UH's Blacklock to join Texas Southern staff

DALLAS BLACKLOCK
ASSISTANT COACH - WIDE RECEIVERS
TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Dallas Blacklock has been hired as wide receivers coach at Texas Southern.

"It's a great opportunity for me," said Blacklock, who has spent the past three seasons as the University of Houston's director of high school relations. "Anybody who leaves the University of Houston and Tom Herman is probably crazy. It had to be a great fit."

Blacklock joins the staff of new TSU coach Mike Haywood, who was hired in early December. The move allows Blacklock to get back into coaching in an area with which he's familiar. Before UH, Blacklock spent one season as an assistant at Fort Bend Marshall and four seasons at his alma mater, Sharpstown High School, the last two as head coach.

As Sharpstown's head coach, Blacklock compiled a two-year record of 16-7 including playoff berths both seasons. Blacklock's 2012 team finished the year undefeated in district play and advanced to the second round of the Texas state playoffs. During his two-year stint at Sharpstown, 19 players went on to play football on the collegiate level.

A Houston native, Blacklock graduated from McPherson College in May of 2003 with a degree in Religion and Philosophy. A four-year letterman as a defensive back, Blacklock earned NAIA second team All-America honors as a senior while also earning All-KCAC second team honors in 2002 and 2003.

Dallas Blacklock joined the Houston Football program as the director of high school relation in June of 2013.

"Texas Southern is a place that's always been dear to my heart," he said Monday.

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Texas Southern Lady Tigers rout UTSA 59-44 on the road

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – A game-high 19 points from Brianna Sidney gave Texas Southern its fourth win of the season over Texas- San Antonio during the UTSA Winter Classic. The Lady Tigers finished the game winning by a score of 59-44.

Sidney (5-for-12) was the lone student-athlete to register a double-double (19 points, 13 rebounds). Joyce Kennerson (4-for-7) also scored in double figures, managing 18 points with eight rebounds. Jazzmin Parker contributed five points and five rebounds, while Kiana Vines earned four points and six rebounds.

The Roadrunners struck first and continued frequent scoring, but a 12 point run in the third quarter pushed TSU to a 42-31 standing. The Lady Tigers would never lose the lead for the remainder of the game.

The Lady Tigers kept UTSA at shooting 27.8 percent and 6.3 percent at three-point range. TSU forced 15 turnovers in the contest, while the two teams also combined to set a new NCAA record for blocked shots in a game with 29.

Individually Texas Southern's Vines totaled eight blocks matching the single-game record set last season by Middle Tennessee's Cheyenne Parker.

Due to wintry weather conditions rolling through the country, the final two days of the UTSA Holiday Classic have been canceled.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ohio State Beats S.C. State 73-57

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Keita Bates-Diop scored a career-high 24 points and Ohio State won its fourth straight with a 73-57 victory against South Carolina on Sunday night.

Senior forward Gabriel McCray had 17 points and sophomore guard Ed Stephens scored 11 for South Carolina State (5-9) in the loss.

Bates-Diop was 8-for-14 from the floor, including 5-of-9 on 3-pointers, and tied a career-high with 10 rebounds.

Bates-Diop was the story in the first half, scoring 17 points to top his previous best in a half by one. He made 5-of-7 3-pointers while his teammates missed all eight tries from beyond the arc and the Buckeyes held a 34-21 halftime lead.

Kam Williams added 12 points for Ohio State (8-5), and Trevor Thompson had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bulldogs were ahead 15-11 nine minutes into the game but went cold from there, enduring a four-minute drought that enabled Ohio State to reel off eight straight points.

After a bank shot by forward DouDou Gueye drew South Carolina State to within 19-17, Bates-Diop connected on consecutive 3s off assists by Marc Loving to make it 25-17. Bates-Diop added two more treys in the final 2:15 of the half.

South Carolina State opened the second-half with six straight points, four by McCray, to cut the deficit to 34-27 before a Ja'Quan Lyle's mid-range floater restored a nine-point advantage.

The Bulldogs forced 14 turnovers, while finishing with ten answered points. Meanwhile, The Buckeyes also blocked nine shots, six coming in the first-half.

Junior guard Eric Eaves finished with eight points, while sophomore forward Tashombe Riley added five points and a team-high eight rebounds.

UP NEXT: South Carolina State resume play in the second of a three-game Midwest swing at Akron on Wednesday (Dec.30). Tip-off is 7 p.m.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU’s Mitchell fondly recalls Globetrotters' Meadowlark

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Meadowlark Lemon entertained millions of fans around the world – including Tallahassee – with his blend of style and humor as the “clown prince of basketball” while with the Harlem Globetrotters.

But Tommy Mitchell Sr., learning to craft his dribbling routine with the traveling team in the early 1960s, recalls the personal time he spent in quiet gymnasiums with the attentive, serious showman.

Lemon died Sunday in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 83.



“I was indebted to him,” said Mitchell, 76, president of the Florida A&M National Alumni Association.

“I thought I was a good basketball player, but I certainly wasn’t a dribbling clown. But he took me into the gym and told me about the older guys and showed me some things they did. Meadowlark was responsible for teaching me the routine that I developed.”

After briefly attending FAMU and serving in the U.S. Army, Lemon joined the Globetrotters in 1954.

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Five things to watch when B-CU women's basketball returns to action this week

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman entered the holiday break on a positive note after defeating Georgia Southern 65-49 to conclude the Hatter Classic at Stetson.

The Wildcats will take part in another tournament, beginning Tuesday, down in Boca Raton after an eight-day rest. B-CU will face host Florida Atlantic at 5 p.m., followed by a meeting with either Miami (Ohio) or LIU Brooklyn on Wednesday.

Entering the final week of December with a respectable 6-6 record, here are five things to watch as the Wildcats prepare for the second half of the season.

