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NEW ORLEANS -- Dominique Suggs scored a career-high 27 points, including seven 3-pointers, to lead SUNO to a 77-72 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory Monday against Xavier University of Louisiana.
The Knights (7-14, 2-8) snapped a six-game losing streak.
Suggs made his first six attempts from behind the arc. He scored 16 second-half points.
Andre Funches scored 12 points for SUNO, Ezekiel Brown had 11 points and 10 assists, and Joe Brown had 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Gary Smith made five 3-pointers and scored a career-best 24 points for the Gold Rush (17-10, 4-5). Morris Wright scored 18. Smith, Wright, Jarvis Thibodeaux (five points, three assists, two steals) and RJ Daniels (did not play) were honored in a pregame senior-night ceremony.
Both teams held double-digit leads. SUNO led 32-19 at 7:06 of the first half after Junaid Olusesi's 3-pointer, and Xavier led 52-40 after Chris Ward's basket with 14:45 remaining. Xavier led 46-40 at halftime after shooting 71.4 percent from the floor, then shot 21.1 percent in the second half.
For the game, SUNO outshot Xavier 51.1 to 47.5 percent from the floor. The Knights made 15-of-27 3-pointers -- 6-of-7 in the first 10 minutes -- and the Gold Rush sank 9-of-16.
Wright, 3-of-3 on first-half 3-pointers, moved into ninth place on Xavier's career point list with 1,442.
SUNO coach Dale Valdery beat Xavier, his alma mater, for the fifth time in 20 tries. Valdery won a then-XU-record 238 games as coach of the Gold Rush from 1990-2002. This is his eighth season at SUNO. Xavier leads the series 71-30, including a victory at SUNO two weeks ago.
It was the third home loss in four games for Xavier, which will close the regular season with three straight on the road. Next will be a 5 p.m. EST Saturday GCAC game against Edward Waters in Jacksonville, Fla.
BOWIE, Maryland -- What a difference 72 hours makes as the Chowan University Hawks handed Bowie State University a 70-61 setback on Tuesday evening in the A.C. Jordan Arena. The loss sets the Bulldogs overall mark at 15-11, 8-6 in the CIAA and 4-4 in the Northern Division.
Senior Justin Beck (Ellicott City, Md.) paced Bowie State with 13 points in the setback. Junior Tai Marshall (Atlantic City, N.J.) and senior Julian Livingston (Bowie, Md.) each grabbed seven boards in the loss.
Marco Haskins (Fredericksburg, Va.) and Kortez Smith (Waldorf, Md.) both tallied 19 points in the win for the Hawks. Jeremy Smith (Kenansville, N.C.) added 11 points while Josh Mellette (Sanford, N.C.) hauled in a team-high six rebounds.
The Hawks and Bulldogs exchanged baskets at the start of the first half before Kortez Smith's three-pointer at the 16:59 mark gave Chowan a 7-4 lead. Bowie State remained within striking distance before Haskins' three-pointer with 12:32 on the clock pushed the Hawks ahead 20-14.
The Bulldogs fought back to knot the score 22-22 by the 8:15 mark on a Michael Briscoe (Waldorf, Md.) layup, but Warren Powers (Finksburg, Md.) hit two free throws to spark a 19-7 run for Chowan, propelling the Hawks to a 41-29 lead heading into halftime.
The Hawks continued to build on the momentum in the second half, maintaining a double-digit lead until the 11:38 mark. Chowan held a 54-44 advantage with 8:43 left in the game before a 9-2 run by Bowie State cut the Hawks' lead to three points (56-53). A three-pointer by Kortez Smith shifted the momentum back in favor of Chowan.
Livingston's free throw with 1:40 on the clock left the Hawks clinging to a 64-61 lead but Haskins answered with a three-pointer for Chowan to push the Hawks ahead 67-61. Two made free throw by Carlos Arroyo (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico) and one by Jeremy Smith allowed Chowan to secure the 70-61 win.
Chowan (18-7, 10-4 CIAA, 4-4 North) shot 53-6 percent from the field in the first half (15-for-28), which included 4-for-8 behind the 3-point line. On the other side of the stat sheet, Bowie State shot 34.5 percent (10-for-29) from the field in the first 20 minutes and 9-of-10 free throws.
Bowie State continued to struggle from the field in the second half, going 11-for-32 and finished the contest 1-for 13 behind the arc. The Bulldogs were able to control the glass, out-rebounding the Hawks 42-28.
The Bulldogs will have little time to regroup as Bowie State welcomes divisional leading Virginia State University to the A.C. Jordan Arena on Wednesday (2/17) night at 7:30 p.m.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Game week is finally here! In a few days, Florida A&M will be playing the Thundering Herd of Marshall in a weekend series at Moore-Kittles Field.
I have that feeling that opening day has crept up on me a little bit. It seems as if Feb. 19 all of a sudden just appeared and I still of a lot to do to get ready. A lot of it is just organizational things like preparing all of the charts we keep, making sure game balls are rubbed up, and going over last year’s three games with Marshall to develop a scouting report for this year.
