McCall focused on ASU Braves, not JSU coaching job

JACKSON, Mississippi -- There's a chance Saturday's game against Alcorn State could be Jackson State interim coach Derrick McCall's last contest as the Tigers' head man.

There's also the chance it might not be.

McCall, who has aspirations of being a head coach permanently, realizes this but also knows it is out of his hands as JSU (3-7, 3-5 SWAC) prepares for the "Soul Bowl" against in-state rival and SWAC East champion Alcorn State (7-3, 6-2) at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“I think it’s any coach’s dream to become a head football coach. What an opportunity it would be for me to be sitting in this (seat) permanently, but I don’t control that of course," McCall said at his weekly press conference on Monday. “Only thing I can do is go out here and try to get these kids prepared to play and get them to play above themselves … that’s been my only focus up to this point. I haven’t really been thinking about anything beyond this last ball game.”

The Tigers enter this week fresh off two consecutive losses. The latest was a blowout defeat, 56-14, at the hands of Prairie View A&M, which dropped McCall's record to 2-3 since he's taken over.

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Week 12: Grambling State Takes Over Top Spot in HSRN FCS Football Poll

HARTLEY, Delaware – Grambling State University moved into the top spot following North Carolina A&T's loss to North Carolina Central last weekend. The Tigers, who were idle last weekend, moved up from the #2 spot they had claimed for several weeks.

First place votes were distributed between GSU, N.C. A&T and Bethune-Cookman, but Grambling State accumulated enough total points to take over the #1 position

Division I/FCS

A&T's loss caused some shuffling of positions with Alabama State returning to the top 10 thanks to their homecoming victory over SIAC Champion Miles College. Tennessee State dropped out of the top 10.

Division II/NAIA

Voting for this week's poll has been suspended until the end of the playoffs.

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Second half burst carries Coppin past Chestnut Hill

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Terry Harris led five players in double figures with his fourth consecutive double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds) to lead Coppin State to a 92-75 conquest of visiting Chestnut Hill College in a non-conference men's basketball game at the Physical Education Complex Monday night.

Through four games, Harris is averaging 18.0 points and 10.5 rebounds. He is tied for the national lead in double-doubles with Georgia Tech's Charles Mitchell and FIU's Adrian Diaz. They all have four double-doubles this season. Harris also entered Monday's game ranked 44th nationally in rebounding.

Junior Christian Kessee also scored 17 points for the Eagles, who raised their overall record to 2-2 by defeating their second consecutive opponent from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). Keith Shivers and James Sylvester added 13 points. Josh Treadwell reached double digits for the third straight game with 10 points.

Coppin State also discovered its touch from deep as it made a season-best nine 3-pointers.

While the offense was solid scoring 46 points in each half, Coppin State did its best work on the defensive end especially in the second half during a game-altering 25-4 blitz over an eight-minute stretch of the second half that gave the Eagles the separation they needed to subdue the feisty Griffins (1-3 overall).

"Coach was pretty upset with us at halftime because we had allowed 40 points," Harris said. "He challenged us and told us to pick up the intensity. We still have some room to grow as a team, but I think we can have a good season if we stay focused and continue to play smart."

Clinging to a 50-47 edge with 16 minutes remaining, Jerimyjah Batts started the burst with a follow-up basket and Trevon Seymore capped it with a deep 3-pointer that swelled Coppin State's bulge to 75-51.

During this brilliant stretch of hoops, Coppin State applied a tourniquet and locked Chestnut Hill up in a straitjacket. In 14 consecutive Chestnut Hill possessions, Coppin State forced eight turnovers and four missed shots during that eight-minute stretch of defensive dominance. At times it appeared as if Coppin State had seven players on the floor as Chestnut Hill was flummoxed trying to bring the ball up against the Eagles' incessant pressure.

"I think we are getting better defensively," Treadwell said. "Tonight everything started with our defense and we stepped up our pressure especially in the full-court. We were in the right spots which helped fuel our offense. It was good to defend like that for a sustained stretch of the second half because it shows our potential."

Chestnut Hill, which scored the first seven points of the contest, threw down four dunks and was led in scoring by Luke Dickson's 15 points. However, he scored four points over the final 33 minutes of the game. Shivers did a terrific job on the Griffins' leading scorer during the second half.

