Bethune-Cookman Remains in Control As SWAC Standings Heat Up

Bethune-Cookman remains atop the SWAC standings after Saturday’s men’s basketball slate, while Southern, Alabama A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff tighten the conference race.

Bethune-Cookman’s Quentin Heady (5) goes up for a layup in traffic against Alabama State, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 at Moore Gymnasium. | Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Saturday's SWAC men’s basketball was full of drama as teams continue to jockey for tournament positioning with a few games remaining in the regular season. Texas Southern blew a huge double-digit lead to give Mississippi Valley State its first conference victory of the season.

While the Wildcats under head coach Reggie Theus continued to rule the SWAC; the Big Cats in the Bayou State tussled in Baton Rouge. Everything's fluid in the SWAC, including the recent movement in the league standings after yesterday's six-game slate.

Here is how the day unfolded around the Southwestern Athletic Conference:

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 85, Alabama A&M Bulldogs 76

Daytona Beach, Florida

Bethune-Cookman strengthened its grip on first place with an 85-76 victory over Alabama A&M. The Wildcats improved to 12-3 in SWAC play and 15-13 overall, extending their winning streak to two games.

Despite the loss, Alabama A&M remains in the top tier of the standings at 9-6 in conference action. The Bulldogs dropped to 16-12 overall.

Southern Jaguars Basketball | Credit: SU Athletics

Southern Jaguars 87, Grambling State Tigers 73

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Southern defended its home court on the bayou, defeating Grambling State 87-73. The Jaguars improved to 9-5 in SWAC play and 13-14 overall.

Grambling State fell to 5-8 in conference competition and has now dropped four straight games. The Tigers are slipping in the league's standings and risk a much lower than expected seeding for the SWAC Tournament.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions 84, Prairie View A&M Panthers 82

Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Arkansas-Pine Bluff edged Prairie View A&M in one of the day’s most competitive matchups, securing an 84-82 win at home.

The Golden Lions moved to 9-6 in conference play and 12-16 overall, positioning themselves firmly in the upper half of the standings. Coach Smith and Prairie View A&M are now 6-9 in SWAC play despite the valiant fight on the road.

Alcorn State Braves 83, Jackson State Tigers 65

Lorman, Mississippi

Alcorn State delivered one of its best performances of the season with an 83-65 win over Jackson State. The Braves improved to 6-8 in the conference and could play spoiler to teams with higher seeding aspirations.

The Tigers see themselves at 8-6 in SWAC play, missing a golden opportunity to keep pace with the teams ahead of them in the standings. Don't count out a late-season surge from a Mo Williams squad.

Florida A&M Rattlers 76, Alabama State Hornets 63

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida A&M protected its home floor with a 76-63 victory over Alabama State. Coach Ward and the Rattlers enhance their record to 8-7 in the SWAC and 11-15 overall.

Alabama State slides to 6-9 in SWAC action and has now lost two straight contests.

Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils 72, Texas Southern Tigers 71

Itta Bena, Mississippi

One of the more shocking results of the weekend in the SWAC occurred in Itta Bena. Mississippi Valley State secured a dramatic 72-71 win over the favorites from Texas Southern. The Delta Devils won their first SWAC game and are still at the bottom of the standings with a 1-13 record.

Texas Southern's setback was another moment lost for Johnny Jone's crew to climb in the SWAC positioning. The Tigers dropped to 8-7 in the conference and 10-16 overall.

Updated SWAC Standings (Top Half)

1. Bethune-Cookman (12-3)
2. Southern (9-5)
3. Alabama A&M (9-6)
4. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (9-6)
5. Jackson State (8-6)
6. Florida A&M (8-7)
7. Texas Southern (8-7)

Bethune-Cookman holds a three-game edge, with games against Grambling State, Southern, and Florida A&M remaining. Though those could be tight games for the Wildcats, expect them to ride into Atlanta in March as the SWAC's top-seeded team.

Southern and Alabama A&M are competing for No. 2. Their season finale in Huntsville could decide who will be playing as the second-seeded team in the league.

However, the spots for No. 3 and No. 4 aren't clear-cut. UAPB, Jackson State, Florida A&M, and Texas Southern all have a shot to solidify their claim as the third-seed squad in Atlanta, but the best expectation would be for Alabama A&M to get the No. 3 slot and Jackson State to hold on to No. 4.