Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Gonzaga, Hofstra likeliest to finish without conference loss

By Tristan Freeman

SPOKANE, WA - JANUARY 17: Fans for the Gonzaga Bulldogs cheer for their team in the game against the Loyola Marymount Lions at McCarthey Athletic Center on January 17, 2019 in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga defeated Loyola Marymount 73-55. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA - JANUARY 17: Fans for the Gonzaga Bulldogs cheer for their team in the game against the Loyola Marymount Lions at McCarthey Athletic Center on January 17, 2019 in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga defeated Loyola Marymount 73-55. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 20: Zachary Hamilton #14 of the Prairie View A&M Panthers is defended by Jackson Davis #13 of the Eastern Kentucky Colonels during day one of the Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 20, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prairie View A&M won 80-70. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 20: Zachary Hamilton #14 of the Prairie View A&M Panthers is defended by Jackson Davis #13 of the Eastern Kentucky Colonels during day one of the Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 20, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prairie View A&M won 80-70. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

5. Prairie View A&M Panthers (SWAC)

2018-19 season record: 8-11 (6-0)

Is it really possible for a team from the SWAC to run the table? In the last decade, Texas Southern has been extremely close, going 16-2 in conference play five different times. But despite the Tigers having three strong out of conference victories, they’re 3-3 so far and project to be a middle of the pack team going forward.

The team at the top is Prairie View, who finished second in the league a year ago and returned everyone of importance for this year. It didn’t look that way early on, losing 10 straight games (all on the road) after defeating Santa Clara to open the 2018-19 season. The Panthers already has a home win over Texas Southern, as well as Grambling and Southern.

This is one of the most experienced teams in the country, with all rotation players listed as upperclassmen. Senior guard Gary Blackston leads the team with 15.5 ppg and 7.8 rpg.

Alabama State is the only other team with less than two conference losses at this point, so there lacks another heavyweight team in the SWAC. But from a talent perspective, both Texas Southern and Alabama State are just as good as Prairie View and are certainly capable of beating them.

What’s puts the Panthers on this list is the veteran experience on the roster, which makes them better suited to handle being the hunted rather than the hunter in the SWAC. It ultimately doesn’t matter with the conference tournament being the path to the NCAA Tournament but Prairie View has set themselves up well for a top seed.

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