Location Savannah, GA Home Away Division Division I (NCAA) | Away Alternate | |
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Colors Burnt Orange and Reflex Blue Conference | ||
The Savannah State Tigers basketball team competes in the NCAA Division I as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and plays their home games in Tiger Arena on the university campus.
Contents
- Head coach
- Conference championships and NCAA playoffs
- Team awards and NCAA records
- NCAA Division III tournament results
- NAIA tournament results
- NIT results
- CIT results
- Notable alumni
- References
The school gained notoriety when they finished the 2004–2005 men's basketball season a winless 0–28, the first Division I team to do so since Prairie View A&M University in 1991–1992. 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).
Head coach
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.
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 SIAC conference championship in 1970, 1979, 1980, and 1981.
The 1978–79 Tigers won an overtime game against Albany (NY) (Savannah State- 82; Albany – 81) in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, but lost in the second round to Centre College (Centre – 82, Savannah State – 54).
In the 1980 Division III playoffs the Tigers defeated UNC Greensboro in the first round (Savannah State – 61, UNC Greensboro – 58) before losing to Lane College in the regional championships (Lane – 87, Savannah State – 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 (Savannah State – 76, Rose-Hulman – 62), and Rhodes College in the regional championships (Savannah State – 76, Rhodes – 75) before losing an overtime game to Otterbein College in the quarterfinals (Otterbein – 67, Savannah State – 64).
Team awards and 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 7 January 2008 (2008-01-07). The Tigers completed the second half 1-for-23, breaking the shot-clock era record.
NCAA Division III tournament results
The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division III Tournament three times. Their combined record is 4–2.
NAIA tournament results
The Tigers have appeared in the NAIA Tournament three times. Their combined record is 2–3.
NIT results
The Tigers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) one time. Their record is 0–1.
CIT results
The Tigers have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) two times. Their combined record is 0–2.
Notable alumni
Six Savannah State alumni became members of the Harlem Globetrotters: