2025–26 Southwestern Athletic Conference men's basketball season

The 2025–26 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) men's basketball season started with non-conference play on November 3, 2025, and conference play started on January 3, 2026. The regular season ended on March 5, 2026, and set up the 2026 SWAC men's basketball tournament, which took place from March 9–14, 2026, at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

Head coaches

Coaches TeamHead CoachPrevious JobYears At SchoolRecord at SchoolSWAC RecordSWAC TitlesNCAA tournamentsNCAA Sweet 16'sAlabama A&MDonte JacksonGrambling State10–00–0000Alabama StateTony MadlockSouth Carolina State441–5826–28010Alcorn StateJake MortonFlorida State (Assistant)10–00–0000Arkansas-Pine BluffSolomon BozemanOral Roberts (Assistant)536–8822–50000Bethune-CookmanReggie TheusCal State Northridge555–7439–33000Florida A&MCharlie WardFlorida HS10–00–0000Grambling StatePatrick Crarey IIFlorida A&M10–00–0000Jackson StateMo WilliamsAlabama State444–5337–17000Mississippi Valley StateGeorge IvoryMississippi Valley State (Assistant)39–856–47000Prairie View A&MByron SmithPrairie View A&M10128–16198–70310SouthernKevin P. JohnsonTulane (Assistant)237–2424–8100Texas SouthernJohnny JonesNevada (Associate HC)8121–10780–41030

Preseason awards

Preseason rankings +SWAC Preseason Poll Place Team Votes 1 232 (12) 2 214 (5) 3 208 (1) 4 183 (3) 5 182 6 163 7 151 8 115 9 99 10 74 11 70 (1) 12 25

Sources:https://hbcusports.com/2025/10/09/bethune-cookman-men-picked-as-preseason-swac-basketball-favorite/#google_vignette

Preseason honors HonorRecipientSchoolPreseason Player of the YearDaeshun RuffinJackson StatePreseason DPOYDoctor BradleyBethune-CookmanPreseason All-SWAC First TeamMichael JacobsSouthernDaniel RouzanBethune-CookmanDaeshun RuffinJackson StateKintavious DozierAlabama A&MDoctor BradleyBethune-CookmanPreseason All-SWAC Second TeamZaire HayesTexas SouthernDorian McMillianJackson StateJordan ChatmanFlorida A&MSeneca WilloughbyBethune-CookmanMicah SimpsonAlabama State Source:

Regular season Conference standings Thru January 24, 2026 ConferenceOverallRankTeamRecordPercentRecordPercentTiebreaker1Bethune-Cookman5–18–112Florida A&M5–18–93Jackson State4–25–144Arkansas-Pine Bluff4–37–135Alabama A&M3–310–96Southern3–37–127Alabama State3–36–138Prairie View A&M3–48–129Texas Southern3–45–1310Grambling State2–38–1011Alcorn State2–43–1512Mississippi Valley State0–61–19Source:

Conference matrix   Alabama A&MAlabama State Alcorn StateArkansas-Pine BluffBethune-CookmanFlorida A&MGrambling StateJackson StateMississippi Valley StatePrairie View A&MSouthernTexas Southernvs. Alabama A&M – 0–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 vs. Alabama State 0–0 – 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0vs. Alcorn State 0–0 0–0 – 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0–1 0–1 0–0 – 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0vs. Bethune-Cookman 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 – 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0vs. Florida A&M 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 – 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0vs. Grambling State 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 – 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–1vs. Jackson State 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 – 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0vs. Mississippi Valley State 1–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 – 0–0 0–0 0–0vs. Prairie View A&M 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 – 0–1 0–0vs. Southern 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 – 0–1vs. Texas Southern 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 –Total 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 Thru January 9, 2026

Players of the Week WeekPlayer of the WeekImpact PerformerNewcomer of the WeekNov. 11Michael JamesMississippi Valley StateDaeshun RuffinJackson StateMichael JamesMississippi Valley StateNov. 19Troy HupsteadTexas SouthernTroy HupsteadTexas SouthernSami PissisAlabama A&MNov. 25Michael JacobsSouthernTai'Reon JosephPrairie View A&MJakobi HeadyBethune-CookmanDec. 3Kintavious DozierAlabama A&MAsjon AndersonAlabama StateMichael James (2)Mississippi Valley StateDec. 10Quion WilliamsArkansas-Pine BluffDaeshun Ruffin (2)Jackson StateMilhan CharlesArkansas-Pine BluffDec. 17Kintavious Dozier (2)Alabama A&MSami PissisAlabama A&MKoron DavisAlabama A&MDec. 23Tai'Reon JosephPrairie View A&MDaeshun Ruffin (3)Jackson StateAntonio MunozGrambling StateDec. 30Tai'Reon Joseph (2)Prairie View A&MDorian McMillianJackson StateMichael James (3)Mississippi Valley StateJan. 6Tai'Reon Joseph (3)Prairie View A&MAlex MirhosseiniArkansas-Pine BluffQuion WilliamsArkansas-Pine BluffJan. 13Daeshun RuffinJackson StateMicah OctaveFlorida A&MCory WellsPrairie View A&MJan. 20Jakobi HeadyBethune-CookmanDaeshun Ruffin (4)Jackson State& Bryce RobertsTexas SouthernDontae HornePrairie View A&MJan. 29Daeshun Ruffin (2)Jackson StateDoctor BradleyBethune-CookmanTroy HupsteadTexas SouthernFeb. 3Daeshun Ruffin (3)Jackson StateTai'Reon Joseph (2)Prairie View A&MKoron Davis (2)Alabama A&MFeb. 10Jakobi Heady (2)Bethune-CookmanQuion WilliamsArkansas-Pine Bluff& Jayme Mitchell Jr.Jackson StateMichael James (4)Mississippi Valley StateFeb. 17Dontae HornePrairie View A&MDaeshun Ruffin (5)Jackson StateJamil MuttilibGrambling State

Records against other conferences Thru January 26, 2026

Major 6 ConferencesRecordMajor 6 ConferencesRecordACC0–9American1–7Big East0–2Big Ten0–11Big 120–15SEC0–22Major 6 Total1–66Other Division I ConferencesRecordOther Division I ConferencesRecordAtlantic 100–2ASUN3–3America East0–0Big Sky0–0Big South1–1Big West0–3CAA1–2Conference USA0–5Horizon League1–0Ivy League0–0Independents0–0MAAC0–1MAC1–1MVC2–1MWC0–3NEC0–0OVC2–3Patriot League0–0SoCon0–2Southland1–0MEAC3–2Summit League0–1Sun Belt2–7WAC0–6WCC0–4Other Division I Total17–47NCAA Division I Total18–113NCAA Division II Total1–0NCAA Division III Total3–0NAIA Total9–0NCCAA/USCAA Total8–0Total Non-Conference Record39–113

Record against ranked non-conference opponents SWAC records against ranked teams (rankings from AP Poll, SWAC teams in Bold):

Date Visitor Home Site Score Conference recordNovember 3SouthernNo. 14 ArkansasBud Walton ArenaFayetteville, AR77–1090–1November 3Jackson StateNo. 17 IllinoisState Farm CenterChampaign, IL55–1130–2November 3Bethune-CookmanNo. 20 AuburnNeville ArenaAuburn, AL90–95 OT0–3November 3Texas SouthernNo. 21 GonzagaMcCarthey Athletic CenterSpokane, WA43–980–4November 6Grambling StateNo. 16 Iowa StateHilton ColiseumAmes, IA62–1020–5November 6Jackson StateNo. 11 LouisvilleKFC Yum! CenterLouisville, KY70–1060–6November 19Jackson StateNo. 22 AuburnNeville ArenaAuburn, AL66–1120–7November 21Jackson StateNo. 21 ArkansasBud Walton ArenaFayetteville, AR61–1150–8November 29Bethune-CookmanNo. 25 IndianaSimon Skjodt Assembly HallBloomington, IN56–1000–9December 3Alcorn StateNo. 10 Iowa StateHilton ColiseumAmes, IA68–1320–10December 10Jackson StateNo. 7 HoustonFertitta CenterHouston, TX38–800–11December 22Bethune-CookmanNo. 1 ArizonaMcKale Memorial CenterTucson, AZ71–1070–12December 29SouthernNo. 20 IllinoisState Farm CenterChampaign, IL55–900–13 Thru January 26, 2026

Honors and awards All-Conference awards and teams The SWAC announced its all-conference teams and major honors on March 6, 2026.

HonorRecipient Player of the Year Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State Coach of the Year Reggie Theus, Bethune-Cookman Defensive Player of the Year Jerquarius Stanback, Alabama State Newcomer of the Year Michael James, Mississippi Valley State Freshman of the Year Antonio Munoz, Grambling State First Team Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State Dontae Horne, Prairie View A&M Jakobi Heady, Bethune-Cookman Quion Williams, Arkansas-Pine Bluff Michael James, Mississippi Valley State Second Team Kintavious Dozier, Alabama A&M Michael Jacobs, Southern Troy Hupstead, Texas Southern Daniel Rouzan, Bethune-Cookman Tai'Reon Joseph, Prairie View A&M

Postseason Conference tournament For the first time, all teams in the conference will qualify for the 2026 SWAC men's basketball tournament. The tournament will be held at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, Georgia from March 9 to 14, 2026.

References