Hoops Round-up
MAKING HISTORY
Elizabeth City State senior center Celeste Trahan
is about to make history on several fronts.
She needs just three points in Tuesday (1/29) night's game at home vs. Bowie State to become the first 2,000 point scorer in ECSU history.
Trahan also needs another 43 rebounds to reach 1,500 for her career. If she reaches both marks, she will be the first player in Div. II women's history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,500 rebounds.
She currently leads the CIAA in scoring (23.6 ppg.), rebounding (16.7 rpg.), field goal percentage (.532) and blocked shots (2.18). Those numbers place her first in rebounding in Div. II and third in scoring.
She has 79 career double-doubles, 17 this season.
SHOWDOWN WINNERS
In a match-up of men's conference leaders, Morgan State went on the road and handed Hampton its first MEAC loss, 64-57 Monday to take over first place in the MEAC, while Alabama State disposed of Southern Monday 59-44, to take over sole possession of first in the SWAC.
Hampton's all-MEAC senior guard Rashad West shot 3-for-15 from the field and was held below double figures for only the third time this season, scoring nine points in the Pirates' loss. Jamar Smith had 23 points to lead Morgan.
Entering play this week, Morgan State (6-1), Hampton (5-1) and Norfolk State (5-1) are now tied atop the MEAC standings with N. C. A&T and Delaware State, both at 4-2, a half-game back.
In this week's top games, Hampton is at cross-Bay rival Norfolk State Saturday. On Monday, Delaware State is at Morgan State and Hampton travels to A&T.
Andrew Hayles had 14 points in Alabama State's impressive win Monday in Baton Rouge. Brandon Brooks and Joel Bosh each had 12. The Hornets, who are certainly looking like the class of the SWAC, host Texas Southern Saturday and Prairie View on Monday.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Jackson
State (both 4-2) are currently a half-game off the pace. UAPB
got wins over Texas Southern and Prairie View
and has key home games vs. Grambling State
(Saturday) and Jackson State (Monday) this week.
JSU is at Mississippi Valley State on Saturday.
N. C. A&T (13-5, 6-0) in the MEAC and Prairie View (12-7, 7-0) in the SWAC have unblemished marks and are atop the women's races in their conferences. The Lady Aggies host second-place Hampton (11-7, 5-1) Monday. Prairie View is at Alabama A&M Saturday and at Alabama State Monday.
IN and OUT
Nine straight wins propelled Virginia Union into last week's NABC men's Div. II Top 25 but two losses over the past week are likely to drop the Panthers (13-4, 8-3, 4-1) right back out.
The Panthers suffered road losses at Johnson C. Smith (61-47) Wednesday and at Elizabeth City State (70-59) Sunday. Dave Robbins' troops now sit in second place in the CIAA with an 8-3 conference mark.
St. Augustine's (13-3, 9-1, 4-0), who knocked off Morris College (77-64) and got a one-point win (69-68) at home over JC Smith, is currently setting the pace in the conference.
In the big match-up this week, VUU travels to Raleigh to take on St. Aug's Saturday in a battle for first place. VUU won the first meeting between the two on Jan. 15, 85-61.
Point guard Will Gill (14.1 ppg.) leads a balanced St. Aug's attack which has four others scoring in double figures. Hayward Fain (11.1 ppg.), Justin Dickens (10.9), Jeff Sullivan (10.9) and Robert Shuler (10.1) are the others.
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