Texas Southern Defense Smothers Florida A&M During 2nd Half In SWAC Road Win

Tigers turn up second‑half pressure to force 21 turnovers and steal a key SWAC matchup in Tallahassee.

Texas Southern Tigers Basketball Team - 2026 | Credit: Kyle T. Mosley, HBCU Legends

Texas Southern (5-5 SWAC) pulled off a 62–57 road win over Florida A&M (5-5 SWAC) on Saturday in Tallahassee, thanks to a strong second half and a big game from forward Troy Hupstead, who finished with 24 points and 9 rebounds.

Texas Southern, now 7–14 overall, jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead, but Florida A&M came back to lead 31-30 at halftime. The Tigers then outscored the Rattlers 32–26 in the second half to secure the 62–57 win. Florida A&M, now 8–13, led by as many as 10 points before Texas Southern’s defense and late free throws turned the game around in the last eight minutes.

Turning Point and Implications

The key moment came late in the second half when Roberts made two straight three-pointers, putting Texas Southern ahead 59–50 and quieting the Lawson Center crowd on SWAC TV.  The Tigers got key defensive stops, strong rebounding from Hupstead, and clutch free throws from Duane Posey to finish off the 62–57 win.

This win is an important SWAC road result for Texas Southern as they try to move up in the league standings in February. Florida A&M, with Octave and Baker both scoring in double figures and controlling the boards, will see missed chances in points in the paint and just 28% shooting from three as key factors in this close HBCU matchup.

Texas Southern Standouts

Troy Hupstead led Texas Southern with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three, and grabbed 9 rebounds in 35 minutes. Guard Bryce Roberts added 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, hitting 3-of-4 from Downtown Tallahassee, with his last three-pointer at the 4:25 mark. Guard Jaylen Wysinger contributed 11 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals, leading TSU in both playmaking and defense.

Texas Southern shot 44.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range.  The Tigers also made 8 of 10 free throws and forced 16 Florida A&M turnovers.

Florida A&M Leaders

Micah Octave kept Florida A&M close with 18 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 6-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from three in 34 minutes. Guard Antonio Baker had 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 steals, but was 0-of-2 from beyond the arc as the Rattlers struggled from outside. Kaleb Washington finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, but forward Miles Ndalama was held scoreless.

Florida A&M shot 33.3 percent from the field and 28 percent from three-point range, making 14 of 21 free throws, but had 16 turnovers that stopped several fastbreak chances. The Rattlers could not get past Texas Southern’s defense and late-game execution.

Team Stats Snapshot

• Rebounds: FAMU 38, Texas Southern 33.
• Turnovers: FAMU 16, Texas Southern 15.
• Field goals: TSU 24‑of‑54 (44.4 percent), FAMU 18‑of‑54 (33.3 percent).
• Three‑pointers: TSU 6‑of‑15 (40.0 percent), FAMU 7‑of‑25 (28.0 percent).
• Free throws: TSU 8‑of‑10 (80.0 percent), FAMU 14‑of‑21 (66.7 percent).

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What's Next?

Texas Southern will travel to face the top team in the SWAC, Bethune-Cookman, on Monday, Feb. 9.

Florida A&M plans to host Prairie View A&M in Tallahassee on Monday, Feb. 9.

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