Jackson State Hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Final Regular Season Home Game

Jackson State will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Tuesday night at the Lee E. Williams Athletic Assembly Center, marking the Tigers’ final home game of the regular season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the game will be streamed on SWAC TV.

The Tigers enter the contest with a 9-20 overall record and an 8-8 mark in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. Arkansas-Pine Bluff stands at 12-17 overall and 9-7 in the conference. The Golden Lions defeated Jackson State earlier this season in Pine Bluff, ending a 16-game winning streak in the series. Jackson State leads the all-time series 46-12, according to school records.

Jackson State is led by junior guard Daeshun Ruffin, who averages 23.3 points and 5.5 assists per game. Ruffin, who scored a career-high 39 points against Mississippi Valley State in February, also ranks fourth nationally in scoring, according to sources. Senior guard Jayme Mitchell Jr. averages 14.2 points and five rebounds, while freshman Dorian McMillian contributes 11.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Ruffin, McMillian and Mitchell combined for 69 of the team’s 91 points in a recent victory over Bethune-Cookman. Jackson State also received a boost with the return of Jalen Tatum, who scored 15 points off the bench in his first game since playing for Louisville earlier this season.

The Tigers have faced a challenging schedule, including games against ranked opponents Illinois, Louisville, Auburn and Arkansas. They have played the second-toughest schedule in the country, according to multiple sources. Jackson State also gained national attention Monday as the first HBCU to host College Gameday and SportsCenter on Campus, following a victory celebration on campus.

Jackson State will look to climb the standings, currently in seventh place, with a chance to reach fourth depending on tiebreakers. The win by Arkansas-Pine Bluff in their first meeting snapped Jackson State’s 16-game winning streak in the series. The Tigers played without Mitchell and McMillian in recent games, both of whom are among the team’s top scorers.

Follow Jackson State athletics for complete coverage on social media at @GoJSUTigers (Instagram and Twitter), Jackson State Tigers on Facebook, or visit GoJSUTigers.com for updates.

Source: Original Article