Box Score FINAL STATS

JACKSONVILLE – A first-half run put the Jacksonville state men's basketball team in control of its season opener on Friday, and the Gamecocks coasted to an 87-64 win over Miles College at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

The Gamecocks (1-0) used an early 24-6 run to create some separation from the visiting Golden Bears (0-1) and never looked back, using a dominating inside game that produced a 42-10 advantage in the paint and a 19-rebound edge. JSU forced Miles into 19 turnovers and turned those into transition opportunities, enough to seal the Gamecocks' third-straight win in a season opener despite committing 22 turnovers on the other end.

“I thought we did a good job of controlling the inside tonight and making them take some tough shots,” JSU head coach James Green said. “Defensively, we did enough things to win the ballgame but we are going to have to get better there and eliminate our mistakes on offense. We have to do a better job of taking care of the basketball in order to have a chance to win basketball games as we get into the season.”

Four Gamecocks scored in double figures and four more had at least six points, led by junior guard Mason Leggett's 17. The transfer from Southeastern Community College in Iowa, went 4-for-7 from the floor and 9-for-9 from the free throw line, while grabbing six boards and dishing four of the team's 17 assists in his Division I debut.

His junior college teammate, junior forward Rinaldo Mafra, pitched in 10 points and led all players with seven rebounds, a stat that drove JSU to a 44-25 advantage on the glass. He was 3-for-4 from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the win.

Fellow junior college transfer Tarvin Gaines found himself in the starting lineup for his debut and made his opportunity count. The 6-foot-6 native of West Memphis, Ark., tossed in 15 points and pulled down five rebounds in 24 minutes of action. The transfer from Lawson State Community College was 5-for-7 from both the field and the free throw line.

Sophomore point guard Brian Williams, the Gamecocks' only returning player from a year ago that was in Friday's starting lineup, added 10 points in his 25 minutes that were limited because of foul trouble. He also grabbed three boards and passed out four assists. Junior Ronnie Boggs and freshman Darion Rackley each came off of the bench to score eight points apiece.

Almost all of Miles' offense ran through senior guard Eric Lipkin. The Birmingham native was 8-for-14 from the floor, thanks to a 5-for-10 night from behind the arc, to score 23 points.

JSU shot 55 percent from the field but were 24-for-39 (.615) from inside the arc, while holding the Golden Bears to a 35-percent effort from the floor. JSU connected on 30 of its 40 free-throw attempts, 27 of which came in the first half.

The Gamecocks will now take to the road, where they will play 15 of their next 20 games, beginning with a 3 p.m. CT matchup with Marshall on Sunday in Huntington, W.V. They will then travel to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT in a game that will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio. All of JSU's games this season will be broadcast live on the Gamecock Sports Network with Mike Parris calling the action.