Lincoln's Sims picks Florida A&M

Chole Sims
6-2/260 OL
2012 ALL-BIG BEND FIRST TEAM

Sims commits to FAMU over offers from B-CU and Tennessee State

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- The Earl Holmes effect continues to play out among local players for the FAMU football program, as Lincoln offensive tackle Chole Sims announced Tuesday that he’s committed to becoming a Rattler.

Just like the two previously disclosed commitments before him, Sims said he was impressed with the direction that Holmes would like to take the program. Holmes was hired earlier this month for his first collegiate head-coaching job.

Sims’ commitment came three days after he took a visit to FAMU.

“It’s like a family, like where I came from at Lincoln,” Sims said. “I like the coaching staff, really. With Coach Holmes, I feel like they have a good program going. I feel like they know what they’re doing.”

Bolstering the offensive line had been a priority for Holmes’ predecessor, Joe Taylor, and Holmes seemingly is continuing to add depth to the unit. Last season, FAMU played with a line that had Robert Hartley as the only senior and at points during the season had all freshmen around him.

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Apopka center Dazzie Morris commits to Bethune-Cookman

Morris commits to B-CU over offers from FAMU, North Carolina A&T, Charleston Southern, Presbyterian College and eight other FCS programs.

APOPKA, Florida  --  Apopka offensive lineman Dazzie Morris has committed to play college football at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, and he is excited about the opportunity.

“I’m feeling good about it,” Morris said. “It’s Division 1 [Football Championship Subdivision] football and they win … they’re the MEAC champions.

“Mostly I like it because it’s just like Apopka. It’s hard work, it’s discipline and they harp on family.”

Morris, who played center for the 2012 Florida Class 8A state champion Blue Darters, and has also played guard and tackle at Apopka, said he sees a little bit of his coach Rick Darlington in the way B-CU coach Brian Jenkins carries his authority.



“He’s cool. He’s really intense and that’s a good thing,” Morris said. “He asks a lot of his players on and off the field and that’s also a good thing.

“He talks about graduation his people and it’s the part that people don’t think about so much, but you gotta get your degree when you go to college, not just play football.”

B-CU has been on the Dazzie Morris wagon for a long time. The coaches saw him play last spring at Daytona Beach Memorial Stadium when the Blue Darters faced Seabreeze in the spring game, and BC-U coaches were on the horn with a scholarship offer the next day.

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New vibe at CIAA

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  This isn’t your daddy’s CIAA.  The 12-member collegiate athletics conference is moving forward in its second century with a new commissioner, branding and a 21st century approach to its signature event – the annual basketball tournament. Commissioner Jacqie Carpenter, the first black woman to lead a conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, has overseen the transition in five months on the job. “Initially, it was a little difficult for me because I was a part of the old branding as a former student-athlete at a CIAA school, but this is fresh,” the graduate of Hampton (Va.) University said on Tuesday at a press conference in Charlotte. “It’s new, it’s exciting. We’ve got our membership on board, our presidents on board and I’m excited to talk about our brand and the new direction our conference is going in.” The tournament is Feb. 28-March 2 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Carpenter unveiled the new league logo at the Charlotte Convention Center. The double-circular seal incorporates the league’s acronym; five stars (for founding members Hampton, Howard, Lincoln, Shaw and Virginia Union universities) and two sheaves of wheat representing growth and education. The update replaces a brand that had been used since 1985. READ MORE

Gold Rush 10-1 on road after 57-53 OT victory at Mobile

Anthony Simmons

Wanto Joseph

Denzell Erves

MOBILE, Ala. -- Seniors Wanto Joseph, Anthony Simmons and Denzell Erves combined for all but three of Xavier University of Louisiana's points after halftime in a 57-53 overtime men's basketball victory against Mobile on Monday.

The Gold Rush (19-4), ranked 11th in NAIA Division I, completed a two-game season sweep of the Rams (11-9). Xavier has won eight of its last nine games. The Gold Rush are 10-1 on the road this season.

Joseph scored 17 points, Simmons 15 and Erves 12 for Xavier, which led 20-18 at halftime but needed a Simmons free throw with 15 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score at 49 and force overtime.

Joseph's two free throws at 3:39 of overtime tied the score at 51, then he converted his steal into an assist to Erves for a basket at 2:54 to put the Gold Rush ahead to stay, 53-51.

Mobile missed two shots in the final 20 seconds which could've tied the score. Erves made two free throws with two seconds remaining to clinch the victory. Xavier is 3-0 in overtime this season, its best mark since going 4-0 in 1992-93.

Chris Richardson scored 13 points for Mobile, which had dropped three straight, and Julien Sargent had 12 points and eight rebounds.

Xavier missed all six of its 3-point attempts but outshot Mobile 44.2 to 34 percent from the floor. The Rams had a 36-30 rebound advantage, but Erves grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds in his 14th double-double of the season and 21st of his career.

Xavier has beaten Mobile seven consecutive times -- the longest Gold Rush win streak in the series -- and 10 of the past 11. Xavier leads the series 32-26.

Xavier's next game will start at noon Saturday against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponent Talladega at XU's new Convocation Center. Xavier and Philander Smith are 6-1 in the GCAC and share first place.

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

Nuggets get a dozen from three, win 76-58 at Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. -- Whitney Gaston-Loyd, Whitney Gathright and Chelsea Broussard scored 12 points each Monday to lead NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 76-58 women's basketball victory against Mobile.

The victory was the fourth in a row for the Gold Nuggets (16-4) and their second this season in two meetings with the Lady Rams (11-10). Xavier clinched its 12th consecutive winning season, which extends a school record, and will finish above .500 for the 20th time in 21 seasons.

Gaston-Loyd and Gathright were a combined 9-of-9 from the floor -- Gaston-Loyd made all six of her attempts -- and Broussard led Xavier with seven rebounds.

Carmen Holcombe had nine points and six rebounds for the Gold Nuggets, and Paige Gauthier had eight points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals. Gauthier, Gathright and Andraquay Quinnine each made two 3-pointers.

Briana Edwards had 20 points and eight rebounds for Mobile, and Deonica McCormick had 17 points, seven assists and three steals.

Xavier trailed 17-12 in the ninth minute, then scored the next 14 points to take the lead for good. Broussard's basket at 6:57 capped the run and gave the Gold Nuggets a 26-17 lead. Xavier led 36-27 at halftime and held a double-digit advantage for the final 13:27.

Xavier, winning by double digits for the 12th time this season, had a 43-28 rebound advantage -- the Gold Nuggets had 25 offensive rebounds -- committed 15 turnovers and gained 23. Mobile outshot the Gold Nuggets 43.8 to 39.4 percent from the floor.

Xavier's next game will start at 6 p.m. Thursday against William Carey at XU's new Convocation Center.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

NCCU runs by Morgan State, still unbeaten in MEAC

DURHAM, North Carolina  —  N.C. Central hasn’t lost all month, getting its seventh straight win Monday night in front of a McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium crowd that is developing a palate for the sweet taste of success in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

NCCU beat Morgan State 69-61, the score indicative of a closely contested ballgame.

The Eagles (13-7, 6-0 MEAC) had a little bit more heart than the Bears, Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman said.

“It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say they wanted it more, and they worked at it,” Bozeman said.



“Clearly, we have size, we have talent. But we’ve just got to do a better job of focusing. We’ve got to do the little things. 

“You’re not going to win many ballgames if you miss 17 free throws and (have) 18 turnovers.”

About that size Bozeman referred to, Morgan State had 7-2 center Ian Chiles in its starting lineup.
NCCU’s Jay Copeland had to guard him.

“I’m only 6-7,” Copeland said.

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Texas Southern outshoots rival Alabama State

HOUSTON, Texas  -- Omar Strong scored 27 points, including five 3-pointers, and the Tigers shot a 52 percent from the field Monday in a 97-65 trouncing of Alabama State.

Lawrence Danner-Johnson contributed 20 points and hit six 3-pointers for Texas Southern. Ray Penn scored 19 points, Fred Sturdivant put in 13 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, and Aaron Clayborn added 11 points.

“Tonight we did not do a good job of getting out to the shooters to take away those long shots, and they shot it well,” Alabama State coach Lewis Jackson said.

Phillip Crawford lead ASU with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Joshua Freelove scored 14 points. The Hornets only shot 35 percent, including just four of 20 3-point attempts.

Jamel Waters put in eight points and recorded a team-high six assists and four steals.

ASU trailed by 10 at halftime when Texas Southern went on a 16-5 run to put the game away.

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