XULA's Perry is state's top freshman; Tomasoni honored

NEW ORLEANS — Amanda Perry became the first volleyball student-athlete from Xavier University of Louisiana to earn a major state award when she was named Freshman of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association late Wednesday.

Perry and teammate Juliana Tomasoni both were chosen second-team All-Louisiana. Perry tied for second in voting for Libero of the Year, and Tomasoni was runner-up for Newcomer of the Year.

An LSWA panel of college sports publicists selected the honorees.

Perry — from Bolingbrook, Ill., a graduate of Bolingbrook High School and a former club player with Sports Performance — set XULA season records with 529 digs, 4.64 digs per set and 19 consecutive matches with double-figure digs. She reached double-figure digs in 29-of-33 matches.

Tomasoni — a junior outside hitter/defensive specialist from Nova Trento, Brazil, and a graduate of Francisco Mazzola in her home country and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M — led the Gold Nuggets with 345 kills, 27 aces and 14 double-doubles and was second with a .242 hitting percentage and 391 digs. She produced a XULA-match-record 25 kills during the opening weekend of the season.

The XULA honorees helped the Gold Nuggets win Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualify for the NAIA National Championship. All three milestones were XULA's sixth in a row. Perry and Tomasoni won a slew of GCAC honors this year, including Defender of the Year for Perry and Newcomer of the Year and tournament MVP for Tomasoni.

For the fourth time in as many seasons, XULA's Hannah Lawing was runner-up for Coach of the Year. This time she lost in a 6-5 vote to Tulane's Jim Barnes. Lawing resigned earlier this month to pursue non-coaching opportunities.

2016 All-Louisiana Women's Volleyball Team
FIRST TEAM
Justine Bowers, junior, Tulane
Tiara Gibson, senior, LSU
Tea Juric, senior, Tulane
Marta Monne, junior, Louisiana Tech
Sarah Ray, junior, Tulane
Stacey Reilly, junior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Libero: Bridget Justis, senior, McNeese State

SECOND TEAM
Alexandria Aguilera, sophomore, McNeese State
Chanelle Gardner, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette
Allison Hartmann, sophomore, Loyola
Angela Papach, senior, Louisiana Tech
Gina Tillis, junior, LSU
Juliana Tomasoni, junior, XULA
Libero: (tie) Kaylie McHugh, freshman, Tulane; Amanda Perry, freshman, XULA

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sarah Ray, Tulane
Voting: Ray 9, Reilly 2
LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Bridget Justis, McNeese State
Voting: Justis 5, McHugh 2, Perry 2, Lala Avies (Louisiana Tech) 2
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Justine Bowers, Tulane
Voting: Bowers 7, Tomasoni 4
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Amanda Perry, XULA
Voting: Perry 6, McHugh 3, Jordan Yauch (New Orleans) 1, Tyler Beckham (Loyola) 1
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jim Barnes, Tulane
Voting: Barnes 6, Hannah Lawing (XULA) 5

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Xavier's Flickinger steps down as FAR; Hammer to succeed her

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Sister Grace Mary Flickinger, S.B.S., who achieved National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame status for her service on the local, regional, and national level while serving as Xavier University of Louisiana's faculty athletics representative (FAR), is stepping down from that position after 36 years according to XU President Reynold Verret.

Flickinger, a member of the XULA biology faculty since 1968, continues as a professor in the Department of Biology. Verret has appointed Dr. Elliott Hammer, a longtime member of the Department of Psychology, as Flickinger's successor as FAR.

"Sister Grace Mary has admirably served Xavier University of Louisiana, our athletics department, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC), and the NAIA with untiring devotion in this important position," Verret said. "We are grateful for her many decades of service, her passion and devotion to our student-athletes, and the integral role she has played in the progress of athletics at Xavier."

In the structure of the NAIA, faculty representatives oversee the welfare of the student-athlete, certify eligibility, and ensure the emphasis of academics in university athletics. In the GCAC, the vote of faculty representatives is a crucial step toward ratification of new policies and procedures. Xavier currently fields intercollegiate teams in men's and women's basketball, cross country, track and field, and tennis, as well as women's volleyball.

A New Jersey native, Flickinger has been a member of XULA's biology department since 1968 and joined XU's athletics committee in 1981. A few years later, she took on responsibilities as academic counselor for athletics at the request of former men's basketball coach Denny Alexander. She also has served the GCAC as president for two terms (1990-91 and 1995-99), vice president, faculty athletics representative, and on its eligibility and executive committees. On the national level she chaired the NAIA's Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives.

Flickinger was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1998, and in 2007 she received the NAIA's Wally Schwartz Award for her work as a faculty athletics representative. Flickinger, who also served for several years as coordinator of advising, has been a longtime proponent of one-on-one advising and nurturing of all students, not only for their smooth transition to Xavier as freshmen but also for their persistence and degree completion, as well as their spiritual growth. Having earned a reputation as tough, but fair, she remains is a favorite among alumni.

