2014 SIAC Centennial Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

If you missed the event, here is an opportunity to view the video of the induction gala.

The SIAC Hall of Fame Centennial Class

In conjunction with the one hundredth anniversary of our conference, and on
behalf of the SIAC Council of Presidents, we were pleased and honored to
induct this Hall of Fame Class which features some of our most renown
former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves both on and off
their respective fields and courts of play.

Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State) and Deacon Jones (South Carolina State), a
pair of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, along with Major League
Baseball Hall of Famer Andre "The Hawk" Dawson (Florida A&M), and former
Temple University head basketball coach John Cheney, headlined the class of
inductees that was introduced as the SIAC's Centennial Hall of Fame
Class.

The centennial gala was held in the Magic City on March 5, 2014, Birmingham, Alabama.

The inductees were selected by the SIAC Hall of Fame Selection Committee, a
body of athletic administrators representing former and current member
institutions. They are:

Betty Austin, Alabama (A&M): Austin won 11 consecutive SIAC Volleyball

Championships, while posting a 456-177 record as the top SIAC volleyball

coach during her era. Overall, she has compiled a career record of over 600

wins, which made her the 12th coach in all of NCAA history to achieve such

mark. During her career Austin was named Coach of the Year 17 times, while

competing in the SIAC and SWAC.

Hampton "Hamp" Smith (Albany State): In 23 seasons under the helm, Smith

brought the Golden Rams football program into the national spotlight. A

five-time SIAC Coach of the Year, Smith led Albany State to nine SIAC

Football Championships. Smith won SIAC Coach of the Year awards in 1984,

1986, 1994 and 1996, and was named Coach of the Year by the Pigskin club of

Washington, D.C., in addition to the 100% Wrong Club of Washington, D.C.

John Cheney (Bethune-Cookman): John Chaney's legendary college
basketball career started in the SIAC as a standout for Bethune-Cookman
College. Chaney played for the Wildcats from 1951-55, leading the team
to the 1953 SIAC championship and berths in the NAIA national
tournament in 1953 and 1955. His career-high 57 point game against
Knoxville is recorded, but most of his individual records have been lost.
It's believed he scored over 3,000 points and is recognized on the
school's all-time scoring list. After coaching on the high school level,
he received his first college position was at Cheyney State, where he
compiled a 232-56 record, combined with leading the program

to the 1978 Division II National Championship. After a decade at Cheyney,

Chaney moved on to Division I Temple. He took Temple to the NCAA
tournament 17 times, reaching the Elite Eight five times, before retiring in
2006 after 24 years at the former Big East Conference school.

Lonnie Bartley (Fort Valley State): As the head women's basketball coach,

Bartley took the Lady Wildcats basketball program to new heights. In his 28

seasons as head coach, Barley led FVSU to 11 SIAC Championships, which

included a conference record 28 wins in one season. With over 600 wins on

his resume, Bartley is the all-time winning women's basketball head coach in

black college history.

Greg Lloyd (Fort Valley State): A standout at Fort Valley State from

1983-86, Lloyd was a three-time All-SIAC selection and was also named SIAC

Player of the Year in 1986. Lloyd was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in

the sixth round of the 1987 draft, and played 10 seasons with the storied

franchise. During his career, Lloyd was named AFC Player of the Year in

1994, while earning numerous Pro-Bowl selections from 1992-1996.

Tyrone Poole (Fort Valley State): As a member of the Wildcats football team,

Poole was an All-SIAC First Team selection during his junior season and

senior seasons in 1993 and 1994. In addition, he was named SIAC Defensive

Player of the Year in 1994, and was named All-American by the Associated

Press and the American Football Coaches Association. A first round draft

pick of the Carolina Panthers, Poole started 12 out of the 14 seasons he

played in the NFL. The Division II football Hall of Fame member also is a

two-time Super Bowl champion as a member of the New England Patriots.

Andre Dawson (Florida A&M): Known as the "Hawk," for his outstanding
defensein the outfield, Dawson, was a three-time All-SIAC baseball player at

Florida A&M University. He finished his 21-year big league career with a

.279 average, 438 home runs, 1,591 runs batted in and 314 stolen bases.

Dawson was the National League Rookie of the Year with the Montreal Expos in

1977 and the NL Most Valuable Player in 1987 with the Chicago Cubs. The

eight-time All-Star finished his career with 438 home runs and 314 stolen

bases, becoming the second player (after Willie Mays) to join the 400 HR/300

SB club.

Clemon Johnson (Florida A&M): Johnson was a All-SIAC and All-American

selection as a senior and finished his career as the all-time leading rebounder,
as well as one of the top scorers in the school's basketball history. Clemons
played 10 seasons in the NBA and won a NBA championship as a member of
the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983. Today, he serves as the head basketball coach
at his alma mater.

Willie Galimore (Florida A&M): One of the greatest running backs of his

time, Galimore was a four-time All-SIAC selection and three-time Pittsburgh

Courier All-American. He also led Florida A&M to four SIAC Football

Championships and one Black College National Championship. Galimore
played six seasons with the Chicago Bears until he died tragically in an auto

accident in 1964.Galimore is also a member of the College Football Hall of

Fame.

William Nicks (Morris Brown): Nicks coached football at Morris Brown
College for a total of 11 years and compiled a record of 66-22-13. He led his
1941team to a perfect season, where they were also named Black College
National Champions. Nicks is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Donn Clendenon (Morehouse): A 12-time letterman in football, basketball, and

baseball at Morehouse, Clendenon is known for his stellar performance in the

1969 World Series as he was named MVP, while leading the New York Mets to
a victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Clendenon had a 12 year career in the

Major League with the Montreal Expos, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals,

and Pittsburg Pirates.

Harold Ellis (Morehouse): An outstanding NCAA Division II player who led the

Maroon Tigers in scoring in each of his four seasons (1988-92), Ellis became

only the fifth player from a historically black college or university (HBCU)

to have his uniform number retired (#30). Morehouse had a 90-30 record

during his four years as a player there. He also led Morehouse College to

the Division II Final Four in 1991, becoming the first team from the SIAC to

advance the Final Four. Ellis played four seasons in the NBA with the LA

Clippers and Denver Nuggets. He is currently the director of Pro Scouting

for the Orlando Magic.

Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State): A former SIAC Offensive Player of the
Year at Savannah State University, Sharpe became the premier tight end in the

National Football League as a member of the Denver Broncos. A three-time

Super Bowl champion, Sharpe was an eight-time Pro-Bowl selection and named

to the All-Pro team four times in his 14 year career. At the time of his

retirement, Sharpe was the all-time leader in catches, yards, and touchdowns

by a tight end. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

David "Deacon" Jones (South Carolina State): Jones, was an All-SIAC

performer as a defensive end for South Carolina State in 1958. After

transferring to Mississippi Vocational School (Mississippi Valley State),

Jones was drafted in the 14th Round of the NFL draft by the Los Angeles

Rams. From there Jones emerged into the most fierce pass rusher in the NFL.

Jones won unanimous all-league honors six straight years from 1965 through

1970. He also played in seven straight Pro Bowls, 1965-1971, and was

selected to an eighth in 1973. In both 1967 and 1968, he was chosen the top

defensive player in the NFL by one major news service. He was inducted into

the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.

Samuel "Herc" Goodwin (South Carolina State): Goodwin was one of the top

athletes in the 1960's, as a linebacker and defensive lineman for South

Carolina State University. Goodwin was a three-time All-SIAC selection, as

well as being named to the Pittsburgh Courier All-American team in 1964.SC

State compiled a 22-14 record during his playing days, including an 8-2

(1963) and 7-2 (1964). In addition, he was inducted into the SC State

University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998, and also to the SC State

Centennial (1907-2007) Football Team.

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Virginia State Bowlers Outlast Fayetteville State For CIAA Title

DURHAM, North Carolina  – Virginia State lived up to its slogan to claim the 2014 CIAA Bowling Title.

The Trojans rallied past Fayetteville State twice in the finals of the CIAA Bowling Championships at AMF Durham Lanes on Sunday, March 23, 2014. They won both matches 4-3 for their third league crown and first under Head Coach Ronald Simms, Jr.

The top-seeded Lady Broncos were one win away from winning the championship after leading 3-1 in the first match. But the Trojans came back to beat the Lady Broncos, and then they prevailed in seven games of the second match to take home the trophy.

“Our slogan is ‘one ball, one frame, one goal’ and we try to follow that,” Simms Jr. said. “I try to teach them not to worry about the score. Throw the best shot you can.”

Senior Amber Seay of VSU was selected Most Valuable Bowler in the tournament. She rolled two of the team’s five strikes in the seventh and decisive game in the second match which clinched the championship. The Trojans won the seventh game 200-180.

“I feel like everything comes with a challenge,” Seay said. “If you really want [something], you have to go for it. Nothing worth having is ever achieved without a struggle.”

The Trojans, seeded second, battled their way to the crown in the elimination bracket after suffering their first bracket loss, a 4-1 defeat to the Lady Broncos earlier in the day. They won their last three matches 4-3 including a tough victory over Bowie State University after falling behind 3-2.

The win set up a rematch against Fayetteville State for the championship. It was the third straight finals appearance for the Trojans.

The Lady Broncos were unbeaten in bracket play and only needed a win over the Trojans for the championship. They appeared to have it after leading 3-1 in the first match, but the Trojans didn’t roll over.

“We were not going home,” Seay said. “This is my senior year and we have been in second place two years in a row. This was not happening.”

The Trojans won three consecutive games to hand the Lady Broncos their first loss in bracket play. The Lady Broncos took a 3-2 lead in the second match but the

Trojans regrouped to win two in a row for the championship.

The Trojans seized control in the last game with three consecutive strikes. The trio of Felicia Cantyne, Kiara Raiford and Seay each bowled a strike to set the tone. After the Trojans built an early lead, Seay and CIAA Bowler of the Year Rebecca Clements each recorded a strike to finish off the Lady Broncos.

“We gave it our best shot, but Virginia State got hot in the end,” said Fayetteville State Head Coach Bobby Henderson, whose Lady Broncos won the Southern Division title.

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Morgan State Bears Wrap First Week of Spring Practice

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Morgan State coach Lee Hull practiced his team for a little over two hours Saturday at Hughes Stadium. It was a pleasant morning session Stadium for the players, who practiced in full pads to complete the Bears' first week of the 2014 spring drills.

Afterward, Hull provided thoughts on a few players and topics:

Revised Practice Schedule:
"We couldn't practice on Tuesday (March 18) due to the inclement weather, so we practiced Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I think the guys are progressing the way we want in the offensive, defensive and special teams systems. You can see them getting better and better everyday, and more comfortable."

Healthy competition at running back:
"I think the running back competition is going to be pretty fierce with Lamont Brown III, Herb Walker Jr. and Tracy Martin. That's going to be a very good competition."

O-Line:
"I think the O-line shows a lot of promise and kind of dominated this week. Our defensive line was thin, but they're working hard."

Who is stepping up at quarterback this spring:
"[Robert] Council and [Moses] Skillon are taking most of the snaps. The quarterback position is a really good battle, with Seth [Higgins] being injured right now, and not being able to do anything until later in the spring. So these guys are getting a lot of reps and a lot of experience."

Key traits of a first-team QB:
"You have to be smart. In this offense, we put a lot of pressure on the quarterback to get us in the right play. It's someone who has to be pretty smart and is going to be a student of the game."

Team Leadership:
"Leadership is coming from everywhere. Everybody is buying in to what we're doing. They like what we're doing. The biggest thing that I've been stressing to them is that – 'A coach driven is a good team, but a player driven team is a great team'  -- and they've bought into that philosophy."

"They've been self-accountable for their actions and they've also held their teammates accountable for their actions, so I really like the way the program is going right now. We're going in the right direction and we have some good momentum because the players are taking the lead."

