HOUSTON — Five minutes before the SWAC news conference at NRG Stadium was set to begin, Southern football coach Dawson Odums grabbed the microphone and told everyone to take their seats so they could get started.
Despite conference officials and Alcorn State representatives not yet entering the room, Odums got everyone’s attention and made it clear he and seniors Zachary Brown and Brian McCain were ready to go.
On the football field, the Jaguars are taking that same mindset, as Southern eyes its second straight SWAC championship when it faces Alcorn State at 3 p.m. Saturday.
“I think we’ve done a great job of getting our guys in position to go take care of business, and we are ready to go,” Odums said. “At the end of the day, it is all about the hunger to go out and get what is in front of you.”
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Saturday, December 6, 2014
As the SWAC title game arrives, Southern and Alcorn State both feel up to the challenge
HOUSTON, Texas — Southern and Alcorn State enter Saturday’s Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game at NRG Stadium from different backgrounds.
But both 9-3 teams have reason to believe they’re up to the challenge.
The defending champion Jaguars (8-1 in the SWAC) are making their second appearance in the title game in 365 days. The Braves (7-2 in league play) are making their first appearance in the 16-year-old event.
“I think you understand the surroundings,” Southern coach Dawson Odums said. “I think you understand the schedule. You understand the type of mindset that we want when we go on the road. I think you’ve got some guys who say, ‘This is what we did; this is what it’s about.’ ”
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Friday, December 5, 2014
XU Nuggets produce 3 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes
 Chinedu Echebelem |  Jodi Hill |  Franziska Pirkl |
NEW ORLEANS — The NAIA announced Friday that three from Xavier University of Louisiana — Chinedu Echebelem, Jodi Hill and Franziska Pirkl — have been named 2014 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes in women's volleyball.
The XU student-athletes are among 445 in this sport to receive the honor this season. It's the second consecutive year that Echebelem has received it, and it's the first time for Hill and Pirkl. Xavier is one of 76 NAIA volleyball teams with three or more Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
Student-athletes are nominated by their institution, must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved junior academic status to qualify for Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Echebelem, a senior outside hitter from Dallas and a graduate of Duncanville High School, is a chemistry/pre-medical major and a three-time All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference selection. This year Echebelem was the GCAC Player of the Year, GCAC Player of the Week and Capital One Academic All-District 2 in the college division. She finished her XU career with 907 kills and 982 digs, both No. 2 in Gold Nuggets history.
Hill, a junior middle blocker from Prairieville, La., and a graduate of Dutchtown High School, is a political science major who was All-GCAC Tournament and GCAC Player of the Week this season. Hill was a 2014 James S. Kemper Foundation Scholar, one of 20 nationally.
Pirkl, a junior setter from Munich, Germany, and a graduate of Theodolinden Gymnasium, is a mass communications major and a three-time first-team All-GCAC selection. She was All-GCAC Tournament this year.
The Gold Nuggets were 20-6 in 2014. For the fourth consecutive year they won GCAC regular-season and tournament championships and earned the GCAC's automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship.
Xavier produced six Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes during the fall 2014 semester. Catherine Fakler and Hannah Finnegan earned the honor in women's cross country, and Brent Kitto did it in men's cross country.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information
Director
End of basketball dream doesn’t deter Livingstone College grad
Mark Thomas is the first recipient from a historically black college or university named an NCAA Today’s Top Ten winner. The 2014 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year is a business administration major and graduated with a 3.7 GPA.
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- When Livingstone captured its first CIAA title in March, Mark Thomas couldn’t have been happier. The historic victory helped erase the sting of losing the title game the year before to Bowie State.
During the championship win over Winston-Salem State University, Thomas scored a game high 23 points and earned MVP honors for his efforts. Two months later after graduating summa cum laude, he set his sights on a professional basketball career. If he couldn’t play in the NBA, he at least hoped for a shot at playing overseas.
But in July after passing out during a pickup game and being rushed to a Charlotte hospital, Thomas received some grim news: He suffers from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. He can no longer play basketball.
