Bentley Ends Virginia Union Lady Panthers' Cinderella Season

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota – The Bentley Falcons ended Virginia Union's national championship bid Tuesday at the Sanford Pentagon, holding the Panthers to four second-half field goals to win a defensive struggle 53-52.

VUU's Kiana Johnson had a 15-footer blocked in the lane with 8 seconds to go, and after the Panthers got another chance, Johnson got a better look at a runner from roughly the same spot but it hit the back iron and rolled off the front of the rim to allow the Falcons to advance to Wednesday's semifinals.

The Panthers end their historic season with a 28-3 record. Johnson had 26 points, seven assists and five steals, but the Falcons (29-5) scored 24 first-quarter points and used their defense to stay in front for pretty much the duration.

Bentley led by as much as 9, while Virginia Union's only lead of the game came in the opening minute.

VUU's own defense was strong, giving them multiple chances late to go in front and advance, but its shooting struggles were just too much to overcome.

"They played good defense," said Johnson, who played all 40 minutes and hit 8 of 26 shots. "The ball just didn't bounce in for us sometimes."

The win was Bentley coach Barbara Stevens' 800th as the Falcons coach. She was clearly relieved her team found a way to survive.

"When the ball was in Kianna Johnson's hands with 4 seconds left I was a little nervous," Stevens admitted. "We knew we could not stop her but we wanted to do our best to limit her good looks. I felt like if this game was in the 70s we'd have a good chance. If it was in the 60s that'd be great. To have it in the 50s was pretty much a best-case scenario for us."

Lady Walker had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers, while Taylor White finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four steals. VUU had 10 steals in all, forcing 21 Falcon turnovers. That kept them in the game, but a 7 for 29 second-half shooting effort made things tough.

"We did a great job to turn them over late in the game, we just didn't capitalize off those turnovers," said Panthers coach AnnMarie Gilbert. "A few more minutes and a few lucky bounces and the game easily could've gone the other way."

Bentley's fast start was important, as it barely scored as many points in the last three quarters (29) as it did in the first. The Falcons hit just four field goals in the entire second half, and scored only 5 points in the fourth quarter.

"They transition like crazy so our gameplan was to maximize every possession," said Bentley's Jen Gemma, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds. "We did a real good job with that in the first quarter. As the game went on our defense picked up to make up for some of the careless mistakes we made on offense."

Gemma was the only Falcon to score in double figures, though Victoria Lux had 9 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

A 28-win season and a berth in the Elite Eight is a big year for any team, but with 2015-16 being Gilbert's first year at the helm it was an especially encouraging year. That was hard to get out of the understandably emotional players after the game, but they know they put together something special.

"I'm proud of the history we made for the school," Johnson said. "I hope what we did can teach the girls that the hard work, the dedication and persistence will get you far."

The coach agreed.

"I think it's been a terrific season," Gilbert said. "Not many teams advance to the Elite Eight. I'm real proud of how our kids fought in this game. To get to this point; we're not satisfied, and my heart hurts for them, because they wanted to win this game. But our kids fought valiantly."

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Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets win at St. Thomas (Fla.)

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida -- Xavier University of Louisiana's tennis teams opened their spring-break trip with victories against St. Thomas (Fla.) Tuesday. The Gold Rush, ranked third in the NAIA, won 9-0, and the Gold Nuggets, ranked 16th, won 7-2.

It was the first time since Jan. 30 that the Gold Rush (8-3) and the Gold Nuggets (6-7) won on the same day.

Both clinching victories occurred at the top singles flight -- Thomas Setodji of the Rush defeated Kevin Cubela 6-1, 6-3, and Charlene Goreau of the Nuggets beat Victoria Slavina (STU) 6-4, 6-1.

Playing for the first time in 2015-16 was the Nuggets' Brion Flowers, who won in doubles and singles. She teamed with Brandi Nelson for an 8-2 victory against Maria Dimitrova and Ksenia Slavina at No. 1 doubles, and she defeated Naomi Maehama 6-3, 6-2 at No. 4 singles.

Also winning in doubles and singles were Setodji, Kyle Montrel, Kevin Chaouat, Tushar Mandlekar, Adam Albrecht and Manav Chakma of the Rush and Goreau and Jana van der Walt of the Nuggets.

Xavier's men have won three straight and eight of their last nine duals. The men of St. Thomas (6-8) lost for the first time at home in five duals this season. The St. Thomas women (8-6) lost for the first time in six duals overall.

Xavier will travel to West Palm Beach, Fla., to play at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Keiser (formerly Northwood). Keiser's men are ranked sixth in the NAIA, and its women are 11th.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Former Stillman football coaches find news homes in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Three members of the Stillman College football staff have moved on to coach in Birmingham. Former Stillman head coach Teddy Keaton and assistant James Johnson have landed at Miles College, and offensive line coach John Causey has taken the same position at Birmingham-Southern.

Stillman announced last December that it is discontinuing the football program and also dropping all sports but men’s and women’s basketball after this spring. Coaches and players have been looking for new schools to continue their careers.

“When Stillman shut their football program down, I still wanted to remain on the college level,” Causey said. “Coaching, there’s not a lot of stability in that anyway but you want to leave a place on your own. My initial (reaction) was I was hurt for the players, not just in football but in all sports. You hate to see any program shut its athletics down.”

For Keaton, the move to Miles keeps him in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, where Stillman competed as an NCAA Division II program. It also keeps him at home, as he is able to commute to his job in Birmingham. He is associate head coach and coaches running backs.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Keaton said. “It’s an easy transition for me. It gave me the opportunity not to uproot my family.”

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HU accomplished plenty in another championship season

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton University's basketball team didn't accomplish the unprecedented this season. Coach Buck Joyner isn't claiming otherwise.

But the 2015-16 season was, at the very least, noteworthy. For only the fourth time since the program went Division I in 1995, the Pirates won 21 games. And for only the second time in that stretch, they made the NCAA tournament in consecutive seasons.

"The school had done it before," Joyner said. "But to be able to put it back on the national stage where people can view us on a different light was big for us. And it was big for the university.

"Everybody wants to make a mark when they come in. The seniors that we had, over these last two years, they made quite a mark. From a conference standpoint and a national standpoint, they've done some good things."

Looking back, it seems odd that Hampton (21-11) wasn't the overwhelming pick to finish first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The coaches liked North Carolina Central, which ended up tied for sixth. The Pirates led the MEAC race virtually wire-to-wire and swept the conference tournament.

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Back at work, NCCU Eagles eager to put things right

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Carl Jones could barely stomach watching his archrival, N.C. A&T, win the inaugural Air Force Celebration Bowl in December.

North Carolina Central had defeated the Aggies in the regular-season finale for the second season in a row, which created a three-way tie for the MEAC championship. (Bethune-Cookman was the third team.)

But A&T won the tiebreaker and represented the conference against SWAC opponent Alcorn State, which the Aggies won 41-34 to earn the black college national championship.

“I watched it, most of it, although towards the end I kinda got a little sick,” the redshirt senior offensive lineman said, only half jokingly. “I was happy for them representing the MEAC, but I felt like we should have been there.”

NCCU could “have been there” if not for a missed assignment with 32 seconds left against Bethune-Cookman. Place kicker Nigel Macauley’s field-goal attempt was blocked, giving the Wildcats the win.

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Prairie View fires head coach Dawn Brown over Title IX issue

DAWN BROWN

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M announced Tuesday evening that Dawn Brown will not return as women’s basketball coach next season. Brown said she was fired for allegedly violating Title IX by enforcing a team rule that she says was approved by the school’s Title IX coordinator.

“Clearly, I feel betrayed and unjustly penalized by this action,” Brown said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

Prairie View A&M athletics director Ashley Robinson declined comment through a school spokesperson.

Brown removed two members of her team during the season for having a dating relationship. She said the relationship broke a team rule that she put in place before the season. The rule said: “Players may not have nonprofessional relationships with other players, coaches, managers, trainers, or any other persons affiliated” with the program.

The former players filed a complaint that said their dismissal was based on sexual orientation and that it violated Title IX, the law that bans discrimination based on sex at schools receiving federal funds.

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Virginia Union women ready for Elite Eight

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TIME: 3:30 PM ET

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota -- After a special dinner, the Virginia Union women still are hungry.

The Panthers set off for Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday for today’s 3:30 p.m. game against Bentley in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight after a week of rest, preparation, congratulations and dinner with members of the 1983 women’s national championship team.

The university president and his cabinet brought them roses. They were visited by administrators from all over the school who came out to congratulate them and show their support.

“Different people who touch our program throughout the year, so that was really special,” said VUU coach AnnMarie Gilbert.

Later that evening, the players had a team dinner with members of the group this year’s Panthers are three wins from emulating.

“Very encouraging people,” said Kiana Johnson, VUU’s leading scorer. “It’s always good to be around good company, people who want to see you excel and do well, and just give you great advice. It was a joy.”

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Prized recruit Javier Roper transferring from Grambling

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Former New Living Word star Javier Roper was a part of a talented 2015 signing class at Grambling that hoped to change the culture of the program. He'll end his career having never played a minute for the Tigers.

Roper, a three-star guard won won three state championships at New Living Word, announced Monday he will transfer from Grambling.

The 6-foot-6 small forward redshirted in 2016 and watched the Tigers finish 7-24, a five-win improvement from 2015 under second-year coach Shawn Walker.

Roper informed Walker of his decision Monday — they met last week to discuss his future — although Roper said he had planned to transfer all along. He cited style of play and position as his reasons to end his short tenure at Grambling.

"I don't think I fit the system they got going. I'm used to more of a run and gun team and playing more on the wing. They had me playing more in the post. That's basically it," Roper told The News-Star.

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Alcorn kicks off spring looking for another SWAC title

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Who knew the Tampa Bay Buccaneers firing of Lovie Smith would end up having so much impact on Alcorn State?

Smith's firing opened the door for Dirk Koetter to take over as head coach. Koetter plucked Southern Miss coach Todd Monken to be his offensive coordinator.

The Golden Eagles hired Jay Hopson, who led the Braves to back-to-back SWAC championships, to be their coach.

The Clarion-Ledger will take a look at what Alcorn State will look like post-Hopson and other storylines as the Braves kick off spring practice on Tuesday

Hopson gone, McNair in

Shortly after Hopson's departure, Alcorn State hired Fred McNair to be its coach. McNair had been a finalist for the job before and served as the assistant head coach under Hopson, so the move made sense on paper.

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XU's Quincy runs 3rd in 400 at Rhodes Invitational

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Kayla Quincy's third-place finish in the women's 400-meter dash was the Saturday highlight for Xavier University of Louisiana in the Rhodes Invitational track and field meet.
    
Quincy's time of 58.13 seconds matches the second-fastest in this event by an XU woman since SiMon Franklin's school-record performance of 56.74 at the 2013 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships.
    
The Gold Nuggets also got top-10 individual performances from Tylor Row in the women's 100 hurdles (fifth in 16.61), Destini Thomas in the women's 100 (10th in 12.72) and Clarke Allen in the women's 200 (10th in 26.05). For the XU men, Keairez Coleman was seventh in the long jump (6.07 meters/19 feet, 11 inches), and Christopher Kennie was eighth (6.04 meters/19-9 3/4).
    
There was no team scoring in the meet, which was Xavier's second of the outdoor season. The Nuggets and Gold Rush will compete Friday and Saturday in the Louisiana Classics at Lafayette, La.
    
Here are all the Xavier Saturday results from the Rhodes Invitational:

Women
    
400 Relay:  Martina Wright, Destini Thomas, Clarke Allen, Alexis Milton, 5th in 49.23; Kailey Williams, Katelyn McMorris, Janelle Jones,Kee-Myah Henderson, 6th in 49.46
    
Mile:  Maliya Vaughan, 28th in 5:48.06; Dionysia Love, 31st in 5:48.61; Brianna Pace, 42nd in 5:59.54
  
100 Hurdles:  Tylor Row, 5th in 16.61
    
400:  Kayla Quincy, 3rd in 58.13; Janelle Jones, 13th in 1:01.74; Kailey Williams, 23rd in 1:04.40; Ky'Reon McBride, 24th in 1:04.51
    
100:  Destini Thomas, 10th in 12.72; Martina Wright, 16th in 12.87; Katelyn McMorris, 17th in 12.94; Alexis Milton, 20th in 13.05; Kee-Myah Henderson, 23rd in 13.26; Dorian Hill, 30th in 14.05.
  
800:  Maliya Vaughan, 12th in 2:31.58; Chinyere Jones, 15th in 2:34.17; Brianna Pace, 18th in 2:35.04.
    
400 Hurdles:  Tylor Row, 12th in 1:13.98
    
200:  Clarke Allen, 10th in 26.05; Kailey Williams, 17th in 26.37; Martina Wright, 20th in 26.51; Alexis Milton, 21st in 26.54; Katelyn McMorris, 23rd in 26.68; Kee-Myah Henderson, 28th in 26.97; Destini Thomas, 31st in 27.04
    
1,600 Relay:  Ky'Reon McBride, Kailey Williams, Chinyere Jones, Kayla Quincy, 6th in 4:05.56
    
Long Jump:  Dorian Hill, 17th in 4.56 meters (14 feet, 11 1/2 inches)

Men
    
Mile:  Christopher August, 49th in 4:57.13; Ammiel Williams, 61st in 5:17.23; Darrick Williams, 62nd in 5:24.66
  
 110 Hurdles:  Erwin Simmons, 12th in 17.92
    
100:  Ethan Gipson, 26th in 11.46
    
800:  Ammiel Williams, 21st in 2:07.38
    
400 Hurdles:  Erwin Simmons, 12th in 1:13.66
    
200:  Ethan Gipson, 31st in 23.24
  
Long Jump:  Keairez Coleman, 7th in 6.07 meters (19 feet, 11 inches); Christopher Kennie, 8th in 6.04 meters (19 feet, 9 3/4 inches)

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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FAMU Athletics Mourns The Loss Of Two Rattlers

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- FAMU Athletics mourns the loss of two members of their family. Mary Adams, who recently served as Assistant Athletic Director for Business Operations, transitioned on Mar. 6 in Tallahassee. Anthony "Tony" Messina, a former assistant coach and film coordinator, transitioned on Mar. 17th in Tallahassee.

Adams, came to FAMU Athletics with a host of experience in finance, including decades of experience in the banking industry. She served as the director of the athletic department's business operations for nearly a decade, before being elevated to the position of assistant athletic director. In her position she handled all aspects of the department's business affairs, including but not limited to travel, department revenues and overseeing the entire athletic department budget.

Messina enjoyed a hall of fame career at FAMU. The energetic New England native was a part of FAMU football for over two decades, serving under Rudy Hubbard, Ken Riley and Billy Joe. He served dual roles as the team's cinematographer/film coordinator and kicking coach. He enjoyed a successful career molding eight kickers into All-MEAC selections and five of those into All-Americans.

"In any athletic department, there are more people working behind the scenes than there are on any given game day. On behalf of FAMU Athletics, I salute the work of these two outstanding Rattlers. Our prayers are with their families and we request the same from our Rattler nation," FAMU Director of Athletics Milton Overton said.

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Tony Messina remembered for fun-loving attitude, dedication

Messina was inducted into FAMU’s Hall of Fame in 2007

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Anthony “Tony” Messina’s legacy at Florida A&M is about more than the prowess of the kickers he coached.

He coached some of FAMU’s all-time great legs, but those players still talk about the time they spent away from the gridiron with a man who, above all else, was excited about life.

“You never knew where a day of practice would take us,” said James Vertuno, a former place kicker who Messina coached to All-MEAC and All-American honors. “We’d laugh all day in between kicks.”

Messina, a Watertown, Mass., native, died Thursday at the age of 81. He worked at FAMU from 1980 until 2002, starting as a film coordinator and eventually coaching special teams. Under Messina, FAMU produced eight All-MEAC kickers and five All-Americans, including Vertuno.

Rudy Hubbard, head football coach when Messina came to FAMU, said Messina had no troubles pulling double duty, and was a consistently-reliable coach. Hubbard said Messina’s miltary background – 22 years with the U.S. Coast Guard – came through in his punctuatiality and dedication to getting the job done.

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Offense Scores Early as FAMU Baseball Downs Savannah State 12-5 on Sunday

SAVANNAH, Georgia – Florida A&M (14-6, 5-1 MEAC) scored nine runs in the first two innings on its’ way to a 12-5 win over Savannah State (6-15, 1-2 MEAC) at Tiger Field on Sunday afternoon. The Rattlers sent 17 batters to the plate in the first two innings and totaled 13 hits in the win. Alec Wong went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored and Dylan Dillard added two, two-run, triples in his first two at bats as he went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI on the day.

FAMU starter Chase Jarrell (3-1) earned the win after pitching five strong innings and allowed just two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

The Rattlers jumped out to a quick lead with six runs on six hits in the top of the first inning. Marlon Gibbs led off with an infield single that dribbled up the third base line and Wong followed with a double to right field. After a pop out from Brian Davis, Dillard roped a bases clearing triple to center field and was able to come home as the second baseman missed played the relay throw from center field. After a single from Ben Ellzey and a hit-by-pitch to Cameron Johnson, Jacky Miles, Jr. ripped an RBI double down the right line as Ellzey came around to score. AJ Elkins would follow with a two-run single that dropped in over the first baseman’s head to bring home the fifth and sixth runs of the inning.

Florida A&M would score three more runs on four hits in the second inning to put the game out of reach at 9-0. With one out, Wong singled to left center and Davis doubled to left as runners were now on second and third. Dillard then roped his second triple in as many at bats, this time to right center, to score both Wong and Davis. Ellzey was able to bring home Dillard from third with an RBI single up the middle.

SSU picked up a pair of runs in the third inning to make the score 9-2. Jonathan Moore led off with a single up the middle and Charles Sikes dropped in a blooper into center field. Both runners moved up a base on Mendez Elder’s ground out before Moore came home on Jakeel Daniel’s groundout to short. Somto Egbuna then doubled home Sikes with a ball down the left line.

FAMU scored its’ final three runs in the fifth inning to put the Rattlers back up by 10 runs at 12-2. Johnson reached on an error by the first baseman, Sikes, and Miles, Jr. followed with a single to right field. With one out, Willis McDaniel hit a two-run double to left field. McDaniel then advanced to third on a groundout from Gibbs and scored on a wild pitch.

The Tigers scored a run in the sixth inning for a score of 12-3 and added two more runs in the ninth inning on bases loaded walks for the final score of 12-5. Hunter Fillingim walked five batters in the ninth inning, twice with the bases loaded to allow Jacob Lightle and Cole Bruce to score.

Tiger starter Greg Hollman (0-3) took the loss as he allowed six runs on six hits and recorded just one out with a hit batter in the first inning.

Florida A&M returns home for a three-game series with Florida Gulf Coast beginning on Thursday, March 24. Thursday and Friday’s games will begin at 5:00 PM, while Saturday’s series finale will start at 1:00 PM.

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

Box Score

 

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Florida A&M Rattlers Baseball Wins10th Straight, Splits Doubleheader at Savannah State

SAVANNAH, Georgia  – Florida A&M (13-6, 4-1 MEAC) won it’s 10^th straight game, but split the doubleheader at Savannah State (6-14, 1-1 MEAC) by scores of 7-2 and 1-2 at Tiger Field on Saturday. Senior Ricky Page struck out a career high six batters in the game two loss, while starter Danny Rodriguez (3-0) earned the win in game one after he pitched a season long seven innings and allowed two unearned runs on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Page (1-1) pitched a complete game in the loss and allowed two unearned runs on six hits with the career-high six strikeouts and one walk. Dylan Dillard (2-for-4), Brian Davis (2-for-3) and Jacky Miles, Jr. all had multi-hit performances in game one, while Ryan Hutson went 2-for-3 in game two.

The Tigers scored first in game one with a pair of unearned runs in the home half of the first inning for a 2-0 lead. Jalen Atterbury reached on an error by Dillard on a ground ball at first base to lead off the inning. Jonathan Moore followed with a single to left and Charles Sikes walked to load the bases with no outs. Atterbury came home from third for the first run of the game as Mendez Elder grounded into a 4-6-3 double play and Moore was also able to later score on a wild pitch.

FAMU finally was able to get on the board with an unearned run in the sixth inning to cut the lead in half at 2-1. Alec Wong reached on a throwing error by the pitcher and after Ben Ellzey flew out to right field, Dillard singled through the left side. Davis was then hit-by-pitch to load the bases and Jacky Miles, Jr. plated Wong from third with a sac fly to left field for Florida A&M’s first run of the day.

The Rattler offense erupted for five runs on five hits in the seventh inning, including a two-run triple from Miles, Jr. to take their first lead of the game at 6-2. Willis McDaniel led off with a single to left and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Peter Jackson. Marlon Gibbs then singled through the left side to place runners on the corners with one out. FAMU loaded the bases as Wong was hit-by-pitch and Ellzey brought home McDaniel with an RBI single to left that to tie the game at 2-2. With the bases still loaded, the Tigers made a pitching change as Alex Wright came into the game. Dillard, the first batter Wright faced, singled home Gibbs from third and a sac fly to right field by Davis allowed Wong to come home for the third run of the inning. Miles, Jr. then roped a two-run triple, his first of the year, into the left-center gap.

Florida A&M scored their final run of game one in the eighth inning in what proved to be the final score of 7-2. Gibbs and Wong drew back-to-back walks with one out and Ellzey was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Gibbs was then able to score on a sac fly from Dillard.

Tiger starter Trevor McKenna (1-2) suffered the loss in game one after allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in 6.2 innings of work. McKenna had six strikeouts and two walks.

In game two, it turned into a pitchers duel. The Tigers scored all they would need with two runs in the bottom of the third inning for a 2-0 lead. Atterbury drew a walk with two outs and a misplayed ball by Ellzey allowed Moore to reach second before Sikes' two-run single into left field gave SSU the lead for good.

FAMU had a chance in the seventh inning, but was only able to come up with one run. Dillard led off with a single to left and went to third, with one out, as Cameron Johnson singled to right. Shane Gordon then came in to pinch run at first base for Johnson before Dillard came home on a pinch hit groundout from Miles, Jr. With Gordon representing the tying run at second base with two outs, Hutson popped up to second base to end the game.

Savannah State game two starter Ryan McCranie (1-1) had a solid outing as he allowed just one run on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk in a complete game win.

The Rattlers and Tigers will close out the three-game series on Sunday at 1:00 PM.
As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @BaseballFAMU and on Facebook.

Game 1 Box Score                                                                 

Game 2 Box Score

 

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Jackson State Hall of Famer Eugene Short Dies

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi -- Eugene Short, one of the best basketball players in Hattiesburg High history, died Wednesday in Houston, Texas, following a long battle with diabetes.

Short was 62 years old.

The 6-foot-6 Short, along with his younger brother, Purvis, helped lead Hattiesburg High to the school’s first state championship in the 1972-73 season.

“Eugene was so instrumental in Hattiesburg High’s success then,” said Hattiesburg High athletic director Cheyenne Trussell. “But it was also a unique time since it was right after integration. He helped bring the community together. It wasn’t about black and white. It was about Hattiesburg High School.”

After graduating from Hattiesburg High, Short was a star player at Jackson State, earning SWAC Player of the Year honors twice. He was inducted into the Jackson State Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

Short was picked by the New York Knicks in the first round (ninth overall) of the 1975 NBA Draft. The year before, he was chosen in the fifth round by the San Antonio Spurs of the American Basketball Association. Short also played for the Seattle Supersonics during his two-year NBA career. In addition, he was a member of the U.S. national team at the FIBA World Championship in 1974.

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Les East: Postseason opportunities gave Southern teams an extra edge

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Both Southern basketball teams saw their seasons come to disappointing ends in the past few days.

The men followed their Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championship with an uneven performance in a 59-55 loss to fellow No. 16 seed Holy Cross in the First Four of the NCAA tournament Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio.

One night later, the women, who had fallen one win short of an NCAA tournament appearance of their own, couldn’t get going offensively and lost at Arkansas State 68-45 in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

But the fact that both teams were automatic qualifiers for postseason play in the first season in three that they were eligible for such drove home the significance of being able to compete for championships.

The men’s victory in the SWAC tournament earned them the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

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#2/3 Irish Win NCAA Opener, 95-61, Over North Carolina A&T

Box Score  |  Box Score |  Notes |  Photo Gallery  | NCAA 1st/2nd Rounds Central | Irish NCAA Tournament Central | ND Post-Game Quotes 

SOUTH BEND, Indiana -- Top-seeded Notre Dame dominated No. 16-seed North Carolina A&T for three quarters, earning praise from coach Muffet McGraw for unselfish play.

The Fighting Irish had 20 assists on 21 baskets in the first half and finished with 29 assists on 34 field goals en route to a 95-61 victory Saturday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

''That is amazing how unselfish we were,'' McGraw said. ''There were times somebody had a wide-open shot and they gave it to somebody for just a little better shot. It's really fun to watch them play that way when they share the ball.''

Brianna Turner scored 16 points on 7 of 8 shooting, Madison Cable added 14 points and seven rebounds and Notre Dame 32-1) dominated inside, Aggies (19-12) 52-18 in the paint.

''LA (Lindsay Allen) just got me wide open layups. So I just had to finish it,'' Turner said.

Kathryn Westbeld added 12 points as the No. 2 Fighting Irish (32-1) shot 59 percent to win their 29th straight at home, the third longest streak in school history. Notre Dame outscored the Aggies (19-12) 52-18 in the paint.

The Irish jumped quickly to a 7-0 lead and pulled away throughout most of the game, leading by 28 at halftime and 41 at the end of three quarters.

Kala Green, who missed her first 10 shots, led the Aggies with 12 points on 5 of 18 shooting, Dana Brown scored 11 and Aprill McCrae had 10 points and seven rebounds. The Irish held North Carolina A&T to 33 percent shooting, repeatedly forcing the Aggies to settle for outside shots.

''When they doubled me I couldn't make my moves like I wanted to so I had to kick the ball out,'' McCrae said.

Aggies coach Tarrell Robinson said his team was overwhelmed by the Irish defense and the large Notre Dame crowd.

''The environment, us not having been there before and not understanding how crazy it is in this arena, and I thought our girls weren't in it mentally. I know they wanted to play hard and wanted to show up. But when you are playing one of the best teams in the country you've got to be rolling on all cylinders and we weren't today,'' he said.

''The environment, us not having been there before and not understanding how crazy it is in this arena, and I thought our girls weren't in it mentally."

The Irish jumped quickly to a 7-0 lead and pulled away throughout most of the game, leading by 28 at halftime and 41 at the end of three quarters before being outscored 21-14 in the fourth quarter. McGraw wasn't pleased.

''I thought we were just lackadaisical. I don't think we were aggressive in coming to the ball,'' McGraw ssaid. ''We just got careless. I thought it was really careless, just sloppy and careless.''

Marina Mabrey added 13 points and Mychal Johnson matched her season-high 12 points as the Notre Dame's reserves outscored the Aggies bench 45-23. Allen had 10 assists in 21 minutes and Michaela Mabrey had six.

GAME STATS

The 29 assists were the most ever by the Irish in an NCAA Tournament game. The previous record was 26 against Tennessee-Martin in 2013. ... Allen's 10 assists were the fifth most by the Irish in the tournament and the most since Skylar Diggins had 11 against Maryland in 2012. ... Turner's 87.5 percent shooting was the third best for the Irish in the tournament and the best since Ruth Riley was 6 of 6 against Alcorn State in 2001. ... The 95 points tied for the third most by the Irish in a tournament game.

TIP-INS

North Carolina A&T: The Aggies fell to 0-3 in NCAA Tournament play. ... North Carolina A&T, which finished second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in scoring defense at 57.6 points a game, hadn't given up more than 89 points in a game this season. ... The loss wasn't the most lopsided ever for the Aggies in the tournament. In 1994, A&T was beaten by 74 points by Tennessee, 111-37, which remains the largest margin of victory in tournament history.

Notre Dame: improved to 19-4 in opening-round games. Its last loss was 79-71 to Minnesota at home in the first round in 2009. ... Notre Dame improved to 13-0 against first-time opponents in the NCAA Tournament over the past 15 years. The last first-time opponent to beat the Irish in the tournament was Texas Tech 82-67 in the second round in Lubbock, Texas, in 1996. ... Notre Dame is 23-0 when scoring 80 or more points in the tournament.

UP NEXT

North Carolina A&T: Season's over.

Notre Dame plays No. 9 seed Indiana on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2/WatchESPN.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS

No. 7 Texas Women's Basketball advances to Second Round, downs ASU, 86-42.

The 44-point win ties Texas’s largest margin of victory in the NCAA tournament since playing No. 15 seed Hampton on March 23, 2003.

AUSTIN, Texas— Sophomore forward Ariel Atkins scored a team-high 15 points and senior center Imani Boyette brought down a team-high 10 boards to propel No. 7/7 Texas over Alabama State, 86-42, in the First Round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament inside the Frank Erwin Center on Saturday night.

With the win, No. 2-seeded Texas (29-4) advances to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight season. The Longhorns hold an all-time record of 36-27 in Tournament play, including a 20-9 mark when hosting. The 44-point win ties Texas's largest margin of victory in the NCAA tournament since playing No. 15 seed Hampton on March 23, 2003.

Boxscore (PDF) | Postgame Notes | Postgame Quotes | Photo Gallery
 

"I thought our team was really ready to play, and our starters got us off to a good start," said Texas head coach Karen Aston. "It took us a half to sort of settle into the discipline of the game, and once we did that, I think we played pretty good basketball. I thought they had a good rhythm the entire evening."

Senior guard Empress Davenport tallied 13 points for the game featuring three triples, her new career-high. Sophomore guard Brooke McCarty added 12 points, and freshman guard Lashann Higgs scored 10 points, including a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the free throw line. Senior guard Celina Rodrigo led with a team-high four assists.

All 13 eligible players on the Texas roster scored at least two points on the night for the first time this season. As a team, the Longhorns shot 46.4 percent (32-of-69) from the field and 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from behind the arc. Alabama State shot 22.2 percent (12-of-54) from the floor and 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from downtown. The Horns dominated the battle of the boards, 50-29, and outblocked the Lady Hornets, 7-2.

No. 15-seeded Alabama State (19-12) was led by junior guard Danielle Clark with 13 points.

Davenport got Tournament play rolling with the first five points for the Longhorns, and a three-point conversion from Atkins coupled with a Rodrigo layup put the Horns up 10-3 at the 6:35 mark of the first. After one ASU free throw, Texas went on a 9-1 run to lead by 13 (18-5) with 2:18 remaining. The Lady Hornets responded by grabbing the last eight points of the quarter to cut the margin to 18-13 Longhorns.

Boyette got her first two points of the night from the free throw line to open the second and added a layup to hand Texas the 22-15 lead at the 8:59 mark. A Davenport triple and an Atkins jumper pushed the advantage to double-digits again (29-18) with 2:57 remaining in the half. The teams would trade shots from the line in the closing minutes of the first half, and a long Lady Hornet jumper ended it, sending Texas into the break with a 32-22 advantage.

The Horns wasted no time in the third, jumping out on an 11-0 spurt (43-22) to force an ASU timeout at the 6:48 mark. Texas only allowed Alabama State five points in the third, and the Longhorns found their groove behind conversions from Atkins and McCarty, who tallied 18 points together for the quarter. A jumper from junior center Lang ended the third, putting Texas ahead by 31 points (58-27).

The Longhorns continued to dominate play in the last quarter, scoring all 28 points from the bench. Freshman forward Jordan Hosey added a huge block followed by a three-point conversion to make it 72-34 Horns with 4:54 remaining in regulation. The Lady Hornets found their bright spot behind back-to-back triples from junior guard Daniele Ewert, but a long jumper from junior Sara Hattis ended the game, 86-42 Texas.

Up next, Texas will play No. 10 seed Missouri in the Second Round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament on Monday, March 21. Tip is set for 8 p.m. CT, and the game will be carried live on ESPN2.
 

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LONGHORNS MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU forward Malcolm Bernard confirms he's leaving the program

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M forward Malcolm Bernard will finish his collegiate career with a different team.

Bernard confirmed in a phone interview with the Tallahassee Democrat he is leaving the team. He led the Rattlers in points (14.4 per game) and rebounds (7.1). He also led the team with 119 assists.

Bernard has one year of eligibility left.

"I just wanted another opportunity," Bernard said. "An opportunity to do something different. I believe to do that, I have to separate myself from FAMU. You have to do what's necessary, especially when you're trying to reach other goals."

Bernard said he's "weighing his options" in regards to where he'll transfer, but the decision to leave "wasn't easy." He said was granted his release Monday afternoon.

This is the second year in a row FAMU's leader has left the team. Guard Jermaine Ruttley (who also led the Rattlers in points, assists and rebounds) transferred after the 2014-15 season and now plays for Arkansas-Little Rock. The Trojans (29-4, 17-3 Sun Belt) will play fifth-seeded Purdue in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday.

Ruttley averages 3.4 points per game for the Trojans.

CONTINUE READING

S.C. State's Buddy Pough Looks Back And Ahead

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough is home. He grew up in Orangeburg and went on to earn All-MEAC honors as an offensive lineman at South Carolina State.

Now as he prepares for his 15th sesaon as the head coach of his alma mater, Pough looks back on his career that has seen him lead the Bulldogs to a pair of MEAC title outright and four shared conference titles.

"You can't believe it's been that long," said Pough.

"You know, 15 years - has it really been that long? Well, it is. I've enjoyed every minute of it."

But the coach quickly turns his attention to 2016 and his lofty goals for his program.

CONTINUE READING

Demetric Austin was 10-for-10 from the free throw line and finished with a double-double.

Kansas City, Missouri (excerpts taken from NAIA.org) — No. 6 seed Campbellsville (Ky.)qualified for the quarterfinal round of the 2016 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship with an 81-73 win over sixth-seeded Dillard (La.). The Tigers take on the winner of No. 1-seeded LSU Alexandria (La.) and No. 5-seeded Carroll (Mont.) in the quarterfinal round on Saturday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m. CDT.

Elliott Young led the way for Campbellsville with 22 points and eight rebounds, converting 4 of 7 three-point shots. Sekou Harris chipped in with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists, Dii'jon Allen-Jordan added 13 points, eight rebounds and six steals, while Hagen Tyler tallied 12 points.

"I didn't think we played our best basketball tonight," said Dillard head coach Mike Newell.

"We made a lot of mental mistakes and you can't do that in March. This group accomplished a lot of great things, but we didn't win a national championship, and that's why I came to Dillard."

Campbellsville (24-10) forced 10 turnovers in the first half on the way to a 37-28 lead at intermission, limiting Dillard to 10 of 33 shooting (.303) that included two three-point shots on 10 attempts. The middle third of the half was a pivotal stretch for the Tigers, who turned a 10-9 deficit into a 26-16 advantage thanks to six points from Harris.

The second half saw the Tigers' advantage swell between one and 10 points throughout the second half before Harris and Young helped finish off the game with conventional three-point plays prior to four free throws by Rob Robinson.

"I am really happy for Houston Chatman (JR/Houma, La.)," said Newell. "It's really special to go out in your last year and win a conference championship, get a chance to go to the NAIA tournament and go as far as the sweet 16. He's a great young man and I am very fortunate to have coached him." Chatman finished with just three points and two boards in his final game as a Bleu Devil.

Campbellsville shot 51.7 percent in the second half (15 of 29), including 6 of 12 from beyond the arc. Dillard owned the battle of the boards with a 50-40 advantage, but the Tigers committed just 10 turnovers and recorded 12 steals.

Demetric Austin (JR/Washington, D.C.) scored a game-high 23 points, hitting all 10 of his free throws, to go along with 11 rebounds for the Bleu Devils. Dennis Reed (JR/England, Ark.) also pulled down 11 rebounds, while Dennis Hightower (JR/Chicago, Ill.) (JR/Chicago, Ill.) recorded 19 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Dillard finishes its season with a 22-11 record.

Game notes:

Campbellsville – All-time in the championship, the Tigers improve to 2-3 in the Second Round – their previous such victory came in 2008 against former member McKendree (Ill.), 80-64… The margin of victory/defeat in four previous second round games was 8.3 points… Moves to 8-10 all-time in the championship… Hagen Tyler made 4-of-9 three-pointers tonight – he entered the game ranked No. 4 in NAIA in treys made (101)… As a team, Georgetown has knocked down 23 triples in two tournament games … Of the five teams to qualify for the quarterfinals thus far, the Tigers become the second program with double-digit losses… Campbellsville joins fellow Mid-South Conference members Cumberlands (Ky.) and Georgetown (Ky.) in the round of 8, which will be played on Saturday.

Dillard – In first appearance since 2003 – fifth overall – Blue Devils fall to 3-6 all-time in the National Championship … Was riding a five-game win streak heading into second round game … Dennis Hightower averaged 28.5 points over two games in this season's championship to finish this season with at least 10 points in three of his last four games… Demetric Austin, who had a season-low five points in the tournament opening win Thursday, collected a team-high 23 tonight… Grabbed 16 offensive rebounds, which was right at the team's season average, which ranks No. 2 in the NAIA.

COURTESY GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA RELATIONS

Sean Mapson Named as MVSU New Head Women’s Soccer Coach

ITTA BENA, Mississippi – A new day has dawned for the Mississippi Valley State University women's soccer program, as Sean Mapson takes the helm as the fourth head coach in the program's history.

"I am very pleased with our selection of Sean Mapson to lead the Mississippi Valley State University women's soccer program. He has followed our program over the years and is fully aware that our program is one of the best in the SWAC. He has a solid background in the sport; having played professionally, coached on various levels (youth to collegiate), and continues to be a student of the game by earning several soccer coaching certifications. I believe Coach Mapson will build on our successes," said Athletic Director Dianthia Ford-Kee.

Mapson takes over a program that won the 2015 regular season Southwestern Athletic Conference title. He comes to MVSU after serving as the assistant coach for the women's soccer program at the University of Southern Mississippi, a position he began in 2011.

In 2013, under Mapson and USM's Head Coach Mohammed El-Zare, the team finished 7-9-4, one of the best records recorded in the past decade, however the two were far from done. In 2015, the team finished the season with their highest conference ranking in the past seven years. In addition to coaching, Mapson was also responsible for developing technical and tactical training sessions, organizing and managing the travel budget and match and player analysis. He was also, the goalkeeper coach, recruitment coordinator and camp director.

While at Southern Miss. Mapson coached one 2015 Conference USA All-Academic First Team honoree, one 2015 Conference USA All-Freshmen Team honoree, two 2014 Conference USA All-Academic First Team 2014 honorees, one 2014 Conference USA All-Conference Third Team honoree, two 2013 Conference USA All-Academic First Team honorees and one 2013 Conference USA All-Freshmen Team honoree; the team also scored an overall 3.23 Team GPA in 2014.

Prior to arriving at USM, Mapson served as the assistant coach of the men and women's soccer program at William Carey University.

While serving his alma mater, Mapson assisted in helping the men and women's teams reach the NAIA National Tournament in consecutive seasons. In addition to this achievement, both goalkeepers received NAIA First-Team All-American honors.

Mapson also served the Hattiesburg Youth Soccer Association as the Youth Coach and Director of Goalkeeping from 2007-2015.

His playing achievements at William Carey, includes the GCAC All-Freshmen team in 2006 and selections to the GCAC All-Conference Team in 2007 and 2009, as a goalkeeper. He also played with Leicester City (England) and Macclesfield Town F.C. (England).

In addition to being a student-athlete, Mapson was a double major at William Carey University. He received his Bachelor of Science Degrees in Social Science and Physical Education and Coaching in 2011. In 2014, he graduated with a Master of Science Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Sports Coaching Education.

Mapson is married to Rachel Maximo-Mapson; the two have three dogs and one cat.

"I would like to thank the Mississippi Valley State University family and Athletic Director, Dianthia Ford-Kee and the rest of the search committee for trusting in my ability to lead the program forward. I would also like to thank the players at the University of Southern Mississippi, the Senior Women's Administrator Sonya Varnell and Coach Mohammed El-Zare for the opportunities they provided for me to develop as a coach. I look forward to newest chapter in my coaching career and working to make a positive impact on the team, university and community," said Head Coach Sean Mapson.

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU's Allen, Coleman, relay team finish in top 10 at Rhodes meet

MEMPHIS, Tennessee -- Xavier University of Louisiana got top-10 finishes Friday from triple jumpers Clarke Allen and Keairez Coleman and a relay team at the Rhodes Invitational.

Allen placed sixth in the women's triple jump with a best mark of 10.84 meters (35 feet, 6 3/4 inches), two-tenths of a meter less than her XU-record performance of two weeks earlier. Coleman was 10th in the men's division in 12.35 meters (40-6 1/4).

In the women's 3,200-meter relay, the XU team of Brianna Pace, Dionysia Love, Chinyere Jones and Maliya Vaughn placed fifth in 10 minutes, 18.50 seconds. It was the first time since 2014 that the Gold Nuggets competed in this event.

There was no team scoring. The two-day meet will conclude Saturday. The meet is Xavier's second of the season.

Here are all the Xavier Friday results from the Rhodes Invitational:

Women
5,000: Hannah Finnegan, 39th in 22:29.29
3,200 Relay: Brianna Pace, Dionysia Love, Chinyere Jones, Maliya Vaughan, 5th in 10:18.50
Triple Jump: Clarke Allen, 6th in 10.84 meters (35 feet, 6 3/4 inches); Dorian Hill, 16th in 8.91 meters (29 feet, 2 3/4 inches)
 
Men
5,000: Christopher August, 37th in 16:41.09; Darrick Williams, 46th in 18:02.91 
Triple Jump: Keairez Coleman, 10th in 12.35 meters (40 feet, 6 1/4 inches); Christopher Kennie, 11th in 12.11 meters (39 feet, 8 3/4 inches).

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Nicholls State defeats Xavier Gold Nuggets 4-0

THIBODAUX, Louisiana -- Nicholls State did not lose a set Friday in a 4-0 women's tennis victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

Andrea Mastrippolito clinched for the Colonels (4-11) with her 6-3, 6-3 victory against Vashni Balleste at No. 6 singles. Clemence Krug defeated Jana van der Walt 6-1, 6-0 at No. 4, Julia Melendez beat Brandi Nelson 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2, and Laia Charles defeated Tess Guarino 6-3, 6-0 at No. 5.

Charlene Goreau and Sha'Nel Bruins of the Gold Nuggets, 5-7 and ranked 16th in the NAIA, still were on court when Nicholls clinched. Their matches were not completed. The doubles matches were not played.

Next for Xavier's women and men will be a trip to Florida for three dual matches, starting with St. Thomas at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
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NCAA tournament preview: No. 7 Texas vs. Alabama State

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Erwin Center (16,500)
Records: Alabama State, 19-11; Texas, 28-4
TV: ESPN 2
Radio: 104.9, 1260
Note: Winner will play BYU-Missouri winner at 8 p.m. Monday.

Alabama State update
The Hornets beat Southern 55-51 a week ago to win their second straight SWAC Tournament championship. Tournament MVP Britney Wright scored 17 points in the victory while teammate Daniele Ewert added 12. … Jasmine Peeples holds the single-season team record of 95 blocks. She recently passed Gail Norris as the school’s all-time leader in blocks with 195. … Coach Freda Freeman-Jackson, who played at Alabama State, has a record of 275-258 in 18 seasons at her alma mater.

Texas update
Last season, senior post Imani Boyette combined for 51 points and 33 rebounds in three NCAA tournament games. … The Longhorns, who are making their 29th appearance in the NCAA tournament, hold a 35-27 all-time record. This will be the first time they have been the host for early round games since 2010. Texas has a 19-9 record in NCAA Tournament games at the Erwin Center. … This season is the fifth time Texas has been a No. 2 seed in the tournament. It also happened in 1983, 1984, 1989 and 2003. The Horns are 10-4 in tournament games when seeded No. 2.

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Return to NCAAs is extra special for ASU’s Peeples

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State senior center Jasmine Peeples said her final season with the Hornets has meant more to her than any time in her basketball career.

Her season almost ended before it got started as Peeples suffered a leg injury during a pick-up game last summer.

Peeples was going for a rebound when she landed on another player. Peeples required micro fracture surgery in her knee.

“At first when I went to the doctor and did an MRI, they couldn’t find anything,” Peeples said. “It was crazy because I couldn’t put any weight on it. Finally, they did a scope on my knee and found pieces of bone from my femur. I was on and off crutches, hopping around all summer.”

Peeples said doctors told her she wouldn’t be able to play again until January, but she was determined to prove them wrong.

Peeples rehabbed twice a day after surgery and returned to the team for the Preseason WNIT in November, but she admits she wasn’t the same player.

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