Texas Southern Basketball: Can the Tigers make the NCAA Tournament?

HOUSTON, Texas -- The SWAC is statistically one of the worst conferences in college basketball. The conference does not have much money, so the conference is forced to spend most of their early season on the road, playing against high-major teams, usually for a high payout. The SWAC typically has a tournament team with a losing record and those teams are always highly overmatched. For this season, Texas Southern is the squad that has been beaten up on the most in non-conference.

Texas Southern is usually the best team in the SWAC and has the best talent in this league despite their record. Head coach Mike Davis has built this program using transfers. Davis is the former head coach at Indiana University and he has found his niche at Texas Southern by giving players who have a troubled past a fresh start.

To date, Texas Southern has played the toughest schedule in the country. The Tigers currently sit at 0-13 and are still projected to make the NCAA Tournament. If Texas Southern does make the NCAA tournament that would rival one of the worst starts of all-time to make the Big Dance. The Tigers may not have a win on the ledger yet but with their schedule, they are going to be battle-tested and ready for the SWAC conference.

The Tigers have the SWAC player of the year on their team in Demontrae Jefferson. He is an elite scorer in this league and never leaves the floor for the Tigers. Jefferson is shooting 42% from the floor, 42% from the three and 80% from the free throw line. Jefferson is the best overall player in the SWAC and, barring a miracle, will win the player of the year going away.



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