Jackson State University’s men’s basketball team will travel to play Alcorn State on Saturday afternoon, continuing its push in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Davey L. Whitney Complex and will be broadcast on SWAC TV.
Currently, Jackson State holds a 9-17 overall record and an 8-5 mark in conference play. The Tigers are two games behind Bethune-Cookman, which leads the SWAC, and they are tied with Southern for third place—just half a game behind Alabama A&M. Earlier this season, Jackson State defeated Alcorn State 89-85 in their conference opener and leads the all-time series between the schools 57-48.
Senior guard Daeshun Ruffin has been a key player for Jackson State this season. He averages 23.6 points per game (29.6 in conference play) and 5.7 assists per game (7.8 in conference), leading both categories for his team. Ruffin also leads the SWAC in assists per game, free throw attempts (198), free throws made (171), and points per game; he is second in total assists (131) and free throw percentage (86.4%), as well as ranking high in field goal attempts and field goals made nationally.
Jayme Mitchell Jr., another important contributor, is averaging 14.2 points and five rebounds per game this season; he recorded career highs with 39 points and 13 rebounds against Mississippi Valley State earlier this month, marking his first double-double of his career.
Dorian McMillian adds to the team’s scoring efforts with an average of 12.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest.
Head coach Mo Williams missed last Saturday’s game due to illness—only the second time he has been absent since joining Jackson State—and associate head coach Trey Johnson served as acting head coach during that contest.
Jalen Tatum returned to action after missing time since playing Louisville earlier this season; he contributed 15 points off the bench in Jackson State’s recent win over Florida A&M.
Coach Williams’ son KyDarrius serves as an assistant coach on staff, while another son, Mike Williams, recently joined as a recruit from Germantown High School.
Jackson State has played one of the toughest schedules nationally among HBCUs this year, facing five nationally ranked teams: Illinois (#17), Louisville (#11), Auburn (#20), Arkansas (#14), and Houston (#7). According to multiple sources, only one other school has faced more ranked opponents within their conference schedule so far this season.
In their last meeting against Bethune-Cookman, Ruffin, McMillian, and Mitchell combined for most of Jackson State’s scoring output with a total of 69 out of the team’s 91 points.
Earlier this week, Jackson State became the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to host both ESPN’s College Gameday and SportsCenter on Campus during events held Monday morning before that night’s home basketball game.
For updates on Jackson State athletics or additional information about upcoming games or broadcasts visit GoJSUTigers.com or follow @GoJSUTigers on Instagram or Twitter.
