Walter Moore Cajuns Down SSU Women

Kymberli Stamps came off the bench to score 14 points but it was not enough as Savannah State fell to Louisiana Lafayette 69-42 at Earl K. Long Gym on December 23. SSU, which dropped their eighth straight game, fell to 2-9. The Cajuns, who improved to 3- 10, was led by Mercedes Johnson's 16 points. The Lady Tigers jumped out to a 8-4 lead after three minutes of action but it was shortlived as ULL finished the half with a 31-9 run. That stretch included runs of 7-0, 7-0 and 16-0. The Cajuns shot 57.7 percent from the floor in the first half while Savannah State struggled at 19.4 percent. SSU missed all eight 3-point attempts in the opening frame. A free throw by Courtney Long and a jumper from LaShara Smith pulled SSU to within 15 early in the second. Savannah State stayed within arms reach of ULL but a 11- 3 run by the home team increased their lead to 54-29 with 9:43 left. The Cajuns led by 30 with 2:26 left. The Cajuns out-rebounded SSU 45 to 30. Alisha Nelson added a game-high 10 rebounds for the Lady Tigers.

Irish Roll Past Savannah State

Luke Harangody hit 13-of- 14 free throw attempts to lead Notre Dame to a 81-49 victory over Savannah State at the Joyce Center on December 22. Harangody finished the game with 23 points as the eighth ranked Irish improved to 9-2. SSU, which falls to 0-5 on the road fell to 7-5 overall. Using their press, the Tigers limited Notre Dame to shot 34.3 percent from the floor in the first half. Savannah State trailed 19-13 with 8:22 left in the first half but the Irish exploded for a 13-2 run to go ahead by 17 with 2:58 on the clock. SSU closed within 13 but Ryan Ayers drilled a 3- pointer for the Irish with five seconds left to send Notre Dame with a 37-21 halftime advantage. The Tigers started the second period with a 6-2 spurt to get within 12 but Notre Dame answered with a 16-2 run to put the visitors away 55-29 with 12:16 on the clock. After SSU sliced their deficit to 24, seven unanswered points by the Irish saw their lead grow to 32 with just under five minutes remaining. In the second period, the crowd of 8,260 saw the Notre Dame reserves out-score the SSU bench players 23-2. Chris Linton led SSU with 14 points. Jovonni Shuler added nine as he hit a trio of 3-pointers. The Tigers were 8-of-8 from the free throw line while Notre Dame was 23-of-28.

Aycock Finalist For JCSU Job

Reports out of Charlotte, North Carolina have Savannah State graduate Steve Aycock as one of the finalists for the position of head football coach at Johnson C. Smith. The job became open when Daryl McNeill was fired in November after a 3-8 season. Other reported finalists are Shaw head football coach Darrell Asberry and former North Texas State assistant Ramon Flanagan. An All- SIAC center at SSU, Aycock has been an assistant coach at Johnson C. Smith for the past four years. He has also coach at SSU and Tennessee State.

SIAC Hires New Commissioner

The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Council of Presidents has announced the appointment of Gregory Moore as the new conference commissioner. Moore's appointment is effective January 19, 2009. He replaces George Mategakis who served as interim commissioner since William Lide was terminated in April. Moore holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from the College of New Jersey and a J.D. degree from the University of Oregon School of Law. He has been Legal Counsel/Government Relations Director for Essex County College while maintaining a law practice, The Moore Law Group, LLC in New Jersey, dealing with sports law and commercial transactions. He has also been Deputy Counsel for the New Jersey State Legislature and General Counsel for the Jersey Express Basketball Club where he played a key role in recruiting and hiring former NBA standout Darryl Dawkins, as head basketball coach.