Jags make statement in 85-69 win over JSU

Do you believe in statement games?
If so, then you believe that Southern made a statement defeating defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Jackson State, 85-69 Monday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.
The Jaguars (5-10, 3-1 SWAC) should be taken as a serious contender as they put up their highest scoring output of the season against a more seasoned Jackson State (5-12, 3-1) team which made a run to the NCAA tournament last season.
“They played well tonight,” said JSU coach Tevester Anderson. “Give them credit.”
What separated Southern from Jackson State in this matchup was timely shooting.
SU shot 53.7 (29-for-54) from the field and received a big second half boost from sophomore guard Jazz Williams who scored 13 of his 16 points in the final half.
The Jaguars also shot (7-for-12) from the three point line, good for 58.3 percent. Williams led the way in that department as well as he connected on four-of-five attempts from three point range.
Chris Davis had 17 points and redshirt freshman Julius Ingram had 10. Southern’s bench also outscored Jackson State’s bench 45-4 and ten of their 11 players scored.
“It’s great to have Chris back on the floor,” said SU coach Rob Spivery. “It’s obvious we’ve missed him. The players have a lot of confidence in him and he adds so much to our team. He gives us some much in terms of ball handling, scoring, good defense and good overall play that if we keep him healthy along with everyone else we’ll have a good chance at the end of the season to win it all.”
SU scored 42 points in the first half and 43 in the second while holding the SWAC’s top scoring offense 15 points below its season average of 84.3 points per game.
JSU played a two man game all of the first half and most of the second with sophomore forward Grant Maxey scoring 24 points and junior guard Darrion Griffin 18. Maxey also had seven rebounds and three steals, while sophomore forward Garrison Johnson had 12 points.
Plus, Catraiva Givens, a key component from last year’s championship team was held to just six points two-of-eight shooting. Givens’ only two scores came from three point range with one in the first half and one in the second.
Givens, Griffin and Maxey scored all of JSU’s first half points as the Tigers trailed at half 42-33.
The Tigers jumped out to an early lead in the first half and led before halftime as well, but trailed the entire second half. The closest JSU got was 45-40 before Davis and company finally pulled away.
“I think we’ve progressed quite a bit,” Spivery said. “When you’ve played the likes of Houston and Missouri and those kinds of teams, it’s hard to get a true evaluation of what you really have. Now that we’re getting into league play and playing against more comfortable opponents, you’ll see what kind of team we really have.”
It’s safe to say SU is more of a physical team down low as it outrebounded JSU 37-28 taking away many second chance opportunities. Senior center Joseph Jack led SU with seven rebounds, while Ingram and Douglas Scott each had six.
“I think we’re going to be right in the thick of things at the end of the conference season,” said SU coach Rob Spivery.