Tigers Earn Big Win Over Prairie View A&M With Dominant Effort

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – PJ Henry and Jonathan Cisse combined for 51 points as Texas Southern withstood everything Prairie View A&M had to offer to win by double digits in Prairie View for the first time since 2006 by an 80-69 margin.
 
Texas Southern set the tone from the opening tip as they pounded the Panthers inside early and set the defensive tone for a 17-4 lead eight minutes in as Jonathan Cisse scored eight early points. The Panthers would wake up and outscore the Tigers 12-9 over the next five minutes to get within 10 points but the Tigers had answers for every Panthers rally with a rally of its own from that point as they did their best to keep the home crowd at bay.
 
In typical TSU-PVAMU fashion, a team would find the way to sneak back in as TSU had a scoreless drought which spanned over four minutes (7:26 – 3:17) The Panthers took advantage of the free throw line and several TSU turnovers to get back into the contest as they connected on several free throws during the span to cut the lead to 35-28. Cisse would end the drought on a three-point play at the 3:51 mark to remain ahead by 10 (38-28) but PVAMU hit two more free throws on its next possession to stay within eight.
 
With PVAMU threatening again, Kolby Granger came up with a huge block on a potential PVAMU layup after a TSU turnover and found PJ Henry for a layup to stay up 40-30. But once again, the Panthers closed out the half by outscoring the Tigers 7-1 as TSU held on to a 41-37 halftime advantage.
 
PVAMU opened the second half with back-to-back three-pointers within the first two minutes to claim a 43-41 lead. The contest turned physical as PVAMU was whistled for a technical foul with a little more than 17 minutes left and TSU turned it into a five-point swing after Cisse’s three-pointer for a 46-43 lead.
 
The contest went back-and-forth over the next few minutes as TSU led 56-48 after Cisse broke down the PVAMU defender like a toy set for a three-point play. PVAMU would answer but PJ Henry’s three-pointer gave TSU a 59-50 margin. TSU’s defense struck again and forced a turnover as the lead grew to double digits en route to TSU claiming a 70-52 margin at the 8:14 mark.
 
PVAMU went on an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to work themselves back into the game as they trailed 72-63 entering the final media (3:52) timeout. However, Jahmar Young Jr.’s free throw ended a three-minute scoring drought as TSU led 73-63 with 3:52 left. TSU would go into clock eating mode from that point but the Tigers took their points when needed as Young, Jr. and Chris Craig brought the dome down and sent the crowd home with an emphatic dunk late in the game.
 
Henry led TSU with 26 points while Cisse added 25 points with six boards and three assists. Young, Jr. added 11 boards on eight points.
 
TSU is back in action next Saturday at Florida A&M.