HOUSTON, Texas --The Jackson State men's basketball team got a 24-point performance from the bench but fell 89-55 to the #3/2 Houston Cougars on the road Saturday afternoon at the Fertitta Center.
 
Jordan O'Neal led the Tigers (2-7) with seven points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Coltie Young tacked on 13 points, and Jayme Mitchell helped with nine points from the bench.

The Jackson State defense caused its share of mistakes in Saturday's game, forcing 13 Houston turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 12 points on the offensive end of the floor. Keiveon Hunt led the way individually for the Tigers with three steals.
 
How It Happened
After falling behind 33-19, Jackson State went on a 10-0 run with 4:45 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Mitchell, to narrow its deficit to 33-29. Houston answered back and added to its lead, leaving the Tigers down 37-29 entering halftime.

Houston kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing an 87-48 advantage before Jackson State went on a 5-0 run, finished off by Jalani Bell's three-pointer, to shrink the deficit to 87-53 with 1:57 to go in the contest. The Tigers could not cut further into the deficit by the end of the game, losing 89-55. Jackson State capitalized on 10 Houston turnovers in the period, collecting seven points off those turnovers.

Game Notes

• The Jackson State bench made an impact by adding 24 points to its scoring output.
• The Jackson State defense forced 13 turnovers.
• The Tigers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording five blocks as a team.
• Coltie Young led the Tigers with 13 points.
• Jackson State got a team-high eight rebounds from Jordan O'Neal.

Up Next
The Tigers will travel to Las Vegas when they participate in the CP3 HBCU Challenge presented by AEA Foundation, where they will face Howard and North Carolina A&T, with the first game against Howard on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 10 p.m. local time. Jackson State will then face North Carolina A&T on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m. CST; all the games will be broadcast live on ESPNU and played at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. 

Season Tickets
Season tickets are now on sale to the public for the 2023–24 men's and women's basketball seasons. Tickets can be purchased online at www.gojsutigers.com/tickets, by phone at 601-979-0845, or in person at the Williams Athletics and Assembly Center Box Office on the JSU campus Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

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