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.
They are currently coached by Clevan Thompson who is in his 1st season as interim head coach of the Tigers.
They competed in NCAA Division I in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference from 2010 to 2019, 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. 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. 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).
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.
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).
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).
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. 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).
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.
Horace Broadnax became the men's head basketball coach in 2005. 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.
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).
The Tigers were ineligible for postseason play in the 2016–17 season due to APR violations. The Tigers were initially ruled to be ineligible for postseason play for a second consecutive season in 2017–18 due to APR violations. However, the NCAA granted the Tigers a waiver which would allow them to participate in postseason play.
On April 17, 2017, the school announced that it would return to Division II due to financial issues associated with competing in Division I. On December 7, 2017, the school announced it would rejoin Division II's SIAC, pending NCAA approval.
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. The Tigers completed the second half 1-for-23, breaking the shot-clock era record.
Postseason
NCAA Division II The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament once.
2022 First round Nova Southeastern L, 62–113 2025 First round Nova Southeastern L, 64-76
NCAA Division III The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division III Tournament three times. Their combined record is 4–2.
1979 Regional semifinalsRegional Finals AlbanyCentre W 82–81L 54–82 1980 Regional semifinalsRegional Finals UNC GreensboroLane W 61–58L 70–87 1981 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite Eight Rose–HulmanSouthwestern (TN)Otterbein W 76–62W 76–75L 64–67 OT
NAIA tournament results The Tigers have appeared in the NAIA Tournament three times. Their combined record is 2–3.
1960 First roundSecond Round WillametteTexas State W 85–71L 88–101 1961 First round Redland L 80–89 1962 First roundSecond Round Pacific LutheranNorthern Arizona W 84–75L 91–95
NIT results The Tigers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) one time. Their record is 0–1.
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.
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
SeasonWinsLossesConference RecordHead CoachConferenceReferences2011–122111 14–2 Horace Broadnax MEAC 2010–111218 Horace Broadnax Division I Independent 2009–101115 Horace Broadnax Division I Independent 2008–091514 Horace Broadnax Division I Independent 2007–081318 Horace Broadnax Division I Independent 2006–071218 Horace Broadnax Division I Independent 2005–06228 Horace Broadnax Division I Independent 2004–05028 Ed Daniels Division I Independent 2003–04423 Ed Daniels Division I Independent 2002–03323 Ed Daniels Division I Independent 2001–02226 Jack Grant Division 2 Independent 2000–01421 Jack Grant Division 2 Independent 1999–2000818 Samuel Jackson Division 2 Independent 1998–999184–11Jacques Curtis SIAC 1997–9811166–9Jacques Curtis SIAC 1996–97 Jimmie Westley SIAC 1995–96 Jimmie Westley SIAC 1994–95 John Williams SIAC 1993–94 John Williams SIAC 1992–93 John Williams SIAC 1991–92 John Williams SIAC 1990–91 John Williams SIAC 1989–90 Robert Eskew SIAC 1988–89 Robert Eskew SIAC 1987–88 Robert Eskew SIAC 1986–87 Jimmie Westley SIAC 1985–86 Jimmie Westley SIAC 1984–85 Jimmie Westley SIAC 1983–84 Russell Ellington SIAC 1982–83 Russell Ellington SIAC 1981–82 Russell Ellington SIAC 1980–81 Russell Ellington SIAC 1979–80 Russell Ellington SIAC 1978–79 Russell Ellington SIAC 1977–78 Russell Ellington SIAC 1976–77 Russell Ellington SIAC 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 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 results500670Regular season results 43Playoff results 504677All games including playoffs
Notable alumni
Six Savannah State alumni became members of the Harlem Globetrotters: Tyrone "Hollywood" Brown Harold "Bobo" Hubbard Matt "Showbiz" Jackson Mike Jordan Kevin Sutlon Vincent White
References