Box Score

JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team fell to Ohio Valley Conference newcomer Belmont University 73-62 Thursday night at Pete Mathews Coliseum to give the Gamecocks their first conference loss of the season.

Junior Brian Williams led the Gamecocks (10-4, 2-1 OVC) with 18 points and added five assists and four rebounds but it was not enough as the Bruins (10-4, 1-0 OVC) used a perfect 17-of-17 night from the free throw line and shot 52 percent (26-of-50) from the field to grab the win in their first conference game as a member of the OVC.

Sophomore Darion Rackley added 11 points while junior Nick Cook also finished with 11 points and three blocked shots. For the game, the Gamecocks shot .471 (24-of-51) from the field and connected on just 4-of-14 from behind the 3-point line.

The Bruins led by as many as 11 in the first half, outscoring the Gamecocks 26-14 in the paint while building the early lead. Williams would lead the Gamecocks back, scoring seven of his nine first half points during a 12-4 run that cut the lead to 33-31 at halftime. Williams knocked down back-to-back 3-point shots to start the run.

Freshman Alex Anderson then converted a three-point play after being fouled on a layup attempt. His free-throw attempt cut the lead to 31-29. Belmont would add a layup but senior Ronnie Boggs would answer two free throws to close the first half run.

The Gamecocks continued to surge at the start of the second half, with Williams converting a Tarvin Gaines steal into a fast break dunk to cut the Bruin lead to 36-35. Rackley would eventually connect on a 3-point shot to tie the game at 38-38 with 16:15 left in the game.

The tie would be short lived, as junior guard J.J. Mann connected on a trey to reclaim the lead for the Bruins. The Gamecocks would eventually grab their first lead of the game at 10:24 following a steal and fast break layup by Boggs and then a layup for Gaines that gave the Gamecocks a 48-47 lead with 10:24 left.

The Bruins would then respond with a 9-2 run to push the lead back out to six with just over seven minutes left in the game. Williams ended the scoring drought with a 3-point bomb, his third 3-pointer of the game to cut the lead to 56-53 with 6:31 left in the game.

Belmont would then outscore JSU 17-9 down the stretch to pull out the 73-62 victory. Five players finished in double figures for the Bruins, led by junior J.J. Mann's double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Blake Jenkins added 14 points and nine rebounds while senior Ian Clark finished with 14 points. Seniors Kerron Johnson and Trevor Noack both finished with 11 points, respectively.

The Gamecocks return home Saturday in an OVC double-header with Tennessee State. The JSU women will tip off at 2 p.m. followed by the men's game at 4:30 p.m.