NSU Moves into 2nd Place, Ties School Record for 3’s in 87-74 Win Over SC State

NORFOLK, Virginia  –  Norfolk State tied the school record for 3-pointers set earlier in the season, and a big first half propelled the Spartan men's basketball team to an 87-74 victory on Saturday evening at Joseph Echols Hall.

NSU had six players reach double figures in scoring, thanks in part to a first half in which the Spartans hit 10 3-pointers and shot nearly 61 percent from the field. They finished the game with 14 treys, tying the school record set earlier this year against DePaul in the Paradise Jam.

The Spartans outscored the Bulldogs 51-35 in the first stanza, the second time this season scoring 50 or more in a half. NSU hit 20-of-33 from the floor before the intermission but less than 40 percent in the second half.

Nevertheless, the victory bumped NSU into second place in the MEAC ahead of South Carolina State. The Bulldogs fell to 10-11 overall and 5-2 in the conference, breaking a five-game win streak in the process.

NSU, meanwhile, won for the fourth time in the last five games, improving to 9-12 overall and 5-1 in the MEAC behind first place Hampton (7-0). It marked the third game this year NSU scored at least 87 points against a MEAC school.



The Spartans shot 14-of-32 from the 3-point line, also tying the school record for attempts set against Coppin State on Jan. 30, 2012. Six of those treys on Saturday evening came from senior Charles Oliver, who shot 6-of-12 from beyond the arc and finished with a team-high 19 points. NSU finished with six players in double figures for the first time since Dec. 5, 2013 against Florida A&M.

Both teams got off to a ridiculous pace in the early going, with senior D'Shon Taylor hitting treys on back-to-back possessions to get NSU going. Oliver sank a trey at 13:18, the team's fifth of the night already, to put the Spartans up by seven, 22-15.

S.C. State's Eric Eaves, the team's leading scorer, countered by getting to the rim quickly on several occasions. He did so 30 seconds apart, with the second bucket making it 26-23 in favor of the Spartans at the midway point of the half. The Spartans countered, though, by outscoring the Bulldogs 16-6 in less than four minutes for a 13-point edge.

The scoring eventually slowed – NSU went four minutes without a point, but senior Jeff Short sank a pair of 3-pointers, and Oliver hit the 10^th of the half with 34 seconds left to give the Spartans a 51-35 lead at the break.

The Bulldogs got to within single digits just once in the second half. Before that time, they had to overcome a 21-point NSU lead, as the Spartans scored seven of the first nine points of the second half. Up 21 at 58-37, the Spartans led by at least 16 before the Bulldogs got 3-pointers on three straight possessions to make it 64-53 with 8:54 left.

Oliver and Taylor each hit treys to keep the lead in double digits, but eventually S.C. State got it down to nine at 73-64 after another fastbreak layup by Eaves and two free throws from Greg Mortimer. Junior Jonathan Wade got a 3-point play off a Bulldog turnover, and NSU led by double digits, and as much as 16, the rest of the way.

Eaves finished with a game-high 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting and had all 12 of the Bulldogs fastbreak points on the night. Darryl Palmer was the only other Bulldog player in double figures with 13 points to go along with 10 rebounds.

With Eaves and Palmer not in the starting lineup, South Carolina State's bench scored 55 of the team's 74 points on the night. NSU also got 42 points from its bench as well.

South Carolina State also held a 36-30 edge on the glass, but NSU did its damage thanks to S.C. State's sloppiness. The Bulldogs had 17 turnovers, and the Spartans outscored them 30-9 in points off turnovers.

Taylor had 13 points and four assists, while sophomore Zaynah Robinson tied his career high with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Taylor also had three 3-pointers, with senior Jeff Short also hitting three from beyond the arc. Short, though, finished with just nine points, failing to reach double figures for the first time in 10 games.

Wade, junior Preston Bungei and freshman Alex Long each added 10 points for NSU. Long led the Spartans with six rebounds and had two of the team's seven total blocks in the game. It marked the third straight game the team had at least five players reach double figures in scoring.

NSU ended the night 32-of-64 from the floor, while S.C. State hit 44.8 percent on 26-of-58 shooting. The Bulldogs also connected on 7-of-17 from long range and had 11 more attempts than NSU at the charity stripe.

The Spartans will host Savannah State on Monday at 8 p.m.

BOX SCORE

Mike Bello, Asst. SID
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

HU Pirates Run Past Tigers for Sixth Straight Win

HAMPTON, Virginia -- After 20 minutes of play Saturday evening at the HU Convocation Center, it appeared the "Cardiac Kids" were going to make another appearance. But a 47-point second half propelled the Hampton University men's basketball team to a 75-52 win over Savannah State.

The Pirates (11-7) won their sixth straight game and improved to 7-0 in MEAC play.

Quinton Chievous led four Pirates in double figures with 26 points, while also grabbing a team-high 16 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season – and his ninth in his last 19 games dating back to last season.

Chievous also dished out five assists.

Lawrence Cooks came off the bench to drop 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting, while Brian Darden added 13 points on three 3-pointers and Akim Mitchell chipped in a season-high 10 points.

The Pirates shot 42.1 percent (24-for-57) from the floor on the night, hitting nine of their 20 3-pointers (45.0 percent). The Pirates also held a 44-32 edge in rebounding and turned 17 Savannah State turnovers into 25 points.

Hampton scored the game's first seven points, capping that run with a tear-drop floater on the baseline from Mitchell, before the Tigers scored the next five points to cut the gap to 7-5. A jumper from Cooks at the 9:51 mark of the first half gave the Pirates a 20-12 lead.

But Savannah State answered with a 9-1 run, tying the game at 21-21 with 4:54 left in the half after a free throw from Troyce Manassa. The score was tied three more times in the final minutes of the half – and a three from Christopher Martin sent the teams into the break tied at 28-28.

Darden scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half.

A 4-1 spurt to open the second half gave the Tigers a 32-29 lead with 18:45 left to play, before the Pirates went on a 10-0 run – taking a 39-32 lead after a layup from Mitchell with 15:37 remaining. Chievous added a jumper at the 15:27 mark to put Hampton up 41-34.

