The CIAA basketball season has reached a new level of intensity as division play began this weekend with some interesting results.
However, the week began with a clash of division leaders on the men’s and women’s side, the former being a heavyweight fight from start to finish.
Here is what we learned this week in CIAA basketball [January 12-18].
Women
Winston-Salem State extends win streak to 15
Entering the third full week in the calendar, nothing has changed for the Winston-Salem State Lady Rams as they continue to stay on the winning side.
Winston-Salem State began its week in a Tuesday night matchup of divisional leaders against Virginia State, coming away with a 67-52 win.
Then, despite playing without reigning CIAA Player of the Week Maia Charles, the Lady Rams found a way to come away with a 64-54 win in their division opener against Shaw.
The Rams’ defense has been a significant reason for their success, ranking second in the country in steals per game (18.9), boasting a roster with five players averaging at least two per game.
This upcoming week, WSSU will face its toughest tests of the season, going on the road for divisional clashes with Claflin and Fayetteville State.
Fayetteville State is not far behind
Speaking of Fayetteville State, while Claflin has dropped its last two contests, the Lady Broncos seem to have found their form, riding a five-game win streak.
The Broncos’ week consisted of an 80-50 win over Lincoln (PA) on Monday, then taking down Johnson C. Smith 74-64 in their division opener.
In its four games since the calendar turned to 2026, Fayetteville State has won by an average of nearly 18 points per game, improving its scoring margin to 13.4 in conference play.
While Winston-Salem State has been the best team in the CIAA to this point, the two-time reigning conference champions have history on their side ahead of their clash this Saturday.
Fayetteville State has beaten Winston-Salem State six straight times (has won 13 of the last 15 meetings), with its last loss coming in 2022.
This matchup will not only determine the leader in the CIAA South (pending the results of their respective Wednesday night games), but also the favorite to win the CIAA tournament.
Virginia State outduels Virginia Union
On a Saturday filled with divisional matchups in the CIAA, Virginia State and Virginia Union’s matchup served as the most pivotal of the weekend.
Coming in as the two top teams in the CIAA North, a hotly contested affair ended with the Trojans maintaining their lead in the division with a 68-66 victory.
This intense game featured 12 lead changes, filled with runs and resilient comebacks by both teams, leading to a heated battle down the stretch.
In their first season under head coach Millette Green, the Lady Trojans have not missed a beat, keeping themselves in championship contention.
However, in a division with three teams sporting 10 or more wins, VSU will have some work to do to secure the number-one seed in the tournament.
Men
Virginia Union wins the Battle of Division Leaders
The men’s side had a Battle of Division Leaders of their own, but unlike the women, it was the CIAA North’s top dog that came away victorious.
After having its 13-game win streak snapped by Fayetteville State, Virginia Union bounced back with a narrow 66-64 win Monday night over Claflin.
This game featured five lead changes in the final two minutes, culminating in VUU converting on three free throws after being fouled on a go-ahead attempt with two seconds remaining.
The Panthers continued to build momentum for the remainder of the week, holding off a fierce second-half rally to beat Johnson C. Smith 75-73 on Wednesday, then decimating Virginia State 65-37 on Saturday.
With one game left in their five-game road trip on Wednesday, the Panthers can look forward to returning home this Saturday (against Bowie State) for the first time since January 3.
Fayetteville State is still rolling
Although Claflin still holds the lead in the CIAA South, it is the Fayetteville State Broncos that have been the hottest team in the division.
They are currently riding a four-game win streak, including wins over Lincoln (PA) and Johnson C. Smith this week.
The Broncos have been by far the best offense in the CIAA this year, averaging 88.4 points per game in conference play, nearly 13 points more than the team in second.
Their run is fueled by the duo of Larry Howell and Ezekiel Cannady, who are combining to average 38.8 points per game on 43% shooting from the field.
This included a 32-point performance by Howell against Lincoln in which he hit a season-high seven three-pointers.
Bluefield State understands it now
After a 1-8 start to the season, the Bluefield State Big Blue have found their winning recipe, putting themselves in the picture at the top of the CIAA North.
Following wins this week against Johnson C. Smith and Elizabeth City State, the Big Blue find themselves in second place in the CIAA North, holding a 5-2 conference record.
Senior guard Myles Pierre played a starring role in Bluefield State’s big week, averaging 20.0 points while hitting nine of 18 three-point attempts.
While Bluefield State’s overall record might not jump off the screen, they have historically been a team that overperforms come tournament time.
Now with Luke D’Alessio at the helm, a similar formula seems to be unfolding with the team starting to peak at the right time.
