Week 3 In the SWAC: Road Warriors, Balance, & Culture Shifts
The SWAC delivered another dose of signature chaos and competitiveness during Week 3 of conference play, as the league's parity remained front and center amid defensive battles, road heroics, and a few head-scratching results. The standings are packed tight, the margins thinner than ever, and separation remains more theory than reality.
At the top, the standings reflect a true logjam as five teams sit with two or fewer conference losses, including three (Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman, and Jackson State) holding just one loss apiece. All three teams share the lead at 4-1 in league play, with each team riding winning streaks into late January. Eleven of the twelve SWAC teams have notched at least two conference wins already, underscoring how no team is getting left completely behind early on, except Mississippi Valley State who remains winless.
Under the hood, the numbers tell a familiar SWAC story. Defense remains the calling card, offenses continue to sputter, and tempo often outpaces execution. Turnovers are plentiful, efficiency is fleeting, and that unpredictability is baked into every matchup. Only four teams managed to raise their KenPom rating this week, and remarkably, Alabama State was one of them despite going 0–1.
Grambling State took the hardest hit, tumbling from 248 to 278, one of the steepest drops by any HBCU this season. Yet even with all the swings, blowouts remain rare: just 9.4% of conference games have been decided by 19 points or more. In the SWAC, nobody’s running away and everyone’s still very much in the race not named Mississippi Valley State.
Quartet of Undefeated Teams Headlines Week 3
As we hit the midpoint of conference season, the standings are heating up with a tight race at the top. Three teams (Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman, and Jackson State) are tied for first place with identical 4-1 conference records, while Alabama A&M sits just behind at 3-2. This past week, all four squads went undefeated in conference play, each securing hard-fought victories to solidify their positions.
Bethune-Cookman: Road-Tested and Rolling
The Wildcats may have delivered the most impressive week of the group, posting a 2–0 mark entirely away from home. The Wildcats highlighted their resilience with an overtime victory at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a result that underscored their composure in tight situations.
Now sitting at 4–1 in conference play, Bethune-Cookman has quietly become one of the most balanced teams in the league. They are one of only two SWAC programs ranking inside the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency. A balance that has fueled an offensive surge during conference play. The Wildcats are averaging 80 points per game against SWAC competition, a noticeable jump from earlier in the season albeit against stronger competition.
Projections suggest a 17-win campaign, including 14 conference victories. If that holds, the Wildcats would secure three straight non-losing seasons for the first time since their MEAC run from 2009–2011 under Clifford Reed Jr. Additionally, three consecutive seasons with double-digit SWAC wins would mark a milestone the program hasn’t reached in over three decades.
Florida A&M: Defense and Depth Fuel the Surge
Florida A&M matched Bethune-Cookman with a perfect 2–0 road week, leaning heavily on defensive execution. The Rattlers held both opponents under 70 points, continuing a trend that has sparked a four-game winning streak after an earlier four-game skid.
At 4–1 in conference play, Florida A&M is positioning itself for back-to-back double-digit SWAC win seasons for the first time since 2007–08. Rather than relying on a single star, the Rattlers’ strength lies in their depth. With no clear focal point for opponents to game-plan against, Florida A&M has become one of the more difficult scouting challenges in the league.
Southern: Defense Still the Calling Card
The Jags entered the season as the preseason favorite, and while their path has been uneven, signs of stability are beginning to emerge. After a 4–9 nonconference start, their worst since 2023, Southern has found footing in league play.
The Jaguars went 1–0 this week with a road win over Grambling State, improving to 3–2 in conference play after an initial 1–2 start. A full week off now precedes a pivotal home matchup against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, offering a chance to build further momentum. With some added practice and recovery time for some guys banged up, this break could be a boost to the Jags’ success down the stretch.
Southern’s identity remains clear, elite defense. They boast the best defensive efficiency in the SWAC, though offensive efficiency lags behind at 10th in the league. Despite that imbalance, projections remain favorable, with a 68% chance to win their remaining 13 games and win probability of 65% or higher in eight of those contests. Their national profile has also ticked upward, improving from 265 to 253 in KenPom.
Alabama A&M: Culture Shift Paying Immediate Dividends
The Bulldogs stand alone among SWAC teams with an overall winning record. That is a credit to new head coach Donte Jackson's rapid installation of a winning culture and mentality, especially impressive with a largely rebuilt roster. Their recent week featured a 1-0 mark, including a hard-fought rivalry victory over Alabama State on a neutral court.
At 3-2 in conference, the Bulldogs are just a game back of first place. Projections forecast a 17-14 finish which would be their first winning season since 2005 and the most victories in two decades.
A tough stretch looms with four of the next six games on the road, but Jackson's emphasis on mentality and culture has already yielded results. With the best non-conference success among the group, Alabama A&M brings a winning mentality and poise that could close the gap quickly between them and the aforementioned teams.
The Roaring Emergence: Jackson State Tigers Storm the SWAC
The Tigers have quietly become one of the hottest teams in SWAC play, climbing the standings after a perfect 2–0 week at home. They averaged a conference-best 88 points during the stretch and have now won four of their last five games, continuing a familiar trend. This start marks the third straight season they’ve opened conference play at 4–1.
The surge is especially notable given where the season began. Jackson State opened the year 1–12 despite being picked near the top of the conference, but SWAC play has revealed a vastly different team. Offensively, the Tigers have been elite, averaging 86.2 points per game in conference action and ranking first in the league in offensive efficiency. That firepower has helped them remain undefeated at home in SWAC play (3–0), where their pace and scoring depth have overwhelmed opponents.
Much of that success starts with Daeshun Ruffin, one of the premier mid-major guards in the country. Ruffin is tied for the SWAC lead in scoring at 21.6 points per game and is playing some of his best basketball of the season. He posted back-to-back double-doubles this week, extending that run to three straight games, while totaling 36 assists over that span. Even more impressively, Ruffin has scored 20 or more points in nine consecutive games, consistently anchoring Jackson State’s high-powered attack.
There are still questions to answer, particularly at the defensive end. While the Tigers sit atop the conference offensively, they rank 12th in defensive efficiency, a gap that could loom large as the schedule stiffens. That challenge arrives immediately, as Jackson State heads on the road for back-to-back games against the SWAC’s top two teams.
Week 3 in the MEAC: Defense, Consistency, & Momentum
Through another full week of conference play, the MEAC stands as one of just thirteen conferences nationally with an undefeated team still standing. Maryland Eastern Shore (4-0) continues their hot start, but the bigger story is the depth underneath them. Six teams are .500 or better in league play, and on any given night, the margins are razor thin. Nearly 45% of conference games have been decided by four points or fewer, and only one league game has reached true blowout territory. This is a conference where every possession has mattered early on and the numbers back it up.
At the top, UMES and North Carolina Central have done nothing to relinquish their early grip on the standings. UMES, alongside Norfolk State, are the only two teams ranking in the top half of the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency, an early indicator of sustainability. Still, chaos lurks just beneath the surface. Delaware State remains winless in conference play, but the Hornets are far from an easy out, with three league losses coming by two points or fewer. That’s not a cellar-dweller, that’s a team knocking loudly on the door and could score a few upset wins as we get deeper into conference play.
Week 3 also delivered subtle but telling movements nationally for the MEAC. Four teams finished the week undefeated, while road teams went an impressive 3–1, underscoring how little home-court advantage has mattered so far. Perhaps most eye-opening was Howard’s 24-spot leap in KenPom, the largest jump of any HBCU this week, signaling a team finding its rhythm at the right time. What’s even more telling? No MEAC team fell more than eight spots and that team was Norfolk State, who went 2–0 this week.
Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks: Defensive Identity Fuels Historic Start
The Hawks continued their remarkable turnaround in MEAC play with a perfect 1-0 week, pushing their conference record to 4-0. This is the first time they've achieved this mark in over 30 years (and their best Division I-era start since 1981). This comes after a brutal 0-10 conference opening last season, making the contrast even more striking.
UMES leans heavily on elite defense rather than flashy offense. They rank first in the MEAC in defensive efficiency, force turnovers at a high rate, and have held every conference opponent to 70 points or fewer. Their slow, methodical tempo ranks 355th nationally, the only team in the conference outside the top 225 in tempo, grinds down faster opponents and minimizes mistakes.
Offense remains a work in progress, but the Hawks excel at drawing fouls. They lead the conference in free-throw attempts and conversions, while turning live-ball turnovers into easy buckets. Depth is a major strength with five players that average 6+ points, 10 who play 14+ minutes which is why they rank 12th nationally in bench minutes. This balanced approach keeps them consistent and resilient.
KenPom has them steady at 327 this week after only playing one game. With five of their next six games on the road, UMES will test this defensive formula away from home. If they maintain their stingy identity, this could be a special season in Princess Anne.
Howard Bison: Momentum Building Yet Again
Howard put together one of the strongest weeks in the MEAC, going 2–0 highlighted by a statement road win at North Carolina Central, snapping the Eagles unbeaten conference record. After opening conference play with two straight losses, the Bison have steadied themselves at 2–2 in the league, flashing the ceiling that made them a preseason contender.
Consistency has been elusive over the last two months for the Bison, they've alternated streaks (five wins in a row, three losses, now three straight wins) but timely contributions are emerging. Cedric Taylor and Ose Okojie have stepped up reliably, especially as Bryce Harris has hit a slump. Harris is averaging just 9.3 points over the last six games, a sharp drop from his earlier production, which has dragged the Bisons’ offensive efficiency to sixth in the MEAC.
Defensively, though, Howard is thriving as they rank second in conference defensive efficiency. If Harris snaps out of it, combined with positive shooting regression (they're at 26.9% from three in conference play while opponents hit 36%), this team could become dangerous. The upcoming schedule favors them: Five of their next six games are at home, where they're already 6-2 this season and 1-0 in MEAC play.
KenPom reflects the surge with the Bison jumping from 287th to 263rd - the biggest leap among HBCUs this week. With health, chemistry, and home-court advantage, Howard is positioning itself as a serious contender in the MEAC race as predicted by most in the preseason.
Team of the Week: Florida A&M
Florida A&M’s fast start in SWAC play feels less like a fluke and more like a statement, one that’s been building beneath the surface all season. In a year defined by transition, the Rattlers have found uncommon clarity. New head coach Charlie Ward (yes, that Charlie Ward) took over a program welcoming its third head coach in three seasons, a roster that had been picked eighth in the preseason, and a lineup without a double-figure scorer returning or transferring in. What’s followed has been one of the most impressive early conference runs in recent program history.
After opening league action with a tough road loss to in-state rival Bethune-Cookman (87-83), FAMU has rattled off an impressive surge, winning four straight conference games to climb into a tie for first place in the standings. This early five game record is their best start since joining the SWAC and best five game record to open conference play since they were 3-2 back in 2022 when they were in the MEAC.
The formula has been depth, pace, and pressure. Florida A&M now boasts three double-digit scorers and eight players averaging seven or more points per game. This is remarkable for a team that didn’t feature a single double-digit scorer in the preseason. Jaquan Sanders has emerged as the steady engine, leading the team at 13.3 points per game while knocking down 39% of his threes. The perimeter shooting has been contagious as three Rattlers are hitting better than 36 percent from deep, led by Micah Octave’s 40 percent mark.
The Rattlers rank top five in the conference in both offensive and defensive efficiency, own the league’s second-best defense, and are among the nation’s elite at forcing turnovers, ranking 85th nationally. They’re also playing faster than any FAMU team in the past eight years.
The numbers back up the eye test. Projected 342nd in the KenPom preseason rankings, Florida A&M has climbed to 312 and is on pace for 14 wins. That projection is positioning the program for back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time since 2019–20. Even more telling, they’re tracking toward consecutive double-digit SWAC win campaigns for the first time since 2006–07, the last era that ended with an NCAA Tournament appearance.
