Prairie View A&M Claims SWAC Tournament Title
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — In a thrilling matchup, Prairie View A&M, the eighth seed, triumphed over third-seeded Southern 72-66 to capture the SWAC Tournament title on Saturday night. This victory marks the Panthers’ third championship win in the tournament’s history, their first since 2019, and notably makes them the lowest seed to clinch the title since Texas Southern achieved the same feat in 2023.
Key Performers
Lance Williams was instrumental in the win, contributing 18 points, while Cory Wells supported with 15 points. The Panthers established a significant lead earlier in the game, reaching a 22-point advantage at 57-35 with just over 13 minutes left in regulation. Despite trailing throughout, Southern mounted a comeback attempt and narrowed the gap to just 68-66 with 24 seconds remaining. However, Austin Horne sealed the game with two crucial layups.
Other notable performers for Prairie View A&M included Horne with 15 points and Tai’Reon Joseph, who added 10 points to the scoreboard. On the other side, Michael Jacobs led the scoring for Southern with 19 points, while teammate AJ Barnes contributed 18 points along with 10 rebounds.
Shooting Performance
In terms of shooting performance, Prairie View A&M had a strong night from beyond the arc, making nine of their 18 three-point attempts, compared to Southern’s five out of 19. The Panthers also had a solid first half, ending with a 41-28 advantage after shooting 15 out of 31 from the field.
Looking Ahead
This victory not only signifies a strong season for the Panthers, with their record now standing at 18-17, but also revives their hopes for a future in postseason play. Sign up for alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 college basketball rankings throughout the season.
