TV: ESPNU: South Carolina State Bulldogs Takes on Clemson Tigers, Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET

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Live Stats

Notes

CLEMSON (6-2) vs. SC STATE (2-7)
Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
Arena: Littlejohn Coliseum (9,000)
Radio: CTSN (Tony Castricone-pbp; Tim Bourret-color)
TV: ESPNU (Tom Werme-pbp; Jason Capel-color)
• Clemson has put together consecutive victory margins of at least 40 points for the first time since 2009-10 when Oliver Purnell's final team defeated Presbyterian (+43) and Liberty (+40) in back to back games.
• The Tigers made a season-high 13 three-point goals Saturday in a 90-47 win over Mercer, just one shy of the program high under head coach Brad Brownell.
• Five players scored in double figures for Clemson on Saturday, the fourth occurrence in 2016-17, after just two all of last season.

SERIES HISTORY
CU Series W-L record: Clemson leads 12-1
Streak: Clemson has won the last seven meetings



TIGER TRACKS
• Senior guard Avry Holmes has a special couple of days on deck. Following Tuesday's game, his next appearance in Littlejohn Coliseum will come Thursday as he earns his undergraduate degree. He will be the third Tiger to play with a degree in hand, joining Jaron Blossomgame and Riley McGillan.
• Jaron Blossomgame made his 100th start in a Clemson uniform against the Bears, responding with 16 points. He needs just 22 points to move into the top 20 in Clemson history in career scoring.
• Donte Grantham, who started off slowly behind the arc, has made 10 of his last 18 three-point attempts (.555) over Clemson's four straight home games.
• Shelton Mitchell made multiple three-pointers against Mercer, a first in his career. He finished with an impressive all-around stat line of 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
• Legend Robertin has produced four blocked shots in consecutive games. He also surpassed his career high in both minutes (16) and rebounds (6) against Mercer on Saturday.

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl teams set for a throw-back matchup

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Georgia -- Now that all the dust has settled, the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl has the two top teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference set to battle for the crown of historically black college and university national champion.

The Grambling State University Tigers, led by Head Coach Broderick Fobbs, are set to take on the North Carolina Central University Eagles, led by Head Coach Jerry Mack.

This marks the second year for the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl, which showcases the heritage, legacy, pageantry and tradition of HBCUs. The game will be televised live on ABC to open the bowl season. The postseason college football bowl game will kick off at noon ET on Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.



This year’s matchup of Grambling and North Carolina Central is a case of history repeating itself in a sense as the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl is a reincarnation of the original SWAC vs. MEAC championship game that went by the name of the Pelican Bowl back in 1972, which only lasted three years. The Heritage Bowl brought back the series in the 1990s. The current game has the financial backing and support of ESPN.

Back when the Pelican Bowl was first envisioned, times were much different in the college football scene and the American landscape. Many of the social injustices that students at HBCUs were fighting against, were being resolved. Ironically these positive changes had a negative impact on HBCU athletic programs. The Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference had begun integrating their football teams, and the HBCU teams were competing for recruits with these larger programs.

From this environment it was determined that a holiday bowl game to determine the HBCU champion would bring some attention to these institutions.

CONTINUE READING

TSU Lady Tigers Down Lipscomb in Overtime, 77-71

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team rallied from a fourth quarter deficit to defeat Lipscomb in overtime, 77-71, Sunday afternoon in Allen Arena.

TSU (2-5) trailed by nearly double-digits in the fourth quarter when Olivia Jones scored six of the team’s next eight points to get the Lady Tigers back into the game.

Five Lady Tigers scored in double-digits led by I’mani Davis’ 16 points. Olivia Jones had 15 points and six rebounds in her debut while Diamond Beatty (13), Jayda Johnson (10) and Maxine Beard (10) also reached double-figures.

Lipscomb fell to 1-9 on the season.



After Lipscomb opened the game with a three-pointer, Tennessee State used a 12-2 run to grab a 12-5 lead before the first media timeout. Out of the break, however, the Lady Bisons outscored the Lady Tigers, 9-2, to tie the game up at 14-all heading into the second quarter.

The teams traded buckets in the second stanza and played to a 23-23 deadlock with 5:54 on the clock. TSU reclaimed the advantage after back-to-back triples from Olivia Jones and Diamond Beatty sparked an 8-0 run.

TSU shot 62.5 percent from three-point range in the first half and led 31-27 at the break.

