SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The NCAA announced Tuesday that 77 percent of black mens Division I basketball players who entered college in 2009 earned a degree within six years, up five points from a year earlier and a record high.That improvement helped the overall Graduation Success Rate match last years record of 86 percent of athletes graduating within six years, the NCAA said. Of all black Division I student-athletes, 74 percent graduated within six years. NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a news release the improved rates were hugely significant.Over the last 15 years, the overall Graduation Success Rate has dramatically improved, but the really good news is how college sports helps more and more minority students, especially those playing our highest-profile sport, earn a degree that will help them long after their athletics career is over, he said.The graduation rate for black basketball players is up 31 percentage points over the past 15 years, the NCAA said . Overall, all black male athletes have increased their GSR by 19 percentage points to 70 percent during that time. Black female athletes improved their rate 13 points to 84 percent over that same time.For all Division I athletes, the rate increased 12 percentage points during the past 15 years.B. David Ridpath, an associate professor and sports business and president of The Drake Group, an NCAA watchdog, said the GSR provides only a partial picture, pointing to reports of athletes at North Carolina taking courses aimed at boosting their GPAs in a department popular with athletes.Are we essentially practicing eligibility maintenance, potentially in a major with friendly faculty? he said. Are these kids graduating with a very meaningful, vital degree that can benefit them for the next 50 to 60 years of their life? In some cases, yes, this is happening. But all too often -- and I know this because I worked in college athletics -- were essentially pushing these kids through, keeping them eligible and in cases where they do graduate they might not be graduating with the requisite skills.Among football teams in The Associated Press Top 25 , the only teams with a GSR 65 percent or lower were No. 25 Troy at 65 percent and No. 13 Oklahoma State at 50 percent. Among Top 25 mens basketball teams , No. 4 Oregon had a GSR of 38 percent, No. 25 California 40 percent, No. 5 North Carolina, No. 18 Syracuse and No. 24 Cincinnati all had GSRs of 50 percent, and No. 13 Michigan State has a GSR of 63 percent.The University of Connecticut mens basketball team had one of the lower graduation rates at 22 percent, according to the latest results. But those 2009 numbers were actually a big improvement over previous years. The teams GSR rose from just 8 percent in 2006, 17 percent the following year and 20 percent in 2008.School spokesman Mike Enright said the poor graduation rate reflects the same time period for which UConn was sanctioned by the NCAA and missed the 2013 postseason because of an another indicator, the Academic Progress Rate, which measures whether players are in good academic standing.The school has reported perfect or near perfect APR scores since 2012-13 and is expecting similar numbers this year, Enright said. He also said all current members of the basketball team are on track to graduate.The academic achievement of our mens basketball team has been outstanding the past several years and I have a full expectation that this will continue, athletic director David Benedict said.---AP Sports Writer Pat Eaton-Robb in Storrs, Connecticut, contributed to this report. Cheap Air Max Australia . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. Cheap Nike Shoes Australia Online . PAUL, Minn. http://www.airmax90saleaustralia.com/ . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Sale Air Max 90 Australia . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Nike Shoes Australia Outlet . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings.SEATTLE - Even with a stellar seven inning start from Jordan Lyles, the Houston Astros were staring at the possibility of a winless road trip and seven-game losing streak as they headed to the plate in the ninth inning. An unearned run allowed in the eighth inning put the Seattle Mariners ahead 1-0 and seemingly ended the Astros hopes of a victory. They entered the game winless in 38 chances when trailing after eight innings and hadnt been able to score a single run in their last 17 innings against the Mariners. But the Astros provided a first for the 2013 season as they rallied for six runs off the Mariners bullpen to steal the victory away from Seattle and snap their six-game losing streak Wednesday night. "Its never too late when youre able to put together a six-run inning, especially after the woes weve had the last two games," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "It was definitely good to see the guys break out and put together some good at-bats in the ninth inning." Trailing 1-0, Jason Castro and J.D. Martinez led off with a pair of singles and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Carlos Corporan. After an intentional walk of Carlos Pena, Chris Carter doubled off the wall in left field to score a pair and give the Astros their first lead of the game. Another intentional walk loaded the bases again and brought the hook for Mariners closer Tom Wilhelmsen (0-2). It was Wilhelmsens fourth blown save in his last nine tries. Brandon Barnes drove in another run when his drive to left field glanced off the glove of Jason Bay and gave the Astros a 3-1 lead. Marwin Gonzalez drove in two more on a single to centre off Yoervis Medina and Charlie Furbush walked in another. "We score six in the ninth — we havent had the offence lately but it just shows we can do it in a big situation like that," Carter said. "Its good for the team." Paul Clemens (4-2) earned the victory for Houston. Lyles posted his best start of the season in holding the Mariners scoreless through seven innings. He allowed just three hits, two walks and struck out a career-high 10 to keep the game level into the eighth inning. "Jordan was outstanding again tonight," Porter said. "...Even the times in which he got into trouble, you can see the look in his eyes and the patience and the poise of Im going to make quality pitches to get out of this. I thought the big strikeouts with the bases loaded was huge." Lyles previous caareer-high for strikeouts had been eight coming into Wednesday nights game.dddddddddddd Lyles struck out nine Mariners through the first four innings alone and retired the final 11 batters he faced. "Curveball was pretty good tonight," Lyles said. "We kept going to it — kept burying it in the dirt and guys are swinging over it." The Mariners had missed out on an opportunity to take the lead in the fourth inning off Lyles. Nick Franklin hit a one-out double off the wall in right field. Mike Zunino singled sharply to centre field for the first hit of his major league career but Franklin was held up at third base. A walk loaded the bases but Brendan Ryan and Alex Liddi both struck out as Lyles worked out of the jam. Mariners starter Jeremy Bonderman also pitched well. Bonderman allowed just three hits in eight innings. He walked two and struck out five before Wilhelmsen gave up the lead in the ninth. Mariners manager Eric Wedge said Wilhelmsen was missing up in the strike zone and the Astros were able to take advantage. "The ninth inning is a different animal. You saw the next two guys struggled too," Wedge said. "Weve got to get Tom driving the ball downstairs — missing down. When he does miss well work on it." Endy Chavez singled for Seattle to lead off the eighth inning. Gonzalez picked up an error when he dropped the throw from Hector Ambriz on a bunt from Jason Bay that would have been in time to beat Chavez at second base. After a pop out from Kyle Seager and strikeout by Raul Ibanez, Seager lined a single to right to drive in Chavez and give the Mariners their only run. Notes: Mariners C Mike Zunino made his major league debut just over a year removed from being selected by Seattle in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft. Zunino is the third catcher for Seattle to make their major league debut in the last 20 days joining Jesus Sucre and Brandon Bantz. ... Lyles is the ninth pitcher to strike out 10-plus Mariners in a game this season. ... With two more errors Wednesday night, the Astros increased their league-leading total to 51 for the season. ... It was the first win this season for Houston when trailing after eight innings. The Astros were 0-38 when trailing after eight innings entering Wednesday night. ... Houstons six-run ninth inning matched their highest scoring inning of the year. The Astros had scored six runs in the sixth innings against the Colorado Rockies on May 30. ' ' '
