Tulane Wins Tulane/DoubleTree Classic with 66-53 Win Over Hampton

JERICKA JENKINS
5'-4" SENIOR GUARD
HOMETOWN: LANCASTER, TEXAS
TULANE/DOUBLETREE ALL-
TOURNAMENT TEAM

 NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - Much has been made of the Tulane University women's basketball freshman class during the early portion of the 2011-12 season, but on Thursday evening in Fogelman Arena, it was the upperclassmen's turn to shine as the Green Wave defeated Hampton, 66-53, in the championship game of the Tulane/DoubleTree Classic.

Junior guard Olivia Grayson scored 24 of her team-leading 26 points in the second half while senior center Brett Benzio posted her fifth double-double of the year with 13 rebounds and a career-best 21 points. The win marked the Wave's fourth consecutive Tulane/DoubleTree Classic title as Tulane concluded its pre-conference schedule 11-2. Hampton, meanwhile, fell to 9-3.

Grayson added five assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals to her scoring output. She was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after averaging 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals while connecting at a 44.4 field goal percentage (12-of-27) and hitting 75.0 percent of her free throws (12-fo16) during the two-day event. Benzio was named to the Tulane/DoubleTree Classic All-Tournament Team, as were Hampton's Jericka Jenkins and Ariel Phelps, Central Michigan's Jessica Green and College of Charleston's Latisha Harris.

Tulane shot 41.8 percent from the field against the Lady Pirates, including a 15-for-29 performance (.517) in the second half which saw the Green Wave turn a two-point halftime lead into a 13-point victory. Defensively, the Green Wave held Hampton to a .298 clip (17-of-57).

"We knew they were going to be tough," Grayson said of Hampton. "We watched them the night before and we saw how they played. They're a real scrappy team. We just prepared for that at shoot-around and we knew we were going to have to take care of the ball. It was just something that we prepared for before the game."

FINAL STATS

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LADY PIRATES FALL TO TULANE IN DOUBLETREE TITLE GAME



ARIEL PHELPS
6'-2'  JUNIOR FORWARD
HOMETOWN: VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
TULANE/DOUBLETREE ALL-
TOURNAMENT TEAM

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team fell Thursday night in the championship game of the DoubleTree Classic, as host Tulane won the game and the title 66-53 at Fogelman Arena.

The Lady Pirates (9-3) have lost two of their last three games, but have still won 33 of their last 39 games dating back to last season.

Senior guard Jericka Jenkins (Lancaster, Texas) led the way with 28 points despite 7-for-22 shooting. She hit three of her nine 3-pointers and all 11 free throws, while also dishing out seven assists. Junior forward Ariel Phelps (Virginia Beach, Va.) poured in eight points to go along with a team-high 10 rebounds.

Both Jenkins and Phelps were named to the All-Tournament Team.

The game was a defensive struggle from the opening tip, as neither team scored until Jenkins drained a pair of free throws with 13:57 left in the first half. The first field goal of the game came at the 12:58 mark, when Tiffany Dale hit a layup to tie the game at 2-2.

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Coppin State snap Boston University three-game win streak, 59-44

Shawntae Payne

5'-7" Point Guard, Junior
Hometown: Charlottesville , VA
Coppin State University

BRONX, New York - Boston University saw its three-game winning streak come to an end, as Coppin State defeated the Terriers, 59-44, in day one of the Fordham Holiday Classic in Bronx, N.Y. BU moves to 6-5 on the season.

BU did not have a player score in double-digits for the first time this season as juniors Mo Moran and Kristen Sims led the team with nine points apiece. Moran also tied for the team high in rebounds with seven boards.  Senior Caroline Stewart hauled in seven rebounds and added six points while junior Chantell Alford added eight points and two rebounds.

BU took an early 6-5 lead with three-pointers from Young and Alford. After a jumper from Moran, Coppin State tied the game at 8-8 then took a two-point lead with a layup from Ashle Craig. Whitney Turner knotted the score at 10-10 with a layup on BU's next possession to spark an 11-2 BU run.



Crystal Whittington
6'-0" Power Foward, Junior
Hometown: Oakland, CA
Coppin State University

 Dawnnae Roberts put the Eagles back on the board with a three-pointer at 8:24 to ignite a 7-0 spurt from Coppin State. The teams then traded baskets, and the lead, as a jumper from Shawntae Payne put the Eagles up, 26-23, and forced BU into a timeout with 4:44 to play. Sims tied the game with a shot from beyond the arc but Payne responded on the other end   with a three, as the Eagles maintained the advantage. Stewart scored the last four points of the half for the Terriers, as the Eagles took a 31-30 lead into the break.

GAME STATS

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CSU Eagles Halt Losing Streak Behind Solid Defensive Effort

BRONX, N.Y. -- Junior Shawntae Payne scored a season-high 17 points and Coppin State rode a strong second-half defensive effort to defeat Boston 59-44 on Thursday in the Eagles opening round game of the Fordham Holiday Classic.

The Eagles, who halted a six-game losing streak with the victory, advance to the championship game against Fordham at 3 p.m. on Friday (Dec. 30).

Coppin State (3-9) held a slim 31-30 lead at halftime, but held Boston to just 7.4 percent shooting in the second half and outscored the Terriers 28-14.

Payne finished the game 7-of-14 from the floor and was 2-of-2 from the free throw line to pace the Eagles. She also added three assists and three rebounds. Senior Crystal Whittington grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds and Dawnnae Roberts added nine points.

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Tennessee State Lady Tigers down Austin Peay in OVC opener

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Tennessee State University women's basketball team opened up Ohio Valley Conference play with a 95-81 win over Austin Peay Thursday night in the Gentry Center.

Four Lady Tigers scored in double-figures to help Tennessee State (5-8, 1-0 OVC) snap a three-game skid while Austin Peay (3-11, 0-1 OVC) dropped its third straight. Tayla Foster led TSU with 22 points while Jasmin Shuler registered 21. Destiney Gaston recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds as Rachel Allen came off the bench to score 15 points and grab seven rebounds.

Whitney Hanley paced Austin Peay with 22 points while Jasmine Rayner (21), Meghan Bussabarger (13), and Kristen Stainback (11) also scored in double-digits.

Early in the first half, TSU called a timeout after three quick buckets from APSU led to the Lady Tigers falling behind, 6-0. A lay-up by Jasmin Shuler finally got TSU on the board but the Lady Tigers still trailed 9-2 following an APSU three-pointer.

TSU began to rally when Rachel Allen drove to the lane and connected in the paint with 15:12 on the clock. The bucket sparked a 10-2 run that put the Lady Tigers on top, 12-11.  Over the next several possessions, the teams traded buckets. The Lady Govs managed to build a, 22-17, lead but Jasmin Shuler nailed a triple to pull the Lady Tigers back to within two.

TSU was trailing, 26-23, when a three-pointer by Kesi Hess fueled a 15-0 run that gave the Lady Tigers a, 38-26, lead and forced an APSU timeout. The Lady Govs cut the deficit down to six before the Lady Tigers went into the break leading, 42-34.


Head Coach Tracee Wells and Junior Jasmin Shuler during post game following TSU's 95-81 win over Austin Peay. Shuler posted 20-plus points for the second time and double-figures for the 11th time this season.

Alana Morris christened the second half with a jumper before a small spurt by the visitors cut the TSU lead down to six. The Lady Tigers went back on top, 52-41, following a long ball from Jasmin Shuler and a jumper by Tayla Foster.

TSU increased its advantage to 56-43 on an old fashioned three-point play by Rachel Allen before APSU outscored the home team, 7-1, to pull within, seven.

A free-throw by Kesi Hess put the Lady Tigers back on top by double-digits, 62-52, before TSU grabbed a 70-54 lead with a little less than nine minutes left in the game.

Austin Peay cut the deficit down to 72-61 at the 7:21 mark before pulling to within 10 (82-72) with 3:32 remaining.

The Lady Govs pulled within single digits once again but the Lady Tigers knocked down 11 free-throws in the last 1:18 of the game to seal the win.

TSU finished the contest with a season-best 72.9 percent (35-of-48) from the free-throw line.

The Lady Tigers return to action on Saturday, Dec. 31 when they face Eastern Kentucky on the road. Game time is slated for 4 p.m. (EST) in McBrayer Arena.

GAME STATS

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information
VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS

TSU Extends Win Streak to Five with OVC Opener Win

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State used another balanced attack to extend its' win streak to five games and capture an 83-67 victory over UT Martin on Thursday evening at the Gentry Center.

The Tigers (8-6, 1-0 Ohio Valley) earned its' first conference opener victory since Dec. 7, 2006 after shooting a season-high 56 percent (32-of-57) from the field. Nine student-athletes scored five or more points.

TSU dished out 15 assists and out-manned the Skyhawks (3-12, 0-2 OVC) on the boards, 35-to-28.

Robert Covington led the Tigers with 17 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes of action. The junior forward scored his 1,000th point at 11:36 and finished the night with 1,009 career points. Covington is the first Tiger to reach the 1,000 points club since Gerald Robinson, Jr. in 2009. From the field, Covington was 7-of-10 and pulled in three defensive boards.

Coming off the bench, Patrick Miller tallied 13 points in 24 minutes. He grabbed three boards and dished out three assists and recorded two steals for the Tigers.

Bob Cousy award candidate Wil Peters was 4-of-6 from the field for 11 points. The Nashville product tied a season-high with seven assists in a game-high 33 minutes.

Junior Tashan Fredrick notched season highs in points (nine) and rebounds (five) in the victory.

For the third consecutive game, Jordan Cyphers added double-digits with 10 points, including two triples in 21 minutes.

Kellen Thornton had seven points and three boards. In his first game since Nov. 25, Kenny Moore racked up six points and three rebounds. M.J. Rhett had a solid performance pulling in eight rebounds and scoring five points. Sophomore Michael Green finished the contest with five points in eight minutes.

Tennessee State closed out the first half on a 15-to-4 run, taking a 41-35 lead at the mid-way point.

From the field, TSU shot 45 percent (14-of-31), holding UTM to 41 percent (14-of-34). The Tigers out-rebounded UTM, 22-19. At the break, Miller had 10 points for TSU as UT Martin's Troy King had nine.

The game started out back and forth, but UTM opened on a 10-4 run to take a 21-14 lead at the 11:30 mark in the first half.

King's basket stretched the Skyhawks lead to eight. TSU's Miller drove through the lane to cut the Tigers' deficit to 31-26. Kenny Moore followed up with a basket inside the paint, narrowing UT Martin's margin to three.

Peters managed two freebies to tie the contest, 31-31, at 4:17. The two teams went back-and-forth as Fredrick used a put-back to give TSU the 37-34 lead.

Cyphers hit a fade-away jumper in the final minute to give the Tigers the 41-35 advantage into locker room.

TSU opened up to a solid nine point advantage in the second half. UT Martin cut the advantage to 55-50 midway through the period.

Covington hit a jumper at 11:36 to score his 1,000th career point and give TSU the 57-50 lead. Mike Liabo drained a triple and added a layup to help UTM cut the lead within three with 7:40 left in the game.

Covington added a triple to stretch TSU's advantage to 67-61, giving him his 13th consecutive game of double-figures.

The Tigers started to pull away in the latter minutes of the game, closing the game with an 83-67 victory.

TSU returns to OVC action at Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Dec. 21. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.

BOX SCORE(.pdf)

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information
VISIT: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: TSUTIGERS

Joseph's layup at buzzer gives Xavier an overtime victory

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida -- Wanto Joseph converted his frontcourt steal into a layup at the buzzer Thursday, giving Xavier University of Louisiana a 71-69 overtime men's basketball victory against Florida Memorial in the Miami Gardens Classic.

The Gold Rush (8-4), ranked 21st in NAIA Division I, snapped a two-game losing streak and finished 1-1 in the event. The Lions (4-9) of NAIA Division II dropped their seventh in a row and lost in overtime for the second straight day.

Joseph stole the ball from Denzel Wright with seven seconds remaining, then weaved through traffic to reach the basket and avoid a second overtime.

"I looked up at the clock and there were two seconds remaining," Joseph said. "I was at the volleyball (baseline), so I knew I was close enough. I took one dribble and two hard steps and made it to the rim in time."

Anthony Simmons led Xavier with 15 points and reached double figures for the first time in more than a month. Cordell Hadnot had 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. Jamaan Kenner had a season-high 11 points, and Denzell Erves scored 10. Joseph had nine points and led Xavier in the extra period with four.

"The game probably shouldn't have gone to overtime," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "But any win on the road in overtime is great. Hopefully those five extra minutes gave us a little more experience and will help us get a little better."

