Hoops Roundup
Here's how the races in the CIAA and the SIAC look headed into the final month of the regular season.
CIAA
Another week and the men of
Winston-Salem State got another E. Div. scalp.
The Rams, who knocked off Virginia Union when the Panthers were No. 1 in the nation on Jan. 8, defeated the CIAA's other nationally-ranked team, Bowie State, 13th in last week's poll, 67-62 Saturday. The Rams' win came only four days after BSU knocked off then No. 1-ranked VUU.
The Rams' (13-5, 1-1 W) only loss in CIAA play so far is to St. Augustine's and they have a rematch with the Falcons Tuesday, Feb. 8, at home in Winston-Salem (N. C.). WSSU is at N. C. Central this Saturday (Feb. 5).
Bowie State (15-3, 4-0 E) knocked off VUU last Tuesday in Richmond, 80-65, only hours after the Panthers were voted No. 1 in the NABC poll. Luke D'Alessio's Bulldogs now lead the Division by a half-game. The rematch of the East Div. leaders is this Tuesday (Feb. 8) in Bowie.
Five CIAA men's teams were in the top ten of the South Atlantic Regional Rankings (VUU-2nd, BSU-3rd, NCCU-5th, WSSU-8th, JCSU-9th).
On the women's side, Shaw in the East and Johnson C. Smith in the West are distancing themselves from the rest of the field and are appear on a collision course for the CIAA Tournament finals. Neither has lost a CIAA game.
The Lady Bears of Shaw (19-1, 4-0 E) continue to set the pace rising to third in last week's WBCA national poll and adding three blowout wins since.
Vanessa Taylor's 17-2 Lady Bulls of Johnson C. Smith are finally starting to get some love as they moved to No. 23 in last week's national poll. The Lady Bears are first and the Lady Bulls are third in the South Atlantic Regional rankings.
The two have a pre-tournament showdown on Sat., Feb. 19 in Charlotte.
SIAC
QB Uyl Joyner led Albany State's
football squad to an undefeated regular season, the
SIAC championship, the Div. II quarterfinals and the final No. 1 ranking in
the BCSP Top Ten. Now the 6-3 super athlete is threatening
to do the same for the basketball team.
Joyner, a former high school phenom at Doughterty High in Albany, has played in 13 games starting nine since finishing his gridiron masterpiece and is averaging 5.5 points and almost seven assists per game. He had 12 assists Jan. 20 vs. Benedict and is among the nation's leaders at 6.4 assists per game. All-conference wide receiver Alvin Jackson, also a member of the Golden Rams football squad, has joined the hoopsters in a reserve role.
The leader of the Golden Rams basketball fortunes however is senior center Nick Wallery, a 6-7 senior center who leads the SIAC in scoring (19.8 ppg.) and is fourth in rebounds at 9.9 pg. Coach John Davis is also getting great play from guard Frank Pinson who's averaging 15.4 points and 3.1 assists per game.
The women's race looks to be a five-team affair with Paine (9-6) currently setting the pace at 9-1 in the conference. Tuskegee (6-1), Benedict (9-2), Albany State (8-2) and Fort Valley State (8-2) are lurking just behind.
MEAC
It was a defining week for men's play in the
MEAC.
Hampton (9-10, 7-3) swept itself right back into the thick of things with a sweep of the Baltimore schools, Coppin State (51-50) and Morgan State (82-62). Norfolk State (8-10, 6-4) did just the opposite, losing to both CSU (54-39) and MSU (55-51).
Delaware State (8-11, 6-2) made won its fourth straight with a decisive 72-50 win over Florida A&M.
Coppin State (8-11, 8-2) leads DSU and Hampton by one game and is two games up on NSU.
The women's showdown Saturday between Coppin State and Hampton went to the CSU Lady Eagles, 74-60 but they turned around Monday and fell to Norfolk State, 65-57. That leaves Hampton (9-9, 9-1) one game ahead of Coppin State (13-6, 8-2).
SWAC
Alabama A&M (10-9, 7-2) and Alabama State
(9-9, 7-2) swept their games over the weekend to remain tied
atop the men's race. Grambling State (7-9, 4-5) knocked
Miss. Valley State (8-10, 6-3) from a share of the lead with a
75-67 win Monday. MVSU plays at AA&M Saturday and
at Alabama State Monday.
Alcorn State (11-6, 7-2) beat Southern Saturday to remain atop the women's race. The Lady Braves currently have a one-game lead on Alabama State, MVSU and GSU who are all at 6-3 in conference play.
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