Prairie View A&M needed a response — and got it in the only place that matters: the closing stretch.

The Panthers (9-13) erased a halftime deficit and pulled away late to beat Texas Southern (6-14) 85-78 on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at TBD. Prairie View turned a 41-40 halftime hole into a seven-point win by winning the second half 45-37.

How it happened

Texas Southern carried a slim edge into the break, leading 41-40 after a back-and-forth first half. But Prairie View’s offense found another gear after halftime, posting 45 points in the second half — the difference in a game that stayed within striking distance until the final minutes.

The decisive swing came on the scoreboard: Prairie View’s +8 margin after the break flipped the one-point halftime deficit into a comfortable finish, with the Panthers consistently answering Texas Southern’s attempts to make it a one-possession game.

Turning point: Prairie View’s second-half control

In a matchup between teams searching for traction — Prairie View entered in a WLLLL stretch, Texas Southern in LWWLW — the second half became a referendum on execution. Prairie View won it 45-37, a clean, eight-point swing that functioned as the game’s separator.

What it means going forward

For Prairie View, the win is a stabilizer: a needed result for a 9-13 team trying to halt a slide and build consistency. The blueprint was clear — stay close early, then win the second-half math.

For Texas Southern, the loss stings because the setup was there. The Tigers led 41-40 at halftime, but couldn’t match Prairie View’s scoring pace after the break, falling to 6-14.

Final score

Prairie View A&M 85, Texas Southern 78

Halftime

Texas Southern 41, Prairie View A&M 40

Second half

Prairie View A&M 45, Texas Southern 37