Battle for 1st with Rush, Tornadoes is just part of the fun

NEW ORLEANS -- Two of the NAIA's hottest men's basketball teams, Xavier University of Louisiana and Talladega, will meet at 7:30 p.m. at XU's Convocation Center to cap an event-filled Monday.

Also scheduled that day are:

# Free food on the Yard (University Center lawn) at noon with performances by the XU cheerleaders.

# A 6 p.m. beauty fair, sponsored by the Office of Campus Activities, on the Convocation Center upper concourse.

# A chance for fans to win $250 in adidas gear at the men's game and the 5:30 p.m. women's game between XU and Talladega.

Xavier's men are 19-6, ranked 18th in NAIA Division I and have won eight straight since a 93-78 loss Jan. 5 at Talladega in their Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener. The Tornadoes are 21-3, ranked third and have NAIA DI's longest active win streak, 16 games.

Talladega is 8-0 in the GCAC, and the Gold Rush are 8-1. The Tornadoes are the highest ranked opponent to visit the Rush since 2008. An XU victory would clinch a fifth consecutive 20-win season.

In the women's game, XU's Gold Nuggets (14-11, 7-2) will try to strengthen their hold on second place in the GCAC and move four victories above .500 for the first time this season. The Nuggets opened their GCAC schedule with a 67-60 victory at Talladega.

The Nuggets will wear pink accessories as part of their annual game dedicated to awareness of women's cancers.

XU faculty, staff and students will receive free admission to the doubleheader.

The games will be Xavier's last at home before the Feb. 28 Crosstown Classic against Dillard. After Talladega, the Rush and Nuggets will play three straight on the road.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

Nuggets defeat LSUA, a first-year NAIA program, 9-0

Facebook photos

NEW ORLEANS -- LSU-Alexandria's first-year women's tennis program brought some preseason buzz Sunday to Xavier University of Louisiana, but the Gold Nuggets won every set but one in a 9-0 victory.

Xavier (3-2), ranked third in the NAIA and a national semifinalist in 2014 and 2013, won for the second straight day, this time against a team which received votes in the NAIA's preseason coaches poll and ranked 28th overall.

"LSUA may be a new program, but they had our full attention," XU coach Alan Green said.

The Gold Nuggets won 24-of-29 games to sweep the doubles, then surrendered two games or fewer in nine singles sets.

LSUA's Sara Andrade forced a third-set tiebreaker at No. 4 singles by beating Brion Flowers 6-0, but Flowers won the match by prevailing 13-11 in a super-tiebreaker. Flowers won the first set 6-3.

Flowers, Nour Abbes, Caroline Vernet, Carmen Nelson and Sha'Nel Bruins won in doubles and singles. Abbes, the NAIA's No. 1 singles player, beat Liz Arens 6-0, 6-0. Bruins clinched the dual with a 6-2, 6-2 decision against Betsabe Vasquez.

Abbes and Nelson, the NAIA's No. 7 doubles team, beat Arens and Sabina Mardarenko 8-1. Nelson's and Jana van der Walt's singles victories included 6-0 first sets.

The Generals, who won Saturday at Loyola, are 1-1.

"We had a good weekend," said Green, whose women won 5-0 at home Saturday against Belhaven. "The team is getting healthier. We are starting to figure out some things with the lineup. We're just trying to keep working hard and make good decisions. Overall we are headed in a good direction."

The Gold Nuggets' next dual will start at 4:30 p.m. We
dnesday at NCAA Division I's Louisiana-Lafayette. The Gold Nuggets and Gold Nuggets will play host to William Carey at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Results

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

from THE EDITOR: It Was Good for My Dear Father

DWIGHT FLOYD
THE EDITOR
http://sportsedit.org/?p=1849

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- When he was born the midwife attempted to name him Willow, after the tree, but somehow the spelling became Willer. Such a unique name it was, perhaps even backwards by way of intent, yet in his life Willer Aldrich Floyd brought dignity to the name. One of nine children, son of a sharecropper, he married the girl of his dreams, served in the military, graduated from college, and taught life skills throughout his professional career.

Willer was blessed to have others in his corner from childhood forward. As he told the story his teacher went out into the field and asked his father if Willer could go to school full time and skip tending to the family farm. Willer was a little guy and his younger brother, K.P., who would grow to be much bigger than him, told their dad that in exchange he’d skip school and carry my father’s load. It was a tremendous sacrifice by K.P., but truth is even without a primary education the younger brother was able to own and run a successful automobile towing and mechanics business.

CONTINUE READING

TSU Tigers Defeat Memphis For First Win

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Tennessee State Softball scored in each of the first three innings to earn its first win of the season on Sunday morning. The Tigers revenged a loss from a day ago, as they claimed a 4-1 win over Memphis. TSU improved to 1-4, while Memphis dropped to 1-3.

 

Taylor Green (1-0), in her first outing as a Tiger, earned the win allowing one unearned run on seven hits and a walk. Memphis left runners on base each inning until the seventh, when Green and the Tigers clinched the game by sitting UM down in order.

 

The offensive support came early as Courtney Gearlds led off the game with a walk and proceeded to steal second. The sophomore would score two batters later as Kailey Richard drove a ball through the right side of the infield.

 

In the second inning, the Tigers added to its 1-0 lead by taking advantage of a Memphis error. With Lindsey Burgess on second, Tayler Shimizu ripped a single up the middle to chase home Burgess. Shimizu would take second on the throw, setting up a run-producing single by Savannah Womack, giving TSU a 3-0 lead after two.

 

Shimizu would strike again in the third with an RBI single, plating Joselynn Yates, who led off the inning with a single to center. The 4-0 lead would hold up until Memphis scratched a run in the bottom of the fifth, creating the final score.

 

The Tigers will travel to Huntsville for a double header at Alabama A&M on Friday, Feb. 13. Follow tsutigers.com for full coverage.
 

  

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

At college football's lowest rung, games are matter of faith and creative financing

All games aren't equal:  The 2015 Faith Colleges Schedule show two SWAC programs under contract for the 2015 football season.

• Oct 3, 2015: Prairie View A&M host University of Faith at Waller, Texas, Waller ISD Stadium
• Oct. 31, 2015: Texas Southern host College of Faith at BBVA Compass Stadium  (Homecoming)

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida -- Earlier this fall, someone posted a question on reddit.com: Are there two fake schools operating on the periphery of college football? One was called the College of Faith, in Charlotte, N.C., and the other was called the University of Faith, here in St. Petersburg.

The websites looked hastily made. The teams were losing lopsided games. How could just-opened, online-only institutions be participating in intercollegiate athletics?

Sometimes it's hard to discern what's real when tethered to a computer.


Not quite a month later, though, on an evening in Lakeland, in front of a few thousand ticket buyers at Southeastern University's Victory Field, the host team called the Fire received the opening kickoff from its opponents from the University of Faith.

Up in the press box, rosters listed the names of 56 Faith players, and corresponding positions, heights, weights and hometowns, all but four in Florida, most of them around Tampa Bay. There were no class years.

Down on the new AstroTurf field, the Faith players wore gray uniforms with green helmets that said UFaith on the back and jerseys with "GLORY EAGLES" on the front.

CONTINUE READING

Eleven Signed to EWC Tiger Football Program on National Signing Day

Jacksonville, Florida  --  Edward Waters College (EWC) head football coach Alvin B. Wyatt, Sr. announced that 11 high school student-athletes have signed letters of intent to play college football at Edward Waters College. “We are overjoyed about our second recruiting class here at the great Edward Waters College”, said Wyatt.

The class is highlighted by Cory Brooks, a 6’2, 200 defensive back from Delray Beach, Florida/Atlantic High School. In 2014, Brooks was a First Team All-Palm Beach County selection and a Second Team All-Conference member as a safety.

Benjamin Kettler, Jr. is a 6’0, 240, linebacker from Riverdale, Georgia and Charles Drew High School. While at Charles Drew, he was the Georgia Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year and an All-GHSA selection.

Joedell Murray, III, 6’0, 185 quarterback also from Charles Drew High School in Riverdale, was a First Team All-Class 5A selection and was the Clayton County High School All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

Defensive End Raequan Bond, 6’2, 220 lbs, Riverdale, Georgia, Charles Drew High School is a two-time First Team All-5A Region Selection, as well as a Clayton County Senior Bowl Selection and a rivals.com Impact Player, and a GHSA Scholar Athlete.

Offensive Tackle Larry Blue, 6’3, 300 lbs., Crescent City, Florida, Crescent City High School is a First Team All-State Selection, three-time All-Putnam County selection, Georgia/Florida All-Star Game Selection, All-District Second Team Selection.

Patchouco Mettelus, 6’5, 275lbs, Offensive Tackle from Boynton Beach, Florida and Boynton Beach High School was a four-year starter and will look to bolster an already solid offensive line at Edward Waters.

“These selected student athletes will be ready to believe in themselves as they have never believed in anything else before in their lives” added Wyatt. “They are ready to excel in academics and athletics.” This is Alvin Wyatt, Sr.’s second year serving as the head coach of the Edward Waters College Tigers football team. (Pictured: Cory Brooks, Defensive Back from Delray Beach, Florida)

2015 Edward Waters College Football Signees

Name	Pos.	Height	Weight	Hometown/Previous School
Justin Slaughter	OL	6’1	290	Orlando, Florida/Jones HS
Sterling Henry	OL	6’2	270	Miami, Florida/Miami Edison HS
Larry Blue	OL	6’3	300	Crescent City, Florida/Crescent City HS
Patchouco Mettelus	OL	6’5	275	Boynton Beach, Florida/Boynton Beach HS
Joedell Murray, III	QB	6’0	185	Riverdale, Georgia/Charles Drew HS
Delious Johnson	LB	6’1	210	Ocala, Florida/North Marion HS
Benjamin Kettler, Jr.	LB	6’0	240	Riverdale, Georgia/Charles Drew HS
Glovesky Peralate	K	5’11	170	Fort Lauderdale, Florida/Boyd Anderson HS
Shaun Davis	DT	6’3	280	Madison, Florida/Madison County HS
Cory Brooks	DB	6’2	200	Delray Beach, Florida/Atlantic HS
Raequan Bond	DE	6’2	220	Riverdale, Georgia/Charles Drew HS

COURTESY EDWARD WATERS COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Defense keeps Southern Jaguars in SWAC race

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern men’s basketball coach Roman Banks insists on his teams being tough-minded defensively, and this year’s version is obliging.

The Jaguars are allowing the fewest points per game (56.2) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and are limiting conference opponents to the lowest field-goal percentage (34.6) and lowest 3-point percentage (24.4).

That defense is the primary reason Southern (8-2 and 11-13 overall) remains in the thick of the conference race as it hosts Jackson State (5-5, 7-16) about 8 p.m. Monday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

“Our team identity is a defensive team,” center Keith Davis said. “We’re scrappy, we’re physical. For us to win it’s going to be won on the defensive end before the offensive end.”

Still, Banks would like to see a little more offensive consistency so the team is a little less dependent on exceptional defense.

CONTINUE READING 

Alabama A&M's 2015 football schedule features visits to Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Alabama A&M football team faces a schedule in the upcoming season that features visits to a bowl participant and a Football Championship Subdivision playoff team.

Bulldogs Director of Athletics Bryan Hicks and Head Football Coach James Spady announced the schedule Tuesday, on the eve of National Signing Day.

Cincinnati of the American Athletic Conference and Coastal Carolina of the Big South Conference are the only non-conference games in the Bulldogs' 11-game schedule, which includes four home games.

"This is a very exciting and competitive schedule," said Hicks. "Our opening game at Cincinnati will show our players a level of football they should strive for.

"Coastal Carolina was a quarterfinalist in the FCS playoffs who lost by just a touchdown (39-32) to the eventual national champions. This is a good measuring stick for our players."

After opening at Cincinnati on Sept. 5, the Bulldogs have a bye then visit Prairie View A&M on Sept. 19.

"I'm looking forward to this challenging schedule," Spady said. "The reason you play a Division I schedule is to play the best."

The home schedule kicks off Sept. 26 with Homecoming and the Louis Crews Classic as Arkansas-Pine Bluff visits. On Oct. 17, Jackson State comes to Louis Crews Stadium.

The 74th annual Magic City Classic is ticketed for Oct. 31.

Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 7 and Texas Southern on Nov. 28 round out the home schedule.

"To play schools like Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina with our conference schedule, we should have an exciting year," Spady said.



2015 Alabama A&M Bulldogs football schedule
Sept. 5 at Cincinnati
Sept. 12 Bye
Sept. 19 at Prairie View A&M
Sept. 26 (H) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Homecoming/Louis Crews Classic)
Oct. 3 at Coastal Carolina
Oct. 10 at Grambling State
Oct. 17 (H) Jackson State
Oct. 24 Bye
Oct. 31 Alabama State (Magic City Classic in Birmingham)
Nov. 7 (H) Mississippi Valley State
Nov. 14 at Southern University
Nov. 21 at Alcorn State
Nov. 28 (H) Texas Southern

BOLD (H) Home Game




COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION  

Alabama A&M softball team off to 6-0 start

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
ROSTER

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Alabama A&M head softball coach Nakeya Hall was planning to use the opening weekend as a gauge to see how her young team would respond and play on the collegiate level.

Well, the Lady Bulldogs are 6-0 after sweeping through the four-game Hampton Jordan Softball Classic and a doubleheader at South Carolina State of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

So, coach, what do you think?

"I'm very pleased with the way the team performed," Hall said. "Today (Sunday) was competitive ... we're a pretty good team."

The Lady Bulldogs lightly challenged in the tournament but faced tougher competition at SC State.

"Defensively, we played an outstanding game," Hall said of Sunday morning's 5-4 extra-inning win. "We were up 4-0 and, by far, in control of the game but they hit a grand slam to tie it."

Hall said Jordan Bradley started the game and "pitched great." But she brought in Rachel Sanders to close the door.

"She faced her sister (Nicole) and then scored the winning run," Hall said. "It was absolutely exciting.

"They showed a lot of heart."

In the afternoon game, SC State had a 3-2 lead and Taiya McInnes came off the bench with the game-winning hit to score Ariel Smith.

"I told them we didn't come her just to beat the teams in the tournament, but to get six wins," said Hall, a graduate and former assistant coach at SC State. "It was a great homecoming for me and it feels even better coming back with the wins."

The Lady Bulldogs open at home on Friday when Tennessee State visits for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

AAMU 2015 SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Location Time/Result Details
Claflin University Tournament
2/6/2015 Clark Atlanta University Orangeburg, SC W 11-3
2/6/2015 Virginia Union University Orangeburg, SC W 16-7
2/7/2015 Edward Waters (Fla.) Orangeburg, SC W 12-0
2/7/2015 Benedict College Orangeburg SC 5 p.m.
2/8/2015 South Carolina State University (DH) Orangeburg, SC 10 a.m.
2/13/2015 Tennessee State University Huntsville, Ala. - Bulldog Field 1 p.m.
2/14/2015 Tuskegee University Huntsville, Ala. - Bulldog Field Noon
2/15/2015 Belmont University Nashville, TN 2 p.m.
2/24/2015 Tennessee State University Nashville, TN 3 p.m.
Frost Classic
2/27/2015 Wright State University Chattanooga TN 11 a.m.
2/27/2015 Belmont University Chattanooga TN 1:30 p.m.
2/28/2015 Eastern Kentucky University Chattanooga, TN 11 a.m.
2/28/2015 Tennessee Tech University Chattanooga, TN. 4 p.m.
3/1/2015 South Dakota State University Chattanooga, TN 11 a.m.
Tiny Laster HBCU Classic (SWAC vs. MEAC)
3/6/2015 Tennessee State University Birmingham, AL 5 p.m.
3/7/2015 North Carolina Central University Birmingham, AL. 9 a.m.
3/7/2015 Savannah State University Birmingham, AL 3:45 p.m.
3/8/2015 Morgan State University Birmingham, AL 11:15 a.m.
3/12/2015 Northern Kentucky University Huntsville, Ala. - Bulldog Field 1 p.m.
Mercer University
3/13/2015 Michigan State University Macon, GA. 1:15 p.m.
3/13/2015 Mercer University Macon, GA 5:45 p.m.
3/14/2015 Youngstown State Macon, GA. 10 a.m.
3/14/2015 Michigan State University Macon, GA 12:15 p.m.
SWAC Roundup
3/20/2015 * University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff Longview, TX. 4 p.m.
3/21/2015 * Southern University Longview, TX 10 a.m.
3/21/2015 * Prairie View A&M University Longview, TX 3 p.m.
3/22/2015 * Grambling State University Longview, TX 10 a.m.
3/22/2015 * Texas Southern University Longview, TX 12:30 p.m.
3/27/2015 * Alcorn State University Huntsville, Ala. - Bulldog Field 3 p.m.
3/28/2015 * Alcorn State University (DH) Huntsville, Ala. - Bulldog Field 1 p.m.
4/8/2015 LeMoyne-Owen College Huntsville, Ala. - Bulldog Field 1 p.m.
4/10/2015 * Jackson State University Huntsville, Ala. - Bulldog Field 3 p.m.
4/11/2015 * Jackson State University (DH) Huntsville, Ala. - Bulldog Field 1 p.m.
4/14/2015 LeMoyne-Owen College Memphis, TN 1 p.m.
4/17/2015 * Alabama State University Montgomery, AL 6 p.m.
4/18/2015 * Alabama State University (DH) Montgomery, AL 1 p.m.
4/24/2015 * Mississippi Valley State Itta Bena, MS 6 p.m.
4/25/2015 * Mississippi Valley State (DH) Itta Bena, MS 1 p.m.
SWAC Tournament
5/6/2015 * TBA Decatur AL
5/7/2015 * TBA Decatur, AL
5/8/2015 * TBA Decatur, AL
5/9/2015 * TBA Decatur, AL

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU pulls away in OT to top Benedict 76-69

ALBANY, Georgia — It’s going to take more than just the starting five to get the Albany State Lady Rams back into postseason play.

Saturday afternoon in a key SIAC game with Benedict, the Lady Rams’ bench came through in the clutch to help them defeat Benedict College 76-69 in overtime at the HPER Gymnasium.

It was junior Kyasha Wilson that hit a pair of 3-pointers late in the second half to keep the Lady Rams in the game. Zuri Frost knocked down two free throws with 0.3 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, and it was Jillian Anderson who scored five of ASU’s first six points in the overtime period to extend the lead.

Head coach Robert Skinner said he was proud of the production he got from his team, and he said it was one of the most-complete games his team has played this season.

CONTINUE READING

Hampton Pirates rally to beat UMES Hawks

HAMPTON, Virginia -- In scratching out a 64-61 win over Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday evening at the HU Convocation Center, the Hampton University men's basketball team snapped its six-game losing streak. The Pirates improved to 9-14 overall and 5-5 in the MEAC on the season. Head coach Edward Joyner Jr. won his 91st career game in the process, becoming the program's all-time winningest Div. I coach – surpassing Steve Merfeld.

Junior guard Reginald Johnson registered his second straight 20-point game, leading all Pirate scorers with 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting. Redshirt junior guard/forward Dwight Meikle added 16 points and a team-high 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Junior guard Deron Powers added 11 points and four assists.

The Pirates shot 44.2 percent (23-for-52) from the floor – thanks in large part to a 14-for-25 effort (56.0 percent) in the second half. Hampton scored 25 points off of 16 UMES turnovers, and Hampton held a 26-22 edge in points in the paint. A layup from Devin Martin with 2:14 left in the game tied the contest at 58-58, before Johnson answered with 1:11 left by converting an acrobatic 3-point play to put the Pirates up 61-58. Dominique Elliott cut that lead to 61-60 with a jumper with 55 seconds left.



CONTINUE READING

Hampton Lady Pirates beat UMES

HAMPTON, Virginia - For the second straight home game, the Hampton University women's basketball team turned its opponent over 36 times, stifling Maryland Eastern Shore en route to a 71-43 win at the HU Convocation Center on Saturday. The Lady Pirates (11-11, 7-2 MEAC) remain atop the conference standings.

Sophomore guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas, the reigning MEAC Player of the Week, led three Lady Pirates in double figures with 23 points – to go along with six assists, five rebounds, and five steals. Senior guard Kyani White added 13 points, while also dishing out six assists, while junior guard Ryan Jordan chipped in 10 points. Redshirt junior forward Brielle Ward grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

he Lady Pirates shot 41.2 percent (28-for-68) from the floor – including a 44.4 percent clip (16-for-36) in the first half – all while turning those 36 Hawk turnovers into 35 points. Hampton also held a 32-14 edge in points in the paint. Both teams had 35 rebounds. The Hawks opened the game with turnovers in each of their first six possessions, and the Lady Pirates sprinted out to a 19-0 lead – taking that lead at the 12:03 mark after a 3-point play from senior guard, Kenia Cole.

CONTINUE READING

NSU Spartans Defeat Howard in Slugfest, 72-69

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- It might not have been the prettiest of games, but in the end the Norfolk State men's basketball team inched closer to earning a potential top 2 seed next month in the MEAC tournament.

In a game that featured more than 40 fouls and 40 turnovers, the Norfolk State men's basketball team survived Howard's late push and James Daniel's clean-look, last-second 3-point attempt in a 72-69 win over the Bison on Saturday evening. In a matchup of MEAC top 3 teams at Joseph Echols Hall, the second-place Spartans put even more distance between them and the rest of the league.

The junior duo of RaShid Gaston and D'Shon Taylor tallied double-doubles to lead the Spartans. NSU improved to 16-9 overall and 9-1 in the MEAC after winning its fifth straight game, including the second in a row by a three-point margin. The Spartans also won for the seventh time in the past eight games.

NSU maintained second place in the MEAC behind North Carolina Central (10-0). Howard fell to 12-11 overall and 6-3 in conference play, although the Bison remain in third place in the league as the only other team with less than four losses.



Howard erased a 10-point first-half deficit and went into the locker room tied with NSU. The Spartans again led by double digits in the second half, 60-49, with nine minutes left in the contest. The Bison, though, did not go away, going on a 14-3 run to tie it up at 63-63 with 4:27 left. Daniel accounted for six of those points during the run, all from the free throw line, and James Carlton hit a pair of treys as well.

A pair of buckets by Gaston put the Spartans ahead by four, and Taylor, senior Malik Thomas and junior Jeff Short each went 1-of-2 from the line to push NSU's lead to 70-65 with just 14.4 seconds left. Carlton turned the ball over twice and missed a 3-pointer during that time, but Daniel sank a trey from near the right wing with 9.2 seconds to go to get the Bison to within two.

Thomas and Daniel exchanged 1-of-2 efforts from the line, and Short also made 1-of-2, with all three of those trips coming with less than 10 seconds to go. Howard inbounded the ball with 4.9 seconds left, and Daniel was able to maneuver around traffic and get a clean look from the right wing at the buzzer, to no avail.

Gaston totaled 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting with 14 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Taylor added 12 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Spartans finish with a 35-23 edge on the glass. Thomas tallied 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting coming off the bench.

The lead went back and forth in the early going, with neither team having more than a three-point lead to start the game until freshman Devonte Banner hit a 3-pointer with 11:07 on the clock. Up 20-15 at that point, the Spartans maintained their advantage and then scored seven straight for a 31-21 lead with less than seven minutes before the half.

The Bison, though, closed the half on a 10-3 run to tie the score at 38-38 going into the locker room.

Carlton and Marcel Boyd put Howard ahead 42-38 early in the second half, but Thomas' jumper in the lane at the 16:52 mark started a 9-0 run for the Spartans. Short finished it with a pair of free throws, as NSU found itself up 51-44. The Bison went almost seven minutes without a field goal and fell behind by 11, the largest lead of the game.

Daniel went to the line twice within a minute to shoot three foul shots each time, starting Howard's late comeback attempt.

He finished with 24 points on 4-of-14 shooting, thanks to a 12-of-15 effort from the free throw line. Carlton added 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting.

Short finished with his lowest point total in 20 games with 13, all in the second half, thanks to missing most of the first half with two fouls. Banner added a career-high eight points as well.

NSU shot 23-of-48 overall (47.9 percent) but just 4-of-16 from 3-point range. The Spartans also benefitted from the officials' whistles, as they shot 22-of-36 from the free throw line.

Howard made 22-of-51 overall (43.1 percent) and 10-of-23 from 3-point range.

NSU will host UMES Monday at 8 p.m. at Echols Hall.


Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Four Eagles Score Double Figures in 58-44 Win Over Aggies

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Four Eagles scored in double figures as North Carolina Central University downed rival North Carolina A&T State University, 58-44, on Saturday inside a sold out Corbett Sports Center.

The win keeps NCCU (18-6, 10-0 MEAC) unbeaten in the conference play and extends the Eagles' win streak against MEAC opponents to 28 in-a-row. NCCU has also won eight of the 10 meetings with the Aggies since 2011, including all five match-ups in Greensboro.

NCCU senior forward Karamo Jawara collected 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals, while senior point guardNimrod Hilliard added 14 points, four assists and two steals as the Eagles' leading scorers. Senior guard Anthony McDonald posted 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and senior forward Jordan Parks recorded his ninth double-double of the season with 12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds.

A three-pointer by Hilliard with 38 seconds left in the first half provided the Eagles with a 30-26 lead at intermission. A&T notched the first basket of the second half to narrow its deficit to just two points. However, NCCU scored 10 unanswered points for a 40-28 cushion at 15:15.

The Aggies managed to pull to within seven points at 43-36 with 7:43 remaining, but the Eagles responded once again. NCCU went on a 13-4 tear with a trifecta by McDonald, followed by eight straight points by Jawara and an emphatic alley-oop slam by Parks to put the game on ice.

NCCU shot 45.7 percent (21 of 46) from the field on the night, while holding A&T to 31.0 percent shooting (13 of 42), including a 5-for-22 effort in the second half. The Eagles also out-rebounded the Aggies 36-25.

NCCU returns to the hardwood on Feb. 14 at Bethune-Cookman at 4 p.m.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU Hornets Beat UAPB

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State started their three-game home stand with a 73-55 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The win was the first game of the second half of the Southwestern Athletic Conference season.

"It was good to win," Head CoachLewis Jackson said. "I thought defensively we really got after them and tried to take away some of the things they like to run, especially with Mosley because he is a good scorer. We wanted to try and limit his touches and DeMarcus Robinson did a really good job on him."

"Defensively all our guys got out and competed and tried to take things away from them they were trying to do."

Mosley came into the game leading the SWAC in scoring averaging over 17 per game. He finished the game with seven points on two-of-10 shooting and missed both his three point attempts.

Tevin Hammond led UAPB (7-17/4-6 SWAC) with 15 points and was the only Golden Lion to reach double digits in scoring. UAPB did shoot 49 percent from the field, and that includes a blistering 60 percent in the second half.

In the first meeting at Pine Bluff, the Golden Eagles hit 10 three-point baskets and actually came into the game leading the conference in made threes, but the Hornets defense tonight limited UAPB to only five of 13 on their three point shots.

Jamel Waters led a trio of Hornets with 15 points. DeMarcus Robinson added 13 and Maurice Strong scored 11. The Hornets only shot 39 percent from the field, but did hit seven of their 18 three point field goals for 39 percent and hit 30 of its 41 free throws for 73 percent.

"We didn't really shoot the ball well tonight, but we did shoot good enough to get a victory," Jackson said. "We started making some free throws there again at the end of the game and we wanted to take advantage of our size down around the basket and tonight we were able to utilize that."

ASU (13-6/9-1 SWAC) only trailed one time during the game and that was 8-7 after a Ghiavonni Robison three pointer. Bobby Brown answered that three with one of his own just 16 seconds later and ASU never trailed again. The Hornets led by as many as 16 (28-12) in the first half and its largest lead was 19 points (44-25) with 17 minutes left in the game.

ASU's defense forced 19 turnovers and turned those into 24 points. The Hornets also had 11 offensive rebounds as part of their 29 total rebounds, and was able to score 10 second chance points.

ASU was able to take a 36-23 lead into the locker room at halftime as Robinson ended the half with his first three point field goal of the game. ASU shot 41 percent, but with UAPB backing off into the lane ASU did hit four of its eight three point attempts.

ASU was also able to get the ball in the paint early which caused a lot of Golden Lions fouls. The Hornets hit 14 of its 20 free throws in the first half as Robinson and Strong led the way with nine points each.

UAPB shot 38 percent from the field and hit three of their eight three point attempts. Robinson led UAPB with six first half points.

ASU will continue its current home stand as they play host to Mississippi Valley State Monday Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. It is Faith and Family Night and the fans will be able to meet the student-athletes from the spring sports of baseball, bowling, golf, and tennis and track and field teams and get team schedule posters.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Defensive Effort Leads Panthers To Big Win Over TSU

HOUSTON, Texas  –  Prairie View A&M played one of its finest defensive games of the season as they knocked off SWAC leader TSU 58-55 for their first win at the H&PE Arena since 2010.

TSU and Prairie View A&M have gone down to the wire in 27 of the past 43 meetings dating back to 1997 and Saturday's game lived up to the hype.

After a first half which saw seven lead changes and a 26-24 TSU halftime lead, the Panthers set the tempo to open the second half as they went on a 6-0 run to claim a 40-34 lead. The team's six-point margin held until the 10:56 mark as TSU tried to chip away at lead over the next few minutes but the Panthers held ground with timely baskets.

The game would begin to heat up around the six-minute mark as TSU went on a 7-2 run to claim its first lead (51-49) since the 18:37 mark with 4:05 remaining. Junior post Karim York responded after TSU's surge with a layup to tie the contest at 51-all and the Panthers played inspired defense over the next few minutes to remain tied over the next three minutes.

With 1:23 left and the ball back into TSU's hands following an offensive rebound, senior post Reggis Onwukamuche swatted Chris Thomas' layup attempt which led to a solid playcall that resulted in York's trey at the top of the key off a Tre Hagood assist with 56 seconds remaining in regulation.

TSU's Tonnie Collier missed a three-pointer on the ensuing possession and they were forced to foul from that point in order to stop clock. They were whistled for their seventh foul with 39 seconds remaining and Hagood hit 1-of-2 from the charity stripe for a two-possession lead at 55-51.

The Tigers crept to within 55-53 after Thomas' offensive rebound and putback with 28 seconds left. PVAM senior guard John Brisco was fouled immediately on the team's next offensive possession and hit 1-of-2 for a 56-53 Panther lead at the 23-second mark. Offensive rebounding would keep TSU within a stone's throw as Nick Shepherd was fouled after an offensive bound with 14 seconds left and hit 1-of-2 to draw the Tigers within two at 56-54.

After Shepherd's missed free throw, the ball ended up back into the hands of TSU's Madarious Gibbs but his three-pointer fell short. However, PVAMU failed to secure possession of the rebound and Onwukamuche fouled out as he was whistled for a loose ball foul with six seconds left on the inbounds pass.

With a shot to tie, TSU's Chris Thomas missed both free throw attempts while PVAMU senior guard Montrael Scott answered with two free throws to ice the game and the team's first win in the arena since 2010.

Scott led the Panthers with 16 points and came within one rebound short of a double-double with a team-high nine rebounds. Hagood added 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists while Onwukamuche continued his solid play in the post with 10 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.

Hagood is also credited with shutting down TSU senior point guard Madarious Gibbs as Gibbs' seven-game streak of double-digit scoring came to a halt as he only scored four points.

The Panthers are back in action next Saturday in Jackson, Miss. as they'll face Jackson State.

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Rush, Nuggets top Blazers; XU men beat NAIA No. 10

Results:  Men    Women

Facebook photos:  Men    Women

Photos by Yamlak Tsega

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana  -- Xavier University of Louisiana won men's and women's tennis dual matches Saturday against Belhaven, and the XU men earned their first victory of the season against a ranked opponent.

The Gold Rush, No. 8 in the NAIA, rolled to an 8-1 decision over the 10th-ranked Blazers. The Gold Nuggets, ranked third, won 5-0.

Kyle Montrel, Nikita Soifer, Tushar Mandlekar and Manav Chakma won in doubles and singles for the Gold Rush (2-1). Sha'Nel Bruins and Jana van der Walt did the same for the Nuggets (2-2).

Montrel and Soifer scored first with an 8-2 victory against Omar Lopez and Rene Ramos at the top doubles flight. Montrel beat Jefferson Nino -- the NAIA's 19th-ranked singles player in the South -- 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 to clinch the dual.

Soifer beat Daniel Duarte 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2.

Mandlekar and Chakma beat Nino and Daniel Prado 8-6 at No. 2 doubles. Mandlekar defeated Lopez 6-1, 6-1 at No. 4 singles, and Chakma beat Ramos 6-2, 7-5 at No. 3.

Kevin Chaouat and Adam Albrecht beat Duarte and Alexander Puyol 8-3 at No. 3 doubles. Jordan Harrell rallied in singles to defeat Prado 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 3.

It was the first-time in five years that the Gold Rush won comfortably against Belhaven. Xavier and Belhaven split a pair of 5-4 duals last season, with the Gold Rush winning in the second round of the NAIA National Championship. Xavier beat seven ranked opponents last season.

Xavier's women did not drop a set at home for the second time in as many duals this year. Bruins and Brion Flowers beat Mary Lichlyter and Rachel Jefcoat 8-5 at No. 2 doubles, and Bruins clinched the dual with a 6-0, 6-2 victory against Brittany Keeling at No. 4 singles.

Van der Walt and Brandi Nelson scored the Nuggets' first point with an 8-1 decision against Ashley McLendon and SaraCaroline Kimball at No. 3 doubles. Van der Walt gave Xavier a 4-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-0 victory against Kimball at No. 5 singles.

Freshman Caroline Vernet made her collegiate debut at No. 1 doubles with All-America Nour Abbes, and they won 8-3 against AnneMarie Kimball and Stephanie Smith.

The women's dual ended when Bruins won. Abbes, Vernet and Flowers did not play their singles matches, and Dasia Harris was leading McClendon 6-2, 4-0 at No. 6 at the time of the clinch.

It was the third consecutive meeting that the Gold Nuggets did not lose a match to Belhaven.

Belhaven's women are 1-1, and its men are 0-1.

Xavier's women will play LSU-Alexandria at 1 p.m. Sunday at XU -- start time was pushed back one hour -- and the next Gold Rush dual will start at 11 a.m. Saturday against NAIA No. 22 William Carey.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

Culver Column: New vibe surrounding FAMU football

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M's football team has been through some tough times since Oct. 28, 2014.

An entire staff was told it was fired. Earl Holmes was told to leave the Ratlers' campus immediately four days before Homecoming. And the rest of the coaches were expected to work until Jan. 20 without knowing whether or not they'd be retained by the next coach.

The Rattlers lost a second straight Homecoming and fourth straight Florida Classic by a combined three points. Both games came down last-second plays in front of the goal line, and both games ended in heartbreaking fashion for FAMU.

Above all, players and coaches looked worn. At the time, interim head coach Corey Fuller said he was relieved to see the end of the season. Four-year starter Damien Fleming said it was a tough season, which was probably the understatement of the year for FAMU's leader.

CONTINUE READING 

Southern has yet to practice with new college baseball

COURTESY SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern has been thrown a curveball as it prepares to start the season with the NCAA’s new baseball.

The Jaguars have yet to receive the new “flat-seam” balls from Spalding, so the Jaguars have been practicing with the baseballs that were used last season.

Southern coach Roger Cador said he was assured last month that the new baseballs would arrive in time for the start of the season. The Jaguars play an exhibition game against Baton Rouge Community College on Feb. 13 and visit Nicholls State to start the season four days later.

But for now, Cador has yet to see or touch any of the new baseballs.

“I certainly would prefer to have the baseballs to practice with before we use them in a game,” Cador said. “It would be easier on the pitchers if they knew what they’re throwing with.”

CONTINUE READING

Keith Davis leads Southern men past Grambling 58-50

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- So far, so good for Southern and Keith Davis.

The Jaguars men’s basketball team played its first game without starting center Frank Snow, who’s expected to miss three weeks with a broken right hand, against Grambling on Saturday night.

It came away with a hard-fought 58-50 win in the F.G. Clark Activity Center, and Davis took Snow’s place in the starting lineup to lead the way on a night when he had to because the perimeter offense wasn’t up to par.

Davis scored a game-high 16 points and tied Jared Sam for the team lead with eight rebounds. He shot 63 percent (7-for-11), and his teammates shot 29 percent (15-of-52).

“That was a good starting point for Keith,” coach Roman Banks said. “We wanted to establish him early. With Frank out, we need inside scoring. We went to him early to try and get some buckets and loosen the perimeter, and he answered. Now it’s about being consistent and knowing everything to do on the court for 40 minutes.”

CONTINUE READING

Bowie State Sweeps Season Series with oad Win at Lincoln

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania – The Bowie State Bulldogs held off a furious charge by the Lincoln University and earned a 66-61 CIAA division win against the Lions on Saturday afternoon in the Manuel Rivero Hall. With the win, the Bulldogs improve their season mark to 18-6 overall, 10-2 in conference play and 5-1 in the division.

Senior Cameron Knox (Baltimore, Md.) scored a game-high 17 points while junior Justin Beck (Ellicott City, Md.) and senior Zafir Williams (Baltimore, Md.) chipped in 15 and 11 points respectively for Bowie State's Bulldogs. Beck was BSU's top rebounder with nine.

"We played great defense, did a good job rebounding and made stops when we needed to," said Bulldogs head coach Darrell Brooks. At the end of the first half and at the first eight minutes of the second half, I felt we played with a good pace … In spite of losing a (16 point) lead in the second half, it was a tough win and we'll take it!"

After trailing by nine points in the first half, Bowie State senior Cameron Knox (Baltimore, Md.) stole the ball at mid-court and tied the game at 28-all at the 1:43 mark. Freshman Ahmaad Wilson (Baltimore, Md.) gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game (30-28) following a pair of free throws with 51.3 seconds to go.

Knox drained a deep 3-pointer with 7.9 seconds left in the half to send Bowie State into halftime with a 33-29 advantage. Bowie State made 12-of-34 (35.3 percent) first half field goals and 6-of-9 free throws (66.7 percent).

Lincoln (13-9, 7-5 CIAA, 2-4 North) hit 9-of-30 first half field goals (30 percent), which included 5-of-15 beyond the arc and converted 6-of-10 at the charity stripe.

The Lions cut the Bulldogs lead down to eight (61-53) at the 5:50 mark of the second half, the closest Lincoln had been since 52-41 following a steal and dunk by Joshua Davis.

A Williams jumper pushed the Bowie State lead back to double-digits but a three-point play by Davis trimmed the Bulldogs lead to 63-56 with 4:27 remaining in the contest.

After the Lions forced the Bulldogs to take a bad shot with the shot clock running down, Davis' dunk closed the gap to 63-58. Lincoln closed the game with a 12-5 run over the final 7:02.

Kyle Aiken (Randolph, N.J.) led the Lions with 14 points and Davis ended the game with 13 points (11 in the second half). Alonzo Murphy (Pittsburgh, Pa.) tallied nine points and Tony Efese (Spring Valley, N.Y.) chipped in eight points to go along with a game-high 10 rebounds.

Bowie State will return to the hardwood on Wednesday (February 11th), making a trip south to take on the Panthers of Virginia Union University at 7:30 pm.

Box Score

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Livingstone Blue Bears Earn a Statement Win in 53-47 Victory Over Shaw Univiersity; Remain Untouched at 21-0

SALISBURY, North Carolina -- "Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there."

That was a quote by Junior Amber Curtis who led all scorers with 14 points, four steals and three rebounds on Saturday against Shaw University.

The Lady Blue Bears' historic season continues to move along as they scrapped out a tough and determined 53-47 win over the Lady Bears on Saturday (Feb. 7). The squad sits on a perfect record of 21-0 overall and 12-0 in the CIAA Conference, while the Lady Bears drop 14-10 overall and 7-5 in the CIAA.

The Lady Blue Bears are dominating game after game, as they continue to break through barriers and set records.

The contest opened up on a 5-0 run by the Lady Blue Bears, as the Bears hung tough for a few minutes in a possession-by-possession battle.

The nerve-racking first half forced the Lady Blue Bears to have a few offensive looks that couldn't find the bottom of the net, shooting just 23.7 % (9-38) in the first half.,

The team took a lot of shots, that on a normal night would go in, but it wasn't before long that they were able to muster up a 16 point lead ((27-11), with 2:57 left in the half after a fast break layup by LaBrea Walker.

When Cierra York was asked what happened in the first half and why they had such a slow start she responded "We haven't played in a week so I think we were just trying to get our flow back. Although our shots were not falling, we knew we had to step up on defense and make stops."

The Lady Blue Bears went into half on top, by a score of (29-21).

The second half saw a lot of challenges for the Lady Blue Bears shooting just 15% going 6-40 from the field.

The Bears out shot the Lady Blue Bears 26-24, but the free throw line was another saving grace as they went 12-16 on the line.

The game grew intensity as the Bears came within as close as three points with 9:55 left in the contest, after the Bears' Kaiya Coleman knocked down an easy jumper.

The two teams traded a few offensive conversions, giving the Blue Bears a competitive run, but they fought hard to hang on to their advantage.

The Bears attempted to rally, pulling as close as five points at 52-47 with 3:26 remaining, but the Lady Blue Bears hit back-to-back foul shots by Wende Foster and Amber Curtis down the stretch to seal the win.

"I expect the games to be close in scoring and more intense because as we play teams a second time around they want revenge, but my eagerness and the support from the team to our fans is what pushes me to go hard every game and hopefully finish with a win as we did tonight", said Amber Curtis.

Amber Curtis had a solid performance to lead the Lady Blue Bears' win.

Cierra York was the only other player to finish in double figures with 11 points, and four rebounds. York snatched three steals and went a perfect 4-4 on the charity stripe.

Wende Foster pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, followed by Taylor Daniels who had 10 rebounds in the win over the Bears.

Head Coach Anita Howard and team will continue to build on their unblemished record, as they face the Broncos of Fayetteville State on February 11. The two teams will tip at 5:30 P.M.

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



Written By: Tenai Staley, Sports Information Director
LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE BLUE BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

Livingstone escapes with win

SALISBURY, North Carolina — It was another black-and-blue CIAA victory for Livingstone on Saturday night.

The Blue Bears survived a 40-minute test of nerves at Trent Gym, where they gained an important 54-53 win against visiting Shaw.

“We were fortunate,” coach James Stinson said after Livingstone (14-7, 8-4 CIAA), the defending league champion, won for the sixth time in seven games. “The defending champions were last year’s team. This one is having a difficult time being consistent.”

This one got a favorable call when a last-second shot by Shaw’s Larry Richardson was slapped off the backboard by Livingstone junior Ty Newman. Shaw coach Cleo Hill Jr. argued for a goaltending call that never came.

“I had a good view of it,” he said. “I thought the ball hit the backboard first. I thought we had the play. But sometimes you can make a lot of plays and still not win the game.”

CONTINUE READING 

Strong Second Half Propels TSU Lady Tigers to Victory Over Eagles

MOREHEAD, Kentucky -- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team knocked down a season second-best 10 three-pointers in an, 81-74, victory over Morehead State Saturday night in Johnson Arena.

The win was TSU’s second straight victory and improved the Lady Tigers to 7-4 in the OVC (10-12 overall). Morehead State fell to 11-13 (7-4 OVC).

Brianna Lawrence led TSU with 22 points behind a stellar shooting performance. The junior went 8-of-14 from the field and 6-of-8 from three-point range. I’mani Davis also reached double-digits with 14 points while Chelsea Hudson added 12. Rachel Allen posted her second career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Allen also only committed one turnover in the contest.

Morehead State had three players in double-figures led by Shay Steele’s 25 points. Almesha Jones scored 16 and Maiki Viela tallied 12.



Despite shooting 55.6 percent from three-point range through the first sixteen minutes of the game, TSU fell behind, 37-31 at the 3:34 mark. The Lady Tigers, however, used an 8-2 rally, capped by a Brianna Lawrence three-pointer to pull even, 39-39, just before the end of the half.

Lawrence christened the second stanza with a triple from the corner before an old fashioned three-point play by Jayda Johnson put the Lady Tigers on top, 45-40.

Morehead State battled from behind to reclaim the lead and the teams traded buckets. Both squads had played to a 54-54 tie at the 11:35 mark.

The rest of the contest was a fiercely contested battle as neither team would let up. TSU was holding on to a slight, 65-64, lead when Brianna Lawrence buried her fifth triple of the game to give the Lady Tigers a four-point cushion.

A few possessions later, Rachel Allen found Lawrence in the corner for another long range bomb. MSU answered with a score on its trip down the floor and forced a TSU turnover on the next play.

The Lady Tigers maintained their composure and made timely free-throws down the stretch to secure the win.

Tennessee State returns to action on Thursday, February 12 at Tennessee Tech. Game time is slated for 4:15 p.m. in the Eblen Center.

TSU vs. Morehead State Final Box

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SU Lady Jaguars roar past Grambling for seventh straight win

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern women’s basketball team lost at Grambling four weeks ago when it couldn’t hold on to a late lead.

The Jaguars made sure that didn’t happen in the rematch Saturday afternoon in the F.G. Clark Activity Center. They opened a 14-point lead in less than 12 minutes and maintained a double-digit margin the rest of the way in an 80-52 victory.

Southern won its seventh consecutive game to improve to 8-2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and 10-10 overall. It hosts Jackson State on Monday.

The Lady Tigers, who used a 12-4 finishing run to win by a point in the first meeting, are 4-6 and 7-14.

The Jaguars played one of their most efficient offensive games of the season, matching their season-high for points against an NCAA opponent and surpassing their previous high in a SWAC game by three points.

CONTINUE READING