SAU Falcons Survive 66-63 Over West Georgia In 2 OTs

CARROLLTON, Georgia. – Whew!

Saint Augustine's University capped their four-game road trip in thrilling fashion on Tuesday, Dec. 18. 2012. The Falcons held off the University of West Georgia 66-63 in double overtime at The Coliseum on West Georgia's campus in a non-conference men's college basketball game.

“Anytime you get a road win, it's special, especially this far from home.” St. Aug Head Coach Lonnie Blow, Jr. said.

The Falcons last played in double overtime on Feb. 26, 2011. They lost at Shaw University 85-84 in a game so exciting that both teams received an ovation from the fans at Spaulding Gymnasium.

This time, the Falcons (7-3 overall) came out on top in a double overtime contest. The victory completed a successful ten-day road swing through Florida and Georgia. The Falcons were 3-1 on the trip including two straight victories with each win going down to the wire. The average margin of victory was three points.

“It is always good that you can play on the road and win,” Blow said. “It helps you in the long run to get used to the pressures of a road game. I thought we did a good job.”

On Tuesday, the Falcons handled themselves under duress. They connected on 16 of 18 free throw attempts for 89 percent which ultimately decided the outcome. Guard Joel Kindred (Sr./Raleigh, N.C.), who finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, canned two free throws with 12 seconds left for the final margin.
“Free throws were big down the stretch,” Blow said.

The Falcons stepped up defensively on the last play, forcing a tough three-pointer which fell short of the rim for the victory. West Georgia (4-5) rebounded the miss but the buzzer sounded on the putback attempt. Credit guard Jordan Baber (So./Washington, D.C.) of the Falcons for the miss. His outstretched arms were difficult for West Georgia's Quincy Hill (16 points) to shoot over.

“The plan was to guard the three-point line and contest any shot they took,” Blow said. “We did a good job of communicating and making it tough for them on the last possession.”

Guard Percy Woods (Sr./Washington, D.C.), the CIAA player and newcomer of the week, added 12 points and 6-8, 340-pound center Jonathan Crawley (So./Richmond, Va.) scored 10 points. They came off the bench to spark the Falcons to a 32-11 edge in bench points.

Starting forward Chris Johnson (R-Jr./Hampton, Va.) pulled down 14 rebounds which was huge considering both teams shot under 40 percent. He also added three steals and six points on 3-for-5 shooting.

“Chris set the tone on the boards,” Blow said. “He was a major force. Joel had a double-double, and both Woods and Crawley were solid. This was the most minutes [Crawley] has played this season and he did a nice job.”

It appeared the Falcons would win in a cakewalk early on. They jumped out to a 10-2 lead which grew to 14 points in the first half. The Wolves eventually chipped away at their deficit despite shooting 28 percent (19-69) from the floor and 56 percent (18-for-32) from the free-throw line. They were also 7-for-32 in three-point attempts for 22 percent.

Kindred of the Falcons made two free throws with over two minutes left in regulation to send the game into overtime. The Falcons had a chance to win in regulation, but Woods' jumper near the top of the key hit the back iron.

Hill of West Georgia hit two free throws with three seconds left in the first overtime to tie the game at 56. Nick Chamblee (Sr./Hampton, Va.), who had a game-high six assists, shot a three-pointer which was off target, forcing a second overtime.

West Georgia began the second extra session with a three-pointer, but the Falcons took the lead for good at 63-62 on Chamblee's three-pointer at the 1:30 mark. The Falcons held on for the win behind Kindred's free throws and tight defense on West Georgia's final possession.

“This was a good win for us,” Blow said. “To win on the road is always hard. I don't care who you play.”

The Falcons are finished with their non-conference schedule, but will play in opposing gymnasiums three more times before returning to the friendly confines of Emery Gymnasium on campus. After a 14-day holiday break, the Falcons open the CIAA portion of their slate at Virginia State University on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. It will be the fourth of seven consecutive road games.

Based on their performances the last several days, the Falcons are prepared for CIAA battle.

“Hopefully, they take what they learned in non-conference games into conference play,” Blow said.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Odums goes from interim to head coach at Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -  When he arrived at Southern in the spring of 2011 to coach Stump Mitchell’s defensive line, Dawson Odums couldn’t have imagined becoming the face of the program less than two years later.

Yet there he was Tuesday morning, being introduced as Mitchell’s permanent replacement before a room of media and fans on the Southern University campus.

“I believe that God had a purpose for me,” Odums said. “He’s fulfilling it right now.”

Odums served as Southern’s interim head coach this past fall after Mitchell was fired two games into a 4-7 season. He had to wait out a three-week coaching search before learning he’d have the job full time.

