Gold Rush reach nationals for 11th time in 14 seasons

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball is in a familiar place — preparing for another trip to the national tournament.
     
The Gold Rush (24-8) received an at-large bid Wednesday to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. XULA will play Oklahoma City (23-8) at 3 p.m. March 14 — the first day of first-round games — at Municipal Auditorium (301 West 13th St., zip 64105) in Kansas City, Mo.
     
The Gold Rush qualified for the 11th time in 14 seasons and the 18th time overall.     



"We've had a great year, and I liked our body of work. But you never know," second-year head coach Alfred Williams said. "We're grateful to be selected and continue our season. We're looking forward to competing hard and advancing."
     
XULA is one of four teams seeded seventh. Oklahoma City is a No. 2 seed.
     
The meeting of XULA and Oklahoma City will be their second. The Stars won 91-69 in the opening round of nationals in 2001. The Stars were Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season co-champion with Texas Wesleyan, then lost 78-75 to Wayland Baptist in the Sooner tournament semifinals.
     
XULA maintained its No. 25 ranking in this week's coaches poll after finishing second to Dillard in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. The Gold Rush and Bleu Devils shared the GCAC regular-season championship.
     
Oklahoma City is ranked fourth.
     
The GCAC is a multi-bid league for the 22nd consecutive season. Dillard, which climbed from 20th to 18th in the poll, is in the tournament for the third consecutive year.
     
XULA was 10-20 last season — ending a streak of six consecutive appearances at nationals — before producing the greatest positive turnaround (13 games) in program history in 2017-18.
     
Second-round games will be played March 16, followed by quarterfinals March 17, semifinals March 19 and the championship game March 20. The XULA-Oklahoma City winner will play Georgetown (Ky.) or Central Baptist (Ark.) at 9 a.m. March 16.
     
Gold Rush senior Joseph Williams will have double duty in Kansas City. He'll be one of four in the dunk contest of the NABC-NAIA Shoot & Slam, also in Municipal Auditorium March 17.

PDF Bracket
 

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through March 6)

RANK	PREVIOUS	SCHOOL	RECORD	POINTS
1	1	The Master's (Calif.) (9)	29-2	219
2	3	Pikeville (Ky.)	28-4	209
3	2	LSU-Shreveport (La.)	27-4	208
4	4	William Penn (Iowa)	27-4	198
5	6	Carroll (Mont.)	27-5	189
6	5	Columbia (Mo.)	27-4	186
7	7	Central Methodist (Mo.)	27-5	174
8	9	Oklahoma City	23-8	162
9	9	Georgetown (Ky.)	25-6	159
10	12	William Carey (Miss.)	25-5	154
T11	11	Montana Western	25-7	143
T11	8	Hope International (Calif.)	25-5	143
13	14	Westmont (Calif.)	24-7	142
14	13	LSU-Alexandria (La.)	25-7	139
15	15	Texas Wesleyan	22-10	120
16	16	Dalton State (Ga.)	24-8	107
17	17	Cumberlands (Ky.)	21-9	101
18	20	Dillard (La.)	20-9	97
19	23	Graceland (Iowa)	24-10	87
20	18	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	23-9	79
21	19	Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)	21-11	77
22	24	SAGU (Texas)	24-9	73
23	21	Life (Ga.)	20-11	65
24	22	Central Baptist (Ark.)	21-8	60
25	25	Xavier (La.)	24-8	45

Others Receiving Votes: Wayland Baptist (Texas) 39; Campbellsville (Ky.) 30; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 29; Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) 26; Langston (Okla.) 13; Science & Arts (Okla.) 7; Vanguard (Calif.) 6. 

Dropped Out: None

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

#8 Bowie State Bulldogs Upset #1 Virginia Union Lady Panthers 63-56 in NCAA Tournament

RICHMOND, Virginia – Payback was Bowie State's top game plan priority on Friday (3/9) and that is exactly what the Bulldogs got in upsetting #1 Virginia Union 63-56 in the opening round of the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament.

After being beaten enough times in a row, twice in the regular season and a loss in the CIAA championship game had the Bulldogs looking for revenge. "Payback - that's all we could think about," said Bulldogs head coach Shadae Swan. "We just wanted to run it back."

Neither team played with any semblance of grace or control, but for the first time this season, Bowie State (21-9) outplayed the top-seeded Panthers (28-3).

That disruption started with limiting the damage by VUU's Rachael Pecota and Alexis Johnson, the CIAA Player of the Year. Johnson scored four points and had four rebounds, while Pecota had eight points and eight boards. Virginia Union's Shareka McNeill scored a team-high 14 for the Panthers, but she made just 3-of-12 from the floor and battled foul trouble. She was the only Union player in double figures.

"In the first game, Pecota killed us. The second game, Johnson killed us. The third game, they both killed us," Swan said. "We had to take them out of the game and make anybody else beat us."

The teams slogged through a first quarter that saw a combined 15 turnovers, but Virginia Union led 11-8 after the opening 10 minutes.

The Bulldogs, who lost its three earlier meetings by an average of 16.3 points, kept the pressure on in the second quarter and took a 27-26 edge into the break.

Spurred by the play Bowie State's Kyah Proctor, the Bulldogs had an answer for everything Virginia Union had in the second half. During stoppages in play, Proctor bantered with a VUU fan near mid-court who told her she would have to tire at some point. That point never came as she played all 40 minutes and scored a game-high 22 points. "If anything, he motivated me," Proctor said. "I took the energy he was giving me and used it on the court. Obviously, I was doing something if he was yelling at me."

BOX SCORE

Kiara Colston tallied 11 points and handed out a team-best four assists while Pere Alexander added 10 points and Dynaisha Christian contributed nine points and added a team-high eight rebounds in the victory.

"The win means a lot for the program," Swan said. "We're just trying to shift the culture of the program. We just needed to get over this hurdle."

The Bulldogs now advance to the second round to face Edinboro at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

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North Carolina A&T State Wins 2018 MEAC Women's Basketball Championship

NORFOLK, Virginia -- North Carolina A&T State struggled at the free throw line through most of the game, but made them when they counted, converting nine of 12 in the overtime period to pull out a 72-65 win over Hampton in the finals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Tournament (MEAC) women’s championship at the Norfolk Scope Arena.
 
As a result, the Aggies (23-8) receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and await the pairings next week.
 
Hampton (18-14), the No. 3 seed, took control of the game early mostly because the Aggies got off to a slow start and missed a number of easy shots.
 
The Aggies worked their way back into the game and trailed 29-23 at the intermission. Jephany Brown and Ashley Bates each scored 10 points for the Lady Pirates, who limited N.C. A&T to 28 percent shooting but failed to take control due to 10 first-half turnovers.
 
North Carolina A&T State, the top seed, used a 10-2 run to take its first lead of the game at 33-31 at the 3:40 mark. The Aggies threatened to take control, building a 10-point lead at 41-31 before the Pirates closed the gap to 42-37 headed into the fourth quarter.
 
“I think that we got caught up in the moment and were hesitant to start the game,” said Aggies head coach Tarrell Robinson, who was named the tournament Most Outstanding Coach. “Hampton is an experienced team, but we were able to weather the storm and play better in the second half.”
 
Taking advantage of Hampton turnovers and using their bench and size advantage to control the boards, the Aggies again opened a 10-point lead at 54-44 with 4:27 left. For the game, the Aggies held a whopping 45-11 advantage in bench points and scored 24 points off Hampton miscues.
 
“We have been the best offensive rebounding team in the conference all year,” Robinson said. “It gave us more opportunities and that made a difference today.”
 
But the feisty Lady Pirates would not go away, using a 13-3 run to send the game into an extra period.
The two teams went back and forth for the first two minutes until the Aggies, who missed 13 free throws in regulations, finally began to hit them and closed out the win at the charity stripe.
 
Jade Scaife paced the Aggies with 15 points, while Mikaya Wilson and Kala Green added 12 each and C’Coriea Foy chipped in with 10 in a losing effort.
 
Hampton was led by Jephany Brown with a game-high 22 points and Bates and Sayle with 12 and 10, respectively.
 
 All-Tournament Team
Angel Golden, Bethune-Cookman
Ashley Bates, Hampton
Mikayla Sayle, Hampton
Kala Green, North Carolina A&T State
Alexus Lessears, North Carolina A&T State
 
Most Outstanding Performer
Kala Green, North Carolina A&T State
 
Most Outstanding Coach
Tarrell Robinson, North Carolina A&T State



MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

North Carolina Central Captures 2018 MEAC Men's Basketball Title

NORFOLK, Virginia – No. 6 North Carolina Central won the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament Championship for the second consecutive season after topping No. 1 seed Hampton 71-63 inside the Norfolk Scope Arena.
 
With the victory, the Eagles earned a bid into the NCAA Tournament while capturing its third tournament title in five years. North Carolina Central’s head coach LeVelle Moton was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Coach.
 
North Carolina Central shot 47 percent (26-of-55) from the floor, including 58-percent (14-of-24) after intermission. Pablo Rivas, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer, delivered a championship performance, finishing with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting off the bench.
 
After a 28-27 halftime deficit, North Carolina Central opened the second half with a 13-2 run, capped off by a transition three-pointer by Rivas, 38-30.
 
After a 30-second timeout by the Pirates, Hampton clawed its way back into the contest, slicing the margin down to one, 40-39, after a dunk from Trevond Barnes.
 
North Carolina Central kept its composure, increasing the advantage back to seven with less than 10 minutes remaining, 52-45.
 
Hampton refused to go away as they made another run to reclaim the lead after a jumper by Greg Heckstall, 53-52, with 7:30 left.
 
With under five minutes remaining, both clubs were tied at 58 until the Eagles took control with an 11-0 spurt, in which the Pirates were unable to recover.
 
North Carolina Central’s Jordan Perkins fell an assist shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine assists. John Guerra and Reggie Gardner, Jr. chipped in 12 and 11, respectively, in the victory.
 
Both squads were deadlocked after Hampton’s Akim Mitchell converted a 3-point play to tie the game at 9-9 until North Carolina Central scored five unanswered with 12:33 remaining before intermission to take a 14-9 lead.
 
Hampton fought back with a quick 6-0 run and reclaimed the lead, 15-14, but a fast break layup from North Carolina Central’s Pablo Rivas put the Eagles ahead again, 16-15.
 
With time dwindling before halftime, Perkins scored on a fast-break layup and put the Eagles ahead, 27-25, but a three by Hampton’s Malique Trent-Street gave the Pirates a one-point advantage at the break.
 
Hampton (17-15) had three Pirates in double figures, led by Trent-Street with a team-high 15 points. Mitchell and Kalin Fisher netted 11 points apiece in the loss.
 
North Carolina Central awaits its next opponent; the NCAA Selection Show will take place Sunday at 6 p.m. EST.
 
FINAL BRACKET
 
All-Tournament Team
Malique Trent-Street, Hampton
Charles Wilson-Fisher, Hampton
Tiwian Kendley, Morgan State
Raasean Davis, North Carolina Central
Pablo Rivas, North Carolina Central
 
Most Outstanding Performer
Pablo Rivas, North Carolina Central
 
Most Outstanding Coach
LeVelle Moton, North Carolina Central

MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

NCCU Eagles Reach Quarterfinal Round for Seventh Consecutive Year

NORFOLK, Virginia – North Carolina Central University overcame a cold start to score 43 points in the second half on the way to a 60-48 win over Coppin State in the Opening Round of the 2018 MEAC Basketball Tournament at Scope Arena on Tuesday, March 6.

NCCU (16-15) and CSU (5-27) were a combined 11-54 from the floor in the first half, and NCCU found itself down 18-17 at the intermission. That score is the second-lowest first half in MEAC Tournament history after Hampton led Delaware State 21-16 on March 10, 2009.

The second half began on a similar trend but Reggie Gardner, Jr. (Bowie, Md.) suddenly caught fire and knocked down back-to-back treys to give NCCU a 29-24 lead and from there the maroon and gray would hold the lead for the rest of the contest. NCCU eventually went on an 8-0 lead to pull ahead by double-digits and went on to close out the contest from there.

Gardner was the man of the hour for NCCU with a game-high 20 points with four made three-pointers, and Jordan Perkins (Greensboro, N.C.) was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line for 12 points and five assists. Raasean Davis (Chicago, Ill.) had a game-high nine rebounds with five points, and Dominique Reid (Landover, Md.) chipped in nine points with six caroms

Karonn Davis (Philadelphia, Pa.) had a team-best 13 points with five assists for CSU, and Lamar Morgan (Willingboro, N.J.) followed with 10 points with five boards. Chad Andrews-Fulton (Philadelphia, Pa.) also had a complete game with six points and seven rebounds.

NCCU advances to meet third-seeded Savannah State on Thursday, March 8 at 6:00 p.m. The game will be carried live on the NCCU Sports Network as well as on ESPN3.

BOX SCORE



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Three SIAC Teams Secure Spots in NCAA Men’s Basketball South Region Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS. Indiana  --  The NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Committee announced on Sunday the field of 64 teams that will compete in the 2018 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship.

Twenty-four conferences have been awarded automatic qualification.  The remaining 40 teams were selected at large by the committee.

Seven of the regional tournaments, consisting of eight teams each, will be conducted March 10, 11 and 13 at regional sites.  The eight regional champions will advance to the quarterfinals in conjunction with the 2018 NCAA Division II Men’s Elite Eight at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) schools selected, Claflin University received an automatic qualification while Clark Atlanta and Morehouse received at-large berths.

This year, Morehouse College will host the NCAA Division II South Region Men's Basketball Tournament, March 10-13, at Forbes Arena. Morehouse was awarded the tournament, based on its No. 1 ranking in the South Region. The Maroon Tigers clawed their way to the best record in school history, including a record-setting 18-game win streak, before losing in the SIAC tournament semifinals. 

In Game 3, Morehouse (25-2), the #1 seed, will face #8 Florida Southern, Saturday, March 10, at 5 p.m. The winner will advance to play the winner of the #4 Eckerd vs. #5 Valdosta State game, which will be played immediately following.

The Claflin University men's basketball team (26-5) earned the No. 3 seed in the South Region of the 2018 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship and will face number No. 6 seed Clark Atlanta University, also out of the SIAC, in first round action the NCAA announced Sunday.

The Panthers (24-5) secured an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament where they have been seeded sixth in the South Region.   Last season, CAU won the SIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament last season after winning the 2017 SIAC Tournament. This year, CAU's opening round NCAA tournament opponent on Saturday, March 10 is Claflin University.

March Madness 2018 dates and schedule
ROUND	SITE	DATE(S)
Selection Sunday	N/A	March 11
First Four	Dayton	March 13-14
First/Second	Pittsburgh	March 15 & 17
First/Second	Wichita	March 15 & 17
First/Second	Dallas	March 15 & 17
First/Second	Boise	March 15 & 17
First/Second	Charlotte	March 16 & 18
First/Second	Detroit	March 16 & 18
First/Second	Nashville	March 16 & 18
First/Second	San Diego	March 16 & 18
Midwest Regional	Omaha	March 23 & 25
West Regional	Los Angeles	March 22 & 24
South Regional	Atlanta	March 22 & 24
East Regional	Boston	March 23 & 25
Final Four	San Antonio	March 31, April 2

The start times and ticket information for the tournament, are as follows: 
 
South Region Game Schedule
Saturday - Quarterfinals
Game 1 – Noon - #6 Clark Atlanta (24-5) vs. #3 Claflin (25-6)
Game 2 – 2:30 p.m. – #7 Barry (20-8) vs. #2 West Florida
Game 3 – 5 p.m. – #8 Florida Southern (20-10) vs. #1 Morehouse (25-2)
Game 4 – 7:30 p.m. – #5 Valdosta State (26-4) vs. #4 Eckerd (24-6)

Sunday - Semifinals
Game 5 – 5 p.m. – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner
Game 6 – 7:30 p.m. – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner

Tuesday
Championship – 7 p.m. – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner

 Ticket Information 
Daily general admission tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children (No Re-entry). Tickets can be purchased only at the Forbes Arena entrance on Atlanta Student Movement (formerly Fair Street). Parking is available for $5 across the street from Forbes Arena at the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church and at the Morehouse Parking Deck at the main entrance to campus, on Westview Drive.

SIAC Commissioner Agrees to Five-Year Contract Extension

ATLANTA, Georgia – SIAC Commissioner, Gregory Moore, and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Council of Presidents have agreed to a five-year contract extension, announced Monday by the league office. As the league’s fourth full-time Commissioner, since his appointment by the Council of Presidents in 2009, the SIAC has continued its 15-year streak of ranking first in average football attendance, created a football championship game, added the sport of golf, and added three member institutions (Central State, Spring Hill College, and Savannah State University). 

“By almost every objective measure the SIAC has grown stronger under the visionary leadership of Commissioner Moore. As Chairman of the SIAC Council of Presidents, I note and am appreciative of the support of our member presidents of Commissioner Moore’s proven and focused leadership, which has resulted in obvious competitive advantage for the SIAC. The board is extremely pleased with the commissioner’s performance for what has been a near-decade transformation of our conference. We look forward to the continuation of his outstanding leadership and the advancement of the SIAC over the next five years,” said SIAC Council of Presidents Chairman, Dr. George T. French Jr.

Commissioner Moore’s additional accomplishments include:

Financial Milestones:

• Doubled conference revenue
• Increased corporate sponsorship more than 400 percent
• Eight consecutive budget surpluses
• Eliminated all debt from SIAC balance sheet
• Creation of SIAC reserve fund approaching $1m in cash reserves.

Corporate Partnerships:

• Negotiated five year league-wide Nike “head-to-toe” partnership
• Multi-year partnership with ESPN
• New or extended partnerships with the Coca-Cola Company, The Home Depot, Toyota, Alabama Power, Georgia Pacific Foundation.
• First NCAA conference to consummate league-wide all school Sidearm Sports partnership.
• First NCAA conference to partner with Silicon Valley Andreesen Horowitz portfolio company start-up (Bevel)

Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives:

• First NCAA conference to have women officiate a college football game
• First NCAA conference to enter into inclusion partnership with NBA Players Association
• Multi-year diversity and Inclusion officiating partnership with the NFL
• Served on NCAA DII inclusion Advisory Committee
   

Commissioner Moore stated, “I am grateful and humbled by the trust accorded to me by the SIAC Council of Presidents. My staff and I look forward to continuing our daily effort to identify creative and innovative opportunities to create meaningful value and enhanced experiences for our member institutions, student-athletes, alumni and fans.”

The agreement runs through the 2023-24 academic year.

About the SIAC:
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference headquartered in Atlanta and includes fourteen member institutions (Albany State University, Benedict College, Central State University, Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Paine College, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University). The SIAC sponsors six women's sports and seven men's sports.

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Benedict Announces 10-Game Football Schedule For 2018

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Benedict College has announced a 10-game football schedule, with five home games, for the 2018 season.

The Tigers will open the season at home on Sept. 1 against Florida Tech. After road trips to Johnson C. Smith (Sept. 8) and Fayetteville State (Sept. 15), Benedict returns home on Sept. 22 to take on Fort Valley State. The Tigers close out September with a road trip to Central State (Sept. 29).

Benedict returns home on Oct. 6 to take on Virginia Lynchburg. After a trip to Atlanta to take on Clark Atlanta (Oct. 13), Benedict takes on Morehouse on Oct. 20 for Homecoming. Oct. 27 will be the final home game of the season against Albany State. The regular season concludes on Nov. 3 on the road at Kentucky State.

The Tigers finished 7-2 in 2017 and 5-1 in the SIAC, finishing in a tie for first place in the SIAC East Division in coach Mike White's third season.

Dates and times are subject to change.

Sept. 1 – Florida Tech, TBA
Sept. 8 - At Johnson C. Smith, TBA
Sept. 15 - At Fayetteville State, TBA
Sept. 22 - Fort Valley State, 6 p.m.
Sept. 29 - At Central State, 1 p.m.
Oct. 6 - Virginia Lynchburg, 2 p.m.
Oct. 13- At Clark Atlanta, TBA
Oct. 20 - Morehouse (Homecoming), 2 p.m.
Oct. 27 - Albany State, 2 p.m.
Nov. 3 - At Kentucky State, TBA

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Panthers, Trojans, and Bulldogs Set for NCAA DII Women's Regionals

Richmond, Virginia - Three Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) women's teams are set to open regional play at the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament today at Barco-Stevens Hall on the campus of Virginia Union University. CIAA participating women's teams are No. 1 Virginia Union University, No. 5 Virginia State University, and No. 8 Bowie State University.

NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Bracket

The CIAA Women's Basketball Champion and Atlantic Region No. 1 Panthers of Virginia Union will face the No. 8 Bulldogs of Bowie State in a CIAA re-match. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. ET at Barco-Stevens Hall. The two CIAA Northern Division teams met in the conference's championship finals contest on March 3rd when the Panthers sealed their season with a 73-57 victory over the Bulldogs. The regional host, Virginia Union is seeking their 3rd regional tournament advancement in the past three years. In 2016, the Panthers advanced to the Elite Eight while in 2017 the women's team went all the way to play in the Division II Women's National Championship.

At 7:30 p.m. ET, No. 5 Virginia State will face No. 4 Edinboro University. In the CIAA Tournament, the Virginia State Trojans were defeated in the semi-finals round by Bowie State and is currently 23-5. The Edinboro Fighting Scots recently won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Women's Championship title and enter the regional tournament with a 26-3 record.

Game Information

ate	Away	Home	Time	Stats	Video
March 9	Bowie State	Virginia Union	5:00 PM	Stats	Video
	Virginia State	Edinboro	7:30 PM	Stats	Video

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FAMU men advance in MEAC Tourney

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Despite its struggles this season, including 14 road games over the first two months, the Florida A&M men’s basketball team rode a surge of momentum into the MEAC Tournament.

The Rattlers still are going strong.

Paced by Elijah Mayes’ 27 points and three others in double digits, No. 9 seed FAMU eliminated No. 8 seed Howard 88-78 in Tuesday’s opening-round game at The Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Rattlers (9-24) squandered an 18-point advantage but kept their composure as they rallied from a five-point deficit early in the second half.

Marcus Barham added 20 points and seven rebounds, while Desmond Williams chipped in 17 points and Justin Ravenel 14.

Winners of four of their last five, the Rattlers (9-24) advance into Wednesday’s quarterfinals against No. 1 seed Hampton (17-14). Tip-off is 6 p.m.

FAMU beat Hampton 75-71 in the teams’ lone regular-season meeting Jan. 27.



CONTINUE READING

NSU Announces 2018 Football Schedule

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Six home games, including the Labor Day Classic and a home date with James Madison, highlight Norfolk State's 2018 football schedule, which was released on Tuesday.

For the second straight season, the Spartans play six games in the friendly confines of Dick Price Stadium and face a non-conference slate comprised largely of in-state opponents.

Just like 2017, the 2018 schedule opens with consecutive home games. The Spartans welcome Virginia State University for the Labor Day Classic on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. This will mark the 52nd meeting between the old rivals.

The following week, the Spartans face JMU, last season's Division I FCS national runner-up. The Dukes and Spartans met for the first-time ever on Sept. 16, 2017 in Harrisonburg. The completion of the home-and-home series is set for Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.

"We're excited to be able to open up with two straight home games again," head coach Latrell Scott said. "The Labor Day Classic is always a fun atmosphere for the two schools and the fans, and hosting JMU is another quality home game for our program."

NSU takes to the road for the first time on Sept. 15, when the Spartans face Liberty University in Lynchburg. The Flames, who are in the process of transitioning to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, went 6-5 last year, including a win over Baylor of the Big 12. The teams have played six times previously, with Liberty holding a 4-2 series edge. NSU won the last meeting in Lynchburg, 31-24 in 2012, with Liberty winning the return matchup in Norfolk in 2014.

"Playing at Liberty gives us the opportunity to measure ourselves against an FBS opponent, which we haven't done in a couple of seasons," Scott added.

The Spartans' fourth and final non-conference game of the season will be on Sept. 22 at South Carolina State. With Hampton University announcing it is leaving the MEAC later this year, MEAC teams will only play seven conference games in 2018, and SCSU was added as a fourth non-conference game for NSU, which will not count in the MEAC standings for either team.

The Spartans begin their seven-game MEAC schedule with a home date with Delaware State on Sept. 29 (4 p.m.). Other home games include a Homecoming matchup with North Carolina Central on Oct. 20 (2 p.m.) and consecutive contests against Howard (Nov. 10, 1 p.m.) and Morgan State (Nov. 17, 1 p.m.) to conclude the year.

"One of our goals this year is to build a real home-field advantage against our MEAC opposition, so we're really emphasizing playing better at home within our conference schedule," Scott said.

The MEAC road games include trips to Florida A&M (Oct. 6), Savannah State (Oct. 27) and defending champion North Carolina A&T (Nov. 3). NSU has an open date on Oct. 13.

"We're excited to return 16 of our 22 starters from our team last season," Scott said. "We feel like we have the talent to be a major contender in the MEAC."

Season ticket information will be released in the coming months.


2018 Football Schedule

SEP 1 (SAT) / 6 P.M. VS VIRGINIA STATE (LABOR DAY CLASSIC)
NORFOLK, VA. / WILLIAM "DICK" PRICE STADIUM

SEP 8 (SAT) / 6 P.M. VS JAMES MADISON NORFOLK, VA. / WILLIAM "DICK" PRICE STADIUM

SEP 15 (SAT) / TBA AT LIBERTY LYNCHBURG, VA.

SEP 22 (SAT) / 6 P.M. AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE ORANGEBURG, S.C.

SEP 29 (SAT) / 4 P.M. MEAC *VS DELAWARE STATE NORFOLK, VA. / WILLIAM "DICK" PRICE STADIUM

OCT 6 (SAT) / TBA MEAC * AT FLORIDA A&M TALLAHASSEE, FLA.

OCT 20 (SAT) / 2 P.M. MEAC *VS NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL (HOMECOMING)
NORFOLK, VA. / WILLIAM "DICK" PRICE STADIUM

OCT 27 (SAT) / TBA MEAC *AT SAVANNAH STATE SAVANNAH, GA.

NOV 3 (SAT) / TBA MEAC *AT NORTH CAROLINA A&T GREENSBORO, N.C.

NOV 10 (SAT) / 1 P.M. MEAC * VS HOWARD NORFOLK, VA. / WILLIAM "DICK" PRICE STADIUM

NOV 17 (SAT) / 1 P.M. MEAC * VS MORGAN STATE NORFOLK, VA. / WILLIAM "DICK" PRICE STADIUM

Bethune-Cookman Sweep Holy Cross in Home Opener

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Bethune-Cookman Softball completed a home opening sweep against Holy Cross on Tuesday afternoon as the Wildcats took game one by a 2-1 decision before turning around and capturing the nightcap by an 8-7 score line at Sunnyland Park.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN 2, HOLY CROSS 1 (Game 1)
Bethune-Cookman scored a pair of runs in bottom of the fifth inning to defeat visiting Holy Cross, 2-1 in the home opener for the Wildcats at Sunnyland Park on Tuesday afternoon. The game was the first of two played on the day between the two schools.

Bryanna Campos drew a walk from Holy Cross (2-4) starting pitcher Alexandra Held to begin the Bethune-Cookman at-bat in the home-half of the fifth inning. That sparked a pitching change as Holy Cross went with Olivia Sloane in the circle.

