Bethune-Cookman has tough MEAC test at South Carolina State

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough was not exactly oozing with confidence when discussing Saturday’s game with Bethune-Cookman earlier this week.

As the 14th-ranked Wildcats have been getting stronger and stronger since Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play began, S.C. State has battled a rash of injuries and is coming off a 48-35 MEAC loss to North Carolina Central two weeks ago.

 

Pough had hoped his players would heal during the bye week but by midweek, he wasn’t sure if either starting quarterback Adrian Kollock or backup TeDarrius Wiley would be ready or if true freshman Calvin Giles-McClary, who threw for 136 yards and two touchdowns against N.C. Central in relief, will have to make his first start.

 

“We were in pretty bad shape health-wise, and ...

 

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Game preview: Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M

WATCH GAME: ESPN3, TIME: 3:30 PM ET

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1 No need for speeches: There won't be any problem getting players ready to play in the Magic City Classic, ASU coach Reggie Barlow said. "There is always going to be a handful where you need to find your creative, motivational tactics," he said, "but if you watch the film and don't pay attention to the record, you'll see these (Alabama A&M) guys are playing hard and running to the ball and have playmakers. And, then, this is the Classic. Who needs motivation for that?"

2 Revamping the offense: The Hornet offense may look a little different this week after some changes by offensive coordinator Fred Kaiss. "Coach and (his staff) came up with something (in the) running game, which I really like," Barlow said. "There are some things I'm really excited about. I think the knowledgeable fan will be able to see it and go, 'Wow, that's new.' And people who like D-line play will see there are one or two new wrinkles. Everybody does that coming off a bye week."

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Jackson State, Southern play for first time since SWAC title

JACKSON, Mississippi -- It's hard to forget the last meeting between Jackson State and Southern.

The 34-27 double overtime loss to Southern in last year's Southwestern Athletic Conference championship was a heartbreaker, making it the second straight time the Tigers fell short of a ring.

And in similar fashion.

But when the Tigers (3-4, 1-3 SWAC) and Jaguars (4-3, 3-1) return to the gridiron today at 6 p.m., in Veterans Memorial Stadium, the game won't look like a rematch of that title game.

Instead, it's an opportunity for the Tigers to find the track back to being that very 2013 team — title contenders.

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Soifer leads the way for Xavier in Big Easy Classic

Nikita Soifer

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana senior Nikita Soifer advanced in the main draws of men's singles and doubles Friday during the opening day of the Big Easy Tennis Classic at the University of New Orleans.

Soifer, a two-time NAIA All-American, defeated Louisiana-Lafayette's Will Huyton 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the flight-1 semifinals. Soifer will play UNO's Tino Kranz at 9 a.m. Saturday, with the final scheduled for 2 p.m.

Soifer and Tushar Mandlekar defeated Southern Mississippi's Wen-Po Tseng and Tarun Surat 8-5 to reach the doubles quarterfinals, where they'll play UNO's Christoffer Appelgren and Luis Albuquerque at 8 a.m. Saturday.

All other XU players were eliminated from the main draw, with a few still alive in the consolation brackets.

"It was a decent day for us in this well-rounded (NCAA) D1 tournament," XU coach Alan Green said. "We had our moments out there and competed well with the mid-majors.

"I was particularly pleased with Nikita Soifer. He didn't play well in regionals last month, but in this tournament he is playing better. I'm looking for big things from him this year."

Xavier won 7-of-12 men's matches. Of the Gold Nuggets' nine matches, the lone victory came from redshirt freshman Dasia Harris in a 6-1, 6-0 decision against Loyola's Lauren Rosales in the flight-3 singles consolation quarterfinals. Harris awaits the winner of a match between XU's Sha'Nel Bruins and West Virginia's Yvon Martinez.

Still alive for Xavier in the men's flight-3 singles consolation bracket are Vincenzo Ciccone, a 6-2, 6-0 winner against Jackson State's Marko Milosavljevic, and Adam Albrecht, who beat Loyola's Anthony Zaleski 6-1, 6-0. Ciccone and Albrecht will play quarterfinal matches at 8 a.m. -- Ciccone against Troy's Austin Racine and Albrecht against Jackson State's Richie Agarwal.

XU sophomore Nour Abbes -- the NAIA women's singles champion and "Super Bowl" runner-up at the USTA / ITA National Small College Championships -- was not entered in this event.

This is Xavier's final competition of the fall semester. The tournament is scheduled to conclude Saturday.

Results:  Men    Women

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Dwight Floyd Commentary: Bragg Memorial Stadium Doesn’t Look So Bad When It’s Full

Dwight Floyd
Commentary

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Lately there has been a lot of talk about FAMU’s Bragg Memorial Stadium and the athletic field house. It has been a constant topic of conversation among Rattler fans and supporters about how run down and unattractive it is.

Within the archives of the State of Florida library there is a picture of Coach Alonzo Jake Gaither standing in the mist of new bleachers that was constructed in the 1950’s. FAMU wouldn’t see that kind of overhaul again for almost another 30 years when Bragg became the stadium that Rudy Hubbard built.

Before FAMU won a Division 1-AA championship, and before FAMU beat ...

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Fobbs' mentality serves Grambling's culture well

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- If a student were to take a class at Grambling State University, the last person they'd want marking up their papers is head football coach Broderick Fobbs.

The first-year coach is a stingy grader, to say the least, which is further proof that he expects top-notch quality from his players in order to place a successful product on the field.

After Grambling's first spring game under Fobbs, he gave his team a C+ grade. Then after a 28-21 win over Alcorn State, the Tigers' biggest since 2011 when they won the SWAC title over Alabama A&M, Fobbs nonchalantly gave out a B- grade.

The former Carroll High School product took it even a step further this past weekend after a 63-39 beatdown of Arkansas-Pine Bluff resulted in a 'B-/C+'

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Southern football vs. Jackson State game capsule

What: Southern (4-3, 3-1 SWAC) vs. Jackson St. (3-4, 1-3 SWAC)
When/Where: Saturday at 6 p.m. at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi.
Television: CST
Radio: WYNK 97.7

Coaches: Southern- Dawson Odums, (2nd season as head coach, interim in 2012, 16-13). Jackson St.- Harold Jackson, (1st season as head coach, 3-4).

Southern: The Jaguars had their first bye week of the season last Saturday, getting a break after an exceptional start to SWAC play.



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Magic City Classic 2014: 5 Storylines of the game

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - For Alabama State (4-3), the SWAC preseason favorite, the season hasn't exactly gone according to script with losses in its last two games.

For Alabama A&M (2-5), under first-year coach James Spady and his entertaining pistol offense, there has been noticeable improvement but not a lot to show for it. And a winning season seems to be out of the question unless it can turn around its season starting Saturday.

While the season has been a letdown, the winner of the 73rd annual Magic City Classic at Legion Field almost gets a get-out-of-jail card with its fan base. Let's look at the top storylines entering the weekend:

CAN ALABAMA STATE GET BACK ON CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE?

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Week 9: HBCU Football Schedule

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

SATURDAY, October 25, 2014

MEAC
Florida A&M at North Carolina A&T, 1 PM, Homecoming
Bethune-Cookman at South Carolina State, 1:30 PM
Savannah State at North Carolina Central, 2 PM
Hampton at Delaware State, 2 PM
Morgan State at Villanova, 3:30 PM

SWAC
Alcorn State at Prairie View A&M, 2 PM
Arkansas Pine Bluff at Texas Southern, 3 PM
Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M, 3:30  73rd Magic City Classic, Birmingham, AL, TV: ESPN3
Southern at Jackson State, 7 PM

OVC
Tennessee State at Eastern Illinois, 2:30 PM, TV: ESPN3

CIAA
Johnson C. Smith at Shaw, 1 PM, Homecoming
Bowie State at Virginia Union, 1 PM
Chowan at Elizabeth City State, 1:30 PM, Homecoming
Livingstone at Winston-Salem State, 1:30 PM
Fayetteville State at Saint Augustine's, 2 PM, Homecoming
Lincoln (Pa.) at Virginia State, 2 PM, Homecoming

SIAC
Kentucky State at Tuskegee, 1 PM
Stillman at Central State, 1:30 PM
Paine at Fort Valley State, 2 PM
Miles at Lane, 2 PM
Clark Atlanta at Albany State, 2 PM
Morehouse at Benedict, 2 PM

OTHER CONFERENCES
Cheyney at Shippensburg, 12 Noon
Wesley College at Virginia University Lynchburg, 1 PM Homecoming
Concordia-Selma at Warner, 1 PM
Virginia -Wise at West Virginia State, 2 PM
Apprentice School at Edward Waters, 3 PM
Southwest Assemblies of God at Langston, 3 PM
Lincoln (Mo.) at Indianapolis, 6 PM


ALWAYS WATCH IN 720p HD, WIDE SCREEN

ALL GAMES TIMES ARE SHOWN IN EASTERN TIME ZONE

Jackson wins 6th GCAC Runner of Week award of 2014

Xavier University of Louisiana's Kwame Jackson, center, with Gulf Coast Athletic
Conference Commissioner  Steve Martin, left, and GCAC President Kiki Barnes,
the athletics director at Dillard University.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Kwame Jackson, who won his third Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's cross country individual championship on Saturday, was named Runner of the Week for Oct. 13-19.

Jackson, a senior from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, became the first GCAC harrier to win three individual titles. He repeated as league champion, running 8,000 meters at City Park in 29 minutes, 3.16 seconds and winning by nearly 42 seconds. He led the Gold Rush to a ninth consecutive GCAC men's team championship.

Jackson set a GCAC record with his sixth weekly award of the season and extended his career record to 15.

The XU men and women will conclude the season Nov. 22 in the NAIA National Championship at Lawrence, Kansas.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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TSU to Travel to EIU for an OVC Matchup

WATCH LIVE | LISTEN LIVE | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- On Saturday, the Tennessee State football team will travel to Eastern Illinois for an Ohio Valley Conference matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Scouting TSU
The Tigers (4-4, 1-3 OVC) are coming off of a, 21-16, loss at home to UT Main, the most current entry in their three-game losing streak. It is currently the longest slide for the team since a four-game stretch in 2011.

Scouting EIU
The Panthers (2-5, 2-1 OVC) just crushed Southeast Missouri, 52-13, for their second win of the season. The Eastern Illinois defense forced five turnovers in the victory, including four interceptions.

Three Keys to the Game

Win the Turnover Battle
Over the last three games, the TSU offense has given the ball away nine times while the defense has just four takeaways (all against Jacksonville State). Both stats have contributed to the rough patch as the Tigers are 11-1 in the last two seasons when they come out positive in turnover margin. When they have the same or less takeaways than its opponents, Big Blue is just 3-7. It may seem simple, but TSU needs to take better care of the ball against the Panthers to give itself a shot at more scoring drives.

Contain Whitlow
EIU’s junior quarterback Jalen Whitlow has been the most productive quarterback in the OVC this season, averaging 258.7 yards per game. TSU fans will remember last year’s EIU QB Jimmy Garoppolo who also led the OVC in total yards. The Panthers’ current signal-caller is more mobile than his predecessor and is second in the league in rushing yards per contest (79.7). The Univ. of Kentucky transfer’s eight scores on the ground are also tops in the conference. TSU leads the nation in passing defense (129.8 y/g), but the unit must also focus on Whitlow’s running ability if the Tigers are to stop their slide.

Maintain Status Quo on Defense
In addition to being the best in pass defense, the Tigers’ D is also third in total defense (251.3 y/g) and eighth in scoring (16.3 p/g). Even in a losing effort last week, Big Blue held the Skyhawks to just 210 yards – 67 through the air. TSU has been dominant on defense the past three seasons, but EIU has gained 567 and 553 yards in the two meetings during that span. The Tigers need to have a short memory and play like they are accustomed to shut down the high-flying Panther attack this time around.

