Southern Utah men’s basketball scores a win for the holidays, snaps two game skid

Cedar City, UT (December 23, 2023) – On Friday night the Southern Utah University men's basketball team gave themselves, and their fans an early Christmas present with a thrilling 69-63 victory over Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Not only did this win break a two-game losing streak, but it brought holiday cheer to Centrum Arena.

The Thunderbirds overcame an 11-point deficit early on, proving their resilience and determination. Said coach Rob Jeter, who was proud of the team's mental toughness: It is just a testimony to this club ’ s mentality. Coming off two hard losses and coming out slow early on in today’ s game we still battled back and came away with an important win at home.

The win was a group effort, with significant contributions from many players. Tejan Kojah had a game-best 21 points, while Dre Jackson added 16 and Braden Housely completed the all round effort with weapons appropriately displayed from every angle.

That defensive intensity proved to be the key in the stretch run as MTSU tried, and failed miserably. The home crowd didn't have long to wait before they were sent into a joyous holiday frenzy by the Thunderbirds 'grit and determination.

It's a significant boost for the Southern Utah program as it enters heart of conference play. It shows the team has potential and can compete with tough opponents. Nevertheless, coach Jeter remains optimistic about the future. Says he: "This win was a big momentum builder for us. We have some tough games coming up this season but we believe that anybody in our conference can beat anyone else and of course they will be beating on US too."

As the holiday period drags on, Southern Utah has given a gift of their own to Cedar City: an eminently-welcome victory. It is looking as if the rest of this season will be an enjoyable one for a team with its winning mindset and determination.