February 25, 2026 — Baltimore, Md.
Top‑seeded
Fayetteville State, the
No. 1 seed from the CIAA South Division, stormed back from a nine‑point halftime deficit to defeat
Bowie State, the
North Division's No. 4 seed, 86–83, in the quarterfinal round of the Food Lion CIAA Men's Basketball Tournament on Thursday night at CFG Bank Arena. The win sends the Broncos (21–6, 14–2 CIAA) into the semifinal round after outscoring the Bulldogs 54–42 in a high‑intensity second half.
Senior guard
Terrell Williams led all scorers with 26 points and was named the
Food Lion MVP of the Game. Williams shot 9-of-14 from the field and added seven rebounds and four assists, delivering several key baskets during Fayetteville State's surge back into contention.
Bowie State (8–22, 5–12 CIAA), the North's No. 4 seed, controlled much of the first half, building a 41–32 advantage behind the strong play of KJ West, who finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds. The Bulldogs held the lead for more than 26 minutes of game time before the momentum shifted in Fayetteville State's favor.
The Broncos—who entered the tournament as the top seed from the South—opened the second half with renewed defensive pressure, creating turnovers and jump‑starting their transition offense. Williams and forward
Larry Howell combined for several early baskets as Fayetteville State steadily cut into the deficit. Howell posted 18 points and eight rebounds, including the final two free throws with seven seconds remaining that sealed the victory.
Fayetteville State took its first lead with 13:17 remaining on a three‑point play from Howell, part of an extended run that altered the pace of the game. The Broncos went on to shoot 57.1 percent in the second half, while holding Bowie State to 41 percent over the same stretch.
Guard
Romeo Aquino, who finished with 16 points, delivered what proved to be the game‑winning basket. With the Broncos trailing 83–82 in the final 20 seconds, Aquino drove the lane and scored to reclaim the lead. On the ensuing defensive stand, Fayetteville State forced a contested miss, leading to Howell's decisive free throws. Prior to the game, Aquino was ten points shy of scoring a career 2,000 career points.
The Broncos also received meaningful production from the bench, contributing 20 points and timely energy.
Kenneth Brayboy provided four points and five rebounds, while
Ibrahim Kourouma knocked down a key three-pointer during the first‑half push.
Bowie State leaned heavily on West and reserve guard Charles Thomas III, who added 17 points and four made three‑pointers. The Bulldogs produced 20 second-chance points and 24 from the bench but were unable to slow Fayetteville State's transition attack, which generated 21 fast‑break points.
The game featured seven lead changes and two ties, most of which came during a tense final five minutes. After Bowie State briefly jumped ahead 83–82 on a fast‑break layup, the Broncos executed cleanly down the stretch, closing on a 4–0 run to secure the win.
Fayetteville State finished the night shooting 82.1 percent at the free‑throw line and 46.8 percent from the field. Bowie State shot 40.5 percent overall and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc.
With the victory, Fayetteville State advances to the
CIAA Tournament Semifinals as the South's top seed, continuing its pursuit of another conference championship.
