Daytona State beats Jones College to open NJCAA Tournament

Hutchinson, Kansas — No. 24 Daytona State College pulled away from No. 16 Jones College in the second half to win 103-74 Saturday in the opening game of the NJCAA Division I Tournament at Hutchinson Sports Arena. The Bobcats’ season ends with a 24-10 record, marking their third consecutive first-round exit at the national tournament.

Daytona State (27-7) will face top-seeded Howard College of Texas at noon Monday in the round of 16. Jones led early but trailed 65-48 with just over 11 minutes remaining. The Falcons widened their lead in the final minutes, going on a 17-3 run to secure the victory.

The Bobcats opened strong, taking an 8-3 lead early in the first half. Daytona State responded with a 12-0 run, taking a 15-8 lead on a three-pointer by CJ Hall. The Falcons led 44-33 at halftime and extended their advantage in the second half, with a key three-point play by Seydina N’diaye giving them a 65-48 lead.

Jones rallied briefly, trimming the deficit to eight points with just over eight minutes remaining, but Daytona State pulled away again. The Falcons outscored the Bobcats 59-41 in the second half to seal the win.

Jay Tyler led Jones with 18 points, followed by Bob Dickson with 16. Braylon Barnes scored 14 points with 10 rebounds and five assists, while Dylan Rowe added 12 points. Jackson finished with 11 points, and Dickson contributed seven rebounds. For Daytona State, Adrian Shackleton scored 24 points, including six of seven from three-point range. Noah Mendy added 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Hall scored 15 off the bench. Tyrese Lacey contributed 13 points for the Falcons.

Jones shot 35 percent from the field and 59 percent from the free-throw line. Daytona State shot 51 percent overall and nearly 50 percent from three-point range. The Falcons also outrebounded the Bobcats 51-39 and had a 22-18 assist advantage. Turnovers were close, with Daytona State committing 13 and Jones 12. The Falcons scored 33 points off the bench, compared to 11 for Jones.

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