Return of key seniors a gift for TSU

The Texas Southern men's basketball team received some early Christmas presents when three of its key players returned to action earlier this month.

Senior forward Travele Jones and senior guards Harrison Smith and Justin Ray are back in the lineup after having to miss nearly a quarter of the season because of compliance issues. Jones returned to the starting lineup against Iowa State on Dec. 12, and Smith and Ray were activated one and two games later, respectively.

Jones, the preseason Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, has provided an immediate boost for the Tigers (2-8). He averaged ...

TSU softball signs 3 early

The TSU softball team landed three recruits during the early signing period. The Tigers signed...

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Morgan State (4-5, 1-0 MEAC) at U of Louisville (12-1, 0-0 Big East)

Morgan State Bears Coach Todd Bozeman

MSU Gamenotes

Game 10
Morgan State (4-5, 1-0 MEAC) vs. Louisville (12-1, 0-0 Big East)
Monday, Dec. 27, 2010 – 7 p.m. (ET)
KFC Yumi! Center – Louisville, Ky.
Television – WHAS TV (Ch. 11 in Louisville)
Radio – WKRD 790 AM
Websites: www.MorganStateBears.com; www.uoflsports.com

Follow Morgan State men's basketball on twitter @morganstbears for in-game updates and the latest news on the squad.

The Opening Tip
Morgan State, the 2010 MEAC champions, will take on Louisville on Monday, Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. at the KFC Yumi! Center in Louisville, Ky. MSU 4-5 will look to rebound from a 97-55 non-conference loss at No. 5 Syracuse on Dec. 20 at the Carrier Dome. Louisville dropped Western Kentucky 114-82 on Wednesday night at the E.A. Diddle Arena to improve to 10-1. Monday night's game will mark the third meeting between the teams, Louisville holds a 2-0 advantage.

Big East Basketball: Louisville hosts Morgan State - Monday Night

THE STORY: Fresh off a dominating performance in their first road game, No. 25 Louisville returns home for another tuneup before the schedule gets much tougher. The Cardinals will try not to overlook Morgan State with a visit from No. 14 Kentucky scheduled for Friday and the Big East slate starting next week. Rick Pitino’s team has impressed all season with its ability to get out and run off pressure defense and shoot 3-pointers, a style that plays well with a young team and a 10-man rotation.

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Globetrotters helped shape VUU history

In March 1941, Virginia Union scheduled a game against the Harlem Globetrotters. What followed was one of the most devastating losses in Union history, and the repercussions still can be felt today.

Before 1947, Virginia Union didn't have its own basketball court. The Panthers played at either the Municipal Recreation Center or on the stage of the Richmond Landmark Theatre, then known as The Mosque. They didn't have a bus, either. Fans would drive players from campus to the court, watch them play and drive them back.

The Belgian Building, the current home of Virginia Union's basketball team, wasn't built in Richmond. It was constructed in 1939 for the New York World's Fair. The federal government awarded the building to VUU in 1941.



Harlem Globetrotters true to their name

The worst trip Hi Rise Brown ever endured went from Dubai to London to New York to Miami to Brazil to Argentina. The journey lasted 37 hours. "Everyone got their bags except me," Hi Rise said.

Just as the name suggests, a big part of being a Harlem Globetrotter is traveling to all corners of the earth. Hi Rise, a 6-5 forward from the Chicago area, has flown on a Blackhawk helicopter in Iraq and walked on the Great Wall of China.

In their 84 years, the Globetrotters have visited 120 countries. Handles Franklin, a 6-1 guard from Harrisburg, Pa., has been to more than 50 countries in his four years as a Globetrotter.



Link: Photo gallery - Globetrotters in Richmond

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North Carolina A&T 50, Arizona State 56

'Tis the season for college basketball letdowns. With the holidays inching closer, teams across the land are about to break for a few days, turning that final get-away contest into an adventure. Arizona State nearly fell victim Thursday afternoon, needing to rally from a 12-point deficit in the second half to defeat spunky North Carolina A&T 56-50 at Wells Fargo Arena.

ASU coach Herb Sendek credited the 5-6 Aggies, picked to finish eighth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason poll, but he also questioned himself, scheduling a noon tip so the players could get started on a three-day break.

"They have a game, they're all hustling to the airport," Sendek said. "With a disproportionate number of newcomers, these guys haven't been home (in a while), so I know it's just human nature (to look) forward to hustling out of here."

Photos from the game

Aggies fall short in bid for upset

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Rihards Kuksiks scored 15 points, including a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 2:52 left, and Arizona State rallied to beat N.C. A&T 56-50 on Thursday. Kuksiks' 3 gave the Sun Devils (7-4) a 53-50 advantage, and they held on to come back from a 12-point deficit.

Nic Simpson, who missed three 3s in the final 1:23, scored 17 points and had five assists to lead the Aggies (5-6). A&T led 29-23 at halftime and extended its advantage to 38-26 in the first four minutes of the second half. But Aggies forward Thomas Coleman picked up his third and fourth fouls in a 26-second span and had to go to the bench with 14:55 remaining.

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Coppin St 56, Wisconsin 80: Opponents are in a zone, but so is Leuer as Badgers coast

Madison, Wis. — Wisconsin senior Jon Leuer has a new moniker: Zone-buster. Thinking his undersized team could identify and stick with UW's shooters by playing a variety of zone defenses, Coppin State coach Fang Mitchell opened with a 1-2-2 zone.

Leuer opened with 4 consecutive three-pointers in the first 2 minute 54 seconds Thursday night at the Kohl Center. That display set the tone as UW shot 50% from three-point range in opening a 19-point halftime lead and won easily, 80-56.

"I was able to knock down my first couple and get into a rhythm," said Leuer, who hit 5 of 10 three-pointers and 7 of 15 field-goal attempts overall to finish with 19 points. "From there my teammates were finding me in open spots. "I just found myself open a lot."

Oates: A nice win against Coppin State, but the fans were shortchanged by the schedule

Coppin State is one of college basketball's vagabond programs. During the non-conference season, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team travels around from one men's basketball powerhouse to the next, taking its lumps on the floor in return for a nice paycheck.

It wasn't at all surprising, then, that Coppin State showed up to face the University of Wisconsin at the Kohl Center Thursday night. In the midst of a 12-day stretch during which they play at Connecticut, Kentucky and Texas in addition to UW, the overmatched Eagles were representative of the teams that have come to Madison this season.

Photos
ATTENDANCE: 17,230

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Note: Mainstream sportswriters can write all the criticisms they desire regarding Coppin State University basketball program. Call 'em "vagabond program" or any other name...but at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is that Coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell is providing opportunity, exposure and experience to his players in competing with elite Division I level programs. Most importantly, he is earning enough capital from these "money games" to support ALL the non-revenue athletic programs at CSU. For that alone, Fang Mitchell is a hall of fame coach who provides countless opportunities to urban youth, who otherwise, would not receive an education and travel exposure beyond Baltimore City limits.

The Eagles are 4-5, 0-1 MEAC and NEXT GAME is at #14 ranked Kentucky on Dec. 28.

-beepbeep

Morgan sinks Liberty for Pirates' second straight win

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men’s basketball team trailed for much of the night Wednesday, but junior guard Kwame Morgan gave the Pirates the lead when it mattered most, sinking a 3-pointer with one second to play to help Hampton beat Liberty 62-59 at the HU Convocation Center.

The Pirates (9-2) trailed for 39 minutes, 20 seconds, but Morgan (Largo, Md.) tied the game at 59-59 with 40 seconds to play with a trey. Liberty had a shot, but the Flames turned the ball over with 20 seconds remaining, thanks to a steal by junior forward Danny Agbelese (Lanham, Md.).

