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Knights Storm Back, Topple Philander Smith in Semifinals

Knights Storm Back, Topple Philander Smith in Semifinals
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February 28, 2026

2026 HOPE CREDIT UNION HBCUAC BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

SEMIFINALS  |  GAME RECAP  |  FEBRUARY 28, 2026

KNIGHTS STORM BACK

SUNO erases 17-point swing, ends Philander Smith's season in semifinals

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

SUNO KNIGHTS

FINAL

PHILANDER SMITH

82

–

70

W | 16-13

 

L | 18-9

 

01 — GAME STORY

The Knights Make History

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. [February 28, 2026]— Down by five in the second half and staring at an early exit, the Southern University at New Orleans men's basketball team did what this program has been building toward all season: it fought back. The No. 4 seed out of the West knocked off No. 2 seed Philander Smith University 82-70 on Saturday, completing a stunning comeback to advance to the HBCUAC Championship Game for the first time since 2012.

The Knights trailed by as many as six points in the second half, a stunning reversal from a game in which they led by as many as 14 in the first half. A 17-point swing by the Panthers — from down 12 to up 5 — had the momentum squarely in Philander Smith's corner heading into the second half and beyond. But SUNO never wavered. With unselfish play, relentless pressure defense, and timely shooting down the stretch, the Knights reclaimed the lead and never surrendered it again.

With the victory, SUNO improves to 16-13 on the season — the program's most wins since the 2013-14 campaign, the very year Head Coach Matthews arrived at the university as a volunteer. The win also guarantees SUNO a spot in the NAIA National Tournament, as the HBCUAC sends both the champion and the runner-up to the national field. No matter what happens in the championship game, the Knights have already made history.

SUNO's formula was on display all night. The Knights dished out 18 assists on 29 made field goals compared to just 8 for the Panthers — a staggering differential that reflected a team playing for each other, not for individual stats. They shot 50.9% from the field for the game and a scorching 59.3% in the second half, tightening up as the moment grew biggest.

Philander Smith, which entered the game 18-8 on the season and carried the advantage of a higher seed, was held to just 33.3% shooting in the second half. The Panthers were never able to contain SUNO's interior duo and could not match the Knights' ball movement or composure when it mattered most.

 

02 — GAME STATISTICS

By the Numbers

Bold values indicate the team with the edge in each category.

SUNO

GAME STAT

PHILANDER SMITH

82

Final Score

70

29-57

FG (Made-Att)

25-63

50.9%

Field Goal%

39.7%

36.8%

3-Point%

31.8%

85.0%

Free Throw%

61.9%

38

Rebounds

36

18

Assists

8

13

Turnovers

12

6

Steals

8

36

Points in Paint

28

17

Bench Points

15

7

2nd Chance Pts

12

14

Largest Lead

6

 

03 — KEY PERFORMERS

How They Won It

#04  JERMAINE LAWRENCE

17 PTS | 11 REB | 4 AST | 1-2 3PT

Lawrence was the engine of the comeback. He went 5-of-6 from the field in the second half alone, including the and-one layup at the 8:11 mark that put SUNO ahead for good at 59-57. He finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, dominating both ends of the floor and consistently finding open teammates with 4 assists.

#15  DORIAN BOOKER

15 PTS | 8 REB | 2 AST | 7-7 FG

Booker was flawless. A perfect 7-of-7 from the field, every shot he attempted went in. He made critical baskets in the closing stretch — including a jumper off a Lawrence assist at 6:17 that pushed the lead to 61-57 and a layup with 41 seconds left to seal it. His 8 rebounds anchored the defensive glass.

 

#10  DONTE BRIGGS

16 PTS | 4-7 3PT | 3 AST | 4 REB

Briggs provided the outside firepower SUNO needed. He knocked down four three-pointers, including back-to-back triples in the first half that pushed the lead to 23-9. His dagger 3-pointer at the 3:44 mark — with SUNO leading 63-61 — effectively broke the game open at 66-61 and sent Philander Smith into desperation mode.

#13  TYNERION JACKSON

12 PTS | 3 REB | 2 AST (off bench)

Jackson gave SUNO a massive lift off the bench. His tip-in at 15:23 in the first half sparked the early 23-9 run, and his jump shot assisted by Lawrence at 12:22 of the second half trimmed the Panthers' lead to one at 48-49, igniting the final charge. Jackson played 22 efficient minutes and made every one count.

 

04 — TURNING POINTS

How the Game Unfolded

1. SUNO BUILDS A 14-POINT FIRST-HALF LEAD

The Knights erupted out of the gate. Back-to-back Donte Briggs 3-pointers at 12:47 and 10:29, followed by a Caleb Williams triple assisted by Jackson at 9:40, pushed the lead to 23-9. The Panthers called three first-half timeouts trying to stop the bleeding. At its peak, SUNO led 23-9 — a 14-point cushion that had Philander Smith on its heels.

2. PHILANDER SMITH'S 17-POINT SWING

The Panthers went on a ferocious late first-half run, fueled by Jaxon Hampton's and-one layup at 8:34 and a 3-pointer at 8:20, plus Raymond Reece's relentless offensive rebounding. From the 9:05 media timeout to the halftime buzzer, Philander Smith outscored SUNO 27-11 to take a 36-34 halftime lead. The entire dynamic of the game had flipped.

3. LAWRENCE'S AND-ONE RECLAIMS THE LEAD

With SUNO trailing 57-56 and the season on the line, Jaylon Hicks stripped the ball from Kesean Washington at the 8:13 mark and pushed it ahead to Jermaine Lawrence, who converted a go-ahead layup and drew the foul. Lawrence made the free throw for a 3-point play and a 59-57 lead. That sequence — pressure defense, a quick outlet, and a finish — was the decisive moment of the game. Philander Smith never led again.

4. BRIGGS'S 3-POINTER BREAKS IT OPEN

When Philander Smith crept back within one at 60-61 with 5:53 remaining, the Knights needed a response. Briggs delivered — first with two free throws to push the lead to 63-60, then a pull-up 3-pointer at 3:44 that made it 66-61. The Panthers' next four possessions all ended in misses, and SUNO's lead only grew from there.

5. HICKS SLAMS THE DOOR SHUT

With 17 seconds left and the game in hand at 80-70, Jaylon Hicks picked off a Hampton pass, raced the other way, and threw down a dunk to set the final score at 82-70. It was the perfect punctuation on a night defined by hustle and heart — Hicks finished with 5 steals, all of them in the second half, constantly disrupting the Panthers and triggering fast breaks.

 

WHAT'S NEXT —

"This team has been building toward this. We're not done yet."

SUNO advances to the HBCUAC Championship Game for the first time since 2012. The Knights are now 16-13 on the season — the program's most wins since 2013-14, the year Coach Matthews joined as a volunteer. The victory also locks in an automatic NAIA Tournament bid, as the conference sends both the champion and runner-up to the national field. SUNO has already made history. The championship game is next.