Five HBCU programs are headed to the NCAA Division I basketball tournaments, giving Black college basketball a strong presence across both the men’s and women’s brackets. This year’s field includes the Tennessee State Tigers men’s basketball team, the Howard Bison men’s basketball team, the Prairie View A&M Panthers men’s basketball team, the Howard Bison women’s basketball team, and the Southern Lady Jaguars women’s basketball team. Together, they represent the OVC, MEAC, and SWAC on college basketball’s biggest stage after securing bids through conference tournament runs and Selection Sunday announcements.

Tennessee State Tigers Men’s Basketball

The Tennessee State Tigers are back in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship after ending a 32-year drought and winning the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. Tennessee State earned the league’s automatic bid with a 93-67 win over Morehead State, then learned on Selection Sunday that it would face Iowa State in St. Louis. For Tennessee State, this is the kind of March moment that can elevate the program’s visibility well beyond Nashville and reinforce the momentum the Tigers have built this season.