Secret Scrimmage 'Exhibitions' See HBCUs Find Success
Learn about the impact of secret scrimmages on HBCUs as they impress with notable wins against Division I programs.
HBCUs are turning heads this preseason with several impressive wins in what college basketball fans call a “secret scrimmage.” A
secret scrimmageis a closed-door matchup between Division I programs—no fans, no media, and no official scorekeeping—that coaches use to evaluate their teams before the season begins.
Until this year, NCAA rules restricted public exhibitions to non-Division I opponents unless for charity, pushing most schools toward these private sessions. But a recent rule change now allows two full exhibitions against any four-year program, meaning secret scrimmages could soon become less secret—and more valuable for exposure, especially for HBCUs.
- Arkansas–Pine Bluff topped Arkansas–Little Rock 77-69 in a secret scrimmage that later surfaced online.
Author's summary: HBCUs succeed in secret scrimmages.