Stillman men, women edge Albany State

ALBANY, Georgia  --   Led by Damian Ford, the Stillman College men's basketball team downed Albany State 81-79 in overtime in Thursday's Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game.

Ford had 22 points and 12 rebounds to help the Tigers improve to 6-6 overall, 2-2 in the SIAC.

Jeffrey Wherry had 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. Torrean Walker had 11 points and blocked four shots. Ladarius Rhone had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Markeith Madison had 10 points and nine rebounds.

Albany State's Jaren Harris had 21 points and seven assists.

In overtime, Stillman built a six-point lead when Wherry made a foul shot with 27 seconds.

Albany State forced overtime by scoring four points in the final 90 seconds of the second half to tie the score at 68.




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Winston-Salem State rolled to a 72-58 victory against Virginia State

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  No. 17 Winston-Salem State rolled to its 10th straight victory Thursday night with a 72-58 victory against Virginia State at the Gaines Center.

Behind 17 points from Justin Glover and 15 from Wakefield Ellison, the Rams took control early in the second half.

The Rams were clinging to a four-point lead at halftime, but the Trojans (6-7, 1-3 CIAA) scored on their first three possessions of the second half to take their first lead of the game.

As he did in the first half, Coach Bobby Collins of Winston-Salem State turned to his bench and needed a spark. He got one in the form of Maurice Nash, a junior-college transfer making his Gaines Center debut.

Nash helped lead the Rams during a crucial stretch, and after that it was clear sailing.

“I was a little nervous, but I was OK,” said Nash, who sat out the first semester to get his grades in order after coming from Davidson County Community College, where he was a scoring machine the last two seasons. “They were a real scrappy team, and sometimes it’s not going to be the starting five so the guys coming off the bench just tried to be effective.”

VIDEO: 

Guard Marcus Wells talks about WSSU's 10-game win streak

Action from Winston-Salem State's 72-58 win over Virginia State

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Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls cruise past Chowan Hawks

RICHMOND, Virginia  --  J.C. Smith was more than up to the task of playing two games and a 300-mile bus ride over a 24-hour stretch.

The Golden Bulls made the most of their return home after traveling six hours from Richmond, Va., with an 88-69 win against CIAA foe Chowan Thursday at Brayboy Gym. J.C. Smith, which beat Virginia Union on Wednesday, trailed 3-0 after Chowan’s opening possession but immediately went to work on its second straight win.

“That’s a part of that maturity development,” Golden Bulls coach Steve Joyner said. “How to play teams with strong reputations, teams with not so strong reputations and how to mature regardless of the circumstances or situation.”

J.C. Smith (9-5, 2-2 CIAA) showed plenty of maturity, connecting on 54 percent of its shots and outscoring Chowan 52-32 in the paint. Four Golden Bulls reached double-digits, led by point guard Trevin Parks’ 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting and forward Emilio Parks’ 19 on 6-of-9 accuracy. Forwards Robert Williams and Terrance Washington combined for 18 and 15 points respectively on 14-of-17 shooting as J.C. Smith balanced its inside scoring with perimeter punch when needed.

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Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/01/10/3779175/golden-bulls-cruise-past-hawks.html#storylink=cpy

Alabama A&M gears up to host Alabama State in 'rivalry game' on Saturday

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The scene has changed. But little else is different in the Alabama A&M-Alabama State basketball rivalry since the days when Willie Hayes was playing for the Bulldogs.

"It's THE game. Your rival," said Hayes, now in his second year as A&M's head coach. "It's the Alabama-Auburn game to us."

And, like the Alabama-Auburn football game, it was once waged annually at a neutral site in Birmingham. Time moves on. Circumstances are different.

Both Alabama A&M (6-9, 2-2) and Alabama State (5-11, 3-1) are Division I programs now, both in the SWAC. They play twice a year, sometimes three times depending upon postseason.

Edition One of this season's rivalry renewal comes Saturday at A&M's Elmore Gym. Scheduled tip is 6 p.m. The women's game will be at 3 p.m. Tickets still remain but are expected to be scarce at the door. Alabama A&M is asking fans to wear white, to create a "White-Out" atmosphere.

"We want to pack the house," Hayes said.


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NSU Announces Cancellation of VSU Football Series, Addition of Maine Black Bears

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Norfolk State University Athletics Director Marty L. Miller announced Wednesday that the Spartans' remaining two-game football series with Virginia State has been cancelled and replaced with a home-and-home series with the University of Maine.

Virginia State recently made NSU aware of an NCAA Division II bylaw which will prohibit the Trojans from playing the Spartans in the teams' customary Labor Day Classic game. The bylaw sets the first date of competition for Division II football teams as the Thursday preceding Sept. 6. NSU and VSU were to play on Aug. 31, 2013 and Aug. 30, 2014.

“It is unfortunate that we will not be able to continue playing Virginia State University in the Virginia Lottery Labor Day Classic in 2013 and 2014. As a result of the notification from Virginia State concerning the NCAA bylaw, we had to find another opponent to play to complete the 2013 and 2014 football schedules,” Miller said. “Due to the timing of the cancellation, it was extremely difficult to find another opponent to play during the Labor Day weekend, but the officials at the University of Maine worked with us to complete a home-and-home series. It is my desire that a date becomes available in the near future for us to continue the series with Virginia State.”

NSU and VSU have met every year since 1963, including 21 of the last 22 seasons on the Saturday prior to Labor Day.

The Spartans will welcome the Black Bears of Maine to Dick Price Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, to kick off the 2013 season. NSU will make a return trip to Orono, Maine, on Aug. 30, 2014. The teams have never met before on the gridiron. Maine went 5-6 overall, 4-4 in the CAA last season.

“We're very grateful to the University of Maine for working with us to complete this series,” Miller said. “We are fortunate to have another quality CAA team on our schedule, and we hope that our fans will support what should be an exciting contest to begin the 2013 season.”

Miller added that the entire 2013 schedule will be released in the coming days.

By Matt Michalec, SID
NSUSPARTANS.COM
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

Florida A&M Ratttlers could have football coach this week

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  With the last interview of three finalists completed Wednesday, FAMU administrators would like to wrap up the hiring of their next jead football coach by the end of this week.

Interim president Larry Robinson said Wednesday night that contract negotiations might be the only sticking point in the process.

John Hendrick was the last of the three candidates to interview Wednesday. John Eason interviewed on Tuesday, and Earl Holmes interviewed last Friday. Holmes, an assistant under former coach Joe Taylor, has been running the program since Taylor retired in November.

“I’m trying to get it done this week; that’s the part of picking the person and then negotiating the deal,” Robinson told the Democrat. “We are going to do everything in the next few days to get all that done.”

A search committee recommended the three finalists to Athletic Director Derek Horne and Robinson two weeks ago.




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New venue, more heavyweights on 2013 Xavier schedules

COACH ALAN GREEN
 

NEW ORLEANS  —  A new campus venue and plenty of matches against NAIA National Championship qualifiers and NCAA Division I opponents await the Xavier University of Louisiana tennis teams in 2013.

Alan Green, in his 10th season as coach of the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets, announced Wedesday the spring portion of the schedules.

Both XU teams will open their dual-match seasons at 2 p.m. on Jan. 25 against city rival Loyola at the XU Tennis Center, a $2.5 million facility which was dedicated Oct. 26. Both teams will play seven duals at the facility. It will be the first time since the 1959-60 academic year that Xavier regularly plays host to outdoor intercollegiate competition on its campus.

The other teams to visit XU will be the men of William Carey (Feb. 8) and Jackson State (April 13), the women of McNeese State (Feb. 23) and Southern (March 1) and the men and women of Belhaven (Feb. 28), Shorter (March 4), Alcorn State (March 15) and Auburn Montgomery (April 6).

Approximate address of the XU Tennis Center is 3619 Pine St., zip code 70125.

McNeese and Southern are NCAA D-I opponents. Others from that level to play Xavier will be the men of Tulane (Jan. 26), the men and women of Nicholls State (Feb. 2), Prairie View A&M (Feb. 15), Louisiana-Lafayette (Feb. 19) and New Orleans (March 20) and the women of Southeastern Louisiana (March 3).

William Carey's and Belhaven's men and Shorter's women were NAIA National Championship qualifiers in 2012. Others from that group playing Xavier will be the men of Bethany (Kan.) (Feb. 16) and Lindsey Wilson (March 13) and the men and women of Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (March 27) and Auburn Montgomery (April 6). The Gold Nuggets and Rush will travel to William Carey on April 5.

Green expects to play additional high-level NAIA opponents in the AUM Invitational at Montgomery, Ala., from March 8-10. Pairings have not been announced for that event.

The XU women will face the top two finishers — Auburn Montgomery and Embry-Riddle (Fla.) — from last year's NAIA tournament. When AUM's women visit, it will be the first time since Nov. 22, 1980, that a defending NAIA champion plays Xavier on the XU campus. Cameron was the opponent that day, and the Gold Rush won 63-59 in basketball at The Barn.

"Once again I have tried to put together the toughest schedules possible for my teams," Green said. "I think these schedules will help us prepare for nationals. If we play well and stay healthy, the schedules will pay off for us in the long run."

The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference will not crown tennis champions for the third consecutive year — only Xavier, Tougaloo and Fisk sponsor the sport — but both XU teams will compete in an NAIA unaffiliated group tournament in the Atlanta area April 19-20 for automatic bids to the NAIA National Championships.

Xavier's men will attempt earn a fifth consecutive berth at the NAIA nationals, and the women will attempt to qualify for the second consecutive year and the seventh time in nine seasons. The Gold Rush in 2012 became the first XU team in 39 years to reach the national quarterfinals in any sport.
The first NAIA team rankings of the season will be announced Jan. 29.

The October opening of the XU Tennis Center makes it the first time since the 1959-60 academic  year that Xavier can regularly play host to outdoor intercollegiate competition on campus.  The first home duals will be Jan. 25.

2013 Xavier Women's Tennis Schedule click here for schedule with site details January 25 Friday: LOYOLA, 2 p.m. February 2 Saturday: at Nicholls State, 4 p.m. (1) 15 Friday: at Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m. 16 Saturday: Bethany (Kan.), 1 p.m. (2) 17 Sunday: Oklahoma Baptist, 10 a.m. (2) 19 Tuesday: at Louisiana-Lafayette, 5 p.m. 23 Saturday: McNEESE STATE, 2 p.m. 28 Thursday: BELHAVEN, 3 p.m. March 1 Friday: SOUTHERN, 3 p.m. 2 Saturday: • at Tougaloo, 10 a.m. 2 Saturday: • Fisk, 2 p.m. (3) 3 Sunday: at Southeastern Louisiana, 6 p.m. 4 Monday: SHORTER, 2 p.m. 8 Friday-10 Sunday: at AUM Invitational, Montgomery, Ala. 15 Friday: ALCORN STATE, 3 p.m. 20 Wednesday: at New Orleans, 3 p.m. 26 Tuesday: at Webber International, 1 p.m. EDT 27 Wednesday: at Embry-Riddle (Fla.), 3:30 p.m. EDT April 5 Friday: at William Carey, 3 p.m. 6 Saturday: AUBURN MONTGOMERY, 2 p.m. 19 Friday-20 Saturday: NAIA unaffiliated group tournament at Jonesboro, Ga. May 14 Tuesday-18 Saturday: NAIA National Championship at Mobile, Ala. Home matches in BOLD TYPE • Gulf Coast Athletic Conference match All times are Central except where noted (1) at Houma, La. (2) at Prairie View, Texas (3) at Jackson, Miss. TBA — to be announced 2013 Xavier Men's Tennis Schedule click here for schedule with site details January 25 Friday: LOYOLA, 2 p.m. 26 Saturday: at Tulane, 1 p.m. February 2 Saturday: at Nicholls State, 4 p.m. (1) 8 Friday: WILLIAM CAREY, 2 p.m. 15 Friday: at Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m. 16 Saturday: Bethany (Kan.), 1 p.m. (2) 17 Sunday: Oklahoma Baptist, 10 a.m. (2) 19 Tuesday: at Louisiana-Lafayette, 6 p.m. 28 Thursday: BELHAVEN, 3 p.m. March 2 Saturday: • at Tougaloo, 10 a.m. 2 Saturday: • Fisk, 2 p.m. (3) 4 Monday: SHORTER, 2 p.m. 8 Friday-10 Sunday: at AUM Invitational, Montgomery, Ala. 13 Wednesday: Lindsey Wilson, 3 p.m. (4) 15 Friday: ALCORN STATE, 3 p.m. 20 Wednesday: at New Orleans, 3 p.m. 26 Tuesday: at Webber International, 1 p.m. EDT 27 Wednesday: at Embry-Riddle (Fla.), 3:30 p.m. EDT April 5 Friday: at William Carey, 3 p.m. 6 Saturday: AUBURN MONTGOMERY, 2 p.m. 13 Saturday: JACKSON STATE, 10 a.m. 19 Friday-20 Saturday: NAIA unaffiliated group tournament at Jonesboro, Ga. May 14 Tuesday-18 Saturday: NAIA National Championship at Mobile, Ala. Home matches in BOLD TYPE • Gulf Coast Athletic Conference match All times are Central except where noted (1) at Houma, La. (2) at Prairie View, Texas (3) at Jackson, Miss. (4) at Hattiesburg, Miss. TBA — to be announced By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA XULAATHLETICS