Morehouse College Claims First SIAC Basketball Championship in Over Two Decades, Advances to NCAA Tournament

Morehouse College has ended a 23-year championship drought, defeating Tuskegee University 66-56 to capture the 2026 SIAC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship on March 7 at the Clayton County Convocation Center. The historic victory marks the Maroon Tigers' first conference title since 2003 and propels them into the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time since 2018.

The No. 1 seeded Maroon Tigers improved their overall record to 22-9 with the championship win. The victory was particularly significant for first-year head coach Larry Dixon, who set a school record by becoming the first coach in Morehouse history to win 22 games in his inaugural season—a milestone that underscores the program's dramatic turnaround.

Student-Athletes Earn Top Honors

The Maroon Tigers' stellar postseason performance earned recognition for several student-athletes.

• Josiah Lawson (Tournament MVP)
• Since Moore
• JerMontae Hill

The championship also marked a personal milestone for Harold Ellis, Morehouse's athletic director, who became the first Morehouse Man to win both a regular-season and tournament championship in the same season as both a player and as athletic director—a testament to the program's enduring legacy of excellence.

NCAA Tournament Challenge Ahead

Following their SIAC championship victory, Morehouse earned the No. 8 seed for the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball South Regional in the 64-team field. The Maroon Tigers face a formidable challenge in their opening matchup against No. 1 seed Nova Southeastern, the country's top-ranked team and Sunshine State Conference automatic qualifier.

The game will take place this weekend at Rick Case Arena on Nova Southeastern's campus in Davie, Florida. The NCAA Division II Tournament begins with first- and second-round games on March 14-15, with regional finals scheduled for March 17. The Elite Eight will compete from March 25-27, culminating in the national championship on April 5.

The victory represents not just a championship, but a revival of Morehouse basketball excellence and the potential for continued success on the national stage.

For updates on the Maroon Tigers' NCAA tournament run, fans can visit www.morehouseathletics.com or follow the team on Instagram @morehousebasketball.

Originally reported by Black Enterprise.