Texas Southern 78, Prairie View A&M 73: Aaric Murray recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks as the Tigers knocked off the Panthers in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game in Houston.

Madarious Gibbs collected 15 points and five assists for No. 2 seed Texas Southern (19-14), which earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003. Jose Rodriguez added 13 points off the bench and D’Angelo Scott scored 10 to help the Tigers run their winning streak to nine straight.

Montrael Scott scored 19 points to lead No. 8 seed Prairie View A&M (11-23), which fell in the SWAC tournament final for the second straight season. Louis Munks scored 16 points and John Brisco added 11 for the Panthers.

Prairie View A&M rushed out to a 22-9 lead before Murray scored 10 points over the final seven-plus minutes of the period to pull Texas Southern within 38-31 at the half. Murray’s free throws 3 1/2 minutes into the second gave the Tigers a 42-40 lead, and his jumper a minute later capped a 13-2 burst opening the period.

Murray delivered five points during a 13-3 burst that left Texas Southern with a 56-48 advantage with 8 1/2 minutes left, and Ray Penn’s 3-pointer pushed the gap to double figures with 5:31 remaining. The Panthers clawed back within five points, but Murray blocked two shots on one possession with less than a minute to play before Tigers clinched it at the free-throw line.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Texas Southern has never won an NCAA tournament game in four chances. … The Panthers closed the regular season with seven straight losses before making a run to the SWAC championship game that included a win over top-seeded Southern. … Tigers coach Mike Davis is taking his third different school to the NCAA tournament (Indiana, Alabama-Birmingham).