JACKSON, Miss. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking a turning point will meet Saturday when the Jackson State Tigers host the Alcorn State Braves in a Southwestern Athletic Conference men’s basketball opener.

The matchup at Lee Williams Athletic Center pits struggling programs with identical 1-11 overall records. Both have endured difficult non-conference schedules, but conference play offers a fresh start.

Jackson State, also 1-12, enters on a six-game skid but boasts the SWAC’s most dynamic scorer in senior guard Daeshun Ruffin. He is averaging 21.6 points over his last five games, including a 36-point outburst against Hampton on Dec. 18. In the Tigers’ most recent game, a 115-64 loss at TCU on Monday, Ruffin logged 40 minutes, scoring 21 points with six assists.

Alcorn State, coming off a 79-43 loss at Mississippi on Monday, will counter with guard Tycen McDaniels. He led the Braves with 17 points in that contest. His production has been variable, however, scoring just two points in eight minutes during a Dec. 19 loss at Baylor.

Both teams’ lone victories came in November. Alcorn State defeated Indiana State 81-74 on Nov. 28, while Jackson State topped Louisiana-Lafayette 51-45 the same day.

The Braves have faced a gauntlet of high-major opponents, including Baylor, Iowa State and LSU, leading to defensive struggles and an average margin of defeat of 28.5 points during their current 10-game losing streak. The Tigers have similarly faced ranked opponents like Houston and Auburn, but their recent losses to mid-major foes Norfolk State and Hampton at home raise concerns.

Historically, the rivalry is intense, but this edition finds both in desperate need of momentum to launch their SWAC campaigns. The team that can consistently execute defensively and find secondary scoring beyond its star guard may seize an early conference advantage.

Saturday’s game tips off at approximately 8:30 p.m. EST.