- Wildcats snap Southern's SWAC dominance with 1-point victory
- Southern's conference lead shrinks to 2 games with 3 remaining
- Trey Thomas leads all scorers with 20-point performance
In a seismic SWAC basketball showdown, Bethune-Cookman University delivered a season-altering 70-69 upset over conference leader Southern University. The Saturday night thriller at Moore Gymnasium saw 7 lead changes in the final 5 minutes, culminating in a defensive stand that preserved the Wildcats' first win against a Top 25 opponent this season. This victory propels Bethune-Cookman into third place while throwing the SWAC tournament seeding into flux.
The Wildcats (14-15, 11-5 SWAC) executed with surgical precision, converting 83% of their free throws and 52% from beyond the arc. Guard Trey Thomas dominated playmaking duties with 20 points and 5 assists, while Kalil Camara's 18-point outburst included a perfect 4-5 performance from three-point range. Southern's Michael Jacobs countered with 19 points, but the Jaguars committed 14 turnovers that translated to 18 Wildcat points.
This upset underscores three critical trends in modern college basketball: First, mid-major conferences are seeing increased parity due to transfer portal activity. Second, teams shooting 35%+ from three-point range win 73% of close games (per NCAA analytics). Third, Florida programs now account for 28% of all HBCU basketball upsets since 2020 – a trend bolstered by Daytona Beach's growing reputation as a recruiting hotspot.
Local economic impact studies reveal Moore Gymnasium games generate $185k in visitor spending per matchup. With Bethune-Cookman now positioned for its first SWAC Tournament appearance, Daytona Beach could host multiple postseason events. The Wildcats host Grambling Monday night, needing two wins to clinch a first-round bye. Southern faces Florida A&M, where a loss could create a three-way tie atop the standings.