Livingstone wins CIAA Opener

SALISBURY, North Carolina — Livingstone coach James Stinson is the first to admit the Blue Bears aren't as talented as they've been in recent seasons, but he still believes his team can make some noise.

"We made passes today that probably would have led to dunks last year, but today they were turnovers," Stinson said. "We don't have guys like Hakeem Jackson and Eric Mayo going up to get the ball now."

Despite a few unnecessary turnovers. Livingstone got off to a good start in CIAA play on Saturday by beating Lincoln, 84-70, at New Trent Gym. It was mostly empty New Trent Gym, as the students haven't returned yet from Christmas break.

"There were a lot of things we could've done better, but we're satisfied with the win," Stinson said. "It was a win against a very well-coached team. John Hill does a great job, and his bigs executed on ball screens very well. They gave us a lot of trouble with their set plays."

Livingstone was 1-5 in November — all on the road. Since veterans Ty Newman and Eric Dubose, both preseason All-CIAA players, returned to the court in December, the Blue Bears are 5-1. They leveled their season mark at 6-6 on Saturday when they finally made their home debut.

Nine Blue Bears scored Saturday. Stinson wouldn't mind seeing 13 score.

"We try to wear teams down with numbers," Stinson said. "We want our 13th guy to be as good as the other team's ninth guy. As all our guys become acclimated to each other, we've got a chance to be a good basketball team. It just takes a while for guys like Newman and Dubose to mesh with the new faces."

Livingstone got off to a quick start on a 3-pointer by returner Daryl Traynham and a three-point play by Newman and built a 37-24 halftime lead.

The Blue Bears led by 20 points with 10:56 remaining after Dubose made a jumper, but Lincoln (2-10) never let Livingstone turn it into a romp.

Newman had 23 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Blue Bears.

"If he was little more selfish, he could have scored more," Stinson said. "He's all about the team."

Traynham scored 12 points and had eight assists.

"He's running the team and pulling our young guys along," Stinson said.

Robert Flint, a veteran who has always been in a backup role, stood out on Saturday, shooting 3-for-3 on 3-pointers and committing zero turnovers.

"He's played his role well for years, and now he's going to get more opportunities," Stinson said. "He's a stabilizer. They gave him some space today, and he rose up and knocked shots down."

The stat sheet credited Livingstone with 22 assists on 30 made buckets. That's a terrific percentage of assists.

"We were only having four or five assists per game early in the season because guys were trying to do too much," Stinson said. "We're sharing the ball better now."

Joshua Davis led the visitors from Pennsylvania with 19 points.

Dubose had 12 points for the Blue Bears, while Nasir Austin and Cordero Holt added 10 each.

Newman is shooting 56 percent from the field since returning, and he's capable of leading the Blue Bears a long way.

"We have veterans who know how to win and know when it's time to make a push," Stinson said. "This team is still figuring out who it is, but we'll establish an identity."

Livingstone is home again on Tuesday, taking on CIAA foe Bowie State.

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Evans & Moore Combine for 42 as Dillard Lady Bleu Devils down Tougaloo

Jackson, Mississippi -- Dillard snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating Tougaloo College by the score of 80-65 in Mississippi. Senior Alena Evans (SR/Las Vegas, Nev.) produced a double-double, scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 boards in the win. With the loss, the Lady Bulldogs drop to 0-8 on the season.

The Lady Bleu Devils (6-8, 1-0 GCAC) used a huge first quarter lead to gain momentum and never looked back as they led 27 to 11 over Tougaloo. Freshman sharpshooter Shaelynn Moore (FR/Houston, Texas) finished with 21 points, nailing 4-of-8 shots from downtown while post player Keona Favis (JR/Shreveport, La.) had a solid output as she finished with 18 points, hitting 6-of-9 shots from the field as well as 6-of-9 shots from the free throw line.

As a team Dillard outrebounded its opponent 34 to 25 while scoring 23 points off of 25 Tougaloo turnovers. The Lady Bleu Devils also had more steals, blocks and assists than the Lady Bulldogs.

Tougaloo's Montoria Atkinson finished with a team-high 15 points while teammate Arnissayur Robinson had 14 points in the loss.

Dillard returns to action on Monday, January 4 as they travel to Little Rock, Ark. for its second Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game of the year against Philander Smith College. Tip-off is set for 12:00 p.m.

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Tougaloo Bulldogs Dial Long Distanced to Defeat Blue Devils in GCAC Opener

TOUGALOO, Mississippi -- Tougaloo College made 14 of 29 three pointers as the Bulldogs defeated Dillard University 100-92 in the GCAC opener for both schools. Quintarius Porter made seven of his 13 attempts on the way to a game and career-high 32 points for the Bulldogs.

