AVALON, Miss. (Interstat) — Two SWAC men’s basketball teams seeking to halt slides will meet Saturday when Jackson State visits Mississippi Valley State at the LeFlore County Civic Center.

The Jackson State Tigers (6-16) enter having lost three of their last four, including a 96-91 overtime heartbreaker to Southern on Monday. The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (1-21) carry a 10-game losing streak into the matchup, with their lone win this season coming on Nov. 30.

The game will feature a duel of standout guards carrying heavy offensive loads. Jackson State is led by dynamic junior Daeshun Ruffin, who is in the midst of a spectacular individual run. Over his last eight games, Ruffin is averaging 30.3 points and 8.5 assists, including a 38-point effort against Grambling and a 39-point, 10-assist performance at Alabama A&M. He scored 35 in the overtime loss to Southern.

Mississippi Valley State will counter with senior Michael James, who has been a consistent bright spot during a difficult season. James has scored in double figures in 12 straight games, averaging 21.8 points per contest in that span. He posted 31 points against Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 17 and 25 points in the Delta Devils’ most recent outing, a 78-70 loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Jan. 31.

While Jackson State has struggled overall, its conference record of 5-4 shows competitive form within the SWAC. Mississippi Valley State is 1-8 in league play. The Tigers won the first meeting this season, 89-69, in Jackson on Jan. 3, behind 24 points from Ruffin.

The Delta Devils will look to leverage their home court at the LeFlore County Civic Center to find a rare victory, while the Tigers aim to steady their conference standing behind Ruffin’s electric play. Tipoff is set for Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.