Two days after a vital road win, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff fell flat Monday in Houston.
The UAPB men’s basketball team lost 81-56 to Texas Southern at H&PE Arena to split the season series with the Tigers.
UAPB (5-23, 2-13 SWAC) scored the fewest points it has since the season opener at Cincinnati, when the Golden Lions scored 55. UAPB hadn’t scored fewer than 60 in a SWAC game this year.
The Lions shot 6 of 23 (26.1 percent) from 3-point range and 36.4 percent from the floor while making 10 of 20 free throws. Junior forward Kyle Brown led with 15 points, while Doctor Bradley scored 11 with a team-high eight rebounds and five assists.
UAPB’s offensive approach was notably different from its 75-64 win against Prairie View A&M two days prior, as well as its 69-68 victory against the Tigers on Feb. 4. In both wins, UAPB’s only victories in SWAC play thus far, the Golden Lions emphasized scoring at the rim while not relying on 3-pointers.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB scored 42 points in the paint in its win against TSU and 54 against Prairie View. The Golden Lions scored 28 on Monday while attempting more 3-pointers than they had in both wins combined (20).
Texas Southern (13-15, 10-5) connected on a season-high 16 shots from 3-point range on a season-high 38 attempts. The Tigers’ previous high was 11 makes, and this was the fourth game this season they made 10 or more. TSU entered the game shooting 32.5 percent from 3 but shot 42.1 percent Monday.
No team had made more than 14 in a SWAC game this season, a mark set by three teams, including UAPB. The most 3-pointers UAPB had allowed to a conference opponent prior to Monday was 13.
TSU junior guard Kolby Granger scored a game-high 21 points with 10 rebounds. He was one of three Tigers to make four 3-pointers. The others were guards Kehlin Farooq, who finished with 19 points, and Zaire Hayes (16 points). Junior guard Zytarious Mortle (9 points) made three.
The Tigers outscored UAPB 19-8 in second-chance points and 20-9 off turnovers while outrebounding the Golden Lions 48-33.
Monday’s loss, combined with Prairie View’s 64-56 win against Mississippi Valley State, puts UAPB two games behind the Panthers with three games remaining in the race for the final spot in next month’s SWAC tournament.