Whitney led the Braves into national contention in the NAIA and to two straight final fours.  But that was nothing as the SWAC decided they were going to join the big boys of Division One. Whitney was not intimidated or afraid and had his boys playing the top competition immediately.  In their first season of Division One the Braves almost ran the table and were selected for the NIT (they should have got a bid to the Big Dance but they did not allow this conference to get an automatic bid just yet). After the committee decided their gym was too small to host one of their games they traveled up the road to Starkville and beat the Bulldogs from Mississippi in arguably the biggest game in this state’s history (remember the Bulldogs have turned down trips to the Big Dance because it was integrated).  This was the first win in a national tournament for a HBCU and though it was overshadowed by other goings on it showed that not only did his Braves belong but so do the entire community of black colleges. Last year they made the Big Dance and almost beat Indiana in a game Bobby Knight said was the most well-prepared team he had faced to that point.  Well, this is the year that Whitney and his Braves break down that last wall as the old school boys have decided to let the SWAC (and a few other deserving conferences) receive an automatic bid.  That’s right all hell has broken loose and the NCAA with all of their integration talk is finally letting their actions speak as much as their words.  Now with all of the hype surrounding his Braves (they were the preseason favorite to win the SWAC) after getting some votes in the national polls it is up to the Wiz to lead his boys to the promised land of the Big Dance.  It is not enough to be one of the elite mid-majors in the country this year because this is the year and the Braves want the recognition they deserve.  Alcorn State is one of the best historically black colleges to compete in Division 1 basketball and want to prove they are one of the best programs, period, in the US! 

When Whitney got to Mississippi he immediately implemented a press that keeps constant pressure on the opponents and he runs it all game long. To be able to do this you have to have athletic players and Whitney has brought in a slew of studs to Lorman er Alcorn.  Whitney loves to rotate in as many players as he can as long as they can play and understand his system to keep his press working.  Whitney is counting on his solid group of upperclassmen as the basis for another fine year but he also has a fine young group of underclassmen as he keeps his cupboard stocked.  But Whitney definitely believes in seniority and earning your minutes. To be honest even with all of this shuttling in and out of players who did similar things there were a few missing links in this chain.  Whitney knows he has to fill these to get the Braves where he wants them to be. No matter how good they were last year the Braves would no longer be the Hunters and being hunted is a much more difficult (and dangerous) task as anyone can tell you.  

Leading the way once again this season is Junior power forward Larry “Mr. Mean” Smith.  Smith more than lives up to his nickname.  He is one of the most imposing players in the country.  He is big and strong and more than anything tough as a chain that is attached to a pit bull. He relishes the opportunity to bang with his opponents in the paint.  He is also a good basketball player.  A tremendous rebounder who battles for each board as if his life depended on it. Smith earned first team All-SWAC and sets the tone for this team.  Whitney loves him and so does every purple and gold wearing fan in Mississippi. He also is not afraid to mix it up defensively and will knock you on your butt if your coming to the hoop.  Smith is also a solid option on offense.  He lead the team in points and has a good post game especially a little baby hook he is developing.  And when he gets the chance to throw it down Mr. Mean will rattle the rim with the best of them.  He was as essential to the success of his team as any single player in this league.  The Braves just would not have been the same without this spectacular talent.  You may not know who he is but guaranteed his opponents know before and especially after they face him. 

Joining Smith down low could be the most opposite guy on the planet.  Senior Julius Keye is as charismatic as he is likable.  He is a fan favorite because he goes out of his way to meet the kids after games.  He plays tough in the paint and is just as good a rebounder as Smith but doesn’t snarl when he grabs a board or throw elbows to announce his presence. Keye only became last year after transferring from South Carolina State (ironically the Braves played Keye’s old team in a game last year in Orangeville and he won the game for the Braves on a tipin).  His ability to guard the rim (Keye is a terrific shot blocker) made Whitney’s full court press better than even this legendary coach expected. You see, before Keye became eligible the defense was having huge issues as they were using senior Walter Ned or juniors Alfredo Monroe or Nat Archibald (no not that Archibald) as the goalie and they were nowhere near as effective as Julius.  Besides having one of the greatest names in the history of the game Keye is one heck of a beautiful person who plays with a form of epilepsy.  Maybe that is why he is so positive with everyone he meets.  After all he understands that you do not take days for granted as this whole thing can come and go in the blink of an eye.  Keye has become the dare I say ‘missing link’ for this team that did not know how bad they needed him.  Or maybe Whitney did as he has knew he only has a few years with his superstar power forward so he brought in a ringer.  These two warriors may be opposite styles but they complement each other perfectly and Whitney could not have had a better pair down low.  Especially defensively! 

Joining Keye and Smith up front is senior forward Willie Norwood.  He is a solid performer at his swing forward position.  Norwood starts at the three but  really is more of a four.  This fits the team’s tough guy persona that Whitney loves. Norwood played both forwards as Whitney would put him in at the four when Smith or Keye sat but a majority of his minutes at the three.  Norwood can score, rebound and defend.  Norwood is another of the type of team players that you must be to play for Whitney.  He probably could score more on another team but he will settle for doing what he needs to do to play for the Braves because they win.  And Norwood is a winner. 

The top scorer for the Braves for three years has been senior guard Richard Smith.  Things changed this season with the influx of some of Whitney’s recruits.  Smith is a solid offensive player and can flat get up and down the court.  Smith was pushed all season long but Whitney kept him in the starting lineup though his stats were nowhere near what they had been in the past. Still, Smith still averaged over 12 points a game and hit some big shots for this team and his leadership was huge to the underclassmen.  He should start again this year but will be pushed hard.

Whitney found a pair in the backcourt that seem to be meant to play with each other.  Sophomores Eddie Archie and Michael Phelps (not that one either) seem to be part of the same hand.  They always know what the other one is doing.  After all they played against each other throughout high school (the Vicksburg versus Calloway battles are legendary in Mississippi) and both decided to come play for the great Wiz.  Archie is the point who is without question the quarterback of the team.  He is as effective on defense as he in offense.  Phelps the greatest player ever from Vicksburg is a scorer but he too shuts down other teams shooting guards.  Phelps is used to not getting a huge amount of minutes as he has backed up Smith last year but this leads him to make the most his time on the court.  He and Smith combined for over 20 points a game last year as Whitney knew he had to get this dynamic duo on the court together as much as possible and he did. Whitney loves putting the two former opponents on the court together as much as possible because they great defenders.  Together they put as much pressure as any duo in the SWAC.  Whitney has this dynamic duo for two three years and knows his program is in good shape.  Junior Pee Wee Horton gives Archie ample support off the bench and is really a gnat when it comes to harassing other point guards.  This 5’7 waterbug (hence the nickname) started here to begin last year but Archie is a much better distributor and defender and took over the starting role mid-January.  Horton can heat it up so he is well-suited to come off the bench. 

Speaking of the bench, it is similar to the starters for Whitney and plays them often.  He rotates these with guys that are not overly talented but are team first and have all the skills in place.  But most importantly they know their roles and their place in the Alcorn State world.  Sophomore Aaron Brandon is a good example.  He backs up Norwood at small forward and may be a little more explosive especially on the break.  But he knows next year he will get to play with his two former opponents (yes Brandon teamed with Archie to battle Aquaman in high school) full time and he was glad to bide his time and learn the Whitney way.  Junior John McGill may have the most talent on the roster but could not beat out Norwood and was stuck on the bench until a season ending injury midway through the campaign which opened the door for Brandon to play some huge minutes down the stretch. The Alfred/Albert combo might sound like a pair of English butlers but they are actually two of Whitney’s Warriors coming off the bench.   Alfred Milton and Albert Irving are blue collar forwards who do whatever it takes to succeed and Whitney loves them as do the fans.  Another weird name thing for the Braves (they do have some strange things going on with their names down here) is two players named Wyatt on the roster, Levi and Clint. The Wyatts eat up two spots on this gifted roster and neither of them played a bunch of minutes as one things Whitney does is have a full lineup (sometimes he has 20 guys on the roster) as he is not afraid to substitute with that intense press they throw at you. Sophomore Eddie Baker and the aforementioned Nat Archibad will battle next year to take over the center spot once Keye moves up. They got some experience on the post but gladly became bench players when Keye joined the team.  This is the Whitney way.  Everything is team first. Speaking of team first senior Walter Ned was the main man here but took a backseat to the more defensive minded Keye.  Ned is a good player but a bit undersized but a bit more offensive minded but nowhere near the shot blocker.  Sophomore Joe Jenkins is part of a huge contingent of JV players looking to move up but he has the best chance.to make it as he brings the one skill this team is missing the most. Jenkins is a 6’5 shooter who can flat stroke it.  He came up huge as his team won their 4th straight SWAC JV title.  That is how this program works and how dominant they have been since Whitney arrived. Whitney went out and got a center who can defend the rim for his zone press and knows the biggest weakness on his team is shooting from range. These Braves might not have lost a game the last two years if they had a few more shooters on the perimeter.  And Joe Jenkins is a shooter.

The Alcorn State Braves had one of the best records in college basketball last year and look to make even a bigger bang this season.  Legendary coach Davey Whitney is already changing his schedule to make sure he has some of the big boys on his out of conference schedule and not just the basement dwellers.  That might be hard though as nobody really wants a piece of this mid major.  Of course, priority number one is winning the SWAC especially since you get an automatic bid to the Big Dance like it always should have been. This time they plan on taking no prisoners in the conference tourney so that this topic is not brought up again.  I wouldn’t bring it up to one Mr. Larry Smith anyway.  Maybe after the season.  But only if they win the SWAC!