South Dakota State Completes 2018 Football Slate by Adding Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions

BROOKINGS, South Dakota -- The South Dakota State University football team has completed its 2018 schedule by finalizing a contract to host Arkansas-Pine Bluff in nonconference action.

The matchup, which will be the Jackrabbits' first time hosting a Southwestern Athletic Conference opponent, is scheduled to be played Sept. 15 at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. The game has been designated as the 52nd Annual Beef Bowl.

SDSU's other two non-league games in 2018 will include a Sept. 1 contest at Iowa State and a Sept. 8 home matchup versus Montana State. The Sept. 8 home opener will be the annual Dairy Drive game.

"We are excited to have completed our schedule with a home game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, as well as the challenge of opening the season versus a very good Iowa State team," said Jackrabbit head coach John Stiegelmeier. The Iowa State game will mark SDSU's 10th against a Football Bowl Subdivision program in the Division I era of Jackrabbit football, which began in 2004.



Missouri Valley Football Conference action kicks off Sept. 29 with the annual Dakota Marker game at North Dakota State. The Jackrabbits will then be home each of the next two weeks, hosting Indiana State on Oct. 6 and Youngstown State for Hobo Day on Oct. 13.

The Jackrabbits close out the month of October with road games at Northern Iowa (Oct. 20) and Illinois State (Oct. 27).

SDSU will finish the regular season with two of three November games at home. The Jackrabbits are slated to host Missouri State on Nov. 3 and in-state rival South Dakota on Nov. 17, around a Nov. 10 trip to Southern Illinois.

"The MVFC will be as strong as ever, and we plan to compete at a high level during the conference season," Stiegelmeier said.

Game times and other game promotions will be announced at a later date.

SDSU finished the 2017 season with a school-record 11 wins against three losses. The Jackrabbits qualified for the FCS playoffs for the sixth year in a row and reached the national semifinals for the first time.

2018 SDSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 – at Iowa State
Sept. 8 – MONTANA STATE [Dairy Drive]
Sept. 15 – ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF [Beef Bowl]
Sept. 29 – *at North Dakota State
Oct. 6 – *INDIANA STATE
Oct. 13 – *YOUNGSTOWN STATE [Hobo Day]
Oct. 20 – *at Northern Iowa
Oct. 27 – *at Illinois State
Nov. 3 – *MISSOURI STATE
Nov. 10 – *at Southern Illinois
Nov. 17 – *SOUTH DAKOTA [Showdown Series]
* Missouri Valley Football Conference game

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

2017 Tuskegee University Football: End of the year highlights #Trusttheprocess

SWAC announces departure of Commissioner Duer Sharp

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference today announced the departure of Duer Sharp as Commissioner of the Conference. After 10 years of serving as Commissioner, Mr. Sharp is leaving the Conference to pursue other opportunities. His departure is effective as of December 31, 2017.

“On behalf of the Council of Presidents and Chancellors, we thank Mr. Sharp for his outstanding leadership to the Conference,” said Chairman of Council of Presidents and Chancellors Dr. Andrew Hugine. “During his tenure, the conference experienced significant growth in programs and exposure nationally. As Mr. Sharp pursues other interests, we wish him well.”

Edgar Gantt, who has previously served as the Associate Commissioner of the SWAC, has been named the Interim Commissioner.

"Our focus at the SWAC has always been to 'Honor the Heritage' by preserving our rich history and traditions," Sharp said. "I want to express my gratitude to all of the Council of Presidents during my tenure for the opportunity. I also want to thank all of the league office staff members and student-athletes, past and present, that helped build the SWAC brand through their hard work and effort."

Sharp was named the fifth SWAC commissioner in 2008. Under his leadership, he helped secure the Celebration Bowl sponsored by ESPN after extending the conference's relationship with the network. The partnership culminated national televised coverage of more than 30 athletic events.

Additionally, Sharp formed partnerships with the NBPA and the NFL to provide professional development and internship opportunities for student-athletes, rising administrators and coaches.

In 2013, he spearheaded the SWAC football and basketball championship's move to Houston landing both events inside professional sports venues. The following year, the football championship made its first appearance inside NRG Stadium followed by the men and women' s basketball tournament at Toyota Center. He also led the enhancement of the conference brand through its digital, social media, and mobile platforms while creating the SWAC Digital Network.

SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

AAMU Football 2017 - "Season" Highlights

Gold Nuggets earn wire-to-wire victory at Paul Quinn

DALLAS, Texas — Mikayla Bates scored a career-high-tying 16 points Tuesday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a wire-to-wire 71-56 women's basketball victory against Paul Quinn.

The Gold Nuggets (7-5) snapped a two-game losing streak and won on the road for the first time since Nov. 14.

Bates, a junior guard, was 6-of-9 from the floor and had seven rebounds and six steals.

Maya Trench had 13 points and four assists for XULA — her three first-half 3-pointers tied her career best — and Gina Smith had a season-high-tying 11 points, seven rebounds and a career-best four steals. Essence Wells and Ireyon Keith scored nine points apiece.

"Our defense was probably the best thing we had going for us," XULA coach Bo Browder said. "We played hard for 40 minutes. That was also a big thing."

XULA outscored the Lady Tigers (7-8) in each of the first three periods and held its largest lead, 55-34, entering the fourth quarter. It was 32-25 at halftime.

Teanna Frances-Henderson scored a season-high 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Paul Quinn, and Amanda Cruz had 12 points, six rebounds and seven assists.

Both teams shot 41 percent from the floor, but XULA had a 15-4 advantage in made free throws and was a season-best plus-17 in turnover margin. The Gold Nuggets outscored Paul Quinn 15-0 in the third quarter in points off of turnovers.

XULA will return to the road for its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener against Edward Waters at 5:30 p.m. EST Monday in Jacksonville, Fla. The next home game will be Jan. 17.

Also Tuesday, the Gold Nuggets received zero points in the NAIA Division I coaches poll after collecting votes in each of the first two rankings. XULA was 32nd in the previous poll Dec. 5.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Mike Davis notches 100th win at Texas Southern with 78-66 victory over Southern

Courtesy: Houston Roundball Review

HOUSTON, Texas -- It was a special night for Texas Southern Tigers head coach Mike Davis as he got his 100th win at TSU with a convincing 78-66 victory over the visiting Southern Jaguars at the HPE Arena.

The Tigers were led by guard Derrick Bruce who had a stellar night out on the floor as he poured in a career and game high 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting including a 8-of-12 display from beyond the arc.

Bruce got things going early for the home standing Tigers as he scored in variety of ways while keeping the Jaguars off balance defensively for the majority of the game.

Demontrae Jefferson contributed 25 points and 7 assists while Trayvon Reed tallied a season high 9 blocked shots to go along with 7 points and 11 rebounds.

"This was obviously a special night for me to get my 100th win here at Texas Southern," said TSU's Davis. "We wanted to come out and play the game with a lot of energy and focus. Southern is a fundamentally sound basketball team so you have to come out prepared to play hard for 40 minutes in order to be successful against them."

Texas Southern took a 37-34 lead into the break before racing out to a double digit lead in the second half which set the pace and tone of the games' last stanza.

TSU held Southern to shooting just 34 percent from the field while also forcing a total of 9 Jaguar turnovers. Texas Southern took its largest lead of the game at the 8:37 mark of the second half at 17 points.

Texas Southern returns home to host the Alcorn State Braves on Wednesday, January 3rd at 7:30 pm at the HPE Arena. The game is slated to be broadcast live on ATT SportsNet SW.

BOX SCORE

TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATION

SWAC Women Basketball Opens Conference Play

SWAC WOMEN

Alcorn State Freeman Plays The Hero In 73-72 Win At Prairie View

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Senior guard Alexus Freeman tied the game late with a three in the corner and made a free-throw with one second on the clock as the Alcorn State University women's basketball program opened SWAC play with a 73-72 win over Prairie View A&M Monday at the William J. Nicks Building.

The Navasota, Texas native knotted the score at 72-72 with :14 left on the clock, then recorded a steal and was sent to the line. She made 1-of-2 shots and the Lady Braves picked up the victory.

Freeman shot 8-24 on the night, including a 4-10 effort from beyond the arc, and made 3-4 shots at the charity stripe. She netted a team-high 23 points with a pair of rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Junior guard Cloe Lane followed with 18 points and senior forward Miracle Rushing posted an 11-point, 14-rebound double-double.

BOX SCORE

Alcorn shot 28-70 (40.0 percent) from the floor, 7-20 (35.0 percent) from deep, and 10-17 (58.8 percent) at the free-throw line.

Lane opened the scoring with a three-pointer and helped Alcorn take control early as she scored seven. The Lady Braves found success driving to the paint and then pushed their lead to 16-8 on a deep ball by redshirt-sophomore guard Brianna Tolliver with 3:24 to play in the first quarter. The teams traded several baskets before the hosts took advantage of multiple turnovers, scoring 10 straight to take a narrow 22-20 edge heading into the second quarter.

With the tempo slowed down, a Ugochinyere Nwarie layup evened the tally at 24-24 with just under five and a half minutes left before the half. The game continued to go back-and-forth when Prairie View made the most of multiple Alcorn fouls. The Lady Panthers (2-10, 0-1) scored 11 unanswered to pull ahead 39-30 before Lane ended the run with a floater in the lane. The teams went into the locker room with the hosts in control 39-32.

In the third, Freeman helped cut into the PVAM lead with a long ball and a jumper. After the teams traded a pair of 2-for-2 efforts at the line, Freeman drained another three to pull Alcorn to within 47-44. Later, Lane made it a one-point game as she scored an old-fashioned three, but Shala Dobbins answered with a bucket. Alcorn then wrestled back the lead 52-51 as Freeman hit her third three-pointer of the quarter. She added a layup and the Lady Braves led by three entering the final 10 minutes of regulation.

Lane started off the final quarter with a layup and Rushing added a steal and a fast-break score. Sanders followed a pair of Dobbins free-throws with a three ball, but Mariah Campbell sank four freebies and La'Neique Nealey added a layup to make it 61-59 midway through the final quarter. Alcorn took off on a 6-0 run, but PVAM responded with an 8-0 run of its own to knot the game at 67-67 with1:53 remaining. Dobbins gave the Lady Panthers the lead with a layup and a free-throw. Rushing and Dobbins then traded baskets as Alcorn called a timeout trailing 72-69 with :26 left in the game.

Dobbins paced Prairie View in the loss with 23 points. Nealey contributed 15 points with seven boards, and Campbell recorded a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double. The Lady Panthers shot 21-53 (39.6 percent) from the field, 0-4 from long-range, and 30-36 (83.3 percent) at the line.

Alcorn won the battle on the glass 46-33 and scored more second-chance points (18-2). The game featured eight ties and six lead changes.

The Lady Braves continue their road trip Wednesday as they head to Houston for a 5:30 p.m. conference meeting with Texas Southern at the HPE Arena.

Notes
- With her three-pointer in the fourth quarter, Sanders eclipsed 500 career points as a Lady Brave.

- Freeman entered the game with 475 points and needs just two more to reach the 500 career scoring mark.

- Freeman scored 20 or more points for the third time this season. The senior totaled a career-high 25 in Alcorn's home opener against LeMoyne-Owen and posted 24 against Stephen F. Austin.

- Lane reached double figures for the second game in a row after leading Alcorn against Louisiana Tech with 24 points.

- Rushing's double-double is her fifth this season and sixth of her career. Her 14 rebounds tie her season high.

- De'Asia Brown set season highs with nine points, seven rebounds, and 24 minutes played. The junior guard shot 2-8 from the floor and converted 5-8 free-throws.

- Nwarie grabbed a season-high six boards.

- Alcorn opens league play with a win for the first time since 2011-12. That season, the Lady Braves started off 3-0 against conference opponents with wins over Texas Southern, Prairie View, and Jackson State.

- Alcorn and Prairie View will meet again March 1 in Lorman. The Lady Braves will be looking to sweep the Lady Panthers for the first time since 2014-15, when Alcorn swept the regular season but fell to Prairie View 66-59 in the first round of the SWAC Championships. The teams have split the series the past two seasons.

Quoting Head Coach Courtney G. Pruitt
On Freeman's Effort Late
"She's not the SWAC Newcomer of the Year and SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for no reason. She kept her cool and I know there was a lot of trash talking going back and forth between her and Dobbins, which was great. She prevailed and she just wanted it more. That's what we kept telling them the whole time, that we want it more and we'll come out on top and we did."

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

UAPB Lady Lions open SWAC play with victory over Mississippi Valley on New Year's Day

ITTA BENA, Mississippi – Faith Ohanta came off the bench to score 13 first half points as her Lady Lions snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 64-59 victory over Mississippi Valley State University in its Southwestern Athletic Conference opener at R.W. Harris Complex.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (3-8, 1-0 SWAC) opened up the game tied at 17 apiece after one quarter of play but distanced itself from Valley (0-13, 0-1 SWAC) with an eight-point cushion at the break. Ohanta finished with the games only double-double, producing 19 points and 10 boards while teammate Malik Muhammad finished with 17 points and five rebounds in the victory. Post player Shawntayla Harris had a solid game down low as she scored six points, eight boards, and four blocks in 25 minutes.

