Despite Council’s Career Night, Coppin State Falls at Ga.Tech

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Coppin State's men's basketball team fell at Georgia Tech, 76-62 on Wednesday night at McCamish Pavilion. With the loss, the Eagles fall to 0-14 on the year while the Yellow Jackets even their record at 6-6.

Cedric Council, who grew up just minutes from Georgia Tech, scored a career-high 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 5-of-6 from deep. Lamar Morgan and Karonn Davis also finished in double figures with 12 and ten points, respectively. Adam Traore also chipped in with nine points.

The Eagles were narrowly outshot, 46.4% to 40.0% but Georgia Tech outrebounded Coppin, 41-24 and made 20-of-21 free throws compared to just 2-of-3 for CSU. Coppin did not take a free throw until Morgan sunk a pair with 3:29 left in regulation.

Coppin was in control for much of the game but Georgia Tech pulled away by using a 15-3 run to take its first lead since early in the first and it was punctuated by a dunk by Josh Okogie with 4:12 left in regulation.

The first half started slowly for both teams as the score remained scoreless for the first 2:18 until Traore buried a three but Georgia Tech answered with a triple of its own on the ensuing possession. The Yellow Jackets eventually built a five-point lead at 13-8 but the Eagles, would go on a 10-2 run capped off by a three by Davis to give Coppin an 18-15 lead with 8:15 left in the half.

Georgia Tech would stop the bleeding with a triple to tie the score, but Council hit his first three of the night to give the Eagles back the lead. The Eagles maintained the one-possession lead until Council buried another triple which was followed by a thunderous dunk by Traore, forcing a Georgia Tech timeout.

Coppin's advantage was cut to a single basket moments later but a three by Davis extended the lead back to five. Georgia Tech was able to answer with a jumper but both teams went scoreless for the final 1:25 and the Eagles went into the half with a 33-30 lead. The 33 points were the most scored by Coppin in the first half this season.

Up next for the Eagles is a trip to take on Penn State on Saturday, December 30 at 1 pm. The game will be broadcast on BTN Plus.

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COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Morgan Bears Fall to Grand Canyon in Las Vegas, 100-74

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Joshua Braun scored 18 points and led five players in double-figure scoring as Grand Canyon blasted Morgan State, 100-74, to keep its undefeated run at Orleans Arena intact Wednesday night.

That winning streak will loom larger come mid-March, when the Western Athletic Conference tournament takes place there.

The Antelopes built a 46-33 advantage in the first half and kept their scoring pressure on the rest of the way, setting a season-high for scoring en route. Before this game Grand Canyon had not cracked the 90 point barrier, let alone reached triple digits.

Fifi Aidoo contributed 12 points, Keonta Vernon and Casey Benson each added 11 and Gerard Martin scored 10 points. The Antelopes shot 34 of 66 from the field (51.5 percent), including 13 of 29 from behind the 3-point arc.



Tiwian Kendley, who scored 31 points four days ago at George Mason, poured in a game-high 31 points (12-12 FT) and collected four steals for the Bears (4-8). Phillip Carr added 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.

Grand Canyon's bench outscored the Bears second unit by a commanding 43-17 margin.

Morgan State ended the first half by connecting on 4 of their last 5 shots to trim the Lopes lead to 46-33 at the break.

The Bears will close out a string of eight consecutive road game when they take on the CSUN Matadors on Saturday (Dec. 30). It will mark the fifth meeting between the teams with the Matadors owning a 4-0 series advantage. Tip-off at The Matadome is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.

BOX SCORE

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

DSU Hornets No Match For Penn In Final 2017 Contest

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- Penn shot better than 61 percent from the field to highlight a 105-52 win over Delaware State in a men’s basketball contest at the Palestra this evening. The Quakers won their four straight and sixth in the last seven games to improve to 9-4 this season. The Hornets dropped their ninth in a row to fall to 2-13.

Penn was 35-for-57 from the field, including 14-of-27 on three-point shots (51.9%), to post a season-high point total. Fifteen of the 16 players who competed for the Quakers scored in the contest.

Jarrod Simmons came off the bench lead five double figure scorers for Penn with 12 points. Caleb Wood, also a reserve, tallied 11 points, while Devon Goodman, Antonio Woods and Max Rothschild added 10 each.



Jonathan Walker was the only Delaware State player in double figures with 10 points. The Hornets hit just 19 of their 55 shots from the field (34.5%) and only 4-of-16 from beyond the arc (25.0%).

Penn’s point total was also the most by a DSU opponent this season.

Delaware State scored the first points of the game on a jumper by Artem Tavakalyan (8 points). Penn’s Ryan Betley nailed a three-pointer on the ensuing possession and Quakers never looked back.

The Hornets were outscored 23-6 over the next eight minutes, and trailed 26-8 after a three-pointer by the Quakers at the 10:39 mark of the first half.

Penn hit 65.5% of their first half shots (19-29) en route to a 55-24 lead at the break.

The Quakers’ lead reached 40 points (74-34) after a three-point play by Jake Slipe with 12:56 left in the game. Penn’s biggest lead was 56 points on two occasions late in the second half.

The Hornets will be in action for the first time in 2018 next Wed. (Jan. 3) at home against North Carolina Central in the MEAC opener for both teams. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. following the DSU/NCCU women’s contest in Memorial Hall.

BOX SCORE

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

VT Hokies close non-conference slate vs. North Carolina A&T

Tech, Aggies meet at noon on Thursday in Cassell Coliseum

BLACKSBURG, Virginia -- The Virginia Tech men's basketball team hosts North Carolina A&T on Thursday, Dec. 28 at noon at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum. The game will be shown live on ACC Network Extra and the ESPN app.

GAME INFORMATION

Date/Time: Dec. 28, 2017/ Noon
Opponent: North Carolina A&T University
Site: Blacksburg, Virginia (Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum)
Radio: Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network
Talent: Andrew Allegretta
TV: ACC Network Extra
Talent: Bailey Angle & Mack McCarthy
Live Stats: HokieSports.com
Game Notes: Virginia Tech

TODAY’S GAME
The Hokies enter the game 10-2 on the season. The Aggies are 7-7 this season. Today is the Hokies’ final regular season non-conference game. Today’s game is the second of two “Buzz’s Bunch” games this season.

THE SERIES
Tech is 5-0 all-time against the Aggies and all five games have been played in Cassell Coliseum. Tech won the last meeting, 90-60, two years ago. Tech is 30-0 all-time against teams currently in the MEAC, after defeating Maryland-Eastern Shore, 93-40, on Dec. 10 in Cassell Coliseum.

UP NEXT
ACC play begins on Dec. 31, as the Hokies travel to Syracuse to face the Orange in the Carrier Dome. Tip is at 6 p.m. and the game will be shown live on ESPNU and the ESPN app.

VIRGINIA TECH ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

The ODU-NSU basketball series should play on, just not at Scope

NORFOLK, Virginia -- When it was announced last year that Old Dominion and Norfolk State would renew their basketball rivalry this season at Scope, it sounded like a terrific idea.

The downtown arena is located between both campuses and is the spot where ODU and NSU carried on a spirited rivalry decades ago.

If you weren't there last Friday, you missed an entertaining, if not artfully played, game. Both teams shot poorly, yet played hard, with ODU pulling away late to win, 61-50.

But the reality is that playing at Scope was a one-game experiment that surely won't be repeated – and, in hindsight, shouldn't be.

Even given the bad timing of the game (three days before Christmas), attendance was disappointing. Officials said 6,711 tickets were sold, including more than 2,000 ODU season-ticket holders. Only 4,267 fans actually showed up.

ODU could have generated a lot more revenue, and likely would have drawn a bigger crowd, at ODU's Constant Center. The Monarchs keep money from concessions at the Ted, and generate additional income from 16 luxury suites and thousands of club seats.



CONTINUE READING

UAPB introduces Cedric Thomas as new Golden Lions head football coach

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Cedric Thomas, 20th head coach of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions football team, has been involved in football for over 15 years. Returning home to the institution that gave him the opportunity to play collegiate football, Coach Thomas brings championship experience to UAPB. Thomas graduated from UAPB in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science and played football as a defensive back with the Golden Lions.

Coach Thomas has held a variety of positions which eventually led to becoming a head coach. He has been a recruiting coordinator, a graduate assistant, a running back coach, a special teams coordinator, a defensive back coach, and a defensive coordinator.

"My first plan of action is to get a coaching staff together," said Thomas. "I'm in the process right now of making both a short and long list of coaches and just reaching out to those guys and getting that established. I will also get in the recruiting battles right away."

Listed below are some of his top accomplishments while on staff at Alcorn State University:
2014 Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division Champions
2014 Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions
2014 Black College Football National Champions
2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division Champions
2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions
2015 Participated in Celebration Bowl
2016 Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division Champions (defense ranked top-10 in FCS in total sacks)
2017 Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division Champions (defense ranked top-10 in FCS in both red zone and scoring defense)

When asked what it means to come back to UAPB, Thomas answered confidently.

"It absolutely means everything. This place saved my life and I feel obligated to give back."

UAPB will host its annual Black and Gold Spring Football Game in 2018 at Golden Lion Stadium. Please visit UAPB's athletics website in 2018 for more information regarding the Black and Gold game.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION

UPDATE: HBCU Football New Head Coaches, NCAA Probation and Conference Changes

2017/18 HEAD COACH CHANGES
COLLEGE                        NEW COACH          FORMER COACH
Alabama State                   Donald Hill-Eley        Brian Jenkins
Alabama A&M                                                      James Spady
Arkansas - Pine Bluff      Cedric Thomas       Monte Coleman
Florida A&M                      Willie Simmons*       Alex Wood
Delaware State                                                       Kenny Carter               
Hampton                             Robert Prunty            Connell Maynor
Mississippi Valley State     Vincent Dancy           Rick Comegy

Morgan State                    Ernest T. Jones$          Fred T. Farrier

North Carolina Central      Granville Eastman$   Jerry Mack

Prairie View A&M             Eric Dooley              Willie Simmons
Lincoln (Pa.)                                                         Reginald Byarse Jr. 
Edward Waters                 Greg Ruffin                 Alvin Wyatt
Virginia Union                  Dr. Alvin Parker         Mark James
Va. U. of Lynchburg         Larry Williams*            Jimmy Joe

 $ Interim for 2018
 *Interim                                                                

TERMINATION OF FOOTBALL PROGRAM
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)

2017/18 ATHLETICS DIRECTOR CHANGES
COLLEGE                          NEW AD                    OLD AD     
1. Florida A&M                   John Eason                   Milton Overton
2. Delaware State                 Mary Hill*                   Louis 'Skip' Perkins                   

HBCU ATHLETIC PROGRAMS ON NCAA PROBATION FOR LACK OF INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL and/or FAILURE TO MONITOR ITS ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION PROCESS:

1. Morgan State University, Probation Period End Dec. 18, 2021
2. Southern University and A&M College, Probation End Nov. 15, 2021
3. Howard University, Probation End May 19, 2018
4. Grambling State University, Probation End July 27, 2019
5. Morehouse College, Entire Program, Probation End July 14, 2018
6. Norfolk State University, Probation End June 15, 2018
7. Prairie View A&M University Men's Basketball, Probation End Nov. 20, 2019
8. Fayetteville State University Women's Basketball, Probation End Nov. 13, 2019
9. Mississippi Valley State University, Probation End March 23, 2019
10. Alabama State University Softball, Probation End Oct. 19, 2018
11. Alcorn State University, Probation End Oct. 18, 2018
12. Florida A&M University, Probation End Nov. 19, 2019
13. Central State University (Ohio), Probation End March 3, 2019 
14. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Probation End Aug. 20, 2019                                                  

CONFERENCE CHANGES - 2018/19
COLLEGES                NEW CONFERENCE         OLD CONF.

Hampton                       Big South                                 MEAC
Savannah State             SIAC                                        MEAC
Langston                        SAC                                         RRAC
Texas College                SAC                                         RRAC