Basketball isn’t always the sport of choice deep in the state of Mississippi, but the Alcorn State Braves are one college basketball that could change that. Typically, cheap Alcorn State basketball tickets are available in abundance. However, the Braves are longtime members of the SWAC and have occasionally made their way onto the big stage. Fans never know when the next time will be that the Braves rise to the top of the SWAC and earn a spot in the national spotlight, which is why there has always been consistent interest in last-minute Alcorn State basketball tickets.

The Chosen One

The most prominent figure in Alcorn State basketball history is coach Davey Whitney, who is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame. He came to Alcorn State in 1969 when the Braves were still an NAIA program. Whitney would eventually take the Braves to the Division I level and to their first NCAA Tournament in 1980, when Alcorn State defeated South Alabama to reach the Second Round. That was the first of four NCAA Tournament appearances for the Braves in a five-year period, a stretch that also included tournament wins over Xavier in 1983 and Houston Baptist in 1984. During his second stint at Alcorn State, Whitney also took the Braves to the Big Dance in 1999 and 2002. When all was said and done, Whitney won 12 SWAC regular-season titles and six tournament titles with Alcorn State.

After the Legend

Replacing Whitney after he retired in 2003 wasn’t easy for Alcorn State. For many years, the Braves found themselves in the bottom half of the SWAC standings at the season’s end while experiencing a 20-year postseason drought. But the hiring of head coach Landon Bussie in 2020 could end up being a turning point for Alcorn State. Bussie was just 6-13 in his first season at Alcorn State, only to lead the Braves to a SWAC regular-season title and a spot in the NIT in 2022. It was the program’s best season in 20 years and perhaps a sign of better days to come.