DSU Hornets Announce 2015 Football Schedule

DOVER, Delaware -- The renewal of the First State Rivalry with the Delaware Blue Hens, a visit to Missouri and five home games at Alumni Stadium highlight the 2016 Delaware State University football schedule announced today.

The Hornets will play three non-conference games and eight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contests next season.

Delaware State will kick-off the 2016 season on Thursday Sep. 1 at the University of Delaware in the seventh meeting between the state’s two Division I football programs. Each of the previous games in the series has been played at UD’s Tubby Raymond Field. The Hornets and Hens did not meet in 2015 after battling the previous four years. DSU is seeking its first win in the series. A member of the Colonial Athletic Association, Delaware was 4-7 overall and 3-5 in conference games in 2015.

The Hornets will play their 2016 home opener on September 10 against Monmouth University. The Hall-of-Fame Weekend contest is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Alumni Stadium. This will be second contest between the Hornets and Hawks. Monmouth won the first meeting 53-21 in 2014. The Hawks posted a 5-6 overall record and 3-3 mark in the Big South Conference last season.

After an open week, DSU will visit the University of Missouri of the Southeast Conference on Sep. 24, marking the third straight year and seventh time in team history that the Hornets will face a major college opponent. The Tigers are coming off a 5-7 overall record and 1-7 SEC mark during the 2015 season.

Delaware State will begin MEAC play the following Saturday (Oct. 1) at Morgan State in Baltimore, Md.  The Hornets will try to snap a three-game losing streak to the Bears, who won last year’s contest 26-6 at DSU’s Alumni Stadium to open up a 35-24 series lead. Morgan State was tied for sixth in the MEAC with a 4-4 league record and posted a 4-6 overall mark in 2015.

The Hornets begin two-game MEAC homestand on October 8 against the Hampton Pirates. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Alumni Stadium. DSU will try to avenge a 21-7 road loss to the Pirates last season. Hampton holds a 27-14 lead in the series after winning the last three games. The 2015 Pirates had a 6-5 overall record and were fifth in the MEAC with a 5-3 mark in the conference.

The Hornets remain home the following Saturday (Oct. 15) to take on the Florida A&M Rattlers in the annual homecoming contest at 2 p.m. This will be the 34th meeting between the MEAC rivals. Florida A&M has won the last two contests, including the 2015 meeting in Tallahassee, Fla. The Rattlers are coming off a 1-10 overall record (1-7 MEAC) last season.

DSU will begin a tough two-game road swing on Oct. 22 at South Carolina State in Orangeburg, S.C., for the 44th meeting between the rivals. The Hornets and Bulldogs have split their last two meetings. SC State (7-4 overall; 6-2 MEAC in 2015) won last year’s contest at DSU’s Alumni Stadium.

The following Saturday (Oct. 29), Delaware State will visit Bethune-Cookman in Daytona, Fla. The Wildcats have won or shared five of the last six MEAC championships. BCU shared the crown with North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central in 2015. The Wildcats have won the last five games between the teams, although the all-time series is tied at 19-19. BCU has won nine or more games in each of the last four years, including a 9-2 overall record and 7-1 mark in the MEAC last year.

The Hornets return home on November 5 to face 2015 MEAC co-champ North Carolina Central at 2 p.m. The Eagles were 8-3 overall and 7-1 in the conference, including a victory over DSU in Durham, N.C., last season.

Delaware State will wrap up its 2016 home schedule against reigning Black College National Champ North Carolina A&T on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. The Aggies shared the 2015 MEAC championship with Bethune-Cookman and NC Central, and defeated SWAC champion Alcorn State in the inaugural Celebration Bowl. NCA&T has won the last two games, although the Hornets have an 8-3 lead in the last 11 meetings to hold a 22-21-1 edge in the series. The Aggies had a 10-2 overall record and were 21st in the final STATS FCS Top 25 poll in 2015.

The Hornets will close out the 2016 regular season against its oldest rival Howard University in Washington, D.C. Delaware State captured its lone victory of the 2015 season against the Bison 32-31 in Dover, Del. The Hornets have faced Howard each year since 1958 and a total of 72 times overall. DSU has won 13 of the last 17 meetings, and leads the series 37-34-1.

Delaware State and Howard were each 1-10 overall and 1-7 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2015.

The 2016 season will be the second for Kenny Carter as head coach of the Hornets.

PRINTABLE DSU HORNETS 2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Delaware and Delaware State will open their 2016 football seasons with a Thursday, Sept. 1., showdown in Newark

NEWARK, Delaware -- Considering the high hopes it harbors, Delaware will be anxious to begin its 2016 football season.

The Blue Hens won’t have to wait very long.

In a joint announcement Wednesday, UD and Delaware State said their season opener at Delaware Stadium will be Thursday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m.

When Delaware’s 2016 schedule was announced in the fall, the game was listed as Sept. 2 or 3. But Delaware officials have often preferred playing that opener on Thursday night, thereby pulling it away from the upcoming Labor Day weekend when some have travel plans. Delaware State obliged.

Both will be anxious to show immediate signs of improvement. Delaware State needed a victory over Howard in its season finale to avoid a winless campaign and finish 1-10 under first-year coach Kenny Carter.

CONTINUE READING

Lady Rattlers Coiled To Make A Run In MEAC Ranks

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  – The 2015-2016 edition of the Lady Rattler basketball team overcame a slow start to begin to gel at a critical point in the season, conference play. Coming fresh off a road sweep, the team is playing with fire, most recently coming up with a 66-59 win over the Lady Pirates of Hampton, the team that has dominated the MEAC over the last decade.

Head coach LeDawn Gibson attributes the success to a unique chemistry among the team. “When you put players together to form a team, on paper they can look great, but if they do not have that chemistry, it could be disastrous. This team likes to play for each other. This team fights for each other. With injuries, we only dressed eight players for the last few games, but those eight are dedicated,” Gibson said.

Courting a mix of returnees and newcomers, the Lady Rattlers have climbed above the .500 mark at 9-8, 3-1 in the MEAC. The team is led by seniors Olivia Antilla and Khadejra Young, who normally dictate the flow of the games. Kenya Dixon, Dawn King and Alicia McCray have had solid starts to the 2016 campaign. Leading the team up the floor is junior college transfer Victoria Nguyen. Nguyen’s ability to be floor general has freed up Young to work in her more natural No.3 position, where last season she had to play point guard.

Another addition to this year’s squad was the return of associate head coach Latasha Shipman-Ganus. Shipman-Ganus’ cohesion with Gibson resulted in 20 win seasons and signature wins for the program before she took a position at UNC-Greensboro.

“One major turning point for us was a team-building excursion we did while in California for the USC Women of Troy Classic. Our team stepped outside of the normal and went as a group to Universal Studios. This was the day following a disappointing loss to USC. The ladies really began to play team ball that next day, and defeated UC Davis in a game where we were physically overmatched, “ Gibson said.

To close out 2015, FAMU went up to Clemson and defeated the Tigers 77-68. It was a scrappy effort by the Lady Rattlers’ eight players. The team as well as individuals have combined for solid statistical performances.

The Lady Rattlers are No.1 in the MEAC in scoring offense at 64.4 percent. They also rank in field goal percentage (3rd) and offensive rebounds (2nd). Young leads the conference with 48 steals, while Dixon and Antilla are first and second in three-point field goal percentage. Dixon holds the top spot in the MEAC (.417), while Antilla is second at (.406).

“If I were to point to one in-game factor that we have improved on, it’s the play of our low post players. Shalaunda Burney-Robinson began the year looking as she had come into the promise of her abilities, but an early injury has sidelined her since that time. Alicia McCray stepped into the role and has been playing with the aggressiveness we need to control the board. Her added scoring doesn’t hurt either,” Gibson said.

Antilla, last year’s leading scorer, has played patient basketball. No longer having to try to carry the team on her back, she is letting the game come to her. Most of the season, she has been in the Top 10 of the NCAA Division I for three-point shooting percentage. She is even on pace to re-write FAMU’s single season three-point mark.

As a team the goal is simple, compete hard for the best possible positioning in the MEAC tournament and go to Norfolk with a chance to take home the MEAC crown. For Gibson, that’s the overall goal, but they have had their success on achieving short term goals. “Right now, we are concentrating on Morgan State. That’s our next opponent. We must continue to take one game at a time and treat each one like it’s the most important game we play…because it is.”

None may have been bigger than defeating Hampton on their home floor. The juggernauts of the MEAC had won 28 consecutive home games, dating back to 2012, prior to the loss to the Lady Rattlers.

What’s next: The Lady Rattlers will face the Bears of Morgan State on Sat., Jan.16 at The Al Lawson Center at 4 p.m.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Panthers use Brackeen-busting 2nd half to rally past XU

NEW ORLEANS -- Junior guard Rashad Brackeen scored 25 of his season-high 31 points in the second half Monday to rally Philander Smith in a 71-69 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana.

Brackeen made seven 3-pointers in eight second-half attempts after going 0-of-2 from long range in the first half. The Panthers (10-9, 3-1) made 11-of-20 3-pointers for the game, and the Gold Rush (13-5, 1-1) made 2-of-12.

Chris Ward scored 12 points and D'Angelo Tucker 11 for Philander Smith, which played without leading scorer Ronald March.

Morris Wright scored 14 points, Gary Smith 13 and Elex Carter 12 for Xavier, which is 11-1 at home this season. Wright scored in double figures for the 22nd consecutive game, and Smith did it for a career-best fourth consecutive time. Carter blocked a career-high-tying four shots.

Xavier trailed 10-0 through four minutes but rallied to take a 37-25 halftime lead. Philander Smith regained momentum by shooting 65.2 percent from the floor in the second half, including 8-of-10 3-pointers.

Brackeen's 3-pointer with 11:35 remaining put the Panthers ahead to stay, 47-45. Tyson Oliver's two free throws with 15 seconds remaining gave them a 71-67 lead.

The loss was Xavier's first in five games.

BOX SCORE

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

Short-handed Nuggets stymie Philander Smith, 68-61

NEW ORLEANS -- NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana got 17 points from Whitney Gathright and double-doubles from Bianca Brown and Donyeah Mayfield in a 68-61 women's basketball victory Monday against Philander Smith.

The Gold Nuggets (12-5, 2-0 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) have won three straight. They are 7-0 at home this season.

Xavier, with nine available players -- it started the season with 16 -- took the lead for good in the second minute and outscored the Lady Panthers (10-7, 2-2) in each of the first three quarters.

Gathright reached double figures in points for a season-best fourth consecutive game and had five assists. Brown, who entered with eight points and nine rebounds in eight games, produced 11 points and 10 rebounds. Mayfield had 10 points and 11 rebounds in her third double-double of the season and her second in three games.

