This will be the first time the two teams have met on the hardwood.
ALL-CIAA
Juniors
Bernard Lightsey (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) and
Zahrion Blue (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) earned preseason All-CIAA honors in a vote by head coach and sports information personnel. Lightsey earned backcourt recognition, while Blue earned honors in the frontcourt.
PRESEASON POLL
Lincoln was picked to finish fifth in the conference's North Division. Bowie State was picked to win the division, followed by Virginia State, Virginia Union, Elizabeth City, Lincoln, and Shaw. In the South Division, Fayetteville State was the preseason favorite, followed by Winston-Salem State, Johnson C. Smith, Claflin, Livingston, and Saint Augustine's.
MR. TWO-WAY
Junior
Zahrion Blue (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) is the reigning CIAA Defensive Player of the Week. He has been tasked thus far this season with guarding the other team's top perimeter threat. He hasn't allowed the defensive duty to take away from his offense. He is second on the team with 16.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 12 assists, and six steals.
UP AND DOWN
Lincoln has yet to have a streak, winning or losing, this season. They have followed each win this season with a loss. The Lions will look to break that string with a win over nationally-ranked Ferris State.
CLOSING HALVES
Closing out the first half has been an issue for the men's basketball team in the last four games. Lincoln has been outscored 44-9 total over the last four minutes in each half.
STARTING THE SECOND HALF
In their two losses this season, Lincoln has compounded the closing of the first half with a tepid start to the second half. The Lions have been outscored 20-1 in the first four minutes of the second half in losses to Shepherd and West Chester.
SLOW START
Junior sharpshooter
Bernard Lightsey (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) is off to a slow start this season. Lightsey is fourth on the team in scoring with 10.0 points per game. He is only fourth on the team in shot attempts. The Philadelphia native takes 61 percent of his shots from beyond the arc, making 46.4 (13-of-28) percent. He ranks third in the CIAA in three-point shooting percentage and fourth in the league in made three-pointers.
STICKY FINGERS
Junior point guard
Korey Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y./LaSalle Academy) leads the CIAA with 11 steals in four games. However, the most impressive stat is the fact that freshman
Vernon Simmons (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy) is fourth in the league. The guard has played a total of 19 minutes this year.
