When Jackson State tips off against Bethune-Cookman on Friday night at the SWAC Tournament in Atlanta both HBCU schools will feature coaches who were once NBA All-Stars. JSU is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and its coached by Mo Williams, who made the NBA All-Star team in 2009 while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. On the opposing bench for the No. 3 seed Bethune-Cookman is Reggie Theus, an NBA All-Star in 1981 with the Chicago Bulls, and in 1983 with the Kansas City Kings.
Williams and Theus make up two of the 19 head coaches in Division One basketball who once played in the NBA. Both coaches are one win away from appearing in the SWAC Championship game after impressive regular season efforts. The two are the only former NBA players who are Division I HBCU basketball head coaches.
Mo Williams led JSU to a 14-4 record in the SWAC this season including two wins over Bethune-Cookman. Reggie Theus has improved Bethune-Cookman’s conference record in each of his four seasons at the helm in Daytona Beach. Bethune-Cookman finished just behind the Tigers with a 13-5 conference record.
Both teams are the two hottest teams in the SWAC heading into Friday’s game. Jackson State is riding a seven-game winning streak, while BCU has won six in a row.
The Tigers are led by former McDonald’s All-American Daeshun Ruffin, a transfer from Ole Miss. The junior guard averages 15.6 points per game, fourth in the SWAC. The inside is bolstered by All-SWAC second team selection Shannon Grant. The FAMU transfer averages 11 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
For Bethune-Cookman the offense runs through All-SWAC first team selection Trey Thomas. The Hampton transfer has scored 525 total points this season, the most of any player, and his scoring average is third at 16.4 points per game.
Thomas struggled from the field in BCU’s opening game against Alcorn State but his teammates filled the void throughout the game. Brayon Freeman led the Wildcats in scoring off the bench on Thursday scoring 19 off the bench in the 69-60 win over Alcorn State.
Jackson State won its opening-round game against Florida A&M, 91-76. Friday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+ at 8:30 pm EST.
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This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 11:13 AM.