LORMAN, Miss. | Keiveon Hunt came off the bench to post a career-high leading Jackson State to a 72-69 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) victory over Alcorn State at the Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex on Saturday.

Hunt led four players in double figures with 20 points connecting 4-of-6 shots from the floor and knocking down 11-of-12 from the free throw line, while Daeshun Ruffin added 16. They were joined in double figures by Jayme Mitchell Jr. with 13 including a three-pointer from the corner with 1:12 remaining to give the Tigers a two-point lead (64-62) and Dorian McMillian with 10.

The Tigers hit 5-of-8 from beyond the arc to start the game, running out to a 20-6 lead at the second media timeout. They scored on seven consecutive possessions after being held without a field goal in the opening possession, running to a 17-4 lead with 15:06 to play in the opening half. They continued to lead going into the locker room 35-26 before Alcorn State opened the second half on a 15-6 run to tie the game at 41-all with 14:12 to play. The Braves took their first lead at 43-41 with 13:34 to play until the two teams traded the lead until the final minutes.

Following a pair of Alcorn State free throws with 58 seconds to tie the game, Ruffin gave Jackson State a 66-64 lead with 32 seconds to play. The lead was extended to 68-64 on a pair of Hunt free throws with 19 seconds to play. After the lead was trimmed to just two, Ruffin hit a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining before Mitchell and Romelle Mansel put the game away with free throws with less than two seconds remaining.

Inside the Numbers
Jackson State shot 42.9 (12-of-28) percent from the floor in the first half and 43.8 (7-of-16) percent from beyond the arc, while also shooting 80 (4-of-5) percent from the free throw line. They shot 37.9 (11-of-29) percent from the floor in the second half and just 20 (1-of-5) percent from beyond the arc, while connecting on 77.8 (14-of-16) percent from the free throw line.

Alcorn State shot 42.3 (11-of-26) percent from the floor and 100 (4-of-4) percent from the free throw line. They also shot 57.7 (15-of-26) percent from the floor and 57.1 (4-of-7) percent from beyond the arc. They also finished the half shooting 60 (9-of-15) percent from the free throw line.

The Tigers finished the game shooting 40.4 (23-of-57) percent from the floor and 38.1 (8-of-21) percent from beyond the arc. They also shot 78.3 (18-of-23) percent from the free throw line and forced 13 Alcorn State turnovers. Meanwhile, the Braves finished the day shooting 50 (26-of-52) percent from the floor and 26.7 (4-of-15) percent from beyond the arc, while shooting 68.4 (13-of-19) percent from the free throw line.

Game Notes

• The 20 points scored by Hunt topped his previous career high of 18 points against San Diego (Nov. 8, 2023).
• The Tigers assisted on nine of the 23 baskets made on the night with three players combining for the total led by Ruffin with 4. Hunt added three and Mansel a pair in the win.
• Mansel grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and went over the 500-career rebound mark with the total during his career combined at Long Beach State and Jackson State.
• Grant and Mansel were the only players to go over 30 minutes in the win for the Tigers with Grant playing 34:34 and Mansel 33:49.
• The Tigers started their 10th different starting lineup on the year with Delyle Williams earning the start on Saturday to go with Ruffin, McMillian, Grant, and Mansel.

Up Next
Jackson State returns to action in its home opener next Saturday against Alabama State in conference action.

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