Alcorn State Basketball: A Brief History

Alcorn State University’s men’s basketball team has a long and storied history, dating back to the early days of the school. The team has won numerous conference championships and made several appearances in the NCAA tournament

Alcorn State University

Alcorn State University is a public, historically black university (HBCU) in Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871 by the Reconstruction-era legislature to provide education to freedmen. It is the firstHBCU in Mississippi and the second oldest public institution in the state. Alcorn State offers more than 50 programs leading to bachelor’s degrees,master’s degrees, and doctorates.

Alcorn State basketball

Alcorn State basketball is a college Basketball team that represents Alcorn State University The team currently competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

The team has seen success in recent years winning the SWAC regular season title in 2016 and 2017. The Braves have also made three NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2015.

In order to learn more about the history of the team, we talked to Head Coach Doc Holliday. Coach Holliday has been with the team since 2014 and has led them to two SWAC championships.

The history of Alcorn State basketball

Alcorn State University’s Basketball Program has a long and proud history. The Braves have been to the NCAA tournament seven times, most recently in 2015. They have won eight Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships and made one appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

Alcorn State’s first basketball coach was John T. Smith, who led the team from 1912 to 1917. Smith’s teams were successful, winning 52 percent of their games.

In the early years of the program, Alcorn State had great success against other Historically Black Colleges and universities (HBCUs). The Braves defeated Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) three times in 1913-14, and they also defeated Wiley College twice in 1914-15.

In recent years Alcorn State has struggled to find similar success. The Braves have not won an NCAA tournament game since 1991, when they upset fifth-seeded La Salle in the first round. They have not won a conference championship since 1999.

Despite these struggles, Alcorn State remains one of the most popular basketball programs among HBCU fans. The Braves play their home games at the historic Ellard O’Neal Hartness Gymnasium, which opened in 1968. The gymnasium is named after former Alcorn State basketball coach and administrator Ellard O’Neal Hartness, who served as the school’s head basketball coach from 1944 to 1966.

The early years

Alcorn State University’s Basketball Program has a long and storied history, dating back to the early years of the school. The Braves have won numerous conference championships and made several appearances in the NCAA tournament including a trip to the Final Four in 1979.

In the early years, Alcorn State was a powerhouse in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), winning the conference tournament in both 1977 and 1979. The Braves made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1977, losing to Marquette in the first round. They returned to the tournament in 1979, this time making it all the way to the Final Four before losing to Michigan State

The 1980s were a down decade for Alcorn State Basketball as the team failed to make another NCAA Tournament appearance. However, they did make it back to the SWAC Championship game in both 1982 and 1983, losing both times.

The 1990s saw a resurgence for Alcorn State Basketball The team won another Conference Championship in 1992 and made three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 1994 to 1996. They also won their first-ever game in the NCAA Tournament in 1994, defeating George Mason before losing to Arkansas in the second round.

Despite their success in the 1990s, Alcorn State has not made an NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996. They have continued to be competitive in the SWAC, winning conference championships in 2000 and 2002. In recent years they have struggled to keep up with other teams in the conference and have not made it back to the NCAA tournament since their last appearance over 20 years ago.

The “glory years”

In the 1980s, Alcorn State’s men’s basketball team was one of the best in the nation. The Braves made the NCAA Tournament four times in five years, from 1984 to 1988. They reached the Sweet Sixteen in 1987, and won a first-round game in 1988. In both 1984 and 1985, Alcorn State was ranked in the Top 20 in the nation by the Associated Press.

The Braves’ success was due in large part to head coach Dave Whitney, who led the team from 1981 to 1991. Whitney’s teams were known for their aggressive defense and high-scoring offense. In his 10 seasons at Alcorn State, Whitney had a record of 209-75 (.736). He is still the winningest coach in school history.

Whitney’s successor, Luther Riley, also had some success, leading the Braves to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 1994 and 1995. But Alcorn State has not been back to the tournament since then, and has not had a winning record in conference play since 2002.

The modern era

Since the late 1990s, Alcorn State University’s men’s Basketball team has undergone a significant transformation. In 1997, Larry Smith was hired as the Braves’ Head Coach He would go on to lead the team to five consecutive winning seasons, including a 21-9 record in 2001-02. That year, the Braves earned a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), marking the first time in school history that the team had participated in a postseason tournament.

The Alcorn State Basketball Program today

Alcorn State University is a public land-grant historically black university (HBCU) located in Lorman, Mississippi. The school was founded in 1871 by the Reconstruction-era legislature to provide educational opportunities for freedmen. It is the first HBCU in Mississippi and the second oldest in the nation. The Alcorn State basketball program has a long and storied history, dating back to its early days in the Southwestern athletic conference (SWAC). Today, the Braves are a member of the NCAA Division I and compete in the SWAC.

The future of Alcorn State basketball

It’s been a long time since Alcorn State had a winning Basketball season

The Braves last had a winning record in the 2002-03 season, when they went 16-14 overall and 12-6 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference They haven’t been to the NCAA tournament since 1982, when they lost to Virginia in the first round.

But there are signs that the future of Alcorn State basketball could be bright.

The Braves have a new Head coach in Mark Payne, who was hired in April after spending the previous four seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Jackson State And they have a new home court too.

This season, Alcorn State will play its home games at the brand-new Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex, which opened earlier this month. The $22 million facility includes a 3,500-seat arena that is twice the size of the Braves’ old home court the David L. Brewer Gymnasium.

Payne inherits a team that went 8-24 overall and 5-11 in the SWAC last season, but he is optimistic about the future of Alcorn State Basketball

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I think we’ve got the right pieces in place to turn this thing around,” Payne said. “I’m excited about what we can accomplish here.”

10 things you didn’t know about Alcorn State basketball

Alcorn State University is located in Lorman, Mississippi. The school’s basketball team has a long and storied history, dating back to its founding in 1909. Here are 10 things you may not know about the Alcorn State Braves

1. Alcorn State University was founded in 1871 as a land-grant college for African-American students.

2. The school’s basketball team was founded in 1909, making it one of the oldest collegiate basketball teams in the country.

3. The Braves were one of the first African-American teams to compete in the NCAA Tournament appearing in the inaugural event in 1939.

4. Alcorn State reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament in 1979, becoming the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to do so.

5. The Braves have won 19 SWAC championships, more than any other team in the conference’s history.

6. Alcorn State has produced numerous NBA players including Nugget great Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and former All-Star Tim Hardaway Sr.

7. The team has also produced several Olympians, including track star Carl Lewis and basketball player Charles Barkley

8. In recent years, the Braves have been coached by two former NBA players Davey Whitney and Horace Jenkins.

9. Alcorn State plays its home games at historic Henningsen Arena, which opened in 1937 and can seat over 5,000 fans.

5 Alcorn State basketball players you should know about

Alcorn State University has a long and storied history when it comes to basketball. The Braves have produced some of the sport’s greatest players coaches, and teams. Here are five Alcorn State basketball players you should know about.

1) Jerry Lucas – Lucas is one of the greatest players in Alcorn State history. He was a three-time All-American and led the Braves to two SWAC championships. He is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

2) Meadowlark Lemon – Lemon was one of the most famous players in the history of the Harlem Globetrotters He played for Alcorn State from 1954 to 1955 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

3) Bob Logan – Logan is one of only two Alcorn State players to have his jersey retired by the school. He was a three-time All-American and led the Braves to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 1968.

4) Oscar Robertson – Robertson is one of the most famous players in Basketball History He played for Alcorn State from 1957 to 1960 and is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

5) Doug Williams – Williams is one of only two Alcorn State players to have his jersey retired by the school. He led the Braves to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1968 and went on to have a successful NFL career, including winning Super Bowl XXII with the Washington Redskins.