JACKSONVILLE – Junior Christian Cunningham's double-double and freshman Cam Martin's career-best 12 points led the Jacksonville State men's basketball team past Alabama State 77-69 Thursday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
Martin scored a career-high 12 points, and Cunningham posted his second double-double of the year with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
 
"Cam is going to be a good player," head coach Ray Harper said. "He physical, can make shots and is ready offensively. And I thought Christian got back going tonight. His 11 rebounds were big."
 
The Hornets held the advantage for six minutes in the first half until the Gamecocks took a permanent lead at the 11:02 mark. Senior Norbertas Giga hit a turnaround-jumper to give JSU a 16-14 lead and Jacksonville State never looked back.
 
Giga scored all nine of his points in the first to lead the Gamecocks in the half. Junior Maurice Dunlap hit a couple of three-pointers and Martin found the basket for six points to follow up the seven-footer.
 
Jacksonville State came out firing on all cylinders to begin the second half. JSU enjoyed a nine-point run to start the period and extended its lead to a night-best 29 three-quarters of the way through the game.
 
Alabama State outscored the Gamecocks 47-40 in the second, forcing JSU to withstand a late-game rally. The Hornets shortened the lead to six, 75-69, with 32 seconds to play, but junior Marlon Hunter hit the final two free throws of the game with 11 seconds to go to add insurance points to the board.
 
The matchup with Alabama State began a three-game home stand for the Gamecocks. JSU is back in action against Samford on Dec. 3 at 2 p.m and welcomes ULM to campus on Dec. 8.

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).