After narrowing the search to Odums, Nevada assistant James Spady and Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins, Southern Athletic Director William Broussard recommended Odums to the SU System Board of Supervisors late last week.

Bethune announced Thursday it had agreed with Jenkins on a contract extension.

“Throughout the process, which was a national search and was transparent and robust in nature, we assembled a selection committee that looked for a number of different factors,” Broussard said. “At every level of the application process all the way down to the final interview, (Odums) showed quite clearly that he had all the necessary attributes to be successful.”

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MVSU’s been on a devilish road trip

Mississippi Valley State visits Carver Arena for its 7th straight road game

PEORIA, Illinois — Eighteen days after the nation’s No. 3-ranked men’s basketball team, Michigan, arrived at Carver Arena to play Bradley, the nation’s No. 1-ranked team — in RPI schedule strength at least — is coming to town.

Mississippi Valley State has played a murderers’ row in its first six games — at Mississippi, at Cincinnati, at Northwestern, at LSU, at Virginia and at Virginia Tech.

The Delta Devils, who return just one rostered player, sophomore forward Blake Ralling, from last year’s NCAA tournament qualifier as SWAC champion, have lost all their games this season convincingly. The closest was an 81-68 defeat at Northwestern.

Next for them is a Wednesday date with Bradley (7:05 p.m., Carver Arena), part of the four-game Las Vegas Classic that will resume this weekend in Nevada.

“If we played that schedule, I don’t know how many of the six we would have won,” said BU coach Geno Ford. “This is a team coming in here with nine days off that’s played nothing but high-end competition. So they’re not going to come in here scared or intimidated. They won’t be in awe of our team.

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Southern women score first win

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  It took 10 games into the season, but the Southern women’s basketball team finally chalked up its first win of the 2012-13 campaign, and in about as dramatic a fashion as possible.

Southern held the lead from the start, scoring on its first possession of the contest and maintained that lead until there were just 39 seconds left in the game. That’s when Southeastern Louisiana’s Brandi Simmons dropped in layup for the Lions’ first advantage of the contest.

But unlike previous games, Southern responded by driving down the court, using its last timeout to draw up a play and executing with a baseline floater from junior guard Kendra Coleman that gave Southern a one-point lead and eventual three-point win against SLU 59-56 on Monday night at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

“I think one of the things we did that was positive was we closed the game out,” Southern coach Sandy Pugh said. “Usually when we struggle, we fold. Against Marshall we led, against Southern Illinois we led, but when they press, we folded. I think this time around, the seniors stepped up. That’s what has to happen.”

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Percy Woods of Washington, D.C., Wins Two CIAA Basketball Awards

PERCY WOODS

RALEIGH, N.C.  --  Guard Percy Woods (Sr./Washington, D.C.) of Saint Augustine's University was so hot offensively last week that he won two CIAA basketball awards on Monday, Dec. 17, 2012. He was named the league's player of the week and newcomer of the week.

Woods averaged 20.3 points in leading the Falcons to a 2-1 mark last week. He led the team in scoring while shooting 64 percent from the floor (21-for-33), 80 percent behind the three-point line (8-for-10) and 73 percent from the free throw line (11-for-15).

A 5-10 transfer from the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Woods was at his best late in games. He scored a career-high 30 points against Carver College on Dec. 11 including the last 10 points for the Falcons in an 86-84 win. Woods scored seven points during a decisive 10-6 run in a 73-69 victory over Palm Beach Atlantic University on Dec. 15. His 19 points led both teams in a 75-61 loss to Lynn University on Dec. 14.

Woods is second on the team with a 14.9 scoring average. He leads the CIAA in three-point field goal percentage (60.7).


COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard scores 32 as Jackson State Holds Off Seattle for First Win

SEATTLE, Washington  --  Kelsey Howard scored 32 points and Dundrecous Nelson added 23 points to help Jackson State to its first win of the season, a 91-82 victory on the road at KeyArena against Seattle Monday.

Howard hit 12 of 19 field goals and six of 10 three-pointers for the Tigers (1-8). Nelson made 9 of 14 free throws.

As a team, JSU made 44.8 percent of its field goals, hitting 30 of 67 tries, enough to overcome a lackluster effort from the free-throw line (22-of-37). The Tigers also had 17 steals but were outrebounded 53-37.

The hot shooting helped Jackson State overcome a 37-35 halftime deficit to the Redhawks (3-5).

Raymond Gregory's layup tied the game 41-all two minutes into the second half. The Tigers took the lead for good, 46-44, when Sydney Coleman banked it in off the glass.

Seattle, led by Sterling Carter's 20 points and 11 points each from Chad Rasmussen and Luiz Bidart, cut their deficit to one point several times, the last being 67-66 with 7:46 to play on a three-pointer from Carter.

 

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Jackson State beats Redhawks for first win, 91-82

SEATTLE, Washington  --  There were plenty of head-shaking stats from Seattle University's men's basketball loss to previous winless Jackson State on Monday.
 

One jumped off the page: 28 Seattle turnovers.

The giveaways were a season worst for the Redhawks, who were trying to rebound from a disappointing loss to Washington last week. Instead, they trailed the final 17 minutes of a 91-82 defeat before a season-low crowd of 1,907 at KeyArena.

In a woeful second half, Seattle made only 5 of 12 free throws, including five straight misses.

"The wheels fell off, and we never able to get it back going," said Redhawks coach Cameron Dollar, whose team has lost four of its last five.

"We had a couple times where we looked like we were going to be able to get back in it and get something going, but then they hit a big three or got a big free throw. We just couldn't plug enough holes to get it done."


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FAMU considers MEAC-SWAC Challenge game

Derek Horne
Florida A&M Athletic Director

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  It’s no secret that football is the breadwinner in collegiate athletics and FAMU will be looking to cash in during the next two seasons when the Rattlers could play up to 12 games.

FAMU athletic director Derek Horne said he’s attempting to put together a slate of games that will maximize the opportunity to generate extra revenue – at least for the upcoming season. That might even mean revisiting the school’s decision not to participate in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge, Horne said.

“We are open to those discussions as it relates to participating in that game,” Horne said. “In the past there have been some discussions about FAMU not participating in it but I think it’s something that can help us benefit the conference. Also, from a financial (standpoint) it will benefit us as well. That’s something that will remain an option for future games.”

The Challenge is a classic-like matchup that annually opens the season for both conferences. The made-for-television game is staged as part of a deal between the conferences and ESPN and is played during the first weekend of September.

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Ram Ramblings: With football over it's time to talk a little basketball

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  I had a chance to catch up with Coach Bobby Collins this morning as he and his WSSU basketball team were riding the steel horse to Richmond, Va. for their game on Tuesday night. The steal horse, better known as a bus, was taking the Rams to Virginia Union.

Collins says he and Lugman Jabber, the coach at Virginia Union, decided to move the conference game to before the Christmas break.

“This way we wouldn’t have so many games early in January,” Collins said. “We thought it would be beneficial to us and Virginia Union was OK with that.”

The Rams are 7-2 and hardly anybody has noticed because of all the hoopla surrounding the football’s team remarkable season. The football team’s season finally ended on Saturday afternoon in a 35-7 loss to Valdosta State in the D-II championship game.

Later that Saturday night at the Gaines Center in front of just 278 of the Rams closest friends and family had a very big win over Anderson (S.C.) What made it more impressive was Anderson had just beaten College of Charleston.



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Morgan Football & Coach Hill-Eley Latest Possible Victims of HBCU Resource Disparity

COACH DONALD HILL-ELEY

BALTIMORE, Maryland  --  Coaching a college athletic team is an extremely challenging job for anybody.  On average, a college football coach holds his job only four years before being fired, according to a USA Today report. The average tenure for a college basketball coach is even shorter at only three years, according to the New York Times.

But the smaller college football coaches who don’t make millions per year or lack the expansive budgets to fund and support a team perhaps face an even greater challenge than top talent such as Alabama football coach Nick Saban, who is reportedly earning $5 million a year.

The Baltimore Sun recently broke news that Morgan State University officials accidentally forwarded an e-mail to their head football coach, Don Hill-Eley, detailing their plans to dismiss him from his position by January, following a 3-8 season. It was the third straight losing season for Morgan State under Hill-Eley, results that university President David Wilson deemed unacceptable.

Hill-Eley told the Sun he knew expectations were high when he was hired by MSU President-Emeritus Earl Richardson two years ago. But, with the school’s spending plans for the football program unchanged, the coach said higher expectations for success became unrealistic.

“He said the expectations had changed," Hill-Eley told the Sun. "But the input didn't change, so how do you expect things to change on Saturday? It's about resources, bottom line.”

“They think that just because they have a stadium ...

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Maynor: No reason for Rams to hold heads down

FLORENCE, Ala.  --  It all happened so fast.
After a long and mostly glorious season, Winston-Salem State couldn’t deliver on the biggest stage. Aggressive, talented and mistake-free Valdosta State had an answer for every challenge in the NCAA Division II football championship game.
The result was a 35-7 WSSU loss — the worst loss in Coach Connell Maynor’s three seasons. The Rams had a season-high six turnovers, also the most in Maynor’s 39-game tenure.

