Funeral for Coach James Wright is Wednesday in Birmingham

OBITUARY: James Wright

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Funeral arrangements are set for Coach James Wright, assistant men's basketball coach at Alabama A&M.

Services will be noon Wednesday at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 1329 Avenue G in Birmingham.

Coach Wright died last Wednesday at home. He was 46.

The popular coach was in his fourth year as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs.

He came to The Hill from the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Before that, he was an assistant at the University of West Alabama where then-Athletic Director E.J. Brophy nicknamed him "The Recruiting Machine."

Wright also served as the coach, president and general manager of the AAU basketball team Rise & Shine from 1993-2004.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Despite rough final few minutes, Southern women hold off Alabama State 53-49

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — The Southern women’s basketball team seemed to be rolling toward its fifth consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference victory.

The Jaguars led Alabama State by double figures for nearly all of the first 34 minutes, but then everything changed. They started missing shots and turning the ball over, and they watched their lead shrink to a point.

But two free throws by Britney Washington and two big defensive plays by Jasmine Jefferson saved the day in the final minute as Southern beat the Lady Hornets 53-49 on Monday night in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

The Jaguars, 8-10 and 6-2 in the SWAC, visit Alcorn State on Saturday. ASU fell to 8-9 and 4-3.

“I thought we played solid basketball for about 28 minutes, then we just lost focus,” Southern coach Sandy Pugh said. “We made a lot of mental mistakes, especially on defense. It was a lot of little things.”

CONTINUE READING

Southern falls to Alabama State 63-59 in OT

HEAD COACH ROMAN BANKS
SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Southern men’s basketball coach Roman Banks and his staff lingered in the hallway outside the visitors locker room after the game Monday night in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

Banks was trying to find the right words with which to address his team after a 63-59 overtime loss to Alabama State that determined first place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

It was a game in which the Jaguars led by as many as 17 points in the first half, had a chance for a tie-breaking score in the waning seconds of the second half, and thought they had secured possession for a possible tying or winning basket at the end of overtime only to see the officials rule a held ball that went the Hornets way rather than a Jaguars timeout.

“You want to calm down and make sue that you say the right things,” Banks said. “They didn’t intentionally miss a shot or intentionally throw a bad pass. We were a little inconsistent offensively, but other than that, we played a pretty good ballgame.”

CONTINUE READING

Coleman, defense deliver for XU in victory at Voorhees

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUSIANA MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM 2014-15
ROSTER
COACHES

DENMARK, South Carolina -- Sydney Coleman had 17 points and eight rebounds Monday, and NAIA No. 20 Xavier University of Louisiana produced its best field-goal defense of the season in a 73-59 men's basketball victory against Voorhees.

The Gold Rush (16-6, 5-1) have a season-high five-game win streak and won on the road for the second time in three days.

Coleman, an All-GCAC forward last year, was 6-of-9 from the floor and 5-of-7 from the line. It was the 10th time this season he scored in double figures.

Xavier is 4-0 this season when Coleman leads the team in scoring.

The Gold Rush limited the Tigers (8-10, 1-4) to 29.3 percent from the floor, 21.9 percent in the second half. Voorhees was 0-of-8 on 3-pointers after making 2-of-10 in the first half.

RJ Daniels, in his best performance for Xavier since Nov. 14, had 12 points and nine rebounds. Anthony Goode scored 12 points, and Morris Wright and Jarvis Thibodeaux had nine points apiece. Thibodeaux grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, six offensive, to reach double figures for the fifth time this season.

Jerrod Brown had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Voorhees -- he made 14-of-16 free throws -- and Greg Henry had 12 points and seven rebounds.

For the sixth time this season, Xavier won after trailing at halftime. Voorhees led 31-28 at the break, but the Gold Rush rallied to lead by double digits midway through the second half. Wright's layup gave Xavier a 52-40 advantage with 10:48 remaining.

It was Xavier's eighth double-digit victory of the season and second in conference. The score was the same as the Xavier-at-Voorhees women's game played prior to the men.

Xavier shot 41.5 percent from the floor, 46.4 percent in the second half, and outrebounded Voorhees 40-33. Both teams committed 29 fouls, with Xavier making 25-of-32 free throws to the Tigers' 23-of-32.

Thibodeaux made 7-of-8 free throws, and Goode made 4-of-4. Goode, who ranked sixth in free-throw accuracy in NAIA Division I entering the game, has made 66-of-75 (88 percent) this season.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Nuggets win at Voorhees in 3rd straight road victory

DENMARK, South Carolina -- Alesha Smith's career-high 15 points and Vinnie Briggs' 14 points and 10 rebounds carried Xavier University of Louisiana to a 73-59 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory Monday against Voorhees.

The Gold Nuggets (12-10, 5-1) won for the fourth time in five games and earned their third consecutive road victory.

Smith also had two assists, two steals and no turnovers in her second consecutive career-high scoring performance. Briggs recorded her team-leading second double-double and Xavier's fourth of the season.

Donyeah Mayfield had eight points and nine rebounds for the Gold Nuggets, and Daylin Boatner scored eight. Kelsey Joseph had a career-high six steals, four in the first half.

Xavier trailed 12-4 through five minutes before taking control with a 19-7 run. The Gold Nuggets led 39-32 at halftime.

Keosha Hardaway had 21 points and eight rebounds for Voorhees (4-13, 0-5), and Kritofia Smart scored 12.

Voorhees outshot Xavier 39.1 to 35.1 percent from the floor. The Gold Nuggets outrebounded the Lady Tigers 43-40 and gained 26 turnovers, 15 by steals. Xavier committed one first-half turnover and finished with a season-best-tying seven.

Both teams struggled at the line despite plenty of opportunities. Xavier made 16-of-34 free throws -- a season-worst 47.1 percent -- and Voorhees made 21-of-34.

It was Xavier's seventh double-digit victory of the season and their third in conference. The Gold Nuggets climbed two victories above .500 for the first time since Dec. 17.

Xavier will visit city rival Dillard at 3 p.m. Saturday. The next XU home game will start at 5:30 p.m. next Monday against Edward Waters.

Box score

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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Impending Weather Halts ESPNU Broadcast Tonight: PVAMU vs. UAPB

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Prairie View A&M at Arkansas Pine-Bluff game – scheduled to air tonight at 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU – will no longer be televised due to the impending snowstorm set to hit the Northeast on Monday night. The game was to be called by Mark Brown and Mo Cassara from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. headquarters – one of 45 games this season supplementing its on-site event presence with production support originating at ESPN. The game is still scheduled to be played locally.

The next Southwestern Athletic Conference game to be broadcast on ESPNU will be the Alabama A&M at Texas Southern men’s game next Monday, February 2 at 8 p.m. CT.

Prairie View will be broadcast next on the SWAC Digital Network Saturday, February 7 at Texas Southern.  The doubleheader with the women is set for a 5:30 p.m. CT tipoff.  Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s next broadcast is Monday, Feb. 16 on the SWAC Digital Network beginning at 5:30 p.m CT. The Golden Lions will face Alcorn State.

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

Monroe Walker Hired as Head Tennis Coach at TSU

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State Director of Athletics Teresa Phillips announced the hiring Monroe Walker to the position of head men’s and women’s tennis coach, Monday.

“I am pleased to announce the hiring of Monroe Walker to lead our tennis programs here at Tennessee State,” Phillips said. “He has already achieved success in his time as a head coach, and we look forward to him continuing to grow while building our men’s and women’s teams.”

Walker last coached as the head men’s and women’s coach at Graceland University (2011-15). Prior to that stint, Walker served a graduate assistant at TSU.

“I am very excited to come back to Tennessee State where I received my Master’s Degree,” Walker said. “I have learned a lot since then, so I am looking forward to building this program up and allow players to succeed on and off the court.”

He earned three consecutive HAAC titles for the Graceland men's team. He also has hosted the ITA Fall Regional (2013, 2014) and HAAC Conference Tournament in his final year with the program.

In 2014, Walker led both the men's and women's team to the HAAC Conference titles and automatic berths into the National Tournament - a program first for Graceland. The men's and women's team both won a round at the National Tournament. It was the first time in Graceland women's history to win a match at Nationals.

Individually, Walker aided Birkir Gunnarrsson to a berth in the National Tournament. Walker also helped 3 student athletes earn ITA All-American accolades including Birkir Gunnarsson who finished as the No. 11 ranked single.

As a high school player, Walker was top-five athlete in the state of Tennessee and a top-50 player in the Southern section in addition to being a Billie Jean King National Tournament participant.

Out of high school, Walker signed to play college tennis at Xavier University (La.). At Xavier, he earned doubles conference champion as a freshman and finished in the top 50 in the NAIA single's rankings.

Additionally, he won freshman of the year and the conference championship his senior year. Walker won over 100 matches in singles and doubles while at Xavier.

Walker graduated from Xavier University with his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Management before finishing his graduate degree at Tennessee State University in Sports Administration.

Walker's hobbies include working out, sports, movies and listening to music.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

No.17 Wiley College hands No.5 Langston University First Loss

MARSHALL, Texas -- No. 17 Wiley College (Texas) Women’s Basketball team is now Langston University’s (Okla.) first loss of the season beating the Lions, 85-76, in a nail-biting back-and-forth match. With the victory, the Lady Wildcats move to an overall record of 13-2, 8-2 in the Red River Athletic Conference.

From the beginning, the Lady Wildcats knew that they were going to have to play a fast paced game to be able to keep up with the Lions and their quick plays. The squad was going to have to play as a team and everyone would have to play their part on the court in order to come out on top.

“I am very happy that we won,” says Head Coach Courtney Pruitt. “But I do know we still have a long way to go. We are very capable of being a very good team but we just have to play up to our full potential. We had some players really step up their game tonight and showed that they can be great leaders to this team.”

The Lady Wildcats did have a hard time slowing down Lynette Holmes, who finished the game with a double-double scoring 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Senior Tyeka Ranton lead the team with 22 points, five rebounds and four assists along with junior Ri’Kell McWright who was not far behind with 19 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.

In hopes of making their third NAIA National Tournament appearance, the Lady Wildcats still have to battle through the rest of their season now having to hit the road and play No. 15 Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas) and No. 5 Langston University on their home court.

By Antonya Pharr, Sports Information Director
COURTESY WILEY COLLEGE WILDCATS SPORTS INFORMATION

NOTE: Langston University first year Coach Cheryl Miller's Lions are 17-1, ranked #5 in NAIA and tied for 1st place in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC).  So far, Miller has signature wins over NAIA #1 ranked Oklahoma City University and #15 Our Lady of the Lake University.

Red River Athletic Conference
2014-15 Women's Basketball Standings (Jan. 26, 2015)

School RRAC Overall GB Home Away Neutral Streak
No. 5 Langston 9-1 .900 17-1 .944 -- 8-0 8-1 1-0 Lost 1
No. 15 Our Lady of the Lake 9-1 .900 15-4 .789 -- 8-2 5-2 2-0 Won 6
No. 17 Wiley 8-2 .800 13-2 .867 1.0 5-1 4-1 4-0 Won 4
Louisiana State-Alexandria 6-4 .600 8-5 .615 3.0 4-2 4-3 0-0 Won 1
LSU Shreveport 6-4 .600 10-8 .556 3.0 5-4 5-4 0-0 Won 2
St. Thomas - Houston 5-5 .500 9-10 .474 4.0 6-3 3-5 0-2 Won 1
Texas College 5-5 .500 6-10 .375 4.0 4-6 2-4 0-0 Lost 1
Huston-Tillotson 4-6 .400 5-13 .278 5.0 2-4 3-9 0-0 Lost 1
Jarvis Christian 2-8 .200 3-12 .200 7.0 2-7 1-5 0-0 Won 1
Southwest 1-9 .100 3-18 .143 8.0 2-5 1-13 0-0 Lost 3
# - Paul Quinn 0-0 .000 0-13 .000 4.0 0-6 0-7 0-0 Lost 13
Bacone 0-10 .000 2-12 .143 9.0 2-4 0-8 0-0 Lost 5
# - Not eligible for postseason

FAMU President Elmira Mangum Named ‘Person of the Year’ by Capital Outlook

 Elmira Mangum, Ph.D.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) President Elmira Mangum, Ph.D., will be honored today as the “Person of the Year” by The Capital Outlook newspaper.

Each year, The Capital Outlook Editorial Board selects an individual who is making a profound impact on the quality of life in the Big Bend area and beyond. In announcing the award, the Board highlighted President Mangum’s efforts to bring hope and inspiration to Floridians and throughout the nation.

“Dr. Mangum’s selection as The Capital Outlook’s ‘Person of the Year’ is a major recognition,” said Rev. Dr. R.B. Holmes Jr., publisher and president of the newspaper. “Her selection as the 11th president and first permanent female president of FAMU signals a new day in higher education. The higher education and academic communities across America proudly salute Dr. Mangum, who has the gifts and skills to transform FAMU into a stronger and bolder university in this 21st century.”

President Mangum will receive the “Person of the Year” award at Four Points by Sheraton Bronze Ballroom, located at 316 West Tennessee Street in Tallahassee.

“I am honored to receive this award from an organization with a great legacy of educating and empowering our community,” Mangum said. “This honor is not taken lightly, as it inspires me to continue to seek out the resources necessary to ensure that our low-wealth citizens have access to a high-quality and affordable education.”

COURTESY FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Earl Holmes files civil lawsuit against FAMU (Video)

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Former Florida A&M football coach Earl Holmes is suing the university for wrongful termination, and is trying to claim the remainder of the money owed on his contract -- $400,000 over two years -- plus other damages.

Tallahassee attorney Tim Jansen said Holmes had a four-year contract to coach FAMU football and that former athletic director Kellen Winslow – who resigned on Dec. 15 – chose not to "comply with the terms of the contract."

Holmes is suing the university through its Board of Trustees for damages from "breach of contract, breach of good faith and fair dealing, fraud in the inducement and negligent misrepresentation."

CONTINUE READING

ASU committee explores Turkey Day Classic options

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Turkey Day Classic could be moving back to Thanksgiving Day and welcoming back a familiar opponent.

During an Alabama State University board of trustees athletic committee meeting on Friday, board chairman Locy Baker revealed that ASU had formed a committee that includes "outside businessmen" to explore the potential of re-establishing a matchup with Tuskegee on Thanksgiving Day.

The game was played on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in 2014, the first time in decades it hasn't been played on Thursday. That move angered a number of alumni, including some of ASU's suite holders at its football stadium, and resulted in attendance dropping to just 13,156.

"Right now, we're just exploring all options and bringing everyone to the table," Baker said. "We haven't gotten very far with it. But I know all options are open and we're open to moving as quickly as we can with it."

CONTINUE READING

Tonight on ESPNU at 7 p.m. ET: NCCU Eagles vs. Delaware State Hornets

Delaware State (10-9, 4-1 MEAC, 6-7 Road) vs. North Carolina Central (15-5, 7-0 MEAC, 7-0 Home)

Monday, January 26, 2015 - 7:00 p.m.
McDougald-McLendon Gym (3,116) - Durham, N.C.
TV/Video: ESPNUWatchESPN  http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index#type/upcoming/startDate/20150126/
Audio: NCCUEaglePride.com
Live Stats:  www.sidearmstats.com/nccu/mbball/
Game Notes: Complete PDF version
 
THE GAME:  Two of the top three teams in the MEAC, North Carolina Central and Delaware State, clash in Durham, N.C., where the Eagles have not lost since Dec. 4, 2012 (Eastern Kentucky, 57-63). NCCU has beaten 25 straight MEAC teams, and boasts a 41-3 record against league foes since the start of 2012-13 season.  This season, the Eagles have won nine straight games, and 14 of their last 16 outings.
 
SCOUTING REPORT:  DELAWARE STATE
- The Hornets of Delaware State are coming off their fourth consecutive victory, a 67-52 road win at North Carolina A&T to improve their overall record to 10-9.
- Delaware State sits third in the MEAC standings with a 4-1 league record. Norfolk State is second (6-1) and NCCU is first (7-0).
- Kendall Gray, the Hornets' 6-10, 235-pound senior center, leads the NCAA Division I with 12.9 rebounds per game and tops the MEAC with 3.1 blocked shots per game.
- Amere May, a 6-3 senior guard, is the MEAC's second-leading scorer with 18.2 points per game.
- Delaware State leads the conference in free throw percentage (71.8%), rebounding (38.8 rpg), and defensive rebounds (27.6 drpg).
 
SERIES VS. DELAWARE STATE
This will be the 32nd meeting between the Hornets and the Eagles. NCCU leads the series 18-13. Since the Eagles rejoined the MEAC, the series is even at 2-2.
01/18/2014 - NCCU 62, DSU 52 (Durham, N.C.)
02/02/2013 - NCCU 54, DSU 43 (Dover, Del.)
01/28/2012 - DSU 76, NCCU 70 (Durham, N.C.)
01/08/2011 - DSU 68, NCCU 59 (Durham, N.C.)
 
NCCU'S RPI IN TOP 100
According to NCAA.com (as of Jan. 25), NCCU's RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) is 92 out of 351 teams across the nation. Delaware State is 198.
 
EAGLES SOARING AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE
NCCU is ranked among some of the top schools in the nation in a few statistical categories listed below, including games through Jan. 24:
 
CATEGORY                    NCCU    NCAA
Opp. Three-Point FG Pct. 26.6% 5th
Opp. Field Goal Pct..... 36.2%  8th
Opp. Points Per Game.. 56.2   10th
Scoring Margin............ +13.2  19th
Field Goal Percentage. 47.4% 33rd
Steals Per Game............ 7.9    40th
Blocked Shots Per Game 4.9    43rd
 
DEFENSE! DEFENSE!
Under the leadership of sixth-year head coach LeVelle Moton, NCCU believes its identity is rooted in playing defense. As evidence, the Eagles rank among the NCAA Division I top-10 in three key defensive categories: fifth in three-point percentage defense (26.6%), eighth in field goal percentage defense (36.2%) and 10th in scoring defense (56.2 points allowed per game).
 
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Tonight on ESPNU: PVAMU vs. UAPB at 8 PM CT/9 PM ET

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Two Richmond players among trio going to NSU

NSU ATHLETICS

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State football coach Latrell Scott added three more commitments to his first recruiting class over the weekend.

Linebackers Nigel Chavis and Raynard Revels and offensive lineman Wesley Jones will join the Spartans in the fall, bringing Scott's recruiting class to seven so far.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Chavis, a rising freshman, was a second-team All-Metro selection as a senior at Armstrong High in Richmond.

Revels, a 6-1, 230-pound transfer from Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa., was a first-team All-Metro and second-team all-state performer at Hermitage High in Richmond. He had 34 tackles and six sacks last season for Lackawanna, and he'll have two years of eligibility at NSU.

CONTINUE READING

Scott Scores 1,000th Point, Panthers Win Third Straight Game As PVAMU Defeats Mississippi Valley State

First Win In Mississippi Delta Since 2010

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Montrael Scott entered the 1,000-point club in style as his double-double and big shot in the closing seconds secured a rare win in the Mississippi Delta as PVAMU claimed a 72-65 margin over Mississippi Valley State.

The Panthers never could shake off the Delta Devils early in the first half as there were three ties within the first 17 minutes.  However, the Panthers turned the heat up over the final three minutes as Tre Hagood's two steals and four points by Scott keyed a 12-5 run en route to a 38-31 PVAMU halftime advantage.

As head coach Byron Rimm II predicted, MVSU would battle back with scrappy play as they outscored the Panthers 12-6 over the first four minutes of the second half to trim PVAMU's lead to 44-43.  The Panthers would hold on to the lead by the thinnest of margins from that point as MVSU closed to within 54-53 at the 10:16 mark but once again, a balanced team effort sparked by Hagood's four points gave PVAMU a 64-55 advantage following a 10-2 surge.

Despite a nine-point margin with 5:04 remaining, the lead was far from safe as the Delta Devils heated up and closed to within 66-64 following a 9-2 run that was capped by a steal and dunk from MVSU's Jeffrey Simmons.  

After the dunk, Hagood provided the next three points via the free throw line as PVAMU held on to a slim 68-64 lead at the 55-second mark.  MVSU's DeAngelo Priar would counter with 1-of-2 free throws from the line with 48 ticks left to close within 68-65 but Montrael Scott hit a clutch jumper with 15 seconds left to give PVAMU a two-possession lead at 70-65. 

Priar missed a trey on the ensuing possession and Scott put the nail in the coffin with a pair of free throws with six seconds left for the win.

Five players scored in double figures led by Scott's 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Karim York added 14, Hagood with 13 and Reggis Onwukamuche and Zachary Hamilton with 10 each.  Hagood also added five steals and five assists.

Scott became the first player under Rimm to achieve the 1,000-point barrier in his career as the Dallas native is the team's leading scorer.

The win gave PVAMU was only the second Mississippi Delta in five years and its first since 2010.  Prior to 2010, PVAMU had not won in the Delta for over two decades.  Prairie View A&M returns to action on Monday night as they'll face Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 8 p.m. on ESPNU in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

BOX SCORE 

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ASU men’s basketball team swarms way to SWAC lead

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State junior guard Jamel Waters had the most simple reason for the success of the Hornets’ defense so far during conference play.

“We don’t want coach to be on us,” Waters said. “You can never not play good defense.”

Alabama State head coach Lewis Jackson has always preached solid team defense. After struggling at times during non-conference play, the Hornets have been very stingy to their conference rivals.

After Alabama State’s 84-60 win over Alcorn State, the Hornets (10-5, 6-0 SWAC) are holding Southwestern Athletic Conference opponents to just 37.5 percent shooting from the field, second-best in the conference.

Teams are having even more trouble from behind the arc, shooting just 24.4 percent from 3-point range. Alcorn State hit just one of 11 3s last Saturday.

CONTINUE READING

Southern men set for Monday showdown at Alabama State

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The hottest men’s basketball teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday when Alabama State hosts Southern in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Hornets (10-5 overall) lead the SWAC after winning their first six conference games. The Jaguars (9-12) are 6-1 in the conference after winning their past five to move into a tie with Texas Southern (5-1) in the loss column.

TSU has a leg up on Southern in the tiebreaker because of a 59-58 victory against the Jaguars on Jan. 5 in the F.G. Clark Activity Center. But the race tightened Saturday when the Tigers suffered their first conference loss (66-62 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff) as Southern was winning 65-58 at Alabama A&M.

“Your intensity has to pick up,” Jaguars guard Christopher Hyder said of the conference race. “Your focus has to pick up. We’re tuned in.”

CONTINUE READING

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."

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COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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

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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.

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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.

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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