Culver Column: FAMU got its coach, now give him time

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Let’s start with the obvious: Alex Wood is a good hire for Florida A&M’s next head coach.

Wood comes equipped with decades of coaching experience at the collegiate and NFL levels. He’s known as an offensive mastermind capable of getting the most of the personnel he has while implementing potent schemes.

Last season, as interim head coach at Buffalo, Wood went 2-2 and led a team that averaged 438.2 yards per game on offense. He was on staff for Miami teams that won the national title in 1989 and 1991 and has even coached the likes of NFL Pro-Bowler Daunte Culpepper.

He’s the proven winner with NFL experience and a strong vision that everyone who hangs out in the comments section of FAMU football stories has been clamoring for.

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VIDEO COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

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In CIAA, it's always hoops season

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- No offense to football, volleyball, track and field or baseball, but the CIAA revolves around basketball.

When the league kicks off basketball season with its preseason media day in October, attention turns to February and Charlotte, site of the postseason tournament. In Division II, the CIAA tournament is still the biggest dog on the block, rivaled only by the ACC and Big East in all the land regardless of division.

It’ll also be in Charlotte for at least six more years after the city, CIAA and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority reached an agreement in September.



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2014 The Sports Network FCS All-America Team

With position, player, school, class, height, weight:

First Team - Offense
QB - John Robertson, Villanova, Jr., 6-1, 221

RB - Marshaun Coprich, Illinois State, Jr., 5-9, 205; Gus Johnson, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 5-10, 224; Zach Zenner, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 220

FB - Seth Fisher, Richmond, Jr., 6-2, 232

WR - DeAndre Carter, Sacramento State, Sr., 5-10, 185; R.J. Harris, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-0, 201; Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington, So., 6-2, 195

TE - MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-3, 255

OL - Joe Haeg, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-6, 299; Mason Halter, Fordham, Sr., 6-8, 297; Chad Hamilton, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 6-3, 305; Max Holcombe, Jacksonville State, Sr., 6-3, 290; Collin Seibert, Eastern Illinois, Sr., 6-4, 290

AP - David Johnson, Northern Iowa, Sr., 6-1, 229

PK - John Lunsford, Liberty, PK, 6-1, 180

KR - Pokey Harris, Murray State, Sr., 5-10, 173

First Team - Defense

DL - Kyle Emanuel, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 251; Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State, Jr., 6-2, 295; Davis Tull, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-3, 240; Zack Wagenmann, Montana, Sr., 6-3, 250

LB - Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 5-10, 215; Don Cherry, Villanova, Jr., 6-1, 221; Nick Dzubnar, Cal Poly, Sr., 6-2, 250; Connor Underwood, Indiana State, Jr., 6-3, 240

DB - Jacob Hagen, Liberty, Sr., 6-3, 205; Donald Payne, Stetson, So., 6-0, 215; Christian Ricard, Stony Brook, Sr., 6-1, 205; Jaquiski Tartt, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 218

P - Kyle Loomis, Portland State, Sr., 6-2, 230

LS - Chris Highland, Illinois State, Sr., 6-2, 230

PR - Antonio Hamilton, South Carolina State, Jr., 6-0, 185

Second Team - Offense

QB - Vernon Adams Jr., Eastern Washington, Jr., 6-0, 200

RB - John Crockett, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 215; Chase Edmonds, Fordham, Fr., 5-9, 185; Tyler Varga, Yale, Jr., 5-11, 220

FB - Brandon Howe, Cal Poly, Sr., 6-2, 225

WR - Adam Drake, Eastern Illinois, Sr., 6-2, 199; Darrin Peterson, Liberty, Jr., 6-2, 190; Brian Wetzel, Fordham, Sr., 5-11, 190

TE - Harold Spears, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-4, 255

OL - Cole Caruthers, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-4, 292; Nick Easton, Harvard, Sr., 6-3, 300; Antoine Everett, McNeese State, Sr., 6-3, 325; Darren Pinnock, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 330; Jake Rodgers, Eastern Washington, Sr., 6-6, 315; Jack Rummells, Northern Iowa, Sr., 6-5, 300

AP - Johnta Hebert, Prairie View A&M, Jr., 5-10, 195

PK - Michael Schmadeke, Northern Iowa, Jr., 5-10, 181

KR - Devin Rahming, Duquesne, Sr., 5-11, 170

Second Team - Defense

DL - Jeff Covitz, Bryant, Sr., 6-2, 255; James Cowser, Southern Utah, Jr., 6-4; 244; Zack Hodges, Harvard, Sr., 6-3, 235; Alec May, Georgetown, Sr., 6-4, 255; Xavier Williams, Northern Iowa, Sr., 6-2, 309

LB - Tony Bell, UT Martin, Sr., 6-1, 200; Evan Byers, Bucknell, Sr., 6-0, 235; Isiah Corbett, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 6-3, 250; Lynden Trail, Norfolk State, Sr., 6-7, 250

DB - Colten Heagle, North Dakota State, Sr., 5-11, 206; Gordon Hill, Sacred Heart, Sr., 6-0, 220; De'Ante Saunders, Tennessee State, Sr., 5-11, 220; Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State, Sr., 6-0, 215

P - Ben LeCompte, North Dakota State, Jr., 5-10, 200

LS - Phil Faccone, Wagner, Sr., 5-9, 195

PR - Ladarius Vanlier, Tennessee Tech, Jr., 5-8, 175

Third Team - Offense

QB - Justin Arias, Idaho State, Sr., 6-1, 210

RB - Malcolm Cyrus, Alabama State, Sr., 5-10, 180; Khairi Dickson, Saint Francis, Jr., 6-0, 182; Connor Kacsor, Dayton, Sr., 6-0, 200; Dy'Shawn Mobley, Eastern Kentucky, Jr., 5-11, 217

FB - Andrew Bonnet, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-3, 250

WR - Chris King, Duquesne, Jr., 6-1, 196; Mark Roberts, Lamar, Sr., 6-3, 190; Jake Wieneke, South Dakota State, Fr., 6-4, 205

TE - Nick Boyle, Delaware, Sr., 6-6, 270

OL - Jermaine Barton, Illinois State, Sr., 6-7, 315; Mike Coccia, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-3, 301; Cornelius Edison, Portland State, Sr., 6-3, 295; Vince Kowalski, Villanova, Sr., 6-4, 298; Corey Levin, Chattanooga, So., 6-5, 285; Jaime Martinez, Sacred Heart, Sr., 6-4, 340

AP - Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T, So., 5-6, 172; Chandler Curtis, Mercer, Fr., 5-10, 186

PK - Ryan McCrum, Southeast Missouri, So., 6-0, 228

KR - Xavier Roberson, Southeastern Louisiana, Jr., 5-9, 180

Third Team - Defense

DL - P.J. Hall, Sam Houston State, Fr., 6-1, 270; Sage Harold, James Madison, Sr., 6-4, 245; Mike Reilly, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 265; Devaunte Sigler, Jacksonville State, Jr., 6-5, 292; Gary Wilkins, Furman, Sr., 6-3, 240; Jonathan Woodard, Central Arkansas, Jr., 6-6, 271

LB - Kourtney Berry, Alabama State, So., 6-0, 215; Christon Gill, Western Carolina, Sr., 6-0, 225; Jerome Howard, Prairie View A&M, Sr., 6-0, 216; Mike Zeuli, Princeton, Sr., 6-2, 230

DB - Imoan Claiborne, Northwestern State, Sr., 5-11, 187; Jarrett Dieudonne, Wagner, Sr., 6-1, 190; Matt Hermanson, Montana, Sr., 6-1, 198; Jermaine Hough, Jacksonville State, Jr., 5-10, 180; Tye Smith, Towson, Sr., 6-0, 170

P - Lachlan Edwards, Sam Houston State, Jr., 6-5, 214

LS - Shane Ballard, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 6-3, 210

PR - Michael Jones, North Carolina Central, So., 5-10, 180

In the FCS Huddle: Top 10 FCS stories of the year

EXCERPT:

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (SportsNetwork.com) --  North Dakota State football has been the story of the decade in the FCS, but in 2014 the Bison have had some sharing to do within their Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Illinois State earned a share of the Valley title alongside NDSU and, although both programs didn't meet in the regular season, they will square off in the FCS championship game on Jan. 10 in Frisco, Texas - the first time the two national finalists are members of the same FCS conference.

