Katerri O’Neal
Staff Writer
In the midst of a western day decorated Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center, the Jackson State University Tigers took on the Tigers of Southern University on Feb. 6.
Both the men and women’s basketball teams fell short of victory to SU in two very close games. The final scores in men’s action was 49-44 in overtime and the Lady Tigers were defeated 60-65.
The night started off with the JSU Tigers Hype Squad giving away cowboy hats to the first 100 JSU fans to enter in western gear. There was also a mechanical bull set-up for anyone who wanted a wild ride.
The two schools faced off earlier in the season in January when the Lady Tigers matched up with Southern for the first time, they defeated them 49-42 in Baton Rouge, La.
This time the Lady Tigers started the first half of their game strong, they shot 60 percent from three point range, 54.5 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from the free throw line.
JSU had control of the game with a four point lead going into the second half. They tried to hold on to the lead but fell short 60-65.
JSU’s men’s basketball team also played Southern earlier in the season but were defeated 68-37.
Southern almost had the lead at the half until Jonathan Lewis got fouled during the last 41 seconds and tied the game up with two free throw shots making the score 22-22. This game was very close; the lead changed 7 times and the score tied 7 times.
During the second half of the game both teams were still battling for the lead and Southern almost took the win but JSU’s Sydney Coleman made a lay-up in the last 5 seconds of the game sending it into overtime.
The Tigers only scored 3 points to Southern’s 8, making the final score 49-44 in favor of Southern.
Tamika Smith, a senior mass communications major from Chicago, Ill.said, “I think both teams fought very hard. Although they did not win it was not by a long shot and I believe they worked very diligently. Western day was definitely a success.”
She added: “Not everyone participated but mostly everyone had on some cool western apparel! The Tiger Hype Squad really got the crowd going this time around. And the bull was a rave.”
JSU will take on Prairie View A&M on Feb. 11 in Prairie View, Texas. The Lady Tigers will start play at 5:30 p.m. with the men following.
Smith urges everyone to come to the next game to show the JSU teams support.
“The next home game is our PINK Game!! We got some cool surprises…SSSHHH,” said Smith.
