March 5, 2006
Chris Alexander scored 27 points to lead Southern to a 89-64
thrashing of Texas Southern on "Senior Day", at the F.G. Clark Activity
Center.
All five seniors scored as the Jaguars (16-12, 15-3 SWAC) notched
its largest margin of victory this season.
Center Jerrid Campbell added 12 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high
seven assists. Forward Peter Cipriano had 11 points and nine rebounds. Forward
Alvin Mott had seven of his 10 points and eight rebounds, and guard Brandon
Wardlow scored nine points and tied a career high with five assists.
Meanwhile, no player from TSU (8-22, 6-12 SWAC) reached double
figures in scoring, with the Jaguars holding the Tigers to 29.9-percent shooting
and a mere seven assists and outrebounding them by 25, 59-34.
The victory secured Southern's first winning season since
1999-2000 and gave the program its most conference wins in a single season in
school history.
Southern's first regular-season conference title since
1989-90 also guarantees the school its first postseason berth since 1993, when
the Jaguars upset Georgia Tech in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
"This was the way I wanted to go out, as a champion,"
Cipriano said.
"I came in here (five years ago) and we were losing in
my first three years. We'll always be remembered as the first SWAC champions
in 16 years."
SU is guaranteed at least a spot in the National Invitation
Tournament, which the Jaguars last went to in 1990.
"We can't celebrate too much," Spivery said.
"I want to make sure we bring the other one home next Saturday."
The Jaguars play Alcorn State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the
quarterfinals of the SWAC Tournament, at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, Ala.
