WVSU Jacket Men Win Fifth Straight, Open Walker Victory

INSTITUTE, West Virginia  --  It did not matter that an 11-point lead had slipped away with 1:47 to play.
   
The WVSU men's basketball team was not going to allow rival Charleston to spoil the opening of their new home.
   
Playing scrambling, tenacious defense, the Yellow Jackets accounted for the final four points of the game to pick up a hard fought 78-74 win in front of a standing room only crowd in the brand new 1,350 seat Walker Convocation Center.
   
Senior Anton Hutchins sank a pair of free throws with 1:24 remaining and Dimitrios Jelen-Joy followed suit with 42 seconds showing and the Jacket defense did the rest.
      
Dominic Phillips had a big game for WVSU with 20 points while Hutchins added 19, and Juan Johnson 12.
     
The Yellow Jackets will now host Notre Dame Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in a first round Mountain East Conference tournament game.

Box Score   

COURTESY WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

Gold Nuggets win at Dillard, reach 20 victories again

Xavier plays host to GCAC tournaments next week

NEW ORLEANS -- Whitney Gathright scored nine of her 12 points in the second half Saturday to help NAIA No. 25 Xavier University of Louisiana earn a 63-56 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Dillard at Dent Hall.

The Gold Nuggets (20-9, 10-2) closed the regular season with their third consecutive victory. They reached 20 victories for the 13th consecutive season and the 21st time in the last 22 seasons. Xavier will play in the quarterfinals of the GCAC Tournament in New Orleans on Thursday; seedings, pairings and game times will be announced Sunday.

After a halftime tie at 25, five Gold Nuggets scored during a decisive 14-2 run in the first five minutes of the second half. Chelsea Broussard capped the run at 15:24 to give Xavier its largest lead, 39-27. Dillard never got closer than six points thereafter.

Gathright, a sophomore guard, scored in double figures for the fourth consecutive game and a team-leading 19th time this season. She made both XU 3-pointers and had six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot.

Vinnie Briggs scored 10 points for Xavier, and Danielle Tucker and Whitney Gaston-Loyd had eight apiece. Paige Gauthier had seven points, seven rebounds and six assists. Tucker had four of the Nuggets' 14 steals.

Keylantra Taylor had 11 points and 12 rebounds for Dillard (3-15, 3-9), and Julia Hendrieth scored 10 points on 5-of-5 from the floor.

Xavier shot 48.9 percent from the floor -- its second-best performance of the season -- and limited the Lady Bleu Devils to 38.2 percent. The Nuggets had 16 assists on 23 field goals and blocked six shots, three by Broussard.

Xavier spent 35 minutes with the lead. Dillard led for 90 seconds late in the first half.

Xavier defeated its city rival for the 11th consecutive time and the 20th time in the last 21 meetings. The Gold Nuggets lead the series 61-19.

Box score


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold

TSU Tigers Down Middle Tennessee 7-1, Drops Game to Troy

Courtesy: Sam Jordan / TSU Athletics

 

STATESBORO, Georgia -- A tale of two games describes the day for Tennessee State softball on day two of the Eagle Classic. The Tigers were no-hit in a 7-0 loss to Troy to open Saturday’s play, but bounced back to grab a 7-1 win over Middle Tennessee. The Trojans improved to 8-8-2, the Blue Raiders fell to 5-14 and the Tigers are now 5-13.

 

Middle Tennessee tried to add to TSU’s misery by jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Shea Morris walked leadoff hitter LaRi Mitchell to start the game. Mitchell stole second and scored on a single off the bat of Kayla Toney. Two batters later, Morris issued another walk to give MTSU two runners on and one out. The junior hurler settled in by striking out the next batter she would face.

 

The punch out by Morris moved her into the top spot of the TSU career strikeout list. Morris passed Amanda Vaught, who completed her Tiger career in 2008.

 

The Lawrenceburg, Tenn., native would retire the next 14 Blue Raiders allowing the offense a chance to take control of the game. The streak was erased by Toney who ripped a double into right center with one out in the sixth. Morris retired the next two to end any threat.

 

Morris’ twin sister, Kate Morris, would be the first Tiger to scratch a hit on the day with a single into center to leadoff the second inning. Two batters later, with Kate on third, Kiarra Freeman hit a hard grounder to short for an RBI single, evening the score at 1-1. Tayler Shimizu followed with a ground ball up the middle; Freeman did not break stride rounding second and forced the play at third. Freeman slid in safely as the ball would get away, allowing the speedy sophomore a chance to charge home giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

 

TSU would not look back as they added two runs in each, the third and fourth innings. With one out in the third, the Tigers would string three hits together to take a 4-1 lead. Kate Morris delivered a two-run single to center to plate Courtney Gearlds and Lindsey Burgess.

 

In the fourth, TSU loaded the base on a single by Freeman, a hit-by-pitch of Shimizu and a sacrifice bunt, fielder’s choice by Liz Stansberry. Jayna Hanawahine wasted no time as she ripped the first pitch she saw up the middle to chase home Freeman and Shimizu, making the score 6-1.

 

The Tigers added a single run in the fifth to provide the margin. Shea Morris and Freeman sandwiched hits around Rebekka Gross getting plunked to load the bases. Stansberry followed two batters later with a walk to force home Gross.

 

Freeman finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Kate Morris was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI.

 

Hanawahine, Gearlds and Burgess all ended the game 1-for-4. Shimizu went 1-for-2 with a run scored and Shea Morris was 1-for-3 at the plate. Morris earned the win and improved to 4-6 allowing three hits, while fanning four.

 

In the first game of the day, the Tigers could only manage two runners on base against pitcher Jaycee Affeldt. Shimizu was the first to reach base with a walk to open the third inning, while Burgess reached on an error two innings later. Affeldt (3-5) finished the game with eight strikeouts.

 

Olivia Gamache (1-6) took the loss as she surrendered five runs, four earned, on three hits and four walks. Gamache finished with two strikeouts and made way for Hannah St. Clair who pitched the final two innings. St. Clair allowed two runs on two hits and fanned one.

