Friday, February 27, 2015

West Virginia State University, NBA Basketball Legend Earl LLoyd Passes Away



INSTITUTE, West Virginia -- Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member and West Virginia State University (WVSU) basketball legend Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in a NBA game, passed away Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015.

"The State family mourns the loss of a fellow Yellow Jacket and trailblazer who was a true champion both on and off of the basketball court. When Earl stepped out on the court on that fateful date in 1950, this remarkable man rightfully earned his place in the historic civil rights movement and, more important, he opened the door to equality in America," WVSU President Brian Hemphill said. "I am so thankful the State family was able to welcome Earl back to campus last year, honor him and celebrate his legacy and unveil the Earl Francis Lloyd Lobby and statute in the new state-of-the-art convocation center. On behalf of the State family, my wife, Marisela, and I extend our deepest condolences to Charlita and their sons and extended family."

Lloyd was a trailblazer in the world of professional basketball. In 1950, with the Washington Capitols, he was the first African-American to play in an NBA game. Later, with the Syracuse Nationals, he became the first African-American player to win an NBA championship. Following his playing days, with the Detroit Pistons, he was the first African-American to be named an assistant coach and the first to be named a bench coach.



"Today society lost a true treasure with the passing of Earl Lloyd. Not enough, but many people know of his pioneering accomplishments in the game of basketball by breaking the color barrier as a player, a champion and a coach in the NBA. Those who had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Lloyd know why society, not just basketball, lost a treasure," said Bryan Poore, WVSU Men's Head Basketball Coach. "He was the most humble, caring, positive person I have ever come across. His uplifting spirit made everyone who came in contact with him feel special. I will forever cherish the many great times and insightful conversations I was able to have with this historical legend. He truly loved his alma mater."

A native of Alexandria, Virginia., Lloyd began playing basketball at Parker-Gray High School before coming to what was then West Virginia State College in 1947. During his time playing for State, the Yellow Jackets won two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference and Tournament Championships in 1948 and 1949 where they finished in second place. Lloyd was named All-Conference for three years, from 1948 to 1950, and named All-American by the Pittsburgh Courier for 1949 and 1950.

After his college playing days, Lloyd was taken in the NBA draft in the ninth round by the Washington Capitols. On Oct. 31, 1950, Lloyd became the first African-American to play in an NBA game when he took the court against the Rochester Royals. Although the Royals defeated the Capitols 78-70, Lloyd scored 6 points in what would go down as an historic night.



Lloyd spent only seven games with the Capitols before leaving for a two-year stint in the U.S. Army. In 1952 he returned to the NBA to play for the Syracuse Nationals.

Nicknamed "The Big Cat," Lloyd achieved the best performance of his career in the 1954-55 season when he scored 731 points and helped the Nationals to the Eastern Division Championship. This shored up Lloyd as the first African-American to win an NBA title. His average that year was 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

In 1958 Lloyd was traded to the Detroit Pistons where he remained until his retirement as a player from professional basketball in 1960 at the age of 32. He ended his career with averages of 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds.

After retirement, Lloyd remained with the Pistons as a scout, and is credited with discovering basketball talents Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Dave Bing, Ray Scott and Wally Jones.



In 1968 Lloyd broke another color barrier when he was named the first African-American assistant coach in the league, with the Detroit Pistons. Three years later he became the second African-American to be named a head coach of a NBA team. During his short tenure, he coached future Hall of Famers Dave Bing and Bob Lanier.

Following his time in professional basketball Earl joined Chrysler and became the first African-American executive in the Dodge division. Later, he was an administrator in the field of job placement for the Detroit Board of Education for more than 10 years. Before finally retiring completely, Lloyd was an executive in the community relations department of Dave Bing, Inc., a steel and automobile-parts company owned by the former Piston whom Lloyd had coached.

Lloyd was inducted into the national Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. He has also been honored with induction into the West Virginia State University Hall of Fame, the state of Virginia Athletic Hall of Fame, the state of West Virginia Athletic Hall of Fame, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, the Black College Alumni Hall of Fame and the Parker-Gray High School Hall of Fame.

Lloyd lived in Detroit for 40 years and at the time of his death lived in Crossville, Tennessee, with his wife, Charlita.



Follow West Virginia State University on Facebook and Twitter @WVStateU.

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

Abbes is GCAC Player of the Week for 3rd time this year

NOUR ABBES
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Nour Abbes has been named Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in women's tennis for Feb. 16-22.

Abbes, a sophomore from Tunis, Tunisia, and a graduate of Lycée Sportif d'El Menzah, won the award for the second consecutive week and the third time this season. Her nine career awards are a GCAC record in this sport.

Abbes defeated Soledad Calderon Arroyo of the University of New Orleans 7-5, 6-4 for Xavier's only point Saturday.

The NAIA's top-ranked singles player, Abbes will enter the weekend with an XU career singles record of 37-1. She is 20-1 this season and 7-0 this semester.

Xavier's women and men will play a pair of dual matches SSaturday at XU Tennis Center — 10 a.m. against Rhodes of NCAA Division III and 2 p.m. against GCAC member Tougaloo. The Gold Nuggets are 5-5 and ranked third in the NAIA, and the Gold Rush are 4-1 and ranked eighth.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Aggressive Shaw Bears eliminate J.C. Smith from CIAA tournament

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Shaw’s Bears were in no mood to lose a third straight game to J.C. Smith.

The Bears were more aggressive, especially on the boards, in beating the Golden Bulls 76-54 in the second round of the CIAA tournament Wednesday at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Shaw (13-15, sixth seed in the South Division) made only 42 percent of its shots but more than compensated by outrebounding J.C. Smith (14-14) 47-16, which resulted in a 20-6 disparity in second-chance points.

“I thought it was a typo,” Bears coach Cleo Hill Jr. said. “I think it’s a testament to (seniors Joe Reid and Koron Reed). They didn’t want to go home on Day 2.”

Reid and Reed imposed their will on J.C. Smith, scoring 16 and 15 points each while Reed grabbed 16 rebounds to match the Golden Bulls squad by himself.

“Whenever you can come into the city of Charlotte and play as well as we did against a Steve Joyner-coached team, you’ve done a lot,” Hill said. “He’s one of the best coaches in our league for all of this century and some of the last.”

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Seniors Lead TSU Lady Tigers Past Morehead State, 75-74

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tennessee State seniors combined to score 42 points and led the Lady Tigers past Morehead State, 75-74, on Wednesday night.

Chelsea Hudson (20 points), Rachel Allen (10), Briana Morrow (6) and LaTeasha Hill (6) were honored before their final home contest.

Hudson’s 20 led TSU (14-12, 11-4 OVC) while I'mani Davis netted 16 and Jayda Johnson poured in 10 to round out the double-digit scorers for Tennessee State.

While the Lady Tigers benefitted from a handful of scorers, the defense caused 18 turnovers and blocked five shots.



