Early sizing-up of the conference races
Here's a quick once-around the black college basketball races early in the season.
CIAA
Johnson C. Smith knocked off the only unbeaten team in black college basketball, Virginia Union, Saturday in Charlotte 79-70. So add the Golden Bulls' (5-4) name to the list of challengers to the four-time champion Panthers (5-1).
The biggest news on the men's side of the CIAA is however the influx of new blood across the conference. Former Howard guard Gil Goodrich (24.9 ppg.), now at Bowie State, is leading the conference in scoring. Goodrich already has 52-, 33- and 32-point outings.
Six-nine Bowie State senior Tyrone Beale (20.5), 6-4 sophomore guard Andy Gebru (19.5) of Fayetteville State and 6-11 Virginia State center Avis Wyatt (17.5 ppg., 8.1 rpg.) who returned to the Trojans fold after sitting out last year, have kept their teams in the thick of things early.
Six-three sophomore swingman Anthony Hilliard of Elizabeth City State is averaging 21.2 points and a league-best 11.8 rebounds per game. Hilliard dropped 29 points and 21 rebounds on Livingstone earlier.
KEY GAME THIS WEEK: Virginia State vs. Virginia Union, Sun., Jan. 14, 7:30 p.m., Richmond Coliseum
MEAC
After struggling some in its pre-New Year's non-conference schedule, two-time regular season champ Delaware State has restored order in the MEAC, winning its first three games to jump on top of the standings. Despite their 3-6 non-conference record which includes losses to three Top 20 teams, the Hornets have a black college best RPI of .5580, 79th among Div. I programs.
KEY GAME THIS WEEK: South Carolina State at Florida A&M in a battle for second place, Sat., Jan. 13, 4 p.m.
SWAC
Defending champ Southern taught 2007 favorite Jackson State what it's all about Monday with a 73-62 upset of the favored Tigers in Jackson. Deforrest Riley-Smith's 37 points showed up national scoring leader Trey Johnson's 19. Johnson is averaging 30 points per game.
KEY GAME THIS WEEK: Jackson State at first-place Texas Southern, Sat., Jan. 13, 7:30 p.m.
SIAC
Benedict (7-1, 5-0) is the only SIAC team without a blemish in conference play. The Tigers do not play the top contenders this week.
KEY GAME THIS WEEK: Benedict hosts Kentucky State, Mon., Jan. 15, 8 pm. The Tigers have already beaten the Thorobreds once, 78-65 on Dec. 2.
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