By Maliik Obee,
Special to the AFRO
There isn’t a team hotter on the women’s side of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference than the Broncos of Fayetteville State University. Led by senior guard Aniylah Bryant, the 22-2 Broncos are on an eight-game win streak, in search of a CIAA title and a demanding new respect for their historic program.
Bryant starred at Havelock High in North Carolina before committing to Louisburg College in 2019. The high-scoring 5-foot-7 guard averaged 17.4 points across two seasons for the Hurricanes, before transferring to Fayetteville State in 2021. In her first season with the team, Bryant averaged 13 points, three rebounds and two assists along with 70 steals. After putting up nearly-identical numbers in 2022-2023, Bryant has elevated her game in her senior year.
Through 24 contests, Bryant is averaging a career-high 16.1 points, ranking third in the CIAA. Making 40-of-163 three-point-attempts (24 percent), Bryant ranks fifth of all scorers in shots from beyond the arc. Averaging 31 minutes per contest, Bryant is shooting (and making) more shots than ever, converting on 137 of 344 attempts from the field. At just under 40 percent from the floor (39.8 percent), Bryant has been more efficient in her senior campaign. She’s also drawing fouls at a high rate, attempting a career-high 114 free throws, with 72 makes (63 percent). On Feb. 8, she recorded 1,000 points for her career in Fayetteville’s 64-56 win over Johnson C Smith. While scoring at a high clip, she is also sharing the ball more at just under three assists (2.8) per game.
But, it’s not just Bryant’s scoring that makes her a key factor in the team’s 22 wins and 15-1 conference record – but her tenacious defense. With 105 steals on the year (4.4 spg), she leads the conference and all of Division II women’s basketball. In the Feb. 17 game, with a 75-66 win over Livingstone, she recorded a whopping eight takeaways. It marked the 11th game of five-plus steals for the pesky defender. Fayetteville State is allowing just 58 points per contest, the lowest average across the CIAA.
On Feb. 15, Bryant nailed a last-second free throw to seal a 48-47 victory over Winston Salem State on the road. When called upon, she has proven to be reliable in the clutch for a Fayetteville State team that has shown its ability to overcome adversity, as well as winning decisively.
The Lady Broncos have lost once since November’s 58-56 non-conference loss to Lander, falling 63-53 to the Lady Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith on Jan. 20. In that span, they’ve won seven contests by double-digits, with eight-straight wins overall. This week, Fayetteville State will take on the Claflin Panthers and Saint Augustine’s Falcons before heading to Baltimore for the tournament.
In January, Bryant was recognized by Boxtorow as the HBCU National Player of the Week, after averaging 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists across two victories. The upcoming CIAA tournament gives her a chance to end her decorated collegiate career as a champion.
In 2020, Fayetteville State captured the fourth CIAA title in school history, a year before Bryant’s arrival. Through the year, Fayetteville State has run through the competition, going 12-0 at home and 9-2 on the road. Now, she leads a team on a storybook run, who has a chance to earn their fifth title and an automatic bid for the NCAA Division II playoffs. Keep an eye on the high-scoring senior with the sweet touch from outside looking to go out with a bang.
All-Conference CIAA Watch Team:
Aniylah Bryant – Guard, Fayetteville State
Alanis Hill – Guard, Elizabeth City State
Lauren Scott – Guard, Claflin
Amesha Miller- Forward, Virginia State
Zaniyyah Ross-Barnes, Forward, Shaw
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