Despite the disappointment of falling short of a goal, Maynor put things in perspective for his players.

“You won the CIAA back-to-back years, and you win your region back-to-back years, and you were the second HBCU to play for the national championship, so you have no reason to hold your head down,” he said he told them.

“(We) fought for 60 minutes, and we didn’t come out on top. That’s OK. We’ll keep fighting, and we’ll learn from it, and we’ll get better.

“They were the better team….”

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WSSU players still champions to local fans

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  During the third quarter with about seven minutes to go, all the people inside Carolina’s Vineyard & Hops were on their feet yelling and cheering as the Winston-Salem State University Rams made it down to first-and-goal.

It was a chance for the team to get within seven points of the Valdosta State University Blazers, and a chance for the fans to gear up in anticipation of a hoped-for win.
A turnover by the Rams snuffed out that chance, but the fans who stayed on to the end of a 35-7 loss said that the team is still a championship one to them.

“I am disappointed, but I am so grateful they have come as far as they have,” said Victoria Cade, who graduated from WSSU in 1983. “They are still back-to-back CIAA winners with a 14-and-0 record.”

The bar was decorated with red and white balloons – the WSSU school colors – and pom-poms were on each table. The fans clapped and cheered as the game got under way, and not even a 14-point deficit early on could shake the enthusiasm.

“I am amazed that our team is strong enough to be in the playoffs,” said Sharon Correll of the class of ’82. “I wanted to be there, but I couldn’t.”

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WSSU Rams fall: ‘Sometimes the bear wins’

FLORENCE, ALA - Nearly 4,500 fans who cheered for Winston-Salem State University for more than three hours Saturday left Braly Municipal Stadium dejected after Rams’ 35-7 loss to Valdosta State, who won the NCAA Division II National Championship in football.

Facebook Question of the Day: What is your favorite memory from the Rams' 14-1 season and their run to the national title game?  

Chancellor Donald Reaves said he wished the Rams had won the game that would have made WSSU the first historically black college or university to win a Division II national championship on the gridiron.

“This experience means an awful lot to our fans,” Reaves said as he stood with other WSSU fans on the field after the game.

“It was a tough game. When you get into a fight with a bear, sometimes the bear wins,” Reaves said. “These young men (WSSU players) brought this team a long, long way. They don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”

The Rams’ fans clapped and cheered when the ESPN reporter Paul Carcaterra congratulated WSSU for being the national champion runners-up. Most of the players then walked to the locker room. Some lingered on the field near their end zone to greet relatives and fans who attended the game.

WSSU’s contingent was among the 7,527 spectators ...

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Parrish McGrath Named TSU Interim Golf Coach

Nashville, Tenn. - Tennessee State University's Athletic Director Teresa Phillips announced Parrish McGrath will become the interim coach for both the men's and women's golf teams. McGrath had previously served as an assistant for the men and women's golf program since September of last year.

The announcement comes after the resignation of Chris Seibel who had coached the Tigers since January of 2011.

"It is sad to see a bright young coach like Chris leave who was a former student-athlete and who had begun the process of establishing solid golf programs," Phillips said. "But we are very excited that we do have an assistant coach in Parrish that can pick up where Chris left off. We are very optimistic that Parrish will maintain and grow both programs."

Seibel returned to his alma mater last year after competing for four seasons with the TSU men's golf team. As a senior, he was named the TSU Male Athlete of the Year and was selected to the 2010 All-OVC team

During Seibel's tenure, the Tennessee State's golf teams had three top-five finishes. In addition, the men's team placed first at the National Black College Invitational in Atlanta, Ga.

Under Seibel and McGrath's tutelage, golfer James Stepp was selected to the Ohio Valley Conference's All-Newcomer team last season as a freshman.

Prior to being appointed at TSU, McGrath worked at the Summerfield Golf Club in Riverview, Fla., for five years. During his stint at Summerfield he served as an assistant professional before stepping into the position of the head pro.

McGrath also worked at the Harpeth Hills Golf Club in Nashville, Tenn. (1992-96). He became a professional in 1993 and qualified for the FedEx St. Jude Classic PGA Tour Event in 1994.

"I would like to thank Teresa Phillips and senior woman administrator Valencia Jordan for allowing me the opportunity to continue my work with the men's and women's golf team as interim head golf coach," McGrath said.

"We have shown signs of improvement for both teams this fall which I see continuing this spring and for many years to come. We participate in the OVC- a very competitive conference- and we look to stake a claim as a contender each year. We aim to set the example of how TSU student-athletes perform on the course, in the classroom and in our community."

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Odums approved as new Southern football coach

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Dawson Odums is no longer keeping the seat warm for Southern University’s next football coach.  He is the next football coach.

On Friday afternoon, the SU System Board of Supervisors approved Athletic Director William Broussard’s recommendation to remove the interim tag from Odums’ title, making him the long-term leader of a football program that will try again after many failed attempts to return to the top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The board voted unanimously to approve the recommendation after hearing from Broussard, who reassigned Stump Mitchell on Sept. 14 and promised not to begin searching for a new coach until Southern’s season ended.

The search netted three finalists: Odums, Nevada assistant James Spady and Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins.

Spady, who was offensive coordinator at Grambling for three seasons, interviewed in person Monday. Odums had his final interview Tuesday. Jenkins pulled his name from consideration and got a contract extension at Bethune-Cookman.

In the end, Broussard settled on Odums, who led the Jaguars to a 4-5 record in their final nine games.

“He presented the most complete package for Southern University right now,” Broussard said.

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Southern men shut down ULM

MONROE, Louisiana — Southern entered Louisiana-Monroe’s Fant-Ewing Coliseum with a losing record. But by the end of Thursday night’s game, the Jaguars looked more like an all-star team.

The Jaguars beat ULM 68-39 for their third straight win with some no-look passes, 3-pointer after 3-pointer and a defense that limited the Warhawks to 25 percent shooting.

“Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships,” Southern coach Roman Banks said. “That’s what I constantly tell this team. I think we have some athletic guys, and I think defensively we use our athleticism more than offensively.”

Southern (4-5) dictated most of the game, but it did allow ULM (1-5) to creep back midway through the first half after the Jaguars built a six-point lead in the first seven minutes.

The Warhawks strung together a 16-5 run, including seven straight points in the course of a minute and a half to take a 19-14 lead with 8:23 left in the half.

Southern center Madut Bol came off the bench, and his 3-pointer after ULM extended its five-point lead ignited a 15-2 run as the Jaguars rode a 32-21 lead into halftime. Ten of Southern’s 15 points during the run came from senior guard Derick Beltran, who led all players with 26.

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Free throws help Gold Rush escape with 56-55 victory

MOBILE, Ala. — Xavier Rogers made two free throws with four seconds remaining Saturday to give NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana a 56-55 men's basketball victory against Voorhees on the second and final day of the Spring Hill Classic.

The Gold Rush (11-2) scored the final four points in the final seven seconds, all from the line, after leading 25-14 at halftime and by 18 early in the second half.

Wanto Joseph scored 18 points, Anthony Simmons had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Denzell Erves and Nick Haywood scored 10 each for Xavier. Brandon Allen scored 12 points and Dominick Steverson 11 for the Tigers (9-7).

Andre Datcher's basket with 2:42 remaining gave Voorhees its first lead of the second half, 54-52, and Steverson made 1-of-2 free throws with 17 seconds remaining for the Tigers' final points. But in the final 11 seconds, Voorhees missed a pair free throws and was whistled for two free-throw violations.

Joseph made amends for his turnover with 11 seconds remaining by making two free throws with seven seconds to play to cut Voorhees' advantage to 55-54. Then Voorhees' Jeffrey Evans missed a free throw with six seconds remaining and was called for a violation on his second attempt.

Evans then fouled Rogers, who converted both attempts to clinch the victory and improve Xavier's road record this season to 5-0. Xavier was the only team to win twice in this event.

It was Xavier's first one-point victory since a 43-42 road decision against SUNO on Feb. 7, 2008.

Joseph's basket with 15:27 remaining gave the Gold Rush a 32-14 lead. But Voorhees — 5-of-26 from the floor during the first 24 minutes — looked like a different team during the next 12½ minutes, making 18-of-21 from the floor and outscoring Xavier 40-20. Steverson scored 10 points and Datcher nine during the rally.

For the game, Voorhees outshot Xavier 48.9 to 30.6 percent from the floor, but the Gold Rush made 24-of-31 free throws and outrebounded the Tigers 40-27.

The double-double was Simmons' sixth of the season, all in the last eight games, and the 12th of his career. He had 10 points and 10 rebounds Friday in a 64-57 victory against Martin Methodist.

Simmons made 11-of-14 free throws against Voorhees to establish career highs in both categories.

Martin Methodist defeated Spring Hill 71-62 in Saturday's final game.

