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Culver Column: All eyes on the Florida Classic

DOVER, Delaware -- From the outside looking in, Florida A&M's win on Saturday was just a victory over a team with a losing record and one of the worst offenses in FCS football.

Look a bit closer though.

That win over the Hornets was Corey Fuller's first as interim head coach. That win made it impossible for the Rattlers to finish with 10 losses. That win creates some positive vibes heading into the Florida Classic, which is arguably FAMU's biggest game of the year, regardless of whether or not the team is undefeated or sub-.500.

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Most importantly, that win put smiles on the faces of players and coaches who haven't had much to smile about since before Homecoming.

Beating Delaware State prevented a lost season from becoming a disastrous one.

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Moves Into Top 25

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (SportsNetwork.com) -- There was cause for a little celebration on Monday within North Carolina A&T's football program.

What the Aggies really want is to stage a full celebration on Saturday.

A&T moved into The Sports Network FCS Top 25 for the first time since the 2004 preseason poll, earning the No. 24 ranking just in front of fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member Bethune-Cookman.

Two MEAC teams in the poll is rare, and come Saturday, the Aggies want to be the one team left standing in the conference's deep title race. They have sole possession of first place and have clinched at least a share of their first conference title since 2003, but five other teams, including the North Carolina Central squad they visit on Saturday, trail them by only one game and can still earn a share of the crown.

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Davis seeks to make Texas Southern a NCAA regular

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana -- Apparently the San Antonio Spurs weren't available.

Other than that, Texas Southern plays a basketball schedule designed for losing, but that's not the point when you play teams such as Indiana tonight, and Tennesee on Thursday and then SMU, Baylor, Florida, Gonzaga, Michigan State, Auburn, Kansas State and more, all on the road.

What is the point? Raising money for 14 sports programs.

Coach Mike Davis, however, takes it another step.

“All these non-conference games are to raise money and so we can see where we are. Can we go into an opponent's gym and play and keep our concentration and execute?”

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Indiana fans welcome TSU's Mike Davis back with big ovation

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana -- Snowy roads and an early tip-off time prevented Assembly Hall from filling up before tip-off Monday night, but those Indiana fans who arrived early made sure to voice their appreciation for the visiting coach.

They gave Texas Southern coach Mike Davis a rousing ovation when he was introduced along with his team's starting lineup.

A respectable 83-64 loss served as Davis' first game back in Bloomington since he stepped down as Indiana's coach after the 2006-07 season. Davis led the Hoosiers to a co-Big Ten title and an appearance in the national title game in his second season in Bloomington, but he never approached those heights again, nor did he ever enjoy the full support of a fan base that yearned for his predecessor Bob Knight.

In his final three seasons at Indiana, Davis lost ...

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Sunday, November 16, 2014

Dillard Snaps 20-Game Losing Streak with Homecoming Win over Wiley Wildcats

NEW ORLEANS -- December 30, 2013. Bleu Devil fans know that date because it was the last time the men's basketball team had walked off the court victorious. Tonight, inspired by a raucous home crowd and by watching the men's track team recieve their championship rings, head coach Bernard Griffith and his team picked up their first win of the season by defeating Wiley College 59-58 in the Battlefield at Dent Hall.

The game was finished with some controversy as a last second put back by the Wildcats was ruled to have been scored after time had expired. After a brief huddle by the referees the basket was waved off and Dillard fans stormed the court.

illard (1-6, 0-0 GCAC) was led by freshman forward Patrick Thompson (FR/Dutchtown,LA) who filled the stat sheet with 11 points, six boards, two assists, one block, two steals, two turnovers, all while playing with four fouls for a large portion of the contest.

Dillard was outrebounded 38 to 28 by the much bigger Wildcats, but made up for it by clamping down on the defensive end as they forced 14 turnovers for Wiley and held them below 40 percent shooting in the game. Wiley grabbed 20 offensive boards but the young and hungry bunch from Dillard would not relent.

