3MW’s All Conference Team:
Player of the Year: Gerard Andrus, Sr., Prairie View A&M
Coach of the Year: Sean Woods, Southern
Newcomer of the Year: Roland Griffin, R Sr., Jackson St.
Freshman of the Year: Cameron Tucker, Alabama A&M
Season Storylines:
In Their Own Prairie: Just 47 miles west of downtown Houston, Prairie View is quietly infringing on Texas Southern’s turf. While the H-Town-based Tigers remain fixated on an arms race for talent, Bryon Smith is debunking the notion that talent trumps all. The Panthers claimed both the SWAC regular season title and conference tournament title last year and are on the verge of a repeat sweep in 2020. Devonte Patterson’s been a double-double machine since returning from an eight-game suspension to start the year, while power wing Gerard Andrus’ offensive development has helped him evolve from a defensive stalwart in to a two-way weapon.
A Southern Democracy: Sean Woods is one of college basketball’s premier ‘fixers’. Woods resurrected Mississippi Valley State and Morehead State before returning back to the SWAC in the summer of 2018 for another program restoration project. Woods managed to purge the deadweight from last year’s team and overhauled the roster with a fresh batch of talented newcomers from all over the country. Valparaiso transfer Micah Bradford and Siena transfer Ahsante Shivers are the ‘headliners’, though no one player shines any brighter than the next. Southern has zero guys averaging double figures in scoring, and only four players average over 20 minutes a game. Woods’ hockey-style substitutions keeps the Jaguars fresh and makes it impossible for opponents to key in on any one player in the scouting report.
Tournament Preview
The cutthroat format of the SWAC Tournament abruptly ends Mississippi Valley State and Arkansas Pine Bluff’s season. The top-4 seeds get home court advantage for the first round and those who advance will descend on Birmingham for the Semis and Final to decide the SWAC’s auto-bid champion.
Tournament Predictions
I refuse to be allured by Texas Southern’s talent, so Jackson State is where I’m placing my money. Wayne Brent is a cheeky tactician, constantly mixing up defenses to confound opposing offenses. It’s a bit discouraging that JSU went 0-4 against Texas Southern and Prairie View in the regular season, but, much like Southern and Texas Southern, these Tigers are also equipped with potent mid-major and high-major transfer talent. Roland Griffin (Iona) and Venjie Wallis (New Orleans) are both top-flight athletes who can score and impact the game in a multitude of ways.
(1) Prairie View A&M over (8) Alabama A&M
(4) Jackson State over (5) Alcorn State
(2) Southern over (7) Alabama State
(3) Texas Southern over (6) Grambling State
(4) Jackson State over (1) Prairie View A&M
(2) Southern over (3) Texas Southern
(4) Jackson State over (2) Southern