How the $100K 3-on-3 tourney for college seniors held at the Final Four will work

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- This March, for the first time ever, college players will publicly and officially be paid to play basketball.

Back in August, news came down about an enterprising, long-overdue idea that would bring more attention and fanfare to the Final Four: a 3-on-3 tournament featuring college basketball seniors who would be playing for a sizable money prize. Now, less than two months from Final Four weekend, we have the details. Intersport, the marketing company behind the event, released the particulars Monday morning.

It's going to be called the 3X3U National Championship, it's sponsored by Dos Equis, and most importantly every college senior in the country -- who won't be playing in the Final Four -- is up for selection.

Yep, all 32 Division I conferences will be represented, meaning there will be a big bracket, a tournament truly representing every corner of Division I college basketball. Players from the SWAC could bang bodies with the Big Ten, Big East or SEC's best. There will be four players per team (128 total players will be selected/invited for the event) and the tournament will run over three days from Friday, March 30 through Sunday, April 1. Location: St. Mary's University's Bill Greehey Arena in San Antonio. If you're planning on attending the Final Four and want to know the distance between that venue and the Alamodome, it's 7.8 miles away.

Aside from actually playing in the Final Four, this is the coolest sendoff imaginable for college basketball seniors. Only players who have exhausted their eligibility are permitted to hoop. Their amateur playing careers will be over the second their seasons end -- which means they can make money and not put themselves or their schools at risk.

To be clear, the 3X3U National Championship is not affiliated with the NCAA.

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Roberts' Game-Winning Free-Throw Lifts TSU Past EKU, 59-58

FINAL BOX 
POST GAME RADIO INTERVIEWS

• TAYLOR ROBERTS POST GAME RADIO INTERVIEW
• HEAD COACH JESSICA KERN POST GAME RADIO INTERVIEW
• TAYLOR ROBERTS THREE-POINTER
• ROBERTS AND 1
• ROBERTS LAYUP

Final Score: Tennessee State 59 – Eastern Kentucky 58
Records: TSU (5-16, 3-9 OVC) – EKU (7-14, 4-8 OVC)
Venue: McBrayer Arena
Location: Richmond, Ky.

RICHMOND, Kentucky --- In a game that went down to the wire, the Tennessee State University women’s basketball team pulled off a thrilling victory over Eastern Kentucky, 59-58, Saturday night in McBrayer Arena.

With Tennessee State trailing, 58-57, Freshman Taylor Roberts stepped up to make two crucial free-throws to give the Lady Tigers a, 59-58, advantage with 6.1 seconds left. The Lady Tigers came up with a big stop on the other end to seal the win.

TSU improved to 5-16 (3-9 OVC) while EKU fell to 7-14 (4-8 OVC).

Roberts paced the Lady Tiger offense with 19 points to go with six rebounds while Tia Wooten added 14. Jaden Wrightsell pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds while Maxine Beard dished out five assists.

EKU was led by A’Queen Hayes’ 18 points and 14 rebounds while Abby Wright chipped in 12.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• TSU Leaders
• Points: Taylor Roberts – 19
• Rebounds: Jaden Wrightsell - 10
• Assists: Maxine Beard – 5
• Steals: Tia Wooten and Taylor Williams - 2
• TSU shot 75.9 percent from the free-throw line.
• The game had 13 ties and 14 lead changes.
• Tia Wooten tallied 14 points in the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a closely contested first quarter, TSU had a slight, 16-15, lead heading into the second stanza.
• Both teams only managed to score eight points in the second period and the score was, 24-23, in favor of TSU at the half.
• The teams played to a 32-32, tie just after the media timeout.
• The Colonels created a little distance after an 8-0 run put them on top, 40-32.
• Two free-throws by Jaden Wrightsell ended TSU’s scoring drought but TSU trailed, 42-36, heading into the final stanza.
• The Lady Tigers were outscored, 19-12, in the third.
• TSU mounted a comeback in the fourth and used an 11-2 run to pull even then capture a 47-45 lead.
• The teams battled from that point.
• TSU was down, 58-54, when a three-point play by Taylor Roberts pulled the Lady Tigers to within one, 58-57, with 30.4 seconds remaining.
• On EKU’s possession, TSU came up with a huge stop to get the back ball with 25 seconds left.
• With 6.4 seconds on the clock, Taylor Roberts was fouled and went to the line to make both.
• TSU was able to get another huge stop on the next trip down the floor to seal the win.

GAME NOTES

• Tia Wooten scored in double-digits for the 21st consecutive game.
• TSU made 22 free-throws in the contest.
• Taylor Roberts scored in double-figures for the fifth consecutive game and made the game-winning free-throws.
• TSU picked up its first road win of the season.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jessica Kern

“I’m so proud of these young ladies…their wherewithal and their composure. Taylor Roberts came through big for us tonight. Tia Wooten came out the game with five fouls with three minutes left on the clock and she (Roberts) put the team on her back. Maxine Beard led like the senior she is supposed to lead. I’m so happy for these young ladies.”
-Overall thoughts on the game

“For us, its one of those mental things. People say it doesn’t bother you but when you don’t have a road win, it sticks in your mind. So we’ve gotten over the hump. It’s the momentum we need going forward. The ladies really, really deserved this one. They fought very hard and I’m so very proud.”
-On getting first road win

UP NEXT

• TSU returns to Nashville to host league leader Belmont University on Thursday, Feb. 8. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

TSU Extends Winning Streak to Four with 73-60 Win at EKU

BOX SCORE  |  RADIO CALLS

Final Score: Tennessee State 73 - Eastern Kentucky 60
Records: TSU (12-11, 7-5 OVC) – EKU (8-17, 2-10 OVC)
Venue: McBrayer Arena
Location: Richmond, Ky.
Attendance: 1,680

RICHMOND, Kentucky --- The Tennessee State men’s basketball team extended its winning streak to four games thanks to a 73-60 road win at Eastern Kentucky on Saturday night at McBrayer Arena in Ohio Valley Conference play.

The Tigers (12-11, 7-5 OVC) shot 50 percent (24-of-48) from the floor and finished with a 36-25 rebounding edge. TSU scored the final four points of the first half to take a 32-28 halftime edge. In the second half, the Tigers outscored the Colonels (8-17, 2-10 OVC) by a 41-32 margin to pull away.

Delano Spencer scored a team-high 20 points, tying a career high with six made three-pointers, while Christian Mekowulu added 19 points and five rebounds. Picking up his first double-double of the season and second of his career was Darreon Reddick with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• TSU LEADERS
  • POINTS – Delano Spencer - 20
  • REBOUNDS – Darreon Reddick - 11
  • ASSISTS – Ken’Darrius Hamilton and Darreon Reddick - 4
• Christian Mekowulu scored in double figures for the 15th time this season (28th in career).
• Delano Spencer reached double-digit points for the 20th time on the year (31st in career).
• Darreon Reddick scored in double figures for the 11th time this season (41st in career).
• It was Reddick’s second career double-double and first this season.

 HOW IT HAPPENED

• There were three ties and three lead changes in the opening 12 minutes.
• Christian Mekowulu scored five points in a row to level the scoring at 19-19 with just under eight minutes to go in the half.
• After TSU fell behind by as many as five points, a three from Darreon Reddick tied up the score at 28-28 with two minutes left in the first half.
• The Tigers closed the half with six-consecutive stops on the defensive end and four points from Mekowulu to take a 32-28 halftime edge.
• Armani Chaney broke the full-court pressure and went coast-to-coast for a layup to cap a 12-4 run to open the second half to stretch TSU’s lead up to 44-32.
• Delano Spencer’s sixth three-pointer of the night put the Tigers up 57-46 with 7:46 to go.
• TSU led by 10 or more points throughout the final four minutes. 

 GAME NOTES

• Tennessee State’s record in the all-time series versus Eastern Kentucky is 29-33.
• TSU has won four in a row over the Colonels.
• The Tigers are 9-2 when leading or tied at the half this season.

 QUOTES

Senior Guard Delano Spencer

“It’s definitely important just to keep the streak going, getting the guys together and staying locked in down the stretch in February. Getting these road wins, it’s very important. I’m proud of the guys. We stuck together to get it done.”
- On winning four in a row

“My teammates kept me involved in the game even when I went to the bench. We all stayed into the game and locked in. They did a great job of finding me off a lot of screens. The guys set a lot of good screens for me to get open and they found me in my spots. I stepped up and knocked the shots down 
- On overcoming early foul trouble

Head Coach Dana Ford

“I thought we played better tonight. We definitely played better in the second half offensively than we’ve played in a long time. Obviously, Delano Spencer made some shots that really helped, but I thought we moved the ball – we had 15 assists. We’re capable of that. We didn’t turn it over in the second half. In the first half, that was the deal, we turned the ball over, and you have to give them credit. They came out and played really hard. They’re really shorthanded, but they do play really hard.”
- On getting the road win

“We were better. Again, we took care of the ball. I think we ran a little more plays in the second half, so guys knew where they were supposed to go, and the right guys got the ball. I thought we had an edge to us in the second half. Our guys know what’s at stake; we’re just trying to continue to move up the rankings.”
- On the improved second half

 UP NEXT

• TSU hosts Belmont at the Gentry Center on Thursday, Feb. 8.
• The 7:30 p.m. game will air live on the OVC Digital Network and can be heard on the radio on 102.1 The Ville.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

A&T: An HBCU powerhouse rises in Greensboro

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — It was the week before Thanksgiving, and Aggie Stadium was awash with blue and gold.

North Carolina A&T State University had just defeated its archrival, North Carolina Central University, 24-10, to earn the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and a berth in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. The bowl was in December, and the undefeated Aggies blew out traditional HBCU power Grambling State.

In winning the national championship, A&T proved to be the best black-college football team in the country. But over the last decade, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University – known for its engineering programs and with a legacy that includes “The Greensboro Four,” Jesse Jackson and Ronald McNair – has moved quietly and resolutely toward its goal of becoming the best black college in the country.

“This is truly an exciting time to be an Aggie,” said Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr.

With 11,877 students enrolled this fall – including a record 2,309 freshmen — A&T is the largest black college in the country, having surpassed Howard University, Florida A&M, Jackson State and Texas Southern. Those new freshmen came on campus with an average GPA of 3.51.

“We are fortunate to have been trending in the upward direction for the last few years,” said Erin Hill Hart, A&T’s associate vice provost for enrollment. “There is no question of where we trying to go and when we are going to get there.”



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Chowan WBB Stuns #4 Virginia Union, 85-79

Murfreesboro, North Carolina – The Chowan Women's Basketball team snapped nationally ranked Virginia Union's 20-game win streak with an 85-79 win in front of the home crowd in CIAA action Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS

FINAL | Chowan 85, #4 Virginia Union 79

RECORDS | Chowan 16-4 (8-2), #4 Virginia Union 20-2 (10-1)

LOCATION | Murfreesboro, NC (Helms Center)

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

Head Coach LaToya Jones moved to 3-0 in her career against Virginia Union.  All three meetings against the Panthers came when they were nationally ranked.

Five Chowan starters posted double-figure scoring totals as Chantel Roberts tallied a game-high 23 points.  Dhyamond Crenshaw posted 18 points, nine rebounds, and six blocks on the afternoon.

Mariah Coker chipped in with 17 points and six assist, while Danielle Weldon (14 points) and Jada Lee (10 points) added to the scoring.  Jada Lee posted a program-high nine assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Quarter:

Virginia Union opened the contest with a quick 4-0 run before Dhyamond Crenshaw and Chantel Roberts knotted the game up at 4-all.  Roberts gave the Hawks a 7-6 lead early before a 6-2 run put the Hawks out front 13-8.  Danielle Weldon started the run with back-to-back baskets.

VUU closed the gap to 13-11 with an old-fashioned three-point play but Chantel Roberts tallied a bucket to keep the Hawks ahead.

Mariah Coker knocked down a trey to end the quarter to give the Hawks a 25-19 lead.

Second Quarter:

Mariah Coker started the quarter the way she ended the quarter with a triple to give the Hawks their largest lead of the contest, 28-19.  The Panthers rallied with eight straight points to trim the deficit to one, 28-27.

Dhyamond Crenshaw recorded a layup before a 9-0 Panther run allowed Virginia Union to take the lead, 40-35, with 3:50 left in the half.  Jada Lee hit a jumper to end the run.

VUU pushed the lead to seven before Mariah Coker knocked down another three.  Dhyamond Crenshaw recorded two buckets and Chantel Roberts connected from deep to swing the momentum to Chowan heading into the locker room with a one point advantage, 47-46.

Third Quarter:

The momentum for the Hawks continued out of the locker room as the lead mover to seven, 53-46, as Chantel Roberts started the half off with a pair from the stripe.  Dhyamond Crenshaw scored back-to-back buckets to cap off the run.

Virginia Union closed the gap to one, 53-52 with a quick 6-0 run.  Mariah Coker put a halt to the run with her fourth triple of the contest.  Chowan would keep at least a three point advantage the rest of the contest.

Jordan Pettway gave the Hawks a seven point advantage heading into the final stanza knocking down a trey from the wing, 70-63.

Fourth Quarter:

Virginia Union looked to make a run to open the final quarter going on a 6-2 run to once again trim the lead to three, 74-71.  Danielle Weldon and Jada Lee tallied baskets to thwart the comeback midway through the quarter.

Chantel Roberts iced the contest at the free throw line converting 4-4 from the stripe.

BOX SCORE

UP NEXT

Chowan will look to continue the momentum as the Hawks take on Elizabeth City State in a rivalry contest on February 7 in CIAA action.  Tip-off is at 5:30pm.

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JCSU Men Uses Fast Start to Roll Past Shaw, 5-0 in Southern Division

RALEIGH, North Carolina --The Johnson C. Smith University men's basketball team opened the game on an 15-2 run and never trailed, as the Golden Bulls rolled to a convincing 93-83 road win over Shaw University at Spaulding Gym on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Bulls wasted no time, jumping out to an 8-0 lead just 38 seconds into the game. Senior Christian Kirchman (Roanoke, Va.) drilled a three-pointer off the opening tip, then after forcing a turnover, fellow senior Arthur Bennett (Powder Springs, Ga.) connected on a layup to make it 5-0. Roddric Ross (Forest City, N.C.) then dropped another three-pointer on the Bears at the 19:22 mark to give JCSU the quick 8-0 lead.

Following a Shaw basket from Cameron Golden, Kirchman canned another three to make it 11-2. Bennett got a layup to fall followed by a Cayse Minor (Winston-Salem, N.C.) jumper that made it 15-2 at the 17:41 mark.

Shaw closed to within 18-12 with 13:31 to play in the first, but JCSU responded again, this time using a 17-2 run to push the lead to 35-14 with 6:57 left. The Golden Bulls enjoyed their largest lead of the first half, 22 points (41-19) after senior Robert Davis (West Friendship, Md.) knocked down a jumper with 2:49 in the first half. Shaw then had a 11-4 spurt to close the half, with JCSU taking the 45-30 lead into halftime.

In the second half, Shaw trimmed the Golden Bull cushion to 45-33, but JCSU quickly extended the lead back to 17 points (53-35) after two Davis free throws at the 16:50 mark. The Golden Bulls built the lead to 23 points, (71-48), the largest of the game after Davis knocked down a three-pointer with 9:18 to play.

Down the stretch, JCSU was never seriously threatened. Shaw was able to cut the lead to nine points with 37 seconds to play, but JCSU hit three-of-four free throws in the final 19 seconds of the game to preserve the 93-83 win.

As a team, JCSU turned in their best shooting performance of the season, going 30-of-51 from the field (58.8%). JCSU also shot 7-of-18 from long range, good for 38.9%.

All five JCSU starters scored in double-figures, with Davis leading the way with 25 points. He was 8-of-11 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. A trio of JCSU players, Minor, Ross and Bennett, all scored 15 points, with Bennett hitting 7-of-9 shots, which is a career high. Ross and Minor each had identical 5-of-8 shooting efforts, with Minor hitting 3-of-5 from long range and Ross going 1-of-3.

Kirchman rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points, while dishing a team-high five assists.

With the win, the sixth-straight for JCSU, the Golden Bulls improve to 14-7 overall, 6-2 in CIAA play and a perfect 5-0 in Southern Division play while drops to 14-8, 7-4 in the CIAA and 3-2 in the Southern Division.

JCSU will continue the road trip, playing at Elizabeth City State on Monday, Feb. 5. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE

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AAMU Bulldogs Release 2018 Football Schedule

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Alabama A&M University released its 2018 football schedule today, which includes four home games at Louis Crews Stadium.

Alabama A&M will kick off the 2018 slate and first season under head coach Connell Maynor at home against Miles College on Sept. 1 in the Louis Crews Classic, before hosting North Alabama on Sept. 8.

The Bulldogs wrap up the non-conference portion of the season on the road against Cincinnati on Sept. 15.

Alabama A&M will open Southwestern Athletic Conference play on Sept. 22 when it travels to Mobile to face Southern in the Gulf Coast Challenge at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Back-to-back road games will follow against Jackson State (Sept. 29) and Texas Southern (Oct. 6) before hosting Alcorn State on Oct. 13 for Homecoming.

The Bulldogs will then travel to Birmingham for an Oct. 27 Magic City Classic matchup against Alabama State.

The final three bgames will see the Bulldogs visiting Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov.3) and hosting Grambling State (Nov. 10) before closing out the season on the road at Mississippi Valley (Nov. 17).

Kick-off times have yet to be determined.

AAMU Bulldogs 2018 Schedule
Sept. 01 MILES COLLEGE (Louis Crews Classic)
Sept. 08 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA
Sept. 15 at University of Cincinnati
Sept. 22 vs Southern (Gulf Coast Challenge)m Mobile, AL
Sept. 29 at Jackson State
Oct. 06 at Texas Southern
Oct. 13 ALCORN STATE (Homecoming)
Oct. 20 Bye Week
Oct. 27 vs Alabama State (Magic City Classic) Birmingham, AL
Nov. 03 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Nov. 10 GRAMBLING STATE
Nov. 17 at Mississippi Valley



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Hampton Lady Pirates Pressure Way To Huge Win Over North Carolina A&T

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The Hampton Lady Pirates scored a huge road win on Saturday as Ashley Bates and Monnazjea Finney-Smith each scored 13 points and Mikayla Sayle scored 10 in a 63-51 win at N.C. A&T in the Corbett Sports Center.

With the win, Hampton snapped an eight-game winning streak for the Aggies and knocked them out of a first-place tie with Bethune-Cookman in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Hampton hit the Aggies with a 9-0 run over a three-minute span of the first period to take a 19-8 lead on a Dejane' James layup with 3:34 left. In the second, the Aggies trimmed the lead to 26-23 on a pair of Alexus Lessears free throws with 7:04 remaining. Hampton closed the quarter on an 11-3 spurt to lead 37-26 on a layup by LaShayla Wright-Ponder.

The Lady Pirates opened the third quarter on a 13-4 run to push the advantage to 50-30 on a layup by Finney-Smith with 3:04 left. N.C. A&T made a run scoring the final 10 points of the third to bring the margin to 50-40.

In the fourth, the Aggies got as close as seven points, but Sayle scored eight of her 10 points in the final period to help keep the hosts at bay.

BOX SCORE

Hampton (10-11/6-2) shot 23-of-54 from the floor (42.7%) and out-rebounded N.C. A&T 36-35. K'lynn Willis had five assists and five steals, while Allina Starr added seven points, six rebounds and six assists. The Lady Pirates forced the Aggies into 23 turnovers and held them to under 33% from the field.

Hampton now visits N.C. Central on Monday for a 4pm start in Durham.

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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Nuggets fall at Stillman; there's a Likely explanation

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — Ki'Onna Likely's seventh double-double of the season — 24 points and 16 rebounds — led Stillman to a 74-65 women's basketball victory Saturday against Xavier University of Louisiana.

It was the final out-of-town game of the regular season for the Gold Nuggets (8-11), who will play Edward Waters at 5:30 p.m. Monday at XULA's Convocation Center.

DeDe Martinez and Taylor Jacob scored 11 points apiece for XULA. Jacob, a freshman, made three 3-pointers. Gina Smith had four steals to tie her career high.

Likely, a 5-foot-8 senior guard, also had six assists. Her basket with 57 seconds remaining in the third quarter put Stillman ahead to stay, 48-46.

The Gold Nuggets led for 13 seconds after Jacob's 3-pointer at 1:57 of the third quarter gave them their only lead, 44-43.

The Lady Tigers (12-8) scored 19 points in the final 6 1/2 minutes to pull away and win their seventh in a row. Stillman, a second-year NAIA member, will join the Southern States Athletic Conference next season.
E
Stillman had three other double-figure scorers: O'Nesha Hunt with 14 points, Ashley World with 12 — she made all four of her 3-point attempts — and Morgan Collins with 10.

Stillman outscored XULA in 3-of-4 quarters and led 31-26 at halftime.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Cajuns sweep XULA, but Goreau dominates in singles win

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana's Charlene Goreau defeated Louisiana-Lafayette's Elena Sava 6-1, 6-0 Saturday, clearly the highlight for the Gold Nuggets in two women's tennis dual-match losses to NCAA Division I Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Ragin' Cajuns defeated XULA, ranked 10th in the NAIA, 4-0 and 4-1. The Gold Nuggets are 0-4, with three of the defeats against NCAA DI opponents.

Though she didn't win her match, Mariia Borodii — a freshman in her first day of competition for XULA — led Floriane Picaut 6-4, 6-5 at No. 1 singles when the Cajuns (6-0) clinched the second dual.

The Gold Nuggets will be on the road three times next week: 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Southern Miss, 3 p.m. Friday against Grambling in a neutral-site competition at Baton Rouge, La., then noon Saturday at NAIA No. 9 LSU-Alexandria.

Alan Green needs two victories to reach 200 in his career as coach of the Gold Nuggets. Green reached 200 with the men when the Gold Rush defeated city rival Loyola this past weekend.

Results:  Dual 1   •   Dual 2

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Rush win at first 2 singles, but home win streak ends

NEW ORLEANS — Catalin Fifea and Samir Chikhaoui won at the top two singles positions in super-tiebreakers Friday for Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis, but Jacksonville State defeated the Gold Rush 6-3 to end XULA's 18-dual home winning streak.
     
The Gamecocks are 4-0. The Gold Rush, ranked second in the NAIA, are 1-4. All of XULA's losses are against NCAA Division I opponents.
     
XULA's home streak began Jan. 30, 2015. XULA had not lost at home since a 5-1 defeat against Georgia Gwinnett on April 26, 2014. The streak included five victories against NCAA Division I opponents and five more against ranked opponents — four from the NAIA, one from NCAA Division II.
     
Fifea beat Aljaz Kaplja 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (5-7), 1-0 (10-5) at No. 1 singles. Chikhaoui defeated Pablo Caffarena 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-6).
     
Fifea — a senior and an NAIA All-American a year ago — also won in doubles. He and Gabriel Niculescu defeated Caffarena and Joaquin Vallejo 8-2.
     
Next for the XULA men will be Georgia Gwinnett's Grizzly Invitational Feb. 16-18 at Lawrenceville, Ga.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Grambling grounds Southern 79-71 to end Jaguars' month-long winning streak

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The streak is over.

Southern’s women’s basketball team lost 79-71 on Saturday at Grambling, a road trip to the Jaguars’ fiercest rival that ended their seven-game winning streak despite Briana Green's 27 points.

“I thought we did some good things down the stretch,” said coach Sandy Pugh. “Then just some critical turnovers, didn’t box out … We just really seemed out of sync.”

The Jaguars traded punches with Grambling for much of the game, trailing by two at halftime but leading 54-53 after three quarters.

Behind a scrappy crew of guards, Grambling controlled the fourth quarter to deal the Jaguars their first loss since Jan. 3, Southern’s second Southwestern Athletic Conference game.

Grambling outscored tiring Southern 26-17 in the fourth.

“They went to a little 2-3 zone, and our shooters just weren’t shooting the ball,” Pugh said.

The Jaguars (9-10, 8-2 SWAC) remain atop the league standings.

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