1978–79 Alcorn State Braves basketball team

The 1978–79 Alcorn State Braves basketball team represented Alcorn State University during the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Braves, led by head coach Davey Whitney, played their home games at the Davey Whitney Complex and were members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. They finished the season 27–0, 12–0 in SWAC, but did not receive a bid to the NCAA tournament because the SWAC was in a transition period and did not have an automatic qualifier. Instead, the Braves accepted a bid to play in the NIT where they lost in the second round to eventual NIT champion Indiana.

1978–79 Alcorn State Braves basketball
SWAC tournament champions
NIT tournament, Second round
ConferenceSouthwestern Athletic Conference
Record28–1 (12–0 SWAC)
Head coach
Home arenaPhysical Education Complex
Seasons
← 1977–78
1978–79 SWAC men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Alcorn State 12 0   1.000 28 1   .966
Grambling 6 6   .500 16 11   .593
Southern 6 6   .500 16 12   .571
Texas Southern 6 6   .500 13 14   .481
Jackson State 4 8   .333 13 14   .481
Mississippi Valley State   15 16   .484
Prairie View   17 14   .548
1979 SWAC tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

Roster

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1978–79 Alcorn State Braves men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown
F Larry Smith 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Sr Simmons Rolling Fork, Mississippi
G James Horton 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m)
Sr  
C Alfredo Monroe 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Sr  
G Ronnie Smith 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Sr  
G Joe Jenkins 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Jr  
F Cornelius Jenkins 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Sr  
F Clinton Wyatt 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Jr  
C Eddie Baker 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
So  
G E.J. Bell 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Jr  
G Richard Horton 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Fr  
F Bill Howard 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Jr  
W. Anderson
 
M. Washington
 
F Albert Irving 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Fr  
G Dwight Alexander 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Fr  
G Gilbert Thompson 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
So  
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: March 25, 2024

Schedule and results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Regular season
Dec 1, 1978*
at Xavier (LA) W 104–91  1–0
The Barn 
New Orleans, Louisiana
Dec 8, 1978*
Savannah State W 98–60  2–0
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Dec 11, 1978*
at Dillard W 103–89  3–0
 
 
Dec 14, 1978*
at Tougaloo W 98–76  4–0
 
 
Dec 20, 1978*
Arkansas–Pine Bluff W 116–85  5–0
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Dec 29, 1978*
vs. Kentucky State W 82–75 OT 6–0
College Park Auditorium 
 
Dec 30, 1978*
vs. Alabama State W 83–80  7–0
College Park Auditorium 
 
Jan 3, 1979*
Dillard W 94–83  8–0
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Jan 6, 1979
at Jackson State W 82–70  9–0
(1–0)
College Park Auditorium 
 
Jan 8, 1979
at Southern W 107–101 OT 10–0
(2–0)
F. G. Clark Center 
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jan 11, 1979
at Mississippi Valley State W 92–64  11–0
(3–0)
Harrison HPER Complex 
Itta Bena, Mississippi
Jan 13, 1979
Grambling W 100–86  12–0
(4–0)
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Jan 15, 1979*
Xavier (LA) W 85–80  13–0
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Jan 17, 1979*
at Bishop College W 100–82  14–0
 
 
Jan 20, 1979
Texas Southern W 92–74  15–0
(5–0)
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Jan 22, 1979
Prairie View W 103–89  16–0
(6–0)
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Jan 27, 1979
at Prairie View W 78–74  17–0
(7–0)
William J. Nicks Building 
Prairie View, Texas
Jan 29, 1979
at Texas Southern W 81–63  18–0
(8–0)
University Auditorium 
 
Jan 31, 1979*
at Tougaloo W 92–74  19–0
 
 
Feb 1, 1979*
at Arkansas–Pine Bluff W 95–89  20–0
Convention Center 
 
Feb 5, 1979
Mississippi Valley State W 90–69  21–0
(9–0)
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Feb 10, 1979
Jackson State W 84–71  22–0
(10–0)
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Feb 12, 1979
Southern W 88–84  23–0
(11–0)
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Feb 14, 1979*
Bishop College W 98–81  24–0
Physical Education Complex 
Lorman, Mississippi
Feb 17, 1979
at Grambling W 76–74  25–0
(12–0)
Tiger Memorial Gym 
Grambling, Louisiana
SWAC tournament
Feb 23, 1979
(1) vs. (4) Mississippi Valley State
Semifinals
W 88–84  26–0
Baton Rouge River Center 
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Feb 24, 1979
(1) at (2) Southern
Championship game
W 108–89  27–0
Baton Rouge River Center 
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
NIT tournament
Mar 8, 1979*
at Mississippi State
First round
W 80–78  28–0
Humphrey Coliseum 
Mississippi State, Mississippi
Mar 12, 1979*
at Indiana
Second round
L 69–73  28–1
Assembly Hall 
Bloomington, Indiana
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ "2020-21 Multi-Sport Record Book" (PDF). Alcorn State University Athletics. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  2. ^ "1978-79 Alcorn State Braves Men's Schedule and Results". sports-reference.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.