Men’s Basketball To Host Grambling State In SWAC Home Opener Tonight
• This marks the second year for TSU head coach Johnny Jones. 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 competed in the CIT. TSU advanced to the semifinals of the CIT last season.
• Tuesday’s game marks the team’s first postseason meeting between both teams since March 10, 2017. Since 1981, TSU is 7-2 against Grambling State in postseason play. GSU’s last tourney win over TSU occurred in 1988.
• Without Tyrik Armstrong in SWAC play, TSU is 1-3 and outscored by -10.2 ppg. With Armstrong, TSU is 11-3 and outscores opponents by 5.4 ppg.
• This time of the year is TSU’s time to shine. TSU has not lost in the first round of SWAC Tournament play since 2009 and has played in the title game the past three years.
• Head coach Johnny Jones is 39-32 all-time in the month of March and 9-4 at TSU.
• Jones is 6-1 lifetime against Grambling State and 3-1 at TSU. The average margin of victory is 2.5 points.
• Devante Jackson leads GSU with 12.9 points per game. Terreon Randolph is the top rebounder with 5.5 rebounds per game. GSU’s Ivy Smith, Jr. leads the SWAC with 4.8 assists per game.
• Since 2010, GSU is 4-18 against TSU but has won three of the past six games as head coach Donte’ Jackson has all the wins. History says the game will be close as three of the past six games have been decided by one point.
• TSU takes the term “home, sweet home” to heart as the Tigers are 102-23 inside the H&PE Arena since 2008. TSU has won nine-plus games at home every year since the 2010-11 season as they’re 10-1 this season.
Courtesy: TSUSports.com
