Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Prairie View A&M Men's Tennis' Xavier Lawrence Selected to Participate In Davis Cup
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Xavier Lawrence of the Prairie View A&M men's tennis team recently won a tournament in his home country of Barbodos and has been selected to represent his country in the Davis Cup.
"This is a huge opportunity for Xavier," said PVAMU's head tennis coach Duane Williams. "As a tennis player pretty much everyone has the dream of playing professionally tennis. The Davis Cup as well as being an international competition it also includes many professional players. So through hard work and dedication Xavier has earned to opportunity to not only play for his country but to do so at the highest possible level."
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is contested annually between teams from competing countries in a knock-out format. It is described by the organizers as the "World Cup of Tennis", and the winners are referred to as the World Champion team. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Great Britain and the United States. By 2016, 135 nations entered teams into the competition.
The St. James native Lawrence made a strong case by capping the unofficial Davis Cup trials with a 6-4, 6-4 straight-sets victory over the more seasoned veteran Seanon Williams. Yet Lawrence's selection was even more straightforward, as the 19-year-old sophomore all but earned his spot by toppling both Adam Hornby (7-5, 4-6, 6-1) previously and Williams in successive matches en route to the Top 8 title.
Lawrence will be joining four others that make up the five-man squad. He will join world no.173 Darian King, seasoned veteran Haydn Lewis, Kaipo Marshall and Hampton University's Matthew Foster-Estwickat the opening-round Group I encounter.
This means the 15-year-old Marshall is set to become the youngest Bajan player to make a senior Davis Cup roster since now Prairie View A&M's head coach Duane Williams, which also did so as a 15-year-old back in 1995.
As such, Barbados will field one of its youngest teams to date, as the 20-year-old Foster-Estwick, Lawrence and Marshall are all under the age of 21.
"This achievement by Xavier is a testament to PVAMU's continued goal of developing student athletes," Williams said. "This shows that the entire athletics program including strength & conditioning and sports medicine are definitely developing high caliber athletes."
Barbados will begin play against Colombia at the National Tennis Centre on February 2 with both opening singles before concluding the tie the following day with doubles and the reverse singles.
"I am confident that Xavier will represent his country of Barbados and Prairie View A&M University to the best of his ability," said Williams.
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Hampton University Pirates Matthew Foster-Estwick Represents Barbados in Davis Cup
HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton University men's tennis sophomore Matthew Foster-Estwick was selected to be a member of the Barbados Davis Cup team that saw action this past weekend against Paraguay in Americas Group II Davis Cup action.
He didn't see action in the weekend that saw Barbados defeat Paraguay 3-2 to advance and face Guatemala on the weekend of April 7-9.
Foster-Estwick and his Hampton University teammates will open their spring schedule on February 19 at Delaware in a 4pm start.
For more information on Hampton University men's tennis, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-77-5906 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
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Alcorn Braves Releases 2018 Football Schedule
LORMAN, Mississippi -- With five home games at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium, the Alcorn State University football program released its 2018 schedule Wednesday.
The Braves will play seven SWAC games and four non-conference games for the second straight year.
Alcorn will kick-off the season on Saturday, Sept. 1 when it heads to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech from the ACC. It will be just the second-ever meeting between the two schools and a rematch of the 2015 season opener.
"I'm looking forward to the upcoming season. We start out against a very tough Georgia Tech team. We've played them before, and we'll be able to see where we're at early on," McNair said.
The Braves will play their home opener the following weekend on Sept. 8 when they host Louisiana College. In the only prior meeting, Alcorn came out on top 52-10 in 2014.
For the second straight season, the Braves will play Texas Southern in a non-conference game. Alcorn won last year's contest on the road 24-17 and will host the Tigers this year on Sept. 15. The Braves are 34-18-4 all-time against TSU and have won six years in a row.
Alcorn's first conference game will be played on Sept. 22 when it travels to Itta Bena to play Mississippi Valley State. The Braves shutout the Delta Devils 59-0 last season at home and have won five years in a row.
Alcorn will also play SWAC road games at Southern, Alabama A&M and Prairie View A&M. The Braves will host Alabama State, Grambling State and Jackson State.
"The seven game conference schedule is similar to last season, except with there not being a conference championship game this year it makes each regular season game that much more important," McNair said. "We can't take any weeks off and have to play every game like it's the championship."
