HOUSTON (AP) Kendra Coleman scored 22 points in Southern's first game after its bench-clearing fight and the Jaguars beat Mississippi Valley State 62-57 on Wednesday in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.
Southern replaced Texas Southern as the new No. 1 seed as the result of a brawl on Saturday between the teams.
Texas Southern withdrew from the tournament with eight of its players suspended for their role in the fight. The Jaguars had seven players initially suspended, but Coleman and Cortnei Purnell had their penalties rescinded on Tuesday ''in light of additional video review by the Conference office.''
MVSU (4-26) led 57-56 with 35 seconds left, but the Jaguars (18-11) took the lead for good on Coleman's free throws 6 seconds later. Southern had two steals and four free throws from there to seal the win.
Shaquandria Litmon, Jadea Brundidge, Jasmine Jefferson and Yasmine Nelson will be available for Friday's semifinal after serving their one-game suspensions. Keonia Parrish has one game left on her two-game suspension.
