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2020 SWAC Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

Tuesday, March 10rd (quarterfinals); Friday, March 13th (semifinals); Saturday, March 14th (championship)

Format

Traditional bracket

Site(s)

Higher seeds host the first round on campus with the semifinals and final at Bartow Arena, home of C-USA member UAB. While this will be the second season in a row the SWAC Tournament will take place in Birmingham, last year’s event was at Bill Harris Arena.

TV/Streaming Info

ESPNU will air the final on Saturday, with ESPN3 streaming Friday’s semifinals. The four host schools for the quarterfinals may stream those games on their own. See below for details.

Participants

Only the top eight of the conference’s 10 teams qualified, so the Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions (4-26, 3-15) and Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (4-27, 3-15), did not make the field.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

Quarterfinals (Tue., March 10)

Game 1: No. 8 Alabama A&M Bulldogs (8-22, 5-13) 60, No. 1 Prairie View A&M 82
The Panthers swept the season series.

Game 2: No. 7 Alabama State Hornets (8-24, 7-11) 53, No. 2 Southern 67
The Jaguars swept the season series.

Game 3: No. 6 Grambling State Tigers (17-15, 11-7) 62, No. 3 Texas Southern 75
Texas Southern swept the season series.

Game 4: No. 5 Alcorn State Braves (15-15, 11-7) 52, No. 4 Jackson State 69
The Tigers swept the season series.

Semifinals (Fri., March 13)

ESPN3 will stream both games.

Game 5: No. 4 Jackson State Tigers (15-17, 11-7) vs. No. 1 Prairie View A&M Panthers (19-13, 14-4), 3:30 p.m.
The Panthers swept the season series.

Game 6: No. 3 Texas Southern Tigers (16-16, 12-6) vs. No. 2 Southern Jaguars (17-15, 13-5), 9:30 p.m.
The season series was a home split.

Championship (Sat., March 14)

Game 7: Semifinal winners, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)

10-Year Mayhem Potential

Data from Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter.

Over the past 10 seasons, one of the SWAC’s top two seeds has won the automatic bid seven times, with the No. 1 claiming four crowns.

• 1 seed (4): 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019
• 2 seed (3): 2010, 2013, 2014
• 4 seed (2): 2011, 2016
• 3 seed (1): 2018

10-Year NCAA Seeding Record

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 15 seed (2): 2015
• 16 seed (3): 2010 (Opening Round), 2011 (First Four), 2012 (First Four), 2013, 2014 (First Four), 2016 (First Four), 2015 (First Four), 2018 (First Four), 2019 (First Four)

So, in nine of the last 10 seasons, the SWAC champion has earned a 16 seed, with eight trips to Dayton in that span. It’s likely to be 10 in 11 years and nine Opening Round appearances in 2020.

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Prairie View A&M: 2019 (16 seed, First Four)
Texas Southern: 2018 (16 seed, First Four)
Southern: 2016 (16 seed, First Four)
Mississippi Valley State: 2012 (16 seed, First Four)
Alabama State: 2011 (16 seed, First Four)
Arkansas Pine Bluff: 2010 (16 seed, 1st Round)
Jackson State: 2007 (16 seed, 1st Round)
Alabama A&M: 2005 (16 seed, Opening Round)
Alcorn State: 2002 (16 seed, Opening Round)

Grambling State is the only SWAC member without an NCAA appearance.

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