Teams jockeying to the wire
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
Who's next
for #1?
We had in mind Dave Robbins' Panthers of Virginia Union who were on an eight-game win streak that included victories over CIAA E. Div. contenders Bowie State (21-4), and Shaw (18-7) and W. Div. leader North Carolina Central (14-11). But that was before word came late Tuesday night that VUU had fallen 80-73 to the 6-18 Livingstone Blue Bears, a team that had not won one of its 13 CIAA games all year.
Go figure!
This season has been nothing if not confusing in terms of picking teams that stand head and shoulders above the rest. South Carolina State (13-8, 11-1 MEAC) has been the most dominant team in conference play and gets its second chance this week at #1. But Cy Alexander's Bulldogs, with four of their remaining six MEAC games on the road, will have a dog fight to hold on to the top spot.
With the CIAA and SIAC tournaments beginning play next week and the MEAC and SWAC headed into the final weekends of the regular season, here's a glance at the jockeying that's going on.
CIAA
Results from this week will determine the
seedings and particularly the byes for next week's (Feb. 24 -
March 1) CIAA Men's Basketball Tournament in Raleigh, N.C.
In both the men's East and West Divisions three teams are battling for the first and second seeds and the first round tournament byes that come with them.
W. Div. leader N. C. Central (8-1) was the first to earn a bye with a win Tuesday over Winston-Salem State. The Eagles can finish no worst than second and can earn the first seed in the West with a win Saturday at J. C. Smith (6-3).
St. Augustine's (7-2) can claim the division's other bye with a win Wednesday at Livingstone.
In the East, Virginia Union (7-2) needs a win over Elizabeth City State Saturday to win the division. Shaw completed its division schedule at 7-3 Tuesday with a win over Virginia State. Bowie State (7-2) needs a win over ECSU Wednesday to tie Shaw for second place. If a tie occurs, the teams' conference records will determine the second seed. If they are still tied, a coin flip will determine the seeding.
For the women, Shaw (9-1) and Virginia Union (6-3) have clinched the
top two seeds and byes in the East. Fayetteville State
(9-0) is the West's top seed with Winston-Salem State
(5-5) in as the second seed.
SIAC
The league tournament is set for Feb. 26-March 1 in Birmingham.
Last year, all SIAC teams made it into
tournament play with the seventh through tenth seeds in a play-in to the
men's quarterfinals. The women's eighth and ninth seeds also had a play-in game to
the women's quarters. That scenario will change now that
Benedict has joined the conference. Details on seedings and
pairings for the tournament should be announced this weekend.
MEAC
The top five teams in the MEAC regular season avoid first round
play-in games in the men's and women's tournaments (March 10-15) and as usual
the biggest battle is shaping up for those final spots.
For the men, as many as five teams are vying for the three spots behind SC State (11-1) and Hampton (10-3). Coppin State (9-5) is currently third, followed by Delaware State (8-5). A five-game winning streak has propelled Howard (8-6) to fifth. Lurking just behind the Bison are Florida A&M and Norfolk State at 7-6.
For the women, it could be as much as a six-team battle for the fifth
seed behind Hampton (13-0), Delaware State (11-2), Howard (9-5) and Florida
A&M (8-5).
SWAC
Only eight teams get to play in the SWAC Tournament which means
two men's and women's teams won't make it into the field. The top four men's
and women's seeds host first round games before the winners go to Birmingham
on March 14 and 15 for the semifinals and finals.
With about six conference games left, Alabama A&M (3-9), Southern (3-10) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-11) are battling for the eighth slot in the men's tourney. As many as five women's teams Prairie View (4-8), Alabama A&M (3-9), Texas Southern (2-10), Miss. Valley St. (2-11) and Ark.-Pine Bluff (2-11) are in the race for the final three spots in their tournament.
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