Gamecock rally falls short at Wichita State on Wednesday

Wednesday, December 12

Wichita, Kan.

7 p.m.

Jacksonville State University

5-4

Wichita State

5-4

Team	1	2	F
Jacksonville St.	33	32	65
Wichita St.	37	32	69

12/12/2018 10:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

WICHITA, Kan. – A late-game surge wasn't enough to lift the Jacksonville State men's basketball team over Wichita State on Wednesday, falling 69-65 at Charles Koch Arena and bringing an end to the Gamecocks' five-game winning streak.

JSU trailed by nine points at the 14:21 mark of the second half after the Shockers outscored the visitors 8-2 in a two-minute span. Despite falling into its largest deficit of the night, 50-41, Jacksonville State answered with a nine-point run to take a 58-57 lead with 6:12 remaining in the game.

JSU and Wichita State traded baskets over the next four minutes until Shocker point guard Samajae Haynes-Jones hit a 3-pointer with less than two minutes to go to widen the gap to four. WSU created a seven-point advantage, but a last-second 3-pointer from Ty Hudson provided the game's final score.

"It was right there for us," head coach Ray Harper said. "We had some bad possessions late. I mean, we gave up six points on missed free throws. We fouled a guy taking a 40-footer and gave them three points that way. Down by two, we didn't block out on a free throw and ended up giving up another three. There's 12 we just gave them.

"I told our kids I was really proud of them for their effort. I thought we competed and it was right there for us, but we'll watch film tomorrow and learn from it. Hopefully we will be a better basketball team because of it."

The first half saw the two teams combine for 70 points. Wichita State's four-point lead, 37-33, was their smallest advantage at a halftime for the year, but the highlight of the stanza came on an offensive rebound at 7:48 by senior Christian Cunningham. His third of five rebounds on the night was the 680th of his career, making him Jacksonville State's all-time Division I rebounding leader. The four-year Gamecock surpassed Nick Murphy's previous record of 679 and ended the night with 682.

Senior Marlon Hunter collected 11 points in the first period, hitting 4-for-11 shots and two free throws, while the WSU defense was able to hold Jason Burnell to zero. The senior forward was 0-for-3 and ran into early foul trouble with three in the first period. As a result, Wichita State outscored 24-6 in the paint for the first half, 42-18 overall.

Burnell caught fire in the second period and became one of four Gamecocks to record double-digit points. He and Jamall Gregory each tallied 10, while Hudson and Hunter led the way with 15 each. Ten of Hudson's 15 came in the second half, as well.

Haynes-Jones was the Shockers' leading scorer with 17 points, going 7-for-16 with three 3-pointers. Meanwhile, the JSU defense held the American Conferen's leading scorer, Markis McDuffie, to 11 points – 8.5 points below his average.

JSU wraps up its three-game away series Dec. 15 at Evansville with a 1 p.m. matchup with the Purple Aces at the Ford Center. Jacksonville State returns home Tuesday, Dec. 18 to take on North Alabama at Pete Mathews Coliseum. The game will be the first at The Pete since hosting Belmont on Feb. 22, 2018 before the March 19 tornados ripped the roof from the facility.

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).