A seemingly impossible comeback nearly came to fruition Thursday night, but the game-tying shot didn’t go for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
The UAPB men’s basketball team fell 76-69 to Jackson State at H.O. Clemmons Arena despite cutting a huge halftime deficit to within a point.
UAPB (6-24, 3-14 SWAC) trailed 40-20 at halftime after the Tigers dominated every aspect of the first half. Jackson State outrebounded the Golden Lions 22-8 and outscored them 18-6 in the paint and 14-4 off turnovers.
Head coach Solomon Bozeman said the message to the team at halftime was simple: Fight.
“I didn’t think we had any fight (in the first half),” Bozeman said. “I honestly thought we were a little timid, and I have no idea why. It wasn’t nothing to say at halftime but fight. Fight, or we gonna get our a— kicked by 50. I thought they did a good job of fighting. Once we fought and hit back, that’s what it looks like, but that’s what it has to be from the start.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Jackson State (13-17, 13-4) scored first in the second half, but UAPB then went on a 13-3 run. Later in the half, the Golden Lions added a 13-1 run. A Kyle Brown layup made it a one-possession game, then Christian Moore cut the deficit to 70-69.
JSU junior guard Daeshun Ruffin ended the run with a layup. UAPB called a timeout to set up a potential game-tying play with 29.6 to play. Brown’s 3-pointer didn’t go in, and JSU hit four free throws to put the game away.
Bozeman said he was looking to get a quick 2-point shot, but the Tiger defense made the Golden Lions shoot a 3.
“(Moore) drove it,” Bozeman said. “They helped. He made the right basketball play. He kicked it to Kyle for a wide-open 3, and we just didn’t make it. Sometimes, it goes like that. That’s just how the ball bounce sometimes. I thought we had a good look from Kyle, especially once they helped on (Moore).”
The Tigers opened the game on an 8-1 run before Moore scored the Golden Lions’ first field goal. The Tigers went on a 22-3 run over the middle portion of the first half as they dominated on both ends of the court and on the glass.
Junior forward Doctor Bradley led UAPB with 20 points and nine rebounds. Junior guard Quentin Bolton Jr. followed with 15 points and seven rebounds. Bolton made four 3-pointers in the second half as he tried to spur the comeback.
Bozeman said Bolton’s energy was good in the second half.
“(He) made big shots,” Bozeman said. “That’s what he does. He’s a shooter. He’s a shooter, and he crashes the glass. So, he did his job, made shots. Can’t ask for anything but that from him.”
Ruffin led Jackson State with 20 points, followed by Jayme Mitchel Jr. with 19.
This loss took UAPB’s postseason fate out of its own hands. The Golden Lions must defeat Alcorn State on Saturday but also need Texas Southern to defeat Prairie View A&M for UAPB to reach next week’s SWAC tournament.