The teams continued to trade buckets in the second half, as the game was knotted at 37-all at the 3:37 mark. TSU went up, 41-39, following a steal and break-away lay-up by Jayda Johnson but LU answered with a triple on the next possession to take the lead. TSU trailed 46-43 at the end of the quarter.

Lipscomb was the aggressor in the fourth quarter and used consecutive three-pointers to go up, 52-43. The Lady Bisons maintained at least a six point cushion over the next several minutes.

Following the final media timeout, TSU trailed 54-48.

With the Lady Tigers down, Olivia Jones got going. She scored six straight points to pull TSU within one, 57-56 with 2:03 remaining.

TSU took the lead when I’mani Davis used a crafty move to score on the next play but Lipscomb stayed within striking distance and pulled even with just over 30 seconds remaining.

The Lady Tigers had the ball for the final possession of the game but both shot attempts were off the mark.

In the extra period, TSU moved ahead, 67-64, when Olivia Jones connected in the paint with just over two minutes left to play.

With TSU leading, 69-65, Diamond Beatty came up with a timely steal to give the possession back to the Lady Tigers with 38 seconds remaining. Lipscomb was forced to foul and Maxine Beard stepped up and made both freebies.

Over the next three possessions, the Lady Tigers made six more free-throws to seal the win.

TSU shot 48.4 percent (30-of-62) from the field, including 38.9 percent (7-of-18) percent from three-point range.

Tennessee State returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at home versus Fisk. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

BOX SCORE

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Alcorn State Braves Unveil 2017 Football Schedule, Six Home Games

LORMAN, Mississippi – Featuring six home contests and a new seven-game SWAC schedule, the Alcorn State University football program released its 2017 slate on Sunday.

"Having six home games is big for us and I'm all for that," said Alcorn head coach Fred McNair. "Anytime you're at home it excites you. I love having all the fans come out and support Alcorn."

The Braves will kick-off the campaign on Saturday, Sept. 2 when they host Miles College. They will also play a non-conference home contest against McNeese State on Sept. 16.

Non-conference road affairs include a trip to Miami, Florida to face Florida International University on Sept. 9, and a trip to Houston to play Texas Southern on Sept. 30. The game against TXSO will not count toward either team's SWAC record.

Alcorn's first conference game is Sept. 23 when it hosts Southern for the second year in a row. The Braves will also take on Prairie View A&M, Alabama A&M and Mississippi Valley State at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.

SWAC road games include at Alabama State, Grambling State and Jackson State.

In 2017, Alcorn will bring back eight starters on offense and seven on defense. The Braves will return all of their quarterbacks and running backs, and five of their top six wide receivers. Defensively, they bring back three of their four starting defensive linemen and four of their five defensive backs.

Alcorn announced its 2017 spring game will be held on April 22.



2017 Alcorn Football Schedule

2-Sep Miles College Lorman, Miss. 6 p.m.
9-Sep at Florida International U., Miami, Fla. TBA
16-Sep McNeese State Lorman, Miss. 6 p.m.
23-Sep Southern University* Lorman, Miss. 6 p.m.
30-Sep at Texas Southern Houston, Texas TBA
7-Oct at Alabama State* Montgomery, Ala. TBA
14-Oct Prairie View A&M* Lorman, Miss. 2 p.m.
21-Oct at Grambling State* Grambling, La. TBA
28-Oct Bye Week
4-Nov Alabama A&M* Lorman, Miss. 2 p.m.
11-Nov Mississippi Valley State* Lorman, Miss. 2 p.m.
18-Nov Jackson State* Jackson, Miss. TBA

*SWAC Conference Games

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY BRAVES ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Gold Nuggets remain 32nd in NAIA coaches poll

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana gained six points from the preseason but remained 32nd in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday.
Including the 2015-16 season, it's the seventh time in the last eight polls that the Gold Nuggets are in the "others receiving votes" category.

XULA is 6-6 after playing one of the NAIA's most difficult schedules to date this season. The best victory was 71-67 Nov. 11 against then-No. 3 Our Lady of the Lake in the LSUS Classic at Shreveport, La. The Gold Nuggets also defeated then-No. 29 Langston and split a pair with then-No. 26 LSUS. But OLLU fell to 21st Tuesday, and Langston and LSUS received no points.

XULA's losses include city rival Loyola, which climbed from 24th to 22nd; Lewis-Clark State, 13-0 and No. 2 after a No. 7 preseason ranking; and Carroll (Mont.), which still is 25th.

XULA is one of two Gulf Coast Athletic Conference teams receiving votes. Talladega, 21st in the preseason, dropped to 26th. Edward Waters, which was tied for 30th in the preseason, had zero points this time.

Freed-Hardeman replaced MidAmerica Nazarene at No. 1. MNU fell to third. The next poll will be announced Jan. 3.

The Gold Nuggets' next opponent will be Concordia (Ala.) at 1 p.m. Dec. 15 in XULA's Convocation Center. Concordia is 7-1 against 4-year colleges, 10-1 overall and No. 1 in the season's first United States Collegiate Athletic Association poll.

NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Dec. 4)

Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Freed-Hardeman (8) 8-0 219 8
2 Lewis-Clark State (1) 13-0 207 7
3 MidAmerica Nazarene 7-1 206 1
4 Westmont 6-1 199 2
5 Lindsey Wilson 9-0 195 5
6-tie Vanguard 6-1 178 6
6-tie Campbellsville 7-2 178 4
8 Lyon 7-1 168 9
9 Oklahoma City 8-1 159 19
10 Shawnee State 12-0 158 tie-11
11 Montana State-Northern 8-2 147 16
12 Baker 8-1 143 13
13 Columbia (Mo.) 8-1 128 20
14-tie Benedictine (Kan.) 7-3 126 tie-11
14-tie Great Falls 9-2 126 18
16 The Master's 6-1 120 14
17 Central Methodist 7-2 102 15
18 Bethel (Tenn.) 5-4 99 10
19 Cumberland 9-2 96 23
20 John Brown 7-4 87 RV
21 Our Lady of the Lake 3-5 83 3
22 Loyola (N.O.) 7-2 62 24
23 Lindenwood-Belleville 6-2 61 NR
24 Pikeville 8-3 58 17
25 Carroll (Mont.) 8-2 53 25

Dropped from previous rankings: No. 21 Talladega, No. 22 Wayland Baptist
Others receiving votes: Talladega 39, Wayland Baptist 28, Martin Methodist 15, Wiley 14, Montana Western 13, Harris-Stowe 12, XULA 11, William Penn 6, William Woods 5, San Diego Christian 3

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

Grambling's Martez Carter has four distinct ways he can impact the game, and all are on display lately

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Martez Carter picked a good time to turn it up in all the ways he can.

The explosive Grambling junior has been a dynamic force in the Tigers’ past three games. In fact, it’s not hard to envision different outcomes in the Bayou Classic and Southwestern Athletic Conference championship games had it not been for Carter’s all-around excellence.

In the three games leading up to this week's Celebration Bowl against North Carolina Central, Carter has tallied a whopping 913 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns.

“He has the ability to run the football,” Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs said.

That’s a bit of an undersell, though it was only truly evident in the past three games — his first three 100-yard efforts of the year.

It started with a 10-carry, 122-yard, two-touchdown performance in a comeback win against Texas Southern.

CONTINUE READING

MEAC Debuts “WE ARE MEAC” Vïdeo

NORFOLK, Virginia — The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) will debut its “We Are MEAC” community outreach video, on MEAC social media platforms, the conference announced today.

The “We Are MEAC” video is an initiative by the conference to celebrate the diversity of its student-athletes. The initiative also calls upon MEAC student-athletes to challenge stereotypes against them and to find strength when faced with adversity.

The video release comes the same day as Human Rights Day.

The video features student-athletes, from all 13 MEAC institutions, who attended the fall MEAC-Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meeting. In the video, the student-athletes proclaim how their diversity brings them together and how they won’t allow stereotypes in their respective MEAC sports.

“The MEAC strives to provide an inclusive, diverse and welcoming environment to our student-athletes, their families and our fans,” said MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas. “We want all of our student-athletes to take pride in who they are, on and off the field. This video gives us the opportunity to celebrate our student-athletes and showcase their talents and commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA RELATIONS

ESPN3: TSU Cross-town Battle at Lipscomb Set for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET

#0 Ciara Pettis

TENNESSEE STATE (1-5) vs LIPSCOMB (1-8)  

SUNDAY | DEC. 11 | 2 P.M. CT | NASHVILLE, TENN. | ALLEN ARENA

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE
LIVE STATS: STATBROADCAST
VIDEO: ESPN 3
AUDIO: 102.1 FM

GAMEDAY
Following a 10-day break away from action during finals week, the Tennessee State University women’s basketball team will return to the hardwood on Sunday, Dec.11 at Lipscomb. Game time is set for 2 p.m. in Allen Arena.       

THE LADY TIGERS AT A GLANCE
Tennessee State (1-5) has played five of its first six games on the road to begin the season and has lost three straight. The Lady Tigers have faced teams from the Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Mountain West and SEC so far this season. 

Through four games the Lady Tigers are averaging 55.3 points per contest while shooting 35.3 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from three-point range. TSU is struggling from the free-throw line and is only shooting .583 from the charity stripe.

Seniors and All-OVC preseason selections Jayda Johnson (14.0 ppg) and I’mani Davis (11.7 ppg) lead the team in scoring while senior Diamond Beatty rounds out the top three scorers with 9.3 points per game. Johnson recently recorded her 1,000th career point. Olivia Jones will make her debut as a Lady Tiger versus Lipscomb.

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

LAST TIME OUT
TSU trailed 21-10 after the first quarter and played from behind the rest of the way in an 86-36 loss to No. 22/16 Tennessee. Maxine Beard led TSU with seven points while Kaliya Griffin managed to score six. TSU shot 20 percent (13-of-65) from the field and 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from three-point range. 

ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Lipscomb, a member of the Atlantic Sun is off to a 1-8 start. The Bisons have lost five straight and are recently coming off a 79-63 loss to SEMO on Tuesday. LU has also faced OVC members Murray State (L, 79-59), Belmont (L, 100-62) and Morehead State (L, 73-53). 

SERIES INFORMATION
TSU and Lipscomb will meet for the 25th time in the series history with the Lady Tigers holding a 20-4 lead. TSU claimed last year’s meeting 77-65 in the Gentry Center and has won two straight. The Lady Tigers have also won three of the last four contests. 

COVERAGE
Links for live stats, audio and video can be found under the schedule on tsutigers.com. Updates will also be posted during the game on Twitter (TSU_Tigers). 

UP NEXT

TSU will host Fisk on Dec. 14 before traveling to Florida to participate in the Hatter Classic hosted by Stetson, Dec. 19-20. TSU will face Bethune Cookman on Monday before matching up with Stetson on Tuesday. 

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

ESPN3:Transfer Olivia Jones Set to Make TSU Debut versus Lipscomb at 3 p.m. ET

#34 Olivia Jones

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- After nearly a year away from the court, transfer Olivia Jones will make her debut as a Tennessee State Lady Tiger on Sunday,
Dec. 11 at Lipscomb.

“Olivia is going to make an instant impact with our team,” said head coach Larry Inman. “We’re very excited about her getting the opportunity to play again. She possesses a tremendous skill set and she is a great young lady that believes in team ball. She has a great basketball IQ and that’s something that will help a lot of our young kids. She’s very vocal, she’s a good leader and I think she’ll do a lot of great things for our program.”

Jones transferred to Tennessee State in January 2016 after competing at Middle Tennessee for two-and-a-half seasons. Per NCAA rules, she became eligible to play at TSU following the completion of the Fall semester.

The Murfreesboro, Tenn. native was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year before averaging 19.8 points per game the following season. Additionally, she ranked in the top five in three categories including rebounding, minutes and steals during her sophomore campaign. As a junior, she was voted the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year and reached the 1,000-point milestone while ranking third on the team in scoring.

“It’s a bittersweet moment,” commented Jones. “No senior wants to sit out a half of a year, especially her senior year. Me and my family are happy that the time has come.”

Jones has been an observer from the sideline since last season and sees how she will fit in with the Lady Tiger team.

“I’ll fit in on the rebounding and defensive side,” she added. “I’m obviously an offensive person but I take pride in defense. That’s something that I was born with and I like to rebound.”

Tennessee State will face Lipscomb in non-conference action on Sunday, Dec. 11. Game time is set for 2 p.m. in Allen Arena.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

TV: SEC Network: Auburn Women Back Home Sunday vs. Savannah State at 3 p.m. ET

2016-17 Auburn Women's Basketball - Game #9
Auburn Tigers (6-2) vs. Savannah State Lady Tigers (2-6)
Date/Time	Sunday, Dec. 11 | 2 p.m. CT
Location	Auburn, Ala. | Auburn Arena (9,121)
Tickets	Purchase Tickets Online | WBB Ticket Information & Options
TV	SEC Network + (Brad Law, Joe Ciampi) | Watch Live
Radio	WTGZ 93.9 FM (Andy Burcham, Brit Bowen) | Listen Live
Live Stats	GameTracker
Twitter	@AuburnWBB
Additional Info	Auburn Notes  | Savannah State Notes  | SEC Notes

AUBURN, Alabama -- After a nine-day break for final exams, the Auburn women's basketball team is back in action Sunday afternoon against Savannah State at Auburn Arena. Game time is set for 2 p.m. with the broadcast on SEC Network +.

