Jaguars Battle Back Late but Fall Short at SUNO, 86–81

New Orleans, LA- Texas A&M–San Antonio men's basketball team mounted a strong second-half rally but couldn't overcome a big early deficit, falling 86–81 on the road to Southern University at New Orleans on Saturday afternoon.

The Jaguars (0–2) trailed 52–34 at halftime after a blistering first half from the Knights, who shot over 45% from the field and hit seven threes. A&M–San Antonio responded with an inspired 47-point second half, trimming what had been a 22-point deficit to single digits in the final minutes before time ran out.

The Jaguars' bench provided a major spark, accounting for 53 of the team's 81 points. Carson Brown led the charge with 11 points, all but two coming after halftime, while Josean Dembo added 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Paul Minjoth knocked down a pair of second-half threes to finish with 8 points, and Felix Greif contributed an efficient 9 points on 4-of-5 shooting.

Guard Dezmon Dudley added 11 points and 5 assists, while Paul Stegmann filled the stat sheet with 7 points, 3 steals, and 3 assists. As a team, A&M–San Antonio shot 39% from the field and hit 8 three-pointers, including four in the second half.

After allowing 52 points in the first period, the Jaguars tightened up defensively, holding SUNO to just 34 in the second half while forcing 17 turnovers overall. The Jaguars also collected 14 steals and outrebounded the Knights 45–46 in a near-even battle on the glass.

Southern's Jamal Gibson (23 points, 17 rebounds) and Jaylon Hicks (24 points, 6 assists) powered the Knights to victory. SUNO built its cushion early behind hot perimeter shooting and timely defense, recording 14 blocks in the contest.