TSU Flying Tigers & Tigerbelles Wrap Up Competition In The Hoosier State

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana  --  For the first time this season, the Tennessee State Track & Field teams left the state to compete as TSU traveled to the University of Indiana to take part in the two-day Gladstein Invitational, which ended Saturday.

 

Sophomore Ashontae Jackson impressed with her jumping and running as she won the long jump at 19 feet, 7.5 inches. She was also a part of the 4X400 meter relay team, along with Gabrielle Todd, Breanna Adams and Jasmine Owens, that clocked in at 3:50.67 which was good enough for second place behind Ohio State.

In the triple jump, a distance of 39 feet, 1/4 inches gave Ja'Lyn Burr third place, while Quanisha Sales' also claimed third with a time of 25.22 seconds in the 200 meters

The highlights for the men came in the high jump and long jump. Daryl Rice cleared 6 feet, 8.75 inches to finish first in the high jump, two inches higher than second place. In the high jump, junior Royce Dates came in third with a distance of 23 feet, 4 1/2 inches.

TSU is off next week before returning back to the Gentry Center to host the TSU Invite on Saturday Feb. 2.

 

Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers, Twitter @TSU_Tigers and YouTube

 

2013 Gladstein Invitational Results

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Gold Rush rally late to take sole possession of GCAC lead

Anthony Simmons

Nick Haywood

NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Simmons scored a season-high 23 points, and Nick Haywood scored all five of his points during a closing run Saturday which gave Xavier University of Louisiana an 84-79 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Philander Smith.

The Gold Rush (17-3 overall, 5-0 GCAC), ranked 13th in NAIA Division I, took sole possession of first place in the conference. They ended the nine-game win streak of the Panthers (13-5, 4-1), who are ranked 22nd.

Simmons was 7-of-10 from the floor and 9-of-11 from the line before fouling out with 35 seconds remaining. But that came 13 seconds after Haywood made his only 3-pointer of the game to put Xavier ahead to stay, 80-78.

Xavier outscored Philander Smith 9-1 after Juvon Demerson's two free throws a 78-75 lead with 1:46 remaining. Haywood's basket at 1:35 cut the Panthers' lead to 78-77, and he followed with the go-ahead trey after Denzell Erves rebounded Alvin Nance's missed shot at 1:04.

Philander Smith, a second-year GCAC member, had a chance to tie the score when Simmons fouled out, but Demerson made one free throw and missed a second to keep Xavier ahead 80-79. The Gold Rush made 4-of-4 free throws thereafter -- two by Wanto Joseph with 27 seconds remaining, two by Olivier Siewe with 10.4 to play -- to preserve a season-high-tying sixth consecutive victory. Philander Smith missed a pair of 3-pointers in the final 11 seconds.

Simmons produced back-to-back 20-point games for the first time in his career. Joseph had 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds -- he has scored in double figures in every game this season -- and Renard Smith made four 3-pointers and scored 17 points for Xavier. Erves missed his third consecutive double-double but grabbed 11 rebounds to reach double figures for the sixth time in seven games.

Haywood's late points came after he scored a combined four points in the previous two games. He was scoreless Monday in an overtime home victory against SUNO.

Nance made 4-of-4 3-pointers, scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Philander Smith. Demerson had 22 points and four blocked shots, D'Alvin Brown scored 13 points, and Clayton Busby scored 11. Damarkus Lipscomb had 16 assists, 10 in the first half, to set a record in XU's first-year Concovation Center. His assists matched the most by an NAIA D-I player this season.

The Panthers made five 3-pointers, two each by Nance and Busby, to take their largest lead, 22-10, at 12:24 of the first half. But Xavier rallied to take a 45-41 lead and built its advantage to 70-58 after Smith's 3-pointer with 8:12 remaining. Then the Panthers regained the lead by making 10-of-11 free throws in a 20-5 run during the next 6½ minutes.

Xavier shot 45.9 percent from the floor, including 9-of-18 3-pointers, and made 19-of-23 free throws. Philander Smith shot 43.4 percent from the floor, including 10-of-25 3-pointers, and made 23-of-31 free throws. Xavier had a 35-32 rebound advantage.

The teams will meet again Feb. 9 in Little Rock, Ark. Next for Xavier will be a 1 p.m. Monday GCAC home game against Fisk, which lost 80-72 Saturday at Dillard.

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

SAU Falcons Edge 11th-Ranked Winston-Salem State 63-61

RALEIGH, North Carolina  --  An excellent week of practice translated into a stunning victory for Saint Augustine's University over nationally-ranked Winston-Salem State University on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013.

The Falcons were intense from tip-off and didn't let up despite falling behind at halftime. By time the final horn sounded, the Falcons came away with a 63-61 win at packed Emery Gymnasium in the CIAA Southern Division opener for both teams. The Falcons snapped the Rams' 12-game win streak which was their longest in 13 years.

“I had a good feeling all week in practice,” St. Aug Head Coach Lonnie Blow, Jr. said. “I told [our players] that. I felt good before the game, and I think they felt the same way.”

Coming off an eight-point win over Virginia Union University Monday, the Falcons (11-6 overall, 4-3 CIAA, 1-0 Southern Division) had five days to prepare for the Rams, ranked 11^th in the NABC/Division II Coaches Poll. It was the longest break between games since the Christmas and New Year's holidays for the Falcons. Blow and his assistant coaches Erasto Hatchett and MarQus Johnson stressed the importance of intensity to the team during the week.

The players carried the message into the contest against the Rams (13-3, 6-1 CIAA, 0-1 Southern Division), the defending CIAA champions. The Falcons shot out to a 17-10 lead early, but the Rams rallied to take a 28-23 halftime lead. Still, Blow was not discouraged in the first-half play of the Falcons.

“I thought we did a good job in the first half,” Blow said. “[The Rams] started trapping and pressing which made us rush a bit. In the second half, we went back to doing what we did earlier in the game.”

The Falcons relied on their strength - rebounding - to re-gain momentum. Misses were rare in the second half as the Rams shot 56 percent and the Falcons 53 percent, but the Falcons snatched the few rebounds which came off the rim. For the game, the Falcons, who lead the CIAA in rebounding margin, outrebounded the taller Rams 33-25 including 18-8 on the offensive end. Senior guard Tyquan Stroman (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and sophomore center Jonathan Crawley (Richmond, Va.) led the Falcons with six rebounds apiece.

The Falcons showed intensity in other ways. Senior guard Nick Chamblee (Hampton, Va.) dished out six assists compared to two turnovers despite playing with an injury. The trio of junior guard Joel Kindred (Raleigh, N.C.), his brother senior guard/forward Jon Kindred (Raleigh, N.C.) and Crawley all came off the bench to give the Falcons a 33-11 advantage in bench points while making key stops on defense and helping the Falcons crash the boards.

Joel Kindred scored 11 points and Crawley, listed at 6-8 and 340 pounds, added 10 points in addition to his six rebounds while Jon Kindred had eight points and four rebounds. The win was especially sweet for Crawley, a former football offensive lineman for the Rams.

“I try to play hard every game but I can say I was a little bit more enthused [against Winston-Salem State].” Crawley said. “I have some friends on their team and it was a little friendly competition.”

Crawley felt the practices during the week helped the team get past the Rams.

““Everybody was competing against each other and pushing each other,” Crawley said. “We came out and did the right things against the Rams, who were ranked 11^th. This game will help us move forward.”

The Falcons led much of the second half though never by more than five points. Senior guard Percy Woods (Washington, D.C.), who led all scorers with 19 points, put the finishing touches on the contest. His three-pointer with 4:14 left made the score 54-49, but the Rams wouldn't quit. A three-pointer by Tyre Desmore (10 points) put the Rams within three with a minute left, but Woods hit three of four free throws to give the Falcons the win.
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““We treated every play in practice like it was a real game,” Woods said. “Everybody is buying in to what Coach Blow is teaching. A win like this show we can make our mark in this league.”

Justin Glover led WSSU with 15 points. WyKevin Bazemore added 12 points for the Rams.

The Falcons need to bring the intensity again on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, when they face another Southern Division foe. Johnson C. Smith University comes to town for a 7:30 p.m. encounter at Emery Gymnasium. It will be the fifth straight home game for the Falcons.

“This win has to help our confidence,” said Blow about his squad, off to a good start despite being picked to finish last in the Southern Division in the preseason. “[The Rams] are really talented. To beat a team like that lets you know you can play with the big boys. We have to build on it. We can't be satisfied. We have to move forward.

“We have another big game Wednesday. Smith is coming in here and it is going to be another dogfight.”

WAUG-TV will televise the contest versus Johnson C. Smith on Time Warner Digital Cable 168. Fans can also follow the action via live stats on saintaugfalcons.com.

Boxscore




COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama A&M signs JUCO quarterback, running back

NORMAL, Alabama  --  After losing 23 seniors from a team that started the season 6-0 and earned the school's first ever ranking in the FCS Top 25 Poll, Alabama A&M has a lot of work to do on the recruiting trail this season.

And with National Signing Day less than three weeks away the Bulldogs have already addressed two of their biggest needs---quarterback and running back.

They've secured signatures from a pair of JUCO standouts in Kyle Harmyk, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal caller out of Mendocino Community College in California, and tailback Jabari Baker of Hinds Community College in Mississippi.

The duo will be working for the opportunity to fill some sizeable cleats when spring practices begin.

Former A&M quarterback Deaunte Mason earned the Bulldogs' starting gig in 2009 after transferring from Kentucky. The former Tennessee Mr. Football finished his career with a 19-14 record. He was second-team choice to the All-Southwestern Athletic Conference squad as a junior when he led A&M to the conference title game. As a senior, he was named SWAC Offensive Player of the Week four weeks ago.



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Howard pulls out 44-42 victory over North Carolina A&T

Saadia Doyle
Howard University 
(Courtesy Howard University Athletics) 

GREENSBORO, N.C. (www.howard-bison.com) –  Howard University worked to the bitter end for its fourth Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win of the season, despite an effortless first-half eight point lead, as the Lady Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University fell 42-44 to the Lady Bison on Saturday, Jan. 19 in the Corbett Sports Complex in Greensboro, N.C.

Senior Saadia Doyle finished the contest with her sixth double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Nicole Deterville tallied a season-best nine points. Senior Kara Smith finished eight points, as Cheyenne Curley-Payne and sophomore Cheyenne Brown gathered four points apiece. Curley-Payne also notched a team-best five assists.

After ending the first half of play with an eight point lead, Howard returned to the hardwood missing its first half momentum.

North Carolina A&T went on a 6-0 run to lead 24-22 by the 17:04 mark.

HU appeared unsynchronized, as they couldn't assemble an offensive front and tallied continues turnovers.

Doyle broke the Lady Aggie run with a jumper at the 16:04 mark, 26-22.

By the 12:01 mark, on a 7-3 run, the North Carolina Lady Aggies tied the ball game 29-29 for the second gridlock of the afternoon.

The back-and-forth action continued well into the final media timeout of the game, as a long-range basket from North Carolina A&T's Ariel Bursey turned a three point Howard lead into the fifth and final tie for a score of 39-39 at the 3:46 mark.

NCAT sent Doyle to the charity strip on two occasions four a four-point Howard lead.

Red-shirt junior Jerrelle Gorham sent A&T's Amber Calvin to the free-throw line, to bring the Lady Aggies within four by the 23-second mark. Fellow Aggie Eboni Ross hit the line and made a single free throw to bring her host squad within one, 43-42.

In under five seconds, NCAT sent Smith to the line for a chance at four points on two 1-of-1 options. Regrettably, the senior misses both opportunities.

With 1-second remaining, Curley-Payne sank a basket from the charity stripe securing the 44-42 win.
The mighty blue and white hit the first half with a slow start, as Doyle led the squad with seven of its eight points by the 11:40 mark.

Sharp-shooter Smith woke up her shot at the 9:53 with a two-pointer in the paint.

Fellow classmate Deterville led HU to its first dominate lead of the half with three consecutive drop-step layups for a score of 16-15 by the 4:46 mark.

On a 6-1 run, Howard headed to the locker room with an eight-point 24-16 lead.

Howard advances to 9-7 on the season and 4-1 in the MEAC.

The mighty blue and white continues its stint in North Carolina with a Monday, Jan. 21 5:30 p.m. meeting with the Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on the NCCU campus.

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

Box Score

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

FAMU women pull away from Savannah State

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  Savannah State’s women survived one Florida A&M run but the second proved fatal.

Jasmine Grice had 15 of her game-high 25 points during the final 10 minutes as the Rattlers defeated the Tigers 59-49 at Tiger Arena on Saturday afternoon.

It was SSU’s third straight loss. The Tigers (6-12, 1-4 MEAC) have dropped six of seven games since losing leading scorer Ezinne Kalu to a knee injury on Dec. 20.

Erin Hogue, a transfer from Alabama, scored 18 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to keep SSU close against the Rattlers.

But the Tigers couldn’t find a second offensive threat. They shot only 29.6 percent from the floor.

“We’re a much different team than we were at the start of the school year,” SSU coach Cedric Baker said. “Right now, it’s about finding offensive chemistry. Defensively, I thought we were sound.”

A&M (6-11, 3-1 MEAC) went on an 11-1 run midway through the first half and built a 21-12 lead.
Behind Hogue, however, the Tigers fought back and had a 35-33 advantage with 10:45 to go.
Hogue had five points in SSU’s 7-0 spurt into the lead.

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Shakeem Copeland commits to Norfolk State

WOODBRIDGE, Virginia  -- Norfolk State got a verbal commitment this week from Gar-Field (Woodbridge) running back Shakeem Copeland.  Copeland, a 5-foot-9, 190-pounder who battled hamstring issues throughout the season, said he picked NSU over an offer from North Carolina Central and heavy interest from Richmond.