2020 SWAC women's basketball tournament: Matchups, players to know & more
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 2020 Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament will determine which team gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The tournament is set to begin March 10 and run through March 14. The first round is played at the campus of the highest-seeded school, and the semifinals and championship games are in Birmingham, Ala.
Eight of the conference’s 10 teams make the tournament.
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Here’s the schedule for the SWAC tournament.
MARCH 10 – FIRST ROUND
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No. 1 Jackson State def. No. 8 Alabama State, 71-53.
No. 4 Alabama A&M def. No. 5 Alcorn State, 74-54.
No. 2 Texas Southern def. No. 7 Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 77-46.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No. 3 Southern def. No. 6 Prairie View A&M, 59-55.
MARCH 13 – SEMIFINALS
No. 1 Jackson State vs. No. 4 Alabama A&M (1 p.m. ET)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No. 2 Texas Southern vs. No. 3 Southern (7 p.m. ET)
MARCH 14 – CHAMPIONSHIP
Semifinal winner vs. Semifinal winner (2:30 p.m. ET)
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5 PLAYERS TO KNOW
CIANI CRYOR, TEXAS SOUTHERN: Ciani Cryor was the leading scorer for the SWAC during the 2019-20 regular season. Cryor averaged 18.2 points per game to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DARIAUNA LEWIS, ALABAMA A&M: Dariauna Lewis followed Cryor in the scoring category. Lewis was averaging 16.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
NIYA MITCHELL, TEXAS SOUTHERN: Niya Mitchell was among the top players overall in the SWAC. Mitchell averaged a double-double during the regular season. She has 16.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game during the 2019-20 regular season.
DAYZSHA ROGAN, JACKSON STATE: Dayscha Rogan helped Jackson State make the SWAC tournament this season. She is averaging 13.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MARNIESHA HAMER, JACKSON STATE: Marneisha Hamer helped Jackson State to the top seed in the SWAC along with Rogan. She is averaging 13.6 points per game as well.
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2019 CHAMPION
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Southern broke through and won the SWAC in 2019, defeating Jackson State, 45-41. Alyric Scott was named tournament MVP.