BOX SCORE

Ohanta was on fire all afternoon as she hit 6-of-7 baskets from both the field and the charity stripe while point guard Destiny Brewton chipped in with seven points, four rebounds and four assists for the Lady Lions. UAPB's bench outscored Valley 38-17.

As a team, the Devilettes were held to just eight points in the third quarter but made a huge comeback attempt, scoring 24 points in the final quarter behind LaKendra Bassett's 18 total points, but it wasn't enough as Mississippi Valley dropped its 13th straight game. Basset also finished with four rebounds, four assists and four steals in the loss.
The Lady Lions basketball team will return to action on Saturday, January 6 as it travels to Huntsville, Ala. to face Alabama A&M University in SWAC action. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATION

Grambling State opens SWAC play with win over AAMU

GRAMBLING, Louisiana --| The Grambling State University women's basketball team had four players reach double figures in scoring as the Lady Tigers rolled past Alabama A&M, 78-49, to open Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play on Monday afternoon at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
 
"They're (Alabama A&M) are a good team, but they are young," Grambling State head coach Freddie Murray said. "We knew their inexperience would kick in. We wanted to get off to a good start in this first game, especially since we play four games in seven days."
 
Grambling State (4-8 overall, 1-0 SWAC) led 20-16 after one quarter, but used a dominating 22-7 run in the second to take a 42-23 advantage into the break. The Lady Tigers were in cruise control over the final two quarters to snap a five-game losing streak.

BOX SCORE
 
Shakyla Hill, who was held to just two points last Thursday against Arkansas, nearly finished with a triple-double as she finished with a game-high 14 points, 10 steals and seven assists. She also added five rebounds and one blocked shot.
 
"She (Shakyla) has to make her mark somewhere and she has been struggling a little bit offensively," Murray said. "She has been able to pick it up on the defensive end and can kind of score off her steals on the offensive end. I am glad to know that she is being more assertive on the defensive end."
 
Deja McKinney tallied 13 points, two steals, one block and one rebound, while Monisha Neal registered 13 points, nine boards, three assists and two steals. Jazmine Torian came off the bench and recorded 11 points, one rebound and one steal.
 
Kenisha Tharpe led Alabama A&M (5-7, 0-1) with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Turning Point
After a back-and-forth opening quarter, Grambling State scored the final six points (buckets by Shakyla Hill, Ariel Williamsand Monisha Neal) to take a 20-16 advantage into the second quarter.
 
The Lady Bulldogs closed the gap to 22-19 after a free throw by Courtney Eggleson with 8:33 left, but that would be as close as Alabama A&M would get. Grambling State closed out the quarter on a 20-4 run to take a 42-23 lead into the half.
 
The Lady Tigers extended the lead to 56-27 after a free throw by Alexus Williams with 4:57 left in the third and Alabama A&M was able to close the gap to 60-40 early in the fourth quarter, but could not get any closer.
 
Inside The Numbers
* Grambling State shot 55.3 percent (26-of-47) from the floor and 61.3 percent (19-of-31) from the free-throw line.
* Alabama A&M was 19-of-75 (25.3 percent) from the field and 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from the charity stripe.
* The Lady Tigers finished with 40 rebounds, including 30 coming off the defensive glass.
* The Lady Bulldogs tallied 48 rebounds, with 29 coming off the offensive glass.
* Grambling State finished with 36 bench points, 30 points in the paint, 17 points off turnovers and 14 fastbreak points.
* Alabama A&M registered 26 points in the paint, 23 bench points, 18 points off turnovers and 18 second-chance points.
* There were five ties and three lead changes.
 
News and Notes
* The Lady Tigers played at home for the first time since Nov. 30 when Grambling State played host to Southeastern Louisiana.
* Grambling State improved to 3-1 in home games this season.
* Shakyla Hill ranks fourth nationally (first in the SWAC) in steals and is third nationally (first in the SWAC) in steals per game.
 
Up Next 
Grambling State concludes its short two-game homestand as the Lady Tigers play host to Alabama State in a SWAC matchup on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

JSU Lady Tigers Open SWAC Play With 70-61 Win Over Alabama State 

JACKSON, Mississippi – Derica Wiggins scored 23 points to go with six rebounds as Jackson State (6-4, 1-0) defeated Alabama State (2-10, 0-1) 70-61 Monday night at Lee E. Williams Athletic Assembly Center during opening night of conference play.

Marneisha Hamer added 12 points for the Lady Tigers, and Christina Ellis posted 10 points, six steals, five rebounds and four assists.

Mya Milner led the Lady Hornets with 15 points, and Tatyana Calhoun had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

BOX SCORE

Jackson State opened the contest with a 10-2 scoring run, eventually leading by as many as 13 before free throws from Milner and Kayla Stephens helped Alabama State close the gap to 24-17 at the end of the first quarter.

The Lady Tigers pressed forward in the next period, as Chelsea Causey capped a 12-4 JSU run with a lay-up to make it 36-21. Down 10 after the break, Alabama State got within two after Pye sank a free throw to cap a stretch where the Lady Hornets outscored Jackson State by eight. Calhoun then gave Alabama State a 55-53 lead with a lay-up early in the fourth. Jackson State then reeled off eight unanswered points, but Stephens converted back-to-back layups to help cut the JSU lead to two (61-59) with 4:15 left.

However, Wiggins was the difference, nailing a trey on the Lady Tigers’ next possession and ultimately scoring six points during a 9-2 JSU run that sealed the contest.

Next Up: JSU returns to action Wednesday, Jan. 3 to face Alabama A&M in SWAC action at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center on the JSU campus. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Lady Tigers fall 67-57 to Southern in SWAC opener

HOUSTON – The Lady Tigers of Texas Southern University began the 2018 portion of their season in a less-than-ideal manner as they fell 67-57 to Southern in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener for both teams Monday.

At TSU's H&PE Arena, the visiting Jaguars seized control of the game with a 22-4 run over an eight-minute span during the third and fourth quarters that gave Southern a 61-48 lead with 5:30 left to play in the game.

Joyce Kennerson scored a game-high 21 points for the Lady Tigers (5-7, 0-1 SWAC), but was held to 6-of-19 shooting as Southern erased a 35-29 halftime lead to claim the victory. Briana Green led the Jaguars (2-8, 1-0 SWAC) with 20 points.

BOX SCORE

Southern's defense limited the SWAC's best-shooting team to 26 percent shooting (8 of 31) during the second half. The Lady Tigers ended up shooting 34 percent (19 of 56) for the game.

TSU also entered Monday's contest as the best 3-point shooting team in the SWAC, but was held to 20 percent shooting (3 of 15) from behind the arc against the Jaguars.

Isis Lane scored 10 points off the TSU bench. Samantha Duncan scored 17 points for Southern.

Kennerson, the second-leading scorer in the NCAA with 25.9 points per game entering the contest, was held under her scoring average for the third consecutive game. She had been averaging 31.7 points per game at home this season.

TSU's Camille Mills pulled in eight rebounds in addition to scoring four points. Mills is TSU's leading rebounder, and the fourth-leading rebounder in the SWAC among guards.

The Lady Tigers return to action Wednesday when they host Alcorn State at 5:30 p.m.

TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

SWAC MEN
Alabama A&M 71, Grambling State 64
Arkansas at Pine Bluff 80, Mississippi Valley State 71
Prairie View A&M 76, Alcorn State 64
Texas Southern 78, Southern 66
Jackson State 70, Alabama State 61

Nuggets' Trench is chosen GCAC Player of the Week

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Maya Trench is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in women's basketball for Dec 25-31, the league announced Tuesday.

Trench, a 5-foot-2 sophomore guard from Edgard, La., and a graduate of West St. John High School, produced a season-high 16 points, a career-high-tying eight made field goals and a season-high-tying three steals Saturday in a loss to nationally ranked LSU-Shreveport.

The GCAC weekly honor — Trench's first of her career and the Gold Nuggets' first this season — was announced prior to XULA's 71-56 Tuesday victory at Paul Quinn. Trench scored 13 points in that game.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Southern women open SWAC play with a 67-57 win against Texas Southern

HOUSTON, Texas — After losing eight straight non conference road games, the Southern women’s basketball team was starving for a victory.

Having it come against defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Texas Southern made it taste that much sweeter.



Briana Green, Samantha Duncan and Tiamya Butler energized a second-half comeback against the Tigers and finished strong in a 67-57 conference-opening win Monday night at H&P Arena.

“We knew we had an opportunity to come in here and wear them down,” SU coach Sandy Pugh said. “The pressure we put on them at the beginning of the fourth quarter was the difference.”

The Jaguars (2-8, 1-0) went on a 28-9 second-half run to turn a six-point deficit into a 13-point lead.

Duncan scored all 17 of her points in the second half, while Green finished with a team-high 20 points and seven rebounds.

CONTINUE READING

JSU to appeal judgment in ex-coach's suit, despite spending $200K-plus in attorney fees

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State University is planning to appeal a federal judge's order awarding $382,000 in damages to the school's former women’s basketball coach in 2014, despite the school already spending more than $200,000 in attorney fees.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate refused to throw out or reduce the award made in 2014 to former coach, Denise Taylor Travis, who went by the last name Taylor during her time at JSU.

"To have closure is very gratifying to me and my family,” Travis said after Wingate's ruling. "I want to return to coaching."

Last week, JSU attorney Latoya Merritt filed a notice of appeal to the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

"JSU filed a notice of appeal on Dec. 27, 2017, indicating that it intends to challenge the totality of the judgment in the Fifth Circuit," Merritt said in the motion. "JSU now requests a stay on the execution of the judgment during the pendency of the appeal without having to post a supersedeas bond."

CONTINUE READING

Perfection is No. 1

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- It doesn’t get much better than perfection. The top story in Aggie Athletics in 2017 was Aggies football’s 12-0 season. Happy New Year.

A slight decline in 2017 for the North Carolina A&T football team would have been excusable in the opinions of many considering the Chicago Bears drafted the most decorated player in school history in running back Tarik Cohen (the No. 3 story on the countdown). In world of athletics, A&T suddenly stood for After Tarik as pundits wondered how the loss of Cohen would impact the program.

N.C. A&T head coach Rod Broadway had one simple solution to the problem. Recruiting. While Cohen was rewriting the school and conference record books like they were rough draft manuscripts, Broadway and his coaching staff were building a program. Many identified N.C. A&T football with Cohen, the first three-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year. But when he left the Gate City for the Windy City, the foundation that was built underneath his elusive feet was strong.

The Aggies started four seniors on the offensive line this season including All-American left tackle Brandon Parker (6-foot-7, 309, Kannapolis, NC). They were assigned to protect junior quarterback Lamar Raynard (6-4, 200, High Point, NC) who developed into one of the best quarterbacks in the nation this season.

Running back Marquell Cartwright (5-8, 201, JR, High Point, NC) had 11 career touchdowns despite being Cohen’s backup for two seasons. At receiver, the Aggies returned sophomore and MEAC Rookie of the Year Elijah Bell (6-2, 223, Wheeling, WVa.) Defensively, the Aggies returned their entire linebacking corps. Do-it-all rover Jeremy Taylor (5-11, 190, Kinston, NC) returned for his senior year after a career junior season, and a freshman cornerback with rich N.C. A&T ties named Franklin McCain III opened the 2017 season by intercepting every pass in sight.



It all resulted in the 2017 Aggies becoming the best football team in school history according to the numbers. With their 21-14 win over Grambling State in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the Aggies finished 12-0 to become the first MEAC team to finish an entire season undefeated. They are the first FCS historically black university to finish untied and unbeaten since Division I-AA play began 39 years ago. The Aggies also broke the school record for wins and are the first A&T team to finish the regular season undefeated in 74 years. Their undefeated season in the MEAC is the school’s first in 18 years.

Gardner-Webb was the first to see that the Aggies program was more than just Cohen. Raynard completed 19 of 22 passes for a school record 86.4 completion percentage to lead the Aggies to a 45-3 road win in Boiling Springs, NC. Next came Division II Mars Hill who did not put up a fight against the stronger, faster Aggies in a 56-0 rout at Aggie Stadium. Raynard threw five first-half touchdown passes. The Aggies wrapped up their non-conference schedule with an upset win at the Charlotte 49ers, Division I-FBS school out of Conference USA. It was the Aggies second win over an FBS opponent in as many years. McCain sealed the win with a 74-yard INT return for a touchdown.

Conference play started with a 49-17 win over Morgan State in Baltimore in which McCain recorded two pick-6’s including a 100-yard return. The Aggies, playing their fourth road game in five weeks, grinded out a 21-7 win over rival South Carolina State in Orangeburg the next week. They then returned home for the Greatest Homecoming on Earth in which they demolished Delaware State 44-3. A return to the road saw the Aggies defeat Florida A&M for their homecoming, 31-20 in Tallahassee.

N.C. A&T’s toughest game of the season came on Oct. 21 in an ESPNU nationally-televised game at Aggie Stadium against Bethune-Cookman. The Aggies had to rally in the fourth quarter to beat the Wildcats 24-20. Two weeks later the Aggies went to Norfolk, Va., and defeated the Norfolk State Spartans 35-7. In the game, Raynard set the school’s single-season passing record. The Aggies took a share of the MEAC title the next week with a 36-17 win over Savannah State before clinching the outright title in a 24-10 win over arch rival North Carolina Central in the regular-season finale.

It was the Aggies first win over their rival in three years, and their first outright conference title in 14 years. Therefore, there was no decline for the Aggies. Instead, they went to Atlanta to become the best HBCU Division I-AA team ever, and they accomplished that too.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Albany State Inks Two Prospects for 2018

ALBANY, Georgia -- The Albany State University Football program has signed two to Letters of Intent for the 2017 early signing period.

"We are very excited to add to our ASU Family Deonte Jackson from GMC and Raekwon Bethea from Coffeyville," says Gabe Giardina who just wrapped his inaugural season as the Head Coach of the Golden Rams. "We wanted to add some experience to our offensive and defensive lines and these two will go a long way in accomplishing that goal. Both will be solid student-athletes on the field of play.

The Golden Rams welcome Raekwon Bethea a JUCO transfer from Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas. Prior to his stint at Coffeyville Bethea, a 6-1, 300 pound offensive lineman who hails from Alachua, Florida, played at Santa Fe High School.

ASU also adds Deonte Jackson to the fold for the upcoming season. Jackson was a defensive lineman at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville. The Atlanta native spent his high school career at Langston Hughes in Fairburn, GA.

"It always feel good as a coach when you can add guys up front", states Giardina. "We are excited to get them here at the break and look forward to our first off season and spring as a staff."

ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Sioux Falls Storm great Tyler Knight (MVSU) retires

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota -- One of the Storm’s all-time greats has called it a career.

Linebacker Tyler Knight announced on Sunday that he’s retiring from pro football, posting a photo of his Storm helmet and jersey on Twitter with the hashtags #supermanhasleftthebuilding and #theend.

Knight leaves as one of the most decorated and celebrated players in Storm history.

A Little Rock, Ark., native and All-SWAC performer at Mississippi Valley State, Knight played a total of six seasons with Sioux Falls, winning five United Bowl championship rings, earning five All-IFL selections and winning consecutive IFL defensive player of the year honors in 2013 and 2014.

Knight retires with 799 career tackles, 29 sacks, nine interceptions, eight defensive touchdowns and a franchise record 24 blocked kicks.

Knight, 33, became a fan favorite over the years for his versatile play, hard hits and pregame entrance, when he donned a Superman cape as he emerged from the tunnel at the Arena and Denny Sanford Premier Center.



CONTINUE READING

Texas Southern Basketball: Can the Tigers make the NCAA Tournament?

HOUSTON, Texas -- The SWAC is statistically one of the worst conferences in college basketball. The conference does not have much money, so the conference is forced to spend most of their early season on the road, playing against high-major teams, usually for a high payout. The SWAC typically has a tournament team with a losing record and those teams are always highly overmatched. For this season, Texas Southern is the squad that has been beaten up on the most in non-conference.

Texas Southern is usually the best team in the SWAC and has the best talent in this league despite their record. Head coach Mike Davis has built this program using transfers. Davis is the former head coach at Indiana University and he has found his niche at Texas Southern by giving players who have a troubled past a fresh start.

To date, Texas Southern has played the toughest schedule in the country. The Tigers currently sit at 0-13 and are still projected to make the NCAA Tournament. If Texas Southern does make the NCAA tournament that would rival one of the worst starts of all-time to make the Big Dance. The Tigers may not have a win on the ledger yet but with their schedule, they are going to be battle-tested and ready for the SWAC conference.

The Tigers have the SWAC player of the year on their team in Demontrae Jefferson. He is an elite scorer in this league and never leaves the floor for the Tigers. Jefferson is shooting 42% from the floor, 42% from the three and 80% from the free throw line. Jefferson is the best overall player in the SWAC and, barring a miracle, will win the player of the year going away.



CONTINUE READING

UMES Hawks Survive Central Penn, Close Out 2017 With Win

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Maryland Eastern Shore men’s basketball built a 14-point halftime lead and survived a late flourish to beat Central Penn 74-69 on Sunday afternoon at the Hytche Athletic Center.

“I thought we lost our focus towards the end,” said Hawks head coach Bobby Collins after the close win. “We didn’t play tough, we didn’t quite make this a home court advantage. As we move on we need to start making those plays down the stretch.”

After an early scrum, the Hawks (4-11) grabbed an 8-6 lead at the 16:28 mark on a Miryne Thomas (Cleveland, Ohio) banked three-pointer. The Shore wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game, and after the Knights (7-8) tied it at 13-13 three minutes later, Cameron Bacote (Hampton, Virginia) connected from deep to give the home side a permanent lead.

The Hawks poured it on over the next nine minutes, using a 27-11 run to build a 40-22 lead, punctuated by Logan McIntosh’s (Atlanta, Georgia) three with 4:11 before halftime. Eastern Shore went into the break up 48-34.

Central Penn came out for the second half swinging, though. A 10-2 run over the first seven minutes of the half made it a two-possession game at 50-46. Sean Hoggs (Lawrenceville, New Jersey) boosted the Hawk cushion with an inbounds three from the left corner, and a Hoggs steal immediately led to a McIntosh layup to make it 55-46 with 11:05 to go.

The Knights surged back again over the next four. Randy Dupont’s layup at the 8:49 mark got it down to 59-55, and Joel Zola buried a trey one minute later to cut the Hawks’ lead to one. Zola then blocked a Bacote shot on the other end and CPC had a chance to take the lead, but Hoggs swooped in for another steal. The Shore held on defense one more time before Tyler Jones (Atlantic City, New Jersey) put one in from the post to give his team some breathing room at 61-58.

Bacote nailed another three with 5:10 to go to make it 65-59 Hawks, and Central Penn would never again get closer than five points. Free throws from McIntosh and late buckets from Ahmad Frost (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Thomas iced it to give Eastern Shore its third straight win in the series against the Knights.

Bacote led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including 15 in the first half. Hoggs came off the bench to contribute 15 points, three boards, and a pair of steals. McIntosh finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

Dupont fueled Central Penn’s late comeback and finished with a team-high 21 points. Noah Baylor added 12 points and eight rebounds but factored little into the final 20 minutes.

The Hawks finish the nonconference slate with four wins, one more than the previous season’s total. As of publication, KenPom.com ranks The Shore’s non-league schedule as the 11th-toughest in the nation.

Eastern Shore now sets its sights on Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play. The Hawks open the league season against rival and preseason MEAC favorite Morgan State on Wednesday. Tip from the Talmadge L. Hill Field House is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday’s game will be broadcast locally on flagship radio station Fox Sports 960 AM WTGM and online at EasternShoreHawks.com. Pregame coverage starts at 7:15 p.m. with Will DeBoer on the call for The Shore Sports Network.

FINAL STATS

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

HU Bison Fall in Nonconference Finale at Hawai’i

HONOLULU, Hawaii – After a solid first half, the Howard University Men's Basketball team was unable to sustain their hot shooting as they fell to the Hawai'i (UH) Rainbow Warriors, 84-59.

Howard (3-13) shot a respectable 42-percent (19-of-45) from the floor; however, the contest was a tale of two halves. HU shot nearly 57-percent (13-of-23) before intermission, including 54-percent (7-of-13) from long range, but could not maintain as they shot only 27-percent (6-of-22) in the second half.

"In the first half, [RJ] Cole had it going, and Kyle Foster made some shots," said Howard Men's Basketball head coach Kevin Nickelberry. "We took a step back as far as spacing. We've taken care of the ball better lately, but we took a step back. They were very physical and it took us out of the stuff we wanted to do."

Freshman RJ Cole led the Bison with 22 points, including 17 in the first half. Sophomore Charles Williams added 10 points in the loss.

Hawai'i held a 10-point advantage until the Bison went on a 15-4 spurt and took their first lead of the game at the 8:15 mark in the first half.

Senior Dalique Mingo pushed HU's lead to four after making the old-fashion three-point play, 33-29, but the Rainbow Warriors finished the half on an 9-3 run and took a two-point advantage at the break, 38-36.

Off the bench, newcomer Kyle Foster scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc in a losing effort.

Williams made a pair of freebies and tied the contest after intermission, 38-38, but Hawai'i took control with a 16-5 spurt and held a double-digit lead with 14:22 remaining.

From that point, HU could not find their rhythm as the Rainbow Warriors held a double-digit advantage for the rest of the game.

For UH (9-4), they shot 55-percent (28-of-51) from the field. Jack Purchase produced a game-high 22 points while Brocke Stepteau and Mike Thomas chipped in 13 points apiece.

"They made some adjustments in the second half, starting [Jack] Purchase," Nickelberry continued. "We had some problems adjusting to him and [Mike] Thomas downlow. We had to pick and choose, and we probably chose the wrong way because Purchase made a lot of three for them."

On Jan. 3, the Bison start league play in Tallahassee, Fla., where the Florida A&M Rattlers await. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m.

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

BOX SCORE

HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard Bison Come Up Short Against Brown Bears

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Coach Ty Grace and the Howard University Women's Basketball team scored a season-high 81 points, but came up short against the Brown (BU) Bears, 85-81, inside Burr Gymnasium.

With the loss, Howard saw its four-game home winning streak come to an end.

Despite only shooting 33-percent (25-of-76) from the field, HU (4-9) did most of their damage from beyond the arc. Howard shot 46-percent (13-of-28) from deep, led by sophomore Sarah Edmond.

The New York native scored a career-high 28 points after shooting 5-of-8 from long range. She also racked up six dimes, five boards, and three steals in the loss.

With under seven remaining in the third, sophomore Asia McCants drilled a trey ball and put HU ahead, 49-48. Brown responded with a 9-2 run and took a six-point advantage with 4:29 left in the quarter, 57-51. Howard reclaimed the lead after finishing the period with a 10-0 spurt, 61-57.

Moments into the fourth, Edmond connected on a long ball and gave the Bison their largest lead of the game with 7:12 left, 67-58. Brown refused to go away as they gradually chipped into the deficit.

Sophomore Curstyn Moore split a pair of freebies and gave Howard a seven-point advantage with 1:29 remaining, 73-66, but the Bears finished the period on a 10-3 run to force overtime, 76-76.

With 2:25 left in OT, the Bison held a three-point lead after sophomore Jayla Myles went 1-of-2 at the charity stripe, 81-78. Brown responded and closed out the game scoring eight unanswered to win, 85-81.

Myles and fellow classmate Ayonna Williams each finished with 12 points while newcomer Jayla Thornton tallied 10 points off the bench. Moore flirted with a double-double, producing 10 boards and nine points in a losing effort.

Howard led the first five minutes until Brown's Megan Reilly made a jumper and gave the Bears their first lead of the game, 13-12. HU trailed after one, 24-20.

Freshman Tariah Johnson nailed a three-pointer and tied the contest, 29-29, with 6:29 remaining before intermission. Brown answered with an 11-4 run and held their largest lead of the game, 40-33, with 2:08 left. HU trimmed the deficit down to four after another trey ball from Edmond, 43-39.

For Brown (11-1), they extended their winning streak to nine. Shayna Mehta posted a team-high 22 points while Janie White recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.

On Jan. 3, Howard begins the New Year in Tallahassee, Fla., where they will meet the Florida A&M Rattlers in their conference opener. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

BOX SCORE

HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION

Virginia State Hold Off Shepherd University, 85-25

ETTRICK, Virginia -- The Virginia State University women's basketball team defeated the Rams of Shepherd University, 85-25, today at VSU Multipurpose Center.

Alexis Smith (Lusby, Md.) led the way for the Trojans (12-0) with 28 points on 10-of-17 shots from the floor. Smith also contributed two total rebounds, seven assists, and five steals.

Virginia State shot 45.8 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from behind the arc and had four players to score in double figures. Senior guard Keyana Brown (Williamsburg, Va.) was VSU's second-leading scorer with 13 points and one steal, while guard Dionna Marcus (Fort Stewart, Ga.) contributed 12 points and four rebounds. Mia Fitts (Richmond, Va.) secured 11 points while junior forward Chrisanna Green (Jamestown, NY) ended the contest with a double-double performance, adding 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Smith set the tone early contributing six points and fueling an 11-2 lead to start the game. Virginia State opened up a 24-2 lead to close out the first quarter, never giving up the lead the entire contest.

In the second stanza, Virginia State built their lead, 30-10, by the 5:32 mark, as they continued to dominate on the court. The Trojans proceeded to add points to the board for the remainder of the half while tallying 16 points to take an extended advantage into the break, 40-10.

With 7:23 to go in the third, a layup by Dionna Marcus put Virginia State up, 48-14. Shepherd University netted three points in the remaining minutes of the quarter, cutting Virginia State's lead to 66-17, heading into the final period.

The Trojans added 19 points in the final period to win the game, 85-25.

Shepherd University's leading scorer was Kayla Tibbs who finished the contest with eight points.

Up Next: Virginia State will open its 2018 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association play at home as they host the Rams of Winston-Salem State University on Thursday, January 4. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.

For the most up-to-date information on VSU women's basketball please visit www.govsutrojans.com and follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.

BOX SCORE

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Holloway Scores 32, Turner 25 Including the Game-Winner, as CAU Defeats Spring Hill College

MOBILE, Alabama -- Lauren Turner's layup with eight seconds left lifted Clark Atlanta University to an 84-83 win over Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., Saturday.

The win keeps the Lady Panthers undefeated in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference at 6-0. The Lady Panthers, who are in first place in the SIAC East Division, are 8-5 overall.

In a see-saw affair, CAU trailed 43-41 at halftime, even though they narrowly led much of the first half behind Holloway's 20 points. The two teams went back-and-forth throughout most of the second half, with six ties in the fourth quarter alone.

Turner hit two free throws with 2:45 remaining to give the Lady Panthers a 78-77 lead. The two teams traded baskets the rest of the way until Turner rebounded a missed shot by Marissa Mandeldove with 11 seconds left, and then hit the winning shot three seconds later.

Naomi Holloway had another career high with 32 points, while Turner finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds. Mandeldove finished with nine points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.

CAU out-rebounded Spring Hill 40-27, but had a tough day at the free throw line, hitting only 64 percent of their shots (16-of-25). The Lady Panthers forced 21 turnovers that resulted in 26 points.

Spring Hill was led by Tiffany Valentine's 34 points. The Lady Badgers fall to 7-6, 1-2 in the SIAC.

The Lady Panthers return to L.S. Epps Gymnasium on Thursday, Jan. 4 when they host Lane College at 6 p.m.

BOX SCORE

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Jalen Mitchell’s 23 Points Off the Bench Leads Clark Atlanta to Win Over Spring Hill

MOBILE, Alabama -- Jalen Mitchell came off the bench to score 20 of his 23 points in the second half as Clark Atlanta University won their seventh game in row in holding off Spring Hill College 68-66 in Mobile, Ala., Saturday.

The Panthers are now 12-1 overall, 6-0 and in first place in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division. The consecutive wins mark equals a seven-game winning streak during their SIAC championship season last year.

The Panthers started out slow, falling behind by as many as eight points in the first half. They ended the half with a 10-3 run to go into the break trailing by only one at 33-32.

CAU fell behind by nine with 13:46 remaining, but Mitchell then took over. He scored 13 points, with a steal and a rebound, over the next nearly four minutes, giving CAU their first lead on his 3-pointer with 9:51 left to make the score 49-46.

Spring Hill fought back, taking a three-point lead on William Loyd's dunk with 4:32 left in the game. Akil Douglas followed with a dunk of his own, and Austin Donaldson hit a 3-pointer that put the Panthers up for good with 3:37 left.

Mitchell finished with 23 points, six rebounds, two steals and an assist, while Douglas had 15 points and eight rebounds. Donaldson had ten points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Brandon Fischer led Spring Hill with 15 points as the Badgers fell to 2-10 this season, 0-4 in the SIAC.

Head coach Darrell Walker said his Panthers showed a little rust from not playing a game since Dec. 18 because of the Christmas break.

"It was another one of those 'grind-it-out' kind of games for us," Walker said. "We had a long layoff and we were a little off tonight. It's hard to say that when defensively you hold a team to 66 points. Spring Hill really played us hard. But we have some things to work on this week."

The Panthers return to L.S. Epps Gymnasium Thursday, Jan. 4 when they host Lane College at 8 p.m. That game can be viewed live, via webstream, at www.mybcsn.net/cau.

BOX SCORE

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

PVAMU Basketball Opens SWAC Play Hosting Alcorn

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- The Prairie View A&M women's and men's basketball teams will open the new year hosting Alcorn State Monday opening Southwestern Athletic play at the William J. Nicks Building.

The women's game will tip at 3 p.m. and the men's game around 5:15 p.m. following the completion of the women's game. As a part of the Holiday Hoops pricing special, tickets are only $5 and kids 18 and under are admitted free for Monday's games as well as Wednesday's 5:30 p.m. doubleheader vs. Southern.

Fans can also watch live and get live stats at pvpanthers.com/sportsnetwork.

The women's team will enter Monday's contest 2-9 overall, after completing their non-conference play on December 21 when they fell to Rice 88-68.

"We are eager to get back on the court and begin conference play," said PVAMU's head women's coach Ravon Justice. "I saw a lot of good things during non-conference play, so I know we are ready to go into conference play with a positive attitude and good direction."

Shala Dobbins leads the Lady Panthers in scoring averaging 20.0 ppg. Dobbins is second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference is scoring and 33rd in the nation. She is followed in scoring by Jordyn Penniman, who is averaging 11.2 ppg. Dominique Newman is also a top scorer for PVAMU, she is averaging 10.5 ppg. Newman is also leading the Lady Panthers on the boards averaging 5.2 rebounds per game.

CONTINUE READING

NSU Spartans Win Fifth Straight, Down Longwood 64-45

FARMVILLE, Virginia – A marquee defensive effort carried Norfolk State women's basketball to a 64-45 victory over Longwood on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Spartans (7-5) enter the new calendar year and MEAC play riding the momentum of a five-game winning streak.

The five wins in a row marks the longest such streak in head coach Larry Vickers' young career. Additionally, the Spartans matched the record for most non-conference victories in the program's Division-I era while also recording the most non-conference wins over D-I competition in team history.

Norfolk State limited the Lancers (2-9) to 45 points – 12 below Longwood's season scoring average. Through 12 games, the Spartans have held 11 opponents below their season average in points and are 6-5 in such games.

Kayla Roberts led all scorers with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Roberts also grabbed four rebounds and came away with two steals. As a team, NSU registered 12 steals in the game, one off the season high.

Turnovers factored heavily into the final score, as Norfolk State scored 23 points off 24 Longwood giveaways. Conversely, the Spartans turned the ball over only 14 times and conceded five points off those turnovers.



The Spartans struck first on a Raven Russell basket at the 8:36 mark of the first quarter and never trailed. NSU scored the game's first five points before Longwood finally scored on a 3-pointer by Kate Spradlin midway through the quarter.

Alexys Long and Ciarah Bennett traded 3-pointers before the Spartans scored eight of the next 11 points to lead 18-9 with 39 seconds left in the period. Longwood scored in the final seconds of the quarter to make the score 18-11 heading into the second quarter.

Norfolk State ratcheted up the defensive pressure in the second quarter and led 32-20 at the break.

Longwood managed only nine points and one field goal during the second period. The Lancers went 1-of-6 from 3-point range in the quarter and shot 10 percent (1-of-10) from the floor. LWU relied on the whistle to generate scoring in the quarter – drawing six fouls and going 6-of-8 from the free throw line.

Norfolk State opened the second on a 7-2 run with Roberts scoring the first five points for the Spartans. Kristina Antonenko halted the run with a trey at the 5:14 mark. A minute later Casey Ripp split a pair of free throws to pull the Lancers to within eight, 25-17, but NSU scored seven of the next eight points and led 32-18 with 1:53 remaining in the half.

Kendrea Dawkins scored the final five points of the half for Norfolk State and ended the game with six points, three rebounds and one trey.

NSU overcame a slow start to the third quarter to finish the period with 17 points on 50 percent shooting. The Spartans did not score a field goal until Roberts layup at the 7:38 mark, which made the score 35-23.

Roberts hunted her shot in the third period and scored eight points in the quarter while going 3-of-3 from the field.

The Spartans opted to extend their defense during the third quarter and disrupted Longwood to the tune of eight turnovers. Norfolk State generated five steals during the period, including a strip and score by Armani Franklin that gave NSU a 39-25 lead with 6:37 on the clock.

Longwood trimmed the lead to 39-27 with 4:28 left in the quarter, but NSU closed out the period on a 10-3 run. Roberts gave the Spartans their first 20-point lead in the game on a free throw with 2:30 remaining. The Miami, Florida native answered a last-minute 3-pointer by the Lancers with a jumper to give Norfolk State a 49-30 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Both teams played even in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points apiece. The Spartans led by as many as 22 on three occasions, but the Lancers cut the deficit to 16 with just under two minutes left in the game.

Dayna Rouse knocked down a jumper at the 1:53 mark to make the score 61-45, but NSU shut the door on Longwood, who closed the game with two missed shots and a pair of turnovers.

Franklin scored the final three points of the game, all at the free throw line. The freshman made both free throws after coming down with an offensive rebound before splitting a pair with 31 seconds remaining.

Kate Spradlin led Longwood with 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting. The Lancers out-rebounded the Spartans 37-36 and had two players, Antonenko and Rouse, with eight boards.

Norfolk State assisted on 12 made field goals in the victory and now has double-digit assists in five-straight games. The Spartans are 6-1 when recording 10 or more assists in a game. Gabrielle Swinson had a team-high four helpers for NSU and also chipped in nine points, five rebounds and three steals.

The Spartans begin the 16-game MEAC schedule at home on Wednesday against Coppin State. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Early surge carries unbeaten LSUS past Gold Nuggets

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana — Maya Trench scored a season-high 16 points for Xavier University of Louisiana, but an early LSU-Shreveport run carried the Pilots to a 73-62 women's basketball victory Saturday.

The Pilots, ranked 25th in NAIA Division I, outscored the Gold Nuggets 11-0 in the first three minutes in a wire-to-wire decision. Christina Devers scored a season-high 32 points and made five 3-pointers for LSUS.

LSUS is 14-0, and XULA is 6-5. The Pilots tied their school record for consecutive victories.

Trench had one of the best shooting performances of her career, making 8-of-15 from the floor. Essence Wells scored 11 points for XULA, and Gina Smith had seven points and 10 rebounds. It was the second straight game that Smith reached double figures in rebounds.

LSUS led 26-14 after one quarter and 45-31 at halftime, but a XULA rally cut the Pilots' lead to 53-47 by the end of the third period. It was still a single-digit difference before the Pilots closed with a 17-8 run in the final four minutes.

LSUS outshot XULA 44.2 to 35.6 percent from the floor. The Pilots made 10-of-17 3-pointers to the Gold Nuggets' 3-of-16. XULA had a 39-32 rebound advantage but committed a season-worst 27 turnovers — including five offensive fouls and 15 LSUS steals.

The Gold Nuggets are 1-4 this season against ranked NAIA opponents.

XULA will stay on the road and play Paul Quinn at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Dallas. The Gold Nuggets' next home game will be Jan. 17.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

NCCU Eagles Bid Farewell to 2017 with Win over St. Andrews

DURHAM, North Carolina – North Carolina Central University closed the book on the 2017 calendar year with a 75-55 win over St. Andrews at home at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Saturday, Dec. 30.

SAU (1-7) proved to be a formidable opponent in the opening stages of the contest, as the Knights led NCCU (6-8) for over seven-and-a-half minutes in the first half. The lead changed hands eight separate times in the first 20 minutes, and there were three ties leading to a 30-30 deadlock at the intermission.

NCCU was able to create separation in the second half as they opened the period with a 21-9 run to speed ahead 51-39 at the 11:26 mark and used that cushion to arrive at a 75-55 final score.



Marius McAllister (Durham, N.C.) got his first career start for the maroon and gray and logged 39 minutes on his way to game- and career-highs with 10 rebounds and eight assists. Raasean Davis (Chicago, Ill.) made strong contributions inside with 16 points and eight rebounds, and Jordan Perkins (Greensboro, N.C.) dished out six assists with 11 points.

Perkins nailed three three-pointers in the contest, and Larry McKnight, Jr. (North Miami, Fla.) knocked down four for 12 points, and Reggie Gardner, Jr. (Bowie, Md.) also collected four triples on his way to 16 points. Alston Jones (Kansas City, Mo.) came off the bench to serve six assists as well.

Christian Lathan (Fayetteville, N.C.) led the Knights with12 points and four assists, and Devonte Pettaway (Greenville, N.C.) followed closely with 11 points. Jeremias Easterling (La Plata, Argentina) chipped in eight points and six boards, and Luis Rosa (Sao Joao, Brazil) also had a rounded performance with seven points and seven boards.

The Eagles finis non-conference play with six wins, and now enter the 16-game MEAC trials on Wednesday, Jan. 3 on the road at Delaware State.

BOX SCORE

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MSU Bears Downed at CSU Northridge, 79-69

LOS ANGELES, California -- Tavrion Dawson had 14 of his 20 points in the second half and CSU Northridge beat Morgan State 79-69 on Saturday night.

Dawson also had nine rebounds for the Matadors (3-11), who won their second in a row following an 11-game losing streak. Reggie Theus Jr. added 16 points, Micheal Warren scored 15 points and Lyrik Shreiner 10.

CSU Northridge took the lead for good at 10-8 and had its largest lead of 18 with a minute left in the first half, 40-22. The Bears (4-9) had a 9-0 run to get within 52-44, but the Matadors pushed the lead back to 18 at 72-54 and led by double digits for most of the second half.

Tiwian Kendley had 22 of his game-high 29 points in the second half for Morgan State, which lost its seventh in a row. Stanley Davis finished with 13 points, while Phillip Carr posted his 20th career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Azariah Sykes added 13 rebounds.

Morgan State held a 46-30 advantage on the glass, including 23 offensive boards. However, the Matadors outscored the Bears in second chance opportunities by a 12-10 margin.

The win by CSU Northridge snapped its 17-game losing streak to Division I foes.

BOX SCORE

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS