Hampton's Overtime Buzzer Beater Downs American U. Women's Basketball, 61-58

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  The American University women's basketball was able to tie Sunday's game and send it to overtime, but Hampton's Alyssa Bennett drained the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Pirates to a 61-58 overtime victory in Bender Arena.

Shaquilla Curtis hit a jumper with five seconds remaining in regulation to send it to overtime, but Hampton (11-5) went 3-of-4 from the line to start the extra period to take a 54-51 advantage. The Eagles were never able to take the lead in overtime, despite tying the game three times. Curtis came up with a steal after free throws from Geleisa George tied it at 58 with 1:25 remaining, but George missed the jumper and the Pirates were able to hang onto the ball for the final shot.

"You have to give Hampton credit for hitting a big game-winning shot," said Head Coach Matt Corkery. "It was a competitive game that will pay off for us down the road. Now we shift our focus to Patriot League play."

Michelle Holmes registered her first career double-double in the game with a career-best 11 points and 11 rebounds, going 5-for-7 from the floor. George also scored in double figures, matching her career-high with 13 points while Stephanie Anya and Curtis added eight each. Curtis and Micaela Sancisi tallied three assists apiece for the Eagles.

American (7-7) took the early lead in the game, with Ti'Asia McGeorge drilling in the three-pointer for the 9-5 advantage at the 16:44 mark. The Eagles went up by 10 after a jumper from Sarah Kiely on the dish from Sancisi and back-to-back jumpers from George maintained the 23-14 lead with 6:30 to play. The Pirates were able to chip away at American's lead in the closing minutes of the half, with a lay-up from JoNiquia Guilford putting the score at 30-23 heading into the intermission.

The Eagles out shot Hampton from the floor, 44.4 to 34.5 percent, hitting four three-pointers in the first half while the Pirates went just 1-for-9 from beyond the arc.

Hampton opened the second half on a 10-0 run before Curtis sank a pair of free throws to cut the Pirates' lead to one, 33-32. Five straight points from George, including a three-point play, gave American back the lead and Holmes laid it in to put the Eagles up 45-41 with 7:17 to play as Hampton called a timeout. The Pirates took a 51-49 lead with 1:20 to play after Bennett knocked it away and laid it in, but Curtis was able to hit the jumper to tie it.

Three players scored in double-digits for Hampton led by 18 points from Bennett. Keiara Avant notched a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Nicole Hamilton added 12 points with a team-best five assists.

American shot 38.6 percent for the game but went 4-of-14 from beyond the arc. Hampton went 34.8 percent from the field, hitting just two three-pointers.

The Eagles open Patriot League play on Saturday, January 12 at 2 p.m. when they host Colgate. The game will be broadcast live on Patriot League All*Access.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY AMERICAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES ATHLETICS

Braves Come from Behind to Win a Nail-Biter at Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  The Alcorn State men's basketball team bounced back from a disappointing loss on Friday night against Texas Southern. The Braves outscored Jackson State 33-20 in the second half to take the first out of two games, 51-48.

Jackson State struck first with a basket by Jeff Stubbs to go up 2-0 and it was dead tight for the first few minutes of the first half. Marquiz Baker gave the Braves their first lead of the game, 7-5 at the 16:50 mark.

The Tigers controlled the rest of the second half opening up a 11-0 run led by Kelsey Howard who knocked down a three-pointer with 8:15 to go in the first.

LeAntwan Luckett made a layup to give the Braves their only two points in six minutes and found themselves down by ten, 28-18 at the half.

Both teams were in slow motion after halftime but the Tigers managed to extend their lead to 33-22 early in the second half but the Braves fought back.

A layup by Marius Myles gave the Braves their first lead of the second half, 35 -34 with 8:16 to play. The Tigers guard Dundrecous Nelson caught fire five straight points to giv e the Tigers a slight edge 44-42 with 4:51 left.

The Braves retook the lead when LeAntwan Luckett found an opening in the Tigers defense an went in for a dunk to silence the Tigers. Baker later connected on two free throws to seal the deal for the Braves.

The Tigers got off a shot with 3.5 seconds left but it fell short.


COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard Pushes Through A 17-Point Deficit to Clutch Win over Temple

Saadia Doyle

WASHINGTON, D.C. (www.howard-bison.com) – With a 17-point deficit on their shoulders, the Howard University women's basketball team ignited a 23-5 run over 11 minutes of action to secure a 61-58 victory over the Lady Owls of Temple University on Friday, Jan. 4 in Burr Gymnasium on the HU campus in Washington, D.C.

Lady Bison senior Saadia Doyle, who was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Pre-Season Player of the Year in November, seized an season-best 32 points, while pulling down nine rebounds and going 11-12 from the charity stripe, 10-of-19 from the field and 1-of-1 from behind the arc. Fellow classmates Cheyenne Curley-Payne and Kara Smith, who consistently play apart in the offense mix, supplemented the winning effort; Curley-Payne snatched a team-high 10 points and grabbed four steals, as Smith finished with 11 points on the night.

The collective effort consisted of a 41 percent outing from the field, a 36 percent effort from the long range and an 80 percent finish from the free-throw line, which is the best free-throw performance on the season.

Friday's comeback effort advances Howard to 6-6 overall, 4-0 at home and 5-6 in non-conference competition.

The first half of play gave little detail towards the final result, as Howard and Temple remained within an 8-point proximity and varied between six ties and 10 lead changes. In fact, it wasn't until the final second of the first half that Temple reached above a 5-point lead, attained by Tyonna Williams with a three-point basket.

By the half, the HU scoring phenomenon Doyle scored 13 of the team's total 28 points, while Temple boasted two student-athletes in double figures; Temple's Natasha Thames led with 13 and a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, followed by Williams with 10 points.

The Lady Owls return to the court after the halftime intermission still feeling the effects of Williams' final second long-range success. Temple commenced a 15-4 run to reach its 17-point margin lead at the 13:28.

In spite of the double-figure, the Howard defense and offense complimented one another for a 22-5 run to tie the contest at 56 points and piece and leave Temple scoreless from the field for 10 minutes and 11 seconds of action by the 3:17 mark.

Howard took the lead at the 2:28 on a pair from the free throw by Doyle and closed out the contest 61-58 despite going 4-of-3 from the free throw in last minutes of the game.

Temple drops to 5-8 on the season, while extending its losing streak to six consecutive losses.

The remainder of January consists of MEAC play, with Howard taking on Coppin State University on Monday, Jan. 7 at 6:00 p.m. in Baltimore, Md. Howard then returns home to host Hampton University on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 2:00 p.m. and Norfolk State* on Monday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. The mighty blue and white then heads to North Carolina to take on North Carolina A&T State University on Saturday, Jan. 19 and North Carolina Central University on Monday, Jan. 21. On Thursday, Jan. 24, HU interrupts conference play to face New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, N.J., before concluding the month in Hampton, Va., for the second matchup against Hampton University on Monday, Jan. 28.

For more information on Howard University women's basketball, visit the official athletics website at www.howard-bison.com.

| Box Score |Photos


By Ariel V. Germain, Assistant Sports Information Director
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
HOWARD-BISON.COM

Paine College Christens HEAL Complex With Sweep of Stillman

AUGUSTA, Georgia  --  The Paine College Lions earned a pair of wins in their debut at the brand new HEAL complex.

For over a year now, the Paine College basketball teams have played at the Academy of Richmond County while their old gym was undergoing an $8.6 million renovation.

Paine College president George C. Bradley and othr administrators drained the ceremonial first shots, and then the Lions took the proverbial ball and ran with it.

The Ladies led from wire to wire and earned a 64-44 conference win over Stillman College behind 23 points from former Butler star Ashley Watts.




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Late Three-Pointer Lifts Livingstone Past VUU 79-76

RICRICHMOND, Virginia  --  Virginia Union University's Marcel Crump scored 20 points as VUU placed four players in double-figures, but a three-pointer by Livingstone College's Ashley Welch with 16 seconds left lifted the Blue Bears past the Panthers 79-76 on Saturday, January 5, in Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.

VUU's Cordero Holt scored 17 points while Calivin Brown added 14 points in the game. Virginia Union's Wesley Simmons scored 13 points.

