Southern University football vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff game capsule

When/Where: Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at A. W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge

Television: The homecoming game won't be televised live on Saturday but will be available on tape delay at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Radio: WYNK 97.7 FM

Coaches: Arkansas Pine Bluff — Monte Coleman (7th season, 32-39). Southern — Dawson Odums (2nd season as head coach, was interim in 2012, 15-12).

About Southern: If the Jaguars' season could be characterized by one word, it'd be inconsistent. Through five games, Southern (2-3, 1-1 SWAC) has neither won nor loss more than one consecutive contest. While that has kept the Jaguars from plummeting in the conference standings, their inability to string together a few wins has kept the defending SWAC champions in the middle of the pack nearly midway through the season.



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Game preview: Fort Valley State at Tuskegee

THE GAME

When: 1 p.m. today

Where: Cleve L. Abbott Stadium

Records: Tuskegee (2-2, 1-0 SIAC); Fort Valley State (3-1, 2-0)

On the air: TV – none. Radio – SteveSoulRadio.com

Twitter: @EthanGBernal, @mgmsports

Hashtag: #TUPride

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1. Persistence paying off: Through the first three games of the season, sophomore running back Hoderick Lowe had struggled to return to the form of his freshman season that earned him All-SIAC preseason honors. Developing his game inside the tackles, and keeping with the game plan, Lowe broke out for 131 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win over Lane.

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Alcorn stomps Alabama State, leads SWAC East

LORMAN, Mississippi – It was suppose to be one of the best matchups of the season in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Instead, it was all Alcorn State.

Behind a stubborn defense and a very strong running attack, the Braves ran past the preseason division favorite Alabama State 33-7 Thursday, taking sole possession of the SWAC East.

And now, Alcorn State (5-1, 3-0 SWAC) controls its own destiny. With just two more matchups with teams from the East, the Braves can clinch the divisional title.

"We have to a short memory," third-year Alcorn coach Jay Hopson said. "We can't celebrate this too long. That is the thing about football. You stack the poker chips at the end of the season, not in the middle."

Still, the Braves continue to build off their 9-3 record from last year. It was the most wins the program won since 1994, when the legendary Steve McNair played.

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TSU Tigers Look for 2-0 OVC Start at SEMO

WATCH LIVE | LISTEN LIVE | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- On Saturday, the Tennessee State football team will compete in its OVC road opener at Southeast Missouri State.

 

Scouting TSU
The Tigers (4-1, 1-0 OVC) are red-hot, in the midst of a three-game winning streak in which their defense has surrendered a total of 14 points. TSU is coming off a, 27-7, victory over Florida A&M in the homecoming game, a contest in which Big Blue scored a pair of touchdowns on defense.

 

Scouting SEMO
The Redhawks are having a rebound year and sit at 3-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play. SEMO has won two straight, including a 24-23 upset of then-No.3 Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 20 and a win over UT Martin. Saturday marks SEMO’s homecoming game.

 

Three Keys to the Game

Stop Snyder
Southeast dual-threat quarterback Kyle Snyder has been his team’s biggest impact player so far this season, accounting for 14 total touchdowns (10 with his arm, four from his legs). His 84 points rank him second in the FCS in scoring behind All-American candidate Vernon Adams from Eastern Washington (128 points). The Redhawks go as their quarterback goes, but fortunately, TSU has the No. 3 ranked pass defense (129.4 y/g) and are fourth in the FCS in scoring defense (10.8 p/g). Stopping Snyder will be of paramount importance for the Tigers if they want to improve to 2-0 in conference play.

 

Throw it Towards the End Zone
Tennessee State has gone 10 straight quarters without a passing touchdown and may be without the services of the season starter at quarterback Mike German for the third straight game. The good news for Ronald Butler or whoever the TSU quarterback will be, is that SEMO has allowed 14 passing touchdowns on the year and 83 percent of opponent red zone chances have resulted in points. Last year, the Tigers threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns in 40-16 blowout over the Redhawks at LP Field. SEMO is an improved team since then, but TSU will benefit from a similar production on Saturday.

 

Keep the Streak Alive
The Tennessee State defense has returned one interception for touchdown in three straight contests, all from different defenders. Against Tennessee Tech two weeks ago, Ronnie Vinson’s pick-six was the difference in a 10-7 Tiger win. TSU leads the nation with 10 interceptions on the season and Snyder can get careless with the ball, as evidenced by his six giveaways. The Tigers might need all the easy points they can get as SEMO averages 36.6 points per game, second in the OVC.

 

TSU holds a 12-10 edge all-time in the series and has won three straight. Rod Reed is also 3-1 against the Redhawks, which is his second-best mark versus all Ohio Valley Conference opponents behind Tennessee Tech.

 

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and fans can follow the links above to watch or listen to the contest.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Defensive breakdowns concern Morgan State coach Lee Hull

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Thanks to redshirt sophomore running back Herb Walker Jr., Morgan State has the 10th-best rushing offense in the Football Championship Subdivision at 259.8 yards per game.

Things, however, are not as good on the other side of the ball.

While the Bears (2-3 overall and 1-1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) rank decently in the country in average points allowed (39th at 22.6) and average yards surrendered (48th at 361.6), the defense also ranks 93rd against the run (217 yards per game), is tied for 111th in first downs (118), and ranks 116th in third-down conversion percentage (51.1 percent).

The unit's play has been especially disconcerting when the team needs a defensive stop. In a 29-26 loss to Holy Cross on Sept. 6, the defense gave up five first downs – including one after a conversion on third-and-16 – on the Crusaders’ game-winning touchdown.

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Shouppe reloads FAMU baseball with juco pitchers

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- As much as coach Jamey Shouppe and his FAMU baseball players wanted to get to the NCAA playoffs last season, they just didn't have the depth – especially pitching -- to make if through their conference tournament.

So it's easy to understand why Shouppe reloaded with junior college arms to bolster his pitching staff for the upcoming season. For the past two weeks, they've been on display as the team goes through fall workouts.

It's the start of a long road that Shouppe hopes will lead to a better finish than 26-26, which marked the first time since 2003 that the program had a finish at .500 or better.

"We have more choices; a lot more depth," Shouppe said, following Wednesday's practice. "We feel good about a lot of things, but we still have a long way to go; a lot of work to do. We still have guys that we are teaching different things and the guys are giving us everything they have.

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NCCU to take on Tar Heels in Chapel Hill Nov. 14

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- As inconsistent as Roy Williams’ North Carolina Tar Heels have been lately, and as steady as LeVelle Moton’s N.C. Central Eagles were last season, NCCU fans have legit reasons to like the Eagles’ chances when the teams meet at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill on Nov. 14 (8 p.m., ESPNU).

That game in the Dean Dome will be the season opener for both teams, after which the Eagles will swoop around the country to deal with more big-name programs, according to the schedule NCCU’s athletics department released Wednesday.

“My philosophy on scheduling remains the same,” Moton said. “We will not shy away from top competition. We take every challenge head-on, and with the amount of newcomers we have to mix in, this schedule will truly reveal what type of team we have.”

This will be Moton’s sixth year as the head coach at his alma mater, and he’s never had a team as big and tall and long as the one he’ll take into the 2014-15 season.

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Albany State’s Mike White retuns home to face Paine

ALBANY, Georgia — Albany State head football coach Mike White can tell you all the shortcuts between Albany and Augusta, the site of this weekend’s SIAC East Division battle between White’s Rams and Paine College.

While White and his family are firmly entrenched at Albany State, it will be a homecoming for him on Saturday when the two teams meet at 4 p.m.

“It’s always good to go home,” White said. “There’s nothing like getting to see some old faces that I haven’t seen in a while. I’m looking forward to seeing my dad and immediate family and stuff. I’ll see a lot of friends I haven’t seen in a while.”

But playing the Lions, who returned to football this season, will be a challenge. Paine (0-4, 0-2 SIAC East) is still seeking its first victory and would like nothing more than to upend the preseason conference favorites.

Albany State (1-2, 1-0) knows it will get Paine’s best shot.



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Benedict, Miles Battle On TV In "Must Win" Game

Gameday Central

Benedict Tigers at Miles College Golden Bears, 8 p.m. Eastern

TV: CBS Sports Network

Columbia Time Warner: Channel 315, 1537 (HD)

Columbia AT&T U-Verse: Channel 643, 2643 (HD)

Benedict College Cable: Channel 32

Direct TV: Channel 221

Dish Network: Channel : Channel 158

Online:www.ncaa.com

Audio: Stretch Internet

Live Stats

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Thursday night's televised football game between Benedict College and Miles College should provide viewers with an exciting game, as both coaches have labeled this contest a "must win."

The Tigers, 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the SIAC, are coming off a gut-wrenching 33-30 loss to Fort Valley State last Saturday. The Tigers tied the game with 1:32 left to play, but then missed the extra point. Then the Wildcats moved down the field, getting a 25-yard pickup on a quarterback scramble, and kicked a 40-yard field goal with two seconds left for the victory.

Miles, which played in the SIAC championship game last year, is 1-3 and 0-1 in the SIAC. But their losses were against West Georgia, a nationally-ranked Division II team, Hampton, a Divison I program, and last week lost to defending SIAC champion Albany State 14-7 in a rematch of last year's championship game.

So both teams are looking to get back on the winning track and point to this contest as crucial to stay in the chase for the SIAC championship game.

"They're thinking they're not playing well. But Miles is a very good football team," Woody said. "They're not going to fool us with that. They've played great teams the first four games, and we're expecting a dog fight. We've got to play our best to have an opportunity to win. We've got to go in there with the frame of mind that we've got to win this football game. It's a must win for each team. Both sides know it."

Miles coach Reginald Ruffin said he is focused on trying to get his team to improve and get a win and not the hoopla surrounding the nationally-televised broadcast.

"It's good for the moral of the school," Ruffin said about the television game. "For me, I have to make sure we don't embarrass the institution the way we've been playing. It's more pressure on me to make sure these guys are ready to play a football game rather than be in the limelight and get embarrassed by a good Benedict football team. To me, it's just a game. A conference game and a game we have to win."

Kickoff Thursday night is 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. The game will also be video streamed over the internet on www.ncaa.com. Benedict will stream audio on Stretch Internet with the Tigers' regular radio crew of Jason James and Brian Morris. The game will not air on WLXC Kiss 103.1. Miles College will also provide live stats.

Woody expects a strong running game out of the Golden Bears. Benedict has been susceptible to the run this season, giving up 193.5 yards per game on the ground.

"We've challenged that defense. They've got to stop the run," Woody said. "They can't come in and run for 200, 250, 300 yards. They just can't do that. We've got to be able to shut that down. They're comfortable throwing the football as well. They're a balanced team, and that's what championship caliber teams are."

Miles' Ruffin is not happy with the play of the Bears, who have lost three straight.

"We're not a very good football team at the moment," Ruffin said. "And that's got a lot to do with me as a head coach. We're just not getting it done special teams, offensively or defensively. We've got to find a way to get us back over the hump. We're on the skids right now and it hasn't been good for Miles."

The Bears, meanwhile, are concerned about stopping Benedict's passing attack. Senior quarterback Cameron Stover has passed for nearly 800 yards in the first four games, and has thrown seven touchdown passes.

"Stover is a well defined quarterback," Ruffin said. "He makes accurate reads and he's got great receivers as well. Coach Woody, being the offensive-minded guy that he is, has really done a good job to build that program. You can tell they have gotten better each year. The biggest thing for us is to coral the running back. They've got a real fast, energetic running back, and when he hits the hole, he can go the distance. More importantly is the quarterback. We've got to get the ball out of his hands and put pressure on him and make him get rid of it. When he has time, he will thread that needle real well. We've got our work cut out for us."

One area Woody wants to see the Tigers do better in is cutting down penalties. After a penalty-free first half against Fort Valley State, the Tigers were flagged 10 times for 93 yards in the second half.

"That's just discipline," Woody said. "We've got to have some discipline. That's the only way you're going to win football games."

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION 

No offense: J.C. Smith needs points

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Football isn’t much fun at Johnson C. Smith.

Injuries and offensive ineffectiveness have contributed to the Golden Bulls’ 1-3 start, which they’ll try to improve at Bowie State on Saturday. JCSU has been outscored 138-39 and two losses have been shutouts. The latest drawback was a 27-26 loss to Virginia Union on Jussie York’s one-handed touchdown catch from 37 yards out on the final play. The Golden Bulls led 26-15 with 6 minutes, 30 seconds left, but couldn’t close.

“It won’t deflate us at all,” JCSU coach Steve Aycock said. “We’re still a team, we’re a family and we’re going to protect the nucleus of our program and that’s the circle we stand in. We will get closer and we will make plays a little different in the next few weeks.”

JCSU has struggled to find ...

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Temple Statue to be Erected at New Sounds Stadium

NASHVILLE, Tennessee-- Mayor Karl Dean unveiled a model of the proposed statue of legendary Tennessee State track coach Ed Temple on Tuesday night at a ceremony held in Bridgestone Arena.Upon construction, the actual seven-foot tall statue will be placed in a plaza outside of First Tennessee Park, the new Nashville Sounds stadium.

 

“It’s on the greenway so it will be in an area where people will be running, and it’s a prominent area,” Dean said to Mike Organ of the Tennessean. “We’re proud of Ed Temple and we want people to know we’re proud of him, and I think that’s a good place for it.”

 

The statue, designed by Brian Hanlon, is expected to be finished in time for the opening of the ballpark in April.

 

Temple was head women's track and field coach at Tennessee State University for 44 years. During his coaching career at Tennessee State University, forty members of the famed Tigerbelle teams have represented their countries in Olympic competition. Coach Temple has led the team to 34 national titles, and eight Tigerbelles have been inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame including Edith McGuire, Wyomia Tyus, and Chandra Cheeseborough, who all attended last night’s ceremony.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State football: SWAC's best meet in prime time

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Thursday night marks the biggest Alcorn State-Alabama State game in years, perhaps the biggest ever in a series that began in 1934.

Because the two teams are in the same division and the rest of the conference is a step behind in talent and experience, the nationally televised matchup presents a winner-take-all scenario for the two teams chasing a berth in the SWAC Championship Game.

"I don't downplay it," Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said. "I'll let (the players) know what it is. The only thing that's the same about this game (as any other) is you still have to block and tackle and somebody's got to make plays, but by no means is this just another game. It's a huge game, a huge step in the right direction for us."

The teams are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the conference in at least six statistical ...


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Homecoming still a big deal for Southern University, Jaguars players

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  At most universities, homecoming has lost its luster, at least, when it comes to the current players. Once a big deal for everyone, it's just another game for the guys suiting up on Saturday for the contest.

But not at Southern University. Homecoming on The Bluff is still a major spectacle. It usually draws the biggest crowd of the season and many alumni from around the country. The actual gathering is as big as the game.

The Jaguars host Arkansas-Pine Bluff this weekend for 2014 homecoming at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Southern coach Dawson Odums said homecoming is a dual-edged sword for him and his program. On one hand, it's a chance to bring in recruits and let them enjoy a carnival-like atmosphere on campus. But on the other hand, his players have to balance how they handle it. There is, after all, a key SWAC game to play.

