Texas Southern Basketball has a history of pulling off upsets and did so again versus a top-25 Florida Gator squad.
For the first time since the AP poll era began in 1936, a men’s SWAC school beat an SEC opponent. In this case, the Texas Southern Tigers defeated the No. 20 Florida Gators in Gainesville.
Texas Southern is the first SWAC program to defeat a ranked SEC program in the AP Poll Era (Since 1936); Ranked SEC teams entered 51-0 vs SWAC opponents. pic.twitter.com/rgZcSLQh9t
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 7, 2021
In a game where the Gators had a 94.9% win probability, no one was expecting the winless Tigers to come out swinging. After leading Florida 35-25 at the half, the Tigers suddenly took away momentum from Gators and it was all up from there. Here are a few takeaways from the exhilarating and historical upset.
1. PJ Henry is a certified bucket
If you haven’t been paying attention to the Tigers, now is a great time to tune in and watch Henry absolutely dominate the game. He played in a reserve role, being the first person off the bench, which helped provide a spark that Texas Southern desperately needed.
Henry was the driving force behind TSU’s success. He finished with a stat line of 16 points and three assists and shot 50% from the field.
The decision by Coach Jones to implement Henry off the bench might’ve turned some heads but it clearly worked out.
2. TSU played stellar defense
The box score can only say so much about how a defense played. The Tigers didn’t light up the Gators with an immense amount of steals and blocks. They only had a total of four per category. What doesn’t show up is the number of hustle plays and ball deflections that interrupted the flow of Florida’s offense.
Probably the most impactful part of their defense that shows up on the box score was rebounding.
TSU recorded 36 rebounds compared to Florida’s 20. Everyone knows that when you get out-rebounded, the odds of winning are not in your favor. The Tigers out-rebounding the Gators by 16 helped secure this win.
3. Don’t ever underestimate the power of bench players
I already talked about Henry’s impact off the bench so it’s time to give recognition to the most efficient shooter of the night, Joirdon Karl Nicholas.
In just 18 minutes of playtime, he recorded 14 points on 100% shooting, four rebounds, and two blocks.
His 18 efficiency was second on the team behind John Walker III’s 21. Nicholas was another key reason TSU was successful last night. His spark off the bench was unmatched. Another great rotation decision by Coach Jones.
4. Walker III has showed out this season
Even with the Tigers’ slow start to the season, Walker’s play never suffered. Last night was no different.
He posted a stat line of 13 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks. His impact on the season, currently averaging 12.6 points and 5.4 rebounds on the season, helped lead the Tigers to this win. Walker has been reliable throughout the season and last night was no exception.