JAGUARS HOLD OFF TSUTIGERS; COMPLETE TEXAS SWEEP :: SU Holds off late TSU rally for a 54-48 win

	Brandon Wardlow sank five consecutive free throws to hold off Texas Southern, 54-48.

Jan. 5, 2006

Houston, TX -- The Southern University Jaguars survived a nine minute second half scoring drought, and saw a 17-point cushion whittled down to three points with minute and seventeen seconds remaining, while Brandon Wardlow made five free throws in a row to help lead the SU Jaguars past Texas Southern 54-48 for a Southwestern Athletic Conference victory Wednesday night at the H&PE Arena.

Wardlow got to the line because TSU, after pulling within 46-43 on Courtenay Brown's two free throws with 1:17 to play, called time and decided to foul instead of trying to play defense against a team in a serious offensive funk.

Chris Alexander had 11 points and Deforrest Riley-Smith 10 to lead Southern (3-9, 2-0 SWAC). Alexander has led Southern in scoring in every game but the season opener.

Sean Walker had 16 points and Brown 11 to pace TSU (2-12, 0-2), which has not beaten a Division I team this season.

Coupled with a 73-65 win Monday at Prairie View, Southern secured its first two-game conference road sweep since February 2000. The win at TSU was Southern's first since the 2000-01 season. Plus, the Jaguars have already tied their total of conference wins from all of last season (2-7).

Southern, up 26-20 at halftime, held TSU without a score for the first five minutes of the second half, with Southern building a 36-20 lead on Steffon Wiley's jumper with 16:30 left in the game.

Southern outrebounded TSU 41-30 and held the Tigers to 4-for-17 shooting (23.5 percent) in the first half.

"On defense and rebounding, we were very good tonight," first-year Southern coach Rob Spivery said. "That's what I tell the guys. Even on nights when you don't shoot the ball well, if you defend and rebound, you'll give yourself a chance to win."

Southern hosts Grambling at 8 p.m. Friday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center. The game will be televised "Live" by ESPNU. The game will also be the first this season in the FG Clark Activity Center, because the Red Cross & FEMA had used the facility as a shelter for Hurricane Katrina evacuees.