Tigers capture SWAC opener
Bruce scores 28 to help team net season’s first win
In the past five years, just Texas Southern and Southern University have been crowned Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament champions.
After going winless during an extremely competitive non-conference schedule, TSU hopes to sail through SWAC play to another title this season. That effort started Monday with a 78-66 win over Southern in the teams’ SWAC opener at H&PE Arena, sparked by guard Derrick Bruce’s game-high 28 points.
“That’s why we designed the schedule the way we did: to be a really good team come conference play,” Tigers coach Mike Davis said.
TSU (1-13) stormed out front to a 27-15 lead about 11 minutes into the game, but Southern’s Eddie Reese kept the game close with timely 3-pointers throughout the half.
Midway through the period, Reese cut the lead to single digits. Minutes later, it was Reese hitting again from beyond the arc, trimming TSU’s lead to 2928. The Tigers took a 37-34 lead into the locker room.
Southern’s surge continued into the second half, with the Jaguars keeping it close for the first eight minutes of the half until TSU’s Demontrae Jefferson seized control.
Jefferson, the conference’s leading scorer with 23.4 points per game entering the night, was electric again, displaying the speed and artistry that earned him SWAC freshman of the year honors last season. He nearly recorded a triple-double, scoring 25 points with seven rebounds and seven assists.
Eight minutes in, Jefferson maneuvered off his pivot foot from just behind the 3-point line with a Southern defender riding his hip. He jittered and pump-faked for space before hoisting another 3. The Tigers led 61-48.
TSU established a 15-point lead with eight minutes left in the game. Southern (4-10) threatened a double-digit lead a few times down the stretch but never mounted a comeback, turned away by a strong defensive performance spearheaded by center Trayvon Reed’s nine blocks.
Reed, an Auburn transfer, came into the game leading the SWAC with nine rebounds per game. At 7-2, Reed’s length gave the Jaguars issues on both ends of the floor. He finished with seven points and 11 rebounds.
With seconds left in the game, Jefferson and Southern’s Chris Thomas were ejected after a scuffle.
“We don’t know for sure,” Davis said of a possible suspension for his star for Wednesday’s game against Alcorn State at H&PE Arena. “Hopefully he doesn’t miss a game because the guy really fouled him too hard.”