Tigers Prepare For Big Showdown Against Grambling State On Saturday

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• The Texas Southern Tigers start an important homestand live on NBATV as they’ll host Grambling State on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

• TSU has won five straight for the first time this season after a win at Bethune-Cookman on Monday. TSU is a game out of first place and tied for second place in the SWAC with Grambling State, Florida A&M, and Alcorn State.

• Head coach Johnny Jones hit a career milestone late in 2021 with his 350th career win after the SWAC Tournament semifinal win on March 12. He just achieved his 360th win at Prairie View A&M on Jan. 29

• Jones is 9-2 lifetime against Grambling State and 6-2 at TSU.

• This marks the fourth year for TSU head coach Johnny Jones. TSU returned to the NCAA Tournament after the 2020-21 season and won its second NCAA Tournament contest in school history. Jones went 24-14 in his inaugural year as head coach with three Power 5 conference wins. TSU fell in the finals of the 2019 SWAC Tournament and advanced to the semifinals of the CIT in 2019. In 2019-20, the Tigers made it back to the semifinals of the SWAC Tournament after a third-place regular-season finish but saw the season end abruptly due to COVID-19.

• TSU faced off against teams from seven conferences in 2021-22. TSU squared off against teams from the Pac-12 (2), WCC (2), Mountain West, ACC, Conference USA, SEC, and WAC.

• Since 2010, GSU is 5-21 against TSU but has won four of the past nine games as head coach Donte’ Jackson as all the wins during that span. History says the game will be close as four of the past nine games have been decided by two points or less.

• TSU takes the term “home, sweet home” to heart as the Tigers are 112-25 inside the H&PE Arena since 2008. TSU has won nine-plus games at home every year since the 2010-11 season as COVID-19 prevented the streak from continuing in 2021.

• Jones is 85-73 all-time in the month of February and 19-5 at TSU. • TSU was picked to finish first by the Southwestern Athletic Conference while the duo of John Walker III and Justin Hopkins both earned preseason honors. Experience won’t be an issue as four starters return along with eight letterwinners from 2020-21.