Practice Dates: The Bears will resume practice on the following dates:  April 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24 and 26. Practices start at 5:30 a.m. during the weekdays and 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays (April 5, 12, 19)

Spring Game: Saturday, April 26, 2014 at Hughes Stadium,

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Prairie View overwhelmed by UConn 87-44

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 1  |  Photo Gallery 2  | Photo Gallery 3

STORRS, Connecticut  --  Prairie View A&M outscored UConn by seven points over the final 16 minutes of their first-round NCAA tournament game Sunday.

Unfortunately for the Lady Panthers, they were down by 50 points after the first 24 minutes and lost 87-44 to the defending national champions.

"I think it was something we were lacking and that was the confidence in the first 20 minutes and that's what the girls came out and displayed in the second half," Prairie View coach Dawn Brown said. "I told them, 'You guys are going to have to play your hearts out in the last 20 minutes. And that's what they did."

LaReahn Washington scored 13 points to lead Prairie View and freshman Alexus Parker added nine. The Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament champions finished their season 14-18.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/03/23/3344594/prairie-view-overwhelmed-by-uconn.html#storylink=cpy

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Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/23/6261852/top-ranked-uconn-women-rout-prairie.html#storylink=cpy

Alabama A&M wins the 2014 SWAC Bowling Championship

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ARLINGTON, Texas --  After making their third appearance in the SWAC Bowling Championship round, Alabama A&M was crowned as this year's 2014 SWAC Bowling Champions on Sunday, March 23 at the Bowling International Training and Research Center.

This is AAMU's first championship since the 2010 season and third overall. Their first came in 2007.

With this being a double-elimination tournament, top seeded ALabama A&M only needed to win once.

Despite it being their first visit to the championship match, Alabama State did not make it easy for its arch-rival to take home the win as the Lady Hornets won the first match (4-2).

The Lady Bulldogs responded with a 4-2 victory of their own, claiming the SWAC Tournament Championship crown with a total pinfall of 1226.

AAMU's Nicole Kleutgen was tabbed as this year's Most Valuable Player. Kleutgen struck every shot but two in the final deciding match.

The 2014 title marks the first for Alabama A&M Coach Alexandra McIntyre who took over this year for Jeff McCorvey.

The championship final will be broadcasted on ESPNU tape delayed on Tuesday, April 1, at 8:30 p.m. CT.
 
2014 SWAC Bowling Final Results

2014 Final Bracket

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Gold Nuggets win at Cumberland, but Gold Rush lose

LEBANON, Tennessee  --  Xavier University of Louisiana defeated Cumberland 5-0 in women's tennis Sunday, but the XU men lost 5-2 to the Bulldogs.

All four teams are ranked by the NAIA. Xavier's women (11-5) are No. 2, and the men (6-9) are seventh. Cumberland's women (3-4) are 15th, and the men (3-4) are eighth.

The Gold Nuggets received two default victories because Cumberland had five women available. Brandi Nelson clinched with a 6-1, 6-0 decision against Tais Lacerda Bezerra at No. 5 singles. Extending her doubles win streak to 11 was Simone-Alyse Ewell, who teamed with Nour Abbes for an 8-3 decision against Angelica Sepulveda and Franki Jecker.

Kourtney Howell and Brion Flowers beat Alena Gizdic and Antea Dedic 8-3 for their fourth consecutive victory and the seventh in their last eight matches.

The Gold Nuggets are 6-2 this season against ranked NAIA teams. Overall, the Nuggets have won eight of their last nine duals.

In the men's dual, Cumberland avenged a 5-4 loss to the Gold Rush from March 8 at the AUM Invitational. The Bulldogs won both NAIA top-20 matchups -- Antonio Manuel Marcelo and Diogo Soares beat Kyle Montrel and Nikita Soifer 8-2 in doubles, and Marcelo defeated Montrel 6-3, 6-4 in singles.

Winning for Xavier were Kevin Chaouat and Tushar Mandlekar, who beat Pablo Borrero and Andres Burgos 8-6 at No. 2 doubles, and Vincenzo Ciccone in a 6-4, 6-4 No. 6 singles decision against Garry Tokas.

Chaouat and Mandlekar have won seven of their last nine. Ciccone has won four of his last five singles matches.

The Gold Rush are 4-5 this season against ranked NAIA teams.

Next duals for XU's men and women will be April 5 at 2 p.m. against Auburn Montgomery at the XU Tennis Center. AUM's men are ranked second in the NAIA, and the women are third. It will be the first Gold Rush home dual since Feb. 7.

Results:  Men    Women

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Tennessee State Tigers Competes in Alabama Relays

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- The Tennessee State track and field teams continued their Outdoor Seasons at the University of Alabama Relays this weekend against some of the nation’s stiffest competition.

In addition to the Crimson Tide, athletes from Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt took part in the event.

Two weeks after being named Athlete of the OVC Indoor Championship, Clairwin Dameus continued her strong campaign, placing second in the heptathlon with 5283 points. The sophomore won the 200-meter dash and long jump events, leading to the high finish overall.

Fellow Tigerbelle, Ashontae Jackson came in fifth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.56.

Quanisha Sales then had a top-three finish in the 100-meter dash following a run of 12.07 seconds and Amber Hughes had one too in the 100-meter hurdles (13.88).

Dameus, Jackson, Sales and Hughes later teamed to place second in the 4x100 with a final of 45.58.

For the Flying Tigers, Jerome Henderson notched at fifth-place finish in the 100-meter dash (10.78 seconds) and Michael Johnson came in second in the 400-meter dash after running the event in 48.16 seconds.

Royce Dates (7.22 meters) had a seventh-place finish in the long jump, while Daryl Rice and Caleb Carrothers tied for third in the high jump (2.10 meters).

TSU will next compete in the Oliver Nickoloff Invitational in Cincinnati, Ohio on March 28.

