Category: SWAC

Grambling State Survives Northern Illinois Rally, Wins 89-87 in 3 A.M. Season Opener

Brandon King

Grambling State men’s basketball didn’t need a traditional tipoff time to get its season started on the right foot. The Tigers opened their 2026-27 campaign with an exciting 89-87 victory over Northern Illinois in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon on Monday morning, November 2, at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The 3 a.m. ET matchup delivered plenty of excitement, with Grambling building an early advantage before holding off a late Northern Illinois rally to secure the two-point win. Isaiah Miranda Delivers…

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SWAC Basketball Season Tips Off November 2: Full Opening Week Schedule and TV Listings

Brandon King

The wait is over for Southwestern Athletic Conference basketball fans. The 2026-27 SWAC basketball season officially gets underway Monday, November 2, with men’s and women’s programs taking the court for the start of a new season. Opening week features several intriguing matchups against Power Four opponents, including Jackson State visiting Texas Tech, Southern traveling to SMU, Alabama A&M facing Alabama, and Texas Southern taking on LSU. With games scheduled across multiple platforms, SWAC fans will have several opportunities to follow their favorite programs throughout the opening week. SWAC Women’s Basketball:…

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UAPB Star Indiya Bowen Lands NIL Deal With AND1

Brandon King

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) women’s basketball star Indiya Bowen is adding a new partnership to her growing résumé after landing a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with basketball apparel brand AND1. The announcement comes as her latest achievement, which includes Bowen being named the 2026-27 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Preseason Player of the Year, recognizing her standing among the conference’s top players entering the upcoming season. The partnership gives Bowen another opportunity to build her personal brand while representing UAPB and bringing additional visibility to HBCU…

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Dominique Wilkins Named Alabama State Men’s Basketball General Manager

Brandon King

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins is bringing his basketball experience and professional connections to the HBCU level after being named general manager of Alabama State’s men’s basketball program. Alabama State University announced the appointment Tuesday, October 27, during its annual Basketball Tip-Off Reception, where athletics director Jason Cable introduced Wilkins to Hornet supporters. The move gives the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) program a prominent basketball figure as it prepares for the 2026-27 season. What Will Dominique Wilkins Do at Alabama State? Wilkins will work with Alabama…

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2026 SWAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll: Bethune-Cookman Leads the Way

Brandon King

image via the Southwestern Athletic Conference The 2026-27 SWAC men’s basketball season is approaching, and the conference’s preseason poll has officially set the expectations. The votes are in. Bethune-Cookman has been selected as the 2026-27 Southwestern Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball preseason favorite, but the Wildcats aren’t the only team generating plenty of attention. The conference’s annual predicted order of finish features several familiar programs near the top, while a few of last season’s results make some of the preseason placements particularly interesting. 🏀 2026 SWACMBB Preseason Poll Rank Team Points…

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SWAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll Is Out: Southern Picked No. 1, But Alabama A&M Is Right Behind Them

Brandon King

image via Alexis Blue/SWAC The votes are officially in. The Southwestern Athletic Conference has released its 2026-27 Women’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish, and the preseason race already has plenty of intrigue. Southern has been picked to finish first, but the reigning SWAC regular-season champion Alabama A&M is right on its heels. The Lady Jaguars received 234 points and 10 first-place votes, while Alabama A&M collected 229 points and eight first-place votes — just a five-point difference between the top two teams. That sets up an intriguing season between the…

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Daeshun Ruffin Is BACK at Jackson State

Brandon King

Reigning SWAC Player of the Year Daeshun Ruffin will return to Jackson State for the 2026–27 season, the school announced Thursday. Ruffin is coming off one of the most productive individual seasons in the country, averaging 23.3 points, 5.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 84.3% from the free-throw line. His 23.3 points per game ranked fourth nationally during the 2025–26 season. He also scored at least 30 points eight times and became one of only three Division I players nationally…

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Florida A&M Men’s Basketball Set for 2026 Showdown in St. Pete

Brandon King

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M men’s basketball is heading to St. Petersburg this November for the 2026 Showdown in St. Pete, giving the Rattlers another opportunity to compete on a national stage. The four-day event is scheduled for Nov. 11–14 at the McArthur Center on the campus of Eckerd College and features five NCAA Division I programs: Florida A&M, George Mason, Bradley, Kansas City and Coppin State. FAMU’s Showdown Opener The Rattlers will open the event on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, against Kansas City. Date Time Matchup Location Nov.…

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BREAKING: Senate Passes Protect College Sports Act, 77-22; Bill Now Heads to House

Brandon King

The U.S. Senate has taken a major step toward creating a national framework for college sports. The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act, 77-22, on Monday, sending legislation designed to establish federal rules governing NIL, athlete compensation, transfers, eligibility and other aspects of college athletics to the House of Representatives. The bipartisan bill was introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and has advanced through the Senate after months of negotiations. Now comes the more uncertain part of the process: the House. The House is not…

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BREAKING: SWAC TV Expands National Reach With Dedicated FAST Channel Across Major Streaming Platforms

Brandon King

The Southwestern Athletic Conference is taking another major step in expanding the national audience for HBCU sports. The SWAC has announced the launch of a dedicated free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel for SWAC TV, bringing conference programming to a broader audience across several major streaming platforms. The new SWAC TV FAST channel will be available through Prime Video, Plex, Xumo Play, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV and Dingo TV, with additional distribution platforms expected to be announced later. Unlike traditional subscription-based streaming services, FAST channels allow viewers to access…

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