Norfolk State Spartans Face Delaware State, Celebrate Senior Night Monday on ESPNU at 7 PM EST

Norfolk State Men's Basketball
Monday, Feb. 23; 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
NSU vs. Delaware State, Joseph Echols Hall
TV: ESPNU | WatchESPN
Radio: Star 1310 AM, Live Audio | Hot 91.1 FM, Live Audio
Live Stats | Game Notes

NORFOLK, Virginia -- After breaking a two-game losing streak with a big victory at Coppin State, the Norfolk State men's basketball team will return to Norfolk for its last home game of the season against Delaware State at Joseph Echols Hall. NSU will honor six players for Senior Night and then take on the Hornets in a key MEAC matchup beginning at 7 p.m. The game will also be broadcast on ESPNU, the first NSU home game on television in four years.
 
The Spartans stand 10-3 in MEAC play and 17-11 overall. With three games left, second-place NSU has a two-game advantage in the loss column over three other teams, two of which the Spartans will play before the end of the regular season. UMES (9-5), Howard (8-5) and Delaware State (7-5) are all chasing NSU for the No. 2 seed in the MEAC tournament. The Spartans need to win two of their last three games of the year to avoid any tiebreaking scenarios for second in the MEAC.
 
Media Coverage
The game will be shown live on ESPNU with Dr. Jerry Punch and Stan Lewter on the call. It will mark NSU's first home game on television since playing South Carolina State on Jan. 24, 2011. Fans can also follow the game live through WatchESPN.
 
The contest with the Hornets will be broadcast live on Star 1310 AM and Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon and Terrell Ducre' on the call. Live audio is available through the Star 1310 website as well as through the Hot 91.1 website. Both feeds are available on smartphones through the Star 1310 website or through www.TuneIn.com or the TuneIn Radio App (search for "WNSB") for Hot 91.1.

Fans can also follow along with the live stats here.
 
Series History
NSU has won three in a row over Delaware State to extend its lead in the all-time series to 30-23 in a history that first began in 1962-63. The Hornets won 19-of-23 meetings prior to that three-game win streak for the Spartans.
 
About Delaware State
The Hornets defeated Hampton by three points on Saturday to improve to 13-14 overall and 7-5 in MEAC play. Amere May has scored 69 points in the last two games and ranks first in the conference with 19.8 points per game. Kendall Gray averages 12.2 points, 2.7 blocks and 12.0 rebounds, the latter second in the nation, while Tyshawn Bell also scores in double figures at 10.1 points to go with 5.3 rebounds. DSU averages slightly more than 70 points per game and shoots almost identical to opponents (41.4-41.6 overall, 33.9-33.6 from 3-point range). The Hornets do commit two more turnovers per game (13.7-11.7) than their opposition.
 
Last Time Out
NSU's offense caught fire in the second half on the way to a 99-81 victory over Coppin State on the road on Saturday. The Spartans scored 60 points in the second half after shooting 19-of-27 (70.4 percent) after intermission. NSU hit 34-of-55 for the game (61.8 percent) thanks to the combined efforts of D'Shon Taylor, RaShid Gaston and Malik Thomas. Gaston scored a career-high 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting with 10 rebounds, while Taylor added 23 points on 9-of-14 field goals with eight boards, three assists and two steals. Thomas tallied 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, scoring all 21 in the second half. The Spartans also had a 36-24 edge on the glass and outscored CSU 44-26 in points in the paint. NSU also finished with the second-fewest fouls of the season (12).
 
Player Tidbits
Jeff Short
• Averaging 18.8 points, 53.7 percent shooting, 38.7 percent 3-point shooting, 81.6 percent free throw shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in MEAC games
• Averaging 3.3 assists last eight games and 5.1 rebounds in last seven games
• Shooting 23-of-25 from the free throw line the last three games, including career-high 12-of-14 at Morgan State
• Had a career-high seven assists at Coppin State
• Tallied at least 15 points in 21 of last 23 games; Scored 13 in each of the other two games
• Has scored in double figures in all but one game this year
• Shooting 116-of-202 (57.4 percent) from 2-point range
• Has sank a 3-pointer in all but three games this year
• Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in scoring (19.1), 5th in free throw percentage (83.3), 3-point field goal percentage (39.9) and minutes (33.6), 7th in 3-point field goals (2.1) and 8th in field goal percentage (50.0)
• Stands 27th in the nation in scoring (19.1); Also ranks in total points (17, 534), total field goals (28, 175), free throw percentage (70, 83.3), field goal percentage (84, 50.0), minutes (176, 33:34) and 3-point field goals per game (181, 2.11)
• Ranks 15th in the nation among guards in shooting percentage; Would rank 41st in 3-point field goal percentage but does not have enough makes on the year
• Stands 7th in NSU D-I single season records in points scored (534); Also stands tied for 1st in free throw percentage (.833), 5th in scoring average (19.1), 6th in free throws (125) and 3-point field goal percentage (.399), 8th in 3-point field goals (59), 10th in field goals (175), 11th in 3-point field goal attempts (148), 12th in free throw attempts (150) and 15th in field goal percentage (.500) and field goal attempts (350); Also ranks tied for 3rd in free throw percentage for overall single season records (See table page 6).

MEAC Standings
The Spartans stand alone in second place in the MEAC at 10-3, while North Carolina Central sits in first at 13-0 and is locked in for the No. 1 seed in the MEAC tournament. NSU has a two-game lead for second place in the MEAC, with UMES (9-5), Howard (8-5) and Delaware State (7-5) all sitting with five losses in conference play. UMES would own any head-to-head tiebreaker with NSU. The Spartans defeated Howard earlier this year and play the Bison again in a week. With a victory, DSU would own the tiebreaker with NSU. A Spartan win against the Hornets would guarantee NSU a top 4 seed in the tournament and thus a first-round bye.
 
Offense on Fire
NSU's 99-81 win over Coppin State on Saturday marked the most points the Spartans scored in a regulation game against a Division I opponent since a 102-86 victory over UMES on Feb. 12, 2000.
 
NSU also scored 60 points and shot 70.4 percent (19-of-27) in the second half. It marked the most points scored in a half since tallying 64 in the second half against Newberry last year and the most against a D-I opponent since posting 69 in the second half against Coppin State on Jan. 30, 2012. It marked the seventh time since 2002-03 that NSU has shot 70 percent in a half and the third time scoring at least 60 points.
 
Good Shootin'
For the fifth time this year, the seventh time in the past two seasons and the 11th time in the Division I era, NSU hit better than 60 percent from the floor, shooting 34-of-55 (61.8 percent) at Coppin State. It marked the eighth-best percentage in D-I history.
 
NSU hit a Division I record 65.9 percent (29-of-44) at South Carolina State. This year NSU also has posted D-I top-10 performances against Morgan State (63.3 percent, 31-of-49, 4th highest), at Savannah State (62.2 percent, 28-of-45, 6th highest), at Coppin State (61.8 percent, 34-of-55, 8th highest) and against North Carolina A&T (60.9 percent, 28-of-46, 9th highest).
 
Winning Big in the MEAC
Overall in conference play, NSU is averaging 74.7 points per game while shooting 52.0 percent overall and 36.7 percent from 3-point range. NSU has outrebounded foes by an average of 6.4 boards per contest while also holding them to 39.0 percent shooting and 28.3 percent from beyond the arc. Eight of NSU's 10 MEAC wins have been by double digits, the first time in the Division I era the Spartans have won eight conference games by 10 or more points and the first time overall since 1995-96.

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

Critical SWAC Rematch is all set on ESPNU Monday Night at 9 PM EST: Alabama State Hornets at Southern Jaguars

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- A thriller took place on January 26 at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome when Alabama State hosted Southern University earlier this season. As a matter of fact, regulation was not enough time to settle the affair. The Hornets escaped at home 63-59.

ASU enters play today at 11-2 in the SWAC (15-7 overall), tied for first place with Texas Southern. The Jaguars are currently 11-3 in the conference (14-14 overall), half a game out.

Tre Lynch scored 15 points off the bench in the Jaguars' 72-63 win over Alabama A&M in Baton Rouge on Saturday. Lynch has not started a single game this year and averages 11.8 points per game. Southern has the SWAC's best field-goal percentage defense. Opponents are shooting 39 percent this season.

Demarcus Robinson scored 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting in Alabama State's 71-67 win at Alcorn State this past weekend. Robinson has four of the Hornets' six 20-point games this season. ASU also made nine three pointers, its most in conference play so far.

Mississippi State transfer Wendell Lewis scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds the last time the two schools met. Prior to last month’s victory of Southern, Alabama State had lost six straight. Tip-off tonight is set for 8 p.m.(Central Standard Time) on ESPNU/WatchESPN.

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Texas Southern Men's Track and Field wins 2015 SWAC Indoor Championship

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship was awarded to the Tigers of Texas Southern University Sunday afternoon at the Birmingham Crossplex.

TSU ended the day with a total of 128 points as head coach Clyde Duncan was presented the 2015 Men's Indoor Coach of the Year award.

Grambling State Tigers placed second with 124 points. Prairie View finished third with 85 points. Rounding out the final standings include: Mississippi Valley (64), Alabama State (62), Jackson State (57), Southern (29), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (29), Alcorn State (21) and Alabama A&M (18).

TSU's Demetrious Williams was awarded the 2015 Men's Most Outstanding Field Performer. He claimed two victories in long jump with a leap of 7.20m and in Triple Jump with a length of 15.21m.

This title marks the Texas Southern Flying Tigers Men's Track and Field teams' first championship since 1994 under then head coach Dave Bethany.

2015 SWAC Indoor Men's Track and Field Championship Highlights

Pole Vault
Texas Southern's Jawalyn Brooks set a new SWAC record for men's pole vault, jumping a height of 4.65m (15-03.00). Alabama State's Christopher Amisial and O'Shane Shaw placed second and third with heights of 3.85m (12-07.50) and 3.75m (12-03.50), respectively.

Triple Jump
Demetrious Williams came in first place in triple jump with a leap of 15.21m (49-11.00). Second place was captured by Grambling State's Chauncey Wells with a jump of 14.76m (48-05.00) and third place was awarded to Southern's Akil Bennett with a leap of 14.72m (48-03.50).

Mile
Texas Southern's D'Andre Lewis claimed the 1600m SWAC title with a new record time of 4:18.71. Coming in second was Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Matthew Agard with a time of 4:26.20 and finishing in third place was Mississippi Valley's Simeyon Bobbett, running a time of 4:27.19.

5000 Meter
Syed Hussain of Prairie View A&M captured first place in the 5k meter run with a time of 16:05.51. Coming in second place was Grambling State's Jesus Hernandez with a time of 16:08.98. Finishing third was Texas Southern's Jose Medina clocking in with a time of 16:10.10.

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU Lady Hornets Win Seventh Consecutive Indoor Championship; Men Finish Fifth

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Alabama State University's Lady Hornets track and field team made it seven in a row when they won the 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Indoor Track and Field Championship. The men's team captured a fifth overall team finish with 62 points.
 
The current winning streak started in 2009 and with today's championship, the Lady Hornets have now won eleven total indoor titles. ASU went into today's second day of events with a firm 17.5 point lead and pulled away from the field as they outscored second place finisher Texas Southern by 126.5 pts.

The Lady Hornets won several individual titles led by Quinta Collier who won the pole vault with a mark of 3.01m. Alexis Ferebee won the 60m dash with a time of 7.58. Artrailia Lesane won and set new SWAC record in the women's mile in 5:00.60. Santina Williams won the 200m (24.27) and 400m dash in 54.39. Tatiana Etienne not only won the 800m run but, set a new SWAC record of 2:10.52. Paige Rankine captured a first place finish in the 5,000m with a SWAC record time of 17:15.52.

"Our ladies fought hard today to capture this championship," Head Coach Ritchie Beene said. "The girls did exceptionally well and we had a lot of the girls to step up and respond well in a championship setting."

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS
Alabama State University Women's Track and Field Team
2014-15 SWAC Indoor Track and Field Champions
ROSTER

Dikerria Wilson finished third (7.69) and Kadijah Gordon placed fifth with a 7.75 in the 60m dash. In the 200m dash Ferebee was sixth (25.01) and Gordon (25.14) finished seventh. The Lady Hornets saw Ferebee (54.83) capture second in the 400m and Kimberley Wedderburn finished third in 55.61.   

Rankine also had a strong showing in the women's mile finishing (5:02.16). In the 800m run Brandee Ebert (2:13.72) took second, Jerrica Mahone (2:14.25) placed third and Shantia Wilson captured sixth in the same event with a time of 2:17.62. Wilson also finished third in the mile with a time of 5:16.04.

Monica Howard (8.81), Narricka Williams (8.85), Alicia Terrell (8.96) added a sixth-seventh-eighth place finish in the 60m hurdles.

ASU had a strong showing in the three field event finals today. Imani White was fourth in the weight throw (16.02m).Monica Howard took fifth overall (2.61m) in the pole vault. The final field event was the triple jump and Gordon finished fourth (11.86m).

In the final event of the day the Lady Hornets team of Wedderburn, Williams, Etienne and Ferebee won the 4x400m relay breaking the SWAC record in 3:42.08. 

With the Lady Hornets championship, Ritchie Beene was named the Women's SWAC Indoor Coach of the Year.

"We had several athletes to break some records this weekend, including the 4x400m relay and Distance Medley Relay which was a positive, said Beene." 
 
The men fought hard on the second day and achieved a fifth overall finish. In the field events Chris Amisial finished second overall with a vault of 3.85m. O'Shane Shaw took third in the same event with a vault of 3.75m.  

"Today I was really excited with the way the men performed," Beene said.  "I like the positive direction that our men's team is heading into as we will regroup and get ready for outdoor season."

In the running events Devin O'Neal had an impressive showing as he finished fifth overall in the 60m (6.914), second in the 400m (48.49) and eighth in 200m (22.53). Carlos Flores and Bryont Brown finished fifth (1:56.29) and eighth (2:09.54) in the 800m run. Andrew Coicou (16:14.80) placed fourth and Tyree Newton (16:34.74) finished eighth in the 5,000m run.

The men's 4x400m relay team closed out the day with an impressive second place finishing in a time of 3:16.87. The relay team was made up of Shemar Rannie, Ryan Hall, Justin Davis and O'Neal.

"I am very proud of our men's 4x400m relay they fought hard during the race and showed a lot of toughness to pull out the second place finish." said Beene.   

Today's action brings an end to the 2014-15 indoor season, as the Hornets will have some time off before setting their sights on the start of outdoor season beginning March 13-14th at the Battle of I-65 in Birmingham.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
                                                                                                                   

Sports Mirroring Life

CHARLESTON, South Carolina -- They say that “sport mirrors life.

Because sport mirrors life, Nike’s Phil Knight can donate more than $300 million to Oregon and its athletic department, singlehandedly financing Oregon’s transition from also-ran to D-1 powerhouse/fashion statement, while practically ignoring the community and boys who have helped him become the 43rd richest man in the world at US $18.4 billion.

It would also explain the lack of NCAA response to the disproportionate representation of Black males on NCAA basketball and football teams compared to their representation among the college student body generally, the lack of a meaningful NCAA response to the massive academic fraud committed against Black athletes, and the apparent inability of the NCAA to eliminate the lingering and persistent disparity in graduation rates between Black and White athletes.

What’s stopping Black folk from rallying behind and redirecting our youngsters to HBCUs and emulate the NCAA’s version of recycling Black dollars? That system pours 90 percent of NCAA money generated almost entirely by Black basketball players into non-revenue sports in which few Blacks participate. According to NCAA President Mark Emmert in a December 12, 2012 LA Chamber of Commerce discussion “College Sports Are Broken”, the $2 billion in scholarship dollars generated by basketball and football, where 99% of the stars are Black, represents a source of scholarship funding second only to the federal government.

It would take one recruiting class in basketball and as few as two recruiting classes in football. With the “newfound” talent, HBCUs could ultimately sell TV rights and like the Texas’s and Alabama’s, reallocate the revenue to the (academic) mission of their institutions. Who would know the difference so long as the majority of the players remain Black and talented?

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Are financial woes undermining Cheyney athletics?

Cheyney Places Four on 2014 PSAC All Conference Team
Courtesy Cheyney University Sports Information

THORNBURY Township, Pennsylvania -- On the athletic fields and courts, Cheyney University varsity teams are currently struggling to a degree that is almost incomprehensible.

A look at the raw numbers for the last 10 months – the overall win-loss records – reveal that the Wolves are winning at a rate that is shockingly close to being imperceptible. From the spring semester of 2014 to the present, CU’s combined record is 7-91, for a winning percentage of .071.

What used to be an issue primarily focused on CU struggling football program has been expanding across the board. Cheyney teams seem to be losing ground in an attempt to simply stay competitive, and that includes the men’s basketball program, which used to be not just the standard-bearer for the entire CU athletic department, but the cream of the crop of men’s basketball in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Association.

From 1965-86, Cheyney captured 15 PSAC hoop championships and reigned over all of Division II basketball in 1978. But for the last two seasons, the once proud program has a combined record of 5-46.

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A&T eyeing luxury boxes for Aggie Stadium

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- N.C. A&T’s athletics department could get new offices and Aggie Stadium could add seven luxury suites under a plan shown to the university’s board of trustees last week.

Although right now, “plan” might even be too strong a word.

“At this point, that’s nothing but a drawing,” said Earl Hilton, A&T’s athletics director. “We don’t have any financing identified or concrete plans. I love it in concept. But right now, that’s all it is: a concept.”

The concept — part of an updated facilities master plan called “A&T Preeminence 2020” — would add a $10.75 million, three-level athletics complex behind the bleachers of Aggie Stadium’s south end zone.

Sketches place the building at the bottom of the hillside off Sullivan Street, overlooking a plaza facing the campus. It would add a main entrance to the stadium, consolidated office space to put A&T’s entire athletics department under one roof, and an upper level that would rise above the top of the bleachers with seven enclosed suites overlooking the field.

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Bowie State’s Knox has come long way

CAMERON KNOX
Courtesy: BSU Sports Information

BOWIE, Maryland -- Cameron Knox, a 27-year-old senior guard at Bowie State, doesn’t shy away from the tough questions.

When asked where he’d be if not playing a starring role for the Bulldogs this season he was blunt: “I’d be in jail or worse.”

Knox has been the glue that’s helped Coach Darrell Brooks and the Bulldogs to yet another outstanding season where they could win their second CIAA title in three years.

The CIAA Tournament will be this week at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte.

Knox, who is from Baltimore, was named the CIAA player of the year last week. His 5-11, 175-pound body might be older than all of his teammates, but it hasn’t stopped him from being a force.

“I’m just more comfortable this season and I’ve learned how to play in Coach’s system and it’s worked out,” said Knox, who is one of the top scorers in the league.

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Florida A&M Sets 2015 Spring Training Camp Dates

LBs Akil Blount (47) and Neal Cunningham (31) will be among the returning
veterans working out during Spring.
Courtesy: Florida A&M Sports Information

 

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University head football coach Alex Wood announced the Rattler Football Spring Training Practice Schedule, a 15-day regimen during which prospects for the 2015 club.

Workouts will be held in Bragg Memorial Stadium at 5:30 a.m., beginning Wednesday, March 18.

Full scrimmages will be staged on Saturday, March 28 and Saturday, April 4, with the annual Spring Game set for Bragg Memorial Stadium on Saturday, April 11 at 2:00 p.m.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

2015 Spring Training Camp Schedule

5:30 a.m. – Bragg Memorial Stadium

WEEK ONE

Wednesday, March 18

Friday, March 20

Saturday, March 21

WEEK TWO

Tuesday, March 24

Wednesday. March 25

Friday, March 27

Saturday, March 28 – SCRIMMAGE

WEEK THREE

Tuesday, March 31

Wednesday, April

Friday, April 3

Saturday, April 4 – SCRIMMAGE

WEEK FOUR

Tuesday, April 7

Wednesday, April 8

Friday, April 10

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 – SPRING GAME (2:00 p.m.) - BRAGG STADIUM

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Slain Howard University student ‘would have found a fabulous way to contribute’

The Late OMAR SYKES

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Omar Sykes arrived at Howard University having spent most of his life hopping across Africa, forming a uniquely broad view of the world and his place in it. He saw the campus as isolated from its urban, and sometimes gritty, surroundings and set out to integrate the two.

His dream went unrealized. Sykes was killed July 4, 2013, during a robbery outside his apartment, a block from campus. The 22-year-old marketing major was targeted, police say, because he was a Howard student.

Rasdavid Lagarde, a young man who hung out in the neighborhood around the university, shot Sykes in the chest with a .380 handgun. It was an accident, Lagarde told police. He said he was “drunk, down on his luck and broke.” On Wednesday, Lagarde pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and faces a prison sentence of 20 to 30 years.

The shooting nearly two years ago ended a promising life and called attention to crime at and around Howard, in the neighborhood Sykes had worked so hard to pull together.

Sykes, the son of globe-trotting members of the diplomatic corps, was the leader of Howard’s chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service-oriented fraternity from which he preached — and practiced — community involvement. Sykes was out in the neighborhood, talking to people who lived near campus, repairing houses, attending community meetings and helping children.

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Benedict Lady Tigers Edge Paine, 60-59

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

AUGUSTA, Georgia – KaDeeja Vaughn hit two free throws with one second left to lift the Benedict College Lady Tigers to a 60-59 victory over Paine College in their final regular season game on Saturday afternoon.

Paine led 59-57 after Lasharon Salahuddin hit one of two free throws with 12 seconds left. Benedict's Ta'Narnia Chisley hit one free throw with seven seconds left to cut the lead to one. Vaughn was fouled and went to the line and sank both free throws for the win.

Benedict wraps up the regular season at 20-5 overall and 15-2 in the SIAC. Benedict finishes in first place in the SIAC East Division and is tied with Kentucky State for the best overall record in the SIAC.

Dorothy Brown matched her season high with 13 points. Kristine Lesane had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Britenique Harrison added 12 points.

Tannasia Rhodes led Paine (10-16, 7-10 SIAC) with 14 points.

Benedict held Paine to 30.6 percent shooting for the game, and just 18.75 percent in the first half.

Benedict had a 30-24 lead at the half, and Brown opened the second half with a 3-pointer to give the Lady Tigers a nine-point lead. Paine took its first lead since early in the first half when Salahuddin hit a jumper for a 54-52 lead with 4:35 left to play.

Benedict is off until the SIAC Tournament, which begins March 2 at the Bill Harris Arena at the Cross Plex in Birmingham, Ala.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION 

Southern men win despite losing Jared Sam

HEAD COACH ROMAN BANKS
SU JAGUARS

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern got one big man back and lost another.

Center Frank Snow returned from a four-game absence due to a broken hand, but forward Jared Sam was lost due to an ankle injury during the Jaguars’ 72-63 victory against Alabama A&M on Saturday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Southern was able to withstand Sam’s absence, but it could become a bigger issue if he’s unable to play against Alabama State on Monday in the Clark Activity Center. The Jaguars (14-14 overall) are 11-3 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and trailed first-place Alabama State and Texas Southern by one game entering play saturday. A&M fell to 6-7 and 7-16.

“One comes back and another one goes,” said Southern coach Roman Banks, who didn’t immediately know Sam’s status for Monday. “With the style of basketball that we play we need all of our parts to be pretty good.”

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Southern women rout Alabama A&M despite four ejections

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern women lost four players during a scuffle early in the second half, but still had enough firepower to rout Alabama A&M 84-53 on Saturday afternoon in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Starting forward Briana Green went to the bench for more than 10 minutes after committing a personal foul and a technical foul during the incident, which left her one foul short of disqualification and brought three of her teammates off the bench, causing their ejection.

“I just told them in the huddle, ‘Let’s get back focused,’ ” guard Kendra Coleman said. “ ‘Don’t worry about it, it’s over. We’ve got to get on it right now.’ ”

The Jaguars led by 11 points when things got heated and they pulled away to their largest margin of victory in a Southwestern Athletic Conference game this season by scoring their most points against an NCAA opponent this season.

Southern won its 11th game in a row to improve to 12-2 in the SWAC and 14-10 overall as it prepares to host Alabama State on Monday. The Lady Bulldogs are 5-8 and 6-18.

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Big Games from NSU's Gaston, Taylor, Thomas Lead to 99-81 Win over CSU

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- The trio of RaShid Gaston, D'Shon Taylor and Malik Thomas could not be stopped on Saturday afternoon, and the Norfolk State men's basketball team scored its most points all season in a 99-81 victory over Coppin State at the Physical Education Complex.
 
Even a nearly two-hour bus ride for NSU to go five miles from the hotel to the arena, delaying the start of the game, could not prevent the Spartans from coming out on fire. The Spartans shot 34-of-55 overall (61.8 percent) to snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 10-3 in conference play, 17-11 overall.
 
It marked the fifth game this year NSU has shot at least 60 percent from the field. The Spartans also set the Division I record with 26 assists.
 
Gaston tallied a career-high 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting with 10 rebounds. He also hit 8-of-9 from the free throw line to top his previous career best of 28 points. Taylor added 23 – the second most in his career – on 9-of-14 shooting with eight boards, three assists and two steals.
 
Thomas, meanwhile, tied his career high with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting. He scored all 21 in the second half, giving NSU three 20-point scorers in the same game for the first time since the 86-84 upset of Missouri in the NCAA tournament in 2012.
 
The victory kept NSU two games ahead for second place in the MEAC with just three games left in the regular season. The Spartans scored their most point in a regulation game against a Division I opponent since a 102-86 victory over UMES on Feb. 12, 2000.

The victory also clinched a winning season for NSU for the fourth straight season.
 
CSU stayed in the game thanks to a 12-of-31 effort from the 3-point line. NSU, not to be outdone, hit 9-of-16 from beyond the arc to break a four-game slump in long range shooting. The Spartans were also solid from the free throw line for the third straight game, hitting 22-of-25 (88.0 percent) against the Eagles, the seventh-best percentage in NSU's D-I history.
 
Coppin State dropped to 6-21 overall and 5-9 in conference play. Sterling Smith shot 9-of-17 overall, including 5-of-10 from 3-point land, for a career-high 28 points to pace CSU.
 
The Spartans also outscored the Eagles 44-26 in points in the paint and held a 36-24 edge on the glass.
 
CSU only led at the start of the game, but the Eagles did trail by just one early in the second half. After being held scoreless in the first half, though, Thomas picked up his play in the second half. He accounted for nine points during a 12-4 run that pushed NSU's lead to nine, 51-42, at the 16:31 mark. In less than three minutes, Thomas sank two more treys, and in between shoveled a pass to Taylor for the easy dunk, all to put the Spartans up by 14, 59-45.
 
Coppin State scored nine of the next 12 points in the game, and Smith twice cut the NSU advantage to six with less than 10 minutes left in the game.
 
Gaston's dunk pushed the lead back to double digits, 75-64, at the 6:48 mark. CSU, though, used a 10-2 run to get to within three, 77-74, with just 5:10 left. Smith drained a 3-pointer and Taariq Cephas hit a long two at the end of the spurt, getting the Eagles as close as they would get for the rest of the game.
 
NSU scored seven straight over the next minute and a half, part of a 12-2 run that essentially sealed the contest for the Spartans. They also scored 10 of the last 12 points of the game to finish with the 18-point margin of victory, the second-largest ever against CSU in 36 all-time meetings behind the 19-point win earlier in the year.
 
Junior Jeff Short scored 13 points to go with seven assists and five rebounds. He and Thomas both shot 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
 
Coppin State hit a pair of treys to grab an early 8-2 lead to start the game, but the Spartans answered with a 9-0 run. Short hit a 3-pointer in transition to finish that spurt and put the Spartans up by three. A little later, Taylor's thunderous alley-oop dunk had the entire hoop apparatus shaking and NSU holding a 17-13 edge.
 
Freshman Jordan Butler later found Taylor open for a trey to push the advantage to 10, 23-13, at the 10:39 mark. Smith converted a pair of treys for Coppin State, and Daquan Brickhouse sank another 3-pointer to cap an 11-4 run for the Eagles. CSU later scored seven straight to tie it up at 33-33 with a little more than three minutes to go in the half.
 
After a layup and pair of free throws by Gaston in the last minute, Brickhouse hit CSU's eighth 3-pointer of the half right before the buzzer to shrink NSU's lead to 39-36 at the break.
 
Taylor and Gaston combined for 32 points and 11 rebounds in the first stanza.
 
For the game, the Eagles hit 29-of-64 overall (45.3 percent).
 
NSU finished with 12 fouls, the second-fewest on the season.
 
NSU will host Delaware State on Monday at Joseph Echols Hall for Senior Day. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU at 7 p.m.

Box Score

By Mike Bello, Asst. SID

COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU Baseball Sweeps FAMU In Home Openers

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- The Alabama State baseball team swept Saturday's home openers against Florida A&M, winning 11-3 and 7-1 at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
 
Waldyvan Estrada homered twice as the Hornets (3-3) rolled to a season-high 19 hits in game one and used timely hitting in game two to take both games from the Rattlers (1-4).
 
"We have been taking better at bats," said head coach Mervyl Melendez of his team, which hit three home runs in the doubleheader. "It showed today in both games."
 
Defensively, Alabama State allowed just four runs and struckout 22 hitters.
 
"Our pitchers made great adjustments today, especially with the wind blowing out," Melendez said. "On a day like today, we needed to keep our pitches down in the zone and all of our pitchers were able to do so."
 
Game three of the series in Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Game 1 -  Hornets 11, Florida A&M 3: Cesar Rivera, Einar Muniz, P.J. Harris and Yamil Pagan each had three hits, and Harris and Waldyvan Estrada each homered in the win.
 
After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first, the Hornets scored four times in their first at-bat. With one out, P.J. Biocic singled to right field, before Muniz doubled down the left field line to score Biocic. Estrada then homered on the first pitch of the at-bat to left field to give the Hornets to lead for good.  Chris Biocic then singled, stole second, and went to third on a throwing error. Harris' sacrifice fly scored Biocic for a 4-2 Hornets lead.
 
Leading 6-3 after three innings, Alabama State broke the game open with four-run fifth. Chris Biocic singled up the middle and advance to second on a balk, and scored on a double to right center field by Hunter Allen. Harris then drilled a two-run homer to left center field, scoring Allen. With two outs, Rivera walked and P.J. Biocic was hit by a pitch. Muniz then singled to center field, scoring Rivera to give the Hornets a 10-3 lead.
 
T.J. Renda (1-1) went six innings, allowing eight hits, three runs with one walk and seven strikeouts.
 
Game 2 – Hornets 7, Florida A&M 1:  Joseph Camacho allowed just three hits in 6 2/3 innings,while Estrada again homered and had three hits in the nightcap.
 
After allowing a first-inning run, Camacho walked one and struck out eight.
 
In the bottom of the first trailing 1-0, Rivera led off with a double to left center field. After an infield single by P.J. Biocic, Muniz' RBI on a fielder's choice scored Rivera. After Estrada singled moving Muniz to third, the Hornets pulled off a double steal with Muniz swiping home and Estrada second for a 2-1 lead.
 
In the second inning, Rivera's RBI double and P.J. Biocic's RBI single gave the Hornets a 4-1 lead. Estrada's two-run homer in the sixth extended the lead 6-1.

BOX SCORE 1     BOX SCORE 2

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

CIAA Sports Information Directors Announce 2015 All-Rookie Basketball Teams

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- The 2015 CIAA All-Rookie Basketball Teams along with their respective Rookies of the Year have been selected by the CIAA Sports Information Directors' Association.

The 2015 CIAA Women's Rookie of the Year is Breona Jones of Elizabeth City State University. Named the CIAA Rookie of the Week three times this season, Jones, a native of Henderson, North Carolina (Southern Vance HS), has had an outstanding rookie campaign having started in all 24 of ECSU’s games this season. She led all CIAA freshmen in minutes played, points scored and scoring average. Jones scored in double figures seven times, matched a personal best of 4 steals three times and registered a career best 6 assists on three occasions.

Quincy January of Saint Augustine's University has been voted 2015 CIAA Men's Rookie of the Year. The Atlanta, Georgia (Riverdale HS) native was tabbed CIAA Rookie of the Week four times this season. He has scored in double figures in 16 of 25 games including nine straight from January 11 through February 12. The high-leaping forward leads the CIAA in field goal percentage with many of his points coming on crowd pleasing dunks.

The Men's and Women's All-Rookie Basketball teams will be honored at the CIAA Tournament Tipoff Luncheon, Monday, February 23 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

2014 CIAA Women's All-Rookie Team

# NAME SCHOOL POS HOMETOWN
43 Alexis Fowler Livingstone F Lexington, NC
30 Teira Pendleton Lincoln (Pa.) F/G Baltimore, MD
34 Dhyamond Crenshaw Chowan F Burke, VA
12 Kyah Proctor Bowie St. G Capital Heights, MD
2 Breona Jones Elizabeth City St. G Henderson, NC
Women's Rookie of the Year - Breona Jones, Elizabeth City State University

2015 CIAA Men's All-Rookie Team

# NAME SCHOOL POS HOMETOWN
12 Quincy January Saint Augustine's F Atlanta, GA
15 Tyler Peterson Virginia St. G Virginia Beach, VA
33 Dedric Byrd Winston-Salem St. F Fuquay Varina, NC
3 Ahmaad Wilson Bowie St. G Baltimore, MD
2 Terrell Leach Winston-Salem St. G High Point, NC
Men's Rookie of the Year - Quincy January, Saint Augustine's University

For more information on this year's CIAA Basketball Tournament, visit TheCIAA.com/bballtournament.

COURTESY CIAA MEDIA RELATIONS

CIAA Announces 2015 All-CIAA Basketball Teams

Hampton, Virginia  --  The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Basketball Coaches and Sports Information Directors have selected the 2015 slate of All-Conference honorees. This season’s line-up features Men’s Player of the Year, Cameron Knox of Bowie State University and Verdine Warner of Shaw University as Women’s Player of the Year.

Knox, a senior forward from Baltimore, Maryland, is a three-time CIAA Player of the Week and leads the conference in points scored (461). He ranks in the top 5 in field goals made, three pointers made, steals and points per game. He has only one disqualification in the 26 games he started.

Warner, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, West Indies, is second in the conference in scoring average, first in total points, first in rebounds per game, third in field goal percentage and tied for second in blocked shots per game. She averaged 27.5 points per 40 minutes in the 27 games she's played.

Knox and Warner are joined by Tyrece Little (Virginia State) and Deja Middleton (Fayetteville State) as Defensive Players of the Year. All four honorees and their fellow All-Conference selectees will be formally recognized at the Men’s and Women’s Tip-Off Awards Luncheon scheduled for Monday, February 23 in Charlotte.

For more information about the CIAA Tournament, visit TheCIAA.com/bballtournament.



2015 All-CIAA Men’s Basketball Team
# NAME SCHOOL CL POS HOMETOWN

FRONTCOURT
#22 WyKevin Bazemore Winston-Salem St. Senior F Kelford, NC
#3 Hakeem Jackson Livingstone Senior F/C Live Oak, FL
#20 Darrell Ward Elizabeth City St. Senior F White Plains, NY
#23 Stedmon Lemon Johnson C. Smith Junior F Lithonia, GA
#34 Eric Mayo Livingstone Senior F Shelby, NC
#1 Tyrece Little Virginia St. Senior F Greenville, NC
#5 Donta Harper Winston-Salem St. Senior F Greenville, NC's

BACKCOURT
#4 Cameron Knox Bowie St. Senior G Baltimore, MD
#4 Eric Dubose Livingstone Junior G Brooklyn, NY
#3 Raheem Jolliffe St. Augustine's Senior G Fayetteville, NC
#3 Lamar Kearse Virginia St. Senior G Syracuse, NY
#4 Kyree Bethel Chowan Senior G Fayetteville, NC

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cameron Knox, Bowie State University
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyrece Little, Virginia State University

2015 All-CIAA Women’s Basketball Team
# NAME SCHOOL CL POS HOMETOWN

FRONTCOURT
41 Verdine Warner Shaw Senior C St. Vincent and the Grenadines, WN
23 Tiffanie Adair Virginia St. Senior F Spartanburg, SC
32 Zephrah Pam Lincoln (Pa.) Senior C Syracuse, NY
21 Deja Middleton Fayetteville St. Senior C Richmond, VA
11 Alisha Mobley Chowan Junior F Winchester, VA
14 Dionna Scott Winston-Salem St. Senior F South Riding, VA
21 Donia Naylor Bowie St. Senior F Washington, DC

BACKCOURT
4 Jadda Jefferies Elizabeth City St. Senior G Burlington, NC
4 Ashle Freeman Virginia Union Senior G Richmond, VA
00 Dashae Jones Virginia St. Senior G Norfolk, VA
3 Ty-Nita Baker Bowie St. Junior G Houston, MS
23 Cierra York Livingstone Senior G Winston-Salem, NC

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Verdine Warner, Shaw University
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Deja Middleton, Fayetteville State University

COURTESY CIAA MEDIA RELATIONS