TCU to honor local icon Robert Hughes,(TSU) at Monday’s hoops game

Coach Robert Hughes is the all-time winningest boy’s basketball coach in the United States; he won 1,333 games in a 47 year coaching career.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Because of the color of his skin, Robert Hughes could not have played basketball at Texas Christian University (TCU).  But the school will honor him now.

The long-time Dunbar boy’s basketball coach will be honored at halftime Monday night as TCU takes on his alma mater, Texas Southern.

TCU coach Jamie Dixon made Hughes a priority not long after he accepted the job in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs will honor Hughes for his September induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Several of his former players at Dunbar and I.M. Terrell are scheduled to attend the ceremony; the list includes former TCU players Anthony Burks, Darrell Browder and Dr. James Cash.

Cash played for Hughes at I.M. Terrell and became the first African-American to play in the Southwest Conference in 1967.

Hughes was a guard at Texas Southern from 1951-54. He was All-SWAC three times and TSU’s Athlete of the Year as a senior. He was later inducted into the TSU Hall of Fame.

Hughes, 89, finished his coaching career as the all-time winningest boy’s basketball coach in the United States; he won 1,333 games at Dunbar and Terrell in a 47-year career.



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JSU to hire Air Raid guru Hal Mumme as next offensive coordinator

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State coach Tony Hughes is apparently going in another direction with his offense in 2018.

Sources close to the situation tell the Clarion Ledger that JSU is set to announce current Belhaven University head coach and Air Raid specialist Hal Mumme to run the offense next season.

Mumme led Belhaven to 2-8 records in each of the last three seasons, but has 26 previous years of college coaching experience and was one of the original architects of the air raid offense — an up-tempo, pass-heavy scheme designed to spread out opposing defenses and take advantage of mismatches and one-on-one opportunities.

Mumme has always been a head coach, with stops at Iowa Wesleyan, Valdosta State, Kentucky, Southeastern Louisiana, New Mexico State and McMurry prior to Belhaven.



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S.C. STATE FOOTBALL: Off-season direction for the Bulldogs program

HEAD COACH OLIVER "BUDDY"POUGH

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The 3-7 campaign in 2017 could have done it. So could have the realization that his 17th season would be his last as head football coach at S.C. State.

But, instead of getting down with disappointment, Oliver "Buddy" Pough is busy planning and putting things into motion for the 2018 season for the Bulldogs.

This past week, after agreeing on a one-year extension to lead S.C. State football through next year, Pough was focused on recruiting and setting up his coaching staff for a run at a better record.

The coach appreciated postseason conversations he had with S.C. State first-year athletic director Stacy Danley and members of the university administration. But, with off-season recruiting in full swing, Pough said this week that he is excited about bringing fresh talent to both his coaching staff and the Bulldogs' roster.

"There's still plans in place and we are still planning for next year, organizationally," Pough said. "We've got to do a thing or two with our offense; need a body or two there and play a bit better at key positions. That will reorganize us on that side of the ball.

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Gold Rush hold on for 75-70 victory at Loyola

NEW ORLEANS — Joseph Williams scored a career-high 16 points Saturday, and Xavier University of Louisiana held on for a 75-70 men's basketball victory against city rival Loyola at The Den.
     
The Gold Rush (8-4) will play the University of the Virgin Islands at 5 p.m. Sunday and Rust at 7 p.m. Monday in the Xavier Classic at the Convocation Center. The event also will have women's games; XULA's Gold Nuggets will play Virgin Islands at 7 p.m. Sunday and NAIA No. 9 Lindsey Wilson at 5 p.m. Monday.
     
Williams reached a career-high point total for the second straight game. The senior — a transfer after three seasons at Freed-Hardeman — also had eight rebounds and four blocked shots.
     
XULA led the final 35 minutes. The Gold Rush led 36-23 at halftime and took its largest lead, 55-38, on Virgil Davison's 3-pointer with 11:44 remaining. The Wolf Pack (6-5) cut the deficit to one point twice in the final 4 1/2 minutes, the second time with 30 seconds remaining when Tensley Aldridge made a pair of free throws. But hampering Loyola's comeback were six consecutive scoreless possessions in the final four minutes.
     
Freshman Rayshawn Mart, in double figures for the fifth straight game, scored 14 points for XULA and had game-highs of nine rebounds and three steals. His final steal occurred in the backcourt after Jeff Dixon gave XULA a 73-70 lead with a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining. Dixon added two more free throws with four seconds remaining to conclude the scoring.
     
Dixon scored 15 points, and Davison had 12.
     
Ethan Turner made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points for Loyola, and Aldridge scored 15.
     
Loyola outshot XULA 44.8 to 38.6 percent from the floor, but the Gold Rush dominated at the line, making 26-of-36 free throws to the Wolf Pack's 9-of-15. XULA made 21-of-31 free throws in the second half. XULA was plus-6 in turnovers, committing 13 and gaining 19.
     
XULA snapped a three-game losing streak against Loyola and defeated the Wolf Pack at The Den for the first time in four years. XULA leads the series 34-12. The teams will meet Jan. 24 at XULA.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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EJ's Kyla Duncan, all-league 3 times, signs with XULA

NEW ORLEANS — Kyla Duncan, a 5-foot-10 forward and a three-time all-district performer from Metairie, La., signed an athletic scholarship Friday with Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball.

Duncan is averaging 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals through 12 games this season for East Jefferson High School. Duncan averaged 16 points as a junior for an EJ team that finished 17-10. Her coach at EJ is Henry Latten, who earned his master's from XULA.

Duncan was all-district as a sophomore and freshman for coach Mike Kracjer Jr. at Archbishop Chapelle High School, and as a sophomore she was named third-team all-metro by the New Orleans Advocate newspaper. Duncan averaged 10.2 points as a freshman.



"Kyla reminds me of one our All-America players, Jackie Tucker," XULA coach Bo Browder said.

"Kyla is a forward who can play inside and outside. She is strongly committed to winning and doing everything the right way — on the floor, in the classroom and in the community."

Duncan is a National Honor Society member. As a junior she won EJ's law studies award.

Duncan will major in biology at XULA. She wants to become a physical therapist.

Duncan is the Gold Nuggets' second signee for 2018-19. Shae Johnson, a 6-2 forward/center from Riverside, Calif., and Martin Luther King High School, signed in November.

XULA competes in the NAIA and has won six Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournaments in the last 10 seasons. The Gold Nuggets qualified for the NAIA Division I National Championship 19 times in the last 23 seasons. XULA is 5-3 this season, including a victory against nationally ranked Our Lady of the Lake.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs Roll In 75-45 Win Over Western Carolina

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina — Graduate guard Bryeasha Blair tossed in a game-high 24 points to lead South Carolina State to an, 75-45, victory over Western Carolina Saturday (Dec. 16th) at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

The Lady Bulldogs improve to 4-4 on the season, while WCU falls to 2-8.

Newcomers Kemoni Jenkins added 15 points and four steals, while Kyesha Lewis chipped in 13 in the win.

South Carolina State pretty much dominated in every category forcing WCU to 29 turnovers, while finishing 36-8 on points off turnovers and 28-24 on points in the paint.

The Lady Bulldogs built their biggest lead of the first-half 11, 27-16 late in the second quarter off a jumper by Lewis with 6:08 remaining. Tembre Moates closed the gap on back-to-back baskets to pull Western Carolina within five, 34-29 to close out intermission.

SC State opened the second-half on a 20-5 run to late in the third quarter off a driving layup by junior forward Esther Udonsi at the 1:32 mark. The Lady Bulldogs led by as many as 32, 73-41 with 2:32 remaining in regulation.
Western Carolina was by Lauren LaPlant with 13 points, while Moates added 12 in the loss.

Next up South Carolina State returns to action on the road in Macon, GA against Mercer University in a non-conference matchup. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

For more information on South Carolina State Athletics visit www.scsuathletics.com or call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060.

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Wilks jumper lifts Grambling Tigers past Southeastern Louisiana Lions

HAMMOND, Louisiana -- Drake Wilks jumper with five seconds remaining lifted the Grambling State men's basketball team to a thrilling come-from-behind 68-67 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday afternoon at the University Center.

The Tigers (4-7) trailed 46-27 at the break and slowly rallied before cutting a double-digit deficit to single digits with less than 10 minutes remaining. Grambling State outscored Southeastern Louisiana, 16-8, over the final five minutes to pick up the win.

Anthony Gaston paced Grambling State with 18 points and three steals. Devante Jackson added 16 points, on 7-of-10 shooting, and 11 rebounds, while Ivy Smith registered 13 points, four assists and three rebounds.

Joshua Filmore led Southeastern Louisiana with 16 points and four boards. James Currington chipped in with 11 points, six rebounds, one block and one steal, while Jabbar Singleton added 11 points and two boards.

Turning Point
The Lions (6-5) raced out to a 25-8 advantage after a jumper by Eddy Polanco with 9:36 remaining in the opening half and stretch the advantage to 41-20 after a bucket by Polanco with 2:08 left in the first half.

The Tigers closed out the half with buckets by Jackson, Gaston and Shirmane Thomas to close the gap to 46-27 at the break.

Grambling State cut the double-digit deficit to 59-52 after a pair of Smith free throws with 5:57 left and pulled to within two at 65-63 after two Gaston free throws with 1:06 remaining.

A Gaston 3-pointer cut the margin to 67-66 with 44 seconds left and after a defensive stop, Wilks sank a jumper with five seconds remaining.

Inside The Numbers
* Grambling State shot 24-of-61 (39.3 percent) from the field and 13-of-14 (92.9 percent) from the foul line.
* Southeastern Louisiana was 23-of-46 (50 percent) shooting and 14-of-18 (50 percent) from the charity stripe.

Up Next
Grambling State returns to action on Thursday, Dec. 21 as the Tigers travel to Greenville, N.C. to take on East Carolina (ECU). Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ET)/6 p.m. (CT).

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathetics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

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