For the Week of March 26 - April 1, 2013

BCSP Notes
Jackson State's Anderson retires, Wayne Brent named new hoops coach
(JACKSON, Miss.) Jackson State Director of Athletics Dr. Vivian L. Fuller announced last week that Tevester Anderson was retiring as the head men's basketball coach and by Monday the Tigers named a new coach. Wayne Brent, one of the most successful basketball coaches in the history of the Jackson Public School system, was named as Tigers seventh head coach during a press conference at the Jackson State University Sports Hall of Fame. Brent brings over 15 years of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels to JSU. He comes to Jackson State after leading Callaway High School to the 2013 Mississippi state championship. Brent possesses the rare combination of integrity, dedication and ability. He has achieved success in every area of his professional and personal life, gaining and retaining the respect of his players, colleagues and family. "Dr. Meyers (President) and Dr. Fuller (Director of Athletics), I owe you," said Brent at the press conference. "There are goals that I have for this program and when I dream, I dream big. Five years from now, I want this program to be in the NCAA Tournament." Brent comes to Jackson State after a highly successful tenure at the helm of the Callaway Chargers program. From 2007-08 through 201213, his teams have won five division championships and four state championships. Prior to taking the Callaway job, Brent was the head coach at Piney Woods High School. In three years at Piney Woods, Brent led the Tornadoes to a 72-16 record. In 2004, his first year at the school, the Tornadoes finished with a 31-6 record and earned a divisional title. Over the next two years, his teams went 20-6 (2005) and 21-4 (2006) with two additional divisional titles. From 1998-1999 through 2000-2001, he served as an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Mississippi. Prior to his Ole Miss assignment, he was the head coach at Provine High School. In his six seasons at Provine, Brent compiled a record of 116-65. The Rams had only one losing season under Brents direction, which also was his first losing season. In the final two seasons at Provine, the Rams won the state of Mississippi Class 5A title (1998) and finished ranked No. 25 in the final USA Today Boys High School Top 25 poll. Brent is a 1989 graduate of Northeast Louisiana University, where he played two seasons for the Indian basketball program in 1987-1988 and 1988-1989. Brent holds three degrees from Northeast Louisiana University, including a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (1989), a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance (1992) and a Master's of Education in Health and Human Performance (1992). Brent graduated from Provine High School in 1985 and also played three years of basketball for the Rams from 1982-1985. During his three playing years, Provine compiled a 66-28 record and won two city championships. Brent will start immediately at JSU. Anderson, who led the Tigers to an 11-18 overall record this season, finished his 10-year run at JSU with a 149-170 record.
Anderson New JSU hoops coach Wayne Brent Woodard Ruffin

NEW COACH, NEW PROGRAM

Paine Sports Photo

RUFFIN' IT: Paine names Gregory Ruffin as head coach of Lions' program set to restart in 2014 after 50-year hiatus.

NC A&T GETS ONLY NCAA WIN, OTHERS FALL; JACKSON STATE NAMES NEW HOOPS COACH

UNDER THE BANNER

WHO ARE THE BEST PERFORMERS IN BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS

During his tenure at JSU, Anderson led the Tigers to a SWAC Tournament Championship (2006-07), an NCAA Tournament appearance when the Tigers faced the Florida Gators in the opening round and a post-season NIT bid in 2010. "It has been a pleasure guiding the Jackson State men's basketball program," Anderson said. "I think Jackson State is one of the premiere athletic programs in the nation. I am grateful for having been able to come back to my home state and lead the Tigers." Anderson came to Jackson State from Murray State University, where he spent five seasons at the helm of the Racers' basketball program.

NCAA / NIT / WNIT / CIT / WBI TOURNAMENT GAME RECAPS

North Carolina A&T 73, Liberty 72 AKRON, OH Newly-crowned MEAC champion North Carolina A&T, led by 19 points off the bench from Jeremy Underwood, got its first-ever and head coach Cy Alexander's firstever NCAA Tournament win as they held off Big South Tournament champ Liberty in a first round game here last Tuesday. Underwood, a junior guard from Washington, D.C., made all six of his field goal attempts, including two from 3-point range, and was 5 of 6 from the line in leading the Aggie attack. Freshman forward Bruce Beckford scored 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and led the team with 9 rebounds. Juco transfer Lamont Middleton tallied 14 points including two big secondUNDERWOOD: A&T guard half 3-pointers. drives for two of his 19 Senior center Austin Witpoints in NCAA win over ter also hit two threes and had 8 Liberty, a first for the Agpoints, 6 rebounds and a team-high gies. 4 blocks. A&T (20-16) led 40-33 at the half and stretched that lead to 61-51 on a made 3 by Adrian Powell with 8:35 left. The Flames closed on a 21-10 run and had a chance at the buzzer but John Caleb Sanders' (21 points) length-of-the-court drive to the hoop was partially blocked by Witter. Davon Marshall led the Flames (15-21) with 22.

Claflin terminates both men's and women's hoops coaches

NCAA DIV. I MEN MIDWEST REGION - FIRST FOUR

Orangeburg, SC- Claflin has decided to move in a different direction in terms of leadership for both its men's and women's basketball programs. "I personally want to thank Coach Ron Woodard and Coach Tiffany Tucker for their contributions to the University as the men's and women's head coach, respectively. I wish them well in their future endeavors," commented Dr. Jerome Fitch, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, at Claflin. Tucker was hired at Claflin in April, 2010 following a stint as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Francis Marion University. Woodard just completed his ninth year at Claflin. He was named SIAC Coach of the Year in 2011. The University has named Terrence Jenkins and Dont'e McChester as interim head coaches for the men's and women's basketball programs respectively. The University will begin a national search for the men's and women's programs. "Our goal is to find coaches with the right fit for Claflin University and we will take deliberate speed to identify them," said Fitch.

State as the recruiting coordinator and running backs coach. Coach Ruffin came to JSU from Tuskegee where he served as running backs coach. Before his arrival at Tuskegee in 2005, Ruffin served one season (2004) as defensive assistant coach at Ouachita Baptist and he served one year (2002) as head football coach at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., where he resurrected the Shaw program after a 23-year hiatus, propelling the first-year program to a 7-3 record. Ruffin spent one year at Benedict College (2001) as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. During two seasons (1999-2000) at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO, he worked in four different capacities - offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach, strength and conditioning coach and recruiting coordinator. He served on the staff of his alma mater for one season (1998) as receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. During his career he has been a part of two different programs that have resurrected their football programs after lengthy absences (Lincoln in 1999 and Shaw University in 2002.

Tuskegee AD resigns, Prairie View AD steps down

Louisville 79, North Carolina A&T 48 LEXINGTON, KY Midwest top-seed Louisville (30-5) used its full-court press to force 27 North Carolina A&T turnovers and ran by the Aggies Thursday evening. Freshman forward Bruce Beckford was the only A&T player to score double figures finishing with 12. Lamont Middleton had 9 and Adrian Powell and Jean Louisme had 8. Louisville, also the tournament's overall top seed, shot a blistering 57% from Beckford defends Louisville the floor while forcing the Aggies (20-17) into a season-high turnover total scoring 34 points off those miscues. This year's Aggies under first-year coach Cy Alexander were the first to make the NCAA tournament in 18 years and produced the first winning season in 15 years. They were also the first to win a tournament game after nine tries. Their 20 wins were the most since the 1987-88 season. Gonzaga 64, Southern 58 SALT LAKE CITY, UT Sixteen-seed SWAC champion Southern threw a scare into West Region top seed Gonzaga (322) before succumbing late last Thursday. SWAC Tournament MVP Derick Beltran scored 21 points and his corner jumper with 3:47 to play pulled the Jaguars (23-10) into a 56-56 tie after trailing 34-31 at the break. But the Zags got three-pointers from Gary Bell, Jr. and Kevin Pangos over the final stretch while the Jags only got two free Beltran drives on Gonzaga throws from Beltran. Malcolm Miller had 9 for the Jags while Javan Mitchell, YonDarius Johnson and Brandon Moore had 7. Mitchell had three blocks and Moore had four as they tried to limit Gonzaga 6-11 all-America center Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk had 21 points, only four in the first half. Pangos had 16 and Bell 11.

MIDWEST REGION - SECOND ROUND

Augusta, GA - Paine College Director of Athletics Tim Duncan announced last week that Gregory A. Ruffin will be the head coach of the Lions' new football program slated to begin in 2014. "We are excited to have Coach Greg Ruffin as the first leader of the Paine College football team in over 50 years," said Duncan. "His tremendous experience includes being involved in two start-up programs and working at multiple Division I and Division II institutions. He has a contagious energy, his passion for football is evident and his track record as a recruiter is unmatched. Paine College and the CSRA Community are very fortunate to have Coach Ruffin as the leader of Augusta's football team." Ruffin comes to Paine from Texas Southern where he served as the recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach during the 2012 season. Prior to TSU, he served six seasons at Jackson

Paine names Ruffin as head coach of new football program

TUSKEGEE, Ala. Tuskegee University announced last week that Patrick Simon has stepped down as athletics director, effective immediately. Mr. Simon has cited the decision was made due to personal matters. Ayers and Associates, Inc. a national search firm, has been selected to assist the university with a public search for his successor. Men's Head Basketball Coach Leon Douglas will serve as the interim AD. He will work closely with the Executive Vice President and Provost, who serves as the NCAA-mandated Faculty Athletic Representative. Prairie View A&M President George C. Wright announced Wednesday that Fred Washington, who serves as vice president of auxiliary services as well as athletic director, will step down from the athletic director post to focus on auxiliary operations. He will remain a member of the University's executive staff.

DURHAM, N.C. Bowie State swept Virginia State 4-0 the second match between the two in the championship round of the CIAA Womens Bowling Championships Monday. The title is the second in four years for the Lady Bulldogs, who were seeded third in the tournament. BIRMINGHAM - The Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers came from behind twice to beat Alabama A&M to claim their second consecutive SWAC Bowling title. A trimmed version of the 6 1/2 marathon will be aired tape delayed on ESPNU on April 2 at 8:30 p.m. CT. CHESAPEAKE, Va. Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) defeated Hampton, 4-0, to win sixth MEAC Bowling Championship title on Sunday afternoon at AMF Lanes in Chesapeake, Va.

Bowie State, Prairie View, UMES win bowling titles

WEST REGION - SECOND ROUND

MORE TOURNAMENT GAME RECAPS

OKLAHOMA CITY REGION - FIRST ROUND Baylor 82, Prairie View 40

NCAA DIV. I WOMEN

WBI - FIRST ROUND

PHILADELPHIA, PA Howard senior Kara Smith notched a season-high 22 points but the Lady Bison could not get by the University of Pennsylvania last Thursday in the opening round of the 2013 Women's Basketball Invitational. Senior Cheyenne Curley-Payne pulled down a team-best 11 rebounds and handed out 10 assists to go with 8 points. All-time Howard and MEAC scoring leader Saadia Doyle struggled from the field finished 3 of 16 for nine points. Howard (20-12) shot 63 percent from the free-throw line (12-19), 53 percent from three-point range (8-15) and 38 percent the field (20-53).

WACO, TX Women's Player of the Year Brittney Griner had 33 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks and one dunk as the Oklahoma City Region top seed and defending national champion Baylor ran by SWAC champ Prairie View in a first round Women's NCAA Tournament game here. Prairie View top scorer Latia Williams scored just 10 points shooting 5 of 16 from the floor. Williams also had a team high nine rebounds. Gabrielle Scott came off the bench and sank 5 of 12 shots, 4 of 6 from long range, to lead the Lady Panthers (17-15) with 14 points. Baylor (32-1) led 42-22 at the half and got the Griner dunk while leading 49-26 early in the second half.

Penn 65, Howard 60

NIT REGION FOUR - FIRST ROUND

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Senior Rob Johnson led MEAC regular season champ Norfolk State with 19 points and 13 rebounds but the Spartans fell to Virginia on its home floor last Tuesday in Charlottesville in a first round NIT game. The Spartans hit a season-low 26.9 percent from the floor but never let Virginia get more than a 12-point lead at any point in the game. The loss finished NSU's season at 2112, the team's second-straight year with 20 or more wins. Juniors Pendarvis Williams and Malcolm Hawkins had 16 and 9 points respectively in the Spartans' first-ever NIT appearance.

Virginia 67, Norfolk State 56

Griner dunks; Williams watches

Duke 67, Hampton 51 DURHAM, N.C. ACC champ and Region No. 2 seed Duke ran out to a 15-point halftime lead and then withstood a second-half charge from MEAC champ Hampton to win at home in a first round Women's NCAA Tournament game. Behind MEAC regular season and tournament MVP Keiara Avant, Hampton (28-6) battled back from a 32-17 halftime deficit going on a 27-14 run to pull within 46-40 on her jumper with just over 10 minutes to play. But Duke (31-2) closed the game on a 21-8 run to pull away to the victory snapping the Lady Pirates' 19-game winning streak. Avant had an excellent game finishing with 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting, 3 of 3 from the line, 1 of 2 from long range and had 7 rebounds. The Lady Pirates (28-6) other three top scorers struggled from the field shooing a combined 8 of 44 (18.1%). Guard Olivia Allen was 5 of 18, three from long distance to finish with 15. Alyssa Bennett was 2 of 11 (6 points) and Nicole Hamilton canned just 1 of 15 shots (2 points). Senior center Ariel Phelps had 8 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
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AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XIX, No. 34

NCAA DIV. I WOMEN DURHAM REGION - FIRST ROUND

MANHATTAN, Kan. SWAC regular season champion Texas Southern started slow and never recovered in a loss to Kansas State last Thursday in the first round of the Womens National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) at Bramlage Coliseum. TSU (20-12) shot 27 percent and trailed 13-0 with 15:57 remaining in the first half. Gianne Fleming finished with a team high 15 points from 5-of-11 shooting. Te'era Williams followed with 14 points and tied a team high with Morgan Simmons with nine rebounds apiece. TSU was held without a field goal until the 12:16 mark of the first half and trailed 46-18 at the break. before K-State led by 36 points at the 6:28 mark in the second frame. James Madison 77, North Carolina A&T 64

Kansas State 72, Texas Southern 44

WNIT - FIRST ROUND

Johnson

WNIT - FIRST ROUND

Junior guard Amber Calvin scored 25 points including a career-high 7 3-pointers but the LadyAggies couldn't hold a late lead and fell at James Madison in a first round WNIT game last Thursday. The Lady Aggies (23-10) led 38-31 at the half and were up nine at 56-47 with 12:29 left in the game but a 10-0 JMU run put the Lady Dukes up 57-56. That run was part of a 46-26 second half scoring that sealed the win for JMU (23-10). Senior all-MEAC forwad Jacquayla Berry had 12 points in her last game.

GREENVILLE, N.C.- Miguel Paul made two free throws with 13 seconds left to lift East Carolina to a come from behind 66-65 victory over Savannah State in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament played at Minges Coliseum. Savannah State (19-15) led 45-30 with 14:05 remaining but the ECU whittled the deficit down and took a 64-63 lead with 47 seconds left after a 3-pointer by Paul. A layup by Rashad Hassan with 25 seconds on the clock gave SSU a 65-64 advantage. Hassan was fouled on the play but missed the free throw.. On the next ECU possession, Paul missed a layup but was fouled by Arnold Louis with 13 seconds on the clock. Paul made both free throws for the game winner. The Tigers were led by Devin Williams' 18 points and 4 assists. Louis added 15 points and Jyles Smith chipped in 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. SSU led by 7 at the half and held East Carolina to make 29.2 percent of their shots in the opening period.

East Carolina 66, Savannah State 65

CIT - FIRST ROUND