TSU (18-12) now is playing in the NCAA First Four again, after winning its play-in game last year in the Indiana “bubble,” and is set to face Texas A&M Corpus Christi (23-11) in the 6:40 p.m. game Tuesday at UD Arena. The winner earns the No. 16 seed into the Midwest region and advances to play No. 1 Kansas Thursday night in Fort Worth.
“We were 0-7, the guys hadn’t lost their way,” Jones said. “They were still extremely focused throughout the year. We end up knocking off a top-20 team in Florida at their place. And that let them know at the time that the guys were still in a good place at the end of the day. So that was not long after that we’re starting to get into conference play. But I learned a long time ago just from church, one of my pastors used the term, ‘Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. And as long as you’re learning you never lose.’
“So we did a lot of learning at the beginning of the year. And so we’re fortunate to stay locked in and focus on the big picture and getting ready. And we’re fortunate to be sitting here today.”
Senior forward Brison Gresham said “pride kicked in” and the players were just “tired of losing.” Senior forward Joirdon Karl Nicholas felt like everything just clicked in the game against Florida.
“Everybody knows we started, like, 0-7, and a lot of that was just us learning each other, I would like to say,” Nicholas said. “So it helps because, like, you go 0-7 and then you beat a ranked 20 team, Florida. And it just shows you, like, all right, we can compete, it’s not a fluke. Everything we’ve been working together is coming together. That win did help us because after that we went on a nice little run and we just started to feel ourselves a little bit more.”
Aside from that focus, Jones credited the turnaround to an experienced and balanced roster, which KenPom.com ranks as the third oldest in college basketball.
Texas Southern didn’t have any All-SWAC players, no one averages in double digits for scoring but nine players average 12 minutes or more and 10 players average 4.6 points or more, including senior forward John Walker (9.9 points), Nicholas (9.2 points), senior guard Bryson Etienne (8.5 points), junior guard PJ Henry (8.3 points) and Gresham (7.2 points).
Most of those guys were on last year’s tournament team but Gresham brought the experience of starting 19 games for Houston’s Final Four team last year before transferring in to finish his last year of eligibility with the Tigers.
“The main difference, I think, with this basketball team, we had a couple of pieces that we lost from last year’s team and one of our starters, but we feel like we gained, through the transfer market, one of those guys in Brison Gresham,” Jones said. “… He’s with us now as a post guy at 6-feet, 9 inches and unbelievable size and strength. That’s what we were lacking, I think, against a good Michigan team -- I think No. 1 seed Michigan team a year ago -- our inside play, to be able to battle with those guys. I think our inside presence that we have would be the big difference from a year ago to this year’s team, which is a strong positive for us.”
The Tigers are hoping the experience winning a First Four game last year pays off in front of a crowd at UD Arena.
“It helps because when you’re in a dogfight or you’re coming from behind, we’re not giving up,” Nicholas said. “We have a lot of leadership. So we can hold each other accountable. So it helps us in the long run, for sure.”
Added Gresham, “I think the experience helps us a lot because it’s 68 teams, and I feel like a lot of people don’t understand how hard it is to win a game, especially in March Madness. I think all the experience we have right now it’s a favor in our hands.”
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