Texas Southern Teaser

Texas Southern first appeared on the CU radar in 2010, but they're best remembered for coming up to Boulder for the first round of the 2011 NIT.  Apparently, Coach Boyle enjoyed toying with the SWAC minnows, as he's had them back to Boulder each of the last two seasons.  Despite some solid in-conference success, they've rarely managed to trouble non-conference opponents (they've only won eightnine non-conference games against D-1 opponents since the start of the '04-'05 season), and I would expect no less tonight.

Tip off is set for 7:30PM, with television coverage on Pac-12 Networks, and radio coverage on 760AM.

That first meeting in March of 2011 was made at a high point in the program's history.  TSU was making their first post-season appearance since 2003, and were in the middle of a three-year run which saw them win 39 conference games and a regular season SWAC title under then-head coach Tony Harvey.  Then, shit got weird.

Cory Higgins and the gang had little difficulty with the Tigers in '11.  From: the BDC

Towards the end of the '12 season, two former players were accused of robbing Coach Harvey of over $500,000 in jewelry.  Increasing the bizarre factor, Harvey, seemingly in control of a strong TSU program, up and resigned in the middle of the offseason.  Everyone following the situation (read: no one) was scratching their heads until it was announced that the basketball program was swept up in a recruiting violations scandal with the football program.  The result of the scandal, which included "booster-related recruiting violations, academic improprieties, the use of ineligible athletes and exceeding scholarship limits," saw the hoops program banned from the '12-'13 post-season, and docked numerous scholarships.  Due to TSU's status as a "double-repeat violator" the "death penalty" was even considered.

Yeesh.

Into that cauldron of crap steps former Indiana Hoosiers head man Mike Davis.  Not technically the "head coach," with an interim tag applied so that he can still collect a paycheck from UAB (they fired him after the '11-'12 campaign), Coach Davis has spent the last decade falling from the college basketball's pinnacle to it's basement.  In 2002, he lead Indiana to the national title game before losing to Maryland.  Since then, he's been forced out at Indiana for not living up to their blue-blood standards, fired from UAB despite four-consecutive 20-win seasons (the AD whined about declining ticket sales), and signed on to a scandal-ridden program in one of the nation's worst leagues.

Coach Davis' net-cutting days may be behind him.

Yeesh. 

Needless to say, there isn't much positive to say about the Tigers.  There's still some talent on the team, but it's all relative when talking about a member of the SWAC, a league known for producing pauper king champions who almost always wind up in the play-in game.  Key players are 5-9 senior guard Omar Strong (a prolific heaver of 3-point shots), and 6-7 senior forward Fred Sturdivant (a decent defender and shot blocker).

TSU is usually a non-conferece patsy.

Let's be honest: the #19 Buffs should walk away with this one.  If the Tigers are anywhere close this evening, it'll be because CU is sleep walking.  I don't expect Coach Boyle will let that happen.  Maybe a couple of frustrating moments early, but the Buffs away before halftime, and cruise in the second frame.

CU 85 - TSU 62

GO BUFFS!  BEAT THE TIGERS!