After Grambling’s first-ever Big Dance, will Kintavious Dozier and the Tigers get their encore?
In recent seasons, the once-dominant Texas Southern has encountered a few challengers to its SWAC throne. That rang especially true last season when Grambling State captured both the regular season and tournament titles. The Tigers look poised for a repeat. Southern has also become a serious threat in the past two campaigns, and it should be treated as such again.
After the top trio, though, the outlook gets murky. Jackson State and Bethune-Cookman boast some of the league’s best talent, but how the pieces fit remains to be determined. Conversely, Alcorn State has operated with a reliable system since Landon Bussie took over, but it must deal with a ton of roster turnover.
Maybe Alabama State or Alabama A&M can break out after a few years of knocking on the door of the conference’s top half. Additionally, it would be unwise to rule out Prairie View A&M, considering its history, even with an abundance of question marks on its roster. Buckle up, SWAC fans, because another season of unpredictability is in store.
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Projected Order of Finish
1. Grambling State Tigers
Few mid-majors closed their seasons more strongly than Grambling State. From January on, the Tigers went 18-5, punctuating their campaign with the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. Head coach Donté Jackson relied on his stout defense, keen on erasing the 3-point line, owning the paint and creating havoc with its length.
The head coach also oversaw developments on the other side of the ball, thanks to lead guard Kintavious Dozier. The former JUCO star aptly adjusted to the uptick in competition, scoring 12.9 points per game and shooting 36.4% from 3 in league play (including the SWAC Tournament).
Two more JUCO products, Antwan Burnett (10.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Mikale Stevenson (4.8 ppg, 2.1 apg), also enter their second season in Grambling. Stevenson is a pure point guard, while Burnett blossomed as one of the SWAC’s most well-rounded wings (top 10 in true shooting percentage, 3-point percentage and defensive rebounding rate in conference play).
James Graham III, who has averaged 3.1 points in 38 career games for Buffalo, Missouri State and Maryland, will further shore up the perimeter, while 6-9 Ernest Ross (career 2.3 ppg, 0.6 bpg at NC State) will bring defense to the frontcourt.
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