It is tournament time in NCAA Division II basketball, and seven HBCUs have a chance to compete to become a national champion.
The women are looking to become the first HBCU to claim the title since Shaw in 2012, while the men are looking to be the first since Virginia Union in 2005.
Here are the teams competing in the NCAA Division II women’s and men’s basketball tournament.
Women
(8-seed) Miles Golden Bears
First Round Matchup: Valdosta State
The first team to hear their name called as part of the Women’s Division II Basketball Tournament field is the SIAC champion Miles Golden Bears, who will be the eight-seed in the South region.
Miles comes into the national tournament with a 22-8 overall record. They avenged their loss in last year’s SIAC championship game, defeating Kentucky State 75-72 to claim the title.
They will face a Valdosta State team that enters the tourney with a 29-2 overall record, having defeated Lee to claim the Gulf South Conference championship.
(8-seed) West Virginia State Yellow Jackets
First Round Matchup: Gannon
The West Virginia State Yellow Jackets were the first at-large bid to hear their name called as part of the NCAA tournament field.
West Virginia State boasts a 21-10 overall record and was riding an eight-game win streak until its loss to Fairmont State in the Mountain East championship game.
M-🏀 | Lucky No. 7️⃣ 🍀
📰 https://t.co/atZC9f9f9R#GoSTATE 🐝 pic.twitter.com/RHAEMo1q1I
— WVSU Athletics (@WVSU_GoJackets) March 11, 2024
The Yellow Jackets will be the eight-seed in the Atlantic region, looking forward to a matchup with Gannon in the first round.
Gannon comes into the tournament with a 32-2 overall record, having won eight straight games, including a win over Lock Haven in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship game.
(3-seed) Fayetteville State Broncos
First Round Matchup: Indiana (PA)
Rounding out the women’s field in the reigning CIAA champion Fayetteville State Broncos, who enter as the three-seed in the Atlantic region.
Fayetteville State holds a 27-2 overall record, having won its last 13 contests, including beating Elizabeth City State in the CIAA championship game.
They will play Indiana (PA) in the first round, looking to avenge its one-and-done performance in the PSAC tournament.
Men
(8-seed) Benedict Tigers
First Round Matchup: Nova Southeastern
One of two at-large bids in the men’s tournament, the Benedict Tigers make its way to the national tournament as the eight-seed in the South region.
Benedict was one of four teams in the SIAC to finish with at least 20 wins, posting a 23-7 overall record. Their SIAC tournament run ended prematurely, losing to Clark Atlanta in the semifinals.
The Tigers get a tough draw in the tournament’s first round in the form of the reigning national champion Nova Southeastern.
Nova Southeastern will enter the tournament with a 27-2 overall record, including wins in its last 15 contests. They demolished their Sunshine State Conference Tournament (SSC) foes, defeating each of their opponents by double digits, including two 20+ point margin wins.
(6-seed) Clark Atlanta Panthers
First Round Matchup: Florida Southern
The Clark Atlanta Panthers, the team that beat Benedict in the SIAC tournament, will be the sixth seed in the South region.
Clark Atlanta claimed the SIAC East division championship, posting a 22-5 record in the regular season highlighted by a 13-game win streak spanning through January and mid-February.
They overcame two double-digit deficits to clinch a berth in the SIAC title game before finishing the job by beating Miles 65-55.
They will face a Florida Southern team that was a one-and-done in the SSC Tournament, losing to Barry in the quarterfinals.
(8-seed) Lincoln (PA) Lions
First Round Matchup: Gannon
The Lincoln (PA) Lions punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament, coming off its redemptive run in the CIAA tournament.
Lincoln finished the regular season with a less-than-spectacular 14-13 overall record. They came into the CIAA tournament to avenge their loss to Winston-Salem State in the title game a year prior.
After dispatching their first two opponents, the Lions completed the task by knocking off Fayetteville State in a nail-biter to claim its first-ever conference title.
Lincoln now looks forward to a first-round matchup against Gannon, who has won 18 straight games, including beating California (PA) in the PSAC championship game.
(7-seed) West Virginia State Yellow Jackets
First Round Matchup: California (PA)
Speaking of California (PA), they will face the last team on our list, the seven-seed West Virginia State Yellow Jackets, in the first round of the national tournament.
West Virginia State holds a 20-9 overall record identical to its production in the previous year. They were bounced from the Mountain East tournament in decisive fashion losing 104-85 to Charleston in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, California (PA) has a 27-4 overall record, having won nine straight games until losing in the PSAC title game.
