XU Rush lose 69-68 in OT in opening round at nationals

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Rich Tesmer's basket with five seconds remaining in overtime Thursday lifted fourth-ranked Lewis Clark State to a 69-68 victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening round of the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship at Municipal Auditorium.

Tesmer scored a career-high 20 points, including a layup with four seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score at 61.

Xavier's Gary Smith missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer in regulation, and teammate Morris Wright missed a 2-pointer at the buzzer in overtime.

The Gold Rush (21-13) led 53-43 with three minutes remaining in the second half and missed four free throws in the final 1:09 of that period. Xavier made 15-of-29 free throws for the game, 9-of-20 after halftime.

The Warriors (29-4) led for about two minutes out of 45, including 46 seconds after halftime, and never led by more than a point. Xavier led for approximately 39 minutes.

Wright's fast-break basket at 1:36 gave Xavier its final lead, 68-67.

RJ Daniels had 14 points and seven rebounds for Xavier. Wright scored 12 points — his 42nd consecutive game in double figures — and Smith and Lucas Martin-Julien scored 10 apiece. Wesley Pluviose-Philip led the Gold Rush with eight rebounds, his most since late November.

Xavier's defense was stellar against one of the NAIA's most proficient offenses. The Gold Rush limited the Warriors to their second-lowest point total this season — they entered the tournament averaging 89.1 points per game — and a season-low 35.1 percent from the floor. LC State entered shooting an NAIA-best 51.4 percent. The Warriors also committed a season-worst 19 turnovers, well above their 11.7 average.

Nick Emerson scored 13 points for LC State, and Jacob Wiley had 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.

"This was a good game against a good team, but unfortunately we needed a couple more plays down the stretch to close it out," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "It was a tough loss and some calls did not go our way at the end, but we hurt ourselves by not making free throws."

Xavier was eliminated in the first round at nationals for the sixth consecutive year. It was Xavier's second overtime game of the postseason — it beat Tougaloo in double-OT in the opening round of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament — and its first in 17 trips to nationals.

LC State will play Our Lady of the Lake, an 87-81 winner against Freed-Hardeman, in the round of 16 at 9:45 p.m. Friday.

NOTES: The overtime game was Xavier's fourth of the season and third in its final five games . . . It was the final XU game for four seniors: Daniels, Smith, Wright and Jarvis Thibodeaux . . . Wright extended his streak of consecutive games with a made 3-pointer to 41 . . . Wright also became the first Gold Rush player to reach 600 points and 100 assists in the same season (626 and 101) . . . Wright finished with 99 made 3-pointers, No. 2 on XU's all-time season list, and 1,552 career points to rank No. 4 at Xavier . . . Sophomore Elex Carter blocked two shots to finish with 41. He's the second XU player in the last 28 seasons to reach 40 in a season . . . Smith's 131 games played are an XU career record . . . Xavier was trying to become the third first-round winner from the GCAC, which would've been the most ever for the 35-year-old league. Regular-season champion Talladega beat Westmont 63-61 Wednesday, and tournament champion Dillard defeated Hope International 111-91 Thursday. It's the first time since 2004 that two GCAC teams advanced.

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Baltimore Ravens (Texas Southern) cornerback Tray Walker dies of injuries from dirt bike crash in Miami-Dade

MIAMI, Florida -- Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tray Walker, who was hit by a car while riding on a dirt bike in northwest Miami-Dade on Thursday night, died Friday, according to both his agent and his team.

Walker, 23, who grew up in Miami and graduated from Miami Northwestern High, was pronounced dead at around 5 p.m., Walker’s agent Ron Butler told the Miami Herald.

“There was a lot of head trauma. The doctors tried to get the swelling down but I guess his brain went too long without oxygen,” Butler said.

Miami-Dade police could not immediately confirm the report. But the Ravens issued a statement at 7 p.m. confirming “that Tray has passed.” Both Butler and the team cited conversations with the NFL rookie’s godmother.

Walker was critically injured at about 7:50 p.m. Thursday while riding a white Honda dirt bike westbound on Northwest 75th Street, according to a statement issued by the Miami-Dade police. He collided with a Ford Escape going southbound on Northwest 21st Avenue driven by Donzetta Coaxum, 62. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital where, Butler said, he may not have regained consciousness after the crash.

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Florida A&M Baseball Wins 9th Straight, 14-8 Over Alabama State on Wednesday

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  – Florida A&M (12-5, 3-0 MEAC) scored in seven of the nine innings and used home runs from Dylan Dillard and Willis McDaniel to win its’ ninth straight game, a 14-8 win over Alabama State (10-9, 3-0 SWAC) at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex on Wednesday. The Rattlers had 15 hits in the win, while Jacky Miles, Jr. went 3-for-6 to help pace the FAMU offense. The Rattlers have now had at least 10 hits in 11 games this season.

Dillard drove in three runs, while going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Alec Wong (2-for-6), Ryan Hutson (2-for-2) and Peter Jackson (2-for-4) had multi-hit performances.

FAMU starter Ryan Anderson (2-1) earned the win after working a pre-determined outing. Anderson allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk in 4.2 innings of work.

The Rattlers jumped out early with two runs in the top of the first inning for a 2-0 lead. Marlon Gibbs led off the game with a walk and came around to score as Wong ripped a double down the left line. With two outs, Miles, Jr. singled off the pitcher to put runners on the corners and Wong came home for the second run of the inning on a wild pitch.

ASU cut the lead in half at 2-1 with an unearned run in the home half of the first inning. Carlos Ocasio reached on a throwing error by AJ Elkins that would have ended the inning. Dillon Cooper then doubled down the left line and a misplayed ball in left field allowed Ocasio to score from first.
Florida A&M added to its’ lead in the third inning with a two-run home run from Dillard to make the score 4-1. Ben Ellzey was hit-by-pitch with one out and Dillard followed with an opposite field, two-run, home run to push the FAMU lead to three runs.

The Hornets picked up another unearned run in the third inning for a score of 4-2. Diandre Amion led off with a single just passed the diving Dillard at first base and was later able to advance to third on a throwing error down to first base from Miles, Jr. Amion later came home on a sac fly to center field from Cooper.

FAMU kept the offensive pressure going and increased its’ lead to 8-2 with four unearned runs in the fourth inning. Elkins led off the fourth reaching on an error as Hornet shortstop Priolea booted a ground ball. McDaniel then advanced Elkins to second with a sac bunt towards third base before Jackson plated Elkins with an RBI single to center. Gibbs then dropped in a one-out single to right center to place runners on the corners and Ellzey was hit-by-pitch for the second straight at bat to load the bases with two outs. Jackson was then able to come home from third as Dillard drew a bases loaded walk. A wild pitch from Hornet pitcher Michael Tellado scored Gibbs and Miles, Jr. followed with an RBI single to bring home Ellzey for the fourth run of the inning.

The Rattlers scored for the third straight inning, courtesy of a two-run home run by McDaniel that made the score 10-2. Elkins led off the inning, just as he did the last inning, by reaching on an error, this time by the first baseman Chris Biocic. McDaniel then crushed his third home run of the season, a deep two-run shot to left field.

Alabama State cut the lead to 10-5 with three runs in the fifth inning. Ocasio walked and Cooper followed with a single to left to put runners on first and second and no outs. Biocic was then hit-by-pitch to load the bases as Hernandez then singled home Ocasio. Still with the bases loaded and no outs, Hunter Allen grounded out to short as Cooper scored from third. Biocic would later score on an infield single from Eriq White.

FAMU was able to answer back with a run in the sixth inning for a score of 11-5. Dillard led off with a walk and stole second as Miles, Jr. went down on a called third strike. Dillard went to third on an infield single from Hutson and later came home on a safety squeeze from Elkins.

ASU kept battling and made the score 12-7 as they were able to get a two-run home run from Amion in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Florida A&M plated a single run in the eighth inning and two more in the ninth for their final runs of the day. The Hornets would score an unearned run in the ninth for the final score of 14-8.
Hornet starter Patrick Coffin (0-2) suffered the loss after he gave up two runs on two on two hits in the first inning including a leadoff walk to Gibbs.

Florida A&M returns to MEAC play this weekend as they travel to face Savannah State for a three-game series. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 1:00 PM, and Sunday’s series finale will also start at 1:00 PM.

As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @BaseballFAMU and on Facebook.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Campbellsville eliminates Nuggets in NAIA's 1st round

INDEPENDENCE, Missouri — Xavier University of Louisiana made a late-season push to qualify for the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championship, but Campbellsville snuffed out that momentum with a 75-50 victory Wednesday morning in the tournament's opening game.

The Lady Tigers (26-7), ranked eighth nationally and a No. 2 seed at the tournament, used a 21-2 first-half run to pull away from the Gold Nuggets (22-12), ranked 25th and a No. 7 seed.

"I had really big hopes for our team," XU coach Bo Browder said. "I felt we were capable of making a great run in the tournament. But we didn't play very well, and Campbellsville played great throughout."
    
Whitney Gathright, one of six seniors in their final XU game, led the Nuggets with 16 points and became the program's eighth to reach 1,400 for a career. But no teammate scored more than five points.
    
Campbellsville had three double-figure scorers, led by Lindsey Burd with 22 points and Emily Fox with 21. Fox made five 3-pointers, the most by an XU opposing player this season, and made a pair of treys during the Lady Tigers' first-half run which gave them a 26-7 lead at 8:29 of the second quarter.
    
Campbellsville led 20-7 at the end of the first quarter, 36-22 at halftime — Xavier closed the half with a 13-8 run in the final six minutes — and twice by 29 points in the final 90 seconds.
    
The other XU seniors are Emoni Harvey, Trana Hopkins, Donyeah Mayfield, Amara Person-Hampton and Alesha Smith. Person-Hampton led her team with five rebounds and matched her career high.
    
Xavier, ranked ninth in early December, fell out of the top 25 for four consecutive weeks and was approaching the tournament bubble late in the season, then won five in a row, three in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, to earn its 19th trip to nationals in the last 22 seasons. But the Lady Tigers outshot the Gold Nuggets 46.4 to 35.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 38-27. Campbellsville made nine 3-pointers, the most by an XU opponent this season.
    
Campbellsville is 4-0 all-time against Xavier, including a 59-55 victory at nationals in the 2014 second round. Xavier had won in the first round in three of its previous four trips (also 2011 and 2012).
    
Campbellsville, the national runner-up a year ago, will play seventh-ranked and No. 3 seed The Master's — a 59-57 winner against another New Orleans school, Loyola — in the round of 16 at 9 a.m. Friday. Eight more first-round games will be played Thursday, including GCAC regular-season champion Talladega against Lindsey Wilson at 4:30 p.m. The 32-team tournament will conclude Tuesday.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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XU's Gathright selected first-team NAIA All-America

NEW ORLEANS -- Not long after Xavier University of Louisiana was eliminated Wednesday morning from the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championship, senior point guard Whitney Gathright received news to lessen the sting. She was named first-team NAIA All-America by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

Gathright -- from New Orleans and a graduate of John Curtis Christian School -- is the first Gold Nugget to earn first-team All-America since Cassee Davis in the 1997-98 season. Gathright was honorable mention the past two seasons on the NAIA's committee-selected teams and last season on the WBCA team.

"What can I say? Whit is most deserving," XU coach Bo Browder said. "She has been a huge part of our success during her time at Xavier and a steadying influence. She will be very difficult to replace."
Gathright led the Gold Nuggets with 16 points in a 75-50 first-round loss to Campbellsville at Independence, Mo. She led Xavier in scoring this season with 14.4 points per game and set XU season records with 184 free throws and 226 attempts. She is the Nuggets' career leader in made free throws (463), free-throw percentage (.782) and 3-point field-goal percentage (.367). She scored 1,414 career points and is the eighth at Xavier to reach 1,400.

Gathright was first-team All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference three times and third-team All-Louisiana each of the past two seasons. She was MVP of the GCAC Tournament this year and in 2014.

The 2015-16 WBCA NAIA All-America team:

Natalee Faupel, Montana State-Northern
Lindsey Burd, Campbellsville
Jatoria Carter, Auburn-Montgomery (Player of the Year)
Taleeah Cross, Freed-Hardeman
Whitney Gathright, Xavier 
Abbey Hengesbach, Olivet Nazarene
Alex Kneeland, Mount Marty
Kara Krolicki, Saint Xavier
Melissa Norman, Vanguard
Daniela Wallen, Oklahoma City

Honorable Mention
Petrolina Chilaka, Columbia (Mo.)
Kassidy De Jong, Northwestern (Iowa)
Samantha Doucette, Vanguard
Jessica Foster, Georgetown (Ky.)
Emily Fox, Campbellsville
Sydney Greiner, St. Ambrose
Taylor Hamilton, Our Lady of the Lake
Erin Legel, Great Falls
Aundrea Matchen, Pikeville
Caelyn Orlandi, Lewis-Clark State
Miranda Palmer, Huntington
Alyssa Ramos, Southeastern (Fla.)
Charnelle Reed, St. Francis (Ill.)
Chanel Roberts, Lindsey Wilson
Ashley Romig, Ottawa
Chayla Rutledge, Benedictine (Kan.)
Christin Strawbridge, Southeastern (Fla.)
Brandy Uchtman, Ozarks (Mo.)
Martessia Williams, Bethel (Tenn.)
Hannah Wisdom, Ozarks (Mo.)

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Albany State releases 2016 football schedule

ALBANY, Georgia  --  The Albany State University Golden Rams have unveiled their football schedule for the 2016 season, ASU Athletics Director Dr. Richard H. Williams and interim head coach Dan Land announced Friday afternoon. Highlighting the nine-game slate is a game with a familiar non-conference opponent, six SIAC conference games, two classics, and matchups with three teams that made appearances in the 2015 NCAA Division II football playoffs.
 
"Albany State has generated a challenging schedule that will provide a lot of excitement during the 2016 season," said Williams. "Our Golden Rams are making great preparations, and they are ready to deliver some solid football action this season."
 
Land believes the competition is stiff, but he believes Albany State will benefit from the tough tasks on his team's schedule.
 
"To get better as a team during the course of the season, it's important to play against good programs," Land said. "All the teams on our schedule have good coaches, good players and winning attitudes. "We have a tough schedule, but we'll definitely put in the hard work this offseason and prepare for each of them."
 
The Golden Rams, who finished their 2015 season at 6-4, will kick off the season on Sept. 3 in Albany, Ga in a road game with the Valdosta State University Blazers. Valdosta State, a member of the Gulf South Conference, went 9-3 and made the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs last season. Last year, ASU lost to the VSU 21-13 in Albany.
 
Albany State will open SIAC play and continue a rivalry when it faces the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers on Sept. 10 in the 3^rd Annual White Water Classic in Phenix City, Alabama. Tuskegee, who made an appearance in the 2015 NCAA Division II quarterfinals, finished last year with a 10-3 overall record and defeated the Golden Rams 27-14 in last season's classic. The Tuskegee game is the first of two SIAC West Division crossover games.
 
Albany State returns to actions on Sept. 17 against the Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla. The Fire program is a member of the Sun Conference that competes at the NAIA level. SEU finished with a 6-2 overall record last season.
 
ASU will play its first home game on Sept. 24. Golden Rams will host the University of West Georgia, who made a trip to the NCAA Division II semifinals in 2015. The Gulf South member recorded a 12-2 record last year.
 
Before an open date on Oct. 8, the Golden Rams will host the Miles College Golden Bears on Oct. 1. Albany State defeated the SIAC West Division opponent 29-16 in last year regular season meeting in Fairfield before losing to the Golden Bears 20-7 in the SIAC title game. MC finished the 2015 season with a 7-5 record.
 
The Golden Rams will take on four SIAC East Division opponents beginning Oct. 15. They will battle with the Maroon Tigers of Morehouse College in Atlanta. Albany State defeated Morehouse 38-0 in the 2015 contest. The Maroon Tigers were 5-5 last season.
 
Albany State will then journey back home to take on the Clark Atlanta University Panthers on October 22. The contest will serve as the university's annual homecoming celebration. ASU beat CAU 26-14 in route to the Panthers' 1-8 overall record.
 
Albany State will back on the road on October 29. ASU will visit the  Benedict College Tigers in Columbia, S.C. The Golden Rams defeated Benedict 35-9 in last year's meeting, and the Tigers finished with a 0-10 overall record.
 
The two biggest rivals in the SIAC, Albany State and Fort Valley State University, will close its regular seasons in the 27th Annual Fountain City Classic on November 5 at the A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Georgia. The Golden Rams defeated the Wildcats (5-4 overall last season) 21-17 in the 2015 classic game. The FCC is touted as one of the biggest and best HBCU football classics in the nation.
 
The winners of the SIAC East and West divisions will play for the 2016 SIAC Championship game in Montgomery, Ala. on November 12.
 
For more information about the Golden Rams 2016 football schedule, contact Stan McCormick at (229) 420-7013 or stanley.mccormick@asurams.edu.

Albany State 2016 Football Schedule

COURTESY ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Albany State concludes spring football practice with Blue & Gold Scrimmage

ALBANY, Georgia -- Spring practice will officially conclude Thursday at Albany State with the team’s annual Blue & Gold Scrimmage at 6 p.m. at the Albany State University Coliseum.

After a successful 2015 regular season that ended with a disappointing loss in the SIAC Championship game, ASU head coach Dan Land said they’re looking to take it to the next level. In order to do that, Land said they have to better learn their personnel.

“When you’re talking about spring ball, you’re talking about evaluation,” he said. “You get a chance to evaluate some of the guys who didn’t play enough last year and upcoming guys may get to play, so we need to know what they can and cannot do and as coaches, we need to know what we can run offensively and what we can’t run, what we can run defensively and what we can’t run.”

Land added that spring workouts give them the freedom to experiment just a bit.

“Right now, what we’re doing is a lot of technique,” he said. “We’re trying some stuff to see if they’re gonna work for us offensively, defensively, special teams, if it don’t, we’re gonna kick it out.”

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Blount brings order to Johnson C. Smith spring football practice

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Familiarity is a good thing for Johnson C. Smith football.

There are more Golden Bulls participating in spring drills under coach Kermit Blount for a complete practice period, something he didn’t have an opportunity to do last year.

“The biggest change is the amount of bodies we have,” sophomore cornerback Daryl Napper said. “I think we were down to 35 last year for spring ball and now we’re up to about 50, so that’s definitely a good thing for competition.”

The competition is most keen on offense, where freshmen Jordan Lane and Harold Herbin try to earn the starting quarterback job. Because Blount was hired with a week left in 2015’s spring practice, the Golden Bulls were late implementing the pro-style scheme.

“It gives us a chance to go back,” Blount said. “Last year in spring ball we did not have a chance to actually go through our offensive regimen. The defensive regimen was already in place, so they were able to go through it, so we get a chance to go through the offensive regimen with the quarterbacks, backs, receivers and the O-line.”

The results have already been realized.

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Virginia Union Advances to NCAA Elite Eight with 91-77 Victory Over West Liberty

JOHNSON NAMED TOP FEMALE COLLEGE PLAYER IN VIRGINIA

Kiana Johnson leads NCAA Division II in scoring (29.3 ppg) and is ranked No. 2
nationally in assists (8.7 apg). Not coincidentally, she and her VUU teammates
 are preparing to play in next week's NCAA Division II Elite Eight.

RICHMOND, Virginia -- In her final game on the Virginia Union campus, Kiana Johnson accomplished exactly what she wanted: She led the Panthers to victory and put on a show.

Johnson scored 49 points and had eight assists and six steals, Lady Walker and Taylor White each posted double-doubles and Virginia Union rolled to a 91-77 win over West Liberty in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region final Monday night at Barco-Stevens Hall.

The Panthers advanced to the Elite Eight, where they'll face East Region champion Bentley (Massachusetts) on March 22 in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Falcons won the national title in 2014.

Under the 1983 women's national championship banner that hangs in Barco-Stevens, VUU didn't lose a game this season (15-0). The Panthers haven't lost since Jan. 25.

Virginia Union has been playing basketball in Barco-Stevens Hall for 69 years. Monday was the first time the nets were cut down.

"It just feels good to be a part of history," Johnson said. "I'm just embracing the moment."

It was never lost on her that Monday's game would be her last on campus.

"I just wanted to give the fans a show, make sure they enjoy watching me play for my last time in Barco," Johnson said.

Walker scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. White added 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Johnson and Walker were named to the all-tournament team. Johnson was named the most outstanding player.

Liz Flowers led West Liberty with 33 points. Kierra Simpson added 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The Panthers dominated on both ends of the floor in the first half to build a substantial lead, which they held throughout. They forced West Liberty into 11 turnovers and held the Hilltoppers to 37.5 percent shooting. Johnson had four of Union's eight steals.

West Liberty finished with 17 turnovers and shot 36.6 percent. It hit 12 of 42 attempts outside the arc.

The Panthers' offense started hot, posting 30 points on 64.7 percent shooting for a 14-point first-quarter lead. With 19 points, Johnson outscored West Liberty (16).

Johnson scored 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the field (3 of 4 from 3-point range, 5 of 5 from the free throw line) to lead Union to a 49-34 lead at halftime.

The only trouble for the hosts came late in the third quarter, when Johnson picked up her fourth foul and was forced to sit with just under 3 minutes to play. Flowers hit back-to-back 3s to pull West Liberty to 68-53 entering the fourth quarter.

Johnson returned to start the fourth, and the Panthers scored the first 9 points of the quarter to open a 77-53 lead before cruising to the win.