 

FINAL RESULTS

 

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UMES Wins MEAC Bowling Championship

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE HAWKS
2014 MÉAC BOWLING CHAMPIONS

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia --  It was a long and tiring day at the AMF Lanes in Chesapeake, Va. but in the end, the nation's third-ranked team from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) won their second-straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship over the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Rattlers, four games to three.

The seven-game grueling match was the second of the day for the Hawks and the third for the Rattlers. FAMU bested North Carolina A&T in the semi-finals, 4-0, to earn a spot against the top-seeded Hawks. The Rattlers were feisty all day. They defeated UMES 4-3 in the first match, forcing a second best-of-seven Baker game match in the double elimination format. 

"It feels good to win my first MEAC Championship with these eight girls," said head coach Kayla Bandy. "They have worked so hard preparing for this tournament, even though it showed more so on Friday and Saturday. They still were able to grind through the adversity today."  

The two teams bowled for over six hours, tallying 14 gamesm before the Hawks soared away in the seventh and final game to win the title.  

The match was taped for a delayed broadcast on ESPNU on March 31 at 10:30 p.m. While the teams, fans, crew and staff were exhausted at the end of the day, the toughest job will come from the editing department of ESPNU who will have to condense the six-hour plus match down to less than two hours for broadcast.  

Sure to be broadcast will be the seventh and final game of the second match where UMES pulled away for the win. Justyne Falbo (Greensburg, Pa.) bowled lead-off for the Hawks and the freshman hung tough, opening the match with a strike. Valerie Riggin (Vista, Calif.) bowled second and tossed a spare to put the Hawks out in front as FAMU opened the first two frames of the game.

Tatiana Munoz (Ibague Tolima, Colombia) was the Hawks third bowler and also opened but senior Megan Buja (Rockford, Ill.) got things back on track with a strike. While FAMU spared in the third for their first mark, they split in the fourth and left it open, which Buja took advantage of  Mariana Alvarado (Leon, Mexico) anchored for the Hawks and spared the fifth while Katherine Jones, the FAMU anchor, who was on all day, tossed a strike.

On the back five frames UMES would stay clean with spares from Falbo, Riggin and Munoz. FAMU opened the sixth, seventh and eighth frames, presenting the senior Buja with a golden opportunity. She could put the match to bed with a mark. She just missed the strike but a nine-spare would do and FAMU could not catch the Hawks. UMES would go on to take the game 182-130 and the match 4-3.

The win gives UMES their seventh conference title in women's bowling.

The game would be FAMU's lowest tally of the day against the Hawks and was not indicative of their play. The sixth-seeded Rattlers, who bowled superb Baker matches all tournament long, gave UMES everything they could handle and more. They pushed UMES to their limit before the tournament tested Hawks pulled away for the win.  

Maryland Eastern Shore knew it would be a tough day from the opening game of match one when they lost 198-129. That was their lowest Baker game tally of the season, worse than the previous low, 145, by 16 pins.  

Their best game of the day was a 245 in game four of the first match. They would only top 200 one more time, a 218 in the fourth game of the second match, a very uncharacteristic day for the defending USBC Collegiate National Champions.  

"We just weren't making great shots as a team today," said Bandy. "So I tried to arrange the lineup based on who was in the pocket the most. We used the 10th frame on several occasions to start preparing for the next game. The lanes were tough for us today but we worked through it slowly, physically and mentally."  

UMES used numerous line-up changes throughout the day and changed balls several times. At one point Buja was bowling anchor, Riggin was leading off and Alvarado was anywhere between second and fourth.  "We stayed positive and kept fighting until the very last shot," said Alvarado. 

 "We overcame a lot of adversity today and we are happy with the end result."  Alvarado was named the MEAC Championship Most Outstanding Player and an All-Tournament Team selection. Buja, a senior, who won her third MEAC title in her last chance, was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Head Coach Kayla Bandy was named the MEAC Championship's Most Outstanding Coach.  

"It's amazing to have won three MEAC Championships in my career," said Buja. "Today was a roller coaster but we stuck together and never gave up. This just shows how determined we were to win." J

Joining Alvarado and Buja on the All-Tournament Team was Jones of Florida A&M, Thea Aspiras of Norfolk State and Emily Strombeck of North Carolina A&T.  

Buja and the Hawks will now await the NCAA Selection Show on Wednesday, March 26 at 4:00 p.m. to see if they have secured a berth in the NCAA Tournament. A nod will be UMES' 11th straight selection in all 11 years of the event.  

Either way they will defend their USBC Collegiate title later in April in Reno, Nev.  

"We learned a lot from today's marathon bowling," said Bandy. "While we had a couple of girls used to the TV lights and the pace, I think it prepared us as a team, mentally and physically for the upcoming national championships."

2014 MEAC All-Tournament Team

Mariana Alvarado, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Megan Buja, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Emily Strombeck, North Carolina A&T State University

Katherine Jones, Florida A&M University
Thea Aspiras, Norfolk State University

Outstanding Performer: Mariana Alvarado, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Outstanding Coach: Kayla Bandy, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

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Highlights of the Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shot Contests at the 2014 NAIA Basketball National Tournament

NAIA DI Women Basketball Fab Four Press Conferences: Wiley College (Texas) ...

Ravens scout Tennessee State linemen at Pro Day workout

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Ravens assistant offensive line coach Todd Washington attended the Tennessee State campus Pro Day workout late last week, and he put guard Kadeem Edwards through positional drills.

Edwards, a 6-foot-4, 307-pounder, had a 29-inch vertical leap and bench pressed 225 pounds 25 times. He played in the Senior Bowl and also worked out at the NFL scouting combine during which he ran the 40-yard dash in 5.25 seconds. He's rated as a later-round draft target.

At the same workout attended by Washington, Tennessee State center-guard Demetrius Rhaney ran the 40-yard dash in 4.92 and 4.96 seconds.

The 6-foot-1, 301-pounder had a ...

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Eagle Pride, Amplified: Will North Carolina Central University's 1st NCAA Tournament Bid Boost Academics?

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- If North Carolina Central University were not in the same city as Duke University, you’d likely have heard more about them – not just their sports but their academic programs as well.

NCCU transitioned to NCAA’s Division I in the years preceding their final approval for the 2011-2012 season. The Eagles scored an NCAA men’s basketball tournament berth for winning the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference championship this year. Prior to the tournament, they finished the season 28-6 on a 20-game winning streak, with a notable 10-point victory over N.C. State just before Thanksgiving.

I had the pleasure of serving as a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at NCCU for almost four years and it was one of the most enriching personal and professional experiences of my career. Beyond working in one of two biotechnology and biomedicine-focused research institutes, NCCU afforded me the opportunity to engage with students and faculty in their tremendous jazz studies program, and everywhere across campus from criminal justice and library sciences to public administration, educational and health disparities, and communications.

A historically-Black college/university with an enrollment of 8,155 students – 6,369 undergrads and 1,786 – NCCU ranks 12th on the U.S. News & World Report list of HBCUs; fourth among state-funded HBCUs. NCCU is one of 17 institutions that comprise the University of North Carolina system (which includes UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State) – one of five HBCUs – and was the first in the system to require ...

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Hampton Historic Season Ends in Loss to Michigan State

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina  -- The Hampton University women's basketball team had its 2013-14 end on Sunday afternoon at Carmichael Arena, as the Lady Pirates fell 91-61 to No. 5 seed Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The loss snapped Hampton's 18-game winning streak.

The No. 12 seed Lady Pirates (28-5) were led by senior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.), who scored 19 points in her final collegiate game while also grabbing a team-high eight rebounds. Senior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) added 16 points and seven rebounds.

"Tough, tough game," head coach David Six said. "Michigan State played well. We certainly didn't play well in the first half. We weren't ready to go and I certainly have to take responsibility for that, but I can't take anything away from Michigan State."

A jumper from Hamilton at the 16:31 mark of the first half gave the Lady Pirates a 6-5 lead, before Michigan State answered with a 15-1 run to take a 20-7 lead after a 3-pointer from Tori Jankoska at the 12:17 mark.

Junior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) hit a trey at the 11:59 mark to end the run, but the Spartans scored the next 10 points, taking a 30-10 lead with 8:55 left in the first half after a fastbreak layup from Aerial Powers.

Cole hit two free throws at the 6:29 mark, cutting Michigan State's lead to 32-16, but the Spartans closed the half with a 22-6 run, taking a 54-22 lead into the locker room after Annalise Pickrel hit three free throws with nine seconds left in the half.

Michigan State opened the second half on an 8-1 run, taking a 62-23 lead with 17:55 left after a jumper from Pickrel. Another Pickrel jumper with 7:01 left gave the Spartans their largest lead of the game at 79-36.

Hampton went on a 9-1 run, cutting the lead to 80-45 with 4:53 left after a 3-point play from Bennett.

Hamilton added a trey with 3:05 left to cut the Spartans' lead to 85-53, and when Bennett hit a jumper with 1:03 remaining, it cut Michigan State's lead to the final margin of 91-61.

The Lady Pirates shot 27.2 percent (22-for-81) from the floor and hit just two of their 18 3-pointers (11.1 percent). Hampton did turn Michigan State over 20 times, scoring 16 points off of those miscues.

Michigan State (23-9) shot 52.5 percent (32-for-61) from the floor – including a 57.6 percent clip in the first half – and made six of 18 3-pointers. The Spartans also held a 54-42 advantage on the glass.

Powers led five Spartans in double figures with 26 points, to go along with 18 rebounds.

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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Spartans Advance in Tournament with 91-61 Win Over Hampton

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CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina -- Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant was a little concerned about how her team would perform after a two-week layoff.

Freshman Aerial Powers and senior Annalise Pickrel put her worries at ease right away.

Powers had 26 points and 18 rebounds, Pickrel had 21 points on 7 of 7 shooting and the fifth-seeded Spartans jumped out to a 32-point halftime lead and cruised to an easy 91-61 victory over No. 12 Hampton on Sunday to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Michigan State (23-9) came into the tournament looking to avenge a 28-point loss to Nebraska in the Big Ten Conference semifinals on March 8 and played inspired basketball almost from the opening tip.

"It felt like an eternity since we played," Merchant said.

"But we did a great job of keeping our composure and moving the ball."

And playing defense.

The Spartans held Hampton to 18 percent shooting in the first half to build a 54-22 lead the break.
They never led by less than 30 points in the second half.

Merchant got a huge day from her three key freshmen.

Powers, who came in as the only freshman in the nation to total at least 400 points, 200 rebounds and 75 assists this season, was dominant in all phases in her first NCAA tournament game. She was 10 of 18 from the field, often slicing down the lane and creating an open shot, and chipped in with two blocked shots and two steals to overcome two early turnovers.

Powers also held Hampton's Malia Tate-DeFreitas to 1 of 15 shooting from the field.

Fellow freshmen Branndais Agee had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Tori Jankoska had 11 points for the Spartans, who shot 58 percent from the field in the first half.

"We need some excitement in our game and it's a positive," Merchant said of the influx of freshmen in women's basketball this season.

"It's a positive and might bring some fans back for four more years - and even attract some new ones."

Of course, Merchant's star senior was pretty good, too.

Pickrel's 21 points tied a career high. She hit all three 3-pointers and was 4 of 4 from the foul line to cap a perfect shooting day.

The taller Spartans outscored the Pirates 46-30 in the paint.

Hampton (28-5), the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, came in riding an 18-game winning streak and looking for its first NCAA tournament win.

But the first half did them in.

It didn't take long for Michigan State to take control.

Trailing 6-5, Powers ignited a 15-1 run by scoring on an offensive rebound and then on a fast break layup to give her team the lead for good. Pickrel knocked down two 3-pointers and Jankoska added another trey during the stretch.

