Jackson State secures a win over Alcorn on Saturday

Story from JSU Athletics:
JACKSON, Miss. – The Jackson State men’s basketball team held Alcorn State to just 11.8 percent from deep in a 2-for-17 shooting performance on the way to an 88-80 win over the Braves at home Saturday afternoon at the Lee E. Williams Athletics & Assembly Center.

Coltie Young had a career-high 26 points to lead the Tigers (5-9, 1-0), and four players scored double figures. Jordan O’Neal tacked on 19 points, six rebounds, and two blocks, and Ken Evans chipped in with 15 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.

Led by Evans’ five offensive rebounds, Jackson State did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 15 boards that resulted in 22 second-chance points.

Jackson State’s defense held Alcorn State to only 11.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc, scoring a season-high 88 points on a season-high 32 made shots in the win.

How It Happened

After falling behind 21-17, Jackson State went on a 7-0 run with 10:21 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Chase Adams, to take a 24-21 lead. The Tigers then added two points to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 44-39 advantage. Jackson State took advantage of eight offensive rebounds to score 15 second-chance points out of 44 total in the period

After the break, Jackson State continued to widen its lead, increasing it to 75-63 before going on a 5-0 run that culminated in Evans’ 3-pointer to increase it to 80-63 with 3:29 remaining in the game. The Braves narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Tigers still cruised the rest of the way for the 88-80 win. Jackson State took care of business in the paint, recording 24 of its 44 points in the lane.

Game Notes

• Jackson State found success from beyond the arc, knocking down eight treys in the game.
• Jackson State never trailed in the second half on its way to victory.
• Jackson State tallied 17 total assists in the game, which tied a season-high.
• The Tigers scored a season-high 88 points while making 32 field goals.
• Jackson State had a great day defensively, holding Alcorn State to 12 percent from beyond the arc on 17 attempts.
• The Tigers actively affected shots on the defensive end, tallying five blocks as a team.
• The Tigers shot .500 (32-for-64) from the floor, which was a season-high.
• Jackson State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 15 offensive boards in the game.
• Coltie Young led the Tigers with a career-high 26 points and a season-high six 3-pointers.
• Adams has a season-high eight assists and eight rebounds.
• Evans has now scored double figures in five straight games and 10 or more points in 12 games.