Junior forward and former GCAC Freshman of the Year Jarrain Jenkins (JR/White Castle, LA) had a solid game with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting. The win was a fantastic gift for Jenkins, who was celebrating his birthday. The birthday boy also added six rebounds to go along with two steals, one assist and only one turnover in 32 minutes for Dillard. Redshirt sophomore Houston Chatman (JR/Houma, LA) was a true floor general for his Bleu Devils as he scored 10 points and dished out a game-high eight assists in the victory.

Dillard hosts Tennessee Wesleyan College on Monday, November 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the Battlefield. In an earlier contest this season, the Bulldogs won 94-70 in Tennessee.

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Tuskegee fans camp out, cheer at SIAC championship game

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Disc jockeys hyped up Tuskegee tailgaters with hip-hop and R&B music as they waited for the faceoff between their Golder Tigers and Albany State inside Cramton Bowl on Saturday night.

It was a big night for football in Montgomery as Tuskegee alumni and Albany fans rallied around fire pits and warm hotdogs, excited to see their teams compete in the SIAC Championship Game.

This was the first year for the championship tilt to be held in Montgomery, after being played in Atlanta the last couple of years.

The game was a huge deal for Kimani King and his wife, Adrienne King, both alumni of Tuskegee.

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Board chairman of Alabama State University resigns

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Larry D. Thornton Sr., the chairman of the board of Alabama State University, resigned from the board on Friday, citing his relationship with a Coca-Cola bottling company as the reason.

Thornton said because of new university business with the bottler, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United Inc., he thought it best to resign as a board member.

"I have professional affiliations with the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United," Thornton said in an email to Alabama State University officials, alumni and students. "I have served on the company's board since 2003 and have a 35-year history with the company. On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Coca-Cola Refreshments announced the transfer of custody of their Alabama State account to Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United."

Thornton, a Birmingham businessman, said CCR had held the contract for beverage services with Alabama State University. The change caused a conflict of interest for Thornton.

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NCCU Rallies to Beat Norfolk State, 19-14

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Eagles of North Carolina Central University came back from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Spartans of Norfolk State, 19-14, with the game-winning touchdown courtesy of a blocked punt and recovery in the end zone by senior defensive back C.J. Moore with less than six minutes left in the contest.

"I am so proud of this football team," said NCCU head football coach Jerry Mack following the comeback victory. "These guys came out and they played with all their heart tonight."

The Eagles appeared to be on their way to a productive day on offense, even with redshirt sophomore quarterback Malcolm Bell out due to injury, as junior signal caller Quinn Billerman led the charge for the Eagles' offense.

NCCU scored on its second drive of the day with a rushing touchdown coming from senior Andre Clarke, putting him at 14 on the year and 29 in his career. Clarke has now moved past Joe Simmons for sole possession of second place on the career rushing touchdown list.

However, the NCCU offense was unable to find its way back to the end zone after that drive.

After a one-play, 53-yard drive for Norfolk State tied the game at 7-7, the Eagles had a field goal attempt from 44 yards blocked.

NCCU added three more points to its total before right halftime, as a 44-yard pass from Billerman to Anas Hasic set up a career-long 47-yard field goal by freshman kicker Eric Fenton to make the score 10-7 heading into the locker room.

At the 5:21 mark of the third quarter, the Eagles settled for an 18-yard field goal by Fenton after having first-and-goal from the 1-yard line to increase the lead to 13-7.

On the very next drive, Norfolk State found the end zone to go up one point, 14-13, with 3:20 left in the third quarter.

The Eagles appeared to be in danger of losing their third conference game of the year as the defense of Norfolk State began to tighten up, making it harder for NCCU to move the ball.

Defense was a deciding factor in Saturday's game as NCCU had four sacks, 12 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions to hold the offense of Norfolk State to just 53 rushing yards on 34 attempts.

Despite the role the defense played in the game, the deciding play of the game came from special teams, with Moore's blocked punt and recovery for a touchdown at 5:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. The failed two-point conversation put the score at 19-14.

"Coach (Mike) Mendenhall was telling me all game long how close I was getting (to a punt block), and he was coaching me up on the little mistakes I was making," said Moore. "I just made up my mind that I was going to go there and try to make a play for us, and the ball just bounced the correct way. Everything happened right."

