S.C. State's Pough: 2016 was rough, but Bulldogs have building blocks for 2017

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The South Carolina State Bulldogs football team made it a goal before this season to reach Saturday’s Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

That dream and winning a conference title to get there wasn’t realized, though, as 2016 turned out to be a tough roller-coaster type season, resulting in a disappointing 5-6 record.

Instead of playing this weekend, the Bulldogs instead saw N.C. Central represent the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles — a team the Bulldogs didn’t face in MEAC play — dropped a 10-9 game to Grambling State, kicking off the college bowl season.

As S.C. State head coach Buddy Pough and his team look back to assess how things turned out — what went wrong and what went right — now is also a good time to look to the future of the program.

This Bulldogs season played out as follows: three straight “money” games that resulted in losses to FBS teams at Central Florida, Louisiana Tech and Clemson to start the season, then three straight wins in MEAC play, followed by three straight losses in MEAC play, before finishing the season with back-to-back wins in MEAC play.

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NCCU Eagles Lasso McNeese State

LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana – North Carolina Central University got back in the winning column with a 74-66 win over McNeese State University on Saturday, Dec. 17 at Burton Coliseum.

The lead went back and forth between both sides in the first half, but NCCU (7-5) went to the half trailing by one to McNeese (3-6), 36-35. Although the Eagles trailed at the break, NCCU was able to outscore the Cowboys in the second half to pick up its first win of the year after being behind at the intermission.

Patrick Cole (Newark, N.J.) went over 20 points for the sixth time this year with 21, and Del'vin Dickerson (Houston, Texas) was close to a double-double with 10 rebounds and nine points. Dajuan Graf (Charlotte, N.C.) pushed out a joint game-high six assists along with 12 points to help the Eagles as well.

Jarren Greenwood (Houston, Texas) led the Cowboys with 15 points and six assists, and Stephen Ugochukwu (Lewisville, Texas) collected a game-high 11 rebounds with eight points.

The Eagles have some time off before returning to the hardwood on Dec. 28 against Truett McConnell at home at McDougald-McLendon Arena.

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NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Grambling fends off wild North Carolina Central comeback

ATLANTA, Georgia -- First, Quentin Atkinson did the spectacular.

Then he did the unthinkable.

North Carolina Central’s senior wide receiver made one of the best catches of the game, drifting in the end zone before falling to his knees and hauling in a 39-yard pass from Malcolm Bell late in the fourth quarter. Only then he went to celebrate, snatched off his helmet and drew a flag. A few moments later, the long extra point was blocked and the comeback fell short as Grambling State survived the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl, 10-9, winning the HBCU national championship in the process.

The irony of it all, losing the Celebration Bowl because of an excessive celebration.

It didn’t matter that North Carolina Central kept reigning SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Devante Kincade in check.

It didn’t matter that North Carolina Central held an offense that ranked in the top five of the FCS and averaged 41 points per game to one field goal and one touchdown.



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Excessive celebration penalty leads to Grambling winning Celebration Bowl and 15th HBCU national title

ATLANTA, Georgia -- It seems mildly appropriate that the Celebration Bowl may have been decided in part by an excessive celebration penalty. North Carolina Central wide receiver Quentin Atkinson caught a 39-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone late in the second half to bring the MEAC champion Eagles within one point of SWAC champion Grambling, but Atkinson removed his helmet while celebrating the potentially-game-tying touchdown, which pushed the extra point attempt back 15 yards. Grambling blocked the extra point attempt and then proceeded to recover an onside kick attempt to essentially wrap up a Celebration Bowl victory to lay claim to an HBCU national championship.

Grambling trailed NC Central 3-0 at halftime but came back strong in the second half. A 32-yard touchdown run by game MVP Martez Carter in the third quarter gave the Tigers a 7-3 lead, and a 26-yard field goal by Jonathan Wallace later in the quarter extended the lead to 10-3. With Grambling’s defense clamping down on the Eagles in the second half (four three-and-outs, turnover on downs, fumble recovery, interception), Grambling looked poised to secure the win. But the Eagles had one last series in them, resulting in the Atkinson touchdown catch from Malcolm Bell.

The play of the game was actually called back by a holding penalty. Grambling wide receiver Verlan Hunter climbed the ladder to come down with a fantastic one-handed catch, but the effort was negated by a penalty. Regardless, Hunter showed he has some elevation to his game.



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2016 Celebration Bowl Amped Up: Grambling State World Famed vs. North Carolina Central Sound Machine

Vaughan, Moses earn All-Louisiana major recognition

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana picked up two major awards late Tuesday on the 2016 All-Louisiana women's cross country team: Maliya Vaughan was chosen Newcomer of the Year, and Joseph Moses was named Coach of the Year.

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel of college sports publicists selected the women's and men's teams.

Vaughan also earned honorable mention, as did teammate Taylor Price. On the men's team, XULA's Christopher August received honorable mention.

Vaughan, a sophomore from Elk Grove, Calif., and a graduate of West Campus High School, had best times of 19 minutes, 17.7 seconds for 5,000 meters and 26:44.9 for 6,000 meters in her first season of collegiate cross country. She was the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference individual runner-up.

Moses, in his 12th season at XULA, won the Louisiana women's coaching award for the sixth time, which extends the state record in this sport. He coached the Gold Nuggets to their 10th consecutive GCAC women's team championship and their sixth automatic bid in nine years to the NAIA National Championships.

Price, a freshman from Missouri City, Texas, and a graduate of Ridge Point High School, was the GCAC individual champion and had best times of 18:07.5 (school record) for 5K and 25:42.23 for 6K. Price tied the GCAC women's season record with six Runner of the Week awards

August, a senior from Spring, Texas, and a graduate of Klein Collins High School, was the GCAC individual men's champion and led XULA to the team title. August was all-conference for the fourth straight year and produced best times of 28:28.80 for 8K and 15:41.6 for 5K. August tied the GCAC men's season record with six Runner of the Week awards.

XULA distance runners will compete next in outdoor track and field. The first meet will be in early March.

2016 All-Louisiana Women's Cross Country Team
Katja Woelfl, junior, McNeese State
Emma Newton, junior, Tulane
Ruby Stauber, freshman, LSU
Clarissa Smith, junior, Southeastern Louisiana
Courtney Musgrove, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Allison Smegal, junior, McNeese State
McKenzie Mellius, freshman, Tulane

Runner of the Year: Katja Woelfl, McNeese State
Newcomer of the Year: Maliya Vaughan, XULA
Freshman of the Year: Ruby Stauber, LSU
Coach of the Year: Joseph Moses, XULA

Honorable Mention: Taylor Price, XULA; Erin Wrozek, Northwestern State; Lauren Bartles, Tulane; Kaitlin Fleming, Louisiana-Monroe; Maliya Vaughan, XULA; Inogen Hull, McNeese State; Kacie Kaufman, Louisiana Tech

2016 All-Louisiana Men's Cross Country Team
Emmanuel Rotich, sophomore, Tulane
Stanley Limoh, freshman, Louisiana-Lafayette
Dajour Braxton, sophomore, LSU
Enrique Soto, senior, McNeese State
Beau Robinson, junior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Nathan Jones, junior, McNeese State
Jacob Daigle, freshman, McNeese State

Runner of the Year: Emmanuel Rotich, Tulane
Newcomer of the Year: no nominees
Freshman of the Year: Stanley Limoh, Louisiana-Lafayette
Coach of the Year: (tie) Lon Badeaux, Louisiana-Lafayette; Eric Peterson, Tulane

Honorable Mention: Matt Rice, Louisiana-Lafayette; Josh Wilkins, Northwestern State; Clayton O'Callaghan, New Orleans; Devyn Keith, Tulane; Anthony Rizzi, Loyola; Christopher August, XULA; Moses Aloiloi, Tulane; Joshua Cheruyot, Tulane; Luke Betts, McNeese

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Wolf Pack win 72-53 to complete season sweep of Rush

NEW ORLEANS — Johnny Griffin, one of four Loyola double-figure scorers, produced 15 of his 21 points in the second half Friday in the Wolf Pack's 72-53 men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at Loyola's First NBC Court.

The Wolf Pack (9-2), ranked 22nd in NAIA Division I, won for the seventh consecutive time and completed a two-game season sweep of the Gold Rush (3-6).

Griffin missed his first four attempts from the floor, then went 8-of-9 in the final 26 minutes. He grabbed six rebounds and blocked two shots.

Eric Brown scored 14 points for Loyola, and Nick Parker and Ethan Turner had 13 apiece. Brown made four 3-pointers, and Turner made three.

Freshman guard Donovan Armstrong scored 12 points for XULA. Armstrong made 6-of-8 from the floor and reached double figures for the second consecutive game. Jalen David and Lucas Martin-Julien scored seven points apiece for the Gold Rush, and Leland Alexander grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.

Wesley Pluviose-Philip (two points, three rebounds) and Elex Carter (four points, one rebound, one block) made their season debuts in this game, and freshmen Monte Lambert (six points, two rebounds, one block, one steal) and Khalil McCoy (one point) made their XULA debuts. Pluviose-Philip, Lambert and McCoy missed the first eight games because of injuries.

Loyola outshot the Gold Rush 45.1 to 40.7 percent from the floor and had a 37-32 rebound advantage. XULA's one made 3-pointer, eight made free throws and three assists were season lows.

"Loyola competed at a high level for 40 minutes, and we did not," XULA coach Alfred Williams said.

In the teams' other meeting this season, Loyola won 78-76 at XULA on a basket in the final 30 seconds.

XULA is 0-4 this season against ranked opponents. The Gold Rush will play NAIA No. 6 Carroll (Mont.) at 7 p.m. Monday at XULA's Convocation Center.

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