Martin Luther King didn't specifically mention basketball in his 1963
"I have a dream" speech, but its echoes were felt in the 1966 Texas Western
national championship and later in the inclusion of HBCU's in the NCAA's Division I. Today, many of those historically black colleges and universities are in action today - four of those games can be seen on ESPNU, so call your satellite or cable operator for details.This is not one of those televised games, but tonight in the state of Mississippi, much more an "oasis of freedom and justice" than it was in Dr. King's day, the top two SWAC teams go at it on the court. Southern is out to a surprising 5-0 start with a league-high 157 RPI. and have been doing it with defense: the Tigers have given up only 58.3 ppg in conference play, and a decent 66.3 if you count all their money-games. The homestanding Delta Devils from Itta Bena are 3-1, and feature the most efficient offense in the league: 91.4 points per 100 possessions. Granted, these two teams are fighting for a 16b seed and aren't quite ready to contend for the national championship... but you know, give it time.