Hornets MEAC Tournament Preview

Well today is the day, its time for the Delaware State Men's and Women's basketball team to showcase their skills during the 2013 Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament here in the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. This morning at 11am the the ninth seed DSU lady hornets will play in the 1st round for the fourth straight year as they take on the number eight seed Bethune-Cookman.

In their 1st and only meeting of the season at Daytona Beach, Florida, the lady hornets blew a nine point lead but prevail in overtime 62-57 in overtime back on January 26 thanks to Jade Washington's game winning lay up with 34 seconds left and Taisha Bristow's four clutch free throws.

The lady hornets finished ninth in the MEAC at 6-10 in Tamika Louis' first year as Delaware State. She knows that her team will have their hands full especially after growing pains the Lady Hornets went through this season. Now the Lady Hornets will have dig deep in order to get to the quarter-finals to face Hampton with their best offense they can.

Think about it the lady hornets are ninth in the MEAC in scoring but their turnovers is hard to watch everytime they play  by averaging almost 21 turnovers a game.  Also their defense has been pretty rough this season finishing third to last in the MEAC in scoring defense. Ever heard of hands up defense? Tierra hawkins and Bristow is going to need a third and fourth scorer in order to help DSU and that has to be Deanna Harmon and Keyanna Tate.

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As for the DSU men's basketball team, they play a night cap as the sixth seed when they play the 11th seed Howard University.

Howard is still having nightmares after getting swept in the season series but the biggest nightmare came back on January 23 when Tahj Tate made two highlighted poster dunks that had Hornet fans going crazy. Howard will never forget and never forgive what happen on that very day. Expect the Bison to give the Hornets a fight like no other and I'm pretty sure Alphonso Leary has a defensive mind set on Tate after being on the wrong end of a poster dunk.

The Hornet men better take Howard lightly, (remember UMES and South Carolina?) or else they will be in for early elimination.

I'm pretty sure coach Greg Jackson Sr. has some new ideas on how the Hornets run this offense because trust me the slow down game will not work with Howard or any other team in the tournament if they advance that far. Also the Hornets biggest weakness is their three point shooting especially when they shoot 27% as a team during the regular season. The hornets has got to attack the paint more due to the fact that other MEAC opponents are turning DSU into a jump shooting team with no balanced scoring due to their opponents height. So what that means is this, Tate has to step up (sixth man or not), Casey Walker has to step up, Maques Oliver has to step up, Kendall Gray has to step up, Miles Bowman, has to step and the point guard of A.J. Thomas, Jabari Joyner, Khali Thomas, and Amere May has to play point guard not shooting guard in order for Delaware State to move to the quarterfinals. The winner of this game will play the third seed Hampton on Thursday night.

Good luck Delaware State, even though I won't be there in Norfolk to support in person, rest assured I will wear my Columbia blue and red today in Newark, Delaware to watch the game online on meachoops.com.

Hornets Can Put The Term "Moral Victories" To Bed For Now

Back on Saturday the Delaware State Hornets football made big plays where it matter the most in a 20-17 victory over the defending MEAC (Mid Eastern Athletic Conference) Champions Norfolk State.

In the 1st half, I thought it was going to be a back and forth game because think about it both teams really want to take their frustrations out on each other for good reasons.

For DSU after their first win of the season vs VMI at home, the Hornets were place with the term "Moral Victories" stamped on their foreheads even though they played hard to stay in the game. With 3 straight losses to in-state Rival University of Delaware, Cincinnati, and Florida A&M, DSU had a bye week to figure out a way get the victories with a W instead of losses.

For Norfolk State they are coming off some tough losses, October 6 a 14-0 shutout loss at the hands of South Carolina State, and September 15th 37-36 heartbreaking overtime lost at the hands of Howard University at home not to mention a 44-10 beatdown at the hands of Ohio University in September 22 (not Ohio State).

After a good 1st half, the Hornets were only down four 17-13 at halftime but when the 2nd half began Both teams were playing a very good defense as both teams could not connect points on offense in the 3rd quarter.

When the 4th quarter started Norfolk State was marching down the field trying to chew up as much time as they can so they scored an insurance touchdown. There was one big penalty that changed the whole game around: A Norfolk Unsportsmanlike penalty while skipping towards the endzone forces Norfolk not only 15 yards from the previous spot but the touchdown was wiped off.

Hornets did get the ball off the fumble and went on to scored the game winning touchdown by Justin Brewton with under 10 minutes left. Hornets defense kept the Spartans at bay for the rest of the game especially in the final minutes of the game when Devon Moore caught an interception to seal the deal. In all the Hornets defense force four turnovers

Now the Hornets can put the term "moral victories" to rest and concentrate on building a new winning streak. In fact that bye week helped the Hornets greatly and ready to improve their winning ways vs South Carolina State. A tough test indeed but that game will prove to tell who the Hornets are really are, a moral victory team or a team to be reckon with.

Chenug Gave Hornets Running Game A Spark

Remember last year when the Delaware State Hornets football team almost had no running game all season? Remember that same football team that was in the bottom three of the FCS (Football Championship Sub-Division) when it comes to rushing yards?

Well during the past two games the Hornets running game is getting so good so far. Back on September 15, Malcolm Williams ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort vs Cincinnati before hurting his ankle.

Now fast forward to Saturday night when Dae-Hon Chenug made his 1st ever start in a Hornet uniform in place of the injured Williams and man did he made a big impact rushing for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort vs Florida A&M.

In the 1st half, Chenug was making first down after first down finding holes through the defense with help from his offensive line and helping the Hornets keep their drive alive by scoring on the opening drive of the game from 10 yards out. He finished with 100 yards in the 1st half, and it was impressive. In the 2nd half though Cheung was held to 38 yards in the 2nd half due to Nick Elko's passing attack because DSU was down by 11 points early in the 3rd quarter. However Chenug did scored another touchdown from 22 yards out to help out the scoring can cut the rattler lead down to a one score game.

Chenug wasn't the only Hornet running back that contribute rushing yards, Nagee Jackson scored a 5 yard touchdown run to help cut the FAMU lead to two in the fourth quarter and Quadir Bryant had 3 carries for 15, Elko had an extra eight yards rushing respectively.

If the Hornets running game continues to improve for the rest of the season then this Hornets team will be the real deal.

Hornets Defense Gave Cincinnati Problems

Even in a losing effort vs the University of Cincinnati on ESPN3.com Saturday night, I applaud the Delaware State Hornets defense throughout the entire.

Sure once again the Hornets defense gave up 467 yards and allowed a 100 yard runner for the second time this season, but this Hornets defense is improving a lot compared to last year especially in a tough non-conference schedule through the first three games.

The Hornets defense forced not one, not two, not threw, but six turnovers. Let me say that again six turnovers.

In the first half , Bearcat quarterback Muchie Legaux threw his first interception to Cameron Judge for Cincinnati's first turnover of the game. The other two were fumbles, one by Anthony McClung who was running into the endzone before Joe Boyd knocked the football away from McCluung as it rolls into the back of the endzone for a touchback. Finally Travis Kelce fumbled the ball by Olusegun Ayanbiola inside the DSU 35 yard line.

In the 2nd half, inside the redzone, Legaux threw another interception this time at the hands of Devon Morre, then as the Bearcats were driving again, Legaux fumbles the football after the sack inside the redzone, and finally Legaux gets sacked again by Ayanbiola again at the DSU 34 and lost the football at the progress.

Speaking of sacks, the Hornets swarming defense added two sacks to grow more frustration from the Cincinnati coaches, players, and fans who assume that this game was a cake walk. One things for sure that this was not the same Cincinnati Bearcats team that destroyed Pittsburgh back on September 6.

The only bad news I can say about this game is that Delaware State couldn't capitalize those six turnovers into points. DSU had chances don't get me wrong but the Hornets offense were quiet for most of the game but there was a bright spot by Malcolm Williams' 60 yard touchdown run to cut the lead 20-7 before the Bearcats seal the game with a field goal late in the 4th quarter.

Coach Kermitt Blount was proud of his team for fighting hard and keeping the game close as possible. Now the Hornets will have dig deep because they begin their MEAC schedule with Florida A&M on September 22 at home.

The Hit That Will Be Talk About

Even though the Hornets lost the Route 1 rivalry vs the University of Delaware back on Saturday on the NBC Sports Network, the Hornets wanted to send a message to the Blue Hens that will make them something to remember by.

Back in the 2nd quarter, the Blue Hens was in DSU territory when the Hornets' Davon Morre put a "hit stick" on UD's wide receiver Rob Jones. I know me and other Hornet fans that were watching this was like, "Whoa he hit him in the mustache uh-oh!!!!"

To me and other Hornet fans that was a clean hit, but the refrees and UD fans see it other wise as Morre was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

After that penalty, UD took serveal more plays to scored another touchdown to take a 28-7 lead.

Some of the Blue Hen fans says that DSU is a dirty team after that hit. Dirty team? Don't make me laugh. The officials made a bailout call to have UD give time to have an extra set of downs. I mean come on how you can tackle player, play touch/flag football.

I know safety is the main issue for football players but some times you will get beaten, battered, and bruised. That's the way a football game goes and besides what a better way to play defense? Hmmm answer that question.

That Moore hit reminds me of other linebackers that can make opponents in the mustache  like Russell "the hitman" Reeves, Jamal Trout, and Kelly "Spade" Rouse to name a few.

With that hit that Devon made, DSU made their message loud and clear that DSU are not pushovers and will play you tough and will be here to stay for the Route 1 Rivalry whether if its a one side affair or not.

Super Nick Saves The Day

(In my Mikey Day voice) Ayo Nick, Ayo Nick, Ayo Nick, Ayo Nick.

That was the expression I was using during the Hornets 17-10 home victory over Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in which Nick Elko scored the game winning touchdown with less than 45 seconds left in the 4th quarter.

Elko was calm cool and collected throughout the whole game despite getting sacked three times and making a few mistakes. So what did Elko do to make up for those few mistakes and three sacks? Here's what Elko did before putting on the Superman cape:

• With 42 seconds left before halftime, Elko lead the Hornets to a eight play 80 yard drive including a 26 yard touchdown pass to Travis Tarplay to give the Hornets a 10-0 halftime lead. Elko was six-for-seven for 79 yards during that drive.
• After VMI tied the game at 10-10 with a 22 yard field goal by John Sexton with 2:32 left in the 4th quarter, Nick Elko once again delivered completing a five yard pass to Justin Wilson to the VMI 39.
• After a VMI penalty, the Hornets moved closer to the Keydets' 26. Two plays later Elki found Tarplay for 14 yards to the VMI 12.
• It was second and goal and DSU is at the VMI 4 yard line, Elko took the snap, fake the hand off  and went to the right side of the field untouched for the game winning touchdown.

It was bootleg play design by Coach Kermitt Blount and Elko, a play that proved effective in order for the hornets to win their 1st game of the season. I hope Elko can make more bootleg plays throughout most of the season so that way their opponents will get dazed and confused.

Hornets Football on TV and Online

Even though 1290AM The Ticket (WTXX) will not be broadcasting any Hornet football games this season, you can catch three Hornet games on your television sets and on the worldwide web.

Last year  Hornets Football  were not on TV or any website for Hornet fans to watch.

Hornet fans mark your calenders for:

September 8: DSU vs University of Delaware game starts at 3:30pm on the NBC Sports Network

September 15: DSU vs Cincinnati game starts at 7pm online on ESPN3.com

October 25: DSU vs Morgan State game starts at 7:30pm on ESPNU

With those three games it is very hard to tell if the Hornets can perform well in front a national television/internet audience.