WEEKEND WRAPUP: SOUTHERN SPLITS ON THE ROAD -- UPSETS JACKSON STATE; FALLS AT GRAMBLING :: Deforrest Riley-Smith explodes for career-high 37 versus Jackson State.

Jan. 12, 2007

Southern v. Jackson State, W, 73-62
Deforrest Riley-Smith scored a career-high 37 points, while holding the nation's leading scorer, Trey Johnson of Jackson State, to 19 points on 9 of 25 shooting, as the Southern Jaguars rolled into the Williams Assembly Center on the Jackson State campus, and rolled out with a 73-62 win over previously undefeated in SWAC play, Jackson State.

Johnson, who averages 30.3 points per game, finished with 19 points, tied for his lowest output of the season. He was 9-for-25 overall and 0-for-7 from 3-point range.

Defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champ Southern (3-13, 2-2 SWAC) hung on as conference preseason favorite Jackson State (9-8, 3-1), could never muster enough to get over the hump versus the Jaguars, who never trailed in the contest.

Meanwhile, Riley-Smith was the one on fire, making 13 of 19 shots and canning 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Chris Davis was the only other SUJ player in double figures with 12 points.

Jackson State sliced an 11-point Southern lead to 57-56 with 4:20 remaining, but Riley-Smith canned two free throws at the other end and, after he snared a defensive rebound, hit a jumper at the other end. He also had a 3-pointer in what turned into an 11-2 spurt, good for a 68-58 lead with 1:13 to play.

Southern v. Grambling State, L, 67-70
Southern's achilles heel once again reared its ugly head, as the visiting Jaguars missed 10 free throws, going 16 of 26 from the charity stripe, and fumbled away opportunites down the stretch as Grambling State handed Southern its 12th defeat of the season, 70-67 in front of 2487 fans in a hot and muggy Memorial Gynmasium on the GSU campus Saturday night.

Chris Davis led SU with 16 points and also pulled down 5 rebounds, while Deforrest Riley-Smith scored 12 points and grabbed a team-high 6 rebounds. Douglas Scott added 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Grambling State (4-6,2-1 SWAC) put four players in double-figures, led by 19 points and 9 rebounds from Anthony Willilliams. Richard Thomas added 14, Andre' Ratliffe went for 12 points, while Kendric Baker pumped in 11 points.