th in NAIA Division I. The Gold Rush will play Belhaven (14-12) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Convocation Center. Xavier will close the regular season with a 5 p.m. Saturday game at conference and city rival Dillard, then play host to the GCAC Tournament from March 6-9.
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| Live stats / XU men's basketball vs. Belhaven, 6 p.m. |
TSU's Leonard, Edwards Compete in NFL Combine
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Over the weekend, two former Tennessee State football players took part in the 2014 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Tight end A.C. Leonard impressed many media members, scouts and coaches when he ran an unofficial time of 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That would have been the third fastest time by a tight end since the NFL began recording times in 1999.
Leonard’s official time was 4.50 seconds.
The former Tiger continued his impressive display of athleticism with a broad jump of 10.8 inches and 20 reps in the bench press, which were the best marks by a tight end.
The Jacksonville, Fla. native also turned in a great performance in the vertical leap with a jump of 34 inches. That hop was the third highest among tight ends at this year’s event.
Kadeem Edwards also took part in the combine activities and came out well with a 5.25 second 40-yard dash, 26 reps in the bench press and a 27 inch vertical jump.
Edwards also had a broad jump of 99 inches, a 7.95 second time in the three cone drill and completed the 20-yard shuttle in 4.82 seconds.
The former Tigers will meet with NFL teams before taking part in Tennessee State’s Pro Day in March.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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