JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 70-67 contest to Chattanooga Thursday afternoon at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
The Gamecocks (9-4) took the Mocs (6-6) down to the wire, but a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left from UTC's Makale Foreman proved to be the difference in the game. Jacksonville State got the ball back with nine seconds remaining, but the Chattanooga defense was able to keep the ball out of the hands of the hot-shooting Malcolm Drumwright in the final moments to secure the win.
 
Drumwright missed most of the first half due to foul trouble, but totaled a team-best 17 points in the second half.
 
"I thought we were very undisciplined and didn't communicate," head coach Ray Harper said. "We were in the air on shot fakes and left guys open, and the last three of the game got drained because we left the ball-side corner open. We can't do that, and that's what happens when you're undisciplined."
 
Christian Cunningham was nearly unstoppable the entire game. The junior recorded his team-best fifth double-double of the season by way of 14 points and 12 rebounds. He was 7-for-8 from the field and pulled down a game-high seven offensive rebounds.
 
Jacksonville State led 32-25 at the half following respectable defense performance in the half. JSU forced six turnovers, four coming within a four-minute window, and kept the Mocs scoreless during a five-minute window.
 
Marlon Hunter hit a layup to push the Gamecocks' lead to nine following the break, but the advantage dwindled and disappeared at the 12:28 mark. UTC's James Lewis hit back-to-back free throws to give Chattanooga a 43-42 lead – its first since the beginning of the game.
 
Jacksonville State regained the lead shortly after and managed a four-point cushion with five minutes to play, but more Chattanooga free throws tied the game at 67-67 with 1:19 to go. Foreman's game-winning three followed less than a minute later.
 
The Gamecocks break for the holidays and return to practice after a three-day leave. JSU then begins prep for the Ohio Valley Conference opener against Eastern Kentucky Dec. 28 at Pete Mathews. Tipoff is set for 7:30, and Morehead State comes to town Dec. 30 for a 4:30 p.m. matchup.
 
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).