SWAC Basketball: 2020 conference tournament preview and predictions

DAYTON, OHIO - MARCH 19: Gary Blackston #3 of the Prairie View A&M Panthers is helped up by teammates during the second half against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights in the First Four of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 19, 2019 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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FAIRFAX, VA – NOVEMBER 17: The Southern University Jaguars logo (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

Teams to Lookout for

Team to beat: Prairie View

For the 2nd year in a row, the Panthers come into March as the heavy favorite to earn that automatic bid. Ranking 10th nationally in turnovers forced, head coach Byron Smith utilizes a 2-2-1 press structure that forces opposing ball handlers to make pinpoint passes through small creases, and with length in the backcourt with Gerad Andrus at 6-5 and Chancellor Ellis at 6-4, they make it extremely tough for the smaller SWAC guards to beat the press over the top. The press gets them easy buckets on offense and has made Prairie View one of the most dominant forces the SWAC has ever seen.

Top Contender: Southern

Outside of the continued dominance of Prairie View, the most surprising narrative in the SWAC has been the success of the Southern Jaguars. A year removed from a 6-12 finish in conference play, the team out of nowhere completely flipped the script, going 13-5, including going on a 7 game win streak to end the regular season and steal the 2nd seed in the conference from Texas Southern. They are one of the least talented teams on paper in the conference, so the credit has to go to 2nd-year head coach Sean Woods.

One of the most controversial coaches in all of Division 1, Woods hopefully seems to have put his dark past of abusing his players (both physically and mentally) at Morehead St and has his Jaguars playing like true contenders. While it’s hard to see this team making a tournament run with no true playmakers or go-to scorers, (no one on the team averages over 10 points) they are tenacious defensively and especially good a limiting opposing team’s 3 point shooting, earning them rights to be viewed as the #1 contender to spoil Prairie View’s hopes of back-to-back SWAC titles.

Team Likeliest to Surprise: Jackson St

As you might’ve seen, the Tigers were all over social media last week after their fan-favorite team manager nicknamed “snacks” hit a 3 from Steph Curry range during garbage time in their blowout win against Arkansas Pine Bluff. While that alone is enough to get a team fired up for March Madness, it’s their stud PG Tristan Jarret that could lead this team to a shocking SWAC tournament run.

Sometimes, like Kemba Walker or Steph Curry, a team’s improbable tourney can spar from just a single dominant player and while I’m not saying Jarret is on the same level as Steph or Kemba, he’s got the kind of game that can shock the world and take Jackson State dancing for the first time in almost 15 years.

Anyone can win

As the cliche goes, this is March. Anything can happen. While Praire View has led wire to wire, their 2nd loss came against 7-9 Alabama St, and top contender Texas Southern has a horrible loss against bottom feeder Arkansas Pine Bluff. Given what’s been happening this college basketball season, I’m not gonna rule out any of these teams winning it all.