After a 14-game road trip, the Jackson State Tigers made their home debut against the Alabama State Hornets. Head coach Mo Williams and the Tigers started their season off with a tough non-conference schedule that included four games against top 25 teams.
But on Saturday night, JSU fans got to cheer on their Tigers as they were treated to an entertaining battle in the SWAC. “I don’t understand why more people don’t talk about fans; how important they are,” said coach Williams when speaking about the JSU fans. “Outside of the players and the coach, they’re probably the most important people that need to be in the building, especially at home.”
Tigers Pull Out Another Close Win
After a narrow 67-66 win over Alcorn, JSU notched their second win in the SWAC as they defeated Alabama State 61-58. This was an extremely competitive fight between the Tigers and the Hornets as the largest lead of the game was only seven. While the game got off to a fast start, the scoring did not. Jackson State came out fast on offense, but they couldn’t seem to find the bottom of the net. The Tigers had several empty possessions to start the game as they tried from deep and couldn’t find the bottom of the net. They finished the first half just 3-14 from beyond the arc.
However, the Tigers began to get more comfortable as the game went on. They started attacking the basket and showing off some serious athleticism. Former Forest Hill High School player Ken Evans Jr. showed off some impressive ball-handling skills as he attacked downhill and finished with an impressive move at the rim. Senior Trace Young put his athleticism on display as he gathered a missed three for a tremendous put-back slam. Starkville native Coltie Young also delivered a fantastic performance. Young led the team in scoring with 17 points and brought down 10 rebounds. He also had a pair of steals in the game.
Coming out of the locker room for the second half with a three-point lead, Williams and his team took the floor with a renewed sense of aggression. “We wanted to keep pressure on them all night,” Williams said. “We wanted to make sure we kept our aggression and not let them rest at any moment.” The Tigers started with a full-court press defense, forcing two turnovers straight away. Despite constant pressure from the Hornets, Jackson State maintained their lead, and with the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center was rocking as fans cheered on their Tigers. With one last defensive stop, the horn sounded, and JSU celebrated their third win of the season, bringing their record to 3-12.
Mo Williams: From the NBA Back Home
Deion Sanders may be the biggest name to ever be associated with Jackson State, but he is certainly not the only high-profile athlete to join the Tigers athletic program. In March 2022, NBA veteran Mo Williams took over as head coach of the JSU men’s basketball team. Many around the world know Williams for his 13 NBA seasons, in which he dazzled audiences with his prolific scoring and offensive mind.
Mo Williams first made waves in the basketball world at Murrah High School in Jackson, Mississippi. In 2001, his senior year, Williams was named Mississippi Mr. basketball and earned a spot on the McDonald’s All-American team. He would then go on to attend Alabama, where he played two seasons, earning SEC Freshman of the year in 2002 and Third-team All-SEC honors in 2003. One thing is for sure, Mo Williams showed NBA scouts he had what it took to make it to the big leagues.
The Utah Jazz drafted Williams 47 overall in 2003, the beginning of a long and prosperous career. Williams played 13 seasons in the NBA, racking up over 800 games played and averaging 13.2 points a game. Always a valuable asset, Williams found himself a member of six different NBA squads, including the 2015-2016 Clevland Cavaliers. In his final season, Williams helped the Cavs succeed in one of the most epic comebacks in NBA history. Golden State led the series 3-1, but the Cavs came storming back, winning the last three games of the series to win it all. 2016 ended with a championship in Clevland and a ring on Mo Williams’ finger.
After retiring from the NBA, Williams went into coaching as an assistant coach under his former college coach Mark Gottfried. Williams then made his way to Alabama State as head coach of the Hornets. Williams stayed at the helm for Alabama State for two seasons before coming back to his hometown to take over as the Jackson State Tigers new head coach. This season the Tigers have gone 3-12, but don’t let the subpar record fool you. Williams has coached this Tiger’s team well and has kept them competitive in close games.
