JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team routed Samford 89-58 Sunday afternoon at Pete Mathews Coliseum, and senior Malcolm Drumwright led the way with a 21-point performance.
 
Drumwright led a pack of six Gamecocks that scored in double-figures. Marlon Hunter and Ashton Spears each had 14, Norbertas Giga scored 12 and Jamall Gregory and Jason Burnell each posted 10.
 
"I told Malcolm he played like a senior," head coach Ray Harper said. "He dominated the game, controlled the game and didn't force anything. There's no question who the best player on the floor was today, and it was Malcolm Drumwright."
 
The senior directed the Gamecocks to their first win over Samford in 11 seasons. The last time JSU was victorious over the Bulldogs was Dec. 8, 2005 in Birmingham, and the last home win against the program came Feb. 24, 2004 – both wins under then-head coach Mike LaPlante.
 
Jacksonville State took total control of the game at the quarter mark. The score was tied five times and the lead changed hands seven times before JSU took the permanent advantage with 9:38 remaining in the first half.
 
Drumwright hit one of his five 3-pointers to give the Gamecocks an 18-17 lead halfway through the period, and from there it got out of hand. The Bulldogs went on a scoring drought of three minutes while JSU enjoyed a 12-point run. From that point until the end of the half, Jacksonville State outscored Samford 31-12.
 
The second half was much of the same with JSU outworking the Bulldogs 40-29. The Gamecock defense held Samford to 17.6% from 3-point range in the period and limited its offense to 12-of-35 from the floor. Again, Drumwright paced the scoring in the second with nine points.
 
The Gamecocks wrap up the three-game stand Friday, Dec.8 at 7 p.m. with a matchup against ULM. From there, Jacksonville State travels to Oregon State for a Dec. 12 meeting before returning to Pete Mathews Coliseum to open a five-game home stint with USC-Upstate on Dec. 16.
 
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).