Hampton Lady Pirates Tipoff Season at Northwestern Friday

HAMPTON, Virginia – The Hampton University women's basketball team will open their 2016-17 season with the first of eight straight road games as they take on the Northwestern Wildcats on Friday afternoon at 4:30 pm EST.

Live Video: Click here (Pay-per-view)

THE OPPONENT
The Lady Pirates are 0-2 against Northwestern.  The Wildcats won the last meeting 62-36 on Nov. 16, 2014 in Evanston, Illinois.
 
LADY PIRATES VS. BIG TEN
Hampton is 1-6 all-time vs, current members of the Big Ten conference.  They are 1-1 against Maryland, 0-1 against Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin and 0-2 against Northwestern.
 
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Northwestern is a senior-laden team with five seniors on its roster under seventh-year head coach Joe McKeown.  The Wildcats are headed by preseason All-Big 10 selection Nia Coffey who averaged 20.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
 
LADY PIRATES PICKED TO FINISH THIRD
Hampton was picked to finish third in the MEAC this season in a preseason poll voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. The Lady Pirates wound up third in the conference standings after going 11-5 in MEAC play last season.
 
MALIA MOVING UP ON TWO LISTS
Heading into her final season with 1,939 career points, senior Malia Tate DeFreitas is moving up on a pair of career scoring lists.

At Hampton she is currently third behind LaShondra Dixon-Gordon (1,967 points) and Jackie Dolberry (2,727).  Passing Dixon-Gordon will make Tate-DeFreitas the school's all-time Division I scoring leader as Dolberry played from 1985-89.

In the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, she is currently in eighth and ironically trailing Dixon-Gordon for seventh on that list.  The all-time MEAC scoring leader is Alisha Hill from Howard with 2,179 points from 1994-98.
 
For more information on Hampton University women's basketball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5906 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
 
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES SPORTS INFORMATION

WSU Shockers Open Season Against SC State

Opening Tips // Wichita State opens its 111th season Friday night against South Carolina State, forming the back-end of a special volleyball-basketball doubleheader. The Shocker volleyball team faces Illinois State at 5 p.m., with hoops to follow at 8:30 p.m. Both games will air statewide on Cox Channel Kansas (Cox HD 2022). The arena will be cleared in between games, but fans may use their men’s basketball tickets to receive free admission to the volleyball match.

TV & Radio // The 8:30 p.m. CT tip will air statewide on Cox Channel Kansas (Cox HD 2022) and in the Kansas City area on Time Warner SportsChannel2, with Shane Dennis(pbp) and Bob Hull (analyst) on the call. Fans outside of the two viewing areas can catch the game via ESPN3… Mike Kennedy, now in his 37th season as the Voice of the Shockers, will call his 1,173rd consecutive game on radio, and Dave Dahl returns for his 36th year as home analyst. Tune in on 103.7 FM KEYN or GoShockers.com/Listen.

REGULAR SEASON OPENER   South Carolina State (19-15, 12-4 MEAC) rv/rv Wichita State (26-9, 16-2 MVC)       Friday, Nov. 11       8:30 P.M. CT        Wichita, Kan.       Charles Koch Arena      Tickets      Game Notes: WSU | SC State  COVERAGE        Cox Channel Kansas (Cox HD 2022) TW SportsChannel 2 (KC Area)     ESPN3       KEYN 103.7 FM        GoShockers.com        GoShockers.com  SOCIAL        @GoShockersLIVE | #watchus        @goshockers | #watchus        Go Shockers

A Banner Day // For the seventh-consecutive year, the Shocker home opener will be preceded by a banner drop. Between Friday night’s national anthem and starting lineups, WSU will unveil its 2016 MVC Championship and NCAA Tournament signs.

Long Streak vs. Strangers // WSU 54-1 in home non-conference regular season games since November of 2008… That includes a school-record 37-game non-conference home winning streak that currently ranks second nationally behind Duke (125)… The Shockers’ last home loss to a non-conference foe came to Final Four-bound VCU in a 2011 Bracket Busters Matchup.
Crowded in Here // Charles Koch Arena has played host to 181-consecutive regular season crowds of 10,000 , dating back to December of 2004… The Shockers have sold out 41-consecutive campus home games since Senior Day, 2013…. The moral support has gone a long way. WSU is 101-9 (.918) over its last seven seasons at Koch Arena and 107-9 (.922) overall in Wichita.

WSU in Season Openers // The Shockers open at home for the 13th-consecutive year. They’ve won 14 openers in-a-row and 22-of-23 since 1992, with the lone blemish coming in November, 2001 against Delaware at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska… Marshall is 9-0 in openers as Shocker head coach.

WSU in Home Openers // The Shockers have won 20-consecutive regular season home openers. Their last setback came Dec. 4, 1995 to Northern Illinois (77-52)… WSU is 94-18 all-time in such games. That includes a 53-7 mark at the Roundhouse, which opened its doors in 1955. The team has won all 13 home openers since the building’s renovation and rededication as Charles Koch Arena in 2003.

LinkedIn // WSU and South Carolina State share a mutual friend. In 1979, WSU hired Willie Jeffries away from SCSU to be its head football coach. In the process, Jeffries became the first African American head coach of an NCAA Division I-A football program at a predominantly white college. He spent five seasons on the Shocker sideline before accepting a similar position at Howard University, then returned to SCSU from 1989-2001. Jeffries was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Series with SCSU // This is the first meeting between the two programs… The Shockers are 10-2 overall against current members of the MEAC… Over the next 10 days they’ll face both SCSU and Maryland Eastern-Shore.

Marshall vs. SCSU // Marshall has also never coached against SCSU, which is something of a rarity. He has faced each of South Carolina’s 12 Division I programs at least once, save for SCSU, Winthrop (his former school) and Wofford… Marshall is 5-0 against South Carolina schools since arriving at WSU and 44-14 overall. Throw in six wins over Division II programs and that record climbs to 50-14.

Scouting SCSU // The Bulldogs are picked second out of 13 teams in the MEAC … They are coming off of a 19-win season, and last year’s second-place finish in the MEAC standings was its best since 2005… SC State fell to Hampton in the MEAC Tournament final but still earned its first postseason bid since 2003 with a trip to the CIT… Advanced metrics varied in their appreciation for the Bulldogs in 2015-16. They ranked 205th in the RPI but were 268th in Ken Pomeroy’s calculations.
Dodge City (Kan.) Community College product, Eric Eaves is a preseason first team all-conference pick after making the second team as a junior… Eaves, a 6-3 guard, was the team’s leading scorer last season at 17.3 points… Junior guard Edward Stephens is a preseason Second Team All-MEAC pick… Murray Garvin – entering his third full year at SC State — is reigning MEAC Coach of the Year.

Starting Fresh // Should Landry Shamet crack Friday night’s starting lineup, he would become just the sixth Shocker freshman to start an opener in the last 20 years, joining Ron Baker (2012), Demetric Williams (2009), PJ Couisnard (2004) and the duo of Jamar Howard and Rob Kampman (2001). Howard, Kampman and Williams are the only true freshman on that list.

Ballot Ball // WSU rolled out an exhibition starting lineup that averaged 6-foot-7 across the board, with the 1-5 combo of Landry Shamet (6-4), Zach Brown (6-6), Markis McDuffie (6-8), Rashard Kelly (6-7) and Rauno Nurger (6-10). Marshall polled his coaching staff prior to the game, asking each to list five “everyday guys.” That’s a commonly term in Marshall lexicon, used to describe players who consistently do things the right way in practice.” Shamet, Brown, McDuffie, Kelly and Nurger were a unanimous choice.

Line Changes // Marshall expects to do some tinkering with his 2016-17 starting lineup until the right mix emerges. A year ago, injuries forced him to run with four-different lineups in six November games. His fifth lineup (VanVleet, Baker, Wessel, Kelly, Morris) made its debut on Dec. 5 and stuck for the final 29 contests.

Beat-the-Odds Couple // Former Shockers Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet have made a habit of exceeding expectations, and that trend continues at the next level. Baker (New York Knicks) and VanVleet (Toronto Raptors) were two of only a dozen undrafted rookie free agents from last year’s NCAA ranks to make a 2016 Opening Night roster. A total of five Shockers have now made their NBA debut in the last four seasons.

Quick Turn // The Shockers open with two games in less than 48 hours. Friday night’s 8:30 p.m. tip is followed by a 7 p.m. Sunday matchup against Long Beach State. The latter was a late schedule add and is considered a fourth, non-bracketed game in the upcoming Battle 4 Atlantis. Exempt tournaments allow teams to play up to four games, provided that they fall within a two-week window. LBSU’s packed road schedule made finding an ideal date challenging, but the experience could ultimately benefit the Shockers when they prep for three games in three days later this month in the Bahamas.

FROM WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS RELEASE

Football: Kentucky State faces improved Fort Valley in SIAC title game

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Kentucky State’s football team has already beaten Fort Valley State, its opponent Saturday in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship game, once this season.

But KSU coach John L. Smith said his squad won’t be seeing the same team when they square off at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. (EST).

“They’re a different football team than what they were earlier in the year,” Smith said about the Wildcats, who captured the SIAC East Division last week with a 21-17 win over Albany State.

KSU, winner of the West Division, and Fort Valley State are both 4-6 overall and 4-3 in the conference.

“They’ve changed their offense to where the player who was their Wildcat quarterback is
the guy doing it all now,” Smith said. “It’s made them a different offensive team.

CONTINUE READING

Former Grambling State University linebacker signs to the Porvoon Butchers in Europe

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- On Tuesday morning, a former linebacker for Grambling State University signed a contract to play for the Porvoon Butchers in Finland with the European Football League beginning this summer.

When Troy Roach received the phone call during Grambling’s homecoming game, he felt a huge sense of relief.

“I had been anticipating this offer since early June,” Roach said.” It felt good knowing that the time I put in didn’t go in vain.”

Playing professional ball has been a dream of Roach’s since he first began playing football at just 9-years-old.

“It’s great to be able to call myself a professional football player, even after the 2016 NFL/CFL draft concluded during the spring and not being selected following my senior season. I didn’t give up on the dream.”

It will all sink in for Roach when his flight to Finland departs a few days after graduation to join the team in May for pre-season camp.

CONTINUE READING

Southern notebook: Will Southern try to get Willie Quinn more involved? Yes, but it won't force it

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- In each of Southern's past two games, senior receiver Willie Quinn has been held in check.

How long will that trend continue? Maybe not long at all.

“Willie is always going to be targeted from us,” offensive coordinator Chennis Berry said. “We want to get him the ball, but (the other team has) coaches too. They’re going to try to take one of our better players out.

“We’ve got some things to make sure he’ll be able to touch it and get his opportunities.”

Lately, those opportunities have been reduced.

Alcorn State limited Quinn to season lows in catches (three) and receiving yards (60). The following week, Quinn managed just 20 yards on four catches.

CONTINUE READING

Preview: Alabama State at Grambling State

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1. Trending up: Alabama State’s defense held Jackson State to only 294 total yards in the Hornets’ 14-7 win last Saturday at home. It was the first time all season that the Hornets held an opponent under 300 yards. Hornets coach Brian Jenkins said that all his team needed was to get the game into the fourth quarter. “It was a very hard-fought football game, but you have to give our entire defense credit,” Jenkins said. “They played team football and found a way to really slow down Jackson State, a good offensive football team.” The Hornets will travel to Shreveport, Louisiana, to take on Grambling State. The Tigers lead the SWAC in total offense at 527.4 yards per game and scoring offense at nearly 46 points per game.

2. Promising future: Alabama State freshman linebacker Darron Johnson won his third SWAC Newcomer of the Week award after recording eight tackles and a sack last Saturday. Johnson has earned the attention of his teammates, namely three-time all-SWAC performer Kourtney Berry. “He’s doing exceptional right now,” Berry said after Saturday’s game. “He’s come in as a freshman and played at a high level and does his job to the best of his abilities. He gives it 110 percent.” Berry and Johnson are tied for the team lead with 56 tackles.

CONTINUE READING

NTA's Ugochukwu signs with UMES

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- The student body had gathered Wednesday morning in the Northwood Temple gym. All that remained was for the signee to appear.

When
Franklin Ugochukwu popped through a double door sporting a Maryland Eastern Shore t-shirt and hat, the suspense was over. All that remained was applause for the 6-11 senior as he signed a letter of intent to play for the MEAC school whose name was emblazoned across his chest.

“I just feel like Eastern Shore is going to be the right place for me to play because of the connection with the coach,” Ugochukwu said.

Eastern Shore was predicted by coaches to finish eighth in the MEAC after it went 10-22 a year ago. An infusion of junior college players underpin this season’s roster, making it vital to bring in a deeper freshman pool for the 2017-18 season.

Ugochukwu came to the United States from Nigeria three years ago and is in his first season at Northwood Temple under first-year coach Corey Baker. He had four points and seven rebounds in the Eagles’ 54-44 win against Bull City Prep.

CONTINUE READING

The MEAC: Overview of men's basketball

NORFOLK, Virginia -- A look at the MEAC, based on the preseason poll:

1. Howard The Bison (12-20 overall, 6-10 MEAC last season) return the league’s top player in high-scoring guard James Daniel, but not right away. Daniel, who led the nation with 27.1 points per game in 2015-16, is out 4 to 6 weeks with an ankle injury, forcing Howard to look to other scoring sources early on.

2. South Carolina State The Bulldogs (19-14, 12-4) return three starters from a team that lost to Hampton in the MEAC tournament final in Norfolk, including top scorer Eric Eaves (17.6 ppg). Four newcomers who are 6-7 or taller give South Carolina State reason to believe it can contend.

3. Hampton Just one starter returns from a team that went 21-11 overall and 13-3 in the MEAC on its way to a tournament title and a second straight NCAA tournament appearance. With 11 players who are freshmen or sophomores, eighth-year coach Buck Joyner will have his work cut out for him to repeat.

4. North Carolina Central The Eagles (13-19, 7-9), the last team besides Hampton to win the MEAC tournament, have just two returning starters after a down year. But N.C. Central isn’t short on experience: 12 of its 14 players are transfers.

CONTINUE READING

Championship hopes, playoff aspirations and bragging rights on the line this weekend in Prairie View

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Playoff and championship aspirations and just plain bragging rights — there is plenty riding on this weekend’s game between Southern and Prairie View A&M.

The Panthers come into Saturday’s game one game behind both Southern and Grambling in the SWAC West standings. A loss would eliminate Prairie View’s chances at a championship all together, since it would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with Southern.



Thanks to an earlier loss to Grambling, Prairie View does not control its own destiny in the SWAC race. But even if things shake out to where Prairie View can not play in a conference title thanks to that Grambling loss, a win Saturday would put them in position for another goal.

“With us being a game back of both Southern and Grambling, we have to assume that for our chances to get to the SWAC championship, we have to win out,” Prairie View coach Willie Simmons said. “That’s something we’ve talked to our guys about. We’re taking that playoff mindset.

“We also have playoff aspirations as part of our goals as well. If we … win out and finish with an 8-3 record, 8-1 in conference play, if chips don’t fall our way where we don’t get to compete in the conference championship, our résumé is good enough … to warrant a playoff bid.”

CONTINUE READING

Brent, JSU Tigers ready to take 'next step'

JACKSON, Mississippi-- Wayne Brent is calm and collected when talking about that proverbial “next step” for his team - reaching the NCAA Tournament. And his team appears ready to take that step.

The Tigers came within two points of beating Southern in the SWAC Championship and making the big dance a year ago. They finished 20-16, winning a first-round CIT game against Sam Houston State before losing 64-54 to Grand Canyon in the second round.

Almost all of the players that made up that team are back this year, and Brent said this week that if they can stay healthy, a little bit of determination may be all the Tigers need.

“I think the thing with us to get over the hump is being consistent and not turning the basketball over,” he said. “That, and being mentally focused each and every day, because it’s a long season and we have to be playing our basketball at the right time of year.”

CONTINUE READING

Grambling won't stop 'until we bring it home'

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — It may sound nit-picky of anyone associated with Grambling's football program to not be entirely satisfied with what the Tigers' have going on.

Grambling has won 15 straight league games dating back to 2014 and is running through Southwestern Athletic Conference teams this year by an average margin of victory of 37.1 points per game.

Yet the Tigers still feel their appetite isn't quenched.

"We're not satisfied with 59-17 or 70-0, because at the end of the day, we did all that last year and we came out with nothing on our fingers and no trophy to hold," Grambling tight ends coach Robert Bailey said Monday. "At this point, we're getting the pats on the backs about 15 games in conference in a row, outscoring opponents this many points. All that stuff is good, but at the end of the day, we gotta bring it home, and we're not going to stop until we bring it home."

A SWAC title is what Grambling wants to bring home, along with a Celebration Bowl trophy. Until that's accomplished, Grambling has no intention of slowing down.

Case in point is Grambling's latest 56-17 win over Alabama A&M. It was a nice win on paper, but it left the staff, at least the assistants like Bailey and Quentin Burrell, who is a defensive assistant, wanting more.

CONTINUE READING

Southern notebook: Lenard Tillery has one more record in reach, and this one has been around for a while

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern senior running back Lenard Tillery already has a couple of records under his belt after setting the Southern career rushing record last year and the SWAC career rushing record earlier this season.

He’s on track to break one more, and this one has stood for nearly seven decades.

Odie Posey set the Southern single-season rushing record in 1949, when he ran for 1,399 yards to lead the nation. Posey initially came to Southern on a tennis scholarship but went on to have a decorated football career that included four All-SWAC honors.

Eight games into this season, Tillery has rushed for 1,085 yards, putting him 315 yards shy of breaking Posey’s long-standing record.

At his current pace, Tillery would finish the season with 1,491 yards. If Southern wins the SWAC and plays in the conference title game, that projection bumps to 1,627 yards.

Tulane has been the only opponent to hold Tillery under 100 yards, limiting him to 39 yards on 13 carries in Week 2. Since then, he has averaged 147.5 yards per game, all against SWAC opponents.

CONTINUE READING

FAMU QB Ryan Stanley Added To Jerry Rice Award Watch List

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- STATS, Inc., the consummate source for news and information on NCAA FCS Football, has added FAMU redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Stanley to its’ Jerry Rice Award Watch List.

Craig Haley, Director of FCS coverage for STATS, Inc., made the announcement in a Watch List Update released Tuesday afternoon.

The Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the top first year player in FCS Football, is named after the NFL Hall of Famer and former Mississippi Valley State wide receiver, who is the all-time receiving leader in NFL history.

Stanley, a 6-3, 190-pound native of Pembroke Pines, Florida, where he was one of the state’s top quarterbacks at Flanagan High School, has twice been named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week for his performances in the last month.

On the year, has completed 92 of 160 passes for 1,010 yards (57.5 percent), with five (5) TDs and three INTs.

Stanley’s five starts coincided with a reversal of fortune for FAMU Football, which was 0-4 before his first collegiate starting nod against Savannah State on October 1, but has gone 3-2 since, with road losses to MEAC co-leaders North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central.

In those five starts, he has zero turnovers while having thrown for 895 yards, completing 79 of 138 passes, with five TDs, while rushing for 224 yards on 42 carries, and 3
TDs.

FAMU will host Morgan State in their Senior Day home finale Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Is this Howard's year to join the big dance?

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As Milan Brown walked through Howard University’s campus recently, the former Bison basketball star began experiencing a series of flashbacks.

Flashback No. 1: He remembered escorting his girlfriend, Tina, down the long steps beside Founders Library and into the space known on campus as The Valley. Leading her to the center of the yard, Brown, a 1993 Howard graduate, knelt and proposed to the then-doctoral student who’s now his wife.

Flashback No. 2: Brown, a current assistant coach at the College of Charleston, relived the struggles of a basketball team that never won more than nine games in each of his first two years. But the low point came in his junior year when the team started 2-9: Despite leading the team in assists and being the second-leading scorer, Brown was replaced in the starting lineup by a freshman.

Brown’s final flashback? It’s the feeling that comes over him as he walks onto the floor in Burr Gymnasium, the home of the Bison basketball team for the last 53 years, and looks up toward the north end of the gym.

CONTINUE READING

FAMU Rattlers chasing four-game home attendance record

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M’s football team is looking to set several marks as the season winds down.

With two games left, the Rattlers have the opportunity to finish 5-6 overall, which would be the best season for FAMU since 2011. The Rattlers could also finish at .500 in MEAC play for the first time since 2012 with just one win in their final two games.

Still, there’s an all-time mark the Rattlers (3-6, 3-3 MEAC) are hoping to set Saturday against Morgan State, though they’ll need some help from their fans.

FAMU has a chance to break the all-time, four-game season attendance record for Bragg Memorial Stadium. Through three home games this season, including homecoming, 61,960 fans have come to see the Rattlers play in Bragg.

If 20,428 fans come out to Saturday’s game, the Rattlers will break the previous record set in 1996. So far, the Rattlers have averaged 20,653 fans per game at Bragg.

CONTINUE READING

Albany State out, Virginia State now 10th Tuskegee game

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- After Albany State backed out, Tuskegee has found a 10th game to qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Virginia State coach Reggie Barlow confirmed that his Trojans (8-2) will play the No. 14-ranked Golden Tigers (8-1) Saturday after Albany State (5-2) decided not to play Tuskegee two days after the game was announced.

"I'm so grateful for administration that believe in me and trust me and they said it was my decision," said the Montgomery native who coached against Tuskegee as head coach at Alabama State. Tuskegee beat ASU, 27-25, with Barlow as coach the last time the two teams played in 2012 in the first game at ASU Stadium.

CONTINUE READING

Hughes disappointed but optimistic after ASU loss

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State coach Tony Hughes was still getting over the disappointment from Saturday's 14-7 loss to Alabama State, but seemed upbeat when he addressed the media at his regular Monday press conference.

Hughes called Saturday's loss to Alabama State "frustrating and heartbreaking" for his team.

"Our guys played hard, gave great effort," Hughes said. "The game turned into a defensive struggle, a slug-fest. Bottom line is we weren't able to make a play in a crucial situation that would have given us the victory. Give them credit, they made two more plays than we did."

The Tigers fell to 3-6 overall and, more importantly, 3-4 in the SWAC. But thanks to losses by Alcorn State and Alabama A&M, Hughes' team finds themselves still tied with Alcorn for first in the SWAC Eastern division.

A win over Alabama A&M this Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium would set up a showdown with Alcorn State in Lorman the following weekend with the division title on the line.

CONTINUE READING

Southern notebook: Defensive back Danny Johnson responded to giving up a big play by making his own

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- A strange thing happened against Texas Southern last Saturday — Southern defensive back Danny Johnson was beat for a long pass completion.

Johnson was running stride-for-stride with TSU’s Malik Webb, but Averion Hurts threw a perfect ball and Webb hauled it in for 45 yards.

“No receiver should be catching a deep ball on him,” said linebacker Roshaud Turner. “If a receiver does happen to catch a deep ball, he’ll definitely turn it up and lock in.”

That’s only the second time that’s happened this season. Johnson was also beaten by 6-foot-6 Alabama A&M receiver Jonathan Dorsey for a 39-yard score on a jump ball. Other than that, he’s kept everything in front of him.

“It happens to the best,” Johnson said after the TSU game. “I just feel like I’ve got to come back and make the play. I came back on the same side with the same guy, it’s my turn to make the play. He had his chance, it’s my turn to seize the moment.”

CONTINUE READING

Grambling football coming together like a 'tasty gumbo'

GRAMBLING, Louisiana —  Banking deposits and purple unicorns were talking points at Grambling during the past few weeks.

With Thanksgiving coming up in just a few weeks, it was time for food, and more specifically gumbo, to enter the discussion.

During the course of the season, Grambling's football team started with a base, or a roux, added protein and vegetables on the way and finished it off with some spices.

And boy is it tasting pretty good. Perhaps award-winning good.

"You're talking about great Grambling football right now. We're all eating it," Grambling tight ends coach Robert Bailey said Monday. "Everybody has their coffee or their Coke to the side to help swallow it down, and I love how it tastes. Outstanding spice to it. I love it. You can't look at it no other way. That's how it's supposed to be. We're known for winning."

CONTINUE READING

NSU alum Deon King activated by San Diego Chargers

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Linebacker Deon King became the second former Norfolk State football player to play in a regular-season NFL game this season in the San Diego Chargers’ 43-35 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

King, who was signed to San Diego’s practice squad on Oct. 4, was promoted to the active roster for the first time on Saturday. He had one assisted tackle in the Chargers’ win, which improved their record to 4-5.



A three-time All-MEAC performer and last season’s NCAA Division I leader in total tackles, King originally signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in the spring. He led the Cowboys in tackles during the preseason but was released before San Diego acquired him.

Eight-year NFL veteran Don Carey, whose career at NSU concluded in 2008, has played in all nine games this season for the Detroit Lions. Carey has six tackles this season and is on the Pro Bowl ballot as a special teams player.

CONTINUE READING

Florida A&M Rattler Volleyballers Clinch Divisional Crown

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Senior middle blocker Ginna Lopez-Chavez had a team-high 19 kills Sunday, as the FAMU Volleyball team closed the regular season with a 3-1 MEAC victory over visiting North Carolina A&T at the Al Lawson Center.

Sunday's win was the 12th straight match victory for FAMU (15-11, 10-0 MEAC) this season, locking down their first MEAC Southern Division title since 2014.

Lopez-Chavez added four blocks to her 19 kills, while freshman Nicole Abreu added nine kills and 11 digs, and freshman Radka Dimitrova had seven kills.

Freshman Maria Yvette Garcia had six kills, seven digs and three blocks, while freshman Elena Dimitrova finished with 39 assists.

Samara Brown led the Aggies (9-13, 6-3 MEAC) with 15 kills in Sunday's match.

NOTES: Lopez-Chavez was one of three seniors honored by FAMU following Sunday's matching during Senior Day Ceremonies. Also honored were middle blocker Dei'Ja Martin and outside hitter Starmichael Tucker.

@ FAMU Blanks NCCU Friday

On Friday, FAMU extended their winning streak, and clinched the MEAC Southern Division title outright with a 3-0 win over visiting North Carolina Central Friday at the Lawson Center.

FAMU clinched their first Southern Division title since 2014 with the straight set win, which was the team's 11th consecutive match victory.

Freshman Maria Yvette Garcia led all players with 16 kills for FAMU, followed by Radka Dimitrova with nine kills and Nicole Abreu with seven.

Elena Dimitrova finished with 37 assists, while Valentina Carrasco added 14 digs.

Kelsey Murphy led NCCU (5-15, 4-4 MEAC) with 11 kills and 10 digs Friday evening.

Friday's win means FAMU will go into the 2016 MEAC Volleyball Tournament, Nov. 18-20 at Princess Anne, Md., as the Southern Division's #1 seed.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Rattlers will now chase the MEAC title, whic
h has eluded them since 2009, even though FAMU reached the finals three since that season.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Week 10: Quarterback Malcolm Bell helping North Carolina Central contend for MEAC title

Between his passing and running, Bell is the offensive engine leading the league in total offense

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University has quietly put together an impressive season. The Eagles (7-2 overall, 6-0 MEAC) have been able to soar behind the play of their brilliant quarterback Malcolm Bell, who guided North Carolina Central to a 38-19 victory over Delaware State University on Saturday.

Bell connected on 17 of 31 passes for 223 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. His efforts against the Hornets have moved him into fourth place on the Eagles’ career passing list with 5,693 yards, surpassing Brad Adams, who finished his playing days at North Carolina Central with 5,687 yards.

He had a big day against Delaware State throwing to wide receiver LaVontis Smith, who had four receptions for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Smith, North Carolina Central’s leading receiver, has been steady all season with 32 receptions for 505 yards and five touchdowns.

CONTINUE READING

George Washington Edges Bowie State Bulldogs 86-80 in Men’s Exhibition

WASHINGTON, D.C. --The Bowie State University men's basketball team gave Division I George Washington University and real run on Saturday afternoon, edging the Bulldogs 86-80 in exhibition play at the Charles E. Smith Center.

Bowie State's Bulldogs had five players score in double figures with senior Enuoma Ebinum (Greenbelt, Md.) scoring a game-high 20 points to go along with nine rebounds. Junior Omari (Baltimore, Md.) and senior transfer Brian Kelley (Lanham, Md.) contributed 14 and 13 points respectively. Juniors Ahmaad Wilson (Baltimore, Md.) and Dayshawn Wells (Baltimore, Md.) chipped in 12 and 11 points in the contest. Redshirt freshman David Belle (Hyattsville, Md.) chipped in eight points off the bench and senior Michael Briscoe (Waldorf, Md.) rounded out the BSU scorers with two points.



The Colonials had four players score in double figures with Yuta Watanabe pacing George Washington with 19 points while Tyler Cavanaugh added a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Collin Smith fell just shy of a double-double recording 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Patrick Smith scored 12 points in the win.

The game was won at the free throw line with George Washington holding a very one-sided advantage over Bowie State. The Colonials made 29-of-46 from the charity stripe compared to just 4-of-6 for the Bulldogs. George Washington also controlled the glass with a 50-32 advantage.

Bowie State finished the game shooting 51 percent from the field (35-of-69), which included 6-of-12 behind the arc. On the other side of the stat sheet, George Washington made 26-of-63 from the field (41 percent) and 5-of-15 (33 percent) behind the three point line.

Bowie State will now prepare for its season opener next Friday (Nov. 11th) versus West Virginia Wesleyan in the nightcap of the Joe Retton Classic hosted by Fairmont State (W.Va.) University.

BOX SCORE

BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

JSU Tigers still trying to put it all together

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – As bad as Saturday’s 14-7 loss to Alabama State was, Jackson State coaches and players still believe they are close to being one of the best teams in the SWAC.

The Tigers (3-6, 3-4 SWAC) remained tied for first in the East despite the loss thanks to losses by Alcorn State and Alabama A&M.

The most frustrating part of Saturday’s loss was that the Tigers rolled up enough offensive yards (295) to go up-and-down the field three times but walked away with just one touchdown.

After watching a 7-0 lead turn into a 14-7 deficit, the JSU offense had one prime opportunity to tie the game. Jarin Morikawa’s 23-yard pass to Benjy Parrish set the Tigers up with a first-and-10 at the Alabama State 12-yard line.

Morikawa tried to hit Romello Shumake on first down but was hurried and threw it out of reach. He connected with Jairus Moll for 5 yards to the ASU 7 on second down but led Shaquil Ward by two steps too many on third down.

After an Alabama State timeout, Hornets defensive back Ronnie Scott broke up Morikawa’s fourth-down pass that was intended for DeSean McKenzie.

CONTINUE READING

Southern women waiting for a starter to step up at point guard

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- A week ago, Southern women’s basketball coach Sandy Pugh thought she had an answer at the point guard position.

Now, she’s not so sure.

Pugh has until the Jaguars’ season opener against Spring Hill on Friday to figure out a plan for which of the four possible options will start at point guard or she’s stuck playing the position by committee for the second straight year.

But she’s waiting for one of her players to have that “Aha moment” where they put it all together and becomes the player Southern needs her to be.

It’s a moment Pugh thought she saw several times this offseason, but inevitably, the bright light slowly dims back into the cluster.

“One day they’re playing and then the next day they’re back down here,” Pugh said gesturing a low level. “If they’re going to help us win and we’re going to be successful in the preseason and the SWAC season, then I have to have consistency. I have to have a consistent level of play from Cortnei (Purnell), Briana (Green) and that point guard position.

CONTINUE READING