BALTIMORE — Two HBCU programs — Bluefield State and Fayetteville State switched coaches and met in a CIAA championship game that went to the wire.
Fayetteville State rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to defeat Bluefield State 71-68, claiming the CIAA title and the league’s automatic NCAA Division II Tournament bid.
Luke D’Alessio coached Fayetteville State from 2019 to 2025. Devin Hoehn resigned from Bluefield State last April and was named Fayetteville State’s head coach the next day. Weeks later, D’Alessio took the Bluefield State job.
Saturday inside CFG Bank Arena, the two HBCU programs met again — this time for the 2026 CIAA Men’s Basketball Championship.
And the game itself delivered.
Broncos Chip Away
Bluefield State controlled the early tempo. The Big Blues built a 40-32 halftime lead and held the advantage for more than 32 minutes of game time. They shot efficiently in the first half and dictated pace.
But Fayetteville State never rushed.
“We’re not going to get a nine-point play back in one possession,” Hoehn said. “If we can keep chipping each media timeout, by the time it gets close, they’re going to start shaking because they have not been on this stage before, and I got five guys that have been.”
The Broncos outscored Bluefield State 39-28 in the second half.
No dramatic avalanche. Just steady pressure.
Terrell Williams Takes Over
Terrell Williams anchored the comeback with 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting. He hit 4-of-5 from three-point range and played all 40 minutes.
“My coaches always told me to be confident in my shot,” Williams said. “We work out every day. They got me right for this opportunity. If I have a shot, I’m going to take it.”
He did.
When the margin tightened late, Williams delivered the kind of poised possessions championship teams need.
Composure Wins CIAA Championships
The difference wasn’t just scoring.
Fayetteville State committed just seven turnovers. Bluefield State had 21. That gap flipped the momentum.
The Broncos also attempted 25 free throws, converting 18. They didn’t always shoot at a high clip from the field, but they controlled the details.
“The motto we’ve been saying all year,” Hoehn said. “Never get too high, never get too low.”
Bluefield State still had chances. The game featured 10 lead changes and four ties. Anthony Latty scored 18 and Ellija Preddy added 20 for the Big Blues.
But experience showed late. Fayetteville State led for just 5:34 of the game. They simply led at the end.
Full Circle in the HBCU world
Which brings it back to the coaches.
D’Alessio built Fayetteville State into a contender before departing. Hoehn was hired the day after resigning from Bluefield State. Within weeks, the HBCU coaches had effectively swapped benches.
Now they stood on opposite sidelines in the CIAA title game. And in a matchup layered with irony and crossover, the deciding factor wasn’t the backstory.
It was composure, patience and execution.
Fayetteville State finished the job, secured the CIAA championship and moves on to the NCAA Tournament.
The storylines made it compelling, but the basketball decided it.