Alcorn State assembled a "monster" non-conference schedule for its 2025-26 season that, according to their coach, will better prepare them for conference play and a tournament run later in the campaign.
"I am really excited about the opportunity to come up to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Gophers," first-year Head Coach Jake Morton told the MSR earlier this month in Birmingham, Alabama at the SWAC Media Days. The Braves will play Minnesota Nov. 8, 11 am.
The Braves are one of three HBCUs, all from the same SWAC conference, that will visit The Barn this season. Minnesota are 10-0 all-time against SWAC clubs.
"I remember back to Clem Haskins days, so I can't wait to go in that building and show my guys around," said Morton on the legendary former Gopher coach, who regularly scheduled Black college teams during his tenure. Former coach Ben Johnson did the same during his four-year run.
Alcorn State was scheduled to play here in December 2022 but had to cancel due to travel-related complications. They earlier lost to the host Gophers in 2017.
"I'm looking forward to [a well]-coached game, a well-coached team, a very disciplined team," predicts Morton. "This is why I get my guys in position mentally to understand what we are up against playing Power 4 clubs like Minnesota."
"Minnesota is our third game" after opening the season at Florida State (Nov. 4) and at South Alabama (Nov. 6), stressed Morton, who was hired by Alcorn State in April. The veteran coach "brings a philosophy rooted in accountability, discipline and excellence," said a school release.
Morton most recently was an assistant coach under now-retired Leonard Hamilton at Florida State. Before that, he cut his coaching teeth at East Carolina; Jacksonville State; Miami, where he played basketball (1989-93) before playing overseas professionally in Israel; Western Kentucky; Coppin State; James Madison; St. Francis (Pa.); and Bowie State.
The Braves is Morton's first HC opportunity. Alcorn State went 11-20, 11-7 in conference play last season.
"We got 10 new guys and we return three guys," said Morton. Soph guard Davion Williams and senior forward Nick Woodard, who both appeared with their coach at the SWAC media event, are two of the three returnees.
"I'm looking forward to a well-coached game, a well-coached team, a very disciplined team."
"We just got to get them a little together a little better," said Morton of preseason preparations. He admits the non-conference slate is challenging -- "It's gonna be a monster's challenge for us," the coach stressed.
All total, the Braves will play 19 true road contests, including Minnesota; nine home games, and one neutral site game, the Louisiana Tech tournament in November. Alcorn State's opponents also include Maryland, Howard, LSU, and Oklahoma State in November, then Iowa State, Baylor, and Ole Miss in December.
Conference play begins on Jan. 3 at Jackson State.
"I have a good group," surmised Morton. "We have to find a way to find some nuggets in all those games. We have to find a way to get better, to challenge our guys to get better, to improve, to come together as a team, because those are very, very challenging games for us."
Dinner with Haskins
Speaking of Clem Haskins, local basketball legend Khalid El-Amin and WCCO's Henry Lake had dinner with the retired coach while in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League in June.
"It was amazing to talk to Clem Haskins," recalled El-Amin, a three-time state champion at Minneapolis North and a national champion at UConn. "He's so sharp in his mind -- he still remembers a lot of meetings and different things that we were going through that I didn't think he would remember."
El-Amin originally committed to play for Haskins at Minnesota during his junior year at North, but later de-committed and chose Connecticut instead. "The only regret I have is not being able to play for him at the U of Minnesota," said El-Amin of Haskins. "We were able to talk about it and express our feelings.
"I think we really have respect for one another. He was happy for me when we won the national championship. He's just a class act.
"I wish him the best," concluded El-Amin. "I'm glad we had the time with him. It meant a lot. He's a legend."