The Eagles sealed their victory on defense as Norfolk State's final three drives resulted in an interception from sophomore cornerback Michael Jones (his fifth pick of the season), a fumble recovery by senior safety Sayyid Muhammad, and a game-saving interception in the end zone by junior safety Theo Livingston on the Spartans' final play.

"The entire night, defense came up with some big turnovers, and some big plays," said Mack.

NCCU (6-5, 5-2 MEAC) amassed 250 yards of total offense. Billerman threw for 151 yards, while completing 12 of his 22 passes, without a touchdown or an interception on the day. Clarke led all runners with 67 yards on 19 carries, and junior wide receiver Quentin Atkinson had a game-high six receptions for 66 yards.

Along with the game-winning blocked punt for a touchdown, Moore amassed a team-high 11 tackles, including 2.0 hits for a loss, a forced fumble and a pass break-up.

NCCU senior defensive ends Ty Brown and Felix Small spent most of the chilly afternoon heating up the NSU backfield. Brown had eight tackles, including 3.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage with a sack. Small, who entered the game ranked third in the nation with five forced fumbles, caused two more fumbles on Saturday to go along with six takedowns with 2.5 sacks and a pass deflection.

Before the Eagles began their rally, an announcement was made over the stadium loud speaker that the South Carolina State Bulldogs fell to the Morgan State Bears, putting SC State in the group of MEAC teams with two conference losses.

"I think you saw those guys kind of come to life a little bit when they made that announcement," said Mack. The announcement was significant, because now North Carolina A&T is the only school left in the MEAC with one conference loss.

Next week (Nov. 22, 2 p.m., O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium, Durham, N.C.), NCCU hosts the rival Aggies of NC A&T. If the Eagles beat the Aggies, they will win a share of the MEAC regular-season championship.

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Alcorn Braves Dominate Arkansas-Pine Bluff 56-6

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Devon Francois intercepted two passes to lead the Braves to a 56-6 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Spinks-Casem Stadium.

Francois scored the first touchdown after returning his first interception of the game for a 28-yard touchdown to put the Braves ahead 7-0.

Later in the first quarter, the Braves drove 80 yards down the field and finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown by Arron Baker to give themselves a 14-0 lead.

Midway through the second quarter Gibbs found Brandon Campbell (first career touchdown) from 10 yards out to extend the Braves lead to 21-0.

UAPB finally got on the board on an 11-yard pass from Benjamin Anderson to Willie Young with 1:31 to play before the half but the Braves weren't done having fun in the first half just yet.

With .06 seconds left before the half, Gibbs connected with Norlando Veals for a 12-yard touchdown. The Braves headed to the locker room with a 28-6 halftime lead.

On the ensuing kickoff following halftime, junior wide receiver Jarvis Turner returned a 92-yard kickoff for a touchdown to push the Braves lead to 35-6.

A little over seven minutes later, Gibbs hit Billy Shed for a four-yard touchdown to make the score 42-6.

Baker scored the final two touchdowns of the game from 21 and two yards out as the Braves picked up their ninth win of the season.

Gibbs completed 15-of-19 passes for 200 yards and threw three touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing yards with 75 yards on seven carries. Baker finished with 55 yards on eight carries and scored three touchdowns.

Along with his two interceptions, Francois led the Braves defense with eight total tackles (6 solo). Deion Roberson recorded 3.5 tackles for a loss and five total tackles.Kicker Haiden McCraney was a perfect 8-for-8 on PATs.

The Braves play rival Jackson State in the home finale next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.

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Southern turns it on in the second quarter to blitz Mississippi Valley State 44-13

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern prepared all week knowing that a victory against Mississippi Valley State would enable it to play for the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division title in two weeks.

Then, less than an hour before kickoff, the Jaguars had already been assured of that title opportunity when division-leading Grambling lost to Alabama State. That outcome guaranteed that the winner of the Southern-Grambling game in the Bayou Classic on Nov. 29 in New Orleans will win the West and face East Division champ Alcorn State for the league title.

Still, the Jaguars took the field in A.W. Mumford Stadium determined to extend their five-game winning streak and continue building momentum for the Bayou Classic.

After falling behind by 13 against the team with the worst record in the SWAC, Southern used a 30-point second-quarter blitz to roll to a 44-13 victory.

“We didn’t really concern ourselves with them,” Odums said of Grambling, which lost 37-23. “It didn’t matter what happened to them. At the end of the day, we needed to win. We had to take care of our business.”

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Morgan State Wins Prestigious $23.3 Million Biomedical Research and Training Award

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State University (MSU) received a $23.3-million award, the second largest competitive award in its history and the highest from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Morgan’s award is one of 12 announced today by the NIH totaling $31-million in fiscal year 2014 to develop new approaches that engage researchers, including those from backgrounds underrepresented in the biomedical sciences. The purpose of the awards is to not only attract more minorities into the biomedical sciences but also to encourage their success in the NIH-funded work environment.

“While past efforts to diversify our workforce have had significant impact on individuals, we have not made substantial progress in supporting diversity,” said Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of NIH. “This program will test new models of training and mentoring so that we can ultimately attract the best minds from all groups to biomedical research.”

The NIH points to social science research suggesting that a fundamental shift in the way scientists are trained and mentored is required to attract and sustain the interest of people from underrepresented groups in the scientific workforce at all career stages.

“Morgan has a very good track record of enhancing diversity in the sciences in Maryland and around the country and this is the goal of the NIH initiative,” said university President David Wilson. “We believe that winning this competitive award is recognition by NIH and others that the best way to bring more minorities into the sciences is with best practices, programs that work. And Morgan has surely proven that it has the ability to show how it is done.”

“In order to out-build and out-innovate the rest of the world, we must first out-educate,” said U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee which funds NIH and who is an advocate of the BUILD Program because of its positive impact on life sciences workforce diversity. “Morgan State is on the front lines of preparing a diverse biotech workforce for in-demand jobs right here in Maryland. This partnership between NIH and Morgan State, one of Maryland’s and the nation’s great historically black colleges and universities, is a smart investment in the future of Maryland life science jobs. The impact of this partnership goes beyond the lab. The impact is in our communities where new leaders in research and innovation will develop new ideas becoming new businesses that support jobs today and jobs tomorrow. I will continue to fight to keep our state and our nation a super power in the global economy with a super educated workforce.”

“One of the top five universities nationally in the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to African Americans each year, more schools should follow Morgan State University’s lead in how well it prepares all its students in the skills needed for success in today’s economy. NIH has selected the very best as a partner to foster the next generation of biomedical researchers, scientists and clinicians. Diversifying our biomedical workforce will help mitigate many of the inherent disparities of our health care system,” said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin. “I’ve been a proud partner with Morgan State University as they strengthen their STEM education programs and reach deep into our communities to make a difference in people’s lives.”

“Promoting diversity in biomedical research ensures that a range of views is always present in the important studies undertaken in this field. This award will support the training of bright young minds who are often underrepresented in biomedical science,” said Congressman Elijah Cummings. “I am confident this grant will enhance the outstanding educational opportunities at Morgan, and as a member of the University’s Board of Regents I look forward to the positive impact it will have on both students and the broader community.”

“The NIH BUILD Award affirms Morgan’s commitment to faculty and student research, leading to innovative outcomes which will transform our Maryland communities as we focus on the future in creating a biomedical workforce with the technical prowess to make critical research contributions to our Nation’s challenges”, according to Dr. Victor R. McCrary, Morgan’s vice president for research and economic development.

Researchers from Morgan State University have designed an innovative research training method that it calls, “A Student-Centered Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND) Training Model.” This method provides students with considerable room to be creative and to acquire entrepreneurial skills in research. The University will establish a dedicated environment, where student researchers can exchange ideas and enjoy substantial peer support. Additionally, using this award, MSU plans to strengthen its training and research infrastructure, create Active Learning Centers, improve science curricula, and acquire state-of-the-art educational technology, all aimed at providing a highly enhanced training in science and biomedical research.

