Texas Southern Tigers Poised, Confident Before Clash With Fairleigh Dickinson Knights

The Texas Southern Tigers are confident and poised ahead of meeting the Farleigh Dickinson Knights in the 2023 NCAA First Four game on Wednesday, March 15.

HOUSTON — The Texas Southern Tigers (14-20) adopted a new slogan, "We started at the bottom, but we're here," when head coach Johnny Jones shared it during the team's NCAA Watch Party at Kulture Restaurant in Houston, TX. At Tuesday's press conference, the coach and players seemed calm, cool, and collected ahead of Wednesday's NCAA First Four battle with No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson (19-15).

March 14, 2023; Coach Johnny Jones at Texas Southern's First Four Press Conference in Dayton, Ohio.  Credit: NCAA

I had seen the players field questions from the media before but was proud of how poised they were handling the Q&A session like ol' veterans. Well, that's precisely what they are at this stage.  

TSU team members PJ Henry, John Walker III, Joirdon Karl Nicholas, and Devon Barnes represented the team well. It's the Tigers' third-straight trip to the NCAA First Four game, hoping to advance for a shot at No. 1 Purdue.

The players felt that their demanding non-conference schedule and wins had prepared them for this moment. Especially the 67-66 win over the Pac-12's Arizona State on Nov. 13, 2022. "I feel like it was a great win for us because to have managed a team like that, Arizona State," Devon Barnes said. "It was a good game, good win. We played as a team, and we fought hard."

Joirdon Karl Nicholas added, "I feel like it was big because it was able to show the world that we can compete on that level and on that stage."

March 14, 2023; Texas Southern basketball team players (l. to r. - PJ Henry, Joirdon Karl Nicholas, John Walker III, and Devon Barnes) answering questions from the media at the NCAA First Four Press Conference in Dayton, Ohio. Credit: NCAA

Representing Texas Southern and HBCU basketball is about pride and honor for the student-athletes and coach. "Just coming from such a historic university like Texas Southern, to be able to stay on par with the legacy that they left in all aspects of the university, to carry it over to the athletic world and the basketball court, I think, just speaks volumes to what's going on in Houston," John Walker III remarked.

Coach Jones stated, "Well, anytime that you can get at this level and on this type of a platform and having an opportunity to compete at the highest level in this venue in a tournament like this, it's the greatest show, I think, on earth. When you start talking about March Madness, and obviously, to survive and advance is always the key, and to have an opportunity to do that, I think, would speak volumes really about our league. We have a tremendous league. The SWAC is outstanding."

Ansley Almonor (center-left) and other members of the Fairleigh Dickinson University Basketball team are shown as they learn they will play Texas Southern in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Sunday, March 12, 2023; Teaneck, New Jersey, United States; Fdu Watchparty

The Tigers have another formidable opponent in the Knights, who play a high-tempo and wide-open style of basketball. Nevertheless, the players are confident about handling Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday night. TSU's floor general PJ Walker told HBCU Legends, "We've all got confidence in each other. We've all been playing together for a long time, but it starts with Coach Jones, too. Coach Jones tells us every day in practice and after games that we're 'Them Dudes.' So it starts with Coach, and he gives us confidence and lets us know who we are."

SI Sportsbook has No. 16 Texas Southern Tigers as a 2.5-point favorite over the No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson Knights. HBCU Legends likes the spread and will give the Tigers a five-point advantage to advance and meet the No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA first round.

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