BACK-TO-BACK: Jags Win 2nd Straight, Top Alabama State

Looking for their second straight victory after a thrilling win over Mississippi Valley State on the 15th, the Jaguars men’s basketball team took on Alabama State Hornets in what was a physical, defensively-oriented affair. Led by junior guard Eddie Reese, the Jags never trailed the entire game against a very strong defensively coached team in Alabama State.
In a first half where both teams combined to shoot for 11-40 from the field, including 2-17 from the three-point line, defense was the emphasis for the Jaguars as they lead the game the entire first half. The Jags tempo was dictated by defensive hustle, free-throw shooting, and the occasional fast break leading to easy baskets.
While the offense was struggling as a whole for both squads, the difference maker for the Jaguars in the first half was senior big man Jared Sam from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Whether it be from the free throw line or from the field, Sam produced most of the Jags scoring in the first half, going 2-4 from the field and 3-4 from the free throw line. Sam led the Jags to a 30-22 lead at the half as he finished the game with 9 points and 12 boards.
While Sam provided most of the offensive output for the Jags in the first half, the second half was a story of fastbreak points and lengthy runs primarily led by Reese and his clutch three-point and free-throw shooting. Reese led the Jags in scoring with 14 points, with 9 coming from behind the arc in the second half.
While the second half was an undoubtedly weaker defensive performance by the Jaguars, their defense was what won them the game. Despite the Hornets attempting to come back late in the second half, the Jaguars defense came together once again to make stops and force bad shots from Alabama State down the stretch. To the Hornets credit, some of those bad shots managed to fall and they gave themselves a chance to win after pulling within 1 point late in the second half after the Jags led by as many as 15 points earlier in the 2nd. However, it was Reese who ultimately sealed the game for the Jags with 2 late free throws to give Southern a 63-61 victory over Alabama State.
It is also noteworthy how far the Jaguars defense has progressed since the start of the season to this point. What was only seen in flashes earlier in the season for the Jaguars, their suffocating defense has become the norm more and more as this Jaguars team continues to progress through the season. While growing pains thwarted the Jaguars start to the season after an 0-5 start, this team has finally learned to play together, and as a result, wins have started to accumulate. Should they continue to play how they have been these past few games and fix their shooting woes, this Jags team has the potential to win any game on any given night against any opponent.
After the game, when asked about his team’s close finishes in their last three contests, Head Coach Morris Scott had this to say: “This lineup (we felt) had been the best group to close out games.” He also elaborated on how the coaching staff is still looking for the perfect lineup to close games out, and while the current lineup has produced up to this point, it is not out of the realm of imagination that future changes could come should the need occur.
Additionally, Reese was perhaps the best player on the court for the Jaguars vs Alabama State. Despite his hot shooting in the second half, Reese struggled mightily in the first half and had trouble getting his shot to fall. When asked about this, Reese agreed and had this to say: “I couldn’t hit anything (in the first half), but my teammates and coaches kept picking me up, so I came out ready to shoot”. Behind Reese and his terrific second half, the Jaguars now sit at 7-13, ready to make a push to turn this season into something special. And with players like Jared Sam and Eddie Reese leading the way, the odds just may be turning in their favor.