Key Players in SWAC Basketball Tournament
Jayden Saddler – Southern
Experience matters in March and that is exactly what Saddler provides for the Jaguars. The 6-1 senior point guard has been a mainstay for head coach Sean Woods, the two being together for each year of Woods tenure thus far in Baton Rouge. With that being said, the Tigers have not failed to reach the finals of the SWAC tournament and have lost in the first round in two of the three years that Saddler and Woods have been together.
This season, Saddler leads the conference in assist to turnover ratio and ranks second overall in assists per game at 4.1 on average. In order for the transfer heavy Jaguars to have a chance, Saddler must be instrumental in running the show all week long.
Jayveous McKinnis – Jackson State
Another fourth-year senior, McKinnis entered this season as the reigning defensive player of the year in the SWAC, and he is putting together quite the case to make it two in a row. McKinnis leads the league in blocks at 2.9 a game and ranks in the top two of both offensive and defensive rebounding rate, according to KenPom.
McKinnis is fresh off of a double-double performance in a win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday and will look to keep the momentum rolling against Texas Southern on Wednesday. His defense will be imperative to stopping a Tigers attack that ranks first overall in 2-point field goal percentage in the SWAC.
Jawaun Daniels – Prairie View A&M
Since February, Daniels is averaging just over 17 points per game in the nine games over the stretch and enters tournament play shooting 50% from three-point range in the last two games (7-14). Daniels has been in the Byron Smith system for three years now, and leads the Panthers in minutes, nearly playing 35 per contest.
Standing at 6-7, Daniels presents a matchup nightmare for opposing coaches with his ability to play on the outside. The tandem guard duo of he and junior Jeremiah Gambrell, is one to keep an eye on. The Panthers will not go down without a fight, making the tournament in two of the five years that head coach Byron Smith has been at the helm.
Will any of these players lead their teams to the big dance?