Auburn (6-2) had played six games in 12 days leading up to exam week, but the Tigers are now set for the stretch run of non-conference play that sees Auburn play six more games in December leading up to the start of SEC play.

The Tigers' defense continues to be its strength as Auburn ranks among the nation's top teams in turnovers forced (2nd - 26.3), steals per game (3rd - 14.6) and turnover margin (5th - +9.6). All eight Auburn opponents have been held below their season scoring average, and five of those eight have been held at least 10 points below their normal total.

Senior Katie Frerking has been the Tigers' leader over the most recent stretch. In the last six games, she has posted three double-doubles and topped the 20-point margin two straight outings. In Auburn's last contest, she led the Tigers in scoring (22), rebounds (6), assists (4) and blocks (2) and also recorded two steals. Frerking is the SEC's steals leader with 3.4 per game, which ranks her 19th in the nation.

Savannah State (2-6) enters Sunday on a five-game skid, falling to Jacksonville State 67-54 in their last contest. The Lady Tigers' two victories this season came against Alabama State and Division II Columbia College.

This is the third straight year these teams have met. Auburn won both previous meetings, earning a 62-56 win at home in 2014 and leaving Savannah with a 62-40 victory last season.

Andy Burcham will have the radio broadcast on WTGZ 93.9 FM beginning at 1:45 p.m. CT. Fans can also listen live via TuneIn Radio or the above link to AuburnTigers.com. SEC Network + has the broadcast with Brad Law and Joe Ciampi calling the action; fans can watch online via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app on mobile devices.

Promotions

• Toys for Tots - Bring a new, unwrapped toy and receive one (1) free general admission ticket!
• Teddy Bear Toss - Bring a new, unwrapped teddy bear for the Teddy Bear Toss at halftime! The fan closest to the target will win a prize!

Auburn Quick Hitters

• This is the third meeting between Auburn and Savannah State
• Auburn won last year's meeting 62-40 in Savannah; also won in 2014 at home 62-56
• Auburn is 31-2 in home non-conference games under Terri Williams-Flournoy and 40-6 in all non-conference games at Auburn Arena
• Auburn is 17-2 all-time against members of the MEAC (1-0 this season; def. N.C. A&T 68-36 on Nov. 17)
• Auburn has held six of eight opponents at least 10 points below their season scoring average
• Five of Auburn's eight opponents have been held to a season-low scoring total
• In the initial NCAA RPI released this week, Auburn is ranked No. 12
• Auburn was ranked No. 23 in the Week 4 AP Top 25; it was the first ranking for Auburn since 2009
• The Tigers have received votes in every AP poll this season
• As of Dec. 7, Auburn ranks 2nd in the nation in turnovers forced (26.3/game), 3rd in the nation in steals (14.6/game), and 5th in turnover margin (+9.6)
• Auburn is 5-0 this season and 33-6 under Coach Flo when forcing 25+ turnovers; Auburn forced 38 vs. Troy, 27 at North Carolina A&T, 30 at East Carolina, 27 vs. Ball State, 30 vs. Marist
• Auburn forced 20 turnovers vs. Indiana but turned that into a season-high 33 points
• Auburn trailed Indiana by 17 points in the fourth quarter before mounting a comeback for a 71-67 win on Nov. 27
• Auburn's 32 fourth-quarter points vs. Indiana were the most in a single period since women's basketball went to a four-quarter game in 2015-16
• Brandy Montgomery scored 28 points in the comeback win over Indiana, including 16 in the fourth quarter and 10 straight over a 2-minute stretch to tie the game
• Montgomery is Auburn's scoring leader and ninth in the SEC through seven games with 16.1 points/game
• Katie Frerking leads Auburn in rebounds (8.5), assists (3.4) and steals (3.4) and is second in scoring (14.9)
• Frerking has double-doubles in three games this year; she had two in her career entering the season
• Frerking leads the SEC and ranks 19th in the nation with 3.4 steals per game
• Frerking had a career-high 7 steals in the win at N.C. A&T, then matched that with 7 vs. Indiana
• Auburn's 32-point win over North Carolina A&T was its largest margin of victory in a road game since Nov. 11, 2011 at Mercer (34 points; 77-43)

Last Time Out

>> Senior Katie Frerking scored a season-high 22 points, but No. 23 Auburn could not overcome foul trouble and a big rebounding deficit Thursday night in a 71-66 loss at Kansas State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
>> The Tigers had three players -- two key rebounders -- foul out and saw an early rebounding advantage turned into a big deficit by the end of the game. Despite that, the Tigers rallied to take a five-point lead midway through the fourth quarter but could not hang on.
>> Frerking's 22 points led all scorers as the Tigers shot 37 percent (23-of-62) from the field. Auburn hit a season-high eight 3-pointers, three of them from Brandy Montgomery, who finished with 11 points. Janiah McKay added 15, and Emari Jones finished with a season-high eight. Auburn also had its best free-throw shooting night of the season, hitting 12-of-14 attempts (85.7%).
>> K-State was 47 percent from the floor, led by a 16-point night from Kindred Wesemann. The Wildcats pulled down 39 rebounds to Auburn's 25, and the much taller Wildcats scored 32 points in the paint to Auburn's 22.

Noteworthy

AUBURN-SAVANNAH STATE SERIES
>> This is the third meeting between Auburn and Savannah State in women's basketball, all in the last three seasons.
>> Auburn won the previous two meetings, winning 62-57 in Auburn in 2014 and 62-40 in Savannah last season.

SCOUTING SAVANNAH STATE
>> Savannah State is 2-6 on the season and enters Sunday's game on a five-game skid. The Lady Tigers lost to Jacksonville State 67-54 in their last game.SSU's two wins came against Columbia College and Alabama State.
>> The Lady Tigers average 54.4 points per game and shoot 32.6% from the field. SSU averages 40.5 rebounds per game 
>> SSU is led by Lauren Moss, a graduate transfer from Georgia State, who averages 13.5 points per game. Jeremica Edwards is SSU's leading rebounder with 8.1/game. 
>> Senior guard Kenyatta Hendrix is the school's all-time leading 3-point shooter with 157 made 3s in her career. She is 14-of-58 from long-range this season.
>> Savannah State finished 10-18 last season, 7-9 in the MEAC. All five starters returned from last year's squad.

LAST MEETING: AUBURN 62, SSU 40 (11/22/15)
>> Brandy Montgomery scored 16 points, and Auburn forced Savannah State into 25 turnovers en route to a 62-40 victory at Tiger Arena.
>> Auburn shot 42.9 percent from the floor and dominated the boards, out-rebounding Savannah State 38-24. Turnovers were the name of the game, however, as the teams combined to turn the ball over 47 times on the day.
>> Senior Tra'Cee Tanner scored 12 points. Tanner also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds to go along with two assists, two blocks and a steal. 
>> Auburn never trailed in the game, although a cold spell early in the third quarter allowed Savannah State to pull back within as few as 12 points. But SSU would get no closer, and a flurry in the fourth quarter helped Auburn pull away for the 24-point win.

SCOUTING AUBURN
>> Auburn is 6-2 to open the 2016-17 season. The Tigers' only blemishes on the schedule are a 56-52 loss to then-No. 19 West Virginia in the Savannah Invitational championship game, and a 71-66 loss at Kansas State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
>> Senior Brandy Montgomery is the Tigers' leading scorer, averaging 15.5 points per game. She averaged 14.0 points per game as a junior and was named to the preseason All-SEC Second Team by the league's coaches. She scored a season-high 28 points - 16 in the fourth quarter - to lead Auburn's comeback from a 17-point deficit against Indiana on Nov. 27.
>> Senior Katie Frerking leads the SEC and ranks 19th in the nation in steals with 3.4 per game through eight games. Frerking has posted three double-doubles this season and leads the team with 8.5 rebounds/game, which ranks seventh in the SEC.
>> Junior forward Jessica Jones has been a force defensively for the Tigers, posting a career-high four blocks twice already this year and pulling down a career-high 9 rebounds vs. Marist. She also had five steals in the opener vs. Troy.
>> Sophomore point guard Janiah McKay and junior forward Jazmine Jones are the Tigers' other two returning starters. McKay played in all 33 games last year, starting 19, and averaged 9.2 points and 2.3 assists per game. She scored a career-high 24 points to lead Auburn to an NCAA first-round win over St. John's. Jones started all 33 games as a sophomore and had one of the best shooting percentages on the team, shooting 51.5% from the floor.
>> Pressure defense remains a staple of Coach Flo's strategy as the Tigers forced an average of 20.0 turnovers per game in her first four seasons. Auburn is averaging 26.3 opponent turnovers through eight games (1st in SEC; 2nd in nation) and has forced 27 or more in five of eight contests.

GETTING DEFENSIVE

>> Auburn is holding opponents to 53.1 points per game, ranking 22nd nationally in scoring defense. The Tigers are also near the top of the nation in turnovers forced (2nd - 26.3) and steals per game (3rd - 14.6).

>> Auburn has held every opponent thus far under their season average, and six of eight were held 10 or more points below their average.

ALBURN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TV: SEC Network: Florida Galors Play North Carolina A&T in Neutral Site Game at 3 p.m. ET

Florida and North Carolina A&T meet for the first time.

• Live Scoring
• UF Notes
• Streaming Video
• Audio

PANAMA CITY, Florida – Florida travels 225 miles West to play North Carolina A&T at Billy Harrison Field House on the campus of Gulf Coast State College on Sun., Dec. 11
 
First-Time Florida Foes

• North Carolina A&T is one of five teams on UF's schedule that the Gators will play for the first time.
• The other first-time foes: Chattanooga, Northwestern, Wofford and Southeastern Louisiana.

 
A Glance at the Aggies

• Dana Brown leads NCAT in scoring (14.3 ppg), with the bulk of her scoring coming behind the arc. The redshirt-senior guard is hitting 37.1 percent (26-70) from beyond the arc, with 26 of her 30 made fields goals coming from deep. She also connected on 70 percent (14-20) from the line.
• Four different Aggies have been the team's leading scorer in a game this year.
• Only two of the team's seven games have come at home.
• NCAT played Auburn at home on Nov. 17 and dropped the 68-36 decision. The Gators open their SEC season against Auburn on January 1.
• In his four previous seasons coaching at his alma mater, head coach Tarrell Robinson has guided the Aggies to three postseason appearances, including last year's NCAA Tournament berth after winning the MEAC Tournament title.

 
Gator Watch

• Ronni Williams, Florida's lone four-year senior, runs the floor like a guard and has been seen on numerous occasions snaring a defensive rebound, dribbling the length of the court and sinking the layup.
• Williams, who has been UF's leading scorer each of the last two years, is averaging 15.9 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds.
• She has three double-doubles this year; 16 in her career.

 
What Just Happened

• Florida enters Sunday's game having lost its last two games, with both coming against nationally-ranked opponents. The Gators dropped a six-point decision at No. 24 Arizona State on Dec. 4 and a 25-point loss at No. 7 Florida State on Thu., Dec. 8.
• North Carolina A&T has had 11 days to work on reversing its current five-game skid. Four of those five games have come on the road and included games against Auburn and West Virginia, as well as a five-point setback to Marist.

 
Notes from Florida's Last Game

• #7 Florida State 83, #23/25 Florida 58 (Dec. 8 in Tallahassee, Fla.)
• Florida battled down a double-digit deficit to six points before No. 7 Florida State ripped off a 34-15 run in final 13 minutes for an 83-58 win.
• This was the first time in the 73-game series that both instate rivals entered the game nationally ranked and for the first seven minutes and late into the 2nd quarter it definitely took shape as such.
• FSU used a 10-0 run near the end of the first quarter and held a 22-15 lead.
• Florida battled back in the second quarter and cut its deficit to five on several occasions, the last coming with 1:10 left in the first half after Haley Lorenzentook a feed from Eleanna Christinaki and the Gators were within 34-29.
• The Seminoles mounted another push to end this frame and scored the final five points and took a 39-29 halftime lead.

 
(Gator) Tale of the Tape
Florida

• Points Per Game: 73.0
• Scoring Defense: 62.1
• Scoring Margin: +10.9
• Rebounding Margin: +6.8
• FG%: 47.3%
• 3FG%: 27.3%
• FT%: 64.4%

Gator Leaders

• Scoring: Christinaki, 17.6
• Rebounding: Williams, 8.1
• Assists: Anderson, 4.6

 
North Carolina A&T

• Points Per Game: 57.6
• Scoring Defense: 69.7
• Scoring Margin: -12.1
• Rebounding Margin: -1.6
• FG%: 32.5%
• 3FG%: 28.4%
• FT%: 62.6%

Aggie Leaders

• Scoring: Brown, 14.3
• Rebounding: Tyler, 5.3
• Assists: Kilpatrick, 3.3

 
What's Next?

• Following the game, the Gators will take a nine-day break from competition and turn their attention exclusively to the classroom, where final exams are being held December 10, 12-16.
• Commencement is Dec. 16-17 and will be held in the newly renovated Exactech Arena at the O'Connell Center. It's the first event in the building that's also the game day home of Gator Basketball!
• The Gators return to the court on Dec. 20 and 21 to compete in the Florida Sunshine Classic in Winter Park, Fla. Florida plays Indiana on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. and then Florida A&M on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

 
Final Four in Florida

• Including Sunday's game against North Carolina A&T, Florida has just three more games remaining of its season-opening 12-game road trip.
• At least the last four games of this adventure all will be played within the state of Florida.

 
Half Way Home

• The Gator's Nov. 30 game against Wofford was Florida's sixth of a season-opening 12-game road trip due to the $64.5 million renovations being done to Exactech Arena at the O'Connell Center.
• The Gator's first home game of the season will be on Dec. 28 against Southeastern Louisiana.

 
Game Day Information

• Who: #23/25 Florida (6-3, 0-0 SEC) vs. North Carolina A&T (1-6)
• When: Sun., Dec. 11 * 3 pm ET/2 pm CT
• Where: Billy Harrison Field House * Panama City, Florida
• Facility Notes: played at Gulf Coast State College (5230 West Highway 98, Panama City, FL)

 
Game Notes

• Florida [direct link]
• N.C. A&T – do not post online

 
Game Coverage & More!

• Radio: LIVE on ESPN Gainesville 98.1FM/850AM with Adam Schick & Brittany Davis
• Internet Audio: LIVE thru FloridaGators.com (FREE) [direct link]
• Television: none
• Streaming Video: SEC Network + with Adam Schick & Brittany Davis [direct link]
• Internet Scoring: Sidearm stats [direct link]

 
Opening Tip

• Sunday's game is a special Play 4Kay celebration and both teams will help raise awareness by wearing PINK uniforms for the game.
• Gulf Coast State College will be donating all monies collected at the gate from the game to the Kay Yow Foundation.
• Sunday's game is the first meeting between the Gators and Aggies.
• N.C. A&T has not played since a road loss at Appalachian State on Nov. 30 - 11 days ago. UF has played four games during that span.
• Sunday's game is Florida's 10th on the road this season, as the Gators are nearing the end of their 12-game season-opening road trip due to the $64.5 million renovations to its home arena.

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TV: PAC12 Network: Oregon State men's basketball hosts 3-point-happy Savannah State at 6 p.m. ET

Savannah State at Oregon State

Time: 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET

Where: Gill Coliseum

On air: Pac-12 Network; Radio on Beaver Sports Radio Network (stream here)

Projected starters:

Savannah State (2-8)

11 - Joshua Floyd, 6-4, 195, Jr. | 8.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.9 apg

12 - Casey Wells, 6-3, 180, Sr. | 9.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.7 apg

4 - Troyce Manassa, 6-4, 215, Sr. | 12.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.7 apg

30 - Jahir Cabeza, 6-5, 190, Jr. | 8.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.3 apg

34 - Maricus Glenn, 6-10, 235, Jr. | 1.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 8.5 mpg

Oregon State (3-6)

0 - JaQuori McLaughlin, 6-4, 185, Fr. | 10.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.1 apg

1 - Stephen Thompson Jr., 6-4, 175, So. | 14.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg

24 - Kendal Manuel, 6-4, 180, R-Fr. | 6.6 ppg, 1.3 apg, 50.0 3P%

14 - Matt Dahlen, 6-6, 200, Jr. | 2.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 13.0 mpg

12 - Drew Eubanks, 6-10, 240, So. | 13.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.9 bpg

Line: Oregon State by 18 1/2

Previous meetings: None.

Opponent notes: Savannah State is a historically black university in Savannah, Georgia. ... Horace Broadnax, a former point guard at Georgetown, is in his 12th season as Savannah State's head coach. He is 145- 203 at the school and 187-292 overall including a stint at Bethune-Cookman. ... The Tigers went 16-16 last season and finished fifth in the MEAC. They qualified for the CIT and lost in the first round. ... Coaches and sports information directors picked Savannah State to finish 11th in the 13-team conference this season.

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