Trying to duplicate
How Richards can continue Jackson State’s success
Jackson State athletic director Ashley Robinson hired Margaret Richards as the program’s seventh women’s head basketball coach on May 1.
Richards was chosen to lead the Lady Tigers after former JSU coach Tomekia Reed left to coach Charlotte on April 25, after six seasons (2018-2023).
Robinson went with experience in hiring Richards. Richards, who was the coach at Alabama A&M for the past eight seasons (2016-24), during which she amassed a record of 97-125, including 69-70 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Her hiring saves Jackson State having a coach who faces a learning curve about the SWAC.
Nevertheless, Richards will have her work cut out for her. Reed has left a blueprint on how to win the SWAC and make it to the NCAA Tournament.
Reed, in six seasons (2108-24) at Jackson State, was 125-54 with five regular-season SWAC titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances. She was a four-time SWAC coach of the year and three-time HBCU national coach of the year. Reed also coached to players drafted by WNBA teams: Ameshya Williams-Holliday (2022) and Angel Jackson (2024).
Here are three places where Reed excelled that Richards will need to duplicate in order to keep the Tigers as favorites to represent the SWAC in the NCAA Tournament.
Margaret Richards must dominate in recruiting
Reed had an eye for talent and excelled at bringing to Jackson State. She adeptly worked the transfer portal and brought in former Power Five players such as Jackson (USC), Miya Crump (Houston). Daja Woodard (Minnesota) and Liz Martino (Rutgers). Reed also recruited local in-state talent such as Daphane White, a Gulfport native who was a NJCAA All-American at Mississippi Gulf Coast before transferring to Jackson State.
White, who was injured last year, and only played in nine games for Jackson State. She has reunited with Reed and transferred to Charlotte and will play as a graduate this year.
Richards acknowledged the importance of keeping the recruiting at a high level during her introductory news conference May 6.
“My focus is on getting the right kids in here that can compete at this level and knowing the importance of winning here at this program,” she said. “I think that is going to be one of the
biggest challenges.”
Big-time nonconference schedule
Reed was able to network with Power Five coaches such as Texas’ Vic Schaefer, with whom she scheduled a home-and-home series. Reed was willing to travel to get the Jackson State brand and her name out there.
Jackson State played Kansas State, Central Florida, Oregon State, Mississippi State, and Miami (Fla.) during the 2023-24 season. The year before, the Tigers played North Carolina, Colorado, UCLA, Oregon State, Missouri, Washington State, Texas Tech and Texas. Jackson State knocked off St. Johns in 2023 and Texas Tech in 2022.
Though Jackson State did not win often against the Power Five schools, the brutal scheduled toughened up the team and had it ready for the SWAC season. JSU went 35-1 in the SWAC regular season during the past two seasons and won the past five regular-season championships in Reed’s six years as coach.
Winning the SWAC Tournament
Reed won the SWAC tournament three times in the past four years to earn automatic berths in the NCAA Tournament. That national stage allowed Jackson State to become a recognizable name to the Power Five programs and added to the HBCUs’ credibility.
Jackson State scared LSU before falling 83-77 in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, a near-upset for which Reed will be long remembered.
Winning the SWAC tournament is critical because that because the NCAA selection committee almost never offers the SWAC a second berth in the field. Jacksons State found out in 2023 after it won the regular-season title but was upset in the SWAC semifinals.
The Reed formula is nothing new, but for the past six seasons, none of the other SWAC schools could solve its secrets. If Richards can duplicate Reed’s playbook, the winning ways will continue.