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MEGAN THEE STALLION'S HBCU JOURNEY GETS NCAA SPOTLIGHT |
A recent NCAA broadcast involving Megan Thee Stallion sparked a debate about HBCU representation and Prairie View A&M. Commentators tried to bridge sports and pop culture. They named the rap star as a prominent alumna. This well-intentioned namedrop relied entirely on surface-level research.
Megan Thee Stallion’s academic journey
The rapper did begin her college journey at Prairie View in 2013. She followed a deep family lineage of attendees. However, her academic path quickly took her elsewhere. She clashed with the administration over viral online videos. Eventually, she transferred to Texas Southern University.
In December 2021, Megan Thee Stallion officially graduated from TSU. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration. The broadcast completely omitted Texas Southern. This blurred the identities of two fierce Houston-area rivals. It also left out a verified basketball legend.
The HBCU has a basketball legend
The commentators also bypassed actual athletic royalty. They failed to recognize Zelmo “Big Z” Beaty. He is a foundational pillar of Prairie View basketball. Beaty was a remarkably dominant center. He led the Panthers to the 1962 NAIA National Championship. Later, he enjoyed a Hall of Fame professional career. Overlooking Beaty erased historical athletic context for a quick pop-culture reference.
Prairie View faced tall task
On the court, the matchup underscored a massive resource gap. The Panthers faced a heavily funded Florida Gators squad. Florida boasted an imposing frontcourt featuring a 7-foot-9 center. Prairie View fought hard early but suffered a 114-55 blowout loss. The size mismatch was undeniably severe. Head coach Byron Smith gave a brutally honest assessment. He admitted his team needed “some help from the Lord.”
A lesson about HBCU legacy
Ultimately, the tournament spotlight proved Black colleges face unique storytelling hurdles. Megan Thee Stallion’s time on “The Hill” shaped her unapologetic persona. Yet, her true collegiate legacy belongs with both HBCUs. The rapper remains fiercely dedicated to her fellow alumni. She plans to open assisted living facilities using her wealth. Furthermore, she intends to hire recent TSU graduates to run them.
The rapper is also releasing an Amazon documentary. It will detail her vulnerable moments as a student. Fans will see exactly how she balanced fame and textbooks. She honors her specific collegiate roots with genuine investment. National media must put that same dedicated effort into their research. Their distinct histories shouldn’t be lumped together on national television.
- Steven J. Gaither
Monday, 23 March 2026
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SMU LIED TO THE SELECTION COMMITTEE IN ORDER TO GET INTO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
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| MATT CASHORE/IMAGN |
The SMU Mustangs, led by head coach Andy Enfield, were one of the last at-large teams to make it into the 2026 NCAA Tournament. And it turns out they only made the field of 68 due to a lie.
SMU went 20-13 over the course of the regular season and ACC Tournament play and snuck in to the play-in round as an 11-seed, where they squared off with the 31-1 Miami Redhawks on Wednesday night.
The Mustangs fell to the Redhawks, 89-79, ending their season. But they did so without one of their top players, senior guard B.J. Edwards, at their disposal. Edwards was the team’s third-leading scorer with 12.9 points per game and second-leading rebounder at 5.9 per game this season.
However, the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee believed he would be available for the game against Miami. In fact, that was one of the main reasons SMU made the tournament at all.
SMU Told The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee That B.J. Edwards Would Play
When discussing the final teams to make the bracket, NCAA Tournament Selection Committee Chair Keith Gill explained that Edwards’ availability was a key reason for the Mustangs sneaking into the field.
That’s despite the fact that he hasn’t played since Feb. 25 when he suffered an ankle injury in a loss to Cal.
“Six games ago, they lost one of their important players, Edwards, and they’ve lost five of six of those games (since),” Gill said. “He’s coming back. He’s the third-leading scorer, defensive player…”
He did not, in fact, come back.
Edwards did not play a single minute on Wednesday night against the Redhawks. Had he done so, perhaps the result would have been different.
“He just didn’t feel like he was quite game-ready.” SMU coach Andy Enfield said after the game, denying any intentional deception.
But it certainly appears that SMU misled the selection committee to some degree, and now teams like Oklahoma, Auburn, San Diego State, and Indiana are led to wonder “what if?” over their NCAA Tournament hopes.
- CLAY SAUERTIEG