SWAC Basketball Races Wide Open As Prairie View A&M MBB, Southern WBB Set Early Pace

With conference play underway, most SWAC men’s and women’s programs sit within one game of first place, setting up pivotal mid-January matchups that could reshape the standings.

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HOUSTON - Prairie View A&M and Arkansas–Pine Bluff share the early lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s race, while Southern, Alabama A&M, and Texas Southern sit atop the women’s standings, underscoring the league’s parity this season.

"This may be the best set of teams in the SWAC I've seen since coaching at Texas Southern, " Coach Johnny Jones told HBCU Legends.

With most teams within one game of first place, neither race has produced clear separation entering mid-January.

Dec 30, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Prairie View A&M Panthers head coach Byron Smith talks with Prairie View A&M Panthers guard Kevin McGaskey (0) during a timeout against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second half at Reed Arena. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Men’s Race: Prairie View A&M, UAPB Set Early Pace

Prairie View A&M (8–9, 3–1 SWAC) and Arkansas–Pine Bluff (6–11, 3–1) are tied for first place in the men’s standings. The Panthers hold the stronger overall record, but both remain part of a tightly packed field.

Florida A&M and Bethune–Cookman sit just behind at 2–1, positioning themselves as early contenders if they can string together wins over the next two weeks. Jackson State is also 2–1 despite a 3–13 overall record, highlighting how quickly fortunes can shift once league play begins.

Alabama A&M, Grambling State, Southern, and Alabama State are all 2–2, meaning one strong weekend could lift any of them from .500 into a share of first place.

At the bottom, Alcorn State (1–2), Texas Southern (1–3), and Mississippi Valley State (0–4) face shrinking margins for error. Texas Southern’s 3–12 overall mark and MVSU’s 1–17 start emphasize the importance of protecting home court and stealing road splits to reverse early struggles.

Texas Southern head coach Johnny Jones acknowledged the process after a loss to UAPB.

“It just doesn’t happen overnight,” Jones said. “You ain’t going to just show up in the gym and hoop and think it’s going to turn out the right way.”

The Tigers showed signs of progress Monday night when Zy Mortle knocked down six 3-pointers in a win over Mississippi Valley State.

“We’ve got to get other guys as a team to understand the importance of being at their best night in and night out,” Jones said. “Not just on the offensive end, but on the defensive end as well.”

Men’s Pivotal Games of the Week

• Prairie View A&M vs. Jackson State
• Southern vs. Grambling State
• Florida A&M vs. Arkansas–Pine Bluff

Top 5 Scoring Leaders

1. Tai’Reon Josesph, Prairie View A&M - 23 PPG
2. Deashun Ruffin, Jackson State - 21.5 PPG
3. Michael Jacobs, Southern - 21.1 PPG
4. Michael James, MVSU - 19.9 PPG
5. Asjon Anderson, Alabama State - 18.4 PPG

Top 5 Offenses

1. Prairie View A&M - 82.2 PPG; Panthers have the best margin in SWAC of 3.2 PTS
2. Southern - 81.4 PPG
3. UAPB - 79.6 PPG
4. Alabama State - 75.2 PPG
5. Grambling State - 73.4 PPG

Dec 11, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Southern Jaguars head coach Carlos Funchess reacts during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Women’s Race: Three-Way Tie at the Top

The women’s standings are equally congested. Southern, Alabama A&M, and Texas Southern share first place at 3–1, with all three hovering just below .500 overall—an early indication that the SWAC title race is wide open.

Alcorn State sits at 2–1, while Florida A&M (2–1) and Alabama State (2–2) remain within striking distance. Grambling State and Mississippi Valley State are also 2–2, leaving six teams within a single game of the lead and making every head-to-head matchup critical for tiebreakers.

Jackson State and Bethune–Cookman are 1–2, Arkansas–Pine Bluff is 1–3, and Prairie View A&M remains winless in league play at 0–4. Despite a 2–13 overall record, PVAMU has opportunities to climb with several home games remaining.

Women’s Pivotal Games of the Week

• Texas Southern vs. Jackson State
• Florida A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State

Saturday matchups include Texas Southern at Alcorn State and Southern vs. Grambling State, followed by Monday’s in-state showdown between Alabama A&M and Alabama State in Montgomery.

Top 5 Scoring Leaders

1. Crystal Schultz, Prairie View A&M - 16.2 PPG
2. CJ Wilson, Prairie View A&M - 15.4 PPG
3. Indiya Bowen, UAPB - 13.2 PPG
4. Kaila Walker, AAMU - 12.7 PPG
5. Jailah Pelly, UAPB - 12.4 PPG

Top 5 Offenses

1. Texas Southern 67.9 PPG
2. Grambling State - 64.3 PPG
3. Alabama A&M - 61.9 PPG
4. Jackson State - 61.0 PPG
5. Southern - 59.2 PPG

As conference play deepens, protecting home floors will be essential for positioning ahead of the 2026 SWAC Basketball Tournament in Atlanta. With parity across both standings, every possession now carries added weight in races that remain far from settled.

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