If you walked into the H&PE Arena in Houston any time over the last decade, you felt it. That specific, humming energy of a program that just expects to win. For years, the Texas Southern Tigers men’s basketball team hasn’t just played in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC); they’ve essentially owned the deed to the place.
But honestly? The 2025-26 season has felt... different.
The Tigers are currently sitting at a 3-12 overall record as of mid-January 2026. For a fan base used to seeing "Texas Southern" next to an NCAA Tournament seed almost every March, looking at a 1-3 start in conference play is a bit of a gut punch. It’s weird. It’s jarring. And it has everyone asking if the "Johnny Jones Magic" has finally hit a wall or if this is just another classic TSU slow-play before they tear through the SWAC Tournament in March.
The Johnny Jones Era: Chaos by Design?
You can't talk about the current state of the program without talking about Johnny Jones. The man is a legend in the HBCU coaching ranks, having secured his 400th career win during the 2023-24 season. Under his watch, Texas Southern became the first SWAC team to ever beat a ranked SEC opponent when they walked into Florida and stunned the No. 20 Gators in 2021.
That’s the thing about Texas Southern Tigers men’s basketball under Jones. They play a schedule that would make most mid-major coaches quit on the spot.
They basically spend November and December as "Road Warriors," taking checks and taking lumps from Power 5 schools across the country. This season was no different. They’ve been everywhere. They’ve played in front of crowds of 10,000+ while being the "guaranteed win" on someone else's homecoming schedule.
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Why the Brutal Scheduling Matters
Most people see a 3-12 record and think the team is a disaster.
That's the trap.
Jones uses these early-season beatdowns to harden his roster.
Essentially, he’s betting that losing to a Top 25 team by 20 points prepares his guys for a double-overtime battle in Grambling better than beating a Division II school by 40 would.
- The 2021-22 Season: They started 0-7. They finished in the NCAA Tournament.
- The 2022-23 Season: They had a losing record for almost the entire year, went 14-21 overall, yet still won the SWAC Tournament.
- The Current Reality: A -9.9 scoring margin and a 0-8 road record looks bad on paper, but history suggests you shouldn't bet against them yet.
Breaking Down the 2025-2026 Roster
This year's squad is a mix of battle-tested seniors and high-ceiling newcomers, but the chemistry hasn't quite bubbled over yet. Troy Hupstead has been a beast on the glass. He’s currently leading the team with 14.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. When Hupstead is on, the Tigers look like a completely different animal.
Zaire Hayes has also been a bright spot. He was a Preseason All-SWAC selection for a reason. He’s shooting a blistering 44.9% from beyond the arc. If you leave him open on the wing, he’s going to make you pay.
Then you have guys like Bryce Roberts and Alex Anderson. Anderson is particularly interesting—he’s shooting over 52% from the field. But here’s the problem: the team is averaging 15.3 turnovers a game. You simply can’t win consistently when you’re giving the ball away that much. It’s sloppy. It’s frustrating. It’s also fixable.
The Statistical Reality (So Far)
| Category | Stat |
|---|---|
| Points Per Game | 71.9 |
| Opponent PPG | 81.9 |
| Field Goal % | 43.6% |
| Free Throw % | 70.4% |
| Turnovers Per Game | 15.3 |
Honestly, the defense is what has been most uncharacteristic. In previous years, the Texas Southern Tigers men’s basketball identity was built on being a defensive nightmare. Right now, they are giving up nearly 82 points a night. That’s not Tiger basketball.
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The Rivalries: Why the SWAC is Getting Tougher
The "Big Three" in the SWAC—Texas Southern, Southern University, and Prairie View A&M—used to have a pretty clear hierarchy. Not anymore.
The rivalry with Prairie View A&M (the "Labor Day Classic" of hoops) has swung back and forth lately. Last season, the Tigers fell to the Panthers in both meetings. This year, the parity in the conference is at an all-time high.
Coach Jones even told reporters recently that this might be the best set of teams he’s seen in the SWAC since he arrived in Houston. That’s not just "coach speak." Schools like Jackson State and Bethune-Cookman are pulling in talent that used to only look at TSU.
What Most People Get Wrong About TSU
There’s a common misconception that Texas Southern just "gets lucky" in the conference tournament.
"They didn't even have a winning record!" people cry every time TSU gets a 16-seed in the Big Dance.
It’s not luck.
It’s a deliberate, months-long process of building a team that is designed to peak during a three-day window in Birmingham or Atlanta.
They don't care about the December record.
They don't care about the RPI in January.
They care about Saturday night of the SWAC Championship.
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Can They Turn It Around?
Look, 1-3 in conference play is a hole, but it’s not a grave. They just came off a massive 84-51 win against Mississippi Valley State on January 12. That game showed what happens when the Tigers actually value the ball and play defense. They held MVSU to abysmal shooting numbers and looked like the dominant force we expect.
The path forward is simple but difficult:
First, they have to fix the away-game curse. You can't be 0-8 on the road and expect to scare anyone.
Second, the rotation needs to solidify. Jones has been shuffling lineups like a deck of cards trying to find a spark.
Third, they need Duane Posey and Zytarious Mortle to find more consistency on the offensive end to take the pressure off Hupstead.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are following the Texas Southern Tigers men’s basketball team this season, keep your eyes on these specific markers:
- Watch the Turnover Margin: If the Tigers get their turnovers under 12 per game, they will win 70% of their remaining conference matchups.
- The H&PE Advantage: They are 3-4 at home but have looked significantly more comfortable there. The upcoming home stand against the Alabama schools (A&M and State) will define their season.
- Free Throw Shooting: At 70.4%, they are leaving points on the table. In close SWAC games, those 3 or 4 missed free throws are the difference between a win and a long bus ride home.
The Tigers aren't dead. They might be bruised, and they might be lower in the standings than they'd like, but history is a loud teacher. And history says that in February, nobody wants to see Texas Southern on their schedule.
Don't count the Tigers out until the final whistle in March. They've made a habit of proving the doubters wrong, and despite the rocky start, the talent is there to do it again.
Next Steps to Track the Tigers:
To stay ahead of the curve on the Tigers' season, you should monitor the SWAC digital network for live broadcasts of their upcoming road trip. Additionally, checking the NCAA NET rankings every Tuesday will show if their strength of schedule is actually helping their post-season resume as much as it has in previous years.