Virginia State Trojans Top Rams of Winston-Salem State

ETTRICK, Virginia  – Trey Brown led the way for VSU men's basketball in their win over the Rams of Winston-Salem State University; dropping 22 points on 9-of-16 shots to go along with four boards and two blocks in 34 minutes of action. Cyonte Melvin pitched in an additional 14 points and six rebounds. Andrew Corum and Philip Owens also scored in double figures for the Trojans, tallying 11 and 10, respectively.

Robert Colon led the way for the Rams, totaling a game-high 21 points and five assists.

Winston-Salem State never stopped fighting despite a five point deficit at intermission, but Virginia State's 17-of-32 performance from the floor in the first half kept the Trojans in the lead.

Brown scored 10 of his 22 points in the second half to fuel VSU's offense, which shot 51 percent (15-29) from the field in the contest. VSU jumped out to a 7-0 lead early in the opening minutes of the contest, but the Rams continued to fight bringing, the score 30-20 in favor of VSU with 5:35 left in the half.

Virginia State continued to add points on the board as they added 10 addition points in the remaining minutes to give them a 40-35 lead going into halftime. Brown and Melvin paced the Trojans with 12 and 10 points each in the half.

The second half kept the crowd on their toes as both teams battled for the lead. Respectivly, each team finishing with 38 points each in the second period, but the final score ruled in favor of VSU, 78-73.

Virginia State finished the contest shooting 52 percent (32-of-61) from the field, 34 percent (8-of-23) from the arc and 40 percent (6-of-15) from the free throw line.

UP NEXT: Virginia State University will host the Blue Bears of Livingstone College at the VSU Multipurpose Center Saturday, Jan. 6. Tip-off is slated for 4 pm.

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

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VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY TROJANS SPORTS INFORMATION

Former FAMU Football Coach Steven Jerry will not return

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Former Florida A&M University (FAMU) wide-receivers coach Steven Jerry announced on Twitter late last night that he will no longer return to the Rattler’s sideline to coach.

Jerry was informed of his release through a text message but says he is thankful for the relationships he has developed in his time at FAMU.

“My time at FAMU has come to an end,” Jerry said. “I appreciate every relationship developed over that time with the players, families, staff, administration. Now it’s time to move into the next phase. Whatever that may bring. I am thankful.”

The former coach has had the previous stint at FAMU, serving as the quarterbacks and receivers coach from 2008-2013. He was brought back to be the running backs and receivers coach in his second stint with Alex Wood after leaving North Florida Christian High where he was a volunteer coach for two years. During his time with FAMU, he was a big help in the recruiting process serving in the role as recruiting coordinator while still managing his duties as an offensive assistant coach.

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North Carolina A&T Indoor Track & Field Opens New Year at Clemson

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The North Carolina A&T indoor track and field teams open the new year in Clemson, S.C. for the 2018 Orange & Purple Invitational at the Clemson University Indoor Complex, on Saturday, Jan. 6. The one-day meet starts at 10 a.m. with four field events. The track events begin at noon.

The Aggies are up against Bethune-Cookman, Campbell, Charleston, Clemson, Southern, FIU, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Johnson C. Smith, and Tennessee Tech. “I am in a good spot as a head coach since we have so much depth,” said N.C. A&T director of track and field programs, Duane Ross. “We have a lot of bright spots all over the place. We are deep and there are a lot of athletes competing at an exceptional level.”

A&T last competed four weeks ago opening the indoor season at the JDL College Kick-off Classic winning the women’s 60-meter hurdles and the men’s 60 meter and 200m events. N.C. A&T totaled 31 top-10 performances with 17 coming from the women and 14 from the men. Eight different Aggies set new personal records in their respective events. The men will travel with a bulk of their squad to Clemson for their first indoor season test.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD BREAKDOWN

The Aggie field events will get things started in the men’s triple jump featuring junior Lasheon Strozier and freshman Semaj Anderson. Senior Aaron Deane will join both Strozier and Anderson in the men’s long jump at 1p.m., while junior Derrick Wheeler competes in the weight throw. Wheeler returns for the shot put competition along with freshman Aaron Wilkerson and Deane. Wheeler is the top weight thrower in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) at 55-feet, 2 ¾ inches and is eighth in shot put at 42-feet, 2 ¾ inches. Wilkerson ranks third in the shot put (49-feet, 4 ¼ inches) MEAC rankings. Senior Nehemiah Lipford and Anderson are slated for the high jump.

The 60mh start at 1:15 p.m. Junior Michael Dickson, senior Todd Townsend, sophomore Robert Miller and Deane are entered.

The Aggies have the top two 60m times in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Sophomore Jaylen Mitchell clocked in the nation’s fastest time at the JDL College Kick-off Classic in December with a time of 6.65. Senior Joel Thomas is second in the conference at 6.78. Mitchell goes into the weekend with the top time in the country.

“This year Jaylen has bought in, and he is focused,” said Ross. “That time surprised me. I knew from what he had been doing in practice, but as a coach you love to see that. Some athletes are good in practice and some athletes show up when it’s time. Right now, he is showing that he is that athlete that shows up when it is time.”

Freshman Trevor Stewart ran a top-10 MEAC time of 21.85 in the 200m at the season opener. Joining Stewart in the 200m at the Orange and Purple Invite will be junior Michael Dickson, Mitchell, sophomore Robert Miller and senior Joel Thomas. Not listed is junior Justin Hamilton, who has the fifth-fastest time in the nation.

Senior distance runners Steve Stowe and Corey Aiken are in the mile run while sophomores Marquise McGee and Daquan Maddox are in the 3000m event. In the 5000m, junior Hakeem Mustafaa and sophomore Joel Freeman will compete.

The men’s 4x400m relay is seventh in the nation and first in the MEAC after clocking in a time of 3:11.91. Hamilton, Jones, Stewart and Hardiing will run on the “A” relay team and Townsend, Mitchell, Rowe and Thomas are on the Aggies “B” relay team this weekend.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD BREAKDOWN

Sophomore Madeleine Akobundu was named MEAC Track Athlete of the Week following the nation’s second-fastest time of 8.35 in the 60mh at the JDL College Kick-off Classic.

“Madeleine is a great athlete, and I saw a lot of potential in her while I was recruiting her,” commented Ross. “I have been talking to her about how unimportant the No. 2 ranking is. I think she can run so much faster, so I cannot let her be content with that. She has definitely gotten the attention of the rest of the country”.

Akobundu is entered in the 60mh at the Orange & Purple Invitational along with senior Morgan Knight and freshman TeJyrica Robinson. Robinson sits ninth in the conference with a time of 8.84 in her collegiate debut. Following the 60mh is the 60m at 2:30 p.m. Senior India Brown, junior Kayla White and sophomore Taliyah Townsend will test the field. Townsend ran the fifth-fastest conference time in the 60m at 7.71.

The first distance event scheduled is the mile run with sophomore G’Jasmyne Butler, senior Miranda Green and sophomore Camille Martin. Martin is ranked third in the conference at 5:23.31 while Green is fifth at 5:32.09. Both Martin (10:48.99) and Green (11:26.98) are also competing in the 3000m where they are ranked sixth and eighth, respectively. Sophomore Khadijah Reid is the lone Aggie in the 800m and is ranked seventh in the MEAC with a time of 2:20.67. Senior Imani Coleman is entered in the 1000m run.

A trio of Aggies all ranked in the MEAC long jump top-10 hope to improve their marks. Akobundu has the second-best mark of 18-feet, 9-inches, freshman Royce Johnson (17-feet, 10 ¼ inches) ranks sixth and junior Anisa Toppin (17-feet, 6-inches) is tied for eighth in the long jump. Both Toppin and Johnson are also entered in the triple jump.

Senior Morgan Knight will represent the Aggies in the pole vault and freshman Nazah Reddick is in the high jump where she is tied for second in the conference at 5-feet, 1-inch. The weight throw follows the high jump at noon where senior Imani Abraham will perform after ranking seventh in the MEAC with a throw of 48-feet, 8 ¾ inches in the opener. Freshman Loren Jackson will debut in the shot put at 5 p.m. rounding out the field events.

The afternoon session is highlighted by the Aggie 300m and 200m events. Brown, sophomore Tori Ray, freshman Payton Russell, Townsend and junior Kennedy Thorne are all in the 300m while White, Townsend, Toppin and Reddick are in the 200m. The women’s 4x400m relay is 11th in the nation and tops in the MEAC after clocking in a time of 3:46.66. Ray, Russell, Lundy and Townsend will run on the “A” relay team and Brown, Barnes, Coleman and White are on the Aggies “B” relay team this weekend.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tigers Topple Jacksonville State, 67-60, for First OVC Victory

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY - By Sam Jordan | RADIO CALLS

NASHVILLE, Tennessee --  Delano Spencer scored 13 of his game-high 20 points in the second half to lead the Tennessee State men’s basketball team to a 67-60 win over defending Ohio Valley Conference Champion Jacksonville State on Thursday night at the Gentry Center.

TSU (6-8, 1-2 OVC), playing its first home game since Dec. 2, forced 16 turnovers and shot 47.9 percent (23-of-48) from the floor on the night.

The score was tied at 25-25 at the half before the Tigers outscored the Gamecocks (11-5, 2-1 OVC) by a 42-35 margin in the second half.

TSU also picked up double-digit scoring efforts from Christian Mekowulu  and Armani Chaney with 14 points apiece.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• TSU LEADERS
• Points – Delano Spencer - 20
• Rebounds – Christian Mekowulu - 9
• Assists – Armani Chaney- 6
• Steals – Armani Chaney- 5
• TSU was a perfect 15-for-15 from the free throw line.
• There were nine ties and 13 lead changes in the game.
• Delano Spencer scored in double digits for the 12th time this season, 23rd time in his career.
• Armani Chaney scored in double figures for the third time this year and 10th through his first three seasons.
• Christian Mekowulu reached double digit points for the 21st time, eighth this season.
• TSU outscored JSU in the paint by a 28-20 margin.
• The Tigers forced the Gamecocks into 16 turnovers and scored 19 points off the JSU miscues.
• Armani Chaney 5'10 recorded his first blocked shot of the season, blocking 7'0 Norbertas Giga under the basket.  
• 
  

 HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Tigers built up an early 11-4 advantage powered by a jumper and three-pointer from Armani Chaney.
• After JSU took a 15-13 edge midway through the first half, TSU’s defense clamped down – holding the Gamecocks without a point for more than six minutes.
• The back-and-forth first half ended with both teams with 25 points. Chaney led all scorers with 12 points in the opening half. The Tigers shot 45.5 percent (10-of-22) from the floor in the first half.
• A three from Ken’Darrius Hamilton gave the Tigers a 41-36 lead with 13:37 to play.
• Spencer’s three-point play up the Tigers back up 50-47 at the under-eight minute media time.
• A Mekowulu dunk and a three-point play from Reddick gave the Tigers a 59-54 lead.
• The Gamecocks pulled to within three points on three occasions in the final 1:02 of the game, but TSU had the answer down the stretch with a Mekowulu tip-in and four free throws from Delano Spencer in the last 34 seconds.

GAME NOTES

• TSU is now 18-13 in the all-time series versus Jacksonville State.
• The contest was the first in the Gentry Center since Dec. 2 and is the first of six games at home in the month of January.
• TSU held JSU scoreless for a span of 6:08 during the first half; the Gamecocks were held to their second lowest first half point total (25) of the season.

QUOTES

Head Coach Dana Ford “I just thought this was the first time we played a complete game from start to finish in quite some time. Credit to the players. We’ve really challenged them lately to play with that ‘dog mentality.’ It’s like anything. It’s on them. They’ve got to go out there and figure it out. I thought tonight that for 40 minutes everyone was accountable for what they were supposed to do and they were a great teammate. Fortunately for us, that led us to being able to win against a great team.”
-Overview of the game

“Well I hope it solidifies what this group already knows. That they if they play well as a team, they can beat anybody that’s left on our schedule. But you’ve got to be a dog. You go out there and play the game like you’re in the third grade. When it’s your turn, it’s your turn. I thought tonight they took advantage of your turn. Now we have to turn around and do the same thing in practice, and then the same thing on Saturday.”
-On the defense

“They were accountable. They did what they were supposed to do. Those guys have been here over 15 years if you combine all their years. If I’ve got to tell them what to do every practice and every game in order to get the dog out of them, then that’s uncalled for. Tonight, I didn’t have to do that, and they played well. Mekowulu was great for the second half, and Armani was good for 40 minutes. Reddick played with the mentality that he always played with. We didn’t let anything that happened on the offense affect our defense. We always guarded here, and that’s how we’re going to win, and we’re fine with that.” 
-On the offense

Christian Mekowulu “It’s a big win. People are looking for a win for a couple weeks now. We have to be mentally tough, because we’ve been on a losing streak. I feel like guys wanted us to win. I think it’s a big win moving forward.”

-On the first OVC win

“I like it. Coach Ford kept telling me I had to be aggressive. I like when coaches challenge me. So I came out here today. I like when coaches challenge me and play against other bigs like me.” 
-On playing against other great posts

“It’s a good experience. Laying in your own bed and waking up at your own time. I felt like that helped us. It’s a big win at home.”
-On playing at home after a month on the road

Armani Chaney“I was being aggressive. I was listening to my teammates. They told me to shoot the open shots, don’t hesitate and step in and make shots. That is what I tried to do for my team. I was aggressive early and the shots fell.”

-On what worked offensively

“Of course it’s a big win because they are the defending champs of the OVC. We really are trying to worry about ourselves. It’s a big win for the team because it’s a win on the schedule. We’re just trying to keep building and keep winning games.”
-On defeating the reigning OVC Champs

UP NEXT

• TSU hosts Tennessee Tech at the Gentry Center on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 4 p.m.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNCATIONS

Morehouse Maroon Tigers Crack Top 25 in National Poll

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Maroon Tigers have started the New Year on a superb note – improving their overall record to 11-0 and earning a spot on the National Association of Basketball Coaches top 25 national poll.

At #25, this is the first time since 1995 that the Maroon Tigers have played their way onto the national polls. The 1994-95 team reached #15 in the polls, went 20-8 and played in the NCAA South Regional Tournament.

With a 6-0 conference record, Morehouse sits in second place in the SIAC East Division. The Maroon Tigers have thus far surpassed all expectations of conference prognosticators who projected Morehouse to finish fourth in the division.

Morehouse is listed at #5 on the D2SIDA South Region poll, conducted by a committee of sports information directors.

The 11-0 start to the season also surpasses the previous best start, set by the 1988-89 Morehouse team that began the season at 7-0.

Morehouse is #1 in the SIAC in Scoring (87.2 ppg), Scoring Margin ( 13.8), Field Goal Percentage (.489), Rebounding Margin ( 5.9), Assists (14.9), Steals (9.9) and Turnover Margin ( 5.45).

In the SIAC, Tyrius Walker is #2 in scoring (22.5), #3 in Steals (2.1), #5 in Assists (3.8) and #7 in three-point percentage (.448).

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATION

Morehouse Tigers Roll to Twelfth Win In Row

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Four Maroon Tigers posted double figures and Morehouse rolled to 12-0, with a 96-78 win over the Magicians of LeMoyne-Owen College.

Morehouse took an early lead and never trailed, on the way to the third win in five games by 20 points or more. The Maroon Tigers led by as many as 11 points in the first half, but a lapse in focus allowed the Magicians to close to within one at halftime.

Despite losing the rebounding battle 39-40, the Maroon Tigers threw a blanket on the Magicians' offense, forcing 26 turnovers and collecting 16 steals.

Scoring leader and captain Tyrius Walker came within a hair of a triple double, posting 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Walker led all players with five steals.

Duby Maduegbunam had his best scoring game since mid-November, putting up 15 points, on 5 of 7 shooting from the field.

Co-captain Martravious Little had another all-around solid game, with 14 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Omar Alston, the leading percentage shooter in the SIAC, continued that accuracy, hitting 4 of 4 shots from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. He finished with 13 points and a season-high seven assists.

Newcomers Keith Heard and James Walker had nearly identical stats lines, with six points and three rebounds each. Walker added an assist and a steal. Jordan Wallace chipped in three points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Three Magicians put up double figures, led by the Ellis Reshun, with 18 points. Reshun the SIAC's leading scorer failed to reach his 23.8 scoring average.

Demba Konate recorded 14 points and nine rebounds and Aston Morton chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds for the Magicians who fell to 4-9; 1-7.

Morehouse returns to action, Saturday, at 3 p.m., when the Dragons of Lane College come to Forbes Arena.

MOREHOUSE MAROON TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION

Lauren Turner’s Double-Double Leads Lady Panthers to a 63-55 Win Over Lane

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Lauren Turner had 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Clark Atlanta University Lady Panthers to their fourth straight win, a 63-55 victory over Lane College Thursday at L.S. Epps Gymnasium.

The Lady Panthers are now 7-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, 9-5 overall. Lane, which was in first place in the SIAC West Division, falls to 3-12, 3-5 in conference play.

On a cold night in Atlanta, CAU only allowed Lane to hit 19-of-72 shots (26.4 percent) from the floor, including just six points in the second quarter.

Reyana Miller's 3-pointer with 8:24 left in the third quarter gave the Lady Panthers their biggest lead at 38-26. But the Lady Dragons fought back, closing the gap to two – 44-42 – on Antice McCoy's basket with 40 seconds left in the third quarter.

But that's as close as they would get as Turner's nine-fourth quarter points helped CAU to hold off Lane for the win.

Turner's double-double is her fifth consecutive double-digit scoring and rebounding game. She also had three assists. Naomi Holloway finished with 19 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals. Marissa Mandeldove had six points, eight assists, three rebounds and a steal, while Miller and Jonae Lee both added six points.

Lane was led by Rickera Martin and her 13 points.

"I'm happy that we won, but I'm not happy with the way we won," said CAU head coach Yolanda Moore. "We again did not do a good job of blocking out and rebounding. We didn't follow the game plan in terms of what we wanted to do on defense. Offensively, we kind of shut down and got away from what we wanted to do there as well. We kind of got discombulated a little bit. I'm just concerned moving forward. As we get deeper into the conference, those kinds of mistakes we just can't afford to make."

The Lady Panthers are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 6 when they host Lemoyne-Owen College at 2 p.m. in L.S. Epps Gymnasium.

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CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Donaldson Leads Five in Double Figures As CAU Defeats Lane for Eighth Straight Win

ATLANTA, GEORGIA -- Austin Donaldson's 17 points led by five players in double figures as the Clark Atlanta University Panthers won their eighth straight game, 81-54 over Lane College Thursday night in L.S. Epps Gymnasium.

The Panthers are now 13-1 this season, 7-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Lane falls to 3-5 in conference play, 4-8 overall.

In a game the Panthers mostly led by double-figures, Donaldson scored 14 of his points in the second half in which the Panthers opened up a 35-23 halftime lead that grew to as much as 30 points late in the game.

The Panthers only allowed Lane to hit 29 percent of their shots and out-rebounded the Dragons and forced 24 turnovers that resulted in 25 points.

Donaldson led the CAU starting five with 17 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a blocked shot, while Jamal Pollydore had ten points. But the CAU bench, which accounted for 39 points, had three in double figures: Shelvick Henry (16 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal), Jalen Mitchell (12 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal), and Michael Vigilance (11 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal).

"I thought Austin was great," said CAU head coach Darrell Walker. "He made a lot of shots that needed to be made. I thought Shel was great off the bench, even though he was hurt. Our bench really won the game for us. Jalen and Shel, those guys could easily be starters for me, but I prefer them to come off the bench for us and give us that lift. That's a lot of points off the bench.

"It's a win," he said. "But I didn't particularly like the way that we played. I thought we could have executed a lot better offensively. I thought that we could have played with a little bit more passion. I'm little disappointed in that, but overall, we got a win."

The Panthers are back on action Saturday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m. when they host Lemoyne-Owen College in L.S. Epps Gymnasium.


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CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Fields and Stokes Lead Claflin Lady Panthers over Miles

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Ashley Fields and Jhanice Stokes scored 12 points each as Claflin University defeated Miles 52-45 in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) women's basketball game Thursday at the Tullis Arena.

With the hard-fought win, Claflin is now 9-7 overall and 6-2 in the SIAC.

Stokes, who posted her fourth double-double of the season, also led the Lady Panthers on the boards with 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Joy Okeke contributed seven points and nine rebounds for Claflin, while Zakera Chadmon had five assists and five steals.

Miles, 3-7 and 1-2, was led by Amoni Walker and Najla Shasid-Deen with eight points apiece.

In the contest, Claflin used a strong third quarter to erase a five-point halftime deficit (25-20) outscoring Miles 17-10 for a 37-35 lead.

Fields, who had seven points in the quarter, tied the contest at 31-31 with a free throw at the 4:36 mark. The Lady Bears tied the game at 34-34 with 1:08 left in the quarter, but Chadmon connected on a three-pointer 20 seconds later, giving the Lady Panthers a 37-34.

Claflin led 37-35 heading into the fourth quarter. In that quarter, the Lady Panthers preserved the win by outscoring the Lady Bears 15-10.

In the first quarter, Miles opened the game with six straight points, only to see Claflin returned the favor by scoring the next six for a 6-6 tie at the 4:06 mark. A layup by Katrice Jackson broke the tie, providing Miles the lead at 8-6.

The Lady Bears led 10-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter saw Miles produced its biggest lead of the first half at 20-14 with the aid of a 10-4 run over the first five minutes. The Lady Panthers pulled to within 25-20 at the intermission by scoring eight of the last 13 points in the quarter. Stokes scored four of the eight points for Claflin.

Claflin will continue its SIAC home stand Saturday (Jan. 6), taking on Tuskegee University at 1:30 p.m. The contest will be Community/Youth Day.

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CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY PANTHERS SPORTS INFORMATON

Lawton Leads 15-1 Claflin Past Miles in SIAC contest

AUSTIN LAWTON

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Austin Lawton scored season-high 22 points and 14 rebounds as Claflin University ran it win streak to 14 games, outscoring Miles College 97-91 in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) basketball game Thursday at Tullis Arena.

Claflin is 15-1 overall, third best start since the 2007-08 season where the Panthers won 18 of their first 19 games followed a 17-1 mark during the 2008-09 campaign. The 14-game consecutive win streak is three shy of a program best 17 straight during the 2007-08 season.

The Panthers also pushed their unbeaten streak against SIAC opponents this season to 8-0. The Panthers are 5-1 at home.

Lawson, who posted his third double-double of the season for Claflin, surpassed a season-best of 17 points and 12 rebounds against Kentucky State University. He also blocked four shots for the third time this season for a total of 30.

Three other Panthers hit the double-figure; Benjamin "Tre" Williams tallied 19 points and Tondric Johnson contributed 18 points off the bench, 15 coming in the second half. He also had six rebounds and three steals.

Jaleel Charles scored 10 points along with seven rebounds for Claflin, while Triston Thompson dished out game-high seven assists.

The 14 three-point baskets and 97 points scored are season-highs for the Panthers.

Sheldon Wright led Miles, now 2-10 and 1-4, with a game-high 27 points. Jeffrey Dockett added 20 points for the Bears.

In the second half, Claflin produced its biggest lead of the period at 76-63 with 10:04 left off a jumper by Tyler Thompson. The basket by Tyler Thompson saw the Panthers outscore the Bears 29-24 over that span.

Miles stayed close in the final 10 minutes, pulling within four points at 95-91 with six seconds left, but a pair of free throws by "Tre" Williams with five seconds remaining sealed the win for Claflin.

In the first half, Claflin jumped out to a 5-0 advantage and never relinquish the lead. It took the Panthers 4:30 minutes to build a double-digit lead at 16-4.

The Panthers held a double-figure lead on and off until the midway point where Miles pulled to within 28-19 on a tip-in from Carl Garcia. Over the next eight minutes, the Bears would continue to move closer to the Panthers, closing the gap to four, 40-36 with 1:48 left in the half. The Panthers gained some breathing room in the final 1:24 of the half with a 7-3 run for the 47-39 lead at the intermission.

Claflin will continue its three-game home stand Saturday (Jan. 6) against Tuskegee University at 3:30 p.m. The contest will be a part of Community/Youth Day.

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CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY PANTHERS SPORTS INFORMATION

Hall of Fame Induction set for 1967 Winston-Salem State team

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) has recently announced that the Winston-Salem State basketball team, which won the 1967 NCAA championship will be inducted into the John B. McLendon, Jr. Hall of Fame.

This team was coached by the late Clarence “Big House” Gaines and led by Hall of Famer Earl Monroe from John Bartram High School. Monroe guided the Rams to a 30-1 record that season defeating Southwestern Missouri State for the national title. WSSU became the first Black college to claim an NCAA championship.

Monroe averaged 41.5 points per game and was named NCAA Division II Player of the Year that season. He played for the NBA’s Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks during his professional basketball career.

The ceremony will be held at the 2018 John B. McLendon, Jr. Hall of Fame Breakfast on March 2 at 9 a.m at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. This ceremony will also take place during the CIAA basketball tournament.

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TSU Lady Tigers Fall to Gamecocks at Home

FINAL BOX | PHOTO GALLERY

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State University women’s basketball team fell to Jacksonville State, 75-56, Thursday night in the Gentry Center.

Tennessee State (2-10, 0-3 OVC) managed to cut a 20-point deficit down to just seven points but Jacksonville State (9-5, 3-0 OVC) closed the game with a, 13-1, run to pull away down the stretch.

Tia Wooten poured in 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double but she was the only Lady Tiger to reach double-figures.

Jacksonville State had four players score in double-digits led by Gretchen Morrison’s 17 points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• TSU Leaders
• Points: Tia Wooten- 28
• Rebounds: Tia Wooten - 11
• Assists: Maxine Beard and Asia Sims - 2
• Steals: Kaliya Griffin and Tia Wooten - 2

• TSU outrebounded JSU, 46-40.
• The Gamecocks held the advantage in bench points, 45-9.
• TSU shot 25.4 percent from the field and 18.2 percent from three-point range.
• The Lady Tigers shot an impressive 82.8 percent from the free-throw line.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite only making one field goal in the opening quarter, TSU only trailed 15-10 heading into the second frame.
• TSU’s struggles continued in the second period and the Lady Tigers were outscored 18-6 in the opening five minutes.
• A three-pointer by Andreana Wrister ended TSU’s scoring drought but by then the Lady Tigers were behind, 33-19.
• At the half, the score was 36-22, in favor of the Gamecocks.
• TSU used a timeout after falling behind by 20 with seven minutes left in the third.
• Buckets from Tia Wooten sparked a 10-3 run that cut the deficit down to 47-34.
• Jaden Wrightsell connected in the paint close the gap to 10 points with 7:29 remaining.
• TSU managed to cut it to single digits behind another three-point play from Wooten but JSU answered with a triple on its next possession to move ahead, 65-55.
• Jacksonville State outscored TSU 13-1 in the final 6:37 of the game to pull away.

GAME NOTES

• TSU shot 1-of-13 from the field in the first quarter, but finished 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
• TSU shot 25 percent from the field in the game (15-of-59).
• TSU finished 83 percent from the line (24-of-29).
• Jacksonville State now leads the series 17-16.
• Tia Wooten collected her third double-double of the season and her career with 28 points and 11 rebounds.

• Wooten entered the contest leading the OVC in scoring with 20.5 points/game.

QUOTES

Head Coach Jessica Kern

"This one was rough. This one was rough because every game there has been a silver lining kind of deal. And you do have those games where you stink up the place. And we stunk up the place today. We had a great practice, we had a great shoot around, and it did not carry over to the game. What will we not accept is a lack of discipline on both ends of the floor and across the board. I'm extremely disappointed in our will and want tonight." 

-Overview of the game

"Again, I continue to talk about her character. Tia is growing as a person if you watch us in the Kentucky State game to now. It's very difficult being an undersized post player. She's getting contact every time down the floor, and you have to every time as an undersized post player. You have to learn to play with that. I am very impressed that she's keeping her head. She had three fouls in the first half, and then we were able to keep her on the floor in the second half. Hands down, I have no problem saying it and I hope people take head. Tia Wooten should be a candidate for player of the year."

-On Tia Wooten

"Right. You can't have two's and give up three's. They shot 30 tonight. I keep saying this with teams, but we're exuding so much energy with a short roster. On one end, we're lacking on the other. We have to find a way to start games better. We scored a little bit better than we did the game prior, however we can't ask key players to do it on both ends at such a high level. We're going upstairs as staff right now. We'll be looking at film immediately, and the girls will be here bright and early in the morning. We're going to continue to do what we do. Our philosophy doesn't change. We're praying a light goes off against Tennessee Tech." 
-On cutting the lead to 10 in the second half

UP NEXT

• TSU continues OVC action on Saturday against Tennessee Tech. Game time is set for 2 p.m. in the Gentry Center.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Keith Miles starts Today as FAMU's deputy athletic director

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Keith Miles, who for 30 years was the voice of the Rattlers on the Rattlers Sports Radio Network, will step into a new role as Florida A&M's deputy athletic director under interim AD John Eason.

Miles, 59, will report directly to Eason, who was named interim AD in November. He starts on Friday.

"I think John is a very smart person," Miles said. "He is definitely looking at some of the issues. My role is going to be to assist him. I’m fully aware of what my role is going to be. He’s had some major wins already with hiring Willie Simmons and that was big."

Miles is a FAMU graduate. Three of his children and his father also graduated from FAMU, he said.

"I’ve had an interest in athletics, obviously, for a long time," Miles said.

CONTINUE READING

Grambling State Shakyla Hill Sets Historic NCAA and SWAC Record In Posting Quadruple-Double in Win Over Alabama State

Only Four Women players in NCAA Division I history has accomplished the quadruple-double feat.  Hill is the first HBCU player to achieve this standard.

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- It was a historic night on Wednesday at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center as Shakyla Hill etched her name into the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball record books.

Hill became the fourth player in NCAA Division I women's basketball history, and the first in 24 years, to record a quadruple-double as the Grambling State University women's basketball team rolled to a 93-71 victory over Alabama State.

Hill finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals and 10 assists to become the fourth women's basketball player to achieve that feat.

"She is very unselfish," Grambling State head coach Freddie Murray said. "She had to do a lot more last year because we didn't have a lot of pieces. Now she is surrounded by players who feed off what she gives us. To get a quadruple-double is just a testament to the hard work she puts in."

Hill, who only had four points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists at the half, finished the night 6-of-11 from the floor, with one 3-pointer and a pair of free throws. She had a triple double with two minutes remaining in the fourth and was sitting on eight assists, before picking up her ninth and 10th assist with under 10 seconds to complete the quadruple-double.

The last quadruple-double was by Sonja Tate of Arkansas State against Mississippi Valley State (Jan. 27, 1993) as she finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals. Veronica Pettry, of Loyola-Chicago registered 12 points, 10 rebounds, 22 assists and 11 steals for the first official quadruple-double (Jan. 14, 1989). Unofficially, Jackie Spenser, of Louisville, recorded 12 points, 12 boards, 14 assists and 10 steals against Cincinnati (Feb. 2, 1985).

SportsCenter‏Verified account @SportsCenter 12h12 hours ago

QUADRUPLE-DOUBLE for Grambling State’s Shakyla Hill! It’s the first quadruple-double in women’s D-1 in almost 25 years.

McKinney led Grambling State (5-8 overall, 2-0 SWAC) with 20 points, three rebounds and three assists. Jazmine Torian and Monisha Neal added 12 points each.

Keimeshia Walker and Ziara Doe paced Alabama State (2-11, 0-2) with 15 points, while Mya Milner tallied 12 points. Tatyana Calhoun recorded 10 points and four boards.

Turning Point
Grambling State led 21-18 after one quarter and outscored Alabama State in the second, 19-15, to take a 40-33 advantage into the break.

The Lady Tigers, who have struggled a bit in the third quarter this season, took control of the game by outscoring the Lady Hornets, 22-13, to take a 62-46 lead into the final quarter.

Alabama State could not recover from the huge deficit as Grambling State picked up its second consecutive victory.

Inside the Numbers
* Grambling State shot 33-of-70 (47.1 percent) from the floor and 16-of-22 (72.7 percent) from the free-throw line.
* Alabama State was 22-of-48 (45.8 percent) shooting and 25-of-34 (73.5 percent) from the charity stripe.
* The Lady Tigers tallied 34 rebounds, with 15 coming on the offensive end.
* The Lady Hornets finished with 35 rebounds, including 26 off the defensive glass.
* Grambling State registered 58 bench points, 37 points in the paint, 36 points off turnovers and 15 second-chance points.
* Alabama State tallied 33 bench points, 32 points in the paint, 17 points off turnovers and 10 second-chance points.
* The score was tied twice and there was just one lead change.

News and Notes
* Shakyla Hill came into the game ranked third in the country in steals and steals per game.
* Move over Jackie Spenser, Veronica Pettry and Sonja Tate as Shakyla Hill now joins a very elite club.
* The Lady Tigers have won two straight to begin the month of January.

Up Next
Grambling State returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 6 against rival Southern. Tip-off from Baton Rouge, La., is set for 3:30 p.m.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.


Grambling State 93
## Player GS FGM-FGA 3FGM-3FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF TOT PF TP A TO BLK STL MIN
5 HILL, Shakyla * 6-11 1-1 2-2 4-6 10 2 15 10 3 0 10 37
4 NEAL, Monisha * 3-12 1-4 5-6 1-4 5 4 12 4 3 1 4 35
12 COLEMAN, Justice * 3-7 0-1 0-1 2-0 2 0 6 1 2 0 0 14
33 GIDEON, Kailyn * 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 4
10 JEANS, Laneisha * 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 1 3 0 0 1 0 0 3
22 MCKINNEY, Deja 7-13 4-8 2-2 0-3 3 1 20 3 1 0 0 22
20 TORIAN, Jazmine 4-9 2-5 2-4 1-1 2 3 12 0 2 0 0 25
30 WILLIAMS, Alexus 4-5 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 4 9 0 1 0 0 16
13 BOYD, Jazmin 2-2 1-1 2-2 0-1 1 3 7 3 4 0 1 19
11 WILLIAMS, Ariel 1-6 1-3 2-4 2-0 2 3 5 3 0 0 1 19
23 TAYLOR, Darae 2-4 0-0 1-1 1-0 1 1 5 0 1 0 0 6
0 MACHADO, Alisicia 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
TM TEAM 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-4 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS - 33-70 11-24 16-22 15-19 34 24 93 24 18 1 17 200
TEAM TOTAL % 47.1 % 45.8 % 72.7 %
TEAM SUMMARY: FG 3FG FT
FIRST HALF 15-35 6-16 4-6
42.86 % 37.50 % 66.67 %
SECOND HALF 18-35 5-8 12-16
51.43 % 62.50 % 75.00 %
TECHNICAL FOULS:
(1) BOYD, Jazmin,(1) WILLIAMS, Alexus
POINTS IN THE PAINT:
37
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS:
36
SECOND CHANCE POINTS:
15
FAST BREAK POINTS:
15
BENCH POINTS:
58
SCORES TIED:
1 time(s)
LEAD CHANGED:
1 time(s)
LARGEST LEAD:
23 4th-08:27

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

TSU Men's Basketball Hosts Jacksonville State on Thursday Night

TENNESSEE STATE (5-8, 0-2 OVC)
vs. JACKSONVILLE STATE (11-4, 2-0 OVC)
Thursday, Jan. 4  |  7:30 p.m.
Gentry Center  |  Nashville, Tenn.

GAME NOTES: TENNESSEE STATE | JACKSONVILLE STATE
VIDEO: OVC Digital Network – John Freeman on the call
RADIO: 102.1 The Ville – Greg Pogue (play-by-play) and Albert Dawson (analysis) on the call
LIVE STATS: Statbroadcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter - @TSU_Tigers | @TSUTigersMBB | #BigBlueRising

OPENING TIP: Hosting a game at the Gentry Center for the first time since Dec. 2, the Tennessee State men’s basketball team welcomes defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Jacksonville State to Nashville for Thursday night’s game. TSU, one of the top defensive teams in the OVC, is third among conference teams in field goal percentage defense (42.7 percent) and fifth in scoring defense (68.2 ppg). The men’s game is the second half of a basketball doubleheader at the Gentry Center that begins with the women’s game at 5:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: TSU was handed a 77-65 loss at Southeast Missouri on Dec. 31 despite 17 points from Delano Spencer. The Tigers were down by two at the half, but an 18-0 run by SEMO in the second half broke the game open.



ABOUT JACKSONVILLE STATE: The reigning Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champion Gamecocks are 11-4 overall and 2-0 in OVC action. Jacksonville State’s high-powered offense leads the league in field goal percentage (49.0 percent) and is third in the OVC in scoring offense (77.1 ppg). JSU is coming off a five-game homestand that produced four wins.  

LAST SEASON VS. JACKSONVILLE STATE: Jacksonville State won both matchups last season. In the first meeting on Jan. 21 at the Gentry Center, Tahjere McCall led five Tigers in double figures with 19 points to go with nine assists in an 86-79 loss. The Feb. 11 matchup in Jacksonville - a 63-57 TSU loss - featured Wayne Martin scoring 18 points with Armani Chaney adding 15 for the Tigers.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Tennessee State holds a 17-13 record versus Jacksonville State in the all-time series, which began on Dec. 16, 1999. TSU swept the season series during the 2015-16 season before the Gamecocks swept both meetings in 2016-17.

UP NEXT: TSU hosts Tennessee Tech for a doubleheader at the Gentry Center. The women’s game is slated for 2 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 4 p.m.

OVC DIGITAL NETWORK BROADCAST

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS