Nuggets get a dozen from three, win 76-58 at Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. -- Whitney Gaston-Loyd, Whitney Gathright and Chelsea Broussard scored 12 points each Monday to lead NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 76-58 women's basketball victory against Mobile.

The victory was the fourth in a row for the Gold Nuggets (16-4) and their second this season in two meetings with the Lady Rams (11-10). Xavier clinched its 12th consecutive winning season, which extends a school record, and will finish above .500 for the 20th time in 21 seasons.

Gaston-Loyd and Gathright were a combined 9-of-9 from the floor -- Gaston-Loyd made all six of her attempts -- and Broussard led Xavier with seven rebounds.

Carmen Holcombe had nine points and six rebounds for the Gold Nuggets, and Paige Gauthier had eight points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals. Gauthier, Gathright and Andraquay Quinnine each made two 3-pointers.

Briana Edwards had 20 points and eight rebounds for Mobile, and Deonica McCormick had 17 points, seven assists and three steals.

Xavier trailed 17-12 in the ninth minute, then scored the next 14 points to take the lead for good. Broussard's basket at 6:57 capped the run and gave the Gold Nuggets a 26-17 lead. Xavier led 36-27 at halftime and held a double-digit advantage for the final 13:27.

Xavier, winning by double digits for the 12th time this season, had a 43-28 rebound advantage -- the Gold Nuggets had 25 offensive rebounds -- committed 15 turnovers and gained 23. Mobile outshot the Gold Nuggets 43.8 to 39.4 percent from the floor.

Xavier's next game will start at 6 p.m. Thursday against William Carey at XU's new Convocation Center.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

NCCU runs by Morgan State, still unbeaten in MEAC

DURHAM, North Carolina  —  N.C. Central hasn’t lost all month, getting its seventh straight win Monday night in front of a McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium crowd that is developing a palate for the sweet taste of success in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

NCCU beat Morgan State 69-61, the score indicative of a closely contested ballgame.

The Eagles (13-7, 6-0 MEAC) had a little bit more heart than the Bears, Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman said.

“It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say they wanted it more, and they worked at it,” Bozeman said.



“Clearly, we have size, we have talent. But we’ve just got to do a better job of focusing. We’ve got to do the little things. 

“You’re not going to win many ballgames if you miss 17 free throws and (have) 18 turnovers.”

About that size Bozeman referred to, Morgan State had 7-2 center Ian Chiles in its starting lineup.
NCCU’s Jay Copeland had to guard him.

“I’m only 6-7,” Copeland said.

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Texas Southern outshoots rival Alabama State

HOUSTON, Texas  -- Omar Strong scored 27 points, including five 3-pointers, and the Tigers shot a 52 percent from the field Monday in a 97-65 trouncing of Alabama State.

Lawrence Danner-Johnson contributed 20 points and hit six 3-pointers for Texas Southern. Ray Penn scored 19 points, Fred Sturdivant put in 13 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, and Aaron Clayborn added 11 points.

“Tonight we did not do a good job of getting out to the shooters to take away those long shots, and they shot it well,” Alabama State coach Lewis Jackson said.

Phillip Crawford lead ASU with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Joshua Freelove scored 14 points. The Hornets only shot 35 percent, including just four of 20 3-point attempts.

Jamel Waters put in eight points and recorded a team-high six assists and four steals.

ASU trailed by 10 at halftime when Texas Southern went on a 16-5 run to put the game away.

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FAU Tennis Falls to Florida A&M

ORLANDO, Florida  -  The Florida Atlantic University men's tennis team fell to 0-2 on the season with a 5-2 setback to Florida A&M University on Sunday at San Lando Park in Orlando.

The Owls earned the doubles point when the tandem of senior Jose Fantova and sophomore Richard Meade won a tiebreaker at the No. 2 position. Sophomore Robert Dubuque and freshman Andrei Morin-Kougoucheff picked up a victory at No. 3 doubles 8-7 (7). However, Florida A&M won five of the six singles matches to record the victory. Sophomore Will Neuner picked up the only singles victory with a 6-3, 6-0 win at the No. 2 position. The victory marked his third straight and 11th win overall. Three of the six singles matches went three sets. FAU returns to the court on Saturday, February 2 at 10 a.m. against Florida State University in Tallahassee. The team host Troy University on Sunday, February 3 at noon. Florida A&M 5, Florida Atlantic 2

Singles
No. 1 Salif Kante (FAMU) def. Jose Fantova (FAU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 Will Neuner (FAU) def. Admire Mushonga (FAMU) 6-3, 6-0
No. 3 Chidi Gabriel (FAMU) def. Andrei Morin-Kougoucheff (FAU) 7-5, 6-2
No. 4 Takura Happy (FAMU) def. Richard Meade (FAU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 5 Zack Evenden (FAMU) def. Sean Bacha (FAU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 Temeura Asafu-Adjaye (FAMU) def. Matthew Samberg (FAU) 7-6, 5-7, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 Kante/Happy (FAMU) def. Bacha/Neuner (FAU) 8-2
No. 2 Fantova/Meade (FAU) def. Gabriel/Mushonga (FAMU) 8-7 (3)
No. 3 Robert Dubuque/Morin-Kougoucheff (FAU) def. Asafu-Adjaye/Evenden (FAMU) 8-7 (7)

Final Stats


COURTESY FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Mansfield's Verlan Hunter commits to Grambling State

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling continues to build a football pipeline into Mansfield High School.

For the second time in as many weeks, the Tigers have landed a commitment from a Wolverines football player.

Mansfield wide receiver Verlan Hunter, a 6-foot-3 1/2, 190-pounder, pledged to the Tigers on Monday, joining teammate Arkez Cooper, who committed last week.

“They told me I had an opportunity to get in and play if I put in the work,” Hunter said.

Hunter, a two-sport standout who helped lead the Wolverines to the state basketball semifinals, caught 16 touchdown passes for the Class 2A playoff participants.

It was just Hunter’s second season of high school football.

“I think Grambling got the steal of the state,” Mansfield coach Glen Hall said. “They got a big, big-play receiver.”

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Godby Cougars' Helms commits to Florida A&M

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  Luke Helms, an inside linebacker who played on Godby High School’s state champion football team two months ago, has decided to pass on potential offers from several SEC and ACC programs as he has committed to FAMU.

Helms, who took a weekend visit to FAMU, will join his brother, Matthew, a defensive end who played on special teams for the Rattlers last season.

“I made the decision early because we had been praying for it for a long time; just trying to fit into the right school and to see what God wanted me to do and where he wanted me to be,” Helms said Sunday night. “We started calling coaches for their perspective on life and football and theirs (FAMU’s) lined up exactly with ours. That is one of the main reasons I committed.”

He said he’d visited six schools, including Georgia Tech, Florida, Purdue and Vanderbilt before making his decision.

As a member of the Cougars’ championship team, Helms (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) was credited with 120 tackles, four sacks, and 10 quarterback hurries. He played only his senior season at Godby after spending the previous year at North Florida Christian. Helms began his high school career at Leon.

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2013 HONDA BATTLE OF THE BANDS SHOWCASE

ATLANTA, Georgia - The 2013 Honda Battle of the Bands Showcase exceeded all expectations, even without the Florida A&M University Marching 100 Band, which is still on university imposed suspension. Watch as much improved Edward Waters College and Albany State puts on great shows... Edward Waters, the pride of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, clearly had a superior musical sound for the small category bands. Go EWC Tigers!

If you missed Saturday night Super Bowl for HBCU Marching Bands, here are some high definition and surround sound highlights courtesy of local videographers. 

The winners?  It's a tie...  Enjoy!  (beepbeep)