Bayou Classic: Turnovers pivotal as Southern stumbles, Grambling pulls ahead

NEW ORLEANS -- Southern's defense has produced a plethora of turnovers this season, but a relentless Grambling offense helped turn the tables Saturday in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Jaguars, who had feasted on turnovers to the tune of a plus-17 turnover margin, were thrown off by an early pair of their own unforced mistakes. The turnovers helped morph a game expected to be a memorable Bayou Classic into one Southern would prefer to forget.

Southern had a chance to go into halftime with the lead, but a fumble and an interception set the table for Grambling to run up a 52-30 win. It was the most points Grambling has scored on Southern since a 55-20 win in 1977.

“It's one or two plays in the football game (that make the difference), the momentum swung from that moment forward,” Southern coach Dawson Odums said. “We talked about that all week: You’ve got to protect the football.”

The first turnover came with five minutes left in the first quarter and Southern trailing 7-6. The Jaguars were in the process of finishing a 12-play, 88-yard drive that could have given them the lead, but ball-handling problems changed that.

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Bayou Classic notebook: No safety nets, Willie Quinn falls short of 1,000 and the Lenard Tillery era comes to a close

NEW ORLEANS -- Southern’s tight ends had been one of quarterback Austin Howard’s favorite targets all season.

Whenever Howard needed a quick outlet under pressure, Dillon Beard or Austin Opara or even freshman Jeremias Houston were always a safe option to dump the ball off.

Not Saturday.

Grambling clamped down on Howard’s safety nets all night in the Bayou Classic, limiting his targeting of tight ends to just five of his 44 attempts.

All of the targets went to Beard, who reeled in three receptions for 36 yards, all of which came in the second half.

Quinn falls short
One of Southern’s most prolific careers ended without a 1,000-yard season.

Senior receiver Willie Quinn fell 45 yards short of one of the few milestones to elude him the past four years after gaining 60 yards on six receptions Saturday.

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2016 Bayou Classic: Grambling's 'dominant' offensive performance sinks Southern, 52-30

NEW ORLEANS -- Grambling went into Saturday's 43rd annual Bayou Classic with the reputation as the best offense in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and it did everything it needed to to live up to that title.

The Tigers clinched a spot in next week's SWAC title game against two-time defending conference champion Alcorn State by racking up 571 yards of total offense on the way to a 52-30 win over Southern. But what made their performance so special was how they went about doing it.



Grambling came in with the reputation as an explosive passing offense, but it took over Saturday's game by pounding Southern's defense with the running game and it eventually paid off in the second half.

"We did a really good job of running the football," said Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs. "We saw some things from the way they were lining up in the first half and we were able to take advantage of it. We did a good job of running the football with (running backs) Martez Carter and Jestin Kelly and all those guys did an exceptional job of getting the ball into the endzone.

"We have a lot of exceptional athletes and they were on display tonight."

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Darrell Walker brings NBA experience and new attitude to Clark Atlanta University

ATLANTA, Georgia -- There’s a wind of change coming to Clark Atlanta University, a historically black university in the heart of Atlanta — change coming by way of the school’s Division II men’s basketball program and its new head basketball coach, Darrell Walker.

“Just because you’re in Division II doesn’t mean you have to act like it,” said Walker during a recent interview. The former NBA assistant and head coach (Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Hornets, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks), Continental Basketball Association head coach (Rockford Lightning) and WNBA head coach (Washington Mystics) took what many might have thought was an easy opportunity for him — to coach the college game — as a direct challenge.

“I’ve been trying to get into college coaching for a while,” said Walker as he prepared for the inaugural Darrell Walker Art and Basketball Fundraiser at the Thomas W. Cole Research Center for Science and Technology on the Clark Atlanta campus on Nov. 3. “When this opportunity came open, I applied, and here I am.”

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Scoring droughts doom Northern Kentucky in loss to NC Central

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Kentucky – The Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team used a 19-5 run to come within five points of North Carolina Central with 21 seconds to play on Saturday, but fell to the Eagles, 82-74, at BB&T Arena despite 20-point performances from both Drew McDonald and Lavone Holland II.

With the loss, NKU moves to 3-3 overall while the Eagles improve to 3-2.

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STAT LEADERS

• McDonald turned in his third double-double in the last four games and posted his fourth-straight game with 20 or more points. He brought down 11 rebounds including seven on the offensive end and tied Holland with a team-best 20 points.
• Holland reached the 20-point mark with a 6-for-12 showing from the field including a 3-for-7 performance from behind the arc.
• Freshman Blake Spellman dished out a career-high and team-best five assists in 19 minutes of action.

TURNING POINT

• The Norse led throughout the first portion of the game until North Carolina Central closed the first half on an 18-0 run. The Eagles claimed their first lead of the game amid the run when they jumped ahead 30-29 with 5:04 left in the half.
• McDonald and Holland combined for 11 points across a two-minute span to bring the Norse within four of NCC at 53-49 with 10:50 on the clock, the closest they would get to the Eagles throughout the remainder of the game.

FIRST-HALF SUMMARY

• The Norse claimed their largest lead of the game as they rode an 8-0 run to lead it 17-8 at the midway point of the first period. The run featured a pair of triples from Cole Murray and Spellman as the Norse held NC Central without a field goal for over three and a half minutes.
• The Eagles chipped away at the deficit using 9-for-12 shooting across the final seven minutes as they put together their 18-0 run. The Eagles' Patrick Cole – the game's leading scorer – contributed eight points to the run as he closed the half with a game-high 15 points.
• North Carolina held a 23-18 edge in first-half rebounds, with the Norse bringing down nine offensive boards to NCC's six.

SECOND-HALF SUMMARY

• Spellman broke NKU's scoring drought with a triple at the 17:35 mark to spark eight uninterrupted points from the Norse that also included a three from McDonald and a Williams layup.
• The run helped bring the Norse within seven as they cut the NCC lead to 44-37 with 16:17 remaining.
• McDonald and Holland then chipped in for 11 combined points to come within four of NCC at 53-49 with 10:50 on the clock.
• The Eagles responded 11 uninterrupted points to get back out to a 66-51 lead with just under seven minutes to play.
• NKU out-scored NC Central, 19-5, over a five minute span to come within five with 21 seconds left to play but the Eagles would close out the victory with four points in the final stretch.

GAME NOTES

• While McDonald has posted four-straight games with 20 or more points, Holland has turned in back-to-back 20-point performances. The junior has 45 points across the last two games.
• Despite being narrowly out-rebounded 41-39, the Norse brought down 16 offensive boards to NCC's seven. NKU has out-rebounded its opponents 65-40 on the offensive glass this season. The only game in which the Norse did not win the offensive rebounding battle was against Miami (Ohio) when the teams were tied with eight offensive rebounds apiece.
• Northern Kentucky shot 51.3 percent in the second half on 16-for-31 shooting, including an 8-for-15 (53.3 percent) showing from three. The Norse out-scored NCC, 45-40, in the second period.

NEXT UP

• The Norse open a two-game road swing on Wednesday, Nov. 30 when they travel to take on in-state foe Morehead State at 7 p.m.  NCCU travels on Nov. 28 to University of Missouri - Columbia.  The game will be a televised on the SEC Network.

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Walker: Another big day for Southern's Lenard Tillery, but this Bayou Classic didn't end how he was hoping

NEW ORLEANS -- The walk-on walked off the field for the final time Saturday.

This wasn’t quite the way Lenard Tillery envisioned his college career ending.

He surely would have traded every last one of the 230 yards he rushed for Saturday for a win that would have extended his college career another week and sent Southern traveling west down Interstate 10 to Houston for the SWAC championship game next Saturday.

Instead, the Jaguars were on the wrong end of a 52-30 loss, far more lopsided than anyone expected in this battle of SWAC unbeatens for the 43rd installment of the Bayou Classic.

Tillery, whose goal was to go out with a SWAC title, will have to settle for the SWAC ring he won in 2013. He took his No. 21 jersey off for the final time, finishing his career with more yards than any other player in SWAC history.

And, yes, that includes the late Walter Payton, the Jackson State star who went on to a career that earned him a gold blazer and a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Not bad for a guy who just five years ago wasn’t considered good enough for a scholarship when he graduated from McKinley High School. He ended up walking on at his hometown school.

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2016 Bayou Classic Half-Time Field Shows: Grambling State University World Fame vs. Southern University Human Jukebox

Grambling surges past Southern in the second half to win Bayou Classic 52-30, secure spot in SWAC championship game

NEW ORLEANS -- The Grambling Tigers left no room for doubt about who was the best team on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf for Saturday's 43rd Bayou Classic.

Grambling gashed Southern and its previously stingy defense for 571 yards. It forced a pair of critical early turnovers against a Jaguars unit that had taken great care of the ball all season and kept an explosive Southern offense largely at bay.

Most importantly, Grambling snapped Southern’s eight-game winning streak and extended its own to nine, punching its ticket to the SWAC championship game and ending Southern’s season with a 52-30 win.

All of this was despite a herculean effort from Southern running back Lenard Tillery, whose college career ended on a day when he ran for nearly 200 yards in the first half. He finished with 230 yards on 25 carries and three total touchdowns.

Thanks to Tillery’s heroics, it was only a four-point game at halftime. Then Grambling (9-1, 9-0) stepped on the accelerator and breezed past Southern (8-3, 8-1) with a series of explosive plays.

Grambling quarterback Devante Kincade was effective through the air, but it was his legs that lit the powder keg when he zoomed through the heart of the Jaguars defense for a 45-yard touchdown on the Tigers’ first drive of the second half.

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Norfolk State Powers Past Lehigh 81-57 at Christmas City Classic

BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania – Four players scored in double figures for Norfolk State to help lead the Spartans past Lehigh 81-57 on Saturday at Stabler Arena. Junior Quinci Mann led Lehigh with 13 points, sophomore Hailey Pascoe had eight points and freshman Cameryn Benz added seven points, five rebounds and two steals. Freshman Gena Grundhoffer registered nine points and three rebounds. Fellow freshman Hannah Hedstrom and senior Kiernan McCloskey led the team with six rebounds apiece and sophomore Bryce Menendez collected six points and two rebounds. Lehigh (4-2) will now play in Sunday's consolation game against Monmouth, while Norfolk State (2-3) advances to play Hartford in the Christmas City Classic Championship.



The Spartans turned in their best shooting performance of the season by shooting (32-for-60) 53.3 percent for the game, including a sizzling 73.3 percent (11-for-15) in the second quarter. Lehigh shot just 30.6 percent from the field and was 6-for-22 from three-point range. NSU junior Kayla Roberts led the way for the Spartans with 23 points and 14 rebounds on 11-of-15 shooting. She was one of four NSU players in double figures along with Gabrielle Swinson who had 15 points and seven rebounds. Norfolk State also held a 46-24 advantage in the paint and outscored Lehigh 16-0 on the fast break.

