Texas Southern Led By Taliyah Logwood Fends Off Pesky Mississippi Valley State

Texas Southern used balanced scoring and first-half control to hold off Mississippi Valley State in SWAC women’s basketball action.

Vernette Skeete Coaching From The Sidelines At TSU vs PVAMU | Credit: Kyle T. Mosley, HBCU Legends

HOUSTON — Texas Southern used a dominant first half and balanced scoring to hold off a late Mississippi Valley State push for a 72–62 home win Thursday in Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball at H&PE Arena.

Taliyah Logwood scored a game-high 17 points to pace three Lady Tigers in double figures as Texas Southern improved to 5–9 overall and 2–1 in SWAC play. Mississippi Valley State fell to 2–11 and 1–2 in conference action.

“I give God the glory that we won,” Texas Southern coach Vernette Skette said postgame. “Still early, we’re battling a lot of injuries and illnesses. We must get healthy and keep battling through. I thought the kids stepped up and played hard without having a lot of reps. We have to keep working to get better.”

Coach Vernette Skeete | TSU Athletics

Texas Southern built early separation behind strong rebounding and perimeter shooting, taking a 34–25 lead into halftime. The Lady Tigers maintained control for most of the afternoon, leading for more than 33 minutes and pushing the margin to as many as 12 points.

Mississippi Valley State made things interesting late, trimming the deficit to single digits before the final minutes. The Devilettes also surged on the glass down the stretch, nearly erasing Texas Southern’s rebounding advantage.

But the Lady Tigers closed the door with timely baskets. Logwood, Malaya LeSueur, and Jordyn Marshall combined for key scores in the final stretch, capped by a LeSueur layup with 13 seconds remaining that sealed the outcome.

TSU Women's Basketball Team - 2026 | TSU Athletics

LeSueur finished with 16 points, while Marshall added 15, including three 3-pointers. Texas Southern knocked down nine treys on the afternoon, helping offset Mississippi Valley State’s second-chance opportunities.

Texas Southern senior point guard Aaliyah Henderson played just six minutes before suffering an injury that sidelined her for the remainder of the game. Despite not having a full roster, the Lady Tigers leaned on depth and experience to secure a valuable conference win.

Sydnei Marshall led Mississippi Valley State with 15 points, while Nairobi Lewis added 11, and Desiree Smith scored eight.

Texas Southern finished with a narrow edge in total rebounds, 48–43, and shot slightly better from the field. The Lady Tigers also capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 21 of 32 attempts.

TSU Women's Basketball Team - 2026 | TSU Athletics

Scoring by quarter

Mississippi Valley State: 15, 10, 17, 20 — 62

Texas Southern: 20, 14, 17, 21 — 72

Team leaders

Texas Southern: Logwood 17, LeSueur 16, Marshall 15

Mississippi Valley State: Sydnei Marshall 15, Lewis 11, Smith 8

The win provides an early confidence boost for Texas Southern as it navigates conference play amid injuries, while Mississippi Valley State continues to search for consistency after showing late resilience on the road.

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