Coach Landon Bussie was announced as the head men’s basketball coach at Alcorn State University in April 2020 and made an immediate impact on the program. In year two, the first-time head coach took a 6-13 team in his first season to a 17-17 (14-4 in league play) team that garnered the 2021-2022 SWAC Regular-Season Title, the first championship for the program in 20 years. The team then became the No. 1 seed in the SWAC Tournament and appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). In year three, Coach Bussie and the Braves repeated as the 2022-2023 SWAC Regular-Season Champions and was the No. 1 seed in the SWAC Tournament and appeared in the NIT against the University of North Texas. Coach Bussie was named 2022-2023 Co-Coach of the year, coaching SWAC All-Conference First team honoree Dominic Brewton and Second team honoree Jeremiah Kendall.
Bussie was named 2021-2022 SWAC Coach of the Year, coaching SWAC All-Conference Second team honoree Justin Thomas and standout forward Lenell Henry, who was named to the 2022 HBCU All-Star Game Watch List.
Prior to coming to Lorman, Bussie spent six seasons at Prairie View A&M serving as an assistant coach, where he was a part of a Panthers squad that won back-to-back SWAC regular-season titles in 2018-19 and 2019-20. PVAMU won the 2018-19 SWAC Championship, advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers were the top overall seed again in 2019-20, reaching the semifinals before the season was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Known as a superior recruiter, Bussie recruited the 2019-20 SWAC Player of the Year, Devonte Patterson. He also recruited and developed Gary Blackston, the 2018-19 SWAC Tournament MVP. Both Patterson and Blackston were BOXTOROW All-Americans.
Furthermore, Bussie brought in six key contributors to PVAMU’s back-to-back reigns. In addition to Patterson and Blackston, he recruited Gerard Andrus (All-Conference First-Team), Chancellor Ellis (New Mexico State transfer, made 61 threes in a season), Taishaun Johnson (Kent State transfer), and DeWayne Cox (defensive specialist).
Bussie worked alongside head coach Byron Smith, the back-to-back SWAC Coach of the Year winner in 2018-19 and 2019-20. They coached Dennis Jones, the 2018-19 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Bussie aided the Panthers in finishing top-10 in the nation in turnovers forced per game three years in a row from 2018-20. The 2018-19 squad ended second in the country in turnovers forced with 17.9 per game. PVAMU led the conference in steals per game in 2018-19 and 2019-20, and allowed under 67 points per game in both seasons.
Before switching to the men’s side, Bussie was an assistant women’s coach at PVAMU for one year. He played a vital role in developing guard Jeanette Jackson, the 2014-15 SWAC Player of the Year, scoring and assists leader, and finishing in the SWAC’s Top 10 in six statistical categories.
Prior to his time at PVAMU, Bussie spent four seasons at his alma mater, Xavier University of Louisiana. During that span, Xavier won three consecutive GCAC regular-season championships from 2012-14 and four straight appearances at the NAIA Championship Tournament from 2011-14. He coached eight All-Conference honorees.
As a student-athlete, Bussie was a two-year letterman as a forward at Xavier University of Louisiana, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2010. He later earned a master’s degree in educational leadership in 2014.
Bussie is a graduate of Woodlawn High School and went on to play two seasons for Livingstone College of the CIAA (NCAA Division II) before transferring to Xavier.
Bussie is the son of Loretta Bussie and the late Gerald Bussie and has two siblings, brother, Gerald, and sister Asya. Asya was an All-American standout at West Virginia University before being drafted by the Minnesota Lynx as the 15th-overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft.
