1986 SWAC men's basketball tournament

The 1986 SWAC men's basketball tournament was held March 7–9, 1986, at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi. Mississippi Valley State defeated Prairie View A&M, 75–58 in the championship game. The Delta Devils received the conference's automatic bid to the 1986 NCAA tournament as No. 16 seed in the East Region.

1986 SWAC men's basketball tournament
Classification	Division I
Season	1985–86
Teams	8
Site	Mississippi Coast Coliseum Biloxi, Mississippi
Champions	Mississippi Valley State (1st title)
Winning coach	Lafayette Stribling (1st title)
SWAC men's basketball tournaments

1985–86 SWAC men's basketball standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Southern	11	–	3		.786			19	–	8		.704
Alcorn State	11	–	3		.786			16	–	13		.552
Mississippi Valley State †	10	–	4		.714			20	–	11		.645
Jackson State	9	–	5		.643			14	–	15		.483
Texas Southern	6	–	8		.429			9	–	18		.333
Grambling State	4	–	10		.286			14	–	12		.538
Alabama State	4	–	10		.286			11	–	17		.393
Prairie View A&M	1	–	13		.071			5	–	25		.167
† 1986 SWAC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll

Bracket and results

	Quarterfinals March 7					Semifinals March 8					Final March 9
	1	Southern	67
	8	Prairie View A&M	75
						8	Prairie View A&M	84
						4	Jackson State	70
	4	Jackson State	78
	5	Texas Southern	69
											8	Prairie View A&M	58
											3	Mississippi Valley State	75
	3	Mississippi Valley State	77
	6	Alabama State	64
						3	Mississippi Valley State	71
						2	Alcorn State	70
	2	Alcorn State	71
	7	Grambling State	53