DOVER, Del. – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team picked up its fifth consecutive win with a 81-54 victory over Delaware State at the Hornet's Memorial Hall on Saturday.
 
The streak is the longest under head coach Ray Harper, who led the Gamecocks to two four-game winning streaks during the 2016-17 season. It's the longest JSU winning streak since the 2014-15 Gamecocks won five in a row.
 
Senior Jason Burnell led the attack against the Hornets, earning his third double-double of the season on 22 points and 11 rebounds. The forward was 7-for-9 from the field and knocked down seven of seven free throws.
 
"He is playing at another level right now, and he's doing it on both ends of the court," Harper said. "We almost have to have him on the floor. We're just a different team when he is on the floor. He's one of those guys you need.
 
"Like a good point guard can make an entire team look good, he does that from the four. We can put the ball in his hands and let him make decisions. He can score from the inside and from the outside. There's not many categories he doesn't lead us in right now."
 
The 22-point showing – one point shy of his career-high – upped his scoring average to a team-high 14.6 points per game this season. The 6-foot-7 senior leads the Gamecocks with 117 points, 65 rebounds, .545 3-point average and 38 baskets scored.
 
After leading JSU to a 43-22 advantage with eight points in the first half, Burnell helped Jacksonville State to an 8-0 run to begin the second half. He tied his first-period total within the first six minutes. The senior finished with 14 points in the closing period.
 
Senior Jamall Gregory totaled 14 points – 10 in the second half – in front of a small home crowd. Just 90 miles away from his hometown of Washington, D.C., the guard received a large ovation when he slammed an alley-oop feed in the second period.
 
Senior forward Christian Cunningham was the third of three Gamecocks to score in double-digits, logging his first double-double of the year. He had 10 points and 10 rebounds in what was his 100th game played in a Jacksonville State uniform. The Albuquerque, N.M., native is just nine games away from breaking into JSU's all-time games played rankings, and just one rebound from tying the program's Division I record for career rebounds.
 
On the other end of the court, Delaware State was led by Saleik Edwards who scored 19 points on 5-for-11 shooting. He, along with Kevin Larkin's 10 points, represented more than half of the Hornets' points scored.
 
Jacksonville State's three-game road trip continues Wednesday with a 7 p.m. matchup against Wichita State. The Gamecocks conclude the away clip next Saturday in Evansville at the Ford Center.
 
JSU returns to Pete Mathews Coliseum for the first time since the 2017-18 season on Tuesday, Dec. 18 to host rival North Alabama at 7:15 p.m.
 
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).