"It's time that someone else gets trained in this position," Flickinger said. "It's a good job. It takes a lot of work and a lot of time. But the rewards are better than any time you put into it."

Hammer, who has served at Xavier for 16 years (including seven as chair of the Psychology Department), will assume the duties of FAR this spring. His honors include the Visionary Leader Award and Model Institutions of Excellence mentor award, both from Xavier. Since 2006 he has been the holder of the John D. LaFarge Endowed Professorship in Social Justice.

"Advising students has always been one of my favorite parts of my job, so I'm really looking forward to working more closely with student-athletes to help them achieve their academic and athletic goals," Hammer said.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Grambling Hands Southeastern Louisiana First Home Loss

HAMMOND, Louisiana – Southeastern Louisiana junior guard Taylin Underwood scored a game-high 25 points, but it was not enough as Grambling pulled away for an 87-71 victory in non-conference women's basketball action.

Grambling (2-9) snapped an eight-game losing streak and handed SLU (2-8) its first home loss of 2016-17. The Lady Tigers finished with 18 offensive rebounds and held a 21-5 advantage on second chance points, which accounted for their margin of victory.

"Give Grambling credit for the way they crashed the offensive boards," Southeastern head coach Errol Gauff said. "Their ability to take advantage of second chance opportunities was one of the biggest differences in the game. When we get back from the break, we have to focus on executing better on offense. We shot the ball well today, but Grambling forced us into too many turnovers."

Underwood was one of three Lady Lions in double figures, along with senior forward Chey Stewart (11 points) and freshman guard Charlie Dugas (10 points). Sophomore guard Ashailee Brailey and senior guard Bre Warren led Southeastern with four assists each, while Underwood grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Sophomore Jaclyn Scholvin finished with a game-high three steals to lead SLU.

Shakyla Hill topped a balanced Grambling effort with 24 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Hill was joined in double figures by teammates Jazmin Boyd (20 points), Monisha Neal (15 points) and Jazmine Torian (13 points). Torian also led GSU with four assists, while Boyd and Takerra Parsons recorded three steals apiece as Grambling forced 24 SLU turnovers.

A couple of free throws by Underwood gave Southeastern a 15-9 lead with 4:23 left in the opening quarter. Grambling answered with a 10-0 run, but a three by freshman guard Courtney Dawsey helped SLU knot the game up at 19-19 at the end of the quarter.

The game was tied for the final time with 5:10 remaining in the second quarter after a Dugas layup. Grambling would then hold the Lady Lions scoreless for the next four minutes and went into halftime with a 38-33 lead.

Grambling scored the first five points of the third quarter to stretch the lead to 10. Southeastern gradually chipped away at the lead and pulled within five on a pair of free throws by Underwood that cut the lead to 52-47 with 4:35 left in the third quarter.

GSU answered with a 7-0 run, as a pair of Kiana Jones free throws put the Lady Tigers up, 59-47, with 2:47 left in the third quarter. Despite Underwood scoring 15 points in the period, SLU ended the third quarter with a 65-55 deficit.

After a jumper by Warren cut the lead to eight on the opening possession of the fourth quarter, Hill scored seven straight points to give GSU a 72-57 advantage with 7:21 left in the contest. SLU would get no closer than nine the rest of the way, as the lead ballooned to as many as 18 down the stretch.

Southeastern will take a week off for Christmas before closing their non-conference schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 28 with a 6 p.m. (CST) contest at Florida. The game will air on SEC Network+ and can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app.

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Howard Charge Back For 71-68 Win Over Fairleigh Dickinson

HACKENSACK, New Jersey – The Howard women's basketball team battled back from a seven-point deficit to take down Fairleigh Dickinson, 71-68, in the Rothman Center during a Thursday matinee.

With the win, HU improves to 3-8 on the season – including 3-1 against Northeast Conference opponents – while FDU drops to 2-9.

Rookie Imani Bryant poured in a career-high 19 points, just barely missing out on a double-double with nine rebounds. She was 9-of-12 on the afternoon and tallied six blocks.

Redshirt junior Erin Blaine came out with 14 points and 7 boards, while redshirt senior Te'Shya Heslip notched 11 points, seven assists and three steals. Heslip wrote her name in the program's history books as she joined the exclusive 1,000-point club.

Senior Jasmine Hill didn't miss at the charity stripe as she went a perfect 6-for-6 on her way to 10 points. Classmate Sydni Johnson added nine points and five boards.

Howard held FDU to a 37.1 field goal percentage (23-62) and connected on 48.9 percent (23-47) of its shots. The Bison also made 25 of their 34 attempts at the free throw line for a 73.5 percent rate.

HU dominated the Knights down low, outscoring the home team 44-26 in the paint. The Bison put up 25 points off of FDU's 26 turnovers and got 19 points from the bench.

The Bison got off to a quick start, leading by as many as seven points, 17-10, midway through the first quarter. FDU began to settle in as the period wore on to tie the score twice before getting a 25-23 edge at the end of one.

