JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team downed Delta State 78-41 in an exhibition game Thursday night at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
Junior Christian Cunningham led the way with 11 points, nine rebounds – five coming on defense – and five blocks. Ashton Spears and senior Malcolm Drumwright each pitched in nine.
 
Of the 12 Gamecocks who saw the floor, all 12 tallied points. Among those 12, five made their debuts in a Jacksonville State uniform: Jamall Gregory, Maurice Dunlap, Jason Burnell, Marlon Hunter and Cam Martin.
 
On defense, JSU forced 23 turnovers and gave up just 15 successful shots of 55. Along with Cunningham's five swats, the Gamecocks totaled 12 blocks and walked away with 12 steals. On the flip side, Jacksonville State limited its turnovers to 12.
 
Delta State jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead, but the advantage only lasted until the 16:07 mark before a Marlon Hunter free-throw tied it and a follow-up layup by the Memphis, Tenn., native permanently handed the Gamecocks the lead.

A 16-6 JSU run put the Statesmen down by double-digits, 22-12, for the first time at 7:46, and the Gamecocks only added on from there. The half came to an end with Jacksonville State out front 38-20 – their largest lead of the night, thus far.
 
After finding their footing in the first half, the Gamecocks put up a 40-spot in the second half and held the Statesmen to 21 points. Drumwright and redshirt freshman Mohamed Abuarisha led second-half scorers with six points each, while Abuarisha, Cunningham and freshman Cam Martin each nabbed three rebounds in the closing frame.
 
Behind scoring leaders Cunningham, Drumwright and Spears, newcomers Gregory, Burnell and Martin totaled eight points. In addition to his eight tallies and two tremendous blocks, Gregory added a monstrous dunk for the Pete Mathews crowd.
 
The Gamecocks' 2017-18 campaign officially gets underway Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at Pete Mathews Coliseum. Jacksonville State is set to host Tennessee Wesleyan in the season opener. The matchup has been deemed Hometown Hero Night, as all active military, veterans, first responders, police and firemen and their families will be admitted free and recognized at halftime.

 
Tickets are now available for purchase online at JSUGamecocksTickets.com, by phone at (256) 782-8499 and on campus at the JSU Ticket Office at Kennamer Hall. Children 18-years-old and under and JSU students are admitted free.
 
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).