JACKSON, Miss. | Jackson State hits the road for a pair of games in the state of Louisiana beginning with Grambling State on Saturday afternoon, followed by Southern on Monday night.

The game on Saturday tips at 4:30 p.m. on the SWAC Digital Network.

Jackson State (5-15, 5-2 SWAC) sits two games behind Southern (12-8, 7-0 SWAC) in the conference race and one game back of Texas Southern (9-11, 6-1 SWAC). Meanwhile, Grambling State (6-14, 3-4 SWAC) sits two games behind Jackson State despite winning back-to-back games. 

The Tigers have three players averaging double figures and are led by Daeshun Ruffin at 16.5 points per game after scoring in double figures in nine of the 10 games he has played this season. He is shooting 33.6 (51-of-152) percent from the floor and 29.4 (15-of-51) percent from beyond the arc, while also shooting 87.3 (48-of-55) percent from the free throw line. Jayme Mitchell Jr. is averaging 11.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 36.5 (66-of-181) percent from the floor and 38.1 (43-of-113) percent from beyond the arc, and Dorian McMillian is averaging 10.5 points per game while shooting 40.0 (72-of-180) percent from the floor and 38.8 (33-of-85) percent from beyond the arc. 

Romelle Mansel is averaging 9.8 points per game and 6.9 rebounds for the Tigers.

Game Info - Jackson State at Grambling State
Saturday, Feb. 1 | 4:30 p.m. | Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center
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Game Notes

• Ruffin was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Newcomer of the Week this week after averaging 23.5 points per game against Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M. The junior finished with a career-high 37 points against Bethune-Cookman on 54.5 (12-of-22) percent shooting from the floor for Jackson State (5-14, 5-1 SWAC) and 55.6 (5-of-9) percent shooting from beyond the arc. He also knocked down 80 (8-of-10) percent of his free throws and dished out five assists. He followed that up with 10 points, five assists, and four steals in a loss to Florida A&M.
• Jackson State is at, or near the top, in all three free throw categories in the conference. The Tigers lead the conference in free throws made per game (15.7), and are second in free throw attempts (21.7) and free throw percentage (72.5).
• Ruffin is closing in on 500 career points just 10 games into his Jackson State career. The Jackson-native currently sits at 447 career points including 165 this season. He needed just 13 points to surpass his season-high scored during his freshman year at Ole Miss (177).
• A trio of Jackson State freshmen have combined to score 286 points, led by McMillian (209). The trio have combined to score 21.2 of the Tigers' points this season.
• Jackson State is averaging 78.9 points per game (+11.5) and are shooting 41.8 percent from the floor and 38.7 percent from beyond the arc - both better than season averages. They are also shooting 76.6 (157-of-205) percent from the free throw line in SWAC play.
• Jackson State has had 11 different players score in double figures 57 times in 20 games this season.

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