HBCU Hoops experienced another exciting night of basketball that left fans at the edge of their seats. See which games came through the Gameday AI Stat Machine and see what the metrics had to say about a wild night of HBCU hoops.
MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE VS NORFOLK STATE — MEN
Maryland Eastern Shore took down Norfolk State, one of the MEAC’s top teams, by a score of 69-60 on Monday evening. The Hawks got out to a 28-27 lead by halftime, and then came out and outscored the Spartans again in the second half to come away with the victory.
Devon Ellis scored 20 points in an incredibly efficient 8-of-10 shooting performance to lead the way for UMES. The Hawks made a concerted effort to absorb contact and convert it into points. They drew 22 fouls on the defense, which led to a season-high 22 points on 73% shooting from the charity stripe. Efficiency metrics evaluated the offense at an average of 0.97 points scored per possession on 53% true shooting.
Tyrel Bladen put up 16 points to lead Norfolk State. As a team, the Spartans shot 40% (24-of-60) from the field and 20% (4-of-20) from distance. A major factor in the loss was their subpar offensive efficiency. They scored just 0.86 points per possession on 44% true shooting.
- UMES’s bench outscored Norfolk’s bench 17 to 6
- Norfolk State recorded assists on 38% of attempted field goals
- Devon Ellis led all game players in plus-minus with a +15
UMES will face Bryn Athyn at home on Feb. 10, where the Hawks will look for a repeat of their success here this evening. Meanwhile, Norfolk State will try to rebound when they host South Carolina State on Feb. 17 at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.
ALABAMA A&M VS BETHUNE-COOKMAN — MEN
Alabama A&M took down one of the SWAC’s top teams, Bethune-Cookman, in a back-and-forth 72-68 thriller on Monday evening. The Wildcats went into halftime with a one-point lead, but the Bulldogs would not go down without a fight. The sides exchanged the lead 11 times over the final 20 minutes, with Alabama A&M able to do just enough to come out on top.
Omari Peek scored 16 points to lead the way for Alabama A&M. That performance included an impressive 11 points in the second half to ignite the team down the stretch. Alabama A&M’s offense as a whole came out of the break with new energy. They shot 52% from the field in the second half, scoring 1.21 points per possession. This was a big improvement from their 40% shooting and 0.9 points per possession in the first half.
Jakobi Heady led the way for Bethune-Cookman, scoring 16 points. The Wildcats shot 22-of-53 (42%) from the field in this one, including 7-of-22 (32%) from the three-point line. That contributed to their game average of 0.97 points per possession on 54% true shooting.
- AAMU’s bench outscored BCU’s bench 44 to 16
- Bethune-Cookman struggled on the boards with just 24 total rebounds, a season-worst
- 2,019 cheering fans showed up to the Event Center in attendance
Both teams have their next games on Feb. 10. Alabama A&M takes on a confident Southern squad at the F.G. Clark Activity Center, where the Bulldogs will look for a repeat of their success here this evening. Meanwhile, Bethune-Cookman will try to rebound when they take on Prairie View A&M at Moore Gymnasium.
NORFOLK STATE VS MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE — WOMEN
Norfolk State recorded its fifth straight win in dominating fashion, handing UMES an 80-59 loss at the Hytche Center on Monday evening. The Spartans started fast, accumulated a 22-point lead into the break. They didn’t let up in the second half either, increasing their lead to as large as 23 points.
Diamond Johnson scored 29 points to lead the way for Norfolk State. Johnson was dangerous from three-point land, connecting on 5-of-6 attempts. Johnson was not the sole contributor though. The Spartans’ offense delivered from many fronts, pouring in 1.16 points per possession on 58% shooting from the field. That offensive output included 6-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc and 14-of-17 shooting on free throws.
Zamara Haynes led the way for UMES, scoring 14 points. The Hawks shot 22-of-53 (42%) from the field in this one, including 6-of-19 (32%) from the three-point line. Their shooting was part of larger offensive struggles that contributed to the loss. UMES only mustered 0.83 points per possession on 48% true shooting.
- Norfolk State set a season-best in field goal percentage at 58%
- UMES recorded a season-low zero blocks
- There were zero lead changes or ties, with the Spartans leading the entire game
Both teams take the floor again on Feb. 17. Norfolk State meets South Carolina State at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall, where the Spartans will look for a repeat of their success here this evening. Meanwhile, UMES will hope for a better result on the road when they head to Hill Field House for a battle with Morgan State.
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL VS MORGAN STATE — WOMEN
North Carolina Central recorded its third straight win, handing Morgan State a 66-65 loss at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Monday evening. The Eagles went into halftime with a nine-point lead. Despite being outscored 35-27 in the second half, they were able to fend off the Lady Bears and hold on for the win.
This win was led by a balanced scoring effort for North Carolina Central. Morgan Callahan led the scoring with 17 points. Aniya Finger added 15, while Kyla Bryant also contributed 12 points. The Eagles put a particular emphasis on generating easy looks close to the hoop, shooting 21-of-42 on two-pointers, including 38 points scored in the paint. Efficiency metrics evaluated the offense at an average of 0.96 points scored per possession on 51% true shooting.
Amari Smith recorded 15 points and six rebounds to lead the way for Morgan State. As a team, the Lady Bears shot 38% (25-of-65) from the field and 27% (4-of-15) from distance. That netted out to an average of 0.95 points per possession.
- North Carolina Central committed 11 unforced turnovers (16% of possessions)
- Morgan State was plagued by five unforced turnovers (7% of possessions)
- The game had five lead changes and three ties
Both teams have their next games on Feb. 17. North Carolina Central takes on a confident Howard squad at Burr Gymnasium, where the Eagles will look to extend their winning streak. Meanwhile, Morgan State will be thankful to return home when they face an UMES team also coming off a loss. They will meet at Hill Field House.
Gameday AI content is produced using Artificial Intelligence technology powered by Boost Sport before being approved and published by HBCU Gameday