Here's a Top 10 countdown of a memorable 2014 across the FCS, dominated by you-know-what conference:

6. Grambling Revival - First-year coach Broderick Fobbs turned around the fortunes of Grambling State, his alma mater, a year after a turbulent season in which there was three different coaches in charge, the players staged a six- day walkout in protest of conditions in the program and refused to travel to a game at Jackson State - forcing the Southwestern Athletic Conference program into a forfeit - and the Tigers won only one game for a second consecutive season. Under Fobbs, the historically black national power won its first seven SWAC games and nearly reached the conference championship game in a 7-5 campaign.

2. Coaching Carousel - The head coaching changes for 2014 got a head start late last year and it wasn't pretty. An unsettling 28 of the 124 FCS programs - a whopping 22.6 percent - had new head coaches this season. The big successes included Fobbs (Grambling State), Klieman (North Dakota State), Greg Gattuso (Albany), John Grass (Jacksonville State), Everett Withers (James Madison), Lee Hull (Morgan State), Jody Sears (Sacramento State), K.C. Keeler (Sam Houston State) and Clint Conque (Central Arkansas). The big-name changes after this season included former Nebraska coach Bo Pelini stepping into a ready-to-go situation at Youngstown State, Brian Jenkins leaving Bethune-Cookman for Alabama State and Bob Stitt replacing the retiring Mick Delaney at Montana.

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Duquesne Dukes Returns to Action on Dec. 28 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore

DUQUESNE MEN'S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Game 10	Maryland Eastern Shore (6-8) at Duquesne (4-5)
Date | Time	Sunday, December 28, 2014 | 2:00 p.m. ET
Location	A.J. Palumbo Center (4,406) | Pittsburgh, Pa.
Game Notes	Complete Game Notes
Live Video	A-10 Digital Network (click "live events" tab)
Radio	ESPN 970 AM / iHeartRadio / 3WS HD2
Streaming Audio	Red Zone Media
Live Statistics	Gametracker
Live Statistics	StatBroadcast
Social Media	@ GoDuquesne
Tickets	call 412-232-DUKE (3853)

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- Duquesne leads the series 2-0 ... this is the first meeting since a 74-71 DU overtime win on Dec. 31, 2002 ... UMES, which finished 6-24 last year, is in its first season under Bobby Collins ... Collins came to UMES from Winston-Salem State where he led three of his last four teams to the NCAA Division II tournament.

UMES THIS YEAR
Maryland Eastern Shore, which opened the season with eight-straight games away from home, has won five of its past seven ... the Hawks, who have played 14 games, are 2-1 against the A-10 with a 106-66 loss at VCU (Nov. 20), a 72-66 win at Fordham (Nov. 29) and an 82-80 win at St. Bonaventure in their last game on Dec. 22 ... UMES had not defeated a current A-10 team in 45 years prior to the win at Fordham ... UMES, which went nearly four years without a non-conference road win, is 3-5 on the road, the Hawks ended the streak with a 53-41 win at Mount St. Mary's on Nov. 19 ... 10 days later, they won at Fordham ... this is the third of six more consecutive road games for UMES ... leading scorer, 6-9, 245-pound Michael Myers, has taken a page out of the Ovie Soko scoring book ... Myers (14.0 ppg.), who played junior college ball at Angelina (Tex.) JC, has gone to the line 114 times in 14 games (8.1 attempts per game) ... Soko, who is currently playing professionally in France, averaged a school record 9.6 FTA/g.last season for the Dukes.

UMES UPENDS BONNIES
Maryland Eastern Shore is coming off an impressive 82-80 win at St. Bonaventure on Dec. 22 ... the Hawks, who led by as many as 16 in the first half, shot 53.7 percent, including 10-of-17 from 3-point ... Michael Myers led five Hawks in double figures with 19 points ... Devin Martin (17 points) and Ryn Andino (12 points) hit four 3-pointers each for the Hawks ... Martin (4-7), Andino (4-6) and Devon Walker (2-4, 12 points) were the only three players to attempt a 3-pointer for UMES ... the 82 points were 10 more than UMES' previous season high (in a 72-66 road win over another Atlantic 10 school, Fordham, on Nov. 29).

LEFTOVERS FROM UMASS LOWELL
Leftovers from Duquesne's 79-63 win over UMass Lowell on Saturday, Dec. 20: Duquesne ended a four-game losing streak by shooting .518 from the field, including a Jim Ferry Era-best 12-of-20 (.600) from 3-point ... Micah Mason, who entered the game 6-of-26 from the arc in his four previous games (20 total pts.), hit all five of his 3-point attempts in scoring a team-high 17 points ... Derrick Colter, Jordan Robinson and Jordan Stevens added 10 points each ... Robinson's point total was a career high, as were Stevens' seven assists ... the Dukes assisted on 21 of 29 field goals ... Dominique McKoy, in his first start of the year, had a game high-tying six rebounds ... all 15 Dukes in uniform played ... DU led by 29 before emptying the bench ... the Dukes outscored the River Hawks 23-9 in fast break points and 36-12 in bench points ... DU went 7-of-11 from 3-point in jumping out to a 40-24 halftime lead ... DU outrebounded UML 37-27.

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Jenkins' B-CU departure leads top local college stories of 2014

COACH BRIAN JENKINS

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  --It had become a December routine.

Bethune-Cookman football coach Brian Jenkins, fresh off another wildly successful season, would interview with another school and then remain with the Wildcats.

But this year, Jenkins broke the routine and ended his five-year tenure at B-CU.

Jenkins' departure for Alabama State earlier this month leads the News-Journal's top 10 local college stories of 2014.

Departures, arrivals and returns highlight the list. In the same year the NAIA football championships arrived in Daytona Beach, Embry-Riddle announced it will be leaving that organization to compete on the NCAA Division II level.

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Howard's Terrence Tusan's motives a mystery

DENTON, Texas  -- A former coach and family friend of the Howard Bison running back who was one of two suspects fatally shot during an attempted robbery in Texas says Terrence Neal Tusan was a "good kid" and student.

Tusan, 22, was killed on Sunday at a Denton, Texas, apartment complex. Denton police say five people were involved in some sort of altercation during the home-invasion robbery.

"He was a good kid," Clarence Nevels, a former coach and mentor to Tusan, told the Denton Record-Chronicle. "He had good grades and was just down at AT&T Stadium for Thanksgiving Day Madness Youth Football speaking to students about believing in themselves."

Tusan, who was at home on holiday break from the Washington D.C., school, was killed along with 18-year-old Jakobi Dmon Gipson.

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Temple Men's Basketball Closes Out Non-Conference Slate Sunday vs. Delaware State

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania  --  Temple men's basketball wraps up the non-conference poriion of its schedule Sunday with a home game against Delaware State. It will be the first-ever meeting between the schools with tip time set for 5:00 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN3 and broadcast on 1210 AM WPHT.

Fans bringing new, unwrapped toys to game will receive $5 off the price of tickets.   Temple basketball players will deliver these toys to Shriner's Hospital for Children in early January.  

Fresh off an incredible upset of #10 Kansas, the Owls (8-4) will look to remain unbeaten at the Liacouras Center,  Temple is 5-0 in the building this season and 175-55 all-time.

A trio of guards tops the Cherry and White in scoring with senior Jesse Morgan leading the way with a 16.5 average.  JuniorQuenton DeCosey, who has scored in double figures in 11 straight games, is averaging 15.1 points per game while senior co-captain Will Cummings (14.8 ppg.) tops the team in assists (3.8 apg.).

Junior transfer Jaylen Bond (6.3 ppg.) leads the team in rebounding (6.6 rpg.) while junior Devontae Watson (2.3 rpg.) rounds out the starting five.

Delaware State (5-7) has lost three of its last four, including an 83-70 defeat at Oregon.  Senior center Kendall Gray (11.5 ppg,), who leads the MEAC with a 10.4 rebound average, did not make the trip to Oregon, and is listed as game-to-game due to suffering from an undisclosed illness. 

Senior guard Amere Gray leads DSU in scoring with a 19.1 average and is the reigning MEAC Player of the Week. Senior forward Tyshawn Bell also averages double figures with 11.5 points per game.

Delaware State has played all but two of its games on the road. The Hornets toppled Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, 72-65, on November 28 and also have wins at Penn (77-75, OT) and at Delaware (66-53).   

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Marquette Hosts Morgan State Sunday At 1 p.m. CT

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin -- The Marquette University men’s basketball team (7-4, 0-0 BIG EAST) wraps up its season-long five-game homestand Sunday, Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. CT when the squad hosts Morgan State (2-10, 0-0 MEAC) in non-conference action at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. FOX Sports 1 will feature MU’s 10th national television broadcast of the campaign, with John Sadak (play-by-play) and Dickey Simpkins (analyst) calling the action. Sunday’s action will also mark the conclusion of the non-league portion of the Golden Eagles’ 2014-15 campaign. Marquette opens BIG EAST Conference action Dec. 31 at DePaul.

TV Info: FOX Sports 1 | Radio Info: 540 ESPN

Marquette Game Notes  | Morgan State Game Notes 

BIG EAST Featured During New Year’s Marathon

The BIG EAST Conference will ring in the New Year with a full day of BIG EAST Basketball for the second annual New Year’s Eve Tip-Off Marathon on FOX Sports 1.

From noon until midnight, fans can watch the debut of the 2014-15 conference slate as all 10 teams battle it out for BIG EAST glory.

The schedule of games is St. John’s at Seton Hall (11 a.m. CT), Butler at Villanova (1:30 p.m. CT), Marquette at DePaul (4 p.m. CT), Creighton at Providence (6:30 p.m. CT) and Georgetown at Xavier (9 p.m. CT).

Marquette Has Had Success In Morgan State Series

The Golden Eagles have claimed each of the five all-time meetings with Morgan State, with the most recent matchup coming during the 2006-07 campaign (77-57, Dec. 22).

The two programs first met in the 1988-89 campaign and each of the outings have come in Milwaukee. Marquette is 27-0 all-time against programs currently in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

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Tennessee State Tigers Travel to UT Volunteers, Saturday

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State University men’s basketball team will travel to the University of Tennessee on Saturday for a game at Thomson Boling Arena at 7:30 p.m.

The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

The Tigers (2-10) will face the Volunteers (6-4) for the fourth time in their history. UT has won the previous three meetings. The last game between the two took place last season with TSU falling 88-67.

TSU lost 67-45 their last time out to Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders went on an 18-0 run to begin the game. The Tigers were able to quell the offensive onslaught for the remainder of play, but could not drum up their scoring efforts in response. At its smallest, the gap between the two teams was nine before ballooning to the final of 22.

On the other hand, Tennessee is coming off a 64-54 victory against Mercer. The Volunteers beat the Bears for the second time in a calendar year. Their first meeting was in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Josh Richardson heads up a three-pronged scoring attack with 16.3 points per game. Kevin Punter (10.1) and Armani Moore (10.0) are the other two Volunteers who average double-digit scoring.

TSU will look to counter with their double edged sword of Jay Harris and Marcus Roper. Both average 11 points per game and have been the go-to guys on offense for the Tigers.

The game will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Knoxville. For those who cannot make it to the game, it will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

Just three non-conference games remain on the Tigers’ schedule before the gauntlet of OVC play begins.

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After up-and-down career, Howard University Bison Greg McGhee eyes NFL future

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Howard quarterback Greg McGhee is an advocate of correct posture.

Down 26-13 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter of the season finale against rival Hampton, Howard returner Richard Aiyegoro muffed a punt. Hampton recovered. Knowing the turnover would likely cost Howard the game, Aiyegoro put his head down in anguish.

McGhee pulled Aiyegoro’s helmet back up.



“We’re going to get [the football] right back,” said, McGhee, who then relayed that message to other teammates, many of whom surrounded the quarterback with their heads down. “Keep the same energy and swagger we had the first kickoff.”

McGhee would be fully justified if he lowered his head as well. Since he played his last down of high school football, his pursuit of an NFL roster spot has suffered repeated setbacks.

However, whether the Bison rebounded to beat Hampton or were blown out in ...

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2014 FAMU Wind Symphony In Concert

Ram Ramblings: A lot to be thankful for on Christmas Eve

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Nobody really knows why folks take stock of their lives around the holidays but it's a tradition that continues.

That's why Christmas Eve is as good a time as any to be thankful for a lot of things. A healthy family is atop the list and my wife and I couldn't be prouder of our 11 and 9-year-old.
But as they get older it's apparent they are getting somewhat of an attitude but I guess that will be more of an issue when they become teenagers.

If you are a Winston-Salem State fan then 2015 should be a good year. From all indications the new chancellor (Elwood Robinson) will be engaging and is definitely a fan of athletics.

During football season Dr. Robinson wasn't shy about ...

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JCSU Golden Bulls up and down at break

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Johnson C. Smith can get off the see-saw for the holidays.

The Golden Bulls’ up-and-down season has produced a 6-6 record heading into January’s CIAA schedule, revealing a team that has yet to establish an identity.

“I thought we could be better. I think we have to remain at our growing edge and I thought there were times we did not do that, so we were not focused on growing and getting better. That’s what I’m still after – trying to get the team better and more mature. Hopefully, we’re getting some signs of consistency.”

JCSU hasn’t been able to sustain it during nonconference play, although the Golden Bulls have been competitive despite losing all-CIAA forward Emilio Parks for a month with a knee injury. The initial diagnosis suggested a ligament tear that would sideline him for the season, but a second revealed a less severe injury. He returned last week and scored 25 points in two games.

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GSU Coach Broderick Fobbs get state honors

PHOTO COURTESY: GRAMBLING STATE ATHLETICS

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Grambling State coach Broderick Fobbs and Louisiana Tech quarterback Cody Sokol are among the individual award winners on the 2014 All-Louisiana college football team announced by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Fobbs was an easy choice of the voters for the state's coach of the year after taking Grambling from a last-place finish and one win a year ago to competing for a division title. Grambling won seven games against SWAC opponents. Fobbs was the Southwestern Athletic COY and also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award.

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SCSU: After years dancing for crowds, Eddie Moe ‘dancing for Jesus’

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- When South Carolina State University’s Marching 101 gets new uniforms, on each shoulder will be an insignia in remembrance of the life and legacy of “Eddie Moe.”

Mourners filled St. Paul Baptist Church Tuesday to pay their final respects to Eddie Moore Jr. one of Orangeburg’s most beloved sons.

Across the nation he was known as Eddie Moe, but to family he was “Junior,” said Moore’s sister, Minister Virginia Berry White.

“Whatever Eddie Moe was to you, he was to us,” she said.



“There was something special about Eddie beside his disabilities,” she said. “He began to take shape into God’s purpose right before our eyes. He changed from Junior to Eddie Moe the celebrity and became the one God would use for such a time as this.”

White said her brother’s life makes for the ultimate Christmas story.

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SCSU: Service for ‘Eddie Moe,’ a simple man, fit for a king

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Upon leaving the homegoing service for Orangeburg’s Eddie “Eddie Moe” Moore Jr. Tuesday at St. Paul Baptist Church, a sobering thought came to mind. I had just witnessed a funeral for a simple man, but a service befitting a king.

“If we all could be so fortunate,” I thought. “What a way to be remembered?” Hundreds of people from near and far packed the sanctuary. A host of others viewed the service from an overflow location at the church.

Almost everyone who sang or spoke – including those who made reflections – remembered a simple man, who, although possessing no power, owning no college degrees, no great status in life, no riches, stood tall.


COURTESY: Donna Stevenson 

“He had personality,” said the Rev. Dr. Chauncey Priester during his eulogy. Indeed he had and so many of us benefited from that personality. Speaking from Luke Chapter 16, Priester recounted the parable of the rich man with power and a lavish lifestyle, and Lazarus, who had little or nothing but was favored by God. For you biblical scholars — and many of us — you know the story, and as Priester noted: “Will the Least Liked Become the Most Popular.”

Eddie Moe was extremely popular in his own quiet way. Whether standing near the corner of Magnolia and Chestnut streets daily waving to all that passed and displaying an infectious smile, or wowing the crowds at South Carolina State University sporting events, or leading the renown Marching 101 band in parades and on-field performances with his energetic dance routines, he demonstrated personality.

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PVAMU Knock Off C-USA North Texas 70-67 Behind Scott's 26-Point Effort

DENTON, Texas  --  Playing in his final regular season game in the Dallas area, senior Montrael Scott went out with a bang as he scored 26 points to lead Prairie View A&M to a 70-67 win over Conference USA's North Texas on Tuesday night.

Back-to-back treys by John Brisco early in the game turned a 7-6 PVAMU lead into a 13-6 lead and the Panthers remained ahead by seven (15-8) after Scott's jumper with 13:13 remaining. A 7-0 run by the Mean Green tied the game at 15-all until layups by Jaryn Johnson and Tre Hagood ended the run and gave PVAMU a 19-15 advantage.

North Texas, coming off a defeat over Creighton of the Big East this past weekend, turned the tables and went on a 15-4 surge over the next six-and-a-half minutes to move ahead 30-23 with 2:15 remaining. Junior guard Jacoby Green stopped the bleeding with a jumper at the 2:05 mark and the Panthers held ground as UNT claimed a 34-27 halftime advantage.

The Mean Green claimed their largest lead of the contest five minutes into the second half as they led PVAMU 44-33 after Deandre Harris' layup. A trey by Montrael Scott cut the deficit to single digits (44-36) but UNT went ahead by 11 once again after Harris' three-pointer.

Sensing the game slipping away, the Panthers turned up their intensity and Scott led the way as he scored 10 points during a seven-minute span which saw the Panthers reclaim the lead at the 7:05 mark after Karim York's jumper. UNT regained the lead but the Panthers kept on fighting as two free throws by York and a Scott layup swung the margin back in PVAMU's favor as they led 61-59 with 4:58 on the clock.

PVAMU's defense shut down the Mean Green from that point as they would only attempt seven shots over the final four minutes while the Panthers kept charging as they led 66-59 with three minutes remaining after York's trey and Tre Hagood's basket. The Mean Green closed to within 66-61 with 2:33 on the clock and a Panther turnover and missed layup led to a trey by UNT's Jordan Williams and PVAMU clinging to a 66-64 margin.

With the Mean Green on their heels, Scott missed a jumper but picked up a huge offensive rebound to eat more clock which led to a UNT foul and 1-of-2 free throws by Reggis Onwukamuche as PVAMU led 67-64 with 28 ticks left.

The Panther defense stepped up as Hagood logged a huge steal immediately following a UNT timeout which led to layup by York and a two-possession, 69-64 lead. However, UNT continued to be a thorn in the team's side as TJ Taylor's trey narrowed the deficit to 69-67 with eight seconds left. UNT fouled PVAMU's Jacoby Green with three seconds left but UNT still had a chance to tie as Green connected on 1-of-2 from the charity stripe.

UNT had one final chance to tie but Williams' three-pointer fell short as the Panthers picked up their first win over the Mean Green in series history.

Scott finished with 26 points and went 4-of-8 from the three-point line. Brisco followed with 11 points while Tre Hagood had another all-around performance with eight points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

The Panthers will enjoy their Christimas holiday and close out the year in style as their next game is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 30 in Hawai'i as they'll face Hawai'i.

BOX SCORE

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Howard University player one of two suspects killed during Denton robbery

Terrence Neal Tusan
Redshirt Junior RB
5' 6"/150 lbs.
Photo Courtesy: Howard U. Athletics

EULESS, Texas  --  A former Euless Trinity football star who was home from college for Christmas break was one of two suspects killed in a Denton home invasion robbery over the weekend, authorities said late Tuesday.

Terrence Neal Tusan, 22, who went on to play football for Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Jakobi Dmon Gipson, 18, both of Arlington, were fatally shot Sunday evening at the CastleRock at Denton apartment complex, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office.

The medical examiner listed the men’s deaths as homicides due to gunshot wounds.

Earlier Tuesday, Tusan’s mother, who said she had not heard from her son in two days, had reported him missing to Arlington police.

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Gold Rush's Wright is GCAC Player of the Week again

MORRIS WRIGHT

NEW ORLEANS — For the second time this season, Xavier University of Louisiana's Morris Wright is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball.

Wright — a 5-foot-10 junior guard from Zachary, La., and a former Zachary High School and Baton Rouge Community College standout — earned the honor for Dec. 15-21 after averaging 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals during the Gold Rush's 2-0 week. Wright scored 15 points, made 6-of-6 free throws and grabbed five rebounds in a 72-63 hone victory against Faulkner, then he had 22 points, five assists and a career-high-tying steals in a 92-82 overtime victory at NAIA No. 5 William Carey which snapped the Crusaders' 29-game home winning atreak.

Wright scored six points during a 10-0 run to begin overtime and helped Xavier's record its first road victory against a top-10 opponent in nearly seven years.

Xavier, 11-4 and ranked 22nd in NAIA Division I, will play NAIA No. 9 Concordia (Calif.) at 7 p.m. next Tuesday at XU's Convocation Center.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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