Thursday, December 21, 2017

Bethune-Cookman Makes It 2-0 At Hatter Classic With 63-50 Win Over Richmond Spiders

DELAND, Florida -- Angel Golden scored 24 points and Emily Williams a career-high 21 as Bethune-Cookman defeated Richmond 63-50 in the Hatter Classic Thursday at Stetson University.

Golden, a junior from Tampa, scored 11 first-quarter points as the Lady Wildcats (8-3) made it a sweep of their two Hatter Classic games. She had 21 points in Wednesday's win over Texas State and was named to the All-Tournament team.

Consecutive three-pointers from Golden erased an early 5-0 deficit and sparked a 10-0 first quarter run. Bethune-Cookman build its lead to 40-28 at halftime and overcame a third-quarter shooting slump to lead by as 17 in the fourth quarter.

Williams, a senior, finished the rare four-point play with 20 second remaining in the third quarter that gave Bethune-Cookman a 49-37 lead.



Williams, who made three from three-point range and was 6-6 from the line, also posted five assists.

Amaya Scott (six points) and Ashanti Hunt (five) each had six rebounds for the Lady Wildcats, who held Richmond (5-8) to 28.6 field goal shooting (16-56) and just one three-pointer in 15 attempts, the lowest for an opponent this season. Lyndsey Edwards had five third-quarter points.

Micaela Parson and Alex Parson each scored 11 points for the Spiders.

Bethune-Cookman returns to action after Christmas break December 28 at Miami.

HEAD COACH VANESSA BLAIR-LEWIS
"I don't think we're new to our offensive woes. One thing we're not new to is being a good defensive. When our offense slows downs, our defense holds us together."

"When the offense is hitting on all cylinders, it's something to look at."

"Emily's game tonight is what she has in her. This is what she's capable of."

"Angel found her groove this week."

"What I hope being 8-3 means we have a lot of confidence going into conference play."

ANGEL GOLDEN
"I was trying to stay in my groove from yesterday.

"The first quarter is what I'm trying to day every game."

"We came out with a lot of energy."

EMILY WILLIAMS
"It feels good. I've been trying to get out of my own way all season."

"We opened the floor with our offense and knocked down shots."

"I didn't see it go in on the 4-point play. I just heard my teammates getting hyped. It was a clutch shot we needed."

NOTES:  This marked the first time Golden has registered consecutive 20-point games …She was 4-6 from 3-point range.

Williams had scored just 17 points in the Lady Wildcats' first 10 games.B-CU's 8-3 start is the program's best since the 1984-85 team started 9-2 and the non-conference wins is the most since the team started playing at least 14 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference games...B-CU was 5-24 from the field in the second half, but compensated by going 11-14 from the line and the clutch three from Williams and Golden. Richmond was 7-26 in the second half, the final two field goals after the Lady Wildcats had taken a 61-44 lead. B-CU's turnover total of 12 was its lowest since 11 at FIU.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATION

AAMU Outlasts Southeastern Louisiana

HAMMOND, Louisiana -- Alabama A&M freshman center Ashlyn Dotson scored the go-ahead bucket with 44 seconds left, spoiling a furious fourth quarter Southeastern Louisiana rally and giving the Lady Bulldogs a 76-74 victory in non-conference women's basketball action Thursday afternoon in the University Center.

The Lady Lions (1-10) erased a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit before Dotson spoiled their comeback. The loss in its non-conference finale was the fifth straight for SLU. Alabama A&M (5-5) snapped a two-game losing streak.

After a back-and-forth first half, Southeastern held a 37-35 lead at the break. Alabama A&M took control in the third quarter, taking a 56-50 advantage into the final quarter.

The early minutes of the fourth quarter looked as if the Lady Bulldogs were going to pull away for a convincing victory. AAMU opened the quarter with a 14-5 run, as a bucket by freshman guard Nigeria Jones gave the Lady Bulldogs a commanding 70-55 lead with six minutes left.

Southeastern would not go away, quietly, however. Senior guard Taylin Underwood, junior forward Jyar Francis and sophomore guard Charliee Dugas scored five points each in a 17-2 run. Francis capped the rally with a jumper to tie the score at 72-72 with one minute remaining.

After a timeout, Dotson got free in the paint for an easy basket that gave the Lady Bulldogs the lead for good. Francis missed a jumper on the other end, but then AAMU gave SLU another chance, as freshman guard Tierra Dark missed both free throws with 15 seconds left.

Francis rebounded the miss and took it the length of the floor, but her floater from short range missed the mark. Sophomore guard Jameica Cobb grabbed the rebound and made one of two from the charity stripe to give AAMU a 75-72 lead with 4.9 seconds left.

Underwood was fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and made both free throws to cut the lead to one. Jones answered by making one of two free throws to push the lead back to two with 2.2 seconds left and SLU sophomore guard Tyler Morrison's half-court heave fell just short to allow the Lady Bulldogs to pick up the win.

Underwood led SLU with a game-high 28 points, moving into 10th place on the school's career scoring list with 1,243 points, passing former Lady Lion Sarah Williams. Underwood was joined in double figures by Francis, who finished with 16 points. Francis also had a game-high five of SLU's season-high 15 steals.

Morrison led the Lady Lions with a career-high 11 rebounds and led SLU with five assists. Francis, freshman forward Caitlyn Williams and junior forward Kyla Williams grabbed seven rebounds each for the Lady Lions, while junior guard Ashailee Brailey chipped in with eight points.

Sophomore guard Lauren McKee led Alabama A&M with 17 points and six assists, netting five-of-eight from behind the arc. McKee was joined in double figures by Jones (15 points) and Dotson (13 points). Dotson also led the Lady Bulldogs with eight rebounds.

