HOUSTON — “March matters. Nothing else matters, but March,” Coach Tomekia Reed told HBCU Legends after vanquishing Texas Southern 101-51 in Houston. As the 2024 Starry SWAC Basketball Tournament opens today in Birmingham, Alabama, the dominant Jackson State University (23-6, 18-0 SWAC) team is again the favorites as the No.1 seed.
Coach Reed and her Lady Tigers will tip off at the tournament against No. 8 Prairie View at 5:30 PM in Birmingham, Alabama. The team trailed 50-59 in the third quarter to Lady Panthers before defeating them 75-65 on March 4. The Lady Panthers are a dangerous team, but Reed won’t take them lightly and have a repeat of last season’s collapse to Southern in the semifinals.
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“I became complacent,” Reed told HBCU Legends this offseason. They became complacent. Going into this next year, I’ve been so rejuvenated, and I just want to improve my energy and be extremely happy for the place that God has me in.”
Reed and JSU brought a “rejuvenated” spirit into this season and hopefully into the 2024 SWAC Tournament.
Two seasons ago, Jackson State went undefeated in the regular season and won the tourney. Millions watched the Lady Tigers almost land an upset against LSU in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. In many ways, the 2023-24 team may be better prepared to have another run to the NCAA tournament in Cleveland.
“You have to be resilient. You have to be tough. You have to get through it,” Reed remarked.
nCourtesy: Jackson State Athletics
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Jackson State posted a great season and earned several postseason conference honors. The SWAC awarded Angel Jackson Defensive Player of the Year, and Coach Tomekia Reed was named Coach of the Year. All-SWAC honors went to Miya Crump and Ti’lan Boler for the First Team, and Angel Jackson gained Second Team recognition.
Well, it’s March. It’s win or go home.
Reed knows the task will be difficult, saying, “Well, everybody plays us hard. Everybody plays us good. We just have to be ready, have a game plan in place, and be ready to make adjustments.”
Did the Lady Tigers learn from last year’s tough losses? And, are they ready to avoid another collapse in a highly competitive SWAC tournament?
We shall see.
