HOUSTON (SWAC) – No. 2 seed Texas Southern advanced to the semifinal round of the SWAC Women’s Basketball Tournament, downing cross-town rival Prairie View A&M TBA at TSU’s HPE Arena.
The no. 7 seed Lady Panthers (13-18) were unable to sustain a strong start, as PVAMU opened the game on a 12-4 run. Texas Southern began to pull away in the second quarter as Joyce Kennerson and Breasia McElrath keyed a 15-0 scoring start to the frame for the Lady Tigers that supplemented a stretch of 24 unanswered points by the Lady Tigers. Ultimately, Prairie View turned in consecutive quarters of single-digit scoring as Texas Southern ultimately built a 47-27 lead entering the final quarter; an advantage that held firm down the stretch of the contest.
Kennerson led Texas Southern (21-9) with 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting, one shy of tying her career high. McElrathe added 16 points and eight rebounds.
Prairie View shot just 27.6 percent from the floor. La’Sha Hayes scored 11 to lead all Lady Panthers. TSU will face #3 Alabama State in the semifinals.