SUBR loses to Jackson State in finals of Bayou Classic All-Star Challenge

Jackson State University edged out Southern University— Baton Rouge by score of 75-35 in the final round of the first-ever State Farm Bayou Classic Academic All-Star Challenge held Friday, November 28.
“Anytime I can compete allows me to challenge myself as well as my opponent,” said Eron Coleman, a senior at JSU. “It also allows me to meet other students from local colleges that I wouldn’t get the opportunity to meet with throughout the year.”
Teams from SUBR, JSU, Mississippi Valley State University, Southern University-New Orleans, Dillard University, Grambling State University and Oak Wood College in Miami, Fla.
According to Beverly Wade, dean of the SU Honors College and organizer of the Bayou Classic tournament, the purpose of the competition is for students to learn the value of group participation and sportsmanship, and to meet on common grounds with peers from other institutions.
“I conceived this idea three years ago and was hesitant about whether we could pull this off,” Wade said.
Keyon Pope, a senior electrical engineering major from Chicago and member of the SU team said that the competition went well considering it was the first year.
 ”I think with SU hosting the tournament in New Orleans it will grow bigger and more robust as the years go by.”
This tournament is one of several that will take place leading up to the Honda All-Star Challenge Tournament in Orlando March 25-29, 2004.
Sixty-four Historically Black Colleges and Universities will compete for cash prizes. 
The competition is a “meeting of the minds,” and spotlights academic gymnastics of some of the brightest minds on Black College campuses.