JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team handed preseason-favorite Belmont just its second ever home Ohio Valley Conference loss Saturday, upending the Bruins 64-60 at Curb Event Center.
 
Prior to Saturday's matchup, Belmont was 40-1 in home OVC games, falling last season to Eastern Kentucky. The JSU win is the second in as many meetings with BU, following last year's semifinals victory in the OVC Championships at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium. It's the Gamecocks' first win at the Curb Center and just the second all-time road win over Belmont – dating back to Feb. 4, 2002 before the construction of the Bruins' home court.
 
"I thought we played really well and were really good defensively," head coach Ray Harper said. "We forced them to go small late, and they were able to make a run, but we defended well. It's a really big win for us."
 
Senior Malcolm Drumwright led the Gamecocks with 11 points, followed by nine each from freshman Cam Martin and junior Jason Burnell. Burnell also chipped in a career-best seven assists and pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.
 
The game went to the break tied 25-25 with the Gamecocks' best lead reaching just seven, but the contest was blown open by the 8:52 mark in the second. Jacksonville State used an 18-5 run over six minutes to take a 17-point advantage.
 
Martin, who played four scoreless minutes of the first half, was 3-for-4 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3-point range to score all nine of his points in the second half. The ninth was a free throw in the closing minutes of the contest. The Texas native also had two assists.
 
The Gamecocks' defense was strong in the first half, holding the Bruins to 36% shooting. JSU allowed just 10 of 28 shots to fall, and only three were from 3-point range.
 
Belmont committed 11 turnovers while Jacksonville State totaled five steals. Drumwright picked the pocket of the Bruins twice in the period, and Gregory, Burnell and Dunlap each had one steal.
 
In total, Jacksonville State shot 50% (27-for-54), while the defense held Belmont to 21-of-59 (35.6%) for the game. The Bruins' average coming into the game was 47.7% and averaged 11.5 3-pointers per game. Today, Belmont hit just seven from long range on 34 attempts.
 
The Gamecocks return home Thursday, January 11 to take on Murray State. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. and it is a "Red Out." Fans wearing red to the game will receive a $5 ticket special as Jacksonville State looks to "Red Out the Racers." JSU then welcomes Austin Peay to Pete Mathews Coliseum Saturday 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).