Alabama State gets triple-digit revenge on Jackson State

Photo: Chief Kickingstallionsims, a seven footer, scored a career high 22 points on Jackson State.

Way back at the start of the conference season in early January, Alabama State suffered a disappointing loss on the road at Jackson State. That was two months and 15 games ago. The Hornets have long memories.

ASU saved one of its best games of the year for their regular-season finale against the Tigers. The Hornets shot better than 68 percent from behind the three-point line, better than 56 percent from the floor and committed just seven turnovers. ASU hit triple digits for the first time this season, winning easily, 103-83, at the Joe L. Reed Acadome.

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TSU Tigers’ OVC Championship Bid Falls Short with 82-64 Loss to Austin Peay

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information

Jerrell Houston Scores Career High 25 points

The Tennessee State Tigers (15-17) bid for an Ohio Valley Conference championship came up short with an 82-64 loss to Austin Peay (24-10) at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium on ESPN2 television.

Junior forward Jerrell Houston scored a career-high 25 points with 11 rebounds in the game. Reiley Ervin, playing in his last game for the Big Blue contributed 13 points and freshman Darius Cox added 12 points with seven rebounds.

Todd Babington led Austin Peay with 24 points, including 6-8 from 3-point range. Three other Governors added double figure support, Derek Wright (13), Drake Reed (11) and Fernandez Lockett (10).

The Tigers entered their first OVC championship game in ten years as a sixth seed and were currently on a three-game winning streak. They were not able to sustain the same intensity in the championship game that had propelled them through wins at Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and in the semifinal game against Murray State.

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Cador 'concerned' as Southern opens SWAC play

Winless and yet to establish a consistent offense and left trying to regain the glory two years since a reign of conference domination ended, the Southern University baseball team begins Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division play today.

Southern (0-5) will play Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-7, 0-3 Western Division) in a doubleheader today and a single game Monday. The Jaguars then will host Alcorn State, a member of the Eastern Division, at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

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Alabama A&M clobbers Grambling, 74-43

A&M's 6-foot-11 center rims out on trey in 74-43 win as 3-point attempt thrills Gladness on Senior Day

Alabama A&M's Mickell Gladness had always fashioned himself as a shooting guard. Unfortunately for his hopes, at 6-foot-11 and 205 pounds, he grew into a center. Saturday night, however, with A&M holding a commanding lead over Grambling State, coach Vann Pettaway moved Gladness to the shooting guard spot with approximately three minutes to go in the game.

Gladness came off of a screen and launched a 3-pointer that rimmed out. Afterwards, he left to a standing ovation as the Bulldogs clobbered the Tigers 74-43 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference game at Elmore Gym.

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Alabama State Hornets remain hot in win over Grambling State

Photo: ASU junior guard Andrew Hayles drove his way to a 28 point night against GSU Tigers.

Long, contested threes, twisting layups, runners in the lane, turnaround jumpers -- Hayles hit them all Thursday night. The junior guard scored a season-high 28 points and time and again provided a spark for a struggling ASU offense.

The Hornets won their fourth in a row, 73-61.

"I'm just trying to do what I can within the offense," Hayles said. "This is all a team effort each night. When I was open, I tried to hit what I could."

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FAMU's El-Amin hopes to make history

Mujahid El-Amin wants to make more than a splash at Sunday’s James Martin Invitational swim meet. The Florida A&M University junior wants to make history.

If El-Amin is able to shave one second from his best time in the 100-yard butterfly, he will be the first swimmer from an Historical Black College or University to ever qualify for the NCAA championships.

The Atlanta native was unaware he was on the verge of becoming a pioneer two weeks ago when he won the event by more than two seconds (48.17) at the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association championships, setting a conference record in the process.

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DSU Bright hits milestone as Hornets end skid

Photo: Senor guard Roy Bright scored his first career double/double against the UMES Hawks. The 6-6 Hornets star hit for 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

Senior scores his 1,000th point at DSU in win

DOVER -- His first attempt sailed through with ease. The second, just another pretty shot again from beyond the arc.

By the time Roy Bright had made his third and fourth baskets in five attempts Thursday, he'd gotten his milestone and his Delaware State team essentially had the lead it needed for an important victory.

This was actually Senior Day and, perhaps more importantly, a day of redemption during a 67-52 victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore at Memorial Hall.

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Seniors help Delaware State secure third seed

DOVER -- Baskets of gifts awaited them, but a win came first on Thursday for the seniors on the Delaware State women's basketball team. It was senior night, after all. And those eager underclassmen had prepared the pleasantries for their three senior leaders as a thank you for their four years of contributions.

The Hornets' 57-46 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore clinched the No. 3 seed in next week's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.

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North Carolina A&T edges NSU 72-70

GREENSBORO, N.C. -As North Carolina A&T's Jason Willis soared in the air, Norfolk State's last chance to stage an improbable comeback hung in the balance. Then Willis came crashing down on the rim, and with him so did the Spartans' final opportunity to lock down the second seed in the MEAC Tournament next week. Willis dunked the ball with 6.1 seconds left in regulation, punctuating a 72-70 victory over Norfolk State at Irvin-Corbett Court on Thursday.

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N.C. A&T Lady Aggies steamroll Norfolk State, 93-60

Photo: Ta’Wuana Cook scored 14 points, 4 assists and 3 steals in 22 minutes of action against Norfolk State.

Aggies will play Wednesday morning at 10 against the No. 8/9 seed winner

GREENSBORO, March 6, 2008 – The North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team broke the school record for wins in a season with its 93-60 win over Norfolk State on Thursday night from Irvin-Corbett Court. Then head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs set down a new challenge for the team.

Do it again.

The Aggies improved to 23-6 overall and 15-1 into the conference as they head into next week’s MEAC Tournament in Raleigh as the No. 1 seed and MEAC regular-season champion. Freshman Jalessa Sams led the Aggies with 20 points and seven rebounds while Ta’Wuana Cook and Brittanie Taylor-James had 14 points apiece.

“I hope we break it again with me as the coach,’’ said Bibbs. “It’s a wonderful honor for my ladies to remember, but the thing about records they are made to be broken. I hope they don’t become complacent and take it upon themselves to break it again next year.”

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Coppin State Lady Eagles cage Morgan State 71-58

Photo: 6-3 Junior Center Whitney Cunningham is proving to be an offensive and defensive force for the Eagles.

BALTIMORE -- Whitney Cunningham scored a career-high 21 points and Coppin State extended its winning streak to eight straight with a 71-58 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over Morgan State in both teams regular-season finale at Hill Field House.

The Eagles, who have won 13 of their last 14 games, had already secured the second seed in the upcoming MEAC Tournament but had plenty to play for entering the contest. Coppin State snapped a two-game losing streak to the Bears and moved to within a game of posting its fourth straight 20-win season.

Coppin State (19-11, 13-3 MEAC) overcame a season-high 30 turnovers by out-rebounding the Bears 51-41 and holding them to 28.8 percent shooting.

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Four consecutive 20 game seasons is a great accomplishment for Coach Derek Brown. Is there a third bid forthcoming to the NCAA Tournament for the Coppin State Eagles?

Morgan Bears too hot to handle by Coppin

Photo: Morgan State Bears, with a 20-9 record and first MEAC Basketball Championship (regular season) can finally show their faces in Division I with pride.

Coppin puts up a fight, but Morgan stays unbeaten at home

With the school's first regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament locked up, Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman could have been forgiven if he wanted to give his starters a breather last night. But when the opponent is Coppin State, and with city bragging rights on the line, the Forestville native knew that taking this game lightly was not an option.

Despite being without leading scorer Jamar Smith (foot injury), the Bears took the Eagles' best shots and still came away with a hard-fought 68-64 victory on Senior Night before an announced 4,500 last night at Hill Field House.

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Never under-estimate at team coached by ole school Fang Mitchell. Just throw out the records and get ready to do battle, as his teams will scratch and claw their way into the game and beat you if you make mistakes. Whoever draws Coppin State in the MEAC Tournament is in for a dog fight (sorry, Vick) to get to the next round.

This is going to be a great MEAC Tournament!

Southern clinches spot in SWAC tourney

Jaguars top Prairie View, 76-64

The Southern University men’s basketball team has discovered its poise down the stretch, at the right time. In games, and for its season.

The Jaguars secured a spot in next week’s Southwestern Athletic Conference with a balanced 76-64 win over Prairie View on Thursday night at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

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Lewis lifts Southern Lady Jaguars over SWAC Champs Prairie View

There’s still magic left in senior center Fredrieka Lewis and Southern. Lewis had 15 points to pace Southern’s 43-34 win over Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season champ Prairie View on Thursday night at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Despite the loss, Prairie View won the regular-season title outright after sharing the regular-season crown with Jackson State last season. Jackson State fell out of contention with a 65-57 loss at Alabama A&M on Thursday night.

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Howard Lady Bison routed by Hampton University

Photo: Senior guard Rachel Butler lead the Lady Pirates in the rout by scoring 22 points and 10 rebounds.

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University Lady Pirates basketball team concluded regular-season play with a 28-point shellacking of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival Howard University here on Thursday, defeating the Lady Bison 74-46 at the HU Convocation Center.

Hampton, 17-12 overall and 10-6 in the MEAC, led 41-31 at halftime. Howard ended the regular-season with records of 4-25 overall and 3-13 in the conference. Mebane said his team’s performances over the last three games are hopefully an indication of the level of preparedness his players have for next week’s MEAC tournament, which will be played at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. on March 10-15.

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Hampton University Pirates achieve No. 2 seeding at expense of Howard Bison

Photo: Senior Rashad West lead the Pirates with 17 points, 9 assists and 2 rebounds.

Hampton's Senior Night victory, plus Norfolk State's loss to NC A & T, drops the Spartans to third.

HAMPTON - Thursday's game was as much a celebration of Hampton University's men's basketball seniors as it was a regular-season finale. Pirates coach Kevin Nickelberry started all four seniors after a pregame ceremony to honor them at the HU Convocation Center. Then his team dismantled Howard 71-58, which, coupled with North Carolina A&T's victory at Norfolk State, left Hampton with the No. 2 seed for next week's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.

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FAMU's Curry doubles up in finale with Bethune Cookman Lady Wildcats

Photo: Farewell to Coach Debra Clark; we love you too, but you can't coach the Lady Rattlers to championships.

Florida A&M women's basketball coach Debra Clark had a hard time leaving the Gaither Gymnasium court Thursday night without hugging one more player and posing for one more picture. The thrill of posting a much-needed 49-38 victory over rival Bethune-Cookman was special. But the chance to wipe off a few tears and say good-bye to four seniors in their final home game meant so much more.

"I did cry a little bit," Clark said. "They're like my little babies.

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Coach Debra Clark has reasons to cry--just look at her record after starting the season with a 9-1 streak. Would I feel better if she started with a 1-9 record?

Heck no!

This has been one under-achieving team on the basketball court it's entire career. Exceptional students and great people, but still under-achieving players that lacked consistency and weren't coached to get better. I don't hire or fire coaches, but I sure would be looking towards Texas or a place called A&T--in North Carolina for a championship driven coach that can recruit Division I talent and coach the players to their maximum potential and 20 win seasons.

