Game Notes

ASU is still alive for the second seed in the upcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament that begins next week in Houston.  The Hornets must pull out a win over the Tigers and need help from league-leading Southern to defeat Texas Southern Saturday in order for ASU to gain the second seed.
 
ASU (17-11/11-6 SWAC) is coming off two consecutive close wins, a 90-87 overtime win at Prairie View and a last second 68-66 win over Grambling State.
 
Jackson State (11-18/7-10 SWAC) is just the opposite of the Hornets, entering the game on the heels of consecutive close losses to Arkansas-Pine Bluff (66-59) and at Alabama A&M (72-59).
 
The ASU coaching staff is not taking JSU lightly even though the Tigers are currently the seventh place team in the SWAC.  JSU defeated ASU 70-68 back on Jan 6 in Jackson when Julysses Nobles heaved in a 30-foot buzzer-beater.
 
"JSU is a team that has dropped a lot of close ball games and when they beat us we had a lot of trouble containing their guards and keeping them out of the lane," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said.  "Our defense has not been as good as we needed the second part of the SWAC season and it has got to be better against JSU."
 
Jamel Waters shooting has been off the past several games, but he still leads the Hornets in scoring averaging 14.1 points per game and DeMarcus Robinson, who is coming off a game-high 19-point performance against Grambling, is averaging 12.1.
 
The Hornets will make a game-time decision on Bobby Brown, who went down with an injury eight minutes into the game Thursday night.  He was possibly on his way to a big night already scoring six points with three rebounds and a blocked shot in those eight minutes.  He is averaging 9.5 points per game.
 
Maurice Strong struggled from the floor in ASU's last outing only scoring eight points, but he continued to be tough on the glass pulling down 10 rebounds.  It was the fourth time this season he has pulled down double-digit rebounds.  He does have his average up to 8.6 points per game while leading ASU in rebounding at 6.6.
 
JSU is led by Nobles who averages 14.3 points per game.  The Tigers center Brandon West averages 12.6 points per game and leads the SWAC in rebounding at 9.7.
 
"These final games are all about tournament seeding for several teams, and for us to keep our hopes alive for the second seed we must come out ready to play because I know Jackson State will," Jackson said.  "Our defense has to come out with a sense of urgency and energy."
 
Live stats and a live web sync of the game can be seen at bamastatesports.com, while the game can be listened to live on WVAS FM 90.7.