Southeastern will take a week off for Christmas and open Southland Conference play on Dec. 28 with a 7 p.m. contest at Stephen F. Austin. The game at the Ladyjacks can be heard live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app.

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SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATION

Norfolk State Spartans Outlast William & Mary in Overtime

WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia -- Norfolk State women's basketball needed five extra minutes of game time to notch its sixth win of the year, defeating William & Mary 80-74 in overtime at Kaplan Arena on Thursday.

The victory is the fourth in a row for the Spartans (6-5), who are guaranteed at least a .500 record in nonconference play for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

Kayla Roberts scored nine of NSU's 12 points in the overtime period and did not miss a shot. The senior guard/forward went 2-of-2 from the field, made one 3-pointer and shot a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.



Roberts finished the game with 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting. The Miami, Florida native grabbed seven rebounds, assisted on three makes and came up with three steals.

Khadedra Croker finished two points off the team high with 19 while shooting 8-of-15 from the field. Croker set career highs in points and assists (three) while grabbing eight rebounds and blocking three shots.

Gabrielle Swinson set a career high with 11 assists in the win and became the first Spartan to record 10 or more assists since Jazamine Gray recorded 10 helpers against North Carolina A&T on Jan. 19, 2016.

Bianca Boggs led all scorers with 22 points for William & Mary (9-2). Boggs made eight of her nine shot attempts while going 3-for-3 from both the 3-point arc and free throw line.

The Spartans led by six, 51-45, going into the fourth quarter before the Tribe landed a blow early in the period. William & Mary scored the first five points of the quarter to pull to within a point. From there, the teams traded baskets until an and-one by Boggs tied the game at 55-55 with 7:36 left in the quarter.

Less than a minute later Abby Rendle gave W&M its first lead since the 7:16 mark of the second quarter, but Yamen Hannah responded with her second trey of the game to swing the lead back to NSU's favor.

But William & Mary responded with a 6-0 run to take a 63-58 lead with 5:12 left in the period. Unfazed, Norfolk State scored the next five points, and Robert's 3-pointer tied the game at 63-63.

Norfolk State led by two points with 21 seconds left in the fourth, but Boggs tied the game with a layup, sending the contest to overtime.

The Spartans started off hot in the extra period and never trailed. Roberts found the bottom of the net from 3-point range just 14 seconds into overtime then followed with a layup to put NSU up 73-68.

William & Mary scored the next four points, but NSU went 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the final 38 seconds to ice the game away.

Norfolk State faced an early deficit in the first quarter but refused to let the game get out of hand. The Tribe led 14-6 at the 5:39 mark, but the Spartans cut the deficit in half by the end of the period on Croker's layup with five seconds remaining.

Boggs opened the second quarter with a trey, but Norfolk State scored the next 11 points to take a 29-25 lead. Raven Russell keyed the run by going 4-of-4 from the charity stripe and ended the game with 10 points and a season-high seven rebounds.

William & Mary pulled to within a point late in the second quarter, but NSU scored the last four points of the quarter to take a 36-31 lead into the break.

The Spartans' lead never dipped below three points in the third quarter as NSU played steady basketball to protect its lead.

Norfolk State shot 53.8 percent from beyond the 3-point line on Thursday and has eclipsed the 50-percent mark twice on the season. NSU limited W&M to 33.3 percent shooting from deep and is 5-2 when shooting better than the competition from beyond the arc.

The Spartans set a season high with 19 made free throws but shot 63.3 percent from the line. The Tribe shot 20 points better from the charity stripe, going 10-of-12.

Norfolk State rests nine days for the holidays before closing out its non-conference slate at Longwood on Dec. 30.

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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Tarik Cohen (N.C. A&T) selected for Pro Bowl



GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- RB | Chicago Bears: The 5-6, 180-pound Cohen accepted his only scholarship offer at N.C. A&T and rewrote the program’s record books, leaving as the Aggies’ all-time leading rusher – a title he also owns for the MEAC.

The path: Despite his standout career at A&T, questions about Cohen’s size persisted as he prepared for the NFL Draft. Those concerns were put to rest when he went to the NFL Scouting Combine and posted the fastest time in the 40-yard dash, running it in 4.42 seconds. He was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round.

This season: Cohen doesn’t really have a position; he’s just a football player. Listed at running back, Cohen has been just as dangerous lined up at receiver, catching 45 passes for 327 yards while rushing for 348 yards on 82 carries. Cohen has also been dangerous in the return game, taking a punt for a touchdown and even threw for a score on Oct. 15.



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Southern Jaguars finds the length it was looking for in 10-man signing class

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern had a roadmap for how it wanted Wednesday’s early signing period to transpire, and by the time the day was over, coach Dawson Odums was pleased with the direction his program took.

“We stick to needs,” Odums said. “We don’t deviate. We set a plan in place and we stick to that plan, and that plan was to try to find length.”

That mission was accomplished. The Jaguars signed 10 players Wednesday, and almost all of them fit the profile Odums and the Southern coaching staff were looking for.



The first four players to fax signed letters of intent to Southern epitomized what the program was seeking; all stood 6-foot-1 or taller, and all are skill position players.

Southern landed signatures from 6-3 receiver Kobe Hartman of Ellender Memorial in Houma, 6-3 tight end Reggie Wilson of Reagan High School in San Antonio, 6-3 defensive back Damien Crawford of Green Oaks High School in Shreveport and 6-1 receiver Jamel Byrd of Hahnville High.

Odums thought the two big receivers were particularly crucial to ...

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Texas Southern's Demontrae Jefferson is the best pound-for-pound player in the country



HOUSTON, Texas -- Diehard hoops heads have known about Demontrae Jefferson since his high school days. 

The Texas Southern sophomore was once a three-star recruit and rated as one of the top 100 players in the country by 247 Sports back in 2015. A YouTube sensation, Jefferson's game engenders thoughts of Aquille Carr, a diminutive dynamo that never played a game at Seton Hall after setting the Internet ablaze more than a half decade ago. One mixtape highlighting the work Jefferson put in on the summer travel circuit three years ago has garnered nearly four million views. Those who scour box scores following blowouts might've noticed the 27-point performance he put up in his college debut, a 31-point defeat at the hands of then 11th-ranked Louisville last season on his way to earning Southwestern Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors. 
To say his play through 12 games in 2017-18, averaging 23.4 points per game (No. 7 in the nation), has been the Milwaukee native's coming out party would be a gross overstatement. To label Jefferson, who stands just 5-7 and tips the scale at a feathery 150 pounds, the best pound-for-pound player in America would be deftly accurate.

Plain and simple, Jefferson has been terrorizing opposing defenses all winter as the Tigers Mac Daddy and Daddy Mac (Kriss Kross) the country playing the nation's toughest schedule. In his last three games against No. 21 Baylor, Wyoming and No. 15 TCU, he's put up 26.6 points on 50 percent shooting from the field and behind the 3-point line. 



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Prairie View A&M To Introduce New Head Football Coach Friday



PRARIE VIEW, Texas --Prairie View A&M University will introduce the 33rd head football coach in the program's history Friday at 11 a.m. CST in the William J. "Billy" Nicks Building.
 
The media and public are invited to attend the press conference and the reception that will follow inside the Panther Room in the Athletic Administration Building. The event will also be video streamed live at pvpanthers.com/sportsnetwork.
 

The conference will include comments by President Dr. Ruth Simmons, Vice President/Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson, and the new head football coach.


PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Hampton Pirates Annouces First Three Signees for 2018


HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton University head football coach Robert Prunty announced his first three signees during the early signing period on Wednesday.

"To get the three players we targeted in our short time being here I am extremely pleased," said Prunty. "For us to get a signee from the 757 in the first signing period, is very good. We have visited every school in the 757 since coming on board and we hope to get some more in February,"

Hampton's December signees are:

Evan Lomax
5-11, 170 lb., K/P
Nansemond River High School/Suffolk, Va.
A four-year starter at Nansemond River, Lomax was a three-year first team All-District, a four-year All-757 selection by the Virginian Pilot, first team All-Virginia Group 5A and All-Tidewater.

Prunty on Lomax
"He was the first guy I targeted and offered after taking this job. Evan had offers from Army and several walk-on BCS schools so to keep him in the 757 is a big get for us. He will help address a need that I saw on film in the kicking game."



Dallas Hall
6-4, 200 lb., QB
Northeastern High School/Elizabeth City, N.C
As a senior he threw for 2,004 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing just under 60% of his passes. As a two-year starter he threw for 3,191 yards and 35 touchdowns. He also made headway as a runner as he amassed 1,254 yards this year with seven games of over 100 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. He was Conference Player of the Year this year and also played basketball along with running track throughout his high school career.

Prunty on Hall
"Dallas is a phenomenal athlete as he also runs the 100 and 200 meters in track. A cerebral quarterback, who has a great upside which I am excited about. To get a quarterback who threw for 2,000 yards and also ran for 1,000 is a nice get for us."


QB Dallas Hall, #9 White Uniforms

Ja'Cori Shaw
6-4, 270 lb., T/DT
Northeastern High School/Elizabeth City, N.C
Was a key member of a Northeastern High School program that advanced to five straight conference championships and was 48-6 in the last four years. Helped lead a defense that produced four shutouts in 2017. In 14 games this year, he had 83 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries. He was a three-time Defensive Lineman of the Year, three-time First Team All-Area, three-time First Team All-Conference, three-time First Team All-Region and two-time All-State selection.

Prunty on Shaw
"We were very fortunate to get him early. He's long, rangy and a physical player who will boost the lines for us. He ran a sub 4.8 40-yard dash at 275 pounds and was MVP at the ECU Big Man Camp this summer."

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

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Monster First Half Run Leads Hampton Over Appalachian State

HAMPTON, Virginia -- A blistering 27-4 run over the final 11 minutes of the first half helped propel Hampton to an 86-53 win over Appalachian State on Wednesday night at the HU Convocation Center.

Another chilly start for Hampton saw the Pirates trail 18-12 at the 10:49 mark of the first half on a jumper from Ronshad Shabazz. The Pirates started their run with a Jermaine Marrow steal and layup and tied the game on a jumper from Akim Mitchell with 8:41 left at 18-all.

The Mountaineers tied the game at 20-all on a pair of Isaac Johnson free throws with 7:28 remaining and that was their last points for the next 6:29 as a Marrow layup put Hampton (5-8) ahead 34-20 with 1:16 left. A triple from Greg Heckstall and a putback by Charles Wilson-Fisher at the horn helped push Hampton to a 39-22 advantage.

In the second half, Hampton broke the game open on the heels of a 25-7 run in the final 7:18 as a Trey Houston jumper in the final minute put Hampton up 86-53.

Malique Trent-Street paced the Pirates with 21 points, while Marrow chipped in with 18 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and six assists. Hampton hit 51.7% from the field (31-60) and was 20-of-24 from the foul line (83.3%). The Pirates outrebounded Appalachian State 45-32 and forced 24 turnovers to go with a season-best 15 steals.

???????Shabazz topped Appalachian State (5-8) with 17 points, while Justin Forrest added 12 and Johnson scored 10 with seven rebounds. The Mountaineers were 17-of-59 from the floor (28.8%), 8-of-30 from 3-point land (26.7%) and 11-of-20 from the foul line (55%).

Hampton returns to action on Friday night heading to #13 Virginia for a 7pm tip at John Paul Jones Arena.

