Lincoln Lions Defeats Livingstone Blue Bears to Advance to CIAA Quarterfinals

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Women's Basketball Championship Tournament saw Lincoln (Pa.) University defeat the Blue Bears of Livingstone College 76-58, in the second game of the tournament at the Bojangles' Coliseum on Tuesday.

The Lions of Lincoln (Pa.) University, the No. 3 seed in the Northern Division, continued their impressive run in 2017-18 improving to 17-10 and will face No. 2 seed in the Southern Division, Johnson C. Smith, on Thursday at the Spectrum Center. Livingstone closes the book on their season at 6-21.

Shahra Madison (Chesapeake, Va./Norfolk Collegiate School (Chesapeake College)) led the Lions with 16 points (7-9 FG) and eight rebounds. Brianna Logan (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley (Siena)) added 13 points while Shecquan Bailey (Salisbury, Md./Snow Hill (Baltimore City C.C.)) chipped in ten points, five assists and five steals. DeeDee Irwin (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) had three three-pointers for nine points.

Taylor Perkins led Livingstone with 26 points and 13 rebounds. I'Keya Bland added 10 points.

Both teams had to shake off their CIAA Tournament jitters as Lincoln led Livingstone 10-9 after the opening 10 minutes of action in a cold shooting first quarter. The teams were a combined 6-34 (17.6%) from the floor.

The back-and-forth battle continued as Livingstone converted 4-4 from the charity stripe to take a 13-10 lead just a minute into the quarter. Lincoln battled back to take an 18-15 advantage following an Irwin three-pointer midway through the quarter.

The Blue Bears took the advantage back from the Lions on a Taylor Perkins jumper with 2:54 remaining. Livingstone would take a 27-25 lead into the break.

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Lincoln would take hold of the contest in the second half outscoring Livingstone 25-12 in the third quarter. The Lions used an 8-3 run to take the lead, 33-30, and never relinquish.

The Blue Bears attempted to chip away at the deficit but the Lions answered at every turn as Michelle Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md./Md. Academy of Tech & Health Science (N.C. A & T)) gave the Lions a double-figure lead into the final quarter, 50-39.

The Lions maintained their double-figure lead in the fourth quarter. Blue Bears' Taylor Perkins scored the final nine points for Livingstone but was not enough as Lincoln's lead was too large.

The game was a tale of two halves - shooting wise for the Lions, who made just 25.7% (9-35) of their shots in the first two quarters. Things turned around in the second half as the Lincoln shooters found their mark, making 58% (18-31) of their shots in the final two quarters. Lincoln also took advantage of 24 Blue Bear turnovers, scoring 32 points off them. Lincoln's bench also outscored the Livingstone bench 26-7.

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Bowie State oDefeat Shaw Lady Bears 56-47 in CIAA Tournament Opening Round

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Women's Basketball Championship Tournament tipped off Tuesday morning as Bowie State University and Shaw University squared off at the Bojangles Coliseum. Bowie State used strong second and third quarters and held off a Shaw rally in the fourth to come away with a 56-47 win.

The Bulldogs, the #4 seed in the North Division, improve to 18-8 and will face the #1 seed from the South division Fayetteville State on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at Bojangles Coliseum. Shaw concludes their season with a 6-23 record.

Senior Kyah Proctor (Capital Heights, Md.) scored 19 points while graduate student Sade Chatman (Minneapolis, Minn.) added ten to pace the Bulldogs offense. Redshirt junior Pere Alexander (Baltimore, Md.) added eight points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots. Senior Kiara Colston (Burtonsville, Md.) led the Bulldogs with five assists.

Lervencia Johnson (Many, La.) recorded a double-double for the Bears, scoring 12 points while grabbing ten rebounds. Emily Davis (Cleveland, Ohio) also had 12 points for the Lady Bears.

The two teams played a closely contested first quarter with neither team leading by more than one possession over the first six minutes. The Bulldogs used a 7-1 run to break a 9-9 tie and open a 16-10 lead with 1:31 to go before Johnson's jumper pulled Shaw within two 16-12 at the end of the period.

The Bulldogs scored four of the first six points in the second quarter to take a six-point lead before the Bears scored on two straight possessions to pull within two 20-18. Bowie State used a 7-2 run over the final 4:31 of the second quarter to open their biggest lead of the first half, 27-20. Chatman provided the first four points of the run and a three-point basket by senior Lisa Jing (Laurel, Md.) at the buzzer capped the run.

An 11-4 run by Bowie State over the first five minutes of the third quarter pushed the Bulldogs lead to double digits, 38-24 midway through the third quarter. Shaw countered with a 10-5 flourish to end the quarter to cut the lead back to single digits, 43-34.

Raquel Kellow (Conroe, Texas) opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to bring Shaw within six, 43-37. Alexander and Proctor answered with back to back three-pointers to again give Bowie a double-digit lead 49-37. The Lady Bears clawed back within seven, 54-47 with a 10-5 run with just 39.2 seconds left. Colston sank two free throws with 11 seconds left to provide the final points of the game and seal the 56-47 win for the Bulldogs.

The teams were relatively even shooting wise, with the Bulldogs having the slight advantage, making 19-of-57 shots (33.3 percent) to Shaw's 16-of-49 (32.7 percent). The Bulldogs were 13-of-16 at the free throw line (81.3 percent) while the Lady BearXs made 13-of-20 (65 percent). Bowie State also held a 39-36 rebounding edge.

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Coach Gilbert and Coach Blow Named CIAA Basketball Coaches of the Year

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), with its Men's and Women's Basketball Coaches Association and Sports Information Directors Association, announces the 2018 Men's & Women's Coaches of the Year. These outstanding coaches were formally recognized today during the annual Tip-Off Awards Luncheon.

After finishing No. 1 in the Northern Division, Coach AnnMarie Gilbert of Virginia Union University has earned her third consecutive Coach of the Year honor. This season Coach Gilbert has led her team to a 15-1 record in conference play while marking an overall record of 25-2. Coming into this year's tournament ranked No. 1 and being ranked No. 1 in the Atlantic Region, Coach Gilbert and her Lady Panthers are picked to be the top contenders for this year's tournament. Coach Gilbert is looking forward to a comeback the 2017 CIAA Tournament when her team was eliminted, yet went on to finish Runner-Up in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship. The Lady Panthers are set to play Wednesday, February 28, 2018 versus the winner between Saint Augustine's University and Chowan University. Tip-off is set for 2:20 PM in Charlotte, NC at Bojangles' Coliseum.

In his fourth season with Virginia State University, Coach Lonnnie Blow, Jr. has earned his third Coach of the Year honor. Coach Blow led his program to a 13-3 record in conference play and a 23-3 overall record this season. The Trojans have had some major victories this season including wins over Norfolk State University, Pitt-Johnson University, and Indiana (PA) University. Coming into this year's tournament ranked No. 1 and being ranked No. 2 in the Atlantic Region, Coach Blow and the Trojans are picked to be the top contenders in this year's tournament. The Trojans are set to play Wednesday, February 28, 2018 versus the winner between Saint Augustine's University and Chowan University. Tip-off is set for 6:40 PM in Charlotte, NC at Bojangles' Coliseum.

For more information regarding the 2018 CIAA Basketball Tournament, visit ciaatournament.org. Follow the CIAA on social media via Facebook (TheCIAA), Twitter (@CIAAForLife), Instagram (@CIAASports), or download the CIAA mobile app available for Apple and Android devices.

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CIAA Announces 2018 CIAA Rookies and Players of the Year

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), with its Men's and Women's Basketball Coaches Association and Sports Information Directors Association, announces the 2018 Women's and Men's Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. These outstanding student-athletes were formally recognized today during the annual Tip-Off Awards Luncheon.


Alexis Johnson, a senior forward from Virginia Union University, has been named Women's CIAA Player of the Year and Women's Defensive Player of the Year. Johnson is an offensive threat, ranked second in the conference in points per game and averaging seventeen points per game. She is currently fifth in the conference in field goal percentage, shooting 51.1 percent. This season alone she has recorded 80 blocks against opponents and she averages 9 rebounds per game.

Rookie guard, Shareka McNeill of Virginia Union has earned Women's Rookie of the Year honors. The Charlotte, NC native averages 12.7 points per game, while shooting 41.2 percent from the field. She also adds 42 steals, 54 assists, and 71 rebounds on the season.

Johnson C. Smith University's senior guard, Robert Davis III, has been named Men's CIAA Player of the Year. This season Davis has topped the conference in total points scored with 590. He carries his team with an impressive 21.9 points per game and he is leading the conference in free throw percentage with 88.2 percent.

Senior forward Quincy January of Saint Augustine's University has been named Men's Defensive Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. January has always produced impressive defensive numbers and this year is no different. He leads the conference in rebounds per game with eleven and his 264 rebounds on the season ranks him second among CIAA competitors. He also has 16 steals and 21 blocks for the season.

Rookie guard Zaccheus Hobbs has been a great addition for Elizabeth City State University and has earned the Men's Rookie of the Year honor. Hobbs has scored 327 points this season, averaging 12.6 points per game. He has also recorded 36 steals and 91 assists in his first CIAA season.

For more information regarding the 2018 CIAA Basketball Tournament, visit ciaatournament.org. Follow the CIAA on social media via Facebook (TheCIAA), Twitter (@CIAAForLife), Instagram NW(@CIAASports), or download the CIAA mobile app available for Apple and Android devices.

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Nuggets crush Lady Bulldogs for 6th straight GCAC win

NEW ORLEANS — Sophomore forward Gina Smith had career highs of 23 points and four blocked shots Saturday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 76-50 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Tougaloo.

Smith was 11-of-15 from the floor in 24 minutes and grabbed eight rebounds in the Gold Nuggets' sixth consecutive GCAC victory. Smith's previous point high was 14 as a freshman.

Mikayla Bates and Dasia Pitre scored 14 points apiece for XULA (13-11. 6-5). Bates and Maya Trench grabbed seven rebounds apiece, and Trench had eight assists.

Debraia Bell had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs (10-15, 4-7), and Melissa Creese had nine points and six assists.

XULA led the final 37 1/2 minutes and built its largest lead, 76-42, on Nicole Swift's basket with three minutes remaining.

The Gold Nuggets outshot the Lady Bulldogs 45.9 to 34.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 51-25. XULA had eight first-half blocks and 11 for the game, its most since blocking 11 at Lee (Tenn.) on Nov. 15, 2008.

XULA will close the regular season with a 5:30 p.m. Wednesday GCAC home game against Talladega, then play Friday in the GCAC Tournament first round at SUNO's The Castle.



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Gold Rush acquire a Berry good player from Cecilia

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball landed its first recruit for the 2018-19 season when Jevon Berry of Cecilia (La.) High School signed an athletics scholarship Thursday.

Berry is a 6-foot-3 guard/forward who is averaging 21 points, 10 rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals per game this season. Cecilia is the No. 21 seed in the LHSAA Class 4A playoffs and will visit No. 12 Salmen in the first round at 7 p.m. Friday in Slidell.

"Jevon is the best player in our district," Cecilia coach Scotty Borel said. "I love his versatility. He can play inside or outside depending on the opponent and play all five positions in high school. He can make shots from the outside or attack the basket. He's a great kid from a great family."

Berry as a junior was All-District 5-4A honorable mention. The 2017-18 all-district team has yet to be announced.

"He's a DI (NCAA) player," Borel said, "but it's a blessing to put Jevon in a great situation like Xavier. I coached your assistant coach, Tyrone Mitchell, when he played AAU ball a few years ago."
Cecilia is in St. Martin Parish and approximately 15 miles northeast of Lafayette.

XULA is 20-7 and ranked 22nd in the NAIA. It is the NAIA's 15th-winningest program all-time.

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Rush beat Bulldogs to set up title showdown Wednesday

NEW ORLEANS — Jeff Dixon had career highs of 25 points and 11 assists Saturday to lead NAIA No. 22 Xavier University of Louisiana in an 84-79 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Tougaloo.

Dixon, a junior point guard, did not commit a turnover in 34 minutes.

XULA will close its regular season with a 7:30 p.m. Wednesday home game against Talladega. The winner will earn a share of the GCAC regular-season championship with Dillard. The GCAC Tournament will begin Friday with three first-round men's games at Dillard's Dent Hall. Dillard has clinched the No. 1 seed for the tournament, and the XULA-Talladega winner will be the No. 2 seed.

Dillard has concluded its conference schedule at 9-3, and Talladega is tied for second with XULA at 8-3. Talladega began the day in sole possession of first place but lost 69-64 at Philander Smith while Dillard won 76-50 at Edward Waters.

There were seven ties and 10 lead changes in the second half. Dixon's basket with 3:58 remaining put the Gold Rush (21-7) ahead to stay at 76-74.

Rayshawn Mart and Jalen David scored 18 points apiece for XULA, and Virgil Davison had 16.
Denarius Odell scored 21 points, Tonzell Handy 19 and Dearius Griffin 10 for the Bulldogs (15-8, 6-5).

XULA led 46-40 at halftime after leading by 14.

Dixon became the first Gold Rush player to reach 20 points and 10 assists in the same game since Shaun Dumas had 30 and 12 against Tougaloo on Feb. 5, 2007, at The Barn. Dumas, now the boys basketball coach at Crescent City Christian School in Metairie, La., was in attendance Saturday.



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HU, Morgan State await ruling from MEAC over bizarre finish

HAMPTON, Virginia -- What is currently listed as a 57-38 win by Hampton University over Morgan State came to a bizarre and premature end Saturday night at the Convocation Center.

According to the play-by-play information from the box score, Bears coach Todd Bozeman and forward David Syfax were ejected with 13:33 remaining in the game. This followed a foul that had been called on the Pirates Eugene Marshall III.

Bozeman then took his team off the floor and refused to continue playing, according to reports from the game.

MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas said the conference will have an announcement this afternoon regarding the incident.

NCAA rules mandate that when a game never reaches the 10-minute mark of the second half, a forfeit is declared and the final score is recorded as 2-0. Under that scenario, Hampton (16-14, 11-4 MEAC) would get the win and Morgan State (10-17, 6-8) the loss. No statistics (points, rebounds, etc.) would count.

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UAPB snaps Grambling State's 11-game win streak

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- There's something to be said about having been there before.

Grambling State men's basketball team took the court inside the Fredrick Hobdy Assembly Center Saturday leading the SWAC standings, the first time in decades, and carrying the country's best mark in consecutive wins at 11 in a row, tied with perennial powerhouse Michigan State.

Basking in the national spotlight for the last five days, the Tigers couldn't maintain the momentum as Arkansas-Pine Bluff came into their arena and snapped their streak, 75-66.

"I told our guys, I felt like we getting too Hollywood," GSU men's basketball coach Donte Jackson said after the game. "It's been like an interview after interview. We just need for us to get back to focusing on playing basketball instead of focusing on the streak or worried about this or that. Let's get back to defending, let's get back to working hard, let's get back to making shots."

The situation wasn't anything Grambling (15-13, 11-4) hadn't seen before during their program-best winning streak. UAPB (11-18, 11-5) led the entire second half, by as many as 13 points, but the Tigers closed the gap to 68-64 after back-to-back 3's from senior guard Shirmane Thomas with 1:35 to go.

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TSU Lady Tigers topple Alabama A&M as Kennerson scores 1,500th career point

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Lady Tigers of Texas Southern University overwhelmed Alabama A&M in the fourth quarter Saturday to claim a 60-43 win on a historic night for the program and TSU guard Joyce Kennerson.

Kennerson, a junior from Port Arthur, Texas (Memorial) scored a game-high 31 points, and in doing so, became only the third women's basketball player in Texas Southern history to eclipse 1,500 points for her career.

Kennerson shot 9-of-17 from the floor Saturday, which included making two out of her four 3-point attempts; she was also 11-of-15 from the free throw line. She score 20 points in the first half, and added nine more in the fourth quarter as TSU outscored the Lady Bulldogs 21-4 in the final 10 minutes. Kennerson's 3-pointer 18 seconds into the fourth quarter put her at the 1,500-point mark.

The Lady Tigers' 21-4 fourth quarter burst open what had been a very close game between two of the top three defensive teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Lady Tigers (16-10, 11-4 SWAC) entered the game allowing the fewest points per game in the conference, while Alabama A&M ranked third in the league.

Natalie Collins and Ashlyn Dotson scored nine points apiece to lead Alabama A&M (10-16, 5-10 SWAC).

The Lady Tigers return to action Monday when they host Alabama State in the regular-season home finale. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

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Texas Southern routs Alabama A&M

HOUSTON, Texas -- Injuries and suspensions have challenged Texas Southern's efforts to repeat as Southwestern Athletic Conference champions throughout this season.

They lost a player of the year candidate before conference play even began, the team struggled without leading-scorer Demontrae Jefferson and most recently, center Trayvon Reed and forward Lamont Walker were suspended indefinitely last week.

The Tigers overcame those hurdles and a slow start to beat Alabama A&M 106-71 at H&PE Arena on Saturday.

"We haven't had our whole team all year long so this year has been a difficult year from that standpoint," coach Mike Davis said, "but we're trying to build a program and you can't have a program if everyone's not on the same page."

Texas Southern (9-19, 9-6 in Southwestern Athletic Conference) began to break away 11 minutes into the game. They built a nine-point lead with nine minutes left in the half and stretched it to 13 with six minutes to go.

Derrick Bruce and Donte Clark have helped power the team through its absences. Both scored in double-digits before the intermission. Bruce led the team with 21 points heading into the locker room and finished with 35. Clark added 21 points and 3 blocks.

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Jackson State Baseball Takes Two From Eastern Michigan

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The Jackson State baseball team improved to a 3-1 record on Saturday when the Tigers took two games from the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Braddy Field. JSU won the first game 5-3 and took the second game 8-6.

Game 1: Four home runs (Josh Crispin, Jesus Santana, Raul Hernandez and Stephan Vidal) powered JSU’s victory in game one. The Tigers started the scoring in the first inning. Robert Perteet and Crispin each doubled to get on base and scored to put the Tigers ahead 2-0. With Hernandez on base, Vidal hit JSU’s first homer on the day for JSU.

JSU used a three run second inning to try to pull away from Eastern Michigan. With Lamar Briggs on first base, Santana posted a two run homer. The next batter, Hernandez hit a solo homer making the score 7-0.

The Eagles got back into the game in the fourth inning. EMU scored four runs, which was sparked by Max Schuemann’s homerun.

The Tigers added an insurance run in the sixth when Crispin hit a homer. The Tigers finished with 12 hits and three errors. EMU scored its 6 runs on 12 hits.

Nick Galattas pitched 7.2 innings to pick up the win.

Game 2: Game two was a back and forth affair. Jackson State took the early lead, scoring four runs in the first. The Tigers added three more runs in the second. Making the score 7-0 early.

Eastern Michigan started to mount a comeback in the fourth, scoring four runs in that frame, to trim JKST’s lead the just three runs.

The Tigers added an insurance run in the sixth, to make the score 8-4. The 8 runs would be enough, as Jackson State was able to hold off a late charge, for the 8-6 win.

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Grambling State holds off FIU for road win

MIAMI, Florida --  A night after being shutout, the Grambling State University baseball team pounded out 11 hits and got a two-run homer by Chris Perez as the Tigers held off a late rally by FIU in picked up an 8-7 victory over the Panthers on Saturday night at FIU Baseball Stadium.

"It was a great team win," Grambling State head coach James Cooper said. "We almost completely emptied out our bench in both games, but the big key is that everyone has been ready before their name gets called to go in. That's been the major key in executing in ball games."

The Panthers (2-3) scored one run in the first inning, two in the second and one in the third to grab a 4-0 lead through three innings.

Grambling State (4-3) cut the margin to 4-2 when Perez belted a two-run homer in the fifth and tied the game at 4 with two runs in the sixth.

With one down in the inning, Trevin Bolden singled and scored when Ace Felder tripled. Felder came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Cameron Shannon, tying the game at 4.

FIU quickly responded with a run in the bottom half of the sixth and the Panthers kept the slim 5-4 lead until the eighth when the Tigers exploded for four runs on four hits and took advantage of an error.

With one out in the top of the eighth, Isaiah Torres doubled. Bolden drew a walk and Phil Adams, who pinch ran for Torres, advanced a base with a balk. Felder reached on a fielder's choice as Adams scored on an error. Shannon was intentionally walked to load the bases with the game tied at 5.

Perez reached on a fielder's choice as Bolden was out at home. Chris Campbell followed with the timely hit, a singled, plating Felder from third. D'Quan Matthews added a two-RBI single as Perez and Shannon scored to give Grambling State an 8-5 lead.

FIU responded with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, but Daniel Beizer came on in the ninth, working with a one-run game. The Panthers had two on and two out, but Beizer got Michael Harkcomswinging for the final out.

Inside the Numbers
· Grambling State finished with 11 hits and left nine on base.
· D'Quan Matthews, Ace Felder and Chris Campbell had two hits apiece, with Matthews driving in two runs.
· Marshawn Taylor, Isaiah Torres, Trevin Bolden, Cameron Shannon and Chris Perez (two RBIs) each had one hit.
· Anthony Hernandez started for the Tigers, but didn't figure in the decision. He went five innings and gave up four runs on five hits, with four walks and four strikeouts.
· Daniel Wilson, Christian Marquez (1-0) and Daniel Beizer pitched in relief.
· Christian Marquez worked one inning in relief and fanned two to get the win.
· Daniel Beizer picked up the save in two innings of work.
· FIU registered 11 hits and stranded 10 on base.
· Diandre Amion, Lorenzo Hampton, Derek Cartaya, Logan Allen and Jose Garcia each recorded two hits.
· Andres Nunez started on the hill for the Panthers and gave up two runs on four hits, fanned six and walked two in 4.1 innings.
· Steven Casey, Chandler Raiden (0-1), Andrew George and Everett Hurst pitched in relief.
 
News & Notes
· The Tigers are now 1-1 in road games.
· Grambling State has now won four out its last five games.
· The Tigers are now 3-2 in one-run games.
 
Up Next
Grambling State concludes its three-game series on Sunday against FIU. First pitch from FIU Baseball Stadium is set for 11 a.m.
 
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Alabama State split with Southern Saturday at Wheeler-Watkins

COURTESY: ALABAMA STATE ATHLETICS

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State split a non-conference doubleheader with Southern at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex, winning game one 12-6 before falling 7-3 in the nightcap.

Alabama State (5-3) had a pair of big innings in the opener, scoring five in the second and five more in the fifth. The Hornets started the scoring in the second inning when Joshua Dunson was hit by a pitch, pushing home Gustavo Rios for the 1-0 lead. The lead continued to grow when Joseph Estrada cleared the bases with a double down the left field line to extend the lead to 4-0, before Rios walked to drive in Estrada for the 5-0 lead through two.

The Hornets got back on the board again in the third on the third home run of the season for Ray Hernandez for a 6-0 lead, before he and Hunter Allen both homered in the five-run fifth inning. The Hornets added another run in the fifth inning when Dunson scored on passed ball for the 9-0 lead; before Noel Cheneau scored on an Estrada sacrifice fly. The scoring was completed in the fifth on a solo home run by Yamil Pagan for an 11-0 lead – the fourth for the Hornets on the day.

Southern was able to get on the board with four to trim the lead to 11-4, before Santiago Garcia scored on a wild pitch to push the margin to 12-4.

GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE

Darrius Wright (2-0) picked up the win with six innings of shut out baseball, allowing just two hits. He struck out eight and walked two in the victory. Chase Laney came on in relief to work three innings with one strikeout.

In the nightcap, Southern was able to jump out to an early 6-0 lead through the first four innings – scoring a pair of runs in the second and three in the fourth. Alabama State was able to answer with a run in the fifth on a Cheneau home run – his first collegiate home run and the fifth of the day for Alabama State. They were able to trim the lead to 6-3 with a pair of runs in the sixth when Cheneau recorded a two-run single.

Dalton Wilder (0-2) suffered the loss, working three innings and allowed five runs – three earned – off of seven hits with a career-high seven strikeouts. Ivanniel Vazquez pitched an inning in relief, while Terrell McCall came out of the bullpen to work five innings and allow one run off of five hits with strikeouts.

Hernandez led Alabama State in hitting, going 4-for-8 in the two games with four runs scored and a pair of runs batted in, while Cheneau finished with three hits and Rios a pair. Estrada led the way with four runs batted in.

Alabama State returns to action Sunday with a single game scheduled at 1 pm against Southern at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

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Bats come alive as FAMU Rattlers sweep Alcorn State Braves in double header

COURTESY: FAMU SPORTS INFORMATION

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  (Game 1) -- After a tough Friday night loss, the Rattlers looked to take game two of their four game series with Alcorn State University.

The Rattler bats came alive early in this one, putting up four runs in the 1st inning. After Jordan Curtis and John Capra each walked, Dallas Oliver drove in Curtis on a single up the middle. Octavien Moyer would follow up with his 2nd homerun of the season, driving in Capra and Oliver to make the score 4-0 FAMU after one inning of play. Oliver, who started the game on the mound for the Rattlers, would help his own cause again in the 2nd inning, driving in John Capra on a single to right field.

After two scoreless innings by FAMU starting pitcher Dallas Oliver, Alcorn State got on the board in the 3rd inning. Nicholas Hayes-Saltare, who reached on a single, scored on a groundout to the 2nd baseman by Wallas Rios Jimenez. Wilbert Malphus, who also reached base on a single, would then be driven in by an A.J. Makarewics double, making the score 5-2 FAMU after three innings of play.

The Braves would add two more runs in the 4th inning. Kyle Jenkins led off the inning with a single, and Brendly Martina later got hit by a pitch. Both runners would then score on a double to the left field wall by Nicholas Hayes-Saltare, making the score 5-4 FAMU.

Florida A&M 21, Alcorn State 4 (Game 1)

Florida A&M 11, Alcorn State 3 (Game 2)

The Rattlers answered with a huge 4th inning, scoring 12 runs on 7 hits. Kodi Russ led off the inning with a walk, followed by a Malachi Mitchell hit by pitch. Jordan Curtis would also walk, and John Capra capitalized with a double to left, scoring Russ and Mitchell. Jordan Curtis then scored on a bases loaded hit by pitch by Octavien Moyer, and Capra also scored on a bases loaded hit by pitch by Willis McDaniel. The Braves pitching struggles continued, as Dallas Oliver scored from 3rd on a wild pitch and Bret Maxwell drove in three more runs with a homerun to left field. After reaching on a double, Kodi Russ scored on a single by Malachi Mitchell, who would then score on a John Capra double down the left field line. Capra then scored on a single to right center by Dallas Oliver. Octavien Moyer drove in Oliver on a double before the inning finally came to an end.

FAMU did not let up, adding another run in the 5th inning, making the score 18-4. After reaching base on a walk, Eric Blanc advanced to 2nd base on a wild pitch. He then advanced to 3rd on a passed ball, and scored on a ground ball to shortstop by Malachi Mitchell. The Rattlers were still not done, tacking on another three runs in the 6th thanks to a solo homerun to left field by John Capra, a Bret Maxwell double that scored Willis McDaniel, and an RBI single by Javon Byrd.

Both coaches agreed to call the game going into the bottom of the 7th inning. Dallas Oliver earned his first win of the season, throwing 5 innings, giving up four earned runs while striking out five. William Walter threw two scoreless innings to wrap up the game.

Alcorn State starting pitcher George Osborne was handed his 2nd loss of the season, giving up seven earned runs through 3 innings. Joe Smith, Tyler Smith and Brandon Thomas combined to pitch the last 3 innings of the game for the Braves.

Game 2 – Coming off a big win, Florida A&M looked to sweep the Saturday double header against Alcorn State University.

The Rattlers picked up right where they left off, and John Capra stayed hot, hitting a home run in the 1st inning to give FAMU an early 1-0 lead.

Alcorn State answered in the 3rd inning with a two run homerun off the bat of Der’Vincent Hamilton, giving the Braves a 2-1 lead going into the bottom half.

This lead would not last a full inning, as Florida A&M quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the 3rd. After reaching base on a single to right, Cameron Johnson would later score on a sacrifice fly to left field by John Capra, tying the game at two. Dallas Oliver would then drive in Kaycee Reese on a single to right field. Octavien Moyer then kept the inning alive with a 2 out single, driving in Jordan Curtis and Dallas Oliver, making it a 5-2 game for the Rattlers.

Wilbert Malphus led off the Braves’ half of the 4th with a double, and would later score on a single by Wallas Rios Jimenez to shorten the Rattlers’ lead to 5-3.

FAMU blew the game open in the 5th inning. John Capra led off the inning with a single, and Dallas Oliver followed that up with a double to right center. Both runners would score on an error by the center fielder on a fly ball hit by Jacky Miles. Octavien Moyer would then single to drive in Brian Davis, who reached on a hit by pitch. Willis McDaniel tacked on another run, driving in Moyer on a single, making the score 9-3 in favor of the Rattlers.

FAMU would go on to make it an 11-3 ball game in the 6th inning, thanks to a single by Jacky Miles that scored John Capra. Brian Davis also scored on a wild pitch after reaching base on a double.

After coming in to pitch for Josh Wilson in the 3rd inning, Chandellor Benton got the win for the Rattlers, throwing 4.1 innings, giving up only one earned run.

Bukhari Brown got his first loss of the season for the Braves. Brown was replaced by Jose Fernandez in the 3rd inning. Fernandez threw 2.1 innings before Regynold Johnson entered the game in the 6th.

Florida A&M will look to win their 3rd straight game on Sunday, February 24th, at 12:00 PM at Moore-Kittles Field, as they will take on Alcorn State in the final game of their four game series.

Game 1 Play-By-Play
Game 2 Play-By-Play

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Rush, Nuggets win on road vs. ranked Mobile teams

MOBILE, Alabama — Xavier University of Louisiana scored a pair of tennis victories against ranked NAIA opponents Friday. The Gold Rush defeated the University of Mobile 6-3, and the Gold Nuggets beat the UM women 7-2.
     
It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Gold Rush (5-6), ranked second in the NAIA, and the first loss of the season for the Rams (4-1), who are 11th. The Gold Nuggets (4-7) are ranked 13th, and the Mobile women (2-3) are 12th.
     
It was a memorable XULA debut for Angela Charles-Alfred, who teamed with Mariia Borodii to rally for a 9-8 (7-4) victory against the ITA's fifth-ranked NAIA women's doubles team, Mariah Plauth and Sina Marchione. Charles-Alfred and Borodii, who are freshmen, trailed 7-4 in games before winning four in a row.     

Gabriel Niculescu clinched for the Gold Rush with a 6-3, 6-1 victory against Javier Ahumada. The XULA men have 15 consecutive dual-match victories against ranked NAIA teams not named Georgia Gwinnett. That streak began in 2016.
     
It was the first tennis matchups between Mobile and XULA since Mobile left the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in 2010 for the Southern States Athletic Conference.
     
The XULA men won for the third consecutive day. They shut out NCAA Division I opponents Nicholls State and Prairie View A&M the previous two days.
     
The Gold Nuggets' victory was their third of the season against a top-20 opponent. All occurred on the road.
     
Both XULA teams will be back on the road next Friday to play top-10 William Carey teams at 3 p.m. in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gold Rush tame Panthers for third consecutive victory

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana won four singles matches Thursday to earn a 4-0 men's tennis victory against Prairie View A&M.
     
The Gold Rush (4-6), ranked second in the NAIA, have won three straight, all in the last five days. The Panthers are 0-10.
     
"We started out with singles because we were pushed for time," XULA coach Alan Greensaid. "The guys came out ready to play and really took care of business. Things are getting better."
     
XULA's top four singles players — Catalin Fifea, Shaikh Abdullah, Samir Chikhaoui and Pierre Andrieu — won. Chris Anders, playing in his hometown, and Gabriel Niculescu were leading when Chikhaoui beat Kevin Ugarteche 6-3, 6-4 to clinch the dual.
     
Abdullah defeated Anirudh Yadav 6-3, 6-2; both are from Hyderabad, India. Fifea blanked Xavier Lawrence 6-0, 6-0, and Andrieu defeated Cesar Reyna 7-6 (7-4), 6-0.
     
It was the first time since 2003 — Green's first season as coach of the Rush and Gold Nuggets — that the XULA men defeated NCAA Division I opponents on consecutive days. The Gold Rush won 4-0 Wednesday at Nicholls State.
     
The XULA men and women will be back on the road Friday to play the University of Mobile at 3 p.m. in Mobile, Ala. The Mobile men are 4-0 and ranked 11th in the NAIA, and the women are 2-2 and ranked 12th. XULA's women are 3-7 and ranked 13th.

Results

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Delaware State fires men & women basketball coaches

DOVER, Delaware -- Delaware State University has announced that head men’s basketball coach Keith Walker and head women’s coach Barbara Burgess were relieved of their duties today after being informed their contracts will not be renewed for next season.

The Hornet men have a 3-25 overall record and 1-12 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with Walker at the helm this season. Since appointed as DSU head coach with 10 games left in the 2013-14 regular season, Walker posted a 43-96 record (27-44 MEAC) with the Hornets.

Keith Johnson, Delaware State Associate Men’s Head Coach, has been appointed as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2017-18 season.

The DSU women’s basketball team has a 5-21 overall record and 4-9 mark in MEAC contests under Burgess this season. She compiled a 17-69 record (12-33 MEAC) since appointed as head coach of the Lady Hornets prior to the 2015-16 season.

Assistant coach Kyle Adams will serve as DSU interim women’s basketball head coach for the rest of the 2017-18 campaign.

“We thank coach Walker and coach Burgess for their service to the University and wish them well in their future endeavors,” said Mary Hill, Delaware State Interim Director of Athletics.

The Delaware State women and men have three regular season games remaining before competing in the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Mar. 5-10 in Norfolk, Va.

The Hornet teams return to action on Saturday at Howard University in Washington, D.C. DSU’s women and men will also visit Maryland-Eastern Shore on Feb. 26 before wrapping up the regular season at home against Morgan State on Mar. 1.

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY ATLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Conference quarrel: Hampton claims MEAC is punishing Pirates for leaving for Big South

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton University’s road south has encountered an obstacle.

As the Pirates prepare to transition out of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and into the Big South Conference, a move HU announced in November, Hampton has encountered an issue with its soon-to-be former league.

Last week, The Onnidian Group – an HBCU-centric website, tweeted Hampton will not play any MEAC football games in 2018 or 2019. Citing sources, the tweet said HU was trying to fill its schedule from scratch.

Tuesday, Hampton responded to what it calls “inaccurate and misleading” reports it has opted out of playing MEAC football opponen
ts in 2018. HU claims the MEAC is going out of its way to punish the Pirates for leaving the conference.

News 3 reached MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas by phone Wednesday afternoon. When asked for the conference’s response to Hampton’s claims, Dr. Thomas said, “We have reviewed the document and will have the appropriate response in due time. Until then, we will refrain from making further comment.”

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How a long-downtrodden program now has college basketball's longest win streak

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- In a topsy-turvy season in college basketball when blue bloods are vulnerable, new blood is rising and chaos is the only certainty, there’s no greater symbol of the tumult than the owner of the sport’s longest active win streak.

It belongs to a program that hasn’t won a league title in more than a quarter century, hasn’t produced a winning season in more than a decade and hasn’t ever made the NCAA tournament.

The head coach is a man who has repeatedly been turned down for Division I assistant coaching jobs. The star player is a point guard who had to go across the country to find a program that didn’t think he was too short to be a difference maker. Together they’ve led long-downtrodden Grambling State to 11 consecutive victories, an achievement that for 48 hours stood alone until Michigan State matched it on Tuesday night.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Grambling State coach Donte’ Jackson told Yahoo Sports. “I don’t know how significant it is because there’s no trophy for a win streak, but it’s good notoriety for our program and it helps us a little bit with recruiting.”

Jackson learned Grambling State had college basketball’s longest win streak on Sunday evening when his phone buzzed as he was chatting with his wife and packing for a recruiting trip. A friend texted to inform him that the Tigers had ascended to the top spot because Vermont had just lost for the first time in more than two months.

Although Jackson didn’t hug his wife in celebration or call to congratulate his players, the first-year coach did take a moment to quietly reflect on the accomplishment. Any positive recognition is significant for a Grambling State program five years removed from a winless season and two years removed from a 11-126 stretch against Division I competition.

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Gold Rush shut out Division I Nicholls on the road

THIBODAUX, Louisiana  — Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis defeated NCAA Division I Nicholls State for the third straight season with a 4-0 victory Wednesday.
     
In the women's dual, Nicholls defeated XULA 4-0.
     
Samir Chikhaoui defeated Tobias Lentz 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 at No. 3 singles to clinch the Gold Rush's first-ever road shutout against a non-HBCU member of Division I. Catalin Fifea and Gabriel Niculescu clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 victory at No. 3 against Leo Santos and Alvaro Barranco Vilaltella.
    
 Chris Anders and Pierre Andrieu were first off the court with a 6-1 No. 2 doubles victory against Lewis Cox and Néstor Giribet Lopez. Catalin Fifea beat Oleksander Podgursky 6-2, 6-1 at No. 1 singles, Andrieu defeated Giribet Lopez 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 at No. 4.
     
The men were in a dogfight, but they hung in there and competed like a true team," XULA coach Alan Green said. "The match could have gone either way, so the final score does not indicate that. Our guys stepped up big at crunch time."
     
The Gold Rush, ranked second in the NAIA, are 3-6, and the Colonels are 2-2. It was XULA's second straight victory and first this season at an opponent's venue.
     
Changwei Wei clinched for the Nicholls women with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 5 singles against Farah Baklouti. The Gold Nuggets led in two halted matches — Baklouti and Julia Anglin led Wei and Anastasia Kuzevanova 5-4 on the third doubles court, and Charlene Goreau led Lingfeng Gu 6-2, 5-4 at No. 2 singles.
     
The Gold Nuggets, ranked 13th, are 3-7, and the Nicholls women are 4-1.
     
XULA's men will travel to Baton Rouge, La., to play Prairie View A&M in a neutral-site dual at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, and both XULA teams will travel to Alabama to face the University of Mobile at 3 p.m. Friday. The Thursday start time was pushed back 2 1/2 hours.

Results:  Men   •   Women

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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