Coppin State finishes its three-game homestand with a contest against local rival Towson Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

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Morgan State Bears Withstand Late Push, Down Goldey-Beacom, 66-62

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Sophomore forward Phillip Carr recorded his first career double double with 14 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, hitting key free throws in the final 14 seconds, to help the Bears preserve a 66-62 home opener win against Division II Goldey-Beacom Monday night.

Andre Horne Jr. had 15 points and Tyler Streeter added 12 to improve the Bears record to 2-3. Freshman guard Martez Cameron posted a game-high six assists.

Goldey-Beacom (0-5) had three players that scored in double digits – Shakeem Wilson (13), Daniel Cooper and Elijah Tillman (10).

The Lightning shot 41 percent (25-61) from the field and hit 9-of-23 (.319 pct.) 3-pointers.

Morgan State led 63-50 following a pair of free throws by Carr with just over a minute remaining in the contest. However, the Lightning were not ready to throw in the towel. GBC mounted a 10-0 run punctuated by a 3-pointer and a steal by Jarrell Lane that led to a 3-pointer by Shakeem Wilson to trim the Bears lead to 63-60 with 14.8 seconds to go.

Carr was sent to the line in the final seconds where he connected on 3 of 4 free throws to seal the Bears to its second straight win.

The Bears finished the game shooting 20-of-28 from the free throw line and scored 19 points on second chance opportunities, and 20 pointsBO off of 17 GBC turnovers.

MSU led 33-28 in the first half.

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Daniel Scores 30 in Howard Win Over Texas Southern

LAS VEGAS, Nevada  --  James "J-Byrd" Daniel poured in a game-high 30 points, but it was the contributions of some unusual suspects that proved to be the difference as Howard University defeated Texas Southern University 87-81 in the Men Who Speak Up tournament at the MGM Grand. With the victory, the Bison advance to the championship round of the Middleweight Division against the University of Central Arkansas on Wednesday at 6 pm.

"This was a gritty, physical game that showed me that this team can deal with and win in adverse situations," said Howard head coach Kevin Nickelberry.

Daniel, the nation's leading scorer coming into the game at 28.7 per game, did his usual, tallying 18 of his points in the first half to give his team a 47-42 advantage at the half. His backcourt mate, James "JT" Miller, who was averaging 20 points per game, got into early foul trouble and was never a factor as he fouled out with 5 points.

So the Bison (2-2) needed someone to step up and boy did they get it from the junior trio of Damon Collins, Tyler Stone and Marcel Boyd.

Collins picked up the slack, tallying nine of his career-high 17 points in the first 20 minutes while Boyd chipped in with 8 of his 10 points as Howard led by as many as 13 before the Tigers (0-4) would make a run to narrow the gap at the intermission.

"Daniel really got us going early and gave us some confidence," said Nickelberry. "Collins and Boyd took it from there, Boyd inside and Collins from the outside

The Bison were able to maintain control early in the second half despite Daniel going scoreless for more than 10 minutes. That is when Stone and Solomon "Solo" Mangham began to make their presence felt. Stone scored all 10 of his points in the second half with 8 of 9 coming from the free throw line. He also grabbed six rebounds and blocked two shots in one of his more productive all-around performances.

Mangham, who finished with 8 points off the bench, knocked down a big three when Texas Southern got close and had actually taken the lead.

The Bison would close out the win as Daniel converted on 5 of 6 free throws and Boyd scored on a tip-in off an inbounds play with a second left on the shot clock.

"This was one of those games where we were in control early and found a way to win with major foul trouble, especially with Miller," noted Nickelberry. "We had a lot of guys step up in the second half and not allow us to lose this game. Tyler made some huge plays down the stretch on offense and defense including some big free throws."

It was also a team effort on the boards as Boyd led the way with 8 while Collins and Stone each had 6 and Kofi Andoh with 5 off the bench.

The Tigers were led by Malcolm Riley with 26, David Blanks with 17 and Jose Rodriguez and Orlando Coleman with 13 each.

GAME NOTES: There were a total of 57 fouls called and 76 free throws attempted…Daniel has now scored 30 or more points for the third time in four games…the talented junior, who came into the game, second in the country in steals, added three more to his stat line to go along with 3 assists in 37 minutes of play.

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North Alabama Hosts Tuskegee in Second Round of Playoffs

 UNA Head Football Coach Bobby Wallace and Tuskegee Head Coach Willie Slater
 prior to 2013 playoff meeting

FLORENCE, Alabama -- The University of North Alabama will host Tuskegee University Saturday (November 28) in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs at Braly Municipal Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11:30 AM Central Time.

Both teams bring 9-2 records into the contest, with UNA coming off a 50-7 home win over Newberry in the opening round of the playoffs and Tuskegee having downed Catawba 26-16 on the road.

It will be the second meeting in the playoffs between UNA and Tuskegee in the last three seasons. The Lions downed the Golden Tigers 30-27 in Florence in the opening round of the 2013 playoffs in Tuskegee's first-ever NCAA Playoff game. The win last weekend over Catawba was the first playoff win for the Tuskegee program in three tries.

North Alabama and Tuskegee have faced two common opponents this season in Miles College and UNC Pembroke. UNA defeated Miles 34-17 in its season opener in Birmingham and downed UNC Pembroke 62-28 on October 17. Tuskegee lost to both schools, falling 29-17 at UNC Pembroke and 26-23 at home against Miles.

The game features the two winningest collegiate football programs in the state of Alabama, by percentage, since 1990. UNA has a 222-86-1 record over the last 26 seasons for a 72.0 winning percentage. Tuskegee is 203-84-1 for a 70.6 percentage. Alabama is third at 69.7 and Auburn is fourth at 67.1.

North Alabama and Tuskegee are coached by two of the most successful coaches in Division II football history. UNA's Bobby Wallace has a 115-48-1 record in his 14 years at the school, leading the Lions to nine NCAA Playoff appearances and three NCAA Division II National Championships. He already holds membership in the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Division II Football Hall of Fame.

Tuskegee is coached by former UNA offensive coordinator Willie Slater who helped lead the Lions to their three NCAA Division II National Championships in the 1990s under Bobby Wallace. Slater was also an assistant on Wallace's staff at Temple. Slater was offensive coordinator at UNA from 1992-99. Slater has a stellar 90-23 record in his 10 seasons as Tuskegee's head coach. Tuskegee has won nine games in eight of Slater's 10 years at the school.



UNA is led offensively by senior quarterback Luke Wingo of Tuscaloosa who will be starting his 37th game for the Lions on Saturday. He has a 26-10 record as a starter and has led UNA to three straight GSC titles and three straight NCAA Playoff appearances. He has thrown for 2,958 yards and 25 touchdowns this season and now has 8,129 career passing yards with 60 TD passes. Wingo was named GSC Offensive Player of the Year in 2015 and is a candidate for the Harlon Hill Trophy as Division II National Player of the Year.

UNA averages 38.5 points and 485.4 yards per game this season on offense and boast one of the nation's top defenses against the pass, allowing just 155 yards through the air per game.

Tuskegee is led by a defense that has allowed just 15.8 points per game this season.The Golden Tigers have allowed just 23 touchdowns in 11 games this season. Quarterback Kevin Lacey has thrown for 1,683 yards and 13 touchdowns and a balanced rushing attack is led by Dennis Norfleet who has 616 yards and two scores.

UNA is 3-0 all-time against Tuskegee. The Lions downed the Golden Tigers 26-7 at Tuskegee in 1979, then defeated the Golden Tigers 25-13 the following year in Florence. The two schools met in the first round of the 2013 Division II Playoffs in Florence with UNA winning 30-27.

North Alabama has a 41-5-1 record all-time against teams from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. UNA's last loss to an SIAC team was 17-10 to Albany State in Albany in the 1996 season-opener. The Lions have a current seven-game winning streak against SIAC institutions.

Ticket Sales
UNA season ticket holders will have until Wednesday at noon to claim their same seats for the playoff game. All other tickets go on sale on Monday at 8 a.m. at the UNA Ticket Office. There will be no on-line sales until Wednesday at 1 p.m.. Tickets are $15 for bench-back reserved seats and prime bench area. Other seats are $10 each and student tickets are $5.

The UNA Ticket Office will be open Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and from 8-12 on Wednesday. The office will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving but will re-open Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.



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