By Jarrett Hoffman
HBCU Sports
https://hbcusports.com/
The first full week of CIAA basketball in the new calendar year has concluded, which means we are officially on the countdown to the conference tournament.
Here are some of our observations from an eventful week of action.
Women
WSSU dominates in return to conference play
Since the start of the season, the Winston-Salem State Lady Rams have been the class of the CIAA, and that remains unchanged as the calendar turns to 2026.
After losing in its season opener against North Carolina A&T, the Rams have rattled off 13 straight wins, including three wins since the start of the New Year.
In their return to conference play after over three weeks, WSSU asserted itself as the class of the CIAA with a pair of dominant performances.
They began the week with an 81-64 win over Bluefield State on Wednesday evening, followed by a 67-38 win against Elizabeth City State on Saturday.
Sophomore forward Maia Charles, a top candidate for the CIAA Player of the Year award, averaged 26.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals, and 5.5 blocks in those contests.
In their first season under head coach and alumnus Tierra Terry, WSSU has looked like a juggernaut from top to bottom.
If this continues, the Rams have a great opportunity to claim their first conference championship in school history.
Parity in the CIAA South
As good as Winston-Salem State has been to start the season, it has not been able to create separation from what has been a competitive CIAA South division.
While WSSU currently has the most total wins with 13, Claflin has the most conference wins, sporting a perfect 5-0 record.
These include a pair of wins against Bowie State and Lincoln (PA). The latter win came by a 34-point margin, helping Claflin take the lead in the CIAA with an 18.6-point scoring margin in conference play.
Fayetteville State is also in the mix in the CIAA South, having secured wins over Virginia Union and Bowie State to improve to 4-1 against the CIAA.
Not to mention, Johnson C. Smith and Shaw are each sporting 3-2 conference records, with the latter sweeping a pair of matchups against CIAA North opponents.
With division play set to begin this Saturday, the CIAA South will be a fascinating watch as we count down to the tournament.
Virginia State controls the CIAA North…for now
While the CIAA South has been ultra-competitive with a log-jam at the top of the standings, the same can not be said for the North.
Currently sitting at 3-1 in CIAA play, Virginia State is the only team in the Northern division with a winning record against conference opponents.
The Lady Trojans are currently riding a four-game win streak, including wins against Livingstone and Johnson C. Smith this past week.
Virginia State will have its toughest test of the season thus far on Tuesday, going on the road to match up against Winston-Salem State.
Elsewhere, Virginia Union and Bluefield State each hold 2-3 conference records while Bowie State, Elizabeth City State, and Lincoln (PA) are a combined 1-12.
While things could change as division play gets started, for the time being, Virginia State has been the only consistent team in the CIAA North.
Men
Virginia Union’s streak is halted
While Winston-Salem State was able to keep its win streak intact entering the New Year, the same can not be said for Virginia Union’s men.
The Panthers were riding high entering 2026, rebounding from their season-opening loss against Millersville with an 11-game win streak.
They started the calendar year with three straight wins, including against Shaw in their return to conference competition.
However, their streak was halted Thursday evening when they suffered a 75-62 loss on the road against Fayetteville State.
This loss was compounded by their worst offensive output of the year thus far, shooting a season-low 32% from the field.
Virginia Union’s will is going to be tested in their upcoming stretch, as this was the second game of a four-game road trip.
Their next contest will be the toughest so far, as they will be facing the last remaining unbeaten team in conference competition
Claflin is now the last remaining unbeaten
As a result of Virginia Union’s loss to Fayetteville State, the Claflin Panthers are now the top dogs in the CIAA, holding a perfect 5-0 conference record.
Claflin began the calendar year with a pair of wins against Bowie State and Lincoln (PA), powered by efficient offensive performances.
In their two wins this past week, the Panthers shot a combined 51% from the field, getting 20-point games in the respective contests from junior guards Horace Jaques Jr. and Cristian Sanon.
Their success comes despite not having a consistent starting lineup, with 11 different players having started a game for them.
If anything, this showcases their depth of talent, sporting five different players who are averaging double figures in scoring in conference play.
This will be a theme in their upcoming contest against Virginia Union that could serve as a preview of this year’s CIAA championship game.
Fayetteville State starts the New Year hot
The New Year has been very kind to the Fayetteville State Broncos, who racked up a pair of impressive wins after having last played in the CP3 Classic nearly three weeks ago.
In addition to ending Virginia Union’s 13-game win streak, the Broncos decimated Bowie State in a 108-80 victory.
Senior guard Larry Howell was a strong catalyst for the Broncos’ success this past week, combining for 46 points and 18 rebounds in their two wins.
In his five conference contests this year, Howell is averaging 20.7 points and 7.8 rebounds, shooting 94% from the free-throw line.
After going through some early-season struggles, Fayetteville State seems to have found a rhythm in its first year under head coach Devin Hoehn.
One of the most consistent men’s basketball programs the CIAA has to offer, Fayetteville State, will be a dark-horse team to watch down the stretch of the season.
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