BALTIMORE, MD – The Lincoln University men's basketball team was picked to finish sixth overall, and fourth in the Northern Division in a vote of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association coaches and sports information personnel, the conference announced today (September 26, 2022).
 

Fayetteville State earned six of the 12 first-place votes and was selected to claim the conference championship. Virginia Union was picked second, followed by Winston-Salem State, Virginia State, Bowie State, Lincoln, Shaw, Livingstone, Johnson C. Smith, Elizabeth City State, Claflin, and Saint Augustine's.
 

While Lincoln must replace CIAA Player of the Year Zahrion Blue (Princeton, N.J./Princeton), the Lions bring back two of their top three scorers in sophomore Bakir Cleveland (Newark, N.J./University) and senior Korey Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y./LaSalle Academy). 

"When you lose the Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, and your best shooter in Bernard Lightsey (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) decides not to play basketball anymore, I can understand our position in the preseason rankings," said Lincoln University Interim Head Coach Jason A. Armstrong. "Our motivation is to work to be the best team in the Conference and in this country. That is our daily grind that we focus on as a program. We will focus on every team that we play and put together the best game plan possible to win. Our focus is on how we finish!!!"
 

An all-rookie team selection, Cleveland started all 16 CIAA games, 18 total, and finished third on the team with 9.7 points per game. He boosted his scoring slightly in conference games to 10.1 points per game, including a 25-point effort at Shaw late in the season.
 

Williams was second on the team in scoring with 11.3 points per game on 37 percent shooting. His 32 three-pointers were second on the team.
 

Sophomore Reggie Hudson (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond's) also returns after leading the team with 96 assists and 42 steals. Other returners include senior Isaiah Miles (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park), sophomore Janaie Coates-Sinues (Newark, N.J./University), senior Amir Stevens (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream Central), junior Nasir Lett (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic), and sophomore Ethan Garita (Trenton, N.J./Princeton Day School). 
 

Lincoln opens the season by hosting West Chester 7 p.m. November 11 in the CIAA/PSAC Challenge.