AVALON, Miss. (Interstat) — In a season defined by struggle, Mississippi Valley State found a moment of triumph in the final seconds. Michael James converted a steal into a game-winning layup with four seconds remaining Saturday, lifting the Delta Devils to a stunning 72-71 victory over Texas Southern in a Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s basketball game at a raucous LeFlore County Civic Center.

The win, just the second of the season for Mississippi Valley State against 26 losses, snapped a 10-game skid and came in dramatic fashion against a Tigers team that had won three straight and was a overwhelming favorite. Texas Southern fell to 10-16.

The game’s decisive sequence unfolded after Texas Southern, trailing by one, inbounded the ball with under 10 seconds to play. A pass intended for Bryce Roberts was deflected and stolen by James near midcourt. The 6-foot-1 guard from Byhalia, Mississippi, raced uncontested to the rim for a layup that put the Delta Devils ahead 72-71 with four ticks on the clock.

Texas Southern’s ensuing desperation attempt failed to produce a shot, sealing a heartbreaking loss after the Tigers had fought back from a 10-point second-half deficit.

James was the catalyst throughout, finishing with a game-high 24 points in 40 minutes, including the final four points of the contest. His performance overshadowed a strong outing from Texas Southern’s Duane Posey, who had 17 points and several key offensive rebounds.

The contest was a tense, back-and-forth affair characterized by physical defense and offensive struggles. Both teams shot under 48% from the field and combined for just nine made three-pointers on 32 attempts. Mississippi Valley State held a slim edge in efficiency, scoring 72 points on 70 possessions compared to Texas Southern’s 71 on 68 trips, but the Tigers dominated inside with a 38-30 advantage in paint points.

The Delta Devils compensated with a 17-11 edge in fastbreak points and forced 10 Texas Southern turnovers, converting them into 16 points. The final, and most critical, of those takeaways was authored by James.

Texas Southern led 34-36 at halftime but saw Mississippi Valley State build its largest lead at 58-48 midway through the second half following a 10-0 run fueled by James and Daniel Mayfield. The Tigers responded with a 12-3 spurt of their own, keyed by Alex Anderson and Posey, to close the gap. Anderson finished with 15 points for Texas Southern.

Mayfield provided crucial support for Mississippi Valley State with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Xzayvion Childress added 11 points and five assists. Jordan Gorecki anchored the Texas Southern defense with four blocked shots.

The victory was a monumental one for a Mississippi Valley State program that entered the game with the worst record in Division I and had lost to Texas Southern by 33 points just over a month ago. The Delta Devils showed resilience, particularly down the stretch, to secure a result that defied the statistical projections, which gave them less than a 5% chance to win.

For Texas Southern, the loss was a significant setback in SWAC play, halting positive momentum as the regular season enters its final weeks. The Tigers will look to regroup before hosting Alcorn State on Thursday.

Mississippi Valley State, meanwhile, will carry the momentum of its most significant win of the season into a road contest at Grambling on Monday. The announced attendance was 1,012.