MSU was paced by Shay Steele who scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed a team-best 12 rebounds.

Hudson started quickly and had eight of her team’s first 12 points of the game. The rest of the Lady Tigers were a combined 2-of-10 from the field during the opening eight minutes and trailed, 18-12.

Allen and Hill quickly closed the gap by scoring seven straight points and the Lady Tigers found themselves up, 21-18 with 9:43 to go in the half.

The sides traded the lead until a three-pointer by Jemilah Leonard at the 3:54 mark gave TSU its biggest cushion up to that point at 32-28.

A jumper from Davis gave the Lady Tigers a six-point lead later in the half, but Morehead made a bucket with 31 seconds left in the first half and TSU went into the locker room up, 36-32.

TSU outshot the Eagles 42 to 35 percent and held a 23 to 19 advantage on the boards during the opening period.

Davis kicked off the second stanza by canning a pair of three-pointers to put her team up by eight, but MSU went on a 9-3 run from there to make the score 45-43 with four minutes gone in the half.

The Eagles continued their charge and took a one-point lead with a triple at the 12:47 mark. The hoop started a stretch that saw eight lead changes in just over three minutes.

The Lady Tigers were still down by one with 4:57 to play when Allen hit a shot from beyond the arc to go up, 72-70.

A powerful back-down move by Hudson ended with an easy layup to put TSU ahead by five, but a Morehead freebie and three-pointer made it 75-74 with 21.9 seconds remaining.

A missed Lady Tiger free throw gave MSU one final chance to pull out a win with one second left. MSU inbounded the ball underneath the goal, but the pass was too hot to handle and the final horn sounded without a shot attempt.

In a game that was virtually even across the board, TSU outshot MSU 43 to 42 percent to escape with a 75-74 win.

Tennessee State will close out the regular season at Belmont on Feb. 28. Tip-off for the cross-town rivalry is scheduled for 2 p.m.

BOX SCORE

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More than a game: Xavier Coach Dannton Jackson works to build winners at life

Dannton Jackson has an impressive resume, but his greatest achievement is
the impact he's had on his players off the court.

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (GCAConf.com) – There have been quite a number of accomplishments and achievements for Xavier University head coach Dannton Jackson in his 12-year tenure on Drexel Drive. Last season, Jackson became the Gold Rush's all-time winningest coach, surpassing current SUNO head coach and mentor Dale Valdery. This past week he tied LSU legend Dale Brown with his tenth 20-win season; good for second all-time among Louisiana basketball coaches. He has 12 consecutive winning seasons, a Xavier record, and has averaged more than 22 wins per season. He is a three-time Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and Jackson and former SUNO coach Earl Hill are the only coaches to lead their teams to three consecutive GCAC titles.

But for Dannton Jackson, his legacy won't be defined by what goes on between the lines, but rather by the lives he impacts beyond them.

Before his death last year, Coach Jackson had the opportunity to spend some time with the legendary Don Meyer. Meyer, who won more than 900 games in his storied career gave Jackson a piece of advice that he has tried to keep as a cornerstone of his philosophy.

"Coach Meyer told me that 'you have to love teaching more than you love winning'", said Jackson. "I believe that our program is bigger than wins and losses. There is a 'Xavier Way' that speaks to the mission of the university and to the integrity of this basketball program. We're here because of that mission and because of a legacy that we want to continue. I believe we're developing servant leaders and more than anything I look at the people who come through our program and what they do in their lives after they leave."

Dannton Jackson has Xavier in his DNA, almost literally. His parents met on the campus, his father a standout athlete and his uncle wore the black and gold as well. His staff is filled with former players, another extension of his Xavier f
amily.

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SIAC Releases Basketball Tournament Brackets





ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference released it's bracket and pairings for the 2015 SIAC Men and Women's Basketball Tournament.

The tournament is set to take place from March 2-7 inside Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Ala.

For the men's top seeds, eastern division champions Paine College, and western division winners, Stillman College, earned the top spots and with with #2E Morehouse College earned a first round bye. The number two seed with the best record earns the first round bye.

For the women's bracket, eastern division winners Benedict College and western division champions, Kentucky State University, enter as the number one seeds with number two seeded LeMoyne-Owen College and Albany State University collecting a first-round bye.

The opening session of the event begins with the women's bracket at 1 p.m.CT on Monday day when No. 4W Lane College faces No. 5E Claflin and No. 4E Fort Valley State takes on No. 5W Miles College at 5:30 p.m. CT.

The men's portion of the bracket follows the women's games respectively. No. 4E Benedict College will meet #5W Kentucky State at 3:15 p.m. CT before #4W LeMoyne-Owen faces #5E Clark Atlanta University.

Tuesday's schedule consist of five games and is set to begin at 12 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday quarterfinal rounds, and Friday's semifinals, will begin at 1 p.m. CT. Both championship games will be held on Saturday, March 7, with the women's final at 4 p.m. CT followed by the men's championship slated for 7 p.m.

For ticket information, log on to www.thesiac.com, or follow the SIAC on Twiiter, Instagram, and Facebook @thesiac.

The complete tournament brackets are attached with the tournament schedule listed below.

2015 SIAC Women's Basketball Championship Schedule

Monday, March 2 - Opening Round
1:00 PM Game 1 - #4W Lane vs. #5E Claflin
5:30 PM Game 3 - #4E Fort Valley State vs. #5W Miles

Tuesday, March 3 - Opening Round
2:15 PM Game 6 - #3E Paine vs. #6W Tuskegee
6:45 PM Game 8 - #3W Stillman vs. #6E Clark Atlanta

Wednesday, March 4 - Quarterfinals
1:00 PM Game 10 - #1E Benedict vs. Winner of Game 1
5:30 PM Game 12 - #1W Kentucky State vs. Winner of Game 3

Thursday, March 5 - Quaterfinals
1:00 PM Game 14 - #2W LeMoyne Owen vs. Winner of Game 6
5:30 PM Game 16 - #2E Albany State vs. Winner of Game 8

Friday, March 6 - Semifinals
1:00 PM Game 18 - Winner of Game 10 vs. Winner of Game 14
5:30 PM Game 20 - Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 16

Saturday, March 7 - Championship
4:00 PM Game 22 - Winner of Game 18 vs. Winner of Game 20

2015 SIAC Men's Basketball Championship Schedule
Monday, March 2 - Opening Round
3:15 PM Game 2 - #4E Benedict vs. #5W Kentucky State
7:45 PM Game 4 - #4W LeMoyne Owen vs. #5E Clark Atlanta

Tuesday, March 3 - Opening Round
12:00 PM Game 5 - #3E Claflin vs. #6W Miles
4:30 PM Game 7 - #3W Tuskegee vs. #6E Albany State
9:00 PM Game 9 - #2W Lane vs. #7E Fort Valley State

Wednesday, March 4 - Quarterfinals
3:15 PM Game 11 - #1E Paine vs. Winner of Game 4
7:45 PM Game 13 - #1W Stillman vs. Winner of Game 2

Thursday, March 5 - Quaterfinals
3:15 PM Game 15 - Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 9
7:45 PM Game 17 - #2E Morehouse vs. Winner of Game 7

Friday, March 6 - Semifinals
3:15 PM Game 19 - Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 15
7:45 PM Game 21 - Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 17

Saturday, March 7 - Championship
7:00 PM Game 23 - Winner of Game 19 vs. Winner of Game 21

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SIAC champion Paine looking to close regular season with a win

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- Paine coach Jimmy Link is quick to let his players know everything in regards to postseason play.

The Lions are the Southern Inter­collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season champions, but Link knows the team still has to keep winning if it wants to make the NCAA Division II Tournament.

“I tell them everything. They know the region deal. I let them know every game is crucial,” Link said. “We have to win our respect by winning. We can’t lose. I’m pleased with the way my guys have responded.”

Paine closes the regular season tonight when it plays host to Morehouse at 7 at the HEAL Complex. The Maroon Tigers are one of two SIAC teams to defeat the Lions in February, rallying from a 10-point deficit in the final 3:27 for a one-point victory.

Paine (21-5 overall, 16-2 SIAC) needs a win over Morehouse for several reasons. The Lions are trying to go 10-0 at home this season against league foes.

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Livingstone Lady Blue Bears Outlast JCSU Golden Bulls

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Livingstone College Lady Blue Bears hung on for a 50-43 win against Johnson C. Smith University on Wednesday evening to advance to the CIAA semifinal game. The Lady Blue Bears will take on The Lincoln University on Friday in Time Warner Cable Arena. Tip-off is slated for1:00pm on Friday.

Livingstone advances with an 8-19 overall record while the Golden Bulls end their season with a 20-8 mark on the year.



PHOTO GALLERY

Cierra York drained 10 points in the win for Livingstone while grabbing eight rebounds (eight defensive). Wende Foster hauled in 10 rebounds (three offensive, seven defensive) for the Lady Blue Bears. Ashley Porter paced the Golden Bulls with 12 points and 10 rebounds (three offensive, seven defensive) in the setback.

Livingstone head coach Anita Howard commented, "We knew tonight was going to be one of those 'grudge' matches coming in. I knew Coach Joyner would have his team prepared. Johnson C. Smith is a team that is a good match up for us. It was an ugly win, but we will take it…I challenged the team to want it more than them."

Johnson C. Smith head coach Stephen Joyner Jr. noted, "I'm extremely proud of this program and where we are right now. We are in the third year of building a program that is going to be highly competitive in Division II. I thought our team gave a great effort tonight."

Amber Curtis drained a three-pointer for Livingstone at the 17:04 mark in the contest. Back-to-back buckets by Jones pushed Johnson C. Smith ahead 4-3 by the first media timeout of the game. Aliya Grinage answered with a layup for Livingstone before Larryqua Hall's jumper restored the narrow advantage to Johnson C. Smith.

Trailing 6-5, Alexis Fowler completed a three-point play for Livingstone and restored the lead to the Lady Blue Bears. Amena Brent's layup knotted the score 8-8 at the 12:56 mark. Ashley Porter's basket for the Golden Bulls with 12:14 on the clock led to a 6-0 run for Johnson C. Smith, leaving the Lady Blue Bears trailing 14-8.

Livingstone battled back to cut the deficit to two points (14-12) after two sets of made free throws by Precious Robertsand York. Hall netted two free throws at the 6:41 mark to extend the Golden Bulls' lead to 16-12 but York answered back on the Lady Blue Bears' next possession to keep Livingstone within striking distance.

Livingstone's Aliyah Grinage capitalized on two free throw opportunities to tie the score with 4:37 left in the first half. Johnson C. Smith responded with back-to-back three-pointers, one by Asha Jordan and one by Anika Jones to pull away 22-16 with 3:34 on the clock.

Lakendra Wilkerson's free throw for Johnson C. Smith with 2:23 remaining before halftime gave the Golden Bulls a 24-17 lead. The seven point advantage was the largest of the half for either team. Five free throws by three different Lady Blue Bears cut Livingstone's deficit to two points by the end of the first half.

Johnson C. Smith shot 27% from the floor in the first half while holding Livingstone to a shooting percentage of 16%. The Lady Blue Bears scored 13 of their 22 points in the first half off of free throws.

The second half was much like the first with each team vying for control of the momentum. Both teams exchanged baskets at the start of the second half. The Golden Bulls clung to a 27-24 lead at the 16:30 mark in the first half and used two free throws by Porter resulting in a 29-24 advantage by the first media time out of the half.

A jumper by York followed by Labrea Walker's three-pointer iced the contest 29-29 with 13:31 on the clock. Livingstone overcame a tied score four times from that point forward before securing a four point lead (41-37) at the 4:56 mark thanks to Precious Roberts' layup. Kaylah Gholson's basket followed by Anika Jones' free throw left the Golden Bulls trailing by a mere point with 3:22 on the clock. Curtis' jumper pushed the Lady Blue Bears ahead 43-40 on Livingstone's next possession.

Wende Foster tacked on a layup and York's free throw for Livingstone with 1:07 left to play gave the Lady Blue Bears a 46-40 advantage. Down but not out, Johnson C. Smith answered back with a three-pointer by Shanequa Phifer to shift the momentum back to the Golden Bulls with 45 seconds on the clock. A Johnson C. Smith foul resulted in two free throw opportunities for York. She capitalized on both attempts to extend Livingstone's advantage to 48-43. Walker added two made free throws to put the game out of reach, 50-43, resulting in the win for the Lady Blue Bears. 

Cierra York received the MVP award of the game for the Lady Blue Bears, presented by Food Lion.

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The last captain: Xavier meant the world to Otis Washington, and then suddenly it was gone

“Xavier,” afforded me basically everything I accomplished in life.”
OTIS WASHINGTON
COURTESY XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA SPORTS INFORMATION

NEW ORLEANS -- For decades, Otis Washington’s ascent through Louisiana sports history ran parallel with resentment for his college sports home.

Washington distanced himself from the school that brought him to New Orleans from his hometown of Selma, Alabama; broadened his life experiences with road trips throughout the Southeast; gave him a reason to care about academics; and, during a period in U.S. history when many blacks — especially in the South — were disenfranchised, helped him land at St. Augustine High School, the start of his coaching saga.

All because of Xavier’s sudden decision in 1960 to disband all sports.

At the time, Washington, a junior, was a two-sport All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference athlete, playing guard and linebacker on the football team and catcher on the baseball squad.

The last captain on what became the final football team of 40. Men mostly forgotten.

“I was really kind of angry,” said Washington, a 2015 inductee into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame who lives in Baton Rouge.

t marked a quiet soreness, one that lagged for decades.

Even as Washington led St. Augustine to state titles in 1975, 1978 and 1979 and a runner-up finish in 1971, served as offensive line coach for one season under LSU’s Bill Arnsparger (1980), then moved crosstown in Baton Rouge as Southern’s head coach (1981-86).

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Chowan Hawks Survive and Advance, Top Falcons 65-60

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  The Chowan University men's baketball team topped the Saint Augustine's University Falcons 65-60 on Wednesday evening in Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hawks advance to the quarterfinals with the victory and take on Bowie State University on Thursday at 3:00pm.

Saint Augustine's University ends their season with a 12-16 overall record while the Hawks advance with a 15-12 record.

Carlos Arroyo led all players in the contest with 18 points in the victory. Kyree Bethel added 15 points for the Hawks while Mark Anthony Buright chipped in 14 points. Trevis Buckhanon hauled in 12 rebounds (five offensive, seven defensive) for the Chowan Blue and White. Bethel now owns Chowan's single season three-point record with 85 three-pointers on the year.

Head coach Brett Vincent stated, "I'm very proud of our team. This is a big win for our team and for the university. We've lost some very close games this season and I think that helped prepare us for the tournament."

Anthony Gaskins led the effort for Saint Augustine's with 17 points while Raheem Jolliffe and Quincy January scored 15 points and 13 points, respectively. John Koger grabbed 12 rebounds in the setback (one offensive, 11 defensive).

Head coach MarQus Johnson commented, "I thought our team fought hard tonight. Unfortunately we got the short end of the stick on this one."

The contest featured seven lead changes and four tied scores. The Hawks' bench players accounted for 22 of the team's points. Chowan hot 38.5% from the floor while Saint Augustine's shot 33.3% from the floor over the course of the contest.

Jolliffee opened the contest with a jumper for Saint Augustine's but Buckhanon answered with a basket of his own on the Hawks' next possession. January's dunk gave the Falcons a 4-2 edge but Buright's three-pointer returned the advantage to Chowan. Gibson's jumper for Saint Augustine's led to a 6-0 run for the Falcons and left the Hawks trailing 10-5 by the 16:16 mark.

Chowan trailed until the 11:26 mark in the first half when Bethel drained two free throws to tie the score 13-13. Buright's jumper and made free throw pushed the Hawks ahead 16-13. The Falcons pulled within one point before Buright's three-pointer along with Smith's layup extended Chowan's lead to 21-15 with 8:10 on the clock before halftime.

Trailing 23-20 with 6:48 left in the first half, January's dunk followed by Joliffe's three-pointer returned the lead to Saint Augustine's with 5:24 left in the first half. Koger's jumper followed by Joliffe's free throws left the Hawks trailing 29-23.

Chowan and Saint Augustine's traded baskets for the remainder of the first half. Despite Tiron Brown's three-pointer at the buzzer, the Falcons held on to a 35-32 lead heading into halftime.

Buright started out the second half with a layup for the Hawks. Gibson answered with a basket for Saint Augustine's. With the score tied 39-39 and 15:23 left in the game, two free throws by Gibson and a jumper by Gaskins gave Saint Augustine's a 43-39 lead two minutes later. Three consecutive three-pointers, two by Carlos Arroyo and one by Bethel handed the Hawks a 48-43 advantage with 11:42 left in the game. Arroyo's bucket on Chowan's next possession gave the

Hawks a 50-43 lead and capped an 11-0 run.

Bethel's three-pointer with 7:57 on the clock gave the Hawks a nine point lead (55-46) and their largest advantage of the contest. Saint Augustine's used a 7-1 run capped by Gaskins' three-pointer brought the Falcons back within striking distance and cut the deficit to three points (56-53). Two made free throws by Chowan and a jumper by Buckhanon gave the Hawks a 60-53 cushion.

Down but not out the Falcons battled back using three made free throws by Joliffe along with his three-pointer to make the score 60-59 with 2:36 left in the game.

Both teams exchanged free throws for the remainder of the contest before the Hawks confirmed the 65-60 win with two made free throws by Bethel.

BOX SCORE

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Bethune-Cookman University Fuller's Feat: 60-40 Turns 50

CARL FULLER
COURTESY BETHUNE-COOKMAN AHTLETICS
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Fifty years ago today (February 26, 1965) , Carl Fuller registered the greatest double-double in Bethune-Cookman basketball history: A 60-point, 40-rebound display as the Wildcats downed Fisk 107-80 in the semifinals of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Collegiate tournament in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Basketball legend John Chaney held the previous scoring record –57 points against Knoxville in 1952. Fuller did have the previous rebounding record – 38 against Florida Memorial earlier in the season.

Alas, very little physical information exists – only three paragraphs in a Daytona Beach News-Journal recap, no scorebook, no stat sheets. And after 50 years, the memories are starting to fade.

“The thing I can remember is that everything I did went right,” said Fuller. “I was a super hero that night.”

Some memories do remain strong, though.

HOW FULLER GOT TO BETHUNE-COOKMAN: Wildcat legend Jack “Cy McClairen” was in the first couple of years of his coaching era in 1963 when he travelled to St. Augustine to recruit Fuller. It went easier than expected.

His dad told him `You’ll do a great thing if you go to Bethune. You’re going to Bethune.’” McClairen said. “I’m glad he [Fuller’s dad] said that.”

Fuller averaged just 8.7 points, but had 16.3 rebounds as a freshman in 1963-64. Jerome Hamler was the primary scoring threat, averaging 22.9 points a game. Doing the dirty work on the boards, Fuller’s scoring averaged vaulted to 19 a game his sophomore season.

THAT ONE NIGHT: Fuller started hitting early, had little resistance underneath, and his teammates recognized it.

“They kept passing me the ball,” Fuller said. “I couldn’t miss.”

Two things that Fuller and McClairen agreed on: The coach wanted to see him dunk the ball and the reason McClairen took him out with eight minutes remaining.

“He didn’t want me getting a big head,” Fuller said.

“I wanted him to dunk …. He was trying to put the ball off the glass and he didn’t need to do that,” McClairen said. “And I didn’t want him going crazy and thinking he was going to score 80 points in the championship game.”

SO WHAT DID HAPPEN THE NEXT NIGHT? (AND AFTER THAT): Fuller “only” scored 15 points as the Wildcats dropped a 62-61 loss to Clark in the championship game. Fuller still garnered tournament MVP honors, the first Wildcat to do so since McClairen led the 1953 team to a championship.

“Their coach [Clark legend L.S. Epps] was a heck of a coach and he could come up with a plan to stop Carl,” McClairen said. “He did.”

By virtue of their 20-7 record and taking the SIAC’s regular season championship, the Wildcats earned their first berth in the NCAA Division II championship. But in the first round, Bethune-Cookman went up against top-ranked Evansville, which featured future Chicago Bull standout and Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, and Evansville posted a convincing 116-77 decision in the opening round. Norfolk State, then a member of the CIAA, downed the Wildcats 91-74 in a consolation game.

ENTER MR. ALLEN: Fuller would be teamed with Johnnie Allen the following year, and all the duo did was set scoring and rebounding records that still stand today. The penultimate was the 1967-68 team that went 24-7, won the SIAC championship with a 104-101 victory over Florida A&M and earned the program’s second berth in the NCAA tournament. Allen averaged 32.1 points a game that year, while Fuller pulled down 12.9 rebounds per night.

FULL-ER PERSPECTIVE: Fuller finished his career with 1,685 rebounds. The Division I record is Michael Williams II with 754. The Division I single-season record for rebounds is Don Hill’s 1986 total of 317—171 shy of Fuller’s overall program record of 488 set in 1965. Of Bethune-Cookman’s 101 recorded games with 15 rebounds or more, 20 of those were by Fuller.

Fuller’s also the Wildcats’ sixth-leading all-time scorer with 1,573 points. After the 60-40, he would score more than 30 in a game just once – a 31 point night against Albany State the following year.

Allen racked up 3,056 points during his Bethune-Cookman career, but never got past the 51-point mark for a single game high. The Division I record is held by Richard Toussaint, and he needed double-overtime to get 49 points against Morgan State in a 2003 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament game.

THE FAMU PERSPECTIVE: “I felt Carl Fuller was the best big man in the SIAC,” said Al Lawson, who was a forward for Florida A&M who would go on to be a state senator and has the Rattlers’ arena named after him. “I still have marks on my eye from when he hit me with an elbow. The only player who even came close to him was [former University of Florida star] Neal Walk. Even when I coached basketball, none of the players I had was greater than Fuller. They didn’t have his tenacity to rebound.”

THE PROS: Fuller was actually drafted twice. In 1967, the St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks took him in the seventh round but he elected to stay for his senior year. The Detroit Pistons took him in the fifth round the following year, but he would spend the 1970-71 season with the Miami Floridians of the ABA, where he averaged 5.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 71 games. His pro career ended the following year.

TODAY: Fuller was inducted in the Bethune-Cookman Athletic Department Hall of Fame in 2012. He currently resides, in Houston, Texas after being displaced from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

OTHER ANNIVERSARIES: In addition to Fuller's 60-40, Bethune-Cookman is also celebrating the 60th anniversary of John Chaney's senior season and the 35th anniversary of the 1980 team's surprising SIAC championship.

Chaney, who would go on to a legendary coaching career, led the Wildcats to two trips to the NAIA District 29 tournament -- essentially the Black College national championship in three season, the 1955 team lost to eventual champion Texas Southern in the opening round.

The 1980 team struggled to a 10-14 regular season record, but caught fire at the tournament, beating Morehouse 84-67, Tuskegee in 2OT 74-72 and Benedict 76-72 in the title game for a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament. The Wildcats went up against Florida Southern on their home court, lost that one 81-72, then dropped a75-63 to West Georgia in consolation action. The leading scorer was Anthony Chester, who averaged 24.7 ppg while Norris Clemons averaged 14.1 and Coach Cy McClairen’s son , Dwayne, was leading rebounder at 10.0. This was the Wildcats' final season as a Division II; they went to Division I the following year.

NOTE: Bethune-Cookman athletics and the Daytona Beach News-Journal have partnered on a centerpiece to tell to the story of Carl Fuller and other great Wildcat basketball achievements.

Click here to read Ken Willis' feature on Fuller.

Click here to read Brent Woronoff's feature on John Chaney.

COURTESY BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Larry Richardson's Big Night Propels Shaw To 77-70 Win Over Virginia Union

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Feb. 24, 2015) – Shaw University's Larry Richardson scored a season high 29 points, including knocking down 9 of 11 free throws, as the Bears knocked off the Panthers of Virginia Union in the first round of the CIAA Men's Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on Tuesday evening.

The Shaw Bears would get on the board first, when with 17:44 on the clock, AliBaba Odd would go the free throw line and sink two free throws to give the Bear an early 2-0 lead.

Virginia Union would get on the board with 17:05 on the clock as Avery Jirmnson would go to the line and make one of two to cut the Bears lead to 2-1.

The game would go back and forth over the next three minutes, and by the first media timeout, Shaw would hold a slight 5-3 advantage.

Virginia Union would remain close and would tie the game twice over the next three minutes.

Shaw U. would stay in the lead for the majority of the half, but the game would feature first half ties.

The Shaw Bears lead would reach seven points twice, last, at the half, where Shaw was able to take a 28-21 lead into the locker room at the half.

Shaw started the second half hot, as Larry Richardson hit a three pointer to begin the half, followed by a dunk from Karon Reed, and a jumper from AliBaba Odd, and the Bears were up by their largest lead of the night at 12 points, 35-23.

The Panthers were not going to go away easily, and by the first media timeout of the second half, had trimmed the lead back down to seven points, at 37-30.

Virginia Union's D'Andre' Bullard would help keep the Panthers close, with a pair of jumpers, and a layup by Karo Adjekughele at 11:44 brought Virginia union to within six points at 46-40.

A key point in the game came at the 11:09 mark, when Virginia union had trimmed the lead to 48-44, but they would miss a three pointer, and Shaw's Larry Richardson would answer with a pair of jump shots, followed by two jumpers from Jamar Cooper, and the Bear lead would surge back to double digits at 55-45 with just over seven minutes left to play.

Avery Jirmnson would get the Panthers back into the game once again, with five straight points, but the night would belong to Larry Richardson, as he would put the Shaw Bears on his back with his hot shooting, and timely free throws coming down the stretch.

The Panthers would have one last run in them to try and extend their season, but the Shaw Bears would get fouled and convert seven of eight free throws in the final 50 second to hold on for 77-70 win.

Defensively, the Shaw Bears limited Virginia Union to just 1 of 16 from behind the three point line
(6%).

The Shaw Bears were led by Larry Richardson, who dropped a season-high 29 points to lead all scorers. Joe Reid added 10 points, and Karon Reed chipped in nine points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and a steal. Jamar Cooper also added nine points and a game high three steals. AliBaba odd scored eight points. John Savoy added a team high seven rebounds.

Virginia Union was led in scoring by Ray Anderson, who finished with 22 points and four rebounds, while Avery Jirmnson added 15 points and five rebounds. Karo Adjekughele chipped in 11 points and team high seven rebounds. Colton Lewis added a game high four blocked shots.

Richardson also received the Food Lion's Most Valuable Player award for his performance in the win over Virginia Union.

Quotes:

Shaw University Coach Cleo Hill
On starting quick and limiting Virginia Union to just 21 first half points - One of the things we like to do is try to limit teams to six points every four minutes, and to hold them to just 21 points at the half, meant we were putting forth the defensive effort that I expect we can play.

On the quick turn around and playing for the second straight night – These guys are young and resilient. We will get them back to the hotel, get up late, watch some game film and luckily we have the late game tomorrow, so I think we will be just fine.

On Playing JCSU – JCSU handled us pretty the first time we played them. We answered back a little better when they came to Raleigh, but one thing we know is Coach Joyner will have his team prepared to play.

On Facing Steve Joyner, Sr – We are talking about one of the very best coaches in the CIAA, maybe in the history of this conference.

BOX SCORE

Written By: Kevin Manns
COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Inside The CIAA Tournament with Jacqui McWilliams, CIAA Commissioner


Lady Rams Take Hard-Fought 88-59 Loss to Shaw in Second Round of CIAA Tournament

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – The Winston-Salem State Lady Rams (11-17) gave it all they had, but they just couldn't overcome some foul troubles and some tough defense in an 88-59 loss to the Shaw Lady Bears in the second round of the 2015 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Women's Basketball Championship Tournament, Wednesday. The Lady Rams finished the game with 31 total team fouls and three key foul outs in the game while shooting just 33.3% from the floor in the hard-fought loss.

"In today's game, we got into foul trouble early and we had to go to some kids off the bench who weren't quite ready. I thought we could at least keep the game close until the second half and that didn't happen," WSSU head coach A.G. Hall said. "It was one of those things were where we got into too big of a hole and we spent our energy in the second half trying to battle back and it didn't go our way."

The Lady Rams' effort was on display for all 40 minutes of the game at both ends of the court. The Lady Rams forced 21 Shaw turnovers and shot a solid 33.3% (23-of-69) from the floor, but sent Shaw to the free throw line for 48 attempts in the game. WSSUS sophomore forward Jasmine Carter played another stellar game as she finished with a game-high 10 points, including hitting a pair of three-pointers. The senior duo of guard Taylar Wells and Briana Wilder both added nine points in the game while junior guard Kesheria McNeil finished with nine points as well.

The first half was a competitive affair for both teams, but a late slump by the Lady Rams put the team into a major deficit from which they would not recover. The Lady Rams looked good early with an 11-6 lead after Carter's first three-pointer of the game with 15:21 left in the half. However, Shaw answered the WSSU run with a six-point run of their own that left the Lady Rams trailing, 12-11, but Graham soon had an answer when a jumper from senior forward Jovanah Graham put the Lady Rams back on top, 13-12 with 13:24 left. From there, the troubles began for the Lady Rams as the team allowed six straight points by the Lady Bears and fell behind, 18-13 with 11:12 left in the half.

The Lady Rams had an answer with a five-point run to tie the game. The run was capped by a Wilder three-pointer at the 9:08 mark that tied the game, 18-18. From there, the Lady Rams continued to challenge the Lady Bears as a lay-up from junior guard Awa Kalmstrom kept the team within one point, 21-10 with 7:48 left, but a late slump by the Lady Rams proved costly.

Down the stretch of the game, the Lady Rams went through a five minute scoring drought with just one field goal made over a five minute span. The effort left the team trailing, 33-22 with 2:12 left in the half. Though a pair of WSSU jumpers softened the blows for the Lady Rams, the team was outscored 21-4 in the final seven minutes of the half and left the team trailing, 44-24 at halftime.

Unfortunately for the Lady Rams, the second half was far too similar to the first half. The Lady Rams started off strong in the first minutes of the half when they scored five straight points to cut their deficit down to just 15 points after a McNeil three-pointer. The effort proved to be all that the Lady Rams could muster, however, as Shaw continued their push. Carter's second three-pointer of the game came at the 15:18 mark, but was the only field goal by the Lady Rams over a five-minute span.

The drought left the Lady Rams trailing by 25 points, 57-34 before a jumper from senior forward Jovanah Graham broke the spell. From there, things gradually got worse for the Lady Rams as Shaw pushed its lead to as many as 31 points, 77-46 with 4:45 left to play. Late in the half, the Lady Rams made a valiant effort to cut down the deficit as they worked their deficit down to 26 points, 83-57 after a Wells free throw at the 1:34 mark. However, the effort was not enough as the Lady Rams finished the day with the 88-59 loss.

Unfortunately, the loss ended the careers for four Lady Rams seniors. Senior forward Dionna Scott ended her playing career with 896 total points and 443 total rebounds. "I've been here for all three years and these seniors have been with me for all three years so I'm extremely proud of the effort they've given and what they've given to the program," Hall added.

With the loss, the Lady Rams complete the 2014-15 season with an 11-17 record. For more information on Lady Rams basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.

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PHOTOS

COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

CIAA Tournament: Lady Trojans Survive Late Rally, Advance to Semifinals with Win over Elizabeth City State

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Virginia State University women's basketball team survived a late rally by Elizabeth City State University and secured a 58-53 victory over the Lady Vikings on Wednesday, February 25th in Time Warner Cable Arena.

The Lady Trojans advance to the semifinal round with the win. Virginia State will face the winner of Thursday's quarterfinal game between Shaw University and Winston-Salem State University. Tip-off for Friday's semifinal game is slated for 3:00pm.

The Lady Trojans advance with an 18-9 overall record while the Lady Vikings' season comes to an end with a 13-14 mark.

All-CIAA team member Tiffanie Adair led all players in the game with 21 points and 13 rebounds (five offensive, eight defensive). All-CIAA honoree Dashae Jones and Jessica Lyons added 13 points and 11 points, respectively in the victory.



Virginia State totaled 44 rebounds in the win while Elizabeth City State grabbed 27 rebounds in the loss. The Lady Vikings had six turnovers in the contest while forcing 17 Virginia State turnovers.

Virginia State head coach James Hill Jr. noted, "Our game plan was to come out hard and slow Breona Jones and Jada Jefferies down. We allowed them to take a lot of open shots against us earlier in the season so today we talked about slowing the game down and being disciplined."

All-CIAA performer Jadda Jefferies paced the Lady Vikings with 15 points in the setback. CIAA Rookie of the Year, Breona Jones chipped in 13 points.

Elizabeth City State interim head coach Ron Woodard stated, "Today's game was a tough loss. We had a tough start in the first half but we weathered the storm in the second half. I though overall we fought hard."

Adair opened the contest with a layup for Virginia State, ending a two-minute scoring drought for both teams. Jefferies answered with a bucket for Elizabeth City State on the Lady Vikings' next possession. Arrielle Harris used a rebound and putback to put the Lady Vikings ahead 4-2 at the 16:27 mark.

After Adair's made free throw put the Lady Trojans within one point, Jefferies' three-pointer pushed Elizabeth City State ahead 7-5. Deanna Water's layup for Virginia State knotted the score but two made free throws by Jones for the Lady Vikings tied the score 9-9 by the first media timeout of the game.

With 13:36 on the clock, a free throw by Jones along with Adair's layup and free throw for Virginia State pushed the Lady Trojans ahead 13-9. Jones responded with a three-pointer for Elizabeth City State but Adair answered with a bucket to make the score 15-12 with 10:42 remaining before halftime.

After Adair's made free throw at the 9:59 mark, both teams exchanged baskets until the 6:10 mark when Jones' three-pointer for Virginia State gave the Lady Trojans a 23-18 advantage. Lyons added a layup to extend the Lady Trojans' lead to seven points by the final media time out of the first half.

Cana Marriott's layup for Virginia State with 2:19 on the clock left the Lady Vikings trailing 31-21 and gave the Lady Trojans their largest advantage of the half. Jones made good on a free throw opportunity with 28 seconds on the clock but Elizabeth City State still trailed 32-23 heading into halftime.

Lyons' layup followed by Marriott's three-pointer solidified Virginia State's lead to 37-23 by the 18:19 mark in the second half. A layup by Lyons with 15:16 on the clock gave the Lady Trojans a 15 point lead (42-27).

Trailing 45-27 with 13:52 left in the game, the Lady Vikings orchestrated an 8-0 run capped by Jefferies' three-pointer to cut the deficit to ten points. Virginia State maintained a 47-37 lead with eight minutes left in the game when two made free throws by Jones for the Lady Vikings followed by an additional free throw by Ashley Hughes put Elizabeth City State back within striking distance with 5:25 left in the contest. Virginia State led by as many as nine points (49-40) with 4:53 on the clock when Chalise Greenwood's three-pointer sparked a 5-0 run and brought Elizabeth City State within four points.

With the Lady Trojans clinging to a 51-47 advantage with 3:12 left in the game, two made free throws by Lyons pushed Virginia State ahead 53-47. Elizabeth City State pulled within three points using Jones' free throw and Jasmine Nixon's layup. The late rally was not enough to overcome Virginia State's momentum as Adair netted two free throws with nine seconds on the clock to secure the 58-53 win for Virginia State.

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The Lincoln Lady Lions Advance To 2015 CIAA Tournament Semi's With 59-51 Win Over Virginia Union

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Lincoln University used a solid overall performance on both ends of the court, and converted 21 of 25 free throws, as the Lady Lions advanced in the 2015 CIAA Tournament Quarterfinals, with a 59-51 win over Virginia Union University.

With the win, The Lincoln improves to 20-7 overall, while Virginia Union ends their season with a 9-18 overall record.

Virginia Union was able to get out to the early 7-0 lead by the 17:10 mark, before a timeout by The Lincoln.

The timeout would settle the Lady Lions down and a Zephrah Pam layup would finally get The Lincoln on the board at 7-2.

By the first media timeout, The Lady Panthers of Virginia Union would hold a 9-4 lead. They would increase that lead to 11-4, before the Lady Lions would answer with a 12-4 run of their own to erase the Panther lead and surge ahead, 16-15.

By the 7:45 mark of the first half the Lady Lions had extended their lead to 18-15 on a pair of free throws Zephrah Pam.



The Lincoln Lady Lions were able to keep the Lady Panthers at bay, and would finish the half outscoring the Lady Panthers 11-10, to take a 29-25 lead into the locker room at the half.

Virginia Union would start the second half just like they began the game, with a quick 11-4 run to overtake the Lady Lions at 36-33 with 13:45 left to play.

With the game tied at 36-36 with 13:33 left to play, the Lady Lions of The Lincoln University would dig down deep on the defensive end of the court, and the results were a 13-3 run over the next five minutes, to give them some breathing room at 49-39.

Coming down the stretch The Lady Lions would rely on their free throw shooting to seal the game, as they would convert 8 of 10 free throws over the final six minutes to lock the game away for the 59-51 win.

The Lincoln University Lady Lions were led in scoring by Zephrah Pam, who scored a game high 17 points, while also pulling down 10 rebounds. Amani Clark finished with 12 points, four steals and three rebounds.

Virginia Union was led by Lady Walker, who scored 12 points and pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds and five blocked shots. Trylanda Jennings added 12 points four rebounds and three assists.

The Lincoln University will now advance to the CIAA Tournament Semi-Finals at 1:00pm on Friday.

QUOTES:

The Lincoln University Head Coach, Jessica Kern

"This is new territory for us. The game tonight was a game of jitters, I will say that. Once you have a bye, the kids come in on the highest of highs, and we needed some time to settle in."

"I remember my rookie season, and everyone saying that there is nothing like the CIAA. You got that right! Our freshmen have gone through the good, bad and the ugly, and have now grown into seniors. This is really emotional for my seniors because they were there from day one. They have been through the growth. And I believe our freshmen now have taken heed to that, and have a level of respect from 1 to 15. It's very encouraging as a coach to see that. "

"We have done this through a whole lot of motivation and inspiring and all of that fun stuff. We have to do it the traditional route at the Lincoln. We are not in the position where we can get a lot of division I transfers or junior college players. So when we take high school freshmen, it's really a lot of skill development, and turning them from girls to women, along with a real sense of family."

Virginia Union University Head Coach, Barvenia Wooten-Cherry

"I would first like to thank Coach Taylor for all that he's done for the athletic program at Virginia union and supporting our team."

"I thought we started well. We were aggressive and I thought we went at them well. Our team down the stretch got tight. We had a lot of missed shots. We only made 18 of 63 shots."

"And regardless of the defensive effort that we attempted to make tonight, we got beat inside the paint. We were able to contain their outside shooters, but inside the pain was the difference in the game."

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

DSU Hornets Announce 2015 Football Schedule

DOVER, Delaware -- - Five home games at Alumni Stadium, a visit to FBS Kent State and contests against the five teams that shared last year’s MEAC championship highlight the 2015 Delaware State University football schedule released today.

The 2015 season will be the first for the Hornets under new head coach Kenny Carter, who was named to the post on Jan. 21.

The Hornets will play four of their first six 2015 contests on the road, beginning with the season opener on Sep. 5 at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. This will be the first meeting between the Hornets and Flames since 2001. The teams met 14 times between 1982 and ’01, with Liberty holding a 9-5 lead. The Flames are coached by former Nebraska star quarterback Turner Gill, who led the team to a 9-5 overall record and second round appearance in the FCS playoffs in 2014.

The following week (Sep. 12), Delaware State will visit Kent State (OH) of the FBS Mid-American Conference for the third time. The Golden Flashes handed Delaware State its lone regular season loss in the Hornets’ MEAC championship campaign the first time the teams met in 2007. Kent State, behind former quarterback and current New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, also defeated DSU in 2008. The Golden Flashes were 2-9 overall (1-6 MAC) in 2014.

The Hornets will play their 2015 home opener and annual Hall-of-Fame contest on Sep. 19 against Division II Chowan (N.C.) of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in the first meeting between the teams. The Hawks were 2-9 overall and 1-6 in the CIAA last season.

After a week off, the Hornets will begin conference play at home on Oct. 3 against long-time rival Morgan State, which earned the MEAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs after sharing the league’s regular season title with four other teams last season. The Bears were 7-6 overall and 6-2 in the MEAC in 2014. Morgan State snapped a two-game losing streak to the Hornets with a victory in last year’s season finale to stretch its series lead to 34-24.

DSU will begin another two-game road swing with a visit to Hampton for a MEAC contest the following week (Oct. 10). The Pirates have won the last two meetings with the Hornets to open up a 26-14 lead in the series. Hampton was 3-9 overall and 2-6 in MEAC games last season.

The Hornets will visit Florida A&M in their next game on Oct. 17. DSU will seek to avenge a 41-7 home loss to the Rattlers last season. The Hornets were winners in their last visit to Florida A&M in 2013, but the Rattlers hold a commanding 23-9 lead in the series. FAMU hired Alex Wood as its new head coach after posting a 3-9 overall record and 3-5 MEAC mark in 2014.

Delaware State will be back at Alumni Stadium for the next two weeks, beginning with a visit by South Carolina State in the annual Homecoming contest on Oct. 24. It’ll be the first meeting between the teams since 2012 when the Hornets posted a 31-17 win over the Bulldogs at Alumni Stadium. South Carolina State was one of the teams sharing the 2014 MEAC title with a 6-2 league record. The Bulldogs were 8-4 overall last season. SC State leads the all-time series 26-16.

DSU’s homestand will continue the next Saturday (Oct. 31) against Bethune-Cookman. The Wildcats have won or shared the MEAC title in four of the last five seasons, including 2014 with a 6-2 league record (9-3 overall). The 2015 season will also be the first for new BCU head coach Terry Sims. The Wildcats have won the last three meetings with the Hornets, including a 27-7 victory in Daytona Beach, Fla., last season. DSU, however, holds a 19-18 series lead.

Delaware State will be back on the road the following Saturday (Nov. 7) against North Carolina Central. The Eagles have won six of the last seven meetings with the Hornets to open up a 15-5 series lead. NCCU won the last contest.

between the teams 23-20 in overtime in Durham, N.C., during the 2012 season. The Eagles were 7-5 overall and one of five teams to share the MEAC title with a 6-2 league record in 2014.

The Hornets will return to the Tar Heel State for their final road game of the season against North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, N.C., on Nov. 14. The Aggies were MEAC co-champs with a 6-2 league record; and 9-3 overall mark in 2014. NCA&T spoiled the Hornets’ homecoming with a 33-20 win last season, although DSU leads the series 22-20-1.

Delaware State will close out the 2015 season at home against the Howard Bison in the Hornets’ oldest rivalry. Howard’s 5-7 overall record (3-5 MEAC) last season included a 17-10 victory over DSU in Washington, D.C. The Hornets and Bison have met 71 times, including each of the last 57 seasons. Delaware State holds a 36-34-1 lead in the rivalry.

Delaware State University football has also announced that its 2015 spring camp will begin on March 18. .The first practice is set for 6 p.m. at Alumni Stadium. The camp will include 15 practice sessions, highlighted by the Red/White scrimmage on Apr. 11.

DSU spring football practice dates: Mar. 18 (6 pm); Mar. 20 (4:30 pm); Mar. 21 (9:15 a.m.); Mar. 23 (6 am); Mar. 25 (6 pm); Mar. 27 (4:30 pm); Mar. 28 (8 am; scrimmage); Mar. 30 (6 pm); and Mar. 31 (6 am).

Apr. 1 (6 am); Apr. 8 (6 am); Apr. 10 (4:30 pm); Apr. 11 (1 pm: Red/White Scrimmage); Apr. 13 (6 am); Apr. 15 (6 am).

2015 DSU Football Schedule

Date Opponent Site Time Series record 
Sep. 5 Liberty Lynchburg, Va. TBA Liberty leads 9-5
Sep 12 Kent State Kent, OH TBA Kent State lead 2-0
Sep. 19 CHOWAN Home 2 p.m. First meeting (Hall-of-Fame Day)
Sep. 26 OPEN
Oct. 3 Morgan State* HOME 2 p.m. MSU leads 34-24
Oct. 10 Hampton* Hampton, Va. TBA Hampton leads 26-14
Oct. 17 Florida A&M* Tallahassee FL TBA Florida A&M leads 23-9
Oct. 24 So. Carolina State* HOME 2 p.m. SC State leads 26-16 (Homecoming) 
Oct. 31 Bethune Cookman* HOME 2 p.m. DSU leads 19-18
Nov. 7 No Carolina Central Durham, N.C, 2 p.m. NCCU leads 15-5
Nov. 14 No. Carolina A&T* Greensboro, N.C. 1 p.m DSU leads 22-20-1
Nov. 21 Howard* HOME 2 p.m. DSU leads 36-34-1

 *MEAC game
Dates/Times subject to change
Home games at Alumni Stadium on DSU campus in Dover, Del.
DSU Ticket Office: 302-857-7497/1-866-378-TixxO

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

Nuggets, Rush win at home against Alcorn State

NEW ORLEANS -- Sophomores Sha'Nel Bruins and Adam Albrecht delivered clinching singles victories Tuesday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to dual-match tennis decisions against Alcorn State.

The Gold Nuggets (5-5), ranked third in the NAIA, defeated Alcorn State 5-4. The Gold Rush (4-1), ranked eighth, won 5-3.

Bruins, playing on her birthday, rallied from an 8-4 deficit in the third-set super-tiebreaker to defeat Aakanksha Punj 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (14-12) at the sixth flight. Albrecht ended the men's dual when he beat Garry Amor 6-3, 6-0 at the fifth flight.

Bruins and Brandi Nelson won in doubles and singles for the Gold Nuggets, who defeated an NCAA Division I opponent for the first time in five attempts this season.

Also scoring for the Nuggets was sophomore Nour Abbes, who defeated Aida Kelic 6-3, 6-2. Abbes, ranked first in the NAIA, is 37-1 in her XU singles career, 20-1 this season and 7-0 this semester.

For the Gold Rush, Kyle Montrel and Tushar Mandlekar won in doubles and singles. Montrel, playing with his third partner in five duals, improved to 5-0 in doubles this semester when he and Vincenzo Ciccone beat Amor and Kilian Salgado 8-4.

The XU men have won three straight and are 4-0 at home this season.

Alcorn State's men are 2-7, and its women are 1-8.

"Birthday girl Sha'Nel pulled it out for us," XU coach Alan Green said. "This was a huge win for our women. We couldn't lose again like last night (5-4 to Brenau), and Sha'Nel didn't let it happen. This was a very nerve-racking match against one of the best teams in the SWAC.

"The guys played very well despite not having two starters in the lineup."

Xavier's men will visit the University of New Orleans at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Both XU teams will play a pair of home duals Saturday -- 10 a.m. against Rhodes and 2 p.m. against Tougaloo.

Results:  Men    Women


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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