SWAC Unveils New Basketball Tournament Format Beginning in 2027

The conference is enhancing and rewarding the basketball experience for the teams with winning records during the regular season.

SWAC Basketball Tournament's New Format | SWAC

BIRMINGHAM, AL -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is reshaping its basketball postseason tournaments, a change that could raise the stakes across HBCU hoops.

SWAC officials announced a new tournament format for men’s and women’s basketball, set to debut at the 2027 conference tournaments. The decision followed recommendations from the SWAC basketball working group, made up of league head coaches and administrators focused on strengthening the conference’s future.

A Bigger Stage For More SWAC Programs

The new format expands the field to 10 teams, giving more programs a chance to compete for a championship while still rewarding teams that excel during the regular season.

SWAC Unveils New Basketball Tournament Format for 2027 | SWAC

Here’s how the bracket will work:

1. No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receive automatic byes into the semifinals.
2. No. 3 and No. 4 seeds advance directly to the quarterfinals.
3. No. 5 and No. 6 seeds get byes into the second round.
4. No. 7 vs. No. 10 and No. 8 vs. No. 9 will open the tournament in the first round.
5. First-round winners advance to face the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds in the second round.
6. Second-round winners move on to challenge the conference’s top four seeds in the quarterfinals.

The semifinals will feature:

• No. 1 seed vs. the winner from the No. 4 side of the bracket.
• No. 2 seed vs. the winner from the No. 3 side.

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Base on the new 2027 SWAC Tournament format, the top 10 teams from the 2026 standings would have qualified, while the No. 11 and No. 12 teams would have been left out.

2027 SWAC Tournament Bracket Using 2026 Men's Standings

Semifinal Byes

No. 1 Bethune-Cookman (14-4)

• Advances directly to the semifinals

No. 2 Florida A&M (11-7)

• Advances directly to the semifinals

Quarterfinal Byes

No. 3 Southern (11-7)

• Advances directly to the quarterfinals

No. 4 Texas Southern (10-8)

• Advances directly to the quarterfinals

Second-Round Byes

No. 5 Alabama A&M (10-8)

No. 6 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (10-8)

First Round - Would have been:

Jackson State (10-8) vs. 🔟 Alabama State (7-11)

Prairie View A&M (9-9) vs. 9️⃣ Grambling State (7-11)

Teams Eliminated

❌ No. 11 Alcorn State (7-11)

❌ No. 12 Mississippi Valley State (2-16)

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About the Tournament Changes

This move rewards strong regular-season basketball by creating stronger brackets through byes. It also respects the grind teams put into the season while opening the door for more HBCU programs to make a postseason run.

For years, SWAC basketball tournaments have delivered great moments in March. Still expect the electric arenas, dynamic cheer teams, band performances, upset bids, and championship performances that deserve the spotlight in Atlanta. The new format gives more schools a seat at the table while ensuring the conference’s elite teams are rewarded for their consistency.

Arguably, the balance will yield interesting outcomes for the league, which aims to elevate championship-level basketball competition for its fans and onlookers.

What Comes Next

The SWAC said the head coaches and administrators in its basketball working group will continue evaluating ways to grow the sport across the conference and improve the championship experience for student-athletes and fans.

Details on tournament dates, game times, and ticket information will be announced later.

One thing is already clear about the conference this season: the SWAC is evolving, and HBCU hoops fans should pay attention.

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