Leaving Black Mark: HBCU Members From SWAC Embarrass SEC Powers
November 20th, 2023 - 18:09
Visiting Jackson State, after losing its first five outings by an average of 20 points, handed an embarrassing setback to Missouri. This is not exactly what a power-conference member such as Mizzou had in mind when scheduling a HBCU opponent. Fellow SEC member Mississippi State also succumbed to a HBCU (Southern0. In redlining terms, there goes the neighborhood. But at least the SEC reversals, leaving a historically black mark, aren't the only defeats sustained by their power-conference colleagues. Grabbing your attention like a slap-happy pope (woman must have been climate-change denier or Trump supporter), no HBCU institution ever has reached Sweet 16 of an NCAA Tournament. However, following are HBCU road victories on a power-league member's homecourt or neutral court during regular-season competition since South Carolina State stunned Miami (Fla.) and Penn State in 2004-05:
| Season | HBCU Winner on Road | Power-League Member Loser | Competence of Power-League School Incurring Defeat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05 | South Carolina State 60 | Miami (Fla.) 50 | Hurricanes won at NCAA playoff-bound Florida. |
| 2004-05* | South Carolina State 63 | Penn State 43 | Nittany Lions lost by three points against 20-game winner Ohio State in Big Ten Tournament. |
| 2005-06 | Bethune-Cookman 75 | South Florida 68 | Bulls beat NCAA playoff-bound Georgetown in regular-season finale. |
| 2006-07 | Jackson State 71 | Rutgers 70 | Scarlet Knights twice defeated Cincinnati. |
| 2007-08 | Tennessee State 60 | Illinois 58 | Illini beat Oklahoma State and Missouri in nonconference competition before bowing to TSU. |
| 2008-09 | Morgan State 79 | DePaul 75 | Blue Demons defeated Cincinnati (18-14) in Big East Tournament. |
| 2008-09 | Morgan State 66 | Maryland 65 | Terrapins participated in NCAA Tournament. |
| 2009-10 | Morgan State 97 | Arkansas 94 | Razorbacks prevailed at Ole Miss, a 24-game winner. |
| 2010-11 | Texas Southern 66 | Oregon State 60 | Beavers beat 30-game winner Arizona. |
| 2011-12 | Tennessee State 64 | South Carolina 63 | Gamecocks upended Clemson, Alabama and Georgia. |
| 2012-13 | Alabama A&M 59 | Mississippi State 57 | Bulldogs beat Marshall Henderson-led Ole Miss and twice defeated Frank Martin-coached South Carolina. |
| 2012-13 | Southern (La.) 53 | Texas A&M 51 | Aggies won at Kentucky in inaugural SEC season and also beat NCAA playoff-bound Mizzou. |
| 2013-14 | Coppin State 78 | Oregon State 73 | Beavers bow to second HBCU school under coach Craig Robinson in last four seasons before winning at Maryland. |
| 2013-14 | North Carolina Central 82 | North Carolina State 72 | Wolfpack suffered first-ever defeat against a MEAC member. |
| 2013-14 | Texas Southern 90 | Temple 89 | Owls defeated UAB on neutral court by 21 points before the Blazers beat North Carolina, which whipped three PS Top 5 teams (Louisville, Michigan State and Kentucky). |
| 2014-15 | Delaware State 72 | Wake Forest 65 | Demon Deacons defeated North Carolina State and Pittsburgh. |
| 2015-16 | Alabama State 85 | Virginia Tech 82 | Hokies defeated eventual NCAA regional #1 seed Virginia. |
| 2015-16 | Southern (La.) 76 | Mississippi State 72 | Bulldogs defeated Arkansas by 32 points. |
| 2016-17 | Delaware State 79 | St. John's 72 | Red Storm won on road against NCAA playoff-bound Syracuse and Providence. |
| 2016-17 | Savannah State 93 | Oregon State 90 | Beavers beat NCAA Tournament-bound Utah. |
| 2017-18 | Grambling State 64 | Georgia Tech 63 | Yellow Jackets beat Top 20 teams Miami (Fla.) and Notre Dame in ACC play. |
| 2018-19 | Texas Southern 72 | Baylor 69 | NCAA playoff-bound Bears beat eventual national runner-up Texas Tech during Big 12 Conference competition. |
| 2018-19 | Texas Southern 89 | Oregon 84 | Ducks were eliminated in Sweet 16 by eventual NCAA champion Virginia. |
| 2018-19 | Texas Southern 88 | Texas A&M 73 | Aggies twice defeated Alabama, a #1 seed in one of the four NIT brackets. |
| 2019-20 | Florida A&M 70 | Iowa State 68 | Cyclones defeated Seton Hall, which finished 15th in final AP poll. |
| 2021-22 | Texas Southern 69 | Florida 54 | Gators, who won their first 26 assignments against HBCU opponents, were ranked #20 in AP poll. |
| 2022-23 | Grambling 64 | Vanderbilt 62 | Vandy's twice defeated Kentucky |
| 2022-23 | Southern 74 | California 66 | Bears beat Colorado and Stanford in back-to-back games |
| 2023-24 | Jackson State 73 | Missouri 72 | Tigers' status TBD |
| 2023-24 | Southern 60 | Mississippi State 59 | Bulldogs' status TBD |
*Neutral court (Milwaukee).