Juquecia Chaney had 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists for Philander Smith, and Brittany Leonard scored 12.

Xavier outshot the Lady Panthers 36.1 to 29.5 percent from the floor and outscored them 19-10 at the line.

Xavier will travel to the University of Mobile for a 6 p.m. Wednesday game. The Gold Nuggets' next home game will start at 5:30 p.m. Monday against GCAC opponent Tougaloo.

BOX SCORE

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

Grambling State Football secures another Power Five transfer via former Texas WR

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling has made it abundantly clear in the past few days that it has no plans to rebuild in 2016.

The Tigers are only interested in reloading.

Former Texas wide receiver Montrel Meander told The News-Star on Monday he has transferred and enrolled at Grambling for the spring semester, which started Monday.

Meander, who will have three years of eligibility left, joins former Ole Miss quarterback Devante Kincade as the two new pieces to the Tigers' offense. Kincade announced Saturday he was transferring to Grambling.

Meander's transfer is an opportunity for a fresh start following his dismissal at Texas in 2014 when he was charged for sexual assault. The charges were dropped this past fall, which cleared his return to football.

CONTINUE READING

The Cy Alexander Coach's Radio Show

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- North Carolina A&T in conjunction with Darryl’s Wood Fired Grill on 3300 Gate City Blvd., in Greensboro introduces the Cy Alexander Coach’s Show.

Each Tuesday starting January 12, 2016 and lasting until the start of the 2016 MEAC Basketball Tournament Championship, the Aggies head men’s basketball coach will visit with N.C. A&T men’s basketball play-by-play radio personality Spencer Turkin to discuss Aggies Basketball at 6:30 p.m., on WCOG ESPN Radio 1320/1230 AM and 104.9 FM.

The show will take place at Darryl’s each Tuesday except for January 12 when the kickoff show will be held at the Aggies home venue of Corbett Sports Center. The N.C. A&T Department of Athletics would like to invite all Aggie fans to come out to Darryl’s each Tuesday starting on January 19 at 6:30 p.m., for a great dinner and profound talk on Aggies Basketball.

If you can’t make it to Darryl’s on a Tuesday, we welcome fans from all over the nation to call-in and inquire about the men’s program at (336) 777-1230.

Each week Turkin will review the past week of Aggie action with Alexander before bringing on a player from the team. The show will also include the Alexander Guest Coach of the Week as the Aggies men coach welcomes a coach from one of the other 16 N.C. A&T varsity sports to speak on their respective program(s).

WCOG ESPN Radio 1320/1230 AM and 104.9 FM is in its third year of broadcasting N.C. A&T men’s basketball games. The first two years they carried road games, but this season they have carried home and away games starting with the broadcasting of the Ho
ward at N.C. A&T game on Dec. 5, 2015. Each broadcasts starts 30 minutes before tip-off.

Darryl’s offers a wide variety of quality southern comfort foods. Their signature Wood Fired Grill produces an amazing unique flavor, which always keeps their customers coming back for more.

For more information please contact the sports media office at N.C. A&T at (336) 285-3608.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU rallies to beat Hampton Lady Pirates 66-59

 Kenya Dixon
COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Florida A&M overcame a seven-point deficit in the second half and snapped Hampton University's 28-game winning streak in MEAC games at the Convocation Center with 66-59 win Monday night.

Khadejra Young’s layup with 1:55 left gave FAMU (9-8, 3-1 MEAC) the lead for good at 60-58 with 1:55 remaining. The Lady Pirates had a chance to tie on their next possession, but Mikayla Sayle went 1-for-2 from the free throw line.

HU (4-12, 2-1) didn’t score the rest of the way.

Dejane’ James and K’lynn Willis led HU with 16 points each. Malia Tate-DeFreitas, the MEAC’s leading scorer, finished with a season-low eight points on 4-of-15 shooting.

CONTINUE READING

FAMU AD Overton hires new compliance officer, working with FSU on football schedule

ELLIOT CHARLES
COURTESY: USF ATHLETICS

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. on Monday added the newest member of his executive staff.

Elliot Charles will serve as FAMU's director of compliance and the new deputy athletic director under Overton. Charles comes to Florida A&M from the University of South Florida, where he was the associate athletic director of compliance.

Before working at USF, Charles was the associate commissioner for compliance for the Mid-American Conference. FAMU head coach Alex Wood coached at Buffalo (part of the MAC) from 2011 until 2014.

Charles also worked at Alabama — Overton's last post — as an assistant director of athletic compliance.
:
Overton is also working to smooth out ...

CONTINUE READING

Shaw Lady Bears Rip Bowie State’s Lady Bulldogs 79-49

BOWIE, Maryland  --  Bowie State University women's basketball shot a season-low 26.8 percent from the field, which included of 7-of-22 beyond the arc on Saturday afternoon and lost 79-49 to Shaw University.

Bowie State (9-5, 2-2 CIAA) got 20 points from sophomore Kyah Proctor (Capitol Heights, Md.) and junior Ashley Jennings (Newark, N.J. added 13 points in the loss. The Lady Bulldogs sophomore trio of Jasmine Orsted (Dickson, Tenn.), Lisa Jing (Laurel, Md.) and Robin Heard (Waldorf, Md.) scored four points apiece. Bowie State's leading scorer Kiara Colston (Burtonsville, Md.) was held to a season low three points and senior Jourdan Stanhope (Columbus, Ohio) scored two points.

The Lady Bears would build their largest lead of the half at 14-points after two free throws from Anderson at the 4:32 mark. Shaw outscored the Lady Bulldogs 21-15 to go into the locker room with a 40-29 lead at halftime.

In the first half, Shaw outscored the Lady Bulldogs 22-10 in the paint, 22-4 in bench scoring and 11-9 in points off of turnovers.

The Lady Bears picked up where they left off in the third quarter as Shaw opened up the quarter with a 6-3 run. The Lady Bulldogs would battle back after knocking down two-consecutive 3-pointers to cut at the lead (38-47) with 6:45 on the clock but Shaw would not relinquish the lead as they outscored BSU 25-14 in the quarter and 14-6 in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

The Lady Bears had five players score in double figures with Michelle Wright (Baltimore, Md.) leading Shaw's attack with a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds. Eboni Ross (Columbia, S.C.) contributed 12 points and four rebounds, while Kaula Jacks (Chesapeake Beach, Md.), Tabatha Anderson (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Laquisha Taylor (Charlotte, N.C.) adding 10 points each. Taylor also had 10 rebounds, while Klintisha Martin (Atlanta, Ga.) had seven rebounds for Shaw.

Shaw shot a blistering 70 percent from the field (14-of-20) in the first half and ended the afternoon with a 59.6 field goal shooting percentage on 24-of-47. The Bears knocked down 21-of-26 free throws (80.8 percent) and out-rebounded the Lady Bulldogs 45-31.

On the other side of the stat sheet, Bowie State made only 19-of-71 field goals overall and only had seven free throw attempts, making four.

The Lady Bulldogs will look to rebound on Monday (January 11th) evening when they host Fayetteville State University. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in the A.C. Jordan Arena.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton Pirates Battle Back to Defeat Bethune-Cookman

HAMPTON, Virginia  –  Despite trailing by as many as 10 in the second half, the Hampton University men's basketball team battled back to beat Bethune-Cookman 75-70 Saturday evening at the HU Convocation Center.
 
The Pirates improved to 7-7 overall and 3-0 in MEAC play.
 
Reginald Johnson, Jr. led three Pirates in double figures with 18 points, hitting seven of his 11 free throws, while also dishing out four assists and grabbing three steals. Brian Darden and Jervon Pressleyeach added 17 points; Pressley also grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.
 
Pressley also set a new career high in points.
 
Darden, who also dished out four assists, hit three 3-pointers.
 
The Pirates shot 44.1 percent (26-for-59) from the floor – including a 52.0 percent clip (13-for-25) in the second half – hitting five of their 21 3-pointers (23.8 percent) and 18 of their 33 free throws (54.5 percent). Hampton also held a 42-30 edge on the glass.
 
Ricky Johnson gave Bethune a 56-46 lead with 13:09 left in the second half with a 3-pointer – one of four he hit in the second half – capping a 9-0 Wildcats run. Hampton kept chipping at the lead, cutting it to six on four separate times.
 
When Reginald Johnson hit a layup with 8:28 remaining, it cut the Wildcats' lead to 62-56 and kick-started a 7-0 Pirates run that ended when Reginald Johnson hit a pair of free throws with 7:10 remaining that cut the lead to 62-61.
 
A 6-2 Wildcats spurt gave Bethune a 68-63 lead with 4:49 remaining, but from that point on, Bethune only managed one field goal. Hampton ended the game on a 12-2 run – taking the lead back with 46 seconds remaining on a Reginald Johnson 3-point play that put the Pirates up 73-70.
 
Darden hit two free throws with four seconds left to ice the game.
 
The Pirates jumped out to a 13-2 lead to open the game, and with 13:22 left in the first half, Hampton took a 20-6 lead after a free throw from Reginald Johnson. A 14-5 Bethune run followed, cutting the Pirates' lead to 25-20 at the 7:20 mark.
 
In fact, Bethune cut the lead to 34-33 with 2:32 left in the half, and the Pirates went into the locker room for halftime with a just a 38-36 lead.
 
Darden led the Pirates with 12 points at the break.
 
Bethune opened the second half on a 20-8 run – which was what allowed the Wildcats to take that 10-point lead at the 13:09 mark.
 
Bethune-Cookman (4-12, 1-1 MEAC) shot 45.6 percent (26-for-57) from the floor and made eight of 24 3-pointers (33.3 percent). The Wildcats also went 10-for-13 (76.9 percent) from the free throw line.
 
Ricky Johnson led four Wildcats in double figures with 20 points.
 
The Pirates will play host to Florida A&M on Monday at 7 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Coleman's Double-Double leads S.C. State Women to 58-51 Win Over N.C. Central

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Senior forward Jasmine Coleman recorded a double-double of 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to lead the SC State women's basketball team to a 58-51 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win over North Carolina Central on Saturday afternoon at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
 
The Lady Bulldogs (6-7, 2-1 MEAC) also got double-digit scoring performances from sophomore forward Jahmia Bradley (13 points) and senior guard Amber Howard (11 points). Senior forward Toni Grier finished with nine points, nine boards and two blocks.



SC State led 12-9 after the first quarter, but NCCU (2-11, 1-2 MEAC) got back-to-back 3-pointers from Kristin Askew and Morgan Jones to take a 15-14 lead with 8:52 left in the second quarter. The Lady Bulldogs went on a 20-8 run to end the period, taking a 35-22 lead into halftime.
 
NCCU outscored the Lady Bulldogs 29-23 in the final 20 minutes, but could not overcome the 13-point deficit from the first half.
 
Askew tallied 15 points for NCCU, while Morgan had 12 points, eight rebounds and four steals.
 
The Lady Bulldogs look to continue their winning ways when they host North Carolina Central at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. The game is Military Appreciation Night. All military members with a military ID will be admitted to the game for free.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

KSU Thorobrettes claim 77-73 win over Clark Atlanta

COURTESY KSU ATHLETICS

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- Kentucky State took control of a back-and-forth game in the fourth quarter and held on for a 77-73 win over Clark Atlanta in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball action Saturday at the Exum Center.

Shaia Horton had 21 points and connected on four 3-pointers to lead the Thorobrettes in scoring, while Logan Powell picked up a double double with 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Alexis Stallard chipped in 11 points for Kentucky State, while Clark Atlanta's Mykala Jones led all players with 23 points.

The Thorobrettes were able to overcome a slow start in which they went six minutes without a field goal early on and fell behind 15-9 at the first quarter break. They trailed by as many as nine points in the second quarter, but they closed the half on a 14-5 run over the last 3:25, eventually taking a 32-31 lead to halftime after a 3-pointer by Horton.

After the game went back and forth early in the third quarter, the Thorobrettes took the lead back for good on another 3-pointer by Horton at the 7:32 mark. Still, the victory didn't come easily for Kentucky State. Clark Atlanta pulled within one at 67-66 with 4:20 left, but Powell, Jamesha Mosley, and Brooklyn Sharpey scored on three straight possessions to push the Thorobrettes' lead out to 73-66 with less than a minute to play.

Kentucky State shot 44 percent (28-of-64) from the field and 41 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point range to Clark's 36 percent (25-of-69) overall and 22 percent (2-of-9) from outside. The Thorobrettes also held a 45-35 rebounding advantage.

Kentucky State improves to 9-3 overall and 4-2 in SIAC play with the win, while Clark Atlanta falls to 5-10 overall and 3-2 in the conference. The Thorobrettes return to the court when they travel to Stillman on Thursday.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Norfolk State Rolls Past Florida A&M, 77-56

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State outscored Florida A&M by 17 in the second half on the way to a 77-56 men's basketball win over the Rattlers on Saturday evening at Joseph Echols Hall.
 
The Spartans broke a four-game losing streak with their second solid win of the year in conference play. NSU led by four at the break but exploded in the second half, shooting 50 percent and outscoring the Rattlers 50-33.
 
The victory improved NSU's MEAC record to 2-0 and its overall mark to 6-11. The Spartans are now just one of two teams in the league without a loss along with Hampton (3-0).
 
Senior Jeff Short led the Spartans and was one of four players in double figures with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. He added seven boards and four assists as well. NSU also got a strong showing from senior D'Shon Taylor, who tallied his second double-double of the year with 13 points and 11 rebounds while adding two assists and two steals.
 
Florida A&M (5-11, 1-2 MEAC) was led by Malcolm Bernard, who posted 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. The Rattlers, though, shot just 17-of-56 (30.4 percent) from the floor and committed 16 turnovers.
 
NSU turned it around after a lackluster first half in which the Spartans shot just 36 percent. The Rattlers were down by as little as three early in the second half before an 8-0 run, including four points from sophomore Devonte Banner, gave the Spartans their first double-digit lead of the game.
 
The lead stretched to 13 at 45-32 after a pair of free throws by senior Charles Oliver at the 14:13 mark. A few minutes later Florida A&M cut the deficit to eight, but that marked the last time the Rattlers got to within single digits. Still, NSU never led by more than 14 as the game wore on. Then up 63-52 with five minutes left, the Spartans finally broke the game open.
 
Taylor sank a 3-pointer with three and a half minutes left to begin a 12-1 run that gave the Spartans a 22-point lead with a minute left. Sophomore Zaynah Robinson made two free throws for the final scoring as he finished with nine points on the night.
 
Short and Taylor combined for 20 points in the second half, and NSU hit 15-of-30 overall after the intermission.
 
Freshman Alex Long, meanwhile, added a career-best 11 points with five rebounds. He shot 4-of-5 from the floor as NSU hit 25-of-58 (43.1 percent) for the game.
 
The first stanza was a half of runs, first for Florida A&M when the Rattlers started the game up 8-2 after three minutes of play. Long had a pair of buckets and Oliver completed a 3-point play to finish a 13-1 run that lasted nearly three and a half minutes. That gave the Spartans a 15-9 lead, the largest of the first half.
 
The Rattlers immediately responded by scoring the game's next nine points, and Florida A&M still had the lead after Justin Ravenal drained a trey at the 5:56 mark. Down 21-19 at that point, the Spartans closed the half on an 8-2 run for a 27-23 lead at the break. Oliver led all players with seven points.
 
On the night, NSU outscored the Rattlers 30-16 in points in the paint, 21-6 in points off turnovers and 10-2 in fastbreak points.
 
NSU also held the rebounding edge 42-32 and did not allow FAMU to score a second-chance point. Along with Taylor and Short, sophomore Jordan Butler added seven rebounds with five points, three blocks and two steals.
 
Both teams made eight 3-pointers in the game. NSU also connected on 19-of-24 from the free throw line.
 
The Spartans will host Bethune-Cookman on Monday at 8 p.m. to close out the weekend.

BOX SCORE

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Kentucky State Thorobreds hold on for 74-73 win over Clark Atlanta

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- A free throw by Dorian Jordan with 4.3 seconds to play helped lift Kentucky State to a 74-73 win over Clark Atlanta in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball action on Saturday at the Exum Center.

After the Thorobreds spent most of the game recovering from a slow start, Jordan, who tied for the team lead with 15 points and had a game-high eight assists, found himself at the free throw line with the game tied at 73 and 4.3 seconds left. After making the first free throw, he missed the second, and the Panthers got out on a fast break. Time expired as a Clark player was in the air on what would have been a game winning dunk, allowing Kentucky State to hold on for the win.

Malcolm Smith also finished with 15 points to tie Jordan for the team lead, while Tryston Ford added 11. Clark Atlanta's Derek Harper and Damien Enoch each had 16 points to lead all scorers.

Jordan scored the first basket of the game, but it would be the only lead they would hold in the first half. The game was close throughout, with neither team reaching a double digit lead, but Clark Atlanta closed the first half on an 11-4 run, taking a 43-34 lead to the break after a Harper 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The Thorobreds spent much of the second half trying to battle back from that deficit, eventually taking back the lead at 64-63 after a pair of Jordan free throws at the 6:24 mark. The game would be closely contested the rest of the way with four lead changes, three ties, and neither team holding a lead of more than three points down the stretch.

Clark took its last lead when a Lawrance Freeman jumper made the score 73-71 at the 2:30 mark, but Smith was able to make a pair of free throws to tie the game on the next possession. Each team came up empty on its next two possessions, but Jordan was fouled on a drive to the basket with time running out, giving him the opportunity to win the game from the free throw line.

Clark Atlanta shot 51 percent (30-of-59) for the game to Kentucky State's 41 percent (29-of-70). The Thorobreds held a 39-35 rebounding advantage and turned the ball over 13 times to the Panthers' 18.

With its fourth straight win, Kentucky State moves to 7-4 overall and 6-1 in SIAC competition, while Clark Atlanta drops to 3-11 overall and 1-4 in the conference. The Thorobreds are back in action when they travel to Stillman on Thursday.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Lady Tigers remain unbeaten in SWAC play

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Texas Southern Lady Tigers remained unbeaten in the SWAC (3-0), as they defeated their rivals from Prairie View A&M University 72-65.

The win pushed the Lady Tigers current winning streak to six games. Senior center Keiana Vines had a dominant performance. She scored a career high 29 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

Vines controlled the paint the entire night, shooting 13-of-19 from the field as she led her team to victory Saturday night at the HPE Arena.

Vines was aided by Brianna Sidney's 16 point, 4 assist, and 2 steal effort, along with Toni Cheadle's 10 points and game high 9 rebounds.

TSU jumped out to an early 10-4 lead midway through the first period on a basket by Vines. Joyce Kennerson's jumper with two seconds to play in the first session gave the Lady Tigers the early advantage, 19-11 at the end of one.

Prairie View would rally in the second period. The Lady Panthers Jeronia Allen cut the lead to one, 26-25 on a jumper with 5:15 to play in the first half. Texas Southern re-gained the momentum on a Vines layup with 1:41 to play in the half, giving the Lady Tigers their biggest lead of the night, 38-25.

A 7-0 Prairie View A&M run to end the half; cut the lead to 38-25 at the break.

The second half was evenly matched, as TSU and Prairie View A&M traded baskets. The game was put out of reach on a free throw by freshman guard Joyce Kennerson, which gave the Lady Tigers a 72-65 lead with 35 seconds to play.

Texas Southern shot 48 percent from the field and held a 36-29 advantage on the boards. TSU will take their winning streak on the road as they face the Jackson State Tigers Saturday, January 16, in Jackson, Mississippi.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Balanced Southern women roll past Grambling

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern women’s coach Sandy Pugh has been playing as many as 15 players in search of a dependable rotation.

She seems to be finding some answers.

On Saturday, the Jaguars won their second consecutive game as everybody played and contributed in an 80-68 victory against Grambling in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Of the 15 players, 12 scored and nine played at least 10 minutes. Britney Washington scored a team-high 13 points, Skylar O’Bear and Briana Green had 10 each, Tashi-ana Thompson scored nine, and Cortnei Purnell and Miaya Crowder had eight each. Green had nine rebounds and Washington and Purnell had seven each.

The Southern bench outscored the Grambling bench 40-25 and outrebounded it 23-7.

“I was happy with everyone going in and contributing,” Pugh said. “But I wasn’t happy with the overall effort.”

CONTINUE READING

Christopher Hyder leads the way as Southern holds off Grambling

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern saw its 17-point lead early in the second half against Grambling shrink and shrink and shrink.

But point guard Christopher Hyder made sure the lead never disappeared, leading the Jaguars to a 66-61 victory Saturday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Hyder twice stopped Tigers runs with jumpers, assisted on three crucial late baskets and helped secure the victory by making all four of his free-throw attempts in the final 30 seconds. In all he scored or assisted on 17 of Southern’s final 24 points.

“After four years, I just have a feel for it,” Hyder said. “Most teams play off of me because in the first half I usually look for assists and have zero points. But when they back off of me and give me the jumper I have confidence I can knock my shot down.”

Hyder had four assists and no points at halftime after missing his only two shots. He made all three of his shots in the second half and finished with 10 points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals. He played all 40 minutes and didn’t turn the ball over.

CONTINUE READING

HU Lady Pirates Beat B-CU Wildcats, Stay Unbeaten in MEAC

HAMPTON, Virginia -- tellar nights from junior guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas and sophomore forward Kaylah Lupoe helped the Hampton University women's basketball team stay unbeaten in conference play with a 60-45 win over Bethune-Cookman Saturday at the HU Convocation Center.
 
The Lady Pirates improved to 4-11 overall and 2-0 in MEAC play.
 
Lupoe had a team-high 16 points on 8-for-12 shooting, while also grabbing a team-best 12 rebounds. She also had three blocks and three steals. Tate-DeFreitas became the first Hampton player since 2003 to record a triple-double, netting 13 points to go along with 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.
 
The last Hampton triple double came when Lynetta Sullivan had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 steals against Coppin State on Jan. 13, 2003.
 
Junior guard Georgianna Gilbeaux tied her career high with eight points.
 
The Lady Pirates shot 43.1 percent (22-for-51) from the floor, hitting three of their 16 3-pointers (18.8 percent). Hampton also hit 13 of 20 free throws (65.0 percent) and dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Wildcats 43-29.
 
Senior guard Ryan Jordan hit the first basket of the game, a 3-pointer at the 7:41 mark of the first quarter, before Bethune scored the next eight points. Hampton ended the quarter on a 6-2 run, closing the gap to 10-9 after 10 minutes of play.
 
Overall, the run ballooned to 10-2, giving the Lady Pirates a 13-10 lead at the 8:47 mark of the second quarter after a jumper from Tate-DeFreitas. Kendra Cooper hit a jumper 25 seconds later to make it a one-point game, but a Tate-DeFreitas trey started another Hampton run.
 
That run ultimately wound up being 21-4, which gave the Lady Pirates a 34-16 lead after a jumper from Gilbeaux with 21 seconds left in the half.
 
Hampton took that lead into the break. Lupoe had 10 points at the half.
 
The Lady Pirates shot 50.0 percent (14-for-28) from the floor in the first half, while holding the Wildcats to 22.7 percent shooting (5-for-22) in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Lupoe hit a layup with 7:48 left in the third quarter to give Hampton its largest lead of the game at 38-16. But the Wildcats scored the next seven points to cut the lead to 38-23 after a jumper from Alea Godfrey, and Godfrey added another jumper at the 1:37 mark to cut the lead to 41-27.
 
Hampton led 43-28 after three quarters, but Bethune opened the final frame with an 8-2 run, cutting the lead to 45-36 after a Kailyn Williams free throw at the 6:45 mark. A Cooper jumper with 4:31 to play cut the lead to 49-41.
 
But the Wildcats went cold from there, and the Lady Pirates responded by going on an 11-2 run – taking a 60-43 lead with 48 seconds remaining after a layup from junior guard Chanel Green.
 
Over that stretch, Bethune went 1-for-6 from the floor and had three turnovers.
 
The Wildcats (7-8, 1-1 MEAC) shot just 32.1 percent (17-for-53) from the floor and made three of 15 3-pointers (20.0 percent). Bethune only made eight of 16 free throws.
 
Cooper led three Wildcats in double figures with 13 points.
 
The Lady Pirates will play host to Florida A&M on Monday at 5 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Sharp-Shooting FAMU Women Top NSU 83-67

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Kenya Dixon scored 22 points off the Florida A&M bench and hit six of her team's nine 3-pointers as the Lady Rattlers topped Norfolk State 83-67 on Saturday afternoon at Echols Hall.

FAMU (8-8, 2-1 MEAC) shot 50 percent from the floor while holding NSU (0-13, 0-3) to a 38-percent effort. Kayla Roberts led the Spartans with 15 points and 10 rebounds, Siobhan Beslow also had a double-double of 14 points and 11 boards, and Kiara Phillips chipped in with 14 points.

The Lady Rattlers never trailed. They hit five field goals in the first quarter, all from behind the arc. Dixon hit a pair as did Olivia Antilla to stake FAMU to the early lead.

The Lady Rattlers started to pull away in the second quarter, outscoring NSU 24-12. FAMU scored the final eight points of the quarter, capped by a layup by Alicia McCray, to carry a 41-24 lead into the half.

Antilla scored the first basket of the second half to stretch the FAMU lead to 19 at 43-24. But the Spartans mounted a spirited rally thereafter, using a 13-0 run to climb back into the game. NSU, which did not hit a 3-pointer in the first half, got consecutive 3-pointers by Phillips, Yazmen Hannah and Roberts to start the spurt. Hannah and Phillips each added a pair of free throws, the latter two cutting the Spartans' deficit to 43-37 with 7:34 left in the third period.

But Victoria Nguyen scored six of the next eight FAMU points, and a triple by Dixon pushed the Lady Rattlers' lead back to 12. The Spartans couldn't get closer than 10 in the final quarter.

Saturday marked the second time this year that both Roberts and Beslow tallied a double-double in the same game. It was Beslow's sixth double-double of the year and Roberts' fourth. Roberts added four steals and Beslow and guard Dominique Harper had three assists apiece.

Khadejra Young contributed 19 points, Antilla had 15 and McCray 10 for FAMU.

The Spartans are back in action Monday as they host Bethune-Cookman at 6 p.m.

BOX SCORE

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMAITON

S.C. State Bulldogs Slam Home Victory Over NCCU Eagles

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina --  Four Bulldogs scored double-figures as South Carolina cruised to an, 91-75, victory over NC Central Saturday (Jan.9) at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

 Sophomore guard Ed Stephens led the Bulldogs with a team-high 23 points, five assist, and three steals. Orangeburg native sophomore forward Tashombe Riley was the surprise of the night with 20 points, while teammate senior guard/forward Gabriel McCray chipped 15 points and five rebounds.

 The Bulldogs (7-10, 2-1 MEAC) hot-shooting afternoon out-gunned the Eagles (6-11, 1-2 MEAC) squad shooting 63.3 percent from the floor (31-49) and hitting 12-of-22 three-pointers in the victory.



Stephens nailed two of his five 3-pointers in the first-half to give the Bulldogs a 41-31 advantage at halftime.

 SC State continued the strong three-point shooting into the second-half as Stephens and Riley dominated combining for 21 of the Bulldogs 50 after the break. Dante Holmes had a strong second-half with eight of his 10 points, and Jeremiah Ingram put in 12 points for NCCU.

 SC State led by as many as 20 in the second-half, but NCCU cut the deficit to as low as nine with help from Cole as he poured in 12 points of his game-high and career-high 24 after the midway point. 

Junior guard Eric Eaves finished with 13. The win for SC State marked its first victory against NCCU in 10 meetings, and the first time in the Division I era for NC Central.
 
The Bulldogs return to action on Monday (Jan.11) when they host North Carolina A&T in another MEAC doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m.

 For more information on SC State Athletics, visit www.scsuathletics.com or call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

BSU Lady Bulldogs Basketball Punishes Saint Augustine's 66-49

BOWIE, Maryland – The Bowie State Lady Bulldogs basketball team defeated St. Augustine rather easily on Thursday evening, punishing the Lady Falcons 66-49.

No player on either team shined brighter than Bowie State sophomore Kyah Proctor (Capitol Heights, Md.), who finished with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-20 from the field and 4-of-8 behind the 3-point line.

It was a game where its outcome could have easily been predicted from the first quarter as the Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 12 point lead by the end of the period. Proctor set the tone early with a trio of 3-pointers. Sophomore Kiara Colston (Burtonsville, Md.) pumped in 15 points and junior forward Ashley Jennings (Newark, N.J.) notched her fifth double-double of the season, recording 12 points and 13 rebounds. The 13 rebounds marks the third time Jennings has grabbed 13 boards this season.

Even when the Lady Falcons tried to fight back, the Lady Bulldogs had a rebuttal for nearly every offensive possession. Lady Bulldog sophomore Jasmine Orsted (Dickson, Tenn.) played tenacious defense and contributed seven rebounds, four points and helped Bowie State force many of Saint Augustine's 18 turnovers.

The Saint Augustine's duo of Shanika Harris (Richmond, Va.) and Shakeisha Washington (Atlanta, Ga.) paced the Lady Falcons with 13 points apiece. Ke-Ashe Lee (Roanoke, Va.) rounded out Saint Augustine's double figure scorers with 10 points in the loss. Leading the Lady Falcons on the glass was Sycora Dorsey (Richmond, Va.) and Ashanti Reid (Statesville, N.C.) with seven rebounds apiece.

In terms of team statistics, Saint Augustine's shot 36 percent from the field (18-of-50) and a horrific 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) at the free throw line. Bowie State's field goal was only slightly better as the Lady Bulldogs hit 38.5 percent from the field on 25-of-65 shooting and made 10-of-15 free throws. Bowie State also held advantages in rebounds (43-37), points in the paint (26-16) and second chance points (24-7).

The Lady Bulldogs improve to 2-1 within the CIAA division and a 9-4 record overall while the Lady Falcons fall to 0-3 with the CIAA and 3-10 overall.

The Lady Bulldogs return to the hardwood on (Saturday) January 9th, hosting the Shaw University Lady Bears at 2 p.m.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Moore leads Virginia State past WSSU

ETTRICK, Virginia — It was good for the Trojans to be home.

Virginia State, playing its first home game since Nov. 25, defeated Winston-Salem State 84-75 on Thursday at Daniel Gym.

Elijah Moore scored a game-high 21 points, Waymond Wright added 17, and the Trojans, playing their first game in 2016, moved to 4-0 in CIAA play.

“I knew it would be a tough game. They’re talented. They’ve got a really good team,” said Virginia State coach Lonnie Blow. “I knew it would be tough.”

Terrell Leach led the Rams with 18 points. Carlos Rankins chipped in 15.

The Trojans hit a trio of 3-pointers, two from Melvin Gregory, before the Rams got on the scoreboard in the first half.

CONTINUE READING

Kentucky State Holds On to Beat Morehouse; Moves to 5-1 in SIAC

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- It has been a great start to 2016 for Kentucky State University’s men’s basketball team.

The Thorobreds began January with two road wins against Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponents and followed with a 91-87 victory over SIAC foe Morehouse College Thursday.

“We wanted to start off the new year right,” KSU head coach Darnell Williams said. “Coming back after break, to go on the road and get two wins was big. The best thing about being on the road was that it was just us. So there was a lot of team bonding and a lot of talks. Everybody is just buying in now.”

The Thorobreds stayed aggressive on both sides of the ball throughout the game and improved to 6-4 overall and 5-1 in SIAC play.

“Like I tell them, I don’t care if a team plays a zone or plays a man, we are always in attack mode,” Williams said. “Unless the clock is on our side with under three minutes to go and we want to run some clock that’s different. But we’re always in attack mode. We always want to be in attack mode defensively and offensively.”

CONTINUE READING