29 turnovers doom Fayetteville State in loss to Winston-Salem State

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  --  Trying too hard to right an offense that's been out of sync for almost two weeks made matters even worse for Fayetteville State on Saturday against one of the nation's top NCAA Division II teams.

The Broncos committed a season-high 29 turnovers, which No. 19-ranked and reigning CIAA champion Winston-Salem State turned into 29 points that paved the way to an 86-65 triumph at Capel Arena.

The 29 turnovers were the most by FSU since the second game of the regular season when it committed 28 in an 84-79 loss to Barton. But Saturday's miscues came in a more crucial situation with the Broncos in the midst of a losing streak in which they had made just 36.7 percent of their field-goal attempts in the previous four games.

Eighteen of the turnovers Saturday came in the opening half and allowed the Rams to produce an early double-digit advantage that FSU never really threatened.

"It's very frustrating,'' FSU sophomore guard Anthony Shelton said. "Our offense is stagnant and we're just not running through our plays. Tonight, we made a lot of mental mistakes and just couldn't get going.''

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Hampton men falter in second half, lose to Norfolk State 74-67

NORFOLK — As presently constructed, Hampton University cannot rely on simply outscoring opponents. The Pirates must defend, rebound and take care of the ball.

On Saturday, they managed just one of three at a critical juncture against their chief rival and paid for the lapse in a 74-67 loss at Norfolk State.

The Spartans (12-10, 7-0 MEAC) sped away during a three-minute span of the second half and weathered poor foul shooting down the stretch to remain atop the conference.

"You constantly hear Coach (Ed) Joyner say it and you constantly hear me say it, it comes down to mental toughness," the Pirates' Du'Vaughn Maxwell said. "We basically gave them that ball game tonight. We came out of halftime with momentum, and we still played hard, but turned the ball over. That stuff just cannot happen."

Hampton (5-13, 2-3 MEAC) committed 11 of its 18 turnovers in the second half, which contributed to Norfolk State shooting 58 percent after halftime.

Deron Powers had what's becoming a typically gritty and effective performance, with a game-high 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting. But backcourt mates Jasper Williams, Ramon Mercado and Aaron Austin were a combined 3-for-20 from the field and 3-for-14 from 3-point range.

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Florida A&M Rattlers on fast track to spring football

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  After a tough series of calisthenics inside Gaither Gym on Wednesday morning, FAMU strength and conditioning coach Russell Barbarino sent the Rattlers’ football players running.

Not into the chilly air outside, where it was still dark. Their course was the steep mountain of steps that leads to a walkway above the top rung of seats, then down another path of steps.

Winter workouts, the initial phase of preparation for the 2013 football season, was under way.

“No walking,” Barbarino bellowed from the middle of the basketball court. “Touch every step.”
As the long line of players on both sides of the gym hit the floor level, Barbarino pleaded with them to step up the pace.

“Sprint, sprint, sprint,” he said as the first group of players went past.

The Rattlers will go through 16 similar workouts during the next seven weeks. The conditioning program is a prelude to spring ball, which is scheduled to begin on March 21.




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Gold Nuggets defeat Dillard for eighth consecutive time

SiMon Franklin

NEW ORLEANS -- SiMon Franklin scored 15 points Saturday to lead NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 64-54 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Dillard at Dent Hall.

The Gold Nuggets (15-4 overall, 5-2 GCAC) defeated their longtime city rival for the eighth consecutive time and the 17th time in the last 18 meetings. Xavier leads the series 58-19.

Franklin reached double figures for the fourth consecutive game, a season best. The senior guard scored nine points to help Xavier extend a 29-28 halftime lead.

No one else from Xavier reached double figures, but 12 Nuggets scored. Reserve guard Schyler Morton scored a career-high eight points, and her 3-pointer from the top of the key put Xavier ahead to stay, 28-27, with 56 seconds remaining in the first half.

Two Franklin free throws with 3:36 remaining gave Xavier a 61-49 lead.

"I never know from game to game who's going to step up and score for us," XU coach Bo Browder said. "But if we bring our defense wherever we go, we'll be alright."

Jazzmin Smith scored 17 points and Brittany Smith 11 for Dillard (5-15, 3-4).

Dillard outshot the Gold Nuggets 38.6 to 36.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 36-28, but Xavier gained 27 turnovers, including 19 steals, and committed 17 turnovers. Xavier had a 34-12 advantage in bench scoring, and the reserve Nuggets made 10-of-20 from the floor.

Xavier had its second most productive game of the season at the line, making 20 free throws in 30 attempts. Franklin made 6-of-8, and Danielle Tucker made 5-of-6.

The teams will meet again Feb. 23 at XU's Convocation Center. Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Mobile, and the Nuggets' next home game will start at 6 p.m. Thursday against William Carey.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Former NSU QB Kermit Buggs Named Assistant Coach at UConn

Coach Kermit Buggs
(Norfolk State 1995)
Quotes

STORRS, Conn. - Kermit Buggs, who served as a member of the Penn State football staff from 2003-2011 and was the defensive coordinator at Lock Haven University in 2012, has been named as assistant coach at the University of Connecticut and will have position responsibility with the running backs and special teams.

Buggs was an assistant coach at Penn State from 2007-11 and worked with the safeties and then the entire secondary late in the 2011 season.

Buggs was instrumental in the development of three-year starting safeties Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay, who earned 2011 first-team All-Big Ten honors. In 2008, Buggs helped Anthony Scirrotto earn first-team All-Big Ten accolades.

Buggs became an assistant coach at Penn State in December 2007 and coached the safeties in a 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl win over Texas A&M.

He was part of two Big Ten championship teams in 2005 and ’08 and Penn State was the Legends Division Co-Champion in 2011. He has been part of seven bowl teams, including the 2006 Orange Bowl and 2009 Rose Bowl.

He served as Coordinator of Player Personnel and Development during the 2006 and '07 seasons and from 2003-05, he was a graduate assistant coach with the Nittany Lions.

Buggs previously was a successful high school coach, leading Surry County (Va.) High School to a 34-14 record from 1999-2002. His 1999 squad was 14-0 and won the Division I state championship and Buggs was named the state's Division I Coach-of-the-Year.

A product of Hampton, Va., Buggs is a 1995 graduate of Norfolk State University, where he played football. He was the University's 1992-93 recipient of the Vince Lombardi Award for Leadership and Academic Achievement.

Buggs has a master's degree in educational administration from Penn State.

COURTESY UCONN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Balanced Attack Leads HU Lady Pirates to Sixth Straight Win

NORFOLK, Virginia  –  The Hampton University women’s basketball team had four players score in double figures on Saturday afternoon en route to a 76-41 upending of rival Norfolk State at Echols Hall.

It was Hampton’s sixth straight win, and the Lady Pirates (15-5, 6-0 MEAC) have won the last 14 meetings with the Spartans.

Senior guard Olivia Allen (Kildeer, Ill.) scored 22 points for the second straight game to lead the Lady Pirates, while senior forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.) and junior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) each had 15 points.

Avant added a team-high 10 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the season, while Bennett tied her career high with six assists. Junior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) added 11 points and four assists.

Hampton opened the game on a 9-2 run, taking that lead at the 16:51 mark after a fastbreak layup from Hamilton. Bennett hit a 3-pointer with 14:27 left in the first half to give the Lady Pirates a 14-4 lead.

Kashay Barnes cut the lead to 16-8 at the 12:48 mark with a jumper, but the Lady Pirates answered with an 11-0 run after Avant hit a pair of free throws with 9:15 left in the half to take a 27-8 lead. Allen hit two of her career-high six 3-pointers during that run.

A Bennett layup at the 5:20 mark put Hampton up 31-10, and Avant added a layup at the 3:14 mark to put the Lady Pirates up 35-13. The Spartans never got closer than within 20 from that point forward, and the Lady Pirates went up 40-16 with 1:40 left in the half on an Allen trey.

Hampton went into the half up 43-20, shooting 45.2 percent (14-for-31) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.

Allen added a 3-pointer with 11:42 left in the second half to put the Lady Pirates up 55-27, kicking off a Hampton 13-4 run that culminated with a trey from sophomore guard Kenia Cole (Burtonsville, Md.) with 8:16 left to play to put the Lady Pirates up 68-31.

Cole hit two free throws with 4:43 left to play to give Hampton its largest lead at 72-33.

The Lady Pirates set their third-highest scoring margin of the season, while also recording their third-largest margin of victory in 2012-13.

The Lady Pirates shot a season-best 42.4 percent (25-for-59) from the floor, while hitting a season-best 10 3-pointers and going 16-for-19 (84.2 percent) from the free throw line. Hampton also out-rebounded the Spartans 43-32 and turned 19 Norfolk State turnovers into 25 points.

Norfolk State (3-15, 1-6 MEAC) shot just 28.6 percent (16-for-56) from the floor and missed all five 3-point attempts. The Spartans went 9-for-16 (56.3 percent) from the free throw line.

Aivah Parham led the Spartans with 12 points.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Monday, when they square off against rival Howard at the HU Convocation Center at 7 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.


COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Grafton lineman Jacob Mazgajewski to ink full football scholarship to Norfolk State

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Two weeks ago, Jacob Mazgajewski hadn’t even been contacted by Norfolk State University. Wednesday, Mazgajewski, a Grafton High lineman, committed to a full football scholarship to play for the Spartans.

Mazgajewski, a 6-foot-6, 255-pound senior, said the Spartans recruited him to play offensive tackle. He was a two-way starter the past two seasons on the lines at Grafton, where he helped the Clippers win the Region I Division 4 title and reach the state playoff semifinals his junior season.

 

He said he was contacted by NSU on Jan. 14, made his visit five days later and was offered a scholarship that covered books and tuition. Several days later, Norfolk State increased the scholarship offer to cover all expenses and Mazgajewski committed.

 

A caucasian, Mazgajewski said the visit convinced him he would be comfortable at NSU. He said that he liked the new school's new library, the planned upgrades to the weight-lifting facilities and the acceptance he felt from the players and coaches.

 

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Meet The 2013 Rattler Tennis Team

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

New attitude makes a difference for Rams' Ellison

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Wakefield Ellison of Winston-Salem State doesn't call last season a wasted season — but he admits it didn't go so well.

Ellison had transferred from East Carolina, and he spent most of the season adjusting to the way Coach Bobby Collins wanted him to play. It was a contrast in styles, but Ellison did coexist well enough to help the Rams win the CIAA title.

Ellison, a 6-6 senior forward from Asheville, is now playing the best basketball of his career.
"He came in with a different attitude, a different mindset, and the basketball gods have rewarded him," Collins said.

Ellison, with his new attitude, is a big reason the Rams are ranked No. 19 in Division II and are 14-3 heading into Saturday's game at Fayetteville State.

Gone are the days of Ellison's feeling sorry for himself after a bad shot or a turnover. Last season, if Ellison made a mistake, his mood was evident in his body language.

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Tulane beats Rush, but Soifer survives in super-tiebreaker

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana lost its men's tennis spring season opener 6-1 Saturday to Tulane at City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center, but sophomore Nikita Soifer was resilient in scoring XU's first dual-match point ever against its city rival.

Soifer saved eight match points in a 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 1-0 (11-9) victory against Joe Young at No. 2 singles.

Soifer saved four match points while serving the 12th game of the second set, then scored the final six points of the super-tiebreaker after trailing 9-5.

It was the first collegiate dual match for Soifer, who sat out last season and was 2-3 in singles and 2-2 in doubles in two fall tournaments. His opponent was second-team All-Conference USA in 2012 and second-team All-Louisiana in 2011. Young won singles matches in super-tiebreakers in both Green Wave dual victories against Xavier the past two seasons.

But Xavier's highlights started and ended with Soifer. Tulane (1-0) didn't lose more than two games in any other match. At No. 1 singles, XU's Loic Didavi -- the Louisiana Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in 2012 -- lost 6-1, 6-1 to Idan Mark.

"We gave a good effort but we were less confident than usual," 10th-year XU coach Alan Green said. "We will get that fixed."

Tulane was the first of seven NCAA Division I opponents on the schedule of the Gold Rush, an NAIA quarterfinalist in 2012. Next match for Xavier's men and women will be D-I Nicholls State at 4 p.m. Saturday in Houma, La. The next Gold Rush home match will start at 3 p.m. Feb. 28 against Belhaven at the new XU Tennis Center.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Dominant Second Half Lifts Shaw Lady Bears to 97-74 Victory over Saint Augustine's

Raleigh, North Carolina — The Shaw University Lady Bears used a dominant second half to knock off cross-town rival Saint Augustine’s 97-74 in a game played Saturday afternoon at C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

After leading by just four (40-36) at the half, the Lady Bears outscored the Lady Falcons 57-38 in the second half to win their ninth straight game as they improve to 17-2 overall and 8-1 in the CIAA. More importantly, however, the Lady Bears are 3-0 in the Southern Division. Saint Augustine’s falls to 9-9 overall, 5-4 in the CIAA and 2-1 in the Southern Division.

“We told them that at halftime that we need to come out, buckle down and play,” said Shaw assistant coach Jonas Richard. “We came out with more concentration and more focus in the second half and it showed. We ran our sets and got after it on the defensive end and it helped us score 57 points in the second half.”

The Lady Bears had a balanced scoring attack as five players finished with double figures and two recorded double-doubles. Taylor Dalrymple led all scorers with 26 points and had 14 rebounds. Ronika Ransford added 16 points. Crystal Harris scored all of her 14 points in the second half. Crystal Gordon had a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Crystal Wilson contributed 10 in the win for Shaw.

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Boxscore

SAU Lady Falcons Succumb 97-74 To Shaw

RALEIGH, N.C. – Freshman guard Regime McCombs (Greenville, S.C.) of Saint Augustine's University scored 20 points but the Lady Falcons succumbed to crosstown rival Shaw University 97-74 in a CIAA women's basketball game inside a full house at Spaulding Gymnasium on Shaw's campus Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013.

The loss snapped a two-game win streak for the Lady Falcons (9-9 overall, 5-4 CIAA, 2-1 Southern Division), who had won four of their last five games entering the matchup against the defending NCAA Division II champions. Both teams were tied atop the Southern Division standings at 2-0, but the Lady Bears (17-2 overall, 7-2 CIAA, 3-0 Southern Division), ranked 12^th nationally in Division II, gained sole possession of first place with the victory.

The Lady Falcons stayed even with the Lady Bears for most of the first half, but the game got away from them with the score tied at 36-36 right before halftime. A 48-22 run by the Lady Bears which started in the final two minutes of the first half gave them a comfortable 84-58 lead with just under six minutes left in the second half.

“I thought we handled ourselves well in the first half,” St. Aug Head Coach Rachel Bullard said. “In the second half, we didn't come out with the same level of intensity and it killed us.”

The Lady Bears took advantage of their superior height to attack inside. Crystal Harris, a 6-1 center, contributed 14 points and seven rebounds after not playing in the first half. For the game, Taylor Dalrymple, a 6-1 inside player for Shaw, led both teams with 26 points and 14 rebounds and Crystal Gordon, a 6-2 center, added 11 points and 16 rebounds. Ronika Ransford, a guard, had 16 points for the Lady Bears. After being outrebounded in the first half, the Lady Bears finished with more rebounds (59-46). The inside play of the Lady Bears and their transition game keyed their win.

Senior forward Temperance Jacobs (McDonough, Ga.) of the Lady Falcons followed McCombs with 13 points and a team-high 9 rebounds. Freshman forward Terri Jacobs (McDonough, Ga.) scored eight points and point guard Porscha Walton added (Chesterfield, Va.) added eight points, five rebounds and four assists.

