North Tidewater News

CIAA Basketball Standings Check-In

Lincoln (PA): 9-5 overall, 4-1 in CIAA action The defending conference champions have picked up right where they left off last season. Led by the scoring tandem of Kania Pollock and Anyssa Fields (who combine for 32.4 points per game), the Lions are second in the CIAA with 70.4 points per game and they have won four straight games in conference play after losing the opener against Winston-Salem State. This week, Lincoln (PA) welcomes a pair of tough teams in Claflin and Bowie State. 

Bowie State: 8-6 overall, 4-1 in CIAA action The Bulldogs are coming off a pair of home wins, defeating St. Augustine's, 64-54, and Claflin, 63-53, last week. Bowie State's only blemish in the early conference schedule is a road loss to Winston-Salem State. Leading scorer Anii Harris (14.6 points per game) and the Bulldogs have a difficult mid-season task when they welcome Fayetteville State on Monday before taking on the Lions Saturday. 

Elizabeth City State: 9-4 overall, 3-2 in CIAA action The Vikings' first conference road trip resulted in a win against St. Augustine's but losses to Claflin and Fayetteville State. Allowing a conference-best 54.4 points per game, Sireann Pitts and Elizabeth City State picked up home wins against Livingstone and Johnson C. Smith and the Vikings will hope their good fortune continues inside the R.L. Vaughan Center when they welcome Winston-Salem State on Monday. Elizabeth City State closes out the week with a Saturday game against host Shaw. 

Virginia State: 7-7 overall, 3-2 in CIAA action Despite boasting the second-best scoring defense in the conference by allowing just 57 points per game, the Trojans are 3-2 in CIAA play, thanks to losses to Fayetteville State and Winston-Salem State. In the five conference games, Sommer Blakemore has upped her level of play to 20.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.6 steals per game. With the added help from Kalyn Ervin, who is averaging 2.6 steals per game, Virginia State will look to keep ground with the Lions and Bulldogs by defeating Johnson C. Smith and Virginia Union when the Trojans host the two schools this week. 

Virginia Union: 7-6 overall, 2-2 in CIAA action Virginia Union has had an interesting start to its conference slate with wins on the road over Winston-Salem State and Livingstone but close, home losses to Fayetteville State and Claflin. Virginia Union used a magnificent performance from Ny Langley (34 points, 16 rebounds) to topple the Rams, 68-60. Despite another great performance from Ny Langley (25 points, 13 rebounds), Virginia Union lost to the Broncos on a go-ahead basket with seven seconds remaining. Langley is an early favorite for conference player of the year as she averages a conference-high 11.5 rebounds per game and her 17.8 points per game is second in the league. Those numbers rise to 21.5 points and 13.8 rebounds in conference competition. However, the Panthers cannot rest solely on Langley as they have contests against St. Augustine's and Virginia State this week. 

Shaw: 8-8 overall, 1-3 in CIAA action The Bears' 70-69 overtime win over Johnson C. Smith on Wednesday gave Head Coach Jacques Curtis his 400th career victory at the helm of Shaw. That win over the Golden Bulls is the Bears' lone conference victory after dropping games to Claflin, Fayetteville State, and Winston-Salem State. Shaw has interesting home/road splits as the Bears are 8-2 at home and 0-4 on the road. Fortunately for the Bears, their next three games are at home, including matchups against Livingstone and Elizabeth City State this week. 

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