The first-ever Black College Invitational Championship matchups are set for the final day in Charlotte, North Carolina. Johnson C. Smith (8-18) will take on Clark Atlanta University (24-7) in the women’s championship game at noon EST. The game will be televised on HBCU GO.
Clark Atlanta advanced to the championship game after defeating Virginia Union on Thursday. Clark Atlanta fell behind early, trailing 10-1, but closed the gap to 19-13 by the end of the first quarter. The Lady Panthers surged in the second, forcing four turnovers and taking a 29-24 lead at halftime. They dominated the third quarter, shooting 73% and building a 20-point lead before finishing the period up 18. Virginia Union outscored CAU 25-15 in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough. Clark Atlanta controlled the paint and secured the win.
JCSU will have the opportunity to finish a disappointing season on a high note by defeating CAU. The Golden Bulls made it to the championship after its opening round win against rival Livingstone.
Johnson C. Smith defeated Livingstone 77-59 in a dominant performance at Bojangles Coliseum. JCSU took control in the second half, outscoring Livingstone 53-35 after halftime. Kyshonna Brown led JCSU with 14 points and 6 rebounds, while Rylee Ghent added 10 points and 5 boards. Morgan Kelson paced Livingstone with 20 points and 6 rebounds. JCSU’s defense forced 23 turnovers and outscored Livingstone 48-28 in the paint, securing an 18-point victory to advance to Saturday’s game.
On the men’s side it will be Claflin (19-10) versus Virginia Union University (16-15) for the championship. During the 2024-2025 men’s basketball season, Claflin University and Virginia Union University faced off once. On December 5, 2024, Claflin edged out Virginia Union with a 79-76 victory in Richmond, Virginia. This win extended Claflin’s winning streak against Virginia Union to three games, improving their overall record in the series to 5-3.
Virginia Union defeated Johnson C. Smith to advance to the championship, while Claflin was able to get past Central State. The Black College Invitational Championship men’s game will be televised at 3pm on HBCU GO. Both games will be at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