EIU holds a 10-7 edge in the series and won twice last season, the latter of which ended TSU’s season in the FCS Playoffs.

Saturday marks EIU’s homecoming and fans can catch all the action on ESPN3 at 1:30 p.m.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Expectations change for Livingstone; Blue Bears eye second CIAA championship

SALISBURY, North Carolina -- Livingstone basketball coach James Stinson is philosophical about expectations.

Earning the school’s first CIAA championship, like his Blue Bears did last season, brings presumptions just like being the league’s worst team. In 11 seasons at Livingstone, he’s been in both situations.

“When we were on the bottom we had a target on our back because no one wanted to lose to us,” Stinson said. “It’s the same thing so we just prepare every day. It does get tougher because people are bringing their ‘A’ game and then the CIAA from top to bottom is going to be tough each night.”

League coaches expect Livingstone to be the CIAA’s best, voting the Blue Bears No. 1 in preseason polling. Making it happen, though, will be more difficult after losing the heart of last year’s 21-9 squad. Seven players return, including four who started games last year, with 6-4 forward Eric Mayo leading the incumbents with 19. The returnees combined for 22.2 points per game, but their experience gives the Blue Bears a starting point to compete in the CIAA South.

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Sims finds a home at WSSU

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Even though quarterback Phillip Sims of Winston-Salem State has been on campus for nearly 14 months some find it hard to believe that he’s even there at all.

The way Sims arrived at WSSU isn’t all that complicated.

“Well, some of the assistant coaches called, and I answered my phone,” Sims said this week during an extended interview at the Bowman Gray Stadium Fieldhouse.

Sims, a Parade All-America in high school in Chesapeake, Va., is one of the most high-profile recruits to land at WSSU. After playing a part in Alabama’s run to the national championship as a redshirt freshman in 2011, he transferred to Virginia, where he started half the games for the Cavaliers in 2012.



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Savannah State at NCCU: Young Tigers wary of tough Eagles

DURHAM, North Carolina — Size matters.

In the game of football, the bigger the players are, the harder they fall on opponents who are not as genetically gifted.

Yet strength is at least equally important with respect to smaller players possessing the power to leverage their will against larger opponents.

Second-year Savannah State coach Earnest Wilson III will tell you that he’s got some talent on his team. But the Tigers are young. And they’re not very strong.

Yet the freshmen actually have been more productive than the Tigers’ upperclassmen — the rookies just have to get stronger, Wilson said.

“Their strength is just now beginning to come. They’re beginning to find out how to work out in a Division I setting,” Wilson said.

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A win in Greensboro would put Rattlers near top of MEAC

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- A two-win streak over teams with a combined 1-14 record is one thing, but Florida A&M head coach Earl Holmes knows taking down one of the top teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference could change the narrative of the Rattlers’ entire season.

The Rattlers (2-5, 2-1 in the MEAC) will take on the North Carolina A&T Aggies (6-2, 3-1) Saturday in Greensboro, N.C. Florida A&M is coming off two straight wins for the first time in Holmes’ tenure as head coach, and a third straight win would put FAMU near the top of the MEAC.



It would also help erase an 0-5 start that had Holmes shifting coaching personnel around and contemplating a quarterback change.

“We’re a young team,” Holmes said.

“The sooner the young guys can ...

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Healing underway, winning returns at rejuvenated Grambling

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — In the months since he became head football coach at his alma mater, Broderick Fobbs has had several conversations with his predecessors. He talks occasionally with former coach Doug Williams. He has touched base with Rod Broadway. And of course, there's one other.

"I've talked with Coach Robinson," Fobbs says, "when no one else is around."

Grambling's new coach laughs. But then he points at the portrait of the late Eddie Robinson, which dominates one wall in his office, and reiterates:

"Normally, it's right here at this desk when I'm looking at that picture. One thing's for certain, he's definitely loud and clear. … He's definitely present here — and we're excited to have him with us."

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Across the Line: Les East on Southern

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State and Southern meet for the first time since the 2013 SWAC championship game last December.

But much has changed on both sides since then.

The Jaguars (4-3, 3-1 SWAC) are without the quarterback-wide receiver duo of Dray Joseph and Lee Doss who produced the game-winning touchdown for the title victory.

The Tigers (3-4, 1-3 SWAC) also feature a new lineup, with a few returners from that championship game. For JSU, this game is hopefully a fresh start after a disappointing first half of the season. They're looking to rebound after being upset by Mississippi Valley State and its former head coach Rick Comegy 27-23.

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Alabama A&M’s Spady quickly learns Classic’s importance

BIRMINGHAM – Alabama A&M first-year head coach James Spady already knows enough about the Magic City Classic to know it can make or break a coach’s resume.

Spady, the former tight ends/co-offensive line coach at Nevada (2010-13) and offensive coordinator at Grambling State (2007-09), will be roaming the sidelines for the first time as the A&M boss Saturday when the Bulldogs (2-5, 1-3) entertain Alabama State (4-3, 3-2) in the 73rd annual Magic City Classic at Legion Field.

Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and the game will be televised by ESPN3 and ESPNU on a delayed basis later that evening.

“I’ve been coaching for 22 years, but I already know there is no game like this one,” Spady said. “It’s just off the charts. I think as players and as coaches, it’s an honor and privilege to play in a game of this magnitude.

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Alabama A&M prepares for 'off the charts' Magic City Classic

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Calling the Magic City Classic "off the charts," Alabama A&M Head Football Coach James Spady spoke to reporters at a press conference Wednesday kicking off the annual game between the Bulldogs and Alabama State.

"This is off the charts," Spady said of the 73rd annual game Saturday at Legion Field. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. "This is something special; something we want to give honor to."

This is Spady's first Classic but he wasn't shy about where he believes it ranks in his 22-year coaching career – which included several Bayou Classics between Grambling and Southern when Spady was an assistant with Grambling.



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FAMU Rattlers' defense preps for No. 2 MEAC rushing threat

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Anyone on Florida A&M's defense who played in the team's 20-13 overtime loss to North Carolina A&T last season knows the first — and probably biggest — step in defeating the Aggies is to bottle up sophomore running back Tarik Cohen.

After playing against Cohen last year — in a game where Cohen scored all three of the Aggies' touchdowns — junior linebacker Akil Blount said getting all 11 defenders to wherever Cohen is on the field is essential to continuing the Rattlers' current win streak.

The Rattlers (2-5, 2-1 in the MEAC) will try and win their third game in a row Saturday. The first two teams the team beat had a combined record of 1-14. Florida A&M will face a different challenge against North Carolina A&T (6-2, 3-1), a team currently tied for second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Confernce.

"(Cohen) is a very talented guy," Blount said. Blount leads FAMU's defense with 31 tackles this season.

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Alabama A&M-Alabama State prepare for Classic

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- James Spady had never lived in Alabama before he was hired to take over Alabama A&M's football program last December. But once he arrived, it didn't take long for him to understand that the most important game on the Bulldogs' schedule is the annual Magic City Classic against Alabama State.

"I have heard about the Classic since the moment I got off the plane in Huntsville," Spady said. "I know this is a special game that means a lot to our players and fans."

Kickoff for the 73rd annual Magic City Classic is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Legion Field. Alabama State has won three of the past four games in the series, including a 31-7 victory last season.

While Spady is new to the series, Saturday's game will mark the 14th time that ASU coach Reggie Barlow has either played or coached in the Magic City Classic.



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XU Rush open season at home vs. Belhaven next week

NEW ORLEANS — Eighteen regular-season home games, the most by a Dannton Jackson-coached team, and 10 matchups against 2014 NAIA Division I National Championship qualifiers are among the highlights of the 2014-15 Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball schedule.

Jackson — in his 12th season as coach of the Gold Rush and the program's career leader in victories with 249 — announced Wednesday the schedule.

Xavier will open its 77th season at 7 p.m. on Oct. 29 against Belhaven in the Convocation Center. It will be the 21st consecutive season that the Gold Rush open at home, and the XU men will attempt to win their opener for the 19th straight season.

Belhaven, like Xavier, was an NAIA tourney qualifier last season. The Gold Rush and Blazers also will meet Nov. 3 at Belhaven.

The other XU games against NAIA tourney qualifiers will be Nov. 14 at home against Wiley, Nov. 25 at Wiley, Dec. 1 at home against William Carey, Dec. 18 at William Carey, Jan. 5 — in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener — at Talladega, Jan. 10 at home against Philander Smith, Feb. 9 at home against Talladega and Feb. 14 at Philander Smith.

Also on the schedule — Dec. 30 at Xavier — will be Concordia (Calif.), which did not reach nationals last season but spent five polls in the NAIA's top 10. The Eagles were a national tourney qualifier every season from 2007-13.

"I thought we had one of the best schedules in the NAIA last season, and I feel the same way about this season," Jackson said. "This is a tough, competitive schedule against a lot of successful programs. It's a great schedule for us to see what we have before conference play begins."

The XU men will play nine of their first 11 games at home, including six straight home games from Nov. 6-22. NCAA Division II opponents Albany State, Miles and LeMoyne-Owen will visit Xavier in November. Xavier will play LeMoyne-Owen for homecoming at noon on Nov. 22, followed by the XU women against Warner at 2 p.m.

There are no first-time opponents. Xavier and Miles will meet for the first time since 1969.

Xavier will conclude the regular season on Feb. 28 at home in the Crosstown Classic against longtime HBCU, city and GCAC rival Dillard. XU will visit Dillard on Jan. 31.

For the second consecutive year, New Orleans will be the site of the GCAC's men's and women's basketball tournaments. Xavier, one of three GCAC members from New Orleans, played host to the final three men's rounds and the final two women's rounds last season.

It will be the third season of basketball in the Convocation Center, a $25 million facility which seats nearly 4,000. The Gold Rush are 26-6 there.

The GCAC Tournament men's champion will earn an automatic bid to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship at Kansas City, Mo. Xavier qualified for nationals last season as an at-large selection and reached the tournament for the fourth consecutive year and the eighth time in 10 seasons. The Gold Rush were 23-9 overall in 2013-14 and 10-2 in the GCAC to win the regular-season championship for the third consecutive year. Xavier tied for 16th in the NAIA Division I postseason poll.

2014-15 Xavier University Men's Basketball Schedule Click here for detailed schedule information Oct. 29 (Wed.):  BELHAVEN, 7 p.m. Oct. 31 (Fri.):  CARVER, 7 p.m. Nov. 3 (Mon.):  at Belhaven, 7 p.m. Nov. 6 (Thu.):  ALBANY STATE, 6 p.m. Nov. 8 (Sat.):  MILES, 7 p.m. Nov. 11 (Tue.):  LOYOLA, 7 p.m. Nov. 14 (Fri.):  WILEY, 7 p.m. Nov. 18 (Tue.):  MOBILE, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 22 (Sat.):  LeMOYNE-OWEN (DH), noon (1) Nov. 25 (Tue.):  at Wiley, 6 p.m. Dec. 1 (Mon.):  WILLIAM CAREY, 7 p.m. Dec. 3 (Wed.):  at Loyola, 7 p.m. Dec. 13 (Sat.):  at Mobile, 3 p.m. Dec. 15 (Mon.):  FAULKNER (DH), 7 p.m. Dec. 18 (Thu.):  at William Carey, 7 p.m. Dec. 29 (Mon.):  Concordia (Calif.) vs. Mobile at XU's Convocation Center, 2 p.m.  (NOTE: Xavier's men will not play on December 29) Dec. 30 (Tue.):  CONCORDIA (CALIF.) (DH), 7 p.m. Jan. 5 (Mon.):  • at Talladega (DH), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 (Sat.):  • PHILANDER SMITH (DH), 5 p.m. Jan. 12 (Mon.):  • TOUGALOO (DH), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 (Mon.):  • SUNO (DH), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 (Sat.):  • at Edward Waters (DH), 5 p.m. EST Jan. 26 (Mon.):  • at Voorhees (DH), 7:30 p.m. EST Jan. 31 (Sat.):  • at Dillard (DH), 5 p.m. Feb. 2 (Mon.):  • EDWARD WATERS (DH), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 (Thu.):  • VOORHEES (DH), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9 (Mon.):  • TALLADEGA (DH), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 (Sat.):  • at Philander Smith (DH), 4 p.m. Feb. 16 (Mon.):  • at Tougaloo (DH), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 (Mon.):  • at SUNO (DH), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 (Sat.):  • DILLARD (DH), 7 p.m. (2) March 6-8 (Fri.-Sun.):  GCAC TOURNAMENT IN NEW ORLEANS March 18-24 (Wed.-Tue.):  Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship, Kansas City, Mo. Home games (in bold and CAPITAL LETTERS) will be played at the Convocation Center (capacity 3,937), Xavier University campus, New Orleans • Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game TBA — To be announced All times are Central except where noted (DH) — doubleheader with Xavier's women (1) — Homecoming (2) — Crosstown Classic Call (504) 520-7329 for ticket information

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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Sims starting to get comfortable at WSSU

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- In some quarters, there’s still the belief that Winston-Salem State should pick just one starting quarterback.

But it’s hard to argue with the success the Rams have had alternating two quarterbacks, especially after Saturday 36-13 win against St. Augustine’s. With returning starter Rudy Johnson struggling, transfer Phillip Sims came in and calmly guided the Rams.

“I think you saw that it was good that we have two capable quarterbacks,” quarterbacks coach Jason Mai said.

Offensive coordinator Steed Lobotzke has planned for Sims and Johnson to each work two straight series during games, and that will continue despite Johnson’s struggles last week. Johnson threw three interceptions and had trouble finding his usual rhythm.



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SIAC relies on 'loyal fans' to build game in Montgomery

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference probably would love to have Tuskegee as a participant in its first championship game at Cramton Bowl next month.

But SIAC commissioner Gregory Moore said his team's strong attendance figures should make the game a successful event, no matter who plays in it.

The HBCU conference held its first three championship games in the Atlanta area and was looking to make a bigger splash when it elected last summer to move the event to Cramton Bowl. The inaugural championship game in Montgomery will be held on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.

"Our reason for moving it is we wanted to ...

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Open Letter to Alumni, Students and Fans from MSU Head Coach Lee Hull

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

BALTIMORE, Maryland 

Dear Morgan State Alumni, Students and Fans,

Please let me start by simply saying "Thank You!"  My first Homecoming at Morgan State University as your head football coach was a great day!  It was exciting for me and the football team to see so many proud alumni, students and fans back on campus enjoying the atmosphere and the Homecoming spirit.  We had a beautiful day for a football game in Hughes Stadium and you all made it better by packing the stadium and cheering for our team.  Our team fought and fought and truly played the game for all 60 minutes as we finally scored the winning touchdown with 32 seconds left!  That moment was electric and I wanted to say thank you for staying for the entire game.  The stadium was still packed at the end of the game.  Your energy and enthusiasm is contagious for our players and helps them play harder throughout the game.  I look forward to many more victories in Hughes Stadium with all of you there cheering us on as we continue to work towards winning a MEAC Championship.

We need you and the energy you brought to the game at all of our home games!  If you can make it, please come see us play on the road.  Please know that I appreciate you supporting your alma mater and your football team.  We need you!  I look forward to seeing you at the next home game and next year's homecoming game!  You are a big part of what we do and you are definitely helping us Restore The Roar as we continue on our path to Return To Greatness!

I hope you had a great weekend and really enjoyed your time back on campus!  Our student-athletes are working very hard to be a great representation for this university and hope to make you proud every day and every Saturday afternoon.   Thank you again for being great fans and I look forward to seeing you at the next game soon!

Bear Down!!

Lee Hull
Head Football Coach

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COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS