Several HBCU men’s basketball programs will compete on the national stage after earning bids to the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Tournament. Teams from the CIAA and SIAC will represent historically Black colleges across multiple regions as postseason play begins.
Morehouse College, Fayetteville State University and Virginia Union University all secured spots in the national bracket, highlighting the strength of HBCU programs competing in Division II.
NCAA South Region features Morehouse challenge
The NCAA South Region will feature Morehouse College, which earned the No. 8 seed after posting a 22-9 record this season.
The Maroon Tigers will face a tough first-round matchup against No. 1 seed Nova Southeastern, which enters the tournament with an impressive 27-1 record. Nova Southeastern has been one of the most dominant teams in Division II basketball this season, making the matchup a significant challenge for the SIAC champion.
Still, Morehouse’s selection represents a major accomplishment for the historic HBCU program. The Maroon Tigers recently ended a 23-year SIAC championship drought and will now look to build on that momentum on the national stage.
CIAA programs highlight Atlantic Region
The Atlantic Region bracket will feature two HBCU teams from the CIAA — Fayetteville State and Virginia Union.
Fayetteville State earned the No. 5 seed after finishing the season with a 23-6 record. The Broncos will face No. 4 seed California University of Pennsylvania, which enters the tournament with a 22-8 record. The matchup is expected to be one of the most competitive games in the region’s opening round.
The Broncos have been one of the most consistent programs in the CIAA this season and will look to continue that success in the NCAA tournament.
Virginia Union also secured a spot in the Atlantic Region bracket. The Panthers finished the season 24-5 and received the No. 7 seed. They will face No. 2 seed West Liberty, which comes into the tournament with a 27-4 record.
Despite the difficult matchup, Virginia Union’s selection reflects the program’s strong season and the continued competitiveness of CIAA basketball.
HBCU programs aim for NCAA postseason success
The presence of multiple HBCU teams in the NCAA Division II tournament underscores the growing national respect for Black college basketball programs.
Both the CIAA and SIAC have produced strong contenders throughout the season, and their representatives will now have the opportunity to compete against some of the nation’s best Division II programs.
With three teams representing the HBCU community in the national field, fans across the Black college basketball landscape will be watching closely to see whether one of these programs can make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
