N.C.A&T Aggies' linemen will challenge Spiders, believes NSU coach Latrell Scott

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Latrell Scott may be as qualified as anyone to break down Saturday’s Richmond-North Carolina A&T 2 p.m. encounter in the first round of the FCS playoffs at Robins Stadium. He projects a very competitive game.

Scott, UR’s coach in 2010, is Norfolk State’s coach and his Spartans played the Spiders and Aggies this season. NSU lost 34-0 at Richmond on Sept. 10 and 35-0 at N.C. A&T on Oct. 6. Teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, to which N.C. A&T and NSU belong, have lost 18 consecutive FCS tournament games and are 6-23 in the playoffs.

But Scott said he sees the Aggies (9-2) as “one of the few teams in (the MEAC) that’s built” to compete with a CAA playoff opponent. That’s the case because of the size and talent of N.C. A&T’s linemen, according to Scott. Scott believes the Aggies will make running difficult for Richmond (8-3), and may be able to create space for 5-foot-6 Tarik Cohen, who averages 138 rushing yards (third in the FCS) and 7.63 yards per carry (second in the FCS).

“When you get these (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) teams versus CAA teams, the game is usually lost up front,” said Scott, a Lee-Davis High grad. “I think (N.C. A&T’s linemen) are good enough to manage. I think Richmond has got its hands full. (The Aggies) are a lot like Richmond. They ought to be able to match up with Richmond up front.”

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Kentucky State Volleyball selected to the NCAA Tournament for a Second Consecutive Season

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- Kentucky State University volleyball will head into the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship for the third time in four years, as announced on Monday evening.

The Thorobrettes (22-17) ran through the SIAC schedule and the championship tournament from Nov. 16-18 to a 13-4 conference record. KSU has been a dominating squad within the SIAC, claiming three of the last four conference tournaments, accumulating a .887 winning percentage during the four-year run.

Despite the impressive stretch, the KSU has yet to win a NCAA DII tournament contest.

KSU enters the tournament as a No. 8 seed and will take on a familiar foe in Palm Beach Atlantic (28-3). The Sailfish will host the South Regional bracket for the second straight season, and it will be the second consecutive season KSU will take on PBA in the opening round.

After defeating the Thorobrettes in 2015, the Sailfish went on to a historic run to the NCAA DII Championship match, where they fell 3-0 to Wheeling Jesuit (25-22, 26-24, 26-24).

The opening match between the Thorobrettes and Sailfish will take place on Dec. 1 in the Rubin Arena; a start time has not been announced at this time.

NCAA BRACKET

KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Core of WSSU team will be back next season

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Built to last.

That’s a good way of describing what’s ahead for the Winston-Salem State football program.

The Rams, who lost on Saturday 48-41 to Long Island Post in the first round of the Division II playoffs, made tremendous progress this season. After the Rams’ 6-5 season in 2015, there weren’t a lot of people expecting the Rams to make it to the Division II playoffs.

Three weeks into the season, the Rams were 1-2 heading into CIAA play but a remarkable turnaround took place as they ran off eight straight wins to capture their second straight CIAA championship. And a bonus was getting a bid to the D-II playoffs for the first time under head coach Kienus Boulware.

Boulware, who has been with the Rams since 2010, has been the head coach for three seasons. The luxury for Boulware heading into next season is strength in numbers at key positions.

The Rams will lose four starters from this season to exhausted eligibility. The biggest loss will be All-CIAA punter/placekicker Will Johnson, a four-year starter. Another loss will be tight end Demeeko Jones, who was also the long snapper on punts and field-goal attempts.

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ESPN3: Alabama State Hornets at Kennesaw State Owls

Tuesday, November 22
6 p.m. – Kennesaw State vs. Alabama State

Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | KSU Convocation Center
Links: Live Stats | ESPN3 | Game Notes
Social Media: Twitter | Facebook

Game Preview
After playing two tough games on the road, Kennesaw State men's basketball team will be back in the friendly confines of the KSU Convocation Center for two games the week of Thanksgiving. The first home game is against Alabama State on Tuesday, November 22 at 6 p.m. It is the first meeting between the two teams since 2010.
 
Lou Henson Preseason Watch List
After being named to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference team, Kendrick Ray was selected to the Lou Henson Preseason Watch List. Ray led the conference in scoring in league play a season ago averaging 21.0 points per game and was named Newcomer of the Year. The Lou Henson award goes to the nation's top mid-major player in the country.
 
Comeback Time
The Owls fell behind 21 points in their home opener against Brewton Parker before making a huge comeback in front of their home crowd to secure their first victory of the season.
 
Dating back to the 2009-10 season, Kennesaw State has made seven comebacks when facing a double-digit deficit. The largest comeback the Owls had made prior to the Brewton Parker game was 16 points against Texas A&M Corpus Christi in 2011.
 
Second in the Nation in Rebounds
Aubrey Williams is second in the nation in rebounds per game with 14.5 and second in the nation with 58 rebounds so far this season. In the last three games alone, he has averaged 16.7 after pulling down 20 rebounds against Brewton Parker and then securing 15 rebounds against Bethune-Cookman and UMBC.
 
The redshirt senior is averaging a double-double as well with 13.5 points per game. He's the third Owl player to be averaging in double figures this season.
 
Masterson of the Three
Junior Nick Masterson's hard work this offseason paid off as he is shooting 48.9 percent from the floor and is the second leading scorer averaging 15.5 per game. The junior shooting guard has made 14 of the team's 23 three-pointers this season. He started the season went 11-16 from the field while setting a new career high with 29 points in the team's opening game against Iowa. He was 7-10 from behind the arc tying a Kennesaw State single-game record.
 
Coming into the season, Masterson had seven games in double figures in his career. This season, he has scored in double figures in three of the four games.
 
Post Play Getting it Done
The Owls outscored Bethune-Cookman 42-26 in the paint led by Williams, Johannes Nielsen and Jordan Jones. Combined, those three went 18-21 from the floor.
 
KSU has out rebounded all four of its opponents this season. In two of the games, the margin has been by more than 10 rebounds.
 
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State men's basketball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsMBB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.

KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

TSU's Dunker, Robinson Accept Invites to Reese's Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Alabama -- Seniors Jessamen Dunker and Ezra Robinson have officially accepted their invitations to participate in the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl. The nation’s premier all-star game is set for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. and will be televised on the NFL Network.

Dunker, who was named to the Watch List in late August, is an offensive lineman from Boynton Beach, Fla., who started in 40 games over his career, including 10 this season. Dunker moved from guard to left tackle for the 2016 campaign and anchored the offensive line for the top scoring team in the OVC, which averaged 32.3 points per game. Dunker and his line mates powered an offense that generated 415.1 yards per game and topped the Ohio Valley Conference at 6.6 yards per play. Dunker and the Big Blue line allowed the least amount of sacks in the OVC (14).

Robinson was not on the initial Watch List, but was added for consideration during his stellar senior campaign. Robinson capped of his career at TSU with his fifth interception of the year on the final play of the season finale at Southeast Missouri. The cornerback started all 11 games for the Tigers in 2016 and compiled 42 tackles, 31 solo and had eight pass breakups. Robinson also recovered a fumble and was the only player in the OVC to return two interceptions for touchdowns and tied for second in the FCS. The Sarasota, Fla. native earned adidas OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his play versus Eastern Kentucky (10/16).

The two selections give Tennessee State four over the last four seasons and five since 2008. Robert Myers and Kadeem Edwards were the last two linemen at the Senior Bowl for TSU. Myers was selected in 2015 while Edwards played in 2014. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was the last Tiger cornerback to participate when he accepted an invitation in 2008.

Dunker and Robinson bring the TSU total of participants to 27, which is the largest amount of any non-FBS program in the country. The Tigers outdistance all other HBCU institutions, just ahead of Jackson State (21) and Grambling (17).

The selections are also, at this time, the first two player invitees from an OVC school in the same season. In all, the conference opponents have sent 15 representatives over the years, led by Eastern Kentucky with five, followed by Jacksonville State and UT Martin with three each. Since joining the conference, TSU has sent nine players.

This also marks the first time TSU has sent two in the same season since 1978 when defensive linemen Sylvester Hicks and Stan Johnson went to Mobile. In 1973, wide receiver Ollie Smith and offensive lineman Robert Woods were the first Tiger duo to play together. The following year, TSU sent its largest group to Mobile as linebacker Waymond Bryant, wide receiver John Holland and defensive lineman Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones played in the game.

The list of accepted invites has risen to 29 and will reach 110 seniors during the upcoming weeks. Practices will be broadcasted live on ESPN2 and the NFL Network beginning on Jan. 23.

List of All TSU Tigers at the Senior Bowl
1967 - Bill Tucker, B
1968 - Claude Humphrey, DL
1969 - James Marsalis, DB
1971 - Vern Holland, OL
1972 - Cliff Brooks, DB
1973 - Ollie Smith, WR and Robert Woods, OL
1974 - Waymond Bryant, LB, John Holland, WR and Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones, DL
1976 - Larry Dorsey, WR and Mike Hegman, LB
1977 - Oliver Davis, DB
1978 - Sylvester Hicks, DL and Stan Johnson, DL
1979 - Dwight Wheeler, OL
1980 - McDonald Oden, TE
1982 - Donald Laster, OL
1993 - Patrick Robinson, WR
1994 - Randy Fuller, DB
2000 - Michael Thompson, OL
2001 - Ligarius Jennings, DB
2008 - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DB
2014 - Kadeem Edwards, OL
2015 - Robert Myers, OL
2016 – Jessamen Dunker, OL and Ezra Robinson, CB

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Nine Tennessee State Tigers Selected All-OVC

BRENTWOOD, Tennessee -- Tennessee State placed nine players on the 2016 All-Ohio Valley Conference Football Team as announced by the OVC office on Tuesday. Six Tigers were named first team, two on the second team and two were selected to the All-Newcomer Team.

Offensive Tackle Jessamen Dunker, wide receiver Patrick Smith, defensive end Ebo Ogundeko, cornerback Ezra Robinson, kicker Lane Clark and return specialist Chris Rowland earned first team honors, while offensive guard Kevin Kenton and linebacker Chris Collins were named second team. Wide receiver Steven Newbold joined Rowland on the All-Newcomer squad.

Dunker and Kenton anchored the offensive line for the top scoring team in the OVC, which averaged 32.3 points per game. The two seniors powered an offense that generated 415.1 yards per game and topped the OVC at 6.6 yards per play. The front five allowed the least amount of sacks in the OVC (14). Dunker, a second team All-OVC selection a year ago, played in 11 games, starting 10, while Kenton started all 11 contests. Dunker has accepted an invitation to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Smith led all OVC receivers with 13 Touchdowns, 78 Points and in points per game (7.1). His total touchdowns were fifth best in the FCS and tied for the seventh most in the OVC in a single season. The junior finished with, 61 catches for 966 yards (15.8 ypc) and averaged 87.8 yards per game. Smith amassed 16 plays over 20 yards and four over 40, including a 93-yard scoring play from Ronald Butler versus Vanderbilt (the second longest in TSU history). Smith was a second team selection in 2015 and earned OVC Player of the Week honors for his play at Vanderbilt (10/22).

Ogundeko snared his second straight first team selection, despite missing three games and playing sparingly in three others due to injury. The junior led all conference defensive linemen with 25 solo tackles despite playing in just eight games. Ogundeko also finished in the top three in tackles (48), tackles for loss (11.0) and sacks (5.5). The defensive end added a pass breakup, five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick to his resume for the season. Ogundeko was an OVC Defensive Player of the Week winner after the first week of the season (9/11).

Robinson started all 11 games for the Tigers in 2016 and compiled 42 tackles, 31 solo, five interceptions and eight pass breakups. Robinson also recovered a fumble and was the only player in the OVC to return two interceptions for touchdowns, tying for second in the FCS. The senior earned adidas OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his play versus Eastern Kentucky (10/16). Along with Dunker, Robinson has accepted an invitation to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Clark became the first kicker at TSU to be named to the All-OVC First Team. Clark led the OVC in scoring with 89 points and 8.1 points per game. He was one of three players in the four levels of NCAA to kick at least four field goals of over 50 yards. Clark also had five field goals ranging in the 40’s. No other kicker in the OVC attempted more than eight kicks this season from 40-Plus, one less than the nine Clark made from that distance. The junior made kicks from 44, 46, two from 47, 49, 52, 54, 55 and a school record 57 (also the longest in the OVC over the past 15 years). Clark accounted for four of the five longest distances in the FCS this season. Clark finished the season making 17-of-25 FG’s (68.0%) and 38-of-42 PAT’s. Clark was named OVC Specialist of the Week on two separate occasions this season (10/2, 11/19).

Rowland was one of only two freshmen to make the first team this season, along with OVC Freshman of the Year Marlon Bridges from Jacksonville State. Rowland led the nation in Combined Return Yards with 1,103 yards and finished third in the OVC in All-Purpose yards. The first-year returned 42 returns kickoffs for 993 yards (23.6 ypr) with a long of 66 to go along with 13 punt returns for 111 yards (8.5 ypr) and a long of 20. Offensively, Rowland caught 16 passes for 236 yards and rushed 14 times for 57 yards.

Collins started all 11 games for the Tigers and collected 87 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups, three quarterback hurries and forced a fumble. Collins also registered 59 solo tackles which led the OVC and is 22nd in FCS averaging 5.3 solo tackles per game. The junior captained the defense and helped TSU to a 7-4 record.

Newbold concluded an explosive rookie campaign, which included an OVC Newcomer of the Week honor for his play at Eastern Illinois (10/9). The true freshman totaled 16 plays over 20 yards and added three more of 40 yards or more, highlighted by a 71 yard touchdown reception at Bethune-Cookman. Newbold finished 14th in the nation with 19.1 yards per reception and was the top freshman receiver in the conference in receptions (41), yards (784) and touchdowns (6).

The nine selections were the most since 2013 when TSU put 12 members on the team.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

San Diego Toreros host Bethune Cookman on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

USDvsBethuneCookman 

GAME #5: The USD Toreros (1-3) play host to the Bethune Cookman Wildcats (2-2) on Tuesday, November 22nd. Game time is 7:05 p.m. at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. This is the third of four games that fall under the umbrella of the San Diego Classic.

SERIES RECORD: This is the first meeting between USD and Bethune Cookman.

RADIO/TV: All USD home and away games will be broadcast on ESPN 1700AM with Jack Cronin (3rd season) bringing you all the action; his pre-game show airs 15 minutes prior to tip-off. The game will be streamed on TheW.tv. (The West Coast Conference TV)

WCC STANDINGS (thru Nov. 20): BYU (3-0), #11 Gonzaga (3-0), Pepperdine (3-0), Portland (3-0), #15 Saint Mary's (3-0), San Francisco (2-0), Santa Clara (2-2), LMU (1-2), Pacific (1-2), San Diego (1-3).

WCC COACHES PRESEASON POLL: The Toreros were picked 10th in the 2016-17 WCC Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches Poll... Team (First Place Vote) - 1. Gonzaga (7), 79 points; 2. Saint Mary's (3), 75 points; 3. BYU, 65 points; 4. Pepperdine, 53 points; 5. Santa Clara, 49 points; 6. Loyola Marymount, 34 points; 7. Pacific, 29 points; 7. Portland, 28 points; 9. San Francisco, 27 points; 10. San Diego, 11 points.

COACH SMITH (2ND YEAR): Coach Lamont Smith (San Diego, 1998) enters his second year at the helm of the Torero basketball program... Last year he guided the Toreros to a 9-21 record that included a 53-48 win over SDSU at Petco Park, and WCC sweep of Portland... Prior to USD he was at the University of New Mexico where he was the Associate Head Coach... Prior to UNM he spent time at Washington, Arizona State, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's College and Saint Louis University... Smith returns to USD where he was a member of the men's basketball team from 1994-99... He started all 27 games his senior year in 1998-99 for the 18-9 Toreros... He was named the Toreros' Defensive Player of the Year in 1997 and 1999 and served as the team captain from 1997-99... Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of San Diego in 1998... Lamont and his wife Kimberly have two daughters -- Payton and Olivia.

TOREROS EARN 81-72 WIN OVER NICHOLLS STATE: The USD Toreros used a strong second half to pull away from the Nicholls State Colonels in earning the team's first victory of the 2016-17 campaign with an 81-72 final score... Sophomore guard Olin Carter III netted a new career-high with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting (4-6 in threes), and was followed in the double-digit column by senior Brett Bailey (19 points), freshman Juwan Gray (14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals) and junior forward Cameron Neubauer (13 points)... The Toreros got off to a slow start against the Colonels as they found themselves down 8-2 out of the gate and then 13-4 before they started chipping away... By halftime USD held a slim 36-35 advantage... Over the final 20 minutes of action the Toreros shot 50% from the field (13-26), converted 15-18 free throws (83.3%), and outrebounded the Colonels 21-14... Freshman Juwan Gray scored 12 of his career-high 14 points in 17 minutes of action during the second half... Carter and Bailey each scored 12 points in the second half... Sophomore Tyler Williams grabbed a team-high 9 rebounds... For the game the Toreros canned 10-of-20 from beyond the arc.

TORERO TIDBITS:
* Senior Brett Bailey has put together strong back-to-back performances against UCLA (22 points, 9 rebounds) and Nicholls State (19 points, 4 rebounds)... Combined he has averaged 20.5 ppg and converted 48.1% from the field (13-27), 77.7% beyond the arc (7-9) and 80.0% from the charity stripe (8-10). During this two-game stretch he is followed by Olin Carter III (17.0 ppg) and Cameron Neubauer (13.5 ppg).

* USD is one of the youngest basketball teams in the NCAA Division I ranks this season with just two upperclassmen - senior forward Brett Bailey (Spokane, Washington) and junior forward Cameron Neubauer (Berlin, Germany).

* USD will miss the services of graduated seniors Duda Sanadze (12.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and Jito Kok (USD career leader with 269 blocked shots). Guards Vasa Pusica (8.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and Marcus Harris (6.6 ppg) both transferred out. Pusica ended up at Northeastern, while Harris landed at Sam Houston State.

* David Fizdale, a 1996 graduate of the University of San Diego, was officially introduced on May 29th as the new head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies. Fizdale played at USD from 1992-96 and following an internship with the Miami Heat video staff in 1997-98, returned to USD as an assistant coach for the Torero men’s basketball program from 1998-2002. Fizdale, 41, becomes the fifth former Torero basketball player to be named an NBA head coach. He follows in the footsteps of Bernie Bickerstaff (Seattle, Denver, Washington, Charlotte, and Los Angeles - interim), Eric Musselman (Golden State & Sacramento), Mike Brown (Cleveland & Los Angeles) and James Borrego (Orlando - interim).

SCOUTING THE BETHUNE COOKMAN WILDCATS: The Bethune Cookman Wildcats are from Daytona Beach, Florida... A member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), they bring a record of 2-2 to the Jenny Craig Pavilion... They opened the season with a 100-53 loss at St. John's, then followed up with wins over Kennesaw State (75-72) and Trinity- Florida (82-52)... On Sunday they dropped an 89-73 decision at New Mexico State (NMSU is USD's next opponent this coming Saturday)... Against the Aggies on Sunday, Bethune Cookman was paced by junior forward Brandon Tabb (26 points, 6 rebounds) and junior point guard Jeffrey Altidort off the bench with 19 points... Through four games the Wildcats are led by Tabb (18.5 ppg), RS-senior guard Reggie Baker (14.5 ppg) and senior guard Diamante Lewis (10.5 ppg)... Head Coach Gravelle Craig is in his 6th season at the helm and owns a career mark of 66-103.

UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

North Carolina A&T Aggies at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — WKU Hilltopper Basketball returns home after its first road trip to host North Carolina A&T at 7 p.m. CT Tuesday in the 34th Annual BB&T Classic at E.A. Diddle Arena.

The Hilltoppers (2-1) are coming off a 90-69 loss at Belmont in the first road game under first-year head coach Rick Stansbury. Belmont made 16 3-pointers to run past the Hilltoppers, who led by 11 at one point in the first half.

North Carolina A&T has lost two games in a row to East Carolina and Grambling State after opening the season with a victory over Greensboro College. The Aggies (1-2) are led by junior forward Davaris McGowens, who averages 15 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.


This is the first time WKU has ever faced North Carolina A&T. Stansbury is 1-0 all-time against the Aggies.

WKU Notes

GAME 4

WKU (2-1) vs. North Carolina A&T (1-2)
November 22, 2016 | 7 p.m. (CT)
Bowling Green, Ky. | E.A. Diddle Arena (7,326)

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BROADCAST

Listen: Hilltopper IMG Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship), TuneIn Radio (free) (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)
Watch: Fox College Sports, WKU PBS (Bowling Green), WBNA (Louisville)
Live Stats: Gametracker

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QUICK SHOTS

• After Tuesday’s game, WKU will not play at home for almost a full calendar month. The Hilltoppers play seven straight games on the road or at neutral sites before returning to host Ohio on Dec. 21.
• WKU is 51-15 (.773) at E.A. Diddle Arena over the last four-plus seasons after going 27-17 (.614) in the three seasons prior. The Hilltoppers are 575-162 all-time at Diddle Arena for a .780 winning percentage.
• The Hilltoppers have won 11 straight nonconference home games dating back to a loss to fourth-ranked Louisville on Dec. 20, 2014.
• The Hilltoppers have drawn at least 4,149 fans in each of their first two home games. They drew a larger crowd just three times all of last season.
• The Hilltoppers started guards Junior Lomomba, Pancake Thomas and Que Johnsonalongside forwards Justin Johnson and Ben Lawson in each of their first three games.
• WKU ranks seventh in the country in 3-point percentage (.462) and 54th in free-throw percentage (.759).
• WKU has made at least one 3-pointer in 909 consecutive games, dating back to March 15, 1987. The 3-point shot was instituted prior to the 1986-87 season.
• Junior Justin Johnson has made 5 of 8 shots from 3-point range in his last two games after netting just one 3-pointer over his first two seasons.
• Graduate senior Pancake Thomas has scored 31 of his 37 total points through three games this season in the second half.
• Pancake Thomas and graduate senior Junior Lomomba are a combined 25 of 26 from the free-throw line. WKU’s guards are a combined 30 of 33 (.909) from the charity stripe.
• Pancake Thomas played in his 100th career game at Belmont. Junior Lomomba (94) and graduate senior Que Johnson (96) are also nearing the 100-game milestone.
• Junior Justin Johnson needs 301 points this season to become the 49th player in Hilltopper Basketball history to score 1,000 career points.
• Graduate senior Que Johnson needs 121 points to reach 1,000 for his career across his time at Washington State and WKU. Pancake Thomas needs 226 points to reach 1,000 for his career across his time at New Mexico, Hartford and WKU.
• Senior Ben Lawson ranks fifth in WKU history with 134 career blocked shots. His 66 blocks in 2015-16 were the seventh-most in a season in Hilltopper history. Lawson joins Jeremy Evans, Elgrace Wilborn and Chris Marcus as Hilltoppers with at least 50 blocks in multiple seasons.
• Head coach Rick Stansbury needs five more wins to reach 300 victories for his career.
• Rick Stansbury is the first Hilltopper coach to start his first season 2-0 since Murray Arnold in the 1986-87 campaign, and just the third since 1922, joining Arnold and E.A. Diddle.

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PROMOTIONS

WKU Faculty/Staff Night: Faculty/staff receive two complimentary reserved seat tickets for the game at the WKU Box Office in Diddle Arena prior to gameday. Must show valid WKU ID. Offer not valid on gameday.
Mister B’s Weekday Two-Pack: Two tickets to the game and a small pizza for $25. Offer valid online and at the Diddle Box Office (while supplies last). 
Big Red’s Rascals Night: All members of Big Red’s Rascals will receive a complimentary reserved ticket for them and a friend to the game, and all other friends and family may purchase additional tickets for just $5 apiece.

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TICKETS

WKU Ticket Office: Online at WKUTickets.com, in person at E.A. Diddle Arena, via phone at 1-800-5-BIG Red or 745-5222 locally.

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MED CENTER HEALTH

The 2016-17 WKU Basketball season is presented by Med Center Health. With The Medical Center at its core, Med Center Health has served Southcentral Kentucky for 90 years, and its system of care includes six acute care hospitals, a complete network of immediate to emergency services and services in dozens of specialties. Whether it is emergency treatment for heart attack victims or preventative programs to improve the health of the communities it serves, Med Center Health is committed to providing the highest level of care and service.

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How to follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Basketball, follow the team's social media channels, @WKUBasketball on Twitter, @WKUBasketball on Instagram, and WKU Basketball on Facebook.

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Gameday: South Carolina State Bulldogs at Syracuse Orange

Syracuse vs. South Carolina State
Game Details	Tuesday, Nov. 22 | Syracuse, N.Y. | 7:00 p.m. Carrier Dome
Game Coverage	Television: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel Live Video: ACC Network Extra | Live Stats Radio: Syracuse IMG Network | Audio Twitter: @Cuse | @Cuse_MBB Instagram: @cusepics | @cuse_mbb
Syracuse Links	News | Roster | Schedule | Notes
South Carolina St. Links	News | Roster | Schedule | Notes

SYRACUSE, New York -- Syracuse returns to the court on Tuesday, Nov. 22 when it hosts South Carolina State as part of the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational. Opening tip is set for 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.

Tickets for the game can be purchased online at Cuse.com, by phone at 1-888-DOME-TIX or in person at Gate B at the Carrier Dome. Fans can watch the game live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel throughout New York State and on ACC Network Extra.

FOR STARTERS

• Syracuse defeated Monmouth, 71-50, last Friday night to improve its record to 3-0.
• The Orange remained at No. 18 in this week's AP poll and moved up two spots to No. 16 in the USA Today/Coaches poll.
• Sophomore Frank Howard ranks second in the ACC in assists, while graduate student John Gillon is fourth. Howard is also tied for fourth in the league in steals.

DOWNING OF THE HAWKS

• Graduate student Andrew White III led the Orange with 18 points in their win against Monmouth. He also added six rebounds, four assists and two steals. White leads the Orange and ranks eighth in the ACC in scoring, averaging 18.0 points per game.
• Freshman Taurean Thompson came off the bench to contribute 12 points in the win. He was 5-for-6 from the field and 2-for-3 from the free throw line.
• As a team, Syracuse shot 42.4 percent (25-for-59) from the floor against the Hawks. The Orange were especially accurate in the first half, when they were 14-for-28 (50 percent) from the floor, including 5-for-13 (38.5 percent) from three-point range.

READY FOR A BULLDOG FIGHT

• Tuesday's game will be the first meeting between Syracuse and South Carolina State.
• The Bulldogs are 1-2 this season. South Carolina State opened the season with an 85-39 loss to rv/rv Wichita State before defeating St. Andrews, 93-76. The Bulldogs lost to South Carolina, 92-50, last Friday.
• Eric Eaves leads South Carolina State in scoring. He averages 15.3 points per game. Greg Mortimer also averages double figures in scoring with a 12.3 points-per-game average.
• The Bulldogs were picked to finish second in the MEAC this season in a preseason vote by the league's head coaches. In addition, Eaves and Ed Stephens were chosen to the All-MEAC Preseason Team.
• Murray Garvin is in his fourth season at the helm of the South Carolina State program. He was the MEAC and NABC District 15 Coach of the Year last season when he led the Bulldogs to their best regular-season finish since 2005.

ON THE ORANGE HORIZON
Syracuse goes on the road for the first time for the finale of the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational against South Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Gameday: ECU Continues Savannah Invitational Play vs. FAMU

Game 5: East Carolina vs. Florida A&M
Date	Tuesday, November 22
Time	7 p.m. (ET)
Location	Greenville, N.C. (Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum)
Coverage	Live Stats \\\ Watch Live \\\ Listen Live
Game Notes	East Carolina \\\ Florida A&M
Social Media	Twitter: @ECUScoreboard \\\ @ECUPirateHoops

East Carolina men's basketball looks to continue its winning ways at home Tuesday when it host Florida A&M in its second game of the Savannah Invitational, before heading to Georgia for bracket play this weekend.

The Pirates have won 15 straight non-conference home games dating back to 2014 and are hoping for a history making 16th consecutive victory that would make coach Jeff Lebo the winningest coach in the program's Division I era (since 1965).

Lebo, now in his seventh season with the Pirates, is one of just three coaches to win more than 100 games at ECU and a victory over Florida A&M would move him past former coach Tom Quinn for the most wins since joining the upper echelon of the NCAA.

East Carolina had four players score double figures Sunday in its 23-point win over Stetson. Caleb Whiteled the Pirates with 22 points, while Andre Washington added 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Clarence Williams (13) and Kentrell Barkley (11) also grabbed double digit boards en route to a 63-38 rebounding margin.

White (18.3), Tyson (12.8), Barkley (10.5) and Washington (10.5) are all averaging double figures scoring through four games.

Florida A&M is coming off an 87-62 loss to Air Force in Colorado Springs Sunday. The Rattlers won both of their home games against non-Division I opponents, but are 0-2 on the road versus Division I squads as they also lost to USF in their season opener, 84-73. Craig Bowman leads the Rattlers with 14.3 points per game.

The addition of 7-foot-1 center Andre Washington has allowed the Pirates the freedom to extend their perimeter defense, knowing Washington, 6-10 junior college transfer Jabari Craig or 6-10 redshirt freshman Deng Riak will be protecting the rim should an opponent get into the lane. Offensively, Washington and his fellow big men free up ECU’s attack by providing post threats that were sorely missing from last season’s injury-depleted squad.

NEWS AND NOTES

• East Carolina and Florida A&M are meeting in Greenville for the second time in three years, but just the third time overall. The Pirates won the previous meeting 75-57 behind 19 points from Caleb White, 14 from Michel Nzege and 11 from B.J. Tyson.
• ECU is looking to extend its non-conference home winning streak to 16 games. It's last non-conference home loss was Nov. 16, 2014 to UNC Asheville (79-83).
• Graduate transfer Andre Washington was named to The American Weekly Honor Roll on Monday after scoring 21 points and grabbing 16 rebounds Sunday against Stetson. He became the first Pirate since 2006 to have 20 points and 15 rebounds in the same game.
• Washington was one of three Pirates to grab double digit rebounds against the Hatters Sunday. Clarence Williams nabbed a career-high 13 boards and Kentrell Barkley pulled down 11. It was the first time since 2004 that a trio of ECU players turned that trick.
• The Pirates collected 63 rebounds Sunday, their most under coach Jeff Lebo and most since grabbing an ECU record 71 against USF during the 2002-03 season.
• Florida A&M is ECU's third HBCU opponent of the season. The Pirates defeated Grambling State to open the season and then took down N.C. A&T the following game. They will also host HBCU foes Hampton and N.C. Central upon their return from Georgia.
• ECU has held three of its first four opponents under 60 points, all at home. In eight halves of basketball this season, ECU has held its opponent to less than 30 points seven times.
• The Pirates have 24 blocks and 24 steals through the first four games. While they did have 20 steals after four games last season, they didn't record their 24th block until game 10.
• ECU has forced its opponents to shoot under 35 percent from the floor in six halves this season, including four halves under 30 percent. Stetson was 6-for-37 (.162) in the second half Sunday after shooting 8-of-32 (.250 in the first half. N.C. A&T shot just 25.9 percent in the first half and Charlotte made just 29.4 percent of its first half field goal attempts.
• After four games, East Carolina holds a +12.8 rebounding margin over its opponents. It has out-rebounded each opponent of its first four opponents with a high margin of 25 (63-38) against Stetson.
  
  

COURTESY Reflector.com

EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TV: CSN - Hampton at Richmond basketball preview

HAMPTON AT RICHMOND

When: Noon 

Where: Robins Center (7,201) TV: CSN

Radio: WXGI (950), WBBT (107.3)

Records: HU 1-2; UR 2-1

Notable: This the second game of the Barclays Center Classic for both the Spiders and the Pirates. UR defeated Robert Morris 81-69 in the first round Sunday, when HU lost 89-67 at Kansas State. ... The Pirates have been to two consecutive NCAA tournaments after winning MEAC titles under eighth-year coach Ed Joyner. They are picked third in the MEAC and led by freshman guard Jermaine Marrow (13 ppg) and sophomore guard Kalin Fisher (10 ppg). ... 

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ESPN3: Grambling State at No. 7 Virginia preview

GRAMBLING STATE AT NO. 7 VIRGINIA

When: 7 p.m. 
Where: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville (14,593)
Online: ESPN3.com 
Radio: WRVA (1140) 
Records: GSU 1-2; U.Va. 3-0

Notable: These teams haven’t met since a 112-67 win by the Cavaliers on Dec. 30, 2001, also in Charlottesville. U.Va. is 2-0 all-time against teams from the SWAC. ... The Cavaliers have won 22 consecutive games at John Paul Jones Arena, the sixth-longest current streak in the nation among Division I teams. Virginia is 140-36 (.795) in 11 seasons at JPJ.... Tony Bennett’s club leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 40.3 points per game.

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