After falling behind 2-0, Lehigh grabbed its only lead of the game within the first minute when Camryn Buhr drained a three pointer, followed by a Grundhoffer layup to give the Mountain Hawks a 5-2 advantage. NSU answered with 13 of the next 17 points to take a 15-9 lead at the 4:24 mark of the opening quarter. A free throw by Bernadette Devaney got Lehigh within 15-12 with 3:27 to go in the first, but that was as close as Lehigh would get for the remainder of the game as the Spartans carried a 22-14 lead into the second quarter.

The Spartans blew the game wide open in the second quarter, spurred by a 21-4 run to open up a 46-21 edge. McCloskey collected an offensive rebound off a missed three-point attempt in the final seconds and put in a layup to beat the buzzer and cut the deficit to 46-23 going into halftime.

"I thought in the first half, the shots didn't fall and that led to a lack of intensity on the defensive end, and I think that's a good learning lesson to take away from this game," said head coach Sue Troyan. "I thought when we starting missing shots, we stopped getting back and allowed them some really easy buckets in transition. And give credit to Norfolk State, I thought they came out and really set the tone on the defensive end."

Strode drove coast to coast for a fast break layup to give NSU a 55-26 lead early in the third quarter, forcing a Lehigh timeout. The Spartans followed with another basket for their largest lead of the game at 57-26 at the midway point of the quarter. Pascoe and Menendez then sparked Lehigh with 14 points, including a pair of triples from Pascoe and a spin move in the lane from Menendez to help get Lehigh within 21 in the final minute of the quarter.

"I thought Bryce played really well. She brought athleticism and size and played with confidence," Troyan said. "And some of Hailey's shots started falling there as well. It was just one of those games where we didn't make a lot of shots early in the game, and then when we did start making shots, we got some defensive stops.

"Monmouth is a strong team. Hopefully we can take some lessons from this game and come back tomorrow and apply them against Monmouth."

Sunday's second and final day of the tournament at Stabler Arena will begin with Lehigh and Monmouth at 2 p.m., followed by the title game between Hartford and Norfolk State. Hartford defeated Monmouth 75-72 on Saturday to advance to Sunday's championship game.

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2016 SWAC Championship: Alcorn State vs Grambling State

BAYOU CLASSIC FINAL: GRAMBLING 52, SOUTHERN 30

NSU Signs N.C. High School State Champion Zairya West

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Norfolk State women's basketball program added its first player this week to its 2017 recruiting class when guard Zairya West signed a national letter of intent to play for the Spartans beginning in the 2017-18 season.

The 5-foot-6 West attends Millbrook High School in Raleigh, N.C. She was named to the Cap-8 4A second team during her sophomore year and first team after her junior season, when she helped Millbrook win the 4A North Carolina High School Athletic Association state championship. She also earned North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association second-team all-district honors after her junior year, while garnering the Most Outstanding Defensive Player honor.

West is one of four Millbrook seniors who have signed with Division I basketball programs.

"We are extremely excited to welcome Zairya to the Norfolk State family," head coach Larry Vickers said. "She is a state champion, good defender and should flourish offensively in our up-tempo pressing style for the next four years."

West is the Spartans' only signee in November's early signing period. Vickers and his staff expect several additional signees in the spring.

Michael High / Sports Information
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16-0 Run Lifts Grambling Past Savannah State,110-104

NICEVILLE, Florida -- Grambling reeled off 16 straight points midway through the second half to rally for a 110-104 victory past Savannah State in the seventh place game of the Destin Realty Emerald Coast Classic Saturday at the Arena on the Northwest Florida State campus.

Senior guard Ervin Mitchell scored a game-high 36 points, including 21 in the second half, for Grambling which improved to 2-4.

Grambling shot 61.1 percent from the floor (22-36) to fuel the comeback.

Sophomore guard Dexter McClanahan paced Savannah State (2-5) with 27 points, including 22 in the first half.

Savannah State, which entered the tournament, leading the NCAA in three-point baskets made 17 treys, including 12 in the first half to race to a 55-45 halftime lead. But the Tigers were limited to five treys in the second half.

Savannah State used back-to-back three-point baskets by McClanahan sparking a 7-0 run to give the Tigers a 30-15 cushion with 10:22 left in the first half.

Trailing 69-59, Mitchell hit a three-point basket with 15:39 left in the game that ignited the 16-0 run and also added a trey to close out the rally giving Grambling a 75-69 lead with 13:40 left.

Savannah State tied the game at 85-85 following a three-point play by Casey Wells with 8:30 left. Grambling answered with four straight points from Mitch to go ahead 89-85 and never relinquished the lead. A layup by Mitchell gave Savannah State a 103-93 lead.

Senior guard Remond Brown scored 21 points for Grambling, while junior forward Avery Ugba added 18 points and 16 rebounds.

Troyce Manassa contributed 21 points for Savannah State.

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Alabama State Hornets rally down stretch to top Cal State-Fullerton in OT

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- – It wasn't the prettiest of victories, but the Alabama State men's basketball team kept fighting and rallied down the stretch with huge plays to come away with a 76-67 overtime win over Cal State-Fullerton in the consolation game of the visitors' bracket in the Global Sports Classic tournament at UNLV's home court—the Thomas and Mack Center at Tarkanian Court—on Saturday.

Alabama State (1-5) came back several times in a game that featured 14 ties and 11 lead changes with a game-tying bucket by Tony Armstrong in the closing seconds of regulation and then outscored the Titans 14-5 in overtime to earn their first victory of the season.

ASU was clutch from the line in overtime, making 8-of-9 from the stripe.

Armstrong scored off a nice post move to tie it at 62 all with just four seconds left, essentially sending the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, Armstrong scored on a tip in, Steve Rogers made 2-of-3 from the line after being fouled on a 3-point attempt and Amir Warnock knocked down a baseline jumper.

Armstrong scored on the inside once again to put ASU up 70-67 with 1:46 left.

After each team came up empty on their next possession, Glenn Hollaway came up with a defensive rebound and was fouled.

Hollaway hit a crucial pair of free throws to put ASU up 72-67 with just 43 seconds left.

A missed layup and missed 3-point attempt by CSUF put the Hornets in position to wrap it up with four more free throws from Simeon.

Simeon scored a game-high 24 points to the tune of 7-of-16 shooting including four 3-pointers and was 6-of-6 from the line.

He also recorded a career high seven steals, a block and grabbed seven rebounds.

Thomas finished with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Armstrong closed with a double-double with 11 points and a game-best 15 rebounds.

ASU trailed 28-27 at halftime.

Thomas kept ASU close in the opening half as he got hot from 3-point range knocking down 3-of-4 from downtown and added 3-of-4 from the line to lead the Hornets with 12 points and three rebounds at halftime.

Warnock gave ASU the lead at 31-30 with 18:12 remaining when he used his body to his advantage in the post with a smooth move and score.

Warnock had 10 points and five rebounds, but fouled out in just 18 minutes of action.

The Titans (2-4) led by as many as seven with 10:09 left in the second half, but ASU kept playing until the end.

The Hornets cut the lead to 48-46 with under nine to play when Simeon knocked down a 3-pointer from the far side corner.

Simeon hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 60-58 with 1:55 remaining and then grabbed an important rebound on the other end.

Warnock grabbed an offensive rebound and got the put back to tie at 60-60.

CSUF hit 1-of-2 from the line to give a 61-60 lead, but the Hornets turned it over on a traveling violation with 23.5 seconds left.

It set the stage for Armstrong's bucket in the waning seconds of the game.

Next, Alabama State will host Jacksonville State (
3-3) on Tuesday from the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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SSU ends season with 35-24 loss at home to Morgan State

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Savannah State's football team suffered its first home loss of the season, a 35-24 setback against Morgan State, in both teams' Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference season finale Saturday at T.A. Wright Stadium.

A crowd of 1,267 watched as SSU (3-7 overall, 3-5 MEAC) fell short in its quest to finish with a .500 record in conference play and end unbeaten at home for the first time since joining the MEAC in 2011. SSU also was trying to go undefeated at home for the first time since 1999, when the Tigers went 5-0 in the NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

"Today was disappointing but I just told them that, overall, I thought we took a step forward in our program," said SSU first-year head coach Erik Raeburn, whose Tigers faced the Bears in a game that was rescheduled from Oct. 8 because of Hurricane Matthew.

"Most importantly, I think the seniors had the biggest part in that," Raeburn continued. "When there's a coaching change, it's toughest on the older guys. They could have been less receptive and we wouldn't have won those three games and we'd still be floundering around. But they pulled together and got the team all on the same page and found a way to get three wins, and built a foundation for us to work from this season."

SSU beat Bethune-Cookman, 16-10, on Sept. 24 at T.A. Wright Stadium. The Tigers also won at home against Howard, 31-27, on Oct. 29 and they won at home against Norfolk State, 31-14, on Nov. 5.

With its loss to Morgan State (3-8, 3-5), SSU extended its losing streak to three games to end the season. The Tigers dropped to 0-9 in the series against the Bears, who snapped a six-game losing streak to end the season.

After playing the final game of his SSU career, senior defensive end Marquis Smith did not want to take off his helmet. He even wore it during post-game interviews.
"I'm going to eventually take it off," he said. "I'm just enjoying the moment right now. Last game. Lately, I've found myself just trying to take in each moment."

Smith, who was moved from linebacker to defensive end to start this season, finished his final game with a game-high 14 tackles, including two for loss and a sack.

"It all showed up on film," Smith said of Morgan State's offense. "Everything they did today they had already shown on film. I knew what to expect. When I saw a certain formation, I knew what to expect. That helped me out a lot today. Most of their plays, the formations they did today, were all on film so if you watch film it makes your job a whole lot easier."

Morgan State's first possession of the game ended when SSU linebacker Mulik Simmons intercepted quarterback Chris Andrews and returned the ball 16 yards to the Bears' 32-yard line. Three plays later, SSU running back Cantrell Frazier rushed left and turned up field for a 22-yard touchdown, and senior John Barron kicked the first of his three extra points, for a 7-0 lead with 11:44 to go in the first quarter.

Morgan State's Andrews connected with wide receiver Landen Malbrough for a 5-yard touchdown, cutting it to 7-6 with 8:25 left in the first quarter. Kicker Alex Raya missed the extra-point attempt.

SSU freshman T.J. Bell, who started at quarterback, suffered a thumb injury during the Tigers' first drive.

"He went out the second drive and tried to go on the first play but took himself out," Raeburn said. "It's his thumb. I don't know. He said he can't go, he can't grip the ball. I don't know if it's a fracture. I don't know."

SSU freshman Blake Dever played the rest of the game at quarterback and finished 19-of-35 passing for 226 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He ran 10 times for a team-high 31 yards.

"I thought (Dever) did a good job," Raeburn said. "Tough situation to get put into. They were playing a lot of man-to-man, and blitzing and getting after the quarterback. I thought he did a really good job. There's a few throws he wishes he had back but I felt like the more he was in there the better he played. He put together some really nice drives for us and made some big-time throws, and gave us a chance to get back in it."

With 14:52 left in the second quarter, Morgan State's Andrews connected with wide receiver Grayling Harrison for a 5-yard touchdown in the back-left corner of the end zone. Raya kicked the first of his three extra points, giving the Bears a 13-7 lead.

Morgan State went up 20-7 when running back Lamont Brown ran up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 8:09 left before halftime.

SSU's Barron kicked a 29-yard field goal that cut it to 20-10 with 5 seconds left before halftime. The score capped a 15-play, 78-yard drive that consumed 3:59 off the game clock.

Two plays into SSU's first drive of the third quarter, Dever was intercepted by Morgan State cornerback Corvon'Tra Revell. The Bears capped a seven-play, 51-yard drive with backup quarterback DeAndre Harris' 4-yard touchdown pass to Harrison for a 27-10 lead.

SSU cut it to 27-17 when Dever connected with wide receiver Derek Kirkland for a 48-yard touchdown with 7:31 left in the third quarter. Kirkland finished with six catches for a team-high 78 yards. Arshon Spaulding made five catches for 62 yards for the Tigers.

"I felt pretty comfortable," Dever said. "At the beginning, I was pretty shaky. I was just getting warmed up. But I got in my rhythm and I felt like the guys were working with me."

With 1:12 left in the third quarter, Morgan State's Brown ran up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown. Raya's kick was blocked by SSU's Raheim Davis and the Bears settled for a 33-17 advantage.

Morgan State made it 35-17 with 9:41 left in the game when defensive back Darius Johnson tackled SSU's Spaulding in the end zone for a safety and a 1-yard loss. The Bears' Raya attempted a 37-yard field goal that missed wide left with 4:33 to play.

SSU cut it to 35-24 when Dever found sophomore wide receiver Kendarius Dukes for a 15-yard touchdown with 2:23 left remaining. The score capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive that was the Tigers' longest of the game.

"The last drive, I think our tempo was great," Dever said. "We were moving the ball. We were getting set quick. We were catching them off guard."
Morgan State took over with 2:23 to play and used six plays to end the game.

The Bears' Brown finished with a game-high 113 yard and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Andrews, a graduate student, was 10-of-20 passing for 130 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Harris, a freshman, finished 4-of-5 passing for 28 yards and a touchdown. Morgan State's Martin made five catches for a game-high 84 yards.

Defensively, SSU linebacker Ellison Burns played the best game of his collegiate career. The junior from Benedictine Military School made seven solo tackles and broke up a pass. SSU defensive back David Crowley, also a junior, registered seven tackles (four solo).

After the game, SSU's Smith, still wearing his helmet, said this was a special season. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound senior from Prince Georges County, Md., was recruited to SSU out of Lackey High School.

"Honestly, man, it's bigger than the record," Smith said. "The program is really changing before my eyes. I'm a reason why it's changing. That alone makes me happy. All the wins and losses, yeah, you know the season didn't go the way we all planned but you've just got to look at the positives of the whole situation. That comes down to the program. The program is actually changing. It's come a long way since my freshman year. That's something to be proud of."

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NCCU Celebrates Life, Legacy of Dr. Debra Saunders-White

Chancellor, Dr. Debra Saunders-White

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University mourns the loss of the 11th Chancellor, Dr. Debra Saunders-White, who passed away today, November 26, 2016, after a heroic battle with cancer.

Saunders-White’s tenure was filled with a number of achievements and firsts for NCCU over the past three-and-a-half years since she assumed the post as chancellor on June 1, 2013. She made institutional history for NCCU with her appointment as the university’s first permanent female chancellor on February 8, 2013. She quickly established and carried out her vision of “Eagle Excellence” that made delivering excellence in our classrooms, excellence throughout our campus and excellence in our service to the community a focus during her administration.

Saunders-White, 59 years old, took a medical leave of absence on August 8, 2016. She was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015. Saunders-White came to NCCU from the U.S. Department of Education after working in higher education administration at Hampton University and the University of North Carolina Wilmington, as well as in corporate marketing for IBM.

UNC President Margaret Spellings offered the following statement:

“The UNC system lost a great leader today. With the death of Deb Saunders-White, we also lost a valued colleague and friend. Deb loved NCCU with all her being and treated each of its students as her very own. She called them her light and her inspiration as she waged her battle with cancer. As a first-generation college graduate, she understood the rare opportunities that higher education can provide, as well as the challenges so many young people face in accessing and affording college. Deb will be remembered for her positive outlook on life, her unwavering faith and determination, and her commitment to Eagle Excellence. Our hearts go out to her family and the entire NCCU community.”

George R. Hamilton, chairman of the NCCU Board of Trustees, stated:

“The passing of Chancellor Debra Saunders-White is a deep loss for me personally and for North Carolina Central University. She led NCCU through transformational years where the university recorded significant increases in critical performance indicator areas, including retention and graduation rates, and the positioning of our two research institutes became more prominent. Her numerous contributions to the academy were significant in distinguishing the institution nationally in the higher education marketplace, one that helped recognize NCCU as the 2016 HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest. On behalf of the NCCU Board of Trustees, I extend condolences to her children, mother, brothers and other members of her family.”

In a statement sent to the university community from Dr. Johnson O. Akinleye, acting chancellor, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, it was noted the following:

“Her loss is nearly immeasurable to our community, but her influence on higher education and her genuine love and dedication for NCCU, most especially the students, are clearly evident by her impact in Durham, across North Carolina and throughout our nation. Chancellor Saunders-White was a powerhouse of energy and wit; she spent her life passionately executing on her visionary and transformative strategy of using education to create opportunity.”

Saunders-White is survived by two children, Elizabeth Paige and Cecil III, her mother, Irene Saunders, and her brothers, Roger, Ralph and Kyle Saunders, and their families, a number of other family members and a host of friends.

LeVelle MotonVerified account‏@LeVelleMoton

RIP @DSaundersWhite. My heart aches today. You were more than a Chancellor, u were my Family. I love you! #WeAreNCCU

A full obituary and details on a vigil, memorial service and celebration of life are forthcoming.  Visit www.nccu.edu.

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S.C. State Bulldogs Closeout Season With 28-7 Win Over Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The South Carolina State Bulldogs secured another Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) winning season with a, 28-0, victory over Bethune-Cookman Saturday (Nov.26) at Oliver. C. Dawson Stadium.

South Carolina State ends the season at 5-6 overall, 5-3 in the MEAC/Tied 3rd with Hampton.

"I like to congratulate my team—the defense played very well and we made a decision to do something different with playing Moody at quarterback—and we were successful," said head coach Buddy Pough."

Redshirt junior wide receiver Mykal Moody who made the switch to quarterback Saturday, led a Bulldog offense with 321-yards total offense and rushed for 141-yards on 21 carries and three touchdowns. Senior running back Dondre Brown finished with 9 rushes for 70-yards in the win.



"The Moody thing (playing Moody) was an internal deal (with coaches). We made the decision on Tuesday., said Pough. We wanted to try something different and now we hope to build on it for the future."

Junior linebacker Darius Leonard led a feisty Bulldog defense with a game-high 12 tackles (9 solo), 1.5 -sacks for 12-yards, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, while linebacker's Tyler Smith and Dayshawn Taylor added five (5) tackles each.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a quick 14-7 lead on a pair of touchdown runs by Moody of 11-yards and 21-yards. BC-U got on the board with a 29-yard toss from sophomore quarterback Akevious Williams to Jamie Wilson.

Moody connected with freshman wide receiver De'Montrez Burroughs on a 29-yard touchdown with 3:15 remaining in the third quarter. Moody seal the victory on a 12-yard scamper with 11:00 minutes remaining in regulation to give SC State a 28-7 victory over visiting Bethune-Cookman.

Pough stated, "2016 was a disappointing year, but I am happy our guys finished strong. We have a lot of guys who got some experience and that will help us next year."

For more information on South Carolina State Athletics visit www.scsuathletics.com or call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060.

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Hampton Pirates Close Season With Loss at Coastal Carolina

CONWAY, South Carolina -- The Hampton University football team wrapped up the 2016 season on Saturday afternoon with a 26-7 loss to No. 15 Coastal Carolina at Brooks Stadium.

The Pirates finished the season at 5-6 overall and 5-3 in MEAC play.

Jaylian Williamson wrapped up his Hampton career by completing 17 of 33 passes for 181 yards – and seven of those passes went To Twarn Mixson for 81 yards. Rashawn Proctor also caught five passes for 65 yards.

Christian Faber-Kinney wound up being the Pirates' top rusher, thanks to a 34-yard run after a fake field goal that wound up being Hampton's only touchdown of the game.

The Chanticleers opened the scoring with 7:08 left in the first quarter, capping off an 8-play, 65-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown run from De'Angelo Henderson. Ryan Granger then added a 26-yard field goal with 1:17 left in the first quarter to give Coastal a 10-0 lead.

Granger also had two field goals in the second quarter, hitting from 30 and 25 yards respectively to put the Chanticleers up 16-0.

That led held not just at the half, but throughout the third quarter.

The Pirates got on the board early in the fourth quarter, going 93 yards in 10 plays before bringing on the field goal unit. Faber-Kinney, the holder, then ran the ball in himself from 34 yards out with 14:48 left in the game to cut the lead to 16-7.

Coastal answered immediately, as Ky'Jon Tyler ran back the ensuing kickoff 77 yards to put the Chanticleers up 23-7.

Granger added a 20-yard field goal with 2:44 left to make the lead 26-7.

On defense, Owen Obasuyi led the Pirates with 12 tackles, while Steven Smith added 11 tackles – including two and a half tackles for loss. Treshawn Council recorded a sack, and
Brendan Cole and DaQuavius Reid each forced a fumble.

Cole also recovered a fumble.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5757, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

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Richmond, QB Kevin Johnson, eliminate North Carolina A&T from FCS field 39-10

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Kevin Johnson's unexpected 2016 debut was not flawless or flashy. It was remarkably effective, given the unusual circumstances, which is just what the University of Richmond needed in a pinch.

Johnson's poise and passing Saturday helped keep Richmond offensively balanced and upright in the FCS playoffs after one round. Behind Johnson, a sophomore who was redshirting before this game, and special-teams scores, the Spiders eliminated North Carolina A&T 39-10 before 3,281 at Robins Stadium.

Johnson passed for 315 yards and a touchdown and ran for 22 more yards and a touchdown in about three-and-a-half quarters. UR's Deontez Thompson gained 98 yards on 22 carries.

UR (9-3) advances to a Saturday second-round game at seventh-seeded North Dakota (9-2) at 6 p.m. (available on ESPN3). North Dakota earned a first-round bye as a top-eight seed.

Spider Dejon Brissett returned a first-quarter punt 92 yards for a touchdown and Griffin Trau converted four field goals (39, 33, 34, 28 yards), and now holds the school record for FGs in a season (21).

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Tuskegee Golden Tigers fall to North Greenville in second round of DII playoffs

TIGERVILLE, South Carolina -- The seventh-seeded Tuskegee University Golden Tigers have found a way to overcome deficits throughout the season, but the deficit they faced at the end of the first quarter in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs was too steep a hill to climb.

The Golden Tigers found themselves down by four scores after the first stanza to sixth-seeded North Greenville University, fought valiantly but came up short in the end 45-26 to end the season on the road.

North Greenville (9-4) jumped on top early when they kept the Tuskegee offense off the field for most of the first quarter, allowing the Golden Tigers just five plays from scrimmage en route to a 28-0 lead. The Crusaders scored on their first four drives of the game using a variety of different ways to get into the end zone and keep Tuskegee off balance.

Tuskegee (9-3) got on the board for the first time late in the first half and looked to have momentum on their side. After Osband Thompson stripped the ball away from a North Greenville ball carrier on the sideline, the Golden Tigers were set up at the North Greenville 46-yard line. They promptly went down the field in eight plays and used 3:27 on the clock, before Jerome Lewis punched it in from one-yard out to trim the deficit to 28-7 with 1:56 to play in the half.

However, North Greenville went right down the field and seized momentum back with a one-yard run to take a 35-7 lead into the locker room, and that's when things changed.

Tuskegee came out in the second half and scored on their first two possessions of the second half to trim the deficit to just two scores. The Golden Tigers took their opening possession of the half, promptly marching 75 yards in nine plays and using just 1:36 on the clock. The drive culminated when Kevin Lacey hit Javarrius Cheatham from eight yards out to trim the deficit to 35-13.

Quavon Taylor gave Tuskegee possession right back on the next play when he picked off a pass up the middle. The interception set Tuskegee up on the North Greenville 28-yard line, and on the first play from scrimmage, Lacey hit a streaking Dekendrick Moncrief down the sideline for a touchdown with 10:24 to play in the third quarter. The score trimmed the deficit to 35-20 early in the quarter.

The score stayed that way until the Golden Tigers had a chance to trim the deficit even further in the fourth quarter. The Golden Tigers drove 56 yards to the North Greenville 12-yard line where they faced a fourth and three, before the North Greenville defense came up big with a stop forcing a turnover on downs.

North Greenville put the game out of reach with two fourth quarter touchdowns, before Desmond Reece scored his final touchdown of his Golden Tigers' career with 1:07 remaining in the game.

Lacey finished the day 22-of-36 with three touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. The senior finished with 276 yards through the air. He hit Cheatham nine times for 148 yards and a touchdown, while Reece finished with nine catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.

The offense finished the day with 353 yards of total offense, while North Greenville finished with 511 (most of that in the first quarter in which they totaled 227 yards). Thompson finished with 14 tackles in the game for Tuskegee, while Kalil Gray finished with 12. Carl Matthews had 10 and Quavon Taylor nine in the loss for the Golden Tigers.

Tuskegee finishes the year 9-3, and achieved the highest ranking ever in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) coaches poll at number five. They also qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the fourth consecutive year and advanced to the at least the second round for the second consecutive year.

For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on Snapchat/Twitter/Instagram @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.

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Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands 2016 (FULL BATTLE)

Bayou Classic 2016, Southern vs. Grambling State: Start time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know

NEW ORLEANS -- One of the nation's premier HBCU football showcases convenes for the 43rd time on Saturday, as Grambling State and Southern meet again in the Bayou Classic in New Orleans. Both teams have had their ups and downs in recent years, but they're having excellent seasons and this has the makings of a classic.

Grambling's only loss this season was its season opener on the road against Arizona, and they only lost that game, 31-21. Since then, they've won eight straight games, and have only given up more than 20 points once. Southern has two losses, but both came to FBS teams to start the season. They're also on an eight-game winning streak and are coming off beating Mississippi Valley State, 55-0, last week.

The quarterback play in this game should be excellent, as Southern's Austin Howard and Grambling's DeVante Kincade are first and second in the SWAC in both passing yards and touchdowns. Grambling's defense will also have to contend with Southern running back Lenard Tillery, who is averaging over 6.5 yards per carry and leads the conference in rushing by nearly 400 yards.

How to watch, stream and listen

TV: 5 p.m. ET, NBCSN

Radio: Grambling State | Southern

Online streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra

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Nuggets top Langston in 10th straight XULA Classic win

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, fueled by a slew of career highs, earned a 75-72 women's basketball victory Friday against Langston in the final game of the Xavier Classic.

The Gold Nuggets (6-5) were the only team to go 2-0 in the four-team, two-day event. It was XULA's 10th consecutive victory dating to 2011 in the Xavier Classic.

Terriel Ross led XULA with career highs of 18 points and three steals. Rosie Davis scored a career-high 16 points — she reached double figures for the first time and made 3-of-4 3-pointers — and point guards Maya Trench and Jordan Coleman combined for 14 assists and two turnovers. Trench had nine assists and Coleman five, both career bests, and Trench grabbed seven rebounds.

Trench passed to Ross for a basket with 7:30 remaining that put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay, 60-58. Akia Frett missed a 3-pointer for Langston on the final possession.

XULA led 43-41 at halftime after the teams combined to shoot 56 percent from the floor. Both cooled off in the second half, however, and combined to shoot 31 percent.

Kelsee Singleton and Aliyah Bell scored 11 points apiece for XULA, Bell had six rebounds, and Essence Wells matched her career best of three steals.

Frett made 4-of-6 treys and scored a season-high 19 points for the Lady Lions (2-2), who were 1-1 in the event. Che'Ron Lewis had 15 points and eight rebounds, Ri'Kell McKnight had 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, and Reagan Widener had 10 points and seven assists — but she also committed eight turnovers.

For the game, Langston outshot XULA .43.9 to 42.9 percent from the floor and made nine 3-pointers to the Gold Nuggets' six. XULA made five more field goals than Langston and was plus-6 in turnovers.

"Not a bad effort," XULA coach Bo Browder said. "We knocked down some open shots. Our freshmen are starting to get more comfortable on offense and better understand out defensive philosophies. We go 2-0 in the Xavier Classic, and I'm excited about this team."

The victory was XULA's third in a row after a five-game losing streak.

In the other college matchup, LSU-Shreveport defeated Dillard 77-67. In a girls high school game, Ellender defeated East St. John 60-48.

XULA's next game will start at 5 p.m. Thursday at Louisiana-Lafayette of NCAA Division I.

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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Randle rallies Pilots past Dillard in Xavier Classic

NEW ORLEANS — Courtney Randle scored 15 of her 19 points in the second half Friday to help LSU-Shreveport rally for a 77-67 women's basketball victory against Dillard in the Xavier Classic.

The Pilots (2-6) scored 57 points after trailing Dillard 32-20 at halftime. Quiana Tucker's basket at 2:08 of the third quarter put LSUS ahead to stay, 41-40.

Johnesha Major's basket with 4:12 remaining gave LSUS its largest lead, 66-51.

LSUS had six double-figure scorers. Tucker had 14 points, Kourtney Powell 13, Bria Freeland 11, and Major and Chaterra Cage scored 10 apiece. Tucker grabbed a season-high-tying 14 rebounds — she reached double figures for the fourth consecutive game — and Major had eight assists. Randle had eight rebounds and three steals.

Shaelynn Moore scored 17 points, including four 3-pointers, and had three steals for Dillard (6-3). Alyssa Washington had 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

LSUS shot 76 percent from the floor in the second half — 19 baskets in 25 attempts — and for the game outshot the Lady Bleu Devils 53.7 to 43.3 percent. The Pilots had a 41-27 rebound advantage. After attempting zero free throws in the first half, the Pilots made 17-of-29 in the final two quarters. Dillard made 8-of-15 free throws, 3-of-8 in the second half.

Dillard's largest lead was 38-22 after a Moore 3-pointer at 7:48 of the third quarter. LSUS answered with a 17-0 run, including Cage's three consecutive baskets in 48 seconds.

LSUS was 1-1 in the Xavier Classic, and Dillard was 0-2. The Lady Bleu Devils have a three-game losing streak. LSUS snapped a four-game losing streak.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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UDC's Head Coach Juan Dixon forges relationship with father he didn’t know existed

HEAD COACH JUAN DIXON
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
UDC FIREBIRDS

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- On road trips with the Maryland men’s basketball team during his three seasons as a special assistant, Juan Dixon admired how coach Mark Turgeon involved his own family, and particularly his father Bob.

Dixon, 38, lost both of his parents to AIDS when he was a teenager. Phil and Juanita Dixon weren’t around to see the former Calvert Hall standout lead the Terps to their only national championship in 2002 — the year he was a consensus All-American and the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.

They didn’t share in the ups and downs of his NBA career — a seven-year journey from Washington to Portland to Toronto to Detroit and back to Washington, with only one season as a starter.

“I said to Coach Turgeon, ‘It’s awesome that you get the support that you do from your dad, traveling with the team, being there for you, no matter if things are going well or not,’” Dixon said.

“I told him, ‘I wish I could have had that with my own father.’ ” Dixon smiled. His eyes moistened.
“Now I do,” he said.  The Baltimore native learned in late August that Phil Dixon was not his biological father.

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Texas Southern Pulls Past Presbyterian College in Overtime

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Presbyterian College women’s basketball team and Texas Southern were tied at 58 after four quarters but the Tigers outscored the Blue Hose, 16-4, in overtime to claim the 74-62 victory on Friday night at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. PC falls to 0-5 on the year, while TSU improves to 4-1.

Player of the Game

Cortney Storey dropped 26 points, one shy of her career-high, on 9-of-14 shooting, including 5-of-6 from behind the arc. The five three-pointers ties her career-high, while the junior totaled a season-high four assists and four steals. The 26 points are the most by a PC player this season and the second straight game that a Blue Hose has reached at least 20 points.

Stat of the Game

PC shot a season-best 41.2 percent from the field in the game, making 21-of-51 shots, including going 10-of-22 from behind the three-point line. The Blue Hose have now hit 10 threes in back-to-back games, a first in the program’s Division I era. PC recorded at least 10 made three-pointers eight times last season but never in back-to-back games.

How It Happened

Texas Southern led 15-9 after the opening quarter but PC put together its best quarter of the game in second with a 20-8 advantage to get in front at the half, 29-23. The Blue Hose connected on 10-of-22 shots (45.5 percent) in the opening half of play, while holding the Tigers to just 7-of-28 shooting (25.0 percent), including 1-of-8 from three.

The third quarter was the most competitive with the Tigers edging the Blue Hose, 18-17, to cut PC’s lead to five points at 46-41 heading to the fourth. TSU was able to close the gap in the final quarter to send the game to overtime. PC nailed 6-of-7 three-point average in the second half of action but TSU would go 11-of-22 from the field and 12-of-18 from the free throw line even the score.

In overtime, the Tigers would take control, going 5-of-11 from the field and 6-of-8 from the charity stripe, while PC made just 1-of-6 shots from the field and 2-of-2 from the line.

Notables

- Salina Virola scored in double figures for the second straight game, totaling 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting to go with four rebounds and two assists.

- It was PC’s first overtime game since February 24, 2015, when PC defeated Charleston Southern, 56-48, in North Charleston, S.C. The Blue Hose did not play an overtime contest at all last season.

Up Next

PC returns back to the states to take on East Carolina on Monday, November 28, at 7 p.m.  Texas Southern plays at New Orleans on November 30.

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