MEAC teams premier at top of hoops' ranking
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
It's taken a while, but the 2006-07 BCSP Top Ten for men's and women's hoops is unveiled this week.
It takes time to sort through the non-conference schedules, especially when we rank the Div. I, Div. II and NAIA teams together. The Div. I black college teams play a murderer's row of games on the road against some of the best teams in all of America. To rank all of the team, we feel it's best to wait until conference play starts in January.
On that note, several teams have distinguished themselves early in the conference schedule.
Two-time defending regular season MEAC champion Delaware State is off to a 7-0 start and has built a two-game lead in the loss column early in that conference's race. The Hornets, led by reigning MEAC Player of the Year, senior swingman Jahsha Bluntt and Cincinnati transfer Roy Bright, are at the top of our initial men's ranking. DSU has a showdown against its nearest pursuer in the MEAC, 11-9 Florida A&M, ranked fifth this week, Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla. Three-time defending CIAA champion Virginia Union (10-1), with only one blemish on its record a loss at Johnson C. Smith, is second. VUU played at Bowie State Tuesday. SWAC favorite Jackson State (11-9), led by the nation's scoring leader, 6-5 guard Trey Johnson (29.9 ppg.), is third. At 5-2 in conference play, JSU is currently in a four-way tie atop the SWAC with Texas Southern, Grambling State and Mississippi Valley State. TSU is ninth in our initial ranking.
JSU hosts MVSU Saturday and Arkansas-Pine Bluff Monday in critical SWAC contests.
On the women's side, two-time MEAC champion Coppin State (12-6 overall) is off to a 7-0 start in MEAC play and holds down the initial No. 1 spot.
The Lady Bulldogs of Alabama A&M are also off to a 7-0 start in SWAC play and hold down the second spot. A&M is being pursued by Jackson State and Alcorn State, who are both off to good starts in the SWAC. JSU (11-7) is third while Alcorn State (10-8) is sixth.
Florida A&M (11-8), currently second in the MEAC, is ranked fourth.
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