Donte Clark's 30 points leads Texas Southern over Alabama State to advance to SWAC Semifinal

Updated: March 6, 2018 -- 10:29 pm CST.

HOUSTON, TX (H&PE Arena) -- Donte' Clark played the full 40 minutes and took advantage of his time on the floor with an efficient 30 points to help the Texas Southern University Tigers defeat the Alabama State Hornets 90-76 in a quarterfinal match-up of the 2018 SWAC Tournament Championship.

Final: Texas Southern 90, Alabama State 76

Clark announced his presence in the ball game with authority: Clark dunked for the first two points of the game; next, Clark sank two free throws; then, Clark dunked again for a 6-0 TSU lead.

Alabama State regrouped and pulled within one point (9-8). The Tigers used an 11-4 spurt to lead 20-12 at the 10:38 mark of the opening half.

TSU's lead grew to 10 (31-21); but, the Tigers' offense went cold and the Hornets responded with a 14-4 run to tie the game at 35 with 74 seconds remaining in the first half.

TSU led 38-37 at halftime.

Early in the second half, Clark sank two free throws to put TSU ahead 40-37.

Alabama State tied the game at 42 and at 44.

Then, TSU heated up: Marquis Salmon made two foul shots; Derrick Bruce and Demontrae Jefferson each made a three-point shot; and Clark scored a layup and converted a four-point play to cap off a 14-0 run. The run occurred in 2 minutes and 16 seconds.

After a three-point basket by Alabama State's Austin Rogers, Texas Southern scored 7 consecutive points to lead 65-47 with 12:13 remaining in the game.

Texas Southern kept Alabama State at arms' length the remainder of the game. The Tigers' lead fluctuated between 12 and 19 points.

With the win, 3rd-seed TSU (13-19 overall) advances to the semifinals and will face rival 2nd-seed Prairie View A&M Friday night, March 9, at 8:30 p.m., inside Delmar Fieldhouse. Prairie View defeated Alcorn State 87-71 in another SWAC quarterfinal game.