Preview: Texas Southern Tigers at Prairie View Panthers

HEMPSTEAD, Texas (Interstat) — A pair of SWAC rivals seeking momentum will meet Saturday when the Prairie View Panthers host the Texas Southern Tigers at William Nicks Building.

The Tigers (6-13) enter on a high note after a dominant 96-64 victory over Alabama State on Tuesday. Texas Southern has shown flashes, winning three of its last five conference games after a slow start. Forward Troy Hupstead has been a consistent force, averaging a double-double over his last seven games. He is coming off a 16-rebound performance against Alabama State.

The Panthers (8-13) look to halt a four-game skid, most recently a 60-80 home loss to Alabama A&M. Despite the team’s struggles, guard Dontae Horne has been a prolific scorer, averaging 26.4 points over his last five contests. He poured in 38 points in a narrow loss to Jackson State on Jan. 17.

This matchup pits Texas Southern’s recent interior presence, led by Hupstead, against Prairie View’s perimeter scoring, anchored by Horne. The Tigers won the first meeting last season, but the Panthers hold a slight edge in the overall series in recent years.

Both teams have struggled outside of conference play but remain in the mix within the SWAC standings. A win is crucial for either side to build confidence for the final stretch of the regular season.

Saturday’s game will be the only scheduled meeting between the programs this season, though they are slated for a rematch at Texas Southern on March 5.