O'Neale Helps Baylor Bears Rout Norfolk State 92-51

WACO, Texas --  Royce O'Neale scored 15 points of his career-best 23 points in the opening minutes of the second half to lead No. 22 Baylor to a 92-51 win over Norfolk State on Tuesday night.

Rico Gathers added 13 points and 11 rebounds for Baylor (11-1). Taurean Prince and Al Freeman scored 13 each.

Jeff Short had 23 points and D'Shon Taylor scored 11 for Norfolk State (9-6). Rashid Gaston had 10 rebounds and six points.

O'Neale had a 3 to open the second-half scoring, and then with Baylor holding a 40-29 lead, he took over. After a dunk by Gathers and one free throw by Johnathan Motley, O'Neale hit 3s on Baylor's next four possessions. After Lester Medford converted a 3-point play, the Bears led 55-29 with 14:41 left in the game and the game was effectively over.



O'Neale scored five consecutive points as Baylor took an early 12-8 lead. From there, Norfolk went on an 11-2 run - spurred by 3s from Taylor and Short - and took a 19-14 lead with 11:31 to play, prompting Baylor coach Scott Drew to call a timeout.

On the Bears' next possession, Motley was called for an offensive foul as he was starting a short drive to the basket. After that, however, Baylor went on an 11-2 run of its own to take the lead back, 25-21, at the 5:50 mark. O'Neale hit a 3 and Prince converted a three-point play during the stint.

Prince hit a 3 in front of the Norfolk bench at the buzzer to give Baylor a 32-27 halftime lead.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Baylor's 92 points were a season high surpassing its previous high of 80 (vs. McNeese State, 11/14/14).
• Baylor's 60 second-half points were the most in any half by the Bears this season.
• Baylor's 34 field goals made were a season high surpassing its previous high of 30 (vs. McNeese State, 11/14/14).
• Baylor set a season high with 28 assists surpassing the previous total of 23 (McNeese St., 11/14/14).
• Baylor set a season high with 23 offensive rebounds surpassing the previous total of 22 (vs. Texas Southern, 12/1/14).
• Baylor's eight blocks matched a season high (vs. SFA, 11/24/14).
• Baylor's 41-point margin of victory was the largest loss suffered by Norfolk State since the Spartans lost to the University of Florida, 84-50 (3/18/12).
• Royce O'Neale scored a career-high 23 points passing his previous high of 22 (at Vanderbilt, 12/4/14).
• O'Neale's 23 points tied for the most by a Baylor player this season (Gathers, 23 vs. Texas Southern, 12/1/14).
• O'Neale hit a career-high five 3-point field goals, passing his previous high of four, accomplished four times.
• O'Neale reached double figures (23) for the fourth time this season and for the 14th time in his career. Baylor is 12-2 when he scores at least 10 points. • O'Neale led the Bears in scoring for the third time this season and the sixth time in his career.
• Rico Gathers posted his Big 12-leading 6th double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds; it was the 13th of his career.
• Gathers reached double figures in rebounds for the 10th time this season and the 24th time of his career.
STAT OF THE GAME
60: Second-half points for Baylor, turning a five-point halftime advantage into a a 41-point victory.

Box Score | Notes | USATSI Photo Gallery 

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Alabama State Hornets Hold Off Fort Valley State

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Bobby Brown led a trio of double-digit scoring Hornets with 16 points as Alabama State finished the pre-conference part of their schedule with a 76-65 win over Fort Valley State.

It was a game that has been a lot like several of ASU's games as they had a hot-shooting opening half and then their shooting fell off in the second half.

"It was a tough ball game," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said. "Coming in off the Christmas break we needed a game before conference play and we wanted to try and work on some things. I'm certainly glad we got to play one because if it had been a SWAC game we probably would have lost tonight."

"We are trying to be a better team offensively in our half court and that is something we have to consistently work on. We didn't shoot free throws well and it was just a tough ball game overall."

Wendell Lewis scored 13 points and Luther Page came off the bench to score 11. ASU finished the game shooting 44 percent for the game, and that includes 36 percent from beyond the three point line. ASU also struggled from the free throw line hitting 14 of their 27 attempts (52%).



The Hornets (4-5) looked to break open the game coming out of the locker room in the second half outscoring FVSU 13-4 to build their largest lead of the game at 54-34.

After that the Wildcats (0-8) fought their way back into the game and cut the lead to nine points on a couple of occasions, the last at 69-60 after a three point field goal from Ralph Wilson, who scored 13 points.

Derrick Spear scored a game-high 18 points for FVSU and Tyrone Brinson came off the bench to score 14 as the visitors finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field.

FVSU came into the game only averaging five three point field goals per game, but every time the Hornets would pull away FVSU would sink a long range jumper, finishing the game with eight.

"We have to get better defensively," Jackson said. "We gave up 60-something points tonight, almost 70, and we have to get better defensively."

"Our wings have to keep the players out of the lane we have to really work on that. I think our bigs are playing decent around the basket, and we have to rebound the ball better. We have always been a good rebounding team as well as defensively, so we have to continue to work on these things that are going to allow us to have success when our offense is not working that well. You have to be able to stop somebody on the defensive end."

The Hornets used a 52 percent shooting performance in the opening half on its way to building a 41-30 halftime lead. Part of that hot-shooting was knocking down five of their 10 three point field goals.

Brown led the way with eight points, including opening the game with a three-point field goal and being fouled on the play. With the free throw it was the Hornets first four-point play of the season.

Lewis also scored eight points in the opening half and Robinson added seven.

ASU's defense held the Wildcats to 39 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes, but the visitors, started hitting three pointers early and hit four in the first half to stay close. Wilson and Spear had six points each to lead FVSU.

ASU will continue its three-game home stand and will jump into conference play hosting Grambling Saturday, Jan. 3 at 5 p.m. Check bamastatesports.com for all your up-to-date basketball news leading to the game.

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Hawaii 'Bows Outlast Prairie View A&M, 76-68

HONOLULU, Hawaii  –  Mike Thomas tied his career-high of 14 points to lead five players in double figures and the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team outlasted Prairie View A&M 76-68 on Tuesday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Quincy Smith took advantage of his opportunity off the bench for the 'Bows (12-4), posting 10 points on 4-5 shooting with Isaac Fleming contributing another 10 points of bench scoring. Negus Webster-Chan had 10 points and six rebounds before going down with an ankle sprain early in the second half.

Montreal Scott was the game's top scorer, posting a game-high 27 points and hitting five three-pointers to keep Prairie View (2-11) in the game.



