FINAL STATS

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky continued to put a dagger in the hearts of the comeback hopes of the Jacksonville State men's basketball team on Thursday night, when the Colonels handed the Gamecocks a 75-67 defeat in Ohio Valley Conference action at McBrayer Arena.

The Colonels (8-7, 2-3 OVC) used a 30-point performance from Mike Rose and continued to answer each attempt the Gamecocks (8-5, 2-2 OVC) had to try and cut into the EKU lead. The Colonels mounted a 22-7 first half run to build a double-digit lead, one they would build to as many as 13 early in the second half. The Gamecocks managed to cut it to as few as four, but Rose and the Colonels seemed to always have an answer for each JSU run.

“This was a disappointing game for us,” JSU head coach James Green said. “I didn't think that we did a very good job on either end. I thought we shot the ball well enough on the road, but when you go 11-of-20 from the free throw line and give up easy buckets on defense, you really put yourself in a tough situation.”

Senior guard DeAndre Bray put a few milestones in his portfolio in the losing effort. The 5-foot-6 Atlanta native became just the sixth player in JSU's Division I history to play in 100 games as a Gamecock in the game, and he also moved his name up in a few career statistical categories. He finished the game with seven assists, passing Robert Lee Sanders in sixth place and Earl Warren in fifth place on the Gamecocks' career assists list with 465. He also recorded five steals, giving him 138 in his four-year career, moving him past Scott Watson into third on JSU's Division I steals list.

Much of the night belonged to the Colonels, however, thanks in large part to Rose's big night. His 30 points were the most by a JSU opposing player this year and they led a group of five EKU players with at least eight points. Joshua Jones scored 13 points, while Ryan Wiersma pulled in nine rebounds to lead EKU to a 35-26 advantage on the glass.

The Gamecocks shot 44.1 percent from the floor, but failed to convert several times under the bucket when they drew contact. They still outscored the Colonels, 32-28 in the paint, but six second-half three pointers and a 20-for-28 effort from the charity stripe pushed EKU to their first win in five games and their sixth in as many tries over the Gamecocks in McBrayer Arena.

Sophomore Jeremy Bynum and freshman Brandon Crawford each scored 13 points to lead a group of four JSU players in double figures. Both scored 11 in the second half. Sophomore Nick Murphy added 12 points, 10 in the first half, and freshman Stephen Hall pitched in 11.

The game was tight for much of the first half before the Colonels' run gave them a 35-24 lead with 1:46 to play in the opening half. The Gamecocks scored the final five points of the half to cut the deficit to 35-29 going into the locker room.

JSU came out in the second half and cut the EKU lead to four at 37-33, but a trey by Justin Stommes pulled the Colonels back up by seven. EKU built a 13-point advantage at 54-41 with 9:09 remining, and never let the Gamecocks pull closer than seven.

The Gamecocks will wrap up their two-game road trip on Saturday, when they take on Morehead State at 3:15 p.m. CT in Morehead, Ky. The game will be broadcast live on the JSU Radio Network with Mike Parris providing the play-by-play.