Courtesy of Southern University Sports
Southern University edged Florida A&M 73-70 on Monday night at the Al Lawson Center, securing at least a share of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) regular-season title. The Jaguars improved to 19-10 overall and 14-2 in conference play, capping off a season defined by resilience and steady improvement.
Southern built a 10-point halftime lead behind the sharpshooting of Jordan Johnson, who finished with 17 points, knocking down five three-pointers. The Rattlers, however, mounted a furious second-half rally, fueled by Sterling Young’s 20-point effort. The game saw six ties and 11 lead changes, but key buckets from Michael Jacobs and clutch free throws from Cam Amboree in the final seconds sealed the win for the Jaguars.
Southern’s season has been a story of perseverance. The Jaguars navigated a challenging non-conference schedule, taking tough losses to Iowa, Texas A&M, and Nebraska before hitting their stride in SWAC play. They remained undefeated at home (10-0) and put together signature road wins, including a hard-fought victory at Grambling State.
With two games remaining, Southern University looks to lock up the outright SWAC title and build momentum for the conference tournament in Atlanta. A deep tournament run could punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.
The Jaguars will now turn their focus to their final regular-season home games against Alabama State and Alabama A&M. If they win out, they’ll secure the No. 1 seed in the SWAC Tournament and cement themselves as the team to beat.