As the calendar prepares to turn to February, the Division I HBCU basketball conference races start to heat up.
Thanks to one big Saturday showing from a perennial powerhouse school, both programs are in the driver’s seat while others around the country continue to jockey for positioning.
The Green and Gold Be Holdin’ first place in the MEAC
Norfolk State’s women’s team being in first place is no surprise, but the way the men handled Howard on Saturday, a changing of the guard could be taking place.
Thanks to a comfortable 92-75 win over two-time defending champion HU, the Spartans (14-8 overall, 4-1 MEAC) now hold a half-game lead over the Bison (8-12, 3-1). A 30-point effort by guard Brian Moore Jr. led four NSU players in double figures.
In Saturday’s nightcap, the NSU women held Howard to a ghastly 19-for-56 (34%) shooting performance en route to a 69-53 win, improving to 18-4 overall and 5-0 in MEAC play. Diamond Johnson continues to stuff the stat sheet, leading the Spartan women with a 24-point, eight-rebound, seven-assist, three-steal effort.
North Carolina A&T women still at the top of the Coastal mountain
The Aggies women finally lost a CAA game Friday at Monmouth but got right back to their winning ways with a convincing 63-44 win over Hofstra Sunday afternoon.
The first-place Aggies (11-8 overall, 7-1 CAA) are led by a veteran lineup of senior Jordan Dorsey (15.8 points per game) and grad student Maleia Bracone (9.1 ppg, 3.7 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game), junior center Chaniya Clark (9.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 28 blocked shots) and sophomore Paris Locke (10.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg).
Texas Southern women keep winning
After a 75-65 win at Alabama A&M Saturday, the Texas Southern women are now the SWAC’s only unbeaten team with a 6-0 conference mark.
— TSU Lady Tigers Basketball (@TSUWomensHoops) January 26, 2025
The Tigers are led by North Texas transfer Courtlyn Loudermil, who leads the team in scoring (13.3 points per game), and three-pointers made (37) while tied for second in assists (25).
Tennessee State men looking to extend winning streak
The Tigers are climbing in the OVC standings thanks to a three-game winning streak. Their most recent triumph, an 89-77 win over Tennessee Tech at home, tied them with the Owls for fifth place in the 11-team league with a 5-5 mark.
TSU is led by junior wing Brandon Weston, who averages 16.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 84 percent from the free throw line.
Big Blue will look to make it four in a row at second place Little Rock on Thursday night.
