GSU women win second straight

GRAMBLING, Louisiana – The Grambling State Lady Tigers evened their conference record with a 64-57 win over Alcorn State on Monday night.

Grambling improves to 2-2 in the SWAC and 4-10 overall with the win. Alcorn State drops to 3-9 overall and 2-2 in the SWAC.

The Lady Tigers held a 24-22 halftime lead and then stretched the margin in the second half to the eventual seven-point difference.

Bre’Nae Andrews scored 17 points and Shanice Poole added 16 to lead Grambling. The Lady Tigers also got nine points from Yosha Watson.

Olivia Brown led Alcorn with 17 points and Norianna Haynes had 10 for the losers.

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Florida A&M's Hazing Message received, finally

MIAMI, Florida -- Scroll to the bottom of Florida A&M University’s home page and there, under Quick Links, is one that says, “Stop Hazing.”

Those two words say that FAMU has gotten serious about confronting the scourge of violence and intimidation that go along with “belonging,” with being accepted. The school can proudly cite progress in keeping its students safe from hazing.

Last week, former student Dante Martin was sentenced to more than six years in prison in the 2011 beating death of Robert Champion, 26, a FAMU band member who died after a brutal hazing ritual went off the tracks. Martin is the first of 15 former members of the band to stand trial in the case. Prosecutors said that he took the lead in the smacking, beating and pummeling that some students at FAMU — and other academic institutions across the country — endure just to belong to the clique, in this case, the legendary Marching 100.

Mr. Champion, from Decatur, Ga., was brutalized and killed at the hands of irresponsible band mates while on a bus trip. The death, of course, was the worst of it. But the fallout was significant, too: FAMU’s president, James Ammons, resigned; the band leader lost his job; the band was suspended for two years; and FAMU showed that it had learned little, if anything at all, for a hazing incident 10 years earlier.\

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Southern women seeking leadership

JACKSON, Mississippi — The Southern women’s basketball team has played just three Southwestern Athletic Conference games, but it hasn’t looked like the team that was picked to win the regular-season title.

The Jaguars (2-10 overall) beat Prairie View in their conference opener before losing to Texas Southern. Then came a 57-56 loss in the league road opener against Grambling on Saturday.

Southern had big advantages in size and experience and led by as many as eight points in the second half but couldn’t finish.

The loss seemed to leave Jaguars coach Sandy Pugh equal parts angry and mystified.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Pugh said. “Our veterans didn’t do a good job. They weren’t focused. I think that lack of leadership and lack of toughness showed its head.”

Southern was picked to win the ...

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BUFFALO NEWS: Nelson Townsend, former UB athletic director, dies in Florida

May 16, 1941 – Jan. 8, 2015

BUFFALO, New York  (Jan. 9, 2015) -- Nelson E. Townsend, former University at Buffalo athletics director, died Thursday in Florida after collapsing before a meeting at Florida A&M University, where he was interim athletic director. He was 73.

Mr. Townsend had been at Florida A&M for less than a month, taking over on Dec. 15 after former Athletic Director Kellen Winslow resigned.

Mr. Townsend was at UB for 11 years, starting in 1987, and while there guided the athletic program from Division III to Division I. While at UB, he was chairman of the NCAA Olympic Liaison Committee and a member of the United States Olympic Committee, and was instrumental in bringing the World University Games to Buffalo in 1993 – the only time the games have been held in the United States.

Mr. Townsend stepped down from the athletic post at UB in 1998 after suffering a heart attack.

This was his third time as athletic director at Florida A&M, having held the position in 1986-87 and 2005-07. Shortly after accepting the job, Mr. Townsend hired Alex Wood, interim head coach at UB, as the head football coach at Florida A&M.

“The university lost a dear friend, excellent leader and administrator,” Florida A&M President Elmira Mangum said in a statement. “We will miss Nelson Townsend. We join his wife and family in mourning this great loss.”

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MSU Returns to Hill Field House to Host UMES Monday Night

Game Dates: Monday, January 12, 2015
Opponent: Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (8-9, 1-1 MEAC)
Site: Hill Field House, Baltimore, Maryland
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Record:  MSU 3-14 (1-2 MEAC)
Head Coach: Todd Bozeman (146-130 - 9th yr)
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com/www.umeshawks.com

Game Notes  | Watch Live  |  Live Stats  |  Live Audio  |  Twitter Updates 
 
BALTIMORE, Md. – Morgan State will play its first of three straight homes games when it welcomes the Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore (8-9, 1-1 MEAC) to Hill Field House on Monday, January 12. The matchup will be the first home game for the Bears since they recorded a win against UC Irvine on December 16. Tip-off at Hill Field House is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be radio broadcast by WEAA, 88.9 FM and Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN). There will be live updates throughout the game available on Twitter @MorganStBears. A live game stream will also be provided on www.morganstatebears.com.
 
IT'S OK TO BE A FOLLOWER 
MSU men's basketball fans can follow their favorite team, or any of the other MSU athletics programs on Twitter through the handle @MorganStBears.

LAST TIME OUT
Jan. 10, 2015 -- Cedric Blossom scored a career-high 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and made 10 of 12 free throws Saturday and Morgan State rallied to beat Delaware State 73-69, snapping a six-game losing streak. Blake Bozeman matched his career-high with 22, including four 3-pointers, Zech Smithhad 10 with 12 rebounds, and the Bears (3-14, 1-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic) were outrebounded 50-29 but converted 29 of 44 free throws.

SCOUTING THE HAWKS
• UMES welcomed back seven veterans from a squad that posted a 6-24 overall record, and finished last in the MEAC with a 4-12 mark.
• Bobby Collins (Eastern Kentucky '91) enters his first season as the Hawks head men's basketball coach and he has guided UMES to a 8-9 record, and is 188-182 in his 13th season as a head coach.
• Michael Myers leads the Hawks by averaging 15.4 ppg and leads his team in rebounds (7.0 rpg). Devin Martin is averaing 11.6 ppg, and Devon Walker is adding 9.4 ppg. Ishaq Pitt leads the Hawks is assists (3.3 apg). 
• UMES enters Monday night's contest fresh off a 63-60 win over Tennessee-Martin last Tuesday night. Devon Walker paced the Hawks with 16 points and Michael Myers added 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

FOR THE RECORD
The Morgan State Bears will square off against Maryland Eastern Shore for the 83rd meeting between the two schools. MSU holds a 50-32 advantage in the series since the 1971-72 season. Ian Chiles had 22 points as the Bears stormed out to a 23-point lead midway through the first half and beat the Hawks 88-72 in their last meeting on Feb. 17, 2014. MSU has won the last three meetings vs. UMES, including 8 of the last 10 meetings.

MORGAN STATE TABBED THIRD IN PRESEASON POLL
Morgan State was picked to finish third in the 2014-15 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's basketball preseason poll behind defending regular season champion North Carolina Central.
 
BLAKE BOZEMAN EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Morgan State senior guard Blake Bozeman was selected to the Preseason All-MEAC Third Team by the conference head coaches and sports information directors.

2015 MEAC Basketball Tournament Tickets are on SALE NOW!?
The 2015 MEAC Tournament is March 9-14 at the Norfolk Scope Arena?Norfolk, Virginia. Ticket books are on sale for $100 at the MSU Box Office located at the Morgan State University Student Center.

To purchase tickets, call the MEAC office at 757-951-2055 or contact your institution's ticketing office.  Tickets can also be purchased by visiting the MSU Box Office at the Student Center. Ticketmaster.comor calling them at 1-800-745-3000.  You may also contact the Scope Arena box office at 757-664-6464.

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Return to Dover boosts May, Delaware State

DOVER, Delaware -- Amere May left Delaware State University's basketball program because its playing style didn't fit him.

After one major alteration – Keith Walker taking over as head coach this year – DSU suited the 6-foot-3 guard from Covert, Michigan, much better.

He came back and, so far, both he and the Hornets have been a perfect match.

"I think it was meant to be," May said.

May's season has featured a 48-point effort in DSU's 72-64 win at St. Francis Brooklyn on Dec. 17, the second highest single-game total in school history.

He also scored 32 in the Hornets' 72-65 victory at Wake Forest on Nov. 28. In both that and the St. Francis Brooklyn game, May was 6-for-10 on 3-pointers.

While scoring 28 points in a loss to Campbell Dec. 10, May was 10-for-10 at the foul line, as he was at St. Francis Brooklyn.


Guard Amere May #44 tossed an alley oop pass off the glass to center Kendall Gray, who finished with a thunderous dunk.

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Paine College Official Release on Self-Imposed Suspension of Infant Football Program

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Jan. 10, 2015) -- Dr. Samuel Sullivan, Paine College Interim President, announced today that the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to suspend the College’s football program for two years. Dr. Sullivan said that the suspension was self-imposed. He commented, “At this critical juncture in the history of Paine College, we have no choice but to firmly reestablish the financial health of our College.” “It is only through achieving this condition that we will have a chance of being removed from probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and winning reaffirmation of the College’s accreditation.” Dr. Sullivan further stated, “We must take this and other steps to reduce overall expenditures by the College and increase our net assets.” “After removal of all sanctions imposed upon the college by SACSCOC, we will conduct a cost benefit analysis and evaluate the return of our football program.”

“The College will honor scholarships for eligible players during the spring 2015 semester,” said Athletics Director Selina Kohn. “While we regret that the College has suspended the football program, the Lion Athletics Program will continue to support five men’s and five women’s sports.” Kohn further stated that the football coaches will mentor the student athletes to help them make the transition to find new athletic homes for those who wish to transfer.

During the meeting of the Board of Trustees in October 2012, the governing body unanimously voted to revive the football program after a 50-year hiatus. The College introduced Club Football with a limited number of games in 2013 and rolled out its full program during the 2014 fall semester.

Under the leadership of Coach Greg Ruffin, the Club team ended the season with an impressive 3-1 record in 2013. In 2014, the Lions ended the season with a 2-8 record.

Although the community has rallied support for the new program that is still in its infant stage, the cost to operate the program has placed an enormous amount of financial strain on the College’s operating budget.

“We want our sports programs to remain competitive and in order to do that, we must revisit the cost of maintaining a healthy athletic program,” said Dr. Sullivan. “Although the College is witnessing an enormous outpouring of support from the community, the economic climate has caused us to reassess the budgets and the cost of operating the football program.” “It is imperative that we continue to enhance the College’s academic programs and student services.”

The Paine College Lion Athletic program falls under the auspices of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference and NCAA Division II.

For more information, please contact the Office of Communications and Marketing at 706.396.7591, 396.8163 or via email:Tjwilliams@paine.edu.

Jacobs: College football championship still faces challenges

ESPN'S power drives the decisions: the marriage of money and
 television programming.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- When Ohio State and Oregon take the field Monday night in major-college football’s latest version of a championship game, the meeting will be hailed as a landmark moment, the culmination of years of popular advocacy, aspiration and agonizing. Finally, common sense will have prevailed. Satisfaction is mine, saith the horde.

And soon enough, as sure as someone will insist the Ducks are not soft and the Big Ten’s reputation is redeemed, the call will be raised for the College Football Playoff to go forth and multiply, expanding to include eight, not four teams, and seven, not three games.

But before we careen farther – toward more games, more practices, more TV inventory, more coaches’ pay, more revenues for everyone except the players involved – let’s recognize how far we’ve already traveled down the road to excess. For one simple gauge of how far we’ve come, consider that Duke’s spring practice for 2015 starts less than a month after college’s 2014 champion is determined.

You can appreciate college football and still question placing greater demands on the bodies and minds of players, who are supposedly students first. Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes coach, opposes expanding the Playoff. He noted prior to the Sugar Bowl that the length of the college season was positively “NFL-ish.” “I think it’s something we all need to consistently monitor … because the wear and tear on the student-athlete is real,” he said. “It’s never been like this. This is the first time in college football history.”

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DSU's Perspective: DSU Mourns Passing of Former AD Nelson Townsend

DOVER, Delaware (Jan. 9, 2015) -- Delaware State University sends condolences to the family of former Hornet Athletic Director Nelson Townsend, who died Thursday in Tallahassee, Fla. His death at age 73 was announced in a statement by Florida A&M University, where he was serving as Interim Director of Athletics.

Townsend was Delaware State’s Athletic Director for seven years from 1979 to 1986.

During his tenure, the Hornets captured back-to-back Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Talmadge Hill Awards as the league’s top overall men’s program in 1985 and ’86.

Under Townsend’s leadership, Delaware State won a total of 15 MEAC team championships, in addition to numerous individual track and field, cross country and wrestling titles.

The Hornets captured the first MEAC football championship in school history in 1985. Delaware State also collected four MEAC women’s indoor track and field titles (1982, ’84, ’85 and ’86), three men’s indoor track and field championships (1983, ’84, ’86), three men’s and three women’s cross country crowns (1984-86); and their lone volleyball (1986) and wrestling (1984) championships under his leadership.

While at Delaware State, Townsend also engineered the move of the school's sports teams from NCAA Division II to Division I and helped establish its athletics hall-of-fame.

In 1981, Townsend boldly hired Joe Purzycki to lead the Hornets’ football program. In his third season, Purzycki led the team to a 7-3-1 record, its best in 22 years.

When Purzycki left Delaware State in 1985, Townsend appointed Bill Collick to replace him. Collick guided the Hornets to five MEAC championships and a school-record 81 coaching wins.

Townsend had nearly 40 years of experience in collegiate athletics administration. In addition to Delaware State, he served two stints as director of athletics at Maryland-Eastern Shore and Florida A&M; and 12 years at the University of Buffalo. While at Buffalo, he helped usher the program from Division III to Division I in three-and-a-half years.

Also at Buffalo, Townsend served as chairman of the NCAA Olympic Liaison Committee. In that role, he was named as an active member of the United States Olympic Committee. From 1991-93, he traveled extensively to Germany, Canada, Bulgaria, France, England, and Spain in preparation to host the World University Games in Buffalo in 1993.

The Games, using the University of Buffalo as the major site, marked the only time that this event has been hosted in the United States. The World University Games are considered the largest international sports event other than the Summer Olympics. For his effort and leadership in those games, Townsend was the recipient of "The Buffalo Achievement Award" in 1993.

Funeral services for Townsend are scheduled for next Wednesday (Jan. 14) at Florida A&M’s Gaither Gymnasium, according to the Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat.

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

The Livingstone Lady Blue Bears are for Real; Defeats VSU Trojans to Remain Undefeated

Written By: Tenai Staley

SALISBURY, North Carolina — The script couldn't have been written any better for the Lady Blue Bears of Livingstone College as they remain undefeated at 14-0 overall and 5-0 in the CIAA Conference. Unless you have been living under a rock you know that this team, under the direction of Head Coach Anita Howard is making their mark early in the season, giving fans hope in terms of a possible CIAA Championship. 

The team walked away with a blistering 77-68 win on Saturday (Jan.10) against the Trojans of Virginia State University.

With an unbeaten record, some might conclude that the team is playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulder, and they deserve it.

Saturday's contest opened up on a 12-0 run with just minutes into the game, not to mention the sweet three that Labrea Walker knocked down at the start of the game.

The Lady Blue Bears jumped out to a comfortable lead and did not allow the Lady Trojans many offensive opportunities.

The team entered the locker room at a pretty nice deficit of 42-28, shooting 50%, going 17-34 from the floor.

After the half the Lady Blue Bears hit the floor running and never turned back.

The team stayed in control the entire second half and never trailed against the Trojans.

The starters took care of business, knocking down some consistent shots, and becoming a force on the boards offensively and defensively, pulling down 26 rebounds (13 0ff, 13 defensively).

The team had three players to finish in double figures, who included Kyra Crosby, Amber Curtis and Labrea Walker.

Crosby who never seems to let us down led the team with 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, one block, two steals and she shot 8-12 from the field.

Curtis chipped in an easy 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Labrea Walker had a consistent 12 points, three assists, four rebounds and two steals.

The Lady Blue Bears remain at home on Monday (Jan. 12) to play host to Chowan University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 P.M.

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

LeVelle Moton Earns 100th Career Coaching Victory; NCCU Cruises to 76-45 Victory Over SC State

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University won its 28th straight home game in convincing style on Saturday inside McDougald-McLendon Gym, handing South Carolina State a 76-45 defeat and providing NCCU head coach LeVelle Moton with his 100th career victory.

Jordan Parks recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and a season-high 14 rebounds to spark NCCU (11-5, 3-0 MEAC). Three other Eagles scored double figures as Anthony McDonald netted a game-high 18 points, Nimrod Hilliard added 15 points and eight assists, and Jeremiah Ingram came off the bench for 14 points.

SC State (4-13, 2-1 MEAC) was led by Edward Stephens with a team-best 11 points. The Bulldogs connected on just 15 of their 53 field goal attempts (28.3 percent) and 12 of 23 free throws (52.2 percent). NCCU, on the other hand, hit 27-for-58 from the field (46.6 percent) and 17 of 21 free throws (81.0 percent).

Moton, now in his sixth season as head coach of his alma mater, is the fifth coach in NCCU men's basketball history to reach the 100-win milestone.

NCCU returns to play on Monday, Jan. 12 against Savannah State at 7:30 p.m. inside McDougald-McLendon Gym.

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COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former DSU AD Townsend remembered for his vision

DOVER, Delaware -- It was a decision that was as controversial as it was courageous.

Former Delaware State athletic director Nelson Townsend didn’t just hire a new football head coach in 1981.

He hired a white one.

Not surprisingly, the move to hire Joe Purzycki was met with protests at the predominantly black school.

But Nelson stuck to his decision. At the time, DSU’s biggest football claim to fame was its 105-0 loss to Portland State the season before.

“As blacks, we are cognizant of blacks having a chance to go to white schools,” Townsend said in a New York Times story. “But in a way we were speaking with forked tongues. Why shouldn’t a qualified white coach be a candidate at a black school?”

On Thursday, Townsend died at the age of 73 in Tallahassee, Fla. He was working as Florida A&M’s interim AD when he collapsed during a morning meeting.

Townsend’s passing is being mourned at several schools where he worked in his 40-year career. That lists includes FAMU, Buffalo and Maryland-Eastern Shore along with DelState.

Townsend’s tenure as DSU’s athletic director from 1979-86 is arguably as successful an athletic period as the school has ever seen.

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Defense rallies No. 24 Gold Rush past No. 16 Panthers

Photo Gallery:  XU men's basketball vs. Philander Smith —
 at Xavier University Convocation Center
photos by Yamlak Tsega

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana stifled Philander Smith in the closing minutes Saturday to rally for a 61-53 men's basketball victory in a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I teams.

The Gold Rush (12-6, 1-1 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference), ranked 24th, outscored the Panthers (10-4, 1-1), ranked 16th, 20-1 in the final 10:45 -- 18-0 after Braylon Spicer's free throw with 8:31 remaining.

"Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in a hole, but we know how to get out of it," said junior guard Morris Wright, one of three XU players with 12 points. "Our team has a lot of fight in it. The defense picked it up in the second half, and the offense got better."

Wright scored five points in the Xavier rally, and his layup with 2:06 remaining put the Rush ahead to stay, 54-53. On the next XU possession, Wright swished a 3-pointer from the left side for a 57-53 lead at 1:17.

Philander Smith led 52-41 after Ronald March's 3-pointer with 10:53 remaining. But the Panthers were 0-of-8 from the floor and 1-of-8 from the line thereafter and finished at a season-low 35.7 percent from the floor. They entered the game shooting 55.9 percent to rank first in NAIA Division I.

Xavier outrebounded the Panthers 18-6 in the final 11 1/2 minutes and won the boards 45-29. Philander Smith entered No. 2 nationally in rebound margin.

Anthony Goode and Wesley Pluviose-Philip also scored 12 for the Gold Rush. Pluviose-Philip's nine rebounds and Wright's seven were season highs, as were Pluviose-Philip's points. Jarvis Thibodeaux had seven rebounds and a career-high two blocked shots.

March scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, and Broderick Brandon had 11. But the Rush limited four of Philander Smith's five double-figure season scorers to a combined 23 points. Aquill Baynard, who entered with 18.5 points per game, finished with eight points on 3-of-11 from the floor and committed a season-worst seven turnovers.

Baynard, Brandon and Teviin Morris scored seven points apiece to lead Philander Smith to a 36-32 halftime advantage.

Xavier shot 41.5 percent from the field and committed a season-high 27 turnovers but gained a season-high-tying 22 turnovers. Pluviose had a career-high three steals, and Wright and Goode had two steals apiece.

At the line, Xavier finished 14-of-19 to Philander Smith's 6-of-16.

Philander Smith, which entered averaging 91.3 points, scored its fewest points in a game since December 2010.

It was Xavier's second victory of the season against a ranked opponent, and it came in the Gold Rush's fourth consecutive game against the top 25. Xavier will visit Philander Smith on Valentine's Day.

Next for Xavier will be a 7:30 p.m. Monday GCAC game against Tougaloo at the Convocation Center. Tougaloo is 2-0 in the conference after winning 92-72 Saturday at SUNO.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

https://twitter.com/xulagold

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Nuggets beat Philander Smith, improve to 2-0 in GCAC

Photo Gallery: XU women's basketball vs. Philander Smith —
 at Xavier University Convocation Center
photos by Yamlak Tsega

#21 Vinnie Briggs
5'7" Senior Guard/Forward
Hometown: Roxie, Ms.
Franklin County High School (Copiah-Lincoln CC)

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana led wire-to-wire Saturday in a 61-48 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Philander Smith.

Whitney Gathright had 14 points and Donyeah Mayfield 12 for the Gold Nuggets (9-9, 2-0 GCAC), who pulled away late to end a 3-game home losing streak.

The Lady Panthers (11-3, 1-1) rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit and were within single digits for the majority of the second half. It was 46-41 after Philander Smith's Jerrica Scott made two free throws with six minutes remaining.

But then Xavier -- which struggled offensively during its home defeats -- sealed the victory by scoring on its next six possessions. Gathright's 3-pointer with 3:51 remaining gave the Gold Nuggets a 53-45 lead, and two more Gathright baskets increased the margin to 59-45 with 1:45 remaining.

Vinnie Briggs added nine points for Xavier, and Emoni Harvey -- five days after her career-high nine rebounds in a GCAC victory at Talladega -- grabbed eight rebounds. Mayfield had seven rebounds, and sophomore Kelsee Singleton blocked a career-high five shots, four in the first half.

Harvey also had a game-high five assists and tied her career high.

Brittany Leonard scored 16 points for Philander Smith but also committed six of her team's 22 turnovers. Scott scored 15 points. Rubyunnia McHenry had 13 rebounds, six blocks and four steals, and her final block of the game gave her 200 in her career.

The Gold Nuggets led 11-4 after seven minutes and held their biggest lead, 23-9, after Gathright made two free throws at 8:33. But Xavier went scoreless for the final 7:15 of the first half, and Philander Smith trimmed the Nuggets' advantage to 25-21 by halftime.

Xavier outshot the Lady Panthers 35.6 to 28.3 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 45-39. The field-goal defense was the Gold Nuggets' best of the season, and they shot a season-high 88.9 percent (16-of-18) from the line.

Xavier will visit Philander Smith on Feb. 14. Next for the Gold Nuggets will be a 5:30 p.m. Monday GCAC home game against Tougaloo.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

https://twitter.com/xulagold

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NDSU uses late rally to secure fourth straight FCS championship

FRISCO, TEXAS – Four national championships. Three losses.

That is North Dakota State’s résumé the past four years after quarterback Carson Wentz scored a touchdown with 37 seconds left and linebacker Esley Thorton intercepted a pass to seal the Bison’s thrilling 29-27 victory over Illinois State on Saturday in the Football Championship Subdivision title game.

NDSU (15-1) is the first team to win four straight FCS titles. The Bison are 58-3 since the beginning of the 2011 season.

“It’s an amazing accomplishment,” said senior linebacker Carlton Littlejohn, a Minneapolis North product. “You never dream of coming to college and winning four straight national championships, only losing three games. That’s something you only dream about, something that happens in video games or something like that.”

This one was the most difficult title victory. It took late-game heroics from Wentz, Thornton and receiver RJ Urzendowski to overcome Redbirds quarterback Tre Roberson.

Roberson’s 58-yard TD sprint through a yawning hole in the Bison defense with 1:38 left gave the Redbirds a 27-23 lead and quieted about 17,000 NDSU fans who mostly filled Toyota Stadium. The normally stout NDSU defense didn’t have an answer for Roberson in the second half, and the transfer from Indiana and former Hoosiers starter finished with 161 rushing yards and three touchdown passes.

-------------------------------
Date:1/10/2015
Site:Frisco, TX
Stadium: Toyota Stadium
Attendance: 20,918
Kickoff Time:12:05 pm
End of Game:3:17 pm
Duration:3:12
Temperature: 34
Wind:SSE 7mph
Weather:Cloudy, cold
--------------------------------
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Sights & Sounds from 2015 FCS National Championship Game

NCAA FCS Football Championship Trophy Presentation 
North Dakota State vs. Illinois State (Championship) (NCAA FCS Championship)

Bowl vs. playoffs: No easy solution for SCSU

COACH OLIVER "BUDDY" POUGH

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Everyone’s favorite four-letter sports network needs more bowl games to fill lucrative holiday time slots. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference needs to find a way to generate fresh revenue for its cash-strapped member schools.

Seems like a match made in heaven right? Well ... about that.

Like most things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While there’s no denying that the chance to compete for an NCAA National Championship carries a lot of weight when it comes to the credibility of a school’s football program, there’s also no getting around the problem with the FCS Playoffs: the almighty dollar.

That’s why when the news broke a few days after Christmas that the MEAC appeared ready to press forward with a plan to divorce itself from the playoffs in favor of an ESPN-funded bowl game pitting the MEAC’s champion against the top team from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in a made-for-television postseason event, many Bulldog fans were angered. And rightfully so.

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Late putback lifts Lady Tigers to first SWAC win

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  –  In a matter of seconds, true freshman Bre’Nae Andrews evolved into an upperclassmen.

The Grambling forward pulled down a rebound and laid in the game-winning shot with 3.1 seconds left to lift the Lady Tigers past rival Southern, 57-56, on Saturday night for their first Southwestern Conference victory of the year.

“I’m still pumped. It was a big shot in a big game. The adrenaline is still running,” said Andrews, who finished with 12 points. “I was just thinking I just needed to get this rebound by any means necessary and it just happened to fall right into my arms and I went back up.”

With Grambling (4-10, 1-1 SWAC) trailing by a point after a pair of free throws from Southern’s Cortnei Purnell, first-year coach Nadine Domond called a timeout that led to Shanice Poole’s corner 3-pointer.

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Brown delivers for ASU

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas – Bobby Brown was 5-of-5 from the field, sinking four 3-pointers, and scored a season-high 20 points to lead Alabama State in a 74-41 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday.

Wendell Lewis also posted a season high with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting for the Hornets (7-5), who are 3-0 in the SWAC for the first time since the 2008-09 season.

Maurice Strong added 15 points, marking the sixth time in seven games that he's scored in double figures.

Brown also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, tying his season high.

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New NSU coach will reveal staff changes next week

COURTESY NSU ATHLETICS

NORFOLK, Virginia -- First-year Norfolk State coach Latrell Scott said Friday he has met with his inherited assistants to discuss their futures and will announce any related moves next week.

Scott, hired from Virginia State last month to replace the retired Pete Adrian, declined to say how many members of Adrian's former staff might be affected.

"There's a possibility that there will be some retention," Scott said.

The Spartans went 4-8 overall and 4-4 in the MEAC in 2014, the last of Adrian's 10 seasons at the school.

Under 10th-year defensive coordinator Mark DeBastiani, NSU held opponents to 251.3 yards per game to finish with the second-ranked defense among FCS teams. The Spartans finished in the bottom six in the FCS in total offense and scoring offense under first-year offensive coordinator Donald Hill-Eley.

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Hampton University runs streak to 51 against MEAC opposition

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Hampton University's women's basketball team began its two-game trip to Florida by defeating Bethune-Cookman 61-54 Saturday in Daytona Beach.

HU withstood a pair of second-half runs from B-CU. The Pirates (6-9, 2-0) have won three of their last four games overall and have won 51 in a row over Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents.

Sophomore guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas led HU with 20 points, including 14 in the second half. It was her 10th game of the year with at least 20 points. Kyani White and Kenia Cole each added nine points.

Cole also tied her career highs in rebounds and assists with eight each. Both were team highs.

The Lady Pirates shot 43.5 percent (27-for-62) from the floor and hit four of their 12 3-point tries. Hampton held a 37-35 edge on the glass,

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After one year, Paine College has suspended their football program

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- Paine College’s football team returned to the field in 2014 after being dormant for five decades. Now, the program is being shut down again.

Several Paine players, including Lions freshman linebacker Harry Davis Jr., posted on Twitter about the program’s fate Friday evening.

Davis confirmed during a cell-phone conversation he was told the news by the coaching staff about 8:30 p.m. A message left with coach Greg Ruffin was not returned. “It’s very devastating to all of us, especially on short notice,” Davis said. “It’s not even about the program, it’s about the players, my teammates. Everyone is distraught about it.” Davis couldn’t confirm whether expense is the main reason for the college shutting down the football program.

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Kevin FaigleVerified account‏@kevinfaiglewrdw

After one year, Paine College has suspended their football program http://www.wrdw.com/sports/headlines/After-one-year-Paine-College-has-suspended-their-football-program-288142881.html#.VLFSTfhrxJg.twitter …

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8:24 AM - 10 Jan 2015