Grambling State Tigers on the prowl again

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Fans of a certain generation undoubtedly enjoyed hearing the World Famed Grambling State University Marching Band go old-school during the Oct. 29 homecoming morning parade — Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind & Fire — and again at halftime of that afternoon’s 70-0 stomping of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, with I’ll Be There by the Jackson 5.

The band should have gone back further, to the theme song for Franklin Roosevelt’s initial presidential campaign in 1932: Happy Days Are Here Again.

The Tigers are 6-1 overall, unbeaten and barely tested in six Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) games, and appear headed for a return trip to the conference championship game — assuming they can fend off a challenge from archrival Southern in the Bayou Classic. A win in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl that matches the champions of the SWAC and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and a 15th black college football title – the first since 2008 – certainly aren’t out of the question.

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Gold Nuggets rally for 71-67 upset of No. 3 OLLU

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana — Ireyon Keith's first career double-double, 17 points and 13 rebounds, rallied Xavier University of Louisiana to a 71-67 women's basketball upset of NAIA No. 3 Our Lady of the Lake in the opening game of the LSUS Classic Friday.
     
Keith's free throw with 4:12 remaining put the Gold Nuggets (3-0) ahead to stay, 63-62. The redshirt sophomore from Tickfaw, La., closed the scoring with a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining.
     
"Our defense was outstanding, and we were able to make some big shots down the stretch," XULA coach Bo Browder said. "We've been preaching work hard, work together, stay together and be positive at all times. It was a great win for our program."
     
Keith, who also had four assists and three steals, was XULA's only double-figure scorer. Freshman guard Rosie Davis scored nine points — she made 3-of-6 second-half 3-pointers and made back-to-back 3s to tie the score at 62 — and Bianca Brown scored eight. Another freshman guard, Maya Trench, had six assists, eight rebounds and — for the third consecutive game — five steals.
     
Keith, who did not start, entered the game with career averages of 3.9 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. She scored five times in double figures in 2014-15, then sat out last season because of an injury.
     
"I just felt like I had to go out there and bring the energy," Keith said. "As long as we win, I'm good."
     
Nakia Page scored a career-high 21 points, 17 in the first half, for OLLU (1-1). Three teammates scored nine points apiece.
     
An 8-1 run in the final 3:11 gave the Gold Nuggets a 19-15 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Saints opened the next period with a 16-2 run and led 38-30 at halftime.
     
OLLU outshot XULA 38.7 to 31.7 percent from the floor. XULA outrebounded the Saints 64-49, and the Gold Nuggets grabbed their most rebounds in a game since January 2013.
     
Browder, in his 18th season, earned his first victory against an opponent ranked among the top three nationally. It was the second straight year that the Gold Nuggets came from behind to defeat a top-10 OLLU team in this event.
     
The Gold Nuggets will play LSU-Shreveport at 5 p.m. Saturday on the second and final day of this event. LSUS lost 49-46 to NAIA No. 9 Lyon after leading by 11 points through three quarters.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Rush drop road exhibition to NCAA DI Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi — Edric Denis scored 13 of his 21 points in the second half Friday to lead Jackson State to a 66-54 men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 25 Xavier University of Louisiana.
     
It was the regular-season opener of the Tigers, who compete in NCAA Division I. XULA (1-2) designated the game as an exhibition in its records and statistics.
     
Denis scored a basket and assisted on two others during a 14-0 first-half run that put the Tigers ahead to stay. The surge included back-to-back Yettra Specks 3-pointers during the 11th minute.
     
After surrendering the first seven points, XULA rallied to take its only lead, 9-8, on a pair of Seth Jackson free throws at 12:15.
     
Freshman guard Mike Williams led the Gold Rush with 18 points, including 3-of-5 3-pointers. Jackson scored 12 points and had five rebounds and two assists. Hakeem Simon led XULA with seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
     
Jalen David, who entered the game with a Gold Rush-leading 18.3 scoring average, was 1-of-5 from the floor and scored five points in 26 minutes.
     
Denis also grabbed nine rebounds and led the Tigers with four assists and three steals. Chace Franklin scored 13 points, Specks had 10, and Janarius Middleton grabbed 10 rebounds.
     
XULA trailed 33-20 at halftime and got no closer than eight points in the second half. The final eight-point deficit was at 62-54 on a pair of David free throws with 2:41 remaining.
     
Jackson State outshot XULA 34.3 to 32.5 percent from the floor and had a 42-39 rebound advantage. The Tigers were plus-18 in turnovers, committing seven and gaining 25. XULA excelled at the line, making 23-of-27 free throws to Jackson State's 13-of-22. Gold Rush freshman Donovan Armstrong made all six of his free throws.
     
XULA shot 19 percent from the floor in the first half but improved to 47.4 percent in the second half. Williams and Leland Alexander combined to make 6-of-7 shots after halftime.
     
XULA will return to Mississippi Saturday to play NAIA No. 10 William Carey at 6 p.m. in Hattiesburg. The next Gold Rush home game will start at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday against city rival Loyola.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gregg Popovich goes on passionate tirade in wake of Trump election: 'We are Rome'

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Many NBA coaches, players and commentators have shared their thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump this week. Gregg Popovich provided what I believe is the lengthiest response yet, prior to the Spurs game against the Pistons on Friday night.

The crazy thing is that it started with a reporter telling Popovich that many are wondering what his thoughts are on the election and Trump, and the Spurs coach replied, “I don’t think my voice is that important.”

As the reporter told him, no, his voice does matter, Popovich went on to explain what was going through his head — he went on for just under six minutes. Popovich talks about why the entire Trump campaign scares him, and why he’s so disgusted that so many Americans voted for Trump.

“I’m a rich white guy, and I’m sick to my stomach thinking about it,” he says.

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GW Men's Basketball Opens Season With Win Over UMES, 75-71

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In the season opener at the Charles E. Smith Center, the George Washington men's basketball team wasted no time in getting in the win column, taking the first game of the 2016-17 campaign, 75-71, from the visiting Hawks of Maryland-Eastern Shore.

Tyler Cavanaugh led the way for the Colonials with game-high totals of 24 points and 10 rebounds, while also connecting at a perfect 9-of-9 clip at the free throw line.

It was at the charity stripe where GW secured the game, as led by Cavanaugh and Yuta Watanabe's 10-of-12 effort from the line, the Colonials canned 29-of-34 foul shots (85.3%). The defending NIT Champions made a living last season by making more free throws than the opposition attempted, and the squad was up to their old tricks by easily outdistancing the Hawks' 12-of-14 line at the line.

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

Watanabe finished with 18 points and six boards, while taking only four shots from the field (3-of-4). The junior from Japan was one of three Colonials to drain multiple three-pointers, as Cavanaugh connected on three triples in seven attempts, and junior point guard Jaren Sina hit his two threes in the second half to help GW build a 19-point lead at its largest.

Watanabe picked four of his rebounds off the offensive glass and also swatted a pair of shots on the defensive end in a strong two-way effort. The GW defense harassed UMES into a .368 shooting night from the floor (25-of-68).

UMES got 21 points from Bakari Copeland in his 25 minutes of play before fouling out. Ryan Andino (11) and Thomas Rivera (10) also threw in double figures for the Hawks, who made a late run by forcing the Colonials into 13 second-half turnovers.

"We have to make sure we do the things we're supposed to do, we do the things that we practice," said interim head coach Maurice Joseph, who was victorious in his head coaching debut. "Luckily we had the poise to finish out the game -- we hit a lot of free throws down the stretch. That's a huge thing for us and I'm happy about that. I'm happy about the win. We have a lot to still work on."

Senior Matt Hart tied with Sina for game-high assist honors with four, as the unselfish Colonials assisted on 16 of 19 made field goals.

Prior to the game, the 2016 NIT Championship banner was unveiled while players and coaches received their championship rings. Patricio Garino, who is playing for the Austin Spurs of the NBA Developmental League, was on hand, as was current Director of Player Development Joe McDonald to unveil the banner.

"That was great, we had a great season last year," Watanabe said of the ceremony. "We want to be even better this year. We have to make sure we play hard until the end and make sure we're always getting better."

GW will look to run its record to 2-0 on Tuesday night against Siena at 7 p.m. at the Smith Center,

BOX SCORE

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Projecting the FCS playoff field

LYNCHBURG, Virginia -- Thanks to the Football Championship Subdivision selection committee releasing its top-10 rankings for the second straight week, we have a pretty good understanding of how the committee is rewarding seeds. Teams that play challenging schedules and are part of the stronger conferences are looked upon favorably in seeding purposes (i.e., No. 1 Sam Houston State drawing a No. 5 for playoff seeding).

