Grambling State expects tough rematch with Alcorn State for SWAC title

GRAMBLING, Louisiana – It’s the matchup predicted in the preseason to take place for the final SWAC Championship Game.

After the 27-point drumming back in October in the regular season, people around the league didn’t know what to expect. But here we are and the preseason claim of Grambling State (10-1) and Alcorn State (7-4) battling it out for the SWAC title for the third straight season has come to fruition.

While the Tigers’ blowout victory over the Braves might suggest Saturday’s contest might not be close, GSU head football coach Broderick Fobbs, his coaching staff and players as well as Alcorn State head football coach Fred McNair with his coaching staff and players know all too well that once the two teams get together in the SWAC championship game, all bets are off.

“You’re talking about the sixth time in three years,” said Fobbs of Grambling facing Alcorn. “We definitely know each other and know what each other likes to do. For us, it’s about cleaning up our mistakes up for this contest and really getting into the swing of things.”

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SWAC championshipT takes show on road one last time

HOUSTON, Texas — Southwestern Athletic Conference commissioner Duer Sharp said Friday he has not resigned.

One way or another, Saturday's game at NRG Stadium between Grambling and Alcorn State will mark the last time Sharp hands out a SWAC championship trophy to the league's best football team.

“I turned in a letter of nonrenewal, stating my contract would not be renewed as of June 30," Sharp said, "but it was not a letter of resignation.”

The Advocate reported Friday that Sharp had submitted his resignation but that it was unclear when his duties as conference commissioner would end.

“I’m the commissioner and I plan to be so moving forward,” Sharp said. “I have not resigned. I don’t know where that started from. I landed yesterday in Houston and my phone went completely crazy.”

The SWAC is holding its winter meetings in Houston and school presidents and chancellors met Thursday morning with some hot topics, including the possibility of re-implementing the SWAC championship game after it was announced last summer that Saturday’s game would be the last.

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Wells 3-pointer helps Nuggets hold off Generals 51-48

NEW ORLEANS — An Essence Wells 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining Wednesday put Xavier University of Louisiana ahead to stay in a 51-48 women's basketball victory against LSU-Alexandria at the Convocation Center.

The Gold Nuggets (3-2) have won three straight, two against the Generals (0-2). It was the second consecutive game that XULA allowed fewer than 50 points.

Wells's trey, her second of the game, gave XULA a 50-48 lead. Maya Trench made 1-of-2 free throws with eight seconds remaining for the final points. LSUA's Jenna Mabile missed a 3-pointer as time expired.

Trench and Ireyon Keith scored 10 points apiece for XULA, and Mikayla Bates grabbed 10 rebounds. Katie Lemieux and Nakendria Wilson scored 13 points apiece for LSUA, and Lemieux had a career-high 12 rebounds. Mabile had five assists and four steals.



Trench had seven rebounds and four assists. Bates had three assists and three steals. Keith's points were a season high. Wells tied her career high with four assists. Jayla Nichols scored a season-best eight points, and she and Gina Smith grabbed five rebounds apiece.

XULA won despite being outshot 37.3 to 28.4 percent from the floor. The Gold Nuggets outrebounded an opponent for the first time this season, winning the boards 47-37. XULA was plus-5 in turnovers, committing 18 and gaining 23.

The Gold Nuggets led 10-4 after one quarter, 25-19 at halftime and 39-35 through three quarters. XULA nearly won wire-to-wire for the third straight game, but the score was tied four times in the fourth quarter, and the Generals led by a point twice in the final four minutes ̬ the second time at 48-47 after Wilson's basket with 49 seconds remaining. But Wilson's 2-pointer was LSUA's only score in its final six possessions.

It was the first game in 15 days for the Gold Nuggets, who will play twice more at home this week: 6 p.m. Friday against Georgetown (Ky.) and 5 p.m. Saturday against NAIA No. 13 Our Lady of the Lake.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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2nd-ranked LSUA shoots past Gold Rush

NEW ORLEANS — Brandon Moss, one of five LSU-Alexandria players to score in double figures, had 16 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday in an 80-65 men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at the Convocation Center.

The Generals (4-2), ranked second in the NAIA, gave XULA (6-4) its first home loss this season.

Moss, a second-team All-American last season, made a pair of 3-pointers and had four assists and two blocks. Seven Generals had two or more assists, led by Joseph Feraci with five.

