Men’s Basketball Heads To Louisiana Tech Tonight

The Texas Southern Tigers continue their road swing Wednesday night in Ruston, La. at Louisiana Tech.

• TSU played six games in 15 days and had an opportunity to get some extended rest and practice back on its home court for an extended period of time. TSU’s trip started in Oregon, moved to California and then to the states of Washington, Colorado, North Carolina, Utah and now Louisiana. 

• 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. 

• 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 will keep its bags packed as the first 13 games on the schedule are on the road. TSU’s first home contest isn’t until Saturday, Jan. 8.

• TSU will face off against teams from nine conferences in 2021-22. TSU will square off against teams from the Pac-12 (2), WCC (2), Mountain West, ACC, Conference USA, SEC, WAC, American and Big 12.

• Despite only a five-hour difference between both schools, this marks only the third time both teams will meet and first since 2000. LA Tech leads 2-0 as this marks the second SWAC school on the schedule this year as they played Jackson State. TSU and LA Tech first met in 1979.

• Despite coaching at LSU and North Texas, TSU head coach Johnny Jones has never faced LA Tech as a head coach. Against the current lineup of Conference USA teams, Jones is 37-30 all-time.

• 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.