If avenging last year’s loss to the Tigers was on the Red Wolves’ mind to open the game, it didn’t seem that way – not when 0-8 Jackson State corked open a nine point lead with about 8:30 in the first half. However, A-State shooting warmed up just enough to take a 37-31 point lead by the end of the half – despite shooting only 3/15 on layups. [Should we start worry about Red Wolves shooting? Maybe!] Notable, the Three Point Balloon was out of commission on Thursday, and the Red Wolves went 6/18 from three in the first half.

Kobe Julian and Terrence Ford Junior opened the second half with a threes. But the Red Wolves sluggishness continued. At 16:45, the score was just 43-38, with Tigers big man Shannon Grant having his way in the paint. He’d roll out of Jonesboro with a double-double by game’s end (16 pts -10 rebounds).

The game was breathtakingly ugly; foul-filled and ingloriously marked by missed dunks and air balls. Red Wolves lay-up shooting didn’t get better with time. If anything, it got worse. A-State finished the game 5/22 for layups, shooting a dispiriting 33% overall.

With about 2:30 on the clock, the Red Wolves got annoyed enough to put the game away, but a time out sapped all the energy. With a minute left on the clock, the Red Wolves were up by two. A shot clock violation at the :16 mark gave the Tigers a chance to win or tie, but somehow, the Red Wolves managed to win.

Taryn Todd led A-State scorers with 15 points. Shannon led the Tigers with 16. Jackson State left with its ninth loss.

Consider the last year’s humiliating 74-71 home loss to Jackson State avenged if not in particularly reassuring fashion.