Division I conference tournaments are drawing closer and much is still to be decided as March — and all that madness — begins.
Joe Lunardi, the ESPN college basketball analyst, released his latest NCAA tournament projections and two HBCUs are projected to make the field of 68.
Per Lunardi’s Bracketology piece, Howard and Alcorn State are identified as HBCU tournament qualifiers in the MEAC and SWAC, respectively.
![The latest NCAA Tournament bracketology features one HBCU possibly playing an SEC power 2 howard hoops1](https://i0.wp.com/hbcusports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/howard-hoops1.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1)
According to the bracket, the Bison and Braves are slotted as No. 16 seeds in the East and South regions, respectively. Lunardi has Alcorn State in the First Four playing Morehead State for the right to take on projected No. 1 seed Alabama in Birmingham.
The Bison are expected to match up against Fairleigh Dickinson University, with the winner having a date with No 1. seed Purdue.
Howard last made the NCAA Tournament in 1992 when it lost to Kansas in the field of 64.
Alcorn State has not appeared in the NCAAs since the 2002 season.