FAMU Men's Basketball Eyes First SWAC Tournament Title

Rattlers enter postseason as No. 2 seed, face winner of Grambling State/Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Florida A&M men's basketball enters the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament as a No. 2 seed, their highest playoff seed since joining the SWAC in 2021-22. Led by first-year head coach Charlie Ward, the Rattlers are riding a four-game winning streak and looking to capture their first SWAC championship, which would earn them an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2007.

Why it matters

FAMU's strong regular season finish and high tournament seeding represent a significant milestone for the program as it continues to establish itself in the SWAC. A conference title would be the Rattlers' first since winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2007, ending their 16-year NCAA Tournament drought.

The details

The Rattlers (14-15) earned a double-round bye to the quarterfinals after finishing in the SWAC's top six. They will face the winner of No. 9 Grambling State/No. 12 Mississippi Valley State versus Jackson State on Wednesday, March 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET. If FAMU advances, they would play in the semifinals on Friday, March 13 with a chance to reach the SWAC Tournament Championship game on Saturday, March 14.

  • The SWAC Tournament starts on Monday, March 9 in College Park, Georgia.
  • FAMU will begin play on Wednesday, March 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
  • The SWAC Tournament Championship game is scheduled for Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The players

Charlie Ward

First-year head coach of the FAMU men's basketball team.

Jordan Chatman

FAMU graduate student and guard.

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

The SWAC regular season champions and No. 1 seed, who FAMU defeated 81-77 in the regular season finale.

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What they’re saying

“Guys have to understand what they do well and keep that momentum going.”

— Charlie Ward, Head Coach, FAMU Men's Basketball (Yahoo Sports)

“In March, anybody can win because it's just one game. But we got good, high spirits about it.”

— Jordan Chatman, Graduate Student and Guard, FAMU (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

If FAMU advances to the SWAC Tournament semifinals, they would play on Friday, March 13 at 8:30 p.m. ET for a chance to reach the championship game on Saturday, March 14.

The takeaway

FAMU men's basketball has a golden opportunity to capture its first SWAC Tournament title and earn an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time in 16 years. Led by first-year coach Charlie Ward, the Rattlers enter the postseason as a top seed and have the talent and momentum to make a deep run in the conference tournament.