Xavier trailed once in the final 14 minutes -- when George Gray's 3-pointer gave Florida Memorial a 48-47 advantage with 7:34 remaining in regulation -- and appeared to regain momentum when Simmons and Nick Haywood combined for all the points in an 8-0 response which took less than a minute. But FMU gained five XU turnovers thereafter and sent the game into overtime when Gray's basket beat the buzzer in regulation.

Gray scored a season-high 27 points. Matthew Rolle had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and La Dante Berry-White scored a career-best 13.

It was the second time in three games the XU men played overtime. They lost 95-91 in three OTs at city rival Loyola on Dec. 17. It was the first time in Jackson's nine seasons that the Gold Rush won on the road in overtime against a non-conference opponent.

Hadnot's double-double was the fifth of his career and his second in three games. His 15 rebounds were Xavier's most since Kelechi Okoroha grabbed the same amount at William Carey on Feb. 19, 2009. It was Hadnot's career-best sixth consecutive game to score in double figures.

"Cordell has been working really hard and came up big with rebounding today," Jackson said of the senior forward. "His presence down low and his will to score helped us a lot. It was also good to see Anthony Simmons be productive on both ends of the court."

Xavier outshot the Lions 43.1 to 41.7 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 41-28.

Xavier's next game will start at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the University of New Orleans in the first meeting between the schools since 1976.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: GCACSPORTS

Prairie View Lady Panthers upend Texas Wesleyan 69-57

HOUSTON, Texas - The Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers (3-8) snapped their two-game losing streak with a convincing 69-57 win over Texas Wesleyan (7-3) Wednesday night at the M.O. Campbell Center.

Prairie View A&M guards Kiara Etienne and JaQuandria Williams, who were teammates at Copiah-Lincoln Community College just a season ago, both scored 15 points to tie for the game high and lead the Lady Panthers to their third win of the season.

Williams, in her debut game for Prairie View A&M, was highly efficient from the field. She went 6-for-11 from the floor and was 1-for-1 from downtown. Etienne, who was averaging over 20 points over her last four games, was 7-for-13 from the field and added four rebounds and two assists.

The Lady Panthers ended the first half with a five-point, 39-34 advantage.

BOX SCORE

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Hawai`i Holds Off Alcorn State, 66-63

HONOLULU, Hawaii — The University of Hawai`i women's basketball team (5-8) held off a scrappy Alcorn State team to open the Pepsi Rainbow Wahine Invitational with 66-63 win. Senior forward Breanna Arbuckle led a trio of UH players who scored in double-figures while sophomore forward Kamilah Jackson had a game-high 10 rebounds on Wednesday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Arbuckle scored a team-high 17 points—10 of which came in the second half. She sank three crucial free-throws and had one of her three blocks in the final three minutes of the game to help lift the 'Bows over the Braves. Arbuckle went to the free-throw line eight times and drilled a career-high 13-out-of-15 foul shots. She also contributed six rebounds and tied her career-high with five assists.

Joining Arbuckle in the double-digit points club tonight were Vicky Tagalicod and Kanisha Bello. Tagalicod--who is in just her second week of action--was just one rebound short of recording her first double-double as she tallied season-highs of 14 points and nine rebounds. She went 6-of-13 from the floor and 2-of-4 from the charity stripe. Bello posted 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting with one 3-pointer while going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. She chipped in a career-high six rebounds. Freshman point guard Alissa Campanero tied her career-high with six assists, but also had six turnovers in 38 minutes of action. Jackson had her five-game double-double streak come to a close as she was just one point shy of getting her sixth in a row. She scored nine points to go with her 10 rebounds with an assist and a steal.

Box Score

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Hampton Lady Pirates Run Past Central Michigan Chippewas, 77-51

Choicetta McMillian 5-5 Guard, Senior Fairfield, Texas

Jericka Jenkins

5-4 Guard, Senior

 Lancaster, Texas 

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - Jessica Green tied her career high with 17 points as the five-game win streak of Central Michigan ended in the 77-51 loss to Hampton, during the first round of the Tulane Double Tree Holiday Tournament.


The Chippewas (7-6) never led in the game as the Lady Pirates (9-2) began the game on a 10-2 lead. CMU battled back and tied the game at 12 with 13:46 left in the first half. Hampton stiffened up its defense and used a 10-2 run to retake the lead at 22-14 at the 10:55 point. The Maroon and Gold were held without a bucket for over five minutes, as Hampton reeled off a 16-3 run, until Green hit a waning-second layup to put CMU down 45-29 at the half.  

Keiara Avant
5-11 Forward, Junior

Chesapeake, VA



Olivia Allen
5-6 Guard, Junior
Kildeer, Illinois

 This is the first game since Purdue that the Chippewas trailed at half-time, and the most they have trailed at the break this year.

 

The Lady Pirates opened their lead, 58-31, in the second half behind a 13-2 run four minutes in. That would be it for the Chippewas as the Lady Pirates built upon their lead to claim their ninth win of the year.



For the first time all season Crystal Bradford was held under double digits only scoring six poi nts, but grabbing 11 rebounds. Skylar Miller added eight points going three-for-four from the floor.

The Chippewas were out-rebounded 44-38 and 21-11 offensively. They tied their season high 28 turnovers, which resulted into 31 Lady Pirate points. The CMU bench chipped in scoring 37 out of the total 51 points.

The Maroon and Gold will play Thursday at 6 p.m. CT against the College of Charleston, who lost 57-42 to Tulane.  Hampton will play for the tournament's championship against Tulane.

BOX SCORE             Courtesy: Erin Mowrey/CMU Athletics



LADY PIRATES DOMINATE IN WIN OVER CENTRAL MICHIGAN  



Melanie Warner

5-10 Forward, Senior

Tallahassee, Florida



Ariel Phelps
6-2/F-C, Junior
Virginia Beach, VA

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Hampton University women’s basketball team issued a dominating performance on Wednesday night, upending Central Michigan 77-51 at the Fogelman Arena in the opening night of Tulane/DoubleTree Classic. 

The Lady Pirates (9-2) have won two straight and seven of their last eight games. Hampton will take  on tournament host Tulane on Thursday at 9 p.m. EST in the tournament’s championship game.


Senior guard Choicetta McMillian (Fairfield, Texas) led the way with 17 points, hitting three 3-pointers, while senior guard Jericka Jenkins (Lancaster, Texas) added 16 points and a team-high seven assists. Sophomore forward Ariel Phelps (Virginia Beach, Va.) poured in 11 points and pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.

Sherena Abercrumbia
6-3 Center, Senior
Dallas, Texas

Alyssa Bennett

6-2 F/C, Sophomore

Hampton, Virginia

 Junior forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.) added 11 points in the win.



The Lady Pirates took control immediately, jumping out to a 10-2 lead after a fast-break jumper from Jenkins at the 16:18 mark. Central Michigan answered with a 10-2 run to tie the game at 12-12 after a Jessica Green layup at the 13:46 mark, but McMillian gave Hampton the lead back with a 3-pointer at the 12:11 mark. 

GAME NOTES .pdf 



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New Bethune-Cookman athletic center taking shape

 LARRY R. HANDFIELD ATHLETIC TRAINING CENTER
Courtesy William Chapin, FAIA Architect

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- If you've driven past the intersection of International Speedway Boulevard and Lincoln Street recently, the three-story blue building on the corner -- now being covered in bricks -- may have caused you to do a double take. Bethune-Cookman University is convinced that same facility -- the school's new football complex -- will have a similar effect on prospective athletes.

The $4.6 million Larry R. Handfield Athletic Training Center -- which the Wildcats' football coach is calling one of the best in the nation at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level -- is scheduled to be ready for use by mid-May, B-CU athletic director Lynn Thompson said.

"This will elevate us," Thompson said. "Recruits can see the building going up rapidly. It's an exciting time."

Head coach Brian Jenkins, who has turned around the B-CU football program in his first two years, said recruits are "nearly shocked, when they go see (the facility)." "It really puts a major impression not only on the recruits, but their families," he said.

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ABOUT THE FACILITY:

LARRY R. HANDFIELD ATHLETIC TRAINING CENTER
Courtesy William Chapin, FAIA Architect

SLIDESHOW
(To view Slide Show: click Slideshow; Current; and Handfield to view Photo Album @ Wm. Chapin site).

Bethune-Cookman University's new athletic training center will house a diverse menu of sports facilities. Included will be strength and conditioning facilities, sports medicine facilities, a football coaching headquarters, and a dramatic 3-story Hall of Fame. These facilities will be located in two main buildings which are connected by a gallery of sports, celebrating achievements by the best of Bethune-Cookman’s athletes over the 100 year history of the University. The buildings will be across from the University’s main campus, and has been designed to mirror the distinctive look of the Bethune Performing Arts Theatre, in order to broadcast the presence of the University to the other side of Daytona’s most-travelled avenue. Completion is scheduled for May 2012.

The building is named in honor of Dr. Larry R. Handfield, Esq., current chairman of the B-CU Board of Trustees and the first B-CU alumnus to hold this position. He is a Miami-based attorney who is a longtime donor and supporter of B-CU and a past recipient of an honorary doctorate degree. The majority of funds for this facility were raised by B-CU alumni, who participated in a “chapter challenge” fundraising campaign organized by the University’s regional alumni chapters.

Courtesy Bethune Cookman University

Bethune-Cookman ends Lady Wildcats skid in 2 OT; edge North Florida

Demetria Frank
RS Senior Guard
Jackson Senior High School
Miami, Florida

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - Jasmine Elum's jumper with 2.1 seconds remaining in double overtime lifted Bethune-Cookman to a 66-63 victory over North Florida at Moore Gymnasium, snapping the Wildcats' nine-game losing streak.

Elum had 22 points for B-CU (2-9), which played a triple-overtime game last week against Florida Atlantic in the Hatter Classic.

Demetria Frank posted 16 points, a game-high eight rebounds, eight assists and seven steals, the last setting up Elum's game-winner against UNF (4-8). Cleniece Roberts was the only other Wildcat in double figures with 14 to go with seven rebounds.

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HU Women's Basketball Dominate Seton Hall, 63-44

South Orange, New Jersey - Saadia Doyle and Tamoria Holmes completed the game with a combined total of 43 points to guide the Howard Women’s Basketball team to a 19 point victory (63-44) over the Seton Hall Pirates (7-7) on Dec. 28.

To jump into a great match, Howard (7-5) came out on fire with six straight points. Jasmine Crew ended the Bison run with a trey at the 17:33 mark. The Pirates did not let up as they continued to go toe-to-toe with HU. HU continued to gain momentum as it put up an 11-2 run to increase the margin to 29-13 by the 3:17 mark. To end the first 20 minute segment, HU held the advantage with a 31-19 cushion over SHU.

Half-time notes: The Lady Bison went 4-4, from the free throw line, out-rebounded Seton Hall 17-16 and forced the Pirates into 12 turnovers.

Seton Hall opened up the second period with an 8-5 run. Sparked by a Doyle layup, Howard answered with a 14-2 run of its own to give the Bison its widest margin of the game, 50-29 at 11:17. Doyle scored 10 of the Bison’s 14 points during the run. The Pirates would not recover from the deficit. With the victory, HU captured its sixth straight win of the season, and remains undefeated in the month of December.

Holmes tallied a game-high 23 points – including 15 of them in the first half. Doyle notched 20 points and six boards, while Cheyenne Curley-Payne dished out a game best eight assist. Zykia Brown pitched in with nine boards off the bench and six points.

The Pirates were led by Crew who tallied 13 points for the night. Tajay Ashmeade pulled down a game high of 14 off the glass.

Game notes: HU held SHU’s leading scorer, Crew, to 13 points after averaging 19 prior to the game. SHU went 4-18 (22 percent) from behind the arc and 16-51 (31 percent) from the field. Howard dominated the Pirates in fast break points, 18-2. HU also owned the paint by outscoring Seton Hall 24-12. The Bison won the battle of the boards, 39-31.

The Bison look to continue their streak and end December undefeated, as they travel to Teaneck, N. J. to face Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec 30. The match is slated for 7 p.m.

Box Score 

By Jamilah Corbitt, Assistant Director of Sports Information
VISIT: HOWARD UNIVERSITY
VISIT: HOWARD-BISON.COM

STU Bobcats use late burst to defeat XU Gold Rush 70-60

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida -- Kevin Hincapie scored a career-high-tying 25 points Wednesday, and St. Thomas (Fla.) rallied in the final five minutes for a 70-60 men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana in the Miami Gardens Classic.

The Bobcats (8-6), an NAIA Division II member, have won seven straight. The Gold Rush (7-4) have dropped two in a row.

Jamaan Kenner's 3-pointer with 5:12 remaining gave Xavier a 57-54 lead, but Hincapie and David Nesbitt scored six points apiece in the Bobcats' closing 16-3 burst. Hincapie's basket with 4:32 remaining put St. Thomas ahead to stay, 58-57.

