TSU Lady Tigers Fall to Gamecocks at Home

FINAL BOX | PHOTO GALLERY

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team fell to Jacksonville State, 75-56, Thursday night in the Gentry Center.

Tennessee State (2-10, 0-3 OVC) managed to cut a 20-point deficit down to just seven points but Jacksonville State (9-5, 3-0 OVC) closed the game with a, 13-1, run to pull away down the stretch.

Tia Wooten poured in 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double but she was the only Lady Tiger to reach double-figures.

Jacksonville State had four players score in double-digits led by Gretchen Morrison’s 17 points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• TSU Leaders
• Points: Tia Wooten- 28
• Rebounds: Tia Wooten - 11
• Assists: Maxine Beard and Asia Sims - 2
• Steals: Kaliya Griffin and Tia Wooten - 2

• TSU outrebounded JSU, 46-40.
• The Gamecocks held the advantage in bench points, 45-9.
• TSU shot 25.4 percent from the field and 18.2 percent from three-point range.
• The Lady Tigers shot an impressive 82.8 percent from the free-throw line.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite only making one field goal in the opening quarter, TSU only trailed 15-10 heading into the second frame.
• TSU’s struggles continued in the second period and the Lady Tigers were outscored 18-6 in the opening five minutes.
• A three-pointer by Andreana Wrister ended TSU’s scoring drought but by then the Lady Tigers were behind, 33-19.
• At the half, the score was 36-22, in favor of the Gamecocks.
• TSU used a timeout after falling behind by 20 with seven minutes left in the third.
• Buckets from Tia Wooten sparked a 10-3 run that cut the deficit down to 47-34.
• Jaden Wrightsell connected in the paint close the gap to 10 points with 7:29 remaining.
• TSU managed to cut it to single digits behind another three-point play from Wooten but JSU answered with a triple on its next possession to move ahead, 65-55.
• Jacksonville State outscored TSU 13-1 in the final 6:37 of the game to pull away.

GAME NOTES

• TSU shot 1-of-13 from the field in the first quarter, but finished 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
• TSU shot 25 percent from the field in the game (15-of-59).
• TSU finished 83 percent from the line (24-of-29).
• Jacksonville State now leads the series 17-16.
• Tia Wooten collected her third double-double of the season and her career with 28 points and 11 rebounds.

• Wooten entered the contest leading the OVC in scoring with 20.5 points/game.

QUOTES

Head Coach Jessica Kern

"This one was rough. This one was rough because every game there has been a silver lining kind of deal. And you do have those games where you stink up the place. And we stunk up the place today. We had a great practice, we had a great shoot around, and it did not carry over to the game. What will we not accept is a lack of discipline on both ends of the floor and across the board. I'm extremely disappointed in our will and want tonight." 

-Overview of the game

"Again, I continue to talk about her character. Tia is growing as a person if you watch us in the Kentucky State game to now. It's very difficult being an undersized post player. She's getting contact every time down the floor, and you have to every time as an undersized post player. You have to learn to play with that. I am very impressed that she's keeping her head. She had three fouls in the first half, and then we were able to keep her on the floor in the second half. Hands down, I have no problem saying it and I hope people take head. Tia Wooten should be a candidate for player of the year."

-On Tia Wooten

"Right. You can't have two's and give up three's. They shot 30 tonight. I keep saying this with teams, but we're exuding so much energy with a short roster. On one end, we're lacking on the other. We have to find a way to start games better. We scored a little bit better than we did the game prior, however we can't ask key players to do it on both ends at such a high level. We're going upstairs as staff right now. We'll be looking at film immediately, and the girls will be here bright and early in the morning. We're going to continue to do what we do. Our philosophy doesn't change. We're praying a light goes off against Tennessee Tech." 
-On cutting the lead to 10 in the second half

UP NEXT

• TSU continues OVC action on Saturday against Tennessee Tech. Game time is set for 2 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Keith Miles starts Today as FAMU's deputy athletic director

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Keith Miles, who for 30 years was the voice of the Rattlers on the Rattlers Sports Radio Network, will step into a new role as Florida A&M's deputy athletic director under interim AD John Eason.

Miles, 59, will report directly to Eason, who was named interim AD in November. He starts on Friday.

"I think John is a very smart person," Miles said. "He is definitely looking at some of the issues. My role is going to be to assist him. I’m fully aware of what my role is going to be. He’s had some major wins already with hiring Willie Simmons and that was big."

Miles is a FAMU graduate. Three of his children and his father also graduated from FAMU, he said.

"I’ve had an interest in athletics, obviously, for a long time," Miles said.

CONTINUE READING

Grambling State Shakyla Hill Sets Historic NCAA and SWAC Record In Posting Quadruple-Double in Win Over Alabama State

Only Four Women players in NCAA Division I history has accomplished the quadruple-double feat.  Hill is the first HBCU player to achieve this standard.

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- It was a historic night on Wednesday at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center as Shakyla Hill etched her name into the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball record books.

Hill became the fourth player in NCAA Division I women's basketball history, and the first in 24 years, to record a quadruple-double as the Grambling State University women's basketball team rolled to a 93-71 victory over Alabama State.

Hill finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals and 10 assists to become the fourth women's basketball player to achieve that feat.

"She is very unselfish," Grambling State head coach Freddie Murray said. "She had to do a lot more last year because we didn't have a lot of pieces. Now she is surrounded by players who feed off what she gives us. To get a quadruple-double is just a testament to the hard work she puts in."

Hill, who only had four points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists at the half, finished the night 6-of-11 from the floor, with one 3-pointer and a pair of free throws. She had a triple double with two minutes remaining in the fourth and was sitting on eight assists, before picking up her ninth and 10th assist with under 10 seconds to complete the quadruple-double.

The last quadruple-double was by Sonja Tate of Arkansas State against Mississippi Valley State (Jan. 27, 1993) as she finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals. Veronica Pettry, of Loyola-Chicago registered 12 points, 10 rebounds, 22 assists and 11 steals for the first official quadruple-double (Jan. 14, 1989). Unofficially, Jackie Spenser, of Louisville, recorded 12 points, 12 boards, 14 assists and 10 steals against Cincinnati (Feb. 2, 1985).

