Tigers defeat Jackson State 77-65 for sixth consecutive win

JACKSON, Miss. – The Tigers of Texas Southern University ran their winning streak to six consecutive games Monday with a 77-65 win at Jackson State.
 
Jeremy Combs scored a career-high 33 points and pulled in 17 rebounds to lead Texas Southern (14-11), which improved to 9-3 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. Eden Ewing also posted a double-double, scoring 10 points and securing 13 rebounds for TSU.
 
Jalyn Patterson came off the TSU bench to score 17 points, while Derrick Bruce chipped in 11 points off the TSU bench.
 
Chris Howell and Jontrell Walker scored 16 points apiece to lead Jackson State (9-17, 6-7 SWAC) in a losing effort.
 
The visiting Tigers overwhelmed their hosts in the second half after trailing 35-23 at halftime. TSU scored 54 points in the second half and shot 57 percent from the field (16 of 28) after halftime.
 
After a slow start in the first half, Combs led the TSU effort in the second half. He scored 27 of his 33 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field after halftime. Combs was also 13-of-17 from the free throw line in the second half; for the game, he was 17-of-25 from the line.
 
TSU was still trailing by 12 with 11:17 left to play in the game when the visitors scored 13 unanswered points to reclaim a 54-53 lead. Combs scored the final seven points on that run, which he capped with a fast-break layup with 7:44 left to play in regulation.
 
The two teams switched leads over the next several minutes until TSU pieced together an 8-0 run between the 4:59 and 3:26 marks of the second half to take a 68-59 lead. Cainan McClelland’s 3-pointer with 4:03 left to play in the game made it a two-possession game; that was followed by Patterson hitting an NBA-range 3-pointer from the top of the key to cap the run.
 
Jackson State would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way as TSU iced the game at the free throw line.
 
The win at Jackson State was the seventh for the Tigers this season in which they trailed at halftime.
 
The Tigers return to action Saturday when they host Arkansas–Pine Bluff to open a two-game homestand. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (or approximately 20 minutes after the completion of the women’s game between the two schools).