Category: Sports

Prairie View, Southern Crash the Party as Tennessee State Holds No. 1 in Week 11 HBCU Top 5

Brandon King

March basketball brought chaos—and opportunity—to the HBCU landscape. Conference tournament play reshaped Dr. Cavil’s Inside the HBCU Sports Lab Men’s Major Division Top 5 in Week 11, as Prairie View A&M and Southern surged into the rankings behind deep SWAC Tournament runs. While new contenders emerged, the top of the mountain remained unchanged, with Tennessee State continuing its reign as the nation’s top HBCU program heading into the NCAA Tournament. 5. Southern Jaguars (17–17, 11–7) The Jaguars re-enter the rankings after being unranked a week ago, thanks to a strong…

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HBCU History in March Madness: Moments That Changed the Game

Brandon King

With the Tennessee State Tigers men’s basketball team preparing to take the court in the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, the program adds another chapter to the proud legacy of HBCU basketball on college hoops’ biggest stage. Historically Black colleges and universities have long delivered unforgettable moments in the NCAA Tournament—proving time and again that programs outside the traditional power structure can compete, and win, in March Madness. Here’s a look at some of the most defining moments in HBCU tournament history. Texas Western’s Championship Changed College Basketball…

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Bison Break Through: Howard Survives UMBC Rally in First Four Thriller

Brandon King

Image via WTOP News The Howard Bison held off a furious late rally from UMBC to secure an 86-83 victory in the NCAA First Four, marking the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win. UMBC jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, but Howard responded with a 9-0 run to take control early. The Retrievers tied the game at 11 following a three-pointer from DJ Armstrong at the 14:35 mark, but the Bison answered with an 8-0 spurt to go up 19-11. UMBC continued to chip away, cutting the deficit to 31-30…

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North Carolina Central Moves On From Women’s Basketball Head Coach Terrence Baxter

Brandon King

North Carolina Central University has announced a leadership change in its women’s basketball program, signaling a new direction for the Eagles moving forward. Head coach Terrence Baxter will not be retained after three seasons at the helm. “We are thankful to Coach Baxter for his service, leadership, and commitment to North Carolina Central University and our student-athletes,” said Director of Athletics Louis “Skip” Perkins. “We appreciate his contributions to our women’s basketball program and wish him continued success in the future.” Baxter’s final season came in 2025–26, where the Eagles…

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Tennessee State vs Iowa State: NCAA Tournament Preview

Brandon King

The Tennessee State Tigers will look to defy the odds when they take on No. 2 seed Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. Pulling off the upset won’t be easy—but if TSU can execute in a few key areas, the Tigers could put themselves in position to shock the bracket. 5 Keys For Tennessee State To Pull The Upset 1. Aaron Nkrumah must set the tone early OVC Player of the Year Aaron Nkrumah is the engine of…

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Tennessee State Tigers earn No. 15 seed, set to face Iowa State in NCAA Tournament

Brandon King

The Tennessee State Tigers became the first team to punch its ticket to the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 7 after capturing the Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament championship. On Selection Sunday>, it was revealed that Tennessee State earned the No. 15 seed in the Midwest Region and will take on the Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball, the region’s No. 2 seed, in St. Louis on Friday, March 20. The 2025–26 season has been a historic campaign for Tennessee State basketball. Under first-year head coach…

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Winston-Salem State Lady Rams defeat Gannon 67-48 to advance to Atlantic Region Championship game

Staff

Image via Apollo Barron Courtesy of WWSU Athletics 67 Winner Winston-Salem 28-3,14-2 CIAA 48 Gannon 29-5,18-2 PSAC Team 1 2 3 4 F Winston-Salem 23  20  14  10  67 Gannon 15  13  9  11  48 Indiana, P.A.-  The Winston-Salem State University women’s basketball team defeats Gannon University 67-48, inside the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex.  The Rams improved to 28-3 (14-2 CIAA, 8-2 South) on the season. Maia Charles led the Rams with 19 points, followed by both Makayla Waleed and Jakaiya Mack chipping in with 10 points each.  Quick Inside the NumbersThe Rams went 23-of-53 from the field,…

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Here are five key takeaways from Tennessee State’s dominant championship performance

Brandon King

Image via Tennessee State Basketball Here are five key takeaways from the historic victory by Tennessee State Tigers men’s basketball in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship Game. The dominant win not only delivered the Ohio Valley Conference tournament title for Tennessee State Tigers men’s basketball, but also ended a three-decade championship drought for the program. Under first-year head coach Nolan Smith, the Tigers’ run to the conference crown represents one of the most significant seasons in recent program history and sends Tennessee State University back to the NCAA Division I…

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OVC Championship Preview: Tennessee State and Morehead State set for rubber match

Brandon King

Preview The Tennessee State Tigers and Morehead State Eagles men’s basketball will meet Saturday night with the Ohio Valley Conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth on the line. The teams split their regular season meetings. Tennessee State won the first matchup 105-100 in overtime on January 15, in Nashville, while Morehead State responded with a 94-86 victory at home on February 14. The matchup features one of the conference’s most dynamic guards in Aaron Nkrumah against a Morehead State team known for physical play and rebounding dominance. Keys to…

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Defense powers Tennessee State past UT Martin into OVC Championship

Brandon King

The defense of Tennessee State Tigers proved to be the bane of the UT Martin Skyhawks offense, as Tennessee State secured a 68–55 victory to advance to the Ohio Valley Conference Championship Game. The Tigers held UT Martin to just 55 points while limiting the Skyhawks to 38 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent from three-point range—each below their season averages of 69.8 points, 42.1 percent shooting, and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc. Tennessee State’s offense was efficient throughout the contest, shooting 47.3 percent from the field,…

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