Privateers

New Orleans Privateers
General Information
NCAA Division: Division I
Conference: Southland Conference
Past Conferences: Sun Belt Conference, American South Conference
City: New Orleans, Louisiana
Arena: Lakefront Arena
NCAA Tournaments: 5 (1987, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2017)
Championships
National Championships – 0
Conference Titles – 8 (1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,1993, 1996, 1997, 2017)
Team History
The New Orleans Privateers began play in the 1969-70 season and came out of the gate fast. After losing their first two games, New Orleans finished the season on an 18-3 run and won its first 22 games of the 1970-71 season before finishing 23-3. The Privateers advanced to their first NCAA Division II Tournament and followed that up with trips in 1972, 1974 and 1975. New Orleans did reach the championship game in 1975 but lost to Old Dominion 76-74.
New Orleans made the move to Division I for the 1975-76 season and joined the Sun Belt the following year but left the conference after four seasons, becoming an independent. The Privateers received an NIT invitation in 1983 after going 22-6. The Privateers received their first invitation to compete in the NCAA Tournament in 1987, beating BYU in the first round before falling to Alabama.
New Orleans joined the American South Conference for the 1987-88 season and three straight NIT berths in 1988-90; in 1991, they returned to the NCAA Tournament, where, as a No. 16 seed, they battled No. 1-seeded Kansas before falling 55-49. The Privateers promptly returned to the Sun Belt Conference for the 1991-92 season. In 1993, New Orleans again advanced to the NCAA Tournament and played in the NIT the following season.
After no postseason berth in 1995 despite a 20-11 record, New Orleans was back in the NCAA Tournament in 1996 and in the NIT in 1997. The Privateers left the Sun Belt after the 2009-10 season and joined the Southland in 2013-14. New Orleans was back in the NCAA Tournament in 2017 but lost to Mount St. Mary’s 67-66 in a play-in game. The Privateers played in the CBI in 2018 and in the CIT in 2019, and they were participants in the first Basketball Classic tournament in 2022.
New Orleans Privateers All-Time Records
Points Scored
Bo McCalebb, 2,679
Mel Henderso, 1,900
Troy Green, 1,824
Rebounds
Ervin Johnson, 1,287
Melvin Simon, 941
Wayne Cooper, 920
Assists
Gabe Corchian, 456
Terry Gill, 442
Jordan Crump, 403