CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team dropped a 73-57 decision to Chattanooga on Wednesday at McKenzie Arena. The Gamecocks saw the Mocs pull away with a big second period to close out the schedule's non-conference half.
 
Despite the loss, junior Malcolm Drumwright scored a team-high 14 points to record his third double-digit scoring contest in a row. He missed his first double-double of the year by just two rebounds, grabbing a season-best eight boards.
 
The Mocs began the game with a 9-0 run that helped them to a 37-26 advantage by the end of the half. The Chattanooga defense kept pressure on the Gamecocks and held them to 40 percent from the floor in the first half. Drumwright was limited to just six points in the opening period.
 
Jacksonville State kept the contest within reach with the help of seven UTC turnovers. Harper's squad scored eight points on the Mocs' miscues while scoring three buckets on fast breaks. The Gamecocks out-scored Chattanooga 18-12 in the paint and 3-0 on second-chance points at the break.
 
Chattanooga widened the gap almost immediately in the second half, hitting a 10-0 run to begin the period. JSU's first points of the half didn't come until the 5:10 mark on a Drumwright jumper.
 
Freshman Ashton Spears capitalized on playing time in the second half, scoring five points and swiping three UTC passes in 13 minutes. Spears' three steals were a team-high, followed up by two from Drumwright.
 
The Gamecocks are back in action after a quick holiday break and open Ohio Valley Conference play on Dec. 29 in Martin, Tenn. Following a 7:30 p.m. matchup with UT Martin, the team travels to Charleston, Ill., for a Dec. 31 game against Eastern Illinois.
 
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