Miller, Mitchell help Southern Jaguars move to 6-0

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  A row of fans in chest paint led a spirited student section that seemed to hang on every play.

On the other end of the F.G. Clark Activity Center, a woman in a white Southern sweatshirt hung placards featuring the number “3” every time a Jaguar connected from downtown.

Down below, the Southwestern Conference’s hottest outfit continued to put on a show.

Southern ran away from another outmanned league rival Monday night, this time beating Mississippi Valley State 88-54 as a loud, energetic home crowd joined in on the fun.

“We’re just trying to reach our goals, be undefeated in the SWAC and try to make the (NCAA) tournament,” star sixth-man Malcolm Miller said. “Like coach tells us, we can’t underestimate anybody.”

Since opening SWAC play with a pair of narrow wins, the Jaguars (12-6, 6-0) have blown by their past four opponents by 120 combined points.

All this after shocking Texas A&M late in the nonconference season.

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Tennessee State Lady Tigers Take Down The Redhawks

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  The Tennessee State Lady Tigers returned to the Gentry Center for the first time in 2013 and were victorious taking down Southeast Missouri State 68-58 in OVC action Monday night at the Gentry Center.Kesi Hess led all players with 18 points, while Simone Hopes added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Big Blue.

Outside of the opening six minutes, TSU (6-9, 2-2 OVC) never trailed in the contest. SEMO (8-9, 2-2 OVC) was held to just six made field goals and 26 percent shooting in the first half. The Lady Tigers limited SEMO to just one made field goal in the final 7:30. The Redhawks were led by Jordan Hunter with 17 points and Ballie Roberts who tied a career-high 13 rebounds.TSU ended the half on a 10-3 run take put them up 40-28 heading into the locker room.

The big advantage for the Lady Tigers was in the paint as they outscored SEMO 28-0 downlow in the first half and 40-16 in the game.

An Alana Morris layup early in the second half gave TSU their largest lead at 47-32 with 17:18 remaining.The TSU defense was solid after the half giving up 30 points as the Redhawks never got closer than six points and shot just 33 percent for the game.TSU has won four straight vs. SEMO at the Gentry Center with their last loss coming on Jan. 17, 2008. The loss snapped the Redhawks three game winning streak.

The Lady Tigers return to the court at Belmont on Saturday. Tip is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.

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TSU vs. SEMO Final Stats


COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Xavier's Gold Rush defeat SUNO in overtime, 70-68

NEW ORLEANS -- Wanto Joseph's basket with seven-tenths of a second remaining in overtime gave NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana a 70-68 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against city rival SUNO.

The Gold Rush (16-3) have won five in a row and are 4-0 in the GCAC for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Joseph scored six points in the final 2½ minutes after SUNO grabbed a 66-62 lead.

Anthony Simmons scored a season-high-tying 20 points, Joseph had 18 points and 12 assists, and Denzell Erves had 18 points and 13 rebounds for Xavier.

Broc Willis scored a season-high 17 points for SUNO (8-3, 2-2). Clyde Moore had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Kevin Dukes and Russell Moore scored 10 points each.

Joseph made 1-of-2 free throws with 11.8 seconds remaining in the second half to tie the score at 60. Then both teams missed shots which would've ended the game in regulation.

Xavier remained in a tie for first in the conference with Philander Smith, a double-overtime winner at Talladega. Xavier and Philander Smith will meet at noon Saturday at the Convocation Center.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA  -- Check out XAVIER'S New Website!!

Lady Knights end Gold Nuggets' GCAC home win streak

NEW ORLEANS -- Senior guard April Perry scored 26 points Monday -- 18 in the second half -- to lead SUNO to a 63-56 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over NAIA No. 9 Xavier University of Louisiana at XU's Convocation Center.

The Lady Knights (8-2, 3-1 GCAC) ended the 23-game GCAC home win streak of the Gold Nuggets (12-4, 2-2). Xavier had not lost at home to a conference opponent since February 2009.

Perry reached 25 points or more for the third consecutive game. Janee Morton scored 12 points for SUNO.

SiMon Franklin scored 15 points and Whitney Gaston-Loyd 12 for Xavier.

SUNO led 29-22 at halftime and did not lose the lead thereafter.

The Gold Nuggets' next game will start at 2 p.m. Saturday against Philander Smith at the Convocation Center. It will be the second game of a doubleheader, following an XU-Philander men's game which will tip off at noon.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA  -- Check out Xavier's NEW WEBSITE!

Hollis, Taylor combine for 31 points to lead B-CU women to MEAC win

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --  Junior-college transfers Terrenisha Hollis and Chastity Rene Taylor combined for 31 points as Bethune-Cookman defeated winless North Carolina Central 55-32 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's basketball game Monday at Moore Gymnasium.

Hollis scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for her first double-double as a Wildcat. Taylor scored 15 points, 12 in the first half. She hit four of five 3-point attempts. Kayla Crawford added eight points for the 'Cats, who won their second game in a row.

B-CU (7-8, 2-1) jumped out to a 34-12 halftime lead and scored 23 points off 21 Eagles turnovers. The Wildcats shot 46 percent from the floor (21 for 46). Tenika Neely led N.C. Central (0-16, 0-3) with nine points.

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Pittman feels good about Fort Valley State’s recruiting

FORT VALLEY, Georgia  --  Things have changed a bit for Fort Valley State as football recruiting intensifies.

The Wildcats have more experience returning in the backfield and in the secondary and up front than at any time since Donald Pittman took over as head coach after the 2008 season.

“Oh yes,” Pittman said. “We’re just taking it easy with it. We’re trying to select the right ones.”

Not that the Wildcats’ staff is sitting around with feet propped up on desks just taking phone calls left and right.

As has been the case more often than not since Pittman’s arrival, one position again tops the recruiting wish list.

“Quarterback is probably number one,” Pittman said. “Number two is offensive line, and number three is defensive line. That’s it.”

Well, not quite.

“If we can get a free safety, that would be next,” he said. “A big tailback, we’ll take. We would like to have another center.”


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Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/01/12/2314031/pittman-feels-good-about-fort.html#storylink=cpy

ECSU Wylie enjoying comeback season

SALISBURY, North Carolina   —  The biggest smile in Livingstone’s Trent Gym was worn by Elizabeth City State’s De’Rya Wylie.

Thursday’s CIAA game was a homecoming for Wylie, a 21-year-old Salisbury High graduate who scored nine points as ECSU’s Vikings beat Livingstone 64-44.

Elizabeth City (12-3, 4-1) leads its division, but winning is not exactly new stuff for Wylie.

 

In her four seasons at Salisbury — all on the varsity — the Hornets won 110 and lost 12. Her teams included a 27-3 state runner-up squad her freshman year and a 29-3 state championship team her senior year. She’s one of those fortunate few who won their last game. She scored 10 in the 56-41 title-game victory against Graham.

 

Wylie played with outstanding players in high school. Ashley Watkins, Saybah Sammy, Kwameshia Hicks, Shi-Heria Shipp, Bubbles Phifer, Ashia Holmes and Ayanna Holmes were teammates and all rank among Salisbury’s all-time top-15 scorers. It may surprise you that Wylie also is on that top-15 list, but she is. She’s 11th with 957 points, although you can probably count the number of shots she took outside the paint in four years on one hand.

 

Roughly 900 of her points came on ...

 

 

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