What Makes SWAC BKB Tourney Different Than Classics?

[TexasTerror]

I just don't get how a conference such as the SWAC can bring in thousands around the country and then for basketball, can't even get 500 people for a conference tournament basketball game. Doesn't the CIAA pack an NBA-size arena for their entire tournament? That's Div II ball too. What makes this event different than the "other events" that HBCUs are known for?

Granted the SWAC has a rich basketball history with numerous NBAers, NAIA titles and the big Southern win over Georgia Tech in 1993...but what's happened these last however many years? And coaches fear the gap is getting wider? Why won't SWAC schools schedule home-and-homes with mid-majors? You got the SLC schools, OVC schools and hey, even ULL, LaTech, Centenary and ULM not too far away among others.

Far From the Limelight and Far From Successful

By JOHN BRANCH

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 9 — There are 30 N.C.A.A. Division I men's basketball conferences better than the Southwestern Athletic Conference. There are none worse.

That is according to the Ratings Percentage Index, a heartless computation of victories, defeats and strength of schedule. The ranking was silently seconded Thursday by the more than 15,000 empty seats at Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Arena that greeted the start of the conference tournament.

Granted, the quarterfinal game between fourth-seeded Alabama State and fifth-seeded Jackson State began at 10 a.m. But the official attendance of 424 provided a second gauge for where this proud conference of historically black colleges finds itself — at the bottom of the rankings, if not the underside of March Madness.

On Saturday night, a team will secure the automatic bid to the N.C.A.A. tournament that goes to the SWAC's tournament winner. But even that does not ensure bona fide entry; there is a good chance the SWAC champion will be forced to participate in the tournament's play-in game Tuesday as one of the two lowest-rated teams in the 65-team field, fighting for the right to play the top-ranked team in the country when the full tournament begins Thursday.

http://www.swacpage.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=56946

[gram4life]

I just don't get how a conference such as the SWAC can bring in thousands around the country and then for basketball, can't even get 500 people for a conference tournament basketball game. Doesn't the CIAA pack an NBA-size arena for their entire tournament? That's Div II ball too. What makes this event different than the "other events" that HBCUs are known for?

Granted the SWAC has a rich basketball history with numerous NBAers, NAIA titles and the big Southern win over Georgia Tech in 1993...but what's happened these last however many years? And coaches fear the gap is getting wider? Why won't SWAC schools schedule home-and-homes with mid-majors? You got the SLC schools, OVC schools and hey, even ULL, LaTech, Centenary and ULM not too far away among others.

Far From the Limelight and Far From Successful

By JOHN BRANCH

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 9 — There are 30 N.C.A.A. Division I men's basketball conferences better than the Southwestern Athletic Conference. There are none worse.

That is according to the Ratings Percentage Index, a heartless computation of victories, defeats and strength of schedule. The ranking was silently seconded Thursday by the more than 15,000 empty seats at Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Arena that greeted the start of the conference tournament.

Granted, the quarterfinal game between fourth-seeded Alabama State and fifth-seeded Jackson State began at 10 a.m. But the official attendance of 424 provided a second gauge for where this proud conference of historically black colleges finds itself — at the bottom of the rankings, if not the underside of March Madness.

On Saturday night, a team will secure the automatic bid to the N.C.A.A. tournament that goes to the SWAC's tournament winner. But even that does not ensure bona fide entry; there is a good chance the SWAC champion will be forced to participate in the tournament's play-in game Tuesday as one of the two lowest-rated teams in the 65-team field, fighting for the right to play the top-ranked team in the country when the full tournament begins Thursday.

http://www.swacpage.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=56946

TT come on now, you know we schedule games with Southland teams, Cenetenary, La Tech, and other mid majors. You don't have to lie to kick it, but I guess that just you. When it comes to the SWAC. OH WELL

[TexasTerror]

TT come on now, you know we schedule games with Southland teams, Cenetenary, La Tech, and other mid majors. You don't have to lie to kick it, but I guess that just you. When it comes to the SWAC. OH WELL

Well, it says you guys (in the article) fill your schedule with "guaranteed games". My remark was that there were plenty of schools that you could fill your slate with in the area if you did as your conference wanted and "build up success" on the court instead of bringing into conference those 2-9 and 0-10 records...

[gram4life]

Well, it says you guys (in the article) fill your schedule with "guaranteed games". My remark was that there were plenty of schools that you could fill your slate with in the area if you did as your conference wanted and "build up success" on the court instead of bringing into conference those 2-9 and 0-10 records...

Did you even look at the SWAC team's schedules? No you just assumed we didn't play any of those games. You made the statement "Why won't SWAC schools schedule home-and-homes with mid-majors? You got the SLC schools, OVC schools and hey, even ULL, LaTech, Centenary and ULM not too far away among others" so without even looking at the facts you just assumed oh it's SWAC so ok for me to talk outloud without facts. SMH, then you wonder why people say you have HATE for the SWAC.

[TexasTerror]

Did you even look at the SWAC team's schedules? No you just assumed we didn't play any of those games. You made the statement "Why won't SWAC schools schedule home-and-homes with mid-majors? You got the SLC schools, OVC schools and hey, even ULL, LaTech, Centenary and ULM not too far away among others" so without even looking at the facts you just assumed oh it's SWAC so ok for me to talk outloud without facts. SMH, then you wonder why people say you have HATE for the SWAC.

I've looked at the schedules...and I know you guys play those games. Some of those games were your only wins of your what, eight non-conference Div I wins? SFA always has atleast two SWAC opponents, SHSU had a game against Alcorn St this year, Rice and A&M also played SWAC schools.

If you would take the time to read my post instead of jumping my bones, you'd realize I was saying there were plenty of nearby mid-majors for the SWAC to fill their schedules with if they back off the guaranteed games...

[gram4life]

I've looked at the schedules...and I know you guys play those games. Some of those games were your only wins of your what, eight non-conference Div I wins? SFA always has atleast two SWAC opponents, SHSU had a game against Alcorn St this year, Rice and A&M also played SWAC schools.

If you would take the time to read my post instead of jumping my bones, you'd realize I was saying there were plenty of nearby mid-majors for the SWAC to fill their schedules with if they back off the guaranteed games...

Nevermind you don't get it. Ok save us TT. Whatever

[TexasTerror]

Nevermind you don't get it. Ok save us TT. Whatever

I get lots of teams with losing records, in fact every team except two! One guy on the SWAC site put it best:

"8 team tournament, 7 teams with LOSING records, 1 team with a MEDIOCRE WINNING record = no one in the stands. we need to market our indiviual programs better for sure, but when you send you basktball team on the road for 10 straight beatdowns no one is going to respect you. your players are demoralized, your rpi sucks, and you can't recruit b/c prospects look at your 10-18 record and they don't care that you won 10 swac games and finished in the upper half of the conferece. all they care about is yall are a bunch of losers."

Southwestern Athletic Conf All
Southern 15-3 18-12
Grambling St. 11-7 14-13
Alabama A&M 11-7 13-13
Jackson St. 10-8 15-17
Alabama St. 10-8 12-18
Miss. Valley St. 9-9 9-19
AR Pine Bluff 8-10 13-15
Alcorn St. 8-10 8-20
Texas Southern 6-12 8-22
Prairie View A&M 2-16 5-24