Despite the loss, the Lady Falcons, who have five freshmen and three sophomores on their roster, never backed down against the defending NCAA and CIAA champions. To their credit, the Lady Falcons continued to play hard and never quit despite falling behind by a huge deficit, which is something they can build on for the rest of the season.

“It was a learning experience,” Bullard said. “It lets us know what we need to work on.”

There were positives to take away from the game. The Lady Falcons forced 22 turnovers which led to 17 points. McCombs was on fire early from outside, especially in the first half when she made four of her first six three-pointers.

For many of the Lady Falcons, this was their first time absorbing the frenetic atmosphere of Spaulding Gymnasium. They handled themselves with poise in the first half, especially McCombs, who came off the bench to lead the Lady Falcons with 12 points. She put on a shooting display in the first half, making four of her first six treys, often from deep range. She eventually finished the half shooting 4-for-8 behind the three-point line.

Led by the marksmanship of McCombs, the Lady Falcons stayed even with the Lady Bears in the first 20 minutes. The Lady Falcons held a five-point lead in the early moments, and the lead changed nine times while the score was tied seven times. The Lady Bears scored the last four points in the first half to take a 40-36 lead into halftime.

For the Lady Falcons, Terri Jacobs added six points off the bench as the Lady Falcons outscored the Lady Bears 25-9 in bench points in the first half. Led by five rebounds by Temperance Jacobs, the Lady Falcons held a 27-25 edge in rebounding including 12-6 in offensive boards. That led to 17 second-chance points for the Lady Falcons.

Dalrymple scored 14 first-half points for the Lady Bears. Kearah Jeffreys added seven points.

The Lady Falcons return to Emery Gymnasium on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013 for a divisional meeting with Livingstone College. The contest, which starts at 5:30 p.m., will be televised by WAUG-TV on Time Warner Cable Channel 168. Click on www.saintaugfalcons.com for live stats.

The matchup against Livingstone will be the sixth home game in the last seven contests for the Lady Falcons.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alcorn State hands Southern men their first SWAC loss

Lorman, Miss.  --  The Southern men’s basketball team rolled into the Davey L. Whitney Complex having crushed much of the Southwestern Athletic Conference competition in its way. The Jaguars were perfect in eight conference games, with six straight wins by double digits.

Alcorn State wasn’t fazed. The Braves jumped to an early seven-point lead, then spent most of Saturday night doing just enough to keep Southern at arm’s length. The result was a 61-57 upset that ended any notion of the Jaguars running the table during their 18-game SWAC schedule.

“We pay attention to the standings and the hoopla and all that,” said Alcorn coach Luther Riley, whose team improved to 8-16 overall and 6-3 in the SWAC. “But the game had to be played on the floor.”
Southern (14-7, 8-1) had not only won most of its first eight SWAC games in convincing fashion but also had upset Texas A&M late in nonconference action to start a 10-game winning streak.

The Jaguars entered Saturday as the league leader in a number of statistical categories, including scoring offense, scoring defense and scoring margin.

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Second half rally leads to Lady Tiger road win over Morehead St.

Morehead, Ky. --- The Tennessee University women's basketball team used a strong second half to defeat Morehead State, 68-56, on the road in Johnson Arena Saturday night.

TSU used a 15-2 second-half run to open up the game and would go on to outscore MSU, 38-26, in the second frame to secure the win.

With the win TSU improved to 8-10 (4-3 OVC) and took over sole possession of fourth place in the East Division standings.

Three Lady Tigers scored in double-digits led by Kesi Hess' 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Simone Hopes just missed a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds while Avery Jones added 14 points and seven boards. Rachel Allen dished out six assists.

Morehead State (7-14, 3-4 OVC) was led in scoring by Almesha Jones (15) and Allie Turner (15).

Both teams went tit for tat in the first half as the statistical categories were nearly even on both sides. TSU shot 42.3 percent from the field, in a half that featured four ties and five lead changes, while MSU knocked down 40 percent from the floor.

Each team had 17 rebounds, seven turnovers and five steals in the first stanza.

TSU was trailing, 30-28, when Kesi Hess hit a jumper at the buzzer to make the score 30-all at the break.

The first part of the second half was much like the opening frame as the scored stayed close and the teams traded buckets. The game was knotted at 36 when TSU used an 8-0 run to go ahead, 44-36, with 13:41 left in the game.

A few moments later, Brianna Lawrence knocked down a triple before Simone Hopes connected in the paint to make the score, 51-38, in favor of TSU.

With about five minutes left in the game, MSU cut the deficit down to nine but the Lady Tigers answered with a couple buckets to increase the lead back up to double-digits.

The Lady Tigers maintained the lead the rest of the contest.

Tennessee State shot 42.0 percent from the field, including 46.2 percent from three-point range. TSU also won the battle of the boards, 42-33, while holding the advantage in bench points, 10-1.

Next the Lady Tigers will head over to Eastern Kentucky to face the Colonels on Monday, Jan. 28. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in McBrayer Arena.

 

FINAL STATS

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Xavier Rush add scholarship tennis player

Benjamin Brading

NEW ORLEANS — Benjamin Brading, winner of approximately 30 junior tennis singles tournaments in Great Britain, has signed an athletic scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Brading is a right-hander from Ryde, England — about 70 miles southwest of London — and a 2011 graduate of Sandown High School. He arrived at XU this week for the spring semester and will be in the lineup when the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets play city rival Loyola at 2 p.m. Friday at the new XU Tennis Center. It will be the first intercollegiate competition at the $2.5 million facility, which was dedicated Oct. 26. Fans will receive free hot dogs during the dual matches.

Brading has represented the Isle of Wight, where his hometown is located, four times in the Island Games. He was the Isle of Wight men's singles champion in 2010 and 2011, and Brading has victories against six of the top 50 18-and-younger singles players in Great Britain, including the seventh-ranked player.

Brading is majoring in business management and adminstration at Xavier. He is a freshman academically and athletically.

Returning players for the XU men — who were 18-8 in 2012 and reached the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Championship and ranked seventh in the final poll — include All-America Loic Didavi, a senior. Top returning players for the Gold Nuggets, who were 7-22 but ranked 19th in the final poll, include All-America Kourtney Howell, a junior, and sophomore Amanda Materre, who was 36th in the final ITA NAIA singles rankings.

NOTES: This will be the first competition for both XU teams since the USTA / ITA NAIA South Regional at Gainesville, Ga., in late September . . . In the preseason ITA NAIA individual rankings, XU junior Viktor Svoboda is 39th and sophomore Nikita Soifer is 41st in men's singles. They're ranked 19th and 20th, respectively, in the South . . . In women's singles Howell is 10th nationally and eighth in the South, and freshman Brion Flowers is 36th nationally and 16th in the South. The doubles team of Howell and Flowers is 11th nationally and fourth in the South . . . The first of nine NAIA team rankings will be announced Tuesday . . . Friday's dual will be the opener for Loyola's men and women, too. In 2012 the Gold Rush defeated Loyola 8-1, and the Gold Nuggets won 9-0 . . . Coach Alan Green has added Idaho to the Nuggets' schedule. They'll meet at 2 p.m. March 12 at the XU Tennis Center. Idaho is one of nine NCAA Division I opponents for the XU women and one of four which will visit XU.

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

NSU and Hampton Face off on Saturday at Echols Hall

NORFOLK, Viriginia  --  The Norfolk State women's basketball team is looking for its first win over Hampton in six years when they take on the Lady Pirates in the Battle of the Bay on Saturday, Jan. 26 in Joseph Echols Hall. Tip-off is at 4 p.m. This is the third of three consecutive home games for the Spartans.

Media Coverage: The game against Hampton will be broadcast live on WNSB Hot 91.1 with Ross Gordon on the call. Live stats will be available here. Live audio can be found here. You can also listen to the game on the Heritage Sports Network on Sirius XM 128.

Last Time Out: The Spartans (3-14, 1-5) snapped a six-game losing streak with an 81-68 victory over Morgan State on Jan. 21 at Joseph Echols Hall. Junior Aivah Parham had a career-high 34 points and 12 rebounds to lead NSU. It was Parham's first double-double of the season. Junior Rachel Gordon also tied her career-best with 25 points and 12 rebounds to notch her third double-double of the season.

The Spartans shot 40.0 (26-of-65) percent from the floor on the night while the Lady Bears were held to 30.8 (20-of-65) percent shooting. NSU outrebounded Morgan State 50-38 and outscored the Lady Bears in the paint 30-10.

Three players scored in double-figures for Morgan State. Brianna Coardes led the Lady Bears with 18 points. Bianca Jarrett added 13 points and five rebounds while Whitney Southerland posted 11 points, respectively.

All-Time Series: Hampton leads the series with NSU, 48-35. The Spartans have not won against Hampton since Dec. 2, 2006.

About Hampton: The Lady Pirates (14-5, 5-0) are coming off of a 58-50 win over Coppin State on Jan. 21 at the Convocation Center in Hampton, Va. Hampton shot 34.4 (22-of-64) percent from the floor and held the Lady Eagles to just 30.5 (18-of-59) percent shooting. Olivia Allen led the Lady Pirates with 22 points and three rebounds. Aside from Allen, two other Hampton players scored in double-figures. Keiara Avant recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Nicole Hamilton added 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Last Year Against Hampton: The Spartans were 0-3 last season against Hampton. On Jan.21 the Lady Pirates came out with a 92-43 victory over NSU at the Convocation Center in Hampton, Va. Hampton shot 44.0 (33-of-75) percent from the floor while the Spartans only shot 25.0 (12-of-48) percent. Rae Corbo led NSU with 19 points and was the only Spartan to score in double-figures. Choicetta McMillian and Nicole Hamilton led the Lady Pirates with 16 points each. Two other Hampton players reached double-figures including Keiara Avant, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Alyssa Bennett, who tallied 13 points and seven rebounds.

On Feb. 11 NSU suffered a 68-46 loss to the Lady Pirates at Joseph Echols Hall. The Spartans shot 43.9 (18-of-41) percent from the floor and held Hampton to 36.9 (24-of-65) percent shooting. Tyisha Bridges led NSU with 11 points and three steals. Choicetta McMillian led Hampton with 28 points and five rebounds. Teammate Melanie Warner picked up a double-double as she finished the game with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

The Spartans fell to Hampton, 61-40, in the quarterfinal round of the 2012 MEAC Tournament held at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. NSU shot 32.7 (17-of-52) from the field while Hampton only shot 31.1 (19-of-61) percent. Tyisha Bridges led NSU with 12 points. Jericka Jenkins led the Lady Pirates with 20 points. Teammates Keiara Avant (13 pts.) and Alyssa Bennett (12 pts.) had seven rebounds each, respectively.

Scoring Leaders: Rachel Gordon leads NSU in scoring averaging 10.1 points per game followed by Kashay Barnes, who is averaging 9.8 points per game. Barnes scored a career-high 25 points in the Spartans overtime loss to UMES on Jan. 12.

Parham Stepping Up: Aivah Parham posted a career-high 34 points and 12 rebounds in the Spartans 81-68 victory over Morgan State on Jan. 21. Parham led NSU in scoring and tied with Rachel Gordon in rebounds on the night. The game against Morgan State marked her first double-double and her fifth game that she finished scoring in double-figures.

Gordon Named MEAC Player of the Week: Forward Rachel Gordon earned Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors, the league office announced on Jan 21.

Gordon came away with 19 rebounds, blocked three shots and recorded two steals in two games for the Spartans. She nearly had a double-double against Howard on Jan. 14 as she finished the night with 11 rebounds and eight points. Gordon was also just shy of a double-double against Coppin State on Jan. 19 where she scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds

This is the second time this season that Gordon was named Defensive Player of the Week. She earned Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors alongside Savannah State's Erin Hogue on Nov. 27.

MEAC, NCAA Leaderboard: As a team NSU currently ranks in the top 5 in six different categories in the MEAC, while NSU players rank in the top 5 in five different categories, including Rachel Gordon, who leads the league in rebounding at 11.3 boards per game. Gordon also currently ranks 12th in the NCAA in rebounding. Recca Trice is tied for first in the league for assists and is ranked 30th in the nation in assists per games.

Cracking the top 10: Recca Trice's seven assists in the game against Appalachian State on Nov. 25 moved her into sixth place all-time in the NSU record book for career assists. Trice has 94 assists on the season and her 426 career assists puts her two away from tying Dekisha Thompson for fifth all-time.

 Rachel Gordon's eight rebounds in the game against Coppin State on Jan. 19 moved her into 11th place all-time in the NSU record book for career rebounds. Gordon has 158 rebounds on the season and her 625 career rebounds puts her 86 away from tying Andrea Watts for 10th all-time.

Owning the Paint: NSU outscored Morgan State in the paint, 30-10, on Jan. 21. Last season NSU dominated the inside scoring, averaging 6.8 more points in the paint per game. Only Monmouth, Howard, Hampton (first meeting) and Bethune-Cookman (first meeting) scored more points in the paint than NSU in a game last year.

Winning the Rebounding Battle: NSU outrebounded Morgan State, 50-38, on Jan. 21, with Rachel Gordon and Aivah Parham leading the way with 12 rebounds each.

Defensive Minded: Rachel Gordon and Aivah Parham tallied 12 rebounds each in the Spartans 81-68 win over Morgan State on Jan. 21 Gordon currently leads the MEAC in rebounding, averaging 11.3 rebounds per game.

By Chaundrea Lee, Media Relations Assistant
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY
NSUSPARTANS.COM

2013 Norfolk State Football Schedule is a Blockbuster

NORFOLK, Virginia  –  A school record-tying seven home games, including three Division I FCS non-conference matchups, highlight the 12-game 2013 Norfolk State University football schedule, which was released Friday.

Maine of the Colonial Athletic Association, Charleston Southern of the Big South Conference and FCS independent Old Dominion will all visit William “Dick” Price Stadium this upcoming season. The non-conference slate also includes a third all-time trip to Rutgers, the Spartans' fourth straight year playing a Division I FBS team which advanced to a bowl game the previous season.

The home conference schedule includes games with Savannah State, Hampton, Florida A&M and South Carolina State.

“I feel like this could be the most competitive schedule we've ever played,” NSU head coach Pete Adrian said. “In addition, our home schedule is outstanding and has to be one of the most attractive we've ever had for our fans. The schedule is quite a challenge, but our players are excited about it and I think they will be up to the challenge.”

Division I FCS schools are permitted to play 12 regular-season games the next two years since there are 13 Saturdays between the Labor Day and Thanksgiving weekends. NSU's 12 regular-season contests this upcoming season match the 2003 and 2008 squads for the most in school annals, and the seven home games will match the 2006 and 2009 seasons for the most ever in one year at Dick Price Stadium.

The schedule kicks off with a first-ever matchup between NSU and Maine on Saturday, Aug. 31. The Black Bears went 5-6 overall last season, 4-4 in the CAA. This marks the start of a two-year, home-and-home series between the schools, with NSU returning to Maine to kick off the 2014 schedule.
Maine replaces long-time NSU rival Virginia State on the Spartans' schedule, as NCAA bylaws preclude VSU from facing the Spartans on Labor Day weekend.

The following week (Sept. 7), NSU will travel to Piscataway, N.J., to face the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers for a third time. The teams also squared off in 2007 and 2010, with Rutgers winning both matchups. Rutgers went 9-4 in 2012 and was one of four Big East teams to tie for first place with 5-2 conference records. The Scarlet Knights lost to Virginia Tech 20-17 in the Russell Athletic Bowl last month.

NSU will enjoy a bye week on Sept. 14 before hosting Charleston Southern on Saturday, Sept. 21 in the Fish Bowl Classic. The teams have met once before, with the Spartans earning a 33-3 victory in Charleston in 2011. The Buccaneers went 5-6 overall, 3-3 to take fourth place in the Big South this past season.

MEAC play opens for NSU on Sept. 28 as the Spartans travel to Baltimore, Md., to face Morgan State. The Spartans have won the last six meetings in the series.

The October slate gets underway on Oct. 5 as NSU will host Savannah State for a second consecutive year. Following a road contest at Delaware State on Oct. 12, the Spartans will then host three straight games at Dick Price Stadium. Hampton visits Norfolk for the annual Battle of the Bay game on Oct. 19. The following week, NSU will play host to cross-town foe ODU on Saturday, Oct. 26. The teams have met once previously, a 35-18 ODU victory in the first round of the 2011 FCS playoffs. The Monarchs are playing as an FCS independent in 2013 before joining the Division I FBS ranks in Conference USA in 2014. They advanced to the FCS quarterfinals this past season.

The three-game homestand concludes on Nov. 2 as Florida A&M travels to Norfolk for NSU's 2013 homecoming. The teams have not played the last two seasons in the MEAC's unbalanced schedule.

November's schedule continues with road games at 2012 MEAC champion Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 9 and at North Carolina Central on Nov. 16.  Like FAMU, NCCU rotates onto the Spartans' schedule for the next two years, while Howard and North Carolina A&T rotate off. NSU and NCCU have not met since the Eagles transitioned to the Division I level in 2011. Their last meeting came in 1995 when both played in the Division II CIAA.

The regular-season schedule wraps up on Nov. 23 as the Spartans host South Carolina State for Senior Day.

Season ticket information will be released in the coming months.



NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 2013 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date		Opponent	Location	Time
8/31		Maine	Norfolk, Va.	6 pm
9/7		Rutgers	Piscataway, N.J.	TBA
9/21		Charleston Southern (Fish Bowl Classic)	Norfolk, Va.	4 pm
9/28	*	Morgan State	Baltimore, Md.	TBA
10/5	*	Savannah State	Norfolk, Va.	1 pm
10/12	*	Delaware State	Dover, Del.	TBA
10/19	*	Hampton (Battle of the Bay)	Norfolk, Va.	1 pm
10/26		Old Dominion	Norfolk, Va.	1 pm
11/2	*	Florida A&M (Homecoming)	Norfolk, Va.	2 pm
11/9	*	Bethune-Cookman	Daytona Beach, Fla.	TBA
11/16	*	North Carolina Central	Durham, N.C.	TBA
11/23	*	South Carolina State (Senior Day)	Norfolk, Va.	1 pm

11/30 FCS Division I Playoffs                                 TBD                         TBD

BOLD - Home Game
* MEAC Games




By Matt Michalec, Sports Information Director
VISIT: NSUSPARTANS.COM
VISIT: NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY

Southern baseball practice gets under way

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  With the playing surface at Lee-Hines Field receiving a much-needed makeover, the Southern University baseball team opened practice Friday with position players hitting balls in the batting cages and pitchers testing their arms with bullpen work.

This will be the scene for coach Roger Cador’s team the next two weeks.

“We’re going to be a little set back for a couple weeks where we won’t have use of the field,” Cador said. “But that’s OK. The money was available, so we’re taking a chance and making (the improvements) happen.”

Cador said when the $150,000 project is complete, Southern will have a new drainage system and a whole new infield.

The timing of the work will leave the Jaguars little opportunity to work on fielding grounders or turning double plays, and could leave their defense a bit shaky early in the year.

The ping of aluminum bats resonated from the batting cages as SU practiced Friday.


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Xavier Gold Nuggets open their new home with a 9-0 victory

Spring 2013 opener at the new XU Tennis Center

NEW ORLEANS -- The women of Xavier University of Louisiana, in the first intercollegiate match at the new XU Tennis Center, rolled to a 9-0 victory Friday against city rival Loyola. It was the spring season opener for both teams.

The $2.5 million facility opened in late October. It's the first time since 1959-60 that XU can compete outdoors regularly on its campus.

Results     Facebook photos

All-American Kourtney Howell, a junior, led the Gold Nuggets. Howell teamed with freshman Brion Flowers for an 8-0 victory against Frances Bonnin and Meghan de Baroncelli at No. 1 doubles, then defeated de Baroncelli 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. Flowers also won her singles match, and Amanda Materre won in singles and doubles.

Nine players, including three freshmen, contributed to a victory in which the Gold Nuggets did not drop a set. Xavier attracted approximately 100 fans and treated them with free hot dogs.

"It's so nice to have a true home-court advantage. I didn't know what kind of turnout we would have, but I thought the support was amazing," 10th-year XU coach Alan Green said. "I was very pleased with the crowd, and I think we're going to attract more fans as the season progresses.

"I was very satisfied with the way we came out and played. We used more women than we probably will in most of our matches, but I wanted everyone who could play to have a piece of this one."

Freshman Vashi Balleste clinched the dual with her 6-0, 6-0 decision against Wesley Dejoie at No. 6 singles. Amber Brown and Nicole DeLoach also earned singles victories, as did Simone-Alyce Ewell at No. 2 doubles with Materre and Jordyn Goody and Olivia West at No. 3 doubles.

The Gold Nuggets won their spring season opener for the first time since 2007. It was the first of eight home duals for the XU women; the next one will start at 2 p.m. Feb. 23 against NCAA Division I McNeese State. The next dual will be Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. against another D-I opponent, Nicholls State, in Houma, La.

The XU-Loyola men's dual was postponed.

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

GSU Releases 2013 Football Schedule

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  -  The Grambling State University Football Team will have four games and a trip to Kansas City as a part of the 2013 schedule.

The Tigers will begin the 2013 season at home this year as they will welcome Alabama A&M University. Game time for the home opener is at 6 p.m. Following the home opener the Tigers will hit the road.

September will be busy month for the G-men as they will be on the road for three consecutive weeks before returning to Robinson Stadium. The month will begin on September 7^th at 6 p.m. as the Tigers will take a short drive on I-20 to Monroe as they will take on the University of Louisiana at Monroe Warhawks at Malone Stadium.  Grambling will take their longest trip of the season on September 14^th when they will travel to take on Lincoln University at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City Missouri. The G-Men will step back into conference action on September 21^st and play their final game of the three game road swing against Alabama State in Montgomery.  Rounding out the month the Tigers will return home to the confines of Robinson Stadium as they face Lamar University on September 28^th at 6 p.m.

October will start off at a familiar destination for Tiger fans at the G-Men will face Prairie View A&M in the State Fair Classic in Dallas on October 5^th at 6 p.m. Grambling will travel to Lorman, Mississippi on October 12^th to take on the Braves on Alcorn State University. The Tigers will travel back to the Magnolia State on October 19^th to face Jackson State University.

Following another long road trip the Tigers will have two consecutive games in Grambling. High School Day will be observed on October 26^th at 2 p.m. against Texas Southern and then Homecoming will be celebrated on November 2^nd against Mississippi Valley. The regular season will conclude on November 30^th when Grambling and Southern will play in the Bayou Classic.

For more information on the 2013 football season, please contact the GSU ticket office at 318-274-2625.
 

 

2013 GSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
 
August 
8/31, *Alabama A&M,  Robinson Stadium, Grambling, LA  7 p.m.

September
9/7, @ Louisiana-Monroe, Monroe, LA, 7 p.m.
9/14, @Lincoln University of Mo. (Gateway Classic, Kansas City, Mo.), 5 p.m.
9/21, @ *Alabama State, ASU Hornets Stadium, Montgomery, AL  TBA
9/28, Lamar University, Robinson Stadium, Grambling, LA, 7 p.m.

October
10/5, *Prairie View A&M  (State Fair Classic),  Dallas, TX, 7 p.m.
10/12, @*Alcorn State,  Lorman, MS, 3 p.m.
10/19, @*Jackson State,  Jackson, MS, 3 p.m.
10/26, *Texas Southern,  Robinson Stadium, Grambling, LA, 3 p.m.

November
11/2, *Mississippi Valley State (Homecoming), Robinson Stadium, Grambling, 3 p.m.
11/9,  @*Arkansas-Pine Bluff, TBA
11/30, *Southern,Bayou Classic, New Orleans, LA, 2:30 p.m.

BOLD - Home Game
*   SWAC Game


COURTESY GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU Rams wary of hungry FSU Broncos

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina   --  No rest for the weary.

That’s the reality for Winston-Salem State as it travels to take on Fayetteville State tonight in a crucial CIAA Southern Division game. WSSU, ranked No. 19 in NCAA Division II, is coming off a big 69-66 win over Shaw — but life on the road is never an easy one.
 
“We know it’s going to be a tough game, so we can’t celebrate too long,” Coach Bobby Collins of the Rams said. “He (Alphonzo Kee) coaches his team very well and we know each other pretty well, so we’ll be prepared. We have to be ready to go down there against Fayetteville State.”

The Broncos (8-9, 0-2 Southern Division) are on a four-game losing streak. Kee said that since a loss to Bowie State on Jan. 14, it’s been a struggle.

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Ex-Florida safety transfers to TSU

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  Former Florida starting safety De’Ante “Pop” Saunders, who was suspended for four games this past season, has enrolled at Tennessee State.

Saunders, who is from DeLand, Fla., was suspended for a violation of team rules for the first two and last two games of the regular season and was released before the Sugar Bowl. He will be a junior.

“He had a few hiccups at Florida so we sat down and talked with him and he understands what it’s going to take to be a part or our program,” TSU coach Rod Reed said.

Saunders, 5-foot-9, 189 pounds, recorded 18 tackles, had an interception, broke up four passes and recovered a fumble in 2012.

“He’s a very talented player, there’s no doubt about that ...


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Transfers fit in nicely with Fayetteville State women's squad

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  --  Shuanda Ashford and Kristen Hanzer were enjoying productive basketball careers at the NCAA Division I level when changes prompted both to seek a new start elsewhere.

They've found that at Fayetteville State, where the two senior transfers have helped turn the Broncos into contenders for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title.

FSU heads into Saturday's home game against rival Winston-Salem State with a 7-1 league mark that's tied for the best in the CIAA. The Broncos are 15-3 overall and 1-1 in the Southern Division after an unexpected 83-78 loss at Livingstone on Wednesday.

Two of the key elements in that start have been Ashford and Hanzer.

Ashford, an E.E. Smith High graduate, is averaging 14 points and 6.9 rebounds, while Hanzer leads the CIAA with an 18.9 scoring average.

"They have been great pieces to add. They've brought a Division I mentality to our level,'' said FSU coach Eva Patterson-Heath.

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