Liberty (7-6) took a 53-39 lead with 9:44 to play after Evan Gordon sank a 3-pointer, but the Pirates responded with a 13-0 run, cutting Liberty’s lead to one, 53-52, with 3:52 to play on a layup from senior forward Charles Funches (Jersey City, N.J.).



Liberty Flames commit 26 turnovers in loss to the Hampton Pirates

HAMPTON, Va. — Liberty men’s basketball assistant coach Jason Eaker walked off the floor at the Hampton University Convocation Center, bowed his head, closed his eyes in frustration and shook his head sharply. He knew his team had given one away Wednesday night.

Interpret the words “give away” literally. Despite shooting 52.1 percent against the nation’s fourth-best field-goal percentage defense, Liberty lost to Hampton 62-59 thanks to 26 turnovers. The Flames (7-6) blew an 18-point lead, including a five-point lead in the final two minutes.

And fittingly, the game’s key play was a turnover, which was the theme of the night for Liberty.

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Bowling: UMES Perched Atop December NTCA Poll

UMES Head Bowling Coach Sharon Brummell

After an eventful fall semester, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore of Princess Anne, MD was ranked as the No. 1 NCAA women’s bowling program in the country by the National Tenpins Coaches Association in its December national poll. UMES received 16 out of a possible 25 first place votes.

Highlighting their successful first half was the Hawks’ championship match victory over the University of Central Missouri to win the 20-team Hawk Classic in Millsboro, DE. UMES (41-7) also ended in second place at the 18-team Jersey Jamboree in Howell, NJ; and owns a commanding six game lead in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Northern Division after 20 matches.

Ranked second was Fairleigh Dickinson University of Teaneck, NJ, 2010 NCAA national champions. The Knights (40-9), who collected four first place votes, won the championship of the Jersey Jamboree by defeating UMES in the title match; finished in second at the 22-team Jeanette Lee Invitational in Midlothian, VA; and after nine matches sits in a first place tie in the North East Conference with three other schools.

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National Tenpin Coaches Association Poll

December 2010

Rank	School (first-place votes)	Season Record
1.	Maryland-Eastern Shore (16)	41-7
2.	Fairleigh Dickinson (4)	40-9
3.	Nebraska - Lincoln (5)	19-3
	tral Missouri	26-14
5.	Sam Houston State	28-13
6.	Arkansas State	26-10
7.	Kutztown	41-13
8.	Sacred Heart	35-14
9.	New Jersey City	36-13
10.	Adelphi	41-18
11.	St. Francis (NY)	33-16
12.	Vanderbilt	13-17
13.	Valparaiso	27-20
14.	Alabama A&M	11-5
15.	Stephen F. Austin	15-13
16.	Norfolk State	28-15
17.	Delaware State	24-22
18.	Florida A&M	21-12
19.	Minnesota State - Mankato	19-18
20.	Louisiana Tech	27-17
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically)
Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC; Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX;  Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA; State University of New York Institute of Technology, Utica, NY;  University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, Whitewater, WI.

Wood lifts NC State past Delaware State 72-70

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Scott Wood's putback with 2.1 seconds left lifted North Carolina State past Delaware State 72-70 on Wednesday night.

Richard Howell scored a career-high 16 points, C.J. Leslie had 15 and DeShawn Painter added a career-high 14 for the Wolfpack (7-4). They led by 13 late in the first half but needed some drama to hold off the pesky Hornets. Casey Walker scored 20 points and hit four 3-pointers for Delaware State (4-6), and his free throw with 37.2 seconds left tied it at 70.

Wolfpack escapes Delaware State upset

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Scott Wood picked the right time to hit his first basket. Wood's putback with 2.1 seconds left gave N.C. State a 72-70 win over Delaware State on Wednesday night at the RBC Center. Wood was 0-for-6 before he grabbed a missed 3-pointer from Ryan Harrow about eight feet from the basket and coolly dropped in the game-winning shot.

Delaware State's last gasp, a halfcourt shot by Jay Threatt, bounced off the front of the rim and harmlessly to the floor. N.C. State got a career-best 16 points from Richard Howell and 15 from forward C.J. Leslie and 14 from DeShawn Painter against the undersized Hornets.

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Norfolk State Releases 2011 Football Schedule

Norfolk State University released its 2011 football schedule on Tuesday. Highlighting the slate are six home games, including the return of the Labor Day Classic, and a road game at Big East power West Virginia (9-3, 5-2 Big East).

The Spartans open the season on Sept. 3 against Virginia State (8-2, 7-1 CIAA) at Dick Price Stadium. After the Spartans played VSU in their third game of the season in 2010, the game returns to Labor Day weekend for the next four years.

"Having Virginia State back on Labor Day weekend is a great way to kick off the season," head coach Pete Adrian said. The VSU Trojans won the Division II, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Eastern Division championship in 2010.

The following week, the Spartans trek to Morgantown, W.Va., to face West Virginia University. It will be the Spartans' fourth-ever game against a Division I FBS opponent, and third against a Big East team after facing Rutgers in 2007 and 2010. WVU is currently 9-3 and was Big East Conference co-champion with Connecticut and Pittsburgh.

Coach Pete Adrian's Spartans will play at West Virginia

"This will be a major challenge, to say the least, to face a Big East champion," said Adrian, who graduated from WVU in 1970. "But our team looks forward to these games and this will be no exception."

The Spartans open MEAC play at Howard University (1-10, 0-8 MEAC) on Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C.

NSU's third and final non-conference game of the season will come on Sept. 24 against FCS foe Charleston Southern (3-8, 1-5 Big South)at Dick Price Stadium. The teams have never met.

"Playing Charleston Southern will be a good test for us, and a nice non-conference game to add to our league's schedule for next season," Adrian said.

The Spartans' final seven games of the year will be against conference opposition. With the addition of North Carolina Central and Savannah State to the MEAC for 2011, MEAC teams will no longer play every conference opponent each season. NSU will not face NCCU (3-8) and 2010 MEAC Co-Champion Florida A&M (8-3, 7-1 MEAC) in 2011.

The Spartans' home MEAC games next season are against 2010 MEAC Co-Champion/FCS Playoffs participant South Carolina State (9-3,7-1 MEAC)(Oct. 1), Hampton (6-5, 5-3 MEAC) (Oct. 15), MEAC Co-Champion/FCS Playoffs participant Bethune-Cookman (10-2, 7-1 MEAC) (Oct. 22) and North Carolina A&T (1-10, 1-7 MEAC) (Oct. 29). The contest against the Aggies will serve as Homecoming as well as Senior Day.

In addition to the road game at Howard, NSU will also travel to Delaware State (3-8, 2-6 MEAC) (Oct. 8), Savannah State (1-10)(Nov. 5) and Morgan State (4-7, 3-5) (Nov. 12) in MEAC play. The Spartans do not have a bye week next year, playing 11 consecutive games before completing the regular season on Nov. 12.

2011 Norfolk State Football Schedule

September
03, Virginia State (Labor Day Classic), Norfolk, VA
10, West Virginia, Morgantown, WV
17, Howard, Washington, D.C.
24, Charleston Southern, Norfolk, VA

October
01, South Carolina State, Norfolk, VA
08, Delaware State, Dover, DE
15, Hampton, (Battle of the Bay), Norfolk, VA
22, Bethune-Cookman, Norfolk, VA
29, North Carolina A&T (Homecoming/Senior Day), Norfolk,VA

November
05, Savannah State, Savannah, GA
12, Morgan State, Baltimore, MD

Press Release: 12/21/10; Written By: MEAC Media Relations

South Carolina State Releases 2011 Football Schedule

SCSU Bulldogs QB Derrick Wiley

ORANGEBURG, SC – South Carolina State University released its 2011 football schedule on yesterday, a slate that includes five home games, six road contests and two meetings with Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents.

The Bulldogs open the campaign Thursday, Sept. 1, at Central Michigan, one of two FBS teams Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough's team will face during the season and the first of three consecutive road opponents for SC State. The CMU Chippewas finished the 2010 campaign with a 3-9, 2-6 MAC record, and a 33-0 season opening win over the Hampton Pirates (6-5, 5-3 MEAC).

The Bulldogs will take on 2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Co-Champion Bethune-Cookman (10-2, 7-1 MEAC) at Daytona Beach on Sept. 10 before traveling to Bloomington, Indiana, Sept. 17 to meet Big 10 member Indiana (5-7), the second FBS opponent on the 2011 schedule.

SC State opens its home schedule Sept. 24 against Delaware State (3-8, 2-6 MEAC) . Other home games include North Carolina Central (3-8), Oct. 8, in the 2011 Homecoming contest, first-time opponent Georgia State (6-5) Oct. 15, 2010 MEAC Co-Champion Florida A&M (8-3, 7-1 MEAC)Oct. 22 and North Carolina A&T (1-10, 1-7 MEAC) Nov. 12.

NCCU is one of two new MEAC members on this year's slate, while Georgia State and the Bulldogs will be meeting for the first time.

Additional road games include Norfolk State (6-5, 4-4 MEAC) Oct. 1, Howard (1-10, 0-8 MEAC) Oct. 29 and Savannah State (1-10), the second new league foe on the schedule, Nov. 19.

South Carolina State Bulldogs Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough 

Absent from this year's schedule, which includes an open date Nov. 5, are traditional MEAC rivals Hampton and Morgan State. The two have been replaced by NCCU and Savannah State.

Starting times for all games on the 2011 schedule, which is listed below, will be announced later.

The MEAC is expected to have a new look in 2011 with new a coaching staff at North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T, Delaware State and Howard University.

SEPTEMBER
01 Central Michigan University at Mount Pleasant, MI
10 Bethune-Cookman University at Daytona Beach, FL
17 Indiana University at Bloomington, IN
24 Delaware State University, Orangeburg, SC (Youth/ROTC Day)

OCTOBER
01 Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA
08 North Carolina Central University, Orangeburg, SC  (Homecoming)
15 Georgia State, Orangeburg, SC
22 Florida A&M University, Orangeburg, S.C. (Community Day/Paint the Town Red)
29 Howard University, Washington, DC

NOVEMBER
05 Open
12 North Carolina A&T University, Orangeburg, SC (Senior Day)
19 Savannah State University, Savannah, GA TBA

NOTE: Dates, times and locations are subject to change.

From: Press Release 12/21/10

All That ... And Moore

UConn set a new Division I hoops standard Tuesday night winning its 89th consecutive game in a blowout of #20 ranked Florida State, 93-62. Maya Moore has been part of all 89 wins, which sets her apart and has never lost a game in her four-year career. More importantly, the University of Connecticut women basketball team is doing it in the classroom, sporting an Academic Progress Rate ("APR") of 991 as reported by the NCAA in the May 1, 2009 report.

UConn has set a standard for all of us within the CIAA, SIAC, MEAC and SWAC to admire.  But, what can we learn from their work ethic and methods that can improve our success in competitive Division I intercollegiate athletics? What strikes me is the consistency of Coach Geno Auriemma and the UConn women basketball team and his ability to motivate his student-athletes to excel in all phases of life beyond their belief.

This is truly greatness that worth emulating!



UConn passes UCLA with record 89th straight win

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Geno Au riemma's women play like stars, but he supplies the drama.
Sunday, the UConn coach suggested that the streak -- now 89 consecutive victories and one more than John Wooden's UCLA teams' from 1971-1974 after a 93-62 win over Florida State -- had become a misogynist's worst nightmare.

"All the women are happy as hell," he said. "All the guys that love women's basketball are all excited and all the miserable bastards that follow men's basketball and don't want us to break the record are all here because they're [ticked]."

"To have this many people talking about it. . . . It's something to be celebrated. Just don't tarnish it by comparing what someone else did in another time, another era."



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