Savannah State Tigers basketball

This article is about the NCAA men's basketball program at Savannah State University. The women's basketball team is known as the Lady Tigers.

The Savannah State Tigers basketball team represents Savannah State University and competes in NCAA Division II as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference since July 2019. The Tigers play their home games in Tiger Arena on the university's Savannah, Georgia campus.

Savannah State Tigers
University	Savannah State University
Head coach	Horace Broadnax[1] (19th season)
Conference	SIAC
Location	Savannah, Georgia
Arena	Tiger Arena (capacity: 6,000)
Nickname	Tigers
Colors	Burnt orange and reflex blue[2]
Uniforms
Home Away Alternate
NCAA tournament appearances
Division II: 2022 Division III: 1979, 1980, 1981
Conference tournament champions
1970, 2022
Conference regular season champions
1970, 1979, 1980, 1981, 2012, 2018

They are currently coached by Horace Broadnax who is in his 19th season as head coach of the Tigers.

They competed in NCAA Division I in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference from 2010 to 2019,^[3] but never qualified for the NCAA Division I tournament. On April 17, 2017, the school announced that it would return to Division II due to financial issues associated with competing in Division I.^[4][5] On December 7, 2017, the school announced it would rejoin Division II's Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) following the 2018–19 academic year, pending NCAA approval.^[6] Since joining the SIAC in the 2019–2020 academic year, the Tigers have won a SIAC Conference Championship (2021) and made an NCAA Division II national tournament appearance (2021).^[7]

History

Conference championships and NCAA playoffs

Prior to moving into the NCAA, the Tigers appeared in post season play in the NAIA collegiate level. The Tigers appeared in 3 NAIA National Men's Basketball National Tournaments in 1960, 1961, and 1962 with a total combined tournament record of 2–3.

Before moving to Division I the team won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship in 1970, 1979, 1980, and 1981.^[8][9]

The 1978–79 Tigers won an overtime game against Albany (NY) (82–81) in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, but lost in the second round to Centre College (82–54).^[10]

In the 1980 Division III playoffs, the Tigers defeated UNC Greensboro in the first round (61–58) before losing to Lane College in the regional championships (87–70).^[10]

The 1980–81 Tigers won the SIAC Division III Championship and the NCAA South Regional Championship before finishing the season as the NCAA Division III South Quarterfinal runner-up.^[9] During this run they defeated the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in the first round (76–62), and Rhodes College in the regional championships (76–75) before losing an overtime game to Otterbein College in the quarterfinals (67– 64).^[10]

Division I

The school gained notoriety when they finished the 2004–05 season a winless 0–28, the first Division I team to do so since Prairie View A&M in 1991–92.^[11][12][13]

Horace Broadnax became the men's head basketball coach in 2005.^[1] In his sixth year as the head coach of the Tigers, the 2011–12 season, he was named the MEAC Coach of the Year as he guided the team to a 14–2 conference record and the school's first MEAC regular season title.^[14]

The Tigers were the 2011–12 MEAC regular season champions and received an automatic bid into the 2012 NIT, their first ever appearance in any Division I tournament as a Division I member. The team posted a 21–10 overall mark and lead the MEAC in scoring defense, only allowing 58.9 points per game and were second in the conference in scoring margin (+5.4).^[14]

The Tigers were ineligible for postseason play in the 2016–17 season due to APR violations.^[15] The Tigers were initially ruled to be ineligible for postseason play for a second consecutive season in 2017–18 due to APR violations.^[16] However, the NCAA granted the Tigers a waiver which would allow them to participate in postseason play.^[17][18]

On April 17, 2017, the school announced that it would return to Division II due to financial issues associated with competing in Division I.^[4][5] On December 7, 2017, the school announced it would rejoin Division II's SIAC, pending NCAA approval.^[6]

NCAA records

Savannah State set the NCAA records for fewest points in a half (4 points) and the worst field goal percentage in a half (4.3 percent) in an 85–25 loss to Kansas State on January 7, 2009.^[19] The Tigers completed the second half 1-for-23, breaking the shot-clock era record.^[19]

Postseason

NCAA Division II

The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament once.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2022	First round	Nova Southeastern	L, 62–113

NCAA Division III

The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division III Tournament three times. Their combined record is 4–2.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
1979	Regional semifinals Regional Finals	Albany Centre	W 82–81 L 54–82
1980	Regional semifinals Regional Finals	UNC Greensboro Lane	W 61–58 L 70–87
1981	Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight	Rose–Hulman Southwestern (TN) Otterbein	W 76–62 W 76–75 L 64–67 OT

NAIA tournament results

The Tigers have appeared in the NAIA Tournament three times. Their combined record is 2–3.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
1960	First round Second Round	Willamette Texas State	W 85–71 L 88–101
1961	First round	Redland	L 80–89
1962	First round Second Round	Pacific Lutheran Northern Arizona	W 84–75 L 91–95

NIT results

The Tigers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) one time. Their record is 0–1.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2012	First round	Tennessee	L 51–65

CIT results

The Tigers have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) two times. Their combined record is 0–2.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2013	First round	East Carolina	L 65–66
2016	First round	Texas–Arlington	L 59–75

Season by season record

  Conference regular season Champions   Conference tournament champions   Conference Tournament and regular season champions

Season	Wins	Losses	Conference Record	Head Coach	Conference	References
2011–12	21	11	14–2	Horace Broadnax	MEAC	[20]
2010–11	12	18		Horace Broadnax	Division I Independent
2009–10	11	15		Horace Broadnax	Division I Independent
2008–09	15	14		Horace Broadnax	Division I Independent
2007–08	13	18		Horace Broadnax	Division I Independent	[1][21]
2006–07	12	18		Horace Broadnax	Division I Independent	[1][10]
2005–06	2	28		Horace Broadnax	Division I Independent	[1]
2004–05	0	28		Ed Daniels	Division I Independent	[11][13][22]
2003–04	4	23		Ed Daniels	Division I Independent	[13][22]
2002–03	3	23		Ed Daniels	Division I Independent	[13][22]
2001–02	2	26		Jack Grant	Division 2 Independent	[13]
2000–01	4	21		Jack Grant	Division 2 Independent	[13]
1999–2000	8	18		Samuel Jackson	Division 2 Independent	[13]
1998–99	9	18	4–11	Jacques Curtis	SIAC
1997–98	11	16	6–9	Jacques Curtis	SIAC	[13][23]
1996–97				Jimmie Westley	SIAC	[13][24]
1995–96				Jimmie Westley	SIAC	[13]
1994–95				John Williams	SIAC	[25]
1993–94				John Williams	SIAC	[25]
1992–93				John Williams	SIAC	[25]
1991–92				John Williams	SIAC	[25]
1990–91				John Williams	SIAC	[25]
1989–90				Robert Eskew	SIAC	[26]
1988–89				Robert Eskew	SIAC	[26]
1987–88				Robert Eskew	SIAC	[26]
1986–87				Jimmie Westley	SIAC	[24]
1985–86				Jimmie Westley	SIAC	[24]
1984–85				Jimmie Westley	SIAC
1983–84				Russell Ellington	SIAC	[27]
1982–83				Russell Ellington	SIAC	[27]
1981–82				Russell Ellington	SIAC	[27]
1980–81				Russell Ellington	SIAC	[27]
1979–80				Russell Ellington	SIAC	[27]
1978–79				Russell Ellington	SIAC	[27]
1977–78				Russell Ellington	SIAC	[27]
1976–77				Russell Ellington	SIAC	[27]
1975–76				Mike Backus	SIAC
1974–75				Mike Backus	SIAC
1973–74				Mike Backus	SIAC
1972–73				Mike Backus	SIAC
1971–72				Mike Backus	SIAC
1970–71				Leo Richardson	SIAC	[28]
1969–70				Leo Richardson	SIAC
1968–69				Leo Richardson	Division 3 Independent
1967–68				Leo Richardson	Division 3 Independent
1966–67				Leo Richardson	Division 3 Independent
1965–66				Leo Richardson	Division 3 Independent
1964–65				Leo Richardson	Division 3 Independent
Totals				NCAA Division I Independent results
				NCAA Division II results
				NCAA Division III results
				NAIA results
	500	670		Regular season results[10]
	4	3		Playoff results[10]
	504	677		All games including playoffs[10]

Notable alumni

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Johnny Mathis	1967	Former American Basketball Association forward for the New Jersey Americans[29]

Six Savannah State alumni became members of the Harlem Globetrotters:^[30]

• Tyrone "Hollywood" Brown
• Harold "Bobo" Hubbard
• Matt "Showbiz" Jackson
• Mike Jordan
• Kevin Sutlon
• Vincent White

References

1. "Savannah State University Head Men's Basketball Coach: Horace Broadnax". Savannah State University. Archived from the original on July 15, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
2. "Savannah State University Athletics – 2016 Football Quick Facts". Retrieved September 5, 2016.
3. "Savannah State joins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference". savannahnow.com. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
4. "Savannah State plans to move athletics down to Division II". savannahnow.com. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
5. Ridpath, B. David. "Savannah State Is Doing The Right Thing By Downsizing Athletics". Forbes. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
6. "SSU moves to Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference". Savannah State University. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
7. Ashford, Larson. "SSU TIGERS WIN SIAC BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP". thesiac.com. NCAA. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
8. "SIAC Basketball Champions". Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
9. "Former Savannah State Men's Basketball Coach Dies". Retrieved November 21, 2007.
10. "Official 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Records Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 25, 2008. Retrieved November 27, 2007.
11. "Tigers finish season 0–28". ESPN.com. May 28, 2005. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2005.
12. "Winless Savannah State Gets New Coach". CSTV.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
13. "SSU fires men's basketball coach Daniels". February 17, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
14. "MEAC announces All-MEAC Men's Basketball Honors". MEACSports.com. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
15. "Only 2 schools banned from NCAA Tournament due to low APR scores". CBS Sports. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
16. "17 D-I teams don't make NCAA grade, banned from postseason". USA Today. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
17. "Swag, speed and threes: Savannah State is the fastest team in college basketball". Mid-Major Madness. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
18. "Never Made the Tourney Club Update, 1/25: Savannah State lives, South Dakota is on fire". Mid-Major Madness. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
19. "Savannah State misses its way into record books vs. K-State". Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2008.
20. "Savannah State clinches top seed in 2012 tournament". Associated Press. March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
21. Barnidge, Noell (February 29, 2008). "Tigers end season with loss". SavannahNow.com. Savannah Morning News. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
22. "Notes: Savannah State fires coach after winless season". USA Today. February 17, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
23. "Savannah State's Curtis Relieved of Coaching Duties". Retrieved November 22, 2007.
24. "Morris Brown Announced New Coaches". July 23, 1999. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
25. "John Williams To Take Over Women's Basketball Program at Winston-Salem State". April 24, 2002. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
26. "Savannah State names three head coaches". August 17, 2002. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
27. "Russell Ellington: A Coach for Life". Retrieved September 4, 2008.
28. "Past tournament champions". SIAC. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
29. "NBA/ABA Players who attended Savannah State University". Archived from the original on May 6, 2006. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
30. "Harlem Globetrotters All-time Roster". Harlem Globetrotters. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2007.