Fayetteville, NC – Fayetteville State University will return to Capel Arena following a three-game road trip for its first home game in 2023, hosting the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls. This will be the first CIAA Southern Division matchup of the season and the men's game will be broadcast for live television by the Black College Sports Broadcasting Network, a subsidiary of PRC Communications.
 
Fayetteville State Athletics is offering free admission to its faculty and staff with university-issued identification. The televised men's game will tip at noon and the women's game of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m. General admission is $20. The rate for military and senior citizens is $15. Admission for children and students is $10.
 
Fayetteville State enters the game with a .500 (9-9) record and ranks third in the division with a 4-2 conference record. Johnson C. Smith is 4-10 overall and 0-5 in CIAA play behind legendary coach Stephen Joyner, Sr.  In the last matchup between the two institutions on February 5, 2022, the Broncos were dropped 62-56 in Capel Arena. Since 1988, JCSU holds a 43-23 win-loss record over FSU. The series is split 5-5 in the last ten matchups. Fayetteville State is 1-3 at home during those games.
 
Johnson C. Smith is on a five-game losing streak and is desperately searching for their first conference win of the season. The Golden Bulls were defeated 86-81 by Virginia State on Tuesday (Jan. 10) and 69-61 by Elizabeth City State this past Saturday (Jan. 7).
 
FSU has played their last four games away from home court, going 2-2 with conference victories over Lincoln (Pa.) (65-54) and Bowie State (61-49). On the flip side, FSU dropped a 71-63 contest to Virginia Union on January 7th, their second loss this season against the program they faced in the 2022 CIAA championship game.
 
The Broncos enter the weekend with the second-best scoring defense in the conference, allowing just 63.5 PPG to opponents. A strong defensive style of play has helped balance out the Broncos' offense which is scoring 63.3 PPG, the second-lowest rate in the CIAA. Head Coach Luke D'Alessio's teams have historically won with defense. The Broncos allowed the fewest PPG to opponents (61.0) last season en route to their second conference championship in school history.
 
First-year transfer Tyler Foster has established himself as a key starter for the Broncos since he arrival from Youngstown State. Foster scored a season-high 28 points vs. Shaw on 12/14, the most by a Bronco this season. Since becoming a full-time starter on 12/19, Foster is averaging 18.2 PPG.
 
All-CIAA guard Cress Worthy is one of two returning starters for the Broncos in 2022-23. Worthy is scoring at a near identical rate to his 2021 figures, averaging 14.4 PPG and leading the Broncos in minutes with 36.1 MPG.
 
Forward DJ Myers enjoyed one of the games of his career at Lincoln University on 1/5. Myers yanked in a career-high 14 rebounds and scored a season-high 14 points, which included a buzzer-beater to beat the Lions 65-64.
 
Guard Jacob Crutchfield has scored 69 pts during his senior season after scoring a combined 69 pts over his first three seasons with FSU.

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