VUU's Kimar Johnson and Simmons each had seven rebounds to lead Union on the boards.

Livingstone was paced by Mark Thomas' 24 points and Tyler Johnson's nine rebounds.

The loss dropped VUU to 2-7 overall and 0-2 in the CIAA. Livingstone is now 10-1 overall and 2-0 in CIAA play.

Virginia Union now faces Johnson C. Smith University at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, January 7, in Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.

Box Score


COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

#23 Winston-Salem State slips past Lincoln, 70-66

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – The Lincoln University men's basketball team led by as many four points late in the second half, but couldn't hold on as the Lions dropped a hard fought, 70-66 decision to No. 23 Winston-Salem State University in a CIAA contest on Saturday at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium.

“We're moving on,” Lincoln head coach John Hill said. “It's going to be a journey and one game doesn't make this season. We considered this game a measuring stick and we just came up a bit short.”

Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy) paced four players in double figures as he finished with 14 points and six assists. Derrick Washington (Washington, D.C./Coolidge SHS) added 13 points, while Justin Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS) had 12 points off the bench. George Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS) poured in 10 points as the Lions (8-3 overall, 1-1 CIAA) shot 42 percent (24-of-57) from the field.

Winston-Salem State (9-2, 2-0) raced out to an 11-2 advantage after a Justin Glover jumper with 16:15 remaining in the opening half. However, Lincoln responded with a 13-2 run as Justin Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS) sank a 3-pointer to give the Lions a 15-13 lead with 13:46 left.

Neither team grabbed a lead larger than two points during the final 13 minutes as they headed into the break tied at 36.

The Lions held a 64-60 advantage after a Washington dunk with 5:14 remaining, but the Rams used a 9-0 run, capped by a Tyre Desmore jumper with 2:21 left to give Winston-Salem State a 69-64 lead.

A pair of free throws by Sharpe cut the deficit to 69-66 with 1:10 remaining, but the Lions couldn't get any closer.

Justin Glover led the Rams with 16 points, while Joe Thompson added 13. WyKevin Bazemore pulled down a game-high 12 boards as Winston-Salem State was 26-of-52 from the floor for 50 percent.

Lincoln concludes its three-game CIAA homestand at 8 p.m., on Monday, Jan. 7 at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium against Livingstone College. To follow the action through live stats, click here.

Lions Notebook: Lincoln was 6-of-20 from behind the 3-point line (Justin Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS) (2), Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy), George Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor HS), Jai Kellman (Brooklyn, N.Y./George Westinghouse HS) and Derrick Washington (Washington, D.C./Coolidge SHS))…The Lions finished with 32 rebounds, 10 assists, four steals and a pair of blocked shots…Lincoln held the advantage in points off turnovers, 17-13 and second chance points, 12-8…There were eight ties and 22 lead changes…


By Brian Howard, Sports Information and Media Specialist
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ATHLETICS

Bowie State Comes Back to Beat Johnson C. Smith

BOWIE, Maryland  --  The Bowie State University Bulldogs used a huge second-half run to claim a 84-80 victory in a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) contest against Charlotte, North Carolina’s Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) on Jan 5 in Bowie, Md. The victory improves Bowie State to 5-6 overall and 1-1 in the conference. JCSU's Golden Bulls move to 7-5 overall and 0-2 in the CIAA.

“We did a tremendous job defending in the second half,” said an elated Bowie State head coach Darrell Brooks. “We didn't press full court as much tonight as we normally do, but we thrive off of turnovers that lead into fast breaks.”

The opening half was close until JCSU grasped an advantage resulting in Bowie State going into the locker room at halftime trailing 51-43. The Bulldogs were outscored 34-18 in the paint for the first half.
Johnson C. Smith stayed on the attack initially in the second half. After a three-point play from junior forward Robert Williams the Golden Bulls held a 64-51 advantage with 13:56 remaining.

But Bowie State turned the tide from that point with a 19-0 run over the next six minutes to regain the lead for good at 70-64.The Golden Bulls got within two (76-74) with 3:05 left to play, but would not get any closer. Bowie State was able to close out the game from the foul line for the win.

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