 

The Eagle Classic wraps up on Sunday with the Tigers playing in the final two games. TSU will take on Middle Tennessee at 12:00pm ET and Georgia Southern at 2:00pm ET. Both games can be heard on tsutigers.com.

    TSU-Middle Tennessee Boxscore

        TSU-Troy Boxscore


COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton Lady Pirates Upend NSU Spartans, Win MEAC Again

HAMPTON, Virginia – Fourth verse, same as the first.

With an 83-54 win over Norfolk State Saturday evening at the HU Convocation Center, the Hampton University women's basketball team clinched its fourth straight MEAC regular-season title – and the corresponding No. 1 seed in the MEAC Tournament (March 10-15, Norfolk Scope).

Fitting, since the Lady Pirates (24-4, 15-0 MEAC) lowered the banners celebrating last season's championship as well.

Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) led the festivities with 19 points, while senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) scored 17 points and grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the season.

Senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) added 18 points – including four 3-pointers in the second half – and junior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) poured in 16 points.

Hampton jumped out to its 14th straight win in short order, opening the game with a 13-0 run that ended in a jumper from Tate-DeFreitas at the 16:07 mark. Norfolk State answered with a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 15-7, before the Lady Pirates scored the next 14 points.

A Hamilton layup at the 10:12 mark ended that run and gave the Lady Pirates a 29-7 lead.

Norfolk State cut the lead to 29-14 at the 8:16 mark, when Dominique Harper ended a 7-0 Spartans run with a free throw. But that was as close as the Spartans would get in the remainder of the half, and Hampton used a 9-2 run to take a 38-16 lead with 5:41 left in the half after a Tate-DeFreitas trey.

Cole's layup with 39 seconds left in the half sent the Lady Pirates into the break with a 44-23 lead.

The Spartans only managed six first-half field goals.

The offensive struggles continued for Norfolk State in the second half, despite seven field goals in the first eight minutes. Koryn Lawrence hit a layup with 12:18 left to cut Hampton's lead to 56-40, but that was the last field goal for Norfolk State but Ebony Brown hit a layup with 1:41 remaining.

All 10 Norfolk State points in the interim came at the free throw line.

A free throw from Logan Powell at the 9:47 mark cut Hampton's lead to 58-45, but a 10-1 Lady Pirates run grew the lead to 68-46 with 6:54 remaining after a free throw from Bennett. That run included back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers from Hamilton.

A layup from sophomore guard Ryan Jordan (Manassas, Va.) with 2:42 left gave the Lady Pirates an 80-50 lead, and Hampton had its largest lead of the game with 1:01 to play, after freshman guard Bayley Coleman-Cox (Durham, N.C.) hit a trey to put Hampton up 83-52.

The Lady Pirates shot 34.6 percent (27-for-78) from the floor and made 10 of their 26 3-pointers (38.5 percent). Hampton also forced Norfolk State into 21 turnovers, converting them into 22 points.

Hampton also held a 32-22 edge in points in the paint.

Norfolk State (11-14, 7-7 MEAC) shot just 23.8 percent (15-for-63) from the floor and made just two of its nine 3-pointers. The Spartans did hold a 57-52 edge in rebounding.

Powell led the Spartans with 18 points.

The Lady Pirates will close the regular season on Thursday at the HU Convocation Center, celebrating Senior Night against North Carolina A&T 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.

Box Score

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Alabama State Hornets Fall at Texas Southern

HOUSTON, Texas  -- Alabama State fell into a tie for second place when they fell to Texas Southern 86-66 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference game.

The Tigers (13-14/9-6 SWAC) shot over 50 percent from the field in pulling even with the Hornets in the SWAC standings.  They hit six of 17 from beyond the three point line and hit 18 of 24 free throws.

The Hornets (15-11/9-6 SWAC) struggled shooting the ball finishing hitting only 38 percent from the field and that includes only hitting four of their 20 three point field goals and also struggled from the free throw line only hitting 10 of its 19 attempts.

"We have to get guys who want to play with the effort it takes to win games on defense," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said.  "Our last three ball games we have given up 86 points to all three of those opponents and we were fortunate enough to win one of those games at home but the other two we lost."

"We have to get people to change their minds because if we play like this the rest of the way we may not win another game."

Luther Page led ASU with 14 points and Maurice Strong added 10.  ASU's two leading scorers Jamel Waters and DeMarcus Robinson only managed 16 points combined with Robinson scoring nine and Waters seven.  Combined they were seven for 25 from the field.  Tony Armstrong came off the bench to score nine points.

D'Aris Scarver led TSU's offense with 21 points, but had plenty of offensive help.  D'Angelo Scott scored 13 and Lawrence Johnson-Danner scored 10.  ASU held the SWAC's leading scorer Aaric Murray to 11 points which is half of his 22 points per game average.

"You have to come out and match intensity and our guys, one through five, are not getting it done," Jackson said.  "Over these last three games we have to find some guys that are going to come out and play with some enthusiasm."

ASU also lost the rebounding battle 47-28 with Strong's six leading the Hornets.  Waters finished with a game-high seven assists and also added two steals.  The Hornets only turned the ball over five times while forcing 14 turnovers.

TSU came out in the first half and shot 58 percent (19-33) from the field.  They hit three of their nine three point attempts and six of eight from the free throw line.

Scarver led the Tigers effort with 17 first-half points as he hit eight of his 13 field goals.   Johnson-Danner added seven and Scott six.

For the Hornets Robinson had seven and Armstrong came off the bench to add six.  ASU only shot 34 percent (11-32) from the field and that includes hitting only two of their 11 three point field goal attempts and also struggled from the free throw line only shooting two of six.

ASU will continue its final road trip of the regular season with a game at Prairie View A&M trying to hang on to a tie for second place, Monday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m.

"This is what basketball is all about," Jackson said.  "Everyone is trying to do the little things to win ball games and right now we are sitting at 9-6 with TSU and these last ball games are going to be crucial and we have to step up and do our job.  On the road you want to try and win both games but if you get a split you are doing ok.  So we have an opportunity to get a split here at PV before going home.  But no matter where you play you have to come out and play with some energy and you have to play with some toughness."

Box Score

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Southern men clinch SWAC title

LORMAN, Mississippi — The Southern men’s basketball team learned Saturday that it will be able to compete in the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.

Then the Jaguars left little doubt that they will be the team to beat when tournament play starts March 11 in Houston.

Southern clinched the regular-season title outright when it defeated Alcorn State 67-54 in the Davey Whitney Complex. The Jaguars (18-11 and 14-2) can’t be caught even with two league games remaining at home against Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. The Braves are 11-17 and 8-8.

The regular-season title and berth in the conference tournament took some of the sting out of an NCAA postseason ban due to inadequate reporting of date relating to student-athletes’ Academic Progress Rates. Southern learned Thursday that the ban will not be lifted in time for this year’s
NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens in the SWAC Tournament.

CONTINUE READING 

Cinderella Watch: Can North Carolina Central Repeat the MEAC's NCAA Tournament Success?

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- The Eagles have been the class of the MEAC this season, but that is unlikely to even guarantee them an auto-bid, especially given their streaky nature. However, they still have a chance to make the Big Dance and match some historic surprise success by their league.

As we enter the home stretch in conference play everybody is going to be looking for this year's Florida Gulf Coast. That's why we've put together "Cinderella Watch" to profile all the mid-major teams you should know before heading into March.

North Carolina Central Eagles

Mid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceOverall Record: 22-5
Conference Record: 12-1
RPI: 126
Key Wins: North Carolina State (55)
Worst Losses: Florida A&M (296), IUPUI (313)
Average RPI Win: 286
Average RPI Loss: 142
NCAA Tournament History: 0 Appearances

 

This Season

I think it says a lot about NCCU's non-conference schedule that they have two losses against opponents in the bottom 60 of the RPI and the average RPI of the five teams they've lost to is still that high - that's thanks to early season games against Cincinnati, Wichita State, NC State, and Maryland - all on the road.

 

CONTINUE READING

SWAC finally decides on basketball bracket

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- After a week of waiting on a decision from the NCAA, Southwestern Athletic Conference officials announced that all 10 teams would participate in the 2014 conference tournament despite the fact that four teams are barred from NCAA tournament play because of poor Academic Progress Rates.

In the past, the conference barred those teams from participating in the conference tournament, which earns the winner an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Last year, only seven men’s teams competed in the tournament, which was held in Garland, Texas.

This year, at the insistence of SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp, a teleconference that included the presidents of the 10 teams in the conference voted on whether to include the ineligible teams along with the six eligible teams. The presidents voted 8-2 to include the teams, with Alabama State president Gwendolyn Boyd and Jackson State president Carolyn Meyers voting to exclude Southern, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling and Mississippi Valley State from the tournament.

1. CONTINUE READING

SWAC allows four ineligible teams in conference tournament

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- Last season, only seven teams played in the SWAC tournament as three teams were ineligible for the NCAA tournament due to APR penalties.

This year, the league has decided to let every team play in the postseason tournament -- including four teams that are banned from the NCAA tournament for 2013-14.

According to USA Today, the 10 school presidents voted to include the ineligible teams: Southern, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State and Grambling.

Southern will be the top seed in the conference tournament, but they cannot play in the NCAA tournament. As a result, the NCAA released a statement regarding what would happen in the event one of the four ineligible teams wins the conference tournament.

CONTINUE READING

SWAC allowed to amend its automatic qualification policy for 2014

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  --  In response to a request from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees will allow the conference to amend its automatic qualification policy for the 2014 championships only.

The conference tournaments will still determine the automatic berths into both NCAA championships. The eligible team that advances furthest in the conference tournaments will receive the automatic berth to the NCAA championships. In the event of a tie (for example, all tournament-eligible teams are eliminated in the same round), the automatic berth will go to the highest-seeded team.

The process will be revisited when the men’s and women’s basketball committees meet in the summer.

COURTESY NCAA.COM

NCCU eyes regular-season MEAC title, hosts S.C. State

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- An N.C. Central win against S.C. State would allow the Eagles to clinch at least a share of the regular-season championship in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The Eagles (22-5, 12-1 MEAC) have been rolling, 14 wins in row. And they’ve been outstanding at home, winning 21 straight at McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium — 12-0 there this year.

NCCU will look to protect its nest on senior day today. The S.C. State Bulldogs will come barking and hope to have the bite to back it up (4 p.m., NCCUEaglePride.com).

Today and Monday — when NCCU hosts Savannah State — will be the last times Eagle seniors Jeremy Ingram and Emanuel Chapman will perform at home.

CONTINUE READING

A bit of everything Saturday at the CIAA

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- Basketball, concerts, step teams, the Miss CIAA competition and even a bit of stock car racing will be part of Saturday’s schedule as the CIAA tournament comes to an end.

The tournament’s champions will be crowned in the women’s title game at 5 p.m. and the men’s at 8:30 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena. But as has been the case all week, there will be much more to the CIAA experience in Charlotte than just basketball.

The Miss CIAA event, sponsored by Food Lion, is set for 11 a.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena, with no admission charge.

The CIAA Stepshow, featuring step teams from the conference’s member schools, will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Grady Cole Center.

CONTINUE READING

Tournament Brackets

Women | Men

Mar. 1 - WOMEN

Shaw Fayetteville State

@Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Arena   CIAA Tournament Championship 5:00 PM  ASPiRE TV -LIVE

 

Mar. 1 - MEN

Winston-Salem State Livingstone

@Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Arena   CIAA Championship Game 8:30 PM  ESPNU Tape Delayed - 1 AM Live: Bounce TV Live Audio Stream at www.HSRN.com

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/02/28/4731089/a-bit-of-everything-saturday-at.html#.UxIGJ8uYZjo#storylink=cpy

Gregory returns as MVSU offensive coordinator

ITTA BENA,  Mississippi -- Mississippi Valley State University head football coach Rick Comegy has added another member to his coaching staff.

Shawn Gregory has returned for his second stint as offensive coordinator for the Delta Devils. Gregory, who first came to MVSU in 2002 under then head coach Willie Totten, arrives back in Itta Bena following one season as the head coach at his alma mater New Hope High School in Columbus, Mississippi.

