Kiki McElrath scored 19 points as the Hampton University women’s basketball team began the HBCU Invitational with an 82-66 victory Friday over Livingstone at Disney’s Wide World of Sports near Orlando, Florida.

At 3:30 p.m. Saturday for the tournament championship, the Pirates (5-3) will take on Division II Edward Waters (4-3), which downed Bethune-Cookman 55-46 to drop the D-I Wildcats to 1-7.

Olivia Smith came off the bench to score 17 for Hampton, adding four assists and three steals. Le’Asia Foreman had 11 rebounds and six points for HU, which pulled ahead late in the first quarter and moved ahead 35-19 late in the second quarter.

Boston Bates and NyAsia Green scored 17 each for Livingstone, from the Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which fell to 1-5.

Men

Apprentice 84, Greensboro 77: Shamon Rosser had 24 points and eight rebounds as Apprentice School rallied to win in NC Wesleyan’s arena in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

The Builders (4-3), ranked fourth in U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association Division II, trailed 35-21 at halftime but outscored the Pride 63-42 in the final 20 minutes. Apprentice moved ahead to stay, 55-53, on a Devon Brown layup with 7:10 to go.

Rosser was 6 of 7 from the field and 11 of 17 from the free-throw line. Alex Ethridge added 15 points and Monte Rudolph 12. Devon Brown had seven points and three blocks.

DJ Jackson had 22 points and six rebounds for Greensboro (2-5).

No. 5 Connecticut 83, East Texas A&M 59: Solo Ball scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, Eric Reibe had 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and Connecticut (8-1) won in Storrs over East Texas A&M (4-4).

No. 11 Gonzaga 94, No. 18 Kentucky 59: Graham Ike scored a season-high 28 points and had 10 rebounds on a neutral court that felt like Rupp Arena South with Wildcats faithful filling Brigestone Arena, home to the NHL’s Nashville Predators. Kentucky’s blue-clad fans booed the Wildcats off the court at halftime, when they trailed 43-20.

Gonzaga (8-1) notched its third Top 25 win this season and third over a Southeastern Conference team, all by double digits.

Notre Dame 87, TCU 85, OT: Jalen Haralson scored 20 points and rescued Notre Dame late in Fort Worth, Texas, forcing overtime with a pull-up jumper before guiding the Irish with early OT buckets and four clutch free throws. His nine assists matched a season high, while freshman Cole Certa fueled the comeback with four 3 in a 17–4 surge that erased a nine-point halftime deficit.

TCU dominated the first half behind 63% shooting, with David Punch scoring 20 and Jayden Pierre adding 17 for the game. Notre Dame shot 55% and held on despite losing Markus Burton to a leg injury early in the second half.

VCU 83, Samford 57: Terrence Hill Jr. scored 22 points off the bench as the Rams (6-3) shook off a slow start, not taking the lead for good until the final 42 seconds of the first half.

Keyshawn Mitchell had 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Jadrian Tracey added 10 points for VCU. Dylan Faulkner led the Bulldogs (4-6) with 22 points and nine rebounds.

VMI 89, Christendom 36: TJ Johnson had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Keydets (4-7) in Lexington against a lower-level foe as they ended a six-game skid. Walker Andrews scored 17 points.

Bobby Vander Woude finished with 13 points for the Crusaders.

Central Carolina Community College 71, Bryant & Stratton 59: Jeremiah Henson came off the bench to score 20 points for the hosts in Sanford, North Carolina. BSC fell to 4-3.

https://www.dailypress.com/2025/12/05/hampton-women-outplay-livingstone-in-hbcu-invitational/