Coach Larry Dixon Focuses Morehouse on SIAC Tournament Despite COTY Snub

Morehouse tips off the 2026 SIAC Tournament tonight vs. Edward Waters. Coach Dixon speaks, COTY controversy looms, and history awaits the Maroon Tigers.

Morehouse defeats Albany State | MC ATHLETICS

Tonight, the Morehouse basketball team begins its campaign for the 2026 SIAC Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. The Maroon Tigers face a dangerous Edward Waters squad led by Atlanta native Keshawn Evans, Jaelen Nelson, and Cyrus Huggard-Noel. Each threatens Morehouse, but Coach Larry Dixon believes his team is ready for adversity during tournament action.

“Throughout the year, we've had some adverse situations, and I think we've grown from them... we got to take each game in its own unique situation,” Dixon told HBCU Legends.

In recognition of individual achievements, today Sincere Moore, JerMontae Hill, and Jared White were announced as members of the All-SIAC teams. Moore earned Second-Team honors, Hill received Third-Team recognition, and White was named to the league’s All-Freshman Team.

However, notably absent from the regular-season honors were Josiah Lawson, who averaged 14.0 points against SIAC opponents, and Brandon Peters, who was potent from beyond the arc at 39.6 percent.

Building on these omissions, the most glaring was the omission of the head coach for the Coach of the Year honor. Instead of Dixon, the conference voters selected Benjy Taylor of Tuskegee as the 2025-26 SIAC Coach of the Year, who finished the season No. 2 overall in the conference behind the Maroon Tigers.

Tuskegee won the West Division with a 20-7 overall record, but equaled Morehouse with a 19-5 record. The two teams split their season matchups, with the Golden Tigers winning 67-55 on Dec. 1 and Morehouse beating Tuskegee 77-69 on Feb. 2.

This decision prompts the question of why voters leaned toward Coach Taylor rather than Coach Dixon, especially following their last contest.

The reasoning may be complex—were voters sending Morehouse a message about the unfortunate “handcuffing incident” involving Taylor, or was their decision strictly about the game? One can only speculate on the rationale, since the Maroon Tigers held an undefeated divisional record, unlike Tuskegee’s 6-2 record.

An officer handcuffed the coach after Taylor and the guard argued over a security issue during the postgame handshakes.  The situation was an embarrassment for both historic schools and for the SIAC.  

Dr. Anthony Holloman, the league’s commissioner, rebuked the actions of the guard and fined Morehouse College.  Taylor has retained attorneys with plans to file a civil rights lawsuit against Morehouse.  Fans blame the school for poorly handling the incident and for failing to issue a public statement apologizing to Coach Taylor.  All could have influenced the vote.

Regardless of the speculation, Dixon had a remarkable first year, guiding the Maroon Tigers to a 19-9 overall record and a 19-5 mark in conference action. A source shared with HBCU Legends that Dixon received one vote for the COTY Award.  

Nevertheless, despite the melodrama, Morehouse is the favorite to win the tournament. Dixon has previously helped North Carolina State prepare to win an ACC Tournament as an assistant coach.  

“We just got to be laser-focused and stay connected defensively and offensively,” he noted.  “And when we're connected, we're a tough team to beat.  But when we splinter off a little bit, that's when we lose focus, and we're not as good. So I hope our guys have matured and understand the difference, and if they've done that, we'll be locked in.”

The tournament atmosphere—fans cheering, bands playing, rivals competing, and heightened intensity—can challenge any player.  

Dixon remarked, “Anytime you get in the tournament setting, it's pressure. There's pressure on the other team, too. They know if they lose, they're going home. So it's the same amount of pressure. Whoever executes most down the stretch wins. I've been in tournament games before. I'm old, and I've been in a few of them. I'm just trying to translate my experiences for these guys.”

Morehouse has a chance at history.  No Maroon Tigers team has won the SIAC men’s basketball tournament championship since 2003.  Should they achieve winning the crown, the championship will join the banners of the others from 1990, 1991, and 1946 hanging inside Forbes Arena on the school’s campus.

Tipoff between Morehouse and Edward Waters will be at 8:00 PM ET from the Clayton County Convocation Center.  ESPN+ will stream the game to a nationally available audience.