LU Puts Win Streak On The Line With 2 Games In Kansas

Complete Game Notes
Game #12: Lincoln (8-3, 4-1 MIAA) at Emporia State (5-5, 3-2 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016
Time: 3:30 p.m. CST
Site: Emporia, Kan. – William L. White Auditorium (5,000)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/emporia/mbball/
Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/esu/
 
Game #13: Lincoln at Washburn (7-3, 3-2 MIAA)
Date: Monday, Jan. 4, 2016
Time: 7:30 p.m. CST
Site: Topeka, Kan. – Lee Arena (4,179)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/washburn/mbball/
Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/washburn/

THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln men's basketball team will try to keep its winning streak going into the new year as the Blue Tigers open 2016 with a pair of road games this weekend. Lincoln, which is 8-3 on the year and riding a four-game win streak, will open January in Emporia, Kan. on Saturday (Jan. 2) with a 3:30 p.m. CST game vs. Emporia State. Lincoln then travels to Topeka, Kan. on Monday (Jan. 4) to play Washburn at 7:30 p.m. CST. The Blue Tigers are tied for second in the MIAA with a 4-1 league record and takes on a pair of opponents who each are 3-2 in conference play.
 
FAST BREAKS
- Saturday marks the 22nd meeting all-time between the Blue Tigers and Emporia State, with the Hornets owning a 17-4 advantage in the series.
 
- Lincoln will play Washburn on Monday for the 28th time, with the Ichabods leading the series, 24-3.
 
- The Blue Tigers enter 2016 with eight victories, their highest win total in a season since 2005-06.
 
- Lincoln is seeking its first nine-win campaign since going 14-12 in 2001-02.
 
- The Blue Tigers' four-game winning streak is the team's longest since 2004-05. On Saturday, Lincoln will seek its first five-game win streak since 2001-02.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Anthony Virdure (22.1) and Jaylon Smith (20.7) are each averaging over 20 points per night while O'Shai Clark averages a team-best 4.9 rebounds while scoring 9.0 per game. Richie Lewis leads the MIAA in steals with 27 and dishes 3.6 assists per game, the second best on the team after Virdure's 4.1. Tacourrus Mattox averages 4.6 rebounds and has blocked six shots over LU's last three games.
 
HEAD COACH JOHN MOSELEY:  In his second year as the head coach of Lincoln, Moseley has the Blue Tigers off to their best start in over a decade. Moseley joined LU after helping North Carolina Central reach the second round of the NCAA Division I tournament in 2013-14 as the associate head coach.
 
LAST TIME OUT:  Lincoln limited Missouri Western to just one made field goal over the final 8:18 of the game to win its fourth-straight contest, 82-67, on Dec. 20. Jaylon Smith led LU with 31 points while Anthony Virdure scored 15 to go with five assists.Richie Lewis added 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS:  Emporia State has four players averaging double-digit points, led by Terrence Moore with 14.3 per game. Brandon Hall averages 12.7 points, followed by Charles McKinney and Joshua Oswals with 10.8 apiece.
 
ESU HEAD COACH SHAUN VANDIVER:  A former first-round NBA draft pick, Vandiver is in his fifth year leading the Hornets. Vandiver was an All-Big Eight performer as a junior and senior at Colorado and has 57 wins at Emporia State.
 
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS:  Brady Skeens leads Washburn with 7.9 rebounds per game and is scoring 9.8 points, the third-best average after Cameron Wiggins' 14.6 ppg. and Javion Blake's 13.1 ppg. Randall Smith has dished a team-high 41 assists and is next on the scoring chart at 9.0, while Jeremy Lickteig averages 6.6 points
 
WU HEAD COACH BOB CHIPMAN:  The all-time winningest coach in MIAA history, with 780 victories, Chipman is in his 37th season as the head coach at Washburn. In that time, Chipman has coached the Ichabods to 16 national tourney appearances, including the 1986-87 NAIA title, and has led WU to more than 500 MIAA wins.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  After averaging 23.0 points on .694 shooting, Jaylon Smith was named the MIAA Men's Basketball Player of the Week on Dec. 21. Smith, who led LU to three wins that week, including one over a Northwest Missouri team ranked No. 25 in the country, is Lincoln's first player of the week since 2010, when Lionel Booker was the Heartland Conference honoree.
 
...AND HERO:  In addition to being the league's player of the week, Smith was also one of 11 D2 players nominated for HERO Sports Hero of the Week. Smith was recognized for scoring 27 points on 10-13 shooting in LU's win over NWMSU.
 
REGIONAL LOVE:  After beginning the season 8-3, including 6-0 at home, people are beginning to notice the Blue Tigers. On Dec. 21, Lincoln was among the teams receiving votes in D2SIDA's Central Region poll, marking the first time ever that LU has been mentioned in those rankings.
 
HE GIVES AND HE TAKES:  Richie Lewis is one of the top thieves in the country, leading the MIAA and ranking seventh in NCAA Division II (as of Dec. 20) with 27 steals. With his teammates, Lewis is much kinder, as his 3.6 assist average is second on the team and sixth in the league. Lewis leads the MIAA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9) and is 16th nationally in steals per game (2.5).
 
GIVE HIM A PASS:  Lincoln leads the MIAA in assists with 15.2 per game, which is well above its average of 10.3 from last season. Anthony Virdure leads the team, and is third in the league, with 4.1 per game while Richie Lewis is sixth at 3.6 per night. 
 
NO PLACE LIKE HOME:  Jason Gym has been kind to the Blue Tigers so far, as LU is 6-0 and out-scoring opponents 93-70. Beyond being perfect at home, LU is shooting .545 from the floor and .475 from long distance at Jason Gym.
 
LEAGUE LEADERS:  Lincoln leads the conference in five statistics, including scoring (87.6) and turnover margin (+4.5). The Blue Tigers also lead the MIAA in assists (15.2), three-pointers made (9.4) and scoring margin (+10.9) while owning the conference's second-best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.34) and field goal percentage (.496).
 
ALL-AMERICAN:  Anthony Virdure was an NJCAA All-American at Mineral Area, and his play has translated well to the NCAA Division II level. Virdure's scoring average of 22.1 ranks fourth in the MIAA, and 30th in the country (as of Dec. 20), and he ranks third in the league with 2.8 made three-point shots per night. Virdure additionally is third in the MIAA in both assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) and assists (4.1) and is 24th nationally in total points (243).
 
MR. SMITH:  Jaylon Smith is also off to a hot start in 2015-16, averaging 20.7 points through LU's first 11 games. Smith, who is currently fifth in the MIAA in scoring, has reached double digits in every contest, and has hit the 20-point plateau seven times. Smith leads the MIAA with 3.2 treys per night, and his .402 percentage rate from long distance is the eighth-best in the league.
 
DEFENDER:  Scoring hasn't been an issue for LU all season, as Lincoln leads the MIAA with 87.6 ppg., but LU is also a difficul team for opponents to score against. Lincoln is fourth in the league in three-point defense (.346) and fifth in field goal defense (.446) as well as third in steals (7.0).
 
BLOCK PARTY:  In addition to defending well, Lincoln has blocked 17 shots over the past four games, including eight against Northeastern State. Tacourrus Mattox had four blocks in that game while Jaylon Smith rejected three in the win over Missouri Western.
 
GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  Lincoln fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.
 
NEXT UP:  The Blue Tigers will put their perfect 7-0 record at home on the line on Thursday (Jan. 7) when Lincoln hosts Nebraska-Kearney for a 7:30 p.m. CST contest.
 
By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
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Denver Broncos add rookie guard Robert Myers (Tennessee State) to 53-man roster

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado -- The Broncos filled the vacated 53rd spot on their roster by signing rookie offensive lineman Robert Myers off the Ravens' practice squad.

A fifth-round pick of the Ravens this year, the Tennessee State product flew onto draft radars because of a solid college career which he distinguished himself with his power, quickness and size (6-foot-5 and 335 pounds). He said that he sees himself as more of a right guard, but can play either side.

Myers displayed those attributes during a solid week of practices at the Senior Bowl last January, proving that he could handle the step-up in class from the Ohio Valley Conference.

At the National Scouting Combine last February, he earned the nickname "Quadzilla" because of his massive quadriceps that are 33 inches in circumference. His quads were on full display when he rolled his shorts up high during his Combine workout.

"Anything that looks that good, you've got to be proud of," he said with a smile. "I worked hard, you know?"

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FAMU Rattlers playing with confidence after win over Clemson

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- It took a few games, but Florida A&M’s women’s basketball team is playing with confidence.

The team has won three of its last four games after losing three straight earlier in the season. The Rattlers, now 6-7, are playing with some more swagger after a 77-68 road win over Clemson (4-9) on Tuesday to close out their out-of-conference schedule.

Coach LeDawn Gibson said the victory gave the team a huge boost of confidence. The Rattlers will try to follow up their success with a win over MEAC foe Savannah State Friday at the Lawson Center.

“Just watching the team practice, you can tell it gave them a boost of confidence,” Gibson said. “It helped us mentally and morally. That confidence is helping us get to where we need to be. You can really tell the game gave them a boost.”

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JSU Women's Basketball close out non-conference play with 53-52 win over Lipscomb

JACKSON, Mississippi – Radejah Woodson, junior guard, shot 5-10 from the field, 2-5 in three-point range for 12 points to lead Jackson State in their 53-52 win over Lipscomb University in the final game of non-conference play on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

The Lady Tigers (6-5) created a solid start against the Lady Bisons (3-12) scoring 33 points in the first half while holding Lipscomb to 18.

In the first half of the game, the Jackson State played hard defense putting up 33 points while holding Lipscomb to 18.

Lipscomb adjusted to Lady Tigers defense and revved up their own in the third scoring 23 points while holding JSU to 5. The Lady Bisons also took their first lead (41-38) of the game with 1:07 left in the third making it anyone’s game to take in the fourth.