Sasha Killings pinch ran for Campos, immediately stealing second base before Brianna Sanders drew a walk of her own. Jacki Smith's ground out to second would advance both runners a base, setting the stage for sophomore Ryan Jackson to lace a two-run scoring triple to right field.

Bethune-Cookman (8-13) led 2-0 after five complete innings.

Holy Cross pulled a run back in the top of the sixth inning when Mandy McCarthy doubled to center field, allowing designated player Sydney Burr to single up the middle and score McCarthy and cut into the BCU lead, 2-1.

BCU sophomore pitcher Mariah Estrada entered the game with two outs and two runners on in the top of the seventh inning. She would walk centerfielder Jackie Brewster at the top of the order before getting Taylor Wahler to pop up to Kailey Richard at third base for the final out of the contest.

The win went to Alexis Bermudez for Bethune-Cookman, bumping her record to 3-4 on the season. She worked 6.2 innings in the circle for the Wildcats, allowing one run, scattering four hits and picking up four strikeouts against one walk. Estrada picked up her first save of the year with two batters faced in the seventh.

The Maroon and Gold was led at the dish by three players with a hit each, including Jackson's 1-for-2 effort and two RBIs in the game. Mariah Davis added a 1-for-3 game, while Richard also went 1-for-3 at the plate.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN 8, HOLY CROSS 7 (Game 2)
Cheyenne Smith's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning allowed Taylor Sherritt to score from third and complete a come-from-behind win for Bethune-Cookman over visiting Holy Cross in non-conference softball action Tuesday afternoon at Sunnyland Park. BCU took the second game of the doubleheader, 8-7 to complete the doubleheader sweep.

With Bethune-Cookman (9-13) leading 6-0 after two innings, Holy Cross plated seven runs in the top of the fourth to capture their first lead of the day.

Holy Cross (2-5) sent 10 players to the plate in the top of the fifth.

Designated player Sydney Burr scored the first run of the inning for Holy Cross when Savannah Young delivered a RBI ground out to Jacki Smith at shortstop. The lead dimmed to 6-3 for the Wildcats three plays later when Jackie Brewster drove in two with a single to center field off BCU reliever Mariah Estrada. Shortstop Taylor Wahler followed with a run-scoring single of her own to cut the Holy Cross deficit at 6-4.

The Crusaders stepped out in front, 7-6 with one swing of the bat as Mandy McCarthy recorded a three-run homer to straight away center.

In the bottom of the sixth, BCU tied the game at 7-all when Cheyenne Smith scored from second, using a Mariah Davis single and a throwing error from Crusaders third baseman McCarthy trying to get Davis at first.

BCU had the bases loaded with one out in the home-half of the seventh, allowing Cheyenne Smith to drive a deep fly to right, giving Sherritt enough time to scamper in from third for the game-winning run.

The win went to BCU reliever Victoria Guzman (3-5), as the freshman worked 3.1 innings in the circle. She allowed three runs on three hits and picked up a game-high six strikeouts. The loss went to Olivia Sloane of Holy Cross in a relief effort, as she was tagged for two runs (one earned) on three hits, two walks and a strikeout.

The Wildcats were led offensively at the plate by Sherritt's 3-for-4 appearance and scoring one run. Ryan Jackson was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Meanwhile, second baseman Kailey Richard was also 2-for-4 at the dish with a game-high three RBIs and a run.

Bethune-Cookman returns to action Thursday back at Sunnyland Park when the Wildcats welcome UT Martin for a single non-conference contest at 2 p.m.

Bethune-Cookman Softball on Twitter (@BCUSoftball) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUathletics), Instagram (@BCUathletics), Snapchat (@BCUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics

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Hampton Lady Pirates Softball Sweeps Virginia Cavaliers

HAMPTON, Virginia – Hampton University softball team scored early and held on for a pair of wins over the University of Virginia on Tuesday winning a doubleheader 3-2 and 8-3. The wins over Virginia were the first in program history.

In game one, Hampton scored twice in the first inning as DaSha Hill singled, stole second and scored on a pair of wild pitches. Alana VanDenburg followed two batters later with a solo blast over the left field fence for a 2-0 lead.

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After giving up a solo home run in the top of the third, Hampton pushed another run across in the home half of the inning as Hill walked, advanced to second, stole third and scored on a fielder's choice by VanDenburg.

The Cavaliers used another solo home run in the fifth, but Hampton kept them off the board the rest of the way for the 3-2 win. Allie Hotetz picked up the win throwing five innings and allowing eight hits with four strikeouts. Allyson Babinsack earned the save with two innings of no-hit relief. VanDenburg was 2-for-2 with two RBIs to lead Hampton.

Game two saw Hampton jump out again to a 2-0 lead after one inning as Hill singled, stole second and eventually scored on a fielder's choice by VanDenburg. She later scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.

Hampton put two more up in the bottom of the second as Daniella Milloy singled and eventually scored on an error. Jada Fields walked and scored on a single by Cassidy Blackwell.

Virginia put up three in the top of the third on a three-run home run by Allison Davis, but Hampton answered with a three-spot of its own in the home part of the inning. Milloy singled in pinch-runner Camille King, while Jada Fields ripped a two-run double to right center to score Ashley Grassini and Milloy.



The Lady Pirates scored another run in the fourth as Kial Watts singled to second and advanced on a wild pitch before Grassini singled to left scoring Watts for the 8-3 lead.

Babinsack took the win throwing four innings and allowing five hits. Hotetz pitched a hitless three innings in relief. Watts, Grassini, Milloy and Lorena Alvarez had two hits each for Hampton.

The Lady Pirates return to action on Friday in the Blue-White Classic hosting LaSalle, Albany and Omaha through Sunday.

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

UMES Hawks Advance in MEAC Tourney After Beating DSU Hornets

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore suffered through the swarm in the first half of its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament opening-round game on Tuesday (March 6) and trailed a hot-shooting Hornets squad 33-27 at the break.

But the Hawks used a 26-15 third quarter and saw four different players reach double digits in scoring as they ran away with a 77-60 victory in the second half. Eastern Shore will now face Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday (March 7) at 2 p.m.

“I thought Delaware State played a really good first five minutes,” Hawks coach Fred Batchelor said. “I thought their energy was higher than ours. They made shots. They came ready to play and I think it kind of put us on our heels a little bit. What we were fighting against and talking about in the locker room is that when things don’t go well, we still have to play with a spirit of determination.”



The Hawks (11-19) found that spirit — and looked like a different squad — after the second half whistle.

They got 18 points from senior guard Alexus Hicks (Raleigh, North Carolina), who was 6-of-14 from the field — all behind the arc — and added four assists, four steals and three rebounds in 35 minutes. Hicks’ four 3’s in the third went a long way toward the Hawks establishing dominance in the contest.

“My teammates did a great job of finding me in the offense,” Hicks said. “They were penetrating and I was just getting to the open spot. They were looking to get it to me and I just made sure I knocked it down for them.”

Ciani Byrom (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) was second with 17 points to go with four assists, a steal and a rebound in 32 minutes. She was 3-of-4 from behind the arc.

“I think (the difference in the second half) was just getting those jitters out,” Byrom said. “It is really a brand new team coming to the tournament with new players — and freshmen — that haven’t played in this atmosphere and we have a lot of pressure on us too. Just getting those out and letting them know to just play how you play and get comfortable.”

Delaware State (6-24) got 22 points from NaJai Pollard, but in the end it was the Hawk’s much deeper lineup that won the day.

Keyera Eaton (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) finished with 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Graduate transfer Martha Thompson (Bedford Heights, Ohio) came off the bench to score 11.

“It makes it much easier as a team when everybody contributes,” Byrom said. “It’s really tough to compete with a team that has four or five players in double digits when you only have two. It really makes a big impact when we all contribute as a team.”

Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) — who picked up her MEAC Rookie of the Year hardware before the game — finished with eight points and four rebounds in 20 minutes, but a third-quarter substitution after a hard fall as she went for a rebound ended up working out just fine for the Hawks.

Thompson put in some time at the four position, which allowed the Hawks to spread the floor and helped get open look from the outside. She also added five rebounds two steals and a block in 22 minutes off the bench.

“Buns (Gill-Miles) was playing well and tough inside,” Batchelor said. “We needed her rebounding presence. However, she has been playing through some nagging shoulder issues all year long. She took a fall and it forced us to play with Marty at the four. We have been doing that with her at the four and it gives us a little more versatility. Her size allows us to do that and it allows us another ball handler.”

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While Batchelor said he wished she had done so a few more times instead of settling for jumpers, Thompson’s driving to the basket forced Delaware State to make decisions on defense that allowed the Hawks to take advantage.

Jordyn Smith (Durham, North Carolina) battled on the inside and on the glass for the entire game, finishing with nine rebounds to go with five points and a steal in 24 minutes.

The Hawks turned the ball of just eight times and only committed seven fouls. The team scored 16 points off 14 Delaware State turnovers and scored 19 second-chance points with the help of 15 offensive boards.

The Eastern Shore bench held a 17-9 advantage over the Hornets subs.

For more information on Eastern Shore Athletics visit http://www.easternshorehawks.com/.