Nesbitt scored 13 points and Kodamus Llongby 10 for St. Thomas, which avenged a 69-59 loss at Xavier from Nov. 11.

Cordell Hadnot and Chris Iles scored 11 points apiace for Xavier, and Hadnot grabbed nine rebounds.

Hincapie scored 13 first-half points to give the Bobcats a 31-28 lead at intermission. They led 42-35 after Hincapie's basket with 15:23 remaining, but Iles and Renard Smith made 3-pointers during an 11-0 run which gave the Gold Rush a 46-42 lead with 12:35 to play.

St. Thomas committed a season-low eight turnovers and outshot Xavier 43.1 to 36 percent from the floor. The Gold Rush committed 11 turnovers, also a season low. Xavier outscored St. Thomas 33-7 from the line in their November meeting, but this time the Bobcats had a 19-18 advantage. St. Thomas made 10 free throws in the final five minutes.

It was Xavier's first game since a triple-overtime loss Dec. 17 at city rival Loyola.

Xavier will play Florida Memorial at 5 p.m. EST Thursday in its second and final game of this event. Florida Memorial (4-8) lost 89-88 Wednesday to Palm Beach Atlantic and has dropped six in a row.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: GCACSPORTS

Howard Basketball Coach Takes a Stand Against Bullying

Kevin Nickelberry
Head Coach Men's Basketball
Howard University Bison

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Howard University Men’s Basketball Coach Kevin Nickelberry shared his personal account of the impact of bullying to a gymnasium full of elementary school students at Cleveland Elementary School’s “Bullying Awareness Week” last month.

“Dream big and don’t let bullying stop you from achieving your dreams,” said Nickelberry.

Pamela Parker, the physical education director at Cleveland Elementary, invited Nickelberry to share his experiences with bullying and to provide an interactive dialogue with the students. The goal was to teach ways to prevent bullying. His approach went beyond a spirited lecture.

Coach Nickelberry shared his own story of being bullied throughout his adolescent years in school. He explained how he was teased because he had dreams of playing on a basketball team, but was shorter than average basketball players. He said his peers teased him so badly that he would sometimes avoid attending school.

“Some days, I would fake being sick so I could stay home and not face being bullied,” said Nickelberry. “It was a horrible way to spend my years in school. And that’s why I’m here sharing my story with you all today —hoping to inspire you all not to be a bully; and if you are one, to stop being one.”

Coach Nickelberry, a native of Washington, D.C., was rated among the Top 25 “Up-and-Coming” college basketball coaches by The Sporting News and Hoopscooponline.com in 2008. He graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan University. He began his coaching career as the head women’s basketball coach at Columbia Union College in 1991 and moved to Howard University for four seasons, from 1994-1998.

Coach Nickelberry was named head coach of the Howard University men’s basketball program in May 2010. He has coached basketball at various schools in the country and internationally for more than 22 years. He has also traveled the nation to speak to thousands of students about bullying and bullying prevention as part of his “No Bullying Campaign.”

ABOUT HOWARD

Howard University is a private research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Founded in 1867, students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, two Truman Scholars, a Marshall Scholar, 24 Fulbright Scholars and 11 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information, visit www.howard.edu

Congresswoman Wilson to Introduce Federal Anti-Hazing Bill in January

Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.)

Tuesday December 27, 2011

Washington, DC – Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) announced today that she plans to introduce a federal anti-hazing bill when Congress reconvenes in January. A staunch fighter of bullying and hazing during her career as a school principal and school board member, Rep. Wilson decided that action is needed at the federal level to combat hazing incidents like the tragedy that claimed drum major Robert Champion’s life at Florida A&M University in November.

“Hazing is demeaning, dangerous, and, sadly, deadly,” said Rep. Wilson. “It’s time that we put an end to this horrible and humiliating ritual once and for all, so that no more students suffer the way that Robert and others have.”

Rep. Wilson fought hazing throughout her four-year reign as the South Atlantic Regional Director for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first sorority founded by black students on the campus of Howard University in 1908. Rep. Wilson was nicknamed by a Miami Herald reporter as “THE HAZE BUSTER” because of her very public stance to stamp out hazing on college campuses.

“I am having policy discussions now with presidents of historically-black colleges and universities, band members and presidents of Greek-letter organizations so that we will be able to craft a strong bill for introduction next month,” Rep. Wilson said.

Rep. Frederica Wilson's hazing bill may include penalties for bystanders of rituals

Democratic U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson plans to introduce a federal hazing ban when she returns to Congress in mid-January. Details of the bill aren't yet ironed out, though she is consulting officials from the (United States) Justice Department and universities to figure out how far she can go, she said.

"I've been toying with different scenarios," she told (Miami) Times/Herald. "I want it to be broad enough to affect a lot of people so they will stop." 

She wants her bill to target the people who haze, the person being hazed and those who are present for the ritual and "don't report it or intervene."

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Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is a first-term congresswoman representing the 17th District of Florida, including Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward Counties. She is a former state legislator and school principal and the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school. Wilson earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Fisk University in 1963 and her Master of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Miami in 1972.

3rd Mother of former FAMU student claims daughter was hazed

23 year old Sean Hobson (above) 
is charged with hazing and battery.

AUGUSTA, Georgia - Doretha Smith learned of Robert Champion’s death just hours after it happened. Her 21-year-old daughter woke her at 3 a.m. to relay the news she had received via text message. Both mother and daughter immediately suspected that the Florida A&M University drum major had been hazed.

Smith’s daughter –- who asked not to be named in this story for fear of reprisals -- was repeatedly beaten three years ago as a freshman member of FAMU's famed Marching 100, Smith told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She said the freshman clarinet player was slapped and punched in the stomach and chest, beatings she only admitted to her mother after calling in tears and asking to withdraw from the university.

Smith said she was especially disturbed when her daughter told her that one of those who hit her was a student who had played with her in the Southwest DeKalb High School band: Sean Hobson ...



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Bethune-Cookman: No other students coming forward to support hazing claim

Trudie Kibbe Reed, Ed.D
President
Bethune-Cookman University

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - A former member of the Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats said he could never predict when upper classmen baritone (horn) players would force him and other freshmen to do strenuous exercises behind a school building in August and hit them in the back of the neck after band practice.

"Our heads would be down the majority of the time and you couldn't see and it was dark," said Christopher King, about what he called hazing incidents after 9 p.m. behind the School of Business. "It was numerous times. You never knew (when it would happen.)"

The exercises, King said in a phone interview this week, included squatting with their arms out and heads down while being hit in the back of the neck. The breaking point, the 18-year-old said, was when he and the other five freshmen in his section were one day made to roll in the muddy water.

"We would run into the water and get back up and get slaps in the back of the head. Roll in the water again and slap in the back of the head again.

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Schedule change in Florida; XU Rush to play Bobcats first

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's men's basketball team will play St. Thomas (Fla.) at 7 p.m. EST Wednesday and Florida Memorial at 5 p.m. EST Thursday in the Miami Gardens Classic.

St. Thomas, host of the event, revised the pairings this past week. Xavier originally was scheduled to play Florida Memorial on the first day of this fourth annual event. Both Xavier games will be played in the Fernandez Center at St. Thomas.

This is Xavier's third consecutive appearance in the event. The Gold Rush defeated Florida Memorial 56-46 and lost 79-61 to St. Thomas in 2009, then beat Webber International 69-42 and lost 61-58 to Dakota Wesleyan in 2010. Xavier defeated St. Thomas 69-59 at The Barn on Nov. 11.

Xavier is 7-3 and ranked 21st in NAIA Division I. Junior guard Nick Haywood averages a team-leading 10.4 points, and senior forward Cordell Hadnot averages 10 points and a team-best 7.6 rebounds.

St. Thomas is 7-6 with a six-game winning streak, and Florida Memorial is 4-7 with a five-game losing streak. FMU will play host to Palm Beach Atlantic on Wednesday before facing the Gold Rush.

Fourth Annual Miami Gardens Classic
Miami Gardens, Fla.
NAIA Men's Basketball
Hosts: St. Thomas, Florida Memorial
Participating Schools: Florida Memorial, Palm Beach Atlantic, St. Thomas, Xavier (La)

Tournament Schedule:
Wednesday, December 28

5 p.m. - Palm Beach Atlantic vs. Florida Memorial
7 p.m. - Xavier (La) vs. St. Thomas

Thursday, December 29

5 p.m. - Xavier (La) vs. Florida Memorial
7 p.m. – Palm Beach Atlantic vs. St. Thomas

BOLD GAMES TO BE HELD AT FERNANDEZ FAMILY CENTER ON STU CAMPUS

By Ed Cassiere, SID

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

VISIT: GCACSPORTS