All of these things will not take long to finish and I will be ready to go by Friday’s opener. We have had not one but two sick children at the house last week and the start of this week so that has slowed my pace a little. They are feeling better just in time for opening weekend, so we are all set at the Henry house.
While I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off, the players are chomping at the bit to get cranked up. For the second consecutive year we have been lucky enough to have a major-league baseball player speak to the team before the start of the season.
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- For much of this season, guards Raeford Worsham, Chace Franklin and Paris Collins have received most of the attention for Jackson State.
It's usually one of those three that have big performances that lead the Tigers to victory.
A new face stepped into the equation on Monday night, though.
Guard Yettra Specks scored a career-high 23 points to lead JSU to an 80-66 road victory against Prairie View A&M at the William Nicks Building in Prairie View, Texas.
Specks scored 15 of his 23 points in the second half to help the Tigers earn a runaway win, which pushed them to 14-12 overall and 9-4 in the SWAC. Specks was 12 of 15 from the free-throw line, which should be encouraging for a JSU team that typically struggles from the charity stripe.
The Tigers were 1-5 in regular season games played in Texas under coach Wayne Brent before this triumph.
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern women’s game against the worst team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference was a tune-up for its game against the league’s hottest team.
The Jaguars scored the first 17 points and steamrolled undermanned Mississippi Valley State 78-26 on Monday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center. The game got out of hand even more quickly than Southern’s 99-36 win in the first meeting four weeks earlier.
Next up for the Jaguars (10-3 in the SWAC and 13-9 overall) is a Saturday visit to second-place Alabama State, which has won 10 consecutive games.
“This was a preparation game for Saturday,” said forward Cortnei Purnell, who scored a game-high 11 points. “We played a lot of different defenses. Everybody did well, everybody scored.”
Only one Jaguar — center Jadea Brundidge, who dressed out but was sick — didn’t play and all 14 who did scored. Briana Green (10 points) was the only other double-figure scorer.
JCSU Women Wins Three Events, Finishes as Runner-Up at CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships
Winston-Salem, North Carolina -- The Johnson C. Smith women's indoor track and field team had a total of nine podium finishes and took home three CIAA event championships while finishing as the runner-up at the CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at the JDL FastTrack in Winston-Salem, N.C. on Monday afternoon.
JCSU claimed three championships on the day, with Kendra Clarke (Edmonton, Alberta) taking the crown in the 400m with a time of 54.62. Domenique Julius-Williams (Oshawa, Ontario) brought home the 800m title with a 2:16.28 and the 4x400 relay team of Clarke, Julius-Williams, Crystal Campbell (St. Catherine, Jamaica) and Tovea Jenkins (St. James, Jamaica) won by posting a 3:46.52.
Other notable performances by the Golden Bulls included Shamaz Quince (West Palm Beach, Fla.) taking second place in the triple jump and third place in the 60m hurdles. Fellan Ferguson (Kingston, Jamaica) had a great weekend, as she recorded a second place finish in the 800m and a completed the mile run in third place.
Winston-Salem State took home their second-consecutive title, outdistancing the Golden Bulls by 10 points. St. Augustine's finished in third behind JCSU with 107.33 points.
Women's Team Standings - Final1. Winston-Salem State 120
2. Johnson C. Smith 110
3. St. Augustine's 107.33
4. Virginia State 41.33
5. Livingstone 21
6. Virginia Union 16
7. Lincoln 13.33
8. Bowie State 4
NEW ORLEANS -- Whitney Gathright scored 18 points Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 70-62 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against SUNO.
The Gold Nuggets (17-9, 5-4) honored six student-athletes, including Gathright, at halftime on senior night, and four scored in double figures. Donyeah Mayfield had 14 points, and Alesha Smith and Trana Hopkins scored 10 apiece.
Xavier assured itself of a 15th consecutive winning season, which extends a school record.
Jasmine Bush 5'-11"Forward, Sophomore Hometown: Meridian, Mississippi High School: Southeast Lauderdale
Rayvin Miller scored 25 points, 19 in the second half, for the Lady Knights (9-12, 4-6). Jophiea Irvin scored 16 points, and Micah Brooks grabbed 11 rebounds.
Gathright made 12-of-13 free throws and tied a career high with nine rebounds. Mayfield blocked four shots to match her career best.
Xavier led the final 38 minutes and held its largest lead, 30-12, after Hopkins opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer. The Gold Nuggets led 45-28 at halftime.
Miller scored 11 points in a 15-2 run that opened the fourth quarter and cut Xavier's lead to 62-57, but the Lady Knights got no closer.
SUNO outshot Xavier 33.9 to 32.8 percent from the floor, but the Gold Nuggets made 28-of-35 free throws, both season highs, to SUNO's 13-of-19. Xavier made its first 22 attempts from the line.
Xavier, 0-3 a year ago against SUNO, won both regular-season meetings. The Gold Nuggets lead the series 64-13.
Also honored on senior night were Emoni Harvey (five points, season-high-tying seven rebounds) and Amara Person-Hampton (three points, three rebounds).
Xavier will visit a non-conference city rival, NAIA No. 25 Loyola, at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
HAMPTON, Virginia – Despite leading by just one at the half Monday night at the HU Convocation Center, the Hampton University men's basketball team ran past Morgan State 87-79 in front of a national ESPNU audience.
The Pirates improved to 15-9 overall and 10-2 in MEAC play.
Reginald Johnson, Jr. and Quinton Chievous each had 20 points to lead the Pirates; Johnson also dished out a career-high eight assists, while Chievous grabbed 10 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season.
Jervon Pressley came off the bench to record his third double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He also had both of the Pirates' blocks.
The Pirates shot 29-for-63 (46.0 percent) from the floor and hit six of their 18 3-pointers. Hampton was also 71.9 percent (23-for-32) from the free throw line, and the Pirates outrebounded Morgan State 45-36.
The first half saw seven ties and seven lead changes, and Morgan State held a 41-37 lead with 1:32 left in the half following a pair of free throws from Andre Horne. But the Pirates closed the half on a 7-1 run, taking a 44-43 lead with four seconds left after Johnson hit a pair of free throws.
The Pirates shot 50.0 percent (15-for-30) from the floor in the first half.
Johnson had 12 points at the break, while Chievous had 10.
That 7-1 run bled into the second half, growing into a 19-8 run when Chievous threw down a slam at the 15:05 mark to put the Pirates up 56-49. After Rasean Simpson ended that run with a layup, Hampton scored the next eight points – going up 64-51 after another Chievous dunk with 12:01 left.
A Dionte Adams jumper with 5:35 left put Hampton up 75-62, Morgan State scored the next six points to cut the lead to 75-68 after a pair of Simpson free throws with 3:19 to play.
Simpson hit two more free throws with 1:17 left to cut the lead to 80-75.
The Pirates answered with a pair of Akim Mitchell free throws and a Pressley dunk, going up 84-75 with 53 seconds remaining. The closest the Bears could get from that point was within six.
Morgan State (5-19, 3-8 MEAC) shot 40.0 percent (28-for-70) from the floor – going just 13-for-36 (36.1 percent) in the second half – and going 5-for-19 (26.3 percent) from distance.
Simpson and Phillip Carr each had 21 points for the Bears.
The Pirates will be in Dover, Del. on Monday, Feb. 22 to take on Delaware State. 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.
WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The Winston-Salem State Rams did it again as the team claimed its second straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Indoor Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship, Monday afternoon. The Rams took the win by a slight margin as they totaled 120 points to claim the title, just 10 points ahead of conference runners-up Johnson C. Smith.
"We worked really hard this whole season, starting from August," WSSU sophomore Rachel Bonham said after claiming the championship. "I didn't think we would do this good, but we did. We all worked hard as a team." RESULTS
The Rams took the win behind some inspired performances by sophomore Domtilla Kiplagat, who was named the women's track MVP after compiling 22.25 total points at the meet. She took first place finishes in the women's 3000m run, the women's one-mile run, and she was a part of the Rams' first place distance medley relay team.
Fellow sophomore Rachel Bonham also had a terrific day when she tied with Saint Augustine's Shamia Lassiter as the field events co-MVP. She took home the honor after winning the women's high jump, placing second in the women's pentathlon.
With the victory, the Rams claim their second straight indoor championship and their third championship since 2011.
Following the conference championships, the Rams will turn their attentions to preparations for the upcoming NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships. The team will compete in the UCS Invitational prior to awaiting selections for the national championship meet.
For more information on Rams women's track & field, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.
COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Benedict College men's and women's indoor track and field teams competed in the Samford Open over the weekend at the Birmingham Crossplex and had some exceptional performances. Dessie Demlew captured Benedict's only win of the weekend, winning the 5000 meter run with a season-best time of 14:53. He also finished sixth in the men's 3000 meter run with a season-best time of 8:35.19.
Marc Sutton placed fourth in the weight throw with a distance of 16.26 meters (53 feet, 4 1/4 inches).
Ediberto Crisanto also ran a personal best time in the 5000 meter run with a 16:12 and the 3000 meter run with a time of 9:10.78.
Teammate Haregot Gebreyesus also ran a season's best time of 15:51 in the 5000 meter run and 9:11.78 in the 3000 meter run.
Naquan Adams finished ninth in the high jump by clearing 1.95 meters (6 feet, 4 3/4 inches).
The women's team also had good weekend with Karel Ziketh making it to the finals in the women's 60 meter hurdles race against a high-powered professional field. She finished eighth overall with a time of 8.63 in the prelims and 8.75 in the finals. She is currently ranked No. 10 in the NCAA Division II ranking.
Lea Tshikaya made her way onto the NCAA ranking as well in the 400 meter dash. She ran a season's best time of 57.08, setting a Benedict indoor school record. She finished 14th overall.
Jenella John also broke the school record in the 800 meter run with a 2:16.46.
Ashley Wingo broke her own school record in the weight throw with a mark of 13.16 meters (43 feet, 2 ¼ inches). She also finished 13th in the shot put with a mark of 11.67 meters (38 feet, 3 1/2 inches).
The women's team broke the school record in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:55.40. They finished seventh overall.
Courtesy: Saint Augustine's University Sports Information
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Saint Augustine's University won its 19th consecutive men's conference title at the CIAA Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships at the JDL Fast Track on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.
The Falcons scored 173 points to continue their championship streak. Virginia Union University was second with 107 points and Virginia State University was third with 84.5 points.
Saint Augustine's University placed third in the women's division with 107.33 points. Winston-Salem State scored 120 points to win its second consecutive women's title and Johnson C. Smith was second with 110 points.
Immanuel Hutchinson (Sr./San Jacinto, CA) of the Falcons was selected men's track MVP after scoring 30 points in the meet. The Falcons' senior won the 5000-meter and one-mile runs and placed second in the 800-meter run. On Sunday, he was part of the winning men's distance medley squad which included Shaquille Dill (Fr./Pembroke, Bermuda), Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Sr./Raleigh, NC) and Khari Herbert, Jr.(Jr./Coral Springs, FL).
Shamia Lassiter (Sr./Chesapeake, VA) of the Lady Falcons was chosen women's field co-MVP after scoring 18 points. Lassiter won the pentathlon and placed second in the long jump. She also won the 60-meter hurdles.
The Falcons relied on their sprinters and jumpers to win their latest men's championship. They won all eight running events and the triple jump Monday to pull away from their competitors.
Behind 36-15 to Virginia Union entering the final day, the Falcons erupted for 158 points to win easily. Hutchinson led the way with two victories and Herbert, Jr. (400 meters), Shawn Rowe (60-Meter Hurdles), Daniel Jamieson (Sr./Windsor, CT/200 meters), Dill (800 meters), Ellis (60 Meters), and Jumonne Exeter (Soph./St. Vincent/Triple Jump) each won an event. The nation's top-ranked 4x400-meter relay squad which includes Herbert, Ellis, Rowe and Omar Johnson (Sr./St. Ann, Jamaica) was also victorious for the Falcons.
Sparked by Lassiter, the Lady Falcons won six events. Ornella Livingston (Jr./St. Ann, Jamaica) was a double-winner after capturing the 60-meter and 200-meter dashes. Amenze Uhunmwangho (Sr./Ebo, Nigeria) was the triple jump winner and Shakinah Brooks (Jr./Raleigh, NC) claimed the long jump on Sunday.
HAMPTON, Virginia -- On a slushy Monday night, Hampton University's play was slightly less sloppy than the Convocation Center's parking lot. The Lady Pirates shot 33 percent from the field and had three times as many turnovers (23) as assists (seven).
But what mattered was a 60-47 win over Morgan State, with which HU came in tied for second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings. Thanks to North Carolina A&T's win over Bethune-Cookman, the Lady Pirates (11-13, 9-2) are now in sole possession of first place.
"We didn't play well," Hampton coach David Six said. "But you know what? You've got to be careful you don't make them feel like they lost when they won. That team was in second place, and we won. That's the bottom line."
In the first, third and fourth quarters, the Lady Pirates were outscored 39-32. But HU dominated the second by outscoring the Bears 28-8. Malia Tate-DeFreitas, who missed her first four shots, scored 18 of her 23 points in the second period.
Senior Emily Strombeck was named tournament MVP at the Stormin Ladyjack Classic hosted by Stephen F. Austin.
Courtesy: NC A&T Sports Information
HOUSTON, Texas – The North Carolina A&T bowling team moved back into the National Tenpin Coaches Association Top-10 poll this month at No. 10 after dropping to No. 11 in last month’s poll. The Aggies then went out and proved they belonged there by winning the Stormin Ladyjack Classic hosted by Stephen F. Austin. The Aggies went an impressive 10-3 to improve to 49-28 on the season.
In doing so, the Aggies defeated the No. 2 team in the nation in Nebraska, the No. 4 team Sam Houston State, the No. 8 team SFA and the No. 9 team Farleigh Dickinson. The Aggies defeated FDU 4-3 in the best of seven championship round to win the tournament. Two-time MEAC Bowler of the Year and All-American senior Emily Strombeck won tournament MVP honors by posting a season-high 225.67 average.
In addition, Strombeck, one of the best bowlers in school if not Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference history, had a career game with a 287 in a traditional game win over Grambling. Strombeck had plenty of help as junior MacKenzie Robinson finished seventh with an average of 213.33 and sophomore Kori Smith placed 16th with an average of 202.33. Sophomore Kristin Shinn came close to making it four Aggies with an average of 200 or better when she closed out the tournament with a 196.5 average.
“The team was on a mission,” said N.C. A&T head coach James Williams. “To have three girls average over 200, with one being the tournament MVP, and to have a fourth at 196, is something special. Everyone contributed at some point throughout the weekend. On Saturday it was big game after big game, and it was good to see everyone step up and take turns.”
The Aggies went 6-0 on Saturday in traditional play to earn the No. 1 seed in Sunday’s tournament bracket play. The Aggies squeezed out five close wins over nationally-ranked opponents in the process. They took down No. 16 Monmouth 988-927 as Shinn finished with a score of 212 and Robinson had 210. The Aggies then defeated FDU 1,073-1,018 as Smith’s 249 was complemented by Strombeck’s 215 and Robinson’s 214.
In the Aggies 1,094-1,035 win over SHSU put together a 256 and Robinson, Smith and Shinn also had games over 200. Perhaps the most entertaining game of the day came against No. 14 LIU-Brooklyn as the Aggies won 1,025-1,020. The Aggies needed all the help they could get to eke out the win as Shinn bowled a 252 and Robinson aided with a 244.
The Aggies closed by beating SFA 966-919. Again the Aggies leading foursome led the way as Shinn’s 224 paced N.C. A&T.
On Sunday the Aggies opened with Nebraska and defeated the Cornhuskers 3-0 with two ties in the best out of seven contest. The Aggies then went on to beat FDU for the title after losing the first three games in the best out of seven.
“Sunday was about finishing,” said Williams. “Finishing what we started. We were able to do that against Nebraska. But our will was tested against FDU. After going down oh-3, the ladies found a way to battle back and win. That’s the heart of a champion.”
Williams credited the team’s Brunswick equipment for allowing the Aggies to do some things most other teams were not able to do. He also credited the team’s ability to communicate.
“The communication was fantastic as well as our ability to make adjustments quickly,” said Williams. “For the most part the team bowled with patience and aggression. Our spare shooting was
the best it’s been all year.”
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
THIBODAUX, Louisiana — Was it a Valentine's Day breakthrough for Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis?
Maybe, coach Alan Green said after his Gold Rush, a longtime NAIA power, won 6-1 Sunday at Nicholls State of NCAA Division I. "It's still early," Green said, "but I feel like we've got a pretty good team. We can do some really good things. But we still have a long way to go."
For the Gold Rush (3-2), ranked fourth, it was the first victory in nine dual matches against the Colonels (1-2). There had been three close calls in recent seasons, including 4-3 a year ago, but this time Xavier left no doubt. The Rush won the doubles point and four singles matches on the court.
It was the 30th victory in Green's 13 seasons against a Division I men's opponent but the third against a non-HBCU from that level.
Nicholls State made Xavier's path easier because the Colonels had five available players. That resulted in default victories for the Rush at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles, and Xavier needed just one on-court victory to claim the doubles point. The Rush got that when Karan Salwan and Kyle Montrel beat Max Sinn and Evan Karatzas 6-3.
Xavier maintained its momentum during singles. Salwan defeated Kieran Cronin 6-4, 6-3, then freshman Thomas Setodji, in his first day of collegiate competition, clinched the dual with a 6-2, 6-2 decision against Sam Meessen. Adam Albrecht extended Xavier's lead to 5-0 when he toppled Oscar Reeve 6-2, 6-3.
Karatzas beat Montrel 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3) at the top singles flight, but the Gold Rush ended the dual with another victory — Tushar Mandlekar defeated Sinn 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-6).
"Nicholls played us tough," Green said. "They didn't play like they were down a guy. But our guys withstood their challenge and took care of business."
Setodji, winner of three state singles championships as a French junior, found his groove after he and Kevin Chaouat dropped their first four doubles games. They won four of the next five games before falling 6-4 to Reeve and Cronin, then Setodji cruised in singles, dropping fewer games than any of his teammates.
"I was tense in doubles," Setodji said. "The conditions were difficult, and those guys (Nicholls) played well. But things got better in singles. Everything in singles was great from start to finish."
Next for Xavier's men and women will be the Green and Gray Invitational at Lawrenceville, Ga. They'll play SCAD Savannah Friday, Georgia Gwinnett Saturday and Cumberland Sunday. All six of those opponents were in the NAIA's preseason top 25s. New rankings will be announced Tuesday. Georgia Gwinnett's men are a two-time defending national champion.
(L) Assistant Golf Coach Mike Rice and Head Golf Coach Marvin Green (R)
JACKSON, Mississippi -- The FAMU Men’s Golf team staged a strong showing in Sunday’s opening round of the Frito Lay AllState Intercollegiate Invitational hosted by Jackson State University.
FAMU shot an opening round 311 to trail the University of Missouri at St. Louis, which finished Sunday’s play with a one-over par 289.
Leading the way for FAMU on the Individual Leaderboard is the duo of Kevin Parker and Dennis Minefee, who finished the opening round tied for eighth at 77, followed by Brian Bowman (10th) with a 78, and Omari Whitmore (13th) with a 79.
Second round play begins Monday morning at the Dancing Rabbit Azaleas Course.
FRITO LAY ALLSTATE INTERCOLLEGIATE GOLF
Team Scores * Opening Round * Sunday, February 14, 2016
1 Missouri - St. Louis 289 +1
2 Florida A&M 311 +23
3 LeTourneau University 320 +32
4 Jackson State 324 +36
5 Louisiana College 334 +46
6 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 349 +61
7 Alcorn State 350 +62
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern baseball team is ineligible for the NCAA tournament under the first of multiple sanctions against the program.
