CBB Review hands out awards for each conference tournament in 2024. Up next: The SWAC Tournament.
After four days of tournament play, the SWAC Tournament has wrapped up with Grambling winning the championship for the first time in school history. In the SWAC preview, I had Grambling knocking off Texas Southern in the title game. While I didn’t predict every game correctly, as a result of upsets by Alabama A&M and Bethune-Cookman) the championship matchup was as expected.
Bethune-Cookman had more of a realistic chance to get past Southern in the opening round 4-5 matchup, but Alabama A&M shocking Alcorn State is one of the many games that shows just how unpredictable basketball is in March.
Grambling State used some early first-half momentum to secure the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 75-66 win over Texas Southern.
CBB Review SWAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Tra’Michael Moton, Grambling
Morton’s performances helped lead Grambling to their first conference championship title as he averaged 16 points per game, including a career-high 26 against Bethune-Cookman in the semifinals. Setting a career-high and going out on top in your last SWAC game is the best way to do it. Congrats, Tra’Michael Moton.
CBB Review All-SWAC Tournament First Team
- G: Dozier Kintavious, Grambling – 3 GP (13.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.3 APG)
- G: Jonathan Cisse, Texas Southern – 3 GP (21.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.6 APG)
- G: Tra’Michael Moton, Grambling – 3 GP (16.0 PPG, 4.0 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 50.0 FG%, 66.7 3P%)
- G/F: Lorenzo Downey, Alabama A&M – 2 GP (16.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 66.7 FG%, 77.8 3P%)
- F/C: Derrick Carter-Hollinger Jr., Bethune-Cookman – 2 GP (14.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 53.3 FG%)
Grambling’s NCAA Tournament Prediction
First Four
The SWAC doesn’t have the greatest reputation among the mid-major conferences and as a result, they got sent to Dayton for a First Four matchup to take on Montana State.
That’s not to say that Grambling can’t give the Bobcats a run for their money. Moton and Dozier’s offensive abilities certainly speak for themselves. However, if they do ultimately break into the round of 64 and say they were able to win the first NCAA Tournament game in school history, beating Purdue would be… something.