SWAC Preview

The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.   Blue Ribbon Forecast No. Team  '01-02 Conf. Rec. (Overall) 1. Alcorn State  16-2 (20-9)  2. Mississippi Valley State  9-9 (12-17)  3. Alabama A&M  12-6 (19-10)  4. Texas Southern  10-8 (11-17)  5. Alabama State  12-6 (19-13)  6. Grambling State  7-11 (9-19)  7 Prairie View  8-10 (10-20)  8 Jackson State  8-10 (9-19)  7 Southern University  6-12 (7-20)  8 Arkansas-Pine Bluff  2-16 (2-26)  All-Conference Team Did You Know? G: Ra'Kim Hollis SR, Texas Southern G: Tim Henderson SR, Jackson State C: Alvin Pettway SR, Alabama State F: Paul Haynes SO, Grambling State F: Brian Jackson SR, Alcorn State Player of the Year Paul Haynes SO, Grambling State Newcomer of the Year Solomon Forbes SO, Mississippi Valley State Top Backcourts 1. Mississippi Valley 2. Texas Southern 3. Prairie View Top Frontcourts 1. Grambling State 2. Alabama A&M 3. Alcorn State 2002-03 Conference Tournament March (TBA), Fair Park Arena, Birmingham, AL 2001-02 Champions Alcorn State (reg. season, conf. tournament) 2001-02 NCAA Tournament Postseason Record 0-1 (.000) NCAA (play-in) Alcorn State Alcorn State's loss to Siena in the play-in game last March dropped the SWAC to 4-22 all time in the NCAA Tournament. The SWAC's last NCAA Tournament win came in 1993 when Southern stunned Georgia Tech, 93-78. Alcorn coach Dave Whitney, 72, was chosen the first recipient the NCAA Hall of Champions Journey Award. The award, presented to Whitney in July in Indianapolis, was created to honor those who have encouraged excellence in college student-athletes. "I was surprised," said Whitney, the oldest African-American head coach in the country. "It's a tremendous honor. It reflects on the kids I've coached. If it weren't for them, I would've never gotten this type of award." Robert Vowels Jr., commissioner of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, was hired as commissioner of the SWAC in September. Vowels, commissioner of the SIAC since 2000, was previously associate commissioner of the Big Ten Conference and assistant athletic director at Vanderbilt. The league had been without a full-time commissioner for 16 months. Vowels replaced Rudy Washington, who was placed on leave last year and later fired. He was terminated for mishandling league finances. Retired commissioner James Frank resumed his duties after Washington's firing and ran the league until Vowels came on board. There are two new coaches in the league this year. Former Ohio State standout Jerry Francis replaced Elwood Plummer at Prairie View, and at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, assistant coach Van Holt was bumped up to head coach after Harold Blevins was fired. Jackson State's Eric Chess, a 6-8 forward/center expected to play significant minutes this season, didn't meet eligibility requirements for a second straight year. "It's disappointing," JSU coach Andy Stoglin said.

 

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