LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
The 2021-22 hoops season hits February this week, the last month of regular season play for the NCAA Div. II CIAA and SIAC before their tournaments get underway in Baltimore (CIAA) and Rock Hill, S.C. (SIAC) before the month ends.
There are three more weeks and weekends of regular season play in the CIAA that culminates on Sat., Feb. 19. The CIAA men’s and women’s tournaments will be held in Baltimore for the first time on Feb. 22-26 at the downtown Royal Farms Arena.
SIAC regular season play extends to Friday, Feb. 25. The SIAC tourneys are set to return to the Rock Hill (S. C.) Sport & Event Center for the sec- ond time from Feb. 28 to March 5.
The NCAA Div. I MEAC, SWAC Ohio Valley and Big South leagues will play their regular season games at least through February and into March be- fore their tournaments start
The last regular season Big South games are set for Feb. 26 with the men’s and women’s tournaments to follow on March 1-6 at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N. C.
OVC regular season play also ends on Feb. 26 with the top eight men’s and women’s teams advanc- ing to the tournaments on March 2-5 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. .
The MEAC regular season is set to end on Thursday, March 3. The tourneys will be held at Norfolk, Virginia’s Scope Arena from March 9-12.
SWAC regular season play is scheduled to end on Saturday, March 5. The SWAC Tournament will take place at the Bartow Arena in downtown Bir- mingham, Alabama on the same March 9-12 dates.
Here is a quick glance at the races.
SWAC
The Jackson State women (11-6, 9-0 SWAC) have established their dominance in the SWAC. They and the Norfolk State women (4-0) in the MEAC are the only undefeated men’s or women’s teams in black college basketball conference play.
JSU beat second-place Southern Monday 66- 58. The eight-point win was the closest anyone has come to hanging with the Lady Tigers who have won their eight other conference games by double- digits. Southern is second at 7-2. Alabama A&M and Alabama State are another game back at 6-3.
On the men’s side, there’s a three-way tie at the top between Southern, Florida A&M and Gram- bling State, all at 7-2. Texas Southern and Alcorn State are a game behind the leaders at 6-3.
Alcorn handed Southern its second conference loss Saturday, 68-64, while FAMU got close wins over Alabama A&M Saturday (65-60) and Ala- bama State Monday (66-65). GSU earned its place at the top with wins over Jackson State Saturday (73-64) and Alcorn State Monday (80-73).
One of the key men’s games coming up Saturday has TSU at FAMU. The Rattlers then host PVA&M on Monday. GSU plays at Alabama State Saturday and Alabama A&M Monday. Southern hosts Alabama A&M Saturday and Alabama State Monday.
MEAC
The Eagles of N. C. Central knocked Norfolk State from the unbeaten ranks in men’s MEAC play Monday with a 70-67 home win. NCCU was com- ing off a 75-74 overtime loss to Howard on Saturday. NCCU (3-1) is now tied in the loss column with NSU (6-1) atop the MEAC standings.
Coppin State (3-2) is first behind the leaders. The Eagles lost at home to UMES Saturday, 64-61. UMES (2-3) then completed the Baltimore sweep as they took down Morgan State 79-72 Monday. After its win over NCCU, Howard (2-3) lost at SC State (3-3) Monday.
There’s a lull in men’s games over the next week with mostly make-up games scheduled for Feb. 5, 7, 8 and 9.
The Norfolk State women (4-0) stayed perfect in the MEAC with a decisive 60-40 win Saturday over SC State. Howard (3-1) downed SCSU 67-59 Monday after beating NCCU Saturday, 66-55. NSU hosts Delaware State Saturday and then travels to UMES Monday. Howard hosts UMES Saturday and goes on the road to DelState Monday.
The women’s leaders, NSU and Howard meet next Thursday (Feb. 10 ) at Howard.
BIG SOUTH
The NC A&T (4-4, third) and Hampton (2-5, fifth) men trail Big South leaders Longwood (7-0) and Campbell (5-3) in the league’s North Division. They both are facing teams from the S. Div. this week.
The Aggies are on the road this week at S. Div. co-leader Winthrop (6-2) Thursday and at third- place Gardner-Webb (5-3) Saturday. Hampton hosts South co-leader USC Upstate (6-2) Thursday and Winthrop Saturday.
After losing their first three conference games with a limited line-up due to COVID-19 protocols, the NC A&T ladies are at full strength and have won six straight. They are at 6-3 after beating co-leader Campbell (8-2) Monday, 76-61. Hampton is fifth at 3-2.
The Lady Aggies are at Radford Saturday and host Campbell on Tuesday (Feb. 8). Hampton plays at USC Upstate Thursday and then hosts USC-U Saturday. Hampton is at Presbyterian Tuesday.
CIAA
There’s plenty to still be decided for the CIAA men and women. It’s a four-way tie atop the men’s CIAA North at 3-2 (VUU, Lincoln, BSU and Shaw) and a three-way deadlock at the top of the S. Div. at 4-1 (WSSU, Livingstone and FSU).
Shaw plays at ECSU on Saturday. BSU is at Lincoln Saturday and is at VUU on Wednesday (Feb. 9). BSU plays at FSU on Mon., Feb. 7.
Lincoln (3-0) leads the North and JC Smith (3- 0) leads the South in women’s play. Lincoln leads Shaw (2-1) by a half-game while JCSU is above WSSU (2-1) by the same margin.
SIAC
Benedict (10-2) and Morehouse (8-2) are virtu- ally tied atop the SIAC East. Miles (10-1) holds a three-game lead over Tuskegee (7-4) in the West.
Fort Valley State under new head coach Montez Robinson handed Benedict its second conference loss Monday, 61-58. Morehouse’s game at Savannah State was postponed. Miles went to 10-1 Monday with a 53-45 win over Lane. Robinson and FVSU will face Benedict again Saturday on the Tigers’ home floor.
Savannah State (East) and Tuskegee (West) lead the women’s races at 9-1. Benedict (9-2) is hanging close in the East while Miles and Lane are both 7-4 in the West.