Virginia State QB suspended for CIAA title game

ETTRICK, Virginia -- Winston-Salem State didn’t get tested a whole lot during the CIAA portion of its schedule.

That should change Saturday in the CIAA championship game against a very good Virginia State team. The Trojans (8-2), who also had a few lopsided victories inside the conference, will play the Rams for the first time since 2003.

The Trojans opened the season with consecutive losses to powerhouses California (Pa.) and Lenoir-Rhyne. Coach Latrell Scott, the CIAA coach of the year last season, told reporters earlier this season that losing those two games helped his Virginia State team later.

"We’re battle-tested," Scott said. "We’ve been through a whole bunch as a team, and we just find a way to win games."

The Trojans, who have two straight undefeated regular seasons in ...

CONTINUE READING

No longer in control in MEAC, Morgan State football sets sights on South Carolina State

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Saturday’s 45-0 loss to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe North Carolina A&T was a big blow for Morgan State.

Although the Bears (5-5 overall, 4-2 MEAC) dropped into a three-way tie for second with North Carolina Central (5-5, 4-2) and Norfolk State (4-6, 4-2), they trail a trio of conference leaders in No. 20 Bethune-Cookman (8-2, 5-1), the Aggies (8-2, 5-1) and South Carolina State (7-3, 5-1).

With two games left on the schedule, Morgan State could still capture a piece of the MEAC championship, but the Bears would need help.

That’s why coach Lee Hull said the team’s focus must be on Saturday’s 1 p.m. game against South Carolina State at Hughes Stadium.



CONTINUE READING

South Carolina State Coach Buddy's Pough's Weekly Press Conference Nov. 10, 2014

TSU Men's Basketball Season Preview

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State University men’s basketball team moves into a new era with head coach Dana Ford at the helm.

The Skinny

Coaching at TSU is old hat for Ford who was an assistant here under John Cooper from 2009-2011. While he coached here, the Tigers won 43 games. Ford helped build the Tigers up by recruiting talented players such as Robert Covington, Kellen Thornton, Patrick Miller and current guard Jay Harris.

The youngest coach in all of NCAA Division I will lead a team comprised of one returner and 12 newcomers. The Tigers have two players (the aforementioned Harris and junior Christian Crockett) with experience playing at this level, the fewest in Division I. What the Tigers lack in experience, though, they make up with talent.

Jay Harris – Lone Returner

Harris will be the leader of the Tiger backcourt this season. Last season, his junior year, Harris averaged 7.4 points per game and was second on the team in total steals with 24. He was a 76% free throw shooter and averaged 2.4 rebounds per game.

The Backcourt

Harris will be joined by five newcomers in Darreon Reddick, Xavier Richards, Rodney Simeon, and Charles Tucker.

Reddick was the first commitment that Coach Ford received as head coach. He was the top scorer for his high school, Belleville East in Belleville, Ill., by averaging 13.7 points. He showed his well-rounded game by also averaging 4.6 rebounds, and 2.63 assists per contest. Richards, a transfer from Baltimore City Community College, was a third team NJCAA All-American last year as he helped his side win the Region XX Championship. He averaged 19.2 points per game and shot 59% from the field.

Simeon comes to TSU from Miami, Fla. where he was the captain of the Boyd H. Anderson high school team that posted a 25-6 record. He put up 15.3 points per game and also averaged 5.5 rebounds which helped his team make the Final Four in the 7A state playoffs. Tucker was a member of the 2011-12 USA Men’s Developmental National Team comprised of the nation’s top under-16 talents. The coaches are very high on him and expect him to make a big impact right away.

Up Front

All five forwards are newcomers this season with three freshman and two juniors.

Chima Azuonwu is the team’s only true center. Standing at 6’ 11”, the Delta, Nigeria native averaged close to a double-double in his final high school season at Darien High School (Connecticut) while his team finished 11-11, one of the school’s best finishes in recent memory. Joining Azuonwu is Crockett, who gained his Division I experience at Mount Saint Mary’s as a freshman. The transfer from Odessa Community College helped his team to a 22-7 record, shooting 54% from the floor and averaging 7.7 points and five rebounds per game.

Zachary Lee, a talented freshman from Albuquerque, New Mexico, joins the Tigers’ post players from Eldorado High School. Lee averaged 11 points and eight rebounds while excelling on defense with 4.2 blocks per game. A transfer from Brunswick Community College, Demontez Loman was a force his sophomore year. The 6’ 6” forward averaged 10.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. He was also named second team All-Region. He led the team in rebounding, blocked shots and steals to earn the Region 10 Defensive Player of the Year award.

The Schedule

After three-straight home games to begin the season, TSU will participate in the Barclays Tournament with match-ups against Vanderbilt (Nov. 23), Virginia (Nov. 25) and St. Peters (Nov. 28) before facing either Norfolk State or St. Francis (Nov. 29).

December is comprised of two home games, Hampton (Dec. 2) and Kennesaw State (Dec. 31), in addition to six road games. TSU travels to Lipscomb (Dec. 6), Southern Illinois (Dec. 16), Hampton (Dec. 19), Middle Tennessee State (Dec. 21), Tennessee (Dec. 27), and Texas Christian (Dec. 29) before moving into 2015 and OVC play.

The Tigers will look to make the 2014-15 season a new beginning in the legacy of TSU. It all starts Friday, Nov. 14 at 7:00 p.m. when they host Reinhardt.

TSU 2014/14 Men's Basketball Schedule

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU to begin defense of GCAC title at 10 a.m. Friday

BRACKET (.pdf)

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana will play Voorhees at 10 a.m. Friday at XU's Convocation Center to begin its quest for a fourth consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship in women's volleyball.

The GCAC announced seedings, pairings and match times Monday for the eight-team, single-elimination event. The Convocation Center will be the site of four of the seven matches.

The Gold Nuggets (18-5) are the No. 1 seed for the fourth straight year. They are 57-0 against GCAC opponents since a five-set loss to SUNO in semifinals of the 2010 conference tournament.

Voorhees (4-21) is seeded eighth. Xavier defeated the Lady Tigers 25-8, 25-9, 25-7 Sept. 29 at XU and 25-5, 25-12, 25-13 Oct. 26 at Voorhees.

On Friday, XU will play host to a noon quarterfinal -- No. 4 Philander Smith vs. No. 5 Talladega -- and a 3 p.m. semifinal matching the XU-Voorhees winner and the Philander Smith-Talladega winner. SUNO will be the site of two quarterfinals and one semifinal Friday.

The quarterfinals at SUNO will be No. 2 SUNO vs. No. 7 Edward Waters at 10 a.m. and No. 3 Dillard vs. No. 6 Tougaloo at noon. Those winners will meet at 3 p.m.

The championship match will start at noon Saturday at XU. The Gold Nuggets defeated SUNO 25-23, 25-18, 25-15 in the 2013 final at Little Rock, Ark.

Tickets will cost $5 for ages 13 and older. There will be free admission for children 12 and younger and GCAC-member students with valid school identification cards.

The tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship, which will begin Nov. 22 with 12 first-round matches on campus sites. The NAIA will announce the 36-team field for nationals on Nov. 16.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

https://twitter.com/xulagold

ttps://www.facebook.com/xulagold   

WSSU, Virginia State will finally meet on field

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  — We’ve been here before.

That was the general feeling among Winston-Salem State players, coaches and fans after Saturday’s hard-fought 17-7 win at Fayetteville State. The victory gave the Rams the Southern Division title and a berth in the CIAA championship game against — no surprise here — Virginia State.

Quarterback Rudy Johnson of the Rams was the center of attention last year in the week before the scheduled CIAA title game, when he was injured during an altercation in a restroom at an awards luncheon at WSSU’

s Anderson Center. The fallout from that incident led the CIAA to cancel last season’s title game between the Rams and the Trojans, and Virginia State player Lamont Britt later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in the case.

CONTINUE READING

CIAA championship game tickets are on sale at WSSU

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Tickets for the CIAA championship football game are expected to go fast.

The game, featuring 10th-ranked Winston-Salem State against Virginia State, will be Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Durham County Stadium.

WSSU will begin selling tickets today at 11 a.m. at the ticket office at the Anderson Center on campus.
Fans can also purchase tickets by calling the WSSU ticket office at 750-3220.

Reserved seats are $35 each and general admission tickets are $25 each. WSSU students can purchase tickets for $15 but must show their school-issued identification card.

CONTINUE READING

What to do with the NCA&T Aggies and B-CU Wildcats?

EXCERPT: The first two automatic bids to the FCS playoffs have gone to Fordham (Patriot League) and Chattanooga (Southern Conference). In addition, Alcorn State handled Alabama A&M, 41-14, to clinch its first appearance in the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 6.

The MEAC race could have a weird ending. Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina A&T are both 8-2 and could have 10-win regular seasons without winning the conference's automatic bid. That's because South Carolina State (7-3, 5-1) is tied with Bethune and A&T atop the standings and has beaten both of them. But coach Buddy Pough's squad will have to earn its way even more because the Bulldogs face stern tests from Morgan State (away) and Norfolk State (home) the final two weeks.

Football Season                2014-15  2013-14  2012-13  2011-12  2010-11  2009-10  2008-09

	MEAC		Overall
Team	Record	Pct	Record	Pct
Bethune-Cookman	5-1	.833	8-2	.800
North Carolina A&T	5-1	.833	8-2	.800
South Carolina State	5-1	.833	7-3	.700
Morgan State	4-2	.667	5-5	.500
North Carolina Central	4-2	.667	5-5	.500
Norfolk State	4-2	.667	4-6	.400
Delaware State	2-4	.333	2-8	.200
Florida A&M	2-4	.333	2-8	.200
Howard	2-5	.286	3-7	.300
Hampton	1-5	.167	2-8	.200
Savannah State	0-7	.000	0-10	.000

Chart Courtesy: MEACSPORTS.COM 

CONTINUE READING

Could FAMU find their own Pough?

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Is Florida A&M seeking a Buddy Pough “clone” to become its newest head football coach?

Based on the desired job description provided by the newly appointed search committee this week, it appears they want someone whose character and qualities mimic those possessed by the “Dean” of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football.

“The primary thought I have that I share with the committee and the university is you have to have a father figure,” said committee chairman John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance. “And an excellent teacher of the skills of football itself. That is one of the primary things a coach has to have. Also, the ability to motivate. We’re talking about people that can recruit and can show the parents exactly what these young kids can get out of Florida A&M.”

For 13 seasons, it’s exactly what Pough has done at ...

CONTINUE READING

Howard U. 2014-15 men’s basketball preview

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- When Kevin Nickelberry took over as the Bison’s men’s basketball coach four years ago, one of his first orders of business was to bring in higher-profile recruits. Sophomore James Daniel has been his best find so far after leading the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in scoring (21.7 ppg) and winning conference rookie of the year. He also led all freshmen in the country in scoring and was 11th overall.

The 5-foot-11 guard was selected MEAC preseason player of the year in voting by conference coaches and sports information directors heading into this season. He’s the first MEAC preseason player of the year at Howard in more than three decades.

Daniel, who missed five games last season with a jammed toe, may have to be even more involved this season in the wake of an injury to starting forward Prince Okoroh (Eleanor Roosevelt High).

CONTINUE READING

UMES Closes Out MEAC North Meet with Another Perfect Day

HYATTSVILLE, Maryland -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore's women's bowling team concluded the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference northern division play with another perfect 5-0 record Sunday and improved to 10-0 in league play and 17-7 overall.

The No. 5 ranked Hawks finished the day in first place with their 5-0 record while #19 Delaware State went 4-1. Morgan State was 3-2, Howard was 2-3, Coppin State was 1-4 and Hampton was 0-5. Those standings would mirror the final results as the Hawks went 10-0, Delaware State 7-3, Morgan State 6-4, Howard 5-5, Coppin State 2-8 and Hampton at 0-10.

The Hawks won the day with a total pinfall of 4,759, besting DSU by 410 pins.

UMES topped Howard to open the day. They easily rolled past the Bison 918-740 in the total-pinfall five-game Baker format. The Hawks opened with a 243 and never looked back. Next up was rival Delaware State. The Hornets made a match of it as UMES edged them 968-945. The Hawks opened with a 232 to start the scoring. They didn't roll another 200 plus game the rest of the match and DSU got two, a 205 and a 202, but UMES kept it close enough after they built the 54 pin lead in game one.

CONTINUE READING 

PVAMU Panthers Dominate UAPB Behind Solid Offensive, Defensive Performances

WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  -- Prairie View A&M had a huge day on both sides of the ball with season-highs in total offense and sacks as they dominated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 51-23 at Golden Lion Stadium.

UAPB opened the contest with a solid drive down the field but the Panther defense foreshadowed what was to come as Terrence Reynolds sacked UAPB's Ben Anderson and recovered the fumble at the PVAMU 28.  The Panthers' passing game was crisp to open the contest but stalled at the UAPB 28 as Chris Barrick kicked the scoring off with a 28-yard field goal.

UAPB's Tyler Strickland nailed a 45-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to knot the contest at 3-all but the Panther offense continued to strike as Rayshaun Givens and Lovelocke connected on a 25-yard pass to open the drive.  Several plays later, the Panthers moved ahead 10-3 as Johnta' Hebert rushed 16 yards up the middle fpr the score.

From that point, the Panther defense set the tone with an impressive display of force as they harrassed UAPB into allowing two sacks on the ensuing drive.  It took only three plays on PVAMU's next drive for the team to score as Lovelocke saw a hole up the middle and raced in for the score as the lead grew to 17-3 after the PAT.

Two more sacks by PVAMU ended UAPB's next drive but the Panthers gave the ball back to the Golden Lions thanks to a fumble in the backfield.  However, the Panthers received a bit of relief as UAPB misfired on the field goal but once again, the Panthers were their own worst enemy as the officials ruled Hebert fumbled behind the line of scrimmage.  UAPB took advantage of the gift and scored in two plays as wide receiver Isiah Ferguson caught a short pass from Anderson and made a nifty move to the endzone to trail 17-10 after the PAT.

After suffering the untimely turnover and touchdown, the Panther offense quickly answered with a 9-play, 59-yard scoring drive that saw Lovelocke connect with Nick Pitre for a 14-yard touchdown reception in the middle of the endzone.  The PAT was successful by Barrick as the Panthers claimed a 24-10 lead with 2:39 left.

The Panthers came out the locker room with the same fire they displayed in the first half as Hebert caught a pass from Lovelocke and raced 26 yards to cap off a seven-play, 76-yard drive.  The PAT was good by Barrick as the Panthers claimed a 31-10 lead.

UAPB was forced to punt once again as the high-powered Panthers kept on scoring as the Lovelocke-to-Hebert combination worked once again as Hebert juked out several defenders en route to a 17-yard touchdown pass.  Barrick's PAT was good as the Panthers claimed a 38-10 advantage.  

On the next drive, the defense forced another fumble which saw Jerome Howard scoop it up and race nearly 60 yards.  Two players later, Lovelocke hit Pitre in the gut of UAPB's defense for a 22-yard strike and a 45-10 lead after the PAT.  After the score, the Panthers' special teams unit made a mistake and allowed UAPB to score on an 88-yard kickoff return for a 45-17 margin after the PAT with 8:55 remaining in the third stanza.

Despite the kickoff return, the Panther offense slowed things down and took five minutes off the clock as Chris Barrick nailed a 39-yard field goal for a 48-17 advantage with 3:46 left in the third quarter.  UAPB added a late touchdown off a Panther turnover late in the fourth quarter followed by a 34-yard field goal by Barrick for the game's final score.

The Panthers finished the day with 644 (355 P, 289 R) total offensive yards compared to only 313 by UAPB.  Hebert finished with 122 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown while Lovelocke finished with 355 passing yards and four touchdowns on 23-of-36 passing.  Wideout Nick Pitre led the way with 88 yards on five receptions with two touchdowns.

Defensively, the linebacking duo of Jerome Howard and Danny Brownell combined for 22 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

The 2014 season comes to an end next weekend as PVAMU will travel to Huntsville, Ala. for a 1 p.m. kickoff inside Lewis Crews Stadium.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY PANTHERS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Tuskegee Golden Tigers Win SIAC Western Division

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- Despite entering the contest with a perfect record in conference, the Golden Tigers were in a must win situation, if they wanted to reach the SIAC Championship. With everything on the line, Tuskegee rallied from behind to defeat Miles College 48-33.

Trevor Wylie scored first for the Golden Tigers with a 36-yard field goal. Miles' Antonio Pitts scored on an eight-yard pass from Demetric Price; Mick Christians split the uprights to take the score to 7-3. Wylie parted the goal posts from 34-yards out.  The Golden Bears' Jaquan Morris put up a 31-yard field goal to start second quarter scoring. Hoderick Lowe rushed for 43-yards to add six for Tuskegee. Wylie added the point after. To wrap scoring for the scoring, Xavier Bacon dashed into the end zone from two-yards out. Nick Christians added the extra point. Miles' Travis Lee returned an interception 38-yards for a touchdown. Going into the locker-room at halftime, Tuskegee was down 13-24.  

In the third, Christians scored a 42-yard field goal for the Golden Bears. Tuskegee's Lowe scored on 92-yard kickoff return. Michael J. Thornton scored from 10-yards out, Wylie point after was blocked, to end the third. In the fourth, Lowe rushed into the end zone for 48-yard and Michael J. Thornton scored on a two-yard conversion. Miles responded with a seven-yard run by Demetric Price but was unable to land the point after. Michael J. Thornton scored the final two touchdowns for the Golden Tigers. He scored on a 33-yard run and a one-yarder. Wylie was able to add on the point after for both touchdowns.

Kevin Lacey went 3-4-1 on the night for 37-yards and rushed for 20-yards, while Justin Nared 5-11-1 for 107-yards.  WR Travis Hawkins tallied 82-yards on two receptions, Lowe rushed for 150-yards on 21 carries, two touchdowns and returned one kickoff for a 92-yard touchdowns, while Michael J. Thorntonrushed for 79-yards on 10 carries and three touchdown.

Defensively, Osband Thompson and Jewell Ratliff led the Golden Tigers with 10 total tackles. Thompson recorded five solo and five assists, as Ratlliff tallied three solo and seven assists.

With the victory Tuskegee won the Western Division title and will play the Golden Rams of Albany State University in the Crampton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama on November 15, 2014. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.





COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN TIGERS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

South Carolina State Marching 101 vs. Florida A&M Marching 100 (11/8/14)

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Southern’s winning streak reaches five with 30-20 victory over Texas Southern

PHOTO GALLERY

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern won its fifth consecutive game by beating Texas Southern 30-20 on Saturday night in A.W. Mumford Stadium, but it wasn’t exactly business as usual for the Jaguars.

They used a 12-yard touchdown run by tackle Reginald Redding to help build a quick 14-point lead, then had to overcome a series of special-teams mishaps that helped the Tigers take the lead.

Ultimately things settled down, and Lenard Tillery rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown as the Jaguars defense pitched a second-half shutout.

If Southern, 7-3 and 6-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, defeats Mississippi Valley State in its home final next Saturday, it will guarantee a showdown for the West Division title in the Bayou Classic against Grambling on Nov. 29 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. TSU is 5-5 and 3-5 after losing its fourth straight.

CONTINUE READING

SC State Halftime Homecoming Proposal

WATCH IN 720p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Alcorn heads to SWAC championship

JACKSON, Mississippi -- For the first time in school history, Alcorn State clinched its division outright.

The Braves defeated Alabama A&M 41-14 Saturday in Hunstville, punching their ticket to the SWAC championship in Houston for the first time since the league split in two divisions in 1999.

The last time Alcorn won the conference title was in 1994, when it shared with Grambling State. AAMU (4-6, 3-2 SWAC) needed to win out to keep its bid to Houston alive.

Quarterback John Gibbs Jr. completed 6 of 18 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. The junior also ran for 155 yards and two scores on seven attempts.

The Braves (8-2, 6-1) pretty much sealed their fate by halftime, leading 35-0.

CONTINUE READING

Stillman earns homecoming win 31-26, over CAU

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – The Stillman Tiger football team evened its overall record with a 31-26 Homecoming victory over the visiting Clark Atlanta Panthers Saturday afternoon at Stillman Stadium.

Stillman opened the scoring on its first possession when Josh Straughan found Devonta Gilmore for a 24-yard pass play. On the ensuing PAT, Bre'nard Williams blocked the PAT and returned it for a two-point score. The Panthers added seven points when Montavious Taylor scored on an eight-yard run.

Stillman regained the lead when Straughan connected with Devon Mackey for a 24-yard pass and catch. The Panthers answered when Shaquan Mitchell scored on a 23-yard run. The Tigers responded with 12 points in the final five minutes of the half. First, Jonathan Esther broke a 75-yard run up the middle before Straughan found senior receiver Dondre Purnell for an eight-yard strike.

In the third quarter, Clark Atlanta got a 27-yard field goal from Austin Casillas and a Mitchell 14-yard run to put the Panthers ahead 26-25.



Trailing with under five minutes in the third period, Stillman marched 78 yards in 11 plays, capping the drive with a 20-yard strike to the sideline of the end zone from Straughan to senior Reese Sturgis.

CAU tallied 302 yards on the ground (329 total offensive yards) while Stillman tallied 415 offensive yards in the game.

Stillman's Jonathan Esther finished with 87 rushing yards while Straughan connected on 21-of-29 pass attempts for 276 yards and four scores. Sturgis caught four passes for 128 yards while Mackey had four receptions for 45 yards.

Defensively, Jalen Luke finished with nine tackles while Zamir Carlis and Dontavious Lawson each had seven tackles in the contest.

Stillman now turns its attention to a November 22 contest at Alabama State.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY STILLMAN COLLEGE TIGERS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

German Leads TSU to Comeback Win at APSU, 31-27

CLARKSVILLE, Tennessee – Michael German threw a game-winning touchdown with 34 seconds left, and the Tennessee State football team snapped its five-game losing streak with a, 31-27, win over Austin Peay.

The Tigers trailed 17-3 at halftime, but German threw four second-half touchdowns to lead the comeback.

On the go-ahead scoring drive, German found Ryan Mitchell over the middle to convert a third-and-15 and later hit Isaiah Freeman to make good on a second-and-10. His final throw was caught by Freeman on a five-yard slant to seal the win for Tennessee State (5-6, 2-5 OVC).

German finished the game 30-of-46 for a career-high 395 yards – 287 in the second half – in addition to the four scores.

Weldon Garlington caught eight of German’s passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns.



TSU looked like a different team to start the second half and scored its first touchdown of the game when German found Garlington wide open on a go-route. Garlington waltzed into the end zone for a 58-yard score and the Tigers trailed by just eight after the missed PAT by Clark.

After a field goal by APSU (1-9, 1-5 OVC), German hit Garlington again on an uncovered deep route for a 24-yard touchdown. This time, Clark nailed the point, making the score 20-16, with 11:03 left.

Riding high off the momentum from the offense, the TSU defense forced APSU to punt from its own 23-yard line. For the second straight week, the punt hit a Tiger and the kicking team recovered. Three personal foul penalties on TSU later, Taylor snuck into the end zone to raise the lead to 27-16 at the 7:16 mark.

For the third time in the half, German and Garlington connected on a touchdown and German then hit Mitchell for the two-point conversion. TSU trailed by just three, 27-24, with 4:50 to go in the game.

The TSU defense forced a punt on APSU’s next offensive possession, setting up the game-winning drive.

The game started rough for TSU and after a missed field goal on the Tigers’ first drive, APSU marched down the field and scored the game’s first touchdown via an eight-yard run off of left tackle by Otis Gerron. The strike put the home team up, 7-0, at the 6:38 mark of the first quarter.

After two TSU turnovers, Austin Peay found the end zone again in the second quarter when Trey Taylor hit Rashaan Coleman with a 10-yard pass to give his team a two-touchdown lead with eight minutes to go in the half.

The Tigers finally were able to cobble together a scoring drive thanks to 76 yards through the air by German. Once again, however, the offense stalled on the APSU side of the field, but Lane Clark kicked a 41-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-3 with just under four minutes to play in the half.

The Governors responded with a field goal of their own as the clock hit zeros, and went into the locker room with a two-touchdown lead that they could not hold.

Nick Thrasher once again led the defense with 12 stops and the TSU defense recorded seven tackles for loss.

Tennessee State will finally welcome its bye week this upcoming Saturday, but will return to the field at Murray State on Nov. 22.

NOTES: Lane Clark booted a 46-yard field goal off of the left upright in the first quarter, no good. TSU kickers are now 9-of-20 on the season… APSU failed on a fourth down try in the first quarter, making opponents 2-of-15 on the decisive down on the season… TSU is now 2-5 when it turns the ball over two or more times… German became TSU’s all-time leader in completions with an 18-yard throw to Hall in the second quarter. He now has 627… German is also third all-time in touchdown passes with 58… TSU’s 167 penalty yards were the most since Sept. 1, 2012 when the Tigers had 178 against Florida A&M… The Tigers have not allowed a sack in three straight games...

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Strong first half helps Xavier Rush beat NCAA D2 opponent

Facebook photos
XAVIER UNIVERSITY GOLD RUSH vs. MILES COLLEGE GOLDEN BEARS

NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Goode, one of four from Xavier University of Louisiana in doubles figures, scored 13 points Saturday in a 68-59 men's basketball victory against Miles.

The Gold Rush (4-1), ranked 13th in the NAIA, bounced back from a one-point home loss on Thursday, led for nearly 39 minutes and held a 20-point halftime lead.

Miles, an NCAA Division II member, counted the game as an exhibition. But Xavier counted it as a regular-season game.

Goode, a senior guard, led Xavier in scoring for the fourth time in five games and extended his streak of double-figure scoring games to 15. He was 3-of-4 from the floor and 6-of-7 from the line in 25 minutes.

Sydney Coleman and Jacques Johnson scored 12 points apiece, both season highs, for Xavier, and Morris Wright scored 10. Charles Savoy did not miss a shot in 12 minutes and scored a season-best eight points.

Albert Peterson scored 21 points for the Golden Bears, who won 76-74 Friday at another Gulf Coast Athletic Conference member, SUNO. Maiscei Greer and Patrick Jackson scored 11 points apiece, and Demetrius Caldwell had 10.

Coleman scored three consecutive baskets during a 15-1 run which gave the Gold Rush a 17-4 lead in the first 10 minutes. Goode's 3-pointer made it 24-6 at 7:15, and Johnson's basket at 1:37 gave Xavier a 36-16 halftime lead.

Peterson and Caldwell combined for all the points in a 13-0 Miles run which opened the second half and cut Xavier's lead to 36-29 with 15:55 remaining. But the Gold Rush scored the next six points and maintained a double-digit lead until the final 2 1/2 minutes.

After Peterson's fourth 3-pointer made it 64-59 with 23 seconds remaining, Wright and Gary Smith each made a pair of free throws to close the scoring.

Xavier outshot the Golden Bears 47.9 to 36.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 35-22. Both teams made 20 free throws, with Xavier making their final 16 attempts to finish 20-of-21. The Rush committed 20 turnovers for the second consecutive game, and Miles had 19.

Xavier's next game will start at 7 p.m. Tuesday against city rival Loyola at the Convocation Center. It will be Warm Hands, Warm Hearts Night -- fans can donate scarves, hats and gloves in exchange for free admission to the game.

NOTES: The victory was Xavier's first against Miles, which beat the Rush twice in the late 1960s . . . Xavier is 19-6 against NCAA Division II opponents during Dannton Jackson's 12 seasons as head coach . . . Jackson's teams are 83-8 all-time in regular-season non-conference home games . . . The Rush have outrebounded all five opponents this season, three by double digits.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

https://twitter.com/xulagold

https://www.facebook.com/xulagold   

Homecoming Hammering: NCCU dominates Hampton

DURHAM, North Carolina — N.C. Central hammered Hampton for homecoming.

NCCU scored in all three phases of the game and won 47-13 Saturday against a squad of Pirates who seemed bent on giving up the ball so the Eagles could create more highlights.



“I don’t know how many turnovers we had, probably five or six turnovers on offense, and anytime you play a good football team like they are, you can’t turn the ball over that many times — against anybody, much less a good football team — and expect to win,” Hampton coach Connell Maynor said.

Hampton fumbled six times, losing three, and Pirates quarterback Jerrell Antoine threw an interception.

CONTINUE READING

Paine claims first SIAC win at Classic

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- With 1:00 left on the clock in the fourth quarter, Loranzo Hammonds and the Paine College offense went into the victory formation to take a knee and claim their first conference win in 52 years. The Lions' 45-34 victory is the second of the season and first win in SIAC play this year.

Coach Greg Ruffin and the Paine College Lions finish the year with a 2-8 overall record and 1-6 (SIAC). Benedict College's season comes to a close with a 4-6 overall and 2-5 conference record.

Paine drew first blood as Eddy Burton, Jr. would return a punt that was touched by the Benedict Tigers for the Lions first touchdown of the game with 12:43 left in the first quarter, 7-0.

Benedict answered back with Cameron Stover throwing two bombs to Jeremy Glinton. The first touchdown came when he connected with Glinton for 75 yards with 12:31 left in the first quarter, 7-7. The second touchdown came when he threw to Glinton again for 36 yards with 4:18 left, 14-7. The Tigers kicker, Tory Mimbs made both points after the score.

CONTINUE READING

Former UNC athlete sues school over academic scandal

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina -- A former University of North Carolina football player has become the first to sue the university over an 18-year academic scandal that kept athletes eligible to play sports by taking classes that never met.

Mike McAdoo was a football player who lost his eligibility in 2011 when he was accused of getting too much help with a paper, and was one of the first athletes revealed to have taken part in "paper classes," for which the only requirement was completing a single paper.

Now he's suing the university in federal court, saying UNC broke its promise to give him an education in return for playing sports. His lawsuit is a class-action suit that the other 3,100 students who enrolled in the fake classes -- nearly half of whom are athletes -- could easily join.

"From selection of a major to selection of courses, the UNC football program controlled football student-athletes' academic track, with the sole purpose of ensuring that football student-athletes were eligible to participate in athletics, rather than actually educating them," says his lawsuit, filed Thursday by the law firms of Ferguson, Chambers & Sumter in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Mehri and Skalet in Washington, D.C.


CONTINUE READING

Albany State wins seventh straight, tops Fort Valley 32-21

COLUMBUS, Georgia — At the middle of the field, center Victor Moli grabbed the tall trophy and proceeded to hoist it high into the air.

As Moli celebrated with his teammates, fans snapped pictures of the team and the scoreboard, savoring every moment of Albany State’s 32-21 victory over Fort Valley State in the 25th annual Fountain City Classic at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

The Rams had clinched the SIAC East Division last week, but they still wanted to beat their rivals. It often wasn’t pretty, but it extended Albany State’s seven-game winning streak where they will head into the conference championship game next Saturday in Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl. They will get a rematch with Tuskegee, who defeated Miles College 48-33 Saturday night, for the West Division title. The Tigers were the last team to beat Albany State.

The Rams will also hold bragging rights over their arch-rivals for another year, too.

CONTINUE READING

Lincoln (Mo.) Blue Tigers Drop Home Finale to McKendree

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- Despite a record-breaking performance by Khiry Draine, the Lincoln football team fell to McKendree, 56-36, in its 2014 home finale on Saturday (Nov. 8).

Draine caught eight passes for 172 yards and two scores, causing Draine to break one Lincoln single-season record while tying another. Draine now has 841 receiving yards on the year, surpassing the LU program record of 791, which was set back in 2011. Draine also has nine touchdown receptions on the season, becoming the third Blue Tiger to ever have that many in a year and the first since Mike West accomplished the feat in 1977.

More than half of Owen Jordan's passing yardage went to Draine, as Jordan finished 22-for-33 for 259 yards and three scores. Christopher Willis had the other touchdown reception, finishing with six catches for 31 yards. Quan Guion and Morris Henderson both had three receptions while Rashyied Melvin and Delvon Rouser each had one. Henderson also scored a pair of touchdowns, one on the ground and one on a kick return, and ended his day with 25 carries for 90 yards.

McKendree (4-6, 4-3 GLVC) scored points on each of its first eight drives and only punted once during the contest. The Bearcats out-gained the Blue Tigers, 561-359, thanks to a balanced attack in which McKendree rushed for 296 yards and passed for 265. Lincoln (2-8, 1-6 GLVC), meanwhile, was held to just 100 yards on the ground.

The Bearcats held a 14-0 lead before Lincoln got on the board on Henderson's one-yard touchdown run. That play capped off a 65-yard drive in which LU converted twice on fourth downs, once thanks to a penalty and the other courtesy of a 17-yard reception by Draine. McKendree took control of the game after that point, scoring 20 unanswered on three consecutive touchdowns, though Treston Pulley blocked the Bearcats' point-after try after the last score.

The Blue Tigers got back on the board late in the second quarter, this time after driving 75 yards in just over five minutes. Guion made two big catches on the drive, including one for 10 yards and another for 24, and Henderson picked up a key third down with a six-yard reception. Draine finished the drive with a five-yard scoring catch to pull the Blue Tigers to within 20. McKendree finished the half strong, though, moving down to the LU 17 in the final 1:02 before kicking a 34-yard field goal to enter the intermission up 37-14.

McKendree scored a touchdown and a field goal on its first two drives of the second half, but Henderson put LU back on the scoreboard with an 87-yard kickoff return for a score. It was the second kickoff return for a score by Henderson on the season and the first since a 91-yard return against Langston in the season opener. Henderson became one of just five players in NCAA Division II to return score twice on kickoff returns in 2014. The extra point attempt bounced off one of the uprights, keeping Lincoln down, 47-20. The Blue Tigers tried a surprise onside kick afterwards, and did end up recovering, but were unable to score on the ensuing drive.

Another field goal by McKendree made the score 50-20 early in the fourth quarter, but a 60-yard reception by Draine allowed the Blue Tigers to get on the board again. Draine accounted for 89 yards on that drive, making a 10-yard catch on 4th-and-7 before making a 19-yard touchdown reception. Lincoln opted to go for two, and Rouser caught Jordan's pass to cut the Bearcat lead to 50-28.

It didn't take the Bearcats long to get back on the board, however, as a 70-yard kickoff return led to an eight-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive. For the second time in the game, though, the Blue Tigers blocked the extra point, with Addison Tucker getting his hand on the ball. The Blue Tigers kept the momentum going on their next drive, as a 22-yard catch by Draine followed by three carries for 25 yards by Henderson eventually led to Willis' one-yard touchdown catch. Lincoln again chose to go for two and were nearly stuffed, but Henderson managed to pick up a loose ball and race into the end zone for the conversion. Neither team was able to score after that, leading to the 56-36 final.

Pulley had a big game, leading the Lincoln defense with 12 tackles while blocking the extra point and a punt. Eric Howard and Tucker each had 10 tackles, with Howard also registering a sack, and Kerry Roby and Paul Dodson each had eight tackles. Robert Daniels broke up two passes while Davon Walls made two tackles for loss. Jeremy Rives added five tackles and broke up a pass.

With Saturday being Lincoln's final home game of the season, the Blue Tigers' seniors were honored during a halftime ceremony. Draine, Henderson, Willis, Guion, Jacob Morris, Roby, Reginald McMillan, Rashyied Melvin, Ray Reese, Floyd Earl, Julio Segura, Brandon Tovar, J.J. Johnson, Walls and Howard were all recognized for their contributions during their time at Lincoln. This was also Heroes Weekend, with area military, police officers, fire fighters, EMTs and paramedics all honored for their service to the country and community. A moment of silence was also held for Darryl Blackmon, a former all-league football player who, the week before, was tragically killed in a car accident.

The Blue Tigers will close the 2014 season on the road next Saturday (Nov. 15), as Lincoln will make the short trip to Rolla, Mo. to play Missouri S&T in a 1:00 p.m. CST contest.

Box Score

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY BLUE TIGERS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS