VUU juggernaut derailed by Bowie State, 101-82

RICHMOND, Virginia - On Jan. 15, Virginia Union scratched its way to a two-point victory over Virginia State. That gave Union a record of 8-10, a mediocre start to the season. Thereafter, the Panthers reeled off wins in seven of their next eight games. One more victory and Union would take the CIAA’s Northern Division title.

But Union’s winning streak hit a speed bump Monday night. The Panthers were beaten 101-82 to Bowie State (20-5, 12-4) at Barco-Stevens Hall. It was Bowie State’s largest margin of victory ever over Union.

GALLERY: Virginia Union vs. Bowie State

“It’s a bitter taste right now,” senior Jamaal Blalock said. Bowie State, ranked 19th in the country, secured the No. 1 seed in the CIAA tournament. Union (15-12, 10-5) still gets the Northern Division’s second seed and a bye in the first round.

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Players treasure memories from '56 Knoxville College team

KNOWVILLE, Tennessee -- Fifty-six years ago, the powerhouse Knoxville College basketball team tore through the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with aplomb. Undersized but fearless and athletic, the Bulldogs averaged a nation-best 101 points a game on their way to a spectacular 32-3 record. Their average margin of victory was 30 points.

Knoxville College was not only the first team from Tennessee to win the SIAC tournament and conference championships, the Bulldogs also placed an unprecedented four players on the all-conference and all-tournament teams. They featured a lineup of mostly northern transplants who were thrust into often tumultuous circumstances at a small black college in the South at the vanguard of the Civil Rights movement.

Despite their successes on the court, the garnet and blue-clad Bulldogs toiled in virtual anonymity in the segregated South of the 1950s. Off the court, they were often subjected to the all-too-familiar racial injustices of the time.

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Shaw cruises past WSSU in home finale

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Ninth-ranked Shaw continued its impressive run through the CIAA. The Bears rolled to an 80-59 victory over defenseless Winston-Salem State on Monday night at Spaulding Gym. Showing balance that has brought them a 23-2 record and a 19-game win streak, the Bears sent their seniors out on a good note in their final home game.

"They are a talented team," said coach Bobby Collins of the Rams. "One through five, any of them can go off and get points. I know what they were all capable of, and I thought if we could get back and set our defense we would have a chance, but we couldn't do that."



The Rams (18-7, 4-5 Southern Division) had a six-point lead early but it didn't last long. The Bears went on a 22-0 run over six minutes, and the Rams failed to score on their next 12 possessions.

It didn't get much better the rest of the way, thanks to a steady diet of guards Malik Alvin (20 points) and Tony Smith (14 points, seven rebounds and four assists). Every time the Rams tried to make a run, it was Smith or Alvin who made the big shots to preserve the Bears' lead.

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With 17 new additions to roster, WSSU baseball looks to repeat

COACH KEVIN RITSCHE

WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina - The reigning CIAA Champion Winston-Salem State baseball team may have added new players, but the team's goals remain the same: another conference title and a College World Series run.

The 2011 Rams baseball season ended with a record of 30-25 overall, and 19-7 in the conference. They won the CIAA Championship and earned a trip to the regionals with a fifth seed. At the NCAA tournament at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster, Pa. the Rams came up short with two losses, 7-2 to Mercyhurst and 11-3 to Concord.

Rams second-year Head Coach Kevin Ritsche added 17 new players to his 13 man-roster of returning players. The new recruits include seven freshman and 10 transfers from junior colleges and universities.

"Bringing in these new guys equals starting from scratch with my system, but we also have increased the talent level," Ritsche said.

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XU Nuggets beat Fisk, clinch tie for GCAC regular-season title

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Jasmine Grant scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half Monday to help NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana earn an 81-50 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Fisk.

The Gold Nuggets (21-8 overall, 11-2 GCAC) won their third straight and clinched a tie for the GCAC regular-season championship. They began the day tied for first place with Talladega, but the Lady Tornadoes lost 60-47 at Tougaloo. Xavier can win the title with a victory Saturday at Dillard in the regular-season finale.

Keldra Hall scored 11 points, and Paige Gauthier had a season-high-tying 10 points and a career-best nine assists for Xavier. All 15 Gold Nuggets scored.

De'Erin Rogan scored 15 points for Fisk (4-22, 0-12), and Simona Newman and Tiffany Wynn scored 10 apiece.

Xavier led 40-25 at halftime and took its biggest lead, 76-38, when Gauthier passed to Paige Rochelle for a fast-break basket with 6:08 remaining.

Gauthier is the third XU player this season to reach nine assists in a game. Her previous high was five. Gauthier had seven assists in the second half.

Xavier shot a season-high 57.4 percent from the floor — 65.4 in the second half — and limited the Lady Bulldogs to 30.4 percent. The Gold Nuggets had a 38-24 rebound advantage, and they recorded their largest winning margin on an opponent's floor since a 74-40 victory at William Carey on Feb. 27, 2003.

It was the first time since November 2010 that the Nuggets reached 80 points, and it was the first time they did it on the road since December 2008.

The XU-Dillard game will tip off at 5 p.m. Saturday at Dillard's Dent Hall.

BOX SCORE

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

TSU women's golf finishes 16th at Ann Rhoads Invitational

JAMIE PIERCE
Senior
Harriman, TN

 Birmingham, Alabama - The Tennessee State University women's golf team wrapped up action at the Ann Rhoads Spring Invitational Monday afternoon.

The spring season-opener saw TSU finish in 16th place with an overall score of 792 after two rounds. After shooting a 416 as a team in the opening round the Tigers improved 40 strokes with a 376 in the second frame.  



BRIA NORRIS
Sophomore
Franklin, TN

Jamie Pierce led Tennessee State with a score of 174 behind rounds of 93 and 81. She finished in a tie for 35th to pace the Tigers. Sara Shoufler carded a 186 (97-89) for 70th place followed by Bria Norris (79th) with a 209 mark. Norris recorded a 112 if the first round before registering a score of 97 in the second stanza.



SARA SHOUFLER
SOPHOMORE
BEDFORD, INDIANA

Mya Billingsley rounded out the scorers for TSU with 223 (114-109). The University of Indianapolis claimed the tournament title with a score of 644 (336-308) while OVC foe Tennessee Tech finished fourteen strokes behind with 658. Methodist University placed third after carding a 662 (343-319).

Women's golf will return to action at the Murray State New Wave Communications Racer Classic on Sunday, March 4.



COURTESY: TENNNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION



Xavier Gold Rush defeat Fisk to give Jackson his 200th victory

HEAD COACH DANNTON JACKSON

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Chris Iles scored a career-high 21 points Monday to lead NAIA No. 25 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 74-50 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Fisk.

The Gold Rush (21-7 overall, 10-3 GCAC) won for the seventh time in eight games and gave Dannton Jackson his 200th career victory as head coach.

Denzell Erves had 16 points and 10 rebounds — his team-leading sixth double-double of the season and his second in a row — and Wanto Joseph scored 12 points.

Jackson is 200-88 in nine seasons at Xavier and has reached 20 victories seven times. He is the third consecutive Gold Rush coach to reach 200 victories — Denny Alexander (1978-90) and Dale Valdery (1990-2002) did it too. Valdery won a Gold Rush-record 234 games, and Alexander won 212.

"I couldn't get to 200 wins on my own," Jackson said. "Reaching 200 is a tribute to all the guys who wore the Xavier uniform. We've had some unbelievable guys in the program. They're responsible for this. I'm really proud to represent Xavier, my alma mater."

Jewaun Wynn scored 16 points, including four 3-pointers, for Fisk (6-20, 2-10).

Xavier overcame a 7-0 Fisk start to lead 28-25 at halftime, then pulled away with a 30-7 burst in the first 13 minutes of the second half. Iles scored 11 points during the run, and Cordell Hadnot's basket with 7:40 remaining gave Xavier its largest lead, 58-32.

"Fisk hit some early shots and played well," Jackson said. "They were attacking the paint and creating shots. Once we were able to control that, we got it going. We depended on our defense again to pull away."

The Gold Rush outshot the Bulldogs 45.5 to 31 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 47-31. Xavier had advantages of 42-18 in points in the paint and 32-14 in bench scoring. Xavier dominated at the line, making 20-of-27 free throws to Fisk's 9-of-20.

"I like the way we're playing. I like the way we're defending," Jackson said. "When we're settled down and defending, we're really a hard team to beat."

Xavier remained one game behind 17th-ranked Tougaloo, an 84-64 winner at home against Talladega, in the GCAC. Xavier and Tougaloo will close the regular season Saturday with conference road games — Xavier will visit city rival Dillard at 7 p.m., and Tougaloo will visit SUNO at 5 p.m.

BOX SCORE

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS