Buccaneers to Face Wiley in HBCUAC Tournament Opener
ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, February 23, 2025 – The University of the Virgin Islands' Buccaneer men's basketball team is gearing up to face off against the Wiley University Wildcats in the opening round of the 2025 Historically Black College and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship. The tournament will take place at the Birthright Alumni Hall on the campus of Stillman University in Tuscaloosa, Alabama from February 25 to March 2.
UVI, with a record of 9-13 (7-10 HBCUAC), enters the conference tournament as the No. 8 seed after securing back-to-back wins. The Buccaneers defeated conference rival Philander Smith 72-69, followed by a 71-64 victory over Wiley University. A third win was awarded to UVI due to a forfeit by Tougaloo College, another HBCUAC member. These wins propelled the Buccaneers from tenth place to eighth place on the final day of competition before the tournament.
UVI and Wiley University, the ninth seed, have faced each other twice this year, with each team winning on their home court. The upcoming neutral site game sets the stage for an exciting trilogy. In their first meeting, Wiley secured a 76-71 victory in Marshall, Texas. The Buccaneers then defeated the Wildcats 71-64 last Wednesday at the Eldridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center.
The Buccaneers will rely on their elite defense, which finished the season ranked third in the NAIA in opponents' turnovers per game and 11th in steals per game. These are categories that the team led at the national level at some point during the season and currently rank first in both categories in the HBCUAC. Offensively, junior guard Amayoa'ah Phillips, an Offensive Player of the Year Candidate, and senior Guard Jalil Langston, a two-time All-HBCUAC Preseason team selection, will lead the charge.
UVI's game against Wiley is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CST on February 27th. The Buccaneers' game, along with all other HBCUAC Tournament games, will be streamed live on www.Urbandedgenetworks.com and the UEN App.
