Bethune-Cookman Leads Tight SWAC Race, But Challengers Lurk in the Shadows

As the 2025-26 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) basketball season reaches its midpoint, the race for the regular-season title is heating up, with Bethune-Cookman University emerging as the early favorite, but a host of challengers poised to make a run in the second half.

Bethune-Cookman, tabbed as the preseason favorite, has lived up to the hype, leading the conference in offensive and defensive rating, as well as team net rating. The Wildcats' core trio of Doctor Bradley, Jakobi Heady, and Seneca Willoughby have proven they can win games in a variety of ways, guiding the team to a 5-1 conference record so far.

Among those challengers, Southern University and Jackson State University stand out as the primary threats to Bethune-Cookman's reign. Southern, picked second in the preseason poll, has won four of their last five games, including victories over Jackson State, Alabama A&M, and Prairie View. The Jaguars are led by first-team All-SWAC preseason guard Michael Jacobs, who can take over tight games down the stretch.

Jackson State, slotted third in the preseason projections, is currently tied for second place and is coming off an impressive 91-86 win over Bethune-Cookman.

Lurking in the shadows, Florida A&M University has matched Bethune-Cookman's 5-1 conference record to start the season under first-year coach Charlie Ward. However, the Rattlers have since dropped five of their next six games, and they'll need to navigate a daunting remaining schedule that includes Bethune-Cookman, Southern, and Grambling State if they want to stay in the title race.

Rounding out the pack of potential spoilers are Alabama A&M University, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Texas Southern University, all of which are hovering around .500 in conference play. Texas Southern, in particular, has been on their annual second-half surge, winning three of their last four games, including a comeback victory over Southern.

"In a league where the margins are thin, the regular-season champion is likely to be the team that best navigates the final weeks without a damaging losing streak."

HBCUConnect Perspective: The tight race in the SWAC this season is a testament to the depth and competitiveness of HBCU basketball. With several teams vying for the conference title, this promises to be an exciting and unpredictable stretch run that will captivate HBCU fans and alumni across the country. Regardless of the outcome, the passion and pride displayed by these student-athletes and programs will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of HBCU basketball stars.

Originally reported by HBCU Sports.