Howard tied the game early in the second quarter, but saw the Knights get out to their largest advantage of the matchup, 35-28, with five minutes left in the half. Thanks to a trio of tallies in the paint, the Bison were able to cut into the deficit and head into the locker room down by four, 39-35.

HU picked up right where it left off to open the second half as it dashed away on a 14-3 run to regain the lead, 49-42, at the 3:54 mark. The Knights clawed their way back as the two teams exchanged points at the free throw line, leaving Howard with a slight 55-54 edge going into the last 10 minutes.

The final period was a back and forth battle that featured three ties and six lead changes. After a three-pointer put FDU up, 64-61, Heslip sank both free throws and Bryant laid the ball in to give the upper hand back to the Bison, 65-64, with 1:41 left to play. Heslip followed that up with a steal that led to an and-one conversion for her 1,000th point and Howard was able to hold off the Knights to come away victorious, 71-68.

The Knights werBOe led by 12 points and nine rebounds from Brianna Thomas as well as 12 points from Kiana Brown. Courtney Blankenship and Peniel M'Bikata earned 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Howard will step onto the court in Burr Gymnasium for the final time in 2016 when it hosts Vermont on Friday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m.

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Chicago State Claims 74-65 Win Over SE Missouri at Las Vegas Classic

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Chicago State men's basketball snapped a five-game losing streak here this afternoon after claiming a 74-65 victory over Southeast Missouri State in the third contest for both teams in the 2016 Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic at Orleans Arena.

The win also marked the 50th for seventh-year head coach Tracy Dildy as he surpassed former CSU bench boss Bob Hallberg as the school's all-time leader in Division I career coaching victories.

The Green and White took an early 5-0 advantage on a three-pointer from junior Montana Byrd (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) at the 16:51 mark of the first half. SEMO later snapped a 16-16 tie with an 8-4 scoring drive in two minutes to gain a 24-20 lead with 5:11 to go in the stanza following a layup from Antonius Cleveland. CSU then bounced back as it posted a 16-6 run in the final four minutes that included five points from sophomore Fred Sims, Jr. (Chicago, Ill./North Lawndale) to head into halftime with a 36-30 leading margin.

In the first two-plus minutes of the second half, the Redhawks scored eight of the next 10 points to even the score at 38-38 that concluded with a three-point play by Denzel Mahoney at 17:26. After Daniel Simmons drained a three-pointer at the 11:17 mark to tie the game at 51-51, the Cougars would go on to outscore SEMO by a 23-14 margin in the final 10 minutes to earn the victory.

CSU (4-9) had three players score in double figures for the game with senior Trayvon Palmer (Milwaukee, Wis./Brown Deer) recording his fifth double-double of the season as he tallied 18 points and tied a season high with 15 rebounds. Palmer shot 7-of-11 from the field and 4-of-5 at the free throw line.

Junior Deionte Simmons (Detroit, Mich./Lewisville (Texas)) scored a season-best 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and Sims, Jr. also finished with 17 points and posted six boards for the Green and White.

Cleveland led Southeast Missouri (4-9) with a game-high 26 points while shooting 12-of-16 from the free throw line and 6-of-11 from the field.

The Cougars will face the winner of the Troy-Cornell contest in their final contest of the Las Vegas Classic tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 p.m.

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Florida State adds Delaware State to 2017 football schedule

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida State Seminoles have added the Delaware State Hornets to their 2017 football schedule, FSU announced on Twitter on Tuesday.

Florida State will host Delaware State at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Nov. 18, 2017. Per a report by 247Sports, FSU will pay Delaware State a $475,000 guarantee for the game.

Delaware State is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in the Football Championship Subdivison (FCS). The Hornets finished the 2016 season 0-11 overall and 0-8 in MEAC play.

The addition of Delaware State tentatively completes Florida State’s non-conference schedule for the 2017 season.

FSU is slated to open the 2017 season on Sept. 2 against Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. The Seminoles also host ULM on Sept. 9 and travel to face arch-rival Florida on Nov. 25.

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Grambling State Football lands another 4-Star Ole Miss transfer

Christian Morris, who will report to Grambling upon graduating from Ole Miss in May 2017 has two years of eligibility remaining.

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The rich get richer at Grambling.

Almost a year after landing a high profile recruit from Ole Miss, Grambling's football program went back to the Southeastern Conference well to secure a commitment from a former four-star recruit when offensive tackle Christian Morris announced Monday on Twitter he is committed to Grambling.

Christian Morris ‏@CMo_7uno  4h4 hours ago

Committed to Grambling ! #GramFam

Morris is the former teammate of quarterback DeVante Kincade, who transferred from Ole Miss to Grambling last year. Kincade was recently named the 2016 Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and he helped Grambling win an HBCU national championship over the weekend.

"DeVante played a huge factor in my decision making and as well as winning the SWAC championship," Morris told The News-Star on Monday night. "That really just blew my mind over and made me want to come to Grambling."

Grambling's win Saturday in the Celebration Bowl sealed the deal for Morris, who will report to Grambling upon graduating from Ole Miss in May. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

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Six SWAC Standouts Garner AFCA All-America Honors

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Southern running back Lenard Tillery and wide receiver Willie Quinn, Texas Southern kicker Eric Medina, Jackson State defensive end/linebacker Javancy Jones, Grambling State wide receiver Chad Williams and Alabama State linebacker Kourtney Berry have been named to the American Football Coaches Association 2016 Coaches' FCS All-America team.

The announcement was made earlier today. Medina is the AFCA first-team pick at kicker, and Tillery, Quinn, Jones, Berry and Williams all received second-team consideration at their respective positions except for Quinn, who was a second-team choice as an all-purpose player.

Each player was also a first-team All-SWAC choice at their respective positions, with Quinn doubling up first-team All-SWAC nods at wide receiver and return specialist and Jones taking first team all-league honors at defensive end and second team honors at linebacker. Medina also earned first-team All-SWAC honors in multiple positions this year (kicker and punter).

Tilley rushed for a league-leading 1,665 yards and 13 scores on his way to becoming the all-time leading rusher in SWAC history. He led the conference in rushing by more than 400 yards.

Williams hit the SWAC triple crown in receiving as he led all players in catches (90), yards (1337) and touchdowns (11). He was the only player to crack 1,000 receiving yards and average 100 yards or better per contest.

Quinn tied Williams for the league lead in touchdown grabs, catching 63 balls for 955 yards. Quinn added another 697 yards in the return game as he accounted for 1682 total yards of offense, good for No. 4 in the conference.

Medina was 15-of-16 in field goals, and scored 72 points. The LaPorte, Texas native also averaged 42.1 yards per punt on his 36 attempts.

Jones, who was a second-team AFCA All-American at defensive end, posted 82 tackles (fourth-highest in the league) and four sacks with 19.5 tackles for loss. The latter figure was second in the conference.

Berry, a three-time All-SWAC first-teamer, made 66 total stops in his last hurrah for Alabama State, which put him in the top 10 ranks for tackles.
SWAC Football.

FULL AFCA COACHES FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM


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Celebration Bowl promotes leadership, heritage and opportunity

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Intense and exhilarating are words some of the 31,096 spectators used to describe the second Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl Dec. 17 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Southwestern Athletic Conference champions Grambling State University defeated North Carolina Central University, champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, 10-9 to win the first game of this year’s college bowl season.

The Air Force Reserve has served as the title sponsor of the bowl game since its inception in 2015. Its commercials and advertisements before and during the game reached a broad national audience.

The expanded reach from attendees of the game, viewers of ABC’s live broadcast, consumers of ESPN’s coverage and perusers of social media allowed an opportunity to showcase the more than 70,000 Citizen Airmen who are part of the communities they serve. They study in colleges and universities, support local community programs, maintain civilian careers, and make an impact each and every day.

“The Air Force Reserve believes inclusion inspires excellence,” said Lt. Gen. Maryanne Miller, chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command. “We’re here to honor the legacy of our culture of diversity.

“The fusion of our varied and rich cultures generates a resilient force for freedom and forges a unique bond between the Reserve, families and communities,” she said.

The diversity and inclusion Miller referred to was reflected in various events leading up to and including game day from not Conly the SWAC and MEAC coaches and players, but also their supporters.



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Michael Strahan, Elvin Bethea among SWAC, MEAC greats to be honored before Super Bowl LI

HOUSTON,Texas -- Members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame that attended historically black colleges and universities, including Michael Strahan of Texas Southern, Ken Houston of Prairie View A&M and former Oilers great Elvin Bethea, will be recognized at NRG Stadium prior to Super Bowl LI as part of the NFL's new alliance with the Southwestern Athletic Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Houston, who played for the Oilers from 1967-72 as part of a 14-year NFL career, and Strahan, who played for the Giants team that won Super Bowl XLII, will be among the former SWAC players who will be honored on the field prior to the Feb. 5 championship game. Bethea, who played from the Oilers from 1968-83, attended college at North Carolina A&T.

Former Chiefs defensive back Emmitt Thomas of Angleton, who attended Bishop College, also will be among the group of honorees that includes Super Bowl veterans such as Jerry Rice, Art Shell, Mel Blount and Willie Davis and Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams.

The Super Bowl recognition is part of the new NFL/HBCU alliance known as the Strength of HBCUs, Impacting Pro Football Since 1948, which commenced at Saturday's Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. The relationship included a football careers forum for SWAC and MEAC athletic administrators.



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NFL Celebrates Hall of Famers Who Attended HBCUs

CANTON, Ohio -- The National Football League and Historically Black Colleges and Universities have shared a long rich tradition together, which have produced the greatest legends to have ever played the game.

In fact, ten percent of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is comprised of NFL Legends who attended HBCUs.

That’s why it was so appropriate in May of 2016 that the NFL partnered with the MEAC and SWAC to develop and strength their relationship for future endeavors.



The partnership is put in place to celebrate and honor the history and impact that HBCUs have had on the game. Another key component of the partnership, is to increase career opportunities for students and football administrators at these institutions.

During December 15-16, a special conference was held at the NFL headquarters that focused on career and character development. Conference goers from the MEAC and SWAC had the unique opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the NFL from some of the league’s best NFL and Club executives.

The 2016 Celebration Bowl served as the kick off to the league’s enriched partnership with the MEAC and SWAC. The conclusion of the well celebrated partnership will close at Super Bowl LI with a special celebration of Pro Football Hall of Fame players that attended HBCUs.

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Southern basketball notebook: Tre'lun Banks has no time to celebrate his graduation; no decision yet on suspended players

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Skipping college graduation for basketball is becoming a bit of a Banks family tradition.

Like his father, Roman, did for his graduation, Southern senior point guard Tre’lun Banks skipped Friday’s ceremony in which he would have received his diploma in favor of attending the Jaguars’ morning practice sessions.

Banks earned his degree in 31/2 years. He could have graduated last spring but put it off until December so he could play his senior season.

“It’s big when you graduate. Everybody wants to walk, but I feel like we had so much going on,” Banks said. “I feel like this team is in need, especially with a lot of players being gone and with me being a senior leader, there was just too much that needed to be done.”

Roman Banks, Southern's coach, said it was his son's decision to pass on his graduation ceremony. Roman skipped his at Northwestern State to continue his preparation for a run at a professional career.

“(Tre’lun) wanted to make sure he finished, but he wanted to be out here,” Roman said. “It was his decision. His mom wanted to see him walk, but that wasn’t in his plan.”

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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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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.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Bates, Brown help XULA Nuggets beat No. 1 Concordia (Ala.)

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana got career scoring highs from Mikayla Bates and Bianca Brown and defeated Concordia (Ala.) 58-54 in women's basketball Thursday.

Bates, a sophomore guard, had a game-high 16 points, 10 in the first half, and grabbed a season-high five rebounds. Brown, a senior forward/center, scored 12 points. Both had a pair of steals.

The Gold Nuggets (7-6) trailed 16-11 after one quarter, then outscored the Lady Hornets (10-3) in each of the final three periods. Concordia is ranked No. 1 in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.

Bates and Brown shot a combined 75 percent from the floor (12-of-16). They produced on an afternoon when their teammates shot a combined 18.5 percent (10-of-54).

"Mikayla Bates had an outstanding game," XULA coach Bo Browder said. "I'm proud of her because she works so hard, and it looks like the hard work is finally paying off.

"Bianca Brown is a very good post player who finishes well around the bucket. We're going to need her to play well the rest of the season."

XULA's largest deficit was 19-11 in the 13th minute, but it rallied for a halftime tie at 24 with Bates scoring the final basket. Brown's basket at 1:09 capped her 4-for-4 third quarter and put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay, 43-41. It was the 14th lead change.

But the Gold Nuggets never pulled away. Concordia missed three straight free throws while trailing 50-48, and the Lady Hornets failed to force overtime when Carshava Sutton missed a driving shot in the lane with 12 seconds remaining. Aliyah Bell grabbed that rebound — her XULA-best eighth of the game — and Brown capped the scoring with a pair of free throws with 3.1 seconds to play.

Three XULA freshmen also contributed to the victory. Maya Trench had eight assists, one fewer than her career best, and Rosie Davis had a career-best five assists. Dasha Pitre's seven points, six rebounds and 14 minutes were career highs.

Lashanique Youngblood had 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a game-high four steals for Concordia. Sutton had nine points and eight rebounds, and Shuntavia Harris had eight points and eight rebounds.

Concordia outshot XULA 40 to 31.4 percent from the floor. XULA was plus-nine in turnovers,
committing 14 and gaining 23, and made a season-high 90.9 percent of its free throws (10-of-11).

The Gold Nuggets will break for Christmas, then travel to Dallas for games at Dallas Christian (Dec. 31 at 11 a.m.) and Paul Quinn (Jan. 2 at 2 p.m.). Times and opponents on this trip have been updated since the publication of schedule cards and posters.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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UMES Hawks Outlast Red Flash in High Scoring Affair

BOCA RATON, Florida – In their highest scoring outing of the season, Coach Fred Batchelor and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Women’s Basketball team outlasted Saint Francis (SFU), 90-82, inside “The Burrow” at the Florida Atlantic (FAU) Holiday Tournament.

With the win, Eastern Shore (5-3) picked up consecutive victories for the first time this season. Furthermore, the Hawks earned their first win over the Red Flash in program history.

Five Hawks recorded double-figures, led by sophomore guard Keyera Eaton (Winston-Salem, N.C.) with 15 points. Junior Shauntesha Bryant (Syracuse, N.Y.) and sophomore Ra’Jean Martin (Jacksonville, Fla.) combined for 26 points off the bench.

After taking a 15-point advantage at the half, 44-29, Eastern Shore extended its lead to 20 after a trey ball from sophomore Ciani Byrom (Winston-Salem, N.C.), 55-35. The Shore held a 68-47 lead after three.

In the fourth, Bryant gave the Hawks their largest lead of the game with two freebies, 78-56. Saint Francis never gave up as they scored 35 points in the period, but fell short to Eastern Shore, 90-82.

Other notable Hawk performances included guard Moengaroa Subritzky (Auckland, New Zealand) registering 13 points on 50-percent (5-of-10) shooting from the floor. Senior Mariah McCoy (Rock Hill, S.C.) added 11 points in the victory.

For the Red Flash (3-6), Jessica Kovatch had a game-high 17 points. Katie Reese chipped in 16 points in the loss.

Tomorrow (Dec. 17), Maryland Eastern Shore meets FAU in the Championship Game. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. or approximately 30 minutes after SFU takes on Jackson State.

Season tickets for the 2016-2017 season are on sale now starting at just $125, for all men’s and women’s home games. Did you know that a purchasing a season ticket helps all sports at Maryland Eastern Shore, not just basketball? To purchase season tickets, click here. For more information about the 1ticKet Drive, log on to the web at www.easternshorehawks.com or call 410-651-6499. It’s time to show your #HawkPride!

For complete recaps, results and news of Hawk athletics, please visit www.easternshorehawks.com.

BOX SCORE

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TV: PAC 12 Network, Prairie View A&M at Utah at 6 pm ET

• COMPLETE GAME NOTES

GAME #9 | UTAH (6-2) vs. PRAIRIE VIEW A&M (2-9)
DATE/TIME	Saturday, Dec. 17 | 4 p.m. MST
LOCATION	Huntsman Center | Salt Lake City, Utah
TELEVISION	Pac-12 Network
TV TALENT	Jim Watson (PxP) | Drew Shiller (Color)
RADIO	ESPN 700
RADIO TALENT	Bill Riley (PxP | Jimmy Soto (Color)
LIVE STATS	UtahUtes.com
SERIES/STREAK	First Meeting | N/A
LAST GAME	N/A

FAST BREAKS
> Utah (6-2) will close out its non-conference home schedule this weekend, hosting the Prairie View A&M Panthers (2-9) this Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Huntsman Center
> Saturday's contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the Utes and the Panthers.
> Utah will play a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) member for just the third time in school history when facing the Panthers on Saturday. The Utes, who are 2-0 all-time against SWAC teams, defeated Southern back in 2009 and picked up a win over Alabama State in 2014.
> The Utes are coming off a 77-69 road loss to Xavier this past Saturday in Cincinnati, while PVAMU dropped a midweek road contest to Louisiana Tech, 65-52.
> The Utes head into the week ranked first in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage-defense (.369), total rebounds (45.2) and rebounding margin (+12.4). Utah ranks among the top-15 teams in the nation in all three categories, as well.
> Junior Kyle Kuzma continues to average a double-double on the season with 15.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. He leads the team in both categories.
 
THE GAME
The Utah Runnin' Utes (6-2) return to the Huntsman Center for its final non-conference home contest of the season, hosting the Prairie View A&M Panthers this Saturday, Dec. 17. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. in Salt Lake City.
 
COVERING THE RUNNIN' UTES
Saturday's contest will be televised live on the Pac-12 Network. Jim Watson will call the action, while Drew Shiller provides color commentary for the game.
 
Fans can also follow the action on-line by logging onto Pac-12.com/live or watching via smart phones and tablets using the Pac-12 Now App, which can be downloaded at the Apple Store, Google Play Store or Amazon Apps Store.
 
Additionally, the game can be found on the Utah Sports Radio Network (ESPN 700). Bill Riley will provide play-by-play, with the assistance of in-game analyst Jimmy Soto.
 
Live stats will be provided with links to the contest found at www.UtahUtes.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Utah dropped a 77-69 road contest to then No. 13/14-ranked Xavier in Cincinnati, Ohio, this past Saturday.
 
- GAME NOTES:
• Freshman Devon Daniels led Utah with 19 points in the game, on 8-of-11 shooting effort, which included hitting a three-pointer and going 2-of-2 from the free throw line.
• Junior Kyle Kuzma registered his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
• Xavier tallied just five more rebounds than the Utes (33-28), marking the first game this season that Utah has been out-rebounded by an opponent.
• Utah shot better than 50 percent from the field (28-of-54, .519) for the second time this season.
•Utah outscored the Musketeers 44 to 36 in the paint, but Xavier managed to score 19 points off turnovers to Utah's eight points.
 
ABOUT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
• The Panthers are coming off a 65-52 road loss to Louisiana Tech this past Tuesday and have dropped six straight dating back to Nov. 25.
• PVAMU's last win was an 84-69 home victory over Jarvis Christian.
• The Panthers are 1-8 on the road this season, with its only win coming back on Nov. 14, against Fresno State (84-78).
• PVAMU is just 13-52 in road games played over the past four seasons.
• The Panthers are 0-5 against Pac-12 teams dating back to the 2011-12 season, which includes a 78-58 road loss to Oregon State earlier this season.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's contest between Utah and Prairie View A&M marks the first-ever meeting between the two teams. It will be just the third different opponent from the Southwestern Athletic Conference that the Utes have faced all-time. Utah is 2-0 against SWAC teams, which included a win over Alabama State back in 2014-15. The Utes defeated Southern back in 2009-10.
 
ANOTHER DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR KUZMA
Junior Kyle Kuzma registered his fourth straight and fifth double-double overall on the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Xavier on Saturday.
 
Kuzma heads into this weekend averaging a double-double on the year with 15.8 points and 10.9 rebounds. He leads the team in both categories. Kuzma and Washington State's Josh Hawkinson are the only players in the league averaging a double-double on the season.
 
DANIELS SETS NEW CAREER-HIGHS
Freshman Devon Daniels led the Utes with a career-high 19 points at Xavier on Saturday. The first-year player also registered career-highs in field goals made (8) and field goal attempts (11).
 
CLEANING THE GLASS
The Utes continue to lead the Pac-12 in rebounds, pulling down 45.2 boards per game as a team. Utah is ranked fourth in the nation in the category, just a little over a rebound shy of nation-leading 46.5 rebounds.
 
Junior Kyle Kuzma ranks second in Pac-12 and 17th in the nation with his 10.9 boards per game. Freshman Jayce Johnson ranks 17th in the Pac-12 with 6.5 boards per game.
 
WELCOME TO THE BLOCK PARTY
In addition to his shooting efforts (.483 FG percentage), Tyler Rawson leads the team with nine blocked shots on the year. He tallied a pair of blocks in Utah's win over UVU last week and has posted two blocks in four of Utah's eight games this season.
 
ZAMORA COMING UP BIG OFF THE BENCH
Junior transfer JoJo Zamora scored a team-high 17 points in the Utes' win over Utah Valley last week, with all 17 points coming off the bench. He registered 13 of his 17 points in the second half, which included eight points over the last seven minutes.
 
Zamora, who has posted double-digit scoring efforts in five of Utah's eight games, scored a season-high 22 points off the bench against Coppin State (11/18). He heads into the week ranked third on the team with an 11.5 points per game average.
 
TAKING WHAT IS FREE
Utah has tallied a 70 percent or better free throw percentage in five of eight games so far this season. The Utes registered a 75 percent effort at the charity stripe in a win over Utah Valley last week, which included junior JoJo Zamora's perfect 8-of-8 venture on the evening.
 
Zamora was the first Utah player to register a perfect shooting effort (of at least eight attempts) since former Ute, Jordan Loveridge, knocked down 9-of-9 free throws against Wichita State back on Dec. 12, 2015.
 
POINTS ALL AROUND
The Utes have had three different players score 10 points or more in all but one of its eight games this season. Utah had six players score double-figures in two games, five players in one game, four players in two games and three players in the other two contests.
 
The Utes are 6-1 when at least three players post double-digit scoring efforts.
 
SEEING DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Utah has had three different players post double-doubles on the season, led by junior Kyle Kuzma's five double-doubles and a double-double from senior Lorenzo Bonam and freshman Devon Daniels.
 
Kuzma, who currently averages a double-double on the season with 15.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, ranks second in the Pac-12 and 16th in the nation with his five double-doubles on the season.
 
CLAMPING DOWN ON DEFENSE
Utah heads into the weekend ranked No. 1 in the Pac-12 and No. 14 in the nation, giving up just a .369 percent shooting effort to opposing teams on the year. UCF leads the nation giving up just .311 percent shooting to opposing squads.
 
UP NEXT
Utah will close out non-conference play next week in Honolulu, Hawaii, participating in the Diamond Head Classic. The Utes open the tournament against San Francisco on Thursday, Dec. 22.
 
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TV: SEC Network, LSU Hosts Texas Southern at 6 p.m. ET

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The LSU Tigers will be looking to continue its success at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center when they host Texas Southern on Saturday in a game with an early start time of 5 p.m. CT.

Tickets are available at LSUtix.net but fans can bring a new unwrapped toy that will be given to the “Toys For Tots” campaign and receive a free admission for the contest. The upper concourse ticket windows will open on game day at 3:30 p.m. and toys can be dropped off at that location. As usual, LSU students with a valid ID will receive free admission.

The first 2,500 fans will receive a copy of the just completed Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl poster commemorating the LSU football team’s Dec. 31 game with Louisville.

The game will be broadcast on the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network around the state with Chris Blair and Henry Hays on the broadcast while Kevin Fitzgerald and Pat Bradley will call the contest on the SEC Network as the third game of their four-game schedule of contests on the Network.

LSU is 6-2 and coming off a 70-66 win over North Carolina Central University in LSU’s first game in 14 days. Texas Southern is 4-6 and will enter coming off a loss at Cincinnati, 96-58. The Tigers are coached by Mike Davis, who took Indiana to the NCAA championship game in 2002. Davis is in his fifth season at TSU.

The Tigers win over NCCU on Tuesday marked the 11th time in Coach Johnny Jones tenure that the Tigers have won when down by five or more points at halftime. LSU was actually down 13 points to the Eagles in the first 10 minutes of the contest. Opponents are averaging 4.1 points more than LSU in the first half of play in the eight games this season, but LSU is averaging almost eight points a game more than opponents in the second half and shooting over 50 percent from the floor.

Antonio Blakeney had 18 of his season high 27 points in the second half against NC Central and he has now posted 20-plus point games in each of the last four contests at the Maravich Assembly Center. Brandon Sampson had his fifth double figure game of the season with 13 and Duop Reath got back in double figures, hitting 7-of-9 field goals for 14 points.

In the last game Blakeney (17.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Sampson (11.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg) started with freshman Skylar Mays (5.4 ppg, 4.4 apg) at the guard positions with Reath (13.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and Craig Victor II (7.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg) at the forwards. Victor pulled down 11 rebounds in the NCCU game.

Both teams have quick turnarounds from this contest as Texas Southern travels to Fort Worth to face TCU Sunday night while LSU will host 8-3 Charleston on Monday night at 7 p.m. in the Maravich Center.

Follow updates on the game and more on LSU Basketball at www.Facebook.com/LSUBasketball and @LSUBasketball on Twitter.

Coach Johnny Jones met with the media on Thursday afternoon before practice and here are some of his comments:

HEAD COACH JOHNNY JONES

Opening statement…
“We’re excited and looking forward to another great challenge on Saturday after a come from behind victory against a really good team in North Carolina Central. We feel that we’ll have another similar challenge with a Texas Southern team that we feel has the ability, talent and experience to finish at the top of their league. They’ll be battling for the championship at the top of their league at the end of their season. They’re a team that can be a NCAA Tournament team. We certainly know that we’ll have to be prepared. They’re big, strong, and quick. They have really good guard play and have one of the leading rebounders if not the leading rebounder in the nation. Our preparedness will have to be one of readiness for a really tough team.”

On team being ready to go against Texas Southern …
“Well the only thing we do is make sure that guys understand how explosive they are and what can happen if they get going and become a confident basketball team what can happen in games. They’re scorers and the challenges that they've had are not indicative of the type of team they have and the team they have the potential to be. They have new players that just became available to them that are playing now that have made them better. We know that we have to make sure we’re playing extremely well. We certainly can’t look at someone else’s scores as an indicator of how we have to play because we have to really play against ourselves and make sure we continue to improve.”

On slow starts this season …
“ … We understand some people we’ve played have shot the ball extremely well and we’ve had to make adjustments. We’re fortunate that we're able to do a good job at halftime and throughout the game making adjustments with our team defensively and even on the offensive end with trying to get better shots, but at the same time take away some our opponents strengths. I’d hate to get off to a great start and not finish well. But I’m glad we’ve had the ability to finish strong in games. Teams sometimes come out of the gate and play extremely well, not that we're playing bad, but we certainly have to give credit to our opponent and their ability to come out and execute and make plays at a high level.”

On Antonio Blakeney’s second half performance and ability to score when needed…
“He has an uncanny ability to really score and make plays. Sometimes guys can get in a rhythm and you can say some guys have a look and he possesses that and that's been throughout high school and throughout the summer. At the end of last year I thought he showed that in several of our games against Mississippi State and Florida and even in the conference tournament against Tennessee. I think he had a nice streak of games and unfortunately became ill during the tournament and that certainly hurt us, but I think he’s picked up where he left off last year.”

On depth and ability to interchange players…
“Well the good thing is I like our team and like the depth on our team and I think certain guys offer something different to or team. You got Sims who’s a little bigger and stronger and has been able to play inside because of the position he played in high school but he has the ability to guard on the perimeter as well. So we have the opportunity to give different looks and that's why these games have been good for us.”

On what he tells the team about slow starts…
“We have to continue to get better. We have to make sure that we come out and are poised and patient on the offensive end of the floor. On the defensive end you have to play at a certain level because teams come out and are going to play a certain way. We have to be cognoscente of the fact that it’s important that we come out with what we call a level five mentality on both ends of the floor. We consider it a championship type mentality and as we continue to practice we’ll continue to get better at it. After a layoff we didn't know what to expect coming out. We saw exactly what transpired and fortunately our guys were able to continue to fight and we weren’t discouraged but encouraged by the effort.”

On Texas Southern…
“I know their coach coached at Indiana (Mike Davis) and took them to Final Four. His team will come in extremely prepared and ready to play. I don't think they'll look at any indication of the last team. They'll come in with a mindset that they’re coming in here to compete at the highest level and we have to be prepared for that.”

LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS