FOOD LION CIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Fayetteville State vs Bluefield State
Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 4:00 PM • CFG Bank Arena • Baltimore, MD
Fayetteville State and Bluefield State collide in the 2026 Food Lion CIAA Men's Basketball Championship in a matchup loaded with storylines and layered history. Fayetteville State rolls into the title game after knocking off Bowie State 86–83 and dominating Johnson C. Smith 90–68 behind one of Division II's top offenses and elite free‑throw production. The Broncos also enter ranked 7th in the Atlantic Region, reinforcing their postseason résumé.
Bluefield State arrives battle‑tested, winning three games in three days—65–55 over Winston‑Salem State, 70–68 over Claflin, and 71–66 over Virginia State—leaning on half‑court defense and strong rebounding to reach the program's biggest stage.
Adding to the intrigue: both programs are led by coaches facing their former teams. FSU's Devin Hoehn previously guided BSU to its 2025 surge, while BSU's Luke D'Alessio led FSU to the 2022 CIAA Championship and multiple deep runs.
With FSU carrying one of the nation's highest‑scoring attacks and Bluefield State bringing the tournament's steadiest defensive profile, the championship sets up as a contrast in styles—and a compelling showdown between two programs rewriting CIAA history.
MATCHUP STORYLINES
COACHING SWAP FINAL: Both benches are led by coaches who previously built the opponent's program.
- Bluefield State HC Luke D'Alessio previously led Fayetteville State to five straight semifinals, four championship game appearances and the 2022 CIAA title.
- Fayetteville State HC Devin Hoehn led Bluefield State to its first NCAA-era winning season and a 2025 CIAA title-game appearance before taking the FSU job.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Fayetteville State
- Quarterfinal: 86–83 vs Bowie State
- Semifinal: 90–68 vs Johnson C. Smith
Advanced on efficiency and paint control with explosive scoring surges.
TEAM AT A GLANCE
Fayetteville State Broncos
Head Coach: Devin Hoehn (1st Season)
Top Metrics: 89.8 PPG, .441 FG, .342 3PT, 25.4 FTM/G, +6.0 Margin, 8.9 STL/G, 5.5 BLK/G
Identity: Pace, spacing, free-throw volume, and defensive length.
Bluefield State Big Blue
Head Coach: Luke D'Alessio (1st Season at BSU)
Top Metrics: 68.3 PPG, .410 FG, 36.1 RPG, +2.9 Rebound Margin, 10.7 TO/G
Identity: Half-court defense, rebounding, and ball control.
REGIONAL & NATIONAL RANKINGS
Atlantic Region Rankings — Through Games Feb. 22, 2026
- Gannon University (24–2 / 23–1)
- West Liberty (23–3 / 22–2)
- Fairmont State (21–4 / 20–3)
- Indiana (Pennsylvania) (19–4 / 19–4)
- Virginia Union (21–4 / 20–4)
- California (Pennsylvania) (18–7 / 18–7)
- Fayetteville State (20–6 / 20–6)
- West Chester (19–6 / 19–6)
- Charleston (West Virginia) (17–8 / 17–7)
- East Stroudsburg (19–7 / 19–7)
FSU — NCAA Division II National & CIAA Statistical Rankings
- #1 Nationally — Free Throw Attempts Per Game (33.9); #1 Nationally — Free Throws Made Per Game (25.6).
- #35 Nationally / #1 CIAA — Defensive Rebounds Per Game (27.30); #30 Nationally / #1 CIAA — Rebounds Per Game (39.26).
- #8 Nationally — Scoring Offense (90.0 PPG); #4 Nationally — Blocks Per Game (5.3).
- Additional highlights: A/T ratio 0.85 (Nat'l 245th), Fastbreak Pts 19.19 (Nat'l 5th), FT% 75.5 (Nat'l 41st), TO Margin +1.3 (Nat'l 84th).
Note: Rankings shown are as provided by the NCAA statistics dashboard and CIAA summaries for the 2025–26 season window referenced. Team "Top Metrics" above cite official FSU/BSU cumulative pages.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fayetteville State
- #00 Larry Howell, F — 21.1 PPG • 6.5 RPG • .449 FG • .850 FT. Interior focal point and elite foul drawer.
- #11 Ezekiel Cannedy, G — 18.1 PPG • 84 3FG • .382 3PT. Volume spacer who bends defenses.
- #10 Romeo Aquino, W — 13.5 PPG • 6.2 RPG • .500 FG. Efficient three-level scorer and rebounder.
- #01 Terrell Williams, G — 13.2 PPG • 7.9 RPG. Premium rebounding guard and timely scorer.
Bluefield State
- #15 Myles Pierre, G — 18.0 PPG • .406 3PT • .800 FT. Primary shot-maker with deep range.
- #01 Ellija Preddy, G — 12.8 PPG • 102 AST. Floor general who controls tempo.
- #04 Warren Mouganda, F — 12.8 PPG • 5.6 RPG • .459 FG. Physical interior scorer and rebounder.
- #10 Anthony Latty, C — 6.3 PPG • 8.3 RPG • .631 FG. Glass anchor and efficient finisher.
FSU CIAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY (Condensed)
CIAA Championships (2): 1972–73 — W vs Norfolk State, 94–89; 2021–22 — W vs Virginia Union, 65–62.
Championship Game Appearances (10): 1971–72, 1972–73, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2016–17, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2023–24, 2025–26 (Tonight).
Semifinal Consistency (Modern): 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
Notable Eras: Reeves (1971–73), Bernard/Hanger (1998–2008), Spencer (2015–18), D'Alessio (2019–25, CIAA champions 2022), Hoehn (2025– ).
MATCHUP KEYS
Fayetteville State Must
- Win free-throw margin
- Create tempo and transition chances
- Use length to disrupt BSU guards
Bluefield State Must
- Control pace (keep in 60s/low 70s)
- Win the glass decisively
- Protect the ball (≈10–11 TO target)
INTANGIBLES
- BSU on fourth game in four days
- FSU FT rate vs BSU physical defense
- Deep staff familiarity with opponent personnel and schemes
CHAMPIONSHIP STAKES
- Fayetteville State: Playing for a 3rd CIAA Championship and first under Hoehn
- Bluefield State: Seeking first-ever CIAA title
- Coaching storyline: Either Hoehn or D'Alessio wins a title against their former program
