Trojans Grab Early Lead And Hold Off Gamecocks For 75-70 Win

Friday, December 20

Tortola, BVI

5 p.m.

Jacksonville State University

5-9

Arkansas - Little Rock

4-6

Team	1	2	F
UALR	36	39	75
Jacksonville State	30	40	70

12/20/2013 7:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

FINAL STATS

TORTOLA, B.V.I. – Arkansas-Little Rock grabbed the lead out of the gate and the Jacksonville State men's basketball team couldn't get it back before falling 75-70 in the opening game of the B.V.I. Tropical Shootout.

Junior Darion Rackley scored 17 points and senior Brian Williams added 14 for the Gamecocks (5-9), but the Trojans had four players in double figures and shot better than 50 percent in each half to hang on for the win in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Ben Dillard led all scorers with 18 points on a 5-for-6 shooting night, while Josh Hagins added 16 in the win for the Trojans. Will Neighbour notched a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards, while James White's 12 rebounds paced a 40-27 UALR advantage on the glass.

Rackley dished five assists for JSU and swiped three stelas without committing a turnover.

The Gamecocks got off to a slow start, going the game's first 6:13 without a field goal and allowing the Trojans to build an early 8-1 lead. Rackley finally got a layup to fall to spark a 6-0 run that cut the UALR lead to one.

The Trojans went on another run, eventually opening a 10-point lead as late as 25-15 at the 7:16 mark of the half. JSU cut the deficit to two twice but went the final 2:45 of the half without a field goal, while UALR stretched its advantage to 36-30 at the half.

Williams and Rackley combined for 17 of the team's first-half points, with Williams scoring nine and Williams eight.

The Trojans maintained their single-digit lead until a 9-1 run turned a two-point game into UALR's largest of the night at 56-46 with 9:52 to play. That's when the Gamecocks went on their run, scoring the next nine points to cut it to a one-point game.

After the two exchanged buckets twice, Avery Moore knocked down his second 3-pointer of the night with 5:54 to play to tie the game at 60-60, the first tie since it was 0-0 at the start of the game. JSU couldn't break the tie, however, and Leroy Isler answered with a Trojan 3-pointer that gave UALR the lead for good.

The Gamecocks will now play in Saturday's consolation game of the tournament against the loser of the Southern Miss/Coppin State game late Friday. Tipoff will be at 5 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast live on the JSU Radio Network.