Morgan State Bears Set To End 2015 at Home Against UC Riverside on Monday

GAME 11: UC RIVERSIDE  (8-5, 0-0 Big West)
Monday, December 28, 2015 • 1:00 p.m. • Hill Field House • Baltimore, Md.
Live Video Stream: n/a
Radio: WEAA, 88.9 FM (weaa.org)
Series Record: UC Riverside leads 1-0
Head Coaches: MSU - Todd Bozeman (152-148, 10th yr) • UCR Dennis Cutts (32-43, 4th)
Website: MSU - www.morganstatebears.com; www.gohighlanders.com

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BEARS SET TO END 2015 AT HOME AGAINST UC RIVERSIDE ON MONDAY
The Morgan State Bears will wrap a three-game homestand Monday, December 28 when they host the UC Riverside Highlanders. UCR will enter the contest riding a 3-game winning streak, while the Bears will attempt to snap a 5-game losing streak. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m at Hill Field House.
 
PREVIEWING THE HIGHLANDERS
• UC Riverside returns four starters and seven letterwinners from its 2014-15 squad that went 14-17, and went 7-9 and placed fifth in Big West Conference play.
• Dennis Cutts (State University of New York at Albany, '90) enters his 4th season as the Highlanders' head men's basketball coach. He currently holds a 32-43 record.
• UC Riverside was picked 5th in the 2015-16 Big West Preseason Poll.
• UC Riverside is looking to finish in the upper echelon of the conference behind senior standouts Taylor Johns and Jaylen Bland.  Johns was named All-Big West First Team after finishing in the conference's top three in scoring and rebounding, while Bland was tabbed the 2014-15 Big West Newcomer of the Year as he led the league with 95 three-pointers. 
• Senior Jaylan Bland is currently leading the Highlanders by averaging 17.2 points per game on 40 percent shooting from the field and has also connected on 48-of-118 (.404) from 3-point territory. Taylor Johns (15.8 ppg) and Secean (10.8 ppg) are also averaging double-figures.
• UC Riverside is shooting 44 percent from the floor as a team and has connected on 110-of-297 (.370) 3-pointers.
• UC Riverside used a 12-0 run to open the second half, turning a three-point lead into a 15-point advantage en route to a 63-54 victory over visiting Denver Tuesday. Taylor Johns, who was held without a shot in the first half, scored eight points in the run, finishing with 14. Jaylen Bland scored 14 of the Highlanders 29 first-half points, and finished with a game-high 20.
 
THE SERIES
• Monday night will mark the second meeting between the teams.
• Dec. 31, 2014 - Taylor Johns scored 31 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as UC Riverside had to fight off a determined Morgan State for a 68-63 win. Morgan State (2-12), which last won when it beat UC Irvine 63-62 on December 16, scored 11 unanswered points to start the game. A jumper by Donte Pretlow gave the Bears a 26-9 lead at the 7:57 mark, its largest lead of the night.  They were up 37-24 at the half. UC Riverside opened the second half with a 16-7 run to close to 44-40. The Highlanders then chipped away at the lead until Steven Thornton's two free throws gave them their first lead 59-57 with 3:41 left. Johns drove in for a layup with 17 seconds remaining to secure the win. Jaylen Bland hit 4 of 7 from beyond the arc to total 18 points and Thornton chipped in 12 for UC Riverside (7-5). Blake Bozeman had 13 and Cedric Blossom andTorin Childs-Harris added 11 apiece for Morgan State. Zech Smith came up just shy of a double-double by posting nine points and nine rebounds to go along with three blocked shots. 
 
NEXT UP
Morgan State will travel west to wrap the non-conference slate when they face Bakersfield on Thursday, Dec. 31. The Bears will bring in the New Year at CSU Northridge on Saturday,  Jan. 2
 
AT THE HELM
Todd Bozeman enters his 10th year at the helm as Morgan State men's head coach. The Bears have participated in six of the last nine MEAC Tournament championships, captured back-to-back-MEAC Titles, and made appearances in the NIT and two NCAA Tournaments.
 
BEWARE THE BEAR
Under the direction of Todd Bozeman, Morgan State has collected a couple of memorable wins against big-time opponents. The Bears have recorded historic wins against: Long Island (2009); Manhattan (2009); Arkansas (2009); DePaul (2008); and Maryland (2009).
 
HOME GROWN 
Morgan State has five (5) players from the DMV (D.C., Maryland & Metropolitan-D.C.) area, including two from Baltimore. Senior Donte Pretlow (Dunbar High) and redshirt junior Cliff Cornish (North County) are both from Baltimore. Senior Cedric Blossom (Montrose Christian) is from Columbia and senior Andrew Hampton is from Germantown (Seneca Valley), while freshman Anthony Tate (Takoma Academy) is from Fort Washington.
 
COMFORTABLE AT HILL FIELD HOUSE 
Todd Bozeman has won at least 10 home games in three of his eight seasons in Baltimore. The 2007-08 (12-1) and 2009-10 (11-1) squads finished with just a single loss, while the 2010-11 squad went 10-2. Bozeman has led the Bears to a 72-32 (.692) overall home record at Hill Field House.

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NCAA Committee approves plan to assist limited-resource and HBCU schools

Committee on Academics members seek to support academic success

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The Committee on Academics approved a plan Wednesday to continue to assist limited-resource schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in improving the academic success of their student-athletes.

Traditionally, Academic Progress Rates of teams at limited-resource schools and HBCUs have lagged behind the rates of teams at other Division I schools, though the rate for these schools has increased 16 points in the last four years. Teams from those schools also are penalized more often for academic shortcomings. These schools often have a clearly stated mission to provide access to educational opportunities to a broad group of students, including those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend college.

An advisory group comprised of representatives from limited-resource schools and HBCUs studied the issue and recommended a three-part plan. The plan includes a continuation of the existing filters, with a subtle shift in how schools use filters that relieve them of Academic Performance Program penalties. Also, the recommendations involve stronger requirements for schools writing and implementing Academic Progress Rate improvement plans and a robust educational component.

Greg Burke, athletics director at Northwestern State University and a member of the Committee on Academics, chaired the advisory group.

“We agreed that all Division I schools must be committed to the foundational principle of the Academic Performance Program and the academic success of students,” Burke said. “At the same time, these schools serve a very important role and serve an under-represented population in many cases. We tried to balance both of those considerations with our recommendations to the Committee on Academics.”

Under the new recommendations, the filters that allowed schools to escape penalties based on various factors – including resource level, mission and academic improvement – would be available only twice over a five-year period. The filters had been available every year. The committee will revisit this issue at the close of the five-year period.

Additionally, a more rigorous review of the APR improvement plans required of every school that uses a filter will be employed. New criteria for improvement plans will be refined by the committee, but could require:

Schools to directly relate their improvement plans to previously identified critical issues.

Schools to set performance-based, outcome-specific goals for both the long- and short-term and describe how goals will be achieved.

Schools to develop plans with broad-based campus support, including from the highest-ranking academic authority, faculty and technology staff.

A school’s president or chancellor and the APR improvement plan team to present the improvement plan in a video conference with the NCAA staff.

Also, follow-up reports signed by the school’s president or chancellor must demonstrate that initiatives from the plan were implemented.

Finally, the committee approved a comprehensive educational programming approach aimed at helping schools improve academic performance. The educational initiatives will be refined by the committee in the spring, but may include programming designed for individual campus administrators (e.g., athletics directors, head coaches, faculty athletics representatives, presidents), and provide education and enhanced conference involvement. Additional elements will be added over the coming months.

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FAMU had plenty of bright spots in a rough 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M’s 2015 was had plenty of lows, but the uplifting moments were there for sure.

All signs point to a bright 2016.

The year began with a tragedy. Nelson Townsend, an HBCU icon, died of a heart attack at the age of 73 three weeks after taking over as FAMU’s interim athletic director. Coaches and administrators were left in mourning after Townsend’s death, as many thought he’d be the one to bring stability to the athletic department after years of turmoil.

Still, the Rattlers carried on. The baseball team won a conference title and went to its first-ever NCAA tournament. Darlene Moore, head coach of the entire track program, picked up two more conference titles (women’s outdoor track and field and cross country). The softball program won a conference title and went to the NCAA tournament.

Not all sports shared the success. FAMU’s football and men’s basketball teams both had dismal seasons.

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Former ASU coach Barlow accepts coaching job

COLUMBUS, Georgia -- Former Alabama State University football coach Reggie Barlow has agreed in principle to become the head coach at Carver High School in Columbus, Ga.

Barlow confirmed the agreement through a text message Thursday evening but said the job will not been formally offered until after the holiday break.

Barlow, who was fired at ASU in Nov. 2014, will have lofty expectations to meet in his new gig. Carver’s most recent head coach, Joe Kegler, resigned after compiling a 28-7 record in three seasons but failing to move the team out of the early rounds of the Georgia state playoffs.

Kegler was following former coach Dell McGee, who went 85-12 in seven seasons, won region titles each of those years and won a state title in 2007. McGee left to become the running backs coach at Georgia Southern and served as the team’s interim head coach during its 31-point win over Bowling Green in Mobile’s Go Daddy Bowl last week.

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New CAU Director Of Athletics J. Lin Dawson On The Importance Of HBCU Sports

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Clark Atlanta University President Ronald A. Johnson named J. Lin Dawson Athletic Director in November. As such, Dawson will oversee all of the CAU Panther Division II Athletic Program details, including compliance, budgeting, operations, advancement, student-athlete recruitment and professional staffing and development.

Dawson, who played tight end in the the National Football League, stopped by Jazz 91.9 WCLK to talk about President Johnson's vision for athletics at CAU and his own goals for the various teams on campus. He also addresses the importance of a robust athletic program at an HBCU, and his experience as a professional football
player.

PODCAST

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MORE ON J. LIN DAWSON ...
Clark Atlanta University (CAU) President Ronald A. Johnson announced the appointment of J. Lin Dawson as the institution’s new Athletics Director, effective Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. The former New England Patriot brings more than 20 years of administrative, academic and entrepreneurial experience to the CAU program. Dawson comes to Clark Atlanta from Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, N.C., where he has served as interim director of Athletics since 2013. In this new role, he will oversee the University’s NCAA Division II athletic program compliance, budgeting, operations, advancement, student-athlete recruitment and professional staffing and development. He also will serve as a member of the President’s Executive Cabinet.

Dawson attended North Carolina State University and earned the B.S. degree in speech and communications from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. He completed the MBA degree in human resource management/learning and knowledge management from Walden University in 1993, and is presently a Ph.D. student in Regent University’s School of Business and Leadership’s organizational leadership program.

“In Lin Dawson, we have found an individual of unimpeachable character who personifies the highest ideals of sportsmanship, competitiveness, academic excellence and administrative effectiveness,” President Johnson said. “His career path and record of servant leadership enliven our aim to mobilize for the future by producing student athletes who are well rounded, successful on the field and in the classroom and fully capable of applying the values of fair play, mental and physical discipline and hard work to their pursuit of academic, personal and career goals.”

Dawson, who in 1981 was drafted in the eighth round by the New England Patriots, filled the first-string tight end position and was an integral offensive presence for 10 seasons, including1986 AFC Championship and Super Bowl XX appearances. Following his NFL career, he was among the nation’s first to design and implement leadership diversity programs for collegiate athletic programs and professional sports, elevating programming in more than 40 major universities and professional sports.

Dawson’s reputation as an efficient program builder is well-deserved. While director of athletics at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) (2000-2003), he initiated the Life Skills Program for student-athletes, increased athletic scholarships by 40 percent, eliminated a previous administration’s budget deficit and maintained the conference's best corporate partnership program. As Grambling State University’s (GSU) athletics director and special assistant to the president (2008-2011), he was awarded the Commissioner's Cup for having the best athletic program in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 2010 and increased corporate sponsorship revenues by 400 percent. His teams won several conference championships, including National Black Champions in Football (2009). He also initiated a new fundraising program resulting in increased alumni and fan support, and he created the Port City Football Classic, which produced net revenues of $700,000 in its first year. His leadership experience also includes service as associate athletics director at VCU (2005-2006) and associate director of training and education at Northeastern University (1991-1994).

As a former student-athlete for the NC State Wolfpack, Dawson was a four-year starter and member of the 1979 ACC Championship Team. His many awards include commendations from: The White House, the Anti-Defamation League, National Football League, NCAA Division IA Athletic Directors Association, The Peter F. Drucker Foundation, The Boston Herald American and the National Consortium for Academics and Sports.

An ordained minister, Dawson and his wife of 30 years, Margo, have three adult children.

Ram Ramblings: Coaching dominoes will surely include WSSU assistants

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- The CIAA basketball season will take center stage next month, but it’s prime football season on the coaching front.

There are four openings for head-coaching spots in the CIAA at Elizabeth City State, Shaw, St. Aug’s and Fayetteville State.

I’m hearing the strongest rumor that Richard Hayes might be a candidate at Fayetteville State. Hayes, who has been the defensive coordinator at WSSU the last two seasons, has been a part of WSSU’s six-year run where they have gone an impressive 60-13.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that WSSU’s assistant coaches would be getting interviews and opportunities at other CIAA schools, especially at Fayetteville State.

Anthony Bennett, who spent the last six years as the compliance director at WSSU, took over at Fayetteville State this past fall and is the athletic director in Bronco land. He made a surprise move by firing Lawrence Kershaw, and his hiring of the next football coach will be watched closely.

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UDC Firebird Nation Sports Update

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Host Patricia Thomas interviews legendary former college basketball coach John Thompson, Jr. and discusses his little-known connection to the University of the District of Columbia while co-host Eric Zedalis gives a rundown of all the winter sports action.



COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPORTS INFORMATION

Concordia - Selma shutters football program

SELMA, Alabama -- Concordia College Alabama has ended its football program.

The decision was made during the university’s board of regents meeting Thursday and was announced Tuesday.

The roughly 80 scholarship football players have a chance to finish out their college career on scholarship as long as they maintain the minimum required GPA of 2.0.

Concordia chief financial officer Dexter Jackson said the decision was not based on the team’s performance this past season. Jackson said coming to the final decision wasn’t easy, but it was something the school felt it needed to do.

“We have to make a call that sometimes isn’t the call that we want, but sometimes it’s necessary,” Jackson said.

With such a large roster, Concordia director of public relations Abby Campbell said that the price of travel, equipment and other expenses became too much of a financial stress on the college.

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Former SSU Football Player Chester J. McBride, Jr., Killed in Afghanistan Suicide Bombing

The six U.S. airmen killed by a suicide bomber near Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, on Monday, Dec. 21, 2015, are clockwise from top left: Staff Sgt. Peter W. Taub, Tech. Sgt. Joseph G. Lemm, Maj. Adrianna M. Vorderbruggen, Staff Sgt. Chester J. McBride, Staff Sgt. Michael A. Cinco and Staff Sgt. Louis M. Bonacasa. 

courtesy: FACEBOOK

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The deadliest attack in Afghanistan since 2013 killed six U.S. troops on Monday, including a family man from Long Island, New York; a South Texan; a New York City police detective; a Georgia high school and college athlete; an expectant father from Philadelphia; and a major from suburban Minneapolis with ties to the military's LGBT community. They were killed when their patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle near Bagram Air Base, the Defense Department said. Here is more about them:

STAFF SGT. CHESTER J. MCBRIDE JR.

McBride, 30, of Statesboro, Georgia, was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.

He was a football standout at Statesboro High School, where he played defensive back on the team that won a 2001 state championship. An uncle, Kenneth McBride, said his nephew also played football at Savannah State University before he joined the military.

He said they often hit the gym to lift weights together when his nephew would come home on leave.

"He was real strong and had just a great positive attitude about what he was doing," Kenneth McBride said. "He loved the military."

Ken LeCain, principal of Statesboro High School, said in a statement posted on the school's Facebook page, "I will always remember him as a young man of high character with a great smile."

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Jackson State will open 2016 season at UNLV

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The Tony Hughes era at Jackson State will kick off in Las Vegas.

JSU and UNLV have agreed in principle to play each other in the opening week of the 2016 season, a UNLV spokesman confirmed on Wednesday.

A formal announcement is expected to come next month, the spokesman said. No date has been set for the game, which will be played at Sam Boyd Stadium.

The Rebels went 3-9 last season and 2-6 in Mountain West play under first-year coach Tony Sanchez. Hughes, named Jackson State's coach earlier this month, will be serving as head coach for the first time during his career.

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​Home for the holidays: Former EC/TSU guard Gibbs fulfills goals

NEWNAN, Georgia -- Madarious Gibbs currently resides more than 5,000 miles from where he grew up. The East Coweta High School alum now plies his trade as a professional basketball player in Europe, Sarno, Italy to be precise.

After having played his college basketball in Houston, Gibbs is use to being away from home for long stretches of time but this week is something different entirely. Madarious Gibbs was coming home for Christmas. His first trip home for the holiday since he left for Texas Southern University.

His flight from Italy landed at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport on Tuesday night after 14 hours in the air and the first thing Gibbs did when he touched down in his native Newnan, Georgia was surprise his seven-year old brother Jaylon. The brother hadn't been able to spend Christmas together for four years.

'I didn't tell him I was coming home so I could surprise him,' said Gibbs. 'I missed him. The 6-1 point guard is always in contact with his family and friends back home despite the distance. 'I talk to Coach [Ronnie] Vandiver all the time,' said Gibbs. 'We kept in touch throughout my time in college and I'm going to make sure I see him while I'm home for the next week and a half.' Vandiver, no longer the head basketball coach at East Coweta, is now the Assistant Athletic Director.



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TSU hammering out the kinks ahead of SWAC opener

HOUSTON, Texas -- As the Texas Southern Tigers try to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, coach Mike Davis will talk with the Chronicle about the ups and downs, the struggles and highlights during the journey of the 2015-16 season.

Texas Southern men's basketball coach Mike Davis was getting ready to head to campus late Wednesday morning.

It doesn't feel like Christmas this week for the Tigers. It feels like a regular day of practice is on hand. They'll be playing catch-up in the gym.

"I may give them Christmas off, but that's about it," Davis said.

This week is one of the few where TSU has a chance to be in its gym practicing.