Gregory began his coaching career in 1996 as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks and running backs coach at Redan High (Ga.) before stops at the collegiate level at Morris Brown College, Tuskegee, Samford and MVSU.

While at MVSU, Gregory served as the offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks and receivers coach from 2002-03 for the Delta Devils. In his first season coaching the Delta Devils offense, the team posted a 5-6 record after going 0-11 the year before.

He was the receivers coach and head baseball coach at Tuskegee University from July 2000 to January 2002. Both of his teams at Tuskegee won the Pioneer Bowl and the 2000 team won the Black College National Championship with a record of 12-0. The 2001 team finished second in a race for the championship, posting an 11-1 record.

During the 1998 and 1999 seasons, Gregory coached at Morris Brown College. In 1998, he coached the quarterbacks and tight ends before serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks and receivers coach in 1999. Morris Brown's record improved from 3-8 in his first year to 6-5 in his second year at the school.

Gregory also previously served as head football coach for one season at Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham, Ala in 2008.

Gregory was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Jackson State University, where he played from 1986-90. In his senior year at JSU, the Columbus, Mississippi native was named First Team All-SWAC after passing for 2,762 yards. That season, he also set an NCAA single game record for most yards gained per completion (33) in a 52-14 win over Southern University. He passed for 462 yards on 14 completions in the victory. In 2009, Gregory was elected to the JSU Sports Hall of Fame. Gregory and the Tigers won three SWAC titles (1987-88, 1990) during his time at JSU.

Gregory is a 1996 graduate of Jackson State University with a degree in
health, physical education and recreation.

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION    

TSU Completes Day One of OVC Indoor Championship

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State Tigerbelles and Flying Tigers completed the first day of the 2014 OVC Indoor Track and Field on Friday.

Clairwin Damues got TSU off on the right foot by placing first in the Pentathlon with a total score of 3,625. JaLyn Burr also had a strong performance in the event, picking up a fifth place finish.

Newly crowned OVC Female Freshman of the Year Amber Hughes ran a scorching 7.68 seconds in the 55-meter hurdles to take top prize while Dameus placed second.

Dameus also had a second-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 6.10 meters and Burr gave TSU 10 points with a winning 1.70 meter hop in the high jump.

For the Flying Tigers, Travon Alexander came in fourth in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.41 seconds and Michael Johnson also came in fourth after a 49.60 second finish in the 400-meter.

In the field events, Daryl Rice placed third after a 2.08 meter leap in the high jump while Royce Dates (7.71 meters) and Tyler Anderson (7.58 meters) were second and third, respectively, in the long jump.

The teams will look to take home the championship trophies when action continues today.

 

DAY ONE RESULTS

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

The Lincoln University Appoints Pope as New Athletics Director

Dr. Darryl A. Pope

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania – The Lincoln University appointed Dr. Darryl A. Pope, the current Director of Athletics and Physical Activity at the College of Lake College in Grayslake, IL, as its new Director of Athletics.

Dr. Pope will join Lincoln on March 31, 2014.

“We are excited to have Dr. Pope join us,” said President Dr. Robert R. Jennings.  “He has more than 20 years of progressive supervisory and managerial experience along with demonstrated leadership qualities in directing athletic programs and proven compliance experience.”

Dr. Jennings appointed Dr. Pope after a recommendation from the Athletic Director’s Search Committee, which was comprised of faculty, staff, alumni and students.   Dr. F. Carl Walton, Vice President of Student Affairs, to whom Dr. Jennings expressed his gratitude, had served as Interim-Athletic Director after the departure of former Athletic Director Dianthia Ford-Kee.

Dr. Pope has 18 years of administrative experience in Division I Athletics.  He has also served as Associate Athletic Director for Internal Affairs and Associate Athletic Director for Compliance at Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA and as Consultant Sports Information Director at Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, GA.

Additionally, he has served as Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at California State University-Northridge, Los Angeles, CA and Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.  From 1995 to 1997, he served as Compliance Coordinator at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD and he was an Instructor with the National Youth Sports Program at Temple in the mid-90s.

Dr. Pope has served on several NCAA committees, including the NCAA Peer Review Certification Team — a position he has held since 2000; as well as is a member of the NCAA Leadership Institute Class of 2003.

A graduate of Howard University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications Management and Business Administration, he also holds a Master’s degree in Sports Administration from Grambling State University and a Doctorate of Education degree in Sports Management and Leisure Studies from Temple University.

Dr. Pope holds a certification from the United States Professional Tennis Registry and competed on the USTA Professional Satellite Circuit.

EDITOR’S NOTE: ‘THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY’ IS NOW THE OFFICIAL NAME FOR THE INSTITUTION FORMERLY REFERRED TO AS ‘LINCOLN UNIVERSITY’ OR ‘LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF PA’ AND SHOULD BE ADHERED TO IN ALL REFERENCES.

Founded in 1854, The Lincoln University (PA) is the FIRST of four Lincoln Universities in the world and is the nation’s FIRST degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU).  The University combines the elements of a liberal arts and science-based undergraduate curriculum along with select graduate programs to meet the needs of those living in a highly-technological and global society.  Today, Lincoln, which enrolls a diverse student body of approximately 2,000 men and women, possesses an international reputation for preparing and producing world class leaders such as Thurgood Marshall, the FIRST African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Lillian Fishburne, the FIRST African American woman promoted to Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy, Langston Hughes, the noted poet, Kwame Nkrumah, the FIRST President of Ghana, Nnamdi Azikiwe, the FIRST President of Nigeria and a myriad of others. 

COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Xavier plays host to GCAC tournaments next week

Free admission for XU, Dillard and SUNO students with valid university ID

Xavier University of Louisiana's Convocation Center
 opened in November 2012 and seats nearly 4,000.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Convocation Center will be the site of 10 games next week — five men's and five women's — in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference basketball tournaments.
   
Tournament dates will be March 6-9, with games at Xavier on March 7-9. Students with a valid university ID from Xavier, Dillard and SUNO — the GCAC's three New Orleans members — will receive free admission to all games.
   
Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children.
   
Regular-season games will conclude Saturday. Seedings, pairings and the schedule will be finalized and announced Sunday. Here's the schedule of tournament games:

Thursday, March 6 — First Round:
At Dillard's Dent Hall
Women (No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed) at 5 p.m.
Men (No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed) at 7 p.m.

Friday, March 7 — Quarterfinals:
At Dillard's Dent Hall
Women at noon
Men at 2 p.m.
Women at 5 p.m.
Men at 7 p.m.

At Xavier's Convocation Center
Women at noon
Men at 2 p.m.
Women at 5 p.m.
Men at 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 8 — Semifinals:
At Xavier's Convocation Center
Women at noon
Men at 2 p.m.
Women at 5 p.m.
Men at 7 p.m.

Sunday, March 9 — Championship:
At Xavier's Convocation Center
Women at 3 p.m.
Men at 5 p.m.

There will be an awards luncheon from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Thursday in the ballroom (third floor) of Xavier's University Center. Driving directions to the University Center can be found online by using 4980 Dixon St. and the 70125 zip code as the destination.

The GCAC men's and women's tournament champions will receive automatic berths in the NAIA Division I National Championship. The NAIA men's tournament will be played in Kansas City, Mo., and the women's tournament will be played in Frankfort, Ky. Dates of both events will be March 19-25.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold

Winston-Salem State Rams Dig Deep for Semi-Final Win over Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Winston-Salem State University Rams clawed their way back from a 16 point deficit to secure a spot in Saturday's CIAA Championship game with a 78-71 win over Johnson C. Smith University.

The Rams are slated to take on the Livingstone College Blue Bears in an 8:30 p.m. contest in Time Warner Cable Arena.

Winston-Salem State head coach Bobby Collins commented, "Tonight…was more like a prizefight.  We wanted to see what they had in the tank.  They came out and hit some shots early and took a lead, but obviously it wasn't enough…the outcome of the game tonight was a result of our brother-ship and it shows how close we really are."

The Golden Bulls end their season with an 18-12 record and saw a three-game win streak in the CIAA Tournament come to an end.   Steven Joyner, Sr., head coach of Johnson C. Smith noted, "Let me start out by congratulating Winston-Salem State.  They could have folded after the first half…but they recognized what our strengths were and just physically handled us.  We didn't have our legs and they dominated the second half.  I'm very pleased with our effort, but we just fell short."

Marquez Jones had a monster night for the Rams, scoring 29 points in the win.  Preston Ross and Tyre Desmore added 16 and 14 points respectively.  Emilio Parks led the effort for the Golden Bulls with 22 points.  Antwan Wilkerson added 16 points while Robert Williams notched 12 points in the loss.

Parks scored first in the contest with a jumper for Johnson C. Smith University.  Brian Okam answered with a dunk on the next possession but a three-pointer by Joshua Linson gave the Golden Bulls a 5-2 lead with 17:22 on the clock.

Johnson C. Smith built their lead to nine points (18-9) with 13:12 on the clock after a three-pointer by Antwan Wilkerson.  A 7-2 run by the Rams made the score 20-16 with 11:18 left to play and cut Winston-Salem State's deficit to four points.

The Golden Bulls and Rams traded baskets as the minutes ticked away in the first half but Johnson C. Smith maintained control of the momentum and the score.  With 6:34 left in the half and trailing 29-23, Winston-Salem State used a 5-0 run to make it a one point game.

Johnson C. Smith took over from there, orchestrating an 8-2 run to pull away 37-30 with 1:53 left in the half.  Wilkerson completed the three point play and Robert Williams drained a three pointer for a 43-32 advantage.  Desmore made a jumper for Winston-Salem State but the Golden Bulls headed into halftime with a 43-34 lead.

A dunk by Williams at the 17:16 mark in the second half gave the Golden Bulls a ten point lead (47-37).  Winston-Salem State fought to stay on Johnson C. Smith's heels but fell behind by as many as 16 points (59-43) after a dunk by Alandre Davis with 10:42 left in the game. 
 .
Slowly but surely Winston-Salem State worked their way back into the game.  Beginning at the 12:41 mark, the Rams outscored the Golden Bulls 28-9 en-route to the win.  The Rams chipped away at the deficit, holding the Golden Bulls scoreless as they strung together seven unanswered points to make the score 59-50 with 9:29 remaining.

A dunk by Wilkerson on the next possession put the Golden Bulls ahead by 11 points but a three-pointer by Javan Wells and bucket by Ross put the Rams right back in the game. With Johnson C. Smith leading 63-55 with 8:06 left in the contest, a layup by Jones fueled an 8-1 run and left the Golden Bulls gripping to a one point lead.

Parks drained two free throws with 5:05 left in the game but Jones nailed back-to-back three-pointers to give Winston-Salem State a 69-66 advantage and the momentum from a packed arena with 3:39 on the clock.  A Golden Bull turnover led to another score for the Rams thanks to a bucket by Ross. 

Ross tacked on two free throws for Winston-Salem to extend the Rams' lead to 73-66 with just 2:38 left in the contest.

With Winston-Salem State leading 73-67, the Rams added four points using free throws from Wells and Jones to gain a 10 point cushion (77-67) with 34 seconds left to play.

The teams exchanged free throws and Davis added a jumper for the Golden Bulls with three seconds on the clock but Winston-Salem State walked away with the 78-71 semi-final victory.  The Rams advance to take on Livingstone College on Saturday, a team that has never won the CIAA Tournament.  Winston-Salem State has 11 CIAA Tournament titles in the history of the men's basketball program.

Box Score

COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Livingstone Blue Bears Advance to CIAA Finals with 79-73 Win over Fayetteville State

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – CIAA Player of the Year Mark Thomas scored 28 points and Jody Hill added 14 points as Livingstone College survived a late Fayetteville State run for a 79-73 men's basketball semifinal win at Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday, February 28 to reach the CIAA Tournament finals for the second consecutive year.

The Blue Bears (20-7 overall) will play for the CIAA title on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. They are aiming for their first conference crown in school history.

The backcourt duo led five Blue Bears in double figures. Food Lion MVP Emarri Bailey had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Eric Mayo finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Anthony Welch scored 10 points and snatched eight rebounds and Hill pulled down seven rebounds. 

