Conference play: Time to heal, compete
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
The new year is upon us and that means black college teams can get down to battling each other.
The NCAA Div. I teams, men and women, emerged from daunting
November and December non-conference travels bloodied but unbowed and now
look to their conference schedules to restore some of their confidence.
The NCAA Div. II teams fared much better. Defending CIAA and national champion Virginia Union (7-1) enters the new year at the top of the men's NABC poll. St. Augustine's (9-0) is 24th in the women's poll.
Here's how the conference races shape up as we enter the new year.
Virginia Union head coach Dave Robbins says this year's team is more talented than the team that won last year's NCAA Div. II national championship, the third in his magnificent career. If so, and Robbins gets them to play together as he normally does, the Panthers could breeze to their third straight conference title, something he and his troops haven't done since winning four straight CIAA titles between 1992 and 1995.
Last week the Panthers dispatched two of their chief contenders for the title, East Division stalwart Bowie State (60-44) and Johnson C. Smith (65-51), en route to the championship at the Black College Hoops Classic in Los Angeles.
Sam Hanger's Broncos of Fayetteville State (7-2), who lost in last season's CIAA Tournament finals to the Panthers, will likely battle with Winston-Salem State (5-4), St. Augustine's (5-2) and JCSU (8-3) for West Division supremacy. BSU (8-4) is VUU's chief competition in the East.
Three-time defending women's champion Shaw (3-4) has lost more games this season than it did all of last season when its 32-2 record took it all the way to the national quarterfinals. Don't expect Jacques Curtis's Lady Bears to be as dominant this year as they've been the last three years when they've put up a combined 91-8 mark, but they're still favorites to win the title. Their challengers should come from a strong contingent of West Division teams and Elizabeth City State, who met Shaw in last year's tourney finals.
If anything, a tightly-bunched MEAC men's race has gotten tighter. Distinguishing between upper-tier and lower tier teams in the 11-team conference has gotten harder.
Defending men's champion Delaware State (2-9), has struggled on the road just like every other MEAC team has but does have the momentum from winning last season's title. South Carolina State (3-7), thought to be the Hornets' chief competition, has been slowed by injuries to key players Thurman Zimmerman, Derrick Davis and Chris Lee. Hampton (1-6), which boasts preseason Player of the Year, 6-11 center Bruce Brown, is struggling for consistency, especially shooting the ball. Coppin State (0-10) is playing perhaps the toughest non-conference schedule in the country which is likely to pay off as they get to conference play. Bethune-Cookman (4-7) has posted some key out-of-conference wins and looks ready to move into the top five. Norfolk State (2-9), with talent and experience on its front line, will attempt to muscle its way into the top group. Florida A&M (4-8), led by all-MEAC point guard Tony Tate, is still dangerous. Even lowly Howard (2-7) is showing some promise under new coach Gil Jackson. Only Morgan State, N.C. A&T and Maryland-Eastern Shore appear incapable of challenging for the title.
The women's race is equally wide open. Derrick Carter's defending champion Coppin State (1-8) Lady Eagles have struggled out the gate while Ed Davis's Lady Hornets of Delaware State (6-3) are the only team above .500. Howard (4-6), Florida A&M (4-6), Hampton (1-9) are the other championship contenders.
SWAC coaches picked defending champion Alabama A&M and Jackson State as the top teams in the men's conference race. JSU has the upper hand early after the knocking off A&M 84-77 Monday in Jackson. Tevester Anderson's Tigers feature Alcorn State transfer Trey Johnson who had a career-high 38 points in the win. Whether they'll be able to overcome reigning SWAC Player of the Year, guard Obie Trotter, and the rest of the Bulldogs led by head coach Vann Pettaway, remains to be seen.
While Grambling's run will be led by veteran coach Larry Wright and SWAC scoring leader, guard Brion Rush, three of the contenders, Mississippi Valley State (James Green), Alabama State (Lewis Jackson) and Southern (Rob Spivery) have new coaches. Alcorn State (1-8) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-5) are sleepers.
On the women's side, Southern 4-6), who lost in last year's tourney finals to Alcorn State, is a strong favorite. The presence of preseason Player of the Year, guard Rolanda Monroe, has a lot to do with that. Grambling (4-4) with three players on preseason all-SWAC squads, Alabama State (3-6), Alcorn State (3-6) and Miss. Valley State (5-5) are also legitimate title contenders.
Defending champion Paine (3-2, 2-0), Morehouse (5-3, 2-0) and Benedict 2-2, 2-0) were the preseason choices for the men in the SIAC and have gotten off to great starts in conference play. Fort Valley State (5-2, 2-0) has been somewhat of a surprise so far. Albany State (2-2, 2-0) is also off well as is Stillman (4-5, 1-1), who has a big win over then Div. II No. 1 Montevallo.
Fort Valley State (7-1, 2-0) is the team to beat in the women's race with Tuskegee (3-3, 1-0) and Paine (5-3, 2-0) as second choices.
© 2006 Azeez Communications, Inc.