PEORIA, Ill. – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team was not able to overcome a stagnant first half at Carver Arena on Wednesday, falling 74-65 to Bradley University in the final game of the Cancun Challenge's U.S. Regional.
 
Despite three Gamecocks scoring in double-figures, led by a 13-point performance by redshirt senior Detrick Mostella, the late-game rally accompanied by early scoring droughts landed Jacksonville State it's third loss of the season.
 
"They answered every time we would make a run," head coach Ray Harper said. "It's hard to overcome when a team keeps answering back with runs of their own.
 
"I saw some positives, but we still had way too many breakdowns defensively. Especially in the first half. We had to go zone because we couldn't guard ball screen or get the ball leveled off. They did whatever they wanted, and some 3-pointers early in the game came in transition where we didn't communicate."
 
The Braves (3-0) stout defense held the Gamecocks (0-3) to their lowest-scoring period of the year, yielding 23 first-half points. Jacksonville State took 32 shots – seven more than Bradley – but hit just 11. For seven minutes, Jacksonville State was held to 1-for-10 shooting with Christian Cunningham ending the drought with a layup at 8:06.
 
Following the Cunningham basket, momentum temporarily sung the Gamecocks' direction. Jacksonville State hit a 13-5 run that saw Detrick Mostella score five, including JSU's first 3-pointer, and De'Torrion Ware hit his first collegiate basket. The under-four media timeout brought an end to the run, however, and Bradley scored six consecutive to end the half.
 
The second half saw the Gamecocks and Braves trade baskets the entire 20 minutes. JSU outscored the home team 42-40 in the period thanks to seven 3-point baskets. Maurice Dunalp, who was held to two shots the first half, was 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Mostella added two more treys to bump Jacksonville State's shooting percentage from 34.4 percent in the first to 60 percent in the closing half.
 
Although JSU answered its worst-scoring half with its best-scoring half, Bradley answered the Gamecocks nearly shot-for-shot to hang onto a nine-point advantage. Five Braves finished with 10-or-more, led by Koch Bar's 20 points.
 
Jacksonville State senior Marlon Hunter scored 12 points, and Cunningham scored 10 and led the rebounding effort with nine. The Gamecocks achieved a small team goal tonight by seeing their assists outnumber their turnovers. JSU had 22 helpers, the most in a single game this season, while also cutting their turnover total to 14 – their lowest of the season.
 
The Gamecocks continue play in the Cancun Challenge on Tuesday in Cancun, Mexico against Western Carolina. Jacksonville State's international matchup with the Catamounts is set for 11:30 a.m. and will broadcast on CBS Digital. JSU will then go on to face either North Florida or Southern Miss on Wednesday at the Cancun Hard Rock Hotel & Resort.
 
Season tickets and single-game 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).