Fuquay-Varina, NC – From day one, the Bears of Morgan State were considered by many as one of the best teams in black college basketball. Todd Bozeman's squad was the MEAC's preseason favorite to win the conference and their 2008-09 finish did nothing to disprove that notion.

The Bears went a school record 23-12 en route to a regular season and tournament MEAC championship. Despite a first round loss to Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament, Morgan completed the best basketball season in the school’s Division I history.

It's also no surprise that Bozeman and Morgan State finished as the No. 1 team in the final Boxtorow.com/BASN HBCU NCAA Division I Basketball Poll. MSU received all eight first-place votes in the inaugural poll.

Alabama State, the SWAC's tournament champions (22-10) are ranked second in the Division I poll with Jackson State (18-15) third followed by a pair of MEAC powers -- South Carolina State (17-14) and Hampton (17-15) respectively.

The second five includes Prairie View A&M (17-16) are number six, Bethune-Cookman (17-16) is seventh, North Carolina A&T (16-15) at eight, Savannah State (15-14) at nine, and Coppin State (13-19) at number ten.

On the non-NCAA Division I side, another school which enjoyed an historic season sits atop our other men's final poll. The Panthers of Claflin University (25-4), who finished their inaugural season as a member of the SIAC as regular season champions, were tabbed as the top team of that section.

Coach Ron Woodard's squad fell in overtime to LeMoyne-Owen in the SIAC tournament. However, the Panthers made the NCAA Tournament and reached the semifinals of the Division II South Regional. Just like Morgan State, Claflin was a unanimous top choice.

Another SIAC team, Benedict College (24-6) is ranked second followed by a pair of CIAA teams -- Johnson C. Smith (23-8) and Virginia Union (21-7) respectively. West Virginia State (24-6) rounds out the top five.

The rest of the poll has Talladega (21-8) at six, Tougaloo (22-11) is seventh, Lane College (22-8) sits at eight, Elizabeth City State (21-7) is ninth and Cheyney (18-9) rounds out the poll at tenth.

On the heels of DWCommunications, LLC’s two-year collaboration with Black Athlete Sports Network on the BoxToRow.com/BASN HBCU Top 10 Football poll, this season marked the release of the inaugural basketball polls. There are two separate weekly polls, one for NCAA Division I teams and one for Non-NCAA Division I teams (including NCAA Division II, NCAA Division II and NAIA Divisions I and II).

March 25, 2009 (Records through March 24)

Others receiving votes: Lemoyne-Owen (17-13) 3, Xavier (La.) (19-12) 3, Saint Augustine's (19-10) 1.
(1st place votes in parentheses)

The Boxtorow.com/BASN poll is a collaboration between boxtorow.com and Black Athlete Sports Network. The poll is voted on weekly by 8 of the top writers and media members who cover Black college basketball. For more information please email us at dware1[at]boxtorow.com


Hilliard, Scott headlines BTRC/BASN Non-Div. 1 All-American Team

Fuquay-Varina, NC -- Elizabeth City State's Anthony Hilliard and Ted Scott of West Virginia State are among the members of the Inaugural BoxToRow.com/BASN HBCU Non-Division I All-America Basketball team which was announced Tuesday.

Joining Hilliard and Scott on the first team is Ryan Scott of Johnson C. Smith, Scott's JCSU teammate James Dillard, and West Virginia State's Ricky Jackson.

The two-time CIAA Player of the Year, Hilliard has also been an First team All-Region the last three-straight years. The 6-foot-4 native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, who averaged 23.6 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game, has also been tabbed as BTRC/BASN's Player of the Year.

Dillard, tabbed as the 2009 CIAA Defensive Player of The Year, led the CIAA in blocks. The 6-foot-5 junior, who finished fifth nationally in field-goal percentage, was also been tabbed as BTRC/BASN's Defensive Player of The Year.

The second team consists of Langston's Lance Sullivan and Braxton Byerson of Virginia Union on the back court. Making up the front court is Kenney Boyd of Morehouse, Bowie State's Duke Crews, and Gregg Thondique of Virginia Union.

In other awards, Claflin University's Ron Woodard has been chosen as BTRC/BASN's Coach of The Year. Woodard helped lead the Panthers to the SIAC's regular season championship.

Despite losing in the league's tournament, the Panthers earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament. They would go on to win their first ever NCAA playoff game in a win against Valdosta State.

In their inaugural season as a full fledged Division II school, Claflin (25-4) reached the semifinals of the NCAA's South Regional tournament. They would eventually get eliminated by Christian Brothers University.

On the heels of BASN's two-year collaboration with DWCommunications, LLC on the BoxToRow.com/BASN HBCU Top 10 Football poll, the 2008-09 season marked the release of the inaugural basketball polls and All-America teams.

There are two separate teams -- one for NCAA Division I schools and one for non-Division I schools (including Division II, Division III and NAIA Divisions I and II).

The non-Division I team was announced earlier this week. The teams were voted on by writers and media members who cover HBCU basketball from around the country.

BTRC/BASN HBCU NON-DIV. I
ALL-AMERICAN MEN'S TEAMS

First Team

Back Court

Ryan Scott, Johnson C. Smith, Senior, G, 6-3, Reston, Va.; Ted Scott, West Virginia State, Senior, G, 6-1, Columbus, Ohio.

Front Court

Anthony Hilliard, Elizabeth City State, Senior, F, 6-4 Fayetteville, N.C.; Ricky Jackson, West Virginia State, Junior, F, 6-6, Canton, Ohio; James Dillard, Johnson C. Smith, Junior, F, 6-5, Apex, N.C.

Second Team

Back Court

Lance Sullivan, Langston (Okla.) University, 5-11, Junior, G, Columbus, Ohio; Braxton Byerson, Virginia Union, Sophomore, G, 6-3 Colonial Heights, Va.

Front Court

Kenney Boyd, Morehouse, 6-8, F, Senior, Meridian, Ms.; Duke Crews, Bowie State, Junior, C-F, 6-7, Hampton, Va.; Gregg Thondique, Virginia Union, Senior, F, 6-6 Norfolk, Va.

Honorable Mention

Back Court

Brandon Byerson, Virginia Union; Jermaine Hodges, Tougaloo; Ernest Sinkfield, Claflin; Darnell Adams Wiley College; Shaun Dumas, Xavier (La.); Will Gill, Saint Augustine's College.

Front Court

Jeral Davis, Talladega; Jeremy Cable, Tougaloo; Jerry Hollis, Johnson C. Smith; Michael Holmes, Benedict; Landon Bertram, Oakwood University; Anthony Wynn, Saint Paul's.

AWARDS:

Player of The Year: Anthony Hilliard, Elizabeth City State.
Coach of The Year: Ron Woodard, Claflin University.
Defensive Player of The Year: James Dillard, Johnson C. Smith.