March 28, 2026
Here are the top players from Howard, Tennessee State, and Prairie View A&M.
In 2026, during March Madness, another historic achievement was made in college basketball. Three Historically Black college and University basketball programs received bids for the first time since 1994, bringing national attention to the tournament and proving that HBCU programs develop top-tier players who can make a national impact. The individual performances across all three teams revealed elite-level talent, despite varying results. These players represent the best season-long statistical performers from each HBCU team that participated.
Bryce Harris
Bryce Harris, a graduate guard from Brentwood, New York, plays for Howard University. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. Harris was the main scoring threat for Howard throughout the season and during their March Madness run.
Cedric Taylor III
Cedric Taylor III is a forward from Atlanta, Georgia, who is also representing Howard University. During the 2025-26 season, Taylor recorded average stats of 17.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists per game. Taylor gave HU a steady second scoring option through his interior scoring and rebounding abilities.
Aaron Nkrumah
Tennessee State University’s senior guard Aaron Nkrumah is from Worcester, Massachusetts. Through his leadership in scoring and steals, Nkrumah helped Tennessee State University win both the OVC regular season and tournament championships, which earned the team a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Nkrumah stands out as an elite two-way guard due to his ability to score and rebound while creating defensive havoc.
Travis Harper II
Travis Harper II is a guard from Columbus, Georgia, who plays for Tennessee State University. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 40.1% three-point shooting. Harper became a primary scoring companion to Nkrumah while delivering dependable perimeter shooting and steady offensive production.
Dontae Horne
The 22-year-old American guard Dontae Horne from Memphis, Tennessee, represents Prairie View A&M University on the basketball court. During the 2025-26 season, the Tennessee native put up averages of 20.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. Throughout the entire season, Horne served as the primary offensive leader for Prairie View while ranking among the top HBCU scorers entering March Madness.
Tai’Reon Joseph
Tai’Reon Joseph is a guard from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who plays for Prairie View A&M University. During the 2025-26 season, he put up 17.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. In their NCAA Tournament game ,Joseph took the lead in scoring for the team while providing steady perimeter shooting.
Zennia Thomas
Zennia Thomas is a senior forward from Cleveland, Ohio, who transferred from Kentucky to play for Howard University. She leads Howard’s offensive attack with an average of 15.2 points and more than seven rebounds per game. Thomas guided Howard to the NCAA Tournament by delivering 15 points and six rebounds against Ohio State.
DeMya Porter
DeMya Porter is a forward from Bogue Chitto, Mississippi, who plays for Southern University. In the 2025-26 season, Porter led the team in scoring with 9.7 points per game and grabbed more than five rebounds per game while blocking 1.1 shots per contest. Porter’s impact was significant as she anchored Southern’s defense and led the team to victory in the SWAC tournament.
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