HBCU Sports Romance: 'Love and Basketball' Drama Unfolds At This Year’s NCAA Tourney

The Hornets men's star and Lady Jaguars guard are a real-life 'Love and Basketball."

Knox and Sanders: The Hornets men's star and Lady Jaguars guard are a real-life 'Love and Basketball." / Credit: IMAGN, SU Athletics

Love and Basketball is one of the classic love stories in black cinema. We're experiencing a real-life Love and Basketball saga playing out during this year's HBCU March Madness.   

Alabama State guard Amarr Knox and Southern University guard DaKiyah Sanders – an engaged couple – simultaneously etched their names into HBCU basketball history during this week's NCAA Tournament First Four games.   

The talented duo respectively helped to lead their basketball teams to landmark victories en route to being mentioned for their off-the-court romance.

Knox's on-court heroics are becoming legendary in Montgomery. He delivered one of this season's March Madness' most electrifying moments, sinking a game-winning layup with 0.7 seconds left to give Alabama State its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, 70-68, over Saint Francis.

☆ Amarr Knox from Alabama State
(Engaged To)
☆ DaKiyah Sanders from Southern
Thx-Yahoo pic.twitter.com/LBlTv6Sw5m

— HBCU Premier Sports & More (@HBCUSports1) March 20, 2025

On Tuesday in Los Angeles, Sanders – a graduate transfer from Alabama State – helped the Southern Jaguars upset the UC San Diego Tritons 68-56. The victory was Southern's first NCAA Tournament win in the school's history.   

The couple met and became romantically involved at Alabama State before Sanders transferred to Southern University. Earlier this year, Amarr proposed to DaKiyah and announced their engagement.

Alabama State faces the Auburn on Thursday at 2:50 PM ET. The Hornets hope to become the second team since UMBC sent the tournament into chaos after defeating then No. 1 seed Virginia, 74-54. Auburn is the No. 1 overall seed in this season's Men's Tourney. Defeating the Tigers would be a massive win for Alabama State and HBCU basketball programs.

For Sanders, she and the Jaguars will also battle the No. 1 overall seed when they face the UCLA Bruins on Friday at Pauley Pavillion.

Knox and Sanders's dual successes and romance prove that Love and Basketball can coexist at the highest levels of sports.

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MOVE ON ASU IN THE NCAA TOURNEY

HBCU Basketball Celebrates Big Payday After Alabama State's NCAA Victory

The school, alums, fans, and the Southwestern Athletic Conference will celebrate Alabama State's exciting 70-68 win over St. Francis. The conference will also capitalize on the significant victory!

According to ESPN's College Game Day senior writer Pete Thamel, the NCAA will pay a "unit," which equates to the "value of a men's basketball unit" of $348,000.00. The additional payout will be nearly $2.1 million over six years for the SWAC.

Thamel continued, "A win earns an extra NCAA unit for a league. For smaller conferences (such as the SWAC), that's a transformative cash injection."

The payout comes from the Men's Basketball Performance Fund, which gives one unit value per victory. According to Front Office Sports, the fund's value is projected between "$170 to $180 million" during this year's tournament.

Mar 18, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; Alabama State Hornets guard CJ Hines (3) shoots the ball over St. Francis (Pa) Red Flash guard Daemar Kelly (5) in the second half at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The leagues earn units for every tournament game except the championship game. The earning distribution derives from the "Equal Conference Fund, " a pool of "between $50 million to $60 million" earmarked for the conference's automatic qualifiers, usually the league's champions.   

HBCU men's programs, Alabama State and Norfolk State, qualify for the SWAC and MEAC, respectively. ASU earned "1 Unit" for its win. Should NSU upset No. 1 Florida on Friday, Mar. 21, in the West Regional, they also will earn "1 Unit."

Should either squad advance to the Sweet 16, they will earn three units:  

• 1 Unit - First Four/First Round  
• 1 Unit - 2nd Round  
• 1 Unit - Sweet 16

How could a miracle campaign financially boost the SWAC and MEAC? In 2023, Conference USA earned a payout of $10 million from the success of Florida Atlantic's trip to the Final Four.   

Mar 18, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; Alabama State Hornets head coach Tony Madlock coaches in the second half against the St. Francis (Pa) Red Flash at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The infusion of extra funds for the Division I HBCU conferences could alleviate the expected shortages due to the upcoming payouts from the NIL "US House vs. NCAA" settlement. The final hearing is scheduled for Apr. 7.

The SEC is expected to earn an impressive $26 million for the 14 out of 16 teams participating in this year's men's tournament. This year's tournament set a new record for the number of schools involved, surpassing the previous record of 11 set by the Big East fourteen years ago.

The debate over HBCU schools typically facing No. 1 seeds that are usually ranked No. 16 has been ongoing. Fortunately, in the 2025 women's tournament, the Norfolk State Lady Spartans are ranked No. 13. With the talent of Diamond Johnson and Kierra Wheeler, they have a strong chance to upset No. 4 Maryland and advance in the tournament.

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Bama State Advances After Defeating St. Francis

Just call it HBCU March Madness! Micah Simpson launched a pass from the opposite court, tipped by TJ Madlock to Amarr Knox, who made the layup with 0.7 seconds left on the clock, giving Alabama State a 70-68 victory over St. Francis in the NCAA First Four.

Baseline angle of the full-court pass and bucket 👏#MarchMadness @BamaStateSports pic.twitter.com/ojdtNL7gGz

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2025

"We spend more time on situational stuff," Coach Tony Madlock told his victorious Hornets team. "Touchdown, great pass. We had to get it. We had to go win it, and all y'all, 'I want this ball.' I want this ball, and I gotta score this ball. Man, that's what you gotta do, man. That is a winning play. That is a winning pass. That's everything, man. Everything that we talk about. Then we ain't through. Let's keep playing. So proud. First tournament win in Alabama State history. "

Mar 18, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; The Alabama State Hornets celebrate a play in the second half against the St. Francis (Pa) Red Flash at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Knox led the Hornets with 16 points, going 8-of-15 from the field while grabbing two steals. TJ Madlock contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, while CJ Hines scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds in the win.

Alabama State is this season's Cardiac Kids with their late-game heroics down the stretch of the season, in the SWAC Tournament, and now at the NCAA Tourney. The victory was the first for Alabama State in the history of the Hornets men's basketball program.

ASU had a field goal shooting percentage of 42.9%, while St. Francis shot at 50.0%. The Hornets made only four attempts at the free-throw line, converting just 1 of those for a 25% success rate.

Mar 18, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; Alabama State Hornets guard TJ Madlock (20) celebrates in the second half against the St. Francis (Pa) Red Flash at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Coach Madlock's team was more successful with three-point shots, hitting 31.0% of their attempts, going 9 for 29 from beyond the arc.

Valentino Pinedo led St. Francis with 17 points, two rebounds, and one steal.

The defensive pressure and length of Alabama State created 15 St. Francis turnovers compared to just six by the Hornets.

"ALABAMA STATE HAS WON ITS FIRST EVER NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME IN A THRILLER" 🔥@BamaStateSports advances in dramatic fashion! #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/mml50ighdD

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2025

Alabama State will travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to play the No. 1 seed, Auburn, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. During his career, Tony Madlock served as an assistant coach for the Auburn Tigers.

Just keep dancing 🕺#SWARMAS1 | @MarchMadnessMBB pic.twitter.com/OEUU7YtXk8

— Bama State Athletics (@BamaStateSports) March 19, 2025

The Hornets love to take down the Tigers as they did with Grambling, Texas Southern, and Jackson State. Could Auburn be next to fall?

We shall see.

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