The Gold Rush have one more game before Christmas — 6 p.m. Tuesday at NAIA No. 10 William Carey (10-1) in Hattiesburg, Miss. It will be the third of six consecutive XU road games; the next home game will start at 5 p.m. on Jan. 12 against Tougaloo at XU's new Convocation Center.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Gold Nuggets win by 20 in first road game of the season

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Andraquay Quinnine and SiMon Franklin scored 13 points apiece Friday to lead NAIA No. 9 Xavier University of Louisiana in a wire-to-wire 62-42 women's basketball victory against William Carey.

It was the first road game of the regular season for the Gold Nuggets (8-1), who won their sixth in a row and snapped a two-game losing streak at William Carey (6-5).

Quinnine's points were a season high, and it was the fourth time she scored in double figures. Franklin led Xavier with seven points during a 25-3 run which covered both halves and lasted nearly 10 minutes. Whitney Gaston-Loyd's two free throws with 14:03 remaining capped the run and gave the Nuggets their largest lead, 48-22.

Xavier's Chelsea Broussard scored 10 points, all in the first half, to equal her career best. Her final basket gave the Nuggets a 31-20 halftime lead.

Amber Jackson, with 12 points, was William Carey's only double-figure scorer. Xavier limited the Lady Crusaders' leading season scorer, Vechatita Bonner, to a season-low four points in 23 minutes.

Xavier outshot William Carey 41.7 to 33.3 percent from the floor. The Nuggets reached 40 percent for the first time since their opener. Xavier committed 18 turnovers and gained 33, 22 by steals. Quinnine, Franklin and Paige Gauthier each had four steals, and Carmen Holcombe had three.

Xavier, which entered the game No. 2 in scoring defense in NAIA Division I, allowed less than 50 points for the sixth time this season. William Carey scored its fewest points this season and lost for the first time in five games.

Xavier, a 62-59 and 60-51 loser in its previous two trips to William Carey, improved its series lead to 49-21. The teams will meet again Jan. 31 at Xavier's new Convocation Center.

It was the Nuggets' first game since the conclusion of semester exams earlier in the day, and it was their final game before Christmas. Their next games will be Dec. 28 against Belhaven and Dec. 29 against NAIA No. 24 Faulkner in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Montgomery, Ala. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 2 p.m. against NAIA No. 12 Bethel (Tenn.) on Jan. 2.

 

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

XU's Jackson, Moses receive All-Louisiana honors again

Zahri Jackson

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Zahri Jackson was a repeat selection on the 2012 All-Louisiana women's cross country team announced late Friday, and Joseph Moses was voted Coach of the Year for the fifth time.
    
Xavier had no representatives on the All-Louisiana men's team, which also was announced Friday.
    
Jackson, a sophomore from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference individual championship for the second consecutive year — this time in a school-record 18 minutes, 54.69 seconds for 5,000 meters — and led the Gold Nuggets to their seventh consecutive GCAC team title.
    
Jackson was GCAC Runner of the Week three times and tied the league's women's career record with eight Runner of the Week awards. Her time at the GCAC meet was the second fastest there since 1999. She is the first female in at least 13 seasons to win the GCAC individual championship as a freshman and sophomore.
    
Moses, in his eighth season at Xavier, led the Nuggets to another GCAC title and, for the fourth time in five years, a berth in the NAIA national meet. The XU women were 33-9 entering nationals, including a victory against Seton Hall of the Big East Conference, and posted the GCAC's first perfect score at the women's league meet since 1996.
 
Moses won the Louisiana coaching award for the second consecutive year, the fourth time in five years and the fifth time in seven years. He is the only Louisiana coach to win the women's award more than twice.
    
A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel selected the teams.

Coach Joseph Moses

2012 All-Louisiana Women's Cross Country Team
Emmi Aguillard, senior, Tulane
Paige Callahan, sophomore, Tulane
Laura Carleton, senior, LSU
Tessni Carruthers, sophomore, Nicholls State
Allison Crawford, freshman, McNeese State
Anna Katherine Devitt, freshman, Louisiana-Lafayette
Zahri Jackson, sophomore, Xavier
Fionnuala Ross, senior, McNeese State
Runner of the Year: Laura Carleton, LSU
Newcomer of the Year: Jessica Stone, senior, New Orleans
Freshman of the Year: Anna Katherine Devitt, Louisiana-Lafayette
Coach of the Year: Joseph Moses, Xavier

2012 All-Louisiana Men's Cross Country Team
Alex Bruce-Littlewood, graduate, McNeese State
Alex Kiptoo, sophomore, McNeese State
Hillary Kirwa, junior, Louisiana-Monroe
Jarrett LeBlanc, senior, McNeese State
Mark Manion, sophomore, Tulane
Daniel Mutai, senior, Louisiana-Monroe
David Rooney, senior, McNeese State
Runner of the Year: David Rooney, McNeese State
Newcomer of the Year: Hillary Kirwa, Louisiana-Monroe
Freshman of the Year: Stephen Kerr, McNeese State
Coach of the Year: Brendon Gilroy, McNeese State

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
XULAATHLETICS

Gold Rush double up on Martin Methodist, win 64-57

MOBILE, Ala. -- Wanto Joseph, Anthony Simmons and Denzell Erves produced double-doubles Friday for NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana in a 64-57 men's basketball victory against Martin Methodist in the Spring Hill Classic.

The Gold Rush (10-2), playing for the first time since the conclusion of semester exams earlier in the day, are 4-0 on the road this season.

Joseph, the reigning Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week, and Xavier Rogers led Xavier with 15 points apiece. Joseph had a career-high 10 assists, nine in the first half. Simmons had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Erves had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Nick Haywood made a season-high four 3-pointers and scored 13 points for Xavier, which produced five double-figure scorers for the second time this season.

Marlon Williams scored 18 points, Jeremy Rodgers a season-high 16 and Antonio Coleman 10 for Martin Methodist (6-7), which has lost three in a row.

Coleman's two free throws at 12:38 of the first half concluded a 16-0 run which gave the RedHawks an 18-7 advantage. Martin Methodist took its biggest lead, 20-8, on Davie Champagnie's basket at 10:58. Then Xavier scored 23 of the next 26 points -- including Haywood's 4-point play and Rogers' back-to-back 3-pointers -- and took the lead for good in the 16th minute. The Gold Rush led 33-28 at halftime. The final margin was Xavier's largest of the second half.

Rogers scored in double figures in consecutive games for the first time this season and scored his most points since the opener. Simmons' double-double was his fifth of the season, all in the last seven games, and 11th of his career. Erves' double-double was his seventh of the season and 14th of his career. It was the first time since the start of the 2003-04 season that Xavier had three double-doubles in a game.

Xavier outshot the RedHawks 42 to 39.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 34-30. Both teams committed 15 turnovers, but the Gold Rush had a 24-13 advantage in points off turnovers. Xavier's eight made 3-pointers -- its most since the opener -- in 17 attempts.

On Saturday, Xavier will play Voorhees (8-6) at 3 p.m., and Martin Methodist will play Spring Hill at 5 p.m. to conclude this event. Voorhees defeated Spring Hill 59-56 in Friday's second game.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
XULAATHLETICS

Maynor says Rams have ‘feeling’ they can win title

FLORENCE, Alabama  -- “We believe.”

That’s the simple answer Coach Connell Maynor of Winston-Salem State gave when asked why his team has been so good this season.

That motto has spread throughout campus and appears on T-shirts and other accessories with the WSSU logo. Now, the Rams are one win away from the school’s first Division II championship in football.

WSSU (14-0) will play Valdosta State (11-2) at 1 p.m. today at Braly Stadium in Florence, Ala. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

“Those guys know they have a chance to make history,” Maynor said.

The Rams can become the first historically black college to win the Division II championship and the second to win a national championship in football. Florida A&M won the I-AA title in 1978.

After WSSU advanced to the title game last week with a 41-18 victory against West Texas A&M, Maynor avoided two players trying to pour a cooler-size bucket of water on him. He scolded them and kept moving, because the Rams haven’t yet reached their goal.

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WSSU fans take in Alabama history, gear up for game

FLORENCE, ALA. --  Cheryl Johnson and Rosyln Moffitt, alumnae of Winston-Salem State University, wanted to show their group of nine other WSSU alumni and students some of the history of the civil-rights movement as they drove Friday to Florence, Ala.
The group is among a large contingent of WSSU fans who traveled from North Carolina and the Southeast to attend the NCAA Division II National Championship football between Winston-Salem State and Valdosta State.
Johnson and Moffitt, both 1978 graduates of WSSU, decided to stop in Birmingham, Ala., and visit the 16th Street Baptist Church where four black girls were killed in a racially motivated bombing there in September 1963. Historians say that incident helped galvanize public support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

“We wanted to give the young men a sense of history,” Moffitt said.

The group then returned to the van and completed the 545-mile trek to Florence. For most of them, it was their first trip to Alabama. Johnson, a native of Winston-Salem, and Moffitt, a native of Raleigh, both live in Charlotte.

The group is staying at ...

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Alabama State holds on to beat Troy 74-68, earns season first win

WINSTON-SALEM, Alabama -- Alabama State made it interesting, but did manage to pick up its first win of the season with a 74-68 victory against Troy.

A 3-pointer from Shawntez Patterson with 11:28 left in the game gave the Hornets a 64-44 lead, which was also their largest lead of the game.

From there, Troy started to work its way back into the game by scoring nine consecutive points over the next five minutes to cut the lead to nine at 64-53.

A Stephawn basket and Denzell McDaniel three slowed the Trojans momentum pushing the lead back out to 69-53 with five minutes left, but Troy had one more push in them.

Troy closed the game out scoring ASU 15-5 to cut the deficit down to the final six- point margin.  Helping the comeback was ASU's problems at the free-throw line where at one point it missed six consecutive and only made six of their 19 attempts in the second half.

For the second consecutive game, the Hornets had four players score in double digits as Patterson, Brown and Phillip Crawford scored 12 points each.  Coming off the bench McDaniel added 10.

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Ram Ramblings: Change of mindset a key during Maynor's tenue

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --   I haven’t arrived in Alabama yet but will get there later tonight to cover what has to be the biggest moment in athletics in Winston-Salem State history on Saturday.

Those players and students who were around when Coach Big House Gaines won the 1966-67 Division II basketball championship might beg to differ but Saturday’s Division II national championship game is a big deal. The 14-0 Rams will take on Valdosta State at 1 p.m. and if you can’t be in Alabama it will be live on ESPN2. Also WSJS (600) and WSNC (90.5) are scheduled to air the game on radio.

One of the things I remember about Connell Maynor’s three years here has been how he changed the culture. It used to be that winning a CIAA title was what it was all about, and then if the playoffs came, then that’s OK too.

I first noticed a big difference last season when the Rams won the CIAA title in Durham and beat Elizabeth City State. I was down on the sidelines and all Nic Cooper wanted to talk about was “the Natty.” And other players followed suit and while they were excited to have won a CIAA title that wasn’t the mindset.

Fast forward to this season and the mindset hasn’t changed. The Rams fell short last season losing in the semifinals but a win on Saturday will complete the three-year journey that Maynor and Athletics Director Bill Hayes started in the spring of 2010.

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‘A huge deal,’ Winston-Salem State looks to be first HBCU to win national title

COACH CONNELL MAYNOR
WINSTON-SALEM STATE RAMS

FLORENCE, Ala. — No. 2 Winston-Salem State has already gone deeper into the playoffs than any other team from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Now, the Rams are a win away from making history for black college football, too.

They face two-time national champion Valdosta State on Saturday hoping to become the first HBCU team to win Division II’s football national title.

“That’s a huge deal. For our conference, the HBCUs, to have a chance to play for a national championship and be the first one to win one, is a steppingstone,” Winston-Salem State coach Connell Maynor said. “It’s a great opportunity for us. We’re happy to be here carrying the flag for the CIAA and HBCU. It’d be a great thing if we could pull it off Saturday.”

2012 DII FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Preview: Rams in search of history Stats: Valdosta St. Winston-Salem St.
Scoreboard Interactive Bracket

The only other HBCU team to make the championship game, Central State of Ohio, lost 41-21 to North Dakota State in 1983.

Winston-Salem (14-0) is also trying to become just the fifth team to go 15-0.

Standing in the way is a Valdosta State team seeking its first title since 2007, David Dean’s debut season as head coach.

Winston-Salem is in its third season since aborting a Division I move for financial reasons. The program’s former status is just one more reason for Valdosta State (11-2), which ended the regular season ranked 17th, to keep the underdog mentality that formed with a rough start.

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Division I gambit a distant memory for Winston-Salem Rams

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --   There’s not much talk on the Winston-Salem State campus these days about “that Division I thing.”

As the WSSU football team prepares to play Valdosta State for the NCAA Division II football championship Saturday, the focus, quite naturally, is on that game. But there was a time, not long ago, when alumni and fans were divided after the administration stopped the transition to Division I.

“I remember that day vividly,” senior safety Malcolm Rowe said this week.

“That day” was Sept. 11, 2009 — the day Chancellor Donald Reaves announced that WSSU would remain in Division II and end the costly move to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Division I.

By the time the 2009 football season ended, WSSU was 1-10, and the athletics department was in deep turmoil.

Reaves said this week he’d rather talk about the turnaround that Coach Connell Maynor and Athletics Director Bill Hayes have made in revitalizing the football program. He wasn’t interested in rehashing the decision to stay in Division II.

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