As anticipated, both teams were able to get things going offensively from the outset. The visiting Bleu Devils opened by shooting 57 percent from the floor in the first half, making 21 of 37 attempts. The Bulldogs shot 45 percent but were able to take a 50-49 half time lead by making nine of their 15 three pointers in the half.

Dillard stayed hot as the second half opened, surging briefly and taking a three point lead with 17 minutes to play. But foul trouble and Tougaloo's relentless offensive attack proved to be too much.

Dillard also missed 11 free throws, shooting 48 percent from the line as the Bulldogs converted 20 of their 26 attempts.

Tougaloo also held advantages in points off turnovers (17-14) and second chance points (13-10). Dillard's bench outscored the Bulldogs' reserves 31-28.

Porter (pictured at left) was one of five Tougaloo players to reach double figures. Denevian Cunningham came off the bench to score a season-high 22 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. De'Andre Scott added 14 points and Jarmell Anderson and Andravious Smith each scored 12 points.

Demetric Austin scored 24 points to lead four Bleu Devils in double figures, his eighth 20-point game of the season. Austin was limited to 28 minutes of action due to foul trouble.

Montrey Thomas had 19 points and 7 assists in a losing effort.

Tougaloo (7-4, 1-0 GCAC) extended its win streak to five, it's longest since the 2012-13 season. Dillard (8-5, 0-1) lost for the second time in its last three games.

Tougaloo visits 11th-ranked Talladega on Jan. 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

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March Nails Game-Winner at the Free Throw Line, PSC Gets by Edward Waters

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas -- In a game that wasn't decided until the final seconds, Philander Smith topped Edward Waters 75-74 in the conference opener for both schools. Ronald March made the first of two free throws with :02 on the clock to give the Panthers the win and snap their two-game losing streak. EWC lost its third straight contest.

March had a game-high 30 points for Philander Smith, making 10 of his 19 field goal attempts and nine of 13 free throws (including the game-winner). Rashad Brackeen (13) and Chris Ward (11) were the other two Panthers to reach double figures.

Keith Williams Jr. scored 24 points to lead the Tigers. Charles-Eddie Smith chipped in with 15 points off of the bench, with Oceann Maddox (12) and Derrick Davis (11) combining for 23 points and eight rebounds.

The game was tied at 32 at the half, but Philander Smith came out for the second half and went on an 11-0 run to go up 46-35 with 17 minutes to play. A D'Angelo Tucker three pointer put the Panthers up 62-50 with 10:43 remaining.

The margin was still 12 at the with less than seven minutes in the game when the Tigers made their push. Williams made back-to-back buckets to cut the lead to six. Edward Waters continued to attack, shaving the deficit at the free throw line by making 27 of 33 attempts. A 16-4 run would tie the game at 74 with 15 seconds remaining. Charles-Eddie Smith sank three from behind the line after a foul by March to even the score.

March would have the ball in his hands as time wound down and would get fouled by the Tigers' Derrick Davis with :02 on the clock. March would hit the first and miss the second, giving PSC the victory.

Philander Smith (8-8, 1-0 GCAC) will host Dillard at home on Monday night while Edward Waters (6-9, 0-1) goes on the road to take on No. 17 Xavier.

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PSC Lady Panthers Stifle Edward Waters in Second Half, Earn 57-46 Victory in GCAC Opener

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas -- Philander Smith College held Edward Waters to five points in the third quarter and 20 points in the second half as the Lady Panthers were able to pull away from the Lady Tigers and win the conference opener for both schools 57-46.

Edward Waters was held to 14 made field goals, and the Lady Tigers made just 28 percent of their shots. After an off target first half where they shot 30 percent from the floor, the Lady Panthers made 46 percent of their field goal attempts in the second half to finish the game shooting 37 percent.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Edward Waters and allowed Philander Smith to end its own two-game losing streak.

Juquecia Chaney had a team-high 16 points for the Lady Panthers and Brittany Leonard added 12 points and six rebounds. Philander Smith played without Rubyunnia McHenry, the nation's second leading shot blocker.

Edward Waters led 26-24 at the half and were up by 5 points early in the third quarter after a Kyeshia Dawkins three pointer. However, the Lady Tigers would only score a pair of free throws the rest of the quarter as the Lady Panthers surged with a 14-2 run in the period and head into the fourth up 38-31.

The fourth quarter was much closer but Philander Smith was able to keep their lead and complete the victory.

The conference's leading scorer Kyeshia Dawkins led the Lady Tigers with a game-high 18 points, but shot 5 of 13 from the floor and missed 10 of her 17 free throw attempts. Valerie Hill was the only other player for Edward Waters in double figures with 10 points.

Philander Smith (8-5, 1-0 GCAC) goes on to host Dillard on Jan. 4 at Mims Gymnasium. Edward Waters (12-3, 0-1) will look to rebound on the road against No. 9 Xavier on Monday at the Convocation Center.

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Jackson State in search of elusive 2-0 SWAC start

JACKSON, Mississippi -- A 1-0 start in the SWAC isn’t new territory for Jackson State coach Wayne Brent.

The Tigers won their conference opener last season, but a 2-0 start eluded them when they lost by 20 to Alabama State.

JSU (6-8) hasn’t won its first two conference games since 2011, but it will try to do just that when it hosts Alabama A&M (4-6) at 7:30 p.m. on Monday night at the Lee E. Williams AAC.

On Saturday night, the Tigers opened SWAC play with a 68-61 victory against Alabama State. JSU trailed for a small portion of the first half, but led for good after a late run gave it a five-point halftime lead.

“I think the thing with this team is that they know they can be good,” Brent said. “We have some high-energy kids. Each and every day they come to practice and bring that same energy. If we continue to do that then we have a chance to be very good in this league.”

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Howard Women's Basketball Edges Cornell for First Win of 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. --  2016 has gotten off to a great start for Howard women's basketball.

In its first game of the New Year and its last of the non-schedule schedule, the Bison were able to hold off the Cornell University Big Red for a thrilling 76-74 victory Saturday afternoon in Burr Gymnasium.

Three Bison players finished in double figures to propel HU to its first home victory of the season: senior center Victoria Gonzales (22 points), senior guard Imani Bailey (13) and junior guard Jasmine Hill (10).

Gonzales scored 18 second half points and her final tally led all scorers. She also scored nine straight points in a six-minute span during the third quarter. The Atlanta native shot 7-of-15 from the field, 8-of-9 from the free throw line, and was only rebound shy of her sixth double-double of the year.

Her efforts pushed her career point total to 989 - only 11 points away from the 1,000 point mark.

Bailey - one of four players that made their season debuts against Cornell - nailed four straight three pointers to start the game and ended up with half of the Bison's season-best total from long distance. Hill scored six points in the fourth after only having four points in the first three periods.

Howard stormed out to its largest lead of the season (29-9) by the late stages of the first quarter and took a 16-point edge into the second.

Cornell (7-6) responded in-kind by outscoring Howard 27-15 to pull within four (44-40) by halftime.

After the Big Red trimmed Howard's lead to three (57-54) after the third and two (63-61) with 5:56 left in the game, the Bison pushed back out to an eight point advantage (69-61) at the 4:34 mark on a steal-and-score by redshirt junior guard Te'Shya Heslip.

However, Cornell made one final push and used a 13-4 run to take a 74-73 lead with 1:09 to go - its first lead since hitting the first basket of the game.

Howard would call a timeout with 45 seconds left after each team exchanged turnovers.

With the ball advanced to the frontcourt, the Bison were able to run a play that got the ball into Hill's hands and the veteran guard drove hard to the basket for the go-ahead score.

Cornell missed its next shot attempt with 11 seconds remaining and would foul to send Heslip to the foul line. After making the second of two shots, the Bison defense kicked in to keep the Big Red from getting a final shot off.

OTHER NOTES
- For the third straight game, Howard has shot over 80 percent from the free throw line, going 14-of-17 (.824) from the line and 48-of-58 (.828) during the three-game run.
- Hill, Heslip and redshirt sophomore forward Erin Blaine all played in their first games of the 2015-16 season. Heslip finished with seven points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals while Blaine went scoreless in limited action.
- Junior forward Sydni Johnson bounced back from a scoreless game at Syracuse to play 38 minutes and score nine points.
- The 76 points by Howard are the most the team has recorded in any game this season.

NEXT UP
Howard resumes Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play on Saturday, January 9 at 2 p.m. when the Bison host Coppin State University.

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Browder records 400th XU victory; Nuggets topple LSUS

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana defeated LSU-Shreveport 55-46 in women's basketball Saturday to end a three-game losing streak and give Bo Browder his 400th career victory as coach of the Gold Nuggets.
     