Union finished shooting 50.8 percent from the field. The Panthers registered 12 steals and outscored the Hilltoppers 48-26 in the paint. They scored 31 fast-break points.

"It's a great accomplishment," first-year Panthers coach AnnMarie Gilbert said.

"It's been a special journey with a special group of people.

"Everything that you dream about as a coach, you know, we've got the player of the year, the defensive player of the year, the most outstanding player of the tournament, the most outstanding player of the Atlantic Region. Those are all things that you tell kids, you're student-athletes, that if they work hard, they can achieve those things, and for us to do it all in one year, we just give all the praise and honor to God.

"In one year, what this team has done, they don't have any idea."

Box Score

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Jackson State tops Sam Houston in CIT

HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- Chance Franklin hit a three-pointer with 47 seconds left and three free throws in the final 15 seconds to lead Jackson State to an 81-77 overtime victory over Sam Houston in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament Monday night in Huntsville. The victory marked their first postseason win since JSU’s 1993 upset win over UCONN in the NIT.

Paris Collins and Franklin led the Tigers with 25 and 24 points respectively. The runner-up in last Saturday’s SWAC Tournament championship game, Jackson State ups its record to 20-15 with the win.

Sam Houston trailed by 17 points, 48-31 at half, but outscored the Tigers 40-23 in the second period. A lay-up by Jamal Williams with 27 seconds remaining forced overtime.

Williams led the Bearkats in scoring with 20 points. Aurimas Majauskas added 18 for Sam Houston. The Kats end the season 18-16.

Yettra Specks and Raeford Middleton each added 11 points for the Tigers. Jalin Barnes and Josh Delaney scored 10 apiece for Sam Houston.

Sam Houston held early four-point leads in the opening period and the game was tied 24-24 with 8:24 left in the half. The Tigers hit a string of three-pointers to pull ahead, building a 17-point lead at intermission after finishing the period on a 24-7 run.

The Tigers are the first team from the SWAC to notch a victory in the CIT. Alabama State is the only other team to ever receive an invite in 2014.

The Bearkats fought back, cutting the margin to nine points, 69-60, with 4:36 remaining in regulation. Sam Houston outscored JSU 11-2 in the final three-and-a-half minutes.

Josh Delaney hit a three-pointer with 1:13 remaining in overtime to give the Kats a 77-75 lead. The Tigers finished the contest with a 6-0 run to earn the right to advance in the CIT.

Collins ended the night with five three-pointers. JSU hit 14-of-31 from beyond the arc for 43.5 percent shooting.

Prior to Monday night, the two schools had never met. The win gave JSU 20 wins for the first time since 2007.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff's 2007 vctory over Winthrop was the last time postseason win for the SWAC.

 Box Score

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

SWAC spring football primer

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama --  Road field advantage?

There's always something unpredictable going in Southwestern Athletic Conference football - often a title race that nobody sees coming. In fact, in five seasons from 2009-13, each of the five West Division teams won the conference championship game (although Texas Southern later vacated the 2010 title).

In 2015, home (and Homecoming) might have been where the heart was, but the victories weren't for that side of the field. Incredibly, road teams went 26-16, with East Division and conference champion Alcorn State, Alabama State, West Division champ Grambling State, Prairie View A&M and Southern going unbeaten in conference road games.

Those teams are expected to remain among the division elite in 2016, but the usual wild races say to expect the unexpected.
All of the SWAC teams will play each other in a nine-game conference schedule again this season, but in 2017, they will revert to a seven-game conference schedule - which was last in effect in 2008.

CONTINUE READING 

Dwight Floyd Commentary: Rattlers Supporters Show Up BIG

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- You can always count on family and friends of the Ratter baseball team and Rattler diehard fans like me to show up for a Rattler game. What you don’t expect is to hear the MEAC Champion Rattler cheerleaders rooting the team on from the stands or see an organized Rattler baseball alumni squad presenting a check to the FAMU Foundation in between games. From the hill overseeing the rear of the stadium it was a festive occasion as Rattler fans tailgating shared good food and music.

The baseball team responded in resounding fashion out slugging the Bethune Cookman University Wildcats in route to a 15-3 win. FAMU would score in every inning. The aggressive play of the Rattler offense and the steady pitching, double plays (2), and home runs (2) in the first game silenced the bats and the voices of the Bethune Wildcats as they stared at the Rattlers almost in awe at how fast that first game got away. The Wildcats and their fans grew uncharacteristically quiet.

CONTINUE READING

Pi Day: state-best 97 3's for XU's No. 14, Wright

'

NEW ORLEANS — It's Pi Day, an annual celebration of the mathematical constant Π (pi). The first three figures of pi — the ratio of a circle's circumference to diameter — are 3, 1, and 4: 3.14.
    
It's a great day to work Xavier University of Louisiana's Morris Wright into the equation.
    
The senior guard from Zachary, La., leads Louisiana men's college basketball in made 3-pointers this season with 97 — 18 more than his nearest rival. That's a lot of 3's for a student-athlete who wears No. 14 on his jersey.
    
Wright — a three-time first-team All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference selection and a former Zachary High School and Baton Rouge Community College standout — will get another chance to add to his total when the Gold Rush (21-12) play Lewis-Clark State (28-4) at 8 p.m. Thursday in the opening round of the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

2015-16 Louisiana Men's College Basketball:
Leaders in Made 3-Pointers

Made 3's		Name	School
97		Morris Wright	Xavier
79		Adrian Rogers	Southern
64		Christavious Gill	New Orleans
63		DeAngelo Coleman	LSU-Alexandria
63		Malik Morgan	Tulane
61		T.J. Carpenter	Nicholls State
60		James Harvey	McNeese State
60		Rashard Owens	LSU-Shreveport
59		Majok Deng	Louisiana-Monroe
57		Zeke Woodley	Northwestern State

    
More notes about Wright's perimeter performance:

•  Wright's 97 3's are tied for second on Xavier's all-time season list — Mark Stewart made 109 in 2006-07 and 97 in 2007-08 — and Wright's 214 career 3's are second at XU behind Stewart's 299.
  
 •  Among Louisiana players with 40 or more attempts, Wright ranks third in 3-point accuracy this season at .424 (97-of-229). The leader is LSUA's Coleman at .447 (63-of-141). Louisiana's two most prolific 3-point makers this season also are among the most accurate.
  
 •  Wright has an active streak of 40 games making at least one 3-pointer. The last time Wright was shut out was Feb. 14, 2015, at Philander Smith (four attempts). Since then Morris is 114-of-268 (.425) from behind the arc, with 2.85 made 3's per game and three-or-more 3's 22 times.
    
•  Wright is XU's career leader in 3-point accuracy at .424 (214-of-505).
    
•  Wright's single-game high for made 3's is six against Edward Waters on Jan. 24, 2015. Eight times he has made five 3's in a game. The XU game record for made 3's is eight, set by Percy Bland against Louisiana College on Feb. 23, 1989, and tied by Stewart against Mobile on March 7, 2008.
    
•  Wright is 8-of-14 in two games at nationals. He was 4-of-6 against Hope International in 2014 and 4-of-8 against Mid-America Christian in 2015. Stewart (6) and Shaun Dumas (5) were the last XU players to make more than four 3's in a game at nationals. Both did it against Northwestern Oklahoma in the 2007 second round.

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

NSU to Play Columbia Wednesday in CIT

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Norfolk State men's basketball team will make its fifth straight postseason appearance and third straight in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) when the Spartans play at Columbia on Wednesday at  7 p.m. in New York City.

NSU will face a Columbia squad that finished 21-10 overall and 10-4 in the Ivy League. The Lions are making their second CIT appearance in three years. They posted their best conference record in 22 years and their most regular season wins since 1950-51.

The Spartans own a 17-16 overall record this season after finishing in a tie for second in the MEAC at 12-4. NSU advanced to the MEAC tournament semifinals for the third straight year. The Spartan program is the only one in the league to advance to the postseason in each of the last four years, much less five. NSU competed in the NCAA Tournament in 2012, the NIT in 2013 and the CIT in 2014 and '15 in addition to now this season.

"We are honored and excited to be chosen for postseason for the fifth straight year," said head coach Robert Jones. "In a one bid league, being chosen for any sort of postseason is a bonus. A postseason bid acknowledges the overall body of work throughout the whole season. Our seniors can get at least one more game together and our underclassmen can continue to grow and develop for next season."

Live video of the game against Columbia at Levien Gymnasium will be available on www.CollegeInsider.com. The game will also be broadcast locally on Hot 91.1 FM and Star 1310 AM with Ross Gordon on the call.

To order tickets or for more information, visit www.GoColumbiaLions.com.

The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament was created in 2009. Invitations to the 32-team postseason tournament are extended only to teams outside of the BCS power conferences. There is no formal bracket for the tournament. The match-ups for each round are determined after the preceding round is completed.

The first round of the tournament will be played on Monday through Wednesday. Second-round CIT games will be played Friday through Sunday, quarterfinal games on March 22-24 and semifinal games March 27. The championship game will be played on March 29. The semifinals and the championship game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.

 

Mike Bello, Asst. SID

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Texas Southern earns NIT bid; Play at Valpo

VALPARAISO, Indiana

-- Texas Southern earned the eighth seed and will face one-seeded Valparaiso in first-round action of the National Invitation Tournament at the Athletics Recreation Center on Tuesday evening, at 8:15 p.m. CT on ESPN3.

 

2016 NIT Bracket

The Tigers own an 18-14 overall record and went 16-2 in Southwestern Athletic Conference action, winning the regular season crown by three games. Like TSU, Valpo also fell in the semifinals of its conference tournament. The Crusaders enter the NIT at 26-6 overall and 16-2 in Horizon League play.

The winner will face the winner of the Florida State-Davidson first-round game. Dates, times and sites for games in the second round and quarterfinals will be available as the tournament progresses. The semifinals will be held March 29 and the championship game March 31 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

TSU is making its third straight appearance in postseason play and its second trip to the NIT in the school’s history.  The Tigers fell to Colorado in 2011.  In 2014, they fell to Cal Poly in the First Four and last year eliminated in the NCAA Tournament to Arizona.

This marks the third time that the Crusaders have earned a spot in the postseason NIT, as Valpo previously lost in first-round action in 2003 at Iowa and in 2012 at Miami.UR This year is the sixth straight season that the Crusaders have advanced to postseason play.

 

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

SSU Men’s Basketball To Host CIT Game vs. UT-Arlington

WATCH LIVE: http://www.watchcollegeinsider.com/watch/?Live=39

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  The Savannah State men's basketball team will host the University of Texas at Arlington in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) on March 16 at 7 p.m. in Tiger Arena.

This will be Savannah State's second appearance in the CIT, having last played in the tournament in 2013.

The Tigers enter the tournament with a 16-15 record. SSU entered the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament as a fifth seed and advanced to the semi-finals where they lost to the eventual MEAC tournament champion, Hampton.

SSU is led by a trio of players in Troyce Manassa, Chris Martin and Lenjo Kilo.

Manassa averages 12.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while Martin averages 12.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists while Kilo averages 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

UT Arlington competes in the Sun Belt Conference and  has an overall record of 23-10. The Mavericks lost in the Sun Belt semifinals to Louisiana-Monroe.

Kevin Hervey leads four UT Arlington players who average in double figures with 18.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

This year's CIT features a 26-team field.  The first round of the CIT will take place March 14th-16th followed by the second round March 18th-20th with the Quarterfinals March 22nd-24th. The Semifinals on March 27th will broadcast on the CBS Sports Network along with the Championship Game on March 29th.  Additionally, all games will be streamed lived on SIDEARM Sports which is the number one provider of college athletics.

 The CIT uses the old NIT model in which there is no set bracket. Future round opponents are determined by the results of the previous round.

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Men's Basketball Accepts CIT Invitation; Hosts Ball State in First Round on Tuesday

TENNESSEE STATE (20-10)
vs. BALL STATE (19-13)
CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament First Round
Tuesday, March 15, 2016 | 7 p.m.
Gentry Center | Nashville, Tenn.

POSTSEASON GUIDE: TENNESSEE STATE
GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE | BALL STATE
VIDEO (FREE): CollegeInsider.com (Albert Dawson [play-by-play] and Mark Pittman [color] on the call)
RADIO: 102.1 FM The Light (Albert Dawson [play-by-play] and Mark Pittman [color] on the call)
LIVE STATS: StatBroadcast.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter - @TSU_Tigers | Instagram -@TSUTigers | #BigBlueRising

WATCH LIVE:  http://www.watchcollegeinsider.com/watch/?Live=38

 

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – For the first time in the program’s Division I history, the Tennessee State men’s basketball team wiWll host a postseason tournament game as the Tigers will play the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament on Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. at the Gentry Center versus Ball State. 

 

“I’m truly pleased that our men’s basketball team will have the opportunity to play in the postseason after what was a very successful year tying our D-1 record with 20 wins,” TSU Director of Athletics Teresa Phillips said. “Actually hosting the game in the Gentry Center will be special. I’m calling for all alumni, students and supporters to show their ‘Blue’ on Tuesday to show this team their support.”

 

TSU, which is 20-10 on the season, has reached the 20-win mark for the third time at the Division I level (1978-79 and 2011-12). With an 11-2 home record, the Tigers have also tied the record for most wins in a season at the Gentry Center, which opened prior to the 1980-81 season.

 

“We are very thankful for the opportunity to participate in this year’s CIT," TSU Head Coach Dana Ford said. "We are excited that our seniors will get the chance to continue their final season here at Tennessee State University. This postseason invitation is a true testament of the hard work and dedication that our players and staff have put forth in bringing back excitement to TSU basketball.”

 

The CIT will feature a 32-team field with all 31 games set to be played at campus sites. The first round of the CIT will take place March 14th-16th followed by the second round March 18th-20th with the Quarterfinals March 22nd-24th. The Semifinals on March 27th will broadcast on CBS Sports Network along with the Championship Game on March 29th. Additionally, all games will be streamed lived on SIDEARM Sports.

 

Tennessee State will be making its third appearance in the CIT after falling to Mercer in 2012 and Evansville in 2013. Overall, it will be the program’s fifth postseason appearance at the D-1 level with trips to the NCAA Tournament in 1993 and 1994.

 

Ball State enters the CIT with a 19-13 overall record under the direction of former Arizona assistant James Whitford, who is in his third season as head coach in Muncie, Ind. Hailing from the Mid-American Conference, the Cardinals earned the sixth seed in the MAC Tournament before falling to Miami (Ohio) in the opening round. The Ball State offense features three players averaging double figures including Franko House and his 12.5 points per game.

 

TSU has faced Ball State twice, beating the Cardinals during the 2005-06 season and the 2006-07 season.

 

For tickets, please visit the TSU Ticket Office located on the first floor of the Gentry Center or call (615) 963-5841.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Jackson State faces Sam Houston in postseason tournament

HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- Jackson State and Sam Houston State, two teams eliminated from their conference tournaments by buzzer-beating baskets, will meet in a CollegeInsider.com Tournament post-season first round game Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.

In just his third season as head coach, Wayne Brent has his Jackson State participating in post-season player for the first time since 2007 when they defeated Alabama State.

JSU brings a 19-15 record to the game Monday night. Raeford Worsham, who scored 17 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in the championship final, leads JSU.

Live Stats

Watch Live (Click Here)
 

The Bearkats fell 79-76 to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Friday night after an Islander three-pointer with seven seconds left. Jackson State lost to Southern 54-53 on a last second basket Saturday in the finals of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.

With no starters returning from last year’s 26-9 squad that reached the CIT second round, three reserve players stepped up as starters this year. Juniors Aurimas Majauskas and Dakarai Henderson lead the team with scoring averages of 14.2 points each. Both were 2016 All-Southland Conference selections.

Sophomore Jamal Williams adds 9.3 points per game and ranks high in the Southland with 4.7 assists per game as the Kats’ point guard. Transfer Jovante’ Spivey and red-shirt freshman Albert Almanza have posted scoring averages of 8.4 and 6.8 points per game, respectively.

Two years ago, Sam Houston defeated Alabama State 71-49 in the CIT first round and lost to San Diego 77-72 in the second round. Last season, the Bearkats knocked off UNC-Wilmington 87-71 in the CIT first round before falling 71-70 to Louisiana-Lafayette.

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Hampton University Pirates Takes On No.1 Seed Virginia Cavaliers in March Madness

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

HAMPTON, Virginia – The Hampton University men's basketball team, fresh off its second straight MEAC Tournament title, will take on No. 1 seed Virginia in Raleigh, N.C. on Thursday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Game time is set for approximately 3 p.m., and the game will be shown live on TruTV.

The winner of that game will face either No. 8 Texas Tech or No. 9 Butler in the round of 32.

The Pirates (21-10) won their second straight MEAC Tournament crown on Saturday with an 81-69 win over South Carolina State in the Norfolk Scope Arena. Reginald Johnson, Jr. was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, while both he and Quinton Chievous were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Johnson and Chievous were also both First Team All-MEAC selections.

Hampton is making its third NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Edward Joyner, Jr. and its sixth overall. The Pirates have NCAA Tournament wins in 2001 (the historic upset over Iowa State) and 2015 (over Manhattan in the First Four).

The bracket was revealed Sunday evening, and Virginia was awarded the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region. The Cavaliers (26-7) are coming off a 61-57 loss to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament final on Saturday. Before that, the No. 4/4 Cavaliers had won five straight.

Redshirt senior guard Malcolm Brogdon is averaging a team-high 18.7 points per game for Virginia, while redshirt senior forward Anthony Gill is averaging 13.3 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds per contest. Junior guard London Parrantes is averaging 11.0 points a contest.

The ACC coaches and media both elected Brogdon as the league's Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

The Cavaliers are averaging 70.4 points per game, while giving up just 59.7 points a night.

The Pirates are 0-7 all-time against Virginia, with six of those seven meetings in Charlottesville. The two teams last met in 2013, with the Cavaliers winning 69-40.

Hampton is 1-14 against schools currently in the ACC.

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.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Florida A&M Rattlers Complete Sweep of Bethune-Cookman with 5-3 Win on Sunday

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Florida A&M (11-5, 3-0 MEAC) won its’ eighth straight game and competed the sweep of Bethune-Cookman (5-10, 0-3 MEAC) by a score of 5-3 at Moore-Kittles Field on Sunday afternoon. It marks the first time the Rattlers have swept B-CU since before 2000 and the first time the Wildcats were swept in a MEAC series in more than a decade.

FAMU starting pitcher Chase Jarrell (2-1) pitched a great game and picked up the win as he tied a career high with six strikeouts. Jarrell allowed just two unearned runs in 7.2 innings of work. Alec Wong led the offense going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Dylan Dillard and Cameron Johnson added two RBIs a piece.

Hunter Fillingim earned his second save of the season as he recorded three strikeouts in the ninth inning after giving up a leadoff home run.

Bethune-Cookman scored first with an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Akevious Williams led off with a single through the left side, stole second and advanced to third base on an errant throw to second before coming home to score on a sac fly from Michael Cruz for the early1-0 lead.

FAMU answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-1 lead. Marlon Gibbs was hit-by-pitch and Wong singled through the right side to start the home half of the first inning. Ben Ellzey advanced both runners with a nice sac bunt and Dillard drew a walk to load the bases with one out. After Jacky Miles, Jr. popped out, Johnson drove in both Gibbs and Wong with a single to center field to give Florida A&M the lead.

The Rattlers increased the lead to 5-1 with three, two-out, runs in the second inning. With two outs, Gibbs was hit-by-pitch again, Wong singled and Ellzey walked to load the bases for the second straight inning. Dillard then came through with a two-run single through the left side, as Ellzey also was able to score when left fielder, Rakeem Quinn, bobbled the ground ball.

B-CU cut the lead to 5-2 with another unearned run in the eighth inninng. Kyle Corbin reached on a fielder’s choice and with one out came around to score as Williams ripped a single into center field. Willis McDaniel misplayed the ball, which allowed Corbin to score.

In the ninth inning, Rodriguez quickly cut the lead to 5-3 with a solo home run to lead off the top of the ninth. Fillingim was able to hold the scoring there, as he had three strikeouts in the inning to earn the save.

Wildcat starter Alex Seibold (0-3) took the loss after he allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits with two walks in 1.2 innings of work.

Florida A&M next travels to Alabama State on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 5:00 PM ET.

As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @BaseballFAMU and on Facebook.

Box Score

 

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Virginia State Trojans Take On West Liberty

VIRGINIA STATE vs. WEST LIBERTY GAME

WHEELING, West Virginia -- The Virginia State University Trojans men's basketball team will take on the Hilltoppers of West Liberty University on Sunday, March 13 at 5 PM.

The No. 6 seed Trojans defeated the No. 3 seed Falcons of Fairmont State, 76-66, in Round 1 to advance, while No. 2 seed West Liberty defeated No. 7 seed Concord, 90-68.

Junior guard Kevin Williams (Franklinton, NC) leads the Trojans offensively scoring 14.9 points per game. The Trojans are defensively pioneered by junior forward Elijah Moore (Yorktown, VA) recording 5.8 rebounds per game.

The Hilltoppers are offensively led Seger Bonifant averaging 24.9 points per game. Zach Grossenbacher fuels their defensive effort recording 9.7 rebounds per game.

For a full list of links and broadcasting information for the 2016 NCAA Atlantic Region Playoffs, click HERE.

Stay connected with VSU Trojans men's basketball by following Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports, or by calling 804-524-5030.

 

COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION