Arkansas Pine to host Prairie View on ESPNU Monday Night

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Two of arguably the hottest teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference are set to face each other Monday night as Prairie View A&M travels to Arkansas Pine Bluff.

After getting off to a pair of rocky starts in conference play, both teams have seem to put things together in recent weeks.

PVAMU (5-14, 3-3) opened SWAC play losing its first three games. They have since reeled off three consecutive wins. The Panthers are led by Montrael Scott who leads the team in scoring at 15.1 points per game. Saturday he became the first player under head coach Byron Rimm to notch 1,000 career points.

UAPB (5-15, 2-4) probably has the most misleading conference record in the league. In their four loses, the average margin of defeat has been by five points. The Golden Lions tasted its first SWAC win against Alcorn State and this past Saturday they handed Texas Southern their first conference defeat since February 2014. Marcely Mosley leads the team and is second in the league in scoring at 16.8 ppg.

The two clubs split last season’s series; however, Arkansas Pine Bluff has won four of the last six encounters. Monday night’s tipoff is slated for an 8 p.m. (CT) start on ESPNU/WATCHESPN

The complete ESPNU/WATCHESPN schedule is as follows:
February 2 – Alabama A&M at Texas Southern 8 p.m.
February 23 – Alabama State at Southern 8 p.m.

2015 Toyota SWAC Basketball Tournament
March 15 – SWAC Women’s Final – 2 p.m. ESPN3
March 15 – SWAC Men’s Final - 5:30 p.m. ESPNU

COURTESY SWAC.ORG 

Congressman James E. Clyburn introduces bill to reauthorize the HBCU Historic Preservation Program

CONGRESSMAN JAMES E. CLYBURN

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Jan.13, 2015) -- South Carolina Congressman James E. Clyburn introduced H.R. 295 today which would reauthorize the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Historic Preservation Program.

In 1998 the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted a study to identify historic sites and buildings on the campuses of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and determine the cost of preserving and protecting those sites and buildings. The GAO indentified 712 historic sites and buildings that were of historic significances and determined that it would require $755 million to successfully restore and preserve them. Congress responded by authorizing and appropriating funds to implement the program.

In the 6th Congressional District, historic buildings at Allen, Claflin, and South Carolina State Universities, and Voorhees and Benedict Colleges have been successfully restored. To date, 59 institutions in 20 different states have benefitted from the program. However, authorization for this program has expired, and no funds have been appropriated since the Recovery Act in 2009.

“I look forward to continuing my work with HBCUs in South Carolina and around the country to revive this successful effort to celebrate our heritage and strengthen our communities,” Congressman Clyburn said. “The structures on these campuses across the country are living testaments to African American history and deserve to be stabilized and restored. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to preserve our nation’s history.”

Saint Augustine's Lady Bears Falls to Shaw 87-83

RALEIGH, North Carolina – Saint Augustine's University outscored Shaw University in the second half of an 87-83 loss in a CIAA women's basketball contest between crosstown rivals at packed Spaulding Gymnasium on Saturday, January 24, 2015.

The Lady Falcons (2-1 Southern Division, 4-4 CIAA, 10-7 overall) kept pace with Lady Bears throughout but fell just short of pulling out the win. A three-pointer by guard Regime McCombs (Jr./Greenville, SC) closed the margin to 85-83 with six seconds left, but Fantasha Tyson of the Lady Bears canned two free throws with four seconds left for the final margin.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Lady Falcons, who were tied for first place in the Southern Division before the game. Despite the loss, Head Coach Rachel Bullard of the Lady Falcons was proud of the way her team battled. The Lady Falcons outscored the Lady Bears 40-37 in the second half.

"Although the loss is difficult to swallow, our ladies gave a great effort," Bullard said. "We fought until the last second."

McCombs led the Lady Falcons with 18 points and guard LaKiya Rouse (Jr./Greensboro, NC) added 14 points. Guard Porscha Walton (Jr./Chesterfield, VA) nearly had a triple-double with 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while guard Shanika Harris (Jr./Richmond, VA) scored 13 points. Forward Terri Jacobs (Jr./McDonough, GA) nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds before fouling out, and forward Kaleisha Moore (So./Kinston, NC) was marvelous off the bench with eight points, five rebounds and two steals.

Led by five points from Harris, the Lady Falcons opened a 12-3 lead, but eventually fell behind in the first half. They went into the locker room trailing 50-43 at halftime, but another early spurt pushed the Lady Falcons in front again 58-56 in the second half after a three-point play by Jacobs and an offensive putback by Moore.

Cold shooting would eventually be the undoing of the Lady Falcons, who trailed between two and nine points the rest of the second half. The Lady Falcons managed to pull within 83-80 on McCombs' jumper with 38 seconds left, but Tyson of Shaw pushed the margin to five points with two free throws.

The Lady Falcons still had hope when McCombs drilled a deep three-pointer, but Tyson iced the contest for the Lady Bears when she hit both free throws in the closing seconds.

The Lady Falcons shot 36 percent from the floor while the Lady Bears made 44 percent of their shots. The bulk of the Lady Bears' scoring came from inside player Verdine Warner (24 points, 13 rebounds) and Tyson (22 points). Kaula Jacks added 10 points for the Lady Bears (2-1 Southern Division, 5-4 CIAA, 12-9 overall).

The Lady Falcons made one more field goal (33) than the Lady Bears (32) and forced 25 turnovers which led to 27 points. The Lady Bears were 20 of 28 from the free throw line while the Lady Falcons were 13 of 15.

On Wednesday, January 28, the Lady Falcons will host Southern Division leader Livingstone College, which is unbeaten this season. The game will take place at Emery Gymnasium at 5:30 p.m.

"We have some things to clean up, but I am confident we will be ready to go on Wednesday, Bullard said. "The Lady Falcons are resilient."

BOX SCORE

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Free Throws Aid Lady Blue Bears Into 78-74 Crucial Win Over Johnson C. Smith

18-0
COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE ATHLETICS

SALISBURY, North Carolina -- Freshman Alexis Fowler sealed the deal with her crucial free-throw at the end of the game to clinch a 78-74 hard-fought win over the Lady Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University.

The 18th ranked Livingstone College women's team are unbelievably still undefeated at 18-0 overall and 9-0 in the conference, while the Lady Golden Bulls drop 15-4 overall and 5-3 in the CIAA.

The overspill of fans poured into New Trent Gym on Saturday witnessing yet another victory for the Lady Blue Bears. Fowler who grabbed the defensive rebound with 7 seconds left in the contest was sent to the free-throw line, hitting 1-2, edging the Blue Bears by four points.

The competition was probably the most seen thus far on the season from the Golden Bulls, giving the Blue Bears a hard-fought battle. The Golden Bulls' Phifer hit 20 points in the game, making the offensive crusade that much tougher.

Amber Curtis and Precious Roberts were both offensively a force with Curtis leading all scorers with 23 points and Roberts barely tagging behind with 22 points.

The Blue Bears were able to defeat the Golden Bulls despite not having leading scorer Kyra Crosby, due to not feeling well before the game.

The Lady Blue Bears went into break with a slight 42-35 deficit, pacing the Golden Bulls for the second half.

Intensity grew after halftime, for the score tied 68-68 due to a couple three-pointers from the Golden Bulls' end with under six minutes left in the contest.

Rebounds and free-throws were the name of the game for the Blue Bears on Saturday.

Although Curtis hit two free throws with just under 10 seconds left to play to send the Lady Blue Bears ahead at 77-73, the Golden Bulls answered with one free throw closing the gap in by just three points with under seven seconds to play.

Fowler had quite the day, as she ended up on the stripe knocking down 1-2, and sealing the deal for the team.

Free-throws were a big contributor in the 77-74 win, as the entire team went 24-29 (82.8 %) from the stripe.

Curtis went a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line and as well hitting 6-12 from the floor. Curtis pulled down six rebounds, and dished out three assists.

Roberts also went a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line, and chipped in three steals, three rebounds and one assist.

York was the third player in double-figures finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds, one block and one steal.

Catch the Lady Blue Bears on the road this Wednesday (Jan. 28) as they face the Falcons of Saint Augustine's University at 5:30 P.M.

For athletic news please visit the website at www.bluebearathletics.com.

Written By: Tenai Staley

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

The Lincoln University Lady Lions Win Third Straight Defeating Virginia Union, 72-64

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Three Lady Lions scored 15 points each in a 72-64 road CIAA victory against Virginia Union University on Saturday, January 24th at Barco-Stevens Hall.

Junior Lisa Saunders (Hampton, VA/Hampton HS) made all three of her attempts from long range and all four of her free-throws. Saunders finished with 15 points and three steals. Freshman Teira Pendleton (Baltimore, MD/Baltimore Poly Institute) and senior Zephrah Pam (Syracuse, NY/Monroe CC) also had 15 points but from the Lady Lions bench as Lincoln outscored the Virginia Union bench 33-15. Pam grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Junior Amani Clark (Middletown, DE/Appoquinimink HS) and senior Courtney Lucas (Washington, DC/Friendship Collegiate Academy) both scored nine points in the Lady Lions road win.

The Lady Lions built a double-digit lead over the Lady Panthers by shooting 51-percent from the field and holding VUU to 37-percent shooting. Lincoln also dominated the paint outscoring Virginia Union 24-14 and holding a 21-16 rebounding advantage. Amani Clark (Middletown, DE/Appoquinimink HS), Courtney Lucas (Washington, DC/Friendship Collegiate Academy), and Teira Pendleton (Baltimore, MD/Baltimore Poly Institute) each scored eight first half points while Lisa Saunders (Hampton, VA/Hampton HS) had six points. The Lady Lions held a 15 point lead at the 3:43 mark and led 42-29 at the half.

Virginia Union opened the second half on a 20-4 run in the first ten minutes of action. The Lady Lions held on to a slight lead until the 11:31 mark when VUU took a 47-46 lead. For the next five minutes of action the Lady Panthers dictated the momentum.

Zephrah Pam (Syracuse, NY/Monroe CC) gave the Lady Lions a 62-57 lead with 3:53 left in regulation. Pam was fouled while scoring a layup and converted on the free-throw. On the ensuing possession, Lisa Saunders (Hampton, VA/Hampton HS) went coast-to-coast after grabbing the rebound and extended the LU lead to 65-57. In the final two minutes of regulation, the Lady Lions built their lead back up to double-digits behind the trio of Teira Pendleton (Baltimore, MD/Baltimore Poly Institute), Lisa Saunders (Hampton, VA/Hampton HS), and Zephrah Pam (Syracuse, NY/Monroe CC). Pam had 11 points with seven rebounds in the half while Saunders and Pendleton scored nine and seven points, respectively. The Lady Lions held on for a 72-64 victory and moved to 14-4 overall with a 6-2 CIAA record.

Virginia Union had three score in double figures led by Lady Walker's double-double 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Lady Lions next game will be on the road at Chowan on Wednesday, January 28th in Murfreesboro, NC.

BOX SCORE

Next Game: at Chowan University  1/28/2015 - 5:30 p.m.

COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Terrell Leach's 27 Points Leads WSSU Rams Past Fayetteville State in 91-84 Road Win

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina – Winston-Salem State got a career night from Terrell Leach, and the Rams had four players in double figures, as WSSU won its fourth game in a row, with a 91-84 road win over the Broncos of Fayetteville State Saturday evening.

With the win, Winston-Salem State University improves is record to 11-5 overall, 5-3 in the CIAA and 3-0 in the Southern Division. Fayetteville State falls to 10-9 overall, 4-5 in the CIAA and 1-2 in the Southern Division.

WSSU started the game on fire – check that, Terrell Leach started the game on fire, as the redshirt-freshman outscored the Broncos early 9-0, to put the Rams out in front early, and they never looked back from the opening tip.

The Rams quickly jump out to 11 point advantage, but Fayetteville state would battle back to cu the lead down to two points, 31-33 with 6:45 before the half.

Winston-Salem State would regroup and would finish off the half on a 16-7 run, to take an 11 point lead, 49-38, into the locker room at halftime.

The second half would turn out to be a carbon copy of the first half, as WSSU would keep the pressure of the "Shock and Awe" style of pressure basketball from the Rams would keep them out in front through the early moments of the half.

But just like the first half, the Broncos had some fight left in them, and would use a 17-0 run of their own to cut into the WSSU lead, and trim it too three points, 62-59 with 12:38 left to play.

The WSSU Rams however, would not let this slip away, and buckled down on both ends of the floor, and would not let the Broncos get any closer, outscoring Fayetteville State 29-25 over the final 10 minutes to take the 91-84, key Southern Division contest.

WSSU outscored FSU 3-22 in points in the paint, and 22-15 in points off of turnovers. The Rams also held slight advantages in second chance points (10-9) and fast break points (8-2).

Terrell Leach had a monster night in leading the Rams, as he scored a game-high 27 points, connecting on eight of 15 three point shots, while also picking up two assists and two steals. WyKevin Bazemore broke out of his slump, by scoring 20 points, grabbing eight rebounds to go with up two assists and two steals. Donta Harper continued his superior play of late, with 17 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Marquez jones added 14 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal, while Javan Wells chipped in seven points, two assists and a steal.

Joshua Dawson paced the Broncos with 24 points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals, while Devin Thompson added 16 points and five rebounds. Anthony Shelton chipped in 14 points and two steals and Torian Showers scored 13 points and pulled down five rebounds.

Winston-Salem State University will travel to Charlotte, NC on Wednesday, as the Rams will take on the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith in Brayboy Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 7:30 pm.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

VSU Trojans Maintain Perfect CIAA Northern Division Record

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina -- The Trojan men's basketball team jumps to a perfect 4-0 CIAA Northern Division record after defeating the Elizabeth City State University Vikings on January 24 with a final score of 67-52.

VSU shot 49.0 percent (25-51) from the field, 31.3 percent (5-16) from behind the arc and 70.6 percent (12.17) from the free throw line.

Taking the wheel for the Trojans was senior Tyrece Little with 15 points while collecting 4 rebounds. Rookie Tyler Peterson was not too far behind with 13 points and 4 assists. Junior Ken Pankey stepped in with 11 points for the team.

The scoring remained close in the beginning of the first half as the Trojans fought to keep the Vikings down. After a tied game with 6:04 left in the half, VSU's persistence paid off with them taking the lead and never looking back. A shot from behind the arc by Pankey gave the Trojans an edge going into halftime with a score of 28-23.

VSU continued to overpower the ECSU in the second half with no ties or lead changes. Peterson had two great free throw shots, putting the Trojans at a 20 point lead with 3:20 left in the game. The Vikings attempted to rally back at the 2 minute mark, but fell short. VSU took the win, 67-52.

The Trojans shot 24 points from inside the paint and secured 23 points off of Viking turnovers.

VSU will be traveling to Bowie State University on Wednesday, January 28 to take on the Bulldogs. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

For more information on the VSU men's basketball team, visit www.govsutrojans.com.

Box Score

COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Julian Livingston’s Three-Pointer Lifts #4 Bowie State to 58-57 Road Win at Chowan

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina – Junior Julian Livingston (Bowie, Md.) drilled a nothing but net three-pointer from the top of the key with one second remaining to lift #4 Bowie State University to a 58-57 come-from-behind victory at Chowan University. With the victory, Bowie State improves to 16-5 overall, 8-1 in conference play and 3-0 in the North.

Junior Justin Beck led the way for the Bulldogs with a team-high 12 points and 11 rebounds. Beck's 11 rebounds tied his career-high. Livingston scored 11 points, tying his career-high, on 3-of-7 shooting from the field that included 3-of-5 behind the 3-point line and also contributed five rebounds and a personal season-best two blocked shots.

Chowan (10-8, 4-5 CIAA, 1-2 North) had three players score in double-digits with Josh Mellette pacing the Hawks with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and added five rebounds and a game-high five blocked shots. Mark Anthony Buright and Warren Powers tallied 12 and 11 points respectively for the Hawks.

Powers opened the contest with a basket for the Hawks which led to an 8-0 run for Chowan. Bowie State battled back to pull within two points at the 13:57 mark before a three-pointer by freshman Dayshawn Wells (Baltimore, Md.) handed the Bulldogs their first lead of the contest. The first half featured six lead changes before the Hawks came out on top with a 23-20 lead heading into halftime.

Chowan held on to the momentum through the majority of the second half. The Hawks maintained the lead on all but one occasion and overcame four tied scores until the final minutes of the contest.

Chowan led by as many as seven points with 5:45 on the clock and maintained a six point lead (50-44) with 4:55 remaining in the contest. A three-pointer by senior Cameron Knox (Baltimore, Md.) at the 2:10 mark capped a 9-2 run for the Bulldogs and gave Bowie State a 53-52 lead. Chowan answered with a 5-0 run of their own for a 57-53 advantage with 14 seconds left in the game.

Two made free throws by Bowie State senior Zafir Williams (Philadelphia, Pa.) made it a two-point game. After a 30-second time out by the Bulldogs, a jump ball call restored possession to Bowie State. Following another quick time out by Bowie State, Livingston drilled a three-pointer as time expired to give the Bulldogs the 58-57 victory.

Bowie State returns to the hardwood on Wednesday (January 28th), hosting the Northern Division leading Virginia State University. Game time for the Bulldogs and Trojans is 8 pm in BSU's A.C. Jordan Arena.

Box Score 

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Livingstone Blue Bears Grind Out 93-81Win Over Johnson C. Smith University

Salisbury, North Carolina -- Hakeem Jackson had a game-high 27 points leading the offensive surge, followed by Eric Mayo with 18 points, as the Blue Bears outlasted the Golden Bulls for a 93-81 victory Saturday (Jan. 24) inside New Trent Gym.

The game started off as a close one, and remained that way for majority of the first half until the Blue Bears kicked into gear leading by as much as 20 points at the 5:00 mark. But a couple of three-pointers and easy lay-ins by the Golden Bulls' leading scorer Stedmon Lemon, helped cut the Blue Bears' deficit to nine, to a score of 49-40 heading into halftime.

After the break, the Golden Bulls tried to hang tough, but the Blue Bears were unstoppable knocking down shot-after-shot and tearing through the Bulls' defense.

The Blue Bears led in double-digits numerous times throughout the second half, but the Golden Bulls would tease a competition scare coming in as close as eight points, but it wasn't before long that the Blue Bears' offensive flows began to take over.

Impressive plays by Robert Flint, Eric Mayo and the impressive dunk by Eric Dubose all helped stretched the lead throughout the closing of the second half, giving the Golden Bulls no hope for return on the 93-81 win.

The Blue Bears shot a blazing 53.8 % over the Golden Bulls' 35.1 % from the floor.

The Blue Bears out-rebounded the defender 50/43 and forced 12 turnovers.

Jackson finished with an incredible double-double, 27 points and 14 rebounds (7 off, 7 def).

Jackson added three blocks and one assist.

Consistent contributor Eric Mayo was the only other player in double figures with 18 points and pulling down nine rebounds (1 off, 8 def).

The Blue Bears advance 12-6 overall and 6-3 in the CIAA, while the Golden Bulls drop 9-11 overall and 3-6 in the Conference.

The Blue Bears will hit the road to face the Falcons of Saint Augustine's University this Wednesday (Jan. 28) at 7:30 P.M.

For athletic news please visit the website at www.bluebearathletics.com.

Written By: Tenai Staley

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

13th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Showcase

ATLANTA, Georgia (Jan. 24, 2015) -- The Georgia Dome was the site of Saturday’s annual Honda Battle of the Bands, featuring the marching bands from eight historically black colleges and universities.

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NCCU Holds Off Coppin State for 30th Straight Win at Home

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- In a matchup that had 13 lead changes and 12 ties, North Carolina Central University needed a basket in the closing seconds and one last defensive stand to hold off Coppin State University for a 79-77 victory on Saturday, as the host Eagles escaped McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium with their 30th straight win at home.

Trailing by two points with less than a minute-and-a-half left, NCCU senior forward Jordan Parks tied the game at 77-77 with a layup off a pass by point guard Nimrod Hilliard with 1:18 remaining.

Parks then used his athleticism to reject a shot attempt by the visiting Eagles to keep the score even and provide NCCU with possession.

After a timeout, NCCU senior forward Karamo Jawara missed a shot, but Parks was there to clean it up, giving NCCU a 79-77 lead with 11 seconds left.



Following another timeout, CSU guard Taariq Cephas, who finished with 10 points and 12 assists, drove to the basket and passed the ball back outside to teammate Christian Kessee for an open look at the potential game-winning three-pointer. Kessee, who had already drained three from long distance as part of his team-high 19 points, missed the mark and it was Parks that secured the rebound and the win for NCCU as the buzzer sounded.

Parks wrapped up a productive afternoon with game-highs of 25 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. Jawara also recorded a double-double, the first of his career, with 15 points and 10 boards. Dante Holmes contributed 19 points for NCCU, including 13 points in the first half to keep the host Eagles close, trailing 41-38 at intermission.

NCCU (15-5, 7-0 MEAC) has won its last nine games, and has beaten 25 consecutive teams from the MEAC. Coppin State (2-17, 1-5 MEAC) has lost all 14 road games this season.

Up next, NCCU hosts Delaware State on Monday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m., televised live on ESPNU.

BOX SCORE 

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU's Trail Continues Quest for Pros with Senior Bowl Appearance

MOBILE, Alabama  –  Norfolk State linebacker Lynden Trail continues his quest to reach the ranks of professional football, a quest which continued Saturday when he became the first Spartan to ever participate in the Senior Bowl.

The 66th version of college football's most prestigious all-star game took place Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Trail was credited with a solo tackle for the South, which lost 34-13 to the North squad.

Trail displayed some of the versatility Saturday that made him a hit during the week of practices leading up to the game. He lined up at defensive end, outside linebacker and inside linebacker during the game and also played special teams. Trail nearly came up with a sack in the second quarter and recorded a solo tackle in the third.


Trail at 5:05 mark

Trail also took some reps at tight end during the three days of practice during the week, drawing praise from many draft analysts and media who covered the event. Trail was featured during the week by the Florida Times-Union, NFL.com, the Baltimore Sun and the Virginian-Pilot.

Next up for Trail will be the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., from Feb. 17-23. He will perform position-specific drills in addition to the normal speed, strength and agility tests in front of all 32 NFL teams. He will also have a chance to interview with NFL team personnel during the event. Trail is the first Spartan to be invited to the combine since 2009, when defensive back Don Carey, now with the Detroit Lions, participated.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Governance Matters -- Confronting harsh realities: black colleges and their future

Dr. Alvin J. Schexnider is a former chancellor of Winston-Salem State University and former interim president of Norfolk State University. He is an AGB Senior Fellow and the author of “Saving Black Colleges” (Palgrave Macmillan 2013). Contact him at ASchexnider@agb.org.

RICHMOND, Virginia  -- For reasons both personal and professional, I have refused to weigh in on events swirling around two of Virginia’s tax-supported institutions. Full disclosure: I served on the Board of Visitors of Virginia State University in the 1980s and I was interim president of Norfolk State University in 2005-2006. The wise former president keeps a low profile and takes a vow of silence, particularly on matters regarding his former institution.

As someone who spent more than four decades in the academy and is a product of one of this country’s more than 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, I am compelled to speak.

Consequential Boards: Adding Value Where It Matters Most (.pdf)

Whether public or independent, HBCUs face an uncertain future. Ironically, 60 years after Brown v. Board of Education our public schools are now re-segregated while the majority of African-American students attend white colleges and universities. Today, 11 percent of black students attend HBCUs. From Maryland to Louisiana, every state save North Carolina enrolls more than 60 percent of its black students in a majority-white public four-year university. In Florida, 90 percent of African-American students attend a majority-white university.

HBCUs struggle to maintain market share in this competitive environment. Even in an era of increasing tuition costs, public universities, for-profit colleges, online universities and community colleges are attractive to African-American students. 

CONTINUE READING 

FAMU's Robinson: ‘Student-athletes need to see the support’

"It’s about FAMU”

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Earl D’Wayne Robinson has been at the helm of Florida A&M’s athletic department for about two weeks and already has a grip on where the program is.

More importantly, he has a sense of where the program needs to go in order for it to survive.

Robinson knows it’ll take about $2.5 million to renovate the Field House — he said a plan is in the works to begin fundraising. He eventually wants to renovate the Bragg Memorial Stadium. Changes to the baseball field and other facilities will come in the future, he said.

First, he wants to bring together the fans, alumni and supporters of FAMU athletics. It’s a key part of his vision, and he said he believes the rest will fall into place once everyone affiliated with the university is moving in the same direction.

“We have earned the right to say we’re great,” Robinson said.

CONTINUE READING

XU's Wright makes six 3's in victory at Edward Waters

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- Junior guard Morris Wright made a career-high six 3-pointers Saturday, leading NAIA No. 20 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 61-50 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Edward Waters.

Wright scored 20 points, and the Gold Rush (15-6, 4-1) won its fourth in a row, all in conference.

"Mo hit some shots early and kept on going," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "Collectively, we played well on the road, and I was happy to see our guys do that."

Wright was 6-of-7 from behind the arc -- 4-of-5 in the first half -- and became the ninth Gold Rush player to make six or more treys. He's the first to do it since Renard Smith made six at home against Tougaloo on Jan. 12, 2013. The Gold Rush record for single-game 3-pointers is eight, set by Percy Bland in 1989 and tied by Mark Stewart in 2008.

Wright missed a 3-pointer on Xavier's first possession, then made his final six attempts. His last trey at 13:46 of the second half gave Xavier its largest lead, 44-22.

After a tie and two lead changes, Xavier took the lead for good, 10-9, on Troy Salvant's basket at 12:13. But the Gold Rush did not gain separation until a 12-0 run in the final 3:15 of the first half, including Wright 3-pointers at 1:22 and 0:47.

"That was a real special moment for Mo," said Jackson, whose team led 36-18 at halftime.

Sydney Coleman, with 12 points, was Xavier's only other double-figure scorer. But Jackson got points from all 10 players he used.

Dontay Sheppard scored 19 points for the Tigers (10-9, 1-5), and Charles-Eddie Smith made four 3-pointers and scored 12 points. Nathaniel Hill -- the reigning GCAC Player of the Week and averaging 13.7 points and 16.3 rebounds the previous three games -- had six points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 5:31 remaining.

"Hill is a very good player," Jackson said. "We went at him, tested him, and we were lucky to get calls on the road. Our post guys did a great job catching the ball and attacking inside."

Xavier outshot the Tigers 41.5 to 39.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 34-27. The Gold Rush dominated at the line, making 21-of-26 to the Tigers' 5-of-9. It's the sixth time in seven road games this season that Xavier made more free throws than its opponent.

Coleman led the Rush with six rebounds and had two assists and two blocks. The blocks were his first in 10 games.

Xavier will stay on the road and travel to Denmark, S.C., for a GCAC game against Voorhees at 7:30 p.m. EST Monday.

NOTES: This is Xavier's second four-game win streak this season . . . Xavier is 6-0 against Edward Waters since the Tigers joined the GCAC in the summer of 2010 and 8-2 all-time . . . Xavier is 126-of-300, 42 percent, from 3-point range this season. Through 21 games last season, the Gold Rush were 88-of-253, 34.8 percent . . . Xavier has made 45.7 percent of its 3's on the road this season . . . Wright made 8-of-9 3-pointers the last two games.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 

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Lady Rattlers Down Howard Bison 65-51 To Snap Skid

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers (5-13, 2-4 MEAC) snapped a six game losing skid with an impressive 65-51 victory over the Bison of Howard University (2-16, 2-3 MEAC), tonight on Student Organization Night at the Al Lawson Center.

Head coach LeDawn Gibson was pleased to get back on the win side.  “It’s good to get a win.  No matter what coaching we try to do, it helps to keep the ladies focused by getting a win.  We needed this for our confidence and we need it to build as we are moving toward the MEAC tournament,” Gibson said.

Olivia Antilla, led the Rattlers with 19 points.  Freshman Shalaunda Burney-Robinson scored a season-high 11 points and Alicia Jones scored 10.

In the first half, the Lady Rattlers were led by a spark from senior Jaleesa Blue who played big on the boards.  Blue pulled down four rebounds and a blocked shot to lead the Lady Rattlers from the defensive front.

Antilla lit up the Bison for 12 first half points on five-of-six shooting from the field, going two-for-three from the three point arc.  Dawn King added six first half points to power the Lady Rattlers to an 18-point lead at the break.

For the first half, the Lady Rattlers shot 53.3 percent from the field, while limiting the Bison to 28.6 percent.  While the Bison struggled from the three-point line with 16.7 percent success, FAMU lit it up at a 50 percent clip.

The Lady Rattlers got a team effort with three freshman forwards and centers playing significant time and making their most productive outputs of the season.  Burney-Robinson pulled down eight rebounds for the game with Antilla, Jones and Khadejra Young grabbing five rebounds each.

FAMU shot 51.9 percent from the field for the game and 45.5 percent from the three point line.  FAMU managed to win with 25 turnovers on the day.

The Bison were led by Syndi Johnson with 18 points for the game.  Cheyenne Brown scored 12 points, while Victoria Gonzales rounded the double figure scorers with 11.

The Lady Rattlers will take on the Hawks of UMES on Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the Al Lawson Center.

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Paine Lions Continue Hot Streak with Win Over ASU Golden Rams, 110-79

AUGUSTA, Georgia – The Paine College Lions men's basketball team continues their reign atop the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by defeating Albany State on Saturday, 110-79. The win is the 12th straight for the Lions and ninth straight in conference.
 
With the win, Paine improves their record to 12-3 overall and 9-0 in SIAC play. The Golden Rams drop to 6-10 on the season and 2-6 in league play.
 
Arnis Libazs dominated on both ends of the court for the Lions despite having four fouls. He finished the game with a double double of 30 points and 12 rebounds.Denzel Dillingham followed him with 22 points and six rebounds. Patrick Petty led the Lion in assists for the second game in a row with 11. Dillingham, Arnold Okechukwu, and Takija Knight each had a block for the night. Petty, Jordan Banks, and Jeremiah West finished the night with two steals each.
 
As a team, Paine finished the game with 42 rebounds, 27 assists, 12 steals, and three blocks. The team was 65.5 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from the arc, and 61.9 percent from the free throw line.
 
Davetom Odom led Albany State with 18 points. The leading rebounder was Demetri Wheeler with eight. Wheeler also led the team in assists with four and steals with two. Earl Farnum accounted for the lone block of the night for the Golden Rams.
 
Albany State finished the game with 32 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, and one block. As a team, the Golden Rams were 45.6 percent from the field, 26.3 percent from the arc, and 42.9 percent from the free throw line.
 
Paine takes their show on the road on Monday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. as they face Clark Atlanta.
 
For complete coverage of Paine College Lions basketball, please follow @PaineAthletics on Twitter and Paine Athletics on Facebook. You can also find up-to-date information on all things Paine Athletics at www.paineathletics.com.

BOX SCORE 

Next Game: at Clark Atlanta University 1/26/2015 - 8:00 PM

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SSU women end Hampton's MEAC streak

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- You never want to be caught thinking about March in January, but …

“If we play like we did against Florida and Hampton, I think we can win the MEAC,” Savannah State women’s center Tiyonda Davis said.

The Tigers’ 61-55 victory over the Hampton Pirates on Saturday afternoon was the latest signature win for a program that deserves to be in the early conversation of conference contenders.

SSU (9-9, 4-2 MEAC) built a lead midway through the first half and staved off the Pirates’ desperation comeback attempt to snap Hampton’s 54-game conference winning streak.

Hampton (9-10, 5-1 MEAC) last lost to Coppin State 69-66 in overtime on Jan. 28, 2012. The Pirates have won five straight MEAC championships.

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Norfolk State Post Victory Over S.C. State Bulldogs In MEAC Play

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The South Carolina State Bulldogs dropped a tough, 76-63, defeat to the Spartans of Norfolk State Saturday (Jan.24) in Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) play at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

The Bulldogs fall to 6-15 overall, 4-3 in the MEAC, while the Spartans improve to 13-9, 6-1 in the league.

Freshman guard Edward Stephens paced South Carolina State with a team-high 16 points, while sophomore guard Karon Wright added 14.

NSU had four players in double figures with junior guard Jeff Short leading the way with 20 points and seven rebounds.  Senior forward Rashid Gaston posted the games only double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.  D'Shon Taylor and Malik Thomas each tossed in 16 in the win.

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs forced 22 turnovers but only shot 32.8 % (22-of-67) from the field, 22.2 % (6-of-27) from three-point range and 48.1% (13-of-27) from the free-throw line.

SC State returns to action on Monday against the Pirates of Hampton University in a pivotal MEAC doubleheader with the women beginning at 5:30 p.m., and the men following immediately afterwards in a 7:30 p.m. start.

For more information on South Carolina State University basketball, please call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060, or visit the official Bulldogs website at www.scsuathletics.com



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ASU hoops: Men stay unbeaten in SWAC play

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State junior Jamel Waters finished with a game-high 14 points and dished out four assists as the Hornets got an 84-60 win over Alcorn State on Saturday at the Acadome.

The Hornets (10-5, 6-0 SWAC) are off to their best conference start since the 2002-03 season, when the Hornets won their first seven conference games.

Alabama State, known for slow shooting starts this season, shot 45.7 percent from the field in building a 43-26 halftime lead. ASU ended the first half on a 12-2 run.

“It’s really important for us to play a complete game,” Waters said. “We know we play good defense. It was good to keep the pressure on them and off of us.”

Alabama State head coach Lewis Jackson said his team has been trying to get the offense going early.

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Nuggets bounce back, never trail in GCAC road victory

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  -- Xavier University of Louisiana got career highs of 14 points from Donyeah Mayfield and 13 points from Alesha Smith in a 63-57 women's basketball victory Saturday at Edward Waters.

The Gold Nuggets (11-10, 4-1 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) bounced back from a 30-point home loss to GCAC leader SUNO and moved into second place after SUNO defeated Philander Smith 80-67.

Mayfield, starting for the first time in eight games, was 7-of-10 from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds in 20 minutes. For the first time this season, she did not commit a turnover.

Smith, who matched her career scoring best, produced seven of her 11 first-half points in a 12-0 Xavier run to open the game. The Gold Nuggets never trailed and led for 38 1/2 minutes, including the final 24:56.

Also in double figures for Xavier was Whitney Gathright, who scored 14 points and made three 3-pointers. Her final trey ended the scoring with 22 seconds remaining and made her the seventh Gold Nugget to reach 100 3-pointers in a career.

Kyeshia Dawkins scored 14 points, Amber Antoine 13 and Britany Rowell 12 for the Lady Tigers (12-9, 1-5). Antoine grabbed 10 rebounds.

Edward Waters tied the score three times after its early deficit. Xavier went ahead to stay, 24-21, on a Trana Hopkins 3-pointer at 4:56 of the first half. Two Gathright free throws gave Xavier a 33-24 halftime lead, and the Nuggets held their biggest advantage, 42-26, after Mayfield's basket with 16:22 remaining.

Edward Waters cut Xavier's lead to 58-57 on Antoine's 3-point play with 2:33 remaining, but the Lady Tigers failed to score on their final four possessions. Gathright passed to Briggs for a basket which gave Xavier a 60-57 lead with 2:02 remaining.

Edward Waters outshot Xavier 38.2 to 35 percent from the floor. The Nuggets, led by Emoni Harvey's nine rebounds, won the boards 42-35. Xavier made 10-of-10 first-half free throws and finished 14-of-17.

Harvey and Gathright had five assists apiece, and Harvey matched her career high.

Xavier made 7-of-13 3-pointers after going a combined 0-of-9 the previous two games. Hopkins made two, and Taylor Norman's first-half trey was her first field goal of the season. This was Norman's fourth game after missing the first 17 because of a ruptured right achilles tendon.

Xavier will stay on the road and travel to Denmark, S.C., for a GCAC game against Voorhees at 5:30 p.m. EST Monday.

NOTES: Before Gathright, the last Gold Nugget to reach 100 career 3-pointers was Jasmine Grant on Feb. 25, 2010 . . . Xavier is 10-0 all-time against Edward Waters . . . They'll meet again Feb. 2 in the Nuggets' next home game . . . Harvey, a 5-foot-6 junior guard, leads Xavier with 42 rebounds in five conference games. Last season she grabbed 34 rebounds in 11 GCAC games . . . Xavier won both its GCAC road games this season and 29 of its last 34.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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TSU Tiger Softball Caps Off First Week With Winter Futures Camp

COURTESY: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tiger softball team closed out the first week of practice by hosting the Winter Futures Camp. The one day event was attended by 85 middle school-to-high school aged athletes from 10 states, stretching from California to Massachusetts.

“I am pleased with the turnout,” said head coach Tom Opdenbrouw. “It is great to have that many athletes and their parents visit our campus and participate in our first camp.”

The Tigers returned to the field for practices on Wednesday and Thursday, but were pushed indoors on Friday due to the weather in the Nashville area. The team joined the TSU coaching staff in guiding the campers on Saturday where they covered all facets of the game.

The Tigers return to practice on Monday after a day off on Sunday. TSU is 12 days away from the season opener on Feb. 6 in Lafayette, La.



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Ricky Johnson scores 24, but B-CU falls short to UMES, 74-70

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- — Maryland Eastern Shore coach Bobby Collins was not happy with his team's free-throw shooting down the stretch. But the Hawks hit enough to withstand Bethune-Cookman's late rally.

Brandon Stewart hit a long 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to pull B-CU to within two points, but Devin Martin broke the Wildcats' press and dunked with 8 seconds to go to give Eastern Shore a 74-70 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory Saturday at Moore Gymnasium.

“If we didn't get the steal, we wanted to foul them right away, but they threw it real quick, and then another quick pass got them the dunk,” B-CU coach Gravelle Craig said. “We've played some of the top teams in the MEAC real tough, but we have to get over the top.”

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WSSU’s Covington named All-America

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina --Defensive lineman Duvontae Covington of Winston-Salem State, the CIAA’s defensive player of the year, was named to the SBN Sports Black College All-America Team.

Covington (6-2 and 285 pounds), who is from Greensboro, tied for second in tackles for the Rams with 52. He had one sack and 6.5 tackles for losses with one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles.

Covington, whose father, Richard Hayes, was co-defensive coordinator for the Rams last season, has also been invited to a regional combine at the Baltimore Ravens’ practice facility at the end of February.

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Delaware State, Delaware to Resume Football Series for Four Games in 2016-2020

NEWARK, Delaware -- The football series between the State of Delaware’s lone NCAA Division I programs will continue. 

University of Delaware Director of Athletics and Recreation Services Eric Ziady and Delaware State University Director of Athletics Candy Young announced jointly today that the schools have reached an agreement to meet on the gridiron four times between the 2016 and 2020 seasons.

The four games, which will all be played at the University of Delaware’s 22,000-seat Delaware Stadium, are scheduled to take place on Sept. 3, 2016, Sept. 2, 2017, Sept. 7, 2019, and Sept. 12, 2020.

“We are excited to announce this agreement between Delaware and Delaware State to continue this football series,” said Ziady. “This game is important for the State of Delaware. The fans, players, and coaches from both schools look forward to this game each year and I’m thrilled that we were able to work out the dates so that it works well for both parties. All of us at UD look forward to working with Candy and her staff to help build excitement around the series and provide a great college football environment that all of Delaware can enjoy.”

“We are excited to resume the in-state competition,” said DSU’s Young. “We look forward to the fans supporting these great events.”

The Blue Hens and Hornets have met six times previously for the First State Cup, beginning with the first meeting in 2007 when Delaware posted a 44-7 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Division I FCS Tournament.

Delaware has won all six previous meetings, including a 27-9 victory this past Sept. 7. No game is scheduled for the 2015 season but the series will resume in 2016.

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