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HBCU Athletic Conference

Top Seeds Fall; No. 4 Philander Smith, No. 6 Wiley advance to Championship

Philander Smith advances to the championship for the third time in four seasons.
Philander Smith advances to the championship for the third time in four seasons.
March 2, 2025

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - No. 4 seed Philander Smith University jumped out and didn't look back as it topped No. 1 seed Stillman College 62-50. No. 6 seed Wiley University continued its run, knocking off No. 2 seed Dillard University 48-45 Saturday in the semifinals of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship at Birthright Alumni Hall.

No. 4 PHILANDER SMITH UNIVERSITY 62, No. 1 STILLMAN COLLEGE 50
Boxscore

Shaniya Thomas hit a 3-pointer and Dasia Turner stole the ball and scored to give the Lady Panthers an early lead. They forced Stillman into three early turnovers and only allowed them to hit two field goals. Two shots made by Miracle Thomas and one by Turner gave Philander Smith a 16-6 lead after the first quarter. 

Three-pointers by Jade Myles and Thomas extended the lead to 14 early in the second quarter. Philander Smith had a three-minute stretch where it missed five shots. Raena Suggs made two layups to pull the Tigers within five. Myles hit a 3-pointer and layup and Ashlyn Kimble made a layup to stretch the margin to 12. Philander Smith took a 33-23 lead in the locker room.

Stillman (25-5) rallied in the third quarter. Hannah Boykin-Williams hit a jump shot, Jamariah Turner stole the ball and scored and Jaida Minter hit a 3-pointer to pull the Tigers within five. Farrah Pearson got fouled on an offensive rebound and converted at the line to trim the margin to 43-41 with 1:42 left. A jump shot by Myles put the Lady Panthers up by four going into the fourth.

Turner made a layup and Thomas stole the ball and passed to Samya Johnson, who laid the ball in to increase the lead to eight. Stillman only made two field goals on 12 attempts and missed all four 3-point attempts. Thomas hit a 3-pointer with 1:05 left to increase Philander Smith's advantage to double digits.

For the second straight game, Thomas led the Lady Panthers with 19 points off the bench, adding four rebounds and three assists. Turner recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Myles finished in double-figures with 10 points and four rebounds.

Suggs led Stillman with 17 points, hitting seven of 12 shots. Pearson followed with 11 points and five rebounds. The Tigers, which won the regular season title and clinched an automatic berth into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Women's Basketball National Championship Opening Round, will find out their opponent and location of their first and second round games on Thursday when the NAIA hosts their selection show at 6 p.m. on the Urban Edge Network.

The Lady Panthers advance to the championship game for the third time in the last four seasons and seek their first title since 2020.

 

No. 6 WILEY UNIVERSITY 48, No. 2 DILLARD UNIVERSITY 45, OT
Boxscore

With her team trailing by two, Wiley University women's basketball player Kelechi Dike stole the ball and hit a game-tying layup with 27 seconds left to force overtime. Zacyria Dozier hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:14 remaining to lift the No. 6 seed Lady Wildcats to the HBCUAC 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship game with a 48-45 victory over No. 2 Dillard in the semifinals on Saturday.

Wiley (15-13) led 15-14 at halftime with both teams shooting under 30 percent. The lead held up until Skyler Christmas stole the ball and scored to put Dillard ahead 25-24 with 4:19 left in the third. Celebria Peacock gave the lead back to Wiley scoring on an offensive rebound by Dike. The Lady Bleu Devils reclaimed the lead at the foul line. D'Mya Ferguson made a layup on an offensive rebound to give them a 31-28 lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Lady Wildcats took a four-point lead with 3:46 remaining on a 3-pointer by Peacock and free throws by Campbell. Dillard tied it on a jumper by Christmas and a layup by Ferguson. A layup by Christmas with 2:10 put Dillard ahead 41-39. The next score would be Dike's clutch layup. Jessica Nerestant blocked Christmas' go-ahead jumper, Dike grabbed the rebound and sprinted to the basket but her game-winning shot rolled off the rim sending the game to overtime.

Dillard (18-9) struck first on a jump shot by Cassidy Lowe with 2:23 remaining. Nerestant tied the game with a jump shot. Lowe turned the ball over which set up Dozier's go-ahead 3-pointer, which was the only shot she made in the game. The Lady Bleu Devils had a chance to send the game to double overtime but Azaria Knox jumper fell short and Wiley erupted in celebration.

Nerestant led Wiley with 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots. Peacock followed with 13 points, hitting three clutch 3-pointers. Dike led the team with 12 rebounds.

Christmas led Dillard with 17, contributing five rebounds and three steals. Lowe recorded a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Ferguson also double-dipped in double-digits with 10 points and 11 rebounds. 

The Lady Wildcats and Lady Panthers will play for the title at 4 p.m. Sunday. The winner will earn the conference's second automatic berth into the 2025 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Opening Round. Wiley reached the championship game for the first time as a member of the HBCUAC and first time in program history since winning the 2013 Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.

HBCUAC 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship Game
No. 4 Philander Smith University (19-10) vs. No. 6 Wiley University (15-13), 4 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.