That jumper kicked off an 8-2 Hampton run that put the Pirates up 49-36 after Mitchell hit a trey at the 12:23 mark.

Savannah State cut the lead to 10, 51-41, with 10:25 remaining, but that was the closest the Tigers would get. In fact, Hampton answered that Martin layup with a 9-1 run – taking a 60-42 lead with 7:31 left after a layup from Reginald Johnson, Jr.

Trevond Barnes hit a free throw with 2:43 left to give Hampton its largest lead of the game at 75-49. That free throw capped an 11-0 Hampton run.

Savannah State (7-10, 3-3 MEAC) shot 38.2 percent (21-for-55) from the floor, but made just three of the 17 3-pointers they took (17.6 percent). The Tigers also struggled at the free throw line, going 7-for-16 (43.8 percent).

Martin led three Tigers in double figures with 15 points.

The Pirates will play host to South Carolina State on Monday at 7 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.



 BOX SCORE

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton U. Holloway Breaks School Record at Captain's Invite

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia  –  Hampton University senior Trey Holloway broke his own school record in the men's 60-meter hurdles during the CNU Captain's Invitational, held Friday and Saturday at the Freeman Center.

Holloway had come close to breaking the mark on numerous occasions already so far this season, but his 7.70 in the finals of the event – which was the best time – set the new best.

His previous best was 7.72, set last season.

Holloway now holds the second-fastest time in the nation in that event.

Holloway's title in the 60-meter hurdles was one of three for the Pirates over the weekend; junior Rayon Black took gold in the 800-meter run after turning in a 1:56.68.

Redshirt junior Christian Faber-Kinney won the heptathlon with 4,561 points. Faber-Kinney did not win any of the seven events, but he finished no worse than fourth in any of them (including a second-place effort in the shot put).

Freshman Jerrick Powell was third with 4,442 points. He won three events in the heptathlon: the 60-meter dash, 1,000-meter run, and long jump.

The Lady Pirates won seven events over the weekend, including gold medals in both the 4x200-meter relay (1:41.30) and distance medley (12:26.17). Freshman Erin Morrison was on both squads; she anchored the 4x200 team along with senior Kristian Young, freshman Tiara Robinson, and freshman Saenea Williams.

Morrison was on the distance medley team with junior Kaylor Murray, freshman Jayla Fleming, and sophomore Pollyanne Velasco.

Morrison also won the 400-meter dash with a season-best 57.81, and Murray ran a 5:22.30 to win the mile run.

Robinson ran a 25.37 to win the 200-meter dash.

Senior Ce'aira Brown competed in the 3,000-meter run, taking gold after running a season-best 10:20.57. Her time was just four seconds why of Krystle Medlin's school record.

Freshman Kaitlin Scott won the pentathlon with 3,274 points. She won the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, and shot put in the competition. Sophomore Kayla Key, who was second with 3,166 points, won the other two events – the long jump and 800-meter run.

The Pirates and Lady Pirates will compete in a pair of meets this coming Friday and Saturday: the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston, Mass. and the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational hosted by Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

For more information on Hampton University track & field, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Dillard Bleu Devils pull off huge 10-point upset over 8th-ranked Talladega in NAIA Game of the Week

NEW ORLEANS -- The Dillard University Bleu Devils produced 50 second half points en route to a 84-74 victory at the Battlefield in Dent Hall over the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' eight-ranked team in Talladega College in the NAIA Network Division 1 Men's Basketball Game of the Week. With the win, Dillard moves into sole possession of first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, and the loss snaps Talladega's 11-game win streak.

Dillard (11-6, 3-1 GCAC) was led by junior standout Demetric Austin (JR/Washington, D.C.) who finished with a double-double, scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 boards in the victory. Austin was thrilled with the outcome but still seemed focused, only showing a casual smile from time to time.

"I feel great," said Austin. "We worked very hard for the past three weeks leading up to conference play and this game goes to show how great we can be. I think Coach Mike Newell had the upper hand today and showed why he is a great coach and was able to beat his mentee Coach Matt Cross."

Dillard led by as many as eight points in the first half before Talladega's Jordan Washington and teammate Qua Doster nailed several shots for the Tornadoes. Doster finished with a team-high 24 points and buried 7-of-11 three-pointers while Washington scored 19 points and dished out five assists in the loss.

"I think we can go all the way to a championship game, we just have to have the same mentality and spirit all the way through conference play," said Austin. "Also, I love our fans. They were great and they always support us."

As a team Dillard dominated the glass by grabbing 47 boards to only 29 for the Tornadoes. The Bleu Devils shot over 50 percent from the field thanks to players like junior Dennis Reed (JR/England, Ark.) who finished with 16 points and hit 8-of-9 shots from the field. Reed also pulled down eight boards while teammate Dennis Hightower (JR/Chicago, Ill.) filled the stat sheet with 13 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and tfuwo steals in nearly 40 minutes of action.

Dillard continues GCAC action on Monday, January 25 as they host Edward Waters College. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

FULL STATS

COURTESY DILLARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

With Trelun Banks and D’Adrian Allen back in the fold, Southern men beat Alabama State 73-69 for their fifth straight win

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern got a boost from the return of injured starters Trelun Banks and D’Adrian Allen.

And those two got a helping hand from Jared Sam as the Jaguars needed all hands on deck to hold off Alabama State 73-69 on Saturday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Banks returned from a two-game absence with a sprained ankle to start, play 38 minutes and score 21 points. Allen returned from a six-game absence with a sprained ankle to come off the bench and get three points and two rebounds in 12 minutes.

“(The ankle) felt pretty good,” said Banks, who made 7 of 12 shots, including 4 of 8 3-pointers. “I didn’t think about it very much. Once I started getting up and down the court, the adrenaline started pumping and it really wasn’t on my mind.”

CONTINUE READING

Jackson State rides Brent's hot hand to victory

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Hitting shots and scoring points had become an issue for Jackson State guard Javeres Brent during the first six games of SWAC play.

So much so that even his teammates had to tell Brent, who had scored nine points and made just three shots in those six contests, about it.

"One thing my teammates always put in my head, they would tell me it was me. Me missing shots was the reasons (our SWAC games were close)," Brent said. "They said if the 3s drop, the lead spreads. So I had to take that with me."

It was apparent the message found its intended destination. Brent drained seven 3s and scored 21 points to help JSU claim its largest conference victory of the season, 60-45, against Grambling at the Lee E. Williams AAC on Saturday night.

CONTINUE READING

Alabama State outlasts Southern women 60-59 in overtime

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Alabama State women tried to secure an overtime victory but missed seven of eight free-throw attempts to keep Southern alive.

Then after Britney Washington put the Jaguars ahead by a point on a driving basket with eight seconds left, teammate Tashi-ana Thompson was called for a foul while trapping Durriya Sampson a half-second later.

Sampson, who had missed four free throws in overtime, including two just 17 seconds before, made both free throws to give the Lady Hornets a 60-59 lead. That became the final score when Southern’s Cortnei Purnell missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer Saturday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

“(Sampson) has been in my program for five years and she’s a graduate,” Alabama State coach Freda Freeman-Jackson said. “There’s no substitute for experience.”

Though the game was decided in the final seconds, Jaguars coach Sandy Pugh looked back on the earlier stages of the game.

CONTINUE READING

Texas Southern Lady Tigers continue to roll with SWAC win

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Texas Southern University's Women's Basketball team is officially on a roll as they defeated Mississippi Valley State 76-38.

The win was TSU's ninth straight and padded their undefeated conference record as they moved to 6-0 against SWAC competition.

Head coach Johnetta Hayes-Perry was unaware that the team had reached nine consecutive games and credited her seniors for the hot streak.

She said, "I think my seniors are doing an awesome job of keeping the team united and understand the importance of taking it one day at a time, one practice at a time, and one game at a time."

The Lady Tigers came out of the gates firing against MVSU. TSU combined hot shooting with stifling defense as they rushed to a 23-7 first quarter lead en route to a 34-22 halftime advantage.

In the second half, the Lady Tigers ran away with the game and turned the contest into a route. For the game, TSU shot 45 percent from the field, including 36 percent from three-point land and knocked down 85 percent of their free-throws.

The Lady Tigers leaned heavily on their veteran leadership to guide them to a victory. Senior guard, Brianna Sidney, led the way for the Tigers as she scored 19 points, on 6 of 10 shooting, including 2 of 4 from the three-point line and 5 of 5 from the charity stripe.

After the game, Sidney deferred the praise and said "My teammates opened up shots for me all game."

One of the reasons Sidney got open looks all night was because senior center Keiana Vines drew so much attention in the paint. Vines was a force down low all game as she contributed 18 points and 4 boards.

She was also instrumental in the team's dominance on the defensive side of the ball as the Lady Tigers held MVSU to a meager 29 percent shooting from the field.

The Lady Tigers look to extend their winning streak to ten games as they welcome the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Lions to Houston on Monday night at 5:30 pm at the HPE Arena.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Tigers win streak continues with home victory

HOUSTON, Texas -- After eventually wearing down its opponent with tough physical play and timely buckets the Texas Southern University Tiger Men's Basketball team came away with their sixth straight victory as they beat Mississippi Valley State on Saturday night by a score of 75-60.

The win propelled the Tigers to a 6-0 conference record and elevated the team to a two game lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The Tigers shot well at the start of the game as they made 56 percent of their field goals in the opening period.

The pesky MVSU defense forced the Tigers into 12 turnovers in the first period, however, and kept the game close as TSU led by just two points at the half.

TSU came on strong after halftime and played cleaner ball as they pulled away from MVSU after the intermission.

The Tigers outscored Mississippi Valley State 42-29 and never trailed in the second half. TSU got major contributions from numerous players as four Tiger players scored in double figures.

For the game, TSU shot over 49 percent from the field and had 17 assists on 29 made field goals.

Derrick Griffin led the scoring for the team in maroon and gray as he put up 16 points, including a thunderous alley-oop dunk in the second period that brought Tiger faithful to their feet.

He also dominated on the boards as he pulled down 17 rebounds to cap off yet another double-double outing.

David Blanks scored 15 points, Chris Thomas added 14 points and 7 assists while Jose Rodriguez chipped in 13 points to pace a balanced TSU attack.

The Tigers also got it done on defense as they held MVSU to just under 38 percent shooting from the field. MVSU's Isaac Williams was one of the lone bright spots for his team as he led all scorers with 22 points on 8-13 shooting, including 4-7 from the three point line.

The Tigers return to HPE Arena Monday night as they take on the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions at 7:30 pm.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Samuels Seeing Improvement In The FAMU Rattler Squad

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M Rattlers are in a holding pattern, awaiting travel adjustments as a major snow storm covers the northeast United States. Already delayed, a game in the nation’s capital against the Bison of Howard University. Still, for a team with just two wins last season, head coach Byron Samuels has given the Rattler nation something to look forward to, with a steadily improving squad.

Last season, Samuels had just months to assemble his first squad. After the release of Clemon Johnson as coach, Samuels was hired in the Summer, a time when most sought-after recruits were already committed to other programs. Using mix of junior college transfers, a few high school graduates and one Division-I transfer, he fielded a team, knowing that the task was tall. In addition, the D-I transfer, Malcolm Bernard, would have to sit out the year from transferring laterally.

The Rattlers currently sit at 6-14 overall and 2-4 in MEAC play. Last season, the Rattlers managed a mere 2-27 overall record, 2-14 in conference play. While the improvement in the team is obvious from the record, the physical style of play of the Rattlers and their bolstered roster continues to draw respectable crowds to home basketball contests.

After an impressive team victory over Savannah State, Samuels expressed his thoughts on how different this team is from last season’s team. “Our kids continue to fight. Out theme going into the game was to elevate our game going into crunch time and we did that. I am proud of these guys and we’re continuing to improve and continuing to learn how difficult it is to get a win and especially in league play,” Samuels said.

Starting the second season as Rattler head coach, not a single starter returned from last season. Last season’s scoring and rebounds leader left the team. The second leading scorer transferred. Two players graduated and others simply are no longer with the team, with a laundry list of issues. Still, Samuels has done a solid job of building what he wants his team to look like in the future.

With a full year on the job, he has acquired some unique talent to the team. He has bulked up the size of the forwards, added some solid outside shooting and utilized his seniors Jerran Foster and Mario Karailiev as stabilizing forces.

This season, Bernard has emerged as the floor leader. Early in the season, as the team began developing their identity, he was the go-to guy. Now, he has settled into a facilitating role, scoring when he needs to, but setting up teammates when they have the ability to score. Freshman guard Justin Ravenel, has added length to the Rattlers’ scoring arsenal. Along with an improved Craig Bowman and key jumpers from Jerran Foster, the Rattlers have threats from the arc.

Tre Warren, Isaiah Omoregie Nick Severado and Francois Lewis have added significant size on the inside. Lewis is the dual threat, able to step behind the arc and hit big jumpers as well. Warren and Omoregie have added the physical presence in the paint. Hobbling at the start of the season, Omoregie has emerged as a solid defender and scorer in the paint.

A key difference in this year’s team, Samuels said, is their off-court relationship with one another. “This group of guys play for each other, day in and day out. From the offensive standpoint, we keep trying to make plays for somebody else. We keep trying to set the right screen, if we’re making the right passes, if we continue to play unselfish, then our offensive execution will take care of itself," he said.

When asked about the team’s potential, Samuels was emphatic about how close he felt the team was. “We’re very close to being a very good basketball team. We are now able to play without all our pieces. It starts with our decisions offensively and defensively. We’ve got to continue to come to practice with a hardhat mentality. We’ve got to learn to win ugly. These rough games allow us to learn how to play with adversity. If we can get out of these three or four minute pockets, (of inactivity) we can be very good. And, we’re still a young team,” he concluded.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Lady Panthers beat Nuggets with 4th-quarter rally

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Philander Smith made 8-of-8 free throws in the final 1:39 Saturday to rally for a 66-62 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against NAIA No. 20 Xavier University of Louisiana.
    
Donyeah Mayfield scored 16 points, Whitney Gathright 11 and Alesha Smith nine for the Gold Nuggets (14-7, 3-2), who will play GCAC leader and 19th-ranked Talladega at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Xavier's Convocation Center.
    
Trana Hopkins' 3-pointer — Xavier's only trey of the second half and final field goal of the game — gave the Gold Nuggets their largest lead, 55-50, with 6:50 remaining. But Philander Smith (11-9, 3-4) scored the next six points and took the lead for good, 62-60, on Juquecia Chaney's two free throws at 1:05. Jasmine Bush missed a 2-pointer on the next Xavier possession, and Chaney made two more free throws with 25 seconds remaining for a 64-60 advantage.
    
Four Philander Smith starters scored in double figures. Tamara Heard had her first career double-double, 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Chaney scored 13 points, Tiffany Richardson 11 and Brittany Leonard 10. Heard and Leonard played all 40 minutes.
    
The teams were tied at 19 after the first quarter and at 31 at halftime. Xavier led 48-46 through three quarters.
    
Philander Smith outshot Xavier 40.8 to 36.2 percent from the floor, 36 to 31.3 percent in the second half. Xavier was 0-of-9 from the floor in the final six minutes. The Lady Panthers made 22-of-29 free throws to Xavier's 16-of-23.
    
Bush grabbed a career-high eight rebounds for Xavier, and teammate Kelsee Singleton tied her career best with five blocked shots.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Philander Smith beats XU 73-69, gets season sweep

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Chris Ward had career highs of 22 points and 14 rebounds Saturday, and Philander Smith scored four second-chance points in the final 3:03 of a 73-69 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Panthers (11-11, 4-3) swept their two-game regular-season series against the Gold Rush (15-7, 2-3) for the first time. Philander Smith won 71-69 at Xavier 12 days earlier.

Morris Wright scored 17 points and Chris Ward — no relation to the Philander Smith player — had a career-high 14 for Xavier, which will play NAIA No. 8 Talladega at 7:30 p.m. Monday at XU's Convocation Center.

Philander Smith took the lead for good, 64-63, when Ward — who scored 10 points in the final 4 1/2 minutes — made 1-of-2 free throws with 3:04 remaining. Teammate Ronald March rebounded Ward's miss and scored a basket to make it 66-63.

The Panthers led 71-67 with 37 seconds remaining after Ward rebounded his missed field-goal attempt, was fouled and made two free throws. Xavier's Ward made it 71-69 with two free throws with 25 seconds remaining, then Philander Smith closed the scoring with free throws by Broderick Brandon and March.

Jarvis Thibodeaux's basket with 7:21 remaining gave Xavier its final lead, 57-54. Thibodeaux had eight rebounds, nine rebounds and a career-high three steals.

March and Rashad Brackeen scored 15 points apiece for the Panthers. Brackeen, who made 7-of-10 3-pointers and scored 31 points in the earlier meeting with Xavier, made 1-of-8 treys this time.

Xavier outshot the Panthers 49 to 45.3 percent from the floor — 56.7 to 53.1 in the first half — and outrebounded them 35-31. Philander Smith was plus-7 in turnovers, committing 14 and gaining 21, and made 22-of-35 free throws to Xavier's 15-of-20. The Gold Rush made 10-of-10 free throws in the final 5:37.

It was the fourth XU loss this season by five or fewer points

Dillard gained a first-place tie in the GCAC with Talladega with an 84-74 home victory against the Tornadoes. Both teams are 3-1 in the conference, with Philander Smith in third place and Xavier tied for fourth with Edward Waters.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Honda Battle of the Bands to be Live Streamed for First Time on Campus Insiders

CHICAGO, Illinois- Campus Insiders will provide the first-ever live stream of the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase on Saturday, January 30 at 3:00 PM ET. The event will be streamed live on CampusInsiders.com, the Campus Insiders mobile app, on the go90 app and on Campus Insiders’ connected TV platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku and Xbox.

The exclusive live stream of the Honda Battle of the Bands event is part of Campus Insiders long-term content partnership with Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG) to produce and distribute live college sports and entertainment events which was announced in September 2015.

The Honda Battle of the Bands is celebrating its 14th annual marching band showcase for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and will feature the top marching bands representing eight different universities:

•Alabama A&M University, Marching Maroon & White

•Alcorn State University, Sounds of Dyn-o-Mite

•Bethune Cookman University, Marching Wildcats

•Jackson State University, Sonic Boom of the South

•The Lincoln University, Orange Crush Roaring Lions

•Prairie View A&M University, Marching Storm

•South Carolina State University, Marching “101”

•Tennessee State University, Aristocrat of Bands

The eight bands were selected through a process that included online fan voting, as well as feedback from bad directors, HBCU presidents and American Honda representatives. In addition to a $20,000 grant from Honda to support their music education programs, each participating HBCU will receive travel and accommodations to the Invitational Showcase in Atlanta.

“We are beyond thrilled to be able to expand coverage of the Honda Battle of the Bands, and share the unique experience it provides to fans,” Said Crowley Sullivan, Executive Vice President of Campus Insiders.

“The Invitational Showcase has drawn up to 60,000 attendees to the Georgia Dome from across the country each year, and we’re excited to team up with Honda to bring the excitement of HBCU marching bands to people everywhere.”

For more information on the Honda Battle of the Bands visit HondaBattleoftheBands.com or follow @The_Honda on twitter. For more on Campus Insiders follow @CampusInsiders on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat and like the Campus Insiders Facebook page.


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Urban Sports and Entertainment Group, LLC (USEG) is the nation’s oldest and largest multicultural sports and entertainment firm in the nation. USEG partners with historically black college and university conferences including the CIAA and the SWAC.USEG provides sponsorship and ticketing solutions for events and over twenty four national and regional sponsors. USEG owns and operates the largest HBCU band event in the nation, the Honda Battle of the Bands. USEG has televised more than 350 LIVE HBCU football and basketball games since 1992.

All-MEAC QB Quentin Williams Caps Amazing Week in Style -- Signs CFL Contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers

COURTESY Jasmine Alston

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Redshirt senior quarterback Quentin Williams, Bethune-Cookman University, capped off a successful week on Friday, January 22, signing a professional contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Last weekend, Quentin Williams competed in the inaugural Tropic Bowl in North Miami Beach, Florida. The Tampa native was named most valuable player for The National Team after producing stellar numbers in the game.

The best FBS College football players from around the country met at the Inaugural “Tropic Bowl” college all-star game played in North Miami Beach, Florida at North Miami Stadium, on January 17th, 2016. The new FBS all-star game created an exciting scouting opportunity for top level talent from the NCAA’s Division 1 FBS levels top seniors who are looking to go pro. The Tropic Bowl was scouted by 26 NFL teams and 4 CFL teams who will flew in for the event.

The award allowed the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) First Team member to sign a professional contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, January 22. He represents the first player to ink a professional contract from the 2015-16 senior class at Bethune-Cookman. Williams enjoyed, statistically, his most successful seasons in 2015. He finished the regular season as the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) leader in passing efficiency (187.2), third in passing yards per completion (16.45), tied for 23rd in passing touchdowns (19), tied for 39th in points responsible for (134),  40th in passing yards (2,171), tied for 40th in points responsible per game (12.2) and 46th in passing yards per game (196.9). In addition, Williams was just the second quarterback since Bernard Hawk to pass for over 2,000 yards in a season, matching Matt Johnson (2010).

For more information on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, please visit BlueBombers.com.

Follow Bethune-Cookman Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics), Twitter (www.twitter.com/BCUathletics) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/BCUathletics) for all of the latest news and updates. Fans also receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year, via the social media outlets or www.BCUathletics.com.

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N.C. A&T's Rod Broadway named nation's top coach among HBCUs

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- N.C. A&T football coach Rod Broadway was named the Eddie Robinson coach of the year, while junior running back Tarik Cohen received the Doug Williams Award as the offensive player of the year, American Urban Radio Networks announced Friday.

Cohen, offensive tackle Brandon Parker and cornerback Tony McRae were named to the 25-member SBN Black College All-American Team.

Broadway and Cohen will receive their awards at the Black College Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on March 19 in Atlanta.

“This is never about me,” said Broadway, who led the Aggies (10-2, 7-1 MEAC) to their second consecutive MEAC title. “I haven’t made a tackle since 1977. I’ve never caught a pass, I’ve never thrown a touchdown or ran a long touchdown, so this is not about me. This season was about these young men who made the sacrifice last summer to become champions.”

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Three Aggies Named HBCU All-Americans

The reverberations from the North Carolina A&T football team’s 2015 season continued on Friday when the American Urban Radio Networks announced the members of the 2015 SBN Black College All-American Team. Running back Tarik Cohen (5-6, 173, JR, Bunn, N.C.), offensive tackle Brandon Parker (6-7, 279, RSO, Kannapolis, N.C.) and cornerback Tony McRae (5-9, 178, SR, Laurinburg, N.C.) made the 25-member team. In addition, N.C. A&T head coach Rod Broadway won the SBN Eddie Robinson award for coach of the year, while Cohen earned the SBN Doug Williams award for offensive player of the year. Broadway and Cohen will receive their awards at the Black College Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on March 19, 2016 in Atlanta.

“This is never about me,” said Broadway. “I haven’t made a tackle since 1977. I’ve never caught a pass, I’ve never thrown a touchdown or ran a long touchdown, so this is not about me. This season was about these young men who made the sacrifice last summer to become champions.”

Broadway led the Aggies to a 10-2 mark overall and a 7-1 finish in the MEAC as the Aggies won their second consecutive co-MEAC title. Broadway also went on to lead the Aggies to a 41-34 win over Alcorn State in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl. On Oct. 10, Broadway earned his 100th career victory as the Aggies defeated Norfolk State, 27-3 at William “Dick” Price Stadium in Norfolk, Va. He is 38-19 (.667) as the head coach of N.C. A&T.

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FAMU Baseball Picked to Win MEAC Southern Division

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Norfolk State Spartans and Florida A&M Rattlers were predicted to win the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball northern and southern divisions, respectively, the conference announced today. All preseason honors were voted on by the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors.

Savannah State’s Charles Sikes was selected as the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year, while Matt Outman of Norfolk State earned Preseason Pitcher of the Year accolades.

Sikes, the 2015 MEAC Player of the Year, led the conference in doubles (16). Also, he finished second in total bases (94), tied for second in home runs (7) and third in RBIs (37). Nationally, Sikes ranked 55th with five sacrifice flies. This is his second consecutive Preseason Player of the Year honor.

Outman earned Pitcher of the Year honors last season after appearing in 12 games and registering eight wins, including one shutout, in 68.1 innings pitched. He ranked first in the MEAC in wins (8) and strikeouts (78), second in strikeouts per nine innings (10.27), and third in ERA (2.77). Outman ranked 18th nationally in wins, 45th in strikeouts and 48th in strikeouts per nine innings.

Norfolk State was the 2015 MEAC northern division champions. The Spartans finished the season with a 27-16 overall record and 19-5 MEAC mark.

Delaware State was picked to finish second, followed by Maryland Eastern Shore and Coppin State to round out the northern division.

Defending MEAC Baseball Tournament Champion, the Florida A&M Rattlers, posted a 23-25 record and a 15-9 MEAC mark last season to secure the southern divisional title.

Bethune-Cookman was chosen second, followed by Savannah State, North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T State.

Sikes (SSU) and Outman (NSU) are joined by Devin Sweet (NCCU), Clint Clymer (B-CU), Adan Ordonez (NCAT), Mike Escanilla (UMES), Cameron Onderko (DSU), Demetrius Sims (B-CU), Marlon Gibbs (FAMU), Carlos Ortiz (NCCU), Nathan Bond (B-CU), Darien Percell (CSU) and Brian Davis (FAMU) on the 2016 Preseason All-MEAC team.

The 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament is scheduled for May 19-22, 2016 at Purdue Stadium in Salisbury, Md.

Listed below is the 2016 MEAC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason All-MEAC teams.

2016 MEAC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes in Parenthesis)

Southern Division Points

Florida A&M (14) 86

Bethune-Cookman (3) 70

Savannah State 46

North Carolina Central (1) 45

North Carolina A&T 23


Northern Division Points

Norfolk State (14) 68

Delaware State (2) 48

Maryland Eastern Shore 38

Coppin State (2) 26


2016 Preseason All-MEAC Teams

Preseason Player of the Year: Charles Sikes, Savannah State

Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Matt Outman, Norfolk State

First Team

SP Devin Sweet North Carolina Central

SP Matt Outman Norfolk State

RF Clint Clymer Bethune-Cookman

C Adan Ordonez North Carolina A&T

1B Charles Sikes Savannah State

2B Mike Escanilla Maryland Eastern Shore

3B Cameron Onderko Delaware State

SS Demetrius Sims Bethune-Cookman

OF Marlon Gibbs Florida A&M

OF Carlos Ortiz North Carolina Central

OF Nathan Bond Bethune-Cookman

UTL Brian Davis Florida A&M

UTL Darien Percell Coppin State

Second Team

SP Alex Seibold Bethune-Cookman

SP Alex Dandridge North Carolina Central

RP Brandon Fleming Florida A&M

C Ismael Herrera Norfolk State

1B Christian Triplett North Carolina Central

2B Tim Ravare North Carolina A&T

3B Jameel Edney Bethune-Cookman

SS Roger Hall Norfolk State

OF Denathan Dukes Norfolk State

OF Mendez Elder Savannah State

*OF Angel Rosario Norfolk State

*OF Myles Sowell North Carolina A&T

* Denotes tie

The Rattlers open the 2016 season on Friday, February 19 against Marshall for a three-game series at Moore-Kittles Field.

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SC State Releases 2016 Football Schedule

Click to  download Bulldog Football Schedule

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The South Carolina State Department of Athletics announced its 2016 football schedule Friday (Jan.22). The Bulldogs' 11-game slate includes four home contests and seven road games.

SC State opens the 2016 campaign with four straight road games, with the first three against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) -- University of Central Florida on Sep. 3 in Orlando; Louisiana Tech on Sept. 10 in Ruston, LA; and Clemson University in Clemson, SC on Sept. 17.

Florida A&M rounds out a four-game opening road swing, when Coach Buddy Pough's team begins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play in Tallahassee, Fla., on Sept. 24.

The Bulldogs open their home campaign at Oliver. C. Dawson Stadium on Oct. 8 against Bethune-Cookman. Other home games include Delaware State, Oct.22 (HOMECOMING); Norfolk State, Nov. 12; and Savannah State, Nov.19.

Additional road games are at Howard, Oct 15. in Washington, DC; Hampton, Oct. 29 in Hampton, VA; and North Carolina A&T State, Nov.5 in Greensboro, NC.

Bulldogs fans and supporters are encouraged to purchase their season tickets early for special rates and discounts at the SC State Ticket Office. For additional information, call 803-536-8579 or 800-298-9157.

Starting times for all games on the 2016 schedule, which is listed below, will be announced later.

For more information on South Carolina State University football, please call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060, or visit the official Bulldogs website at www.scsuathletics.com


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South Carolina State 2016 Football Schedule

DATE                     OPPONENT                          LOCATION        TIME

SEPTEMBER

03                                Central Florida               Orlando, FL       TBA

10                                Louisiana Tech               Ruston, LA         TBA

17                                Clemson                         Clemson, SC      TBA
24                                Florida A & M*                Tallahassee, FL  TBA

OCTOBER 01               Open
08                               BETHUNE COOKMAN*   ORANGEBURG, SC 1:30 P.M.
(Hall of Fame/Former Student-Athlete App./Business & Industry Day/ Pink Game)
15                               Howard *                        Washington, DC TBA
22                   DELAWARE STATE*   ORANGEBURG, SC  1:30 P.M. (HOMECOMING)
29                                 Hampton*                        Hampton, VA   TBA
NOVEMBER
05                                 North Carolina A&T*         Greensboro, NC  TBA
12                                 NORFOLK STATE*            ORANGEBURG, SC  2:00 P.M.
(Youth/ROTC/Military Appreciation/Greek Day)
19                                SAVANNAH STATE*          ORANGEBURG, SC 1:30 P.M.
(Senior Day/High School Band Day/Faculty & Staff App. Day)

*MEAC Contest – Home games in Bold – #Dates, times and locations subject to change

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern, Alabama State women battle for SWAC positioning

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- As the Southwestern Athletic Conference season enters its fourth weekend, the women’s race is starting to resemble what was predicted.

Before the season, the league’s coaches and sports information directors predicted Texas Southern to finish first, followed by Alabama State and Southern.

Texas Southern is alone in first place after winning its first five games. Alabama State lost its first two games but has rolled to three consecutive wins by an average of 32 points to move into a tie for third. Southern lost to Texas Southern in its league opener but has won five straight by double digits to move into second place.

So even though the race hasn’t hit the halfway point, the game between Alabama State (5-9, 3-2) and Southern (8-7, 5-1) at 3 p.m. Saturday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center is significant as each team tries to establish itself as the primary challenger to Texas Southern.

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XU's Salwan, Montrel in ITA's NAIA preseason top 10

NEW ORLEANS — For the first time in the history of men's tennis at Xavier University of Louisiana, the program has two of the NAIA's top 10 singles players.

Karan Salwan is eighth, and Kyle Montrel is 10th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's preseason rankings. A third Gold Rush player, Tushar Mandlekar, is No. 43.

Salwan, a junior from New Delhi, India, and a graduate of Modern School, is in his first season at Xavier after transferring from NCAA Division I member Utah State. During the fall he won a pair of singles titles and teamed with Mandlekar for a doubles championship.

Salwan and Mandlekar — a junior from Bhilai, India, and a graduate of Deepak Nagar — are No. 13 nationally in doubles.

Montrel, a senior from Atlanta, Ga., and a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, is in the top 10 for the third consecutive time and in the top 20 for the eighth straight time. Montrel is a three-time ITA NAIA All-American.

Salwan is the fourth Gold Rush player to earn a top-10 national singles ranking in the NAIA. The first two were Miroslav Vukicevic and Loic Didavi.

In the ITA's NAIA preseason South Region rankings, Salwan, Montrel and Mandlekar are 4-6-15 in singles, and Salwan and Mandlekar are No. 4 in doubles.

The Gold Rush opened the spring season Monday with a pair of dual-match losses at Louisiana-Lafayette. Next for Xavier will be men's and women's duals at 10 a.m. Jan. 30 — one week from Saturday — against city rival Loyola at XU Tennis Center. Loyola will be the Gold Nuggets' first spring opponent. Xavier has no women ranked nationally or regionally.

The next individual rankings will be announced March 16. The NAIA will reveal Tuesday its preseason men's and women's team rankings.

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

Louisiana Tech to host South Carolina State in football home opener

RUSTON, Louisiana -- Louisiana Tech officials announced Friday the 2016 football non-conference schedule has been completed with the addition of a home game to round out the four-game non-league slate.

Tech will host South Carolina State, a Football Championship Subdivision program, on Sept. 10 in Tech’s home opener. LA Tech opens the season on Sept. 3 at Arkansas. SC State went 7-4 last season including a 6-2 mark in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play.

Louisiana Tech and South Carolina State, also known as the Bulldogs, have met once before with that meeting also taking place in Ruston. LA Tech upended South Carolina State, 38-3, on Dec. 4, 1982 in an NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal match-up. Tech ran for 202 yards and threw for another 272, racking up 474 yards on 82 attempts while holding South Carolina State to just 187 total yards on 76 attempts.

The announcement solidifies Louisiana Tech’s non-conference schedules through the 2018 season. The Bulldogs will have eight conference games with four home C-USA contests and four road conference games. Opponents, dates and other gameday information is still to be announced by the conference office.

Fans can purchase or renew their season tickets now by calling the LA Tech Ticket Office at 318-257-3631 or by visiting LATechSports.com/16FBTix. Fans that purchase or renew by the close of business Friday will be entered to win floor seats to a men’s basketball game while anyone purchasing or renewing next week will be entered to win floor seats to a women’s basketball game. Louisiana Tech is running weekly promotions through the end of March, all of which are listed at LATechSports.com/16FBTix.

The Bulldogs are currently gearing up for National Signing Day on Feb. 3. LTAC will host its annual Signing Day Social presented by Origin Bank beginning at 4 p.m. Tickets are available by calling Tyson Baldwin at 318-255-7950 or by emailing Tyson@latechalumni.org.

For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow Louisiana Tech on social media at @LATechFB (Twitter), /LATechFootball (Facebook) and @LATechFB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.

Future Louisiana Tech Non-Conference Schedules

2016
Sept. 3 – at Arkansas
Sept. 10 – South Carolina State
Sept. 17 – at Texas Tech
Oct. 15 – at UMass

2017
Sept. 2 – Northwestern State
Sept. 9 – Mississippi State
Sept. 23 – at South Carolina
Sept. 30 – South Alabama

2018
Sept. 1 – at South Alabama
Sept. 15 – at Mississippi State
Sept. 22 – Bowling Green
Oct. 20 – at LSU

2019
Aug. 31 – at Texas
Sept. 14 – at Bowling Green
Oct. 19 – UMass

2020
Sept. 5 – at UNLV
Sept. 12 – at Baylor

2021
Sept. 4 – at Mississippi State
Sept. 11 – Baylor

2022
Sept. 10 – at Baylor
Sept. 24 – at Clemson

COURTESY LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY ATHETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Ole Miss' Collins Moore heading to Alcorn State

OXFORD, Mississippi - Wide receiver Collins Moore announced on Instagram that he intends to transfer from Ole Miss to Alcorn State to complete his football career.

The fifth-year senior receiver a sixth season of eligibility from the NCAA following an injury-plagued career with the Rebels. He played just four games in 2012 because of injuries to both shoulders and missed all of the 2014 season because of a knee injury.

Moore announced his intention to transfer earlier this month in an Instagram post, saying it had been a blessing to finish his career with a Sugar Bowl win and thanking Ole Miss fans.

He joins quarterback DeVante Kincade and cornerback Tee Shepard as players from the Rebels’ 2015 roster who have said they intend to transfer.

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Improved Grambling should provide challenge for JSU

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- It's not too difficult to spot the difference with Grambling's basketball team. At least not for Jackson State coach Wayne Brent.

"When I look at them on film, they look like basketball players. Last year coming into the game, they didn't look like basketball players," he said. "We knew going into the game if we played well, we would win the basketball game. This time you look at them, even if you play well, you have a chance on losing the basketball game."

Last season, Grambling went 2-27 and 0-18 in the SWAC. Grambling (6-12, 3-3 SWAC) hasn't posted an impressive record this season, but it's made significant strides from last season and should present a tough challenge for Jackson State (9-10, 4-2) at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Lee E. Williams AAC.

The Tigers are currently locked in a three-way tie for ...

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TSU passes SWAC road tests

HOUSTON, Texas -- TSU forward Derrick Griffin, center, snags a rebound. The Tigers are the lone undefeated team in the SWAC.

There are still 13 games left before the SWAC tournament but everything Texas Southern hoped this season would become is coming to fruition.

The Tigers (6-11, 5-0) remain the lone undefeated team in the conference after a 71-65 win at Jackson and a 69-54 win at Grambling State.

They passed the first conference road tests of the year. The Jackson State game is the only conference game that TSU has won by single digits, however.

"It was a close game at the end," TSU head coach Mike Davis said. "We went up 20 and just kind of relaxed, turned the ball over, gave up too many turnovers at the end for points. That's one area we try not to give up a lot of points off turnovers. We were able to hang on for the win but it shouldn't have even been a close game if we would've just stayed focused and play."

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Culver: Elliott Charles tackling FAMU’s APR woes

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- There’s something that holds true in almost every aspect of sports: It doesn’t matter how good the person at the helm is, if the supporting cast is inadequate, the team fails.

It was true in the 2015 NBA Finals, and it’s true when it comes to the athletics program of a four-year university.

Florida A&M athletic director Milton Overton Jr. has been building his team since he first set foot on campus in August. Wednesday, in front of the FAMU-faithful 220 Quarterback Club, Overton showed off the latest addition to his squad.

Elliott Charles was hired last week as Overton’s second in command. Previously, he was South Florida’s associate athletic director of compliance. Before that, he was the associate commissioner for compliance for the Mid-American Conference.

The 32-year-old University of South Florida graduate has already hit the ground running and has his eyes set on one of FAMU’s biggest problems. Flanked by his wife and two of his children, he tackled a few questions from the 220 QB Club.

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NCCU Football’s Quest for Historic Three-peat has Similar Path

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University's quest for a historic three-peat as Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions will travel down a similar path during the upcoming football campaign.

After repeating as conference co-champions and posting the most wins as a Division I-FCS program with an 8-3 record last season, NCCU's 11-game 2016 football schedule is nearly identical to last year's line-up. The Eagles have non-conference rematches with Triangle foes Duke and Saint Augustine's, and face the same MEAC opponents as they did when achieving a 7-1 league mark in 2015 under the leadership of Jerry Mack, who became the first head coach in school history to win 15 games in his first two seasons.

With consecutive league titles in hand, this year's Eagles squad will attempt to do something that no NCCU team has been able to do – win a third straight conference championship.

Complete 2016 NCCU Football Schedule 

NCCU kicks off the 2016 season on Sept. 3 against Durham neighbor Duke University in the Bull City Gridiron Classic. The Blue Devils are coming off an 8-5 season that included a win over Indiana in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Duke has won all four contests in the series with the Eagles that started in 2009.

The lone newcomer to NCCU's schedule is Western Michigan of the Mid-American Conference (FBS) on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the first gridiron meeting between the two universities. The Broncos closed out last season with a win over nationally-ranked Toledo to claim a share of the MAC West title, followed by a victory against Middle Tennessee in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl for the program's first bowl triumph to finish with an 8-5 record.

The Eagles' first home game is on Sept. 17 versus Saint Augustine's, a former Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association foe, at 6 p.m. inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. This will be the 32nd meeting between the Falcons and Eagles, with NCCU holding a 28-2-1 advantage in the series.

NCCU begins MEAC play on the road at Norfolk State on Sept. 24. The Eagles celebrated homecoming last season with their third straight win over the Spartans to improve their series advantage to 8-5 over NSU.

On Oct. 1, NCCU will face fellow back-to-back conference co-champions Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Eagles defeated the Wildcats in the first meeting back in 1994, but B-CU has beaten NCCU in each of the last six contests since 2010, including last year's heart-breaking two-point setback that was the Eagles' lone league loss.

After playing on the road in four of the first five weeks, NCCU returns home to O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium for four of its last six regular-season games.

The Eagles host the Rattlers of Florida A&M on Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. Last year in Tallahassee, Florida, NCCU used a late field goal to edge the Rattlers for the first of seven consecutive victories. FAMU leads the series 6-2-1.

NCCU stays in Durham to celebrate homecoming on Oct. 15 versus Savannah State at 2 p.m. The Eagles have won the last four meetings with SSU to push the series advantage to 8-2-1. The Eagles also boast a record of 61-19-2 (.756 winning percentage) on homecoming since 1931.

The Eagles hit the road to play Morgan State on Oct. 22 in Baltimore, Maryland. The last two matchups at Hughes Stadium have been decided by a touchdown in the final minute of the game. NCCU triumphed in 2015, but the Bears have won seven of the last 10 meetings with the Eagles to extend their series cushion to 24-14-2.

After an open week on Oct. 29, NCCU travels to "The First State" for the first time since 2011 to face Delaware State on Nov. 5. The Eagles have won seven of the last eight meetings against the Hornets, including three in-a-row, to improve their series lead over DSU to 16-6.

On Nov. 12, NCCU comes back to Durham to host Howard at 2 p.m. The Eagles have downed the Bison in four straight contests to take a 10-9-1 edge in the series. Howard's last victory at NCCU was on Oct. 15, 1994.

The Eagles close out the 2016 regular season with the 88th meeting against rival North Carolina A&T on Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. In each of the last two seasons, NCCU wrapped up the campaign with wins over the nationally-ranked Aggies to earn a share of the conference title.

While aiming to make NCCU history with a third straight league championship, the Eagles will also be vying to represent the MEAC in the second annual Celebration Bowl against the champion from the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

NCCU will hold its spring football game on Friday, April 8 at 6 p.m. inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

Details about NCCU football season tickets will be announced in February.

For more information about NCCU football, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION