Preview: Jackson State Tigers at Texas Southern Tigers

HOUSTON (Interstat) — A pair of teams seeking momentum for the SWAC tournament will meet Saturday when the Texas Southern Tigers host the Jackson State Tigers at Health & P.E. Arena.

Both teams enter the regular-season matchup with sub-.500 overall records. Texas Southern (10-16) holds a slim edge in the standings over Jackson State (9-18). The visiting Tigers from Jackson State won the first meeting this season, 94-89, in Mississippi on Jan. 19.

Jackson State looks to bounce back from an 83-65 road loss at Alcorn State last Saturday. In that game, Daeshun Ruffin led the team with 21 points. A key player to watch is Dionjahe Thomas, who has been a recent force defensively. Thomas scored 14 points with five rebounds and four blocks against Alcorn State, following an 11-point, nine-rebound performance in a win over Florida A&M on Feb. 14.

Texas Southern is also coming off a narrow defeat, falling 72-71 at Mississippi Valley State last Saturday. Duane Posey led the team with 17 points in that contest. Posey has been a consistent scorer lately, also posting 17 points in the loss at Mississippi Valley State and seven points in a road win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 19.

The game features two of the conference’s more unpredictable teams. Jackson State has shown a high ceiling, scoring 97 points in a win at Mississippi Valley State this month, but also suffered an 84-63 loss at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Texas Southern has similarly mixed impressive wins, like a 74-73 victory over Southern, with close losses.

With the SWAC tournament on the horizon, securing a winning streak is critical for both programs. The season series will be decided in Houston, where Texas Southern will aim to defend its home court and split the head-to-head matchup.

Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Houston.