The Prairie View A&M Panthers played 12 consecutive road games to start the season, only one of which they won (Nov. 9 at Santa Clara). But since the calendar flipped to 2019, the Panthers are 21-1, a mark topped only by Wofford during that time. No SWAC team has advanced to the NCAA tournament Round of 32 since 1993. Will this be the group to buck that trend?
ESPN+ has your answers, as Joe Lunardi has enlisted a team of bracketologists to compile advanced metrics, key scouting intel, and best- and worst-case tournament scenarios for all 68 teams to help you make smart picks in your bracket.
TOURNEY PROFILE
Best wins: Texas Southern (twice), at Santa Clara, Grambling State (three times)
Worst losses: at East Carolina, at UT-Rio Grande Valley
Regular-season conference finish: 1st, SWAC
Polls and metrics: BPI ranked the Panthers at No. 217 as of March 16, and KenPom had them one notch higher at No. 216. The NCAA's new NET ranking had Prairie View A&M at No. 207 in its most recent release.
All-time tourney record: 0-1
Coach (tourney record): Byron Smith (0-0)
PERSONNEL
(Note: Player statistics are through games of March 15.)
Starting lineup
F Devonte Patterson (13.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG)
F Iwin Ellis (3.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG)
G Gerard Andrus (10.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG)
G Gary Blackston (15.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG)
G Dennis Jones (8.6 PPG, 4.5 APG)
Key bench players
G Taishaun Johnson (7.1 PPG, 2.5 APG)
G Darius Williams (8.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG)
G Antione Lister (4.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG)
Biggest strength: Perimeter defense. Prairie View A&M forces a turnover on one in four opponent possessions. The Panthers use man-to-man defense 88 percent of the time, and they thrive by using on-ball pressure and passing lane disruption. They rarely press, but it is a highly effective facet of the defense (0.68 opponent points per play, 93rd percentile).
Biggest weakness: Perimeter shooting. The Panthers are among the worst 3-point-shooting teams in the country and grade in the 11th percentile nationally in jump shooting overall (0.86 points per play). As a result, Prairie View A&M does not generate easy offense in the half court and must rely on transition opportunities for high-percentage looks.
Best player: Blackston. The first-team All-SWAC selection leads the Panthers in scoring and rebounding. Blackston is one of two players in the nation, 6-foot-2 or shorter, to average seven rebounds per game. His activity on the glass creates second-chance opportunities for his teammates. He is also the Panthers' most effective offensive player in isolation and is a difficult driver to defend, especially when going right.
X factor: Jones. The SWAC Defensive Player of the Year is one of the nation's most unheralded specialists. Jones led the conference in steals (2.1 per game) and thrives defending pick-and-roll ball handlers (forcing turnovers on 32 percent of those plays). Offensively, Jones leads Prairie View A&M in assists, but he is also effective off the ball on catch-and-shoot opportunities.
SCOUTING REPORT
How they beat you: Prairie View A&M turns defense into offense better than almost any team in America. The Panthers went 8-1 this season when forcing more than 20 turnovers. In the half court, they contest jump shots at a highly effective rate and turn misses into fast-break chances.
How you beat them: The Panthers shoot less than 40 percent against man-to-man and zone, so limiting transition opportunities suffocates their scoring ability. On the other side, teams with multiple, veteran ball handlers have fared better against Prairie View A&M's on-ball pressure than less experienced foes.
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY
(Note: All statistics in this section are courtesy of kenpom.com and are accurate through games of March 13.)
NATIONAL RANKS
Offensive efficiency, 241st (101.1)
Defensive efficiency, 201st (105.7)
3-point percentage, 327th (30.8)
3-point percentage D, 33rd (31.2)
Free throw rate, 4th (43.8)
Free throw rate D, 349th (46.4)
TO percentage, 99th (17.4)
TO percentage D, 2nd (24.5)
HOW FAR WILL THEY GO?
Best-case scenario: One win
Prairie View A&M plays a dynamic style that capitalizes on outstanding team quickness, especially on defense. Its volume of high-energy defenders and floor runners produces a frenetic pace that most teams are not accustomed to playing. An early win is not out of the question.
Worst-case scenario: One and done
The Panthers are probably the worst team at playing half-court offense in the entire field. Historically, teams that spring early upsets in the NCAA tourney have had shot-making ability that this team lacks. The SWAC's drought of advancing is very likely to continue.