COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team dropped a 92-66 decision to Big Ten powerhouse Maryland on Monday at the XFINITY Center.
 
Freshman Jacara Cross and senior Greg Tucker led the Gamecocks in scoring with 10 points each, and junior Norbertas Giga snagged a team-high five boards as JSU tied the Terrapins with 28 rebounds.
 
Cross scored the Gamecocks' first six points on consecutive baskets and tied his career-high for points in the opening period alone. The freshman was 5-for-5 from the floor and recorded a team-best 10 points in the first half.
 
Jacksonville State held the lead for just under five minutes in the half and pushed its advantage to a high of three points with the help of a Malcolm Drumwright trey. The game was tied three times and the lead swapped hands four times before Maryland took a permanent lead at the 10:17 mark.
 
The Terps found a groove halfway through the period, hitting a 17-3 run and holding the Gamecocks scoreless for 10 consecutive points. The half came to a close with Maryland out-scoring JSU 26-12 to close out the period. Jacksonville State trailed 42-29 at the half.
 
Despite a few Maryland baskets to begin the second half, the Gamecocks climbed back into the game with a 6-0 run. JSU came within 10 points of the Terps with a 5-for-7 performance from the field in the short amount of time that forced a timeout by the home team. Maryland was 0-for-6 from the field during the stretch and didn't hit a field goal for more than five minutes.
 
Foul trouble plagued the Gamecocks later as Cross and Giga both had to go to the bench with five fouls. The Terrapins pulled away following the JSU run and key disqualifications, extending its lead to a game-high 21 points just beyond the period's midway point.
 
The Gamecocks return to action Wednesday in Washington D.C. as they take on Howard University. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT at Burr Gymnasium in the Nation's Capital.
 
For more information on the JSU men's basketball team, follow the Gamecocks on Twitter (@JSU_MBB). For more on all Gamecocks sports teams, follow the official social media accounts of JSU Athletics on Twitter (@JSUGamecocks), Facebook (Facebook.com/JSUGamecocks), Instagram (@JSUGamecocks) and Snapchat (@JSUGamecocks).