CJ Hines scored 20 points and No. 5 seed Alabama State pulled away late to beat No. 2 seed Jackson State 60-56 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament championship and clinched its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2011.

No. 2 Jackson State will square off against No. 5 Alabama State in the 2025 Starry SWAC Men's Basketball Tournament at 8:30 PM CT on Saturday, Mar. 15. ESPNU will broadcast the championship game, which stands to be a highly competitive HBCU basketball matchup.

With its 60-56 win over Jackson State in Saturday's SWAC Tournament, Alabama is heading to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years.

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The Jackson State Tigers and the Alabama State Hornets are set to clash in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) men’s basketball championship on March 15, 2025. The game will tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET at the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia, with live coverage on ESPNU.

Watch as the No. 8 seed Grambling Tigers (12-21, 7-11 SWAC) square off in the SWAC Tournament against the No. 5 seed Alabama State Hornets (17-15, 12-6 SWAC) on Friday at Gateway Center Arena,

Two good defenses mean someone has to grab some caroms, and our expert college basketball predictions expect Jackson State's Romeo Mansel to take care of business against Alabama State.

Expect a thrilling clash between the Hornets and Tigers in the semifinal game at the SWAC Men's Basketball Tournament.

Daeshun Ruffin led three players in double figures as Jackson State advanced to the championship game of the 2025 Starry SWAC Men's Basketball Tournaments presented by Buick with a 71-50 victory over No. 3 seed Bethune-Cookman on Friday night.

Pregame analysis and predictions of the Alabama State Hornets vs. Jackson State Tigers NCAAM game to be played on March 15, 2025 on ESPN.