When Michigan State wasn't hitting shots from outside, they were dominating on the boards. They out-rebounded the Pirates 54-42.

The Spartans continued to pull away building a 32-point lead halftime behind Powers, who already had a double-double at the break with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

"We weren't ready to go, and I take responsibility for that," Hampton coach David Six said.

Said Pirates guard Kenia Cole: "You can't have slow starts against a team like Michigan State and expect to win."

Hampton too often settled for one-on-one drives to the hole which often resulted in blocked shots or misses. The Spartans had six blocks alone in the first half.

"We let our emotions get the best of us," Six said. "We did a lot of 1-on-1 play and did not move the ball from side to side."

Part of that might have been Michigan State's preparation.

"We had been preparing for them for a while and knew their offensive sets backward and forward," Pickrel said.

Nicole Hamilton led the Pirates with 19 points. Alyssa Bennett had 16.

Michigan State led by at least 30 points throughout the second half but coach Merchant waited until the final minutes before emptying the bench.

Becca Mills added 12 points for Michigan State, which has advanced to the second round in nine of its last 10 seasons.

Hampton fell to 0-8 all-time in NCAA tournament play.

COURTESY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Southern defense keeps learning

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Southern football coach Dawson Odums said his defense “made some busts” in its first spring scrimmage last week.

He said the defense had one bust in the Jaguars’ second scrimmage Saturday.

“Other than that, it was individual guys making individual plays,” he said. “I like seeing four and five guys on the tackle, and I saw a lot of that today. I thought our safeties got a lot better from the last scrimmage to this scrimmage.”

That improvement is consistent with last season, when the defenders demonstrated that they could learn from their mistakes and get better week after week.

The difference in the performance of the defense in the first three games and the last 10 was about as stark as it could be, and it was one of the keys to Southern’s drive to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.

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Homecoming fallout: JSU seeks legal action against Grambling, SWAC

Jackson State estimates it lost up to $600K on forfeited game

JACKSON, Mississippi  --   Still stinging from Grambling State’s no-show for October’s homecoming football game and frustrated by what it perceives as a lack of support from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Jackson State University has been pushing the Mississippi attorney general’s office for five months to pursue legal action against Grambling, the SWAC or both.

Documents obtained by The Clarion-Ledger through an open records request clearly show ...

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NAIA Div. I Tournament National Championship: No. 3 Wiley College (Texas) Bests No. 1 Westminster (Utah), 75-58; Bound for First-Ever Fab Four

Wiley College Lady Wildcats (30-4) advances to the first Fab Four in program history, and will be the first historically black college to appear in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship semifinals since former member Central State (Ohio) in 2002.

FRANKFORT, Kentucky --  No. 3 Wiley (Texas) bested No. 1 Westminster (Utah), 75-58, in the third quarterfinal game at the Frankfort Convention Center Saturday to advance to its first-ever NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship Fab Four.

The Lady Wildcats had beaten No. 6 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), while Westminster had defeated No. 8 William Woods (Mo.) and No. 4 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), to advance to the quarterfinals.

Wiley never trailed after taking a 6-5 lead on a field goal by junior center Alexia Kelley with 15:28 remaining in the first half. The Lady Wildcats headed to the locker room at halftime with a 19-point lead and kept it at double-digits throughout the second period, despite the Griffins shooting 50.0 percent (3-of-6) from 3-point range and 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from the field in the second half.

Senior guards Danisha Shaw and Kyniddia Purdy led Wiley with 23 and 19 points, respectively.



Shaw’s 23 points was also the game-high. “Danisha Shaw and Kyniddia Purdy are our seniors on our team and they led us. They remember the hurt we felt last year from [our national championship first round loss to] Campbellsville and wanted to come back and prove why Wiley was in the tournament,” said Red River Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Courtney Garrett-Pruitt.

Wiley (30-4) advances to the first Fab Four in program history, and will be the first historically black college to appear in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship semifinals since former member Central State (Ohio) in 2002. The Lady Wildcats will face the last remaining No. 1 seed, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) on Monday at 8:00 p.m. EDT.

Coach Garrett-Pruitt said this of the Lady Wildcats' semifinal matchup, “It’s going to be a tough game. Freed-Hardeman is a great team and a historic program with great coaches. I know we're going to have our work cut out for us, but it's going to be a great game.”

Westminster falls in the national championship quarterfinals for the second-straight year and ends its season with a record of 26-3.

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By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

FAMU Rattlers Split MEAC Doubleheader With NCCU Eagles

COURTESY FAMU SPORTS INFORMATION

Rattlers romp 13-5 in opener; Eagles take second game, 6-5 in nine innings

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (March 22) – The Florida A&M University Rattler Baseball team split a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader with visiting North Carolina Central Saturday afternoon at Moore-Kittles Field, winning the opener, 13-5, before dropping the nightcap, 6-5 in extra innings.

@ FAMU (7-14, 4-4 in MEAC) unleashed an 18-hit attack in the first game, led by Bennie Robinson, Marlon Gibbs and Jared Walker with three hits and a run batted in each, along with two hits apiece by Michael Birdsong, Kendal Weeks and Jeremy Barlow. Weeks drove in a team-high three runs, while Birdsong drove in another.

The Rattlers led 3-0 in the fifth before scoring four runs to forge a 7-0 lead, but NCCU (9-13, 6-5 in MEAC) scored four runs in the sixth to slice the FAMU margin to 7-4.

FAMU picked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their edge to 9-4, then the Eagles scored a single run in the seventh to close to 9-5, before the Rattlers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth to salt away the game.

FAMU starting pitcher Chase Jarrell (2-2) got the win, allowing four runs on six hits in six innings with a pair of strikeouts, with reliever Jordan Montague working the final three innings to log his first save. Alex Dandridge (0-4) took the loss for Central.

Zach Lee, Carlos Ortiz and Jake Cagle led NCCU with two hits each.

@ In Game Two, Central built an early lead forcing FAMU to play catch up the entire game, leading 3-0 after scoring two runs in the top of the fourth, before the Rattlers began their climb back into contention with a run in the bottom of the fourth for a 3-1 game.

NCCU scored a single run in the fifth for a 4-1 lead, before the Rattlers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, keyed by Bennie Robinson’s two-run double that tied the game at 4-4.

Central scored two runs in the ninth to take the lead for good at 6-4, although FAMU did rally in the bottom of the frame, plating a run on Devin Perry’s RBI single for the 6-5 final.

Kyle Shields (2-0) was the winning pitcher for NCCU, working three innings in relief of starter Terry McNabb, while Brandon Fleming (0-2) took the loss for FAMU, allowing the two ninth inning runs, and three hits with two strikeouts in two innings of work.

Jeremy Barlow, Jared Walker, Blake Quillin and Devin Perry each had two hits for FAMU, while Carter Williamson and James Dey each had two hits to lead NCCU.

WHAT’S NEXT: FAMU and NCCU will play the rubber match of the three-game set Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Moore-Kittles Field.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

S.C. State football team dons full gear for first time

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Clear, sunny skies and the players donning full gear for the first time this spring made for a long, lively and productive Saturday football practice for South Carolina State at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

The 2½-hour session was the longest so far this spring for the Bulldogs. With several personnel and coaching changes, the team continues to go through a period of installation and adjustments while simultaneously honing their skills at their respective positions.

“We’ve got a lot to learn still and you’re just still sort of swimming because you’ve got so many things going in, but at the same time, it’s going well,” S.C. State head football coach Buddy Pough said.

The competition at quarterback remains an undecided affair, with Pough acknowledging neither redshirt junior TeDarius Wiley nor redshirt freshmen Adrian Kollack and Joey Copeland have distinguished themselves enough yet to be named a starter. All three quarterbacks showed inconsistency throwing the football during passing drills against the defense and Pough said they are working on ways to best fit their talents into the offensive system.

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Gold Nuggets defeat another ranked NAIA opponent

Kyle Montrel and Nour Abbes

Kyle Montrel and Nour Abbes

  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Xavier University of Louisiana defeated Milligan 8-1 on Saturday for its fifth women's tennis victory this season against a ranked NAIA opponent.

Xavier's men defeated Milligan 9-0.

The Gold Nuggets (10-5), ranked second in the NAIA, won for the seventh time in their last eight duals. They're 5-2 against ranked NAIA teams. Milligan (9-4) is ranked 18th.

Xavier's Nour Abbes improved to 10-0 in singles with a 6-3, 6-2 decision against Rachel Hodas. Abbes and Simone-Alyse Ewell beat Caroline Morelli and Susan Rainwater 8-1, giving Ewell her 10th consecutive doubles victory.

Kourtney Howell earned her fourth consecutive singles victory, 6-1, 6-1 against Kayla Kelly, and teamed with Brion Flowers to beat Hodas and Kelly 8-1 for the sixth doubles victory in their last seven matches.

The Nelson sisters, Carmen and Brandi, collected the other XU singles victories.

In the men's dual, Kyle Montrel and Nikita Soifer won in doubles and singles for the third consecutive day. They teamed for an 8-4 victory against Colin Bumann and Matias Yanez. In singles, Montrel beat Yanez 6-0, 6-0, and Soifer defeated Bumann 6-4, 6-2.

Vincenzo Ciccone, in his first doubles match of the semester, and Jordan Harrell defeated Caleb Friddell and Alex Delozier 8-3. Adam Albrecht defeated Jackson Lenoir 6-0, 6-1 to give Albrecht consecutive singles victories for the first time this semester.

Ciccone and Harrell also won singles matches, and Kevin Chaouat won in doubles and singles.

The Gold Rush are 6-8, and the Buffaloes are 6-7.

Both XU teams will conclude their trip with 10 a.m. Sunday duals at Cumberland, whose men are ranked eighth and women ranked 15th in the NAIA.

Results:  Men    Women

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Alcorn State Braves Hold First Scrimmage of Spring Football

LORMAN, Mississippi - The Alcorn State football team took the field Saturday morning completing their first week with their first scrimmage.

The Braves came out with plenty of energy and eager to get after one another in full pads. Both the offense and defense held their own throughout the scrimmage and was able to put in close to 60 plays this morning.

"Well we came out today with a goal to get in as many plays as possible and give our guys plenty of reps," stated Coach Hopson. "We had a pretty good day but it's just the first week and we know what areas we have to improve on before we put on a good show for our fans on April 12th.

The Braves return to practice Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.

COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

In-State Rivals to meet for SWAC Bowling Championship

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

ARLINGTON, Texas – In-state rivals and top seeded Alabama A&M and Alabama State will meet in the final round of the 2014 SWAC Bowling Tournament on Sunday, March 23, inside the Bowling nternational Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas. Start time is slated for 1:00 p.m. CT.

No. 1 seed AAMU will appear in the Southwestern Athletic Conference bowling championship match for the third consecutive year while No. 2 seed ASU makes its first appearance.

The Lady Bulldogs captured the title during the 2010 season. 

Saturday AAMU made its way into the semifinals after having a first round bye. The Lady Bulldogs topped Jackson State and would later move past ASU to advance to the championship match.

AAMU is powered by All-SWAC selections Rebecca Goodwin and Camille Collins with Arial Dowdy receiving all tournament honors.

ASU also had a first round bye but the road to the title match took a different turn. The Lady Hornets defeated Texas Southern, dropped their next match to AAMU which sent them into the losers bracket. After six matches with JSU, ASU earned a spot in Sunday’s championship game.

SWAC Bowling regular season MVP Danielle Walker leads ASU. Walker is joined by all conference pick, Brianna Wells. Wells was named to the all tournament team along side teammate Kaila Ryan.

The defending SWAC Champion Prairie View A&M's quest for a third straight title fell short as they were eliminated by JSU in the semifinals.

 

2014 SWAC Bowling Bracket

2014 SWAC Bowling Updated Results    

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

No. 3 Wiley (Texas) Handles No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), 81-70

FRANKFORT, Kentucky  –  No. 3 Wiley (Texas) became the second team to advance to its first-ever NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship quarterfinals by defeating No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), 81-70.

The Lady Wildcats knocked off No. 6 Mobile (Ala.), 74-72, on Thursday morning to advance to the second round, while the Bears upset No. 2 Oklahoma Baptist to make their fourth-straight second round in their fourth-straight national championship appearance.

The first half featured five ties and six lead changes, with Wiley never leading by more than the one point advantage they took to the locker room at halftime. Senior guard Alannah Sheets, who scored a tournament-high 45 points in the Bears first round matchup, had a game-high 14 points at the half.

Sheets went cold after scoring the first two points of the second half on free throws. The Mid-South Conference Player of the Year scored just two points in the final 19:37, leaving Shawnee State to rely on their No. 2 scorer, senior guard Priscila Santos. Santos stepped up with 10 second-half points and totaled a team-high 22 in the losing effort.

Wiley never trailed in the final 9:51 after a back-and-forth battle for the first 30 minutes of game action. The Bears finished the contest on a six-point run to end with their largest lead of the game at 11.

Senior guard Danisha Shaw scored 11 in the second half to finish with a game-high 23 as one of two Wildcats in double-figures.

Shawnee State won the battle of the boards (52-40), but Wiley shot better from the field (45.5 percent) and from beyond the arc (50.0 percent) in the win. Wiley’s pressure defense led to 10 steals for the Wildcats and forced the Bears to commit 16 turnovers.

Wiley (29-4) advances to its first-ever quarterfinals and will face the winner of No. 4 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) and No. 1 Westminster (Utah).

Shawnee State is eliminated in the second round for the third-straight year and ends the season with a record of 20-13.

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NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Schedule/Results
NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Bracket

By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern
Red River Athletic Conference

Freed-Hardeman Fights Off Talladega Tornadoes, 71-64

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Tenth-seeded Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) earned its first-ever quarterfinal round berth in the 2014 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship after posting a 71-64 win over No. 7-seeded Talladega (Ala.), Friday afternoon in Municipal Auditorium. The Lions will face St. Gregory’s (Okla.) in the quarterfinal round on Saturday at 2:00p.m. CDT.

Freed-Hardeman (30-5) advances to the round of eight for the first time despite yielding an early 11-point lead in the first half. The Lions used an 11-2 run early on to grab a 24-13 advantage, but the Tornadoes finished the first half by outscoring the opposition, 23-11, to take a 36-35 lead into intermission.

Brandon Peters opened the second half with a basket for Talladega, which was followed by seven-straight points from Freed-Hardeman. The teams traded the lead three more times before the Lions took control of the advantage for the final time.

Damion Wooten and Ben Meis connected on back-to-back offerings from beyond the arc with 7:48 remaining to give the Lions a six-point cushion. Kyle Teichmann helped put the game away with two-straight buckets, the second of which giving Freed-Hardeman an 11-point lead with 3:06 to play.

Neither team was able to shoot above 40 percent for the game, as the Lions posted a 38.7 percent mark while the Tornadoes were held to 33.3 percent from the field. The Lions were efficient from three-point range, connecting on seven of their 17 attempts from outside. The Tornadoes, however, missed on all seven of its long-range attempts after halftime and finished with a 19.0 percent clip (4 of 21) from beyond the arc.

“I thought our effort was really, really good,” said Freed-Hardeman head coach Jason Shelton. “I thought we did a good job defensively of trying to keep guys in front of us, trying to lock into their shooters and not lock into their guys that were drivers and they were still able to get to the basket.”

Orlando Bass led the way for Freed-Hardeman with 19 points and five rebounds, while Kyle Teichmann added 18 points and shared game-high rebounding honors with 12. Meis also chipped in with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.

“I felt like we didn’t come out really focused and we weren’t ready to do what we wanted to do,” said Talladega head coach Matt Cross. “I have to give credit to Freed-Hardeman. They took us out of our rhythm offensively, attacked our weaknesses in our zone, and hit some really key shots.”

Peters led all scorers with 21 points for Talladega, while Elijah Jones tallied 20 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. HarifNiron-Hughes matched Teichmann with 12 rebounds for the Tornadoes.

Talladega finishes its season with a record of 29-6.

Game notes:
Freed-Hardeman– Orlando Bass is averaging 22.3 points over the past three games and shooting 54.5 percent from the field in those games … The Lions have won back-to-back games after losing in the first round of their first three appearances in the tournament … Freed-Hardeman came into the game ranked second in NAIA Division I in rebound margin (+10.4) and posted a 49-45 edge on the glass.

Talladega – The Tornadoes dropped to 5-3 on the season in games against teams in this year’s tournament … The 64 points were the third-fewest this season for Talladega and lowest point total since a Dec. 8 win over Shawnee State (Ohio) … The Tornadoes came into the tournament leading NAIA Division I in scoring margin (20.2) and  was second in field goal percentage (.509) … Talladega is now 1-2 all-time in the National Championship.


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By Eric Montgomery | NAIA Staff 
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UConn women to begin NCAA title defense against lightly regarded Prairie View

GAME TIME: SUNDAY, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN

STORRS, Connecticut – Top-ranked UConn understands the part it's playing in this year's NCAA tournament.

While the rest of the country might like to see more parody in women's basketball, the defending champions are beginning what they hope will be a run at a record ninth title on Sunday, breaking the tie with Tennessee.

"People always have to have somebody that's either the star or the villain," said UConn coach Geno Auriemma. "Somebody's got to play that role."

The Huskies, who just completed their seventh undefeated regular season, open their tournament run with a less than marquee matchup against No. 16 seed Prairie View A&M. The Panthers come into the game 14-17 after winning their fourth consecutive SWAC conference title. The team lost its first 11 games this season, before turning things around late. But they are 0-5 in the NCAA tournament.

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