Jackson, Miss. - The Jackson State men's basketball team will take their four-game win streak on the road to Lorman for a key SWAC rivalry match-up against the Braves of Alcorn State University on Saturday, February 24, for a 3 p.m. tip-off. 

This will be the second meeting of the season between Jackson State (12-14, 8-5 SWAC) and the Braves (9-17, 8-5 SWAC), with the Tigers winning the first meeting 88-80 back on January 6 at the Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. 

Both teams are currently tied for third place in the SWAC standings, along with Texas Southern at 8-5, and the winning of this game will be a game ahead in the conference standings. They both have won their last four games—two on the road and two at home. Alcorn State is 3-3 in SWAC play at home, and the Tigers are 4-2 in road SWAC games this season. 

The Match-up

• This will be the 126th meeting in the series, with the Tigers holding a 64-61 lead. 
• Jackson State has won 13 of the last 20 meetings between the two teams, including an 88-80 win back on January 6 that was played in Jackson. Coach Mo is now 2-1 against Alcorn State as the head coach of Jackson State and 2-4 all-time, which includes his time at Alabama State as head coach. 
• Alcorn State comes into the game on a four-game winning streak and sits at 8-5 in SWAC play, which places them in a three-way tie for third place with Texas Southern and Jackson State. 
• The Tigers, like the Braves, come into the game on a four-game winning streak with a record of 8-5 in conference play behind Grambling State and Southern, who are both 10-3 in the SWAC. 
• Jackson State is 6-4 in the last 10 trips to Lorman, and they won the meeting at Alcorn State last year 67-66 on a game-winning 3-pointer by Coltie Young.
• Alcorn State is 4-3 at home this season, and they are 3-3 in SWAC games at home, having won three of their last five home games. 
• JSU is currently 6-11 in true road games, but they are 4-2 in SWAC games, having won their last two games on the road. 

Scouting Alcorn State

• The Braves are 9-17, 8-5 SWAC, and are tied for 3rd place in the conference. 
• As a team, they are third in 3-point field goal percentage and second in defensive rebounds. They are also second in rebound margin. 
• They are averaging 71.5 points per game in conference play and allowing just 67.7 points to outscore their opponents by 3.8 points per game.  
• They are averaging five 3-pointers per game, which is shooting .377 percent. 
• The Braves are also outrebounding their opponents by six rebounds per game in SWAC play. They average 34.5 per game. 
• Alcorn State is only turning over the ball 11 times per game and averaging seven steals per game in SWAC play. 
• Jeremiah Kendall leads the Braves in scoring by averaging 16.3 points per game. He is aided by Jeremiah Gambrell (12.2) and Byron Joshua (10.9). Kendall also leads the team in rebounds with 6.8 per game. 

Evans Reaches 1000 Points

• Ken Evans Jr. hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 6:05 to play in the first half against Texas Southern to become the 23rd JSU Tiger (according to 2007-08 media guide and research) to score over 1,000 career points.  
• Evans leads the Tigers, averaging 18.0 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from the floor and beyond the 3-point arc.  
• He is currently second in the SWAC in scoring. 
• Evans has now scored double figures in 17 consecutive games dating back to Howard on Dec. 16 and has scored 10 points or more in each game this season except two. He scored 20 or more points on nine different occasions and 30 or more points on two, with his high being 33.
• He has scored 10 or more points in each conference game he has played this season. 
• Evans has scored 1,146 points for his career, which places him 23rd on the Jackson State basketball all-time list. 
• When he scored his 1,000th point, he joined such greats as Lindsey Hunter, Audie Norris, Grant Maxey, Jeffery Hart, and Trey Johnson
• Evans has now scored 469 points, which passes Audie Norris' 468 in a season that he scored during the 1981-82 season.

O'Neal Coming into His Own

• O'Neal is in his first season with the Tigers after transferring from Alabama State last season. 
• During his time with the Hornets, he scored 508 points, had 95 blocks, 45 steals, 52 assists, and 390 rebounds while shooting 63.4 percent from the floor. He shot 50 percent from the floor in 2022-23 while at Alabama State. 
• He is second on the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting over 60 percent from the floor. He currently leads the SWAC in field goal percentage and block shots.
• He scored a career-high 24 points against NC Carolina A&T on Dec. 17. O'Neal has recorded over 500 career rebounds. 

O'Neal Named SWAC Play of the Week

• For the third time this season, O'Neal has claimed a Southwestern Conference Weekly Honor. 
• O'Neal averaged a double-double last week, scoring 38 points and grabbing 21 rebounds to lead the Tigers to wins over Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman. He had 22 points and was 8-for-11 from the floor with 13 rebounds for his second double-double of the season in the Tigers win over the Rattlers. He followed up his performance by scoring 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

Tiger Tails

• Coach Mo is in his fourth year as head coach and second at Jackson State. Born in Jackson, Miss.
• Williams attended Murrah High School, where he had a successful career, earning him a scholarship to Alabama. 
• In his first year at Jackson State, he went 12-6 in SWAC play despite being picked to finish seventh. 
• Coach Williams is 2-4 all-time against Alcorn State, and he is 2-1 since taking over as head coach at Jackson State. 
• The Tigers are tied for third in SWAC at 8-5 and are on a four game winning streak. 
• Jackson State is ranked fifth in the SWAC in scoring, fourth in 3-point percentage, second in rebounds, second in block shots, and third in rebounding margin. 

Head Division I Coach + NBA Title 

• Mo Williams is one of five head coaches at the NCAA Division I level who played in the NBA and won an NBA title during their playing careers.
• Name, School (NBA Title/Titles)
• Mo Williams, Jackson State (2016 Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Speedy Claxton, Hofstra (2003 San Antonio Spurs)
• Juwan Howard, Michigan (2012 Miami Heat)
• Mark Madsen, Cal (2001 and 2002 Los Angeles Lakers)
• Darrell Walker, Little Rock (1993 Chicago Bulls)
• Mike Woodson, Indiana (2004 Detroit Pistons) 

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