RALEIGH, N.C. (Dec. 13) – Saint Augustine's University will host three CIAA basketball doubleheaders in five days starting this week.
Virginia State University comes to Emery Gymnasium on Thursday, Dec. 14, followed by Elizabeth City State University on Saturday, Dec. 16, and Chowan University on Monday, Dec. 18. Tipoff is 5:30 p.m. for the women and 7:30 p.m. for the men against Virginia State and Chowan, and 2 p.m. for the women and 4 p.m. for the men against Elizabeth City State.
Ticket prices are $13 for general admission and $8.50 for faculty, staff, military personnel, senior citizens, children ages 6-12 and visiting students with ID. Admission is free for SAU students with ID and children ages 5 and under (one per paying adult).
Click HERE for live stats of the women's games and HERE for live stats of the men's games. Live stats are also available on saintaugfalcons.com, SAU's official athletic website.
The Falcons and Lady Falcons start CIAA play after spending extensive time on the road. They have played a combined number of three games at home since the start of the season.
The Lady Falcons (3-6 overall) are led by preseason All-CIAA forward Kaaliya Williams (So./Richmond, VA), who is the NCAA Division II leader in free throw percentage (100). She has made 25 straight free throws this season and 33 in a row dating back to last season. Williams is the Lady Falcons' scoring leader with a 12.1 average. The Lady Falcons rank 11th nationally in Division II in turnovers forced (24.7).
Dynamic guard Tyre Gathright (Jr./Wilmington, NC) and reigning two-time CIAA Defensive Player of the Year Quincy January (Sr./Atlanta, GA) have sparked the Falcons (2-8 overall) this season. Gathright paces the Falcons with an 18.3 scoring average including a career-high 31 points in an overtime loss to Catawba College on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
January averages 16.1 points and a CIAA-best 11.3 rebounds including 20 points and a career-high 20 rebounds against Catawba. The standout forward leads the CIAA in field goal percentage (67.6) and ranks fourth among active Division II players in career double-doubles (42).
The Virginia State men's and women's teams are formidable opponents. Both teams are unbeaten with the Trojans' men (7-0 overall) ranked 17th nationally in the NABC Coaches Poll and 11th in the D2SIDA National poll. The Trojans' women (9-0 overall) are ranked sixth in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll.
Richard Granberry averages 12.9 points for the Trojans' men, who rank second nationally in Division II in field goal percentage defense (36.2). Alexis Smith averages 19.1 points, 6.8 assists and four steals for the Trojans' women, who rank fifth nationally in Division II in scoring defense (50.4). Smith ranks fourth nationally in assists per game and steals per game.
For Elizabeth City State, John Raynor averages 15.6 points for the Vikings (3-2 overall), who rank fourth nationally in fewest turnovers (64). Jayln Brown averages 17.1 points for the Lady Vikings (6-4 overall), who rank seventh nationally in rebounds per game (47).
Tim Hewett leads the Hawks' men (0-1 CIAA, 4-5 overall) with a 16.7 scoring average. The Hawks lead all Division II teams in blocked shots per game (7.7). Dhyamond Crenshaw averages 19.1 points for the Hawks' women (1-0 CIAA, 9-1 overall), who are the Division II national leaders in rebounds per game (52.3).