“I’m not sure how I felt when the doctor told me the news,” said Thomas, who recently underwent surgery to be fitted for a defibrillator. “The whole time I still thought I was going to be able to play basketball.”
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Savannah State women stun Florida 68-58
SAVANNAH, Georgia -- They came to Tiger Arena on Thursday night with confidence and determination. What they lacked in name, they made up with moxie.
“We broke down so many barriers,” Savannah State senior guard Ezinne Kalu said.
An enthusiastic crowd of 2,260 — one of the largest to see a Tigers women’s basketball — probably agreed.
SSU (4-1) led just about the entire way and, behind Kalu’s game-high 21 points, stunned the Florida Gators 68-58.
“We are a good school, and we have a good athletic program,” Tigers point guard Bria Dorsey said.
The win was a breath of fresh air for a well-documented, struggling athletic program. The football team lost all 12 games, and when the men’s basketball team recently lost to Louisville 87-26, the Tigers were the brunt of the joke after Cardinals coach Rick Pitino said he tried to keep the game competitive by playing “four white guys and an Egyptian” down the stretch.
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NCCU Baseball Announces 2015 Schedule
DURHAM, North Carolina -- The North Carolina Central University baseball program will host 30 games at the Durham Athletic Park (DAP) during the 2015 season as fourth year head coach Jim Koerner announced on Wednesday."We have a great home facility and quite frankly one of the better playing surfaces in the state of North Carolina," said Koerner. "Our guys love playing at the Durham Athletic Park and we want to take full advantage of that."
The Eagles are coming off a 19-32-1 campaign that saw the maroon and gray in position to win the MEAC's (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Southern Division down-the-stretch, finishing 12-12 in league action.
"We have a very exciting schedule this year," said Koerner. "I believe we are going to really challenge ourselves with our non-conference weekends as well as our mid-week dates. In order to keep us prepared for our MEAC weekends it's our goal to play quality competition every time we take the field. This not only keeps us sharp, but it also pushes us to get better."
NCCU will battle seven in-state opponents (Campbell, UNC Asheville, UNC Wilmington, NC A&T, Gardner-Webb, and High Point) to go along with the highly anticipated crosstown showdown against Duke University.
The 2015 season begins with doubleheader action on Feb. 14 and 15, at home against Norfolk State University with the opening day action beginning at 1:00 p.m., followed by game two 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest. The Eagles dropped both games in the MEAC Tournament against the Spartans last season, as NSU made a run all the way to the championship game.
After a Tuesday afternoon contest at High Point (Feb. 17, 4:00 p.m.), the maroon and gray are on the road for an in-state battle against the Runnin' Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb (Feb 18, 4:00 p.m.).
The Eagles return home for a season long nine-game home stand beginning with a three-game set against the Leopards of Lafayette College to take place Feb. 20 through Feb. 22. NCCU dropped all three games to Lafayette last season.
Following that matchup, the maroon and gray will host UNC Asheville and High Point on Feb 24 and Feb 25 with both days game action beginning at 4:00 p.m. from the DAP.
NCCU then hosts the arch-rival Aggies of North Carolina A&T to begin conference action. That series commences on Feb. 28 to March 1. First pitch for the league twinbill on Saturday, Feb 28, is set for 1:00 p.m. at the Durham Athletic Park. The maroon and gray went 4-2 last season against the Aggies, including a sweep in Durham.
The Eagles will end the homestand with a March 3 contest against Longwood (6:00 p.m.), and then hit the road for a mid-week matchup on March 5 road against UNC Wilmington (6:00 p.m.). NCCU heads south to the Sunshine State, to battle the defending MEAC Champion Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman on March 7-8 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla. Both days are slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The maroon and gray took the series from B-CU in Daytona last season after dropping game one.
NCCU travels back to Durham for a return match against Gardner-Webb (March 10, 6:00 p.m.) and will hit the road the following day to face Charleston Southern (March 11, 6:00 p.m.) for the first time in program history.
"I believe it's important that we schedule a few different teams each year," said Koerner. "This keeps our players excited and helps avoid any potential letdowns due to familiarity. Due to the parity in our conference, it's also important that our schedule, as a whole, keeps our guys focused on a day to day basis. If we are to accomplish our goal of winning a MEAC Championship we can't afford lapses in energy or focus. We also have more weeks this year where you will see us play multiple mid-week games. Again this should keep us sharp as the season progresses."
The Eagles jump back into league action against Savannah State on the following weekend on March 14-15 at Tiger Field in Savannah, Georgia. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. each day.
Following a mid-week, home, nonconference double header matchup against Maryland Eastern Shore on March 18 (4/7:00 p.m.), the Eagles will host Florida A&M in another crucial league series on March 21-22. NCCU and FAMU were an even 3-3 against one another last year.
After the Eagles host Charleston Southern (Mar. 25, 6:00 p.m.), the Eagles travel to Spartanburg, South Carolina to take on the Terriers of Wofford University in a three game series March 27-29. This will be the first meeting between these two programs. Game one of the series from Russell C. King Field is set for 4:00 p.m., while the final two days of the series will begin at 1:00 p.m.
Next up on the slate is Virginia State in twinbill action on Wednesday, April 1 at 4:00 p.m., as the Eagles renew their rivalry with their former CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) foe. After that affair, Koerner and his troops head over to Greensboro, North Carolina to take on North Carolina A&T at War Memorial Stadium in a huge conference series to take place with doubleheader action on Saturday, April 4 at 1:00 p.m. Sunday's series final is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start as well.
As the Eagles continue the April schedule, NCCU hosts UNC Wilmington on April 7 at 6:00 p.m. and then makes the short trip to Buies Creek, N.C. to face Campbell University on April 8 at 6:00 p.m.
April 11-12 will see the maroon and gray head back to the Bull City for a series rematch with Bethune-Cookman as the Eagles hope to be playing for the top spot in the Southern Division. Last year, B-CU escaped with the series win taking the first two games of the set before NCCU came-from-behind to win game three.
After non-conference affairs against Longwood (April 14, 6:00 p.m.) and Presbyterian (April 15, 4:00 p.m.), the Eagles return to the DAP to face Savannah State in the last home conference series of the season beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 18 at 1:00 p.m. Last season, the maroon and gray used two walk-off home runs to beat the Tigers in Durham.
Right after a mid-week game at UNC Asheville (April 21, 6:00 p.m.), the Eagles travel to face Florida A&M in league action in the final MEAC series of the year. The double header on Saturday, April 18 is set for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch, with the series finale on Sunday to begin at the same time from Moore-Kittles Field.
The last stretch of the year will see the Eagles make the 2.5-mile trek across town to face Duke in doubleheader action on May 3 at 1:00 p.m. from Jack Coombs Field.
The final two home games will see NCCU face Presbyterian (May 5, 6:00 p.m.) and Campbell (May 6, 6:00 p.m.) as the maroon and gray will look to end the year on a high note.
The MEAC Baseball Tournament will see a different format in 2015 as the top three teams in each division will qualify. Should the maroon and gray make the cut, NCCU will head to Purdue Stadium, in Salisbury, Maryland, home of the Delmarva Shorebirds, single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, on May 13-16.
"Our conference is always challenging," said Koerner. "I feel that on any given weekend we are all capable of beating each other. In order to separate yourself from the pack, you have to pay attention to the details. With the restructuring of the conference tournament, that's going t
o be even more important this year. Each weekend has now been magnified and with that you are going to notice the overall intensity increase as well."
Visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon for the latest on NCCU Athletics.
2015 NCCU Baseball Schedule (PDF) I 2015 NCCU Baseball Schedule (WORD)
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Now healthy, Mike Jones gives Southern another weapon
HOUSTON, Texas -- Mike Jones puts on a show when he’s healthy.
The Southern University redshirt junior caught three passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday against Grambling in the Bayou Classic.
Last season against Alabama State, Jones finished with six catches for 211 yards and three touchdowns in place of then-starter Lee Doss.
Jones’ ankle injury has limited him for most of this season, so nearly half of his total 288 receiving yards came during the Bayou Classic.
Wide receivers coach Chris Coleman said the speedy receiver has been patient and humble throughout the recovery process, but Jones said injuries come with playing the sport.
“It’s something that you don’t want to deal with, but it’s part of the game,” Jones said. “Everybody experiences it in football.”
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Thursday, December 4, 2014
Opinion: Southern's ban reveals problems with NCAA structure
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Every year, construction begins on a new LSU athletic building to draw in recruits. Every LSU sporting event contains one, typically multiple, employees of the athletic department recording stats. Every season of every sport will get more than enough attention for fans and the NCAA.Only 11 miles north, it’s a complete reversal. In the same city as the Tigers, Southern University shows the other side of college athletics.
The one-year ban on Southern athletics from the NCAA expired Tuesday, with a group of NCAA officials re-evaluating the school’s progress on Thursday. The ban was for inadequate reporting of student-athletes’ Academic Progress Rates.
The Jaguars were essentially banned from postseason NCAA play because they could not finish and turn in paperwork on time. It’s not a sign of laziness or incompetence, but a lack of manpower behind the unfinished work.
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Loyola defeats Gold Rush to gain season split
NEW ORLEANS -- Jalen Gray scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half Wednesday to lead Loyola to a 59-46 men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 13 Xavier University of Louisiana at The Den.
McCall Tomeny had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Wolf Pack (4-4), which gained a season split with the Gold Rush (8-4).
Anthony Goode scored eight points for Xavier, and Jarvis Thibodeaux and RJ Daniels scored seven apiece. Wesley Pluviose-Philip grabbed a season-high eight rebounds.
Loyola, leading 20-17 at halftime, pulled away by shooting 61.1 percent from the floor in the second half. Gray was 5-of-5 from the floor in the second half, including three 3-pointers.
Gray's 3-pointer gave Loyola a double-digit lead for the final 14:47.
For the game, Loyola outshot Xavier 43.9 to 28.3 percent from the floor. The Gold Rush attempted a season-best 40 free throws but made 20 to shoot a season-low 50 percent. Xavier did not make a 3-pointer for the first time this season.
Xavier's only lead occurred for 58 seconds in the final three minutes of the first half.
Xavier beat Loyola 72-66 in overtime Nov. 11 at Xavier.
The Gold Rush will break for final exams, then visit Mobile at 3 p.m. Dec. 13. The next Gold Rush home game will start at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 against Faulkner.
Box score
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
McCall Tomeny had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Wolf Pack (4-4), which gained a season split with the Gold Rush (8-4).
Anthony Goode scored eight points for Xavier, and Jarvis Thibodeaux and RJ Daniels scored seven apiece. Wesley Pluviose-Philip grabbed a season-high eight rebounds.
Loyola, leading 20-17 at halftime, pulled away by shooting 61.1 percent from the floor in the second half. Gray was 5-of-5 from the floor in the second half, including three 3-pointers.
Gray's 3-pointer gave Loyola a double-digit lead for the final 14:47.
For the game, Loyola outshot Xavier 43.9 to 28.3 percent from the floor. The Gold Rush attempted a season-best 40 free throws but made 20 to shoot a season-low 50 percent. Xavier did not make a 3-pointer for the first time this season.
Xavier's only lead occurred for 58 seconds in the final three minutes of the first half.
Xavier beat Loyola 72-66 in overtime Nov. 11 at Xavier.
The Gold Rush will break for final exams, then visit Mobile at 3 p.m. Dec. 13. The next Gold Rush home game will start at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 against Faulkner.
Box score
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Southern University defense much better than in first meeting with Alcorn State
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- As Grambling lined up to run what would be the final play of the game on Southern's 1-yard-line Saturday, Jaguars coach Dawson Odums called time out to get everyone on the same page. Southern senior defensive end Arthur Miley was already there.
Odums said when the defensive unit came to the sideline, he asked what they saw when Grambling came to the line of scrimmage. Miley noticed something about Grambling quarterback Johnathan Williams.
"Miley said, 'I think they're going to sneak it,''' Odums said, recalling the conversation. "He said the quarterback had his right foot back and he was in a crouched position. I said, 'Let's get our sneak defense in then.' And Miley said, 'Coach, let's run the one we ran two years ago.' I'm like, 'Two years ago?' So I said okay, 'Out of Delta, let's go wham.' And that's what we did.''
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Odums said when the defensive unit came to the sideline, he asked what they saw when Grambling came to the line of scrimmage. Miley noticed something about Grambling quarterback Johnathan Williams.
"Miley said, 'I think they're going to sneak it,''' Odums said, recalling the conversation. "He said the quarterback had his right foot back and he was in a crouched position. I said, 'Let's get our sneak defense in then.' And Miley said, 'Coach, let's run the one we ran two years ago.' I'm like, 'Two years ago?' So I said okay, 'Out of Delta, let's go wham.' And that's what we did.''
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Gold Nuggets use late spurt to defeat LeMoyne-Owen
NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana scored 10 consecutive points in the final five minutes Wednesday to earn a 52-45 women's basketball victory against LeMoyne-Owen.
Vinnie Briggs and Whitney Gathright scored 13 points apiece for the Gold Nuggets (6-4), ranked 18th in NAIA Division I. They have won four straight and five of their last six games.
Teneshia Jones' 3-pointer for the Lady Magicians (0-5) tied the score at 40 with 5:19 remaining. Then Xavier rattled off 10 straight points during the next two minutes, starting with Gathright's basket at 4:59.
Xavier won for the second straight game after trailing at halftime. LeMoyne-Owen led 24-22 at the break. But the Lady Magicians never led again after Eliqua Brooks' 3-pointer gave the Gold Nuggets a 25-24 lead with 19:27 remaining.
Brooks scored 11 points, and teammate Donyeah Mayfield grabbed 11 rebounds to reach double figures for the second time this season.
Tenesha Wright had 15 points and 10 rebounds for LeMoyne-Owen, an NCAA Division II member.
Xavier extended its home win streak to 23 games. The Gold Nuggets are 4-0 this season in their Convocation Center.
Xavier will break for final exams, then play host to Faulkner at 5 p.m. Dec. 15.
Box score
Facebook photos
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information
Director
Southern University Football: 2014 SWAC Experience
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The 2014 Toyota SWAC Experience is a series of videos capturing moments of the 2014 football season that leads you up to the Toyota SWAC Football Championship. Judgment Day is this Saturday December 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Enjoy the sights and sounds of head coach Dawson Odums and the Southern University Jaguars.
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Enjoy the sights and sounds of head coach Dawson Odums and the Southern University Jaguars.
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Tuesday, December 2, 2014
VSU Trojans' Success Brought Pride Back
ETTRICK, Virginia — Bloomsburg University quarterback Tim Kelly lined up under center with under a minute remaining and took two kneel-downs to bring the clock to zero on Virginia State's football season. Kelly had run in three touchdowns, mostly untouched, and was the difference-maker the Huskies needed to blow by the Trojans in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. But as the clock hit zero and both teams met at midfield for the typical post-game handshakes, something unexpected happened. Even though the Trojans had been manhandled in a 35-14 loss, there were cheers emanating from their side of the field. Many Virginia State alumni had made the six-hour trek to Pennsylvania to cheer on the team which had helped ease the pain the university has felt over the past two years.
Virginia State has been in the news for all of the wrong reasons recently with crime, last year's suspension of the CIAA Title game and petty violence occurring on campus which has led to lower enrollment numbers at a time when the school has a shortfall of $19 million. Additionally, the school has cut services while continuing construction projects which includes an $84 million multipurpose center.
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Gold Nuggets rally to win at No. 22 Mobile, 57-55
MOBILE, Alabama -- Vinnie Briggs scored 11 of her 16 points in the second half Monday to help Xavier University of Louisiana rally for a 57-55 victory against Mobile in a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I women's basketball teams.