SportsCenter‏Verified account @SportsCenter 12h12 hours ago

QUADRUPLE-DOUBLE for Grambling State’s Shakyla Hill! It’s the first quadruple-double in women’s D-1 in almost 25 years.

McKinney led Grambling State (5-8 overall, 2-0 SWAC) with 20 points, three rebounds and three assists. Jazmine Torian and Monisha Neal added 12 points each.

Keimeshia Walker and Ziara Doe paced Alabama State (2-11, 0-2) with 15 points, while Mya Milner tallied 12 points. Tatyana Calhoun recorded 10 points and four boards.

Turning Point
Grambling State led 21-18 after one quarter and outscored Alabama State in the second, 19-15, to take a 40-33 advantage into the break.

The Lady Tigers, who have struggled a bit in the third quarter this season, took control of the game by outscoring the Lady Hornets, 22-13, to take a 62-46 lead into the final quarter.

Alabama State could not recover from the huge deficit as Grambling State picked up its second consecutive victory.

Inside the Numbers
* Grambling State shot 33-of-70 (47.1 percent) from the floor and 16-of-22 (72.7 percent) from the free-throw line.
* Alabama State was 22-of-48 (45.8 percent) shooting and 25-of-34 (73.5 percent) from the charity stripe.
* The Lady Tigers tallied 34 rebounds, with 15 coming on the offensive end.
* The Lady Hornets finished with 35 rebounds, including 26 off the defensive glass.
* Grambling State registered 58 bench points, 37 points in the paint, 36 points off turnovers and 15 second-chance points.
* Alabama State tallied 33 bench points, 32 points in the paint, 17 points off turnovers and 10 second-chance points.
* The score was tied twice and there was just one lead change.

News and Notes
* Shakyla Hill came into the game ranked third in the country in steals and steals per game.
* Move over Jackie Spenser, Veronica Pettry and Sonja Tate as Shakyla Hill now joins a very elite club.
* The Lady Tigers have won two straight to begin the month of January.

Up Next
Grambling State returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 6 against rival Southern. Tip-off from Baton Rouge, La., is set for 3:30 p.m.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.


Grambling State 93
## Player GS FGM-FGA 3FGM-3FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF TOT PF TP A TO BLK STL MIN
5 HILL, Shakyla * 6-11 1-1 2-2 4-6 10 2 15 10 3 0 10 37
4 NEAL, Monisha * 3-12 1-4 5-6 1-4 5 4 12 4 3 1 4 35
12 COLEMAN, Justice * 3-7 0-1 0-1 2-0 2 0 6 1 2 0 0 14
33 GIDEON, Kailyn * 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 4
10 JEANS, Laneisha * 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 1 3 0 0 1 0 0 3
22 MCKINNEY, Deja 7-13 4-8 2-2 0-3 3 1 20 3 1 0 0 22
20 TORIAN, Jazmine 4-9 2-5 2-4 1-1 2 3 12 0 2 0 0 25
30 WILLIAMS, Alexus 4-5 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 4 9 0 1 0 0 16
13 BOYD, Jazmin 2-2 1-1 2-2 0-1 1 3 7 3 4 0 1 19
11 WILLIAMS, Ariel 1-6 1-3 2-4 2-0 2 3 5 3 0 0 1 19
23 TAYLOR, Darae 2-4 0-0 1-1 1-0 1 1 5 0 1 0 0 6
0 MACHADO, Alisicia 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
TM TEAM 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-4 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS - 33-70 11-24 16-22 15-19 34 24 93 24 18 1 17 200
TEAM TOTAL % 47.1 % 45.8 % 72.7 %
TEAM SUMMARY: FG 3FG FT
FIRST HALF 15-35 6-16 4-6
42.86 % 37.50 % 66.67 %
SECOND HALF 18-35 5-8 12-16
51.43 % 62.50 % 75.00 %
TECHNICAL FOULS:
(1) BOYD, Jazmin,(1) WILLIAMS, Alexus
POINTS IN THE PAINT:
37
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:
36
SECOND CHANCE POINTS:
15
FAST BREAK POINTS:
15
BENCH POINTS:
58
SCORES TIED:
1 time(s)
LEAD CHANGED:
1 time(s)
LARGEST LEAD:
23 4th-08:27

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

TSU Men's Basketball Hosts Jacksonville State on Thursday Night

TENNESSEE STATE (5-8, 0-2 OVC)
vs. JACKSONVILLE STATE (11-4, 2-0 OVC)
Thursday, Jan. 4  |  7:30 p.m.
Gentry Center  |  Nashville, Tenn.

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE | JACKSONVILLE STATE
VIDEO: OVC Digital Network – John Freeman on the call
RADIO: 102.1 The Ville – Greg Pogue (play-by-play) and Albert Dawson (analysis) on the call
LIVE STATS: Statbroadcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter - @TSU_Tigers | @TSUTigersMBB | #BigBlueRising

OPENING TIP: Hosting a game at the Gentry Center for the first time since Dec. 2, the Tennessee State men’s basketball team welcomes defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Jacksonville State to Nashville for Thursday night’s game. TSU, one of the top defensive teams in the OVC, is third among conference teams in field goal percentage defense (42.7 percent) and fifth in scoring defense (68.2 ppg). The men’s game is the second half of a basketball doubleheader at the Gentry Center that begins with the women’s game at 5:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: TSU was handed a 77-65 loss at Southeast Missouri on Dec. 31 despite 17 points from Delano Spencer. The Tigers were down by two at the half, but an 18-0 run by SEMO in the second half broke the game open.



ABOUT JACKSONVILLE STATE: The reigning Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champion Gamecocks are 11-4 overall and 2-0 in OVC action. Jacksonville State’s high-powered offense leads the league in field goal percentage (49.0 percent) and is third in the OVC in scoring offense (77.1 ppg). JSU is coming off a five-game homestand that produced four wins.  

LAST SEASON VS. JACKSONVILLE STATE: Jacksonville State won both matchups last season. In the first meeting on Jan. 21 at the Gentry Center, Tahjere McCall led five Tigers in double figures with 19 points to go with nine assists in an 86-79 loss. The Feb. 11 matchup in Jacksonville - a 63-57 TSU loss - featured Wayne Martin scoring 18 points with Armani Chaney adding 15 for the Tigers.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Tennessee State holds a 17-13 record versus Jacksonville State in the all-time series, which began on Dec. 16, 1999. TSU swept the season series during the 2015-16 season before the Gamecocks swept both meetings in 2016-17.

UP NEXT: TSU hosts Tennessee Tech for a doubleheader at the Gentry Center. The women’s game is slated for 2 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 4 p.m.

OVC DIGITAL NETWORK BROADCAST

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Winter Weather Forces Change To Chowan Upcoming Contest

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina -- With the impact of a major winter storm spreading across most of North Carolina, the Chowan Basketball contests against CIAA foe Johnson C. Smith has been postponed announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Chowan was scheduled to host Johnson C. Smith in CIAA action on Thursday evening with the women's contest tipping off at 5:30pm and the men's contest following.

The Hawks' meeting with the Golden Bulls has been pushed until Monday, February 12. The women will tip-off at 5:30pm with the men following.

Chowan will shift their attention to Winston-Salem State as the Hawks host the Rams on Saturday, January 6.

CHOWAN UNIVERSITY HAWKS SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU Rams Doubleheader at Virginia State Postponed Until Friday

ETTRICK, Virginia – The Winston-Salem State University Rams women's and men's basketball teams will have to wait one more day to return to action as Thursday's doubleheader at Virginia State has been postponed until, Friday afternoon. The postponement is the result of the threat of inclement weather in the Ettrick, Virginia area.

The Rams and the Trojans will instead play on Friday, January 5th. The Rams women's basketball team will take the court in a 4:00 p.m. game while the Rams men's team will take the court in a 6:00 p.m. game.

With the postponement, the Rams basketball teams will play two games in less than 24 hours with the two teams heading to Murfreesboro, N.C. to take on the Chowan Hawks, Saturday with the women's team scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start while the men's team is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. start.

For more information on Rams basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.

WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

HU's Joyner ready to give "100 percent to my team"

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Time heals, but it doesn’t erase. Hampton University men’s basketball coach Edward Joyner Jr. has come to accept that.

It’s been four weeks since he discovered his unresponsive father on a sofa in the coach’s office. Edward Joyner Sr. had stretched out for an afternoon nap but never woke up. He died of natural causes at the age of 69.

It was a horrible night for everyone. Because the Pirates were to play a home game that night, the players arrived as ambulances were pulling into the Convocation Center parking lot. They witnessed the frantic scene in Joyner’s office.

Joyner lost the most important man in his life — his namesake, his mentor, his best friend. He’ll never get over that, but he’s ready to move on.

“It’s a day-by-day process, but life goes on,” Joyner said Wednesday in his office. “I believe he was what and where he wanted to be. It was his time to go, and he went the way he wanted to.

“I feel like the last couple of weeks, I haven’t been able to give 100 percent to my team. Now, I’m at the point where I think I can.”

CONTINUE READING

NSU-North Carolina A&T Games PostPoned

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Norfolk State-North Carolina A&T men's and women's basketball games set for Saturday at A&T's Corbett Sports Center in Greensboro, North Carolina have been postponed due to winter weather conditions in the Hampton Roads area.
 
NSU was scheduled to leave on Friday morning for North Carolina A&T. The games will now be made up on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Corbett Sports Center.
 
NSU's games at North Carolina Central on Monday are still set to be played. School officials will reassess the situation should conditions warrant.

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU Spartans Get Balanced Effort in 75-67 Win over Coppin State

NORFOLK, Virginia – Six players scored at least eight points on the night, and the Norfolk State men's basketball team never trailed in a 75-67 win over Coppin State on Wednesday night at Joseph Echols Hall.

In the MEAC opener for both teams, the Spartans overcame 18 turnovers but held a big edge on the glass to win their second straight game. Only twice did Coppin State pull even with NSU, once at the beginning and once in the second half when the Eagles made a run.

NSU only had two players in double figures, led by freshman Mastadi Pitt's 17 point-night on 3-of-7 shooting. He made 9-of-10 from the free throw line with three assists off the bench.

Norfolk State (3-12 overall, 1-0 MEAC) made 10-of-24 from the 3-point line while holding Coppin State to 37.5 percent shooting on 21-of-56 field goals.




The Eagles remained winless on the season at 0-16 overall as well as 0-1 in the league.

The Spartans led by seven at the break after going up by as much as 11 early on. They again led by double digits early in the second half before CSU's Lamar Morgan hit one of his six 3-pointers on the night to cut the Spartans' lead to three, 36-33. A little later, Cedric Council's 3-point play got the Eagles to one. Morgan then knocked down a 3-pointer but could not complete the 4-point play, but nevertheless it tied the score at 41-all at the 12:39 mark.

Sophomore Nic Thomas had six points during an 11-3 run for the Spartans to push their lead to 52-44. It later became a 62-51 ballgame after a pair of buckets from senior Bryan Gellineau. Morgan, however, made a pair of free throws and capped an 11-3 run with yet another 3-pointer to get the Eagles to within three, 65-62. But with just two minutes left, NSU got baskets from senior Preston Bungei and junior Alex Long before making 6-of-8 from the free throw line in the last minute.

Long was the only other Spartan in double figures with 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting with six rebounds. Thomas, senior Kyle Williams and junior Derrik Jamerson each scored nine, while Bungei added eight points and 12 boards.