Whitney Gathright scored 20 points, Donyeah Mayfield had 11 points and 10 rebounds, Mikayla Bateshad a career-high seven steals, and Kelsee Singletonblocked a career-high-tying five shots for Xavier (10-5), which will play its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener at 5:30 p.m. Monday against Edward Waters at the Convocation Center.
     

Xavier is ranked ninth in NAIA Division I, and LSUS (6-5) is 22nd. It was the Gold Nuggets' fifth victory this season against a ranked opponent.
     

Browder is 400-147 in 17 seasons at Xavier. He is the fourth Louisiana women's basketball coach to reach 400 victories.  Browder is 402-155 overall as a head coach at four-year colleges. He was 2-8 at Evansville as an interim coach in 1995-96.
     

"I have been very blessed to work at Xavier, an outstanding university, and work with some talented young ladies," Browder said.
     

Gathright made three 3-pointers and was 9-of-10 from the line in her fourth 20-point performance of the season and 12th of her career. Mayfield recorded her second double-double of the season and her sixth in two XU seasons. Bates, a freshman, produced the most steals in a game by an XU player in two years.
     

Singleton's basket at 5:54 of the first quarter put Xavier ahead to stay, 3-2. The Gold Nuggets led 30-20 at halftime and led by 20 points three times in the third quarter. The Pilots (6-5) cut XU's lead to seven in the final 66 seconds but did not get closer.
     

Xavier blocked nine shots, its most in a game since February 2011, and had 15 steals.

    

"Our defense was very good for the first three quarters," Browder said.
     

Courtney Randle had 10 points, six rebounds and three steals for LSUS. Kourtney Pennywell, a first-team NAIA All-American last season who missed the past six games because of an ankle injury, did not start but had nine points and five rebounds in a team-high 27 minutes.
     

Xavier is 5-0 at home this season and 5-0 in Saturday games.

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S.C. State Defeats Miami (Ohio) 71-67

OXFORD, Ohio –Junior guard Eric Eaves scored a team-high 23 points to lead South Carolina State to an 71-67 victory over Miami(Ohio) Saturday (Jan. 2) at Millett Hall Arena.

Eaves came off the bench to hit 7-of-13 from the floor and 9-of-12 from the line. The Bulldogs (6-10) closed out the three-game Midwest swing with a much needed victory over a talented MAC opponent in non-conference action.

Sophomore guard Ed Stephens finished with 13, while senior guard/forward Gabriel McCray chipped in 10 and five rebounds in the win.

Despite a lofty 17 turnovers by the Bulldogs, SC State dominated the boards out-rebounding Miami (Ohio) 38-28 and shot 77.8% (28-of-36) from the free-throw line, while scoring 34 points from bench play.

Geovonie McKnight paced Miami (6-7) with a career-high 24 points. Eric Washington added 16.

Miami (Ohio) led 37-26 at intermission and by as many as 12 early in the second half.

Late in the second-half South Carolina State led by eight, 59-67, with 1:29 to go. LJ Livingston scored on a dunk, then McKnight tipped one in and Rod Mills made a pair at the line to get within two, 67-65, with 28 seconds left.

After a pair of free throws by Bulldog sophomore guard Ty Soloman, Mills scored on another tip-in with three seconds left. Stephens then tossed in a pair of free-throws from the charity stripe to seal the victory for South Carolina State.

South Carolina State returns home to open up conference Saturday (Jan.9) against NC Central in a pivotal MEAC doubleheader. Tipoff is 4 p.m., immediately following the women's contest at 2 p.m. at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

For more information on SC State Athletics visit www.scsuathletics.com

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Texas Southern’s 3-point barrage buries Southern in SWAC opener

HOUSTON, Texas -- Even when the 3-pointers weren’t falling, Texas Southern was still turning them into three-point plays.

Texas Southern hit 10 3-pointers in the second half and turned another 3-point miss into an offensive rebound, putback and pivotal three-point play.

All in all, defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Texas Southern outshot and outrebounded Southern in a dominating 88-66 victory at H&PE Arena on Saturday.

“We didn’t match their execution and intensity tonight,” Southern coach Roman Banks said.

“At the end of the day, they were much more ready to play than we were. Coming to their home court, they were determined to be ready.”

Chris Thomas scored 25 points, including three 3-pointers, while Jose Rodriguez added another 18 points and three 3-pointers to lead the Tigers.

Adrian Rodgers led Southern (8-6, 0-1) with 14 points. Jared Sam had 12, while Trelun Banks had 11, Tony Nuun 10 and Chris Thomas 10.

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GSU men snap pair of streaks

GRAMBLING — Mark Gray and Nigel Ribeiro scored 18 points apiece and Grambling State beat Alabama A&M 81-78 in overtime in a Southwestern Athletic Conference opener on Saturday night.

Grambling State (3-9, 1-0) outscored Alabama A&M 9-4 in overtime to snap its four-game skid. The win also ended a 37-game losing streak against Division I competition for the Tigers.

“We got the monkey off our backs,’’ Grambling coach Shawn Walker said. “We’re trying to change the culture here, and now these guys believe that they can win.

“We haven’t been in a game up 3 with 30 seconds left, so I’m proud of them. Certainly they’re happy, …and we’re going to take this momentum into the rest of 2016.”

Deonte Hearns scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Remond Brown added 15 points for the Tigers.

The Tigers led by as many as seven points three times during the second half, the latest at the 11:49-mark.

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Jackson State earns tough win to start SWAC play

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Wayne Brent has his theory on why the opening night of conference play is tough.

"Everybody is 0-0 and thinks they have a chance to win a SWAC championship," he said. "So you're going to get a team's best shot. As you go through the season, teams start losing games, they start to give up. That first night is just so difficult because teams know if they win that first one, they still have a chance."

Jackson State's SWAC opener definitely presented its own set of challenges.

The Tigers had an answer for all of them, though, in a 68-61 victory against Alabama State at the Lee E. Williams AAC on Saturday night.

JSU (6-8) threatened to pull away multiple times and led by nine points with 8:13 left in the game, but the Hornets (5-8) never surrendered and crept within three points twice in the final 4:29.

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Lady Panthers open SWAC play with 58-54 win over Alcorn State

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday as they defeated Alcorn State 58-54 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

Prairie View A&M senior forward Larissa Scott recorded a double-double, scoring 13 points and pulling in 15 rebounds. The SWAC's leading rebounder, Scott, who also ranks 11th nationally in rebounding, reached double digits in caroms for the first time since Dec. 5.

Alexus Parker also scored 13 points for the Lady Panthers (5-5, 1-0 SWAC). Lamaria Cole came off the bench for the first time this season and scored 12 points for Prairie View A&M.

Alcorn State's Norianna Haynes, the leading scorer in the SWAC, scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Lady Braves. Tori Danielle Spann and Ashtin McNichols scored 11 points and 10 points, respectively, for Alcorn State.

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SUNO Lady Knights Closeout 2015 With 65-45 Rout of Spring Hill

NEW ORLEANS -- Southern University at New Orleans led from start to finish as the Lady Knights won for the fourth time in five games, defeating Spring Hill College 65-45 at The Castle on New Year's Eve.

SUNO was able to avenge a 61-75 loss to the Lady Badgers 15 days ago and earn a split of the season series between the two schools. Rayvin Miller led three Lady Knights in double figures with 19 points to go alongs with six rebounds and six steals. Micah Brooks posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists and Jophiea Irvin added 10 points and six boards. Ashair Shakir narrowly missed a double-double of her own with 9 points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes off of the bench.

The Lady Knights led 18-11 after the first quarter and 32-25 at the half, though both teams stuggled offensively. SUNO made just 36 percent of their first half shot attempts (0-11 on three pointers) and the Lady Badgers shot 33 percent from the floor.

The third quarter was where the Lady Knights were able to pull away for good, outscoring Spring Hill 16-6 and building a 48-31 advantage. The Lady Badgers would get no closer than 14 points the rest of the way.

Former Lady Knight Alishia Drayton Lewis, a member of SUNO's 2013 tournament team, led Spring Hill with nine points.

"This was a good win for us", said SUNO head coach Roshaun Ambrose. "Now that we have our full roster together we've been able to start showing more of who we can be when we play to our potential. The good thing is I don't think that we're close to reaching that level, so there's more to teach at practice and we want to continue to improve throughout our conference schedule. If we do that we have a good chance of being there at the end. It won't be easy, but I believe in the group that we have."

SUNO (4-6) goes on the road to face Concordia-Selma on Jan.4 before returning home to begin GCAC play on Jan. 9 against Philander Smith.

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Albany State University Marching Rams Show Band at 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena, California

PASADENA, California -- The Albany State University (ASU) Marching Ram Show Band performing their musical selections at the 127th Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on Friday, January 1st 2016.  This is the band's first rose parade appearance. They have also been selected seven times to the annual Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta which showcases the nations's top historically black college bands.


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COURTESY: MUSIC213

Albany State University Marching Rams Show Band at 2016 Pasadena Bandfest

PASADENA, California -- The Albany State University Marching Rams Show Band performing their musical selections at the 36th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Wednesday, December 30th 2015.


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00:08 - Introduction
01:18 - Announcer - Introduction of ASU
02:26 - Drum Majors taking the field
03:10 - Georgia on My Mind
05:38 - Doing It Do Death
07:23 - No More Lies
09:12 - Let's Stay Together
11:51 - Photo
12:22 - Pass & Review

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Sales helps Miles Lady Golden Bears dominate Point University

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- Miles closed out 2015 in dominate fashion, running away in the second half of a 76-42 win over Point University Thursday afternoon at Knox-Windham Gymnasium. The win snapped a two-game lsing streak for the Lady Golden Bears (7-4) while sending the Skyhawks (11-4) to a fourth consecutive defeat.

Shaquinta Sales was nearly unstoppable on the afternoon, making 8-of-9 of her shots from the field and setting career highs in points (19) and rebounds (14) while collecting her first career double-double.Torborsha Holley added 14 points off the bench - all in the second half - while making all four of her 3-point attempts after halftime.

The game was relatively close in the first half and Miles led 27-21 at the break. But the Golden Bears defense, which was solid in the first half, was downright stingy over the final 20 minutes. Point was just 7-of-28 from the floor (25 percent) and was dominated on the boards (32-11) as Miles broke the game open. A 10-2 run over a four-minute stretch in the third quarter turned a single-digit lead into a 45-29 advangtage for the Golden Bears. Another 10-0 run midway through the fourth quarter - highlighted by two Holley 3-pointers - pushed the lead 63-36 as the rout continued.

Catika Brown scored a team-high 15 points for Point. Larian Scott had 12 points and Jamarra Taylor had eight points and five rebounds for Miles, which travels to play Claflin Saturday with tip-off scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

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Benedict College Lady Tigers Beat Newberry, 69-56

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- The 24^th-ranked Benedict College Lady Tigers closed out 2015 and their non-conference schedule with a 69-56 victory over Newberry College on Thursday night in the Benjamin E. Mays HRC Arena.

Regime McCombs scored a season-high 35 points, making five 3-pointers and sinking eight of 10 free throws in the final minute. McCombs ranks second in NCAA Division II in total 3-pointers and 3-pointers per game.

The Lady Tigers improved to 12-1 on the season with their seventh straight win. Newberry fell to 5-7.

Shelby Britten led the Wolves with 20 points.

Benedict led from start to finish, scoring the first nine points of the game. The Lady Tigers led 18-9 after the first period.  Destiny Betts scored on an offensive rebound putback to give Benedict a 10-point lead, 28-18, at the half.

Newberry cut the lead to six, 30-24, on a 3-pointer by Samantha Creed with 8:12 left in the third, but the Lady Tigers scored the next seven points, getting two baskets by Betts and a 3-pointer by Dorothy Brown, for a 37-24 lead. Back-to-back 3-pointers by the Wolves made it 37-33 with 4:26 left in the third, but McCombs answered with a 3-pointer for the Lady Tigers. Newberry cut the lead to 43-40 with 22 seconds left in the period, but Deja Stallworth hit a 3-pointer to close out the period and give Benedict a 46-40 lead heading into the final period.

A 3-pointer by Creed cut Benedict's lead to 48-43 with 8:37 left in the game, but the Lady Tigers responded by scoring the next seven points for a 12-point lead with 3:26 to play. Over the final 2:29, Benedict scored all of its points at the free-throw line, going 12-for-16.

Benedict forced Newberry into 18 turnovers and scored 20 points off those turnovers.

Benedict, which entered the game as the NCAA Division II leader in rebound margin, was out-rebounded for the first time this season, 34-32. Betts led Benedict with eight rebounds.

Benedict, 2-1 in the SIAC, takes on Tuskegee on Saturday at 1 p.m. and then hosting Miles on Monday at 5:30 p.m.

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Florida A&M Women Ring In New Year With 59-38 Win Over SSU

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The FAMU Women’s Basketball team won their third straight game on New Year’s Day, riding a strong second half surge past the Savannah State Tigers, 59-38 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at The Al Lawson Center.

FAMU (7-7, 1-1 in MEAC) caught fire from the floor in the second half, shooting 51.9 percent from the floor (14 of 27) to pull away from the visitors, which trailed 26-18 at the half.

The Rattlers outpaced the Tigers (2-8, 0-1 in MEAC) on the scoreboard over the last two quarters by a 33-20 margin.

Alicia McCray’s layup with 9:16 left in the third put FAMU ahead by 10 points, 28-18 and the Tigers never got closer the rest of the way, as the Rattlers held a 15-point edge, 42-27 after three periods.

Dawn King’s three-pointer with 28 seconds left in the game staked FAMU to its’ largest and final margin at 59-38.

Alicia McCray led FAMU with 15 points, followed by Olivia Antilla with 11 points.

WHAT’S NEXT: FAMU hosts Mercer University in their next game on Monday, Jan. 4 at 7:00 p.m. in The Al Lawson Center.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Madison Prep linebacker Cedric Triplett commits to Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Madison Prep linebacker Cedric Triplett didn’t recognize the number calling his cell phone when he was out with friends.

Triplett took a chance and answered and found out Southern University coach Dawson Odums was ready to take a chance on him.

Odums called to offer the 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior a scholarship. And Triplett committed to the Jaguars.

“At first I thought somebody was joking with me,” Triplett said. “Then I realized it was coach Odums. I’d met him and talked to him before.

“I was surprised he called. … I didn’t expect it. Southern is a school I’ve grown up watching. I’ve gone to homecoming and other games. So I committed.”

Triplett was a second-team All-District 6-2A choice. He finished with 88 tackles and helped the Chargers finish with an 11-1 record.

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Jackson State prepping for SWAC competition

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Wednesday’s 23-point home triumph against Southeastern Louisiana was a much needed bounce-back performance by Jackson State.

The Tigers dropped back-to-back road games in Ohio two weeks before that. The result was pleasing, but JSU coach Wayne Brent still had to put it in context for his players.

“Like we told them (the players), that game doesn’t mean as much as the next two coming up,” Brent said.

Those two upcoming games represent the first two contests of SWAC play for the Tigers (5-8), who will host Alabama State (5-7) at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Lee E. Williams AAC.

At 5-8, JSU owns the best record it has had entering conference play under Brent. Statistical categories place the Tigers in good light among other SWAC teams.

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Livingstone College's Rodney Hughey Named Assistant Coach of Dream Bowl IV -- College Football All-Star Game

SALISBURY, North Carolina  --  Rodney Hughey was selected as the defensive backs coach for Dream Bowl IV College Football All-Star game. This is his fifth season as the assistant head coach for Livingstone College football program. Hughey was promoted to Defensive Coordinator in 2013, after serving as Defensive Backs coach since the 2010 season.

The fourth annual Dream Bowl will be played January 18, 2016 at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in Virginia Beach, VA. Dream Bowl IV is the premier small college football all-star game in the country and the only game to have NFL and CFL scouts in attendance. The game will allow the best FCS, D-II, and D-III athletes from across the country showcase their talents to help them make it to the next level of professional football. The game and the series of events held over Martin Luther King Weekend is a celebration of the excellence, commitment, and sacrifice made by the players and their families.

The Dream Bowl treats seniors to a real bowl game experience. The Dream Bowl provides first-class accommodations, meals, and facilities for the players, along with a full weekend of football and social related activities for their friends and families, which will create a lifetime of memories for their collegiate send-off game.

For more information on Livingstone College football, visit the official Blue Bear website at www.bluebearathletics.com.

COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

American Sports Network & Cutting Edge Sports Management Agree to Multi-Year Deal for Dream Bowl Broadcast

DREAM BOWL IV ALL-STAR ROSTER 

MILLTOWN, New Jersey -- American Sports Network (“ASN”), a division of Sinclair Networks Group, which is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI), announced that it has entered into an agreement with Cutting Edge Sports Management to broadcast the Dream Bowl for the next two years. The college all-star game will be played on Monday, Jan. 18, 2016 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The Dream Bowl was created to provide opportunities for FCS, Division II and Division III athletes to showcase their talents. Under the agreement, ASN will air the game on Sinclair broadcast stations and other affiliates around the country.

“We have found the perfect broadcast partner in American Sports Network to help us expand the reach and exposure of the game and these individual players,” said Neil Malvone, president of Cutting Edge Sports Management.  

Malvone added “the broadcast reach of ASN, through its parent company, Sinclair, will permit the entire country to see the talented players competing in this year\’s Dream Bowl.” 

“We are pleased to enter into this relationship, to deliver a college all-star game that provides a service to our communities,” said Doron Gorshein, COO of Sinclair Networks Group. “With this agreement with Cutting Edge Sports Management, we continue to enhance our product offering, and provide relevant, high quality live sports events for students, alumni and fans from the institutions of those competing in the game.”

Ray Katz, Managing Partner ROI Sports Marketing Group said: “The promotional commitment of ASN across their college football schedule will ensure tremendous value for our sponsors and partners. ROI Sports Group is the sponsorship partner of Cutting Edge Sports Management and led negotiations with ASN. 

About American Sports Network

ASN is a division of Sinclair Networks Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., the largest and one of the most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country with 164 television stations it owns, operates and/or provides services to in 79 markets, broadcasting 384 channels. Sinclair’s portfolio reaches approximately 43 million television households and is affiliated with all the major networks. In addition, ASN’s content is syndicated to other broadcasters and regional sports networks. ASN, which launched in August 2014, produced 250 college events in nine sports in its first year and plans to air more than 375 events in the 2015/2016 academic year.

About Cutting Edge Sports Management

CESM is a full-service leader in sports management with areas of expertise in event planning, strategic marketing, business management, player development, and media relations. CESM creates innovative all-star event competitions at every level of sports. The CESM difference is to continue to revolutionize the sports industry with strategic partnerships and full service capabilities. With CESM, the athletes come first to maximize their potential and get them to the next level

Shaw Bears Persevere to Defeat Bluefield State, 83-79

RALEIGH, North Carolina – The Shaw University men's basketball team rallied from a 12 point deficit in the second half to defeat the visiting Blues of Bluefield State College on Thursday evening to conclude the 2015 portion of the season in their non-conference finale.

Shaw improves to 4-9 on the season, while Bluefield State drops to 4-12 on the year.

Larry Richardson, II (Garner, NC) scored 17 points, including 6-of-6 from the foul line, while Joell Hopkins, Jr. (Raleigh, NC) and David Madol (Manchester, NH) scored 12 points each. Defensively, Madol had a team-best nine rebounds, while Hopkins, Jr. collected seven.

The Bears opened up play with an 8-2 run over the Blues but BSC would claw their way back to tie the game at 15-all at the 9:31 mark.

The lead changed four times before the Blues took the final lead of the half sparked by hot shooting from their guards. BSC was able to connect 8-of-18 from the 3-point line for 44.4 percent in route to a 39-35 lead over the Bears at halftime.

Although the Bears outscored the Blues in the paint 14-8, BSC was able to score 11 points off of Shaw's turnovers, while adding eight points in second chances and posting a 12-3 advantage in bench scoring.

Richardson, II opened up the second half with a 15-footer to chop at the Blues lead (39-37) but BSC responded with an easy layup to extend the lead to three points at the 18:56 mark. From there the Blues would continue to lead most of the half as they built their largest lead of the game at 12 points with 11:20 left.

Despite sluggish play and trailing by double digits, the Bears showed life and intensity as they were able to get within two-points with 6:00 showing on the game clock. The next possession down, Jamar Cooper (Petersburg, VA) gave the Bears their first lead of half with a deep 3-pointer at the 5:45 mark (65-64) which charged a 7-2 run for the Bears.

From there, Shaw was able to maintain control the game at their tempo to close out the contest with the 83-79 win.

Mark Durgan led all scorers with 31 points and six assists, while Joshua Windham and Chas Harvey scored 15 points each for the Blues.

Shaw will return action on Monday, Jan. 2nd to host Chowan University for a CIAA conference matchup. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m.

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

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COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tom Archdeacon: Wilberforce AD goes back to the future

WIBERFORCE, Ohio -- This, too, is what is meant by “Back to the Future.”

Rather than the science fiction adventure movie of the mid-1980s, this is a real life love story that began over six decades ago and now, thanks to an unexpected realignment of the sports stars, has been rekindled into another moment of the heart today.

In the early 1950s, Barbara Jean Townsend came to Wilberforce University from Cleveland, Mississippi, and Homer Lockett Jr., of Kansas City did the same. The two education students met and soon fell in love — with each other and the school.

They got teaching degrees, married after graduation and became educators in Alliance, Ohio. She was a teacher, he a school principal. Over the years they would return to the university that meant so much to them and often they brought their daughter, Beverly, along with them.

The place became magical to her as well and many years later, long after she had begun a family of her own, Beverly passed along her glorious stories of Wilberforce to her oldest child, Dorianne.

By then, though, Dorianne Johnson was on a different collegiate path. A big-time prep basketball talent, her sights weren’t set on a small NAIA school in Greene County.

She was recruited by several Division I programs across the South and chose the University of Mississippi, where she became a three-year starter, was team captain, led the Lady Rebels in blocked shots and ended up an integral part of teams that made two NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances and had several top-15 national rankings.

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