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Southern University football looks to rebound against Arkansas-Pine Bluff this week

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Alcorn State was, as advertised, a difficult challenge for Southern University. The Braves blew out the Jaguars, 56-16, last Saturday, rolling up 682 yards and 39 first downs.

Southern coach Dawson Odums acknowledged as much during his weekly press conference Tuesday, giving credit to a senior-laden Alcorn State squad. But he also said the Jaguars missed some opportunities early that could have made the score a little more respectable.

He lamented the fact that Southern did little with the four turnovers it forced against the Braves. One of his biggest concerns was Southern's inability to get off the field on third down. Alcorn State was 11 of 15 on third-down conversions and one of one on fourth down.

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XU Gold Nuggets set records in GCAC sweep of Voorhees

XU women's volleyball vs. Voorhees (23 photos)

NEW ORLEANS -- Sophomore Ralitsa Hadzhistoyanova served a Convocation Center-record seven aces Monday in Xavier University of Louisiana's 25-8, 25-9, 25-7 women's volleyball victory against Voorhees.

The Gold Nuggets (9-2 overall, 6-0 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) also set Convocation Center team records with 13 aces and a .446 hitting percentage. The victory was Xavier's ninth in a row -- the second-longest winning streak in program history.

Claudia Haywood and Jodi Hill had nine kills apiece for the Gold Nuggets, CeCe Williams had eight kills, and freshmen Kaelan Temple and Jelena Vujicic had five apiece. Five players hit .500 or higher, led by Haywood with a season-high .667 in 12 attacks and Williams with a career-best .615 in 13 attacks.

Hadzhistoyanova's 22 assists were a career best. Hill served three aces.

Xavier scored the first seven points of the match and led 12-0 in the third set. The Gold Nuggets also had a 9-0 run in the first set -- Hadzhistoyanova served five aces -- and an 11-0 second-set run which included two Kayla Jones aces.

Xavier had a 43-6 advantage in kills and limited Voorhees (4-9, 0-6) to a minus-.184 hitting percentage.

The Gold Nuggets have won 49 consecutive matches against GCAC opponents, 40 in the regular season.

Xavier will visit SUNO -- the only other GCAC team which is unbeaten in conference -- at 7 p.m. Wednesday at The Castle. The Gold Nuggets' next home match will start at 6 p.m. on Oct. 10 against Spring Hill.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Jackson's 14th Runner of Week award is GCAC record

Xavier's Kwame Jackson is the GCAC
record-holder in men's cross country with
 14 career Runner of the Week awards.

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana's Kwame Jackson set a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's cross country record Tuesday when he was chosen Runner of the Week for the 14th time in his career.

Jackson, a senior from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, ran four miles in a school-record 21 minutes, 21.7 seconds Saturday at the McNeese Cowboy Stampede in Lake Charles, La. Jackson placed 36th out of 74 runners.

It was Jackson's second XU timing record this season. He set the record for 5,000 meters on Sept. 6.

Jackson broke a tie with former teammate Matt Pieri for most career GCAC awards. Jackson also tied a GCAC record with his fifth weekly award of the season. Jackson also won five awards in 2013, as did Pieri in 2010 and Xavier's Mark Dotson in 2009.

Next race for XU's men and women will be the GCAC Championships at City Park in New Orleans on Oct. 18. The women's 5K race will start at 8 a.m., followed by the men's 8K at 8:30. Xavier is the host school and the eight-time defending men's and women's team champion.

 

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Abbes, 26-0 in XU singles career, wins South Regional

XU sophomore Nour Abbes of Tunisia remained unbeaten as a collegiate singles player this weekend, defeating Georgia Gwinnett's Valeria Podda 6-3, 6-2 to win the ITA/USTA NAIA South Regional women's title. The victory qualified Abbes - who is 26-0 in singles at Xavier - for the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships at Sumter SC Oct. 9-12.

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana's Nour Abbes remained unbeaten as a collegiate singles player by defeating Georgia Gwinnett's Valeria Podda 6-3, 6-2 Sunday to win the women's title of the ITA/USTA NAIA South Regional Championships at XU Tennis Center.

The victory qualified Abbes -- a sophomore who is 26-0 at Xavier -- for the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships at Sumter, S.C., from Oct. 9-12. Abbes missed qualifying in doubles when she and Carmen Nelson lost 6-0, 7-5 to Auburn Montgomery's Claudine Maheu and Alice Baudeign in the final.

It's the second straight year that the Gold Nuggets qualified for the National Small College Championships and the first time in singles. Xavier's men qualified in singles and doubles in 2011.

The singles final was a rematch of the No. 2 and 3 players from the 2013-14 ITA NAIA postseason ranking. Abbes defeated Podda by the same score at XU on April 26 when Xavier beat Georgia Gwinnett in the championship dual of the NAIA Unaffiliated Group 2 Tournament.

On Sunday, Podda broke Abbes' serve to tie the first set at 3. Then Abbes won nine of the next 11 games and broke Podda's serve 5-of-6 times.

"I felt really good during the singles final," Abbes said. "I think I played some very good tennis, and I felt confident."

"I can't say enough good things about Nour and what she has accomplished in such a short time at Xavier," XU coach Alan Green said.

Rain shortly before 1 p.m. forced Xavier, the host school, to move the remaining matches downtown to the indoor courts at the Hilton Riverside. It was there that both doubles champions and the men's singles champion were decided.

Abbes and Nelson, seeded fourth, dropped the first doubles set in 19 minutes, then put the outcome in doubt when they rallied from a 3-2 deficit to take a 5-4 lead. But Maheu and Baudeign, who were unseeded, won the final three games.

"The fact that we had to play doubles indoors made us lose the rhythm," Abbes said. "The indoor courts were fast, so we didn't play our best tennis until 3-2 in the second set but it was too late, because AUM was very confident."

Abbes defeated AUM's sixth-seeded Paula Diaz 6-0, 6-1 in the singles semifinals.

In men's doubles, Xavier's Kevin Chaouat and Tushar Mandlekar lost 8-5 in the semifinals to AUM's third-seeded Nicolas Pinones and Miguel Grifol.

Georgia Gwinnett's top-seeded Jordan Cox defeated third-seeded teammate Matias Hatem 6-4, 6-2 in the men's singles final. Georgia Gwinnett's unseeded Connor Clements and Lachlan McPhee beat Pinones and Grifol 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 for the men's doubles title.

"I'm proud of our effort throughout this tournament," Green said. "My guys played well overall, and Tushar to me had a really good tournament. We just have to keep working because the team national champions will come out of this region next spring."

NOTES: It was the second straight year that Xavier played host to the South Regional . . . The singles title was Abbes' second in as many tournaments this fall. She won the A-flight main draw of the HBCU Championships on Sept. 20 . . . Abbes is 21-4 at XU in doubles and has played with three partners . . . It was the first time since that Xavier competed at the Hilton Riverside since men's and women's dual matches against Mobile in February 2009 . . . After Abbes competes at nationals, Xavier's final fall tournament will be Oct. 24-25 in the Big Easy Classic at the University of New Orleans.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Florida A&M Lady Rattler Basketball Schedule Announced

HEAD COACH LeDAWN GIBSON
Courtesy FAMU Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The 2014-15 FAMU Women’s Basketball Schedule has been released and the coming season opens Friday, November 14 at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.

FAMU opens their home schedule the following Tuesday, November 18 against Alabama State at 7:00 p.m. in the Al Lawson Center, jumpstarting a three-game homestand which features a late morning bout against Webber International (11:30 a.m.) on Thursday, November 20, and a clash against Troy University on Monday, November 24 at 7:00 p.m.

The Lady Rattlers of Coach LeDawn Gibson then head to Dallas for the SMU Thanksgiving Tournament, Friday and Saturday, November 28-29, facing off against host SMU on Friday, followed by either Southern Cal or Sam Houston State on Saturday.

FAMU’s road tour continues into December and January, with seven games away from Tallahassee, starting Saturday, Deecember 6 with the MEAC opener at South Carolina State, followed by a pre-Christmas trip to the Bayou State of Louisiana, to face Southern University, on Wednesday, December 17, followed by a Saturday, December 20 matchup at Southeastern Louisiana.

After Christmas, the Lady Rattlers will be off to South Florida for the University of Miami’s Post Christmas Tournament at Coral Gables, where they will face host Miami on Sunday, December 28, then will tangle with either LSU or UNC Greensboro on Monday, December 29.

In January, FAMU opens with a Peach State swing, at Kennesaw State on Friday, January 2 and at Mercer in Macon, on Sunday, January 4.

MEAC play resumes for the duration of the schedule, beginning with a weekend home set against Norfolk State (Saturday, January 10) and Hampton (Monday, January 12), before hitting the road the following weekend (Saturday-Monday, January 17 and 19) against Morgan State and Coppin State in Baltimore.

The next three games will be home contests, on Saturday, January 24 against Howard; Monday, January 26 against Maryland-Eastern Shore, and Saturday, January 31 agaubst archrival Bethune-Cookman.

February begins with two road games on consecutive Mondays – February 2 at North Carolina Central and February 9 at Delaware State, before the North Carolina duo of North Carolina A&T (Saturday, February 14) and North Carolina Central (Monday, February 16) come to the Lawson Center.

FAMU finishes February on the road at Bethune-Cookman (Saturday, February 21), Savannah State (Monday, February 23) and North Carolina A&T (Saturday, February 28).

The Lady Rattlers will close their regular season schedule at home against Savannah State on Thursday, March 5, before heading to Norfolk, Va., for the 2015 MEAC Tournament, Monday through Saturday, March 9-14 at The Scope.

Florida A&M University Women's Basketball 2014-15 Schedule

Date	Opponent	Location	Time (ET)

Fri, Nov 14 Alabama at Tuscaloosa, AL 5:00 pm

Tue, Nov 18 ALABAMA STATE HOME 7:00 pm

Thu, Nov 20 WEBBER UNIVERSITY HOME 11:30 am

Mon, Nov 24 TROY UNIVERSITY HOME 7:00 pm

SMU THANKSGIVING TOURNAMENT

Fri, Nov 28 SMU at Dallas, TX 7:00 pm

Sat, Nov 29 USC/Sam Houston State at Dallas, TX 5/7 PM

Sat, Dec 06 South Carolina State * at Orangeburg, SC 4:00 pm

Wed, Dec 17 Southern University at Baton Rouge, LA 7:00 pm

Sat, Dec 20 SE Louisiana at Hammond, LA 2:00 pm

MIAMI POST CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT

Sun, Dec 28 University of Miami at Coral Gables, FL 1:00 pm

Mon, Dec 29 LSU/UNCG at Coral Gables, FL TBA

Fri, Jan 02 Kennesaw State at Kennesaw, GA 7:00 pm

Sun, Jan 04 Mercer University at Macon, GA 2:00 pm

Sat, Jan 10 NORFOLK STATE * HOME 4:00 pm

Mon, Jan 12 HAMPTON HOME 6:00 pm

Sat, Jan 17 Morgan State * at Baltimore, MD 2:00 pm

Mon, Jan 19 Coppin State * at Baltimore, MD 5:30 pm

Sat, Jan 24 HOWARD * HOME 4:00 pm

Mon, Jan 26 MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE * HOME 6:00 pm

Sat, Jan 31 BETHUNE-COOKMAN * HOME 1:00 pm

Mon, Feb 02 North Carolina Central at Durham, NC 5:30 pm

Mon, Feb 09 Delaware State * at Dover, DE 5:30 pm

Sat, Feb 14 NORTH CAROLINA A&T * HOME 4:00 pm

Mon, Feb 16 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL * HOME 6:00 pm

Sat, Feb 21 Bethune-Cookman * at Daytona Beach, FL 2:00 pm

Mon, Feb 23 Savannah State * at Savannah, GA 6:00 pm

Sat, Feb 28 North Carolina A&T * at Greensboro, NC 4:00 pm

Thu, Mar 05 SAVANNAH STATE * HOME 6:00 pm

MEAC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Mon, Mar 09 TBA at Norfolk, VA TBA

* Conference Games

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

Alabama A&M rolls over Mississippi Valley

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Defense was the key.

The Bulldogs held Mississippi Valley State to 77 yards rushing and a smothering pass rush had 8 sacks and 13 tackles for loss and contributed to two interceptions, including one for a touchdown.

Special teams were the key.

Freshman Octayvius Miles set a school record with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown (though he was 3 yards deep in the endzone) and the kickoff and punt return units combined for 255 yards.

Offense was the key.

Freshman Harvey Harris rushed for 109 yards in a 265-yard rushing attack that was complemented by 170 yards passing.
In all, it was a team effort Saturday as Alabama A&M defeated Mississippi Valley State 42-20.

Anthony Lanier had 8 tackles, 2 ½ sacks and 4 tackles for loss,  Bryan Brower had 8 tackles, 1 ½ tackles for loss and a half-sack  and David Dagrin had 5 tackles, 2 ½ sacks and 2 ½ sacks to pace the Bulldogs who improved to 1-1 in the Southwest Athletic Conference and 2-3 overall. The Bulldogs also picked off two Valley passes, one in the Delta Devils' endzone for a touchdown.

Miles' kickoff return to open the second half broke the school record set by Ulysses Banks in 2006. A&M led 28-6 after that return.

Harris had 21 carries and scored two touchdowns and Byran Brower had another 56 yards on 16 carries. The Bulldogs relied on the ground game, running 53 of the teams 68 offensive plays. Through the air, Jaymason Lee and Brandon Wells combined for 9-of-15 and 170 yards with no interceptions and one touchdown – a 55-yarder from Lee to Kalais Robertson run.

The Bulldogs, though, started slowly as Valley jumped on the scoreboard first as quarterback  Quantavius  Peterson rushed for a 37-yard touchdown run.  Valley tried for two-point conversion but the run failed.

The Bulldogs settled into their offense, starting on their on 29-yard line. The Bulldogs pushed the ball down the field when Harris broke free up the middle to score on a 37-yard touchdown, capping the eight-play,  74-yard scoring drive.

Valley's ensuing play wasn't what they expected deep in their own territory. Peterson's pass was intercepted by Germain Calmes in the endzone giving the Bulldogs the 14-6 lead. 

The Bulldogs got the ball back and Brandon Eldemire rushed into the end zone for a four-yard scamper, with 1:40 left in the half and a 21-6 lead.

The team traded touchdowns the rest of the way with Harris scoring on a 1-yard run and Robertson's 55-yard touchdown pass from Lee with 6:53 left in the game.

The 42 points was the most scored by A&M this season.

The Bulldogs host Grambling State on Saturday in their first home game of the season.  It is also Homecoming and the Louis Crews Classic.

Box Score 

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

FAMU Releases 2014-15 Men’s Basketball slate

FAMU MEN'S HEAD BASKETBALL COACH
Courtesy FAMU Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University released its’ 2014-15 Men’s Basketball schedule, a slate which features six-game western road tour in November.

The Rattlers, under new head coach Byron Samuels, will open the schedule on Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15 against Clemson and USC Upstate, before heading out west the following week.

That western tour will begin on Wednesday, November 19 at the University of San Diego, before taking on Grand Canyon in Phoeniz, Arizona on Friday, November 21.

Also on the western tour is Wyoming (Monday, November 24); New Mexico State (Wednesday, November 26); Stetson University and Northern Colorado (Saturday and Sunday, November 29-30 in Greeley, Colorado).

FAMU opens Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play on Saturday, December 6 at South Carolina State, then will open their home schedule after Fall Semester finals on Friday, December 19 against North Florida (7:00).

They head to East Carolina for a Monday, December 22 pre-Christmasbout, then after Christmas will host Florida International on Monday, December 29 (7:00).

The Rattlers will face Stetson University for the second time in 35 days, taking on the Hatters in Deland on Saturday, January 3, before returning home for a three-game stand beginning Tuesday, January 6 against Jacksonville (7:00) in their final non-conference game of the year.

MEAC play resumes Saturday and Monday, January 10 and 12 as the Virginia Boys, Norfolk State (6:00) and Hampton (8:00) come to the Lawson Center.

FAMU then heads to Baltimore for a weekend set against Morgan State and Coppin State, Saturday and Monday, January 17 and 19, before return to the Lawson Center for another three-game set.

Saturday and Monday, January 24 and 26, FAMU hosts Howard (6:00) and Maryland-Eastern Shore (8:00), before closing out the first month of 2015 against archrival Bethune-Cookman (3:00).

FAMU is on the road on consecutive Mondays to open February at North Carolina Central (February 2) and Delaware State (February 9), before returning to Lawson for a weekend set Saturday and Monday, February 14 and 16 against North Carolina A&T (6:00) and North Carolina Central (8:00).

The following weekend (Saturday and Monday, February 21 and 23), FAMU is on the road at Bethune-Cookman and Savannah State, before closing at home Thursday, March 5 against Savannah State (8:00).

Florida A&M University 2014-15 Men's Basketball Schedule

Date	Opponent	Location	Time (ET)

Fri, Nov 14 Clemson University at Clemson, SC 7:00 pm
Sat, Nov 15 USC Upstate at Spartanburg, SC 7:30 pm
Wed, Nov 19 University of San Diego San Diego, CA 7:00 pm Pacific
Fri, Nov 21 Grand Canyon at Phoenix, AZ 7:00 pm MT
Mon, Nov 24 Wyoming at Laramie, WY 7:00 pm MT
Wed, Nov 26 New Mexico State at Las Cruces, NM 7:00 pm MT
Sat, Nov 29 Stetson University at Greeley, CO 3:00 PM
Sun, Nov 30 Northern Colorado Greeley, CO 2:00 pm MT
Sat, Dec 06 South Carolina State * at Orangeburg, SC 4:00 pm
Fri, Dec 19 NORTH FLORIDA HOME 7:00 pm
Mon, Dec 22 East Carolina at Greenville, NC 7:00 pm
Mon, Dec 29 FIU HOME 7:00 pm
Sat, Jan 03 Stetson University at Deland, FL 1:00 pm
Tue, Jan 06 JACKSONVILLE HOME 7:00 pm
Sat, Jan 10 NORFOLK STATE * HOME 6:00 pm
Mon, Jan 12 HAMPTON * HOME 8:00 pm
Sat, Jan 17 Morgan State * at Baltimore, MD 4:00 pm
Mon, Jan 19 Coppin State * at Baltimore. MD 4:00 pm
Sat, Jan 24 HOWARD * HOME 6:00 pm
Mon, Jan 26 MARYLAND-E.S. * HOME 8:00 pm
Sat, Jan 31 BETHUNE-COOKMAN * HOME 3:00 PM
Mon, Feb 02 North Carolina Central * at Durham, NC 7:30 pm
Mon, Feb 09 Delaware State * at Dover, DE 7:30 pm
Sat, Feb 14 NORTH CAROLINA A&T * HOME 6:00 pm
Mon, Feb 16 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL * HOME 8:00 pm
Sat, Feb 21 Bethune-Cookman * at Daytona Beach, FL 4:00 pm
Mon, Feb 23 Savannah State * at Savannah, GA 7:00 pm
Thu, Mar 05 SAVANNAH (Ga.) STATE * HOME 8:00 pm

* Conference Games

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Albany State defense shines in victory over Miles

ALBANY, Georgia — The ball squirted out near the goal line and junior cornerback Fred Holton wasted no time when he saw the loose ball dribbling on the Albany State University Coliseum turf Saturday night.

##Holton scooped up the ball and ran down the Miles College sideline 97 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, helping the Rams pick up a 14-7 victory, their first of the season in their home opener.

##More importantly, the Rams won their second straight over the Golden Bears (1-3).

##But Holton, the junior transfer from Georgia Tech, gave the Rams a commanding 14-0 lead when he scored with 13:38 left in the second quarter. His touchdown turned out to be the margin of victory.

##“I was pretty much surprised,” Houston said. “I saw one of my teammates pretty much demolish their running back. The next thing I know, I saw the ball come out and I knew it was my time. I caught it, it came straight to me, then I just took off. I credit my teammate for that … that was his play.”

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Quick Start Propels DSU Past Savannah State in MEAC Opener

Dover, Delaware --- Delaware State scored four touchdowns in the first quarter, including three in a one-minute-14 second span, en route to a 35-10 win over Savannah State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for each team at Alumni Stadium this evening.

The Hornets won for the first time this season (1-4; 1-0 MEAC), while the Tigers fell to 0-4 (0-1 MEAC).

DSU led 28-0 after the first quarter. It was the most points in a quarter by the Hornets since scoring 28 in the second quarter of a 63-28 win over St. Francis (Pa.) in the first night game at Alumni Stadium on Sep. 9, 2006.

The school record for most points in a quarter is 30 in a 58-7 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 1988.

The Hornets scored their first touchdown on defense when linebacker Kareem Leaver  stripped the ball from Savannah State running back Alex Simmons on a short run. Leaver recovered the fumble and returned the ball 44 yards to the endzone for the first score of the game. Mitchell Ward’s extra point kick gave the Hornets a 7-0 lead with 7:05 left in the first quarter.

It was Delaware State’s first defensive touchdown of the season.

The Hornets took advantage of good field position to score their second touchdown.

FULL STATS

Starting at its own 46 yard line, Delaware State needed just seven plays to reach the endzone. Reserve fullback Lamar Shaw capped off the drive with a 16-yard touchdown run on a fourth-down-and-one play. The other big play in the drive was a 32-yard pass from Gilbert Rivera to Aris Scott on third-down-and-13 to the Savannah State 25. Ward’s extra point gave the Hornets a 14-0 lead with 2:52 remaining in the opening quarter. The touchdown was Shaw’s first of the season and third of his career.

Savannah State’s second turnover of the game quickly led to the Hornets’ third touchdown. 

Two plays after Terrick Colston forced and recovered a fumble at the SSU 10, Rivera found wide receiver Malik Golson in the endzone for a five-yard touchdown pass. It was Golson’s second TD catch of the season.  The score gave the Hornets a 20-0 lead with 2:00 left in the first quarter.  The extra point kick by Ward was unsuccessful.

Savannah fumbled the ball away again on its next possession.

On the next play from scrimmage, wide receiver Milton Williams III scored on a 44-yard catch and run for the Hornets’ third touchdown in a span of 74 seconds.  A two-point run by Nagee Jackson after the touchdown gave the Hornets a 28-0 lead with 1:38 left in the opening quarter.  

             

Savannah State kept the Hornets off the board for the next two quarters, while scoring a touchdown in the second quarter and adding a field goal in the fourth to pull to within 28-10.

The Hornets closed out the scoring on their final possession of the game. The five-play, 59-yard drive was capped off by an 18-yard touchdown pass from reserve quarterback Marlon Kelly to Williams III with 1:00 left to play. Running back Nagee Jackson had 56 yards rushing on four carries, including a career-best 39-yard run, during the drive.

The Hornets rushed for a season-high 204 yards in the contest, their most since posting 221 vs. Hampton in 2012.

Malcolm Williams led the way with 89 yards rushing on 21 attempts, while Jackson tallied 60 yards on eight tries. Shaw chipped in with 37 yards on just three carries.

Kelly entered the game when Rivera suffered a knee injury in the second quarter.

Williams III had five catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns for the first time in his career. He now has 100 receptions for 1377 yards and nine touchdowns in his career.

Delaware State outgained Savannah State 316-230 in the contest.

Colston tied for game-high honors with nine tackles, including seven unassisted. He also had an interception, a forced fumble and fumble recovery in the contest.

Linebacker Alex Perry contributed nine tackles (five solo), two fumble recoveries and a pass break-up to the win.

The Hornets had a season-high six sacks in the game. Linemen Rodney Gunter and Gabe Sherrod had 2.5 sacks each.   

The Hornets return to action next Saturday (Oct. 4) at MEAC preseason favorite Bethune-Cookman. Game time is 4 p.m. in Daytona Beach, Fla. DSU returns home Oct. 18 to take on North Carolina A&T in the annual homecoming contest. Game time is 2 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.   

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

East: Southern has reasons to believe its’s much better than it looked in lopsided loss at Alcorn State

LORMAN, Mississippi — Southern survived September.

It might be fair to add the qualifier “barely” in the wake of the 56-16 thrashing that Alcorn State administered to the Jaguars on Saturday in Spinks-Casem Stadium.

The Braves are one of the best teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and may prove to be the best. As such, they were able to expose Southern’s vulnerability.

“It is a loss, it is a big loss and it is one-sided,” running back Lenard Tillery said. “But we’re definitely still growing. Every week we get better at some aspect, and every week we get exposed in some area.”

Alcorn exposed a few things.

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Battle of the Bands: Southern University Human Jukebox vs. Alcorn State University Sounds of Dynomite 9/27/14

Alcorn State routs Southern

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Alcorn State was the last team to beat Southern before the Jaguars began their run to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship last season.

The Braves beat Southern again Saturday, 56-16 at Spinks-Casem Stadium, and they looked like a team capable a making a run at a SWAC title of their own.

Alcorn overcame four turnovers by accumulating 682 yards, including 410 rushing, as it posted three times as many third downs as the Jaguars (39-13). It held the Jaguars scoreless in the second half and improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the SWAC.

“I told the players, ‘Hey, we got beat tonight. We admit that,’ ” Southern coach Dawson Odums said. “Does the score indicate they were much better than us? That’s what the score says. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Alcorn’s John Gibbs Jr. led the way by passing for 224 yards and a touchdown and running for 34 yards and a touchdown.

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