The Blue Bears, the Southern Division champions, held a huge advantage at the free throw line. They made 24-of-38 free throws compared to 9-of-15 for the Broncos. In the last five minutes, the Blue Bears hit 10-of-16 free throws to stave off the Broncos. 

Mayo made two big free throws. He swished one of two at the charity stripe for a 76-73 Blue Bears lead with 23 seconds left. After coming up with a huge steal, Mayo made one of two free throws for a 77-73 lead with 20 seconds remaining.
 

The Blue Bears survived after the Broncos (19-10 overall) reeled off 18 straight points to erase a 62-49 deficit. A jumper by Tyrell Tate from the left corner put the Broncos up 67-62 with 6:39 left in the game. 

"Fatigue started to set in," Livingstone Head Coach James Stinson said about his team during that stretch. "If you miss, [the Broncos] are running a layup drill."

The lead was short-lived, however, as Tate fouled out with 4:27 left. Welch made one of two free throws, but a tie-up gave the Blue Bears possession. Thomas put the Blue Bears back in front 68-67 with his sixth three-pointer of the game. The Blue Bears then held on at the free throw line.

"At the end [Livingstone] finished strong, but I am proud of our kids," Fayetteville State Head Coach Alphonza Kee said. "We fought back through the 38 free throws [that Livingstone shot]."

Tate scored 19 points and collected eight rebounds for the Broncos, the No. 3 Southern Division seed. Joshua Dawson added 13 points and Anthony Shelton chipped in 11 points.

The contest featured seven ties and 12 lead changes including five ties and nine lead changes in the first half. Travis Marcus scored four points and Torian Showers had three points to give the Broncos a 7-5 lead early. The Blue Bears quickly led 17-12 on a jumper by Eric Dubose. 

The Broncos gained momentum and built a 29-23 lead on a layup by Travis Marcus off a steal by Marquette Hill. The Blue Bears came roaring back, going on an 8-1 run on a drive by Thomas for a 31-30 lead. The Broncos ended up leading at halftime 35-33 on Sheldon's three-pointer with 13 seconds left in the first half.

Hill and Thomas both scored 10 first-half points for the Blue Bears. Shelton had 11 points for the Broncos in the opening 20 minutes.

The Blue Bears started fast in the second half, taking a 40-35 after scoring seven consecutive points capped by a Thomas three-pointer. Tate stopped the run momentarily with a three-point play, but Welch scored a three-pointer to begin a 17-4 run for a 57-42 lead. Thomas scored eight points in the run including two treys.

 

Box Score

 

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE BLUE BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

SIAC basketball tournament: Tuskegee (capsule)

TUSKEGEE
Record: 15-11, 12-5 SIAC
Last 5 games: 3-2

Next game:  TBD 

For the record: The Golden Tigers, coached by former Alabama standout Leon Douglas, sit atop the SIAC West standings. After a six-game winning streak,  their longest of the season, the Tigers have gone 4-3 in their last seven, including a four-point defeat against Paine College (Ga.) in their regular-season finale.

Key players: Richard Dixon (16.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 0.9 apg); Javier McKinney (14.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.5 apg); Elliot Dean (12.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.7 apg); Olatunji Graham (11.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 apg). 

Why they could win the tournament: The Golden Tigers put the ball in the hole better than almost any team in the league, shooting 47.4 percent from the field as a team. Two of their top scorers Dixon and Graham, are shooting better than 54 percent. They've also got a ton of experience with only one freshman on its roster after depending heavily on newcomers a year ago.

CONTINUE READING 

SIAC basketball tournament: Stillman College (capsule)

STILLMAN 
Record:16-12, 11-6 SIAC
Last 5 games: 4-1
Next game:  TBD

For the record: Stillman is currently second in the SIAC West behind in-state foe Tuskegee. The Tigers split a pair of games with each team winning on other's floor. Coach Michael Grant's team was stellar at home with a 9-3 mark at Birthright Hall while being solid on the road with a near-.500 mark (6-7).

Key players: Bryant Daniel (19.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.0 apg) Markeith Madison (16.6 ppg, 7.3 rbg, 1.7 apg); Justin Harris (13 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.4 apg); Stanley Magee (12.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.0 apg); Jeffrey Wherry (10.6 ppg, 3.9, 2.9 apg); D'uanaway Barnes (10.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.1 apg).

Why they could win the tournament: At 83.7 points per game, Stillman leads the SIAC in scoring. Having six players who average double-figures in scoring means they spread it around incredibly well. They'll be a tough cover for any team that has to defend them. 

CONTINUE READING

Miles College Golden Bears Releases 2014 Football Schedule

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Coming off its second appearance in the SIAC Football Championship in the last three years, Miles College announced its 2014 football schedule on Monday. The Golden Bears schedule is highlighted by six home games at Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium and four road contest.

MC opens the season at home against CIAA conference foe Shaw University on Sept. 6, at 6 p.m.. Miles College and the SU Bears will be meeting for the second time in three years as the Golden Bears defeated Shaw in 2012 by a score of 28-15 in Durham, NC.

Following the season opener Miles will host the University of West Georgia on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m.. Last season the Wolves defeated MC 31-7 in Carrollton, GA.

After starting the season with consecutive home games the Golden Bears wrap up the non-conference portion of the schedule and will travel to Hampton, VA on Saturday, Sept. 20 to take on FCS and MEAC conference member the Pirates of Hampton University. Kick-off is set of 5 p.m.

Miles remains on the road to begin SIAC conference play and do battle against the Golden Rams of Albany State University in a rematch of the 2013 SIAC Football Championship, on Saturday, Sept. 27, in Albany, GA at 6 p.m.

The Golden Bears return home to face the Tigers of Benedict College on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.. Last season MC went into Columbia, SC and pulled out a 27-13 victory over BC.

The following week on Oct. 11, will be 2014 HOMECOMING against the Marauders of Central State University. The Golden Bears look to avenge a disappointing 25-21 loss to CSU in 2013. Kickoff for homecoming is set for 4 p.m.

Up next are the Thorobreds of Kentucky State University as Miles travels to Frankfort, KY on Oct. 18. Last season the Golden Bears toppled KSU, 40-17, during homecoming 2013.

A week later MC remains on the road and makes the trek to Jackson, TN to do battle with Lane College on Oct. 25. A year ago Miles won a hard-fought battle 38-26 over the Dragons.

Miles closes out the season with consecutive home games as they take on western division powers Stillman College in a Thursday night match-up on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m., and the Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m.. Last season the Golden Bears used a miraculous, 31-30, come from behind victory over SC and an upset victory over previously SIAC unbeaten TU, 41-36, to clinch a birth in the 2013 SIAC Football Championship.




2014 Miles College Football Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 6 – Shaw at 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13 – West Georgia at 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 20 – at Hampton at 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 27 – at Albany State at 5 p.m. *
Saturday, Oct. 4 – Benedict at 6 p.m. *
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Central State at 4 p.m. *#
Saturday, Oct. 18 – at Kentucky State TBA *
Saturday, Oct. 25 – at Lane TBA *
Thursday, Oct. 30 – Stillman at 6 p.m. *%
Saturday, Nov. 8 – Tuskegee at 4 p.m. *
Saturday, Nov. 15 – SIAC Championship TBA

*SIAC Conference Opponent
#Homecoming
%Thursday Night Game
All times are Central Standard Time and are subject to change    

COURTESY MILES COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Tickets for the Centennial SIAC Basketball Tournament are on Sale!

ATLANTA, Georgia  --  The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference today announced that tickets for the 2014 SIAC Basketball Tournament are now on sale. The 81st installment of the annual tournament will be played from Monday, March 3 through Saturday, March 8, in the Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.

General admission for adults will be $10, while students with a valid ID and kids 12 and under will gain admittance for $5. Advance tickets can be purchased online at www.thesiactickets.com.

The 2014 SIAC Basketball Tournament will feature both men's and women's basketball teams from the 14 members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (SIAC). For more information or to request media credentials for the 81st SIAC Basketball Tournament, visit www.thesiac.com. For the latest updates on the SIAC Tournament, "Like" the SIAC Tournament on Facebook and follow the SIAC on Twitter www.twitter.com/thesiac.
announced that tickets for the 2014 SIAC Basketball Tournament are now on sale. The 81st installment of the annual tournament will be played from Monday, March 3 through Saturday, March 8, in the Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.

EVENT: SIAC Basketball Tournament
DATES: Monday, March 3 - Saturday, March 8
VENUE: The Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham CrossPlex
TICKET PRICES: $10, $5    

COURTESY THESIAC.COM

Xavier loses 6-3 to No. 3 team in NCAA Division II

PENSACOLA, Florida -- Xavier University of Louisiana won a pair of doubles matches Friday in a 6-3 men's tennis loss to West Florida.

The Gold Rush (2-5), ranked eighth in the NAIA, built a 2-0 lead before the Argonauts (6-0), ranked third in NCAA Division II, won 5-of-6 singles matches. But Xavier won as many matches as the Argonauts' first five opponents combined -- a list which includes three top-40 NCAA DII schools and NAIA No. 2 Auburn Montgomery.

"We gave a great effort today and played some really good doubles," XU coach Alan Green. "West Florida was just too much for us in singles."

Kyle Montrel and Nikita Soifer scored Xavier's first point of the dual and improved to 6-0 this season with their 8-4 victory against Bruno Savi and Carlos Moura at No. 1 doubles. Then newcomers Tushar Mandlekar and Kevin Chaouat, paired for the first time at Xavier, rallied from a 7-2 deficit -- and saved three match points -- in a 9-7 victory against Alex Peyrot and Domenico Sano at No. 2. Peyrot and Sano are NCAA D-II's 10th-ranked tandem.

Elio Latella and Felipe Frattini prevented an XU doubles sweep by defeating Viktor Svoboda and Adam Albrecht 9-7. It was the first collegiate doubles match for Albrecht, a freshman.

Montrel, Soifer and Vincenzo Ciccone lost to nationally ranked singles opponents. The only XU player to win a set was Svoboda, who defeated Douglas Boe 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 1-0 (12-10) at No. 4. It was Svoboda's first singles victory in three attempts this season.

"Viktor played well," Green said. "He is beginning to find his rhythm on the court."

Savi, ranked first in NCAA D-II, beat Montrel, ranked 39th in the NAIA, 6-3, 6-1.

Green said Xavier's men's and women's duals against Fisk and Tougaloo in Jackson, Miss., scheduled for Saturday, were postponed. Next competition for the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will be at 9 a.m. Friday against Coastal Georgia in the opening round of the AUM Invitational at Montgomery, Ala.

Results

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Shaw Advances To CIAA Championship Game With 60-59 Win Over #10 Virginia State

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- The Shaw University Lady Bears clinched a spot in the CIAA Championship game with a 60-59 win over #10 Virginia State University Friday afternoon in Time Warner Cable Arena.

 

With Virginia State trailing by three, Cana Marriott launched a long jumper as time expired, but it was ruled a two-point basket, sending the Lady Bears to their ninth conference final in 12 years.

 

The Lady Bears will compete for their fourth straight CIAA Championship and take on Fayetteville State University on Saturday at 5:00pm.

 

Shaw entered the contest as the number two seed out of the Southern Division while Virginia State was the top seed out of the North.  The Lady Trojans suffered just two losses on the season, both to Shaw, and end the year with a 25-2 overall record.  Thursday's contest came down to the wire and featured five ties and four lead changes.

 

Jacques Curtis, head coach of the Lady Bears stated, "It was a fans' game.  We had a game similar to this during the regular season…[Virginia State] is a very good team.  We got off to a good start and we felt like we needed to have a good start today in order to win…We just held on until the end…Tomorrow is going to be another quality game."

 

"We knew it was going to be a hard fought game all the way until the end.  We knew it was going to be a battle.  We knew both teams were going to make runs and it was going to come down to who could make defensive stops late in the game," Lady Trojans' head coach, James Hill Jr. noted.

 

Diamond Mitchell paced the Lady Bears with 12 points in the win.  Micah Brooks and Verdine Warner each notched 11 points apiece while Ariel Hatcher chipped in 10 of her own.  Warner also hauled in a game-high 10 rebounds (three offensive, seven defensive).  Kamiya Burwell had nine assists to pace the Lady Bears.

 

Pryncess Tate-Dublin led all players in the game with 21 points in the loss for Virginia State.  Alexandria Massado added 11 points in the effort.

 

Bryann Guyton opened the contest with a jumper for the Lady Bears.  Tate-Dublin answered with a jumper of her own for Virginia State on the next possession.  A bucket by Brooks for Shaw sparked a 6-0 run and handed the Lady Bears an 8-2 lead with 16:53 on the clock.  Lamesha Deal's layup on the next possession ended a five minute scoring drought for the Lady Trojans.

 

Leading 8-4, a 5-0 run by Shaw quickly put the Lady Bears ahead 13-4 midway through the first half.  The Lady Trojans managed to hold Shaw scoreless for the next two minutes as they clawed their way back to pull within three points (13-10) with 7:32 left to play.

 

A layup by Warner followed by back-to-back buckets by Mitchell returned the momentum to Shaw and left Virginia State with a nine point deficit.  Down 21-15, the Lady Trojans outscored the Lady Bears 6-2 over the next three minutes to make it a two point game (23-21) at the 1:40 mark.

 

Virginia State was unable to hold on to the momentum and the Lady Bears closed out the half leading 28-23 after three made free throws by Brooks and a layup by Henry.  Tate-Dublin's bucket for Virginia State at the start of the second half put the Lady Trojans within three points (28-25).

 

Both teams exchanged baskets until Kamiya Burwell's three-pointer with 14:49 on the clock gave Shaw a six point (37-31) advantage.  Jessica Lyons answered with a basket and Tate-Dublin followed with a layup for the Lady Trojans, but Ariel Hatcher nailed a deep three at the 10:34 mark allowing Shaw to pull away 44-37.

 

The Lady Trojans resiliently battled back to change the momentum of the game just under the midway point of the second half.  Trailing 46-39, Virginia State rattled off nine unanswered points capped by a Tate-Dublin three to take their first lead of the game (48-46) with 6:58 left in the contest. 

 

The score was tied four times in the final six minutes of play and neither team led by more than three points.  With the score tied 57-57 and 40.7 seconds on the clock, Warner sank two free throws for a 59-57 lead for Shaw.   The Lady Bears capitalized on another free throw opportunity as Warner made good on the attempt to give Shaw a 60-57 lead with 17 seconds left in the game.

 

Marriott hit the jumper right at the buzzer and just in front of the three point arc, allowing the Lady Bears to take the 60-59 win and advance to the CIAA Championship.

 

The Lady Bears return to the championship for the nine time in the last 12 years, and are undefeated in finals the school's history.

 

Shaw and Fayetteville State met twice this season, with each team claiming a victory.  The two were tied in the southern division at the end of the regular season, but a coin flip gave FSU the number one seed in the south.

BOX SCORE
 
COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION 

Fayetteville State Ends VUU Lady Panthers CIAA Tourney Run

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  Amber Calvin scored 19 points to lead Fayetteville State University to its second straight CIAA Tournament championship game with a 64-57 women's basketball semifinal victory over Virginia Union University 64-57 at Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday, February 28, 2014.

 The Lady Broncos (21-6) will play in the finals on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Southern Division champions, the Lady Broncos are shooting for their fourth CIAA title and first since 2010.

Akysia Resper added 14 points and Je'lena Robertson chipped in 12 points for the Lady Broncos, who made 16-of-19 free throws for 84 percent. They knocked down 6-of-6 free throws in the final minute to hold off the pesky Lady Panthers, who struggled at the free throw line. The No. 3 Northern Division seed, the Lady Panthers were 13-of-31 from the charity stripe for 42 percent.

"In close games, it is going to come down to rebounding and free throws," Fayetteville State Head Coach Eva Patterson-Heath said. "Fortunately, we hit our free throws."

The quintet of Robertson, Calvin, Resper, Deja Middleton and Bria Robinson combined to make 16-of-16 free throws with Robertson hitting 6-of-6. Her two free throws with four seconds left iced the game for the Lady Broncos.

Missed free throws prevented the Lady Panthers from catching the Lady Broncos. Down 58-49 with 4:03 left, the Lady Panthers were 2-for-10 down the stretch. Despite the missed free throws, the Lady Panthers still had a shot with Melyse Brown drilled a three-pointer from the corner to pull within 60-57 with 35.4 seconds remaining. The Lady Broncos sealed the win on two free throws apiece by Middleton and Robertson in the final 17.6 seconds.

"Free throws were the issue today," Virginia Union Head Coach Barvenia Wooten-Cherry said. "We missed a lot of free throws."

Brown paced the Lady Panthers (11-16 overall) with 16 points. The trio of Ashle Freeman, Lady Walker and Jasmin Dancy each scored 11 points. Walker pulled down 13 rebounds for a double-double and Freeman had four assists and four steals. She set the school record for steals in the contest.

Trailing by two at halftime, the Lady Panthers jumped out to a 37-31 lead in the second half. The Lady Broncos gained momentum with a 19-3 run to go up 50-40. Calvin scored eight points and Resper added seven points during the spurt including a three-pointer for a 40-39 Lady Broncos lead.

The Lady Panthers stayed in striking distance by controlling the boards. They outrebounded the Lady Broncos 47-30 overall which led to a 34-26 scoring advantage in the paint and a 13-4 edge in second-chance points in the game. The free-throw shooting accuracy of the Lady Broncos prevented the Lady Panthers from making a comeback.

Calvin scored seven points and Robertson had six in the first half for the Lady Broncos, who were in front 25-23 in the first half.

Walker had nine points and nine rebounds for the Lady Panthers.

Led by six points from Walker and five from Brown, the Lady Panthers led 17-15 in the first 10 minutes.

The Lady Broncos kept pace behind the shooting of Calvin, who had seven points.

The Lady Broncos led 22-20 on a jumper by Robertson, but Walker scored on a layup to tie the game.

Resper hit a three for a 25-22 Lady Broncos' lead. A free throw by Walker pulled the Lady Panthers within two at 25-23 at halftime.

COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION