Leaving Black Mark: HBCU Members From SWAC Embarrass SEC Powers
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).