“We are pleased that the NIH reviewers agree with us that this is a radically novel program. We aspire to be leaders in training a new generation of biomedical researchers and to make a substantial impact at the national level,” said Dr. Farin Kamangar, the lead investigator of this project.

Unlike apprenticeship models, Morgan’s ASCEND training model allows students to be creative and take ownership of their training by proposing and selecting their topic of research, developing the research methods, writing small grants, and moving the project forward. The model has been tested in international environments with great success. The overall goal is to create a university atmosphere that will allow students to engage in biomedical research in ways that promote creativity among students and encourages excitement about pursuing a career in biomedical research.

“The NIH and Morgan, along with its partners, are of one accord when it comes to the ultimate goal of this five-year award,” added President Wilson. “It is to increase diversity in biomedical research by implementing highly innovative methods to train students from underrepresented minority backgrounds. We believe in the mission and understand how very important this is today.”

Morgan’s research partners on the project are Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, the Intramural Program of NIH, Tufts University, Lehigh University, and Northeastern University. The award calls for $2.9-million in the first year and more than $5-million in each of the next four years. Successful execution of the project may allow for a potential five-year renewal.

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie classified doctoral research institution offering more than 60 academic programs leading to bachelor’s degrees as well as programs at the master’s and doctoral levels. As Maryland’s public urban university, Morgan serves a multi-ethnic and multi-racial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information on Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.

PVAMU Panthers Rally To Defeat AAMU In Season Finale

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Gabe Dunlap caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Jerry Lovelocke with 21 seconds remaining as Prairie View A&M rallied to defeat Alabama A&M 38-35 at Lewis Crews Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the Panthers' season finale.

Trailing 28-24 late in the fourth quarter, junior running back Johnta' Hebert broke free for an 88-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage and also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season as his run gave PVAMU a 31-28 lead with 4:07 left. It appeared the Panthers secured the win on the ensuing drive as cornerback Stephen Meighan picked off AAMU's Jaymason Lee. The Panthers played it conservatively and attempted to burn clock from that point but turned the ball over on downs with 1:51 left. AAMU went into hurry-up mode on its next drive and was down to its final play until Lee found Octayvius Myles for a 46-yard touchdown reception on 4th-and-10 at the PVAMU 46. The PAT was successful as AAMU moved ahead 35-31 with 1:08 remaining.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by AAMU moved them back on the ensuing kickoff which set up solid field position at the PVAMU 39 following Hebert's 23-yard kick return. Down by four with 59 seconds left, the Panther offense went to work as Lovelocke connected with Hebert for four yards, Nick Pitre for 25 yards and Rayshaun Givens for 18 yards as the ball was on the AAMU 14. Lovelocke misfired on his next attempt but made his final throw as a PVAMU Panther count as he found fellow senior Gabe Dunlap in the corner of the endzone for a 14-yard game-winning strike.

AAMU had one last desperation attempt on its final drive but ran out of time as Lee's final heave to wideout Tevin McKenzie stalled at the PVAMU 13.

The Bulldogs opened the game with a surprising 12-0 lead after a pair of first quarter touchdown runs. AAMU had a special teams mishap late in the first quarter and turned the ball over at the PVAMU 1 after an illegal kick which turned into a 12-7 PVAMU deficit following Lovelocke's two-yard run.

AAMU moved ahead 15-7 midway through the second quarter via a field goal but PVAMU kept answering as Hebert scored on a three-yard run coupled with a Christopher Barrick field goal.

A 38-yard pass from Lovelocke to Pitre gave PVAMU its first lead of the afternoon early in the third quarter. However, the lead was brief as AAMU tacked on a 14-yard touchdown pass five minutes later to reclaim the lead which set-up the fourth quarter heroics.

The Panthers finished with 453 total offensive yards as 313 yards came via the pass in addition to 140 rushing yards. Hebert finished with 128 yards on 17 carries as he became the second consecutive Panther to surpass the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season. Pitre led the way with 114 yards on five receptions while Meighan and Jerome Howard finished with 10 and nine tackles, respectively.

Prairie View A&M closes out the 2014 season with a 5-5 record as they won five of its final six contests.

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Langston University makes history with $1.45 million gift

LANGSTON, Oklahoma — ONEOK recently pledged nearly $1.5 million to Langston University to fund projects campus-wide.

As the largest gift to date, ONEOK’s gift will fund scholarships in the Accounting Department that will be awarded to well-deserving students with financial needs. It will also fund a new professorship in the Accounting Department.

Over the past three years ONEOK has developed a strong relationship with the Accounting Department. ONEOK routinely recruits Langston Accounting students for their internship program. The internship program helps prepare students for post-college success through in-the-field training and additional learning experiences in the oil and natural gas industry. In most cases, these internships turn into full-time positions at ONEOK.

In addition to the large amount given to the Accounting Department, ONEOK’s support has reached across campus with a portion of the gift allocated to a marquee and video scoreboard, and a new entrance sign.

“We are incredibly thankful to ONEOK for the generous gift and the continuous support to our students,” said Kent J. Smith, Jr., President of Langston University.

“ONEOK is Langston University’s largest supporter, and its gift will make a huge impact on the lives of our students and will continue assisting Langston on our journey to becoming a competitor in our ever-growing economy.”

“Langston’s accounting program is top notch, and Langston’s proximity – right here in our own backyard – makes it a great resource for us to recruit quality local candidates,” said Terry K. Spencer, president and chief executive officer of ONEOK. “We have hired a number of Langston graduates for accounting roles at ONEOK. Making additional investments in the university to maintain that pipeline of quality candidates just makes sense.”

Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including five masters’ degrees and one doctoral program. For more information about Langston University giving please contact the LU Foundation Office at (405) 466-3482.

North Carolina A&T Aggies Beat SSU, Go For Outright MEAC Title In Durham

SAVANNAH, Georgia – North Carolina A&T head football coach Rod Broadway summed up the position his team is in the best.

“This is a good football team. If we win next week, it will be a great football team,” he said after the Aggies defeated Savannah State 34-0 at Wright Stadium Saturday afternoon.

The win gave the Aggies (9-2, 6-1 MEAC) at least a share of the MEAC title. It is A&T’s first conference title since 2003. In order to win the title outright the Aggies will have to beat longtime archrival N.C. Central on Saturday, Nov. 22 in Durham at 2 p.m.

The Eagles (6-5, 5-2 MEAC) were 19-14 winners over Norfolk State on Saturday and therefore will be playing for a share of the MEAC title themselves.

“The Central game is a big game,” said A&T quarterback Kwashaun Quick who threw for 135 yards, two interceptions and a touchdown on 9-for-18 passing. “We know what that game brings. We know the kind of hype that surrounds it, so we’re going to have to go in focused and ready to play. We deserve better than a shared title, so we have to take care of the task at hand.”

It took the Aggies some time to take care of business Saturday against the Tigers (0-11, 0-8 MEAC). A&T’s three first quarter drives consisted of a fumble and back-to-back interceptions. The Tigers were able to advance the ball to the Aggies 37-yard line before fumbling. On their next drive, the Tigers advanced to the Aggies 15 before John Barron’s had his 32-yard field goal blocked by A&T’s Marquis Ragland. It was his third blocked kick of the season.

“We had to get the rust off,” said A&T running back Tarik Cohen who rushed for 115 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries. “We came out slow with a lot of mental errors. We just had to get our offense going because our defense was playing well.”

A&T’s defense secured its second straight shutout after blanking Morgan State last week. It marked the first time since 1954 the Aggies have put together two consecutive shutouts. Led by D’Vonte Grant’s 11 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, forced fumble and interception, the Aggies held the Tigers to minus-8 yards rushing.

The offense got going in the second quarter when Quick lobbed a pass up for sophomore receiver Denzel Keyes on a free play in which the Tigers jumped offside. The completion gave the Aggies a 1^st-and-10 at the SSU 28. Four plays later, Quick found tight end Dequan Swann on a crossing pattern for a 17-yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 Aggies lead. Sophomore Cody Jones added a field goal to give A&T a 10-0 halftime lead.

The Aggies then exploded in the third quarter. Cohen scored on a 17-yard touchdown run on the Aggies opening drive of the half. After SSU punter Anthony Smith fumbled the long snap from center, allowing Jerome Beatty to recover at the Tigers 12, Cohen scored on a 2-yard run to close out a five-play, 12-yard drive. Cohen also scored on a 54-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
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“To leave here 9-2 and at the very worst co-champions of this league after being 1-10 four years ago, my hat goes off to our players and our coaching staff,” said Broadway. “We don't want to share it. We want to win it outright.”

The Aggies know they will have to start better next week if they want their outright title in a place that will be hostile toward them.

“There is no denying it, it is a big rivalry,” said Broadway about the Aggie/Eagle rivalry. “We need to play really well because they have a good football team. We need to prepare well and we need to start better than we started today, and we need to finish just as strong if not stronger than we did today.”

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No. 18 XU loses 77-76 to No. 11 OLLU in LSUS Classic

Whitney Gathright
XULA GOLD NUGGETS
Guard, 5-4 Junior, New Orleans, La.
Roster

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana -- Xavier University of Louisiana outscored Our Lady of the Lake 9-0 in the final 2:20 Saturday but lost 77-76 to the Saints in the opening game of the LSUS Classic.

It was a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I women's basketball teams. OLLU (1-0) is 11th, and Xavier (1-3) is 18th. All of the Gold Nuggets' losses are to teams in the top 11.

Xavier had a chance to send the game into overtime when Alesha Smith was fouled after rebounding teammate Donyeah Mayfield's 3-point attempt with one second remaining and the Nuggets trailing by two. Smith made the first free throw but missed the second.

Eliqua Brooks scored 21 points, the most by an XU player this season. Smith scored a career-high 13 points, Mayfield had a season-high 12, and Whitney Gathright scored 11.

Taylor Hamilton scored 17 points for OLLU, Rebecca Kolawole and Courtney Bayliss had 14 apiece, and Sonji Green scored 13.

Mayfield grabbed 14 rebounds, the most in a game by an XU player in nearly three years. Gathright, the Nuggets' point guard, grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and had a season-high six assists.

The teams combined to miss 35 free throws, 18 by OLLU. The Saints missed four free throws and the Nuggets three in the final minute.

"I'm tired of talking about the same thing -- not being able to close the deal," XU coach Bo Browder said. "But we're going to keep working at it and figure this thing out."

Xavier led for just seven seconds in the second half, after Mayfield's basket at 13:30 made it 49-48. Two Brooks free throws at 5:52 gave the Nuggets their largest lead, 26-20, but the Saints rallied for a 37-33 advantage at halftime.

Kolawole's two free throws at 3:37 gave the Saints their largest lead, 75-64.

OLLU shot 37.5 percent from the floor, and the Nuggets shot a season-low 37.3. Xavier had a season-best 59-42 rebound advantage.

OLLU defeated Xavier in this event for the second straight year. Sunday's games will be OLLU vs. Lindenwood-Belleville at 2 p.m., followed by Xavier vs. LSU-Shreveport at 4. LSUS beat Lindenwood-Belleville 78-59.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XU sweeps SUNO for 4th straight GCAC tourney title

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
Facebook photos

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana remains entrenched as the ruler of Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball.

The Gold Nuggets won their fourth consecutive GCAC Tournament championship Saturday, beating SUNO 25-9, 25-19, 25-17 at XU's Convocation Center in a matchup of city rivals and the top two seeds.

Xavier (20-5) earned an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship and will learn Monday afternoon where it will play in the opening round next weekend.

Tournament MVP CeCe Williams' second career double-double, 12 kills and 16 digs, led the Gold Nuggets to their 59th consecutive victory against GCAC opponents. Williams, a junior outside hitter, also had two assists and a block.

"This award would not have been possible without my teammates," Williams said. "Everyone played a part in this championship, and it feels amazing."

After encountering little resistance in the first set, the Nuggets took command in the second when Williams had five kills to turn a 9-6 deficit into a 15-10 XU lead. A 9-1 run early in the third set helped Xavier reach the sweep.

"CeCe has been consistent all season," second-year XU coach Hannah Lawing said. "Her stats aren't as spectacular as other outside hitters in the conference or NAIA, but she is very much an important component of our team, especially with her ball control."

2014 GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA GOLD NUGGETS
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Joining Williams on the seven-member all-tournament team were teammates Claudia Haywood, Franziska Pirkl and Jodi Hill.

Haywood had nine kills and four blocks. Pirkl produced her second straight double-double, 25 assists and 14 digs, and had a block and three kills. Hill had eight kills, three blocks and hit .438.

GCAC Player of the Year Chinedu Echebelem had eight kills and 19 digs for the Gold Nuggets, who clinched their fourth consecutive regular-season championship two weeks ago.

"SUNO gave us a good fight and didn't make it easy for us," Lawing said. "But we found the open spots on the floor and took care of our serve and pass.

"Staying unified was one of our biggest goals. It was all about staying together, playing as a team and finishing as a team. We were unified, smart and efficient, and it was powerful."

Christal Hollins and Milica Golubovic had seven kills apiece for SUNO (25-10), which lost to Xavier for the third time this season. The Lady Knights are 0-6 against Xavier and 26-0 against the rest of the GCAC during the last two seasons.

It was the third time in four years that Xavier beat SUNO in the final. SUNO finished second in the tournament for the fourth time in five years.

Xavier outhit the Lady Knights .248 to .009 and had advantages of 41-24 in kills, 3-1 in aces, 65-50 in digs and 8-1 in blocks. Xavier committed 18 errors, and SUNO made 32.

SUNO entered the match with a .241 hitting percentage which ranked 14th in the NAIA. But the Lady Knights hit .119 against Xavier this season.

"I am so proud of our effort and our success as a cohesive unit throughout the tournament," Williams said.

Xavier has more victories against SUNO, 12, than against any other GCAC team during its winning streak. The Gold Nuggets have not lost in conference since a five-set decision to SUNO in the 2010 tournament semifinals.

Xavier has won all 45 sets it has played against GCAC opponents in the Convocation Center, which became the Nuggets' home in 2013.

Box Score

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

Gold Rush pull away in second half, beat Wiley 84-70

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA vs. WILEY WILDCATS
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NEW ORLEANS -- Morris Wright scored a season-high 24 points Friday, and NAIA No. 13 Xavier University of Louisiana pulled away in the second half for an 84-70 men's basketball victory against Wiley.

The Gold Rush (6-1) have won three straight.

Wright, a junior guard, made four 3-pointers, the most in a game by an XU player this season. Wright's trey with 18:18 remaining put Xavier ahead to stay, 43-40.

RJ Daniels and Anthony Goode scored 13 points apiece for Xavier, and Sydney Coleman had 12. Daniels grabbed 12 rebounds in his team-leading third double-double of the season.

Phillip Miller scored 30 points, 18 in the first half, for Wiley (1-2), the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament champion last season. Miller was the Wildcats' only double-figure scorer.

Xavier won for the second consecutive game after trailing at halftime. Wiley led 40-38 at the break, but the Rush produced a decisive 17-4 second-half run which lasted slightly more than six minutes. Coleman's two free throws with 6:24 remaining ended the burst and gave Xavier a 73-54 lead. The Gold Rush led by double digits for the final 9:42.

"Our second-half turnaround started with our defense, holding Wiley to 33 percent from the field," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "Wiley did a good job kicking our butts in the first half, but then we started playing with some toughness, responded well and made plays."

Wiley finished at 40.7 percent from the floor and made 1-of-7 second-half 3-pointers after making four in the first half.

The Gold Rush shot a season-best 55.2 percent from the floor, had a season-high plus-16 rebound margin (41-25) and tied a season high with 20 assists. Xavier has outrebounded every opponent this season, five by double digits.

Xavier has beaten Wiley 15 straight times at home since 1986. The Gold Rush will visit Wiley on Nov. 25.

Xavier will play Mobile at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Convocation Center.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS