Alcorn hopes rest pays off in bowl

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Usually when a team puts together a strong performance, a coach would want to play a game as soon as possible to keep the momentum going.

But that’s not true for Alcorn State and offensive coordinator Fred Kaiss as the Braves (9-3) prepare for a matchup with North Carolina A&T (9-2) in the Celebration Bowl at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

“Most cases you would say that, yeah, I’ve been eager to get this game going, but we were pretty banged up,” Kaiss said. “The few days we gave them off before we started practice, I think was a blessing. The biggest thing I was nervous about was we were really beat up going into the Grambling game … but we came out of the game better than when they went in. And we had a few days to let them heal up, so we’re in good shape.”

Alcorn State’s receiving corps has been bitten by the injury bug, according to Kaiss, and then there’s the high ankle sprain suffered by standout quarterback John Gibbs Jr. in the win against Southern on Oct. 31.

Receiver Marquis Warford has stepped up and made some big plays down the stretch. On the first play of the game against the Jaguars, Warford took a handoff and raced 78 yards for a touchdown.

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Celebration Bowl a welcome windfall for N.C. A&T

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The N.C. A&T football team leaves Wednesday for Atlanta and the great unknown of the Celebration Bowl.

But this much is known: The payday promises to be a bigger windfall for A&T than any possible trip to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in years gone by.

And that’s why the MEAC gave up its automatic qualifier status in the national playoffs to make this bowl game against the SWAC champion a reality.

A&T will play Alcorn State in the inaugural Celebration Bowl at noon Saturday inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The game, which has picked up a title sponsorship for the Air Force Reserve, will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

ESPN Events guarantees each of the two HBCU leagues $1 million to play in the bowl game.

“It’s a pretty good deal for us,” A&T athletics director Earl Hilton said.

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Ladies of the Hill Fall 64-60 to Lady Golden Bears

MOBILE, Alabama -- The Spring Hill College (SHC) women's basketball team dropped a 64-60 outcome to Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) opponent the Miles College Lady Golden Bears at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center on Monday evening.

The Lady Golden Bears (6-2, 3-0 SIAC West) trailed the Badgers 6-0 just 2½ minutes into the game, but rallied to take an 8-7 lead off a layup by Brittney Smith at the 3:48 mark of the period and never trailed again. Miles built as much as 10-point lead at 44-34 with just under four minutes left in the 3rd period, but SHC rallied for a 10-1 run that sliced the deficit down to 45-44 with 8:26 left in the game.

Miles answered right back with a jumper and layup to reclaim a 5-point advantage and would not let SHC get closer than 3-points over the final six minutes of play.

Badger forward Brittney Davis posted her season-high of 17 points to lead all scorers in the contest while center Leah Washington and guard Jennifer Clark each added 10 points. Washington tallied a double-double effort as she also hauled in a game-high 10 rebounds.

Spring Hill shot 37.5% (21-56) for the game and 28.6% (2-7) from 3-point distance while out-rebounding the Bears by a 40-32 margin. Turnovers proved to be the crucial difference in the game as SHC lost 18 turnovers to nine steals by Miles who converted the Badger turnovers int
o 21 points.

For Miles, Larian Scott and Javonne Brown came off the bench to post 17 and 12 points respectively as the Bears shot 45.1% (23-51) from the field and were 2-of-5 (40%) from long distance. Miles lost the ball 14 times to seven Badger steals that resulted in 13 points.

The Badgers (2-6, 1-1 SIAC West) next will host non-conference opponent the Southern University in New Orleans (SUNO) Lady Knights (2-6) on Wednesday beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center..

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Spring Hill Badger men suffer 73-58 loss to Miles

MOBILE, Alabama – The Spring Hill College (SHC) men's basketball team suffered a 73-58 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) West Division loss to the Miles College Golden Bears on Monday night at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center.

The Golden Bears (5-4; 3-0 SIAC West) bolted out to a 38-25 lead at halftime and held as much as a 20-point advantage at 51-31 with 13:05 left to go in the game. SHC twice cut the lead down to 12 points with 9 and 4 minutes remaining on the clock, but could get no closer.

SHC was paced by redshirt freshman guard Sawyer Glick with 20 points and an 8-for-16 effort from the field. Senior guard Jarrett Calhoun pitched in for 11 points and junior center Dejan Stefanovic hauled in nine rebounds. The Badgers shot 42.1% (24-57) overall and 31.8% (7-22) from 3-point land, but suffered 16 turnovers against 11 steals that the Bears turned into 13 points.

Miles had four players reach double digits in scoring led by Josh Samuels and Shaquille Cook with 15 points each as Maiscei Grier and Joshua Johnson each added 11 points. Johnson earned a double-double by also handing out 10 assists. Miles edged out a 33-32 advantage in rebounds and lost 13 turnovers to four Badger steals that resulted in 15 points for SHC on the other end.

The Badgers (1-7; 0-2 SIAC West) next host non-conference foe the Alice Lloyd College Eagles (4-5) in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.


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COURTESY SPRING HILL COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: Important stretch for WSSU coming this week

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- If Winston-Salem State goes on to have a good enough season to get into the Division II NCAA Tournament it may look back on this week as the reason why.

The Rams play three key games before Christmas starting with tonight’s game at UNC Pembroke.

The Rams will then follow that up with home games against Montreat on Wednesday and Fairmont State on Saturday. While the Gaines Center will be virtually empty for those home games because the students are gone on break, those are very important.

If the Rams don’t win the CIAA title and the automatic berth it will come down to their regional ranking. And winning these nonconference games in December will go a long way toward that goal.

Coach James Wilhelmi and the Rams are 5-2 with one of those losses coming to Pembroke at home in overtime.

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N.C. A&T opponent Alcorn State took similar path to Celebration Bowl

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The football program was in a downward spiral.

There were five consecutive losing seasons under four head coaches before the university found its man.

Since then, the turnaround has been surprisingly quick. And now the once-moribund program has won back-to-back conference titles and is headed for a new bowl game.
Sound familiar?

It’s the story of Alcorn State, the team N.C. A&T — which has a similar story — will play in the inaugural Celebration Bowl at noon Saturday in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.

“We’ve battled through some adversities,” Alcorn coach Jay Hopson said at a news conference last week, “but we’ve battled through strong, and I’m proud of this team getting back here.”

The bowl game shapes up as a matchup of strength vs. strength.

A&T (9-2) features the No. 2 rushing defense among the nation’s 123 FCS teams. The Aggies surrender just 84.5 rushing yards per game.

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Kellenberger: At least Jackson State got this hire right

JACKSON, Mississippi -- What are you going to do when Alcorn State has passed you on the field, and lapped you in recruiting? If you’re Jackson State, you go and get some of what those guys have.

Which is why Jackson State’s hire of Tony Hughes as its new football coach is so impressive. Unlike Harold Jackson, the first and only notable line on the resume is not, “Played at Jackson State.” Hughes has family that went to JSU and said he’s attended plenty of Jackson State-Alcorn State games in the past, but make no mistake about it: he’s not a SWAC man. He is, however, a good football coach and a hell of a recruiter, and shouldn’t that be the only two things that really truly matter?

Just look at what Alcorn did hiring Jay Hopson after two decades spent in major college football, or Grambling and Broderick Fobbs. They were hires made outside of SWAC circles, and both have paid off with SWAC Championship Game appearances this season.

“Those guys didn’t have any HBCU experience when they took over their programs and they’ve taken the conference by storm,” Jackson State athletic director Wheeler Brown said.

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Tony Hughes is new JSU head football coach

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State University’s Director of Athletics Wheeler Brown announced the hiring of Tony Hughes as the football program’s 19th head coach during a Monday morning press conference in the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center Hall of Fame Room.

“Today is a great day to be a Tiger,” Brown said. “Coach Hughes brings over 31 years of experience to the position, and we expect great things from him and from our football program.”

Hughes, a Mississippi native, comes to Jackson State from Mississippi State University, where he spent seven seasons as a key member of the Bulldogs football coaching staff. Hughes is known as one of the top recruiting coordinators in the nation. In 2015, 247Sports.com tabbed him as one of America’s top 10 recruiters after Mississippi State hauled in one of the nation’s top 16 classes, according to recruiting services. In the spring of 2013, he was named assistant head coach.

According to Rivals.com, the 22 National Letters of Intent MSU received on 2015 Signing Day made up the Bulldogs’ best since 2003. Fifteen of the signees hailed from Mississippi. Local recruiting will be a top priority for Hughes at Jackson State. He plans to focus on recruitment within a 150-mile radius of the university.

“We will recruit players from the state of Mississippi and the local Jackson area,” Hughes said. “I believe that there are enough players in the state. If we recruit right and evaluate right, every year we will field a great football team.”

“As soon as this press conference is over with, I’ll be on the phone making some calls to get us some football players in here.”

Working formula: honesty and respect

“I’m telling you right now that I don’t have a magic wand in my pocket. I don’t have a crystal ball. I can’t predict how many wins we will have, but I know hard work, discipline and toughness. I know that formula works. When we put those ingredients together as the basic foundation of our program – honesty, treating women with respect and not using drugs and weapons and not stealing from each other – you will see a team that you are very proud of.”

“With all of us working together, we can achieve success as we move forward. I’m proud to be here today and excited to be here today.

In addition, Hughes has a knack for identifying players from Mississippi that go on to become NFL prospects. This is true of first-team All-American linebacker, Benardrick McKinney, who was once a two-star high school quarterback in Tunica before being drafted by the Houston Texans in 2015.

While at Mississippi State, Hughes developed the Bulldogs’ safeties corps into one of the Southeastern Conference’s hardest-hitting units. Hughes is known for a hard-nosed defense. Following the 2014 Orange Bowl season, two of his safeties signed NFL free agent contracts, including his son, Jay – a testimony to his development of Mississippi’s talent at the Division I level.

In 2006, Hughes was named one of the Top 25 college football recruiters in the nation by Rivals.com. His first two years at the University of Mississippi were spent tutoring defensive backs while spending quality time with tight ends.

He spent two seasons at Louisiana Technical University and spent 10 years coaching at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Miss., where he served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Hughes coached eight players who later went on to the NFL.

Before working at Hinds, Hughes’ first full-time coaching position on the collegiate level was at the University of West Alabama, 1992-93. Hughes coached seven years in the Mississippi high school ranks, serving as offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Hattiesburg High School, 1988-91. He spent two seasons as the defensive secondary coach and boys track coach at South Natchez High School in 1986-87. His first high school coaching job was at Philadelphia High School in 1985.

From the Marine Corps to the gridiron

Hughes served his country in the United States Marine Corps, 1981-84, and received an honorable discharge. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1984, working with defensive backs. He played football and ran track at Forest High School, 1974-76, and played defensive back at St. Paul’s College, 1976-77, and was a defensive back for the Southern Miss Eagles, 1977-78.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology in 1980. He is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), serving as a member of the Mississippi FCA State Board of Directors in 1999; president of the Mississippi FCA Coaches Council in 1998; and vice president of the Mississippi FCA Coaches Council in 1997.

Hughes is married to the former Marion McCaleb of Meridian, Miss., and the couple has two sons, Jamison and Jay. Jay had the prestigious honor of being the only SEC football player to represent the league at the 2015 NCAA Convention.

COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS 

TSU Earns 64-52 Win Over Grambling in HBCU Legends Hardwood Classic

CHICAGO, Illinois  – Stifling defense and a balanced attack carried the Tennessee State men’s basketball team to a 64-52 victory over Grambling State on Saturday afternoon at the Kroc Center as part of the HBCU Legends Hardwood Classic. Redshirt senior Keron DeShields (Baltimore, Md.) paced the offense with 16 points on the day.

For the Tigers (6-2), it is their fourth win in a row, marking their longest winning streak since the 2012-13 season. Grambling State falls to 2-7 on the year. Eight games into the season, TSU already has more wins (6) than last year's total (5).

“I thought in the first half, our starters came out and defended pretty well,” second-year TSU Head Coach Dana Ford said. “We held them to 33 percent from the floor and we almost held them under 20 in the first half, which is always encouraging. We had a chance to play a lot of guys who haven’t been playing and we need our guys to get better. I felt like this was a good opportunity for some guys to play some extended minutes.”



TSU held Grambling to 21-for-62 (33.3 percent) shooting from the field and ran out to a 32-20 halftime lead. It is the fourth consecutive game holding an opponent to 20 or fewer points in the first half for the Tigers.

On the offensive end, sophomore Darreon Reddick (Belleville, Ill.) tallied 11 points with Tahjere McCall (Philadelphia, Pa.), Johnny Woodard (Dululth, Minn.) and Wayne Martin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) adding nine points apiece. Martin also secured a team-best 11 rebounds for TSU, which finished with a 43-34 rebounding edge.

TSU never trailed in the game, and led by seven with two minutes left in the opening half. The Tigers were able to gain control thanks to a 7-2 run to close the half.

In the second half, Tennessee State led by as many as 21 points on two occasions, the last coming on a layup from Demontez Loman (South Port, N.C.) with 14:37 left for a 47-26 advantage. For Loman, who turned in another solid performance with eight rebounds, it was his only basket of the game.

TSU maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the second half.

The Tigers will have a quick turnaround with a road game at Stetson on Monday, Dec. 14. Tipoff from the Edmunds Center in DeLand, Fla. is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT).

TSU Head Coach Dana Ford

“We like to be more of a balanced team so people have trouble defending us. I thought tonight with the zone, it slowed us down a little bit. Only couple of guys were really able to get into a rhythm. I don’t think Wayne Martin got into the normal rhythm that he gets into. It was good to see Darreon Reddick make some shot, and obviously Keron DeShields carried us.”

On having a balanced offense.
“It was a great experience. We got into town yesterday and our guys got deep dish pizza. We’re going to take them to a Chicago Bulls game tonight. We have a lot of alumni here in the building and it was very nice. It’s been a great trip.”

On playing in Chicago

TSU Guard Darreon Reddick
“I thought we played hard. Coach told us to be ball tough. They play hard, so we had to move the ball around and get a good shot.”

On how the offense played.
“It feels good (to be 6-2). Last year we won five games, so going around school everyone asks how we are doing, and it’s good to say we are 6-2. We are playing with confidence and it feels good.”

On holding a 6-2 record through eight games.

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S.C. State defeats Jacksonville 81-74

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The Bulldogs had six players in double figures, with senior forwardDarryl Palmer leading the way recording his first double-double of the season with 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds to lead SC State to an 81-74 victory over Jacksonville Saturday,

"I couldn't be happier with my guys on getting this win," said SC State head coach Murray Garvin. "I have to give credit to my assistant coaches and managers for getting these guys ready it was a total team effort."

South Carolina State improves to 5-5 overall, 1-1 MEAC, while Jacksonville falls to 4-6 on the season.

The Bulldogs totally dominated on the boards, out-rebounding the Dolphins 47-33, while shooting almost 80% (19-of-24) from the charity stripe. The Bulldogs bench outscored JU 26-15 and led the way in second chance points 16-4.

Sophomore guard Ed Stephens scored a team-high 14 points, while teammates seniorGabriel McCray and Eric Eaves (seven (7) rebounds) each had 13 points. Sophomore forward Tashombe Riley had a solid performance with 12 points and seven rebounds.

Redshirt senior forward Luka Radvoic finished with 10 points and six rebounds, while sophomore point guard Ty Soloman dished out a game-high nine (9) assist and six (6) points.

South Carolina State returns to action on a three-game road swing beginning with Duquesne University (12/6) in Pittsburg, PA at 7 p.m., followed by St. Bonaventure (12/19) in Olean, NY at 2 p.m. and then East Carolina (12/22) in Greenville, NC in a 7 p.m. start.
 
For more information on South Carolina State Athletics, visit www.scsuathletics.com

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Gold Rush prevail at Carey for 1st road win of season

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi — Morris Wright scored 20 points Saturday, including the go-ahead basket with 1:52 remaining, to lead NAIA No. 17 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 64-61 men's basketball victory against William Carey.

It was the first road victory of the season for the Gold Rush (9-3). Xavier is 1-3 on the road and 8-0 at home. It was the Crusaders' first home loss in five games this season.

RJ Daniels scored 12 points for Xavier, and Lucas Martin-Julien and Gary Smith scored 10 points apiece. Elex Carter grabbed a game-high seven rebounds, and Martin-Julien had a career-high four steals.

Donta Pittman scored a season-high 25 points, 17 in the second half, for William Carey (5-5), and Leo Garrett had 11.

Wright scored Xavier's final seven points, including a 2-pointer in the 39th minute to put the Gold Rush ahead to stay. His two free throws with 11 seconds remaining concluded the scoring, and William Carey missed a 2-pointer on its final possession.

Xavier led 31-27 at halftime. The game had nine ties and 12 lead changes.

The longtime rivals will meet again Feb. 11 — two days after Mardi Gras — at XU's Convocation Center. Xavier leads the series 46-32, including nine victories in its last 12 games at William Carey.

Next for Xavier will be LeMoyne-Owen at 6 p.m. Thursday in the JCJ Classic at Memphis, Tennessee.

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Florida A&M's Blount Excelled on the Field and in the Classroom

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M Rattler football team has faced a challenging season. And that is what makes the accomplishments of one of its players, Akil Blount, a remarkable story of the power of persistence.

Blount played for the Rattlers over the last four seasons as a linebacker. Over the last two seasons, he has been a leader on the Rattler defense, garnering the most tackles on the team in both years. He was also voted All-MEAC for his play during the past two seasons. Off the field, he was majoring in one of the most challenging programs on FAMU’s campus, the business administration track in the School of Business and Industry.

It would be an accomplishment to excel either on the field or in the classroom, but it is rare to have an individual excel at both. Blount, thanks to the summer school scholarship program implemented by FAMU Athletics, will graduate on Friday after just three-and-a-half years. Additionally, he is considered a serious NFL prospect and is invited to play in two of the most prominent senior football player showcases.

Blount has accepted an invitation to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Los Angeles, which comes with an all-expense paid trip, a week of NFL-caliber practice broadcast on ESPNU and an All-Star game with several scouts on hand.

Staying focused was never an issue for Blount, as he made a promise to his father before he left Pittsburgh, Pa. to come to FAMU.

“I told my dad that when I left home I was going on a business trip to school, and I would be right back. Even through the difficult times, my parents were positive and kept me focused and always offered their support,” Blount said.

Leading by example is Blount’s claim to fame. The soft-spoken linebacker is not one to talk much but shows in his action how to play the game of football and how to navigate through a college curriculum.

The schedule of a student-athlete is one of the most difficult itineraries to manage. From strength and conditioning to class to study hall to team meetings, student-athletes have to endure a grueling schedule, especially in season. Still, dealing with these obstacles was a lesson in organizational skills, time management, and untiring dedication that Blount will always carry with him.

FAMU Director of Athletics Milton Overton applauds Blount for his accomplishments.

“This is a prime example of a student-athlete taking advantage of the opportunities laid before him. His determination in the classroom accents his personal success on the field. As an athletics department, we want to continue to provide opportunities for our student-athletes to be successful. These are the pillars on which we strive to build champions,” Overton said.

Along with Blount’s academic and athletic endeavors, he has been a leader for FAMU’s student-athletes in community involvement. Elected president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) by his peers, he was a finalist for the Allstate Good Works Team this year, which honors student-athletes nationally for performance on the field, academic success, and community service. He was nominated in part because of his participation in the Lunch Buddies Program where he reads to elementary school kids and interacts over lunch. He is also active in feeding the homeless at The Shelter and several other community service events. Under his leadership, the FAMU SAAC was recognized by the Leon County School Board with the Outstanding Partners for Excellence Award.

The son of Pittsburgh Steelers great and NFL Hall of Famer Mel Blount, Akil was a multi-sport star in high school. He was even featured on ESPN in high school playing basketball, making a miraculous last second game-winning bucket. With his business degree in hand after Saturday’s commencement exercises, Blount has laid the foundation for a successful career beyond the footprint of Florida A&M University.

“Commencement is definitely going to be a surreal moment, but something I always envisioned myself doing. I never thought the day would come so soon. I’m just thankful for FAMU, the SBI program, and the football program for the person they have allowed me to develop into,” Blount said.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: Raising money for scholarships is key for success on the field

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- I admit the tweet I sent out earlier this week was sarcastic, and probably a little over the top. Yet another football coach in the CIAA was fired and I said something along the lines that these schools have to keep cutting back on scholarships yet expect the coaches to win.

Elizabeth City State, Shaw, St. Aug's and Fayetteville State are all looking for head coaches.

That’s where Winston-Salem State is trying to stay ahead of the curve. Two important fund-raisers will take place next month with one helping women’s scholarships and the other helping with men’s scholarships.

Athletics director Tonia Walker created a “She’s Got It Covered, Classy Hat Affair” last year and it raised close to $30,000. That fund-raiser will happen at the Benton Convention Center on Jan. 23 at 10 a.m.

Helping kickoff the alumni basketball weekend for the other fund-raiser will be Stephen A. Smith, a WSSU graduate and former part-time clerk at the Winston-Salem Journal.

Smith, who worked at the Journal during ...

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WSSU fires coach arrested in domestic dispute

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Jason Mai, an assistant football coach at Winston-Salem State for the last five seasons, has been fired.

Mai’s biography on WSSU’s web site was taken down, and officials would not reveal the reason for Mai’s firing.

“I was let go on Monday,” Mai said by telephone Friday.

Tonia Walker, the athletic director at WSSU, would not give a reason for Mai’s dismissal.

“He’s no longer employed by the university,” Walker said. “It’s a personnel matter.”

Mai, 34, had been suspended since late October after his arrest in a domestic dispute. Mai was arrested Oct. 25, but he coached in WSSU’s homecoming game the next weekend. After his arrest became public, Mai was suspended with pay for the Rams’ final two games, a win over Fayetteville State and a win over Bowie State in the CIAA championship game.

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Power of positive thinking: A&T turns around dreadful start with 4-game win streak

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Just who are these guys, anyway?

Are they the bad team that opened the season with seven consecutive losses, including one at home against a Division III team?

Or are they the very good team that reeled off four wins in a row and sits atop the MEAC standings?

The answer is probably somewhere in between, but N.C. A&T coach Cy Alexander says his Aggies (4-7, 2-0 MEAC) know the beginning of a season does not dictate the end.

“There are no championships won in November,” Alexander says. “Championships are won in January, February and March. At no point did we doubt we were going to be a good basketball team. But, yeah, we were concerned.”

The Aggies still have a long way to go, but they take a four-game winning streak to Greenville for a game against East Carolina at 2 p.m. Sunday.

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Southern pulls away from Wyoming

LARAMIE, Wyoming – Trelun Banks scored 21 points with 7-for-14 shooting to lead Southern to a 68-58 win over Wyoming on Thursday night.

Adrian Rodgers added 14 points plus eight rebounds and Tony Nunn scored 10 points for the Jaguars who improved to 6-2. Southern outscored the Cowboys 41-32 in the second half and controlled the glass 45-25.

Banks hit back-to-back three pointers midway through the first half to give Southern, who never trailed in this game, its first double-digit lead, 20-8. Wyoming (5-4) battled back, closing the gap to 27-26 with a three pointer from Josh Adams at the end of the half.

But it was as close as the Cowboys would get the rest of the way. Southern opened the second half with an 8-0 spurt, then broke away with a 10-2 run capped by Banks' layup to make it 58-43 with 4:58 to go and held a double-figure advantage the rest of the way.

The Cowboys were held to just 35 percent shooting (17-of-48) from the field and the same percentage (10-of-29) beyond the arc, while Southern hit 44 percent (27-of-62) and 45 percent (5-of-11), respectively. The victory handed Wyoming, who was led by Adams’ 25 points its first back-to-back nonconference home losses under sixth-year head coach Larry Shyatt.

Adams led Wyoming with 25 points. Last season, the Cowboys made it to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the second round.

Last month Southern topped Mississippi State 76-72.

Box Score

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU AD Overton makes tough cuts and key hires as he repairs foundation

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- During his first three months as Florida A&M athletic director, Milton Overton Jr. made a point of meeting with every member of the university’s ailing athletic department.

Like an engineer who needed to inspect every square inch of a shaky building's foundation, Overton wanted see each person and look them in the eye. He wanted to know every member of the department.

So Overton met with everyone, from the senior members of the athletic department’s leadership team, down to members of the grounds crew for Bragg Memorial Stadium.

That process is finished. Now Overton is looking to build the executive team that’ll help him strengthen the foundation for Florida A&M athletics for the present and future. In doing so, athletics can be an asset and a flagship for the university instead of a major financial liability as it has been for years.

He’s started making hires and shifting staff. In a Dec. 9, interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, Overton said he fired former interim AD Earl D’Wayne Robinson, along with some administrative assistants and members of the grounds crew.

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Shaw Head Football Coach Contract Not Renewed

RALEIGH, North Carolina  – The Shaw University Athletics Department announced today the contract for Bears Head Football Coach Robert Massey will not be renewed.

Massey completed four seasons as the Bears head coach, finishing the 2015 season with a 1-9 record. Shaw finished tied for last in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Conference (CIAA), missing the Championship for the fourth time in the last five years. Massey compiled a record of 14-26 during his time at the helm. He has a career record of 16-44 which includes two seasons as head coach at Livingstone College.

Massey was officially introduced as Shaw's head football coach on January 18, 2012 after serving on the Bears football staff for five years, including serving as the defensive coordinator for two years in which he was a part of the 2010 CIAA Championship team.

"We thank Coach Massey for his effort and dedication to the Bears football program and to our student-athletes over the last four seasons," said Director of Athletics Dr. Alfonza Carter. "At this time, we believe the program needs to go in a new direction. We wish Coach Massey nothing but the best for the future."

For the most up-to-date information on Shaw football and its 11 varsity sport teams, visit shawbears.com.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Fobbs: ULM interview wasn’t anything major

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana -- Grambling football coach Broderick Fobbs interviewed for the job opening at ULM on Wednesday, although he said Thursday the meeting “wasn’t anything major.”

Speaking to The News-Star on Thursday, Fobbs confirmed he met with ULM on Wednesday in Shreveport to discuss the vacancy that was left by Todd Berry’s firing earlier this year. The meeting lasted a few hours.

“Really nothing to it. They wanted to speak with me and I went and spoke with them,” Fobbs said.

“I’m happy at Grambling. If someone wants to talk to you, you always listen, and that’s what I did. You always listen to what people have to say because you never know if something is going to be worth it.”

KNOE Sports Director Aaron Dietrich first reported Fobbs’ interview with ULM on Thursday morning.

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Commentary: Celebration Bowl grand stage for SWAC-MEAC

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Alcorn State will end the 2015 season in its desired destination — Atlanta.

Back in July at SWAC Media Day in Birmingham, Braves senior quarterback John Gibbs Jr., talked about playing in the first Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl that pits the SWAC champion against the MEAC champion.

"Our expectations, we hold them high," Gibbs said last summer. "We have to follow up on those expectation. If we don't, we fall short of our goal. Our motto is 'Road to Atlanta.' Start in Atlanta and end in Atlanta."

Alcorn State (9-3) opened the season with a 63-point loss at Georgia Tech, but won a second straight SWAC title and will return to Atlanta to face North Carolina A&T (9-2) in the inaugural postseason bowl Dec. 19 at the Georgia Dome. The Aggies shared the MEAC title with Bethune Cookman and North Carolina Central while Alcorn State smashed Grambling, 49-21, in the SWAC title game.

North Carolina A&T won the bowl tiebreaker based on USA TODAY Sagarin ratings of FBS and FCS schools. A&T is 152nd, B-CU is 174th and N.C. Central is 188th.

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SCSU student song raising money for university

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- A South Carolina State University student is helping raise money for the school through music.

Keith Gillard, known as K-G the Artist, wrote the original song I Love my HBCU. Gillard says he was inspired to write the song after the university's accreditation problems. He says he wants to send a positive message about historically black colleges to the public.

"I just wanted to put on for my school and all the HBCU because I've just been hearing a lot about HBCU being shut down or threatened to be shut down whether it was us or not,” Gillard said. “I just wanted to make a stand. We're here thriving and we're not going no where.”

The song can be downloaded on iTunes and all proceeds go to the university.

Available on Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hbc...



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Morehouse College Senior Prince Abudu Selected to 2016 International Rhodes Scholar Class

Prince Abudu is 4^th Morehouse Student to be Selected

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Morehouse College student Prince Abudu has been selected to the 2016 International Rhodes Scholar class representing his home country of Zimbabwe. The Rhodes Scholarship supports students who demonstrate a strong propensity to emerge as future leaders.

Abudu is the fourth Morehouse student to be selected for the prestigious scholarship to attend the University of Oxford in England. Morehouse is the only Historically Black College represented in the 2016 Rhodes Scholar Class and one of only two Georgia Colleges in this year’s prestigious class. The Rhodes Scholarship provides for two or three years of study at Oxford. Abudu, whose email signature Destinato Alla Gloria, “Destined for Greatness,” best girds his determination to excel. The Morehouse leader plans to pursue a master’s degree in computer science and a MBA at Oxford.

“I’m blessed and excited. This would not have been possible without the support of my family in Zimbabwe and the new family I have been favored with at Morehouse College. This is an opportunity that I have dreamed of all my life,” said Abudu, who grew up on a rural farm in his homeland.

“My studies at Morehouse prepared me for this next endeavor and I am thrilled to begin this new era of achieving academic excellence. This is the Morehouse culture, and I am extraordinarily proud to represent my college,” he added.

Abudu is a highly motivated student leader and an honor student in the College’s Department of Computer Science. The senior, computer science major serves as the Operations Leader for Emergination Africa (www.emerginationafrica.org), an intercontinental youth-driven mentorship program he co-founded in 2012 to provide resources and guidance to African students transitioning to college.

His leadership was recognized when he was selected to participate in an Oprah Fellows Program roundtable discussion with former African presidents from Kenya, Namibia and Mauritius on issues pertaining to democracy and sustainable peace.

In summer of 2014, Abudu interned with Cummins Inc, where he developed a call support tree for technology-related issues for the plant’s IT Department and warehouse users.

Abudu is a Resolution Project Fellow and a member of the Morehouse Model United Nations, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Kutama College Web Design Club. He is also a semi-finalist for the Anzisha Prize Opportunity.

“We are so very pleased that Prince Abudu has been named our fourth Rhodes Scholar! It means a great deal to him and to Morehouse College! Prince’s educational journey has been amazing, as he emerged from a set of exceedingly challenging circumstances in Zimbabwe,”said Morehouse president John Silvanus Wilson ’79.

“He arrived at Morehouse with no small degree of raw intelligence, grit, and a clear and compelling determination to succeed. He has developed into the ‘iconic’ man of Morehouse who is academically, socially and spiritually equipped to lead and do consequential things in the world. We are very proud of him and we are confident that he will thrive at Oxford,” Wilson said.

Morehouse College was the first historically black college (HBCU) to produce a Rhodes Scholar and now is the only HBCU to produce four scholars. Previous Morehouse Rhodes Scholars include Nima Warfield, named in 1994, Christopher Elders, 2001, and Oluwabusayo “Tope’” Folarin, 2004.



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Norfolk State University’s Accrediting Agency Lifts Sanction

NORFOLK, Virginia  — Norfolk State University’s accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), notified Interim President and CEO Eddie N. Moore Jr. today that the university has satisfied all of the agency’s accreditation concerns and voted to remove NSU from the probation status. NSU is no longer under the accreditation sanction. Moore received the news while attending the SACSCOC annual meeting held in Houston, Texas.

The SACSCOC Special Committee visited Norfolk State University October 13-15. The committee confirmed the contents of the university’s Second Monitoring Report that was submitted to SACSCOC in September. The outcome of the Committee’s assessment was that there were no recommendations for Norfolk State University based on their review – the best possible outcome for NSU. The university was placed on probation in December 2014, largely for administrative and procedural matters not related to the viability of the university’s academic programs.

Norfolk State has been fully and continuously accredited since it first became eligible for accreditation in 1969. “Today’s news ensures that Norfolk State will continue toward improvement, growth and a culture of assessment,” said Moore. “Norfolk State University has emerged a much stronger institution; an institution well-positioned for a brighter future.” Moore also thanked students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Norfolk State for their support.

For more information, visit the NSU website at nsu.edu or call the Office of Communications and Marketing at 757-823- 8373.

Report: Wheeler Brown to be JSU's athletic director

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State interim athletic director Wheeler Brown sat down with The Clarion-Ledger last month and explained his desire to remove the interim tag from his label and become the university's permanent athletic director.

It appears he'll get his wish.

Footballscoop.com reported on Thursday morning, per a source, that JSU is "promoting Wheeler Brown from interim AD, to the full-time AD role."

Later Thursday morning, a JSU source was able to confirm that Wheeler would be named full-time athletic director. In recent weeks this has been considered the likely move, according to sources.

"I would definitely like to become the permanent athletic director," Brown said last month. "I don't think you get to this point in your career as an athletic administrator and not strive to be the top administrator in the department. This is by far the best job in the SWAC without a doubt and one of the better AD jobs, I think, in the country."

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The Bodyguard': Armstrong fills WSSU Rams' need in the middle

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- “The Bodyguard” is the best way to describe Keith Armstrong’s role with the Winston-Salem State Rams.

As for whether that description becomes a nickname, freshman Jemel McAllister thought it had a good ring to it.

“I don’t know if Keith will like that nickname but that’s kind of what he is for this team,” McAllister said. “He’s also been like a big brother who watches out for us, so that’s been good.”

Armstrong, who is 6-foot-7 and built like a Mack truck at 235, has filled a need for coach James Wilhelmi in the middle. As a graduate transfer with his degree from East Carolina in communications, Armstrong’s work ethic and his ability to rebound in traffic is just what the Rams need from him.

One of the luxuries Wilhelmi has with Armstrong should show up more in the heat of the CIAA play in January and February. Heading into hostile gyms is a little easier with a post player who can score on the inside and get those important rebounds.

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