By LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
There is a little change at the top of the conference basketball races as regular season play in the CIAA and SIAC enters its final month.
Tournament dates and locations are in this week’s STAT CORNER.
CIAA
The Virginia Union men (8-2 CIAA, 5-0 S) got close wins over Elizabeth City State (59-53) and Shaw (73-70) to stay on top of the N. Div. race.
In the men’s S. Div., WinstonSalem State (7-4, 4-1 S) beat Livingstone (88-83) and JC Smith (69-60) while Fayetteville State (8-3, 4-1 S) got by Claflin (55-53) and St. Augustine’s (71- 51) to remain virtually tied.
The same FSU (9-2, 4-1) and WSSU (8-3, 4-1 S) are bunched at the top of the ladies S. Div. WSSU
defeated JC Smith (71-44) and Livingstone (61-44). FSU handled Claflin (63-53) and St. Aug’s (76- 53.
In the North, Bowie State (8-3, 4-1) has matched Lincoln’s division record (9-2, 4-1). Lincoln
fell to Elizabeth City State 69-49)Saturday after beating VirginiaState Thursday (76-58). BSU got a win over VSU Saturday (59-47).
MEAC
Surprisingly, Howard and Maryland Eastern Shore are both 6-1 and the leaders in the
MEAC men’s race. Head coaches Kenny Blakeney (Howard) and Jason Crafton (MDES) have to be neck-and-neck for coach of the year honors.
UMES swept the Baltimore schools, Coppin State (94-75) at home and Morgan State (72-58) on the road in Baltimore. Howard got two home wins over NC Central Saturday (71-67) and SC State (100-74) Monday.
For the MEAC ladies, Morgan State moved to 6-0 with wins over Del State (59-36) and UMES (78-65).
SIAC
There was a little shake-up in the SIAC men’s West as Tuskegee won on the road at Miles (51-50). That forges a three-way tie in the loss column between Miles (12-4), TU and LeMoyne-Owen, both 11- 4.
Benedict (11-5) moved closer to East leader Savannah State (11-4) with a 69-64 home win over SSU.
In the women’s East, Clark Atlanta and Savannah State are both 10-4. SSU lost twice to Benedict and Allen while CAU got two wins over Fort Valley State.
The women of Tuskegee (14- 0) stayed unblemished in the SIAC with wins over Spring Hill (84-34) and Miles (76-68).
SWAC
Southern (8-1) knocked Alcorn State to 7-2 and out of a first-place tie with the Jags in the men’s race with an 80-68 win Saturday.
Alabama A&M (6-3) suffered losses on the road to Florida A&M (69-67) and Bethune-Cookman (55-46) to fall out of a first-place tie with Southern (8-1) in the womens’ race.
