Final week of CIAA and SIAC hoops

In this, the final week of regular season play before next week’s tournament in Charlotte (Feb. 25-29), there are still a few matters to be decided. Virginia State (12-2) has clinched the top seed in the men’s North Division and one of the first-round byes to next week’s tournament. The second seed and bye is still up for grabs between Virginia Union (9-4) and Bowie State (8-5), who met Wednesday (2/19) in Richmond. VUU then closes out the regular season at home Saturday vs. VSU while BSU finishes at home Sat. vs. Lincoln. In the men’s South, Winston-Salem State (12-3) enters the final week with a one-game lead over Johnson C. Smith (11-4). The two met Wends-day in Charlotte before closing out regular season play at home Saturday with JCSU hosting Shaw and WSSU hosting Livingstone. Regardless of those outcomes, WSSU and JCSU are assured of the top two seeds and byes for next week’s tournament. Virginia Union, behind 23 points and 14 rebounds from Funaná Okoye Saturday, defeated Lincoln 62-47 to avenge a 76-46 beat-down loss to Lincoln on Jan. 13 and send the women’s N. Div. race hurtling toward a rousing finish between Lincoln (12-2), VUU (11-2) and Bowie State (11-2). BSU played at VUU Wednesday (2/19) and then hosts Lin-coln Saturday. VUU is at VSU Sat. S. Div. women’s leader Fayetteville State (13-2) and second-place Johnson C. Smith (11-4) have clinched the top two seeds and tournament byes. FSU closes at Shaw (Wed.) and at home vs. St. Aug’s (Sat.). JCSU hosts WSSU (Wed.) and Shaw (Sat.). SIAC The SIAC has regular season play through Tuesday, Feb. 25 before its tournament starts in Rock Hill, S. C. on Monday, March 2. Teams have two or three games left on their schedules. Men’s West Division leader Miles (14-2), under head coach Fred Watson, stayed the hottest team in the league and ran its win streak to 11 games with blowout divisional wins over Kentucky State (82-54) and Central State (86-61). The Golden Bears have three games left, one of them against their nearest pursuer, 12-4 Tuskegee on Saturday (2/22). East Division leader Albany State (11-5) pulled out a 63-62 decision Monday at second-place Clark Atlanta to stay a half-game ahead of the Panthers (11-6). ASU and CAU look likely to earn first round tournament byes. ASU has all three of its remaining games at home vs. Paine (2/20), Bene-dict (2/22) and Morehouse (2/25) while Clark Atlanta closes on the road Thursday vs. Savannah State and Tuesday at Fort Valley State.

Savannah State, third in the East at 9-8, moved down from the MEAC to the SIAC this season. The Tigers are eligible for the basketball tournament and all other SIAC championships. SSU was only ineligible for the SIAC football championship. Benedict (13-2) is still the runaway leader in the women’s East. The battle for second place between Fort Valley State (8-6) and Savannah State (8-7) will go down to the wire. SSU hosts FVSU Saturday. Miles (11-4) and Tuskegee (10-4) have clinched the top two seeds and tournament byes in the West. They have a showdown at Miles Saturday. MEAC The first round of the North Carolina A&T vs. North Carolina Central showdown at the top of the men’s race went to the home-standing Aggies, 77-60 Saturday as Ronald Jackson (28 points) and Kameron Langley (triple-double, 12 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds) did work. The loss by NCCU allowed Norfolk State – after home wins over Morgan State and Coppin State – to move back into first place at 9-2. A&T (9-3) and NCCU (8-3) are close behind. NC A&T and NCCU stay at home this week with games vs. Howard and Maryland-Eastern Shore while Norfolk State has travels to Florida A&M (Sat.) and then returns home to face Bethune-Cookman (Mon.). On the women’s side, Bethune-Cookman (11-1) handled its business with wins on the road at UMES and Del State while second-place Norfolk State (9-2) split games at home, losing to Coppin State and beating Morgan State. NC A&T (8-4) lost at home in double OT to NCCU Saturday and is now virtually tied for third with Morgan State (9-4) and Del State (7-4). In a 1 vs 2 match up Monday, B-CU is at Norfolk State. SWAC Prairie View A&M (10-2) Texas Southern (9-3) continue atop the men’s standings after both got wins over the week against Jackson State and Gram-bling State. Alcorn State (8-5) made a move into third place with wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Miss. Valley State, teams at the bottom of the standings. PV and TSU get UAPB and MVSU this week. The big news on the women’s side was that someone – (7-5) Prairie View A&M – finally gave Jackson State (12-1) its first conference loss, 62-52 Mon-day. JSU still has a two-game lead in the loss column over Southern (10-3) and Texas Southern (9-3). Southern and fourth-place Alabama A&M meet Monday in Huntsville,