CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 16. Up next: The SWAC Tournament.
The SWAC saw Grambling earn its first ever trip to the NCAA tournament last season, followed by the Tigers beating Montana State in the First Four. This year, the league could send another first-timer. NMTC member Bethune-Cookman is the 3 seed in a bracket that contains seven teams with 10+ conference wins. It’s anyone’s game in the SWAC.
2025 SWAC Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Trey Thomas, Bethune-Cookman
Freshman of the Year: Dorian McMillian, Jackson State
Transfer of the Year: Tanahj Pettway, Prairie View A&M
Coach of the Year: Kevin Johnson, Southern
First Team:
- G: Sterling Young, Florida A&M (17.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 81.4 FT%)
- G: Tanahj Pettway, Prairie View A&M (17.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.2 SPG)
- G: Trey Thomas, Bethune-Cookman (16.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.2 SPG)
- G: Amarr Knox, Alabama State (15.0 PPG, 2.5 APG, 2.1 RPG, 1.7 SPG)
- G: AC Bryant, Alabama A&M (14.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, 39.7 3PT%)
Second Team:
- G: CJ Hines, Alabama State (14.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 37.7 3PT%)
- G: TJ Madlock, Alabama State (12.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.0 SPG)
- G: Milton Matthews, Florida A&M (14.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, 36.5 3P%)
- F: Chad Moodie, Alabama A&M (11.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.9 BPG)
- F: Romelle Mansel, Jackson State (10.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.0 BPG)
2025 SWAC Conference Tournament Simulation
First round – Tues., Mar. 11
8. Grambling (10-21, 7-11) vs. 9. Alabama A&M (10-21, 6-12) – 2 p.m. EST on ESPN+
These two matched up twice in the regular season, and the Tigers won by double digits both times. Both times, Grambling held AC Bryant in check. Can a team do that three times? It’s a difficult task, (Bryant put up 39 on Jackson State earlier this season) but the Tigers have the talent defensively to win.
George’s pick: 8. Grambling
7. Florida A&M (18-13, 12-8) vs. 10. Prairie View A&M (16-15, 9-11) – 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN+
Florida A&M has Sterling Young and Prairie View A&M does not. Besides that relevant bit of information, another is that the Panthers are 362nd in D-I with an average of 27.9 RPG. Roderick Coffee III should feast on the boards and the Rattlers will advance to the quarters.
George’s pick: 7. Florida A&M
Quarterfinals – Wed.-Thur., Mar. 12-13
1. Southern (20-11, 15-3) vs. 8. Grambling – 2 p.m. EST, Wed. on ESPN+
Southern had a few impressive wins in the non-con portion of the schedule, (Tulsa, Louisiana Tech) and a few not-so-inspiring performances, (South Dakota, East Texas A&M) but they’ve held the line in SWAC games. The three blemishes this calendar year have been by a combined three points, and the Jaguars’ defense has stepped up since a loss to Alabama State in early February. This is not last season’s Grambling team, and Southern is the class of the league. Anything can happen in the SWAC tournament, but this result feels certain.
George’s pick: 1. Southern
2. Jackson State (14-17, 14-4) vs. 7. Florida A&M – 8:30 p.m. EST, Wed. on ESPN+
Jackson State has had a great conference season after a 0-13 start to the 2024-25. Daeshun Ruffin has been a big part of that, but not against the Rattlers. For whatever reason, the snakes have been Jackson’s weakness this SWAC season. Florida A&M swept the season series, and held Ruffin to a combined 5-22 mark from the field in those games. Combine that type of defense with the best perimeter shooting in the SWAC, and this has the makings of an upset of sorts.
George’s pick: 7. Florida A&M
4. Texas Southern (15-16, 12-6) vs. 5. Alabama State (16-15, 12-6)- 2 p.m. EST, Thur. on ESPN+
The Tigers started 7-1 in SWAC games but have recorded a 5-5 record since. The Hornets, meanwhile, have won seven of their past eight games. Amarr Knox has had a lot to do with that, averaging 15.1 PPG in that span. Tony Madlock’s squad is arguably the hottest team in the conference, and despite a previous TSU win in January, the Hornets are playing better in March.
George’s pick: 5. Alabama State
3. Bethune-Cookman (16-15, 13-5) vs. 6. Alcorn State (11-20, 11-7) – 8:30 p.m. EST, Thur. on ESPN+
Alcorn State swept the season series this year. The Braves, led by Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt, have the slowest tempo in the conference, which worked to Alcorn’s favor in the January meeting between these teams. But the offense isn’t particularly efficient, with just a 45.9 eFG%. Bethune-Cookman’s Trey Thomas is averaging 21.1 PPG in his past 15 games, and the Wildcats are 11-4 in those games. BCU is hungry for that first tournament bid, and they’ll emerge victorious here.
George’s pick: 3. Bethune-Cookman
Semifinals – Fri., Mar. 14
1. Southern vs. 5. Alabama State – 2 p.m. on ESPN+
This should be a very good game. The Jaguars and Hornets are playing at two of the highest rates of competition in the SWAC, and Alabama State can boast that they handed Southern two of their three conference losses this season. But I’ve got two words: Michael Jacobs. The junior dropped 27 in the most recent meeting between these two, and he’s averaging 17.2 PPG over the past six contests. Look for the Lawson State transfer to be the difference in the semis.
George’s pick: 1. Southern
3. Bethune-Cookman vs. 7. Florida A&M – 8:30 on ESPN+
Bethune-Cookman is 6-0 in one-score games, including a recent victory over the Rattlers in the regular season finale. A rematch should be fun, and Kalil Camara and Sterling Young can duel it out again. Ultimately, the Wildcats just have too many scorers cooking as of late, which will be the difference against a Rattlers defense that has not been all too impressive.
George’s pick: 3. Bethune-Cookman
Championship – Sat., Mar. 15
1. Southern vs. 3. Bethune-Cookman – 9:30 p.m. EST, network TBD
Southern, the program with nine tournament bids, vs. Bethune-Cookman, who have never made the tournament. What a matchup. And the Wildcats managed to beat the Jaguars earlier this season in Daytona Beach. Can they bring that magic back again? These are two of the best defenses in the conference, but it’ll be the offenses that decide the champion. Michael Jacobs and Jordan Johnson carry the Jaguars back to the tournament for the first time since 2016.
George’s pick: 1. Southern
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