Texas Southern, which won the SWAC for the fifth time since 2014 on Saturday, will face Mount Saint Mary’s in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four.
The Tigers will be a No. 16 seed in the West Region. All of the tournament’s games are being played in Indianapolis this season because of COVID-19.
Texas Southern has a lot of momentum heading into the field of 68 after it knocked off previous unbeaten Jackson State in the SWAC Tournament semifinals and also undefeated Prairie View in the championship game.
Texas Southern is in the field for the first time since 2018 when the program won a First Four matchup against fellow HBCU North Carolina Central before they were eliminated from the tournament in the opening round by then-No. 1 seed Xavier.
Over in the MEAC, Norfolk State completed an almost improbable run to a conference championship.
The Spartans have not made an appearance since 2012. Then a No. 15 seed, upset No. 2 Missouri in one of the most memorable games in NCAA Tournament history.
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The Spartans (16-7) learned Sunday that they will take on Appalachian State in Thursday’s First Four. The winner faces top overall seed Gonzaga.
“We’re not going to be able to sneak up on anybody this time around, like we did last time,” Norfolk State guard Joe Bryant told the Virginia Pilot.
“We’ve just got to come out and be focused and just try to do what we’ve got to do to try to make it to the Sweet 16, as Coach always talks about,” he said.