Box Score | Box Score (html) 

Hawai'i used a 10-0 run to break open a close game in the second half. Garrett Nevels, scheduled to have surgery on Wednesday, had six of his 10 points in the run as UH took a 68-58 lead with 3:28 to play.

The 'Bows looked prime to run away with the game early in the second half, but a 10-1 Panther run tied the game. Thomas ended the run with a three-pointer and back-to-back alley-oop dunks served up by Roderick Bobbitt helped UH regain the lead at 57-56 with 7:40 to play. Bobbitt struggled from the floor but finished with game highs of nine assists and four steals.

It was another slow start for the 'Bows who fell behind early in the first half. Karim York's three-pointer help the Panthers to a 6-0 spurt and a 12-6 lead. The 'Bows wouldn't be held down for long as a pair of Bobbitt steals and three-pointers from Smith and Fleming spearheaded a 10-0 run to put UH in front for the first time.

The turnover bug would hit the 'Bows in the first half as four miscues over a three minute span led to some easy Panther buckets. Prairie View would come all the way back when a Jayrn Johnson three-pointer tied the game at 34-34. Jovanovic would close the half with a baseline jumper to give UH a 38-36 lead at the break.

The 'Bows will open conference play hosting Cal Poly on Wednesday, Jan. 7. Start time at the Stan Sheriff Center is set for 7:00 p.m.

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Harris-Stowe holds on to beat Gold Nuggets 59-58

 

Photo Gallery: XU vs. Harris-Stowe women's basketball in XU Holiday Classic
Photos by Yamlak Tsega

NEW ORLEANS -- Mia Wesley's 21 points and Lorraine Pitchford's 20 rebounds helped Harris-Stowe hold on for a 59-58 women's basketball victory Tuesday against NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana in the Xavier Holiday Classic.

The Lady Hornets (4-5) earned a split of their two games in this event. The Gold Nuggets (7-8) lost both their games and stretched their losing streak to four, their longest since February 2007.

Harris-Stowe twice led by 17 points, the second time at 49-32 when Leah Hamilton made two free throws with 7:54 remaining. Xavier scored the final 10 points but missed a free throw and two field goals in the final nine seconds.

Hamilton scored 15 points and KeAris Vaughn 11 for Harris-Stowe.

Vinnie Briggs scored 16 points for the Gold Nuggets, and Trana Hopkins had 12. Xavier's season scoring leader, Whitney Gathright, had a season-low six points and was 2-of-12 from the floor.

Harris-Stowe outscored Xavier 8-1 in the final six minutes of the first half to take a 27-22 halftime lead. Wesley's 3-pointer at 3:18 put the Lady Hornets ahead to stay, 22-21.

Harris-Stowe outshot the Gold Nuggets 33.9 to 28.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 49-47.

It's the first time since January 2010 that the Gold Nuggets lost consecutive home games.

Xavier will play its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Talladega.

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Concordia-Selma shocks Alcorn State 79-70

LORMAN, Mississippi — Ken Atwood scored 21 points, Dennis Miles had 17 points and 11 rebounds and Concordia-Selma shocked Alcorn State 79-70 on Tuesday.

It was the first win over a Division I opponent for the Hornets (5-7), who play in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.

Anthony Jones had 19 points and Tedarius Neely and Guy Barnes had 10 points apiece for Concordia, which led 38-33 at halftime.

Marquis Vance had 24 points for Braves (1-11) with Leantwan Luckett adding 23 and Reginald Johnson 13.

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Baker, NMSU Aggies slash past the TSU Tigers, 54-52

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico – Sophomore Ian Baker slashed to the basket and laid it in with 2.2 seconds remaining in the second half to propel New Mexico State past Texas Southern 54-52 Tuesday evening at the Pan American Center.

“We beat a good team,” NM State head coach Marvin Menzies said following the game. “Our guys took a challenge of being down by eight at the half and displayed guts. We just need to continue to preach and teach and get these guys better. We took a major mental step tonight and I’m proud of them.”

The Tigers, who have defeated the likes of Michigan State and Kansas State, opened up an early lead and a David Blanks layup at 12:39 in the first stanza made it 14-5. From there, however, the Aggies fought back.

Over the ensuing 12 minutes NM State gradually cut into TSU’s lead and with 29 seconds remaining in the half Jalyn Pennie grabbed an offensive rebound and laid it in to bring the Aggies within striking distance. The Tigers went into halftime with a 33-25 lead.

NM State opened the second half with an 11-4 run and a Pascal Siakam dunk at 15:07 brought the Aggies to within one at 37-36.

Three minutes later Baker tiptoed the baseline and laid it in to give the Aggies a 43-41 lead – their first lead since the 19:41 mark in the first half.

Siakam scored a career-high 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Baker chipped in 11 points and hauled in five boards.

It was a tail of two halves for NM State. In the opening stanza the Aggies struggled to defend Tigers’ offense. TSU shot 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field, however, in the second half the Aggies held the Tigers to 45 percent (9-of-20) from the floor and caused seven turnovers.

The Aggies found success in front of the basket with 24 points in the paint and 32 rebounds.

Madarious Gibbs scored 15 points to lead TSU (3-10).

It was also Menzies 158th win at NM State and sits at third all-time on the Aggies career wins list.

NM State (6-9) returns to the hardwood Saturday, Jan. 3 and plays host to UC Irvine. Tip is set for 7 p.m.



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No. 9 Concordia (Calif.) Eagles defeat No. 22 XU Gold Rush 70-65

XU men's basketball vs. Concordia (Calif.) — at Xavier University Convocation Center
Photos by Yamlak Tsega

NEW ORLEANS -- Matt Scott scored 12 points, including four free throws in the final 1:07, to help Concordia (Calif.) defeat Xavier University of Louisiana 70-65 Tuesday in a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I men's basketball teams.

The Eagles (14-2), ranked ninth, won for the eighth time in nine road games.

After trailing 29-26 at halftime, Concordia took the lead for good, 48-47, on Lucas Simpson's basket with 7:35 remaining. Scott's final two free throws gave the Eagles a 67-60 lead with 32 seconds remaining.

Justin Davis and Ty Armstrong scored 10 points apiece for Concordia.

Troy Salvant and Morris Wright scored 14 points apiece for Xavier (11-5), ranked 22nd, and Gary Smith scored 12.

The Gold Rush trailed 43-34 in the 29th minute before rallying to take a 47-46 lead with 7:49 remaining.

Xavier outshot Concordia 38 to 34.4 percent from the floor. The Eagles had a 46-34 rebound advantage, with Stephen Grosey grabbing 11 and Armstrong 10.

Xavier will open defense of its  Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship at 7:30 p.m. Monday at NAIA No. 6 Talladega. It will be the Gold Rush's third consecutive game against a top-10 opponent.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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Southern Jaguars fall to Hawai'i 71-57 in Honolulu (Video)

HONOLULU, Hawaii — Despite forcing 23 turnovers and grabbing 15 steals, the Jaguars' offense struggled and the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season champions failed to secure a signature upset in its final non-conference game.

Stefan Jovanovic and Aaron Valdes each scored 13 and Hawaii led almost the entire way in a 71-57 win over Southern on Monday night.

Hawaii (11-4) pulled away during the middle of the second half with a 17-2 run to take its largest lead at 58-34.



Southern (3-11) had runs of seven and eight straight in the final 10 minutes but got no closer than 69-56 on Tre Lynch's jumper with 1:28 left.

Lynch led the Jaguars with 13 points and made all three of Southern's 3-pointers. Trelun Banks added 12 points.

Hawaii held Southern to 23 first-half points and Mike Thomas finished with five blocks.

Both Hawaii and Southern host Prairie View A&M for their next games -- Hawaii for its final nonconference game on Tuesday and Southern, which claimed last season's regular season title, to open league play on Saturday at home.

Box Score

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Dillard beats Harris-Stowe in XU Holiday Classic opener

PHOTO GALLERY: Dillard vs. Harris-Stowe women's basketball in XU Holiday Classic

NEW ORLEANS -- Ciara Morgan and Alena Evans scored 12 points apiece Monday to lead Dillard to a 65-55 women's basketball victory against Harris-Stowe in the opening game of the Xavier Holiday Classic.

The Lady Bleu Devils (7-4) won for the fourth time in five games. They never trailed and led for all but 21 seconds.

Morgan scored all her points on 3-pointers and made her first four attempts.

Brittany Smith scored 10 points for Dillard. The Lady Bleu Devils had a season-high 19 steals, five by Rashida Ademosu and four by Shantrell Lumar.

Mia Wesley had 19 points and eight rebounds for Harris-Stowe (3-5), and Kyera Smith grabbed nine rebounds.

Dillard outshot the Lady Hornets 38.2 to 32.7 percent from the floor.

Dillard scored eight points in the first 54 seconds, but Harris-Stowe rallied to tie the score at 10 on KeAris Vaughn's 3-pointer at 17:09. Lumar made two free throws at 16:56 to put the Lady Bleu Devils ahead to stay, 12-10, and they led 39-32 at halftime.

This was Dillard's only game in the five-team, two-day event. Harris-Stowe will play NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana -- a 66-62 overtime loser to LSU-Shreveport -- at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The Lady Bleu Devils return home to host eighth-ranked Loyola at The Battlefield in Dent Hall Tuesday night at 5:30 pm.

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Lady Pilots' OT victory snaps Nuggets' home win streak

PHOTO GALLERY: XU vs. LSU-Shreveport women's basketball in XU Holiday Classic

NEW ORLEANS -- Kourtney Pennywell and Erica Noel combined for 55 points Monday to lead LSU-Shreveport to a 66-62 women's basketball victory in overtime against NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana in the Xavier Holiday Classic.

Pennywell had 29 points and 16 rebounds, and Noel scored 26 -- she made 6-of-9 3-pointers -- to help the Lady Pilots (5-5) snap the 24-game home win streak of the Gold Nuggets (7-7).

LSUS scored the first seven points of overtime, four by Noel.

Xavier rallied from an 8-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation, but Gathright missed the front end of a 1-and-1 -- her only missed free throw in eight attempts -- with nine seconds remaining and the score tied at 59. The Lady Pilots rebounded but were unable to get a shot before the buzzer.

Sierra Contreras had 11 assists for LSUS.

Vinnie Briggs had 11 points and 12 rebounds for Xavier, and Alesha Smith scored 12. It was the Gold Nuggets' third consecutive loss.

Xavier had not lost at home since a 63-56 decision against SUNO on Jan. 14, 2013. It was the Gold Nuggets' first overtime loss at home since Jan. 31, 1987.

Dillard defeated Harris-Stowe 65-55 in the opening game.

Tuesday's games will match LSUS vs. SUNO at 3 p.m. and Xavier vs. Harris-Stowe at 5 p.m. Also at the Convocation Center, Xavier will play Concordia (Calif.) at 7 p.m. in a matchup of ranked men's teams.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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FAMU rallies past UNCG, 70-64 Monday at Miami

PHOTO GALLERY: FAMU defeats UNCG

CORAL GABLES, Florida -- The FAMU Women’s Basketball team rode a 41-point second half surge to slither past UNC Greensboro, 70-64 in the second round of the Miami Post Christmas Invitational Monday afternoon.

FAMU (4-7) led in the early going at 7-6 and 9-8 in the first six minutes, but UNCG got hot, outscoring the Lady Rattlers, 31-20 to close the opening half with a 39-29 lead.

The second half saw FAMU climb back into contention with a 41-25 scoring run of their own, led in part by the scoring of local product Khaderja Young (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), who led the Lady Rattlers with 16 points and seven rebounds.

Young’s layup with 5:23 left put FAMU ahead for good at 61-59, capping a 32-30 Orange and Green rally to take control of the game.

Junior Olivia Antilla (Minneapolis, Minn.) added 13 points, three rebounds and three assists, while freshman Brooksie McGraw (Gainesville, Fla.) finished with 10 points and seven rebounds, helping FAMU end a three-game losing skid.

Jade Scaife led UNCG with 15 points and six rebounds, followed by Bailey Williams with 13 points, Shanese Harris with 12 points and five boards, and Lucy Mason with 11 points.