Jordin Williams scored 15 points, William Claiborne 13, Shannon James 11 and Evan Smith 10 for LSUA. Williams was 6-of-7 from the floor, and Smith was 4-of-5.



Rayshawn Mart scored a career-high 17 points for the Gold Rush. The freshman also had nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and no turnovers in nearly 33 minutes. Jeff Dixon had 15 points, six assists and a career-best eight rebounds, and Virgil Davison scored 13.

After Mart passed to Dixon for the first two points, the Generals scored 10 in a row and led the remainder of the game. LSUA led 41-34 at halftime and took its biggest lead, 61-40, on Anthony Stove's basket with 12:33 remaining. XULA never was closer than 11 points in the final 10 minutes.

LSUA shot a season-best 56.7 from the floor and topped 50 percent for the third consecutive game. The Gold Rush shot 41.5 percent. LSUA had a 39-31 rebound advantage, and both teams blocked six shots. XULA's 13 fouls and 10 turnovers were season lows.

The Gold Rush limited LSUA to its fewest points in a game this season — the Generals entered averaging 89.4 points — but XULA fell to 0-4 this season in games in which it scores fewer than 70 points.

XULA will break for fall-semester academic final exams, then play host to Carver College of Atlanta at 7 p.m. Dec. 13.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp submitted his letter of resignation; league may reconsider football championship

HOUSTON, Texas -- With some member institutions concerned about the direction the Southwestern Athletic Conference was headed under his leadership, commissioner Duer Sharp submitted his letter of resignation.

The SWAC is holding its winter meetings in Houston, where school presidents and chancellors met Thursday morning. Southern director of athletics Roman Banks said the council of presidents accepted Sharp's resignation.

It is not yet clear whether Sharp's resignation is effective immediately, or if he will stay in his post throughout the remainder of his contract, which is set to expire this summer. As of Thursday night, the SWAC office had yet to issue a statement regarding Sharp's future.

Banks said there was no official record of who was or was not displeased with Sharp's performance as commissioner, adding that the point was made moot when Sharp submitted his resignation.

But, Banks said, there was "unanimous concern" about the SWAC's stability and the direction the league was taking.

"All had a concern about the last few years," Banks said. "What is our position, where we're going."

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Larry Robinson Named FAMU’s 12th President by Board of Trustee

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Today, the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously voted to name Larry Robinson, Ph.D., the 12th university president, subject to confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors.

“I am humbled and overjoyed to have this opportunity to help move this University forward. I understand the awesomeness of this responsibility,” Robinson said, accepting the nomination. “I feel very, very fortunate to be a part of your team. I want to emphasize that our No. 1 priority will be student success – fully understanding that a key element of our student success is the great work of our faculty and staff.”

Board Chair Kelvin Lawson underscored the collective support from the BOT and FAMU community to name Robinson FAMU’s next permanent leader.

“We based our decision on data and followed our process thoroughly,” Lawson said. “We all, collectively, feel good about where we are, and we feel extremely well about our new leader – President Robinson.”

Robinson has served as the University’s interim president since September 2016. He also serves as a distinguished professor and principal investigator in the School of the Environment. He previously served as interim president from July 2012 to April 2014, director of FAMU’s Environmental Sciences Institute from 1997 to 2003, provost and vice president for Academic from 2003 to 2005, interim president in 2007, and vice president for Research in 2009.

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Alcorn, Grambling meet in final SWAC championship game

HOUSTON, Texas – The final SWAC championship game has received the best possible matchup – a rubber game between Alcorn State and Grambling State.

Alcorn beat Grambling State in the 2015 title game before the Tigers returned the favor last year.

They’ll face off again Saturday at NRG Stadium in Houston, with East Division champion Alcorn (7-4) seeking to win the championship game for the third time in four years and West Division winner Grambling (10-1) trying to add to its record seven titles.

There’s a bittersweet feeling surrounding the showdown. The 10-team SWAC has the only conference championship game in the FCS, but it will discontinue the 19th annual event, which began in 1999, after Saturday’s matchup. Beginning next year, the conference’s Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl bid will go to the regular-season champion.

Saturday’s Alcorn-Grambling winner will still decide who represents the SWAC against MEAC champion North Carolina A&T in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 16 in Atlanta.

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