Morgan Beard
Staff Writer
The Jackson State University men’s basketball team lost a close game that went into overtime (62-59) to their long time rival, the Tigers of Grambling State University. This was Grambling’s first victory on the road in SWAC conference play.
The last time these two teams played against each other, Grambling defeated JSU (72-57) on Jan 21. This lost slipped JSU into a tie for fourth with Grambling, with GSU taking the tiebreaker due to winning both meetings.
Junior forward Maurice Rivers from Atlanta, Ga, led JSU with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Senior forward Janarius Middleton from Greenwood, Miss., had 14 rebounds (7 defensive, 7 offensive). Junior guard Paris Collins from San Antonio, Texas scored 14 points and Eric Dennis from Dallas, Texas scored 10 points.
According to JSU Blitz, Coach Brent said, “ I told the guys in the locker room that we just blew a huge opportunity. We could have finished out this home stand with a victory, and that would have put us in great position headed into these final four games of the regular season.”
Senior guard Yettra Specks from Monroe, La., led the team with 3 assists and 6 rebounds. Specks also hit a floating runner to tie the game 50-50 with 16 seconds left on the game clock. JSU was 3 of 19 from behind the arc with 15.8 percent and out rebounded GSU 51-29.
Jackson State fought back from a 50-44 deficit in the final 2:15 minutes of the game and forced overtime. GSU had made only just 2 of 15 3-point attempts in regulation but hit both of their attempts in overtime.
JSU’s Dennis drilled a long 3-pointer to tie the game at 59-59 with 10.9 left on the clock. This set up the game winning shot made by Grambling Ribeiro’s. Ervin Mitchell led Grambling with 18 points and Avery Ugba scored 17.
The JSU Tigers holds wins over all four of their remaining opponents, including the two Alabama schools, Mississippi Valley State, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Tigers next two games are on the road, UAPB and MVSU. JSU hasn’t fared too well on the road outside of Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center with a (2-5) record on the road in SWAC games.
The JSU Tigers will return to action this Saturday, Feb. 25, when they travel to Itta Bena, Miss., to take on the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State University at the Robert W. Harrison Complex. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
They will head from there to Pine-Bluff to face the Golden Loins of UAPB on Monday, Feb. 27 at the H.O. Clemmons Arena. Game time set for 7:30 p.m.
The Tigers will finish up the regular season with home games against Alabama A&M and Alabama State on Thursday, March 2 and Saturday, March 4. Jackson State will have to finish at least one game ahead of Grambling or they will be on the road for the first round of the SWAC tournament.
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