WHAT’S NEXT: FAMU winds up their holiday road trip Friday and Sunday in Georgia, facing Kennesaw State at 7 p.m. Friday, and Mercer in Macon on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Close Out 2014 At VCU

North Carolina A&T Aggies (7-5) at Virginia Commonwealth Rams (8-4)
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.
Facility: Siegel Center
Probable Starters: G Debbie Smith (8.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg), G Adriana Nazario (6.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg), G Ariel Bursey (2.4 ppg, 1.0 rpg), G Dana Brown (4.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg), F Eboni Ross (9.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg)

Aggies Overview:  North Carolina A&T will set its sights on closing out 2014 with a win when it faces VCU on Tuesday. The Aggies are coming off a 58-43 loss to Chattanooga at the UTC Christmas Classic where they went 1-1 with a 54-49 win over Tennessee Tech. It will be a homecoming for several Aggies on Tuesday including redshirt juniors Aprill McRae, Christina Carter and head coach Tarrell Robinson who spent three seasons with the Rams before returning back to A&T. McRae and Carter each spent a season with the Rams before making the move with Robinson. On the road, the Aggies have been led by three players -- Ross (11.5 ppg), McRae (11.0 ppg) and Smith (10.3 ppg). A&T is 2-4 on the road and has averaged 57.7 points per game away from Corbett Sports Center.

Rams Overview: Virginia Commonwealth enters the matchup on a four-game winning streak after topping MEAC foe Coppin State, 63-52 on the road Sunday. The Rams have also pinned a 5-0 mark at home this season under first-year head coach Beth O’Boyle. The Rams were picked to finish 10th in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll after finishing the 2013-14 season with a 22-10 overall record and 9-7 mark in the conference. VCU is led by Isis Thorpe (10.8 ppg) and Adaeze Alaeze (10.2 ppg) in scoring. Camille Calhoun (7.8 rpg) leads a solid rebounding team that is averaging 45.4 rebounds a game. Tuesday’s game will be the first time both teams have met since the 2003-04 season when the Rams claimed a 62-43 win at home.

News & Notes:

• In A&T’s last three games, Ross has averaged 16.0 points per game along with 8.7 rebounds.
• Carter is 14^th in the nation in steals, averaging 3.25 per game.
• VCU holds a 2-0 all-time record over A&T.
• The Rams are 2-0 against MEAC teams this season (Coppin State, UMES) and 3-0 against North Carolina schools (High Point, UNCG, UNCW).

From the head coach: "As we get closer to conference time we want to start getting into a groove on both ends of the floor. We hope this game against VCU to end 2014 will be the beginning of things to come for Lady Aggie Basktball in 2015. I haven't thought much about the sentimental side of this game. My focus is just for this team to get into gear so we can start playing up to our own expectations. My time with Beth Cunningham at VCU gave me a solid foundation to come back home to Aggieland and live out my dreams. So much has changed there since I left."  Head coach Tarrell Robinson.

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Tough road for NSU basketball leads to Baylor

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The road hasn't been entirely kind to Norfolk State this season, and the Spartans say they have themselves to blame.

NSU's 9-5 start, which matches its best since moving to Division I in 1997, includes a 2-4 record away from home. Improving upon it will require further navigation of a tough six-game road swing that continues at No. 22 Baylor at 8 tonight.

The ambitious Spartans visit Georgia, Princeton and MEAC foes Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman before returning home to face North Carolina Central on Jan. 17.

NSU's road resume was boosted by a thrilling 74-71 overtime win at James Madison on Dec. 22, the Spartans' last time out. Coach Robert Jones said he hopes his upstart team isn't done.



"We were able to overcome that hurdle," Jones said Monday before a team workout in Waco, Texas. "Hopefully, we can overcome a few more in this stretch, and I think we'll put ourselves in a good position."

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UMES Looks for Third Straight Win

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s basketball team will have a chance for a third straight victory as they face the University of Tennessee-Martin on Tuesday evening. UMES (7-8) has won six of their last eight games with back-to-back road wins over Atlantic 10 opponents leading up to Tuesday.

The Hawks are riding high after another stellar performance on Sunday afternoon, defeating Duquesne by a final score of 78-69. The win gave UMES their seventh victory of the year, already surpassing last season’s win total. Mike Myers (Camden, N.J.) posted his first double-double as a Hawk with 22 points and 14 rebounds, career-highs in both categories. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference named Myers the league’s Player of the Week for his efforts against Duquesne and St. Bonaventure. In addition to the conference accolades, Myers also earned recognition from CollegeInsider.com, winning the Lou Henson National Player of the Week Award for the top mid-major performer.

Freshman Ryan Andino (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was also honored after his recent performances, receiving the MEAC Rookie of the Week Award on Monday. Andino is one of several Hawks who have lifted the offense with deadly three-point shooting. Against Duquesne, the Hawks made 9-of-15 three-point attempts, including six triples by senior Devon Walker (Philadelphia, Pa.). As a team, UMES has shot 37.4% percent from beyond the arc on the season, best in the MEAC. Both Andino and Devin Martin (Baltimore, Md.) are in the top five in the conference in terms of three-point percentage. As a result of the shooting and Myers’ inside presence, the Hawks have put up their best offensive outputs in the last two games at 82 and 78 points.

UMES will try to conclude the month of December with another victory as they face UT-Martin. After getting off to a 2-6 start in November, the Hawks have turned the season around with a 5-2 mark in the final month of 2014. UMES has shown marked improvements, especially on the road where they have four non-conference wins already. Before this season, the Hawks’ program had gone nearly four years without a non-conference road victory.

UT-Martin (7-4) is also in the midst of a rapid turnaround under a first year head coach, showing several similarities to UMES under Bobby Collins. Heath Schroyer took over a Skyhawks team that went 8-23 a year ago, including a 3-13 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference. Much like UMES, UT-Martin has had to play primarily on the road, with only two home dates so far this season. The Skyhawks have gone 4-5 away from Martin, Tennessee, including a big road win against fellow MEAC school, Bethune-Cookman.

Deville Smith leads the Skyhawks on both ends of the court, topping the team in several offense and defensive categories. The senior guard tops the team in minutes played (35.1 per game), points (13.7 per game) and assists (4.6 per game). Smith also paces the team on defense with nearly two steals per contest and one block per game, both team-highs as well.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time at Skyhawk Arena in Martin, Tenn. Pregame coverage begins twenty minutes before tip-off at 7:10 p.m. on the Hawks SFMSports.net and Fox Sports 960 AM in Salisbury, Md.
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Lady Bulldogs lead from start to finish to beat Kennesaw State

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 8-0 lead and never looked back Monday in a 73-66 win over Kennesaw State.

The win was the first of the season for the Lady Bulldogs (1-10) and snapped a 7-game winning streak for the Owls (10-3) of the Atlantic Sun conference.

Janie Myles led a quartet of Lady Bulldogs who scored in double figures – a first this season. Myles scored 26 points and had a team-high 11 rebounds for her second double-double in just four games. Brooke Dixon had 15 points on 6 for 7 shooting from the field; Brittney Strickland added 11 and Alganese Gatson had 10.

The Lady Bulldogs shot 58 percent from the field in the first half, taking a 38-32 lead at intermission, and 50 percent in the second half.

With about 14:50 left in the game, the Owls were within four points of Alabama A&M, trailing 48-44. But the Lady Bulldogs answered with a 16-5 run over the next 7 minutes for their largest lead of the game – 64-49.

The Owls then rallied, cutting the margin to 70-65 with 1:06 to play, but couldn't get closer.

Alabama A&M begins SWAC play Saturday when Jackson State visits Elmore Gym. The Lady Bulldogs tip off at 4 p.m. with the men's game following.

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Bowie State University student seeks $3M for fraternity hazing

BOWIE, Maryland -- A Bowie State University junior has filed a $3 million lawsuit against the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity for injuries he allegedly suffered while being hazed as a pledge.

Kevin Hayes also alleges he was “ostracized and bullied” by members of the fraternity after they saw photos of his injuries saved on his phone and told him to delete the images.

But Hayes, who pledged the fraternity’s Eta Zeta chapter in the fall of 2013, has remained a member because he wants to “change things from the inside,” according to his lawyer.

“He’s sad that he had to do it [file the lawsuit] but knows it was the right thing to do,” said Jimmy A. Bell, an Upper Marlboro solo practitioner. “Hazing is a crime.”

Officials from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s national headquarters in Baltimore did not respond to messages seeking comment. Founded in 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha was the first Greek-letter fraternity for black students and has 353 chapters at colleges and universities across the country, including nine in Maryland.



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NOTE: The case is Kevin Hayes v. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., et al., CAL14-36637, The Circuit Court for Prince George's County (Maryland). 

Judge rejects Martin's bid for new trial in FAMU hazing

ORLANDO, Florida -- A Judge has rejected a request for a new trial by Dante Martin, who faces up to 22 years in prison for his role in the hazing death of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion.

Martin's legal team argued that Orange Circuit Judge Renee Roche gutted the heart of his defense in October when she blocked his lawyers from comparing Champion's decision to submit to the risky hazing to the daredevil exploits of "Evel Knievel and thrill-seekers who run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

The lawyers, who also plan to appeal the jury verdict, had insisted the hazing was essentially a "toughness competition" and Champion volunteered to compete.

Martin, 27, found guilty of manslaughter in Champion's death and lesser charges of hazing, is set to be sentenced Jan. 9 by Roche.

Champion, 27, was beaten to death Nov. 19, 2011, during a ritual known as "Crossing Bus C," in which he tried to run from the front of the percussion-section bus to the back by plowing through bandmates who kicked and punched him and struck him with drumsticks and drum mallets.

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Offensive Woes Send IUPUI Jags to 70-49 Loss at NCCU

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  The IUPUI basketball team capped a seven-day, three-state mammoth road trip with a thud, falling 70-49 North Carolina Central inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on Monday night (Dec. 29). Freshman D.J. McCall was the lone Jaguar to score in double-digits with 11 points and senior DavRon Williams added a game-high 13 rebounds in his return to his former school.

Dante Holmes led four Eagles in double-digits with 15 points and Karamo Jawara and Nimrod Hilliard added 13 points each. Anthony McDonald chimed in with 11 points, all coming after halftime. IUPUI shot just 29.2 percent overall and committed 18 turnovers, leading to 12 NCCU easy points.

"We've got to put this one behind us and start looking ahead to (Summit) league play. That's what's important now. We didn't execute tonight and we fell behind and never really got back in it," Head Coach Jason Gardner said. "They're a good basketball team and they're even better at home. They threw the first punch and we didn't respond the way we should have."

NCCU (10-5) came in ranked among the national leaders in points allowed and field goal percentage defense and clamped down on the Jags en route to its 27th consecutive home win.

IUPUI (4-10) was slow to find its offense against NCCU as the Eagles soared to a 25-6 lead. NCCU orchestratred an emphatic 20-2 scoring edge to push an early 5-4 lead out to a 19-point advantage. The hosts made three treys during the run, capped by a Rashaun Madison connection, forcing Gardner to call his second first half timeout. Freshman Leo Svete halted the run at the free throw line before McCall and P.J. Boutte combined to score 12 of the Jaguars' final 14 points of the half.

Boutte stroked a pair of triples as IUPUI closed the half with a 10-2 surge to close within 32-22 at the break.

Any positive momentum the Jaguars built evaporated at halftime as NCCU opened the second half with the first seven points and a decisive 15-3 run to put the game away. Jawara punctuated the run with a steal and slam in front of his own bench.

More to follow...

IUPUI will open Summit League play when the Jaguars take on preseason favorite Fort Wayne on Sunday night (Jan. 3) at 7:00 p.m. inside the Gates Sports Center. The game will be heard on WNDE 1260 AM as Will Flemming (pxp) calls the action from courtside.

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Hawai'i Men's Basketball Hosts Southern, Prairie View A&M This Week

HONOLULU, Hawai'i  – The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is back in action this week, hosting Southern University on Monday, Dec. 29 and Prairie View A&M on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at the Stan Sheriff Center. Tip off times for both games are set for 7:00 p.m.

The games will be the team's final non-conference matchups heading into Big West Conference play in January.

The Rainbow Warriors (10-4) are coming off a 2-1 performance at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic including wins against Nebraska and Colorado. Their lone loss came in an overtime defeat to No. 11 Wichita State.

Isaac Fleming was UH's biggest offensive threat in the Diamond Head Classic and was honored with an all-tournament selection for his efforts. He averaged a team-high 15 ppg for the three games while also sharing team-high honors in assists per game (5.7). He was also a threat on the defensive end, recording four steals over the weekend.



The 'Bows continue to field one of the more formidable defenses in the nation. Through Christmas Day games, UH ranks in the top 10 in total steals and rebounds.

Game Notes

Game 15 & 16 Tip-off Notes
Who: Hawai'i (10-4, 0-0 Big West) vs. Southern University (3-10, 0-0 SWAC), Prairie View A&M (2-10, 0-0 SWAC)
Date: Monday, Dec. 29; Tuesday, Dec. 30
Times: 7:00 p.m.  (11:59 PM ET)
Where: Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) - Honolulu, O'ahu
Television: Live on OCSports – Channels 16 (SD) and 1016 (HD). Kanoa Leahey (play-by-play) Tony Sellitto (color) and Artie Wilson (color) on the call.
Streaming Video: BigWest.tv
Radio: Live on ESPN 1420 AM with Bobby Curran and Jeff Portnoy. Neighbor islands can listen live on KNUI on Maui, KHLO in Hilo, KKON in Kona and KTOH on Kaua'i.
Audio Webcast: Live audio streaming on espn1420am.com
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at HawaiiAthletics.com
Series Information: First meeting versus Southern. UH leads Prairie View A&M, 2-0.
Promotions: Jack in the Box is the game sponsor on Monday and will distribute 500 rally towels and award Burgers for a Year at halftime. UH Alumni Association paid members receive 50% off adult tickets. The Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is the game sponsor on Tuesday and will award a two-night stay in an ocean-front junior suite at halftime. UH season-ticket holders receive 50% off adult tickets.

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New Mexico State hosts Texas Southern Tuesday night

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico  –  The New Mexico State Aggies (5-9) play the fourth of a seven-game homestand as they host Texas Southern Tuesday night. The Aggies dropped a 58-57 overtime heartbreaker to No. 24/25 Colorado State on Saturday night, while the Tigers (3-9) upset Kansas State 58-56 Sunday.

SERIES RECORD: This is first meeting between the Aggies and Texas Southern, a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

MEDIA COVERAGE: Wednesday’s game can be heard live on the Aggie Sports Network and over the Las Cruces radio airwaves on KSNM, 98.7 with NM State Hall of Famer Jack Nixon on the call.

The game will not be televised, but will be available on a pay-per-view video stream on NMStateSports.com.

LIVE STATS ON THE WEB: Live stats will be available for fans at www.nmstatesports.com at no cost all season long. Fans can click on the ‘Live Events’ link at the top of the NMStateSports.com home page or go to the men’s basketball schedule page and click on the ‘related links’ tab to access the live stats.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Get all the updates of Aggie Athletics on Twitter and Facebook. Get in-game statistics and in-game updates on Twitter @NMStateAggies. Find out about all Aggie Athletics promotions and events on Facebook (NM State Aggies and The Aggie Student-Athlete). Also, new this season, follow us on Instagram at NMStateAggies for photos from all the Aggie athletics.

WHAT WILL THEY DO NEXT: NM State’s unique marketing series, “What Will They Do Next” has got folks wondering what they might see at an Aggie Basketball game. So far this season, NM State has presented Pie Night complete with a pie eating contest, The Zooperstars, a mascot basketball game, given away 10 42-inch HD televisions, 5,000 trading cards and one live turkey. “What Will They Do Next?” The only way one can find out is to be in attendance at the Pan American Center! Call 575-646-1420 for tickets.

KIDS GET IN FREE: The Aggies welcome the youngsters against the Tigers as kids 12-and-under get into Tuesday night’s game free. It’s great family entertainment at the Pan American Center.

Game Notes

ABOUT THE TIGERS: Texas Southern (3-9) has a pair of upsets during the last 10 days. First it was then No. 25 Michigan State 71-64 in East Lansing on Dec. 20, then a wild 58-56 win at Kansas State on Sunday. There was also a 61-60 loss at Auburn on Dec. 23 thrown in. TSU is paced by forward Chris Thomas (6-5, Jr., Denver, Colo.) who averages 15.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals. Guard Madarious Gibbs (6-1, Sr., Newnan, Ga.) chalks up 10.7 points with 3.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Guard Deverell Biggs (6-1, Sr., Omaha, Neb.) adds 10.2 points with 2.9 boards, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals. The Tigers are scoring 60.2 points an outing, while allowing 72.6 per game.

ABOUT THE AGGIES: The Aggies loss to Colorado State marked the first time since the 2011-12 season that NM State has lost more than one game at the Pan American Center in a season. That season the Aggies lost three games at home (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada). NM State had its 14-game home court winning streak at the Pan American Center snapped by New Mexico on Dec. 20, still the Aggies sport a 34-4 record at the Pan Am since the start of the 2012-13 season.

The Aggies’ 14-game home court winning streak was the second longest, dating back to the 11-12 season. The longest is 15-games, with the 14-game and an 11-game streak.

In the last 45 contests played by NM State at the Pan Am, the Aggies are 41-4.

With the win over Northern New Mexico, NM State is 9-0 against non-Division I teams under Marvin Menzies. The Aggies are 70-2 against non-Division I teams since Division I was established in 1973.

The Aggies have lost four players to significant injuries this season, including two starters (Daniel Mullings and Tshilidzi Nephawe) and two newcomers expected to make strong contributions (Tanveer Bhullar and Anthony January).

NM State has dropped all seven of its road games this season, with five of those teams either ranked or receiving votes in the AP and/or USA Today polls.

NM State is averaging 15.4 turnovers a game this season, and has turned the ball over 20 times in three games (Wichita State, Stetson, New Mexico).

NM State held Florida A&M to 33 points on Nov. 26, the fewest points scored at the Pan American Center and the fewest points scored against the Aggies since March 1952.

The Aggies are averaging 75.0 points a game at the Pan American Center this season, while giving up 56.6 points. On the road, NM State is averaging 65.9 points, while allowing 74.7 points a contest.

NM State looks to complete the rare four-peat in 2014-15, as the Aggies have won the WAC Tournament title and participated in the NCAA Tournament three years in a row.

Senior Remi Barry is leading the Aggies in scoring. Barry is averaging 13.9 points a game (sixth in the WAC) after scoring double-digits in 12 of this season’s 14 games. He is sixth in the WAC in field goal percentage, shooting 49.6 percent from the floor. He leads the WAC in 3-point field goal percentage at 59.3 percent.

Redshirt freshman Pascal Siakam grabbed his second double-double against Colorado State (13 pts/13 rbs). In 14 games, Siakam is averaging 11.9 points and is second on the team with 7.1 rebounds (tops for active players). He leads the WAC in blocked shots with 2.1 per game (55th nationally), is second in WAC in field goal percentage, .541, and ranks fifth in the league in board work. He has six games of three or more blocked shots.

Of the 15 players on the NM State roster, nine are from countries other than the United States. Five players are from Toronto, Canada, with two from France, one from Cameroon and one from South Africa.

MENZIES MOVING UP: Head coach Marvin Menzies has joined the number three spot on the New Mexico State all-time coaches wins list. In his eighth season at NM State, Menzies has a 157-97 record and needs just one more win to take over third all-time. Jerry Hines (1929-40, 1946-47) posted 157 wins in 12 seasons. Hall of Famer Lou Henson (1966-75, 1997-2005) holds the NM State record with 289 wins on the Aggie bench (289-152, 16 years), while Neil McCarthy (1985-97) has 229 victories (229-114, 12 years). Menzies was named one of Forbes’ top 25 college coaches for the money in November.

LOOKING BACK: The Aggies gave No. 24/25 Colorado State a hard run, but suffered a heart-breaking 58-57 loss to the Rams Saturday night at the Pan American Center.

NM State held an eight-point first half lead and a five-point second half lead, only to have the Rams battle back both times. Trailing by three with four seconds left, Ian Baker buried a 3-pointer to send the game into overtime. In the extra frame, with the Aggies up three with 1:20 to go, CSU scored the last four points and held on to remain unbeaten.

Remi Barry led the Aggies with 14 points, while Pascal Siakam picked up his second career double-double with 13 points and 13 boards, and added four blocks. Baker tallied 12 points with eight boards and four assists.

The Aggies shot 38 percent, held the Rams to 35 percent from the floor and outrebounded CSU 41-36. However, they turned the ball over 17 times to just five for CSU.

THE M*A*S*H UNIT: NM State has had a rough time with injuries at the start of this season. The Aggies suffered several injuries during preseason practice with ankle injuries to both Tanveer Bhullar and Anthony January that have cost both the start of the season. January is out for the season and will apply for a medical redshirt. Bhullar had to be casted and is expected to be out at least until the start of conference play. Second team Preseason All-WAC forward Tshilidzi Nephawe suffered a foot injury during the preseason, but was able to come back to start the first six games. But his foot was not healing properly, so he was shut down at Thanksgiving with a January target to return. Then in practice following the first the New Mexico game, WAC Player of the Year Daniel Mullings broke his finger severely enough to have surgery. Mullings is expected to be out until at least early February.

TOUGH TO SCORE AGAINST: New Mexico State held Florida A&M to just 33 points in their game on Nov. 26, 2014. It marked the fewest points allowed by the Aggies since March 4, 1952 when NM State beat Eastern New Mexico 34-27 in the NAIB Tournament.

The Aggies also held Northern New Mexico to only 39 points on Dec. 22, 2014.

The games are just the seventh and eighth times since 1950 that NM State has allowed an opponent less than 40 points in a game.

AGAINST NATIONALLY RANKED COMPETITION: New Mexico State is 1-18 against teams ranked in either the AP or USA Today Top 25 since the 2006-07 season. The Aggies last win against a nationally ranked team was on Jan. 20, 2007, when they defeated No. 13/15 Nevada 80-73 at the Pan American Center. NM State has lost the last 18 contests against teams nationally ranked since then. Coach Marvin Menzies’ Aggies are 0-16 against nationally ranked squads.

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S.C. State defeats College of Charleston 60-51

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Junior guard Amber Howard scored a team-high 13 points and played 36 minutes to lead South Carolina State to a , 60-51, victory over College of Charleston Sunday at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

The Lady Bulldogs improve to 8-4 overall, 1-1 in the MEAC, while the Lady Cougars fall to 1-9 on the season.

CofC had three players in double-figures with Breanna Bolden and Erin Hall each with a team-high 15 points. Bolden also grabbed seven rebounds in the victory. Christy Hewitt grabbed a game-high nine rebounds along with 12 points.

Despite the costly turnovers (21), the Lady Bulldogs shot 72.7% (16-of-22) from the charity stripe, while College of Charleston shot 58% (10-of-17).

Junior forward Jazzmine Johnson had a solid performance with eight points, five assists, and four steals to help guide the Lady Bulldogs to victory.

South Carolina State will close out non-conference play on Sunday (Jan. 4) when they host intrastate rival Furman University in a 4:00 p.m. showdown.

For more information on South Carolina State Basketball vist us at www.scsuathletics.com or call 803-536-7060.

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Wild game-ending sequence pushes Texas Southern past Kansas State (VIDEO)

MANHATTAN, Kansas -- Faced with a four-point deficit with 15 seconds remaining, most college basketball teams would have a hard time forcing overtime much less finding a way to win the game. However in Manhattan, Kansas, Mike Davis’ Texas Southern Tigers pulled off a comeback that will go down as one of the most stunning in college basketball this season, with some help from the Kansas State Wildcats.

Texas Southern, the preseason favorites to win the SWAC, scored six points in the final 3.8 seconds to knock off Kansas State by the final score of 58-56 with Jason Carter’s shot as time expired being the difference.

Texas Southern found itself in position to win the game thanks in part to some poor foul shooting by Kansas State, which made just two of its final eight free throws. During that period Chris Thomas and Maradarious Gibbs both made baskets, with Gibbs’ layup pulling the Tigers to within three with just over 18 seconds remaining (55-52). A Nino Williams free throw increased Kansas State’s lead to four, but then Jevon Thomas made the mistake of fouling Tonnie Collier on a three-point shot with 3.8 seconds to go.



ATTENDANCE: 12,528

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UMES Hawks Dethrone Duquesne Dukes, 78-69

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania  --  The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s basketball team impressed once again with a 78-69 road victory at Duquesne on Sunday afternoon. UMES (7-8) put together a complete offensive performance, inside and out, on the way to their third win of the season against an Atlantic 10 opponent, all on the road.

The Hawks’ offense got off to a blistering start, leaping out to a first half lead with phenomenal three-point shooting. Devon Walker (Philadelphia, Pa.) led UMES with a scorching first half, shooting 5-of-6 from three-point line, including a four-point play. UMES led by 15 points after two free throws by Mike Myers (Camden, N.J.) with 3:21 before halftime, but the Hawks went on a scoring drought. Duquesne finished the half on an 8-0 run to cut the halftime deficit to seven points, 45-38. As a team, UMES shot 66.7% from the floor in the opening twenty minutes, and 8-of-11 from beyond the arc.

The incredible shooting in the first half forced Duquesne to make defensive adjustments, and UMES countered by changing their attack. The Dukes switched from a 2-3 zone to man-to-man defense, as the Walker and company busted the zone with shots over the top. The Hawks responded by exploiting the favorable 1-on-1 matchup down low with Myers in the second half. The senior forward had just four points at halftime, but Myers finished with a double-double at 22 points and 14 rebounds. Myers was a beast on the offensive glass, cleaning up on five offensive boards with numerous thunderous dunks.

listen to ‘12/28/14: UMES Men's Basketball Post Game Show’ on audioBoom

Duquesne battled back to within two points, but UMES never relinquished the lead down the stretch. A jumper by Micah Mason cut the Hawks’ advantage down to 54-52 with 10:17 to go. Myers threw down a slam dunk, followed by another huge three-pointer by Walker to slow down any Dukes’ comeback. The Hawks kept enough distance from Duquesne, maintaining at least a two-possession lead for the remainder of the contest.

Myers paced the Hawks with his first double-double as a Hawk, setting career-highs in both points scored (22) and rebounds (14). Walker nearly matched his career-high in scoring, settling one point shy at 21 points for the afternoon. Devin Martin (Baltimore, Md.) was the third Hawk in double digits at 10 points, also contributing three assists. The Hawks shared the ball well, tallying 19 assists, led by six from senior guard Ishaq Pitt (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Reserve guards Travis Trim and Ryan Andino both set career-highs in assists with four each.

The Hawks’ offense did not slow down one bit after their impressive showing at St. Bonaventure. After scoring over 70 points just once in their first 13 games, the Hawks have scored at least 78 points in back-to-back victories. UMES shot 57.1% from the field, including 9-of-15 from deep for the game. The Hawks outrebounded Duquesne, 32-30, creating 13 second chance points, primarily from the effort of Myers.

With the win, UMES improves to 7-8 on the year, setting up an opportunity to climb back to an even .500 in their next game. With their seventh victory, the Hawks have already surpassed its overall win total from last season, all before the end of non-conference play. UMES is now 3-1 vs. the Atlantic 10 Conference this season, with all four games coming on the road. Prior to this season, the Hawks’ basketball program had not defeated a current A-10 team in 45 years.

UMES will go for their third straight win when they continue the road trip at the UT-Martin on Tuesday evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Skyhawk Arena in Martin, Tenn. on Tuesday, December 30. Hawks fans can listen to all the action live on the Hawks Radio Network, powered by SFMSports.net and Fox Sports 960 AM.

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NIU Huskies Return Home to Host Hampton

Game Notes in PDF 

NIU (4-5, 0-0 MAC) vs. Hampton (6-6, 2-0 MEAC)
Date / Time: Monday, December 29, 2014/
Site: NIU Convocation Center • DeKalb, Ill.
TV: ESPN3
Radio: WLBK 1360-AM, 98.9-FM (DeKalb), WIND 560-AM (Chicago) or online at NIUHuskies.com
Live Stats: NIUHuskies.com
Twitter Updates: @NIUscores
All-time Series: First Meeting

7 p.m. CT

DEKALB, Illinois – After playing four of its last five on the road, the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team returns home for its final two non-conference games of the season, beginning on Monday night (Dec. 29) as it hosts Hampton.

HUSKIE QUICK HITS
• NIU is playing a member of the MEAC for the second consecutive season. Last year, the Huskies defeated Bethune-Cookman, 65-51, on Jan. 3, 2014. 

• Aaron Armstead is averaging 11.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game over the last three games, going 11-of-17 (64.7 percent) from three-point range during that stretch.

• Pete Rakocevic is shooting 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the floor over the last three games, including 5-of-8 last time out against Notre Dame (Dec. 22). 

• The Huskies committed a season-low 10 turnovers last time out against Notre Dame (Dec. 22). 

• Notre Dame’s 91 points was a season-high for a Huskie opponent; its 58.9 percent shooting from the field is the highest an opponent has shot against NIU during Mark Montgomery’s four-year tenure. 

• Travon Baker recorded the 100th steal of his NIU career at Notre Dame (Dec. 22). • With its 71-64 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 16, NIU has won nine consecutive home games dating back to last season. NIU’s current home winning streak is its longest since winning nine-straight home games from the final home game of 1993-94 (Feb. 26, 1994) through the first eight games of the 1994-95 season (Jan. 3, 1995).
• Darrell Bowie currently leads NIU, and is 19th in the MAC, in scoring (12.1 ppg) and is second on the team, and 11th in the league, in rebounding (6.8 rpg).

ABOUT HAMPTON

• The Pirates of Hampton come to DeKalb with a 6-6 overall record, 2-0 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play. Hampton’s last contest was a 75-66 home win over Northern Arizona on Dec. 21.
• Three players are scoring in double figures for Hampton, led by 12.3 points per game for Quinton Chievous; he is also Hampton’s leading rebounder at 8.2 boards per contest. Dwight Meikle (12.2 ppg) and Deron Powers (10.3 ppg) also score in double figures for the Pirates.
• After starting the season 1-5, Hampton has won five of its last six games. The lone blemish during that stretch is a 73-55 setback at Illinois (Dec. 17).
• Hampton has nine players playing 10-plus minutes per game.

THE ALL-TIME SERIES
• Monday’s contest marks the first all-time meeting between NIU and Hampton.
• NIU is playing a member of the MEAC for the second consecutive season. Last year, the Huskies defeated Bethune-Cookman, 65-51, on Jan. 3, 2014.

NOTRE DAME RECAP
• NIU fell to the 16th-ranked Fighting Irish, 91-66. All five starters for Notre Dame scored in double figures.
• Three players scored in double figures for NIU, led by 15 points from Darrell Bowie. Aaron Armstead (13) andPete Rakocevic (10) each had double figures off the bench as the Huskie reserves scored 33 points.
• The Huskies committed a season-low 10 turnovers against the Fighting Irish.
• Notre Dame’s 91 points was a season-high for a Huskie opponent; its 58.9 percent shooting from the field is the highest an opponent has shot against NIU during Mark Montgomery’s four-year tenure.

HITTING THEIR STRIDE
• A pair of Huskies, senior guard Aaron Armstead and senior center Pete Rakocevic, have seen significant increases in their offensive production of the last three games.
• Aaron Armstead is averaging 11.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game over the last three games, going 11-of-17 (64.7 percent) from three-point range during that stretch.
• Armstead scored a season-high 13 points last time out at Notre Dame (Dec. 22), including four three-pointers. Armstead also connected on four triples at Dartmouth (Dec. 19) and made three trifectas against Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 16).
• Armstead ranks eighth in the MAC in three-point percentage, shooting 45.5 percent on the season.
• Rakocevic is shooting 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the floor over the last three games, including 5-of-8 last time out against Notre Dame (Dec. 22).
• Rakocevic is averaging 6.7 points and 3.7 rebounds over the last three games. He had averaged 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds over the first six games of the season.
• In the first game of the current three-game stretch, Rakocevic tied a career-high with three blocks against Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 16).

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