With finals taking place and athletes fulfilling their academic duties, there has not been a lot of action this week among HBCU’s. This lack of games is somewhat beneficial as we can catch our breath after a busy last few weeks of the season. Several HBCU’s will be competing in the Chris Paul HBCU Classic in Atlanta, so their lack of action is correlated to being fresh and healthy for that event.
MEAC Overview
The MEAC was hanging on to KenPom’s 30th conference ranking, but after a few bad weeks, they fell to 31st by more than three points. While some teams are finishing up power conference buy games, there has been ample opportunity for others to get quality wins. Failing to do so adds more pressure to be more competitive within the conference if they want to climb out of the bottom spot.
Howard is the first team over .500 (6-5) and still the only team with a winning record. There are two teams with double-digit losses and South Carolina State is still winless after being clobbered by Bethune Cookman and Charleston Southern. Four of the seven teams either remained the same or moved up on KenPom, so the scores may not indicate it, but the conference is fighting.
SWAC Overview
Despite five teams having exactly one win and two being preseason top five teams, the SWAC has slid into the 28th conference ranking on KenPom. There is still no team with a winning record, although Alabama A&M is 4-4. Several teams will enjoy an extended break which allows more practice time and a reset after a tough non-conference.
Eight teams either dropped or stayed the same during this past week’s play. The good news for the conference is that there are a few teams who will enter a softer portion of their schedule and have chances to improve their record before SWAC play. Performances like Arkansas Pine-Bluff’s (4-point loss) against DePaul show that the bottom of the conference could be better than predicted.
Grambling State and Jackson State will represent the conference in the CP3 HBCU classic which could help build some momentum as they enter SWAC play. Both are itching for a win and will not be heavy underdogs to get it done. A team like Jackson State should be on your radar this week. After playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, they will be well tested to make a run at the SWAC title behind one of the best players in the conference. A successful trip to Atlanta would be a huge confidence boost as they get into SWAC play shortly after.
CAA’s HBCU Duo
As discussed last week, Hampton has been an ascending team that continues to plqy well. They finished the week undefeated (2-0) and have a huge game on deck Saturday against Howard. The Pirates have won three in a row and will be coming off ten days’ rest prior to Saturday’s showdown in CareFirst Arena. After jumping up nearly 20 spots in KenPom, the Pirates will have a chance to get inside the top 200 if they can handle business before hitting the road for the CP3 HBCU classic in Atlanta
The Aggies were 1-1 on the week but scored a huge victory over in state rival North Carolina Central thanks to a big second half. There are three non-conference games remaining before CAA play and a 3-0 result is not out of the realm of possibilities. Missing their best player, Lo Walker, has allowed Lewis Walker to emerge and become a deadly duo for the Aggies. He is coming off CAA Rookie of the Week honors after averaging 16 points and eight rebounds. Getting Lo Walker back healthy gives the Aggies a duo who can can win games in the CAA.
Both teams continue to play well and prove that HBCU’s can compete at a higher level. Early on, the Aggies and Pirates showed improvements on a weekly basis and are eyeing continuing their ascent during conference play. Remaining healthy and getting more contributions from their benches will be pivotal as CAA play begins in a few weeks.
Buy Low Team of the Week: Norfolk State
Norfolk State is off to their worst 11-game start since 2020, but no need to panic if you are a Spartans fan. History shows that once the non-conference gauntlet eases up, Robert Jones and company take it up a few notches. Since his arrival, the Spartans have never had a losing conference record and won double digit games in 11 of Jones 13 years.
After losing 98% of last season’s production, a slow start is not shocking as the new players get accustomed to Jones system and core principles. They finished the week 0-2, but nearly pulled off a road upset at James Madison which could have been big for momentum. After a 30-point loss to Baylor, the end of power conference games is finally here for the Spartans.
With a little over a week off, the Spartans will represent the MEAC in the Chris Paul HBCU Classic in Atlanta. Facing off against two opponents who are struggling and looking for a big win should have them laser focused. Having nearly a 60%-win probability says they get the job done, but the time off should help them reset and establish some positive momentum going into conference play.
It is urgent that you get in and buy your Norfolk State stock now. A successful trip to Atlanta could shoot their stock through the roof. Outside of a trip to UTEP, they are not projected to lose another game this year. Projections are not how games are won, but when you factor in the success of this program and how down the MEAC has been, the Spartans could rattle off a serious winning streak.
Weekly Player Spotlight
Sami Pissis, Guard - Alabama A&M
Sami Pissis continues to look like the steal of the SWAC transfers this season, giving Alabama A&M an instant-impact lead guard who does a little bit of everything. The New Hampshire transfer erupted for a season-high 21 points and seven assists in a win against Tennessee State this week. He then followed that up with a steady 12-point effort against Lipscomb. On the week he shot 12-of-25 from the floor and 5-of-13 from three, numbers that undersell how efficiently he’s creating offense for a Bulldogs squad that desperately needed a primary initiator.
Now firmly entrenched as Alabama A&M’s second-leading scorer at 11.0 points per game while leading the team in assists, Pissis is playing nearly 30 minutes a night and posting the second-highest usage rate. What separates him from other guards is the defensive activity: he’s already authored multiple multi-steal games and consistently pressures the ball full court. For a player who averaged 15.8 points in 28 minutes at New Hampshire last year, the scoring bump was expected. The playmaking and on-ball defense have turned him into one of the engines of this year’s team.
At this rate, Pissis is not only on pace for All-SWAC honors, but is making a strong early case for Newcomer of the Year in the conference. If he keeps blending 20-point outbursts with high-assist, high-steal nights, Alabama A&M could ride him to one of its better seasons in recent memory.
Cory Wells, Wing – Prairie View A&M
Cory Wells has undergone one of the most dramatic role expansions you’ll see this season, morphing from a 2.8-point-per-game reserve at Utah Valley into Prairie View A&M’s go-to frontcourt weapon. The grad transfer is averaging 13.9 points and a team-high in rebounding after dropping a monstrous 17-point, 10-rebound double-double this week, part of a stretch in which he’s reached double-figure scoring in every game but one (highlighted by a 16-point outing at Missouri).
What makes Wells’ breakout particularly impressive is his two-way impact: he’s currently averaging 2.3 stocks (steals + blocks) per game while anchoring the Panthers’ interior defense and glass-cleaning. The 6'8 forward has essentially tripled his minutes from a year ago and responded by becoming the most consistent double-digit scorer on the roster, giving PVAMU a physical presence it lacked last season.
Wells’ transformation from low-usage role player to full-blown SWAC star is one of the best redemption stories in the mid-major ranks right now. If he maintains this level of production, particularly the rebounding and rim protection, Prairie View could have the frontcourt cornerstone it needs to help contend in the SWAC
Malek Abdelgowad, Center – Southern University
Leagues like the SWAC and MEAC do not see many players like Malek. He is a 6’10 big that causes mismatches for opposing teams. During this week, Southern dropped both games in their Texas road trip but Malek had monster games. Averaging around 19 points on 70+% shooting on the road is no small feat and warrants more attention despite Southern struggling early on.
If Cory Perkins did not notch a triple-double, Malek’s 21-point, 9 rebound, 3 steals, and 2 block performance at Texas State easily is the best SWAC performance of the year thus far. Scoring 17 points on a solid Texas front line also is nothing to scoff at and should put SWAC teams on notice.
There are several big men that are 6’10+ on SWAC rosters but many do not contribute at the level Malek does. After starting the first three games of the year, Malek moved into a bench role and is thriving despite only playing over 20 minutes once. He still is top three in usage rate and second on the team in points per game. If he can stay out of foul trouble and continue trending as a rim protector, Southern will be dangerous in the SWAC.
Corey Perkins, Guard - Delaware St
The longest tenured Hornet had himself a week. In their 1-1 week, Perkins notched a triple-double against Navy before following that up with 13 points, six rebounds, and five assists in a critical overtime victory against Delaware. Those performances landed him MEAC Player of the Week and a spot in history with his triple-double outing.
As the season progresses, Perkins minutes and production have increased. He has only started three games this year and two of those were his best performances. Despite having the 5th highest usage rate, Perkins continues to impact winning in multiple ways. If the Hornets want to make a surge in the MEAC, allocating more minutes to Perkins should be at the top of the to do list.
Surging Senior: Jakobi Heady, Forward - Bethune Cookman
Throughout the first few round-ups we have highlighted freshman, but this week let’s give some recognition to an upperclassman. Despite their 3-6 record, the Wildcats have been in most of their games including near road upsets of Auburn and Dayton. They were also a couple possessions away from MTE wins against Jacksonville and Stony Brook which could have them even higher in KenPom. A lot of that success is due to the high level of play that Jakobi Heady is putting forth.
During their only game this week, Heady scored a season high 22 points in a blowout win over South Carolina State. That outing notched the sixth time he has scored 15 or more points this year, including games at Indiana, Dayton and Miami. Heady also gets it done on the defensive end, averaging nearly 1.5 steals per game and has multiple steals in three of his last four.
Leading the team in minutes, points, and rebound per game on the 3rd highest usage rate is absurd. The on/off splits are staggering for Heady and if someone was to just show you these with no context, there is a chance you mistake his impact for a high-level power conference player. With a tough five game stretch ahead against high level competition – be sure to watch out for a few big games from Jakobi, who has already shown the ability to perform on big stages.
