Struggling Teams Seek Breakthrough in Junior College Matchup

BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — Two men’s junior college basketball teams seeking to reverse difficult seasons will meet Monday when the Southern-Shreveport Jaguars visit the Baton Rouge Bears.

The game, scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026, pits teams with a combined record of 6-19. Southern-Shreveport enters at 4-7, while Baton Rouge sits at 2-12.

Both squads look to bounce back from lopsided losses in their most recent contests. The Jaguars fell 72-60 to Hinds on Jan. 8. The Bears are coming off an 85-65 road defeat against Mississippi Gulf Coast, also on Jan. 8. In that game, Southern-Shreveport’s most productive players were Noah Whitehead, Jevion Sam and Bryce Coleman, each logging one minute.

The teams were previously scheduled to play on Jan. 28, but that contest was postponed or canceled with a 0-0 result listed.

Southern-Shreveport’s season has been marked by inconsistency. Following a 76-72 road win over Hinds on Dec. 2, the Jaguars have dropped three of their last four, including losses to Jones and Pearl River. Their most recent victory was a narrow 82-80 home win against Coastal Alabama on Dec. 19.

Baton Rouge’s season has been a greater struggle, with its only victories coming against Angelina (60-53) and a blowout 123-74 win over non-conference foe Community Christian in December. The Bears have lost five straight games since that win over Community Christian, with opponents averaging 81.2 points per game during the skid.

Despite the teams’ records, Interstat’s game simulator projects a high-scoring and even affair, predicting a 100-100 final score.

This game begins a critical stretch for both programs. It is the first of three scheduled meetings between the two this season, with rematches set for Feb. 7 in Shreveport and Feb. 18 back in Baton Rouge.

For Baton Rouge, this matchup is the start of a five-game slate against conference rivals Delgado and Southern-Shreveport. The Bears travel to Delgado on Feb. 4. Southern-Shreveport will host Baton Rouge on Feb. 7 before a road game at Delgado on Feb. 11.

Monday’s tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at Baton Rouge’s home venue.