JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team overcame a slow start to top Tennessee Tech 82-65 Thursday night at Pete Mathews Coliseum. Junior Jason Burnell scored a career-high 22 points and snagged a career-high 12 rebounds en route to his second consecutive double-double.
 
The Gamecocks (18-8, 9-4 OVC) showed out on ESPNU, turning in their highest-scoring game in conference play this season. JSU's 82 points against the Golden Eagles (16-10, 8-5 OVC) were the most scored since putting up 89 against Samford on Dec. 3 at The Pete.
 
The game did not start with as much promise as the 17-point victory would seem as Jacksonville State found itself in a quick 10-0 hole after three minutes of play. TTU's Curtis Phillips and Shaq Calhoun each hit a couple of 3-pointers that helped put the Gamecocks down by 13 points – JSU's largest deficit of the night.
 
Trailing 15-5 at the first media timeout, the Gamecock offense hit another gear and went on to outscore TTU 25-12 for the remainder of the first half. Christian Cunningham's lone two points Thursday came on a posterizing dunk that permanently swung the momentum Jacksonville State's way amidst a 6-0 run to pull within seven of the TTU lead.

Christian Cunningham puts a Tennessee Tech defender on a poster in the first half! #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/ig1Utto9MW

— JSU Men's Basketball (@JSU_MBB) February 9, 2018

Following the Cunningham jam at 13:01, the Gamecocks went on the attack. All 10 of Burnell's first half points came in the final 11 minutes of the period, and junior Marlon Hunter scored a half-best 13. Hunter was 5-for-8 from the floor with a 3-pointer, while Burnell was 4-for-7 with a 3-ball, as well.
 
Tennessee Tech responded in the second half with 38 points after trailing by 13 at the break, but Jacksonville State continued to pile on points with two more points in the second period than the first with 42. Burnell completed his second career double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds in the second, and junior Jamall Gregory tallied all 12 of his night's points in the half.
 
Both teams took care of the basketball, committing just 11 turnovers each, but the Gamecocks outmatched Golden Eagles on the boards, significantly, out-rebounding TTU 47-34. It was the second-highest rebounding total this season against OVC opponents, adding to the league's second-best rebounding margin.
 
Senior Malcolm Drumwright managed four points and led the Gamecocks with five assists while making his 94tth career start in a JSU uniform. The start ties former Gamecock Brian Williams (2010-14) for the most career Division I starts in program history. Drumwright will become the all-time DI leader with a start Saturday.
 
The Gamecocks are back in action Saturday, Feb. 10 against Tennessee State at 7 p.m. at Pete Mathews Coliseum. It is part of an OVC double header with the women's basketball team tipping off at 4:30 p.m. the same afternoon. Both games are set to broadcast on the OVC Digital Network.
 
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).