No. 23 Jones College began the 2026 portion of the schedule with a 70-61 victory over Southern University-Shreveport here Monday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
Five players scored in double figures for the Bobcats, who played for the first time in three weeks.
The Bobcats snapped a three-game losing streak and are now 11-5. Jones begins MACCC play with a 7:30 p.m. home game on Jan. 12 vs. Hinds.
The Jaguars scored the game’s first four points before Jones rebounded to take a 15-13 lead on a Dylan Rowe (Madison Central) dunk with 11:34 remaining in the first half. The Bobcats took their longest lead of the night at 26-15 with 6:12 showing when Braylon Barnes (Brandon) made a free throw.
SUS rallied and tied the game at 32-32 on a jumper by Kevin Kirk with 20 seconds left. But he was called for a technical foul after the play and Jay Tyler (Glen Allan) made a free throw to give the Bobcats a 33-32 lead halftime lead.
Two Bob Dickson (Southaven) free throws gave the Bobcats the lead for good at 39-38 with 16:52 left. Two free throws by Barnes gave the Bobcats a 53-45 lead with 10:54 to play.
SUS pulled within 64-61 with 3:49 left on a Kalvin Vengeto layup, but Jones would outscore them 6-0 the rest of the way.
Barnes and Wesley Lindsey (Central Hinds Academy) led the way with 15 points each. Rowe added 13, Dickson had 12 and Tyler had 10. Dickson had eight rebounds and Barnes had seven. Rowe had five assists and Barnes had three steals.
The Bobcats were 29-of-32 from the free throw line for 91 percent. They made 20-of-50 field goals for 40 percent and were just 1-of-7 from 3-point range for 14 percent.
Jones outrebounded SUS, 38-36, and committed 16 turnovers compared to 14 for the Jaguars.
Tayshaun Gilchrist led the Jaguars with 24 points and Kirk added 17. Gilchrist added seven rebounds and five assists.
The Jaguars fall to 9-7.
