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Morgan State takes MEAC lead
Lut Williams
BCSP Editor
Morgan State's upset last week of Maryland had to be the biggest win thus far of the 2008-09 black college basketball season.
Todd Bozeman's Bears went into College Park, Md. on Jan. 7 and stunned the Terrapins 66-65 to claim their second big scalp this season. On Dec. 10, the Bears went on the road and took down Depaul of the Big East, 79-75 in Chicago.
Just as importantly, MSU followed up the Maryland victory with two wins in conference play beating North Carolina A&T (73-62) Saturday and Norfolk State (74-70) Monday to move atop the MEAC standings at 3-0 (8-8 overall).
The key player for the Bears over this stretch has been 6-4 junior guard Reggie Holmes, who tallied a team-high 25 points vs. Maryland and came back to notch 26 vs. A&T. But obviously, Holmes couldn't do it alone.
Six-eight sophomore forward Kevin Thompson had 10 points and 13 boards vs. Maryland and added 15 points and nine rebounds vs. NSU. Point guard Jermane "Itchy" Bolden was also key getting eight points and 11 assists vs. A&T and eight points and seven assists vs. NSU. Preseason all-MEAC forward Marquise Kately also played well off the bench, tallying eight points and eight rebounds vs. A&T, 16 points and five rebounds vs. NSU after 10 points and eight rebounds vs. Maryland.
Bozeman is also getting great contributions from senior guard Rogers Barnes (11 points vs. Maryland, 24 vs. A&T and 12 vs. NSU).
Bozeman gets another bullet in his chamber this week for the Bears' Florida weekend swing (@ Florida A&M Saturday and @ Bethune-Cookman Monday) as heralded 6-5 freshman Ameer Ali returns to practice after being out the past three weeks with a foot injury.
N. C. A&T (3-0, 9-5) is setting the pace in the women's race headed into weekend battles against two of its closest pursuers, UMES (1-1) Saturday (2 p.m.) and Delaware State (2-0) Monday (5:30 p.m.).
SWAC
Alabama State (4-0, 7-7) leads Prairie View (3-0, 7-9) by a half-game in the SWAC men's race as it heads towards its showdown with rival Alabama A&M (1-3, 3-9) Saturday in Huntsville, Al.
Prairie View meanwhile gets to put its unbeaten conference record on the line at home Saturday vs. Grambling State (2-2, 4-11) and Monday vs. conference favorite Jackson State (3-1, 4-12).
There's a virtual five-way tie atop the women's race. Southern, Alabama State and Alabama A&M are at 3-1 in conference play with Prairie View and Arkansas-Pine Bluff a half-game back at 2-1. A&M and ASU square off Saturday as do Southern and UAPB.
CIAA
Early returns in the CIAA show familiar names at the top of the men's standings.
In the East, Virginia Union (2-0, 8-3) leads and is followed closely by Bowie State (2-1, 7-6), Virginia State (1-1, 7-8) and Elizabeth City State (0-1, 10-2).
VSU and VUU stage their annual MLK Day battle in Richmond (at the Coliseum) Sunday (8 p.m.) in the Freedom Classic.
Defending tournament champ Johnson C. Smith (2-0, 11-2) currently leads the West Division over St. Augustines (3-1, 10-4) as they head to a showdown Tuesday in Charlotte (7:30 p.m.).
Bowie State (2-0, 6-5) leads the women's East Division over surprising Virginia State (1-1, 12-2). Fayetteville State (2-0, 8-5) leads the West over Shaw and St. Aug's who are both 2-1.
SIAC
Claflin (12-1) and Benedict (5-1) have only one loss in SIAC play but they are by no means running away from the competition. Fort Valley State, Lane and Clark Atlanta have two losses while Miles, the only team to defeat Claflin, is at 5-3.
Benedict is at FVSU Sunday (2 pm on ESPNU) in the top game on this week's schedule. Albany State, who has a win over Miles, hosts Lane Tuesday (7:30 p.m.).
Fort Valley State (7-0) and Clark Atlanta (6-0) have moved atop the women's race with Kentucky State (6-1) just a half-game behind.
KSU hosts Clark Atlanta Saturday (3 p.m.) and plays at FVSU Tuesday (8 p.m.).
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