Penn State Men’s Basketball To Host Morgan State On Dec. 21

STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania -- Penn State men’s basketball added another opponent to its non-conference schedule, and no, it’s not Kentucky.

The Lions will host Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference resident Morgan State on Dec. 21 at the Bryce Jordan Center just two weeks after trekking to Newark, N.J. to face Pitt. Morgan State’s 2015-16 campaign was less than stellar after the Bears compiled a lowly 9-22 record, finishing 6-10 in the MEAC. Their 2015-16 non-conference slate included trips to Virginia and Cincinnati — both of which resulted in double-digit losses.

The Lions last played Morgan State in 2014, where they won 61-48 behind 17 points from star guard D.J. Newbill and 14 from then-freshman Shep Garner.

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Playing 11 questions and 11 answers with Jarrett Payton, son of Walter Payton

CHICAGO, Illinois -- Jarrett Payton, who is now 35 and a sportscaster in Chicago, learned his father, Walter, was an extraordinary guy at the age of 4 when Walter broke Jim Brown’s all-time rushing record in 1984 at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears’ home stadium.

And Payton was just 12 when he introduced his father, who went to Jackson State University, on the dais for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Walter Payton died in 1999 of bile duct cancer at age 45.

On Sept. 4, Bethune-Cookman University will play Alcorn State University in the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)/Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Challenge in Daytona Beach, Florida. The game will be played at 1 p.m. EST at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium and be televised on ESPN. There, the Walter Payton Achievement Award, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments in academics and football, will be given to one member from each of the two teams.

Voting for the 2016 Walter Payton Achievement Award has already begun and closes Aug. 19. The final two winners will be announced at the game’s welcome banquet on Sept. 2.

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NC Central Coach Jerry Mack and players eye Celebration Bowl

CARY, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central Coach Jerry Mack begins only his fourth season, but he has the Eagles seeking a third conference title in a row at the same time they enjoy the best of two national championship worlds.

That takes some clarification.

NC Central is a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member that is playing first and foremost for a bid to the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.

The Celebration Bowl in Atlanta made its debut last year, with the backing of ESPN money and exposure. The national championship game matches champions from the MEAC and Southwestern Athletic Conference, two long-standing leagues among Historically Black College and Universities

But Mack also tells his team if it comes up short of the Celebration Bowl, they need to compile a MEAC runner-up season worthy of earning one of the 16 bids into the Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

“We like that the MEAC and SWAC have a chance to play in a bowl game in Atlanta,” said Mack, “and our guys also have a chance to compete in the FBS playoffs.”

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Florida A&M Men's Basketball Gearing Up For Exciting Season

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M men's basketball program quadrupled it's win total last season from the year before, going 8-21. This year, the Rattlers hoping for even bigger results, as for the first time since 2014, they can participate in postseason play.

FAMU's APR related sanctions were lifted back in February, so that means head coach Byron Samuels is working with a full scholarship amount. He said there's a buzz in the air, and just about the entire team is here this summer working out and building team chemistry.

Come August 1st, the Rattlers hit the court to prepare for a week long trip to Canada for a tournament, and Samuels said he can't wait to get started.

"I'm excited about it, the kids are excited about it, their parents are excited about it, and we just feel like it's a blessing," he said. "It's another one of those steps. A lot of teams take these trips to get an eyeball on their team. It'll give us a chance to see what we have, to tweak some things and just maybe one step ahead of where we were in the previous two years."

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Former Jags/FAMU QB Quinn Gray making strides at Jacksonville Mandarin

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- It didn't take long for former Jaguars quarterback Quinn Gray to start having an impact at Jacksonville Mandarin High, where he was hired as head football coach in April.

Gray coached the Mustangs to the New Smyrna Beach 7on7 title this past weekend, upending Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer in the championship game. Gray did no take over an empty cupboard at Mandarin, which went 12-1 last season and made it to the Class 8A region finals, losing to Winter Garden West Orange.



Former coach Brian Braddock left to take the same position at his alma mater St. Augustine, opening the door for Gray, who attended FAMU, to return to the area. Gray was last the head coach at Mableton (Ga.) Whitefield Academy near Atlanta.

"It feels great. We had a long week and our kids have really shown some grit and some intestinal fortitude," Gray said. "I'm proud of these guys, man .. they were challenged and they stepped up to the plate."

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Xavier lands FAMU transfer Bernard

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Guard Malcolm Bernard announced on Twitter that he will play his final season for Xavier.

The 6-foot-6, 195-pounder will be eligible to play immediately for the Musketeers as a graduate transfer from Florida A&M. Bernard, 22, played two years at Charleston Southern before transfering to FAMU and sitting out a season due to NCAA transfer rules. He then led the Rattlers in points (14.4 ppg) and rebounds (7.1 rpg) last season.

"I'm happy to be a Musketeer and I'm glad I'm getting to spend my last year at Xavier," Bernard told Enquirer.com late Monday. "I'm coming to work with the best and play with the best and win with the best.

"I'm stat stuffer. I like to stuff stats all over. I think that's why Xavier chose me because of how versatile I can be and all the things I can bring to the table."

Bernard told the Tallahassee Democrat in April that he had committed to Richmond, then reportedly rescinded his committment earlier this month. The Miami native then considered Fordham, Miami, Missouri, VCU and Virginia before landing at Xavier.

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FAMU AD: Football season opener still scheduled for Miami

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. on Tuesday said the Rattlers' Sept. 3 season opener against Miami is still scheduled to be played in Miami.

Overton said he spoke with Miami officials early in the day. Those officials confirmed the game is still going to be played at New Miami Stadium, he said. He added the officials said there are "contingency plans" in place and he's expecting to speak with Miami officials again.

New Miami Stadium is undergoing renovations, which has led to fears that the stadium will not be ready by Sept. 1. On July 6, Miami Athletic Director Blake James released a statement via Twitter.

"It's a very complex project and I know the Dolphins are doing everything possible to get it ready in time to play football," he said in the statement. "We are very excited about what these improvements will mean for our fans and gameday atmosphere. We still expect to play all of our games at the stadium. However, we're aware that things could change and if they do we have a contingency plan in place if needed."

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