8 players to watch during HBCU basketball season

Roster changes and rising talent are setting the stage for a competitive basketball season for historically Black colleges and universities. Returning standouts look to build on last year’s success, while key transfers hope to make an immediate impact.

The new season brings fresh opportunities for programs in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) and Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). Here are eight players to watch during the 2026-27 HBCU basketball season.

Top HBCU men’s basketball players 2026-27

Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State

Jackson State guard Daeshun Ruffin enters the 2026-27 season as one of the most prolific scorers in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Last season, he led the SWAC in scoring, averaging 23.3 points, 5.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game, and earned SWAC Player of the Year and All-SWAC first-team honors. In the conference’s preseason poll, Jackson State was picked to finish sixth. Ruffin’s scoring and playmaking will be central to the Tigers exceeding expectations and contending for the conference title.

Cedric Taylor III, Howard

Howard guard Cedric Taylor III is the MEAC’s leading returning scorer. He averaged 17.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in 2025-26, earning MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and All-MEAC first-team honors. With Howard picked to repeat as MEAC champion, Taylor’s two-way production will be crucial to the Bison’s bid to return to the NCAA tournament.

Arterio Morris, Tennessee State

Tennessee State guard Arterio Morris is expected to be an impact transfer for the Tigers, filling the gap left by the graduation of Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Aaron Nkrumah. Morris averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 27 games at Bethune-Cookman last season and was instrumental in the Wildcats’ conference-best 14-4 record and regular-season title. The former McDonald’s All-American joins a Tigers team coming off its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1994, bringing additional scoring and defensive versatility to a roster looking to build on last season’s breakthrough.

Alfred Worrell Jr., Morgan State

Morgan State guard Alfred Worrell Jr. was the Bears’ leading and most reliable scorer last season. He averaged 17.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game and shot 36.3% from 3-point range to earn All-MEAC first-team recognition. In the MEAC preseason poll, Morgan State was picked to finish second, and Worrell’s perimeter scoring will be important as the Bears look to challenge defending champion Howard for the conference title.

Top HBCU women’s basketball players 2026-27

Zoe Stewart, Howard

After losing MEAC Player of Year Zennia Thomas to the transfer portal (Rutgers), guard Zoe Stewart is Howard’s top returning scorer. During the 2025-26 season, she averaged 11.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, earning All-MEAC first-team honors. Stewart’s scoring and perimeter defense will be key as the Bison look to defend their conference title and return to the NCAA tournament.

Paris Locke, North Carolina A&T

A 6-foot senior, Paris Locke has established herself as the Aggies’ most versatile player as a guard, wing and power forward. Last season, she averaged 11.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Locke earned preseason All-CAA first-team honors, while North Carolina A&T was picked sixth in the Coastal Athletic Association coaches poll. Locke’s versatility and leadership will be important as the Aggies look to climb the conference standings and contend for a postseason berth.

Jocelyn Tate, Southern

Guard Jocelyn Tate’s first two seasons with Southern ended with SWAC championships, and she was named SWAC tournament MVP last season. Tate averaged 7.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 2025-26 and finished the season leading the SWAC in steals with 66. Earlier this month, Tate was tabbed as the conference’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The SWAC preseason poll picked Southern to finish first. Tate’s defense will be central to the team’s push for a third consecutive conference title.

Kaliya Perry, Maryland Eastern Shore

Sophomore forward Kaliya Perry is expected to be a reliable post presence for UMES. As a freshman, she earned All-Rookie Team honors after averaging 7.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.0 block per game and shooting 43.7% from the field. After a historic season last year that saw the Hawks earn their first postseason berth and first postseason win, UMES was picked third in the MEAC preseason poll. Perry’s interior scoring, rebounding and rim protection are crucial to the Hawks’ conference title hopes.

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