In a commanding performance, the Jackson State Tigers defeated the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 71-50 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals on Friday.
Led by standout guard Daeshun Ruffin, who poured in 25 points on an efficient 9-of-18 shooting, including two three-pointers, the second-seeded Tigers controlled the game from start to finish.
Ruffin’s stellar play was complemented by Jayme Mitchell’s 16 points and five rebounds, while Shannon Grant contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Tigers seized the lead with 6:57 remaining in the first half and never relinquished it, entering halftime with a comfortable 35-24 advantage. Jackson State’s dominance continued in the second half, outscoring Bethune-Cookman by 10 points to secure the decisive victory.
PUNCHED A TICKET TO THEE ‘SHIP 🏆@GoJSUTigersMBB is headed to the 2025 SWAC Men’s Basketball Championship. They will play Alabama State tomorrow at 9:30PM EST.#SWACMBB | #BuildingChampionsForLife pic.twitter.com/bNlvL6ScPE
— Southwestern Athletic Conference (@theswac) March 15, 2025
Despite entering the game with a slightly better overall record, the third-seeded Wildcats struggled to keep pace with Jackson State’s offensive firepower.
Daniel Rouzan led Bethune-Cookman with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Brayon Freeman added 11 points in the losing effort.
The victory marks Jackson State’s sixth consecutive win, improving their record to 16-17 for the season. The Tigers, who went 15-4 in SWAC play, have overcome a challenging 0-13 non-conference start to position themselves one win away from a conference championship.
Jackson State will now face fifth-seeded Alabama State in the SWAC Tournament championship game on Saturday, and it has a chance to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
This story was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by HBCU Sports journalists.