Williams (seven) and sophomore Steven Whitley (eight) also played big roles on the glass. NSU held a 47-28 advantage in rebounds. It included a 14-6 edge on the offensive side, which led to the Spartans outscoring the Eagles 13-5 in second-chance points.

Long had six points early on, and Jamerson knocked down a pair of treys to give the Spartans an early 17-6 lead in the game, the largest of the night. But after a slow start, the Eagles started heating up from deep. Morgan hit a couple, and Tre' Thomas knocked one down from long range with 4:51 before the half to get the Eagles all the way back to within one, 23-22.

Pitt had a couple of buckets to keep the Spartans ahead, and his two free throws with 46 seconds left made it a 33-26 contest heading into the half.

Morgan totaled 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting, 6-of-14 from deep. Karonn Davis and Adam Traore added 13 and 11 points, respectively. Council stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, five rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three steals.

BOX SCORE

NSU shot 24-of-60 (40 percent) from the floor and 17-of-22 from the free throw line.

The Eagles made 10-of-35 from deep.

NSU will make the conference's North Carolina trip this weekend, beginning at N.C. A&T on Saturday and finishing it up at N.C. Central on Monday.

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Florida A&M Rattlers Open MEAC Play With 84-76 Win Over Howard Bison

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M Rattlers (2-15, 1-0 MEAC) used a pressing defense and efficient shooting to tame the hot shooting of the Howard Bison (3-14, 0-1 MEAC) en route to an 84-76 win in the MEAC home opener.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my team. We did it the hard way. We fell down by 14 points, but I think we’re really growing. Previous games when things started going bad, you could look at our guys’ body language and you could see it. Tonight, I never saw that,” said head basketball coach Robert McCullum.

The Rattlers were led by senior Desmond Williams, who scored 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting. Williams also led the team with 12 rebounds, carding a double-double. Point guard Elijah Mayes has his best game as a Rattler, carding 22 points on efficient 7-of-10 shooting from the field, including going .500 from the three-point arc, making two of four. Marcus Barham and Nick Severado rounded out the quartet of players in double figures as they each chipped in 10 points each.

The Rattlers shot just 32.3 percent in the first half, regrouping to shoot 54.5 percent in the final period. FAMU also out-rebounded Howard 39 to 31. The Bison committed 12 turnovers, while the Rattlers committed but seven.

HU was led in scoring by the duo of RJ Cole and CJ Williams. Cole was the game-leading scorer with 30 points, going 3-of-7 from three point range. Williams was 3-of-5 from three point range, adding 21 points for Howard. Kyle Foster rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points.

The Bison shot 54.5 percent from the field in the first half, including 7-of-11 (63.6%) from the three point range. That shooting cooled in the second half as they shot just 28.6 percent, going 2-of-7. HU shot 60 percent from the free throw line.

FAMU shot an efficient 78.6 percent from the charity stripe, which was crucial in the final stretch of the game as the Bison tried to recover by fouling in the final minutes. Howard outscored FAMU 39-34 in the first half, but with a pressing defense and efficiency on the
offensive end, the Rattlers outscored the Bison 50-37 in the second period.

McCullum hopes to carry the momentum into the heart of the MEAC schedule. When asked how good the win felt after the brutal non-conference early season schedule, McCullum replied “I don’t know if my vocabulary will allow me to expound. It feels really good. When you get a win, it has a way of making it all seem worthwhile.”

What’s next: FAMU is closely monitoring the winter storm set to move up to the northeastern United States as they are slated to travel to Baltimore this weekend to play Morgan State and Coppin State.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Gold Rush knocking on door of national top 25

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana moved closer Tuesday to a spot in the NAIA Division I men's basketball top 25 when the Gold Rush topped the list of "others receiving votes."

The Gold Rush (11-4) collected 34 points from the nine voters and are 13 points behind Cumberlands and William Carey, which tied for 24th. The national rank is XULA's highest since it was 25th in the preseason poll of Oct. 25, 2016. XULA tied for 33rd in the previous rankings Dec. 5.
Boosting the Gold Rush was a 5-0 December — XULA's first perfect record during that month since 2003.

Georgetown (Ky.) received eight first-place votes and remained No. 1.



The next XULA game will be the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener — 7:30 p.m. EST Monday against Edward Waters in Jacksonville, Fla. The next rankings will be announced Jan. 16.
2017-18 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll – No. 2 (Jan. 2, 2018)

RANK PRVS^ SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) 2017-18 RECORD TOTAL POINTS
1 1 Georgetown (Ky.) (8) 15-0 219
2 4 Carroll (Mont.) (1) 14-0 209
3 3 William Penn (Iowa) 12-1 202
4 2 LSU Shreveport (La.) 12-1 195
5 5 The Master's (Calif.) 14-1 189
6 8 Pikeville (Ky.) 15-0 185
7 6 Columbia (Mo.) 14-1 181
8 9 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 14-0 171
9 10 Hope International (Calif.) 14-1 163
10 11 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 13-1 149
11 12 Faulkner (Ala.) 12-1 143
T12 20 Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 9-2 140
T12 16 Central Methodist (Mo.) 13-1 140
14 23 Oklahoma City 9-2 122
15 21 Campbellsville (Ky.) 15-1 120
16 17 Montana Western 12-2 106
17 14 LSU Alexandria (La.) 10-4 103
18 13 Dalton State (Ga.) 10-3 102
19 18 Missouri Baptist 13-2 100
20 7 Science & Arts (Okla.) 10-2 84
21 15 Wayland Baptist (Texas) 10-2 77
22 NR William Jessup (Calif.) 14-2 66
23 NR Arizona Christian 12-2 65
T24 RV Cumberlands (Ky.) 12-2 47
T24 RV William Carey (Miss.) 9-3 47
Others Receiving Votes: Xavier (La.) 34; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 30; Graceland (Iowa) 27; Menlo (Calif.) 17; Life (Ga.) 17; Langston (Okla.) 17; Montana State-Northern 13; Central Baptist (Ark.) 8; Grand View (Iowa) 5.

Dropped Out: MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (No. 19); Vanguard (Calif.) (No. 22); Langston (Okla.) (No. 24); Life (Ga.) (No. 25).

^ Previous ranking occurred Dec. 5, 2017 (Poll No. 1)

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

NCCU Eagles off to Winning Start in MEAC Play

DOVER, Delaware – North Carolina Central University had to withstand a strong second-half run by Delaware State, but the Eagles were the last team standing with a 65-62 win to open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play at Memorial Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 3.

NCCU (7-8, 1-0 MEAC) hopped out to a 5-0 lead to start the game, boosted by one of four first-half treys by Reggie Gardner, Jr. (Bowie, Md.) but DSU (2-14, 0-1 MEAC) responded early and turned the game into a seesaw contest for the first 20 minutes. The score stayed tied at 29 for a few minutes, but DSU broke the deadlock with a free throw, before the Eagles captured the last five points of the half to go to the intermission ahead 34-30.

NCCU was able to spread out the lead in the midway point of the second half on some strong defensive plays from Marius McAllister (Durham, N.C.) and buckets from Brandon Goldsmith (Raleigh, N.C.) and Raasean Davis (Chicago, Ill.).

DSU wouldn't go away quietly as the Hornets closed the gap and pulled within one with just over three minutes to go, but the Eagles were able to hold off the initial charge with some timely buckets from Alston Jones (Kansas City, Mo.).

The Eagles and Hornets spent the final frames within three points of each other with the Eagles making clutch free throws to keep the cushion. DSU had an opportunity to send the game to overtime with 3.5 seconds remaining, but the Hornets couldn't hit a long three-pointer to extend the game, and the Eagles came away with a 65-62 win.

Jones exploded for 13 points in the second half alone and finished with a joint team-high along with Gardner, Jr. Davis chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds, and Jordan Perkins (Greensboro, N.C.) put in 10 points as well.

BOX SCORE

Artem Tavakalyn (Moscow, Russia) came up with a game-high 15 points for the Hornets, and Kavon Waller (Chester, Va.) was close behind with 13 points. Pinky Wiley (Chesterfield, Va.) contributed 10 points and four assists, and Simon Okolue (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) had a solid game with seven points and seven boards.

The Eagles will take the weekend off before opening the home MEAC schedule on Monday against Norfolk State.

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

FAMU Rattler Women Roll Over Howard Bison, 74-59

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The FAMU Women's Basketball team built an early lead and never relinquished it Wednesday night in rolling past Howard University, 74-59 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams at the Al Lawson Center.

FAMU (3-11, 1-0 MEAC) led from start ot finish Wednesday, nudging ahead 12-11 over the Bison after one quarter, then riding a 23-17 second period surge to forge a 35-28 halftime lead.

The Rattler Women used relentless pressure on defense, forcing Howrard (4-10, 0-1 MEAC) into 29 turnovers on the night, led by guard Florence Ouattara, who had six steals, while guards Dawn King, Ecenure Yurdakul and De'Aytra Davis had two steals each.

The pressure helped FAMU to a 38-31 scoring edge in the second half, as they held the Bison to 34 percent floor shooting in the final two quarters, and 35 percent overall for the game.

Ouattara led the way for FAMU with 16 points, six steals, five assists and four rebounds, splashing a trio of three-pointers as well. Yurdakul finished with 12 points and three assists, while Dy'Manee Royal had 10 points and three rebounds.

Forward Shakyrra Morrison had a game high 11 rebounds to go with her nine points, while center Shalunda Burney-Robinson, who was slowed with foul trouble, had nine rebounds and seven points before fouling out.

WHAT'S NEXT: FAMU will head north to Baltimore for a Saturday-Monday swing at Morgan State (Saturday, 2:00) and Coppin State (Monday, 5:30).

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NCCU Eagles Rally to Top DSU Hornets in MEAC Opener

DOVER, Delaware — Sophomore Paulina Afriyie and freshman Kieche White were instrumental in rallying North Carolina Central University from a 21-point, second-half deficit and secure a 74-67 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women's basketball road win at Delaware State University on Wednesday evening in Memorial Hall Gym.

Afriyie recorded her fourth double-double, including a career-high 22 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. White tallied a career-high 20 points, canning five 3-pointers in the process, while adding three steals.

The Eagles trailed 48-27 at the 7:41 mark of the third quarter before outscoring the Hornets 47-19 from that point. DSU continued to lead 59-54 just over five minutes left before NCCU finished on a 20-8 surge. The final flurry included nine points by White and seven by Afriyie.

A pair of free throws by MEAC Preseason Player of the Year NaJai Pollard gave the hosts their last lead of 63-62 with 2:31 on the clock. White responded with a layup on the Eagles next possession that ignited a decisive 11-0 run. White capped that outburst with a dagger three-pointer from the left wing.

The Eagles shot 66.7-percent (8-12) from the floor and 81.8% (9-11) from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to complete the improbable comeback.

NCCU (3-11 Overall, 1-0 MEAC) snapped an eight-game losing streak. Delaware State (1-13, 0-1) has lost nine consecutive games.

The maroon and gray only had six scorers, with each playing a big part in the triumph.

Junior Sami Oliver-Alexander hit a trio of treys for nine points. Her third trifecta started the NCCU comeback when the Eagles were trailing by 21 points. Classmate Deja McCain supplied season-best totals of nine points and seven rebounds, with seven of her points coming after the intermission. Fellow juniors Caira Benton and Rodneysha Martin tacked on 10 and four points, respectively. Benton was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter while Martin made a big fast-break layup down the stretch.

The Eagles flew out to a 12-8 lead with the help of two baskets by Afriyie and a pair of three-pointers by Oliver-Alexander. However, DSU outscored NCCU 9-0 from that point to build a 17-12 edge after one quarter.

The Hornets shot 47.1-percent from the field in the first half while holding the Eagles to just 28.6% to double up their lead, 33-23, at halftime. Benton hit a pair of 15-foot jumpers to pull NCCU within six at 27-21, but Delaware State score six of the final eight points heading into the loc
ker room. The run was finished off with a transition five-footer by junior Arion Jackson at the buzzer off an Eagle turnover.

NCCU committed 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes that led to 10 extra points at the intermission, which was the DSU cushion. The Hornets started the third quarter on a 15-4 run to build their 21-point advantage. However, NCCU only committed seven turnovers in the second half and forced DSU into 17 second-half mistakes that aided the rally.

Pollard returned from a six-game absence to lead the Hornets with 21 points. Jackson and freshman Ryan Jones each bucketed 12 points for the hosts.

NCCU returns home to host MEAC foe Norfolk State University on Monday at 5:30 p.m.

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Morgan State Lady Bears Upend Maryland Eastern Shore In MEAC Opener, 63-50

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Adre'onia Coleman grabbed a game- and season-high 16 rebounds and added 14 points to record her second consecutive double-double, as the Morgan State Lady Bears defeated the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 63-50 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opener both for teams at Hill Field House.

Coleman, who was coming off an 11-point, 10-rebound performance at UMass Lowell (12/28), grabbed 11 defensive rebounds Wednesday night against Eastern Shore, while adding two steals, two assists and a block.

Lexus Spears fell shy of a double-double, finishing with a game-high 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting and nine rebounds, as Morgan State (8-6, 1-0 MEAC) improved to 6-0 at home this season.

The victory also marked career coaching win No. 360 for Morgan State head coach Edward Davis Jr.

Eastern Shore (3-10, 0-1 MEAC) was led by Bairesha Gill-Miles and Ciani Byrom, who both scored 15 points in the loss. Keyera Eaton grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, while Dominique Walker tallied a game-high three blocks.

Morgan State out rebounded the Hawks, 50-37 and held a 23-7 advantage in second chance points.

The Lady Bears finished the game shooting 88 percent (23-
of-26) from the charity line, while MDES went 16-of-30 (53 percent).

Morgan State will welcome the Rattlers of Florida A&M on Saturday, Jan. 6 for a MEAC contest at 2 pm.

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Norfolk State Grinds Past Coppin State in MEAC Opener, 71-57

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Norfolk State women's basketball team received a stern test in its MEAC opener, surviving an upset bid from Coppin State in a 71-57 victory at Echols Hall on Wednesday night. The Spartans led for the majority of the evening but struggled to gain separation from the scrappy Eagles.

Genesis Lucas shined for Coppin State (1-12, 0-1 MEAC) with a career-high 29 points in the losing effort. The redshirt-senior made a career-best 11 field goals while pouring in 17 points in the second quarter. Only four other Coppin State players scored in the contest and none had more than Maraiyah Smith's 11.

Norfolk State (8-5, 1-0) relied on a balanced attack, as nine Spartans scored four or more points, including three in double figures. Kayla Roberts scored a team-high 18 points while also grabbing seven rebounds. The senior guard/forward also blocked two shots and recorded three steals.




NSU owned the boards in the game, setting a season high with 49 rebounds. The Spartans corralled 17 of their own misses and held a decisive 17-6 edge in second-chance points. Khadedra Croker came down with nine boards to lead NSU.

The first half of action featured a duel of two stars as Roberts and Lucas, both preseason first team All-MEAC selections, put on a show.

Roberts scored 10 points in the first quarter, including eight of Norfolk State's first 13. Alexys Long tied the game at 3-3 with a trey at the 7:44 mark, then Roberts took over and netted eight points as the Spartans went on a 10-0 run.

The Miami, Florida native got going with a 3-pointer at the 6:09 mark, then followed with layup less than a minute later. Gabrielle Swinson laid it in 15 seconds later to put NSU up 10-5, then Roberts converted a 3-point play to increase the Spartans' margin to eight.

Lucas halted the run with a jumper at the 3:47 mark. From there the NSU lead oscillated between six and eight points as both teams traded baskets. Chance Graham scored in the paint with 14 seconds left in the period to make the score 17-11 heading into the second quarter.

The second quarter was where Lucas went off, scoring 17 of Coppin State's 19 points in the period. The redshirt-senior guard made seven of her 12 attempts in the quarter while her teammates combined to go 0-of-5 from the field.

Even with Lucas' outpouring, the Eagles shaved just one point off the deficit and entered the intermission trailing 35-30.

Norfolk State shot 41.7 percent in the second quarter and also made eight of their nine free throws. For the game, the Spartans made a season-high 22 shots from the charity stripe while shooting 81.5 percent, also a season-high.

The Spartans appeared poised to finally pull away in the third quarter, but the Eagles willed their way back into the contest. Long made two free throws at the 6:35 mark to put NSU up 43-33, but the Spartans went scoreless for nearly two minutes while Coppin State went on an 8-0 run.

Lucas converted an and-one opportunity to make the score 43-38, and Smith hit from deep to pull Coppin State to within two points, 43-41, with 3:55 remaining in the quarter.

The Spartans countered and built a seven-point advantage with 1:19 left in the period, but once again the Eagles rallied to make it a one-possession game heading into the final period. Lucas hit two free throws in the final minute, and Smith knocked down another clutch 3-pointer to make it a 52-49 ballgame.

In the fourth quarter, Norfolk State slowed down Lucas and continued its success from the free throw line to finally gain lasting separation.

Lucas scored just two points in the period on 1-of-7 shooting. As a team, the Eagles made only three of their 12 shots in the quarter.

NSU made eight of nine free throws in the final quarter, including a 4-for-4 effort by Swinson. The senior guard turned in her second double-figure scoring game of the season with 10 points while also contributing eight rebounds and a game-high six assists.

The Spartans opened the fourth on an 8-2 run and built a 61-51 lead with 7:08 left in the game, and the lead never dipped below 10 points again.

Norfolk State assisted on 15 baskets in the game but also committed 22 turnovers, breaking a streak of five-straight games with less than 20 giveaways.

Once again, the Spartans protected their basket and blocked nine shots. Three players had multiple blocks, and Croker led all with three rejections.

Norfolk State takes to the road for a pair of away contests this Saturday and Monday. The Spartans face off with North Carolina A&T at 2 p.m. on Saturday before facing North Carolina Central at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

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Hampton Lady Pirates Snap Skid With Clutch Win Over Columbia

HAMPTON, Virginia -- A fourth quarter rally and late defensive stand that saw Columbia miss two shots in the last five seconds helped Hampton snap a six-game losing skid with a 60-58 win on Wednesday night.

With the win, head coach David Six tied the school's all-time wins mark with his 183rd in his nine-year career. He ties the mark held by James Sweat who went 183-40 from 1981-88. Six is now 183-87 in his ninth year at Hampton.

In the fourth quarter, a layup from Columbia's Madison Pack put the Lions ahead 48-43 with 6:50 left, but Hampton wouldn't go away quietly. Ashley Bates hit a pair of free throws at the 5:27 mark to put Hampton back up 49-48. That run was capped by a pair of Jephany Brown free throws with 5:03 left as Hampton finished an 8-0 flurry to lead 51-48.

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Columbia regained the lead as leading scorer Camille Zimmerman converted a three-point play to lead 53-51 with 4:05 left. Once again Hampton went on a spurt scoring the next seven points to take a 58-53 lead with 2:20 left on a stickback by Bates. Brown got the run going with a jumper and then a 3-ball from the corner before Bates put back a missed 3-pointer.

The Lions responded with the next five points as Zimmerman went 1-of-2 from the line with 53 seconds left to tie the game at 58. Monnazjea Finney-Smith went 1-of-2 with 45 seconds left to put Hampton up 59-58 and K'lynn Willis also went 1-of-2 with 11 seconds left for a 60-58 lead.

Columbia had two shots in the last five seconds as Zimmerman missed a baseline jumper and Stephanie Flynn missed her putback attempt from the foul line.

Both teams struggled in the first quarter as Hampton (3-9) scored the first six points as a layup from Finney-Smith gave the Lady Pirates a 6-0 lead with 5:20 left. Columbia scored the next seven points to take a 7-6 lead on a 3-point play from Zimmerman with 59 seconds left. Finney-Smith scored on another layup to put Hampton back up 8-7 after one.

In the second, the lead changed hands six times in the first seven minutes as a free throw from Allina Starr put Hampton up 19-16 with 2:44 left. Starr hit two more free throws with 1:44 left to keep Hampton up by three at 21-18, but Camille Zimmerman hit a pair of foul shots with nine seconds left to trim the halftime score to 21-20.

Columbia scored the first eight points of the third quarter to take its largest lead of the night at 28-21 on a 3-pointer from Paige Tippet with 6:57 left. Tippet answered a triple from Madison Pack to put Columbia up.

Hampton turned its press up a notch and worked back into the contest trailing 35-34 with 3:09 left on a layup from Dejane' James. Two Starr free throws with 26 seconds left followed by a steal and layup with 18 seconds left brought Hampton to 42-41 heading into the fourth.

Brown was the leading scorer for Hampton with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Bates added 12 points, six rebounds and four steals. Hampton outrebounded Columbia 44-42, but held an overwhelming 23-7 advantage on the offensive boards. Defensively, the Lady Pirates forced 24 turnovers and had 14 steals.

Zimmerman was the lone double figure scorer for Columbia with 22 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.

Hampton now turns its attention to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action as they'll visit Princess Anne, Md. to take on Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday at 2 pm.

For more information on Hampton University women'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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Williams and Golden Push Bethune-Cookman Past SCSU In MEAC Opener

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Emily Williams scored a career-high 25 points as Bethune-Cookman opened Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play with a 68-50 victory over South Carolina State Wednesday evening in Historic Moore Gym.

Angel Golden added 19 points, 14 in the first quarter as she and Williams combined to hit seven of eight three-pointers as the Lady Wildcats (9-4 overall, 1-0 MEAC) jumped out to an early 27-8 lead.

South Carolina State (5-8,0-1) closed to 33-26 on two Bryesha Blair free throws with 2:04 remaining in the half, but B-CU closed the half on a 7-2 run and held the Bulldogs to seven third-quarter points to pull away.

Ashanti Hunt had 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Lady Wildcats, who now have won 11 consecutive regular season conference games dating back to last season.

Williams, a senior, was 7-9 from three-point range while also contributing seven assists and seven rebounds.

Kemoni Jenkins led South Carolina State with 14.

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HEAD COACH VANESSA BLAIR-LEWIS
"I like the way we came out as a team. Angel and Emily set us on pace. Both have put the work in and they were able to knock down shots."

"We knew they [SCSU] are a third-quarter team. We worked on the third quarter.

EMILY WILLIAMS
"It seemed like SCSU wanted to clog the paint and shut down our bigs. It left us wide open."

ASHANTI HUNT
"This was very important that we start conference play strong."

NOTES: B-CU's 13 three-pointers matched opening night against Edward Waters for the season-high … Williams' seven three-pointer were a career high and the most for a B-CU player this season … The Lady Wildcats have made a three-pointer in 135 consecutive games … South Carolina State was just 2-12 from the field in the third quarter.

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Bolden's Double-Double Lifts JSU Tigers Past AAMU Bulldogs

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Treshawn Bolden scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds and his go-ahead layup with 1:42 left gave Jackson State a 59-56 win over Alabama A&M on Wednesday night at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center. With the win JSU remained undefeated in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

Maurice Rivers came off the bench to score 12 points and pull down seven rebounds for the Tigers. Paris Collins added nine points and Julian Daughtry finished with nine points as well.

The back-and-forth game featured four lead changes and five ties. Jackson State led 14-8 with 10:50 left in the first half before Alabama A&M went on an 18-12 run, sparked by De’Ederick Petty, with a three-pointer, which sliced the Tigers’ lead to 30-26 before intermission. Jackson State extended their lead to 44-36, with 13:06 left in the second half. The Bulldogs battled back with an 8-0 run and cut the Tigers deficit to two, 46-44, with 10:37 remaining. Alabama A&M took their first lead of the half, 56-55, when Tracy Burnett drove in for the layup. After the Bulldogs gained the lead with 2:14 on the clock, the Tigers hit a layup with 1:42 left, giving Jackson State a 57-56 lead and made a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left for a 59-56 lead. Petty’s last second three-point attempt caromed off the backboard as the time expired.

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Alabama State Hornets run past Grambling State for SWAC road victory

GRAMBLING, Louisiana | Trailing by seven at halftime, Alabama State took their first lead of the second half with under six minutes to play and ran past Grambling State 74-66 in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play Wednesday night at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.

Branden Johnson led Alabama State (1-13, 1-1 SWAC) with his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds, including six offensive rebounds. Jacoby Ross led Alabama State with 14 points, while Reginald Gee added 11 and Ed Jones 10 in the win.

The Hornets shot 34.3 (23-of-67) percent from the floor and 25.0 (7-of-28) percent from beyond the arc. They also shot 70 (21-of-30) percent from the free throw line.

Alabama State trailed for over 20 minutes and as last as 6:22 to play in the game until a lay-up by Ross tied the game at 57-all with 5:05 remaining. The Hornets took their first lead of the half when Johnson grabbed an offensive rebound and put the ball back up with 4:33 to play for a 59-57 lead.

The lead was pushed to four on a lay-up by Jones with 3:53 to play, and after Grambling State pulled to within a pair of 3:39 to play, Ross extended the lead to six at 66-60 with 2:18 to play. Grambling State could only get as close as four as Gee put the lead to 68-62 on a pair of free throws with 1:57 to play. Another pair of free throws from Tobi Ewuosho with 1:15 to play extended the lead to 70-62 that proved too much for the Tigers to overcome.

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Ivy Smith, Jr. led Grambling State (4-11, 0-2 SWAC) with 17 points and five rebounds, also adding four steals and three assists. Anthony Gaston added 13 and Axel Mpoyo added 13.

The Tigers shot 39.6 (21-of-53) percent from the floor and 20 (3-of-15) percent from beyond the arc, and 60 (21-of-35) percent from the free throw line, while turning the ball over 19 times.

Alabama State won the rebounding battle 46-44.

The Hornets return to action Saturday against Mississippi Valley State at 5 pm, returning to the Dunn-Oliver Acadome. The game will be carried by the Hornet Sports Network, with pregame starting 15 minutes prior to the game. It will be the first of three consecutive home games, and it is Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night at the 'Dome.

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For complete coverage of Alabama State University men's basketball, please follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateMBB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.

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Prairie View A&M Panthers Defeat Southern, Remain Undefeated In SWAC Play

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- The Prairie View A&M men's basketball team remained undefeated in Southwestern Athletic Conference play with a 78-74 win over Southern Wednesday night in the William J. Nicks Building.

Gary Blackston scored a team-high 24 points and added four rebounds as the Panthers (5-11 overall, 2-0 SWAC) win back-to-back games to open conference play since opening 3-0 in 2010.

Zachary Hamilton scored 18 points, Austin Starr added 14 points with five rebounds and six assists, and four steals, and Dennis Jones scored 11 points with three rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

There were seven ties and six lead changes in the game. After the final tie of the half at 26-26 with just over nine minutes to play in the first half, the Panthers went on a 20-5 run to end the half. A three-pointer by Hamilton started the run and his three before halftime ended the spurt as Prairie View A&M led 46-31 at halftime.

The teams traded baskets to open the second half, as Blackston's three-pointer gave the Panthers their largest lead of the game at 49-33 less than a minute into the second half.

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After Southern (4-11, 0-2) gradually erased the deficit and tied the score at 60-60 with just over eight minutes to play, a Jones layup put the Panthers back in front, starting a series of plays in which the lead changed hands. After a three-point play gave Southern the lead, two free throws by Hamilton put PVAMU back in front 64-63 with 6:56 remaining.

Following a basket by the Jaguars, a pair of free throws by Blackston put the Panthers ahead to stay at 66-65 with 6:03 remaining. The lead eventually increased to six at 75-69 on a pair of Blackston free throws with 2:25 to play, and Prairie View A&M would not lead by less the four points down the stretch.

The Panthers return to action Saturday at Texas Southern in a doubleheader. The women's game begins at 5:30 p.m., and the men's game at 7:30 p.m. The PVAMU Sports Network broadcast begins with the pregame show at 5:15 p.m. at pvpanthers.com/sportsnetwork.

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Texas Southern Tigers overcome double digit deficit to defeat Alcorn State 85-70

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Texas Southern Tigers battled back from a 14 point first half deficit to defeat the Alcorn State Braves 85-70 as they captured their second win of the season.

After falling behind double digits TSU started to piece things together toward the end of the first half.

TSU took a two point advantage into the break fueled in large part behind the scoring production of guard Derrick Bruce who once again provided the Tigers with a steady force offensively contributing 25 points.

Bruce was 8-of-18 from the field including a 5-of-12 from behind the three point line. Trayvon Reed tallied 17 points and guard Cainan McClelland erupted for 12 second half points to help lead Texas Southern to victory.

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McClelland got things going initially on the defensive end of the floor as he was able to slow down Alcorn State's guards with solid defense on the perimeter.

"We got off to a sluggish start," said TSU head coach Mike Davis. "Obviously anytime you dig yourself into a hole you have to start by getting stops on the defensive end of the floor. We were able to get those stops and that helped us cut into their lead in the first half after we made some adjustments on both ends of the floor."

Texas Southern forced 13 Alcorn State turnovers which in return netted the Tigers 17 points.

"I thought we really started to execute better after we settled down in the first half," said Davis. "We have to start the game off with the right level of intensity if we want to continue to be successful in league play."

The Tigers will host rival Prairie View A&M on Saturday, January 6th at 7:30 pm at the HPE Arena in a game that will feature two undefeated teams in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

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