BOX SCORE JACKSON, Miss. – Prairie View A&M has now played 11 consecutive periods of basketball as they took down Jackson State 85-80 in double overtime on Saturday night at the Williams Athletic & Assembly Center. Saturday's game marked the third consecutive overtime contest for the Panthers since Jan. 6 and the fourth overtime bout this season.
Historically, PVAMU's history in Jackson, Miss. isn't one to brag on as JSU has dominated the series with a 20-3 mark since 1990 entering Saturday's game on the JSU campus. However, head coach Byron Rimm II has conjured a winning formula as tonight's win in Jackson marked his third since 2008.
Early on, the contest resembled a heavyweight fight as both teams felt each other out for most of the first half. JSU would lead by as much as six on two occasions midway through the half before the Panthers threw the first blow as they outscored JSU 27-15 over the final 11:21 for a 35-29 halftime advantage.
PVAMU led by as much as nine with 16:04 left in the second half following a jumper from Hershey Robinson. However, the roles reversed as the Panthers found themselves in early foul trouble while JSU began to heat up as they turned its nine-point deficit into an eight-point (54-46) lead following a 22-5 run over the next 10 minutes. The Panthers drew to within five points with 4:52 left but JSU extended its lead to 60-51 a minute later after Julysses Nobles' layup.
With the game slipping away, Rimm called a timeout to regroup his troops and his plan took effect immediately as Montrael Scott hit a jumper, followed by a defensive block from Robinson which led to a layup by Munks and a five-point deficit (60-55) with 2:15 left.
After a JSU turnover and missed free throws, Munks recorded a three-point play with 1:47 remaining to draw within 60-58. JSU turned the ball over once again and Scott nailed 1-of-2 from the free throw line to close PVAMU to within one point at 60-59. JSU's Derell Taylor nailed 1-of-2 from the line and a missed layup by PVAMU led to a BJ West dunk and a 63-59 JSU advantage as the clock read 32 seconds. However, Munks was fouled on a three-point attempt on the ensuing possession and nailed all three free throws to draw the Panthers within one (63-62) at the 27 second mark. JSU missed two free throws on its next possession but West rebounded the missed free throw and hit both attempts after being fouled four seconds later for a 65-62 lead. Munks closed the gap to 65-64 with a basket seven seconds later and JSU's Nobles went 1-of-2 from the line with 14 seconds remaining for a 66-64 Tiger margin. With four seconds remaining and the ball in PVAMU's hands, Munks missed the potential game-tying layup but the Panthers regained possession as junior guard Tre Hagood was fouled with eight-tenths of a second left. Hagood nailed both shots to send the game into OT as JSU's desperation trey fell short at the buzzer.
The Panthers reclaimed a 70-68 lead in overtime on Demondre Chapman's putback but JSU tied the game at 70-all with 2:07 left after Derell Taylor's free throw. On PVAMU's next possession, Hagood executed the play to perfection for a layup on the block and a missed JSU basket led to Rasi Jenkins' nailing 1-of-2 free throws for a 73-70 Panther lead with 1:27 left. Nobles missed a layup on the opposite end and Chapman upped the margin to 74-70 after a free throw at the 1:19 mark. However, JSU was fouled on its next possession and Nobles hit both baskets followed by a costly turnover which led to Nobles nailing two more free throws to knot the contest at 74-all with 38 seconds remaining. PVAMU had a shot to win at the end but Hagood's trey fell short followed by Nobles' desperation trey.
Playing their 11th consecutive period of basketball since Jan. 6, the Panthers received a dose a good news as Nobles fouled out with 4:44 left in the second OT. Hagood hit both free throws for a 76-74 lead and the Panthers dodged several bullets on JSU's next two possessions before Munks nailed a huge trey for a 79-75 advantage with 3:18 left.
The Tigers closed to within 80-78 with 1:44 remaining but PVAMU answered on the defensive end as JSU's Javeres Brent was picked from behind and the ball landed in the hands of junior guard Andre Adams. Scott extended the lead to 82-78 with a layup and a missed JSU basket led to two more free throws from Jenkins and a six-point lead the Panthers managed to hold on to as time expired.
Munks nearly equaled his output from two years ago as he led the Panthers with 23 points and five rebounds. Scott followed with 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals while Hagood added 14 points. Chapman scored 15 points with nine rebounds followed by an 11-point, two-block effort from Robinson.
PVAMU will face off against Grambling State at 7:30 p.m. inside the Assembly Center on Monday evening in Grambling, La.
