Texas Southern Tigers cruise to a season opening win over Alcorn State

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Tonnie Collier scored 27 points and Chris Thomas added 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead Texas Southern over Alcorn State 72-55 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference opener Saturday night.

In their previous four games, all on the road, the Tigers upset then-No. 25 ranked Michigan State, lost to Auburn by a point, beat Kansas State by two then lost to New Mexico State by two.

In those four games, the Tigers held their opponents to an average of 58.4 points. That defensive trend continued against Alcorn State.

Texas Southern had a 41-18 lead at halftime. Alcorn State opened up the second half outscoring the Tigers 15-6 but didn't make much headway thereafter.

The Tigers will face Southern on Monday in a game that will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hoops: Alabama State men 71, Grambling State 50

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Maurice Strong and Wendell Lewis have been a lethal combination for Alabama State this season. They helped the Hornets run away from Grambling in the second half.

Strong led the Hornets with 14 points and nine rebounds as they defeated Grambling State 71-50 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener at the Acadome.

The Hornets went on an 11-3 run at the beginning of the second half to take the lead for good.

Strong and Lewis have been in the starting lineup together for the last eight games.

"He (Lewis) makes it so much easier," Strong said. "It's good to have a guy that can make shots and help you rebound."

CONTINUE READING

Defense carries Southern over Prairie View 68-56

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern men’s basketball team rode its defense in the second half to a 68-56 victory against Prairie View in their Southwestern Athletic Conference opener Saturday at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

The Jaguars (4-11 overall) outscored the Panthers (2-12) 41-24 in the second half, allowing just 8-of-28 field goals, including 1-of-8 on 3-pointers.

The pivotal stretch was an 18-3 run during which Prairie View made just one field goal in 8½ minutes.

“We were trying to contest everything,” Southern coach Roman Banks said. “We did a good job of shutting them down, and we were able to win each possession.”

CONTINUE READING

North Carolina A&T Aggies Earn First DI Win, Beat California State University, Bakersfield

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Meet the Ahmad Abdullah the North Carolina A&T men’s basketball coaching staff saw during the offseason and training camp. So confident in Abdullah’s ability to run his offense, head coach Cy Alexander named the walk-on junior his starting point guard before the 2014-15 season started.

But Abdullah regressed when the season started and freshman Austin Williams took over the starting point guard role. But with Williams out with a concussion, Abdullah got the start Saturday night against CSU Bakersfield and led the Aggies to an 83-70 win at Corbett Sports Center. It was the Aggies first win over a Division I opponent this season.

“He really stepped up to the plate and played his best game as an Aggie,” said Alexander. “This is what our coaching staff has been wanting from him. He’s been in the system for two years. Tonight he played as if he understood the system. Hopefully this game will give him confidence to keep playing like this.”

Abdullah finished with a career-high in points (17) and assists (5) on 4-for-8 shooting from the floor and 8-for-9 from the free throw line. Abdullah complemented his night with just two turnovers in 40 minutes played.

“I just felt like if Ahmad could play well this game, it could catapult him to playing well throughout the rest of the season,” said Alexander.

Abdullah and the Aggies got their first win over a Division I foe by making a season-high 35 free throws, the most they’ve made since making 44 against Florida A&M on Feb. 8, 2014. It is also the last time the Aggies scored more than 80 points against a Division I school.

The Aggies Division I losing streak comes to an end at 15 games with their previous DI win coming against S.C. State on March 3, 2014. A&T got a win over a CSU Bakersfield team that defeated California of the PAC-12 on Dec. 28.

Junior Arturs Bremers went 4-for-4 from 3-point range and added a career-high 18 points. Leading scorer Bruce Beckford played only 19 minutes because of foul trouble and finished with 13 points and six rebounds.

“For Bruce to only play 19 minutes and we still win, it could be a big boost psychology for these guys,” said Alexander. “I was so happy for the kids in the locker room because they’ve been trying to get over the hump, and they finally got it done against a team that was on a three-game winning streak and had a win over Cal.”

A&T (3-13) is getting its confidence at the right time. Conference foes Savannah State and S.C. State will play at Corbett on Jan. 10 and 12 respectively. The Aggies won by knocking down free throws late in the game. The Aggies made 30 of its 32 second half free throws and were 21-for-22 at the line in the final five minutes of the game.

In fact, the Aggies final 19 points of the game all came from the free throw line. Sophomore Khary Doby’s baseline jumper gave the Aggies a 58-52 lead with seven minutes to play. Sophomore Denzel Keyes then drove baseline and scored while being fouled Dashawn Richmond. Keyes missed the free throw, allowing the Road Runners (4-11) to cut the lead to six with two free throws.

But redshirt freshman James Whitaker answered with the Aggies final field goal of the game, a transition layup that gave A&T a 62-54 lead with 4:37 remaining.

“Not having a Division I win was weighing on everybody,” Alexander. “We’ve been trying to stay positive. We kept saying, ‘it’s coming, it’s coming and it finally got here. What we didn’t want was for them to have a defeatist attitude. What we have to do is take advantage of this win going into the games that really count – our conference games.’”

The Runners (4-11) were led by Richmond who had a game-high 21 points on 3-for-4 shooting from 3-point range.

The Aggies will have a week between games, which may give them time to get Williams back in the lineup.

“I hope Ahmad has his confidence to keep playing well because we have a young man in Austin Williams who is still learning how to play on the college level.”

A&T 83, Bakersfield 70




COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Georgia Bulldogs Close Out Non-Conference Play With 63-50 Win Over Norfolk State

ATHENS, Georgia -- The men's basketball team started 2015 with a 63-50 win over Norfolk State on Saturday, January 3 at Stegeman Coliseum to round out their non-conference schedule.

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 9-3 on the season, the program's best pre-conference record since 2011. It was the sixth consecutive win for the Bulldogs, a feat the team had also not achieved since 2011.

Sophomore J.J. Frazier set a new career high, leading the Bulldogs with 20 points off the bench. Frazier connected on 7-of-8 shots from the field, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Charles Mann recorded the second double-double of his career with 10 points and 10 rebounds which tied a career high.

"I was worried about the game, I really was," Georgia head coach Mark Fox said following the game. "I didn't like our approach at shoot-around this morning. But you've got to be mature enough to show up every day and be a mature enough competitor to show up. The fortunate thing is that J.J. [Frazier] did. J.J. came to play and played well. We had some other guys not play so well but it was a game we were worried about as a staff just because it was the last game before league play."

The Bulldogs took a 36-23 lead into the locker room on a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Mann. The Bulldogs shot 41 percent from the field and ended the half on an 18-5 run over the final seven minutes. Mann finished with seven points and a game-high seven rebounds in the first half while Frazier led the Bulldogs with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting.

Norfolk State (9-7) opened the second half on an 8-0 run to pull within five, holding the Bulldogs scoreless for just over six minutes until Nemanja Djurisic ended the drought with a baseline jumper.

Jeff Short hit a three-pointer to cut Georgia's lead to four with just over 13 minutes remaining, but Georgia scored seven consecutive points in the next two minutes to go up 11.

Georgia was able to hold off the Spartans for the remainder of the game as the teams traded baskets for most of the final 10 minutes until a Frazier three-pointer started a 7-2 run to put the Bulldogs up by 13.

Short was the only Spartan to score in double digits, finishing with 16 points on just 5-of-15 shooting. As a whole, Norfolk State shot 29 percent from the field and 26 percent from deep.

Game Highlights  Box Score |  Photo Gallery    Watch Replay 

Georgia vs. Norfolk State Notes:
· Georgia's starting lineup was: Marcus Thornton (72nd career start), Nemanja Djurisic (36th), Juwan Parker (14th), Charles Mann (51st) and Kenny Gaines (42nd).
· This was the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
· Norfolk State is the eighth team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference that Georgia has played in men's basketball history. Most recently, the Bulldogs defeated Florida A&M 82-73 in Athens on Dec. 29, 2012.
· Georgia is now 7-0 on the season when playing at Stegeman Coliseum.
· Georgia improved to 9-3 on the season, posting the program's best record entering conference play since 2011.
· Georgia also won its sixth consecutive game for the first time since 2011.

Career Highs:
· J.J. Frazier scored a career-high 20 points, making a career-high seven field goals. He also tied a career high with four made three-pointers.
· Charles Mann earned his second-career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds which tied a career high.
· Kenny Paul Geno had a career-high two assists.
· Houston Kessler recorded his first-career blocked shot.

Next Up:
Georgia will begin SEC play when they host Arkansas on Tuesday, January 6 at Stegeman Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Stetson Hatters Hold On for 65-60 Win Over FAMU

DeLAND, Florida —Stetson’s five freshmen combined for 48 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists as the Hatters held off a furious rally by Florida A&M for a 65-60 win, Saturday at Edmunds Center.

Grant Lozoya led the freshman quintet with 17 points, while also contributing two rebounds and assist. Freshmen points guard Divine Myles and Angel Rivera combined for 15 assists, one turnover and seven rebounds, while scoring nine points each. Wyatt Sikora had eight points, five rebounds and one assist, while Jonathan Joseph rounded out the freshman contributions with four points and three boards.

But despite the efforts of Stetson youngest players, the Hatters found themselves in a dog fight down the stretch.

Watch Replay 

Stetson (5-10) led by as many as 17 points early in the second half but had to hold on for the win as the Florida A&M (0-13) duo of Jermaine Ruttley and Jorge Rosa combined to score 28 of FAMU’s final 35 points, all of those coming in the game’s final 12:39.

The Hatters led 44-27 with 12:15 to play before Ruttley and Rosa took over the game. After a Rosa layup made it 44-29, Ruttley scored 11 straight points to get the Rattlers within 46-40 with 7:22 to go.

Kentwan Smith’s three-pointer with 6:47 left made it 49-40. Rosa scored seven straight points to keep FAMU in it, his last basket making it a 54-47 game with 4:05 to play.

Lozoya made one-of two technical free throws, and Myles made two straight from the line to push Stetson’s lead back to double figures at 57-47 with 3:21 to play.

But the Rattlers wouldn’t go away. A three-pointer by Ruttley and a short jumper from Emanuel Pellot pulled FAMU within 57-52, but three straight points from Lozoya gave the Hatters a 60-53 lead.

After two more free throws from FAMU’s Craig Bowman, Wyatt Sikora converted a fast-break dunk for a 62-55 lead with 28 seconds left as Stetson finally sealed the game.

Smith was the only other Hatter to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with 10 points. He added seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Saturday’s game also marked the return to action of sophomore forward Brian Pegg. The Hatters’ leading scorer, Pegg has missed the previous five games with an injury. He scored two points and grabbed a pair of rebounds in four minutes.

Ruttley scored a game-high 24 points, while Rosa finished with 15.

The Hatters, who led 27-18 at halftime, shot 41 percent for the game but made just 7-of-28 shots from beyond the arc. Stetson was saved by its ball security as the Hatters committed just 10 turnovers.

Florida A&M shot 37 percent for the game, including 47 percent in the second half. FAMU out-rebounded Stetson, 40-39.

Stetson has a week off before opening Atlantic Sun Conference play at defending champion Florida Gulf Coast, 7:05 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 10 in Fort Myers.

Box Score (PDF)

COURTESY STETSON UNIVERSITY MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

WSSU Rams say they're ready for challenge as they begin CIAA schedule

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
That’s the best way to describe the CIAA conference season, which Winston-Salem State will open tonight at Lincoln (Pa.).

Over the next 50 days, CIAA schools will each play 16 conference games to prepare for the big stage that is the CIAA Tournament in Charlotte. To have success on that big stage, teams need to perform well in the small and usually sold-out gyms during the heat of the regular season in the tradition-rich CIAA.

James Wilhelmi of WSSU, who will be making his trek through the CIAA as a head coach for the
first time, said there is no better time of the season.

“This is what you work for,” Wilhelmi said. “And the rivalries run deep in the CIAA and we’ll get a great test this weekend and on Monday — having to face two of the best teams on that side of the conference.”

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A&T Aggies Welcome CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners To Corbett

CSU Bakersfield (4-10) at North Carolina A&T (2-13)  
Date: January 3, 2015
Time: 7 p.m.
Facility: Corbett Sports Center
Series: CSUB leads 1-0

PROBABLE STARTERS: G Austin Williams (6-1, 175, Fr., 6.3 ppg, 3.5 apg); G Arturs Bremers(6-3, 195, Jr., 6.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg); F Bruce Beckford (6-7, 215, Jr., 15.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg); FKhary Doby (6-6, 206, So., 7.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg); CSteven Burrough (6-9, 245, So., 3.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg).

Aggies Overview:  The Aggies return home for three straight home games starting with a non-conference contest against CSU Bakersfield. This will be a very important stretch of the season for the Aggies. A 3-0 homestand could change the whole perspective on what has been a tough season thus far. 

The Aggies will rely on junior starBruce Beckford who has scored in double figures in his last seven games and ranks among the top scorers in the MEAC at 15.3 points per game. The Aggies are also looking for a complement to Beckford. 

Juniors Khary Doby and Arturs Bremers and redshirt freshman James Whitaker have all taken turns being the Aggies No. 2 scorer but none have step forward on a consistent basis. Head coach Cy Alexander believes those four players consistency will go a long way in the Aggies 2014-15 success.

CSUB Overview: The Roadrunners got off to a 1-10 start, but they have heated up lately. The Runners are on a three-game winning streak which includes wins over Idaho State and California of the PAC-12.

The Runners are led by 6-foot-9 center Aly Ahmed. Ahmed leads the Runners in scoring at 14.1 points and is second in rebounding at 6.4 per game. On Dec. 29, he was named WAC Player of the Week after the win over Cal. He ranks among the top-5 scorers and top-10 rebounders in the conference. 

Another strong rebounder for the Runners is Kevin Mays. He is 37^thin the nation in double-doubles with four and leads the WAC in rebounding at 8.4 boards per. Javonte Maynor is one of the Runners top 3-point shooters. He is the active 3-point leader in the WAC in 3-pointers made with 171.

Potential Star: Jerome Simmons came off the bench to score six points on 3-for-3 shooting at the University of South Carolina on Tuesday. The Aggies will need his presence against a good frontline from CSU Bakersfield.  

News & Notes:

• A&T’s Bruce Beckford and CSU Bakersfield’s Javonte Maynor are the only two players remaining from the 2012 game between the Aggies and the Runners.
• Beckford had eight points on 3-for-5 shooting in 15 minutes played. Maynor was 7-for-13 from the floor and 5-for-10 from 3-point range to score 19 points in the 60-52 Bakersfield win in California.
• The Aggies are 7-4 against non-conference Division I opponents at Corbett Sports Center in the past 10 seasons. One of those losses was against WAC school Utah Valley.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

KSU Owls Start off New Year with 79-58 Rout of Florida A&M

KENNESAW, Georgia -- The Kennesaw State women's basketball team opened the New Year off with a bang as the Owls routed Florida A&M, 79-58, on Friday night (Jan. 2) at the KSU Convocation Center.

"It felt great [to get the win]," said head coach Nitra Perry. "The one good thing about a loss is that you can move onto the next game and redeem yourself. I thought today they really responded and took some ownership of the team. I thought the change was our defensive effort. Kristina got out there and got a couple steals, which gave Deandrea some confidence to get out there and get a steal. I thought our defense today was an eight out of a 10. We double-teamed the post pretty much every time flawlessly and rotated down, which is something we have been focused on, so I was just pleased with their effort today and their focus."

Sophomore Deandrea Sawyers led the Owls (11-3) with her second 20-point contest of the season with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including five three pointers and five rebounds. Senior Kristina Wells had another all-around game with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including a 4-of-5 effort from the free throw line, a game-high six assists, four rebounds and four steals.

It was a back-and-forth affair in the early going that included six ties and neither team taking more than a four-point lead in the first 12 minutes of the game.

With the Rattlers (4-8) leading 23-19 with 7:26 left in the first half, the Owls upped their defensive pressure to spark a 14-2 run to end the half, including holding FAMU scoreless in the final 4:49 of the period to go into intermission with a 33-25 advantage.

There was no let up for the Owls out of the break, as KSU pushed its lead to 54-27 with a 21-2 run out of halftime, including not allowing the Rattlers a field goal in the first six minutes of the second half, while using four-straight three-pointers from Sawyers, sophomore Aareon Smith and junior Karly Frye to widen its gap.



FAMU closed within 66-48 with seven minutes to go in regulation, but that would be as close as the visitors would get as the Owls cruised to the 79-58 victory.

Smith and freshman Neffie Lockley joined Sawyers and Wells in double figures as the sophomore added 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including a 4-of-4 mark from the charity stripe and eight rebounds, while Lockey poured in a career-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and pulled down five boards.

The Owls dominated the glass, 42-35, including grabbing 17 offensive rebounds that they turned into 18 second chance points. Junior Jasmine McAllister led the way with a game-high nine boards in the win.

KSU dished out 16 assists, while forcing the Rattlers into 20 turnovers, which the Owls turned into 25 points. Frye handed out five assists on the night.

As a team, the Owls shot 46.7 percent from the field on 28-of-60 shooting, while holding FAMU to just 35.8 percent from the field on 19-of-53 shooting.

Olivia Antillla posted 16 points in the loss for the Rattlers.

The Owls will close out the nonconference slate of their schedule looking to take the season sweep against in-state rival Mercer on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. in the KSU Convocation Center.

To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's basketball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsWBB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.

COURTESY KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Greenwell, Stevens Lift Duke Past NC A&T 87-36

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- Rebecca Greenwell scored 20 points and Azurá Stevensfinished with a career-high 19 as the No. 10 Blue Devils cruised to an 87-36 victory over North Carolina A&T on Friday night.

"This was a big step for us," Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "It was a building game for us. We were working on certain things and we're looking forward to applying that to our next game."

Duke rebounded from its worst loss of the season, an 83-52 setback at No. 2 Connecticut on Monday, to post its largest margin of victory of the season.

The Blue Devils put together an all-around victory that included their best field goal percentage (57.9), their most assists (26) and most blocked shots (11). Defensively, Duke held North Carolina A&T to 21.3 percent from the field, the lowest by a Blue Devil opponent this season.

After allowing North Carolina A&T to hit a 3-pointer to open the game, the Blue Devils scored the next 10 points for a 10-3 lead with 16 minutes left in the first half. From there, Duke overpowered the Aggies and took a 40-20 halftime lead.

"We weren't quite as urgent as I liked in the first half," McCallie said. "I preferred the second half more. That was kind of a good thing because oftentimes we're a first-half team. Today we were OK in the first half and I thought we were much better in the second half.

The Blue Devils continued their dominance in the second half as they built a 84-28 lead, their largest of the game, after two free throws by Ka'lia Johnson with 3:31 remaining.

 
Stevens, who finished 8 of 12 from the floor and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line, also had four steals, three assists and two blocks. She said Duke played better in the second half, holding the Aggies to only 16 points in the final 20 minutes.

"I guess we came out more focused on defense and our defensive energy, which is helpful to us, let the scoring come to us," Stevens said.

The Aggies (7-7), who were led by Dana Brown with 14 points, lost their third straight game and for the fifth time in six games.

"Duke is definitely one of the top 10 programs in the country," third-year North Carolina A&T coach Tarrell Robinson said. "Their talent -- Elizabeth Williams and Azurá Stevens -- was a little overwhelming for us. We didn't match them inside and our post players were not a factor. It was a great experience to play a nationally-ranked team. We'll use this for the future."

TIP-INS
Duke: Senior center Elizabeth Williams did her damage against North Carolina A&T in unusal ways. Instead of leading the way in points and rebounds, Williams finished with four blocked shots and a career-high seven assists to go with her eight points and five rebounds.

North Carolina A&T: The Aggies fell to 2-27 all-time against ACC teams, including two losses to Duke. The teams last played in 1984 when Duke also won 78-39.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Duke sophomore center Kendall Cooper got her first career start against North Carolina A&T. The 6-foot-4 center played a career-high 21 minutes, grabbing seven rebounds, scoring five points and making three steals. 

HOT SHOTS: Few of North Carolina A&T's shots fell but the Aggies did have some success from beyond the arc where they made 7 of 25, including 5 of 12 in the first half. Seven 3s matched a season-high, which the Aggies accomplished in two other games.

  Box Score: Duke 87, NC A&T 36

COURTESY DUKE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

S.C. State battles Eastern Kentucky; Homecoming for Bulldogs Coach Murray Garvin

INTERNET: OVCDIGITALNETWORK.COM, 7 p.m.

RICHMOND, Kentucky -- The South Carolina State Bulldogs looking to snap a three-game losing skid on Saturday when they take on host Eastern Kentucky in a non-conference contest at McBrayer Arena. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

The live radio broadcast is available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, and can be heard worldwide on www.EKUSports.com or a live video broadcast is available on www.OVCDigitalNetwork.com.  

S.C. State head coach Murray Garvin is an Eastern Kentucky graduate, earning a degree in physical education in 1998. The Pikeville, Kentucky, native spent three years as an assistant coach at Tates Creek High School in Lexington after completing his degree.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs (4-11, 2-0 MEAC) are looking to snap a three-game losing skid against the Colonels. In their last outing, South Carolina State suffered a 74-54 setback at Fordham on Wednesday. Sophomore guard Karon Wright led the squad with 18 points and freshman guard Edward Stephens had seven points and five assists.

CONTINUE READING

Georgia men's basketball takes winning streak into Saturday matchup with Norfolk State

TV: 2 p.m. ET, FOX SPORTS NETWORK (FSN) & ESPN3

ATHENS, Georgia -- Georgia is riding a five-game win streak heading into Saturday's non-conference finale against visiting Norfolk State, and the last two victories have been confidence-building battles.

The Bulldogs came out of the holiday break Dec. 27 to outlast visiting Mercer 86-77 in triple overtime and went on the road to beat Kansas State 50-46 on New Year's Eve. The win over the Wildcats was particularly mettle-testing as the visitors saw a 15-point lead dissolve into a three-point deficit before closing out the victory with a 9-2 run.

"We've been in that situation a lot, last year and this year, so we just kept on believing in ourselves," junior guard Charles Mann told the media. "We have a lot of confidence in each other, so I think that helped us get the big win." Also included in Georgia's five-game win streak are victories over Colorado (64-47) and Seton Hall (65-47). Norfolk State, meanwhile, is in the midst of a six-game road trip and is coming off a season-worst 92-51 loss at Baylor on Tuesday.

ABOUT NORFOLK STATE (9-6): The Spartans of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference had won three straight and five of six before being held to fewer than 60 points for the first time all season. Four Norfolk State players are scoring in double figures, led by Jeff Short (19.5 points) and RaShid Gaston (14.5), while Gaston, a 6-9 forward, ranked 20th nationally entering Friday with 9.8 rebounds per game. Overall, the Spartans are averaging a MEAC-best 69.9 points and have outrebounded 12 of 15 foes but also are averaging 14.1 turnovers and 20.1 personal fouls per outing.

CONTINUE READING

Grambling limps into SWAC play at Alabama State

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Even with a new coach, not much has changed surrounding Grambling's basketball program.

First-year coach Shawn Walker faced an uphill battle when he was hired last summer to replace Joseph Price, who managed just five wins during his short two-year stint.

Leading scorer Antwan Scott transferred to Colorado State, two more players left the program and Walker, coming from Division II Elizabeth City State University, was left with to fend with the typical grueling non-conference schedule to start the season.

"In the schedule I inherited, it was a David and Goliath story all along," Walker said Friday.

Grambling (2-8) now limps into Southwestern Athletic play Saturday at Alabama State, a game that follows Grambling and Alabama State's women's squad at 3 p.m.

CONTINUE READING 

Southern men begin SWAC play

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern men’s basketball logged a lot of miles during its non-conference schedule as it prepared for Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

It’s road games included short trips to New Orleans and Oxford, Miss., longer trips to Niceville, Fla., and Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Waco, Texas; and even longer trips to Minnesota, Iowa, Wyoming and Hawaii.

Now the Jaguars (3-11) are home to begin SWAC play against Prairie View at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

“We had a very tough preseason schedule,” senior guard Tre Lynch said before practice Friday. “Once you get into conference (play), every team is working hard to try and get that one goal, which is to win the championship — regular season and tournament. So coming into it, you can feel the energy.”

CONTINUE READING 

WSSU Offensive Coordinator Leaves for U. Richmond

Coach STEED LOBOTZKE

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State University football's, Steed Lobotzke, was named the new offensive coordinator at the University of Richmond this afternoon.

University of Richmond head football coach Danny Rocco announced that former Winston-Salem State and Wake Forest offensive coordinator Steed Lobotzke has been hired as Spider football's offensive coordinator Friday afternoon.

Richmond Spiders fell to the No. 6 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 36-15, in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

Lobotzke, WSSU's offensive coordinator, was at the helm of the WSSU offense in 2014 that led the CIAA in scoring at 35.7 points per game, and spearheaded the Ram offense that recorded eight-straight 400-plus yard games. WSSU made it to the CIAA Championship game, but were upset, 21-17 by Virginia State. Winston-Salem State ended the year with a 9-2 overall record, and No. 24 national ranking in the final American Football Coaches Association poll.

"Coach Lobotzke is a great coach and was always prepared", said WSSU head coach, Kienus Boulware. "He is very professional person that was always fair to the players. He has the talent to coach successfully on any level of football", added Boulware.

"We will look to find his replacement as soon as possible, and we wish him the best of luck at Richmond", says Boulware.

COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Norfolk State's Trail invited to NFL scouting combine

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The feeling was more relief than surprise Friday for former Norfolk State linebacker Lynden Trail, but that didn't make the news any less welcome.

Trail, a three-time first-team All-MEAC performer, got word that he'd been invited to the NFL's annual Scouting Combine, to be held Feb. 17-23 in Indianapolis.

Trail, who will play in the prestigious Senior Bowl on Jan. 24, said he got a call from the combine's office asking him to check his email. There, he found a letter from the league's football operations arm with the invitation.

"(I'm) very excited," Trail said from Dallas, where he's training with former Cowboys stars Randy White and Kevin Smith. "Not to say I didn't think I was going to get an invite. I was very optimistic about it."

CONTINUE READING

Kennesaw State Owls Look to Open New Year off Right Against Florida A&M on Friday

KSU and FAMU Rattlers Set To Play at 7 p.m. ET in ESPN Broadcasted Game in the Convo

KENNESAW STATE (10-3) VS FLORIDA A&M (4-7)
GAME 14 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 2 | 7 P.M. ET
KENNESAW, Ga. | KSU CONVOCATION CENTER (4,800)
 
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | ESPN3 | PROMOTIONS | TICKETS | TWITTER
 
THE GAME:
The Kennesaw State women's basketball team will look to open the New Year off right as the Owls host Florida A&M in an ESPN3-broadcasted game on Friday, Jan. 2. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET in the KSU Convocation Center.
 
THE COVERAGE:
LIVE STATS: Statistical updates will be available from KSUOwls.com at the start of Friday's game.
ESPN3: ESPN3 will have the live broadcast of Friday's game with Nathan McCreay and Theresa Gernatt on the call.
TWITTER: Follow the Kennesaw State women's basketball team on Twitter @KSUOwlsWBB to receive updates throughout the game.
 
THE OPPONENT:
Florida A&M
The Rattlers come into Friday's contest with a 4-7 record after snapping a three-game losing streak with a 70-64 win against UNC Greensboro at the Miami Post Christmas Tournament in Coral Gables, Fla. In the midst of a nine-game road swing that spans Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, FAMU wraps up its trip with games at KSU and Mercer on Sunday. The Rattlers are led by Olivia Antilla with 11.4 points per game, while Khaderja Young adds 10.3 points, while also leading the team with 6.0 rebounds per game and 52 total assists this season.  

THE SERIES:
This will be the first-ever meeting between the Owls and the Rattlers.
All-Time Record: Series tied, 0-0
Last Meeting: First Meeting

LAST TIME OUT:
The Kennesaw State women's basketball team had its seven-game winning streak snapped as the Owls' late comeback fell short with a 73-66 setback to Alabama A&M on Monday night (Dec. 29) at Elmore Gymnasium in Huntsville, Ala. Sophomore Deandrea Sawyers led the Owls with 16 points, including four three-pointers and three assists. Junior Jasmine McAllister added 14 points and nine rebounds in the loss. Redshirt-senior Breonna Mosely registered 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and seven rebounds, while senior Kristina Wells chipped in 10 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals for the Owls.

NEXT UP:
The Owls will close out the nonconference slate of their schedule looking to take the season sweep against in-state rival Mercer on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. in the KSU Convocation Center.

COURTESY KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Stetson Men's Basketball Preview: Florida A&M

WATCH ESPN3:  Florida A&M vs. Stetson (Men's Basketball),  Sat., Jan. 3, 2015, 1:00PM 

DELAND, Florida -- Stetson and Florida A&M meet for the second time this season when they face off at Edmunds Center ... the Hatters defeated the Rattlers, 62-50, back on Nov. 29 in Greeley, Colo. ... the game was a part of the Wyoming Classic ... a win today would give the Hatters back-to-back victories for the first time this season, and the first time since winning three straight last January ... sophomore forward and leading scorer Brian Pegg is expected to return to the floor today after missing the previous five games with an injury ... the Hatters went just 1-4 without Pegg in the lineup.


The Coaches
Stetson’s Corey Williams begins his second season with the Hatters this season. The 21st head coach in school history, Williams led the Hatters to a 7-24 record as a rookie. The former Florida State and Oral Roberts assistant coach was a standout at Oklahoma State, and spent parts of two seasons as a player in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. He was a member of Chicago’s 1993 NBA championship squad.

Florida A&M’s Byron Samuels is in his first season with the Rattlers. He is 75-135 in his ninth season overall as a collegiate head coach.

About Florida A&M
The Rattlers are enduring a difficult start to the 2014-15 season, having lost each of their first 12 games. FAMU is averaging just 51.5 points per game while allowing opponents to score nearly 75 points per contest.

Florida A&M is ineligible for both the MEAC and NCAA tournaments this season due to APR issues over the previous two seasons.

Last Time Out
Stetson’s front court of Kentwan Smith, Kyle Sikora and Wyatt Sikora combined for 41 points and 23 rebounds, helping the Hatters snap a five-game losing streak with a 76-61 win over Florida Tech, Tuesday at Edmunds Center.

Smith, the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week, recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Kyle Sikora scored a career-high 15 points and added eight rebounds while younger brother Wyatt chipped in with a career-high 11 points and four boards in 14 minutes off the bench.

The Hatters (4-10) trailed just once in the contest, after a free throw in the opening minute by the Panthers gave them a 1-0 lead. Stetson made a concerted to effort to score in the paint and jumped out to an early 12-4 lead after a dunk by Kyle Sikora.

COURTESY STETSON UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

Willie Simmons' Staff at Prairie View A&M Coming Together

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  --  First year Panthers head coach Willie Simmons is putting together a solid coaching staff, per source reporting to Footballscoop.com.  The scoop says:  KJ Black (Prairie View A&M ) will serve as quarterbacks coach,  Black was with the Panthers last season as a Graduate Assistant - Offense. Joseph Henry (UAB) as tight ends, Ralph Street (Alcorn State) as defensive coordinator/defensive line, Jo Nixon (Stillman) as outside linebackers/defensive ends, Bubba McDowell (Prairie View A&M) as safeties Brandon Sharp (Henderson State) will coach the corners.

You may read the bio of each coach by clicking on their name as listed.  The Panthers are expected to make a formal announcement soon by official release. Please visit PVPanthers.com for the lastest information on Prairie View A&M University Athletics.

Duke Blue Devil Game Notes: NC A&T, Jan. 2, 6:30 PM, BDN

Blue Devil Network  l  Twitter  l  Live Stats  l  Live Audio 

  Duke Game Notes vs. NC A&T

Game Information
What…………………………………………………………………N.C. A&T at Duke
Date………………………………………………………………..Friday, Jan. 2, 2015
Time………………………………………………………………6:30 PM (ET)
Location…………………………………………………………   Durham, N.C.
Venue………………………………………   Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
Where to Watch……………………………………………Blue Devil Network
Radio Blue Devil IMG - WDNC 620 AM, 99.3 FM, 96.5 FM & www.GoDuke.com
…………………………………Steve Barnes (PXP), Morgan Patrick (Color)
Live Stats……………………………………………………www.GoDuke.com
Rankings……………………………………………………Duke (#10/12)
Series Record……………………………………………… Duke leads 1-0
Last Meeting …………………………Feb. 27, 1984, Duke 78, N.C. A&T 39

Setting the Scene...
The 10th-ranked Duke women’s basketball team (8-4) will close non-conference action Friday, Jan. 2 as the Blue Devils host N.C. A&T (7-6) at 6:30 p.m., in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Friday’s contest will be aired on the Blue Devil Network. It will also be carried live on the Blue Devil IMG Sports Network on WDNC-AM 620, 99.3 FM, 96.5 FM and www.GoDuke.com with Steve Barnes (PXP) and Morgan Patrick (Color) on the air.

What is Next?...
Duke will continue its three-game homestand Sunday, Jan. 4 at 2:00 p.m., as the Blue Devils will open ACC action against Wake Forest in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils will play five out of the next six games at home, but will conclude the season playing seven out of the final 11 contests on the road.

DUKE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Brian Jenkins' Alabama State Football Staff Takes Shape

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- The Alabama State Hornets are on the move during the holiday break.  Per Football Scoop,com, sources are reporting that Coach Brian Jenkins staff is taking shape with: Mark Orlando – offensive coordinator (from Texas Southern), Prince Pearson – offensive line (Prairie View), James Joseph – running backs (Samford), Allen Suber – receivers / assistant head coach (Bethune-Cookman), Donald Hill Ely – tight ends (Norfolk State), Kevin Ramsey – defensive coordinator (Alabama State), DeMarco McNeil – defensive line (Alabama State) and Ted Daisher, longtime college and NFL assistant coach (UMass).

You may read the bio of each coach by clicking on their name as listed.  The Hornets had ten assistant coaches last season under the previous head coach.  Please visit bamastatesports.com for the latest news on Alabama State University athletics.

USC Upstate Spartans Open New Year by Hosting Hampton

Game 15: Hampton (6-7) vs. USC Upstate (10-4)
Saturday | 1.3.15 | 4:00 p.m. EST
Spartanburg, S.C. | Hodge Center
TV: ESPN3 (Internet)

Game Notes

Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate men's basketball team plays its first game of the new year Saturday at 4 p.m. when the Spartans welcome Hampton to the Hodge Center in the final home game before conference play.

Upstate closed 2014 strong by turning in a 101-55 victory Tuesday over Montreat to secure its 10th win of the season, marking the first time in school history a Spartan team has collected 10 wins before January. The victory also helped Upstate improve to 20-3 at home against non-conference competition since the start of the 2011-12 season.

Ty Greene scored 18 points and moved into 10th place all-time at Upstate with 1,389 career points. The Knoxville, Tenn., also registered five steals and enters the weekend 10th in the NCAA with 2.8 steals per game. Greene is averaging 4.7 steals per game over his last three games, which includes a career-high six Dec. 17 at Memphis.

Josh Cuthbertson added a career-high 14 points with seven rebounds and a career-best seven assists. Ramel Thompkins, Jacob Schulte andTristan Thomas had 12 points apiece and Michael Buchanan finished with 10 as the Spartans reached the century mark for the third time this season. It's the first time since the 1993-94 season that Upstate has featured three games in the same season with at least 100 points.

Hampton saw its two-game winning streak come to an end Monday following a 83-51 setback at Northern Illinois to drop the Pirates to 1-6 on the road this season. Hampton's only road win came Dec. 2 when the Pirates posted a 62-54 victory at Tennessee State.

Junior guard Dwight Meikle leads Hampton with 12.6 points per game and scored a team-high 18 against Northern Illinois. Tennessee transfer Quinton Chievous is tops on the team with 7.6 rebounds per game and ranks second with 11.7 points per game.

USC Upstate and Hampton will be meeting on the hardwood for the third time when the two schools tipoff inside the Hodge Center. Upstate is 2-0 all-time against the Pirates after claiming a 68-49 victory Jan. 2, 2013, behind a game-high 17 points from Greene. Upstate also won the first meeting, 68-54, on March 12, 1982.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS.

Hampton Lady Pirates Stifle Auburn, Win FIU Sun & Fun Classic

MIAMI, Florida ( Dec. 30) -- In a defensive effort commonplace over the last five-plus seasons, the Hampton University women's basketball team defeated Auburn 44-42 on Tuesday to win the FIU Sun & Fun Classic at FIU Arena.

The Lady Pirates improved to 5-8 on the season.

This also marked Hampton's ninth win over a power-conference school in the tenure of head coach David Six – and the first since a 71-61 win over Virginia Tech last season.

Sophomore guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.), who had a team-high 17 points, was named Tournament MVP. Senior guard Kyani White (Manassas, Va.) was also named to the All-Tournament Team after chipping in 10 points.

Senior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) added 11 points and a team-high five assists. Junior guard Ryan Jordan (Manassas, Va.) again grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

The Lady Pirates shot 32.7 percent (17-for-52) from the floor and hit four of 18 3-pointers (22.2 percent). Despite being out-rebounded 47-36, Hampton turned 18 Auburn turnovers into 15 points and led 26-20 in points in the paint.

Auburn's offensive struggles were particularly evident in the first half, when the Tigers shot just 5-for-30 (16.7 percent) from the floor and hit just one of nine 3-pointers. The Tigers had two lengthy scoring droughts in the first half, including the final 4:24 of the half.

Khady Dieng hit a jumper at the 16:35 mark to give Auburn a 7-3 lead, but the Tigers wouldn't hit another field goal until a 3-pointer from Katie Frerking at the 4:24 mark tied the game at 12-12.

A jumper from Jordan 16 seconds later gave the Lady Pirates a 14-12 lead and kicked off a 9-0 run to end the half. A 3-pointer from Cole with 1:40 left in the frame sent Hampton into the locker room with a 21-12 lead.

That lead evaporated once Auburn opened the second half on a 10-0 run to take a 22-21 lead after a layup from Tra'cee Tanner with 16:22 left. White hit a jumper 20 seconds later to end the run and the Lady Pirates a 23-22 lead.

Auburn cut the lead to 25-24 with 13:31 to play, before a 7-1 run from the Lady Pirates gave Hampton a 32-25 lead after a 3-pointer from Tate-DeFreitas.

A rainbow three from White with 8:26 left put Hampton up 39-29.

Cole hit two free throws with 3:52 left to give the Lady Pirates a 44-37 lead before Auburn scored the next five points to cut the lead to 44-42 with 1:22 left after a free throw from Frerking.

But the Tigers missed their last five shots and committed a turnover in the game's final possession.

Auburn (9-4) shot just 27.6 percent (16-for-58) from the floor and hit just one of 13 3-pointers.

Tanner led the Tigers with 13 points.

The Lady Pirates will return home on Monday, when they play host to Auburn at 7 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

BOX SCORE

NEXT GAME: 1/5/15 - 7 PM, Princeton at Hampton,  Live on PirateTV

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

UMES closes 2014 with victory at UT-Martin

MARTIN, Tennessee -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team had to battle to the final buzzer, but the Hawks prevailed over the University of Tennessee-Martin for a 63-60 win on Tuesday night. UMES improved to 8-8 with their third straight victory to close out 2014, all coming on the road.

In the first ever meeting between the two schools, UMES and UT-Martin fought to a stalemate in the first half. Both offenses got off to slow starts, scoring 20 combined points in the opening ten minutes. Devon Walker (Philadelphia, Pa.) closed the half with a nice reverse layup after a backdoor cut to knot the game at 26-26. After lighting the nets on fire from the three-point line in their past two games, UMES had to find other ways to score as they went cold from long range. The Hawks were just 1-of-8 from beyond the arc in the first half and 3-of-11 for the game, with Walker contributing all three makes.

UMES controlled the start of the second half, opening up a decent cushion with their largest lead at 52-44 with seven minutes left in regulation. UT-Martin refused to go quietly, going on a 10-1 run to take a lead at 54-53 on two free throws from Twymond Howard. For the final four minutes, the two teams traded buckets and free throws with eight lead changes down the stretch.

listen to ‘12/30/14: UMES Basketball Post Game Show’ on audioBoom

With a minute to play, Devin Martin (Baltimore, Md.) came up with big plays to scrap out a win. Down by a point, UMES turned to Martin to create a shot, knocking down a mid-range jumper from the right baseline to take a 61-60 lead with 41 seconds to go. After a crucial steal by Mark Blackmon (Charlotte, N.C.), Martin sunk two free throws to make it a three-point game. UT-Martin missed three chances to tie, including Alex Anderson's attempt at the buzzer which just kicked off the rim.

Mike Myers (Camden, N.J.) put in a workmanlike effort down low, posting his second straight double-double with 14 poitns and 10 rebounds. Perhaps most impressively, Myers successfully passed out of double-teams for a career-high six assists and zero turnovers. Walker led the team with 16 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-4 from deep. Martin finished with nine points, including 5-of-5 from the free throw line with two clutch makes with 18 seconds remaining.

UMES closes the calendar year with a three-game winning streak with road wins at St. Bonaventure, Duquesne and UT-Martin. It is the first three-game winning streak for UMES since the 2010-2011 season. The Hawks have won seven of their last nine games to pull to an even .500 record for the year. This is the latest that UMES has sported a record at .500 or better since the 2001-02 season.

The Hawks will enjoy a week off, next playing on Wednesday, January 7 at N.J.I.T. Tip-off for the first game of 2015 will be at 7:00 p.m. at the Fleisher Center in Newark, N.J. The matchup with the Highlanders will be the final non-conference game of the season before UMES returns to league play against Morgan State.

Box Score

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION