HU rebuilding after two straight MEAC men's basketball titles, but that's OK

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Reggie Johnson, the scoring and floor leader, is gone. So is Quinton Chievous, Mr. Double-Double, and Brian Darden, master of the dagger 3.

In all, the Hampton University men's basketball program has lost five players who made at least 13 starts and combined for 56 points per game. And going into the 2016-17 season, the two-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament champion is rebuilding.

And yet, though he returns only one scorer who averaged more than four points a game, HU coach Buck Joyner sees the positives. Three players who averaged double-digit minutes are back. So are some others who Joyner believes grew significantly in the offseason.

"The good part about it is, we have five or six guys that were a part of that team last year," Joyner said. "All they know is winning and a certain level of success. So every day, we're not fighting for the effort, for them to compete.

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Prairie View A&M at Rice preview

Start Time: 2:30 p.m. CST

Location: Rice Stadium, Houston

TV: None

Radio: Rice IMG Sports Network, KPVU 91.3 FM

Streaming: CUSAtv

Series: First meeting

Outlook

Following a win by Miami of Ohio last weekend, Rice is the only winless team in FBS.

Once again, the Owls (0-6) were close to tasting victory, but could not get over the hump on Saturday. Haden Tobola missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt with 1:27 left that would have given Rice the lead. At the end of the game, Rice advanced to the UTSA 27, but the Owls did not have time for one last field-goal attempt.

“It’s the mental challenge, really, now. Are we going to find a way to win, or are we going to find a new way to lose?”

That quote actually came from Philip Rivers before the San Diego Chargers defeated Denver last week. But it seems to apply to Rice 2016. In addition to the latest way to lose, Rice has gotten blown out, fell in double overtime, had good offense when the defense struggled, and vice versa.

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TSU Tigers Travel Crosstown for Matchup with Vanderbilt

Tennessee State Game Notes | Vanderbilt Game Notes
2016 Tennessee State Media Guide | Live Stats

Social Media: #BigBlueRising
Twitter: @TSU_Tigers | Instagram: @TSUTigers

Facebook: Tennessee State University Tigers

Game 7: Tennessee State (5-1) vs. Vanderbilt (3-4)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016

Location: Nashville, Tenn.

Venue: Vanderbilt Stadium

Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. CT

TV: ESPNU

Audio: 102.1 FM The Light

The Game: Despite being separated by three miles, this is only the second meeting between Tennessee State and Vanderbilt. The Commodores claimed the only contest between the two universities, 38-9 in 2006. This will mark just the third time TSU has faced an FBS program. The Tigers traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo., in 2011 to face Air Force, which went in favor of the Falcons, 63-24.

Last Meeting: Tennessee State used a Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie interception of Commodore quarterback Chris Nickson to set up an Eric Benson 25-yard field goal. Rodgers-Cromartie picked off the pass at the Commodore 39 and returned it 27 yards to the Commodores 12 yard line to set up the score, as TSU trailed Vanderbilt 10-3 at halftime. The Commodores forced three turnovers and turned all three miscues into touchdowns within a span of 2:15 late in the third quarter and into the fourth to take a commanding 31-3 lead. TSU's lone touchdown came on a 15 yard touchdown pass from Antonio Heffner to Chris Johnson. Heffner finished 10-of-21 for 159 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Vanderbilt outgained TSU 308-252 in a defensive struggle.

Head Coach: Rod Reed is in his seventh season at the helm of the Tigers. During his time at TSU, he has compiled a 41-35 record, including a 33-20 mark since 2012. This is the first meeting as a head coach versus Vanderbilt. Reed served as the linebacker coach for the Tigers in the 2006 contest against the Commodores.

Tennessee State: Tennessee State (5-1, 2-1) is coming off a 35-28 win over Eastern Kentucky, which helped propel them to No. 25 into all three FCS polls. TSU jumped out to a 35-3 lead heading into halftime. The Big Blue defense forced five EKU turnovers for the difference in the game. An interception by linebacker Chris Collins with seconds left in the game proved to be the nail in the coffin. Cornerback Ezra Robinson earned OVC Defensive Player of the Week with two interceptions against EKU, including a 93-yard pick returned for a touchdown early in the second quarter. The senior’s second swipe came with 10 minutes remaining in the game as he stepped in front of a pass in the flat at the TSU 8-yard line. The Tigers rank second nationally with 12 interceptions on the year. Robinson collected two pass breakups and is ranked fourth in FCS with 1.8 passes defended per game. The Tigers rank fourth nationally in turnover margin (+1.67/game). TSU has scored 30-plus points in six consecutive games to open the season for the first time since 1984. The '84 squad scored over 30 points during the first nine games and in 10 of 11 on the season; Scored a 24-15 victory over Louisville in lone game under 30 points. TSU currently ranks 16th in the country in scoring with 36.3 points per game. Ronald Butler picked up a pair of rushing touchdowns. The senior quarterback registered the longest run of his career on a 61-yard scoring jaunt to put TSU up 28-0. Steven Newbold caught one pass for 30 yards, increasing his yards per reception to 24.4; good for second in FCS play, first in the OVC. Patrick Smith caught four passes versus EKU increasing his team high receptions to 31. Smith has 16 touchdowns in his career over 16 games. Chris Collins leads the defense with 47 tackles, 36 solos; second with 7.5 tackles for loss. Ebenezer 'Ebo' Ogundeko missed his second consecutive game on Saturday evening. Ogundeko still leads the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks and ranks third with 40 tackles.

Scouting Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt improved to 3-4 as they spoiled Georgia’s Homecoming with a 17- 16 win in Athens. The victory was the first for the Commodores in UGA since 2006. Vanderbilt led 7-6 at halftime before falling behind 16-10 early in the fourth quarter. Vandy fought back with an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a Khari Blasingame two-yard touchdown run. Georgia outgained the Commodores 421-171, but the defense held the Bulldogs high powered running attack to just 75 yards rushing. Ralph Webb has rushed for 730 yards and six touch­downs and is averaging 104.3 yards/game for Vanderbilt. Defensively, Zach Cunningham has 81 tackles includ­ing 13.0 tackles-for-loss and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week..

Radio: 102.1 FM The Light will carry the game live with Greg Pogue (play-by-play), Albert Dawson (analyst) and Gary Dawson (sideline). Pregame will begin at 6:00 p.m. CT.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Record-setters Phillips, Perry grab GCAC weekly awards

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana freshmen Tiffany Phillips andAmanda Perry, who set school records and helped the Gold Nuggets clinch a tie for the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference volleyball regular-season championship, are GCAC award winners for Oct. 10-16. Phillips won her fifth Setter of the Week honor, and Perry is Defender of the Week for the third time.
     
The Gold Nuggets can win the GCAC title outright Thursday with a victory in a 6 p.m. match at SUNO.
     
Phillips, from Gardena, Calif., and a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School, produced 28 assists and 14 digs in a home victory against Dillard and set a XULA season record with her 11th double-double in those categories. Phillips also had a career-high three blocks against Dillard. For the week (two matches), Phillips averaged 7.83 assists and three digs per set.
     
Perry, from Bolingbrook, Ill., and a graduate of Bolingbrook High School, had 45 digs and averaged 5.63 digs per set. Against Mobile she set the XULA season record of 422 digs. Against Dillard she led the Gold Nuggets with 28 digs and helped XULA set a school team record for digs in a match with 118. Perry was part of a defensive effort which once again shut down Dillard's Corneisja Harrison — .128 hitting percentage vs. XULA after hitting .266 to win GCAC Attacker of the Week for Oct. 3-9.
     
This is the third time this season that XULA won at least two of the GCAC's three weekly volleyball awards. Phillips is the first XULA volleyball player to win five GCAC weekly awards in a season.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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TSU Tigers Picked Second in East Division in OVC Media Poll

BRENTWOOD, Tennessee -- In the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Media Poll, the Tennessee State men’s basketball team was selected second in the East Division by OVC media members, it was announced on Friday morning.

The Tigers received 64 total votes, checking in behind Belmont with 82 points and 12 first-place votes to top the East Division poll. In the West Division, Murray State took all 14 of the top votes to earn the No. 1 spot with 84 points.

The media picked the reigning OVC Player of the Year, Belmont’s Evan Bradds, to repeat as he was selected as the media’s Preseason Player of the Year. Belmont was chosen as the preseason overall champion with nine first-place votes.

Tennessee State is coming off a 20-11 record in 2015-16, marking the third 20-win season for the Tigers since making the move to Division I prior to the 1977-78 season. TSU welcomes back three starters from last year’s team headlined by OVC Defensive Player of the Year Tahjere McCall (Philadelphia, Pa.).



Pollsters for the 2016-17 OVC Media Poll included: Catlin Bogard, OVC Ball; Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; David Loos, Austin Peay Radio; Edward Marlowe, Paducah Sun; Mike Organ, The Tennessean; Brian Rives, Austin Peay Radio; Justin Rust, Journal Gazette/Times-Courier; Harry Schroeder, ValleyHoopsInsider.com; Greg Stotelmyer, Eastern Kentucky Radio; Rich Tiner, Belmont Radio.

2016-17 Media OVC Preseason Men's Predicted Order of Finish
East Division
1. Belmont (12 first-place votes) - 82 points
2. Tennessee State – 64
3. Morehead State (2) – 62
4. Eastern Kentucky – 35
5. Tennessee Tech – 32
6. Jacksonville State - 19

West Division
1. Murray State (14 first-place votes) - 84 points
2. Austin Peay – 60
3. Eastern Illinois – 56
4. UT Martin – 45
5. Southeast Missouri – 28
6. SIUE - 21

Preseason Player of the Year: Evan Bradds, Belmont
Overall Champion: Belmont (9 first-place votes)

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

August, Price move step closer to tying GCAC records

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Christopher August and Taylor Price are on the verge of tying Gulf Coast Athletic Conference season records for cross country weekly awards after sweeping the honors for Oct. 10-16.
     
August, a senior from Spring, Texas, and a graduate of Klein Collins High School, is the GCAC men's Runner of the Week for the fifth time in 2016. Price, a freshman from Missouri City, Texas, and a graduate of Ridge Point High School, won her fourth women's award.
     
August was the fastest Gold Rush finisher in the Crimson Classic at Tuscaloosa, Ala. He placed 26th in the college division (non-NCAA DI entries) and ran 8,000 meters in 28 minutes, 49.1 seconds. Price finished 21st in the 6K race in 25:56.3.
     
XULA's Kwame Jackson set the GCAC men's season mark of six Runner of the Week awards in 2014. Three share the GCAC women's season record of five awards: XULA's Catherine Fakler (2013) and Zahri Jackson (2011) and Spring Hill's Kate Imwalle (2009). Zahri and Kwame Jackson are siblings.
     
The Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush will compete Saturday in the GCAC Championships at Lonnie C. Miller Sr. Regional Park in Jacksonville, Fla. The women's 5K will start at 7 a.m. EDT, followed by the men's 8K at 7:45 a.m. There was no GCAC meet last year, but XULA's men and women won nine consecutive GCAC team titles apiece from 2006-14.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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XULA Nuggets earn 6th straight GCAC regular-season title

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana clinched its sixth consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season volleyball championship with a 25-13, 25-21, 25-23 victory against SUNO Thursday at The Castle.

Hasani Salaam had 12 kills and hit .364 in 22 attempts for the Gold Nuggets (13-14, 10-0), who have won 69 of their last 70 GCAC regular-season matches.

XULA also clinched the No. 1 seed for the GCAC Tournament and will play in the semifinals at 3 p.m. Nov. 4 against the No. 4 or No. 5 seed. The tournament site will be Dillard's Dent Hall.

The Gold Nuggets had 52 kills, their most in a three-set match this season, and hit .325, their second-highest percentage of the year. Eleven Nuggets had at least one kill, and seven had four or more.

Salaam, one of nine XULA freshmen, reached double figures in kills for the second time in three matches and the sixth time this season. The dozen kills were her most in 15 matches.

"Hilary (assistant coach Lobenstein) and I have really been pressing Hasani," XULA coach Hannah Lawing said. "She has incredible potential, and we've been pushing, but she's also really been pushing herself.

"She doesn't want to sit the bench, and she doesn't want to be a mediocre middle (blocker), so she comes into practice every day, and she's ready to learn. She's like a little sponge absorbing all the material we give her and then making the right adjustments and listening. She's really processing what we're saying. It's not in one ear and out the other. When she puts that to work, she's a fantastic middle."

Juliana Tomasoni had 10 kills and 12 digs — her 11th double-double of the season — Sarah Pitts-Groce had six kills and hit .857, and Tiffany Phillips had five kills and 25 assists. Tomasoni, Pitts-Groce, Adili Rikondja and Bria Moore had two blocks apiece.

A Salaam kill capped an opening 9-3 run that keyed the Gold Nuggets' comfortable first-set victory, but XULA needed a closing 7-1 burst to clinch the second set. XULA trailed 23-22 in the third set after surrendering five consecutive points, but two Pitts-Groce kills and a SUNO attack error ended the match in 66 minutes.

"Did we make more errors at certain points? Sure," Lawing said. "But we did a great job of holding our rhythm throughout the match and forcing it when we needed to."

Sonja Backovic had 11 kills for SUNO (8-14, 5-5), and Tiffany Hector and Tyjah Greenup had 10 kills apiece. Hector had 15 digs, and Greenup had 11.

XULA had 14 more kills than SUNO, and the Gold Nuggets had advantages of 4-2 in aces, 53-43 in digs and 5-0 in blocks. For the first time this season, XULA did not commit a service error.

XULA will travel to Mobile, Ala., for a 6 p.m. Monday non-conference match at NCAA Division II's Spring Hill. The Gold Nuggets' home finale will start at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 against Tougaloo at the Convocation Center.

BOX SCORE

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