#hbcu-swingman-classic

#hbcu-swingman-classic

Howard University's sports have been a punchline or worse my whole life, and since before I was even around, and that's a mighty long time. I learned too much about Howard's athletic awfulness when I covered D.C. sports for Washington City Paper beginning in the 1990s. My education started when I wrote about the school's 1996 basketball team, which was in the middle of the worst losing streak in the NCAA at the time.

Eight players were ejected and a referee was knocked to the floor, requiring medical attention, after a brawl broke out during South Alabama's 80-70 victory against Coastal Carolina in a Sun Belt Conference women's basketball tournament game Wednesday in Pensacola, Fla.

Earlier this month, Morris Brown College's Board of Trustees abruptly laid off the historically Black college's president, Kevin James, after seven years at the helm. James took to social media and decried the board's actions, noting that the college regained accreditation during his tenure and the institution couldn't afford instability with an upcoming meeting with the accreditor. A week later, the board announced his reinstatement, even as allegations against James surfaced in local media.

One year ago this month, Howard University in Washington DC landed the coveted title of an R1 research university - the highest US research designation conferred by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The achievement - attained when a university spends at least US$50 million on research and awards at least 70 research doctoral degrees each year - is making Howard attractive to funders, faculty members and students, says its interim president, Wayne Frederick.

The Alcorn State Braves (12-10) will host the Florida A&M Rattlers (7-15) after winning five home games in a row. In its previous game, Alcorn State fell to UAPB on Saturday, 64-60. Kiarra Henderson scored a team-high 20 points (and added five assists and eight rebounds). Florida A&M was victorious in its previous game against Texas Southern, 86-73, on Saturday. Tahnyjia Purifoy was its top scorer with 19 points.

The Alabama State Lady Hornets (10-11) will attempt to extend a five-game road winning streak when they square off against the Grambling Tigers (6-16) on February 7, 2026 at Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center. In its previous game, Grambling lost to Alabama A&M on Thursday, 54-50. Shaniah Nunn scored a team-high 16 points (and added one assist and seven boards). In its most recent game, Alabama State topped Southern on Thursday, 61-57.

Southern outscores opponents by 1.1 points per game (scoring 80.1 per game to rank 103rd in college basketball while giving up 79.0 per contest to rank 308th in college basketball) and has a +24 scoring differential overall. The 80.1 points the Jaguars average are 6.4 fewer than the Tigers give up. Southern knocks down 6.8 three-pointers per game (280th in college basketball), 1.4 fewer than its opponents (8.2). The Jaguars are posting 95.4 points per game in home games.

Chattanooga has a +158 scoring differential, topping opponents by 5.8 points per game. It is putting up 64.4 points per game to rank 210th in college basketball and is allowing 58.6 per outing to rank 43rd in college basketball.

The William & Mary Tribe (14-8, 5-5 CAA) will try to end a five-game road slide when they visit the UNC Wilmington Seahawks (19-3, 8-1 CAA) on February 5, 2026 at Raiford G. Trask Coliseum. UNC Wilmington was victorious in its most recent game versus Towson, 82-73, on Thursday. Nolan Hodge was its top scorer with 23 points. William & Mary dropped its previous game to Campbell, 104-96, on Saturday. Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi was its high scorer with 18 points.