Jackson State Looks to Keep Momentum Against Mississippi Valley State
Jackson State will face Mississippi Valley State on the road Saturday in a key SWAC matchup. The game is set to tip off at 5 p.m. at the R.W. Harrison HPER Complex and will be streamed on SWACTV, according to school officials.
The Tigers enter the game with a 6-15 overall record and a 5-4 conference mark. They are tied for third place in the SWAC with three other teams. Jackson State trails league-leading Bethune-Cookman by three games and Alabama A&M by one, with half the season completed, the school said.
Jackson State leads the all-time series against Mississippi Valley State 54-47, with the Tigers winning the last five meetings. The two teams have faced each other 101 times since 1977, according to school records.
Senior guard Daeshun Ruffin is the team’s leading scorer and playmaker. He averages 23.3 points and 5.7 assists per game, with conference averages of 30.3 points and 8.2 assists. Ruffin has recorded three consecutive double-doubles earlier this season and ranks among the top 30 nationally in scoring. He also leads the SWAC in free throws attempted and made, with 173 attempts and 148 makes, the school said.
Other key players include Jayme Mitchell Jr., who averages 12.9 points and 4.5 rebounds, and Dorian McMillian, contributing 10.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Tamarion Hoover, coming off the bench, averages 6.4 points in conference play, and Dionjahe Thomas posts 5.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in SWAC contests. Thomas recorded back-to-back double-doubles earlier this season.
Head coach Mo Williams has two of his sons involved in the program, with KyDarrius serving as an assistant coach and Mike, a highly-touted recruit from Germantown High School. The Tigers have faced a challenging schedule, including games against ranked opponents Illinois, Louisville, Auburn, and Arkansas, the school reported.
Jackson State scored a season-high 94 points against Texas Southern and has scored at least 80 points in all five of its conference games. The team also played its first overtime game of the season against Southern, overcoming a 21-point deficit to force extra time, according to school records. Devin Ree was perfect from the floor in that game, making all six shots, including five three-pointers.
For more coverage, Jackson State fans can follow the Tigers on social media at @GoJSUTigers on Instagram and Twitter or visit their official athletics website.
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