Fly the Coop

Junior guard Kendra Cooper torched Georgia Southern for a career-high 31 points in B-CU's victory. She was aggressive from the opening tip, knocking down a trio of 3-pointers within the first four minutes.

The Spring, Texas, native leads B-CU in scoring at 16.9 points per game, shooting 38.8 percent from beyond the 3-point line.

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Basketball Hall of Fame on the Passing of Meadowlark Lemon, Class of 2003

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts -- Fans around the world lost a part of their basketball family, with the passing of Harlem Globetrotter legend Meadowlark Lemon. Known as the Clown Prince of Basketball, Lemon played more than 16,000 games in front of millions of fans through appearances in over 70 countries. He was one of the most recognizable Globetotters during his career from 1954 until 1978. He played 50 games for the team in 1994.

“Meadowlark used the game of basketball to bring happiness, peace and laughter to people from a variety of cultures across the globe,” said John L. Doleva, President & CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “He proved that basketball truly has no boundaries and the language of the game is spoken universally whether he was performing in front of the Pope, Presidents or children of all ages. We were proud to recognize Meadowlark as part of our Hall of Fame family and we will continue to celebrate the joy that he brought to so many people.”



COURTESY NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

Florida A&M's Meadowlark Lemon Dies at Age 83

TAMPA BAY, Florida -- Every year starting in the 1960s all the way through today the Harlem Globetrotters have played an annual basketball game in the Tampa Bay area. In the early days they came to a sold out Curtis Hixon Hall in Tampa or the Bay Front Arena in St. Petersburg.

The team was led by Florida A&M star, George Meadowlark Lemon one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He passed away on Sunday at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona at the age of 83. He was the heart and soul of the most popular basketball team in the world, the Harlem Globetrotters.

Lemon was a gifted forward who had an amazing ability to pass the ball and a half court hook shot that he could hit almost on command. He was a master showman and a born entertainer. He was at his best setting other players up.

Today in the New York Times reported that Lemon and the Trotters played in Rome before the pope; they played in Moscow during the Cold War before the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. In the United States, they played in small towns and big cities, in Madison Square Garden, in high school gyms, in cleared-out auditoriums even on the floor of a drained swimming pool. They performed their most entertaining ball-handling tricks, accompanied by their signature tune Sweet Georgia Brown, on The Ed Sullivan Show.

They played a total of over 16,000 games in over 100 countries. They remain the best known basketball team in the world and Lemon was a big reason why.



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Bethune-Cookman Drum Majors Fulfill Graduation Promise

Wells said when he became director of bands in 1996, only one member of the 300 plus member band graduated. 

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — On the field, they relied on each other to lead the Marching Wildcats through performances that garnered attention and applause; boosted, of course, by their own high-stepping, show-stopping dance moves and marching precision. Off the field, they relied on each other to achieve a life milestone that is also worthy of attention and applause.

Micheal Crane, Javaris Gooding-Butts, Marcel Lewis, Louis Owens and Rashaun Phillips were Bethune Cookman University drum majors whose support of each other resulted in another important distinction; they are now all Bethune Cookman University graduates.



The men made a pledge to themselves and to each other that they would all wear the BCU band uniform with pride, but also, importantly, that they would achieve the actual goal of matriculating at one of Florida’s four HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities): graduating.

Owens, 25, was the head drum major in 2012 when he embraced a vision for himself and his fellow DMs. “My goal for the group was to improve the leadership on and off the field in a major way. My mentor, Mr. Earnest Hamilton, always challenged me to be great and to lead by example,” said Owens, who is now the director of bands at Carver School of the Arts in Atlanta.

Graduation rates at HBCUs have been ...

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Winfrey has passion for his work at WSSU

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina --
Ken Winfrey didn’t attend Winston-Salem State as a student.

While he grew up in Winston-Salem, he didn’t know much about the school but is making up for that in a big way. Since 2013, Winfrey has settled into his role as the voice of the Rams, a job he does with a smile on a volunteer basis.

“I love it,” said Winfrey, a 1974 graduate of North Forsyth who attended Wake Forest. “Just to see these athletes thrive on and off the field is something I get a kick out of it.”

There’s no paycheck for Winfrey despite his long hours and his trips to faraway places to broadcast games. But the satisfaction of doing a good job and telling a story along the way is good enough for him. With a tight budget, WSSU can’t afford to pay Winfrey, but the reach he has on the internet through the school’s website gives the athletic program a voice.

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Fayetteville State names Winston-Salem State assistant its head football coach

RICHARD HAYES
HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY BRONCOS

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- Fayetteville State's board of trustees has approved the hiring of Richard Hayes to be the school's next head football coach.

The 45-year-old Hayes, who worked at CIAA powerhouse Winston-Salem State for the previous six years and served as a defensive coordinator for the previous two, will be paid $90,000 annually as part of a three-year contract that starts Feb. 1. His appointment was approved Monday morning during a special meeting of the trustees.

There were more than 60 applicants for the job, Fayetteville State athletics director Anthony Bennett said, and Hayes was one of four candidates to receive an on-campus interview. During the last six years, he worked closely with Bennett, who was Winston-Salem State's associate athletic director for compliance before being hired by Fayetteville State in August.

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Fort Valley State University Releases 2016 Football Schedule

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- Fort Valley State University Director of Athletics Dr. Joshua W. Murfree, Jr., has announced the Wildcats 2016 football schedule. The Wildcats 10 game schedule includes three home games, two classic games (Labor Day Golden Classic and Fountain City Classic) and six away games.

Fort Valley State will open the 2016 season in Birmingham, Alabama on Sunday, September 4, with conference foe Miles College in the Labor Day Golden Classic at 6 p.m. The Wildcats last played Miles in the Valley in 2008 and walked away with the on 28-0. FVSU travels to Jackson, Tennessee on Saturday, September 10 to play Lane College at 2 p.m. The Wildcats open at home with Clark Atlanta University on Saturday, September 17 at 6 p.m., and the day being honored as Horace Mann Bond Memorial Game and Military Appreciation Day. On Saturday, September 24, the Wildcats will visit Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina for a 2 p.m. game and from there Saturday, October 1 play Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, West Virginia at 2 p.m. Then, on Saturday, October 8, FVSU will host Kentucky State University on Senior and Open House Day at 2 p.m., before traveling to play Florida Tech University in Melbourne, Florida on Saturday, October 15 in a 2 p.m. matchup. Central State University will visit the Valley for the first time on homecoming and Communiversity Day on Saturday, October 22, with the game scheduled for 2 p.m. The team then travel down I-75 to Atlanta, Georgia for a date with Morehouse College on Saturday, October 29 and rounding out the regular season with Albany State University in the 27th Annual Fountain Classic on November 5 in Columbus, Georgia.

WILDCATS 2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DATE	OPPONENT	LOCATION	TIME
Sun. Sept. 4	Miles College * Labor Day Golden Classic	Birmingham, Alabama	6:00 PM (CST)
Sat. Sept. 10	Lane College *	Jackson, Tennessee	2:00 PM (CST)
Sat. Sept. 17	Clark Atlanta University *	Fort Valley, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Sept. 24	Benedict College *	Columbia, South Carolina	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 1	Alderson Broaddus University	Philippi, West Virginia	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 8	Kentucky State University *	Fort Valley, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 15	Florida Tech University	Melbourne, Florida	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 22	Central State University * (HC)	Fort Valley, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 29	Morehouse College *	Atlanta, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 5	Albany State University * 27th Annual Fountain City Classic	Columbus, Georgia	2:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 12	SIAC Championship	Montgomery, Alabama	7:00 PM (CST)

(BLACK) Indicate home games                                (*) Indicate conference games

COURTESY FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Culver Column: New scoreboard nothing to scoff at

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Believe it or not, there are people who claim to be supporters of Florida A&M who aren’t pleased with Florida State’s recent scoreboard gift.

Milton Overton Jr. and Stan Wilcox, the athletic directors of FAMU and FSU, respectively, negotiated the donation of Doak Campbell’s south-end zone scoreboard to Bragg Memorial Stadium. The Seminoles don’t need the old board – they’re spending millions on upgrades.

The components of the board have been taken to Bragg Memorial Stadium, and it’ll cost FAMU’s athletic department about $125,000 to get the scoreboard installed.

Check social media and you’ll see there’s a bit of a 70-30 divide on the board. The majority see the gift for what it is: A much, much larger school helping out another local institution because it needs some assistance.

There’s a group saying something else, though. There are some people who are saying FAMU doesn’t need to be a “charity case.”


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

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Texas Southern football star joins basketball team, throws down nasty dunk vs. Syracuse

SYRACUSE, New York -- Texas Southern is once again viewed as one of the favorites in the SWAC, with returnees such as Malcolm Riley and Chris Thomas expected to lead the way for Mike Davis’ team. Another reason for that status is the addition of redshirt freshman forward Derrick Griffin, who as a high school athlete was considered to be one of the top two-sport athletes in the Class of 2014.

The Tigers fell 80-67 at Syracuse Sunday afternoon, but in his fifth game as a member of the program Griffin showed exactly why he’s expected to be an impact addition for Texas Southern.

Griffin scored 20 points, shooting 9-for-9 from the field, and grabbed nine rebounds in a losing effort. And two of those points came on an impressive one-handed alley-oop in which Griffin displayed the hands responsible for more than 700 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on the gridiron this past season.

Griffin was originally a Miami signee expected to play both football and basketball at “The U,” but after failing to qualify academically he landed at Texas Southern.

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LA Tech Bulldogs Play PVAMU Panthers in Final Non-Conference Game

RUSTON, Louisiana – Louisiana Tech begins a four-game home stand on Monday night when it takes on Prairie View A&M in the final non-conference game of the season set for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff inside the Thomas Assembly Center.

LA Tech (10-2) is coming off a three-day break from basketball for Christmas, returning to Ruston on Saturday to begin prep for the last tune-up before Conference USA play begins in less than a week.

GameDay Central | Game Notes

“Our team has been focused on daily improvement and that has continued,” head coach Eric Konkol said. “We lifted, watched video and practiced Saturday and the attention to detail was strong after an extended break. This is a great time of year to spend more time on the areas we need to improve.

“Our focus right now is solely on improvement and preparing for Prairie View A&M. We certainly want to play well in our last non-conference game and use this as another opportunity to get ready for C-USA play.”

The Bulldogs went home for the holidays fairly happy after picking up a 66-63 road win over Florida Gulf Coast last Tuesday.

In was a return to the Sunshine State for five players, one of which was Alex Hamilton who had a nice homecoming by scoring a game-high 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting.

It marked the 10th victory of the season and one that was different from the other nine in that it was a grind-it-out, defensive battle. The Bulldogs have been more accustomed to offensive shootouts, but they were able to limit the Eagles to just 63 points on their home floor.

It was only FGCU’s 10th home loss since the 2012-13 season. Meanwhile, LA Tech looks to extend their 37-game home winning streak on Monday night when it faces a winless Prairie View A&M (0-11) team.

“Prairie View A&M changes defenses often and is No. 26 in the country at forcing turnovers,” Konkol said. “They have challenged themselves in difficult environments all year by playing the 15th strongest schedule and just one home game. They will play very hard and have some gifted offensive players.

The Panthers have played nine of their 11 non-conference games so far on the road against the likes of VCU, Houston, UNLV, Wisconsin, Baylor, TCU and Tulane. The most recent game came in an 80-51 loss at Nebraska.

PVAM has two players averaging double figures in scoring -- Tevin Bellinger at 12.8 points per game and Admassu Williams at 11.6 points per game. Both players have started all 11 games.

This will be the fourth and final SWAC opponent that LA Tech will face this season after previously taking on Grambling State, Jackson State and Southern.

Fans can access live video and audio of the game via the Internet by subscribing to LA Tech All-Access at LATechSports.com. The game can be heard live on the LA Tech Sports Network on KXKZ 107.5 FM (Ruston), KRMD 1340 AM (Shreveport), KJVC 92.7 FM (Mansfield) and KTKC 92.9 FM (Springhill). The “Voice of the Bulldogs” Dave Nitz will call the play-by-play and Jack Thigpen will provide analysis.

Twitter users can also receive live in-game updates by following @LATechHoops.

COURTESY LOUISIANA TECH ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Orange Extends Winning Streak Against Texas Southern

SYRACUSE, New York – Syracuse closed out the non-conference portion of its schedule with an 80-67 victory against Texas Southern in the Carrier Dome on Sunday, Dec. 27. The Orange will enter ACC play with a 10-3 record, while Texas Southern goes to 1-10.

Grad student Michael Gbinije led a group of five Orange in double figures in scoring with a team-high 15 points. Grad student Trevor Cooney and senior DaJuan Coleman both finished with 14 points. Freshman Tyler Lydon came off the bench to contribute 13 points, while fellow freshman Malachi Richardson added 10 points. Texas Southern's Derrick Griffin led all scorers with 20 points.

Both teams started the game with a hot hand as Texas Southern hit five of its first eight shots, while Syracuse converted seven of its first 10 attempts. One of those baskets was a three-pointer by Cooney on a fast break. It was his 209th of his career, which gives him sole possession of fourth place on Syracuse's all-time three-point field goals made record list.

Gbinije's jumper at the 13:14 mark broke an 11-11 tie and started the Orange on a 6-0 scoring run that gave Syracuse a 17-11 advantage. The Tigers fought back and a three-pointer by Jerron Martin brought Texas Southern within one at 20-19 with 7:15 on the clock. Martin's second three at the 4:53 mark evened the score at 22-22.

Tyler Roberson put the Orange back on top with a layup, which sparked Syracuse on an 18-8 scoring run to end the half. Gbinije hit back-to-back three-pointers and had eight points during the stretch and he led all scorers with 13 points in the first half. Syracuse entered intermission with a 40-30 lead.

Freshman Malachi Richardson scored the first seven points of the second half to extend the Orange's advantage to 47-30. Syracuse maintained its double-digit lead and was up by 14, 70-56, with 5:50 remaining when freshman Franklin Howard converted a pair of free throws to spark the Orange on a 7-0 scoring run. The offensive outburst gave Syracuse its largest lead of the game of 21, 77-56 at the 4:19 mark.

The Tigers, however, wouldn't go away and cut the lead back to 13, but that was as close as Texas Southern could get as Syracuse recorded the 80-67 victory. The Orange now enters ACC play on a three-game winning streak.

Syracuse and Texas Southern both shot well from the field. The Orange was 29-for-62 (46.8 percent), while the Tigers were 27-for-53 (50.9 percent). Syracuse recorded 14 steals in the contest and forced 15 Texas Southern turnovers. The Orange protected the ball, committing only five turnovers in the contest.

Coleman's 14 points equaled his career-best effort, as did his six made free throws.

The Orange opens ACC play at longtime rival Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 9 p.m.

BOX SCORE

PHOTO GALLERY

COURTESY SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Coppin State Travels to Virginia Cavalier Classic Monday and Tuesday

Coppin States, Richmond and Lafayette are playing in the UVA year-end tournament

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia -- The Virginia women’s basketball team (8-4) closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule by hosting the Cavalier Classic Presented by Holiday Inn University Area on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 28-29, 2015. For the second-straight year, the tournament will be played in a true classic format with the match-ups predetermined and no tournament champion crowned. Virginia will play Coppin State (2-8, 0-0 MEAC) on Monday and Richmond (6-5, 0-0 A10) on Tuesday. Both games will take place at 7 p.m. Lafayette (2-7, 0-0 Patriot) faces Richmond on Monday and Coppin State on Tuesday with both of those games starting at 4:30 p.m.

All of the 2015-16 Virginia women's basketball games - home and away - are available locally on NewsRadio 1070 WINA and streaming online at wina.com and VirginiaSports.com with Channing Poole calling the action. There will also be a live video stream of the Virginia games, available with a paid Cavaliers Live subscription.

Cavalier Classic Presented by Holiday Inn University Area
Date and Time	Monday and Tuesday, December 28-29, 4:30 and 7 p.m.
Location	Charlottesville, Va. | John Paul Jones Arena
Media	Live Streaming Video ($) Virginia vs. Coppin State (Mon.) | Live Streaming Video ($) Virginia vs. Richmond (Tue.) |GameTracker Richmond vs. Lafayette (Mon.) | GameTracker Coppin State vs. Virginia (Mon.) | GameTracker Coppin State vs. Lafayette (Tue.) | GameTracker Richmond vs. Virginia (Tue.) | Listen Live Virginia vs Coppin | Listen Live Virginia vs Richmond | Live Streaming Video: Virginia Post Game Press Conference($)
Additional Information	Ticket Information | Game Notes (.pdf) | 2015-16 Season Stats| 2015-16 Fact Book (.pdf)
Social Media	@UVAWBBHoops Twitter | Facebook | VirginiaWBB Instagram

All four teams are suffered losses before breaking for the holidays. Richmond is on a three-game slide, including falling 44-33 at Wake Forest right before the break in a game in which they shot just 21.5 percent (14-of-65). Coppin State has lost its last five games, including falling 69-54 against Auburn after losing three-straight games to ACC teams (Miami - 78-59; Syracuse 88-56; Virginia Tech 72-39). Lafayette has lost its last two contests, including a 72-59 home loss against Colgate.

Virginia is coming off a 93-73 loss at No. 9 Ohio State last Monday (Nov. 21). A 24-point game from sophomore Mikayla Venson and a 26-point performance from senior Faith Randolph (Derwood, Md.) were not enough as the Cavaliers suffered their only 20-point defeat this season. Venson and Randolph combined to make 16 of Virginia’s 25 field goals, shooting 44.4 percent (16-of-36) while the rest of the team went 9-of-34 (26.4 percent).

After hitting a then-season-high 10 threes against Charleston Southern, UVA made 11 at Ohio State. Venson had her best three-point shooting game of the year, going 4-of-5 from long range with Randolph 4-of-6. Sophomore Aliyah Huland El (Randolph, N.J.) came off the bench to go 3-of-6 from three-point range.

In the month of December, Venson is averaging 19.6 points per game, helping her move into the top-10 in the ACC in scoring, ranking No. 8 at 15.3 points per game. Sophomore Lauren Moses (Mount Holly, N.J.) is averaging 10.4 points and 8.8 rebounds in that same five-game span and has moved up to No. 7 in the conference in rebounding, averaging 7.4 boards per game this season.

Virginia is 3-0 all-time versus Coppin State. The Eagles last played in the Cavalier Classic in 2013, with Virginia logging a 70-45 victory. Virginia holds a 14-3 all-time record against Richmond with the last meeting between taking place in the 2012 WNIT with Virginia earning a 68-55 victory. Lafayette played in the 1990 Cavalier Classic, falling 103-41 to UVA and Illinois.

Virginia opens up Atlantic Coast Conference play on Sunday, Jan. 3, hosting No. 23 Miami at 1 p.m. followed by a showdown with No. 3 Notre Dame on Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.

Single-game ticket prices for all home games are $10 for Reserved seating, $8 for adult General Admission and $6 for youth (18 & under), senior (60 & over) and UVA faculty/staff General Admission. Fans may purchase home game tickets through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office online at VirginiaSports.com, by phone and in person. The Virginia Athletics Ticket Office is located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Columbia Men's Basketball Squares Off Against Howard in Program's 2,500th Game Monday

  MONDAY, DECEMBER 28 | 7 P.M. | LEVIEN GYMNASIUM

HOWARD (7-6)

COLUMBIA (8-5)

 Ivy League Digital Network // Talent: Jerry Recco, 

James Buford

Twitter // #RoarLionRoar // #ColumbiaMBB
 Columbia Game Notes  Howard Game Notes
 Directions to Levien Gymnasium 

 Buy Tickets

THE STORYLINES

COLUMBIA’S STATUS
The Lions are back in action after a 14-day break for finals and will look to build on a four game winning streak. Columbia knocked off defending NEC Champions Robert Morris on Dec. 14.

HOWARD’S STATUS
The Bison have dropped three of their last four and are coming off a 72-52 defeat at Central Michigan on Dec. 22.

Howard brings in the nation’s top scorer, James Daneil, who is posting 28.4 points per game, and has taken and attempted the most free throws (116-131) in NCAA Division I. Marcel Boyd is pulling down 9.4 rebounds per contest.

SERIES HISTORY
Monday will be the first meeting between the schools.

COLUMBIA VS. THE MEAC
The Lions are 4-3 against teams currently in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Columbia’s most common foe is North Carolina Central, who they have faced three times (0-3). The Lions will also take on Maryland-Eastern Shore from the MEAC on Jan. 6.

2,5000TH GAME
Monday’s contest marks the 2,500th game in the 115 year history of the program.

ANOTHER RECORD FOR THE CHAIRMAN
Senior Maodo Lo added to his list of Columbia records, tying the Levien Gymnasium mark with eight made 3-pointers against Robert Morris on Dec. 14. He tied the mark initially set by Dragutin Kravic, who knocked down eight from beyond the arc against Yale in March of 2004.

THE FORCE AWAKENS
Junior Luke Petrasek buried a game-winning 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds left to propel Columbia to a 72-71 win at Manhattan on Dec. 9. Petrasek netted a career-high 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting against the Jaspers. He followed that up with a career-high five rejections to go with nine points and seven boards against NJIT to secure Ivy League and Metropolitan Player of the Week honors on Dec. 14.

LIONS SWEEP ‘CHAMPIONS’ WEEK
Columbia closed out the fall semester with a trio of high-quality opponents. The Lions picked up three wins over the likes of two-time defending MAAC Champions Manhattan, NJIT, who reached the semifinals of the 2015 CIT Saturday and last year’s NEC Champions, Robert Morris.

FROM DOWNTOWN
Columbia has been relient on the 3-point shot this season with over half (48.1 percent) of its attempts coming from beyond the arc. The Lions’ 351 attempts are the 11th most and 133 makes are eighth highest in the NCAA. In addition, their 10.2 per game put them 17th in that category.

UP NEXT...

AT STONY BROOK
SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 | 7 P.M.
STONY BROOK, N.Y. | ISLAND FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ARENA

The Seawolves are winners of three-straight heading into their Monday night contest at NJIT. Stony Brook faced off against Columbia twice last season in a non-conference home-and-home. The Seawolves took both games.

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Syracuse Orange Welcomes Texas Southern & ESPNU, Sunday

Syracuse vs. Texas Southern
Game Details	Sunday, Dec. 27 | Syracuse, N.Y. | 2 p.m. Carrier Dome
Game Coverage	TV: ESPNU | ESPN3 Radio: Syracuse IMG Network | Audio | Stats Twitter: @Cuse | @Cuse_MBB Instagram: @cusepics | @cuse_mbb
Syracuse Links	Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
Texas Southern Links	Notes | News | Roster | Schedule

SYRACUSE, New York  --  Syracuse closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule on Sunday, Dec. 27 when it hosts Texas Southern. Game time in the Carrier Dome is set for 2 p.m.

Tickets for Sunday's game are available at Cuse.com, the Carrier Dome Box Office located at Gate B and by calling 1-888-DOMETIX. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN3. Fans can also listen to the game on the Syracuse IMG Radio Network and its flagship station, TK99 in Syracuse.

TOP FIVE STORYLINES

ORANGE LOOKS TO EXTEND WINNING STREAK
Syracuse goes for its third consecutive victory when it takes on Texas Southern. The Orange is coming off an 82-60 victory against Montana State on Dec. 22. The win improved Syracuse's overall record to 9-3 and its home record to 6-1. Grad studentMichael Gbinije led the Orange offense with 17 points.

POWER INSIDE
Syracuse's big men were key in its victory against Montana State. Senior DaJuan Coleman and junior Chinonso Obokoh led the Orange to a 44-22 advantage in points in the paint. Coleman was 5-for-5 from the floor and 3-for-3 from the free throw line for 13 points. Obokoh was 5-for-7 from the field on his way to 11 points. He also pulled down six rebounds.

LYDON CONTINUES STRONG BENCH PLAY
Junior Chinonso Obokoh wasn't the only player to come off the bench and reach double figures in scoring in Syracuse's win against Montana State. Freshman Tyler Lydon was just one rebound shy of a double-double as he finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. He also added four block, two assists and a steal in the victory. Lydon ranks second on the team in rebounding (7.5 rpg.) and fourth in scoring (10.1 ppg.).

SCOUTING TEXAS SOUTHERN
Texas Southern enters Sunday's game on a five-game losing streak and 1-9 overall record. It's only win was a 91-80 victory against UTSA on November 25.Three Tigers average double figures in scoring, led by Derrick Griffin's 16.5 points per game. Malcolm Riley averages 15.9 points per game, while Chris Thomas contributes 14.0 points per contest. Griffin also leads the way on the boards, averaging 10.5 rebounds per game.

THE SERIES
Sunday's game will be the second meeting between Syracuse and Texas Southern. Syracuse won the only other meeting during the 1997-98 season.

UP NEXT…
Syracuse opens ACC play on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at Pittsburgh at 9 p.m.

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SCSU Bulldogs and OSU Buckeyes tip at 6 p.m. Sunday on Big Ten Network

The Ohio State Buckeyes (7-5) vs. South Carolina State Bulldogs (5-8)

 OSU Notes |   SCSU Notes |   Big Ten Notes |

Date: Dec. 27, 2015
Site: Value City Arena (19,049)
Game Time: 6 p.m.
Television: BTN
Talent: Tome Werme (Play-By-Play)
Shon Morris (Expert Analysis)
None (Sideline)
Radio: OSU-IMG Sports Network (56 stations)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 84/XM 84
Local Radio: WBNS-FM 97.1, AM-1460
Radio Talent: Paul Keels (play-by-play)
Ron Stokes (Expert Anelysis)

Starting Five
• Ohio State has shot better from the field than its opponent in 11 of 12 games this season and is 7-5 to date. Ohio State outshot 23 opponents a year ago and was 23-0 in those games. In the Matta era, the Buckeyes have outshot foes 297 times and are 269-28 in those games (.906).
• Since Thad Matta took over the Ohio State program in 2004-05, the Buckeyes have the second most rebounds among Big Ten teams with 13,999. Ohio State also is No. 2 in defensive boards with 9,813. The Buckeyes also are No. 2 in blocks with 1,699.
• Opponents are shooting 75.6 percent (152-201) from the foul line against the Buckeyes, the eighth best nationally. Tulsa foes are shooting 77.9 percent to lead the country. Only one power five conference team is among the Top 20 in free throw percentage defense--Ohio State at No. 8.
• Thad Matta has coached 405 games at Ohio State, the third most in school history. Harold G. Olsen (1923-46) and Fred Taylor (1959-76), have reached 400 or more games at Ohio State. Olsen coached 456 (259-197) and Taylor 455 (297-158).
• Currently, Matta has the second longest tenure in the Big Ten with 12 years on the sidelines in Columbus. Tom Izzo at Michigan State has been with the Spartans over the last 21 seasons.

Matta Owns 11 Wins vs. Top 5 Foes at OSU
Over Thad Matta’s tenure in Columbus (2005-present), the Buckeyes have defeated 11 opponents ranked among the Top 5 in the weekly Associated Press Poll. The most recent win was a 74-67 win over No. 4 Kentucky at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 19, 2015. That game marked the second time an unranked Matta team knocked off a Top 5 foe. The other was his first win over a Top 5 foe while coaching the Buckeyes, a 65-64 win over No. 1 and previously undefeated Illinois March 6, 2005 in the regular season finale for both teams in Columbus. Matta’s Buckeyes have knocked off the nation’s No. 1 team twice, No. 2 three times, No. 3 twice, No. 4 twice and No. 5 twice. Ohio State has four home wins vs. Top 5 in the Matta era, two true road wins and five neutral site victories.

Matta’s 11 wins vs. Top 5 Opponents
Date Opponent AP Rank Score OSU-Opp
3/6/05 Illinois No. 1 65-64
2/25/07 Wisconsin No. 1 49(2)-48
3/11/07 (1) Wisconsin No. 3 66(1)-49
3/24/07 (2) vs. Memphis No. 5 92(1)-76
11/29/12 (3) Duke No. 3 85(2)-63
3/4/12 @Michigan St. No. 5 72(10)-70
3/24/12 (4) vs. Syracuse No. 2 77(7)-70
1/13/13 Michigan No. 2 56(15)-53
2/24/13 Michigan St. No. 4 68(18)-60
3/5/13 @Indiana No. 2 67(14)-58
12/19/15 (5) vs. Kentucky No. 4 74-67
(1)-Big Ten Tournament, United Center, Chicago
(2)-NCAA South Regional Finals, Alamo Dome San Antonio
(3)-Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Value City Arena, Columbus
(4)-NCAA East Regional Finals, TD Garden, Boston
(5)-CBSSports Classic, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Buckeyes Seldom Rejected
In 12 games this season, opponents have blocked just 21 of Ohio State’s 679 field goal attempts, tied for the 10th fewest in the country. Ohio State has blocked 71 of its 685 opponent shot attempts, tied for 17th most5 nationally. Ohio State opponents have rejected just 3.1 percent of the Buckeyes shot attempts while Ohio State swats 10.4 percent of its foes attempts. The Buckeyes are second in the Big Ten in average blocks per game with 5.9.

Ohio State in the Big Ten
Jae’Sean Tate is tied for the No. 7 spot in rebounding with 6.9 boards a game and is No. 3 in steals with 20 total (1.7 spg.). JaQuan Lyle is No. 7 in assists with an average of 4.4 helpers a game. Daniel Giddens is No. 4 in the league in blocks per game at 2.1 a game while Trevor Thompson is No. 10 in rejections with 1.4 a game. Loving is sixth in minutes per game (34.6). As a team, Ohio State is third in steals with an average of 6.9 thefts a game.

Matta Reaches Career, Ohio State History
Thad Matta has made a habit of achieving records and milestones over his coaching career, which spans 16 years. After a season at Butler, three at Xavier and the last 12 in Columbus, Matta coached his 500th career game as a head coach Dec. 13 vs. Morehead State. As an Ohio State head coach, the 13th in the history of the program, Matta set the all-time wins record, surpassing Fred Taylor’s 297 career victories over 18 seasons from 1959-1976, with a 79-73 win vs. Minnesota March 12, 2015 in Chicago. The Minnesota victory also gave him his 400th career win (408-128). Matta teams have never failed to win at least 20 games. His Ohio State teams have averaged 27.2 victories over his 11 full years in Columbus. He coached in his 400th career game (306-98) at Ohio State when the Buckeyes defeated VMI Dec. 5 (89-62).

Scouting South Carolina State
Ohio State and South Carolina State are meeting for the first time. The Bulldogs have started the season 5-8. Wins this season have come against Voorhees College, Longwood, Allen University, Florida A&M and Jacksonville. Losses are to College of Charleston, Eastern Kentucky, Ball State, Kansas State, Bethune-Cookman, Duquesne, St. Bonaventure and Eastern Carolina. The Bulldogs are led by junior guard Eric Eaves (14.3 ppg.), sophomore guard Ed Stephens (13.8 ppg.) and senior forward Gabe McCray (11.1 ppg.) with double digits offensively. Senior center Daryll Palmer is the team’s leading rebounder with 5.5 boards a game.

Ohio State vs. the Mid-Eastern Athletic
Ohio State is 18-0 all-time vs. the current alignment of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Buckeyes are facing the Bulldogs of South Carolina State for the first time. The Buckeyes own wins vs. all conference members except Maryland-Eastern Shore and North Carolina Central, who have never faced the Buckeyes. The last time Ohio State took on a MEAC affiliate was a season ago when the Buckeyes met North Carolina A&T at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus. The Buckeyes, ranked No. 12 at the time, won 97-55. D’Angelo Russell led Ohio State with 21 points followed by Marc Loving and Kam Williams, each with 15. Shannon Scott handed out 12 assists and recorded seven steals. The Buckeyes made 20 of 22 foul shots (.909) and shot 35 of 62 (.565) from the field overall.

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No. 7 Kentucky up Next for TSU Lady Tigers

TENNESSEE STATE (5-6) vs. KENTUCKY (10-0)
MONDAY | DEC. 28 | 5:00 P.M. CT

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE
VIDEO: ESPN3

GAMEDAY
Following the Christmas break, the Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will return to action at Kentucky on Monday, Dec. 28. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum.

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE
Tennessee State is off to a 5-6 start after dropping two straight games at the Lady Griz Classic last weekend. The Lady Tigers fell to Utah State (63-46) before dropping a hard fought contest to Florida Atlantic, 69-64. TSU has lost three of its last four contests.

Juniors I’mani Davis (13.5 ppg) and Jayda Johnson (12.5 ppg) lead TSU in scoring while senior Brianna Lawrence (10.8 ppg) rounds out the top three scorers. These three upperclassmen also lead the Lady Tigers in rebounding.

As a team, TSU is averaging 62.6 points per game and shooting 34.6 percent from the field, including 28.9 percent from beyond the arc and 67.6 percent from the free-throw line.

The Lady Tigers are led by fourth year head coach and Hall of Famer, Larry Joe Inman.

LAST TIME OUT
Tennessee State battled back from a double-digit deficit to take the lead but ultimately fell to Florida Atlantic, 69-64, in the consolation game of the Lady Griz Classic hosted by Montana. Jayda Johnson recorded her third double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Samantha Palma added 12 points. I’mani Davis (11) and Brianna Lawrence (10) also finished with double-digits. Davis was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 13.5 ppg and 7.5 rebounds during the tournament.

ABOUT KENTUCKY
Kentucky is off to a 10-0 start and is the No. 7 ranked team in the nation. The Wildcats are coming off a, 71-61, victory over Duke last Sunday. Evelyn Akhator led UK with 18 points while Janee Thompson (17) and Makayla Epps (17) also notched double-figures.

Epps leads the team in scoring with 17.2 ppg while Thompson turns in 14.1 points per outing. Akhator averages 11.8 ppg and Alexis Jennings (10.2 ppg) rounds out the top scorers for the Wildcats.

As a team, Kentucky is averaging 81.4 points per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from three-point range.

SERIES INFORMATION
TSU will match up with Kentucky for the sixth time in the series history with UK holding a 5-0 series advantage. The two teams last met in the first round of the NCAA on March 20, 2015. TSU fell to UK, 97-52, in Memorial Coliseum.

COVERAGE
Updates on the game will be available throughout the game on the official twitter page via @TSU_Tigers. Links for live stats and live video will also be available on tsutigers.com under the schedule.

UP NEXT
The Lady Tigers will remain on the road and face Youngstown State on Dec. 30. The teams will match up for the fourth time with YSU leading the series 3-0. In the last meeting, the Penguins defeated the Lady Tigers, 73-66 in the inaugural Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic (11/30/14).

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TSU Takes on Tennessee in Knoxville on SEC Network

TENNESSEE STATE (9-3) at TENNESSEE (6-5)

Tuesday, Dec. 29 | 1 p.m. ET (Noon CT)
Thompson-Boling Arena | Knoxville, Tenn. 

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE | TENNESSEE
TV: SEC Network - Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Chris Spatola (color) on the call
RADIO: 102.1 FM The Light - Albert Dawson (play-by-play) and Mark Pittman (color) on the call
LIVE STATS: Statbroadcast.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter - @TSU_Tigers | Instagram -@TSUTigers | #BigBlueRising

OPENING TIP: The Tennessee State men’s basketball team concludes non-conference action with a Dec. 29 game at Tennessee in Knoxville. Tuesday marks the sixth-ever meeting between TSU and Tennessee with the Tigers looking for their first win in the series.

LAST TIME OUT: Completing a stretch with five games in 11 days, TSU suffered a 66-55 road defeat at Illinois State on Dec. 22 at Redbird Arena. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Tigers. Keron DeShields (Baltimore, Md.) scored a game-high 16 points, while Christian Griggs-Williams (Milwaukee, Wisc.) added a career-best 12 points to go with six rebounds for the Tigers. TSU could not overcome a strong shooting effort by Illinois State (6-7), which finished 22-for-47 (46.8 percent) from the field and made nine three-pointers.

ABOUT TENNESSEE: Rick Barnes, the all-time winningest coach in University of Texas history, is now in his first season with the Volunteers in Knoxville. Tennessee, holding a 6-5 record, has faced a number of challenging tests so far this season including games versus Georgia Tech, George Washington, Nebraska, Butler and Gonzaga, among others. Senior Kevin Punter leads Tennessee with 22.1 points and 3.8 assists per game. Three other UT players are averaging double-figures including Armani Moore (15.6 ppg), Robert Hubbs III (13.4 ppg) and Devon Baulkman (11.0 ppg). Tennessee is 6-0 so far at home this season.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. TENNESSEE: TSU has gone 0-5 versus Tennessee in the all-time series, which dates back to Nov. 23, 1990. All of the meetings between the two sides have been in Knoxville.

TSU VERSUS THE SEC: Tennessee State’s all-time record versus teams currently in the SEC is 1-32.  Included in the record is a loss to South Carolina when they were a member of the Metro Conference and a loss to Missouri as a member of the Big 12. TSU’s lone win versus an SEC opponent came on Nov. 20, 2011 in a 64-63 victory at South Carolina.

UP NEXT: The Tigers jump into Ohio Valley Conference play with a Jan. 2 matchup at Southeast Missouri.

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Historic Signings Take Place In N.C. A&T Aggie Athletics

(L) Jocelyn Andrews, 5-foot-6, Graham, N.C., Southern Alamance
(R) Deja Smith 5-6, Arlington, Texas, Mansfield Summit
Courtesy: North Carolina A&T State University Sports Information

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- History has been made in North Carolina A&T Athletics just in time for the holidays. N.C. A&T head golf coach Richard Watkins announced on Wednesday the signing of the first two Aggie golf players in the school’s 125-year history.

Jocelyn Andrews (5-foot-6, Graham, N.C., Southern Alamance) and Deja Smith (5-6, Arlington, Texas, Mansfield Summit) will be the answer to a difficult trivia question one day as they are the first two golf signees ever in Aggieland.

“To be able to sign student-athletes of this caliber sets a standard that will attract other quality players to this program,” said Watkins. “I know both players will be assets to the program for years to come. They both love to play which is very important to me as their coach, and both are committed to honing their craft.”

Andrews had tremendous success at Southern Alamance. She qualified for the state tournament as a junior and senior, while being a regional qualifier all four seasons. Andrews was also a four-time all-conference performer. As a senior, she is finished 28th in the state by shooting a 13-over par 85 at Pinehurst No. 6. Earlier in the season, she earned medalist honors for the second straight All-Alamance County match played at the Challenge Golf Club by firing a 3-over 39.

She shot a 5-over 40 to take individual honors to lead Southern Alamance to a one-shot victory at the first All-Alamance County girls match at Indian Valley Municipal Golf Course on Sept. 2, 2015. Andrews plans to major in nursing at N.C. A&T.

“I have already had local contacts just because Jocelyn is known, and her abilities are respected locally,” said Watkins.

Smith was excellent in tournament play. In 2014, she won the Lake Arlington Metro Prep by shooting a 44. She finished fourth at the Shady Valley Golf Tournament with an 89. In 2015, she finished tied for third at the Metro Medalist at Walnut Creek Country Club. At another Metro Medalist tournament, she finished fifth at the Tierra Verde Golf Club. Smith plans to major in food science.

“I know that these two young ladies are both self-motivated, and I expect a quality effort from them because that is what they expect of themselves,” said Watkins.

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