JACKSON, Miss. — Bethune-Cookman men's basketball dropped a hard-fought 91–86 decision to Jackson State on Monday night at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.
The Wildcats (13-13, 10-3 SWAC) placed four players in double figures and shot nearly 47 percent from the floor, but Jackson State's 10 made 3-pointers and 27 free throws proved to be the difference in a tightly contested SWAC matchup that featured 10 ties and 13 lead changes.
1st Half
The opening half was back-and-forth from the opening tip, with neither team able to build a lead larger than eight points. Bethune-Cookman struck first with a
Quentin Heady layup off a steal, and the Wildcats answered every Jackson State run with aggressive play in the paint.
Rouzan was especially active early, scoring inside and cleaning up offensive rebounds, while Jakobi Heady provided a spark in transition. Jordan Johnson's 3-pointer with 24 seconds left gave Bethune-Cookman a brief 37–36 edge, but Jackson State responded with a buzzer-beating triple to take a 39–37 lead into halftime.
The Wildcats shot 41.4 percent in the opening half and held a 20–16 advantage in points in the paint, but Jackson State's six first-half 3-pointers helped the Tigers maintain a slim advantage.
2nd Half
Bethune-Cookman opened the second half strong, as Rouzan and Morris helped the Wildcats regain the lead at the 15:11 mark following a Rouzan dunk in transition.
The game remained tight throughout the period, with the Wildcats leading 73–71 after another Rouzan layup with 7:25 remaining. However, Jackson State answered with timely shooting from beyond the arc and went on a decisive 10–2 run midway through the half to seize control.
Despite a late push that included free throws from Jakobi Heady and a tip-in at the buzzer by Seneca Willoughby, the Wildcats could not close the gap. Jackson State sealed the game at the line in the final minute.
Bethune-Cookman finished with 52 points in the paint and forced 13 turnovers, but was held to just 3-of-17 shooting from 3-point range, while Jackson State connected on 10 triples and went 27-of-35 from the free-throw line.
- Daniel Rouzan and Jakobi Heady each had 25 to lead B-CU
- Arterio Morris picked up 13 points off the bench.
- Dhaeshun Ruffin scored 28 to lead all scorers.
- Jackson State shot 50% (10-of-20) from three-point range.
The Wildcats play in their final homestand of the season, as they look to get back on track against Alabama State and Alabama A&M. The game against the Hornets is on Thursday, beginning at 7 p.m. EST.
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