TSU beats Alabama State, moves atop SWAC

HOUSTON, Texas -- Madarious Gibbs scored 24 points, and Texas Southern beat Alabama State 80-65 on Saturday at H&PE Arena.

The win pulls TSU (10-11) into a tie with Alabama State (11-6) atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference at 7-1.

TSU ran off eight straight points midway through the first half - four on a pair of Malcolm Riley layups - and led 41-34 at the break.

The Tigers pushed the lead over 20 on Riley's trey with 9:29 left and cruised to the win.

Gibbs was 10-of-20 from the field with five assists. Riley finished with 17 points and eight boards, and Chris Thomas had 10 points. TSU shot 55 percent and was 10-of-18 beyond the arc.

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Gold Nuggets suffer a rare loss to Dillard, 53-42

NEW ORLEANS -- Alena Evans' 12 points and six rebounds Saturday led Dillard to a 53-42 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at DU's Dent Hall.

The Gold Nuggets (12-11, 5-2 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) lost to the Lady Bleu Devils (12-8, 4-2) for the first time in 13 meetings.

Evans scored in double figures for the 13th consecutive game. Ciara Morgan had 11 points and six rebounds for Dillard, and Keylantra Taylor had 10 points and three steals.

Alesha Smith led Xavier with nine points. Donyeah Mayfield grabbed 10 rebounds and reached double figures for the fourth time this season.

Dillard led for the final 37:51. The Lady Bleu Devils led 25-15 at halftime and twice held 16-point leads in the second half.

Kelsey Joseph's basket with 3:12 remaining cut Dillard's deficit to 40-34, but Dillard clinched the victory by scoring 12 of the next 14 points. Kaylynn Walker's two free throws capped the run and gave the Lady Bleu Devils a 52-36 advantage in the final minute.

Xavier scored its fewest ever against Dillard and its fewest points overall since a 38-37 victory against William Carey in the GCAC Tournament quarterfinals on Feb. 28, 2007, at The Barn.

Xavier leads the series with its longtime city rival 62-20 and won 21 of the past 23 meetings. The teams will play again at 5 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Crosstown Classic at XU's Convocation Center.

Next for the Gold Nuggets will be a 5:30 p.m. Monday game against GCAC opponent Edward Waters at the Convocation Center. It's the opener of a three-game home stand.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

Rush beat Dillard, clinch 15th straight winning season

NEW ORLEANS -- Sydney Coleman scored 15 points Saturday, and Morris Wright's drawn charge, defensive rebound and two free throws in the closing seconds helped NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana secure a 54-49 men's basketball victory against Dillard.

The Gold Rush (17-6, 6-1 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) extended its season-best win streak to six games. Xavier clinched a 15th consecutive winning season, which extended a school record.

Xavier beat its longtime city rival for the 11th consecutive time at Dillard's Dent Hall -- the streak began in 2002 -- and beat the Bleu Devils (3-18, 1-5) for the 21st time in 24 meetings during Dannton Jackson's 12 seasons as XU's head coach.

"It was a hard-fought game by both teams for 40 minutes," said Jackson, who is 266-113 with the Gold Rush. "We kept our composure in an emotional atmosphere and got some key stops at the end."

Dillard erased most of a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes and twice had a chance to tie with 3-pointers in the final minute. But Wright drew a charge against JaCarre Crockett with 31 seconds remaining, passed to Coleman on the next possession for Xavier's final field goal, then grabbed a rebound and made two free throws after Houston Chatman missed a 3-pointer for Dillard with Xavier leading 52-49.

Wright had 14 points, made two of Xavier's four 3-pointers and produced a career-high-tying five steals.

Jarrain Jenkins scored 13 points and Kristopher Allmon 10 for Dillard, which has lost 32 of its last 35 games.

Jarvis Thibodeaux's 3-point play with 19:08 remaining put Xavier ahead to stay, 29-26. Before that there were five ties and four lead changes. Xavier led 26-24 at halftime.

The Gold Rush outshot the Bleu Devils 58.8 to 32.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 29-22. Xavier committed 10 turnovers, its fewest in the last 22 games of the series.

Xavier leads the series 81-48. The teams will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Crosstown Classic at XU's Convocation Center.

Xavier began its streak of winning seasons in 1999-2000, when Jackson was an assistant to Dale Valdery. Earlier in the week, Xavier extended its streak of consecutive non-losing seasons to 24.

"It's all about the guys who play the game," Jackson said of XU's continued success. "They've weathered different storms, established chemistry. Day in and day out they do the hard work. It's about them. It's about team. They've faced adversity many times, and their success is a monument to their toughness and their will."

Next for the Gold Rush will be a 7:30 p.m. Monday game against GCAC opponent Edward Waters at the Convocation Center. It's the opener of a three-game home stand.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

UMES Hawks storm back, improve to 5-2 in MEAC

PRINCESS ANN, Maryland -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Men’s basketball team couldn’t have played much worse for the first 12 minutes of Saturday’s home matchup with Coppin State.

And the Eagles took advantage getting out to a 34-21 lead, while hitting often from the outside.

But the Hawks (13-10, 5-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) clawed their way back to within three at the half and then went on to a 92-82 win.

Devon Walker and Dominique Elliott propelled the first-half comeback with 17 and 12 points respectively. Walker was dropping 3s with no conscience and finished the first half 5 of 6.

In the second half, it was Ryan Andino who was on from the outside dropping four from behind the arc and finishing with 14 points.

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Hampton U. women fall to Norfolk State in OT 71-66

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Hampton University's women went almost three years without losing a conference game. They've lost two in the past eight days.

The Lady Pirates' dominance of rival Norfolk State ended Saturday amid an avalanche of missed shots and spotty defense.

The Spartans overcame early deficits and made plays at critical times for a 71-66 win in overtime at Echols Hall, snapping a 17-game losing streak in the series that stretched back more than eight years.

Hampton (10-11, 6-2 MEAC) remained in first place in the conference, one game in the loss column ahead of Savannah State and Norfolk State. But the league race is unofficially wide open after the Lady Pirates' second consecutive Saturday loss.

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Bethune-Cookman's women's basketball team beats FAMU, 70-57

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Kendra Cooper and Terrenisha Hollis scored 19 points apiece to lead the visiting Bethune-Cookman women's basketball team to a 70-57 victory Saturday against Florida A&M in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action at The Lawson Center.

Hollis had eight rebounds, eight assists and eight steals for the Wildcats (9-12, 6-3 MEAC), who have won five consecutive games overall, the first time that has occured since 2009-10. Kailyn Williams contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and a game-highs seven blocks. It is her fourth double-double in the past five games.

It also was the first win for coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis against the Rattlers in Tallahassee.

“(The win) feels great,” Blair-Lewis said. “It's really great for these young ladies to come out here and not just win, but turn four wins into five wins.”

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Oak Ridge seniors faced adversity on way to signing day

ORLANDO, Florida -- For most who follow National Signing Day, football recruits often are viewed through the promise of coming days.

Saturdays, mostly.

A player's value directly correlates to his production on the field for his chosen school. How he got there matters little. What he does once he arrives means everything.

At Oak Ridge, Nyqwan Murray (FSU), Deangelo Antoine (USF), Jehojada Jean-Baptiste (Florida A&M) and Darren Bostick (Nassau Community College in VINew York) are expected to sign Wednesday. They will be not unlike many of the estimated 150 area football players who eventually make their commitments official with Football Bowl Subdivision or Football Championship Subdivision schools.

Their path to this point did not begin with ...

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