HBCU Basketball Opening Night 2026 Rundown: Conference Results and Top Performers

The 2026-27 HBCU men’s and women’s basketball season opened Monday, Nov. 2, with a slate of early results across conferences including SWAC, MEAC, CIAA, SIAC, OVC, CAA and NAIA. Grambling State delivered the day’s headline in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon, beating Northern Illinois 89-87; Isaiah Miranda scored 29 points on 10-of-12 shooting, added eight rebounds and blocked three shots. Howard’s women nearly upset Missouri, losing 91-88 in overtime after trailing by 19 in the second half. In other featured games, Virginia State beat Norfolk State 63-62. Among SWAC men’s winners, Prairie View A&M topped Paul Quinn 86-65 and Alabama A&M routed Oakwood 90-57, while several teams fell in nonconference matchups.