Tigers Fall Victim To Late Run In Loss At Jackson State

JACKSON, Miss. – A late run by Jackson State in the second half flipped the tide of the game as TSU dropped a 61-58 decision Monday evening on the road.
 
The first half was nip-and-tuck as neither team would lead by three points within the first 12:15 of the contest. John Jones took control from that point with a back-to-back three-pointers as TSU led 27-21 at the 4:24 mark. Points were hard to come by for both teams the remainder of the half as the teams combined to make only three field goals en route to a 30-25 TSU lead at halftime.
 
For the second game in a row, Yahuza Rasas came out with a strong second half as he scored four of the team’s next six points as TSU led by nine with 17:16 left. In what would be a common occurrence from this point, Jackson State scored six straight as TSU missed its next five baskets which cut the deficit to 36-33 three minutes later. TSU recovered with a John Walker III trey as the team went on a 7-0 run to move back ahead by nine with 7:32 on the clock after Jordan Gilliam’s basket.
 
TSU kept a sizeable lead over the next two minutes as they led by nine once again on PJ Henry’s three-pointer. However, Jackson State turned it up a notch as they went on a 10-0 run over the next 1:43 to move ahead 52-51. TSU would fight off the run as they regained a 53-52 lead after Bryson Etienne’s basket and moved ahead 55-52 after a pair of Henry free throws with 2:55 remaining.
 
Jackson State’s Terence Lewis II scored off his own miss to cut TSU’s lead to 55-54 and a TSU turnover led to a JSU basket and a 56-55 deficit. JSU would add a free throw to move ahead 57-55 but Karl Nicholas tied the game with a jumper at the 1:01 mark. A TSU foul led to a free throw by JSU and a 58-57 JSU lead but another critical TSU turnover led to a TSU foul and a JSU free throw as JSU led 59-57 with 27 seconds remaining.
 
Etienne was fouled on the ensuing possession and hit 1-of-2 free throws to cut the margin to 59-58 at the 14 second mark. JSU would move ahead by a 61-58 score after a dunk but TSU’s game-tying three-point attempt fell short.
 
Walker III led TSU with 13 points followed by 12 from Jones and 10 from Etienne. Brison Gresham had five rebounds and a pair of blocks while Walker III, Henry and Etienne had four rebounds each.
 
TSU is back in action on Saturday at 6 p.m. against Alabama A&M at home inside the H&PE Arena.