The last clip of non-conference games could shape how TSU enters conference play. Davis has maintained how important Southwestern Athletic Conference play is to a mid-major team like TSU trying to make it back to the NCAA Tournament. This is a team that has no choice but to win its conference tournament.

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Former Texas Southern receiver signs with New York Jets

FLORHAM PARK, New Jersey –  Former Texas Southern receiver Joe Anderson gets another shot in the NFL.

Tuesday, Joe Anderson's outside-the-box thinking finally paid off. The wide receiver was signed to the New York Jets' practice squad Tuesday, about six weeks after he stood outside the Houston Texans' stadium for a few days with a sign asking for an NFL job.

He practiced with the Jets on Tuesday, rejoining former Chicago teammate and fellow wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

Anderson, 27, was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Southern in 2012 and played in nine games, mostly on special teams, for parts of two seasons. His 2013 season ended with an abdominal and groin injury that landed him on injured reserve, and he was later waived.

He was with Philadelphia in the 2014 offseason and spent time in the Canadian Football League but had been out of a job in football this season.

Anderson, a Texas native, took a desperate and creative approach in looking for a new employer by hitting the streets. He stood outside the Texans' facility at NRG Stadium in Houston and held up his sign for everyone to see.

Anderson played at Louisiana Tech before transferring to Texas Southern and playing for three years there while recording 154 catches for 2,010 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a rookie with the Bears in 2012, he had three special-teams tackles in the final three games of the season. He had another special-teams tackle the next season in six games, and returned five kicks for 82 yards.

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Morgan State Lady Bears End 2015 With Win Over Bucknell

LEXUS SPEARS
COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Lexus Spears recorded a double-double of 15 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds and Braennan Farrar added a game-high 16 points, as the Lady Bears ended a four-game losing skid with a 64-50 victory over Bucknell on Tuesday afternoon at Hill Field House to close out 2015.

With the win, Morgan State (3-10) evened up the all-time series with Bucknell at 2-2, while improving to 3-2 at home.

Zuri White finished with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and added six rebounds, to help the Lady Bears to a 41-32 rebounding advantage over Bucknell.

Bucknell (6-5), which was coming off an 80-51 victory over Delaware on Sunday, was led by Jacqui Klotz, who finished with a team-high 15 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to earn a double-double. Claire DeBoer added 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting and knocked down all six of her free throw attempts. The Bison would shoot 91.7 percent (11-of-12) from the free throw line.

Morgan State, which led the entire game, scored the first five points and then used a 9-3 run to close out the first quarter and take a 16-8 lead. The lead would stay between seven and 11 points throughout the second period and Morgan State held a 34-23 lead at halftime.

The guests would pull to within six points several times with the last coming in the fourth quarter after a layup by Megan McGurk made it a 50-44 game with 8:28 remaining. But that would be as close as Bucknell would get. Morgan State would use a mini 6-0 run to push the lead back up to 12 points (56-44) and closed out the game connecting on 8-of-10 free throws for the win.

The Lady Bears, who entered the game ranked last in field goal percentage (28.7), shot 34.4 percent (21-of-61) against the Bison. Morgan State was just 2-of-17 (11.8 percent) from three-point range.

Bucknell finished the game shooting 38 percent (18-of-47) from the floor and was 3-of-16 from three-point range (18.8 percent).

Morgan State will take the next 10 days off to enjoy the Christmas and New Year holiday, before returning to action on Saturday, Jan. 2 to host the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. at Hill Field House. It will be the final non-conference game of the season for the Lady Bears.

BOX SCORE

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NSU Takes Down Host UTEP in Sun Bowl Invite, 85-76

CHARLES OLIVER
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

EL PASO, Texas – The Norfolk State men's basketball team used career nights from senior Charles Oliver and junior Preston Bungei and some spot-on free throw shooting to defeat UTEP by an 85-76 score on Monday night in the Sun Bowl Invitational at the Don Haskins Center.

Oliver shot 6-of-13 overall and 4-of-8 from long range for a career-best 22 points. Bungei hit 4-of-7 from the floor and all seven of his free throw attempts for a career-high 15-point effort. The Spartans improved to 5-7 by hitting 28-of-30 from the foul line and outrebounding the host Miners, 43-26, on their home court and in front of 7,746 fans.

NSU held the lead for nearly the entire game and advanced to play UC Irvine on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST for the tournament title.

The Spartans shot 9-of-18 from long range and overcame a 19-11 disparity in turnovers, which the Miners (6-5) turned into a 27-13 edge in points off turnovers. UTEP also outscored NSU 28-18 in points in the paint, as the Spartans did most of their damage from the foul line and beyond the arc.

UTEP was up for just 30 seconds during the entire game, and the Miners quickly found themselves down early to start the game. Freshman Alex Long and Oliver each hit a difficult jumper as the Spartans jumped out to an 11-3 lead over the first three and a half minutes.

After the Miners scored the next seven points, sophomore Devonte Banner and Oliver sank treys to keep NSU with a six-point margin. Oliver scored nine straight points for the Spartans on three 3-pointers, all within two and a half minutes, as NSU led 25-19 at the midway point of the half.

The Spartans went nearly four minutes without a score until Bungei's 3-point play at 6:17. Still down by four at that point, the Miners finally took their first lead of the game on Lee Moore's bucket and then a trey from Omega Harris in the right corner. The Spartans responded, though, going on a 10-2 run over the next three and a half minutes for a 38-31 lead.

Wade's tip-in with 1:47 left capped that scoring, and Oliver hit a layup right before the buzzer to send NSU into the break up by a 40-35 score. Oliver had 15 in the first half to lead the Spartans.

NSU shot 14-of-28 for the half and 5-of-10 from 3-point range. The Spartans finished the game 24-of-52 (46.2 percent).

The Miners cut the Spartan lead to one early in the second half before NSU scored six of the next eight points in the game. Oliver later hit a trey from the right corner, and senior Jeff Short sank a pair from the line for a 53-46 lead with 13:24 on the clock.

Short helped push the lead to eight with two 3-pointers, the latter making it 60-52 near the midway point of the second stanza. Banner's trey a minute later with the shot clock winding down gave the Spartans a double-digit advantage for the first time in the game. Bungei helped keep it there with a pair of 3-point plays, the latter with 6:27 left.

UTEP got the crowd going by cutting the deficit to six. Two and a half minutes later, though, sophomore Jordan Butler put the Spartans up by 12, 75-63, on a reverse layup. UTEP got no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Short finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, with 16 of those points coming after the intermission. Butler contributed six points, a game-high 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Thanks to NSU's rebounding edge, the Spartans outscored UTEP 17-9 in second-chance points.

Dominic Artis led UTEP with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while Harris added 16 points, all in the first half. The Miners hit 9-of-28 from 3-point range (32.1 percent) and 26-of-61 overall (42.6 percent).

NSU's free throw percentage of 93.3 ranks as the fourth-best in NSU's Division I history. The Spartans shot 21-of-22 in the second half, including all 14 attempts in the last five minutes of the game.

BOX SCORE

Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Norfolk State University's King wins Buchanan Award as best defender in FCS

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The awards continue to roll in for Norfolk State senior linebacker Deon King, who was named this week as the recipient of the 2015 Buck Buchanan Award by Mickey Charles LLC.

The Buck Buchanan Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding defensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), and was first given in 1995 after the Walter Payton Award was designated solely for offensive players.

The awards program for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) was founded by Charles and The Sports Network, and is now in its 29th year. But The Sports Network ceased operation in summer of 2015, and the Payton, Buchanan, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and Jerry Rice Freshman of the Year awards are now independently presented by Mickey Charles LLC. King was also a finalist for the FCS Defensive Player of the Year Award presented by STATS LLC, which is considered the leader in national FCS coverage and administers its own awards program.

The Buchanan Award is named in honor of the late National Football League (NFL) player Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State University. Buchanan was an All-American defensive lineman and the first overall pick in the 1963 American Football League (AFL) Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.

King led all of Division I (FBS and FCS) in total tackles this year, with 163. He made 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception. He was a first-team All-America selection by STATS, The Associated Press, the Walter Camp foundation and the American Football Coaches Association – becoming NSU's first consensus FCS All-American in the process.

King becomes just the third HBCU player to ever win the Buchanan, following Chris McNeil of North Carolina A&T in 1997 and Rashean Mathis of Bethune-Cookman in 2002.

Eastern Washington receiver Cooper Kupp was named the recipient of the Walter Payton Award. Coastal Carolina coach Joe Moglia won the Eddie Robinson Award and quarterback Case Cookus won the Jerry Rice Award.

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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NSU's King wins Buchanan Award as best defender in FCS

Jackson State Inks Initial Signee Under Tony Hughes

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The Jackson State football program inked Justin Blue a 5’8, 194 pound running back from Southwest Mississippi Community College, its first signee of the Tony Hughes era on Wednesday. The Brookhaven, Mississippi native rushed for 555 yards (61.7 ypg) and four touchdowns for the Southwest Bears during the 2015 season. Hughes, who was announced as JSU’s head football coach, is widely regarded as one of the top recruiters in the nation.

While at Brookhaven High School, Blue recorded 1,853 career rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry and 61.8 yards per game. As a senior he rushed for 1,108 yards and 11 touchdowns on 146 carries.


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COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hughes to inherit plenty of experience at Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi -- One of the main reasons Jackson State’s hire of Tony Hughes has gained so much praise is because of the expected boost Hughes will bring to the Tigers’ recruiting efforts.

While Hughes will have the next few weeks to try to identify players he wants to bring in to help build his program, The Clarion-Ledger decided to take a look at what he’s inheriting at JSU, which has posted a combined record of 8-15 the past two seasons.

Offense

At quarterback, LaMontiez Ivy, who has been the primary starter the past two seasons, is slated to return.. Ivy posted big numbers throughout the first half of season, but suffered a high-ankle sprain against Alabama A&M and wasn’t completely himself the rest of the season.

Ivy finished with 2,199 yards and 15 touchdown passes to eight interceptions and was sidelined for the final two games when he aggravated ankle injury against Alabama State. Jarin Morikawa started four games in Ivy’s place. True freshman Jordan Williams also received some action.



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Hopson happy with Alcorn’s position

COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

LORMAN, Mississippi -- In the blink of an eye, in football terms, Jay Hopson took Alcorn State from the depths of despair to the class of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The program that was 2-8 the year before he got there has gone 28-10 over the past three seasons, with two SWAC championships, one Black College national title, and one near-miss at a second national title.

The stat Hopson, ever the perfectionist, has stuck in his mind, however is 50. Excluding two blowout losses to Football Bowl Subdivision teams Mississippi State and Georgia Tech, that’s the total number of points Alcorn’s losses have been decided by in the past three seasons.

It works out to about a touchdown per game. A play here or a play there. It’s a razor-thin margin that could have turned Alcorn’s run from great to historic — and also the reason Hopson is happy with where his program sits despite a 41-34 season-ending loss to North Carolina A&T in the Celebration Bowl last weekend.

“You look at our losses this year, and we’re 15 points away from being 12-1,” Hopson said.

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New strength coach wants to bring ‘competitive environment’ to FAMU

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Parker Brooks wants to bring some of the energy of his home town to Florida A&M.

That’s good news for Rattlers fans. Brooks was raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, home of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama’s football program has been one of the best in the nation for years. Several coaches have contributed to the team’s success, but strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran has been a key piece of the staff since he arrived in 2007.

Brooks – who worked with Cochran for six years before coming to Florida A&M – said the school’s football program is “on the bubble” in terms of strength and conditioning. He plans to bring a “competitive environment,” similar to Alabama’s, to Florida A&M.

“I don’t think anybody just came in and kicked our butt in the first half of the football games,” he said. “We lacked depth, but we don’t lack passion. We’ve got some fiery guys in here. All we need is a little more depth and a little bigger guys.”

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Florida State donates old scoreboard to Florida A&M

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Doak Campbell Stadium at Florida State is getting renovated. The renovations include a new scoreboard in the south end zone, meaning the school has to do something with the one that's been in place.

That something is giving the scoreboard to Florida A&M.

According to the Tallahassee Democrat, FSU donated the scoreboard to A&M with no fee attached. Though Florida A&M will have to pay six figures to get the scoreboard up and running at its own field.

FAMU Athletic Director Milton Overton said the scoreboard was given to the university free-of-charge, though it will cost roughly $125,000 to install and program it.

Overton thanked FSU Athletic Director Stan Wilcox and President Thrasher for "their willingness to gift the scoreboard " to FAMU Athletics.

"We hope this is the beginning of an enhanced relationship with FSU to bring maximum value to our collective fans," Overton said in a press release. "This also falls in line with Dr. Mangum's vision of best-in-class in all areas of our institution.”

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Haywood, Pirkl receive honorable-mention all-state

NEW ORLEANS — Claudia Haywood and Franziska Pirkl received more volleyball honors late Saturday when the Xavier University of Louisiana seniors earned honorable mention on the 2015 All-Louisiana team.
     
Haywood, a 5-foot-11 middle blocker from Memphis, Tenn., and a graduate of Cordova High School, also received a vote for Player of the Year and finished third in balloting for that award. She led the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference this year with a .292 hitting percentage. She was first-team All-GCAC her final two seasons, and she was GCAC Tournament MVP this year and in 2013. Haywood finished her career with a .287 hitting percentage, 756 kills and 207 blocks, all of which rank among the top four in XU history.
     
Pirkl, a 5-9 setter from Munich, Germany, and a graduate of Theodolinden Gymnasium, led the GCAC this year with 8.97 assists per set. She was first-team All-GCAC four times, the 2015 GCAC Setter of the Year and a two-time Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete. Her 3,293 career assists are an XU record. Pirkl also produced 227 kills, 116 aces, 754 digs and 103 blocks in her career — those latter three numbers rank in XU's top five.
     
For the third straight year, XU's Hannah Lawing was runner-up for Coach of the Year. Lawing received three votes, and Millicent Van Norden of the University of New Orleans received six. Receiving a vote for Libero of the Year and placing third was XU seniorDarian Harris.
     
A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel of sports publicists selected the All-Louisiana team, which consists of student-athletes from NCAA Division I and NAIA members.
     
Xavier's Gold Nuggets were 19-8 this year, and for the fifth consecutive season they won GCAC regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship.

2015 All-Louisiana Women's Volleyball Team

FIRST TEAM Malina Sanchez, senior, McNeese State Tea Juric, junior, Tulane Kelly Graham, senior, McNeese State Landry Bullock, junior, Southeastern Louisiana Glynna Johnson, senior, Northwestern State Blessing Dunn, freshman, New Orleans Libero: Diamond Williams, junior, Southern SECOND TEAM Kaci Eaton, junior, Nicholls State Gina Tillis, sophomore, LSU Sarah Ray, sophomore, Tulane Taylor Zaeske, junior, Louisiana-Monroe Hope Pawlik, junior, Louisiana-Monroe Celeste Ramirez, senior, New Orleans Libero: Bridget Justis, junior, McNeese State PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Malina Sanchez, McNeese State      Voting:  Sanchez 7, Juric 3, Claudia Haywood (Xavier) 1 LIBERO OF THE YEAR:  Diamond Williams, Southern      Voting:  Williams 6, Justis 2, Darian Harris (Xavier) 1, Haley Smith (LSU) 1 NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:  Keke Irby, New Orleans      Voting:  Irby 8, Madi Odom (Southeastern Louisiana) 3 FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Blessing Dunn, New Orleans      Voting:  Dunn 8, Lisa Mordell (Tulane) 3 COACH OF THE YEAR:  Millicent Van Norden, New Orleans      Voting:  Van Norden 6, Hannah Lawing (Xavier) 3, Patrick Hiltz (Louisiana-Monroe) 1, Jim Smoot (Southeastern Louisiana) 1 HONORABLE MENTION Claudia Haywood, senior, Xavier; Amanda Kunz, senior, Northwestern State; Madi Odom, junior, Southeastern Louisiana; Marta Monne, sophomore, Louisiana Tech; Eva Allen, senior, Loyola; Keke Irby, junior, New Orleans; Franziska Pirkl, senior, Xavier Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XULAgold.com XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA  twitter.com/xulagold www.facebook.com/xulagold

FINAL: North Carolina A&T and Tuskegee Finish Atop HSRN Football Polls

HARTLEY, Delaware – North Carolina A&T’s victory in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl and Tuskegee’s deep run in the Division II Playoffs have vaulted the Aggies and Golden Tigers to the top spots in the final 2015 HSRN Football Polls.  The MEAC co-champion Aggies defeated SWAC champion Alcorn State, 41-34, before an announced crowd of 35,528 in the Georgia Dome to cap off a 10-2 season.

Tuskegee became the first HBCU team to get to the regional finals since Winston-Salem State’s run to the D2 championship game in 2012.  The Golden Tigers defeated Catawba and North Alabama before falling to national semifinalist West Georgia.

Final  Rankings
Division I FCS
	School (First Place Votes)	Record	Pts	Previous
1	North Carolina A&T (9)	10-2	104	2
2	Alcorn State (1)	9-4	98	3
3	Grambling State (1)	9-3	86	1
4	Bethune-Cookman	9-2	82	4
5	Prairie View A&M	8-2	59	5
6	North Carolina Central	8-3	58	6
7	South Carolina State	7-4	46	7
8	Southern	6-5	28	8
9	Alabama State	6-5	23	9
10	Hampton	6-5	10	10
	Others receiving votes
	Alabama A&M (6), Tennessee State (2)

Final Rankings
Division II/NAIA
	School (First Place Votes)	Record	Pts	Previous
1	Tuskegee (7)	10-3	72	4
2	Bowie State	9-3	60	1
3	Virginia Union	8-3	54	2
4	Winston-Salem State	6-5	48	3
5	Albany State	6-4	40	7
6	Miles	7-5	36	5
7	Virginia State	6-4	33	6
8	Fort Valley State	5-4	30	10
9	Chowan	6-4	16	8
10	Livingstone	5-4	14	9
	Others receiving votes
	Langston (FPV-1 | 10 pts), Central State (10), Benedict (6) Texas College (4), Johnson C. Smith (3), Cheyney (2), Elizabeth City St. (1), Fayetteville St. (1)

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