(Pine Bluff, AR) -- Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-1, 1-1) used special teams play to jumped out to a 21-3 first quarter lead and held off Texas Southern (2-3, 1-2) for a crucial 28-22 Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division victory.
Golden Lions' Mark Bradley opened the scoring with the first of his 2 first quarter punt return TDs when he scampered 58 yds for a score with 11:29 left in the period for a 7-0 lead. Texas Southern kicked a 32-yd FG at 9:37 and UAPB tacked on a TD on a 1-yd run by LaKendrick Powell at 8:28. Bradley's 77 yd punt return TD with 4:30 remaining in the first period for a 21-3 score. Texas Southern did all the scoring in the second quarter, first on a 72 yd interception return by Billy Starling (13:52) and a safety (11:41) for a 21-12 halftime score. The Tigers tacked on a 30 yd FG in the third quarter (8:10) to tighten the game at 21-15. Fourth quarter scoring saw UAPB mount a 10-play 77 yd drive for a 4 yd run by Dwight McKissack for a 28-15 Golden Lion lead with 3:04 remaining. Texas Southern came back with their own score after an eleven play 81 yd drive culminating in a 15-yd run from Adam Lamb with 0:23 remaining for the final scoring of the day.
Offensively, Texas Southern out gained UAPB in Total Offense 303 yds to 223 yds, but the Golden Lions got 150 yds and 2 Tad's from of their punt return team. TSU receiver Cortez Hankton gained 106 yds on 7 receptions, but never scored. UAPB's Ron Johnson rushed 18 times for 92 yds.
Defensively, the Golden Lions' Darron Collins had nine tackles (4 solo) with 4 TFL (10) and 2 PDs. For the Tigers, J.D. McWilliams and Billy Starling had seven tackles each. McWilliams is credited with 6 solos.
The Tigers will host Alabama State for a re-scheduled 9/15 game, 7:00 p.m., Saturday, October 13 in the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, TX.