Debra Clark has shown me nothing during her career but records like 13-16, 3-13 in the MEAC and a ton of excuses. Like Rubin Carter, her teams are giving me gas and it's not from a bowl of spicy chili gumbo. Eight game losing streaks and/or four game losing streaks will tear your insides up, if you care about Rattler basketball.

Give me a break--3-13 in the M-E-A-C! We're talking 'bout the ME-AC.

I'm crying worst than Clark and I for one, don't look forward to next year if it's going to be another repeat of the Clark and Clark horror show.

A seven year record of 100-106 (.485) at FAMU says it all. Time for a change in coaching staff.

WANTED! Proven Division I winning coach for the Lady Rattlers program. Able to WIN MEAC championship each year, make NCAA Tournament annually, and fill a brand new 9,000 seat on campus arena.

Let me end this on a positive note--Clark did beat those sorry BCU Wildcats for two of her three MEAC victories this season.

The Lady Rattlers are scheduled to play next the lowly Howard University Bison on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the MEAC Tournament at Raleigh, N.C. The Bison are favored to stampede the Rattlers with their 4-25, 3-13 MEAC record, as the Lady Rattlers have shown the inability to hold a lead in the second half.

2007-08 MEAC Standings

Team Conference Overall Record
North Carolina A&T 15-1, 23-6
Coppin State 13-3, 19-11
Delaware State 12-4, 17-13
Morgan State 10-6, 18-11
Hampton 10-6, 17-12
Maryland-Eastern Shore 10-6, 17-12
South Carolina State 9-7, 12-16
Florida A&M 3-13, 13-16
Howard 3-13, 4-25
Bethune-Cookman 2-14, 6-23
Norfolk State 1-15, 5-22

Congratulations to departing senior Lady Rattlers --Q'Vaunda Curry, Thyeis Halley, Joslyne Jackson and Evette Young. We are very happy you are Rattlers. Thanks a million for your contributions.

FAMU snatches win from rival Bethune Cookman

Photo: Senior guard Leslie Robinson has had a breakout season leading the Rattlers in scoring averaging 15.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 1.1 apg.

Akini Akini's double-double helps FAMU beat rival Bethune-Cookman

It was billed as Senior Night. It ended up being one heck of a house party.

With more than 3,600 fans dancing, chanting and stepping the night away at Gaither Gymnasium, the Florida A&M men's basketball team spanked rival Bethune-Cookman 69-50.
The victory meant little to the Rattlers' seed in next week's MEAC tournament; FAMU is slotted as the sixth seed and is expected to play 11th-seeded Maryland-Eastern Shore on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Raleigh, N.C.

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The Rattlers are clearly a dangerous team to be reckoned with in the MEAC Tournament with momentum and a five game winning streak. First year coach Eugene Harris is proving to be a very good coach with an undersized team. Finally, the Rattlers are getting his system, but lacks the size and depth to deal with the regular season MEAC champions, Morgan State and second place teams Hampton and Norfolk State.

No doubt looking at the entire body of work in a 29 game season, the Morgan Bears are poised to make some real noise in March Madness. Both Todd Bozeman and Eugene Harris have done an amazing job, but Bozeman had much more talent to work with this season with potential MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, Boubacar Coly. And let us not forget about the sharp shooting guard Jamar Smith and consistent forward Marquise Kately.

FAMU however, matches up well with the Bears and have proven they can beat them. The difference has been the Rattlers Akini Akini, who must have a double/double to neutralize Coly for the Rattlers to have any chance repeating as MEAC Tournament Champions and going to the NCAAs.

In spite of the odds against the Rattlers, we like their chances to upset the rest of the MEAC as they have no pressures, finishing the regular season five games back from Morgan State. The Rattlers seem to do more with less which makes for an exciting MEAC Tournament, where legends are made.

Akini Akini--It's your time. Do your thang!!

-beepbeep

NFL Draft Prospect Interview: William Hayes, DE/OLB, Winston Salem State University

WSSU’s Hayes Restores Human Element to Draft Process

So often in today’s world of the NFL Draft, we focus so much on the who and what that we know when it comes to prospects. Things like height, weight, and 40 yard dash time sometimes take the place of the person in the eyes of talent evaluators like others and myself. In this wild dash to get the workout warrior or the guy who played at the powerhouse university with the household name for a head coach, we can lose sight of players from smaller universities with big hearts and big game. Some could argue that this is what has led to NFL GMs passing up guys like Jerry Rice. Granted not everyone that we don’t know about today will project to be great NFL players, but some do have a very good chance. I recently had an opportunity to speak with one such “Small School” player. Remember the name I am about to give you: William “Big Play” Hayes.

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TSU Tigers Advance to OVC Semifinals With 68-61 Win at Morehead State

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information

Bruce Price Leads Tigers In OVC First Round Win

The Tennessee State Tigers (14-16) returned to Morehead State (15-15) five days after a disappointing eight point loss to the Eagles. This time the Tigers virtually led from wire to wire and claimed a 68-61 win, advancing them to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament semifinals in Nashville.

Bruce Price led all scorers with 22 points while handing out eight assists. Three other Tigers tallied double figures, Jerrell Houston (16), Gerald Robinson (13) and LaDarious Weaver (11).

Morehead State got double figure scoring from Jamyron Steward (18), Kenneth Faried (14), Leon Buchanan (12) and Maze Stallworth (10).

Morehead scored the game’s first basket a 18:52, but Jerrell Houston’s jumper at 18:29 was the last tie in the game as TSU went on a 16-4 run for an 18-6 lead midway through the half (10:12). The Eagles managed to close the Tigers’ lead to 32-26 at the half.

In the second half, the Eagles rallied to cut the Tigers’ lead to one point (56-55) with 5:04 remaining, but TSU weathered the charge to take the win.

The Tigers advance to the Ohio Valley Conference semifinals for the first time in ten years, and will face Murray State at 8:00p on Friday, March 7, 2008 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. The game will be telecast live on ESPNU-TV.

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Prairie View A&M Athletics Back and Stronger than ever

by Prairie View A&M Sports Information

Once one of the weakest programs in the SWAC, PVAMU has rebounded to claim its place among the SWAC’s elite

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas- With recent success in football, women’s basketball, men’s indoor track and field, volleyball, baseball, and men’s tennis the Prairie View A&M athletics program currently stands as one of the strongest athletic programs in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

An in-depth look at how far the program has come

When taking into account where the program was just eight years ago one can only begin to marvel at the turnaround the department has made as a whole over the past seven years. The turnaround began to take form in 2001 when current PVAMU Athletics Director Charles McClelland was selected to take leadership of an athletics department that had been marred by losing programs and financial instability.

The Prairie View A&M Panthers football team at one point lost 80 consecutive games, a streak which still stands as an NCAA record and spanned nearly a total seven years (1991-98). The 1991-92 PVAMU men’s basketball team went 0-28 during regular season play setting an NCAA record. That feat was matched by Savannah State in 2005 (0-28) and eventually broken by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (0-29) in 2008.

The Panthers baseball and men’s tennis team are two other programs within the department that struggled in years past. Up until 2006 Panthers baseball had never had a winning season or won a conference title. Men’s tennis had fallen off the radar after 1970 which was their last SWAC Championship season.

Women’s basketball failed to reach the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament in several seasons leading up to the hiring of current head coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke. The program had also never won a conference title or completed a 20 plus win season.

The current state of Panthers and Lady Panthers athletics

Currently the Prairie View A&M athletics program ranks pound for pound as one of the best programs in its conference. Last fall PVAMU athletics placed second in the SWAC’s Commissioner’s Cup.

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Now that Prairie View is conquering the Southwestern Athletic Conference, it's time to aim high and become a beast in the NCAA playoffs in women's basketball, men track and field and baseball. What's more amazing 'bout this turnaround is it has been accomplished with the second lowest athletic budget in the SWAC. Only Mississippi Valley State University has a lower budget than the PVAMU Panthers.

The crown jewel of this coaching staff is simply Cynthia Cooper-Dyke. This former WNBA head coach has the recruiting capability and coaching skills to lead a premier institution to the NCAA Final Four. I would love to see Cooper-Dyke move her athletic vision for greatness further south to an "unnamed HBCU" and its brand new 9,000 seat arena which is due for completion in February 2009.

With the Florida hot bed of superior women basketball talent which Cooper-Dyke dipped into with the signing of three players from Orlando Christian Prep, (freshmen guards Trinity Robinson (5'-7"), Dominique Smith (5'-10") and starting sophomore guard Gaati Werema (6'-0"), she has proven she can recruit against superior Division I programs with huge budgets.

Cooper-Dyke, operating with PVAMU's pea sized budget was able to swoop into Florida and snatch 21.4 percent of her present team including Gaati Werema, who was ranked by Rivals.com as the eighth (8th) best woman player in Florida in 2006. The talent she has assembled at Prairie View is truly remarkable for an HBCU taking the low budget approach to athletic supremacy.

Imagine the possibilities for Cooper-Dyke with a brand new first class division I arena, an institution with a legendary athletic and academic program history, capital city location and easy access to recruiting hotbeds in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas and California. But, more importantly--a national stage to perform her craft and a conference with better positioning to the NCAA Tournament.

Cooper-Dyke run at Prairie View may be short lived as the call for a larger paycheck for her accomplishments will keep other athletic directors knocking on her door with offers that PVAMU cannot possibly match. There is a brand new arena due East-Southeast of Texas that is begging for crowds of over 5,247 that Cooper-Dyke has been able to attract for a home Lady Panther basketball game (w/Texas Southern).

The last time that a national championship was purchased on the cheap was 1966, when Coach Don Haskins led Texas Western College (today: University of Texas at El Paso) to the NCAA Division I men's national basketball championship.

Haskins and Texas Western (28-1 record) made history by starting five African American players for the first time in a championship game against Kentucky’s all-white squad, coached by Adolph Rupp. Texas Western won 72-65 over the storied program and the 1966 team was nominated in its entirety to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.

Haskins was inducted to the Hall as coach in 1997 and the entire Texas Western College team was inducted on September 7, 2007. The 2006 movie, "Glory Road" that memorialized the achievements of the 1966 Texas Western team did in fact have a positive impact on the latter event coming to fruition for the team members.

Oh, the possibilities with Cooper-Dyke as head women's basketball coach at a premier HBCU with a generous budget and honorable salary for this accomplished coach. No doubt, with proper financial and athletic program support, she has the capabilities and passion to move a college program successfully towards an NCAA tournament national championship.

We must first dare to dream--then pursue the dream!

Being cheap gets you nowhere in today's college athletics but out on the street recruiting for new coaches for the possible future Hall of Famers that were recruited away from you for a bigger paycheck and a national stage to showcase their talents and coaching abilities.

Prairie View A&M University is now prime for the taking of a few good coaches over gridiron, diamond, court, track and field.

-beepbeep

SWAC-leading Prairie View women win again

Photo: Prairie View A&M University head basketball coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke records the Lady Panthers first 20 victory season in history with win over Alabama State University.

Alabama State falls 78-56 at Hicks Building; PV stands at 15-1 in conference

PRAIRIE VIEW — Candice Thomas scored 22 points as Prairie View A&M jumped out to a 12-0 lead and cruised to a 78-56 win over Alabama State at the Hicks Building on Monday evening. Monday's win brought the school its first 20-win season in women's basketball.

Thomas was one of four Prairie View players in double figures as the Lady Panthers improved to 20-8 overall while maintaining their lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with a 15-1 record. Gatti Werema scored 19 points for Prairie View, Shavonne Smith had 11 while Chari Smith added 10 for the Lady Panthers.

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Jackson State sophomore Maxey steps up for seniors

It was Senior Night at Jackson State Monday night, but slender sophomore Grant Maxey made the biggest impact in the Tigers' 57-49 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Maxey scored 10 of his 16 points during a 2-minute, 19-second span of the second half. JSU increased its lead from 29-21 to 39-23 during that time.

Maxey, who missed all four of his first half shots, hadn't scored until he hit two free throws with 16:36 remaining, but he followed the freebies with a 3-pointer, a 10-foot jumper, and then another 3-pointer: bam, bam, bam, all swishes. "I really struggled in the first half with my jump shot," Maxey said afterward. "In the second half I just came out and was more focused and it paid off.

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Night sessions on tap for WSSU football team

Photo: Winston Salem State University head football coach Kermit Blount

Rams will conduct their first spring practice tonight

Sitting in his new office among the many boxes that have yet to be unpacked, Coach Kermit Blount of Winston-Salem State was looking forward to getting back on the field. Blount’s office, as well as the offices of his assistant coaches is in the new field house adjacent to Bowman Gray Stadium.

“We’ve settled in here pretty well,” Blount said about the new digs, , which cost nearly $3 million to build. “But we have to get down to business with practice cranking up.”

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Hampton University Lady Pirates topped North Carolina A&T

Photo: Rachel Butler led the Lady Pirates in scoring with 19 points over the previously undefeated conference leaders, Lady Aggies.

Artavia Burns hit a pair of free throws with 5 seconds left Monday night, lifting Hampton to an 85-84 victory over visiting North Carolina A&T. It was the first MEAC loss of the season for the Aggies (22-6, 14-1), who are coached by former HU coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs.

"This is my first time beating Coach Bibbs and obviously from a personal standpoint it means a lot,'' said fourth-year HU coach Walter Mebane, who was an assistant under Bibbs. "it was one of the most hard-fought games I've even coached in my life and beating her is something that this team wanted to do."

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Alabama State Hornets clinch SWAC title

When Lewis Jackson took over the Alabama State basketball program before the 2005-06 season, he went into the job with a plan of action. That plan, if everything went the way Jackson hoped, would see the Hornets field an up-tempo, athletic team that could dominate the SWAC in four years.

He's a year ahead. Monday night, Jackson's Hornets knocked off Prairie View A&M 61-57 to claim the SWAC's regular-season title. The win was ASU's 13th in 16 conference games. "We're a year ahead, but we'll certainly take it," said Jackson, who was reached by phone after the game.

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S.C. State Bulldogs fall to FAMU

By SCSU Sports Information

TALLAHASSEE, FL -- South Carolina State, which went to overtime to win at Bethune-Cookman Saturday, appeared to tire in the second half Monday Florida A&M, which outscored the Bulldogs 47-31 in the final period to take an 85-72 win over coach Tim Carter's team.

The Bulldogs, who led 41-38 at the half, fell victims to a hot-shooting Rattler team in the second half as Florida A&M connected on .633 percent from the field in the second half, including an 8-11 performance from three-point range.

SC State was paced by Jason Flagler who had 20 points to lead four Bulldogs in double figures. The Bulldog sophomore also had 11 rebounds, tying the Rattlers' Akini Akini for game rebounding honors.

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VIEW ESPNU VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF GAME: http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3275718&categoryId=2459792

South Carolina State women defeat FAMU 67-59

TALLAHASSEE, FL - South Carolina State's Sophilia Hipps had 24 points, all but three in the second half, and Marie Reid added 20 to lead the Lady Bulldogs to a 67-59 come-from-behind win over Florida A&M Monday night at Gaither Athletic Center.

Coach Tonya Mackey's team outscored the host 39-21 in the second half to bounce back from Saturday's heart-breaking 54-43 loss at Bethune-Cookman and improve to 12-15 overall and 9-7 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The difference in Monday's victory and the one-point loss at Daytona Beach Saturday was the Lady Bulldog perimeter shooting, according to Mackey.

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Hendrick leaves SCSU for South Florida

Photo: Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough have the "for hire" sign out for three great assistant coaches.

For the third time in four years, South Carolina State will be seeking a new defensive coordinator.
Defensive coordinator John Hendrick, who arrived at SCSU following a five-year stint as Benedict head football coach, has been hired as the new defensive tackles coach at South Florida. The University of Pittsburgh graduate, who was a former All-Big East Defensive Lineman, joins a fledgling Football Bowl Subdivision program which made great strides last season in reaching as high as number two in the Bowl Championship Series rankings.

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SCSU set to battle FAMU, men's game to be televised on ESPNU

Tallahassee, Fl. -- The South Carolina State men's and women's basketball team will play Florida A&M in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest, with the women's game beginning at 5 p.m. The men's contest will be televised live on ESPNU at 8 p.m.

SC State men's (11-18, 7-8) pulled out an emotional victory over Bethune-Cookman 85-81 in overtime on Saturday, while the Lady Bulldogs (11-15, 8-7) suffered a heartbreaking 54-53 loss to the Lady Wildcats.

The Rattlers (12-16, 7-7) on a three-game winning streak will be looking for their fourth straight victory after a 68-61 win over Winston-Salem State on Saturday. The Lady Rattlers (12-15, 2-12) won an impressive 59-32 routing over the Lady Rams of Winston-Salem State.

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Urban Invitational comes to a close

COMPTON, Calif. -- The first MLB Urban Invitational has now come to a close, but the three-day event at USC's Dedeaux Field, UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium, and the MLB Urban Youth Academy created such goodwill and positive feedback from everyone involved, there is little doubt that this will set the stage for more and bigger invitationals in the coming years.

"It has been a tremendous opportunity to showcase the historical black colleges and universities [HBCUs] and a chance for the commissioner's initiative on African-Americans participation in baseball to be even further enhanced," said Major League Baseball Executive Vice President of Operations Jimmie Lee Solomon.

"What really struck me though is we had over 3,500 people here at the academy on Saturday night. People stayed here past midnight, cheering, watching the games -- we had kids running around and the crowd was extremely diverse. You can't tell me that the African-American population is not interested in our game."

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What a positive way to kick off the baseball season for Bethune Cookman and Southern University. Once again you proved that HBCUs can compete successfully in Division I Baseball. Those two losses by BCU to USC and UCLA 2-0 were great pitching duels. And how 'bout that SU slugfest with USC that ended 13-9?

The `Cats next test will be Georgia Southern on Tues, Mar. 4 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach. Southern University will play Tulane on Tuesday.

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BCU Baseball Bounces Back with 10-4 Win over Southern University

Photo: Bethune Cookman University's Eric Thomas, 5-11/185 junior P/OF, Daytona Beach CC/Bucholz H.S., Gainesville, FL

Drew Clark and Justin Hoyte hit first collegiate career homeruns

Compton, Calif. - Bethune-Cookman University bounced back on Sunday afternoon with an emphatic 10-4 win over Southern University in the final game of the inaugural MLB Urban Invitational Tournament held at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif.

Everyone knew whenever the bats joined the outstanding pitching of the Bethune-Cookman staff, and then the Wildcats would certainly be the most dangerous team in Black College Baseball. That point was made evident on Sunday afternoon as the Southern Jaguars and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats met for the first time in school history.

With controversy surrounding the game of the century between these two storied programs for years, the game was finally put on the field for the entire HBCU world to see Sunday. The problem is that it took place almost 3,000 miles away from B-CU, and about 2,000 miles from Southern's home site of Baton Rouge, La.

B-CU starting pitcher Eric Thomas was nearly flawless for the second consecutive week as he mowed down the hot-hitting Southern (0-4) bats. The hard-throwing right-hander from Gainesville, Fla. was touched just twice on the day and allowed one earned run. He struck-out six batters and was almost untouchable with the awesome B-CU defense right behind him whenever he got himself into trouble with six walks issued on the day in unusual fashion.

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Atkins, Alabama A&M offense solid

Bulldogs' QB takes unit to five TDs in scrimmage

Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones has been bragging about Kevin Atkins since spring practice started more than a week ago. Jones has said Atkins looks more like a veteran than a seldom-used redshirt sophomore. That was the case Saturday as Atkins looked sharp in A&M's first scrimmage of the spring. He completed 12-of-19 passes for 172 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the nearly 90-play scrimmage at Louis Crews Stadium.

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Alabama State rallies to beat Texas Southern

HOUSTON, TX -- Brandon Gordon and Brandon Brooks scored 13 points apiece to help Alabama State come from behind to beat Texas Southern 72-67 on Saturday night.

Joel Bosh and Andrew Hayles each added 12 points for the Hornets (16-19, 12-3 SWAC). Gordon hauled down eight rebounds while Brooks tallied five assists.

Anthony Ike scored 20 points to lead Texas Southern (7-12, 6-9). David Burrell added 14, while Sollie Norwood scored 13 and Damian Henderson had 11.

The Hornets outrebounded the Tigers 45-24.

Texas Southern led 42-35 at the break.

Hampton Lady Pirates defeat rival Norfolk State, 76-52

Photo: Chinyere Ukoh scored a double/double in 18 minutes of action scoring 17 points/11 rebounds. The 6-3 junior forward is from Woodbridge H.S., Woodbridge, VA.

HAMPTON, Va. – In the 74th meeting between the Hampton University Lady Pirates and the Lady Spartans of Norfolk State University, the Lady Pirates defeated NSU 82-61 in Hampton’s Convocation Center on Saturday night.

The Lady Pirates, 14-12 overall and 7-6 in the MEAC, led the Spartans, 5-19 overall and 1-12 in the MEAC, by 26 at the half, 54-28.

“We had great momentum heading into halftime and I told the girls that in the second half we had to come out and play with that same intensity,” said HU head coach Walter Mebane.

The Lady Pirates, who lead the all-time series against the Spartans 40-33, went on 19-0 run after spotting NSU a 3-0 lead at the outset of the game, taking a 19-3 lead with 16:14 to play on a Mikki Clayton jumper. But the Lady Spartans would battle back with a 7-0 run of their own to narrow their deficit to 19-10 with 14:08 on the clock. That was about as close as NSU would get after that.

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The Power Of Eight Aids USC In Wild 13-9 Win over Southern Jaguars

Trojans score eight runs in the eighth for the win over Southern.

COMPTON, Calif. - The USC Trojans scored eight times in the eighth inning Saturday to defeat the Southern Jaguars, 13-9, in action at the MLB Urban Invitational. The Trojans took advantage of Jaguar pitching, which allowed seven walks in the USC eight, including three with the bases loaded. Both teams allowed a combined 20 walks with Southern accounting for 14 walks on the evening.

Senior third baseman Roberto Lopez (La Mesa/Rancho Bernardo HS) went 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI for the Trojans (5-2) while sophomore shortstop Hector Rabago (Riverside/Poly HS) also had three RBI, including a two-run home run.

Victor Franklin went 2-for-5 for Southern (0-3) with a double and three RBI while Calvin Anderson and Brad McDavid had three hits each.

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Healthy Hampton a winner over Norfolk State

Photo: Hampton Pirates 6-1 Sophomore guard Vinny Simpson, from Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal Dougherty, hit for 18 points, 4 assists, 4 steals and 3 rebounds to help beat NSU Spartans.

HAMPTON, VA - Remarkable what healthy bodies and successful jump shots will do for a basketball team. Two days off last week and five days between games gave Hampton University its full complement of players, and seemed to restore the Pirates' perimeter effectiveness.

If Saturday's second half against rival Norfolk State is any indication, the Pirates are capable of a run in the upcoming MEAC tournament. Playing perhaps their best half of the season, HU carved up the Spartans 87-72 at the Convocation Center.

"We had everybody there," HU coach Kevin Nickelberry said. "When we have everybody there, we're a pretty good team.

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Powerful second half sends DSU on way to easy victory

Photo: Selena Galloway had another solid game with 9 points, 2 assists in 14 minutes of action. The 5-8 sophomore guard is from Jersey City, NJ (James J. Ferris HS).

Defensive effort sinks Morgan State, improves MEAC outlook

DOVER -- Three coat removals in the first half by the Morgan State women's basketball coach were followed by none in the second. Typical tongue-lashings toward his players during the first half turned into simple, quiet reminders later on.

Chalk up Beasley's second-half demeanor to the challenge presented by Delaware State, which played one of its better halves this season to defeat the Bears 66-49 and gain an important edge heading into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament, March 11-15 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C

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DSU stifles Bears, but still falls short

Photo: DSU's Sophomore center Frisco Sandidge finished with a career and game-high 19 points/11 rebounds.

Morgan State clinches share of MEAC title

DOVER -- It probably was midweek when it occurred to Delaware State men's basketball coach Greg Jackson how his team might beat its next opponent, Morgan State. He had to contend with one of the highest-scoring teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Jackson also had a feeling he'd be without DSU's leading scorer, senior Roy Bright.

It meant that Jackson would have to emphasize his possession-style offense even more than usual. And in one of the lowest-scoring games in his eight-year tenure as coach, a 39-36 loss to Morgan State at Memorial Hall on Saturday, his method nearly worked.

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Tennessee State Rolls to 89-70 Win Over EKU

Richmond, Ky. – Visiting Tennessee State scored 51 second half points while shooting 61.5 percent from the floor to earn an 89-70 victory over the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team Saturday night in McBrayer Arena. The Colonels (14-15, 10-10 OVC) concluded the regular season with five straight conference losses.

For Tennessee State, Bruce Price finished with 20 points and a game-high six assists. Three other Tigers recorded double figures – Jerrell Houston (19 points), Gerald Robinson (18) and LaDarious Weaver (12). TSU will be the No. 6 seed in the upcoming OVC tournament.

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Urban Invitational a rousing success

COMPTON, Calif. -- After four years of talks and planning, the first MLB Urban Invitational was a coming out party for the Urban Youth Academy.

Tournament games started at USC's Dedeaux Field and UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday with UCLA Right-hander Charles Brewer (1-0) limiting Southern University to three hits in 7 2/3 scoreless innings, leading the No. 3-ranked Bruins past Southern, 11-2. Catcher Brent Dean powered the Bruins offense, finishing 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBIs, two runs and one walk at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Down the freeway, Junior left-hander Tommy Milone threw eight scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while tying a career high with nine strikeouts as the Trojans shut out the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 2-0.

The games moved to the academy's main field Saturday where UCLA shut out Bethune Cookman in the first game of the doubleheader, 2-0, aided by a solo home run by UCLA right fielder Gabe Cohen and a 10-strikeout performance by UCLA starter Tim Murphy. Despite two shutout losses, Bethune-Cookman head coach Mervyl Melendez is proud that his team was invited to take part in the tournament.

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Conference marks fall at SWAC meet

A handful of conference records fell by the wayside Saturday as the 2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships got under way at Carl Maddox Field House with field events, relays and the preliminaries of several sprints.

The meet concludes with events starting at 8 a.m. today.

New records were set in both 3,000-meter events, the women’s 400, the women’s 800, the men’s 200 and both distance medley relays.

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Quick start helps FAMU coast past Winston-Salem State

Photo: FAMU Lady Rattlers head coach Debra Clark.

The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers picked up a rare breather, easily taking care of the Winston-State Lady Rams 59-32 on Saturday afternoon at Gaither Gymnasium. FAMU (12-15) took a 40-11 lead into halftime and never looked back.

"I'm glad to get the win," said FAMU women's basketball coach Debra Clark. "They came out and played a great first half."

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Robinson, FAMU Rattlers score big

Florida A&M senior guard Leslie Robinson was recruited as the heir apparent to former shooting guard Terrance Woods, the school's most prolific 3-point shooter. Robinson has played that part in the second half of the season as the Rattlers fight for one of the top five seeds in the upcoming MEAC Tournament.

Robinson connected from behind the arc six times and scored a game-high 25 points in leading the Rattlers past the visiting Winston-Salem State Rams 68-61 at Gaither Gymnasium on Saturday.

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JSU Rutland must earn QB job

Comegy nixes automatic promotion from backup to starter for ex-MSU Bulldog.

Tray Rutland, arguably, has been the most talked about player on the Jackson State football team since transferring from Mississippi State after the 2006 season. Among fans he often was the center of debate whether he or Jimmy Oliver should quarterback the Tigers during the 2007 season.

Oliver, ultimately, won that battle, emerging as the most important individual performer in JSU's charge to its first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship since 1996. But Oliver is gone.

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Milone And Cook Shut Out Bethune-Cookman, 2-0, In USC's Home Opener

LOS ANGELES - Junior left-hander Tommy Milone (Saugus/Saugus HS) threw eight scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while tying a career-high with nine strikeouts Friday as the USC Trojans shut out the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 2-0, at Dedeaux Field. It was USC's home opener and the first game for both teams in the MLB Urban Invitational.

Milone (1-0) did not allow a runner past second base and retired the final 13 batters he faced for USC (4-2). Junior Ryan Cook (Clovis/Clovis HS) made his first career relief appearance and threw a perfect ninth to pick up his first save as a Trojan.

USC broke the scoreless tie with both runs in the eighth. Anthony Vasquez doubled down the right field line and scored on an RBI single by senior Roberto Lopez. After Lopez stole second and reached third on a wild pitch, he scored on pinch hitter Keith Castillo's RBI single to left.

Concepcion Guzman (0-1) took the loss for Bethune-Cookman (2-2) after relieving starter Hiram Burgos, who threw seven scoreless innings. Burgos allowed just three hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

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No. 3 UCLA Baseball Downs Southern, 11-2, in Urban Invitational

LOS ANGELES - Right-hander Charles Brewer (1-0) limited Southern to three hits in 7.2 scoreless innings, leading the No. 3 UCLA baseball team past Southern, 11-2, Friday evening in the first game of the inaugural Urban Invitational. Catcher Brent Dean powered the Bruin offense, finishing 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, two runs and one walk at UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Brewer totaled six strikeouts and issued three walks in his first collegiate start. The Paradise Valley, Ariz., resident held the Jaguars (0-2) hitless through the first 6.2 innings, surrendering a base hit up the middle to right fielder Brad McDavid with two outs in the top of the seventh inning.

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Wi-Hi RB has good news for MSU Bears

SALISBURY, MD -- Wicomico senior running back David Brown signed a letter of intent Friday to play football at Morgan State University.

"I went and visited there," Brown said. "It seemed like a good college. They had everything I wanted academics-wise. They had my major. I want to study business."

Brown, who amassed 2,141 yards and 35 touchdowns on 167 carries this past season, turned down offers from the University of Delaware and Towson University to attend the school his mother, Phyllis, graduated from. "I wanted to stay close to home," Brown said. Brown will be joined at Morgan State by his brother, Carl, who will transfer from Catonsville Community College to play basketball for the Bears.

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This is an awesome incoming freshman for Morgan State. Brown not only made himself into a talented running back but he broke the Maryland state record for touchdowns in a career with 43 overall touchdowns. The 6-0/195 back averaged 12.82 yards per carry last season, returned eight punts for 341 yards and six kickoffs for 373 yards--when teams actually kicked to him. His conference coaches elected Brown-- Bayside Offensive Player of the Year.

Its always great to see our kids turn down the Colonial Athletic Conference, i.e., University of Delaware and Towson University for the MEAC, Morgan State Bears. This kid had options, so its great to get a second generation Bear in the Morgan den, with talent and good grades.

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FAMU, B-CU strike back at Disney

Schools say they won't play any other team in Orlando

ORLANDO — One mouse won't stop the largest black-college football game in the country from getting its cheese.

"We are looking forward to the Classic staying in Orlando and being bigger than ever," Florida A&M President James Ammons and Bethune-Cookman President Trudie Kibbe Reed said in a joint statement Friday.

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The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is headed for extinction in Florida before it get started. First, Jackson State has no natural rivalry with any Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team and Disney clearly misjudged Bethune Cookman. Without a contract with BC-U, JSU has publicly released a schedule claiming that BC-U will play JSU in the Challenge. Not true!

The best MEAC/SWAC game being played in Florida in August (30th) is Alabama State University Hornets at Florida A&M University Rattlers--a natural and long awaited rivalry of the best kind, being played in Bragg Memorial Stadium on the campus of FAMU.

Bethune Cookman and FAMU will not being playing in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge game in Florida, so who in the SWAC and MEAC can draw 60,000 plus fans in Orlando? Nobody, but FAMU and BCU.

Disney and the MEAC Commissioner have no Plan B for this not made for television game. A Mississippi and North Carolina, Delaware, Virgina, Washington, D.C. or Maryland match up won't do squat for putting butts in the seat in the Citrus Bowl. With gas prices approaching $4.00 a gallon by the end of Summer, how many are expected to drive from Mississippi and points north to come to just another game between HBCUs? Few.

The way Disney did this, they won't get my support so move your sponsorship and your MEAC/SWAC game to Mississippi, where folks get excited about Jackson State. Shame on the MEAC Commissioner for trying to encroach upon the Florida Classic brand with Disney. Bad move...

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African-Americans in NCAA baseball few and far between

Photo: Southern University head baseball coach Roger Candor.

It isn't a myth or an overstatement to say that the hardest thing to see in college baseball is an African-American ballplayer. The decline almost makes a triple play look common.

In 2007, less than seven percent of all NCAA Division I baseball players were African-American, and the numbers are expected to decline for 2008. The comparisons to basketball, where 57 percent of D-I players were African-American, and football (43 percent) are mind-boggling.

There are a grand total of seven African-American players at the five pre-eminent college baseball teams in Southern California - two at Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State, and one each at USC, UCLA and Pepperdine. Considering UCLA gave us Jackie Robinson, USC is located in the inner-city and Long Beach has a long history of producing outstanding African-American athletes, it's a regrettable local statistic.

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