With two weekends remaining, there are compelling games to determine how the top eight will shake out, but we are taking a look at right now as they stand.

Before we get into that, the MEAC, which doesn’t have a playoff bid thanks to its place in the Celebration Bowl against the SWAC champion, is trying to shake up the playoff field.

North Carolina Central presents a strong resume to receive an at-large bid. The Eagles’ two losses are to Duke and Western Michigan, and they can reach the seven-win DI plateau this weekend against Howard to set up a showdown for the MEAC title against North Carolina A&T. That is a resume that can’t be overlooked, even with four- and five-loss teams from the stronger FCS conferences looking to get in.

For those wondering, the Big South will likely be a one-bid league this season. Liberty gets the nod right now thanks to its lead in the conference standings.

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ECSU Head Coach Wilson Earns 2016 Football Coach of the Year

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), along with its Football Coaches Association and Sports Information Directors Association, announces Elizabeth City State University Head Coach Earnest Wilson III the 2016 CIAA Football Coach of the Year.

In his first year at the helm of the Vikings' football program, Coach Wilson led his team to a 5-5 overall record, going 4-3 in conference play and 3-2 in the Northern Division. Throughout the season, Elizabeth City State climbed the rankings in the Northern Division and had a run to appear at the 2016 CIAA Football Championship after upsetting division rivals Chowan University (40-21) and Virginia Union University (24-21).

Offensively, Elizabeth City State averaged 28.3 points per conference game while marking 220.1 passing and 167.3 rushing yards. The Vikings defense ranked second in the CIAA in sacks (19) and grabbed a total of 424 conference tackles on the season.

2016 marked Wilson's 25th year of coaching. He joined ECSU with a strong background in college and professional coaching experiences, most recently from Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) member Savannah State University where he served as the head football coach since 2013. Prior to SSU, Wilson served as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Hampton University in 2012.

For more information regarding CIAA football, including the 2016 Championship in Salem, Virginia, visit www.theciaa.com or follow the conference on Facebook (The CIAA), Twitter (@CIAAForLife), Instagram (@CIAASports), and Snapchat (@CIAASports).

COURTESY CIAA.COM

SSU looking to continue winning ways against Hampton

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Lately, Savannah State football games are accompanied by searches through the school’s record books.

The latest question the Tigers hope to be asked today against Hampton University: When was the last time SSU won three consecutive games?

That would be 1998.

Slow down, says the Tigers even-keeled, first-year coach Erik Raeburn, not looking past the 1 p.m. tilt at Armstrong Stadium in Hampton, Va.

“Obviously, (the players) are excited about winning two games in a row and having some momentum, but they know they could have easily lost those two games,” said Raeburn about victories over Howard and Norfolk State. “Our margin for error is really small and we have to play at our very best or near it to have a chance to win.”

But forgive SSU fans if they want to party like it’s 1998 — the last time the Tigers also had a winning season at 7-4. SSU (3-4, 3-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) is basking in similar rarefied air, having won three MEAC games this season for the first time since joining the league in 2011.

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N.C. A&T Tries to Remain Undefeated In MEAC

No. 10/9 North Carolina A&T (8-1, 6-0 MEAC) at Delaware State (0-9, 0-6 MEAC)
Date: Nov. 12, 2016
Time: 2 p.m.
Facility: Alumni Stadium (7,193)
Series: Series is tied, 22-22-1
Radio: 1320 AM/93.7 FM WCOG; Play-by-play – Donal Ware, Analysts – Al Swann
*FCS media poll listed first/coaches’ poll listed next

LAST GAME’S OFFENSIVE STARTERS: WR Denzel Keyes (6-4, 215, Sr., 4 rec., 61 yards);   LT Brandon Parker (6-7, 299, R-Jr., 4x MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week ); LG Joshua Mattocks (6-3, 332, R-Jr.); C Darriel Mack (6-2, 291, R-Jr.); RG Daquan Blake (6-3, 315, Jr.); RT Wes Cole (6-6, 335, Sr.); WR Michael Weaver, Jr. (5-7, 163, Sr.); RB Tarik Cohen (5-6, 179, Sr., scored first career TD vs. SCSU); QB Lamar Raynard (6-4, 176, R-So., threw two touchdown passes); FB Anthony McMinn II (6-1, 241, R-Sr.); TE Leroy Hill (6-3, 239, R-So.). 

LAST GAME’S DEFENSIVE STARTERS: DE Angelo Keyes (6-1, 270, R-Sr., 1PBU); DT Marquis Ragland (6-3, 277, R-Sr., 5 tackles vs. SCSU); NG Julian McKnight (6-3, 291, R-So.); DE Kenneth Melton (6-2, 220, R-Jr.); LB Deion Jones (5-11, 207, R-So., 7 tackles); LB Kiaundric Richardson (6-0, 207, So., 5 tackles, 1 sack); LB Jeremy Taylor (5-11, 181, R-Jr., led Aggies with 12 tackles); ROV Marcus Albert(5-10, 207, R-Jr.); CB  Zerius Lockhart (5-10, 175, R-Jr., 9 tackles); CB Marquis Willis (5-8, 153, R-So., 29-yard INT return for TD); FS Tyree Andrews (6-1, 194, R-Sr.).

The Game: N.C. A&T is set to play the first of two road games to finish the regular season. It starts with a game at Delaware State. No matter what happens on Saturday, the Aggies will get a chance to play for their third straight MEAC title the following week at N.C. Central. The only question that remains is whether N.C. A&T and N.C. Central, both 6-0 in the conference, will be playing for the outright title or another share after sharing the title the previous two seasons. A win by both teams on Saturday will mean the at NCCU on Nov. 19 will be for the outright title. But playing at Alumni Stadium has not been easy for N.C. A&T. The Aggies did win there in 2014, but prior to that win, the Aggies had lost five straight in Dover, Del., including 7 of 10.

In the last eight games at Alumni Stadium, the Hornets are averaging 27.8 points per game. The series has been so even, that the Aggies have scored 933 points and the Hornets have scored 909 points in the 45 games they have played against one another. Delaware State, however, has run into some rough times. The Hornets finished 6-5 in 2012. The Hornets are 8-35 since that time including losing 24 out of their last 25 games. In their last 32 games, the Hornets have surrendered 35.5 points per game including 40.7 points per game this season. The Aggies are coming off a big 30-20 win over S.C. State in which they overcame their second fourth-quarter deficit of the season. Two more wins and the Aggies will put together their first-ever back-to-back double-digit win seasons.

The Aggie Minute vs. SCSU

A&T Game Notes vs. DSU

Listen Live On The Aggies Radio Network

News & Notes

• Cohen fumbled at the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter at N.C. Central on Nov. 22, 2014. Cohen hasn’t fumbled since. Cohen has now had 482 straight touches without a fumble.
• N.C. A&T is after the school’s second undefeated season in the MEAC since joining the conference in 1971. The only other time the Aggies finished undefeated in the MEAC was in 1999. The Aggies had four undefeated seasons in the CIAA — 1950, 1958, 1959 and 1964. The Aggies are 18-2 in their last 20 conference games.
• Quarterback Lamar Raynard completed 18 passes against S.C. State last Saturday. He is 35 completions shy of breaking Alan Hooker’s single-season completion record of 169.
• Raynard has completed 64.6 percent of his passes this season. Raynard leads the MEAC in completion percentage and is 14^th in the nation. He is also first in the MEAC in passing efficiency and 26th nationally with a 140.8 passer rating with 14 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
• Freshman receiver Elijah Bell caught two touchdown passes against S.C. State, including the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. He was rewarded with the most recent MEAC Rookie of the Week award from the conference.      

Opposing Point of View

“Everything worries me about A&T. It starts at the top. I am a huge fan of Rod Broadway. I think he is one of the best football coaches in the country at any level. He has had great success in every place that he has been because he clearly knows how to reestablish a program and build in to something that is very, very special. And you can see the excitement and the juice his program has. It jumps off the film at you. But we don’t look at their program as a worry, we look at it as an aspiration. We tell our players, look at what North Carolina Central does, look at A&T does, and those teams are in our league. Those things are obtainable. When you can model teams in your own league, you know you’re in the right league.”

Delaware State coach Kenny Carter on the Aggies program  

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Salem special: CIAA title on the line for Bowie State and Winston-Salem State

SALEM, Virginia -- There’s a lot more at stake for Winston-Salem State and Bowie State in Saturday’s 2 p.m. Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship game at Salem Stadium.

Sure, the CIAA title would be nice, but the winner will also get a shot at qualifying for the Division II playoffs.

“We definitely know what’s at stake so we’ve been in playoff mode for the last few weeks,” said Winston-Salem State defensive lineman Amyl Smith.

The Rams (8-2) are riding a seven-game win streak and Bowie State (7-3) would love to derail the dominance the Rams have shown in the last six seasons in the CIAA. The Rams can win back-to-back CIAA titles for the sixth time in school history and can win their 12th title overall.

The Rams are also going for their fourth conference title in the last six seasons. While the Rams have been in the championship game for the last six years, the Bulldogs are hoping to win their first CIAA title. The Bulldogs won the title in 1989 but it was rescinded because Bowie State used an ineligible player.

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Southern women start the season with Spring Hill on Saturday before moving on to difficult preconference run

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- A brutal preconference schedule has been a staple of the Sandy Pugh era at Southern, which is now in its 17th year.

Pugh relishes the idea of putting her women's basketball team up against some of the nation’s best programs to prepare the Jaguars for Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

It forces the players to come together and pushes them to their limits so that, when they play teams at their own level, there’s no intimidation or concern about the other side.

The tradition continues in 2016.

Southern travels to Michigan State, No. 9 UCLA, No. 7 Ohio State and Texas A&M, all before Christmas. Pugh will quickly discover what her team is made of.

But before the Jaguars hit the road to East Lansing, Michigan, on Tuesday, they’ll host Division II Spring Hill in their season opener at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

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Southern, Prairie View fighting for position in crucial final month of the season

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- November is a time for movers.

It's the final month of college football’s regular season, and it's the month when the contenders separate themselves from the pack. That much is true Saturday, when SWAC West heavyweights Southern and host Prairie View collide in a matchup of teams with a combined record of 12-1 in league play.

The winner will stay alive in the league championship race, and the loser will face a difficult uphill climb with two weeks left.



Buckle up.

“Your postseason aspirations all depend on how well you play in this month,” said Prairie View coach Willie Simmons, whose Panthers’ lone conference loss came to undefeated Grambling.

If anybody can speak to the importance of playing well in November, it’s Southern coach Dawson Odums.

His Jaguars teams have lost just one November game — last year’s Bayou Classic — since he took over as the full-time coach before the 2013 season. In each of those years, his team had a chance in the SWAC title race, and twice his teams reached the championship game.

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Claflin University Men’s Basketball 2016-17 Preview

Panthers Opens Season Friday at UNC-Wilmington

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- When Ricky Jackson took over the Claflin University men's basketball program three years ago, it provided the veteran coach an opportunity to restore a winning tradition.

Jackson elected to implement a plan centered on building a solid foundation through a yearly process. Each season, the strategy would show signs of improvement, especially in the win column.

"That was our goal," Jackson said. "We wanted to establish a foundation for the future so the program would be competitive year after year."

"We could've taken a different approach and won right away. But the question was, how long would it last? We felt the program needed some type of stability for the future in order to be successful down the road. The goal is to win 20 or more games each season and work toward a championship."

The program is heading in that direction after three years under Jackson's guidance.

After winning just 10-of-29 games the first season the Panthers' win-total increased the following year to 16-13.

Claflin made even more progress last season, finishing with another 16-13 record, but was in the mix for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division. The Panthers finished tied for second place in the division along with Morehouse at 10-8, a game behind champion Benedict.

It was in the conference tournament where the Panthers gained some attention. Jackson's team came within a basket of playing for the SIAC Championship. Claflin took LeMoyne-Owen to the limit in the semifinals before falling 71-70 overtime.

If last season's championship run wasn't enough indication that the program is turning the corner, it received a vote of confidence in SIAC preseason polls. The league head coaches and sports information directors selected Claflin to challenge Benedict for the East Division title. The Panthers received 78 points, two behind preseason favorite Benedict, which collected 80. Claflin also garnered four first-place votes to six for Benedict.

The preseason accolades did not stop there asTop of Form redshirt-sophomore Austin Lawton was named the SIAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He joined senior Ryan McNeill-Moses on the All-Conference team.

"The preseason honors are a testament of how much the program has grown," Jackson said. "A lot can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of our players from the last three seasons.

"This is the first time since I've been here, we've been selected that high (preseason poll) along with two players on the preseason All-Conference team. We welcome the challenge for the upcoming season."

Lawton, the 2015-16 SIAC Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 7.0 rebounds a game last season, which ranked sixth in the conference. The 6-9 center from Eutawville, S.C. also averaged 7.9 points and posted five double-doubles. He led the conference in blocks (2.9 per game), good enough for eighth in the NCAA Division II rankings.

McNeill-Moses, a 6-4 senior forward from Washington, D.C. averaged 9.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and three assists per outing.

In the conference, McNeill-Moses finished the season tied for second in defensive rebounds and fifth in field goal percentages.

Beside Lawton and McNeill-Moses, the Panthers return the catalyst of the team in sophomore point guard Triston Thompson. The 5-9 Washington, D.C. native averaged 5.8 points and dished out 3.6 assists per game.

Also back is senior Trevor Dantzler of Mullins, S.C. The 5-11 shooting guard is top returning three-pointer with 34 three-point field goals.

Leading a group of outstanding newcomers will be three junior transfers: 5-8 guard Tyler Thompson (twin brother of Triston Thompson) and 6-7 forward Awwal Reid from West Virginia State; and Albert Miller, a 5-8 guard, that played at USC-Aiken.

"The upcoming season will be interesting," Jackson said. "We have some productive pieces returning along with a good group of newcomers who should contribute right away.

"We will be bigger this season with some good perimeter shooters and added depth. The key for us will be developing team chemistry during the non-conference portion of our schedule. That will be very important, especially heading into conference play."

Claflin schedule will consist of a visit to NCAA Division I foe UNC-Wilmington of the Colonial Athletic Conference. The contest will be the Panthers' season-opener on Friday, Nov. 11th.

The Panthers will make their home debut Tuesday, Nov. 15, against Francis Marion. Claflin will be at home for six of its next eight games, including homecoming versus Fayetteville State University (Saturday, Nov. 19).

"We've put together a competitive and tough non-conference schedule," Jackson said. "That portion of our schedule will enable us to be mentally challenged by playing in hostile environments on the road and preparing for SIAC play."

Other non-league opponents for the Panthers include Augusta State, St. Augustine's, Limestone and Livingstone and Shaw in the Shaw University Tournament Dec. 28-29 in Raleigh, N.C.

The Panthers opens SIAC competition with three straight home games Central State (Nov. 29), Kentucky State (Dec. 1) and Lane College (Dec. 3).

CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Coppin State Men’s Hoops Battles Hofstra in Season Opener

HEMPSTEAD, New York  –  Coppin State men's basketball heads to Hofstra (Hempstead, N.Y.) on Friday, Nov. 11 for their 2016-17 season opener in the David S. Mack Complex. Game time is 7:00 p.m. (ET).

GAME NOTES VS. HOFSTRA
 
COPPIN STATE AT A GLANCE
Coppin State returns seven players who competed last season, including three of the team's five starters – senior Terry Harris Jr., senior Keith Shivers and junior Blake Simpson. Other prominent contributors back from last season's team are seniors Joshua Treadwell, Izais Hicks and Mufaro Murinda as well as sophomore Lucian Brownlee. Coppin State has added a pair of veteran seniors - Chas Brown and Joseph Gripper – that will bring experience and a winning culture to the Eagles. In all, the roster includes seven seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and three freshmen.
 
SENIOR LEADERS
Terry Harris Jr. and Keith Shivers, a pair of seniors, will look to make Coppin State contenders in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Harris Jr. averaged 12.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in 30 games played last season. He began the 2015-16 season racking up five double-double in five of the Eagles first six contests. In addition he ended last season ranked fifth in rebounding and 21^st in points amongst the conference leaders. Shivers started in 27 games played last season averaging 9.1 points reaching double figure scoring in 12 games. He also ranked second on the team in steals per game (1.1).
 
CRUNCHING NUMBERS
Picked to finish tenth in the MEAC preseason poll, Coppin State returns 54 percent of its total scoring and 59 percent of its rebounding production from 2015-16. The Eagles bring back 42 percent of its assist production from last year. Coppin State's returning players accounted for 57 percent of the team's minutes in 2015-16. Two returning players from last season averaged at least 10.0 points per game a year ago – Harris Jr. (12.4 ppg) and Treadwell (10.1 ppg). Those two players accounted for 58 percent of Coppin State's scoring from last season.
 
WELCOME TO THE EAGLE NEST
The Eagles add six newcomers to mesh with his returners. The Eagles back court will feature a well-seasoned transfer at the lead guard to go along with a pair of first year players. Senior Joseph Gripperbrings leadership and discipline at the point guard position. Joining Gripper is red-shirt freshman Rasool Hinson and freshman Dejuan Clayton. On the wings, junior Tre' Thomas and Juwan Davenport are added while in the paint Chas Brown looks to make an impact.
 
HOMETOWN COOKIN
Coppin State features five players from the state of Maryland on this year's roster. Two are from Baltimore (Chas Brown and Terry Harris Jr.), two are from Bowie (Dejuan Clayton and Tre' Thomas) and one from Upper Marlboro (Keith Shivers). Three of the five transferred from Baltimore City Community College (Chas Brown, Terry Harris Jr., and Tre' Thomas) where they played for head coach Terry Macsko. The trio all played during the 2014-15 season and all averaged above 10.0 points per game.
 
FRESHMAN SHINES ON WASHINGTON CATHOLIC ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TITLE TEAM
Freshman guard Dejuan Clayton played high school basketball at St. John's College High School in Washington, DC. As a senior he started on a team playing in the backcourt with Maryland freshman guard Anthony Cowan leading their team to a 71-57, win over DeMatha in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship. He was also named an honorable mention on the 2016 WCAC All-Conference Boys Team.
 
SEASON OPENERS
Coppin State head coach Michael Grant dropped both of his season openers since his arrival in 2014-15. The Eagles traveled to Oregon in 2014 and suffered a 107-65 loss and then fell 107-80 at Eastern Kentucky in 2015. The last time Coppin State won a season opener was back in the 2011-12 season against Cheyney (80-65) at home. Coach Grant will face Hofstra for the second time on Friday evening in Coppin State's season opener.
 
PRESEASON PROJECTIONS
Coppin State was selected tenth in the preseason MEAC poll, announced on Oct. 27^th by the men's basketball coaches and sports information directors. Howard was picked to finish first, collecting 14 of 25 first-place votes, while South Carolina State was selected second (and secured nine first-place votes). Coppin State was picked to finish tenth in the conference race. The Eagles last won the MEAC regular-season title in 2003-04 along with South  Carolina State.
 
RETURNERS FROM LAST SEASON'S STARTING LINEUP
Terry Harris Jr. – 6-8, 205 – senior, forward – Baltimore, Md. (Baltimore City CC)

• Led the Eagles with 7.2 rebounds, 25 blocks, and eight double-double performances
• Ranked second on the team scoring 12.4 points per contest
• Ranked fifth in MEAC rebounding, sixth in defensive rebounding (5.0), 11th in offensive rebounding (2.2) and 13th in blocked shots (0.8)
• Racked up five double doubles in five of the Eagles first six contests
• Tied the team season high with 27 points against San Francisco

Blake Simpson – 6-7, 230 – junior, forward – Cincinnati, Ohio (LaSalle HS)

• Played in 29 games and started in 25 averaging 2.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.7 blocks per game
• Ranked second on the Eagles in blocked shots with 21 totaled...
• Grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds at Florida A&M, scored a career-high eight points twice (at Bethune-Cookman and vs. South Carolina State) and blocked a career-best four shots vs. South Carolina State.

Keith Shivers – 6-4, 195 – senior, guard – Upper Marlboro, Md. (Paris JC)

• Played in 27 games averaging 9.1 points, 3.7 rebounds while shooting over 40% from the field
• Finished second on the team with 31 steals and third on the team with 11.5 points in MEAC play
• Scored in double figures in five straight games during MEAC action averaging 13.8 points and 5.4 rebounds
• Scored a career best 19 points in the Eagles opening round victory in the 2016 MEAC Tournament over North Carolina A&T.

RETURNING CONTRIBUTORS FROM LAST SEASON
Joshua Treadwell – 6-5, 213 – senior, guard/forward – Newark, N.J. (Essex County CC)

• Played in 31 games averaging 10.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists while shooting over 44% from the field
• Led the Eagles from the field at .441 percent and was second on the squad in both rebounds (4.6) and three-point field goals made (39)
• In the MEAC ranked eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.379), 12th in free throw percentage (.775) and 15th in field goal percentage (.441)
• Scored in double figures 14 times and reached 20+ points in a pair of games
• Top performance was 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists versus Howard.

Izais Hicks – 6-8, 200 – senior, forward – Staten Island, N.Y. (Northwest Tech CC)

• Played in 18 games and started in one game averaging 1.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.3 assists while shooting over 43% from the field
• Scored in nine games including a season-high seven points vs. Morgan State
• Grabbed a season-high five rebounds twice vs. Kansas State and Norfolk State

Lucian Brownlee – 6-2, 165 – sophomore, guard – Lawnside, N.J. (Haddon Heights HS)

• Played in 31 games averaging 4.2 points, 0.9 rebounds, 0.4 assists while shooting over 35% from the field and 76% from the free-throw line
• Scored in double figures twice including a season-high 13 points at Iowa State and then led the Eagles in scoring with 11 points at Fordham

Mufaro Murinda – 6-7, 195 – senior, forward – Pomona, Calif. (Chaffey College)

• Played in 19 games averaging 2.8 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.3 assists while shooting over 82% from the free-throw line
• Exploded for 17 points in a nationally televised game at Norfolk State playing 18 minutes and knocking down 4-of-7 three-pointers.

ABOUT THE PRIDE
Hofstra enters the 2016-17 season under the direction of fourth-year head coach Joe Mihalich. Mihalich has led Hofstra to 44 wins over the past two seasons and the Pride has averaged 18 wins a season over the last three since taking over a program coming off a seven-win campaign. Last year, Hofstra compiled a 24-10 record. Hofstra returns eight players (including two transfers) from last season's 24-win squad, led by returning starters Brian Bernardi and junior Rokas Gustys.
 
YEAR THREE
Michael Grant enters his third season as Coppin State's head coach in 2016-17, his 18^th year as a collegiate head coach. Grant arrived at Coppin State in March 2014 and has led the Eagles to 17 wins in his first two seasons. He has winning records against MEAC foes, Bethune-Cookman (2-1), Delaware State (2-1), Florida A&M (2-0) and North Carolina A&T (2-0). Through two years as the Eagles' head coach, Grant has a 17-45 overall record.
 
ON DECK FOR COPPIN STATE
The Eagles are scheduled to play six games in a 10-day span, beginning with the season opener against Hofstra on Friday, Nov. 11. Following Friday's game against the Pride, Coppin State travels to Valparaiso on Monday, Nov. 14 (7 pm ET). This will be the first ever meeting between the Crusaders and Eagles. Valparaiso enters the 2016-17 season underneath first year head coach Matt Lottich.

COASTAL CAROLINA (Nov. 16): Coppin State's third regular-season showdown comes against the Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, Nov. 16. Game time in the HTC Center is 7 pm (ET). This will be the first ever meeting between the Eagles and Chanticleers.
                
BRIGHAM YOUNG (Nov. 17): The Eagles will face Brigham Young on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 9 pm (ET).



COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

No. 5 Generals march past No. 25 Gold Rush, 87-70

NEW ORLEANS — Brian Sylvester,, Brandon Ellis and Jordin Williams scored 13 points apiece Wednesday to lead LSU-Alexandria to an 87-70 victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I men's basketball teams.
     
The Generals (3-0), ranked fifth, led by double digits for the final 26 minutes.
     
LSUA had five double-figure scorers. Brandon Moss scored 12 points, and Hayward Register had 11. Sylvester blocked five shots, and Moss and Gilbert Talbot grabbed eight rebounds apiece.
     
Jalen David scored 22 points and Mike Williams 15, both career highs, for the 25th-ranked Gold Rush (1-2).
     
LSUA, which never trailed, did not allow a point the first 5:45 and led 49-22 at halftime. A Moss basket with 9:25 remaining gave the Generals their biggest lead, 71-36.
     
XULA, with David notching 12 points and Innocent Kukulu eight, outscored LSUA 48-38 in the second half — 34-16 in the final 8 1/2 minutes.
     
The Generals outshot XULA 47.3 to 41 percent from the floor and made 25-of-28 free throws to XULA's 15-of-20. LSUA had 22 assists on 26 baskets.
     
It was the first meeting between the schools. LSUA is a third-year program which was ranked No. 1 in the NAIA for five consecutive weeks last season. The teams will meet again Nov. 29 at LSUA.
     
XULA will visit Jackson State of NCAA Division I at 12:15 p.m. Friday — it will be an exhibition for the Gold Rush and the regular-season opener for the Tigers — then visit NAIA No. 10 William Carey at 6 p.m. Saturday. The next Gold Rush home game will start at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday against city rival Loyola.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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