For more information on Hampton men's basketball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

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HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICAIONS

North Penn H.S. Khan Jamal Delaware State Bound

H.S. Position: FB/MLB, 5'-10"/205 lbs

LANSDALE, Pennsylvania -- Khan Jamal will be continuing his football career at Delaware State University after a last minute offer from the school.

“I was in a different situation than these guys. I didn’t really have any other offers on the table,” said Khan Jamal, “[When] Delaware State came, the coach and I just hit it off. We had a good relationship and kept talking.”

The Khan Jamal thing came in last second. I got a phone call Monday from the coach, and they said that they were going to offer. I was super excited. The coach was really impressed. I think what helped Khan, besides the fact that he’s a helluva player, was that he is very strong academically. He has a good balance of being a good player and a good student,” said Beck.

Jamal, who transferred from Plymouth Whitemarsh this year, is thankful for his experiences on both of the teams he has played for during his high school seasons.

“Being able to have two great coaching staffs was a blessing,” said Jamal.

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ASU Hornets add six on initial day of early signing period

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State head football coach Donald Hill-Eley announced the signing of six student-athletes during the first day of the Early Signing Period, his first at the helm of the program.
 
The class includes three FBS (Football Bowl Sub-Division) and one junior college student-athlete who will be mid-year enrollees at the university, as well as two high school athletes who will join the program after their graduation in May.
 
High school teammates Daymon Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) and Bryan West (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) signed with the Hornets Wednesday morning, sending their letters in within one hour of each other. The pair, from Glenville (Ohio) High School will join the program following their graduation.
 
Williams, a defensive end that stands at 6'4" and weights 250, was named First Team All-League and Honorable Mention NE Ohio Lakes District. A three-year letterman and two-year starter, Williams finished with 70 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. He also recorded 10 sacks, one interception, recovered two fumbles and forced three.
 
Meanwhile, West an athlete at 5'10" and 175 pounds was named First Team All-League and Honorable Mention NE Ohio Lakes District. He was a two-year starter who scored 10 touchdowns in a variety of ways, including six through the air with 27 receptions for 518 yards. He also rushed for 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while returning a pair of kicks.
 
Jahmal Wynter (McDonough, Ga.), the lone junior college signee on the first day of the Early Signing Period, stands at 6'3" and 290 pounds. The defensive lineman from Highlands Community College recorded 12 tackles including four solo stops, while also recording 2.5 tackles for loss.
 
The Hornets added a trio of transfers including Ismail Saleem (Montgomery, Ala.) from Troy University. Saleem, a 5'11" wide receiver, missed last season after season-ending surgery in 2016. Prior to his injury, Saleem caught five passes for 117 yards and a touchdown (49 yards against Austin Peay). He finished his career at Troy with 12 catches for 180 yards in limited action, including five catches for 47 yards against Wisconsin. Saleem ended his prep career at Carver High School after beginning at St. Jude where he was named honorable mention all-state, and caught 47 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns at Carver.
 
Moses Marshall IV, a 6'3", 235 pound tight end, joins the Hornets from the University of Kansas. Prior to Kansas, Marshall played 10 games at Erie Community College where he recorded 13 receptions for 238 yards. He averaged 18.3 yards per game and caught a pair of touchdown passes.
 
The final signee, Leeward Brown has ties to central Alabama, as his brother was a three-time All-American offensive lineman at Tuskegee. The 6'4", 350 offensive lineman from Tulane, played in 24 games for the Green Wave after finishing his prep career at Miramar High School. Coming out of high school, Brown was tabbed the 33rd-ranked guard nationally by 247Sports.com.
 
The Early Signing Period extends through Friday, December 22 and junior college student-athletes have until January 15 to sign their National Letter of Intent (NLI).
 
Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University football, please follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateFB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.


ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY HORNETS ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATION

Alcorn Inks Four Signees for 2018 Season During Early Signing



LORMAN, Mississsippi – The Alcorn State University football program added depth and athleticism to three positions Wednesday with the signing of Delshun Bradwell, Daylon Burks, Wanya Morris and Jyron Russell, head coach Fred McNair announced.

All four signed National Letters of Intent.

2018 Early Signee Roster (Position, Height, Weight, Previous School, Hometown)
Delshun Bradwell (OL, 6-4, 290, Godby HS, Quincy, Fla.)
Daylon Burks (CB, 5-11, 200, Pearl River JC, Lumberton, Miss.)
Wanya Morris (OL, 6-2, 290, Southwest Mississippi JC, Brookhaven, Miss.)
Jyron Russell (QB, 6-3, 195, Timberview HS, Grand Prairie, Texas)

"We've plugged in some guys that can come in and help us right away. We addressed some specific needs and added depth at a few spots, but we're not finished," McNair said. "One of the advantages to signing guys early is that they can come in during the spring and start to learn the system. Every year we try to bring in a few signees before the spring so everything won't be brand new in the fall."

Bradwell is a 6-4, 290-pound offensive lineman from Quincy, Florida. He comes to Alcorn as a true-freshman after playing four years at Godby HS.

"Delshun plays really hard. He has a lot of size and we're looking for him to help us on the offensive line right away," McNair said.

According to hudl.com, Bradwell also had an offer from Troy.  Rivals.com reported that Bradwell turned down an offer from Howard University and also had interest from Charlotte, Kentucky, Tulane and UCF.

During the Rivals Camp Series in Orlando in March, rivals.com reported, "Bradwell won four reps in dominant fashion during 1-on-1 drills and made a couple of his opponents give up on the play. He boasts long arms and uses them to create a devastating punch that has a tendency to rock defensive linemen onto their heels."

Burks is a 5-11, 200-pound cornerback out of Lumberton, Mississippi. He played six games at Pearl River JC this past season where he tallied 13 tackles, a sack and an interception. Burks played high school ball at Lumberton HS. He'll have two years of eligibility remaining at Alcorn.

"Daylon is a high-character guy and will be a great addition to our secondary. He'll definitely provide a boost for us with his speed and athleticism," McNair said.

Morris is a 6-2, 290-pound offensive lineman from Brookhaven, Mississippi. He also has experience playing defensive end.

Morris spent the last two seasons at Southwest Mississippi JC. He played high school ball at Brookhaven HS where he was named a Max Emfinger All-American.

"One of the things we were trying to do was become strong inside on the offensive line. Wanya definitely helps us accomplish that and will give us more depth at the guard position," McNair said.

Russell is a 6-3, 195-pound quarterback from Grand Prairie, Texas. He comes to Alcorn as a true-freshman after playing four years at Timberview HS.

"Jyron is a great quarterback with eye-popping highlights. We've been impressed with what we've seen of him both in person and on tape. He's smart with a very high football IQ. Jyron will certainly help us a lot in the passing game and has gifted abilities," McNair said.

Russell played on both sides of the ball at Timberview as a dual athlete and also played at the safety position.

"The coaching staff is excited about what we've signed so far, but we're still going to be adding-on. We're very high on a few recruits and have identified some guys that can really help us. We're happy with the direction we're headed," McNair said.

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Former JSU AD Wheeler Brown files appeal

WHEELER BROWN
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State University’s former athletic director is appealing after he was relieved of his duties.

The university announced Dec. 12 that Wheeler Brown was no longer A.D. Brown had 10 days to file an appeal, which he did this week.

Brown held the position for two years and had one year left on his contract. Brown was named full-time AD in December 2015.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Morehouse Tigers Basketball Remain Perfect at 10-0

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Morehouse rolled to a perfect 10-0; 5-0 record, beating the Central State Marauders, 88-66.

After a slow start, the Maroon Tigers cranked it up and led 38-21, at the half, and by as many as 30 in the second half.

It was the third straight Morehouse win by an average of 20 or more points.

The Marauders out-rebounded the Tigers 45-37, but couldn't capitalize, losing the second-chance points battle, 12-13.

Morehouse won the turnover tussle, forcing 22 miscues and converting those to a 24-9 points-off-turnovers advantage.

Three Maroon Tigers posted double figures, led by scoring leader Tyrius Walker, who poured in 25 points, on 10 of 17 shooting. Walker sank five triples and added six rebounds two assists and three steals to his stats line.

Jordan Wallace poured in 15 points, on 6 of 10 shooting, to go with three rebounds and three assists.

Martravious Little hit half of his 10 shots, for 14 points and recorded two assists.

Omar Alston had an all-around solid game, with six points, a team-high eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block.

Duby Maduegbunam contributed eight points and five rebounds.

Chris Scott led the Marauders with 20 points and a
game-high 15 rebounds. Davone Daniels put up 17 points and Frank Barber had 10 points, for Central State, which fell to 4-6; 3-3.

Morehouse will take a holiday break and return to action, on the road, against the Spring Hill Badgers, January 1, in Mobile, Ala., before returning home, January 4, to face the LeMoyne-Owen College Magicians.

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CAU Wins Sixth In a Row in Defeating Kentucky State 94-67


ATLANTA, Georgia -- Shelvick Henry came off the bench to score 22 points to lead the Clark Atlanta University Panthers to their sixth straight win, a 94-67 victory over Kentucky State University Monday at L.S. Epps Gymnasium.

The Panthers are now 11-1 overall, 5-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference where they are tied with Claflin and Morehouse for first place in the SIAC East Division.

Monday, the Panthers combined hot shooting with stellar defense in defeating Kentucky State (3-10, 2-4 SIAC).

Henry and Michael Vigilance combined for 18 first-half points off the bench to lead the Panthers to a 45-34 halftime lead.

"I thought once again our bench with Shel and Big Mike, gave us a really big lift," said CAU head coach Darrell Walker. "It was a good win against a team that scores a lot of points and we held them to 67 points, so that's pretty good defense."

Henry's hot hand continued in the second half as he hit all seven of his shots, including three 3-pointers. Jalen Mitchell and Samson Akilo both came off the bench late in the second half to hit shots that twice gave the Panthers their largest lead at 35 points as they cruised to the victory.

Henry finished with 22 points, five rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. Austin Donaldson had 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Vigilance finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, one block and a steal. Akil Douglas had 11 points and eight rebounds while Mitchell finished with ten points and two rebounds.

Kentucky State was led by Austin Sherell who had 23 points.

CAU out-rebounded Kentucky State 47-31, while the Panthers got 47 points from their bench. They also held KSU's leading scorer Dorian Jordan to just six points.

"I think he got fatigued at the end," Walker said. "I thought that AJ and Shel did a great job of denying him the ball and making him work for the ball the entire game. Offensively he got tired, which was good for us.

"We played Central State the last game and we shot 35 percent from the field and won the game," he said. "That was a grind out game. So when we shoot 45 to 50 percent from the field, it becomes like this, with the defense. We can win both ways."

Clark Atlanta takes time off for the Christmas break before returning to action on Dec. 30 when they visit Spring Hill College. They are back at L.S. Epps Gymnasium on Jan. 4 when they host Lane College.

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Morgan--NCAA Work Toward Improved Athletics Program

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- During an Academic Performance Plan (APP) data review of Morgan State University (MSU), as the NCAA routinely conducts with other universities, the NCAA Academic and Membership Affairs staffers alerted Morgan's Athletics Department of the discovery of multiple progress-toward-degree violations. The review began in 2015, was completed in 2016, and was followed by an extensive investigation and hearing process.
 
It was determined that during the 2012–13 to 2015–16 academic years, a total of 94 student-athletes, out of an annual pool of nearly 300, competed and received expenses while ineligible or not properly certified. In addition, the University failed to withhold these student-athletes from competition before the reinstatement of their eligibility. These violations pertained to the football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams, as well as the men's and women's track and bowling teams. At the time, the University's Athletics Department faced systemic deficiencies in the areas of reporting structure and senior staff knowledge related to NCAA academic support and compliance.  The department also suffered from instability caused by high staff turnover, the absence of a formal rules education process, and a lack of sufficient academic support staff.  There was a single academic coordinator with oversight of 300 student-athletes.
 
The University cooperated fully with the NCAA during its investigation and vowed to further examine its athletic program. Morgan officials pledged to disclose any additional NCAA infractions to take aggressive action toward a remedy. Since learning of the violations, MSU has voluntarily taken corrective action to strengthen its program for student-athletes. These steps have resulted in the entire football team improving its Academic Progress Rate (APR), along with an increase in the grades of student-athletes. Also, the University has received the welcomed support of the NCAA in the form of a nearly $890,000 Accelerating Academic Success Program Comprehensive Grant award, which is being used to fund student-athlete success and support many of the corrective actions Morgan has put in place. Those steps include:
  • Hiring a new athletic director, who has a strong background in academics and NCAA compliancy, to assist in overhauling the Athletics Department;
  • Adjusting the reporting structure to have the athletic director report directly to the University president as well as serve in the president's cabinet, which is consistent with the best practices of Division I athletics;
  • Adding a new position in the Office of the Registrar to oversee the certification process of student-athletes;
  • Instituting a new compliance office, in which the deputy athletic director has direct responsibility for compliance oversight and the rules education process for athletics and the campus;
  • Implementing a mandatory monthly rules education workshop for all coaches and staff;
  • Installing an APR projection database that enables the Athletics Department and its head coaches to gauge team academic progress and forecast APR scores by semester;
  • Moving the review of the academic certification process and APP data to an external entity to protect the integrity of the process;
  • Adding a dedicated athletics assistant registrar to review all certifications and the results from the University's newly integrated degree auditing software;
  • Partnering with the Academic Enhancement Program (AEP) to provide tutorial assistance for student-athletes; and
  • Increasing academic support staff from one to five dedicated persons, who will ultimately enhance the student advisor-to-student-athlete ratio while encouraging more one-on-one academic support.
The infractions listed do not reflect the way in which Morgan generally conducts its affairs nor do they represent the University's tradition of excellence in the classroom and on the playing field. Morgan is dedicated to the success of all student-athletes and our commitment to providing the appropriate resources to ensure compliance with all NCAA rules and regulations is unwavering. For this reason, the University accepted the initial findings of the NCAA investigation, recognized the severity of the infractions and elected to self-impose significant and appropriate penalties, such as:
  • Relinquishing six football counters (2016–17), one men's basketball scholarship (2017–18), two women's basketball scholarships (2016–17 and 2017–18), equivalency scholarships in men's track (2016–17 and 2017–18) and equivalency scholarships in women's bowling (2018–19);
  • Imposing an off-campus recruiting ban for the fall 2017 semester on men's basketball, women's basketball, softball, men's and women's tennis, bowling and men's and women's track;
  • Imposing a recruiting ban for the fall 2017 semester, limiting the football program to 21 evaluation days during the month of November;
  • Reducing official visits for men's and women's basketball to 15 during the next two years (2017–18 and 2018–19);
  • Reducing official visits for football to 30 during the next two years (2017–18 and 2018–19);
  • Imposing a three-year probation period; and
  • Applying a self-imposed fine of $5,000 (to remain at the University for reinvestment in compliance and additional rules education).
In addition to the aforementioned self-imposed penalties, the NCAA Division I Infractions Panel imposed the following additional penalties on the University's athletic programs. The committee decided that Morgan State University shall:
  • Be publicly reprimanded and censured;
  • Receive four years of probation through Dec. 18, 2021;
  • One-year postseason ban for softball, tennis and football;
  • A $5,000 financial penalty plus one percent of the 2017-18 budgets of the football, softball and women's tennis programs;
  • During the 2018-19 academic year, scholarship reductions of five percent in the 10 sports where violations occurred; and
  • Recruiting restrictions in the 10 sports, including a seven-week ban on unofficial visits and off-campus recruiting, official visit reductions, and communications restrictions.
In the lead up to today's announcement from the NCAA, the University's Athletics Director Ed Scott and President David Wilson made the decision to appeal the judgment of the Infractions Panel.  The University was granted an expedited hearing this past November in Indianapolis. At that hearing, the University presented a strong case to challenge the NCAA's verdict, and to seek relief from those penalties deemed as excessive, unwarranted or unfair. As a result of the presentation, the University was successful in convincing the NCAA Infractions Panel to reevaluate and lessen a number of penalties in key areas. These included: 
  • Reducing the number of affected sports banned from post-season play from 10 to just three (football, women's tennis and softball)
  • Decreasing the number of probation years from five to only four
  • Confining a 1% financial penalty to only the three sports penalized as opposed to 10 sports
Despite the infractions and resulting penalties imposed, Morgan remains committed to its responsibility to students, faculty, alumni, supporters and also the NCAA, to operate its athletic programs in a manner that is consistent with the highest principles of intercollegiate athletics and in adherence to our institutional values. This commitment includes the obligation to be forthcoming and thoroughly transparent in our response, regardless of consequences, whenever the University learns of any possible transgressions in conduct that run contrary to those principles.
 
Our pledge is to quality education, integrity, honesty and fairness in all University endeavors, which requires that we adhere to a higher standard. We are troubled by the notion that past mistakes will negatively impact the University and our students. And, as we move forward, we will use this experience as a learning opportunity, one that builds upon and does not stain an otherwise rich and impressive academic and athletic history.

 
MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS 

York High standout Khalid Dorsey has change of heart, backs away from commitment to Howard Bison



YORK, Pennsylvania -- Khalid Dorsey has apparently had a change of heart about his college future.

On Wednesday, Dec. 6, the all-state running back from York High announced on his Twitter feed (@BmoreUpNext) that he was verbally committing to Howard University, a Football Championship Subdivision program in Washington.

Just two weeks later, on Wednesday, Dec. 20, Dorsey again used Twitter to announce that he was backing away from his Howard commitment.

His latest tweet read: "I will officially be decomitting from Howard University and opening my recruitment back up! Thank you to all the coaches from Howard who recruited me. I appreciate it big time!"

Immediate attempts to reach Dorsey were unsuccessful.

Dorsey was the heart and soul of the Bearcats for the last two seasons, when York High went from a 1-9 season in 2016 to a 9-2 campaign in 2017.

In 2017, Dorsey was second in the York-Adams League with 1,728 rushing yards, while scoring 15 touchdowns. He was a Y-A Division I First-Team All-Star. On Tuesday, Dec. 19, Dorsey was named to the Class 5-A All-State Team by the Pennsylvania Football Writers.


KHALID DORSEY #21

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Gold Rush crush Bearcats in Xavier Classic finale

NEW ORLEANS — Joseph Williams scored a career-high 21 points Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 94-71 men's basketball victory against Rust in the final game of the Xavier Classic.

The Gold Rush (10-4) won for the fourth straight time in six days. XULA was 10-20 last season.
Williams produced a career scoring high for the third time in four games. The senior forward also grabbed nine rebounds and had three steals.

Redshirt freshman Khalil McCoy scored a career-high 16 points for XULA, and Rayshawn Mart and Virgil Davison had 12 apiece. Mart, a freshman, had career bests of 11 assists and four steals.



Allen Potts scored 20 points for the Bearcats (3-11). DaVante Johnson had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Cameron Sembly had 13 points.

After a tie at 20 in the eighth minute, XULA surged to a 45-32 halftime lead. The Gold Rush led by double digits for the final 27:08. Elex Carter's basket with 4:24 remaining gave XULA its largest lead, 88-62.

XULA outshot Rust 51.4 to 43.1 percent from the floor and was plus-15 in turnovers, committing 11 and gaining 26. XULA produced season bests of 13 3-pointers and 28 assists. XULA's point total also was a season high. The Gold Rush are 10-0 this season when reaching 70 points.

Dillard defeated Virgin Islands 103-83 in the other men's game.

The Gold Rush will travel to the University of Mobile for a 7 p.m. game Friday.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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NAIA's 9th-ranked team beats Nuggets in Xavier Classic



NEW ORLEANS — Kayla Styles and Teanna Curry scored 19 points apiece Monday to lead NAIA No. 9 Lindsey Wilson to a 69-60 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the Xavier Classic.

The Blue Raiders (12-2) never trailed and took the lead for good in the 10th minute.

Styles and teammates Reagan Turner and Gerda Paulauskaite grabbed 10 rebounds apiece. Turner and Devin Cheatum scored 11 points apiece.

Mikayla Bates and Essence Wells scored 13 points apiece for the Gold Nuggets (6-4), who have dropped 2-of-3 since a five-game winning streak. Maya Trench scored 11 points, and Dasia Pitre scored 10. Bates had eight steals, and Gina Smith grabbed 17 rebounds — both career highs.

Lindsey Wilson made seven 3-pointers, all in the first half, and led 41-27 at halftime. XULA never got closer than four points in the second half.

Lindsey Wilson outshot the Gold Nuggets 39.2 to 30.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 49-40.

Smith's rebound total matched the most by a Gold Nugget since the start of the 2003-04 season. Keldra Hall also grabbed 17 rebounds at Shorter on Jan. 4, 2012. Bates's steals are the most since Jarryn Cleaves had eight against Dillard on March 1, 2008.

Dillard defeated Virgin Islands 67-48 in the other women's game.

The Gold Nuggets will break for Christmas, then begin a three-game trip at 6 p.m. Dec. 28 at Auburn. The next home game will be Jan. 17.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Butts to head to NSU

SUFFOLK, Virginia -- Standout Bulldog Darran Butts has committed to Norfolk State University.

The King’s Fork High School senior will not be too far from the people of Suffolk who want to continue to see him play.

Butts, the 2017 Southeastern District Player of the Year, announced his commitment Monday evening. Hampton University was a close runner-up, but Butts liked the way the NSU staff kept in contact with him. He had interest from multiple NCAA Division-I and Division-II programs.

“It just felt like home,” Butts said. “The atmosphere and coaching staff was something like my head coach. They were hitting me up every day and made Csure that my grades were good. They felt like I would be an asset to their program.”

Norfolk State has plans to keep Butts at running back. They also want him playing a role on special teams as a kick and punt returner. The coaches let Butts know he could come in as a freshman and be a big part of the program.

The first-team all-state running back’s family and coaches played a big role in his recruiting. They let him know to pick a school he thought was best for him, and he also wanted to keep his family in mind when making his decision.

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Federal judge says JSU must pay $382,000 judgment to former women's basketball coach

JSU paid $206,000 in legal fees through 2015, fighting this case.

JACKSON, Mississippi -- A federal judge ordered Jackson State University to pay the $382,000 judgment originally awarded to the school's former women’s basketball coach in 2014.

"Jackson State University doesn't offer anything new to change the original opinion," U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate said in a bench opinion.

The former coach, Denise Taylor Travis, wiped away tears on Monday after Wingate upheld the original award. She said it has been a six-year ordeal for her.

“He vindicated me. It’s like you have been accused of killing someone and DNA comes back and clears you after serving six years in prison," Travis said. "To have closure is very gratifying to me and my family.”

Travis, who used the last name Taylor when she was at JSU, coached at the school for 10 seasons, from 2001-11, and led the program to the 2008 SWAC Tournament title. Her contract was renewed in 2010 for four years with her salary set at $91,000 a year. Travis was fired after then-JSU President Carolyn Meyers took office in 2011. Meyers resigned last year.

Travis had filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Jackson on Jan. 24, 2012, against the university, alleging wrongful termination, sexual discrimination, invasion of privacy and breach of contract.

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JSU signs 10 players recruiting class during early signing period

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Coach Tony Hughes and his staff have received their final LOI of the day from Hinds receiver Ra'Meik Wallace. That gives JSU 10 players that will help meet the team's immediate needs, and they will all be here for spring camp.

That's going to do it for today, and just in the nick of time - Hughes has some Christmas shopping to do.

12:03 p.m.: JSU coaches are still waiting on a fax from Hinds WR Ra'meik Wallace. Counting him, JSU will have signed 10 players today, leaving the coaching staff room to sign 19 high school seniors during the regular signing period in February.

11:22 a.m. - JSU has received a letter of intent from Qendarrion Barnett (LB), the transfer from the University of Idaho.

10:36 a.m. - Didravious Henry (DL) from Co-Lin and East Mississippi's Jauan Collins (DL) are on board. Collins is a surprise. He originally signed with Southern Miss out of Pascagoula High in 2016, red-shirted and then transferred to EMCC. He's got great size for a tackle at 6-1, 300 pounds.

10:05 a.m. - The two other juco recruits we expect Jackson State to sign today are Ra'Meik Wallace (WR) from Hinds and Didarius Henry (DL) from Co-Lin. The university has yet to announce they've received a letter of intent from either. Wallace got an 11th-hour offer from Alcorn State, but according to his Twitter, he's still a Tiger.

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Hughes: Former MSU signee Deion Pope won't return to Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Deion Pope's tenure at Jackson State is over less than one year after it began.

Jackson State coach Tony Hughes said Monday he does not expect the former No. 1 defensive tackle recruit in the country to return for his senior season following a disciplinary hearing with school officials.

Pope was suspended indefinitely in early October stemming from an incident in practice where he allegedly punched a teammate in the face, according to a source inside the program with direct knowledge of the incident.



He had a hearing with the university's disciplinary board, which, apparently, did not go well.

"To make a long story short," Hughes said. "He's been suspended from school by the university until further notice."

Pope's suspension, and his subsequent decision to leave Jackson State, is just the latest chapter in his tumultuous collegiate football career.

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Southern Jaguars Signing Day Tracker

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Follow along here for updates as Southern welcomes its newest members to its football program.


2018 signees

WR Kobe Hartman, 6-3, 190, Ellender Memorial High School (Houma, Louisiana), @LitBaller30high school highlights
Twitter:
TE Reggie Wilson, 6-3, 225, Reagan High School (San Antonio, Texas), Twitter: @reggiewilson115high school highlights
DB Damien Crawford, 6-3, 188, Green Oaks High School (Shreveport, Louisiana), Twitter: @damiendbu21high school highlights
WR Jamel Byrd, 6-1, 190, Hahnville High School (Hahnville, Louisiana), Twitter: @Lahmel_high school highlights
K/P Martell Fontenot, 5-11, 155, Zachary High School (Zachary, Louisiana), Twitter: @MartellFontenothigh school highlights
DL Terrence Gray, 6-3, 242, Ellender Memorial High School (Houma, Louisiana), Twitter: @Terrence_Gray89high school highlights
WR Gary Young, 5-7, 170, G.W. Carver High School (New Orleans), Twitter: @youngnumba2high school highlights
OL Bernard Childs II, 6-2, 315, Channelview High School (Channelview, Texas), high school highlights
DL Colyn Givens, 6-3, 255, Captain Shreve High School (Shreveport), Twitter: @ColynG1high school highlights
LB Jacoby Allen, 6-1, 210, North Park High School (Houston, Texas), Twitter: @sauce_49high school highlights
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GSU Football Signs Two During Early Signing Period

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State University head football coach Broderick Fobbs and the Tiger program announced the addition of Cecil Cherry and Damien Crumitie during the early signing period on Wednesday.

Cherry comes to Grambling State from Coahoma Community College. Originally from Frostproof, Fla., Cherry starred on both sides of the ball at Victory Christian Academy in Lakeland, Fla. He was a 4-star recruit on rivals.com and was ranked as the No. 12 inside linebacker recruit nationally and as the no. 46 recruit at any position in the state of Florida as a senior. He was named the Small School Defensive Player of the Year by the Lakeland Ledger in 2014 and was offered by close to 40 colleges and universities out of high school, including national powerhouses Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, and Clemson.

Cherry committed to the University of Texas out of high school and transferred to the University of South Florida shortly after beginning his fall semester at UT. After redshirting for the Bulls in 2015, Cherry accumulated 30 total tackles for a USF side that went 10-2 in 2016 and earned a berth in the Birmingham Bowl.

Crumitie, a native of Tallahassee, Fla., spent last season at Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kan. He had one kickoff return during his freshman season at Dodge City CC. A defensive back coming out of Leon High School, Crumitie played in 10 games last season and was sixth on the team in tackles with 27, including 19 solo stops. He added 2.5 tackles for a loss of 12 yards and eight pass breakups.

As a senior, Crumitie had offers from South Alabama, Troy, Western Kentucky, Kent State, Charlotte, Central Arkansas and Tennessee-Martin.

Both Cherry and Crumitie will be enrolled at Grambling State in January from their respective junior colleges.

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