Jacksonville State University
UT Martin
Men's Basketball Opens OVC Play at UT Martin
12/28/2016 8:41:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jacksonville State Game Notes | UT Martin Game Notes
MARTIN, Tenn. -- The Jacksonville State Gamecocks open Ohio Valley Conference play Thursday night at UT Martin at 7:30 p.m. It is the latter game of a doubleheader with the JSU and UTM women.
JSU comes into the contest with a .500 non-conference record, posting a 7-7 mark before breaking for the Christmas holiday. The last time the Gamecocks had seven wins before Christmas was 2014-15 (seven wins by 12/16/14). JSU's record stood at 4-11 this time last year.
Jacksonville State senior Erik Durham's name ranks among the top three-point shooters in the NCAA. His 53.8 three-point field goal percentage ranks fourth in the nation, while his 42 three-point field goals made rank 18th in the country. He is averaging 3.0 treys per game (48th, NCAA).
The Skyhawks roll into league competition with the most wins in the OVC, tying a school-record with 10 nonconference victories. UT Martin entered the week ranking third in the nation in rebounding and fifth in assists while also boasting the league's top scoring offense at 79.8 points per contest under first-year head coach Anthony Stewart.
Kedar Edwards has paced UT Martin during the first two months of the season, as the senior forward is the only player in the OVC to rank in the league's top-11 in scoring (15.6 points per game), rebounding (6.7 per game), assists (4.7 per game), steals (1.9 per game) and blocks (0.9 per game). Matt hew Butler (national leader in minutes played) and Javier Martinez (.604 field goal percentage) also average double-figures in the scoring column for the Skyhawks, who have played six out of the last seven games without leading scorer Jacolby Mobley.
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).
GAME 15
Jacksonville State (7-7) at UT Martin (10-5)
December 29, 2016 | 7:30 p.m. CT
Martin, Tenn. | Elam Center (4,300)
SERIES HISTORY
Last Meeting: January 16, 2016 (W, 82-60)
All-Time Series Record: JSU leads 39-21
FOLLOW LIVE
Listen: Gamecock Sports Network (WLJS 91.9 FM, WVOK 97.9 FM)
Watch: SoCon Digital Network
Live Stats: Click Here
NOTEWORTHY
• Since joining the Ohio Valley Conference in 2003-04, Jacksonville State is 6-7 in league openers. The Gamecocks are 3-2 in their last five conference opening contests, and they are 1-0 in openers against UT Martin. JSU scored a 70-65 victory to open 13-14 OVC play.
• The Gamecocks are coming off a 73-57 loss to UT Martin's sister school, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
• Senior Erik Durham's name ranks among the top three-point shooters in the NCAA. His 53.8 three-point field goal percentage ranks fourth in the nation, while his 42 three-point field goals made rank 18th in the country. He is averaging 3.0 treys per game (48th, NCAA).
• The Gamecocks' seventh victory of the season, a one-point win over Upstate on the road, brought them to .500 before the holiday break. The last time the Gamecocks had seven wins before Christmas was 2014-15 (seven wins by 12/16/14). JSU's record stood at 4-11 this time last year.
• Freshman Jacara Cross was named the Adidas® OVC Freshman of the Week on Dec. 19 after scoring 35 points in three games the week prior. He earned his first start at Maryland and has been nearly unstoppable, scoring double-figures in three of his four starts: 10 against the Terps, a career-high 13 at Howard and 12 at Upstate. His 5-for-7 (.71) performance from the floor at Maryland is also a career-best with a minimum of five shots attempted.
• Six of Jacksonville State's seven wins have come away from Pete Mathews Coliseum.
