Tampa, FL – The Hofstra Men's Basketball team will continue its week-long road trip on Friday when the Pride head to Jackson, Mississippi to face Jackson State at 8 p.m. (EST). 

In addition to this being part of a week-long road trip, Hofstra (3-2) is in the midst of a stretch that began with the South Florida game on Tuesday that will see them play 11 of their next 14 games away from the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. From November 25 until January 17, the Pride will play just three home games as Hofstra will host Norfolk State on December 2, La Salle on December 23 and Delaware on January 5. 

Hofstra is coming off a heart-breaking 71-70 loss at South Florida on Tuesday as the Bulls rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to earn the narrow one-point victory. Junior forward Ameen Tanksley led the Pride with 20 points, including five three-pointers, in the game. Junior guard Juan'ya Green added 17 points and a team-best seven assists, while sophomore guard Brian Bernardi chipped in with 14 points, including four three-pointers. 

Tanksley and Bernardi have each drained a team-high 14 three-pointers and both are averaging double figures this season with Tanksley second on the squad at 15.6 points per game and Bernardi fourth at 11.4 per contest. Green leads the way for the Pride with 19.2 points and 33 assists this season. Graduate guard Dion Nesmith is the fourth member of the Pride to average double digits with 12 points per game. Tanksley is also second on the team with six rebounds per outing. Freshman forward Rokas Gustys leads the Pride with 7.8 rebounds per game and has reached double figures in rebounds three times this season. 

Jackson State is 1-4 this season and is coming off a narrow 79-71 road defeat at St. Bonaventure on Tuesday. The Tigers and the Pride have three common opponents already this season as JSU has defeated Jacksonville, while falling to North Carolina State and South Florida. Kaven Bernard and Javeres Brent lead JSU with 11.6 points per game with Bernard also pulling down 4.8 rebounds per outing and Brent adding 4.6 caroms per contest. Dre'Sean Looney leads Jackson State with 11 assists this season. 

This will mark the first-ever meeting between Hofstra and Jackson State in men's basketball. In addition, Head Coach Joe Mihalich has never faced the Tigers during his 17 seasons as a head coach. Hofstra has never faced a current member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).