As the MEAC and SWAC tournaments tip off, here are the teams and players to watch
Teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference are fighting for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
During the SWAC and MEAC tournaments, which run concurrently Wednesday through Saturday, teams will face off hoping to defend their conference championship titles, end NCAA tournament droughts and make program history. The SWAC tournament will take place at the Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, and the MEAC tournament will take place at Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.
Here are the teams and players to watch in this week’s SWAC and MEAC basketball tournaments.
SWAC
Reigning champions
Women’s basketball: Southern University
The Southern University Jaguars (15-14, 13-5 SWAC) have won two of the last four SWAC tournament championship titles and are seeded No. 3 in the conference tournament. Southern is led by two returning championship players, Genovea Johnson and Aleighyah Fontenot, who’ve combined for an average of 20.2 points this season. Last season, 3-pointers helped propel Southern to a title, and this season, the Jaguars lead the SWAC in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 31.3%. Southern enters the tournament with a four-game winning streak and will face Alcorn State on Thursday in the opening round of the tournament.
Men’s basketball: Texas Southern University
Texas Southern (14-15, 12-6 SWAC) is a staple at the postseason conference tournament – the team has won seven championships since the 2013-14 season. Returning guard PJ Henry, who ranks ninth in the conference in scoring, and University of the Incarnate Word transfer forward Jonathon Cisse combine for an average of 28.1 points.
In the past three seasons under coach Johnny Jones, the Tigers have won three consecutive conference championships. When Texas Southern enters postseason play, its best basketball comes out: Last season, the Tigers entered the tournament as an eighth seed. Although the Tigers rank seventh in the SWAC in scoring, they stand at No. 4 in defense, allowing an average of 71.1 points. Texas Southern, the No. 3 seed, will face Jackson State on Thursday in the opening round of the SWAC tournament.
Top contenders
Women’s basketball: Jackson State University
Top-seeded Jackson State (23-6, 18-0 SWAC) has solidified itself as the team to beat in the SWAC after completing the regular season undefeated in conference play for the second time in three seasons. The Tigers clinched their fifth consecutive SWAC regular-season title with a win over Prairie View A&M University on March 4. Coach Tomekia Reed’s Tigers rank No. 1 in the SWAC defensively and No. 2 in offense, averaging 72 points per game. Texas Southern transfer Andriana Avent is the leading scorer for Jackson State, averaging 11.8 points, which ranks her No. 10 in the conference in scoring.
For the first time in program history, Jackson State earned a vote in the AP Poll. The Tigers enter the SWAC tournament riding an 18-game winning streak and are on the prowl for their third conference tournament title in four years. Jackson State will face Prairie View A&M University on Wednesday.
Men’s basketball: Grambling State University
Grambling State (17-14, 14-4 SWAC) repeated as regular season champions after winning six of its last eight games to earn the best conference record. Grambling State’s NCAA hopes ended in the SWAC tournament title game a season ago to Texas Southern, but Grambling returned multiple starters this season and is in the top three teams in the SWAC in team field goal percentage and team defense. Key returning players include Tra’Michael Moton, who is averaging 11.4 points and Jourdan Smith, who is averaging 9.5 points.
After losing its final regular season game in overtime to Alabama State on March 9, No. 1 seeded Grambling State will face the Hornets again on Wednesday in the opening round of the SWAC tournament.
Upset watch
Women’s basketball: University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Arkansas Pine Bluff (16-15, 11-7 SWAC) was SWAC tournament runner-up a season ago, and with the return of 2022 SWAC newcomer of the year Zaay Green from injury, the Golden Lions are expected to make another deep run in the tournament this year. Arkansas Pine Bluff finished the regular season with the top offense in the SWAC, averaging 73.5 points.
Arkansas Pine Bluff has two of the conference’s top 10 scorers, graduate senior Green (No. 2), who is averaging 16.2 points, and senior Coriah Beck (No. 6), who is averaging 12.8 points. Fourth-seeded Arkansas Pine Bluff will face No. 5 Alabama A&M University on Thursday.
Men’s basketball: Jackson State University
In Year 2 under coach Mo Williams, Jackson State (15-16, 11-7 SWAC) will enter the tournament as the No. 6 seed. Redshirt junior Ken Evans Jr. leads the conference in scoring with 18.9 points per game.
A season after appearing in the SWAC tournament semifinals, Jackson State has the potential to win its first conference tournament championship since 2007. The Tigers enter the tournament on a three-game winning streak and will face reigning champion Texas Southern on Thursday.
MEAC
Reigning champions
Women’s basketball: Norfolk State University
Coach Larry Vickers bolstered last season’s tournament championship squad with the addition of North Carolina State University transfer Diamond Johnson. The Spartans (24-5, 13-1 MEAC) are the No. 1 seed after going on a 12-game winning streak with only one conference loss during the regular season.
Johnson and junior Kierra Wheeler are the No. 1 and No. 2 leading scorers in the conference, averaging 20.3 and 17.5 pointsw Norfolk State also leads the conference in team offense and team defense. The Spartans will begin their title defense against No. 8-seeded South Carolina State University on Wednesday.
Men’s basketball: Howard University
Howard (15-16, 9-5 MEAC) has won six of its last eight games and will enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed.
Coach Kenneth Blakeney hopes to add another MEAC tournament championship with three players averaging double figures. Returning guard Bryce Harris is currently No. 3 in the conference in scoring, averaging 16.3 points. Forward Seth Towns will be a key component in Howard’s attempt to repeat, adding veteran experience in his eighth year of eligibility after playing at Harvard University, where he was the 2018 Ivy League player of the year, and Ohio State University. The Bison will face the Morgan State Bears on Thursday.
Top contenders
Women’s basketball: Howard University
Despite losing 2023 MEAC player of the year Destiny Howell to a torn ACL early in the season, coach Ty Grace and the Bison (13-15, 10-4 MEAC) finished the season No. 2 in the conference standings. Howard also handed Norfolk State its only conference loss of the year with a 73-60 victory over the Spartans on Jan. 20. The Bison are led by the backcourt duo of Tyana Walker and Iyanna Warren, who average a combined 24 points. The Bison also rank No. 2 in the MEAC in team defense. Howard, the No. 2 seed, will face No. 7 seed Morgan State University on Wednesday.
Men’s basketball: Norfolk State University
Although Norfolk State (21-10, 11-3 MEAC) lost last year’s leading scorer, Joe Bryant Jr., to graduation, coach Robert Jones was able to find a perfect fit in University of North Carolina Wilmington transfer Jamarii Thomas, who leads the conference in scoring with 17.5 points.
With the top defense in the conference, the MEAC regular season champions do a good job of defending the basket, holding opponents to an average of 67.7 points. The Spartans will head into the tournament with the No. 1 overall seed, hoping to win their third conference title in four years. Norfolk State will face No. 8 Coppin State on Wednesday.
Upset watch
Women’s basketball: North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central (15-14, 9-5 MEAC) closed the regular season on a three-game winning streak. The Eagles enter the tournament with two overtime wins over No. 2-ranked Howard, and it would make for an interesting matchup if both teams can advance to the semifinals of the MEAC tournament.
Redshirt junior forward Morgan Callahan is No. 3 in the conference in scoring this season, averaging 15.1 points. The women’s basketball program hasn’t won a MEAC tournament title since North Carolina Central joined the conference in 2010. The Eagles, the No. 3 seed, will face Delaware State on Thursday.
Men’s basketball: North Carolina Central University
Coach LeVelle Moton and North Carolina Central (17-12, 9-5 MEAC) are looking for their first MEAC tournament title since 2019. Guards Fred Cleveland Jr., Po’Boigh King and Ja’Darius Harris rank among the top 10 scorers in the MEAC this season. The Eagles have the best offense in the conference and the second-ranked defense. After securing the No. 2 seed in the tournament, North Carolina Central will play University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Wednesday.