Final Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas Southern claimed its 10^th SWAC Tournament Championship with a dominant second half as they defeated Alcorn State 87-62 inside Bartow Arena on Saturday evening.
 
The first half was highly contested as TSU's PJ Henry set the tone with seven early points as the Tigers led 13-9. Alcorn State would tie it up at 13-all after a jumper and pair of Justin Thomas free throws but Henry again hit a jumper to move TSU up 15-13. John Walker III connected on a three-point attempt to give TSU a 18-13 lead. 
 
Alcorn State would answer with a vengeance as a 6-0 run closed the gap to 23-19 but John Jones would rescue the Tigers with five straight points to move TSU ahead 28-19 with 9:27 left. The Braves once again came charging back over the next few minutes as TSU committed four turnovers enroute to an 11-2 run which tied the game at 30 with 6:18 left. TSU would regain a 31-30 lead after a free throw from Karl Nicholas and increased it to 37-30 after five more points from Nicholas. However, Alcorn State closed the gap to 37-35.
 
Lawson opened the second half with a three-pointer for a 45-38 lead and the TSU defense got momentum with a Gresham block which led to a Nicholas dunk. Alcorn State once again would inch away at the lead as they closed to 47-43 after a Byron Joshua three-pointer. Alcorn State would eventually narrow it to 49-46 but Gresham once again hit a jumper to give TSU a 51-46 lead.
 
With 14:55 left, the Braves connected on a three-pointer to draw within 51-49 but Etienne hit a driving layup for a 53-49 TSU lead. The Braves would continue to be competitive for the next few minutes, but TSU would increase its lead with a 11-0 run over the next four minutes which was fueled by the team's defensive effort with three blocks. From there, TSU cruised to its second straight and 10^th SWAC Tournament title overall.
 
Walker III led TSU with 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks while SWAC Tournament MVP Henry added 15 points and five rebounds. Lawson scored 14 points and the Tigers got 11 points and eight boards from Nicholas. Gresham chipped in with 10 points, seven rebounds and five blocks. Thomas led all Alcorn State scorers with 18 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Most Valuable Player
PJ Henry, Texas Southern
 
All-Tournament Team
PJ Henry, Texas Southern
John Walker III, Texas Southern
Brison Gresham, Texas Southern
Justin Thomas, Alcorn State
Jalen Johnson, Alabama A&M
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.

Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.

Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.