HBCU Basketball: Jackson State and Howard NCAA Tournament Previews

The Jackson State Lady Tigers and Howard Lady Bison had their NCAA tournament opponents announced on Sunday afternoon.

The Jackson State Lady Tigers and Howard Lady Bison had their NCAA tournament opponents announced on Sunday afternoon.

Howard University Lady Bison win the 2022 MEAC Tournament Championship; Credit: MEAC

HOWARD

Howard advanced to play Incarnate Word in the NCAA First Four game.

Howard University, after winning its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women's basketball tournament championship since 2001, will take on Southland Conference champion Incarnate Word in the First Four of the 2022 NCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship.

The game will be played in Columbia, S.C. on Wednesday at 9 p.m., live on ESPNU. The winner will then face No. 1 overall seed South Carolina in the first round on Friday.

The Bison (20-9) defeated Norfolk State 61-44 in Saturday's championship game to capture their 11th overall title -- the most in MEAC history. They are led by First Team All-MEAC selection Anzhane' Hutton and MEAC Basketball Tournament Outstanding Performer Destiny Howell.

Incarnate Word (13-16) needed overtime to defeat Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday, winning four games in four days to take the Southland tournament title. The Cardinals are led by the Southland Conference's leading scorer, First Team honoree Jaaucklyn Moore.

*Data from the MEAC

Jackson State Lady Tigers; Credit: SWAC

JACKSON STATE

The No. 14 seeded Lady Tigers (23-6) will travel to meet the No. 3 Lady Bengal Tigers (25-6) in Baton Rouge, LA on Saturday.   The women basketball teams will have an epic clash between an HBCU and SEC programs and two coaches with huge personalities.  

The first-round collision course matching the coaching skills of JSU's Tomekia Reed against the legendary Kim Mulkey of LSU will be great.   I believe this is the type of game Reed wanted for her team to open the NCAA Tournament.  

Reed mentioned that last season's 101-55 loss to Baylor refocused her and the team for another run this season.

NCAA Tournament hasn't been kind to Jackson State. The Lady Tigers are 0-5 in the NCAA Tournament play and will challenge a three-time national championship coach in Kim Mulkey.  It will be a daunting task for Coach Reed and her staff.