The Gold Nuggets (5-4), ranked 18th, defeated the Lady Rams (2-5), ranked 22nd, for the second time this season.
Xavier, which trailed by 13 points late in the first half, took the lead for good, 54-53, when Eliqua Brooks made two free throws with 1:54 remaining. Mobile missed two shots in the final five seconds, including a Kali Koenig 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Whitney Gathright scored 13 points and Brooks 10 for the Gold Nuggets, who won their third straight and climbed above .500 for the first time this season.
Brooks scored all her points in the second half, including Xavier's final seven. Her 3-point play at 1:32 gave the Gold Nuggets a 57-53 lead.
Koenig scored 20 points and Jakela Johnson 13 for Mobile, and Jammieca Hudson had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Xavier trailed 30-21 at halftime after shooting 19.4 percent from the floor. The Gold Nuggets shot 50 percent in the second half.
"Our defense was outstanding in the second half, and we shot the ball much better than we did in the first half," XU coach Bo Browder said.
Xavier will play LeMoyne-Owen of NCAA Division II at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Convocation Center.
Box scoreEd Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Alcorn State Football: 2014 SWAC Experience
LORMAN, Mississippi -- The 2014 Toyota SWAC Experience is a series of videos capturing moments of the 2014 football season that eads you up to the Toyota SWAC Football Championship. Judgment Day is this Saturday December 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
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No. 9 Crusaders defeat No. 13 Gold Rush, 69-59
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| Facebook photos Photos by Yamlak Tsega |
The Crusaders (7-0) outscored the Gold Rush 15-0 in the final 4:08 of the first half to take a 29-17 lead at the break. Xavier (8-3) never got closer than eight points in the second half.
Leo Garrett scored 10 points and Deoine Weeks nine for William Carey.
Jarvis Thibodeaux had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Xavier, Sydney Coleman had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Anthony Goode scored 10.
William Carey outshot Xavier 48.8 to 37 percent from the floor. The Gold Rush missed 16 free throws, twice as many as the Crusaders.
Xavier will visit city rival Loyola at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Box score
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information
Director
Sunday, November 30, 2014
UR notes: Willie Lanier visits alma mater’s team
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Bear Shots |
Lanier, 69, is an alumnus of Maggie Walker High who was a two-time Small College All-American at Baltimore’s Morgan State. A linebacker, Lanier was selected in the second round of the NFL draft and played during 1967-77 for the Chiefs.
Lanier said he spoke to the Bears about the ways sports can mold lives.
“What you want to do is to manage the moment, appreciate the opportunity of where you are, the things that have happened from a change standpoint, and then hopefully project those things that might occur for you as you go forward,” Lanier said Saturday during the Bears’ 46-24 loss at Richmond.
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GSU's hopes for SWAC West fall on final play of Classic
NEW ORLEANS -- The 2014 edition of the Bayou Classic had a little bit of everything to offer the intrepid spectator.There was the annual battle of the bands. A Mercedes-Benz Superdome filled packed with fans of the two marquee names in historically black college football. Even a marriage proposal at halftime — she said yes.
As for the game itself? How about a wild fourth quarter that not only saw Grambling pull within seven points of Southern, but have a shot to tie the game with eight seconds left at the goal line.
Johnathan Williams — along with Grambling's chances at the SWAC West title — was ...
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Lewis: This win can’t make up for their loss, but Southern’s Dray Joseph and Austin Howard can smile today
NEW ORLEANS -- At the end of the Saturday’s Bayou Classic, Dray Joseph sought out Austin Howard for an extra-long, tear-filled hug.
And for the first time in two weeks, they could smile, even celebrate.
Joseph, Southern’s record-setting quarterback of the previous four seasons, and Howard, the freshman who threw three touchdown passes to lead the Jaguars to their 52-45 victory against Grambling on Saturday, have been united in grief over the Nov. 17 shooting death of Juan Joseph, Dray’s older brother and Howard’s quarterbacks coach at West St. John High School, the trio’s prep alma mater.
“I know my brother’s proud of Austin today,” said Dray, now a volunteer assistant coach at Southern. “He’s probably got a big old smile like he usually did.”
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And for the first time in two weeks, they could smile, even celebrate.
Joseph, Southern’s record-setting quarterback of the previous four seasons, and Howard, the freshman who threw three touchdown passes to lead the Jaguars to their 52-45 victory against Grambling on Saturday, have been united in grief over the Nov. 17 shooting death of Juan Joseph, Dray’s older brother and Howard’s quarterbacks coach at West St. John High School, the trio’s prep alma mater.
“I know my brother’s proud of Austin today,” said Dray, now a volunteer assistant coach at Southern. “He’s probably got a big old smile like he usually did.”
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Tennessee State Lady Tigers Come Up Short in OT, 65-58 to Norfolk State
BOX SCORE
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State women’s basketball team dropped its first game in the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic to Norfolk State, 65-58, in overtime on Saturday.
Chelsea Hudson led TSU (1-4) with 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting (46.1 percent) and tallied a game-high 11 rebounds.
Kayla Robberts poured in 23 points for Norfolk State (1-4) and secured a team-best eight boards.
Jemilah Leonard canned a three at the 12:47 mark, ending a seven-minute drought to start the game. The hoop ignited a 9-0 run – which Leonard capped with a jumper – and gave TSU an, 11-10, lead.
The Spartans built a five-point advantage later in the half, but two Rachel Allen triples in a two-minute span put the Lady Tigers within one with 3:07 to go in the half.
Each side had just one point during the final three minutes of the first half and NSU went into the break clinging to a, 23-22, lead.
The Lady Tigers crushed the Spartans on the glass during the opening 20 minutes, 23-14, but 12 TSU turnovers led to the gap on the scoreboard.
Hudson converted an old-fashioned three-point play 25 seconds into the second period and Briana Morrow had one, too, a minute later. Hudson then converted an easy lay-in to give the Lady Tigers a, 30-23, lead.
The Spartans fought back with a 12-3 run later in the half and went up by four with a jumper at the 8:58 mark. TSU was 1-for-6 (16.7 percent) during the stretch while NSU made 4-of-8.
The Lady Tigers were down two with 1:40 left in the game when Hudson nailed a layup to tie the game at 52. Hudson was fouled on the play, but missed the ensuing free throw.
NSU canned a three on the next trip down the floor, but Imani Davis answered right back with a three of her own with 36 seconds left to tie the game again at 55.
The Spartans were called for an offensive foul on their next possession, but the refs called Allen for one on TSU’s next chance, forcing overtime.
Jayda Johnson had the first hoop in the extra period, but the Lady Tigers could only muster one more point from there, and fell by seven.
TSU shot 56 percent from the charity stripe (9-of-16) and NSU had more chances (22) and eight more makes (17).
Tennessee State will close out the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic against Youngstown State tomorrow at 2 p.m.
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Norfolk State Edges Saint Peter's Men's Basketball In Barclays Classic Saint Peter's Division Championship Game
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| COURTESY NSU ATHLETICS |
With the Spartans (4-3) leading 56-48, Travis Hester (Crozet, Va./The Miller School [Harcum]) hit a trey with 56 seconds left. After Jamel Fuentes made two free throws eight seconds later, Hester nailed another triple with 43 seconds left to make it a four-point game. A Norfolk State turnover, helped trim the margin to 58-55 after Tyler Gaskins (Roswell, Ga./Centennial [Lawson State]) hit 1 of 2 at the free throw line with 37 seconds left. Malik Thomas made the front end of two free throws and Gaskins drained a 3-pointer from the corner to make it a one-point game at 59-58 with 18 seconds left. D'Shon Taylor gave the Spartans a 60-58 lead after making 1 of 2 at the line with 15 ticks remaining. Gaskins shot to tie the game from inside the 3-point line in the right corner hit the back of the rim and out as time expired.
Marvin Dominique (Miramar, Fla./Miramar [Fordham]) paced the Peacocks (2-5) with 17 points to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team. Gaskins and Hester each added 12 points apiece in the loss.
Short was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player after scoring 20 points for the Spartans. RaShid Gaston also earned a spot on the All-Tournament team after tallying 14 points and 10 rebounds while Taylor added 14 points in the winning effort.
Saint Peter's held the lead for most of the game before the Norfolk State pressure defense helped to rally to give the Spartans the advantage and then Norfolk State held off a comeback in the waning minute of the contest to earn the Barclays Classic title in the first meeting between the two programs.
With the Peacocks holding a 48-37 lead after two Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) free throws with 6:54 left, the Spartans scored 14-unanswered points to take the lead they would not relinquish.
Short started the decisive run with a jumper at 6:32 before Gaston hit 1 of 2 at the line at 5:35. Short then converted a traditional 3-point play with 5:18 on the clock to trim the margin to 48-43. Gaston made consecutive baskets inside and Short gave Norfolk State the lead for good on a layup at 3:04 for a 49-48 edge. Gaston then recorded a tip-in basket and a layup before Taylor hit two free throws and Short capped the run with the one charity toss with 65 seconds left for the 56-48 margin. Fueled by two 3-pointers by Hester and a trey by Gaskins Saint Peter's nearly rallied for the victory as the game-tying shot hit off the rim as time expired.
Powered by five points from Short and four from Gaston, the Spartans jumped out to a 13-3 advantage to start the championship bout.
The Peacocks then closed the half on a 24-7 run to take a 27-20 advantage going into the locker room. Dominique sparked the run with eight points.
Saint Peter's then took its largest lead at 34-20 after starting the second half with seven-straight points. Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) opened the run with a layup 32 seconds into the stanza before Dominique hit a jumper at 18:43 and Hester drained a 3-ball at 16:01 for the 14-point advantage.
Norfolk State answered with a 12-4 spurt thanks to eight points from Taylor to cut the margin to 38-32 with 11:15 on the clock.
Welton answered with two free throws at 10:24 and Gaskins drained a trey at 9:37 to regain an 11-point edge at 43-32. The Spartans then used a 22-5 run to take the lead en route to the 60-58 victory.
Welton finished the contest with five points and seven rebounds while Wyche added five points, six assists and five boards.
The Peacocks made 12 3-pointers in a game for the second time in three games and have posted 32 treys in the last three games after only hitting 17 in the first four contest.
Saint Peter's, who has played four times in the last seven games in the Barclays Classic, returns to action when the squad hosts Canisius in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play on Wednesday. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m.
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COURTESY SAINT PETER'S UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
Saturday, November 29, 2014
UMES men's basketball handles Fordham 72-66
BRONX, New York -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team never trailed, as they defeated Fordham 72-66 Saturday night.The Hawks (2-6) held a 32-26 lead over the Rams at halftime, as the Rams brought the game to within two points, with 3:33 left in the game, but the Hawks held on to earn the win.
Michael Myers led the Hawks with 20 points, and Dominique Elliott and Ryan Andino each chipped in with 12 points.
The Hawks outshot the Rams 52.4 percent to 46.7 percent and UMES bench outscored Fordham 27-12, but the Rams out rebounded the Hawks 30-27.
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NCCU nips NAU in Emerald Coast Classic finale; back at .500
NICEVILLE, Florida — N.C. Central used a 14-2 run midway through the second half and played lockdown defense the rest of the way to hold off the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona 40-36 to win the 2014 Emerald Coast Classic consolation bracket championship.It marked the fewest points the Eagles had scored in a win in 70 years — since NCCU beat West Virginia State 37-31 on Jan. 29, 1944.
After a 19-19 first half, NAU made a big move early in the second, taking a 26-21 after a 7-2 run keyed by a three-point play by Lumberjack forward Quinton Upshur who led NAU with 13 points. Jordan Parks led NCCU with 12.
NCCU never backed down as it trailed 29-23 after Aaseem Dixon’s lone three-pointer, but the Eagle offense awoke as senior Anthony McDonald drilled back-to-back three-pointers for a 35-31 lead with 10:04 left.
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