No. 6 SUNO, No. 7 Wilberforce hold off Late Surges to Advance
TUSCALOOSA, ALA. - On the second day of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship Opening Round, No. 6 seed Southern University at New Orleans and No. 7 Wilberforce University took control in the second half and prevented their opponents from making a comeback as they advance to the quarterfinals Wednesday at Stillman College's Birthright Alumni Hall.
No. 6 SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT NEW ORLEANS 83, No. 11 RUST COLLEGE 80
Boxscore
In an electrifying game that featured multiple momentum shifts in the opening round of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship, the Southern University at New Orleans men's basketball team took control in the second half and staved off a late rally to defeat Rust College 83-80 Wednesday at Stillman College's Birthright Alumni Hall.
Shots made by Jalin Thomas, Jordan Fordyuce, Jayden Stephens and Justin Hicks gave Rust College an early lead. The Knights responded. Caleb Williams made a layup and Chaun Moore hit a jumper and a 3-pointer to tie the game at 16 with 8:04 remaining. Jamal Gibson hit three shots and a 3-pointer by Tyon Thompson put the Knights ahead by seven. It held a four-point lead at halftime.
Rust started the second half strong and took a 50-49 lead on a 3-pointer by Thomas. Gibson and Thompson took over the game for the Knights, hitting multiple shots. Rust was held scoreless for nearly six minutes which allowed SUNO to score 11 unanswered points. It would build its lead as high as 20 with 6:52 left in the game.
Rust College rallied. Hicks hit three 3-pointers to pull the Bearcats within six with two minutes left. Arin Strother stole the ball and laid it in to cut the margin to two with 40 seconds left. Rust had a chance to tie the game but their shot was off the mark.
Gibson had a standout performance with his 55th consecutive double-double with 25 points and 23 rebounds. Thompson had an equally impressive outing with 29 points, shooting 8-for-13 and 3-for-4 from 3-point range. He also contributed four assists along with his teammate Moore. Williams added 14 points.
Hicks led the Bearcats with 20 points, six of his seven made field goals were from 3-point territory. Isiah McCallum and Thomas followed with 16 and 14 points. Stephens notched a double-double with 10 points, 14 rebounds and five steals.
Following this thrilling win, the SUNO Knights are set to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face No. 3 seed Dillard University on Friday. The Bleu Devils won both meetings in the regular season.
2025 HBCUAC REGULAR SEASON AWARD CEREMONY
After the 2 p.m. men's game, the HBCU Athletic Conference announced its 2024-25 All-HBCUAC award winners. For the first time at the conference basketball championship, it presented an academic award the Elite 9 award presented by Bloosky, which is awarded to the men's and women's basketball player with the highest grade-point average. Tougaloo College's Jordan Ealey won the honor holding a perfect 4.0 GPA while studying health and recreation. Tougaloo College had transportation issues and was not able to attend the ceremony.
Below are the 2025 All-HBCUAC Award Winners
All-Defensive Team
Jamal Gibson, SUNO
Raymond Reece, Philander Smith
Michael Ashley, Fisk
All-HBCUAC Second Team
Cali Davis, Wilberforce
Amayoa'ah Phillips, Virgin Islands
All-HBCUAC First Team
Jamal Gibson, SUNO
Raymond Reece, Philander Smith
Doyel Cockrill III, Fisk
Calvin Finch Jr., Stillman
Assistant Coach of the Year: Montego Hoskins, Stillman
Coach of the Year: John Teasley, Stillman
Newcomer of the Year: Doyel Cockrill III, Fisk
Freshman of the Year: Donte Briggs, SUNO
Defensive Player of the Year: Jamal Gibson, SUNO
Player of the Year: Jamal Gibson, SUNO
2024-25 HBCUAC co-Regular Season Champion Stillman College
No. 7 WILBERFORCE UNIVERSITY 69, No. 10 FISK UNIVERSITY 63
Boxscore
The No. 7 seed Wilberforce University men's basketball team closed the second day of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship Opening Round by coming out on top in a 69-63 over No. 10 seed Fisk University in a closely contested game Wednesday.
The Wilberforce Bulldogs (14-13) played solid, leading most of the first half. Leading by four with less than two minutes remaining in the first half, Cali Davis made a layup and-one. Baskets by Jesse Olverson Jr. and Jamir Hymes increased the margin to nine, as Wilberforce held a 37-28 halftime advantage.
Fisk (9-20) started the second half strong and narrowed the margin to three. Doyel Cockrill III, the recently crowned HBCUAC Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-HBCUAC hit three shots in the first six minutes of the second half. He cut the lead to one with a jumper with 7:58 remaining.
Nekthy James made a layup and converted the 3-point play with a free throw. A layup by Preston Steele and a 3-pointer by Hymes stretched the lead to nine with 5:45 remaining. Two shots by Olverson increased the margin to double digits with less than two minutes remaining.
Davis led Wilberforce, securing a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Olverson, who contributed 14 points and eight rebounds. Hymes added nine points, six rebounds and three assists. Steele provided eight points and five rebounds.
Cockrill did all he could to give Fisk a chance with 34 points on nine field goals. Michael Ashley cleaned up the glass with 16 rebounds with 12 on the defensive end. Lucious Jackson and Mitchel Seay added seven points.
Wilberforce will meet the No. 2 seed Tougaloo College in the quarterfinals at 4 p.m. Friday. Tougaloo pulled out a 75-71 victory on the same court on January 6.
THURSDAY's GAMES
OPENING ROUND
No. 8 University of the Virgin Islands (10-12) vs. No. 9 Wiley University (9-13), 2 p.m., Live Stats
QUARTERFINALS
No. 4 Talladega College (20-8) vs. No. 5 Philander Smith University (20-8), 6 p.m., Live Stats
-HBCUAC-
About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.