CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Elizabeth City State goes for a 3-game season sweep of old rival Winston-Salem State Tuesday in the opening round of the CIAA Tournament in Bojangles Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 8:50 p.m. with the winner advancing to face top-seeded Virginia State (24-4, CIAA 16-1, North Div. 9-1) in Wednesday's quarterfinal round.
2019 CIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET (PDF)
2019 CIAA Tournament Website
The Vikings (13-15, CIAA 9-8, North Div. 3-7), who enter the 13-team playoffs as the No. 5 seed from the North Division, own a pair of wins over the Rams (12-14, CIAA 7-11, South Div. 6-6).
But things have changed for ECSU since a non-conference 69-63 win over WSSU in the Robert L. Vaughan Center on November 14 and a thrilling 82-79 overtime victory in Winston-Salem exactly two months later.
In the first meeting, junior center
Tyjhai Byers powered inside for 18 points, 13 rebounds and six blocked shots as the Vikings went ahead early and held off the Rams.
In the second meeting, a conference clash in the Clarence Gaines Center, 2018 CIAA Rookie of the Year
Zaccheus Hobbs went down with a season-ending leg injury just two minutes into the fray. ECSU clawed out a win when senior guard
Shyheid Petteway sank a jumper and junior forward
John Maynor nailed a 3-pointer to start overtime.
The Vikings were fundamentally changed with the loss of their point guard who was averaging 13.9 points and 3.6 assists entering the game. Hobbs' loss came just ahead of the 10-game CIAA North Division run.
Byers continues to be a force inside, averaging 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds while disrupting opposing offenses with an eye-popping 80 blocked shots. Head Coach
Shawn Walker has had to shift the attack to the perimeter where Maynor (11.8 ppg), sophomore guard
Justin Faison (10.8) and Petteway (9.9) have spearheaded a balanced effort.
The Rams, who are on a 3-game winning streak, are led by senior forward William Crandell (15.9 ppg/6.5 rpg) and junior guard Robert Colon (15.6 ppg/3.0 apg).
