Jackson State has covered 10 of its last 13, and the Tigers have won five of the past six meetings. I like the Tigers to keep this close if not win outright. The Tigers won the first meeting at home 86-81 despite Bethune-Cookman shooting 39 percent (9 of 23) from beyond the arc. Both teams are 8-4 in SWAC play; Jackson State has a worse overall record due to a brutal nonconference schedule that included losses to Houston, Xavier, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Iowa State and Saint Louis.

Bethune-Cookman just dropped a tight one to the Braves at home. Jackson State comes in tied with Wildcats, and four other teams, for second place in the SWAC. Statistically, Bethune-Cookman has the worse offense, but they’re 5-1 SU at home where they shoot 52.3% effectively as compared to the Tigers, who shoot less than 44% on the road. Jackson State is 3-15 SU on the road this season and won the first meeting by five at home. The Wildcats currently have a top 100 defense in terms of opponents field goal percentage, holding them to less than 50% on the year.

The Tigers have been on an over tear (11-2 last 13) roughly since former Ole miss transfer G Daeshun Ruffin (16 ppg) returned to active duty in late December. Ruffin has scored in double digits in every game since and along the way put 37 on the Wildcats in their first meeting on January 25 at Jackson, an 86-81 track meet won by JSU. The Tigers hit tonight having scored 86 ppg across their last four. Meanwhile, the 'Cook has scored 82 ppg across its last four, as Hampton transfer G Trey Thomas has picked up the slack for injured top scorer Brayon Freeman, scoring at a 23 ppg clip in the nine games since. Play Jackson State-BCU Over.