Jaguars coach Roger Cador revealed the sanction even though the school is still awaiting written notification of the penalties from the NCAA.
It’s the third consecutive season Southern is ineligible for the NCAA tournament. The first two penalties were part of an athletic department-wide penalty, handed down because the university supplied the NCAA with unusable data on student-athletes’ Academic Progress Rates.
The latest postseason ineligibility is a result of the baseball team falling short of the NCAA minimum of a 930 APR score over a four-year period, Cador said.
“I don’t want to go into the season living a lie,” said Cador, who informed the team of the sanction after practice Saturday. “We’ll just wait for the other sanctions that certainly will be coming.”
The other sanctions are the result of the baseball program “over-rewarding scholarships,” interim athletic director Roman Banks said.
BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut– The University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team used a late run to push past East Coast Conference foe University of Bridgeport, 67-56 on Saturday afternoon at Hubbell Gym.
Just a three-point UDC lead approaching the four-minute mark in the 4th quarter, the Firebirds scored 14 of the game's final 17 points, which include a 5-of-6 showing at the free-throw line during the final 34 seconds. They would win by their largest margin of the day – 11 points.
The Firebirds (18-6, 13-3 ECC) were led by junior transfer guard Brandi Henton's team-high 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists off the bench. Senior guard Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore and senior forward Iman Scott added 10 and 13 points, respectively.
Bridgeport (7-15, 5-9 ECC), which led 27-26 at halftime and by as many as five points early in the 3rd quarter, was led by guard Aurelie Leblanc-Florent's game-high 18 points. Her backcourt mate, Nicole Johnson, pitched in with 10 points, as Leblanc-Florent and Johnson combined to make seven three-point field goals. Kadijah Dickson contributed game-highs of 10 rebounds and eight assists.
UDC made four more field goals (24-20) in the same number of attempts (63), but the Firebirds connected on just 1-of-10 from long range while the Purple Knights made 9-of-32. UDC countered by making 18-of-21 (86-percent) at the foul line to Bridgeport's 7-of-14 (50-percent). The Firebirds also had a 47-40 rebounding advantage and out-scored the Purple Knights 38-16 in the paint.
The Firebirds held Bridgeport to just 2-of-15 FG shooting (1-of-5 from long range) during the first quarter as they raced out to leads of 4-0 and 13-4 before settling for a 13-7 advantage at the end of the period.
Henton's layup nine seconds into the 2nd quarter pushed the UDC lead to 15-7, but Bridgeport bounced back with a 12-2 burst which began and ended with three-pointers by Leblanc-Florent. The 2nd of those three-pointers gave the Purple Knights their first lead of the day, 19-17. Later, Leblanc-Florent's third three-pointer of the quarter pushed Bridgeport in front 27-23 with under a minute left in the first half. The Firebirds closed on a 3-0 run that included a Dionna Tunstall layup at the buzzer, and they trailed by just one, 27-26 at intermission.
Bridgeport's Emily Ovner connected on two consecutive jump shots for the first four points of the 2nd half, but Baldwin-Kollore answered right back with five straight points on a three-pointer and a layup to force a 31-all tie at the 7:48 mark. The Purple Knights took back a two-point lead three times, only to have the Firebirds force a tie all three times. Tiara Goode helped UDC take its first lead of the 2nd half, 39-37, with a pair of free-throws with 2:19 remaining in the 3rd quarter. Those free-throws began a 6-0 Firebirds surge that put UDC up 43-37, and the Firebirds would lead 43-40 heading into the 4th quarter.
UDC out-scored Bridgeport 6-3 in the first two minutes of the 2nd half courtesy of two made jump shots by junior forward Amber Bryson, and the Firebirds led 49-43. Consecutive jump shots by Leblanc-Florent made it a two-point, 49-47, and later, Johnson's three-pointer at the 4:33 mark kept it a one-possession game, 53-50. Scott then led UDC on a 9-5 run with seven points, including a three-point play at the 2:16 mark. Her layup at 1:43 capped the run and put UDC up 62-55.
The Firebirds went on to ice the victory with 5-of-6 at the foul line, and they won by their largest margin of the day, 67-56.
Next up, UDC visits Mercy College on Thursday, February 18th at 5 p.m.
GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Greensboro, NC---- The Lady Bison scored another notch in their belts when they defeated the ladies at North Carolina A & T 110-87 recently, posting the best win record in program's history. The 2015-16 squad defeated 11 of the 21 teams they competed against during the season.
This was the final meet between the two Division 1 HBCU teams, as NC A&T will be discontinuing its swimming and diving program at the conclusion of the season.
Of the 13 events, the ladies from Howard placed first in five of them while dominating the distance events, placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the 1,000 and the 500 free events.
In the 100 breastroke, Marina Markous (1:09:59) and Latroya Pina (1:11:17) took 1st and 2ndplace, respectively while KaSandra Kaplan and Benta Horton-Gee were the one-two punch in the 100 backstroke, capturing 1st and 2nd place.
It is important to note that two swimmers, Sydney Cooper and Mikella Henry, had personal best times, Cooper in the 200 free and Henry in the 500 free and the 100 breast.
Team captain Benta Horton-Gee secured her place in the HU history books by ranking Number 4 in the 100 IM.
While acknowledging that it was a good meet for the Bison result wise, Howard Coach Nicholas Askew noted that the times were not the fastest.
"I am however overall satisfied with how we fought through some tough swims," noted Askew. "We are beginning our taper and we are looking forward to resting more and allowing our bodies to recover from the grind of the season."
Next up for the Bison will be the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Conference Championships in Athens Georgia, February 17-20.
COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION
SAU Daniel Jamieson (Middle In White) Wins 60-Meter Heat
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Saint Augustine's University men and women are both second after the first day of the CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at the JDL Fast Track on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016.
The event concludes Monday, Feb. 15, with finals in the majority of the running and field events. The championship meet will now begin at 9 a.m. with the last event starting at 3:05 p.m. due to inclement weather. Admission is free. Fans can also follow the event via live stats on jdlfasttrack.com.
Results
The Falcons' men scored 15 points on Monday after three completed events. Virginia Union is the men's leader with 36 points, but the Falcons are in good shape to win a 19th consecutive championship. They placed 13 qualifiers in Monday's finals of their respective running events after Sunday's preliminary races. Four qualifiers – Burkheart Ellis, Jr. (Sr./Raleigh, NC), Daniel Jamieson (Sr./Windsor, CT), Omar Johnson (Sr./St. Ann, Jamaica) and Khari Herbert, Jr. (Jr./Coral Springs, FL) - are in the 200-meter finals.
The Falcons stayed within striking distance Sunday with a victory in the men's distance medley. The foursome of Shaquille Dill (Fr./Pembroke, Bermuda), Ellis, Herbert and Immanuel Hutchinson (Sr./San Jacinto, CA) was the only squad to run under 11 minutes.
The Lady Falcons scored 27 points after three completed events on the strength of Shakinah Brooks' (Jr./Raleigh, NC) victory in the women's long jump. Brooks, who won her second straight CIAA indoor long jump title, led a 1-2-3 finish in the event. Shamia Lassiter (Sr./Chesapeake, VA) and Amenze Uhunmwangho (Sr./Ebo, Nigeria) were second and third, respectively, for the Lady Falcons.
Defending champion Winston-Salem State University is the women's leader with 34 points. Johnson C. Smith University is third with 20 points. The Lady Falcons are sending eight qualifiers to Monday's finals in their respective running events.
COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVESITY SPORTS INFORMATION
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The last time the Southern and Mississippi Valley State women met, the Jaguars forced 41 turnovers and rolled to a 99-36 victory.
That was four weeks ago, and Southern isn’t expecting it to be as easy when the teams meet again at 5 p.m. Monday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.
“Everybody comes in here excited to play,” Jaguars coach Sandy Pugh said. “People love to come to Baton Rouge. People love to play at F.G. Clark. It’s a great place to play. They show up with that intensity and fire.”
Southern is 9-3 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and 12-9 overall. The Lady Delta Devils are 1-11 and 3-19.
The Jaguars are in third place in the SWAC, one game behind Alabama State and 1½ games behind Texas Southern.
RICHMOND, Kentucky – The Tennessee State men’s basketball team earned a thrilling 79-78 Ohio Valley Conference road victory at Eastern Kentucky at McBrayer Arena on Saturday afternoon for the Tigers first win at EKU since March 1, 2008. Redshirt senior Keron DeShields (Baltimore, Md.) scored 18 points and eclipsed 1,000 career points on the day.
TSU (18-7, 9-3 OVC), which trailed by 10 with just over 16 minutes left, stormed all the way back to take the lead for the last 6:30 of the game. Down by one with 1.9 seconds left, Jarelle Reischel’s jumper was off the mark for EKU (14-14, 5-8 OVC) as the Tigers picked up their third win in a row.
“I’m just proud of our guys to be able to come back from being down double digits on the road early in the second half,” second-year TSU Head Coach Dana Ford said. “They showed a lot of resilience and a lot of character. We snuck out a road win in February, which is great, and I couldn’t be happier.”
DeShields, who scored his 1,000th career point on a jumper from just inside the three-point arc with 11:52 left in the first half, also dished out a season-best seven assists. The Baltimore, Md. native scored 604 points in three seasons at Montana from 2011-14 before transferring to TSU.
Tahjere McCall (Philadelphia, Pa.) paced the offense with 22 points, while Xavier Richards (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands) added 11. For the second game in a row, Demontez Loman (South Port, N.C.) led the rebounding effort with nine.
After trailing since the opening minutes of the game, a three from Marcus Roper (Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.) with 2:43 left before half gave the Tigers a 35-34 advantage. The Colonels closed the half on a 7-2 run to take a 41-37 halftime edge.
EKU was able to grow its lead to 10 in the first four minutes of the second half before the Tigers clawed back into the game. TSU leveled the scoring at 56-56 when McCall banked in a three as the shot clock expired with 9:35 remaining. On the next possession, McCall was fouled while shooting a three and made all three free throws for a 59-56 lead.
From there, the score remained close with TSU unable to pull away from the Colonels.
McCall, who shot 11-for-13 from the line, was fouled with 20.0 seconds left, making both for a 77-74 lead. EKU’s Paul Jackson answered with two free throws on the other end with 14.4 seconds left before DeShields knocked down two at the line with 13.6 seconds remaining for a 79-76 edge.
Reischel’s tip in with 6.0 seconds left cut the lead to 79-78, and the Colonels forced a jump ball with 1.9 seconds left to gain possession. Off the inbounds play, Reischel missed a contested jumper as the buzzer sounded.
Both teams committed 18 turnovers in the game. TSU finished 47.8 percent from the field, while EKU had a 35-31 rebounding advantage.
Ja’Mill Powell scored a game-high 25 points for the Colonels.
Up next, TSU travels to Morehead, Ky. to take on Morehead State on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES: Tennessee State moves to 26-33 in the all-time series versus EKU… TSU’s last win at EKU came on March 1, 2008… TSU is 7-5 in true road games this season… TSU is 3-0 when playing a team for the second time this season… Keron DeShields (Baltimore, Md.) scored his 1,000th career point at the Division I level. DeShields scored 604 points while playing at Montana from 2011-14.
TSU Head Coach Dana Ford
“They’re very talented and they’re hard to guard man-to-man. They’re bigger than us at every position and a little bit faster and athletic, so we had to go to a little contain pressure as well as a zone just to keep the game under control.”
•On adjustments made to get the win
“It’s an incredible accomplishment for a kid who had a choice to go to a lot of different places and chose to come to Tennessee State. He’s been an unbelievable player and just unbelievable for us for the last two years. We’re happy that he could eclipse such a great mark of 1,000 career points, and we’re just happy to have him.”
•On Keron DeShields reaching 1,000 career points
TSU Guard Keron DeShields
“It was a great team win. We stuck though towards the end and to be honest, we needed that. We needed that close game experience. Most games down the stretch when you’re trying to get to the NCAA Tournament will come down to that, so we’re just glad that we got that experience today.”
•On the team’s win
“It’s a blessing. They told me I couldn’t go D-1 and look at it now. They told me I was too small and too slow, but now I scored 1,000 points, and it’s all thanks to God.
•On scoring his 1,000th career point.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University Athletics has begun the implementation of the Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP), upon the successful securing of a grant from the NCAA. The plan will improve the academic health of the athletics department and its student-athletes with additional resources, opportunities and funding.
The grant was applied for under the leadership of Joyce Ellenwood, FAMU Assistant Director of Athletics for Access & Athletic Academic Support. Ellenwood will be a key executor of the grant.
FAMU was one of nine NCAA Division I institutions awarded more than $4 million in grants to support academic programs that help student-athletes earn their degrees.
FAMU was the recipient of a multi-year Accelerating Academic Success Program Comprehensive Grant, valued at $675,000.
The comprehensive grant will be distributed over a three-year period, and used to fund academic initiatives that increase academic support services staff and tutors; enhance summer academic programs; and assist current exhausted eligibility student-athletes complete their degrees.
The comprehensive grant will be distributed over a three-year period, and used to fund academic initiatives that increase academic support services staff and tutors; enhance summer academic programs; and assist current exhausted eligibility student-athletes complete their degrees.
FAMU Director of Athletics, Milton Overton, feels this is a significant step in the right direction. “I want to thank the collective efforts of President Mangum and the campus Oversight Committee for committing the matching funds and personnel resources necessary to build an award-winning NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP) Grant Proposal. The University presented a first-class AASP Proposal to the NCAA against a competitive field of applicants to yield a striking victory on behalf of our student-athletes and coaches. We are looking forward to putting the resources to work in an effort to 'Build Champions in the Classroom, on the Field and in Life'. The NCAA and the University have made a financial commitment to ensure our student-athletes have the resources that they need to be successful in the classroom, and I will follow their lead by making a $5,000 personal contribution to the Academic Enhancement Success Fund. I encourage everyone in Rattler Nation to join us in 'Building Champions on the hill through academic excellence and integrity,” he said.
This grant will also help FAMU in improving the academic success of its student-athletes, with the ultimate goal being to support the school’s efforts to meet the requirements of the Division I Academic Performance Program, which was developed to ensure schools provide an environment that supports education while enhancing the ability of student-athletes to earn a degree.
Schools can request a maximum of $300,000 per year for three years. The participating schools are required to match grant dollars each year of the program, with either direct funds and/or in-kind contributions. In the first year, the school must commit a 25-percent match, 50 percent in year two and 75 percent in year three.
The announced awards mark the third round of Accelerating Academic Success Program funding distributed by the NCAA.
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