With just 2 minutes left in the game, Daisha Williams landed a three-point shot to tie the game at 50. Loren Cagle delivered a lay-up to put Lipscomb up two on the Lady Tigers near the one-minute mark.

With just three-seconds left in the game, Williams hit another three to seal the Lady Tiger win.

Nyahok Bile, senior forward, recorded another 10-plus rebound game bringing down a game high of 15 boards.

Daisha Williams went 4-7 from the field and 3-5 in three-point range to add 11 points to the JSU scoring effort which included her game winning shot.

As a team, the Lady Tigers shot 38.9 percent from the field, 25.0 percent in three-point range, and 50.0 percent at the free-throw line while Lipscomb shot 29.5 percent from the field, 31.3 percent in three-point range, and 75.0 percent at the free-throw line.

The Lady Tigers will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 2 when they host Alabama State in the first conference game of the season. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. in the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. The women’s game will be followed immediately by the men’s.

Follow Jackson State basketball and the rest of JSU Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Join the conversation using the #JSUMoreThanAGame.

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FAMU Finishes 11th In FCS Home Attendance For 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University’s football program got some good news from the 2015 season, as they finished 11th in the nation in average home attendance among the 125 NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision teams.

The Rattlers drew 60,240 fans for the four home games at venerable Bragg Memorial Stadium, good for a per-game average of 15,060.

Rattler Football’s 2015 numbers were a major improvement over their 2014 showing at the turnstiles in Bragg, when four games drew 48,188 fans, good for 12,047 per game average.

In 2015, FAMU finished second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in average home crowds, behind South Carolina State (15,629), which drew 78,147 fans in five home games.

The 2015 Rattler home schedule was highlighted by the 18,020 fans for the Sept. 26 home opener against Tennessee State, the fifth-largest home opening crowd in Bragg, followed a month later by the homecoming game crowd of 22,678, which was the third largest homecoming draw in the past 10 years.

FAMU Athletic Director Milton Overton was elated at the news from the NCAA Statistics Service, saying: “These attendance numbers are evidence of the great passion and dedication our fans have for Rattler Football. This was a tremendous showing even with the team’s record, and we believe that bigger and better things are just ahead for our athletic program.”

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JSU Men’s Basketball Remains Perfect at AAC with 89-66 Win Over SELA

JACKSON, Mississippi – The Jackson State men’s basketball team finished the non-conference portion of its scheduled and closed out 2015 in grand style. Five Tigers scored in double-figures en route to an 89-66 victory over the Southeastern Louisiana Lions Wednesday night at the Lee E. Williams AAC.

Paris Collins led the Tigers (5-8) with a 22 point, four rebound, four assist and three steal effort. He went 8-15 from the field, 2-5 from three-point range and finished 4-4 from the free throw line in 36 minutes of action. Kaven Bernard came off the bench to add 21 points, three rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes. Chace Franklin also came off the bench to score 15 points on 4-10 shooting. He also went 4-5 from the line and pulled down four rebounds over 27 minutes. Janarius Middleton put together a solid game as he scored 12 points on 4-8 shooting and grabbed six rebounds. Raeford Worsham posted his third double-double of the season as he finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds. He went 5-7 from the field and was 4-4 from the line.

Zay Jackson led the Lions (2-11) with a 23 point and a six rebound effort.

JSU led 45-34 at halftime and outscored SELA 44-32 in the second half.

JSU returns to action Saturday, Jan. 2 to face Alabama State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener at the AAC. Tipoff for the men’s game is set for 5:30 p.m. (immediately following the 3 p.m. women’s game). The game will be broadcast on SWAC TV. For ticket information call the JSU Athletics Ticket Office at 601-979-2420.

For all of the information on JSU Athletics visit www.jsutigers.com, Facebook (JSTATETIGERS), Twitter (JSTATETIGERS) and Instagram (JSTATETIGERS).

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Nuggets lose to Lady Demons; Browder denied again

NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana -- Senior guard Janelle Perez scored a season-high 22 points Tuesday, leading Northwestern State to a 73-57 women's basketball victory against NAIA No. 9 Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Lady Demons (6-5) are 6-0 at home this season. They gave the Gold Nuggets (9-5) their third consecutive loss -- their first of the season by double digits -- and denied Bo Browder his 400th XU coaching victory.

Emoni Harvey's 3-pointer at 6:55 of the first quarter gave Xavier its only lead, 3-2. Northwestern State then scored the next seven points and led for the final 36 1/2 minutes.

Perez, who was first-team All-Southland Conference this past season, was 7-of-10 from the floor, 1-of-2 on 3-pointers, and 7-of-7 from the line in 30 minutes. She also led her team with seven rebounds and four assists.

Cheyenne Brown scored 13 points, Shahd Abboud 12 and Beatrice Attura 10 for Northwestern State, which is 4-0 this season against non-NCAA Division I opponents.

Donyeah Mayfield scored 13 points, Whitney Gathright 10 and Harvey eight for Xavier. Mayfield's eight rebounds and Gathright's six assists were game highs. Reserve guard Kelsey Joseph made her first two 3-pointers of the season and scored a season-high six points.

After trailing 34-22 at halftime Xavier twice cut its deficit to six points in the first three minutes of the third quarter. Northwestern State then produced an 11-0 run and led by double digits for the final 15 1/2 minutes.

Xavier made a season-best eight 3-pointers, but the Lady Demons outshot the Gold Nuggets 53.5 to 34.8 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 36-31. Northwestern State dominated at the line, making 25-of-34 free throws to Xavier's 3-of-4. Xavier attempted two free throws in each half and did not get to the line in the second half until 2:30 of the fourth quarter.

Browder is 399-147 in his 17th season at Xavier. His 18-year record as a head coach at 4-year colleges is 401-155.

Xavier is 0-2 this season against NCAA DI opponents. The Gold Nuggets lost 77-69 Nov. 12 at Louisiana-Lafayette.

Xavier's next game will start at 3 p.m. Saturday against LSU-Shreveport at the Convocation Center. The Gold Nuggets will play their first Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game at 5:30 p.m. Monday at home against Edward Waters.

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gold Rush wallop Fisk, finish 2-0 in Holiday Classic

NEW ORLEANS -- Morris Wright and Gary Smith combined to make 8-of-8 3-pointers in the final 32 minutes, and Elex Carter recorded his first double-double for Xavier University of Louisiana in a 68-44 men's basketball victory Wednesday against Fisk in the Gold Rush Holiday Classic.

The Gold Rush (12-4), ranked 17th in NAIA Division I, finished 2-0 in this event and won for the third straight time. The winning margin is Xavier's largest this season.

Wright, scoring in double figures for the 24th consecutive game, had 19 points and made his final six field-goal attempts, five of them 3-pointers. Smith scored 13 points and made a career-high three 3-pointers without a miss. Carter, in his first year at Xavier after transferring from Southern University, produced his team's first double-double of the season, career highs of 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Wright had a season-high six assists and zero turnovers one day after committing a season-worst seven turnovers in a victory against LSU-Shreveport. His five treys matched a season high. Smith tied his career best with three steals and produced back-to-back double-figure point performances for the first time in his career.

Jason Perry had eight points, nine rebounds and four blocks for Fisk (5-12), and Kameron Foster scored eight points.

Xavier took the lead for good in the fifth minute, and a 13-2 run gave the Gold Rush a 17-6 lead at 11:07 of the first half. Xavier led 37-19 at halftime -- its biggest intermission advantage of the season -- and took its biggest lead, 64-38, on Charles Savoy's free throw with 2:25 remaining.

Xavier outshot the Bulldogs 42.6 to 31.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 42-33. Xavier's 11 turnovers matched a season low and were 10 fewer than the previous day. It was the first time this season that the Gold Rush limited an opponent to less than 50 points.

In Wednesday's opening game, LSU-Shreveport built a 26-point lead and won 86-73 against Mobile. Fisk defeated Mobile Tuesday.

Xavier will be at home for its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener at 7:30 p.m. Monday against Edward Waters. The Gold Rush are 10-0 at home this season.

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Racial prejudice is driving opposition to paying college athletes. Here’s the evidence

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the money made from college sports increasing every year, the way colleges treat their athletes has become controversial.

That’s because college sports is a tremendously lucrative business for everyone but the athletes. The National College Athletic Association (NCAA) will receive $7.3 billion from ESPN for the right to broadcast the seven games of the College Football Playoffs (CFP) between 2014 and 2026, and $11 billion from CBS and Turner Sports to broadcast “March Madness” over the next 14 years.

Individual colleges also make out well: The University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team’s trip to the Final Four this year, for example, brought more than $8 million in revenue to the universities of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Each of the “Big 5” conferences will make an estimated $50 million from the college football playoffs this year.

And none of this counts the money made from concessions, merchandise and licensing fees.

Meanwhile, most college athletes are “paid” with scholarships that cover only tuition, room, board, books and fees — although in 2015, the NCAA allowed Division I universities the option of increasing this to pay the full cost of attendance. After adding up the time spent on practice, training and games, college athletes often “work” the equivalent of full-time hours for the universities they play for.

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Gold Rush hold on to defeat LSUS Pilots 63-58

NEW ORLEANS — RJ Daniels scored 18 points to match his career high, and Xavier University of Louisiana shut out LSU-Shreveport in the final three minutes to earn a 63-58 men's basketball victory Tuesday in the second game of the Gold Rush Holiday Classic.
     
The Gold Rush (11-4), ranked 17th in NAIA Division I, are 9-0 at home this season.
     
Fisk defeated Mobile 60-36 in the opening game.
     
Daniels, a senior guard/forward, was 7-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the line in 29 minutes as a reserve. He scored in double figures for the sixth time this season, and he led Xavier in rebounds with six.
     
Daniels scored 14 points to lead Xavier to a 32-13 advantage through the first 16 minutes. The Gold Rush led 36-24 at halftime.
     
Lyndale James' basket with 3:03 remaining gave LSUS (6-6) its only second-half lead, 58-57, but the Pilots went 0-of-8 from the floor and committed one turnover thereafter. Xavier tied the score at 58 with 2:31 remaining when Lucas Martin-Julien made 1-of-2 free throws, then took the lead for good at 2:14 when Martin-Julien made two more free throws.
     
Gary Smith's basket with 41 seconds remaining gave Xavier a 62-58 lead.
     
Martin-Julien scored 13 points, Smith 11 and Morris Wright 10. It was the first time in 18 games that Wright did not lead Xavier in scoring. Martin-Julien had five assists and a career-high-tying four steals.
     
Daniels' other 18-point performance was Nov. 30, 2013, on the road against LeMoyne-Owen.
     
Josh Walker scored 14 points, Tyrell Springer 13 and Manny Martin 11 for LSUS. Zay Henderson grabbed eight rebounds.
     
Xavier, in the opener of a five-game home stand, outshot the Pilots 51.2 to 35.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 37-28. LSUS was plus-9 in turnovers, committing 12 and gaining 21.
     
The teams split their two-game season series. LSUS won 65-55 Nov. 24 at Shreveport, La.
     
On Wednesday, LSUS will meet Mobile at 3 p.m., and Xavier will play Fisk at 5 p.m. to conclude the event.

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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What's at the top of GSU's 2016 wish list? A QB

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — For the first time during his tenure at Grambling, coach Broderick Fobbs heads into the offseason without a starting quarterback, or at least one he feels comfortable naming as the guy with spring practice just a few months away.

An embarrassment of riches at the position spoiled Grambling, and Fobbs, the past two years. In Fobbs' first season, Grambling had three starting-caliber quarterbacks, and this past year the Tigers rode the coattails of Johnathan Williams, who led all of FCS with 37 touchdown passes.

So what's the top priority for Grambling heading into the offseason as the Tigers try to attain its goal of a Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship? Yes, a quarterback.

"We're a work in progress. Johnathan is a senior and he's moving on," Fobbs said earlier this month. "There's some work that still needs to get done to solidify a starter at that position.

"We are hitting the recruiting trail to bring other people in to compete for ...

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Raleigh Trio Signs With North Carolina A&T Track and Field

Asya Macon

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The North Carolina A&T track and field team has signed three impressive athletes to improve the women’s program over the next four years.

The trio of athletes are all from Raleigh, N.C., and they include Kristoni Barnes (5-6, Raleigh, N.C., Wake Forest Roseville HS), G’Jasmyne Butler (5-3, Raleigh, N.C., Leesville Road HS) and Asya Macon (5-2, Raleigh, N.C., Southeast Raleigh). They will join the women’s program during the 2016-17 season.

“We’re extremely young on both the men’s and women’s side, but when we first came in here we put a lot of focus on the men’s program,” said Duane Ross, director of track and field programs. “Now it’s the women’s turn. The women we’re bringing in are really needed. We’re expecting them to come in and duplicate what the freshman class did last year.”

Barnes is a versatile middle distance athlete and long sprinter who is competitive in the 800 meters as well as the 400. Barnes has a personal best of 57.03 in the 400 and earned all-state honors in the event with a sixth-place finish in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 4-A State Championship. She was also all-state in the 500 with a seventh-place finish at states. Competing for her track club, Carolina Elite of Raleigh, Barnes qualified for the 800 at the USATF Junior Olympics where she earned All-American honors with a sixth-place finish in 2:16.57.

G’Jasmyne Butler

“She adds depth to the 400 and the 800 but especially the 800, so she is a crucial part,” said Ross.

Butler comes to A&T as an accomplished middle distance runner. Ross said he and his staff put a lot of time into recruiting Butler. “She’s a national champion, so she’s coming in to lead,” Ross said.

Butler is the USATF Junior Olympic national champion for the Young Women’s 800—a title she earned competing for her Track Explosion club. Additionally, Butler is also the reigning North Carolina 4-A state champion in the 800. Butler boasts personal records of 2:11.07 for the 800, 5:03.50 for the 1600 and 4:40.23 for the 1500. With Butler’s best 1600, she finished third in the state. During the indoor season, Butler recorded a personal-best 3:01.58 in the 1000 to finish third in the state as a junior. Also, Butler has recorded a time of 18:45.49 in the 5,000, making her a prime cross country candidate.

Macon is a long sprinter whose specialties are the 200 and 400. Additionally, Macon has significantly contributed to the relay teams at Southeast Raleigh. She holds a personal best of 56.33 in the 400, which earned her all-state honors thanks to her fourth-place finish at the state meet. Macon is the reigning Greater Neuse River conference champion in the 400, and has a personal-best 25.50 in the 200.

She anchored the Southeast Raleigh 4x400m relay to a second-place finish in the state championship meet, and for indoor, Macon earned all-state honors with a sixth-place finish in the 500 with a time of 1:17.06.

Kristoni Barnes

“I think she is a sleeping giant,” Ross said. “She didn’t win last year, but she is one of the top 400 runners. I think she’s going to have a great season. Her potential is just outstanding.”

Last year, Ross’ women’s track and field team finished third at the Indoor Track and Field MEAC Championships, a steep leap from the eighth-place finish they took in 2014. And most of the top-10 performances went to the freshman ladies Ross recruited such as Morgan Knight, Reneazia Collins, India Brown and Qizeah Jackson, who was the Aggies top scorer with a total of 24 points.

Ross’ latest freshman class is expected to fill the void in the middle distance and distance programs. “We’re not done recruiting,” Ross said. “We want to send a message to the rest of the country that we’re serious about our women’s program, and these girls are on the right track to do that.”

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Nicholls State Colonels Fall to Grambling, 69-65

THIBODAUX, Louisiana – Marina Lilly and Cassidy Barrios recorded their first career double doubles for the Nicholls State University women's basketball team but Grambling State was able to weather a late comeback by the Colonels as Nicholls fell, 69-65, Tuesday night at Stopher Gym.

Despite a balanced scoring effort with four players reaching double figures in points, the shooting struggles continued for Colonels (2-8) as they dropped their fourth straight contest. Nicholls shot just 31.8 percent and had 31 turnovers; however, the team was able to fight back to take the lead after an early nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Barrios led the team with 12 points while adding 11 rebounds and her basket-and-one sparked the Colonels' late comeback with 7:35 to go. Grambling (3-8) maintained the lead until LiAnn McCarthy (10 points) sank a jumper to put Nicholls ahead, 64-63, at the 3:01 mark, but it was short-lived as the Colonels did not make another field goal the rest of the way.

Grambling retook the lead on a pair of free throws and extended it to 67-64 on a layup by Takerra Parsons with 1:45 left on the clock. Hope Pawlowski added a free throw for Nicholls with less than a minute remaining before Grambling knocked down two at the line down the stretch to make the final.

Lilly had a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with 11 points. Tia Charles chipped in with 11 points and Pawlowski added nine points and four steals. Barrios also had four steals, but the Tigers had a 27-14 advantage on points off turnovers.

Nicholls jumped out to a fast start to lead 19-13 before the Tigers chiseled away at the deficit to make the score 33-31 at the break. But like much of the season, the Colonels let the lead slip away in the third as they were outscored 26-18.

Neither team shot well from long range, as Charles hit Nicholls' lone 3-pointer as the team finished 1 of 14 from behind the arc. Grambling made 2 of 7 from deep, but Bre'nae Andrews' 3-ball early in the fourth looked to be a dagger as the Tigers went up 60-51. Nicholls answered with an 11-2 run to tie the game at 62 before suffering its fourth loss at home.

Shakyla Hill led all scorers with 23 points, with Andrews and Chant Lewis adding 11 points each for the visitors. GSU shot 36.6 percent from the field and had 19 steals.

Nicholls will open at home against Lamar on Saturday (Jan. 2) to start the Southland Conference schedule. Tipoff for the women's / men's doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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COURTESY NICHOLLS STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Tayong Makes All-Tournament Team as CSU Closes 2015 With Win Over Lafayette

Omaah Tayong

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia -- The Coppin State women's basketball team completed the 2015 calendar year with a win in its second game of the UVA Cavalier Classic against Lafayette College 64-57 in John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA.

Coppin State (3-9) also collected its first win in the month of December and remain undefeated in games played on Tuesday.

Senior forward Omaah Tayong was named to the all-tournament team.

Tayong finished the game with 10 points, 12 rebounds and three steals off the bench. Her three steals tied a season high. She now has two double doubles so far this season.

Tayong averaged nine points and nine rebounds on 47.3% shooting from the floor over the two-game tournament. She now leads the Lady Eagles with 95 rebounds.

Overall four Coppin State players reached double figures in the win.

Janelle Lane also recorded a double double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. She added two assists, a career high seven steals and one block in 38 minutes on game action. She now has three consecutive games scoring in double-digits.

Lane leads Coppin State with 12 blocks so far this year.

Genesis Lucas finished the game with a season high 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in 37 minutes. She has three or more assists and 35 minutes played in three straight games for Coppin State.

Lucas leads the Lady Eagles 38 assists and 20 steals through 10 games.

Keena Samuels scored 10 points; two rebounds and one steal in her six consecutive starts for Coppin State. Both of her rebounds came on the offensive end.

Samuels has four double figure scoring games this season.

Senior guard Amber Griffin added nine points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal in 37 minutes.

Griffin has dished two or more assists in 10 games this season. She now has 326 assists for her career. Griffin is second on the team with 33 assists this season.

The Lady Eagles outscored the Leopards 34-26 in the second half after being down by one point at halftime.

Coppin State also outscored the Lafayette in paint points, points off turnovers, second chance points, fast break points and bench points.
The Lafayette Leopards (2-9) now have lost four straight games.

Sammy Stipa led all scorers with 17 points, four assists and three rebounds. Jamie O'Hare finished with 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals.

Coppin State will return to action after the New Year with its conference home opener against Norfolk State January 4 with tipoff at 6:00 p.m. in PEC Arena.

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By Jason J. Brown, Coppin State Sports Information Intern
COURTESY COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Lady Rattlers Close Out 2015 With 77-68 Win Over Clemson

CLEMSON, South Carolina -- The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers were short on personnel heading into Tuesday night's contest against the Clemson Tigers, including coach LeDawn Gibson who was dealing with flu-like symptoms and did not make the trip. Associate head coach Latasha Shipman-Ganus and assistant coach Andrea Johnson took the reigns and reeled in one of FAMU's biggest wins in some time, striking the Clemson Tigers for a 77-68 win at Jervey gym on the campus of Clemson University.

Shipman credits the team's work ethic and willingness to sacrifice with the win. "We were obviously short-handed going into this game, so we had to make adjustments. We put in three plays in the 24 hours leading up to the game to maximize the personnel we had on hand. Alicia McCray had the big game we needed from her, grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with her 17 points. Victoria Nguyen also stepped up and played well at this level," Shipman said.

Olivia Antilla, led the Rattlers with 20 points on efficient 8-of-16 shooting. Khadejra Young, who was forced to play point guard for some of the game, put in 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Antilla and Young both shot .500 from the field. London Holland also contributed on sharp 5-of-9 shooting from the field for 11 points to round out the balanced scoring of four players in double figures. McCray would be key, carding a double-double for the game.

A key to the win was the Lady Rattlers' ability to stop the dribble penetration that had been key to Clemson's success thus far. The tigers were led by Nelly Perry, who led all scorers with 21 points. Paige Mosley scored 16 points, while Danielle Edwards chipped in 14 points. Aliyah Collier grabbed seven rebounds for the orange and purple, while Edwards grabbed six.

What's next: The Lady Rattlers will face the Tigers of Savannah State on Jan.1 at 1 p.m. in the Al Lawson Center to kick of the year and begin MEAC play in 2016. The game will feature $1 concessions and $1 entry. Parking for the game is free. DJ Laila Jade and DJ Z-Dub will be the day's entertainment.

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COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Hampton Lady Pirates Beat Rhode Island in OT, Win FIT Tourney

MIAMI, Florida – It took an extra five minutes, but the Hampton University women's basketball team defended its FIU post-Christmas tournament crown on Tuesday, defeating Rhode Island 59-54 at the FIU Arena in the FIU Surfing Santa Classic title game.

The Lady Pirates (3-9) have won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Junior guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas dropped a season-high 33 points to lead the Lady Pirates, going 10-for-33 from the floor and making five 3-pointers. She was also a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line, on top of grabbing six rebounds and registering two steals.

Senior guard Ryan Jordan added a season-high 14 points on 5-for-11 shooting. Sophomore forward Kaylah Lupoe tied her career high with 13 rebounds.

Tate-DeFreitas was named Tournament MVP for the second straight year, while Jordan was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Hampton struggled from the floor, shooting just 27.4 percent (20-for-73) from the floor for the game. The Lady Pirates made eight of their 24 3-pointers (33.3 percent), and they were a season-best 11-for-12 (91.7 percent) from the free throw line.

The Lady Pirates out-rebounded Rhode Island 44-38 and scored 16 points off of 22 Ram turnovers.

Symone Bullard sank a layup with 44 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 50-50, and the Lady Pirates had two looks in the final second – one from Tate-DeFreitas and the other from Lupoe. But both shots were off the mark, sending Hampton into its second overtime game of the season.

The Rams scored the first four points of the overtime, including a trey from Charlise Wilson, to take a 54-50 lead. But that was Rhode Island's only field goal of overtime, and the Lady Pirates scored the last nine points of the game.

Tate-DeFreitas scored seven of those points, including four free throws in the final 20 seconds to ice the game.

Lupoe's stickback layup with 59 seconds left gave Hampton its first lead of the extra session.

Rhode Island opened up an 11-3 lead in the first quarter after a 3-pointer from Kallie Banker, and Morgan Johnson hit a trey at the 2:44 mark to give the Rams a 16-5 lead. A layup from Samantha Tabakman at the 1:39 mark put Rhode Island up 18-7.

The Rams led 20-9 after the first quarter, but the Lady Pirates scored the first five points of the second quarter to cut the lead to 20-14 after two free throws from Tate-DeFreitas. Rhode Island built the lead back up to 24-14, before Hampton went on an 11-1 run to tie the game at 25-25 after a fastbreak layup from Tate-DeFreitas.

The Rams closed the half on a 7-0 run to take a 32-25 lead at the break.

Tate-DeFreitas had 15 points at the half.

Hampton held Rhode Island to nine points in both the third and fourth quarters, and the Lady Pirates opened the third quarter with an 8-2 run – cutting the lead to 34-33 at the 4:26 mark with a jumper from Tate-DeFreitas.

Hampton's first lead came with 2:54 left in the third quarter, when redshirt-junior forward Shaleise Boyd converted a putback to give the Lady Pirates a 37-36 lead.

A jumper from Jordan at the 2:10 mark put Hampton up 39-38.

Kiara Palmer converted a 3-point play with 1:01 left in the quarter to give Rhode Island a 41-39 lead, but that was the Rams' last field goal until the 3:44 mark of the fourth quarter. An 8-3 Hampton run ensued in the interim, giving the Lady Pirates a 47-44 lead with 4:08 left in regulation following a Jordan jumper.

A 6-3 Rhode Island run closed the fourth quarter and forced overtime.

The Rams (6-6) shot 36.7 percent (18-for-49) from the floor, despite making just seven field goals in the second half and only one in the overtime session. Rhode Island went 5-for-14 (35.7 percent) from behind the arc and made just 13 of 19 free throws (68.4 percent).

Wilson and Tabakman each had 14 points for the Rams.

The Lady Pirates will be in DeLand, Fla. on Friday to take on Stetson at 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the officialwww.hamptonpirates.com.
Pirates website at

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COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Lady Tigers Face Youngstown State on Wednesday

TENNESSEE STATE (5-7) vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE (9-2)
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 30 | 6:00 P.M. CT | YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO | BEEGHLY CENTER

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE
VIDEO: ESPN3
LIVE STATS: YSUSPORTS.COM

GAMEDAY
The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will continue its road swing and play in the final non-conference game of the season on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at Youngstown State. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. CT in Beeghly Center. The match-up will be TSU’s second game in three days.

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE
Tennessee State has dropped three consecutive games and lost four of its last five. The Lady Tigers are most recently coming off an, 81-39, loss to No. 7 Kentucky on Monday.

Juniors I’mani Davis (13.2 ppg) and Jayda Johnson (13.1 ppg) lead TSU in scoring while senior Brianna Lawrence (10.1 ppg) rounds out the top three scorers. These three upperclassmen also lead the Lady Tigers in rebounding.

As a team, TSU is averaging 60.7 points per game and shooting 34.0 percent from the field, including 28.0 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 fell to No. 7 Kentucky, 81-39, Monday night in Memorial Coliseum. The non-conference match-up against the SEC opponent was the team’s first action after a week off. Jayda Johnson was the only Lady Tiger able to reach double-digits with a team-high 19 points while I’mani Davis just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. TSU committed 24 turnovers and only shot 26.7 percent from the field in the contest.

ABOUT YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Youngstown State (9-2) had won three-straight before falling to Akron on the road, 74-49, in the last outing. Sarah Cash (15) and Alison Smolinski (10) led the team in scoring in the loss.

The Horizon League members are led in scoring and rebounding by Cash with 12.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per outing. Nikki Arbanas’ 11.6 points per game.

As a team, Youngstown State is averaging 67.6 points per game while shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three-point range.

SERIES INFORMATION
TSU will match up with Youngstown State 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).

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 begin Ohio Valley Conference against Southeast Missouri on Saturday, January 2 on the road. Game time is set for 2 p.m. in the Show Me Center. TSU will meet SEMO for the 46th time with the Redhawks holding a 24-21 advantage. The Lady Tigers claimed the only match-up last season, 62-55 in the Gentry Center. TSU has won the last three meetings.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Mizzou Hoops Puts Clamps on Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Wins 78-25

COLUMBIA, Missouri - Mizzou Men's Basketball (6-6) earned a 53-point victory over Arkansas Pine-Bluff (2-12) Tuesday, 78-25, its largest margin of victory since Dec. 18, 2010 when the Tigers defeated Central Arkansas by the same margin. The 25 points given up is the lowest total Mizzou has allowed since Jan. 3 1947, when Mizzou beat Iowa State, 36-25.

Freshman forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.) led all scorers with 13 points, while matching his season-high rebound total with eight. Junior guard Wes Clark (Detroit, Mich.) also scored in double figures, posting 11 points, all in the first half. Sophomore forward Jakeenan Gant (Springfield, Ga.) recorded career-highs in rebounds and blocks, with 11 and four, respectively.



As a team, Mizzou posted season-highs in free-throw percentage, rebounds, blocks and steals. The Tigers connected on 18-of-22 shots from the free throw line and outrebounded the Golden Lions 56-30. Mizzou had seven players tally blocks for 11 total, while the Tigers also grabbed 12 steals.

The Tigers attacked the basket right from the start of the game, earning seven of its first 16 points from the free throw line. Gant made good on four early trips to the line. Later in the half, the Tigers scored 21 consecutive points, led by three three-pointers from Clark. Gant and senior forward Ryan Rosburg (Chesterfield, Mo.) each had thunderous dunks during the stretch. Rosburg's dunk came on a fast break which began after a block on the defensive end from freshman guard Terrence Phillips (Orange County, Calif.). Mizzou led 39-12 at halftime, its largest lead of the season at halftime.

An 18-1 run in the second half helped Mizzou increase its lead. Six different Tigers contributed during the run, led by six points from Puryear. Freshman forward Adam Wolf (Beaver Dam, Wis.) saw action for the second time this season in the second half, contributing six points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, as well as three rebounds and two blocks.

Mizzou will wrap up nonconference play on Saturday, Jan. 2, against Savannah State. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is slated for 2 p.m. and will be televised on SEC Network+.

PHOTO GALLERY

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