HCU football shuts out Prairie View A&M in dominant display

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 14, 2023) The HCU football team showcased their prowess on the gridiron with an impressive 30-0 victory over Prairie View A&M in their latest non-conference showdown. The Huskies, who have been on a rollercoaster ride this season, secured their second shutout win of the year, leaving their fans at Husky Stadium brimming with excitement.

From the opening kickoff, it was clear that the Huskies were determined to make a statement. Their defense came out firing on all cylinders, forcing Prairie View to punt after just five plays that gained a mere 12 yards. Karl Reynolds returned the punt with style, sprinting 29 yards to set up the Huskies with excellent field position. From there, it was only a matter of time before Dillon Fedor booted a 19-yard field goal to put HCU on the scoreboard, with 9:08 left on the clock.

But the Huskies were not content with just a field goal; they had their sights set on the end zone. After another fantastic three-and-out defensive stand, the offense took the reins. Jesse Valenzuela led the charge with a breathtaking 32-yard rush, and a precise Colby Suits pass to Reynolds advanced the ball well into Panther territory. Suits, showcasing his accuracy, then connected with Ismael Fuller on a short cross that turned into a spectacular 42-yard touchdown. With six minutes still to go in the first quarter, the Huskies were firmly in control with a 10-0 lead.

In the second quarter, HCU's punt took an unexpected bounce, hitting a Prairie View player and landing in the waiting arms of Caleb King at the Panther's 36-yard line. This fortunate turn of events gifted HCU with prime field position, and it only took them five plays to find the end zone. Valenzuela displayed his power with a five-yard rushing touchdown, extending the Huskies' lead to 17-0. The HCU defense continued to shine, forcing another three-and-out, which set the stage for RJ Smith's 22-yard dash to the end zone. At halftime, the Huskies were cruising with a commanding 24-0 lead.

The third and fourth quarters saw Dillon Fedor add two more field goals, from 21 and 26 yards, respectively, to pad HCU's lead. Meanwhile, the defense continued to stifle Prairie View, limiting them to a meager 42 yards of offense in the second half.

HCU's offensive output was nothing short of impressive, accumulating a total of 445 yards. They maintained a balanced attack, with 246 rushing yards and 199 through the air. RJ Smith emerged as the standout with his first 100-yard rushing game of his career, amassing 108 yards on 14 carries, and notching a touchdown. Smith's achievement marked the third time this season that a Husky running back has rushed for over 100 yards, joining the ranks of Champ Dozier and Darryle Evans. Valenzuela also made his presence felt with a touchdown and 87 yards on 13 carries, while Suits contributed with 58 rushing yards on six carries.

In the passing game, Colby Suits was in command, completing 19 of 28 attempts for 166 yards and one touchdown. Suits showcased his versatility by connecting with ten different receivers, with Karl Reynolds leading the pack with five receptions.

Defensively, the Huskies stood tall, allowing Prairie View a mere yard per rushing attempt, holding them to a paltry 20 yards on 22 carries. Prairie View's quarterback, Trazon Connley, struggled against the relentless HCU defense, going 12-of-19 for just 90 yards. Xavier McIntyre was the standout defender for HCU, racking up 10 tackles, including one for a loss. Rodney Dansby, Devion Hargrove, Zae Smith, and Judas McKenzie all contributed solo sacks, and the Huskies collectively amassed seven tackles for loss. Safety Caleb Flagg showcased his skills with his second career interception, returning the ball for 23 yards.

With a bye week ahead, HCU will have time to rest and regroup before their next challenge. On October 28th, they'll face Texas A&M-Commerce at Husky Stadium.

PVAMU PANTHERS LAND 13 ON PHIL STEELE’S ALL-SWAC PRESEASON TEAM

PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS (July 25, 2020) The Prairie View A&M football team made its presence known on the Phil Steele All-SWAC Preseason team, with 13 Panther standouts receiving recognition.

On offense, a trio of offensive linemen and a pair of wide receivers earned spots on the team. Tony Mullins landed on the second-team offense while Tristen Wallace landed on the third-team offense.  Mullins led the Panthers with 604 yards receiving during his junior season, and the Katy, Texas native hauled in seven scores, tops among all PVAMU players.

Wallace led the team with 40 receptions for 485 yards, grabbing a pair of touchdowns during his 2019 campaign.

First-Team All-SWAC player Danny Garza (First Team), DeJohn Jones (Second Team) and Eric Dunn (Second Team) were also honored. The senior trio opened holes for the top-ranked offense in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and helped form an offensive line that allowed the fewest sacks among league teams.

Defensively, Jason Dumas – one of Prairie View A&M’s most disruptive pass rushers from 2019 -- was named to the second-team defense. The first-team All-SWAC honoree posted 12.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in the prior season. 

Dynamic linebacker duo Tre’Shaud Smith and Storey Jackson both received first-team nods. Smith, a second-team selection to the 2019 All-SWAC team, led the Panthers with 93 total stops – 12 for loss – and 6.0 sacks. Jackson ranked second among Panther defenders with 72 tackles, adding 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.

 

The Panthers’ ultra-productive secondary was well-represented as well, as Jaylen Harris received a first-team spot, Drake Cheatum picked up a second-team selection, and Reggie Stubblefield earned third-team consideration. Harris emerged as one of the SWAC’s top cover men, earning first-team all-conference honors after ranking among the nation’s best in passes defended. Harris intercepted four passes, best among PVAMU players.

Cheatum, a fellow first-team All-SWAC honoree, made 89 total stops along with a pair of tackles for loss while anchoring a Panthers defense that fielded the second-stingiest pass defense in the league as far as yards allowed.

Stubblefield was one of the most active Panthers, making 40 total tackles – a pair behind the line of scrimmage – and picking off a pass in just six games.

Punter Caleb Darbone (Second Team) and long snapper Desmond Calloway (Third Team) rounded out the Panthers’ selections to the team. Darbone averaged more than 37 yards per punt, with seven of his kicks landing inside the 20-yard line.

Texas Southern dominate Mississippi Valley State, 88-58

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 25, 2020) The Texas Southern Tigers jumped out to a 43-26 lead at halftime in route to a 88-58 win over the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes at the Fertitta Center on the campus of the University of Houston. The last minute venue change from the Health and Physical Education Arena due to a power outage on the TSU campus.

The Tigers (10-7, 5-1 SWAC) overwhelmed the Devilettes early in the game, claiming a 30-10 lead after 10 minutes of play, with Mississippi Valley outscoring TSU 16-13 in the second quarter. TSU go back to their 20-point lead in the third quarter (67-47), increasing their to 30 points in the fourth quarter (21-11).

Ciani Cryor (Philadelphia, PA, Rutgers) led the scoring with 30 points, followed by Nina Mitchell (Bay City, Texas, New Mexico Junior College) with 15. Guards Richelle Velez (Lake Jackson, Texas, Kilgore College) and Atalya Bridges (Lanett, Alabama, Shelton State) with 15 and 10 points, respectively.

TSU shot 50.7% from the field (36-of-51), also with 62.5% (10-16) from the free throw line. The Devilettes could only manage 36& from the field and 62.5% from the line. Mitchell tallied nine rebounds, six of them on offense while Cryor had six steals. For Mississippi Valley State, Natalia Cotten scored 12 points, while Angelica Darcus pulled down seven rebounds.

Next up for TSU is a January 27 match up with Arkansas-Pine Bluff with at 7:30 p.m. at home.

SPORTS SHORT: Texas Southern downs Lamar 76-73

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 30, 2019) The Texas Southern Tigers and the Lamar  Cardinals battled to a 39-39 score at halftime and continued to battle back-and-forth in the second half until the Tigers emerged with a 76-73 win over the Cardinals.

Three Tigers scored in double figures; John Walker III (Thurgood Marshall HS, Missouri City, Texas) tallied 20 points with Tyrik Armstrong (Elkins HS, Sugar Land, TX) adding 17 and Justin Hopkins (J.O. Johnson HS,  Huntsville, Al) chipping in 10, along with seven rebounds.

Texas Southern Tigers drop hard-fought contest to Missouri S&T

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 12, 2019) Playing in the closest game they have all season, the Texas Southern Tigers dropped a 23-20 decision to the Missouri S&T Miners in their 2019 Homecoming Game at Alexander Durley Stadium on Saturday. The Tigers trailed by the score of 10-7 after 15 minutes of play, and battled to a 17-17 score at halftime (see photo right). The second half saw both teams defenses shine with the Miners managing two fields goals in the third quarter to give them 23-17 lead at the 3:51 mark. The Tigers fought tooth-and-nail in the fourth quarter, but could only manage a 24-yard field goal by Richard Garcia III with 9:36 remaining in the game.

Garcia, who played his high school ball at Mesquite Horn High School, also tallied a 45-yarder in the second quarter, along with two extra points. Running back Dominic Franklin (Chavez HS, Houston) capped a five-play, 60-yard drive with a six-yard run for the Tigers' first score. The fleet-footed sophomore added TSU's second TD of the game with 6:42 remaining in the first half. He carried the ball the final one-yard for the score, after the Tigers moved the ball 74 yards in eight plays. Franklin carried the ball 22 times for 144 yards, with a game-longest rush of 22 yards. TSU accounted for 446 yards of total offense, while the Miners tallied 397 yards. On defense, Mene Khepera (Bishop Dunne HS, Dallas) led the game with 11 tackles, with six solos, and one tackle for a loss.

With the loss, the Tigers fall to 0-6 for the season, with an 0-2 record in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). They will next hit the road to face Southern University in the State Fair Showdown at the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, October 19.

Readers can access the box score and statistics from the game by clicking here.

Five field goals leads Arkansas-Pine Bluff to 15-10 win over Texas Southern

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 17, 2018) Texas Southern could not overcome the fleet foot of kicker Jamie Gillan (Leonardtown HS, Leonardtown, Maryland) as he booted five field goals to lead the Arkansas-Pine Bluffs Golden Lions to a 15-10 win over the Tigers at BBVA Compass Stadium. The 2,045 fans in attendance, with the vast majority supporting the Tigers, witnessed Gillan kick field goals of 24, 37, 29, 46, and 37 yards and dash their hopes of TSU winning their second conference game of the season. TSU downed Mississippi Valley State by the score of 42-14 for the only conference win on October 27. 

The Tigers and Golden Lions traded scores in the first quarter, with TSU getting on the scoreboard first on a 24-yard kick by Aaron Cuevas (North Shore HS, Houston, Texas). That was followed by the first of Gillan's scores, a 37-yarder. He added the 39-yard field goal in the second quarter before Glen Cuiellette (Manderville HS, Manderville,Louisiana) romped 21 yards for the only touchdown of the game. Cuevas added the kicking conversion to give the Tigers a 10-6 lead at the half. Gill10 an's 46-yard and 27-yard field goals came in the third quarter, with the 22 yard field goal coming with 1:48 left in the game.

Texas Southern will conclude the season with a Saturday, November 24 match up against long-time rival Prairie View A&M. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at New Panther Stadium in Prairie View, Texas.

Texas Southern Tigers headed to NCAA Tournament

Story and Photos by Kristina McKay and Tommy Boatman

Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 11, 2018) Texas Southern University Tigers faced off against The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions Saturday for the SWAC Men’s basketball championship. The Tigers came out strong and in control and even when The Lions appeared to be coming back, TSU shut them down and came away on top winning the title for the second year in a row. They are now headed back to the NCAA tournament for their fourth time in five years and are the first team to start 0-13 and make the NCAA tournament. The team has battled through countless suspensions of multiple players, as well as losing the SWAC Player of Year from last season in Zach Lofton, who transferred to New Mexico State.

The Tigers started out the game like they were the No. 1 seed in the SWAC tournament, jumping out to a quick 13-point lead with 10 minutes left in the first half. The SWAC All-Tournament Player Donte Clark had 11 of them and finished with 14 points. The Golden Lions pulled within 4 points with about 4 minutes left in the first half but TSU refused to let UAPB get a strong hold and the half ended with the Tigers owning a 45-36 lead.

In the second half, Arkansas-Pine Bluff came out motivated and pulled to within two as Texas Southern started to make little mistakes. They let off the gas, gave up several turnovers and then Donte Clark fouled out for the second game in a row. However, as Clark stepped off Lamont Walker stepped up keeping the Tigers’ heads in the game. Luckily or blessed, depending on who you ask, Walker had just come back on their last road trip after being suspended. The senior was motivated to make a difference, as was the SWAC tournament Most Valuable Player Demontrae Jefferson who finished with 15 points with 7 assists and 6 rebounds, Trayvon Reed who had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Derrick Bruce who pitched in 13 points, including four 3-pointers. The game ended 84-69, and while it was the first time this season that TSU had managed to beat UAPB, getting swept by them during the regular season, this was the game that mattered most and bought them a ticket to the “big show”.

Texas Southern punches ticket to SWAC men's final with win over Prairie View A&M

Story and Photos by Kristina McKay and Tommy Boatman
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 10, 2018) The Texas Southern University men’s basketball team did what their female counterparts could not by defeating the Prairie View A&M Panthers in the late-night men’s semifinal action, 88-74.

TSU threw a balanced scoring attack at the Panthers as Donte Clark led the charge with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists before fouling off late in the game.  Derrick Bruce scored 18 points to go with five rebounds and three assists.  

Demontrae Jefferson scored 15 points and handed out six assists while Lamont Walker came off the bench and did not miss a shot, making all four from the field, including a trio of 3-pointers and two free throws to finish with 13 points. 

The Panthers tried to keep it close, a good effort by Blackston, who scored 32 points with eight rebounds and J.D. Wallace contributed with a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds two steals and two blocks, but it proved not to be enough.

The Tigers went on a key 21-9 run over a five-and-a half minute span during the second half to gain an arm’s length lead. The game-altering run was sparked by a Bruce 3-pointer & layup and followed with a jumper and a pair of free throws by Clark.  The Tigers continued their push with on a 3-pointer from Walker to make it a 60-51 lead with 10:45 remaining in the second half. Texas Southern avenged the two regular season losses in head-to-head match ups with the Panthers. Texas Southern shot 48 percent from the floor including 67 percent after the break while Prairie View A&M was only 39 percent for the entire game. 

TSU advances to face Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the SWAC Championship. The Tigers face a tough opponent in the top-seeded Golden Lions who were awarded Player of the year, defensive player of the year and Newcomer honors. However never count TSU out, it isn’t over till the final whistle blows.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff qualifies for SWAC men's basketball final with 71-65 win over Southern

Story and Photos by Kristina McKay and Tommy Boatman

Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 9, 2018) Behind Player of the Year Martaveous McKnight, Arkansas-Pine Bluff eased past Southern 71-65, punching its ticket to the 2018 Toyota Southwestern Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament final.

A nip-and-tuck contest initially, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (14-19) managed to distance itself thanks to McKnight, who scored nine points in the first 13 minutes and knocked down a three-pointer to push the Golden Lions ahead 19-11 with 7:18 left in the half. 

Southern responded with a 11-2 run to take a 22-21 lead with four minutes left in the half, and Eddie Reese later keyed an 8-0 run – coupled with an UAPB scoring drought that lasted more than three minutes – to take a 30-23 advantage in the waning seconds of the half. However, Charles Jackson drew a foul on a three-point try with 0.7 seconds left, later converting all three from the stripe to cut Southern’s lead to 30-27 at the break. 

Jared Sam asserted himself following intermission, as he accounted for five early points as the Jaguars pushed their lead to seven. After that, however, the Jaguars struggled to find the bottom of the net, slogging through a 3:03 drought without a field goal. Meanwhile, the Golden Lions responded through their big man Trent Steen, as he nailed consecutive jumpers to bring UAPB within one.

Travon Harper later split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 38 with 14:47 left. Seconds later, a McKnight bucket pushed the Golden Lions ahead 40-39, but Chris Thomas dropped in a floater to put Southern back in front.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff remained in striking distance throughout the second half, and Harper later scored on a put-back of a McKnight miss to tie it at 55 with 5:42 left, and McKnight later swiped an errant pass, going coast-to-coast for a lay-up that gave UAPB a 57-55 lead with just under five minutes left.

From there, McKnight assumed the role of closer, scoring UAPB’s last nine points as the Golden Lions pulled away from the Jaguars late. McKnight scored a game-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting, grabbing eight rebounds. Harper added 23 points. Reese led the Jaguars (15-18) with 17 points, four assists and four rebounds. Sam added 13 points, and Emanuel Sheperd scored 11 points

Texas Southern falls to Grambling State 66-59 in SWAC semifinal

Story and Photos by Kristina McKay and Tommy Boatman
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 9, 2018)  Without Player of the Year Joyce Kennerson, the Texas Southern University Lady Tigers basketball team fell to Grambling State dashing their hopes of a repeat title on Friday in the SWAC championship semifinals. The Grambling State Lady Tigers avenged last year’s tournament final loss, defeating the defending champions Texas Southern 66-59 to advance to the 2018 SWAC Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game.

The Tiger’s had a rough first half which culminated into in-fighting and insults being hurled at each other and subsequently having to face the wrath of their Coach Johnetta Hayes-Perry whom it seemed had simultaneously gotten the in check and lit a fire under their backsides. They took the lead and were playing strong, even taking a lead into half time, but by the third quarter Grambling had all the momentum taking back the lead and TSU just couldn’t bounce back.

The MVT, Most Valuable Tiger, was the Pink haired warrior number 44 Taylor Robinson who had 8 rebounds and a game leading 17 points in 20 minutes of game play followed closely behind by Kaitlyn Palmer with 16 points and 4 rebounds in 40 total minutes. Grambling’s shining star was Jasmin Boyd who put up 19 points with 4 rebounds in 26 minutes. However, their defensive monsters Shakayla Hill with 14 rebounds put up 15 points and Monisha Neal with 10 rebounds contributed 11 points.

Grambling will face a tough opponent in the #1 seed Southern for the Women’s Championship, with their Defensive player of the year Briana Green and Coach of the year Sandy Pugh.

TSU downs Southern 78-66 in men's hoops action

Photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 1, 2018) The Texas Southern Tigers downed the Southern Tigers by the score of 78-66 at H&PE Arena on New Year's Day. Derrick Bruce tallied 28 points for TSU while Demontrae Jefferson added 25. Trayvon Reed pulled down 11 rebounds in the effort. The Tigers moved to 1-13 for the season and 1-0 SWAC. The win game TSU head coach his 100th victory Fans can view the official game stats here.

Next up for the Tigers is a January 3 game against Alcorn State. 

Texas Southern Lady Tigers fall to Southern 67-57

Joyce Kennerson (3) led the
scoring for TSU.
Photo by Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 1, 2018) The Texas Southern Lady Tigers jumped out to a 35-29 lead at halftime, but it was not enough to overcome the second half surge of the Southern Jaguars, as they dropped a 67-57 decision at H&PE Arena in Houston. The loss drops the Lady Tigers to 5-7 for the season and 0-1 in conference play.

The Lady Tigers shot 44% (11-of-25) in the first half, but made only 8-of-31 shots from the field in the second half.

Junior starting guard Joyce Kennerson led all scorers with 21 points while Isis Lane came off the bench to chip in 10. Kennerson, who played her prep ball for Memorial High School in Port Arthur, Texas, was also 8-of-9 from the free throw line. Starting guard Camille Mills pulled down eight rebounds while Kaitlyn Palmer recorded three assists.

Texas Southern took the lead at the 5:39 mark in the first quarter and held it until late in the third quarter. With 1:56 left in the quarter Southern's Tiamya Butler stole the ball and score two points on a layup. That game the Jaguars a 44-43 lead of which they never relinquished. The Lady Tigers were held to 14 points the remainder of the game, while Southern when on a 23-point scoring drive. Briana Green scored 20 points for Southern along with seven rebounds.

Next up for the Lady Tigers is a Wednesday, January 3 match up against Alcorn State with a 5:30 p.m. CT tip off at H&PE Arena.

Texas Southern falls to Prairie View A&M in postponed Labor Day Classic

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 25, 2017) The Texas Southern Tigers drew blood first, with a field goal, but it was not enough to stop Prairie View A&M, as they dropped a 30-16 decision to the Panthers on Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Tigers finish the season with a 2-9 record, while the Panthers head back to Prairie View posting a 6-5 record for 2017. The game, originally scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, was postponed due to the effects of Hurricane Harvey.

Prairie View A&M jumped out to a 14-3 lead at halftime, due to two late second quarter scores. Texas Southern got on the scoreboard at the 4:14 mark of the first quarter when kicker Aaron Cuevas (North Shore HS, Houston, Texas) booted a 34-yard field goal to give the Tigers the early lead. The Panthers came right back and scored twice in the final 2:21 of the game. They scored their first touchdown of the game when senior wide receiver Joshua Simmons (Jack Yates HS, Houston, Texas) caught a 36-yard pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Neiko Hollins  (Hightower HS, Fresno, Texas); to cap a four-play, 54-yard drive. With no time remaining in the half, Hollins connected with redshirt sophomore Ronald Collins (Lamar HS, Houston, Texas)  on a one-yard pass. The drive lasted 1:03, and covered 83 yards in seven plays. Freshman kicker Zach Elder (Johnson HS, San Antonio, Texas) split the upright on both extra points to close out the scoring in the first half.

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

After some spirited play in the third quarter, the Texas Southern defense got the Tigers back in the game when a Hollins pass was picked off by senior free safety Archie Rice (Agua Fria HS, Avondale, AZ) and returned 39 yards for the score. Cuevas' extra point was blocked, with TSU cutting Panthers' lead to five (14-9) with 5:52 left in the third quarter.

Prairie View came roaring back 2:32 into the third quarter when Hollis found junior tight end Zarrian Holcombe (Summer Creek HS, Houston, Texas) open over the middle as he plowed his way to the end zone after catching the 12-yard pass. Elder also has his extra point attempt blocked; giving the Panthers a 20-9 lead with 12:28 left in the game. Elder increased the Panthers' point total by three when he booted a 32-yard field goal with 7:18 remaining in the game. They added an addition touchdown with 2:20 left in the game when redshirt senior running back Sta'Fon McCray (Osceola HS, North Kissimmee, Florida) carried the ball the final yard of a 27-yard drive for the score. The Tigers scored their second TD of the game with 24 seconds remaining in the game when junior running back Brad Woodard (Dickinson HS, Dickinson, Texas) rushed 46 yards for the score.

With the win, the Panthers cut Texas Southern's all-time record to 44-28-1; while wining the last three games; 38-11 (2015) and 29-25 (2016).

Texas Southern Tigers drop hard fought game to Southern Jaguars, 33-7

Photo by Houston Sports Images

Kristina McKay and Tommy Boatman

Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved 
Used with permission.

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 11, 2017) The Texas Southern Tigers, despite putting up a valiant effort, could not contain the offensive strength of the Southern Jaguars; dropping a 33-7 decision in SWAC football action. The 6,000-plus fans at Houston's BBVA Compass Stadium witnessed the Jaguars push their season record to 7-3 (5-1 in conference action), while the Tigers fell to 1-8 (1-4 in conference). Southern holds on to a solid second place standing in the Western Division of the SWAC; behind No. 11 Grambling State. 

It took almost the entire first quarter before either team found the end zone. The Jaguars did it first, on a Herb Edwards 71-yard run with 56 seconds left in the quarter. The score capped a three-play, 90-yard drive that lasted only 57 seconds. They added two Cesar Barajas field goals; both late in the second quarter, of 30 and 18 yards to close out the first half with Southern leading 13-0.

Photo by Houston Sports Images

Kristina McKay and Tommy Boatman

Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved 
Used with permission.

Southern came right out in the second half and picked up where they left off; scoring another touchdown after 3:29 of play. Quarterback Austin Howard found tight end Dennis Craig open, and hit him with a 10-yard pass for the score. It took the Jaguars 10 plays to  over the 75 yards to the end zone. They added an insurance touchdown when Demerio Houston returned a Donald Halsltead  TSU punt 74 yards for the score with two minutes left in the third quarter.

The Texas Southern Tigers scored 40 seconds into the fourth quarter to avert a shutout, when Elijah Odom rushed the final 11 yards of their 67-yard drive for their only touchdown of the game. Southern responded with another touchdown when freshman red shirt wide receiver Christopher Chaney, who was not listed on the depth chart, scored from two yards out.  Odem rushed for 118 yards on 23 carries and completed three passes for 50 yards.

Next up for Texas Southern is a Saturday, November 18 road trip to play Arkansas-Pine Bluff. 

Texas Southern Tigers drop close game to Alcorn State

By Kristina McKay

Photo by Tommy Boatman
Houston Sports Images
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 29, 2017) The Texas Southern Tigers faced Alcorn State in the second home game of the season on Friday, September 29, 2017, and in a bit of deja’vu from the game against HBU, came close to pulling off a win in the final seconds, dropping a 24-17 decision at BBVA Compass Stadium on Friday, September 29, 2017.

After a rough start where Alcorn scored in the 3^rd minute

 and again in the 15^th minute, TSU scored an incredible 

touchdown on the ensuing kick, a 93-yard return by the

 wide receiver Daequan Jones.

The second half scoring was even with TSU and Alcorn Scoring a touchdown apiece in the 3^rd quarter and each with a field goal in the 4^th. As the final seconds counted down, quarterback Dominic DeLira’s (shown right) rookie play caught up with him. Alcorn’s defense shut down the final pass that, while ruled incomplete, was almost intercepted anyway, ending the game 24-17. 

DeLira had some bright spots with ab admirable eight third-down conversions, 17 first downs; just shy of Alcorn's 20-yard line, and 295 yards from 71 plays, with the assist of runnung bacvcl Brad Woodard; with whom he traded off the snap for a few special plays; one of which caught Alcorn off-guard.

Next up for Alcorn State is Alabama State Thursday,

 October 5, 6:30 PM on ESPU at New ASU Stadium, 

Montgomery. TSU faces Kennesaw State Saturday, 

October 7, 6:00 PM at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. 

Photo by Tommy Boatman
Houston Sports Images
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

Texas Southern upends Arkansas-Pine Bluff 27-10

Photo by Kris Gager, Houston Sports Images
Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2016 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 13, 2016) The Texas Southern Tigers rolled to a 27-10 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Southwestern Athletic Conference football action at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on Saturday, November 12, 2016. With the win, the Tigers moved to 5-6 in 2016 while the Golden Lions fall to 1-10.  The Tigers rolled up a 20-7 lead in the first half, with both teams scoring seven points in the third quarter. Arkansas-Pine Bluff added a 33-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to close out scoring.

TSU’s Brad Woodard rushed for 117 yards on 28 carries while Tylor Cook added 101 yards on eight carries. Johnathan Bowen scored on rushing TD off 14 carries for 66 yards. Tracy Johnson and Elie Nabushoi each caught one pass for a touchdown. Next up for the Tigers is a 2 p.m. CST matchup against Grambling State at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday, November 19, 2016.

Below are more photos from the game, courtesy of Kris Gager and Tommy Boatman, Houston Sports Images, Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved.

Prairie View Volleyball splits home openers

PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS (September 30, 2016) The Prairie View A&M University volleyball team split its home openers this week in the William J. Nicks Building.

PVAMU defeated St. Thomas 3-0 Tuesday in the Pediatric Cancer Awareness Game. Wednesday, the Lady Panthers lost a hard-fought 3-1 game to Incarnate Word.

The Lady Panthers swept St. Thomas 25-19, 25-13, 25-20. Taylor Goudeau had 14 kills to lead the attack. Erica Jimenez had 16 assists, and Mykaeli Franklin added 13 assists and seven digs. Christen Augustine added 11 digs in the match.

PVAMU fell in Wednesday’s match 17-25, 24-26, 25-22, 21-25 in four highly competitive games. Goudeau had a career-high 19 kills and added seven assists, Jimenez added a career-high 19 assists, and Augustine had 17 digs.

After losing set one, the Lady Panthers (4-10) were serving on match point but could not close the deal in set two. However, Prairie View rebounded in set three to earn a win. Consecutive kills by Larissa Martinez, Goudeau, Mokeysha Shanklin, and Goudeau gave the Lady Panthers an early 7-1 lead they would not relinquish.

In set four, Prairie View A&M rallied back from a six-point deficit to tie the match four times. A kill by Martinez off an Jimenez assist tied the set for the final time at 19-19.

Prairie View A&M returns to SWAC play at Texas Southern Friday at 7 p.m.

Texas Southern Tigers overcome Alabama State, 31-27

Averion Hurts passed for 222 yards and two
touchdowns against Alabama State.
Photo by Kristina Gager
Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved

From Texas Southern University Sports Information Department Press Release

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA (September 24, 2016) Averion Hurts threw a 41-yard touchdown to Austin Watts late in the fourth quarter for the win as Texas Southern rallied to beat Alabama State 31-27 on Saturday, September 24, 2016.

Hurts had 222 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Tigers (2-2, 2-). Watts finished with 103 receiving yards and two scores and Eric Medina connected on three field goals as the Tigers snapped a five game losing streak to the Hornets.

The Hornets (0-4, 0-3) dominated the first half, amassing 280 offensive yards while holding Texas Southern to just 104 yards as they led 17-6 at intermission

But the Tigers rallied in the second half as Watts returned the second half kickoff for a score to cut ASU's lead to 17-13.

Then, following a field goal by the Hornets that made it 20-13, Medina kicked a 49-yard field goal to tighten the score again, 20-16 with 5:42 left in the third quarter.

"We fought through a lot of adversity tonight," said TSU head coach Michael Haywood. "We made some mistakes during the game but we're extremely pleased with how we responded when we had to make the plays."

Texas Southern will return home this upcoming weekend as they get set to host Alabama A&M at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Texas Southern falls to Southern on Homecoming Weekend

Photo by Kristina Lee Anne Gager, Used with permission

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2015 TexSport Publication

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 24, 2015) Texas Southern tied the score at 21 with 1:18 remaining in the first half, but Southern University scored 19 unanswered points in the second half to down the Tigers by the score of 40-21 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on Saturday, October 24, 2015. With the loss, Texas Southern falls to 3-4 for the season and 2-4 in SWAC play. The Jaguars raised their record to 4-3 and 4-1 in conference play.

TSU and Southern traded touchdowns in the first quarter, tying the score at seven. The Jaguars scored also two additional touchdowns in the first quarter prior to TSU adding one to their total. At the end of the first quarter, Southern was leading 21-14. TSU tied the score at 21 points with 1:08 left in the half. Both teams took the tie to the locker room at halftime. Coming out in the second half, Southern scored four times; two touchdowns, one field goal, and a safety to put the game away. TSU was unable to score in the second half.

Photo by Kristina Lee Anne Gager
Used with permission

TSU scored two of their touchdowns off the arm of quarterback Averion Hurts. He completed six-of-eleven passes for 102 yards, including passes of 54 and 18 yards for the scores. His first TD pass was the 57-yarder to Larry Clark at the 1:08 mark in the first quarter. His second scoring pass was 3:13 into the second quarter in the form of the 18-yard pass to Milik Cross. The Tigers’ other score was a two-yard run by Brad Woodard with 12:32 left in the first quarter.

Offensively, TSU had trouble matching the Jaguar punch; tallying a mire 92 yards of total offense against the 377 yards of Southern. Defensively, Zacch Bamijoko accounted for eight tackles, with two of them solos.

TSU will take on College of Faith at 1 p.m. on Halloween (October 31) at BBVA Stadium. Southern will play Alcorn State at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge with a 4 p.m. kickoff.