Prior to the season finale vs. JSU, Alcorn will travel to New Mexico State for a non-conference game on Nov. 3. It will be just the second-ever meeting between the two programs and the first since 2008 when NMSU took a 45-10 decision.
Homecoming and game day themes for 2018 will be announced at a later date.
Fans can get their first peek of the team on Saturday, April 14 when the Braves host their annual Spring Game at 2 p.m.
Braves 2018 Schedule
Sept. 01 at Georgia Tech
Sept. 08 Louisiana College
Sept. 15 Texas Southern
Sept. 22 at Mississippi Valley State*
Sept. 29 at Southern*
Oct. 06 Alabama State*
Oct. 13 at Alabama A&M*
Oct. 20 Grambling State*
Oct. 27 at Prairie View A&M*
Nov. 03 at New Mexico State
Nov. 10 Bye Week
Nov. 17 Jackson State*
*SWAC Conference Game
BOLD: Home Game
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Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Gold Rush stymied on road for 2nd time in 3 days
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Jamahl Jackson and JaCarre Crockett led a second-half surge Monday that lifted Philander Smith to an 84-67 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 22 Xavier University of Louisiana.The Panthers (8-9, 3-2) closed with a 33-10 run (16-of-19 free throws) over the final 9:07, getting nine points from Jackson and eight from Crockett. They took the lead for good, 60-59, when Tyson Oliver made a pair of free throws with 6:31 remaining.
Jalen Davis scored a season-high-tying 21 points, Virgil Davison 13 and Jeff Dixon 10 for the Gold Rush (14-6, 3-2). The XULA men dropped their second decision in three days after winning eight in a row.
Philander Smith trailed 31-17 in the 17th minute and 33-28 at halftime. But the Panthers roared back with the help of 6-of-8 3-pointers and 22-of-27 free throws in the second half.
Dejalin Austin scored 22 points — he made 5-of-8 3-pointers — and Chris Journet 12 for Philander Smith, which is 7-1 at home this season. Jackson and Ernest Maize scored 11 points apiece, and Justin Small had 10. Maize grabbed 10 rebounds to record his second straight double-double, and Marquis Browder had five steals.
XULA outshot Philander Smith 46.9 to 35.9 percent from the floor but committed 30 fouls, three technical fouls and a season-worst 28 turnovers. The Gold Rush committed 17 turnovers in the first half.
The Panthers' victory denied XULA a share of first place in the GCAC with Talladega, which was idle. Talladega leads the conference at 4-1, followed by Tougaloo at 3-1 and XULA and Philander Smith in a third-place tie, half a game ahead of fifth-place Dillard at 2-2.
The Gold Rush will play non-conference city rival Loyola (10-7) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at XULA's Convocation Center. It will be XULA's first home game since Dec. 18. The Gold Rush won 75-70 at Loyola Dec. 16.
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Nuggets lose luster in second half at Philander Smith
The Gold Nuggets (7-10, 0-5 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) got 17 points, a career high, and nine rebounds from DeDe Martinez. Gina Smith recorded her second straight double-double, 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Maya Trench had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.\
Terralynn Dominick and Princess Cole scored 18 points apiece for the Lady Panthers (11-7, 4-1), who took sole possession of first place in the GCAC, and Honchea Thornton had 12.
XULA led 34-28 at halftime after shooting 44.8 percent from the floor, then shot 17.9 percent in the second half and was outscored 41-21 in that period.
XULA matched its longest losing streak of the last 15 seasons. The Gold Nuggets also lost five in a row in November 2002 and November 2016.
The Gold Nuggets will play city and GCAC rival SUNO at 5:30 p.m. next Monday at XULA's Convocation Center. It will be the Nuggets' first home game since Dec. 18.
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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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UAPB keeps SWAC hot streak going with close win at Houston
HOUSTON, Texas — University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff head men’s basketball coach George Ivory knew it was just a matter of time before junior guard Martaveous McKnight would come up big for the Golden Lions.“We knew he would come through for us,” Ivory said after the Golden Lions’ dramatic 74-72 victory Monday night at the HP&E Arena in Houston. “He’s played so hard for two weeks.”
With the Golden Lions trailing by three points with 2.8 seconds remaining, McKnight hit a 3-pointer, got fouled and fell to the floor.
Before McKnight could step to the free throw line, Texas Southern head coach Mike Davis argued the foul call, drawing a technical foul.
Ivory said his heart dropped “a little bit” after McKnight missed the first free throw, but he was still confident in the 6-foot-3 guard, who calmly converted the next two for a 74-72 lead.
As soon as Texas Southern senior Lamont Walker’s desperation shot bounced off the rim, the first place Golden Lions (7-14, 7-0) extended their winning streak to seven games. They snapped three-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Texas Southern’s 26-game home conference winning streak.
UAPB also won at TSU (4-17, 5-3) for the first time this decade, after losing four games at TSU by six points or less since 2011.
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UAPB 2018 spring baseball season kicks off on Feb. 16 in NOLA
On February 20, the Golden Lions will travel to Kansas to face the University of Kansas at Hoglund Ball Park before the highly anticipated home opener and three-game series against the University of Tennessee at Martin on February 23, 24 and 25 at Torii Hunter Baseball Complex. UAPB will then head to Knoxville, Tennessee, to face the University of Tennessee at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on February 28 before returning home to open up Southwestern Athletic Conference play against Southern University in a three-game series which will begin on March 2.
Another SWAC three-game series at home, this time against Grambling, will start on March 9. UAPB will then play host to Valparaiso University on the following weekend for another three-game series at Tori Hunter Baseball Complex.
On March 20, the Golden Lions will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to face Texas Christian University at Charlie and Marie Lupton Baseball Stadium before heading to Texas Southern University for a three-game series at Macgregor Park in SWAC play. On March 28, UAPB will head to Conway, Arkansas, to face in-state opponent University of Central Arkansas at Bear Stadium before hosting UCA at home on April 10.
The Golden Lions will head back to Texas on April 17 to face Stephen F. Austin at Jaycees Field before heading to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor University at Baylor Ballpark on April 18.
On April 24, UAPB will host the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in a much anticipated in-state game before returning the favor in Little Rock on May 8 at Gary Hogan Field.
On May 16, the 2018 SWAC Baseball Tournament will begin at Pontchartrain Park in New Orleans.
Click here for a complete list of UAPB's spring baseball schedule.
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Head Coach Connell Maynor Unveils His Vision for Alabama A&M Football
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Head Coach Connell Maynor was introduced to the Alabama A&M media, fans and administrators on Monday during a press conference where he unveiled his vision for the Bulldogs football program.
Quotables from Press Conference
President Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr.
Opening statement:
"Good morning. It is certainly always a good day to be a Bulldog and to be here in Bulldog Country. It is delightful to see all of you here and thank you for coming and sharing this very historic announcement this morning as we transition into another phase here at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University."
"Whatever we do here, takes the cooperative effort of many persons. We certainly want to thank our alumni for their support. Our faculty, our staff and other supporters. I certainly want to thank the committee and let me start first by thanking our Athletic Director Mr. Hicks. Thank you for the leadership that you provide to our athletic programs.
"Let me recognize our search committee for the wonderful job you did in hiring for the athletic program and in this case, our football program. We certainly want to thank Coach Towns for coming back to your alma mater and helping in making the selection."
"We are very pleased and happy about the choice that has been made and we look forward to great things here at Alabama A&M University as we transition in the year 2018. I do want to make two special appeals while I stand here as it relates to 2018."
"First appeal, let's make this a record year in the support of athletics at Alabama A&M University and we do that by purchasing season tickets. We want this to be an historic year in athletics."
"Secondly, as we bring on a new coach, we also want to be sure that we have another addition to the Louis Crews Stadium. That is our new marketing effort, sometimes referred to as the scoreboard or jumbotron. We are moving, but we are not moving fast enough. We want to be sure that when Coach Maynor shows up for the first game in the fall of 2018, that the jumbotron is in place. So if you have not contributed or if you've not made a commitment, what better time to do it than today."
Alabama A&M Director of Athletic Bryan Hicks
Opening statement:
"The search is over and I want to thank the Committee for the work that they did. Coach Maynor is an outstanding coach and better human being. He is a leader of many and we found that he shared the vision that we had for Alabama A&M Athletics and our program as a whole. It is a good match and we are looking forward to the young men that he develops, the leadership that he brings to the program and obviously the victories as they come."
"We are going to win on the field and we are going to win off the field. That is his commitment."
Alabama A&M Head Coach Connell Maynor
Opening Statement:
"First of all, I would like to thank my personal Savior, Jesus Christ, with Him I can do all things and that is one reason that I am standing here today. That's one of the reasons that I've been married 22 short years to the same woman. I have a daughter that is 17 years old and she's going to North Carolina A&T next year and has a 1150 SAT and a 4.3 GPA."
"I want to thank Dr. Hugine for his support and his efforts in getting me hired and Mr. Hicks and the great job that he has done. Mr. Wims and his committee for doing a great job in bringing me to Alabama A&M, on "the hill" and I can't wait to run off of that hill come the first game."
"Like Dr. Hugine said, when I rub that bulldog, I want to look up at that big jumbo screen and see the team behind me. We have to get it done. We don't have any problems that money can't solve. If everybody buys in, we are going to turn this thing around and we are going to get it done fast."
"I want to get the community involved. Get out into the Boys and Girls Club and talk to the alumni and get opinions on what you think needs to be done and evaluate those, and I will do what is best for the football program. That's what I'm always going to do. What's best for the program at Alabama A&M. It's not about me or any individual. It's about this University."
On preparing the players to have a winners' mentality:
"It's going to start with discipline. We have to teach these guys how to win. We have to teach them how to be winners and that starts with commitment, effort, discipline, preparation and that's how you teach them how to be a winner. Once you do that, the wins and losses will take care of themselves. We are going to win on and off the football field. Off the field, it comes to walking across that stage and getting that piece of paper."
"We are going to teach these guys how to be fathers, leaders, role models and they will be held accountable with every single thing that they do."
On his philosophy and his role as a coach in achieving the necessary APR ratings:
"As it pertains to my philosophy, defensively we are going to be aggressive. We are going to play to the situation. If we are up, we are going to try to play a little bit softer. Run the pocket a little bit, and when we need to bring pressure, we are going to bring pressure."
"Offensively, we are going to play to our strengths. We aren't going to ask our kids to do anything that they can't do and we will have multiple sets that we will display to cater to the strengths of our team."
"APR wise, two years ago at Hampton university, we had the highest APR in the history of MEAC football. We will monitor study hall, check classes and I will be in direct dialogue with the academic advisor regarding those that are at risk, missing study hall and things of that nature. Like I said, they will be held accountable to everything that they do."
On the one factor that made you choose Alabama A&M:
"It was Alabama. Football country. The fans and the alumni are very knowledgeable and they want to win and that's what I want to do. Our goals are going to be very simple. Individually, every day, every drill we do, you go full speed so you can get better as an individual and when you do that, we will get better as a football team."
"Win our next football game, win the SWAC, Win Black College National Championship, and if we get to the playoff, we are going to win the National Championship. I played for the National Championship before, so I know how to get there. We are going to get back and this time, we are going to win it."
On his plans on building the team:
"We are going to build it from the ground up, that's how you do it. However, you have to have a couple of transfers and JUCOs to fill in a couple of spots that you may not have or you may need to spot them into, especially coming this late."
"We may not be able to sign as many high school guys and young men as we want to. We will evaluate the film and try to have another recruiting weekend this weekend. Look at those guys, invite them and hopefully we can get them up here to see the campus and see what we are about."
If we can sign 8-10, that would be great and that would be 8-10 guys that we like and that we think fits our system and what we want to do with the bulldog mentality. Also, we will try to get a couple of transfers and JUCOs guys."
BULLDOGS Football Coaching Staff 2018
Connell Maynor, Head Coach
Duane Taylor, Offensive Coordinator
Mark DeBastiani, Defensive Coordinator
Brian Jenkins, Receivers/Special Teams Coach
Keith Wagner, Offensive Line
Travis Pearson, Outside Linebackers & Safeties
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Alexys Long scores career-high 29 points in NSU's ninth straight victory
SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The Norfolk State women used a dominating fourth quarter Monday night to record their ninth straight victory.The Spartans, trailing by three after three quarters, outscored Savanna State 29-6 in the fourth to remain unbeaten in the MEAC with a 78-58 victory at Tiger Arena.
Alexys Long scored a career-high 29 points for Norfolk State (11-5, 4-0). She made 8 of 11 field-goal attempts, including 5 of 11 from the 3-point line, and hit all eight free throws. Gabrielle Swinson (15 points), Yazmen Hannah (13) and Raven Russell (10) also scored in double digits. Russell also collected a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Spartans, who trailed by 15 in the second quarter, entered the final 10 minutes down 52-49. They pulled ahead on Swinson’s layup and after the Tigers (2-15, 0-6) briefly reclaimed the lead, took over for good on a 3-pointer by Long.
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Monday, January 22, 2018
New Alabama A&M football coach Connell Maynor in recruiting crunch, envisions quick turnaround
The search is over! Alabama A&M University welcomes a new Head Football Coach.
— WJAB-FM (@WJAB_FM) January 22, 2018
Welcome to "The Hill" Coach Maynor!
"It's time for A&M to win championships on and off the field." - Coach Connell Maynor#AAMU #AAMUFootball #WJABTV #AAMUFrontPage @AAMUFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/f08KRfhXhl
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The search for Alabama A&M's next football coach is over, but the hunt for recruits is just beginning.
New Bulldogs head man Connell Maynor faces an immediate challenge. National Signing Day is Feb. 7, giving he and his staff precious little time to put together a 2018 class.
Maynor, 49, a former head coach at Hampton and Winston-Salem State, said during an introductory press conference this morning that he hopes to sign eight to 10 high school players. The Bulldogs staff will evaluate film of recruits today and tomorrow. Maynor told parents of prospects this past weekend that he will let them know by Wednesday if offers from the previous staff still stand.
"We're going to try to do it from the ground up," Maynor said of signing prep standouts, "but you've got to have a couple of transfers to fit into spots that we may not have, especially coming this late, where we might not get to sign as many high school guys as we normally do."
Maynor has a career record of 65-31 in eight seasons. He resigned from Hampton after going 6-5 last season and 20-25 overall in four years. His best season came in 2012 at Winston-Salem State as the Rams went 14-1 and reached the Division II national championship game.
Alabama A&M went 4-7 last season and hasn't enjoyed a winning record since 2012. Maynor feels that the Bulldogs can improve quickly.
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Three Southern University alumni make NBA referee history
DENVER, Colorado -- Three NBA referees made league history Sunday night, all because of their connection to Southern University.
According to ESPN reporter Marc J. Spears, for the first time in the history of the National Basketball Association, three referees who graduated from the same school worked a game together.
Referees C. J. Washington, Bennie Adams, and Courtney Kirkland are all graduates of Southern University. On Sunday night, the trio worked their first NBA game together when the Pheonix Suns took on the Nuggets in Denver.
In addition to being former Jaguars, Washington and Adams are also Louisiana natives. Washington is from Baton Rouge, while Adams is from New Orleans. Kirkland, however, is from Flint, MI.
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So here’s some positive referee news. For the first time three referees who graduated from the same school worked an NBA game together. C.J. Washington, Bennie Adams and Courtney Kirkland, graduates of Southern University, worked Suns at Nuggets on Sunday.
Rising star: Former Grambling State Tigers Track Star Darwin Price Jr. climbing boxing ranks at 13-0
HOUSTON, Texas -- Darwin Price Jr., known as “Pay The Price,” is ranked in the top 15 boxers in the United States.
The St. Louis native who now calls Houston home is unbeaten, with a perfect 13-0 record. Growing up, Price first got into boxing as a way to stay out of trouble.
“Growing up in certain neighborhoods, I got into some trouble hanging around the wrong people. It was just something I did to stay off the streets and stay focused,” Price said.
He then took a break from boxing to pursue a track career at Grambling State University where he was a seven-time MVP of the SWAC. Shortly after, the tragic death of his cousin Preston Freeman, who was also a boxer, prompted his return to the ring.
“He got gunned down inside a nightclub in St. Louis. So that made me come back and pursue my career in boxing to keep the legacy alive in the family,” Price said.
Now, Price trains at Nine Innovations, one of the top gyms in Houston, with trainer Dose Khan. Price explains that his workouts outside of the boxing ring are just as critical to his success.
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Sunday, January 21, 2018
XU Andrieu wins on opening day, but Jaguars prevail twice
MOBILE, Alabama — Pierre Andrieu earned the lone tennis victory Saturday for Xavier University of Louisiana as the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets dropped dual matches to South Alabama.The XULA men lost 6-1, and the women lost 7-0. It was first competition of 2018 for both XULA teams.
Andrieu, a sophomore and a returning letterman, defeated Collin Scheufler 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles. XULA dropped three-set matches at the top two flights — Catalin Fifea lost 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 to Loic Cloes at No. 1, and Samir Chikhaoui lost 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to Olivier Gingras.
In the women's dual, the closest matches were Yi Chen Pao's 6-1, 7-5 loss to Nikola Kohoutova at No. 4 singles amd Charlene Goreau and Manon Bonada's 6-3 loss to Yu Fujioka and Alina Zolotareva at No. 2 doubles.
It was the opener for the South Alabama men. The Jaguar women are 2-0.
South Alabama is a member of NCAA Division I, and XULA is a longtime NAIA power.
XULA's men will play dual matches at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. next Saturday at NCAA DI Louisiana-Lafayette. The following day (Jan. 28), both XULA teams will play their home opener at noon against city rival Loyola.
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd -- Jake Gaither: Agile, Mobile, Hostile
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- There are those times in life when you experience something that you can relate to or are inspired by. The last time I had that kind of reaction was watching the movie Hidden Figures. While watching the movie for the first time I found myself reacting emotionally to what Katherine Johnson must have felt as the only black person notably desegregating a crowded room.Yesterday I received a book in the mail, The Biography of Jake Gaither: Agile, Mobile, Hostile, by Roosevelt Wilson. I went to bed that night thinking I would read it the next day. I awoke around 3:00 AM and decided to watch Angelique Kerber beat Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open rather than go back to sleep. I unwrapped the book to peruse the pages and enjoyed it so much that I didn’t put it down until I had finished reading it hours later.
Jake Gaither knew who he was. He knew that he was just as good a coach as Bear Bryant, Eddie Robinson, or Ohio State’s Woody Hayes. He didn’t spend his life trying to ...
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Gold Rush win streak ends after late Dillard rally
NEW ORLEANS — Kristopher Allmon made two 3-pointers in the final 6 1/2 minutes Saturday, including a tiebreaking trey with 1:36 remaining, to rally Dillard to a 70-69 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at Dillard's Dent Hall.The Bleu Devils (11-8, 2-2) trailed 58-53 after Jalen David's basket for XULA with 6:50 remaining, then scored on seven consecutive possessions — including five second-chance points — to snap the eight-game win streak of the Gold Rush (14-5, 3-1).
Allmon's final 3-pointer gave Dillard a 70-67 lead with 1:36 remaining. Elex Carter's tip-in with 49 seconds remaining made it 70-69, but teammate Virgil Davison missed a 2-pointer from the left side as time expired.
Neither team led by more than three points in the final 5:16.
Leading XULA were Davison with 19 points, including 5-of-8 3-pointers, Jeff Dixon with 17 points and six assists, Jalen David wirh 15 points and Carter with three blocked shots.
Joshua Simmons had 17 points and 16 rebounds, and Quinton Jackson had 16 points and nine assists for Dillard. Allmon scored 13, and Jorori Coleman had 12.
All five Dillard starters — Allmon, Simmons, Jackson, Coleman and Patrick Thompson — played the entire second half. After trailing by 14 late in the first half and 32-24 at halftime, Dillard improved all three of its team shooting percentages in the second half. For the game the Bleu Devils outrebounded the Gold Rush 51-32.
"We didn't do a good job shooting free throws (6-of-14) and keeping Dillard off the offensive boards (17)," XULA coach Alfred Williams said. "I could talk about other factors, but those were the keys.
We had our chances."
Dillard outscored XULA 15-4 in second-chance points.
XULA led for more than 35 minutes. It never led again after Jackson's basket made it 65-64 at 3:13, but Carter tied the score twice thereafter — at 65 when he made 1-of-2 free throws at 2:56 and at 67 on a putback at 1:59. His basket followed four missed shots during that possession.
For the game XULA outshot Dillard 45 to 39.1 percent from the floor. The Bleu Devils made twice as many free throws, finishing at 12-of-24 after a 1-of-7 start. Both teams committed fewer than 10 turnovers, with XULA recording a season-low seven.
The victory was Dillard's fifth in a row against XULA and its longest win streak against its longtime GCAC and city rival since winning eight straight from 1998-2001. (XULA's longest streak in the series is 19.) The teams will meet again Feb. 17 — four days after Mardi Gras — at XULA's Convocation Center.
XULA dropped to second place in the GCAC, a half-game behind Talladega (13-6, 4-1), which won 59-45 at Edward Waters.
Next for the Gold Rush will be a fifth consecutive GCAC road game at 7:30 p.m. Monday against Philander Smith (7-8, 2-2) at Little Rock, Ark. The next Gold Rush home game will start at 7 p.m. Wednesday against city rival Loyola.
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Difficult first quarter dooms Nuggets at Dillard
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana fell behind by double digits in the first quarter Saturday and never caught up in a 63-53 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball loss at city rival Dillard.Taylor Jacob had career highs of 12 points and three made 3-pointers for the Gold Nuggets (7-9, 0-4), and she became the first XULA freshman in nine years to lead the Nuggets in scoring against the Lady Bleu Devils (14-3, 3-1). Mikayla Bates and Gina Smith scored 10 points apiece for XULA, and Smith grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds in her first double-double of the season and the second of her career.
XULA trailed 19-6 through one quarter after going 2-of-18 from the floor. The Gold Nuggets outscored Dillard, ranked 21st in the NAIA, in each of the next two quarters and got as close as 37-35 in the 26th minute. But Dillard led 43-38 by the end of the quarter, then opened the fourth with a 9-2 run. XULA never drew closer than six points in the final seven minutes.
Shaelynn Moore scored 15 points and Alyssa Washington 12 for Dillard, and Alexia McDonald and Jaiylan Brown added 10 apiece. Brown, a reserve freshman guard, scored all her points in the third quarter, including 3-of-3 3-pointers.
Dillard outshot XULA 42.9 to 27.9 percent from the floor. The Gold Nuggets outrebounded Dillard 43-40 and was plus-5 in turnovers, committing 11 and gaining 16.
The Gold Nuggets will board a bus early Sunday for
their fifth consecutive GCAC road game — 5:30 p.m. Monday against Philander Smith in Little Rock, Ark.
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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Five in a row: Southern's women blitz Alabama State's zone defense to extend winning streak
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- From Saturday’s opening tip in Southern’s 66-58 win against Alabama State, the Hornets shrunk into a 2-3 zone to dictate Southern's scoring opportunities.
The Hornets' plan was to limit layups and force the Jaguars to put it up from outside.
Southern, which was shooting 24.9 percent from 3-point territory going into the game, overcame the zone to improve to 7-9 and 6-1 against the Southwestern Athletic Conference while winning its season-high fifth straight game.
When it couldn't penetrate, Southern’s offense connected on 5 of 17 3-point tries. When it could, the Jaguars piled on 28 points in the paint, a third of their offensive production.
“The zone,” Southern star forward Briana Green said, “that’s something we’ve kind of been struggling with all season. I don’t think we did exceptionally well against the zone. I think we can (do) better.”
Alabama State (4-13, 2-4) sat in the compacted zone throughout Saturday, enticing long-distance shots and removing near-the-rim looks, which Southern prefers.
“We weren’t solid against the zone,” coach Sandy Pugh said. “We weren’t getting the ball to the high post. We weren’t very effective. I thought we were standing, very tentative against the zone.”
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Claflin falls to Morehouse in SIAC East showdown
ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Claflin University men’s basketball team saw their 16-game winning streak ended Saturday at the hands of Morehouse College, falling 86-75 in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) East Division basketball contest.The loss, Claflin’s first since losing to the University Montevallo 61-52 in the second game of the season, dropped the Panthers to 17-2 on the season. The road defeat also knocked Claflin out of a first-place tie in the division with Morehouse and Clarke Atlanta University at 10-1. Clark Atlanta defeated Benedict Saturday to remain undefeated.
Morehouse remains perfect on the season with the win, improving to 16-0 and 11-0 in the SIAC.
The Panthers will wrap up their two-game road trip Monday (Jan. 22) against Clark Atlanta at the L.S. Epps Gymnasium. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. and will follow the women’s game, which starts at 6 p.m.
Austin Lawton and Benjamin “Tre” Williams led Claflin in the losing effort with 14 points each. Lawton also had four rebounds and three blocked shots before fouling out in the second half.
Jaleel Charles, who had 10 points in the first half for the Panthers, finished the game with 12 points. Charles played only 14 minutes in the game as the result of four fouls.
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Golden's 24 Lifts Bethune-Cookman To 68-60 Win At DSU
DOVER, Delaware -- Angel Golden scored 15 of her 24 points in the fourth quarter as Bethune-Cookman downed Delaware State 68-60 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon.The junior from Tampa scored all but two of the Lady Wildcats' final 17 points as they remained unbeaten in league play (13-4 overall, 5-0 MEAC) while registering their 15th consecutive regular season conference game dating back to last season and 12th road league dating back to 2015.
Chasimmie Brown scored 13 of her 16 points in the second half, and Emily Williams finished with 14 points and six assists for Bethune-Cookman, who overcame shooting just 13.3 from the field in the first quarter and trailed by as many as seven in the second.
Bethune-Cookman took a 45-44 lead on Brown's lay-up with 1:06 remaining in the third quarter and pushed it to 47-44 on a Golden jumper with 26 seconds left.
Delaware State (2-17,1-5) closed to 47-46, but Brown and Golden combined for all nine points on a 9-0 run that gave the Lady Wildcats a 56-46 lead with 6:57 remaining . A Golden three-pointer made it 59-49 a minute later.
NaJai Pollard (28 points, 13 rebounds) brought Delaware State to 61-59 with 1:46 remaining, but Golden sank a three-pointer and two free throws to keep the Hornets at bay.
Briana Hardee had six points and five rebounds for the Lady Wildcats, while Lyndsey Edwards led the team with six rebounds.
Bethune-Cookman travels to Norfolk State next Saturday.
HEAD COACH VANESSA BLAIR-LEWIS
"In the second half, we finally woke up. We could have had that performance the whole game. We had the shots the whole game, we had another one of those slow starts that bother the coaching staff."
"If we have two halves like we did from Chas and Angel, we're in a much better position."
Chasimmie Brown
"I had to give myself a pep talk. I j
ust woke up"
Angel Golden
"Fourth quarter, I was trying to make every shot. You just have to keep shooting,"
NOTES: Golden was 3-3 from 3FG and 4-5 overall in the fourth quarter…Brown started the game 1-6 from the field, but was 4-7 in the second half….The Lady Wildcats were 14-20 from the FT line in the second compared to DSU's 6-11…This was Golden's fifth career 20-point game.
BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Hampton Lady Pirates Cruise at Savannah State 81-53
SAVANNAH, Georgia -- After a run of fourth-quarter comebacks the Hampton Lady Pirates made sure none was needed on Saturday.Senior Monnazjea Finney-Smith scored a team-high 19 points and set a school record with 13 steals as Hampton raced out to a 20-6 first quarter lead en route to an 81-53 win at Tiger Arena.
Finney-Smith broke the record of 11 that was shared by LaShondra Dixon-Gordon in 2003 and Karen Drewry in 1988. Hampton recorded 30 steals in the game whic equals the second most in a game by a NCAA Division I team this season.
Hampton scored the first nine points of the game as a Mikayla Sayle layup put them up 9-0 with 6:35 left in the first. The Lady Pirates closed the quarter scoring the last seven with a layup by Mahaley Holit giving Hampton a 20-6 lead after one.
The Lady Pirates recorded 37 points off turnovers and matched a season-high in points with the 81. They defeated San Jose State 81-73 in the Pacific Thanksgiving Tournament.
Finney-Smith broke the steals record with consecutive swipes early in the fourth quarter. Her 13th set up a triple by Holit with 6:40 left that gave Hampton a 69-40 advantage.
Ashley Bates had 16 points, while Mikayla Sayle recorded season highs in points (13) and rebounds (9), while K'lynn Willis was a stat-sheet stuffer with 10 points, six rebounds and season highs in assists and steals (7).
Hampton (7-9., 3-0) now goes to Orangeburg, SC to tangle with South Carolina State on Monday night at 5:30 pm.
For more information on Hampton University women's basketball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
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HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
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