Texas Southern's Kolby Granger Evolving Into Scoring Option As Tigers Defeat Golden Lions

The redshirt junior is starting to catch the attention of opposing defenses for Texas Southern.

Kolby Granger's Double-Double Versus UAPB | CREDIT: TSU Athletics, Andrew McCray

HOUSTON - As the regular season winds down and the SWAC Men's Basketball Tournament approaches, Texas Southern may have another player evolving as a scoring option for the Tigers.

Starting forward Kolby Granger led Texas Southern to an impressive 81-56 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday night. The redshirt junior showcased a standout performance of 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Monday night's performance was his sixth game of the season in double figures.

"I was feeding off the team's energy," Granger said. "Everybody was talking. Everybody's communicating. He was getting steals. Like I said, everybody was getting shots. So once the team energy boosted up, my energy boosted up."

With the victory the Tigers improved their record to 13-15 and 10-5 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), while UAPB dropped to 5-23 (2-13 SWAC).

Granger Evolving As The Season Progresses

Granger achieved his first double-double of the season, shooting efficiently and anchoring the Tigers' defense. His 11 rebounds marked a career-high, and he also contributed two assists and a steal in 39 minutes of play.  

The Tigers' offense thrived under his leadership, making 12 three-pointers—their highest total since 2018—which helped them pull away decisively.

Supporting Cast Steps Up

Kehlin Farooq added a season-high 19 points, six rebounds, and four assists, helping Texas Southern build an early 11-0 lead. Zaire Hayes also had a solid game, scoring 16 points and continuing his consistent scoring in SWAC play.  

"We're already prepared just to stay focused and keep doing what we're doing," Farooq explained. "We're not too worried about what's going on outside the court. Just focus on what Coach Jones is telling us to do.

The Tigers' defense was aggressive, forcing 14 turnovers and holding UAPB to just 33.3% shooting in the first half, effectively stifling any comeback attempts.

Game Breakdown  

Texas Southern extended their lead with a 16-6 run to close the first half, taking a 36-23 advantage.

Granger came out of halftime on fire. He scored 11 points within the first five minutes of the second half, igniting a 16-7 run that pushed the lead to 52-32.

UAPB's Kyle Brown, who scored 13 points, and Doctor Bradley, who contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, fought hard but could not match TSU's three-point shooting.

What's Next

Texas Southern will visit Jackson State on Saturday, Feb. 29, for its final regular-season road game. Meanwhile, Arkansas-Pine Bluff will look to end a four-game losing streak when they host Alcorn State on Mar. 1.

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