2018–19 Southland Conference men's basketball season
The 2018–19 Southland Conference men's basketball season, the conference's 56th, began with practices in October 2018, followed by the start of the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season on November 6, 2018. Conference play began on January 2, 2019 concluding on March 9, 2019. The Sam Houston State Bearkats won the regular season championship with a conference record of 16–2. The 2019 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was held in Katy, Texas at the Merrell Center from March 13–17, 2019. The 2nd seeded Abilene Christian Wildcats won the conference tournament championship and received the conference automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Two other teams also received bids to post season tournaments. Conference regular season champion, Sam Houston State, received the conference automatic bid to the NIT tournament. New Orleans received a bid to the CIT tournament.
Preseason
Coaching changes
announced that it would not renew the contract of former head coach Dave Simmons on March 4, 2018. Heath Schroyer was named head coach on March 15, 2018.Incarnate Word announced that Ken Burmeister would not return on March 6, 2018. Carson Cunningham was named as men's basketball head coach on March 23, 2018.
2018-19 Southland Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
Preseason All-Conference Teams
Source:| Award | Recipients |
| First Team | Marlain Veal Shannon Bogues Kevon Harris T. J. Holyfield Ishmael Lane |
| Second Team | Josh Ibarra Jalone Friday Josh Nzeakor Jaren Lewis Marcus Harris |
Postseason
Southland Conference Tournament
- March 13–16, 2019: Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, Leonard E. Merrill Center, Katy, Texas
NCAA tournament
Abilene Christian, winner of the conference tournament, was awarded an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. Abilene Christian's season ended losing to Kentucky in the first round.National Invitation Tournament
Sam Houston State received the conference automatic bid to the NIT tournament. The Bearkats lost in the first round of the tournament to TCU.CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament
New Orleans received a bid to the CIT. The Privateers lost in an overtime game to Texas Southern in the first round.Awards and honors
Regular season
SLC Player-of-the-Week
- Nov. 12 – Jaren Lewis
- Nov. 19 – Morgan Taylor
- Nov. 26 – Jaren Lewis
- Dec. 3 – Kevon Harris
- Dec. 10 – Shannon Bogues
- Dec. 17 – Roydell Brown
- Dec. 27 – Nick Garth
- Jan. 2 – Kevon Harris
- Jan. 7 – Ian DuBose
- Jan. 14 – Payten Ricks
- Jan. 21 – Kai Mitchell
- Jan. 28 – Cameron Delaney
- Feb. 4 – Christian Barrett
- Feb. 11 – Ishmael Lane
- Feb. 18 – Nick Garth
- Feb. 25 – Josh Delaney
- Mar. 4 – Nick Garth
- Mar. 10 – Jerimiah Jefferson
Postseason
SLC All-Conference Teams and Awards
Source:| Award | Recipients |
| Coach of the Year | Joe Golding |
| Player of the Year | Cameron Delaney |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Ishmael Lane |
| Freshman of the Year | Gerrale Gates |
| Newcomer of the Year | Kai Mitchell |
| First Team | Cameron Delaney Marlain Veal Ishmael Lane Moses Greenwood Nick Garth |
| Second Team | Kevon Harris Josh Nzeakor Jaren Lewis Shannon Bogues Ian DuBose |
| Third Team | Jaylen Franklin Josh Delaney Kai Mitchell Ezekial Charles Kareem South |
| Honorable Mention | Roydell Brown Jeremiah Jefferson Payten Ricks Thatch Unruh |
| All-Defensive Team | Ishmael Lane Jaylen Franklin Braxton Bonds Marlain Veal Hayden Koval |
| First Team All-Academic | Jaren Lewis Jeremiah Jefferson Hayden Koval Ishmael Lane Oliver Lynch-Daniels Ian DuBose Hayden Farquhar Scott Plaisance, Jr. Kareem Smith |
| All-Tournament Team | Jaren Lewis Jaylen Franklin Payten Ricks Scott Plaisance, Jr. Josh Nzeakor |
| Tournament MVP | Jaren Lewis |