This Texas Southern team playing in the first round of the men's NCAA Tournament may have 20 losses but they deserve to be here, writes DamonSayles. Putting a 14-20 team (that's not a typo) in the field of 68 is madness. And that's exactly what this is.
will get a lot of the “why” questions for the next few hours. You would, too, if your record looked like it was flipped on its head. The Tigers are 14-20 on the season … no, that’s not a typo.Texas Southern won the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament Saturday in Birmingham, Ala. Shocker? For some, maybe. But for those who have been paying attention, it’s what the program does. Texas Southern finds a way to make the big dance — and stay a little longer than other teams.
The Tigers have won three straight SWAC tournament titles under head coach Johnny Jones. The last two years, the Tigers also have won their First Four matchups. Last season, Texas Southern lost its Round-of-64 game to Kansas — which ultimately won the national championship. This year’s Texas Southern team deserves a round of applause in an unorthodox light. Making the tournament with only 14 wins may feel off, but if you think people won’t pay attention for that reason alone, you haven’t been watching this tournament long enough.
The Tigers define “March Madness.” They are “expect the unexpected.” They entered last week’s SWAC tournament as an eighth seed. Them still playing meaningful games after conference championship weekend is proof that you never know what you’re going to get with this team. That’s why Texas Southern will be on my TV Wednesday night when they face Fairleigh Dickinson in a First Four matchup in Dayton, Ohio. It’s the intrigue of the unknown in a sport that’s well known for delivering random results.“I can say this one is special,” Jones saidin the SWAC tournament championship game over Grambling.
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