DENTON, Texas – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team's run in the College Basketball Invitational came to an end Wednesday night with a 90-68 loss to North Texas.
 
Seniors Malcolm Drumwright and Norbertas Giga each tallied double-digits in their final game as Gamecocks. Drumwright picked up his 20th 20-point game of his career, tallying 23, while Giga scored 15. Fellow senior Des Curry earned four points.
 
Despite strong offensive showings, including 17 points from Jason Burnell, North Texas (18-17) outscored the Gamecocks (23-13) by 22 with the help of a 61.5 percent shooting night with 14 three-pointers.
 
"We looked like a team that's been on the road for some time," head coach Ray Harper said. "We were limited with our depth and we weren't there defensively, but we didn't quit. We didn't stop playing and that is a credit to those guys. It's going to be kind of nice to get home with everything that has gone on."
 
North Texas shot a ridiculous 70 percent in the first half, dropping 21 of 30 shots. Jorden Duffy was 5-for-6 from the field and was 5-for-5 from long range for 15 first-half points. UNT hit 10 of its 14 shot from beyond the arc and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line in the opening period.
 
Trailing 57-29 at halftime, Jacksonville State showed signs of life and outscored the Mean Green 39-33 in the second half. The Gamecocks improved on their 9-for-28 first-half shooting with 12 buckets on 29 shots in the second half for 41.4 percent. Burnell got 15 of his 17 points in the second, hitting four field goals and going 7-for-8 from the free-throw line.
 
Meanwhile, UNT shot an even 50 percent in the second half, cooling off slightly from the first, with 11 makes on 22 attempts. The JSU defense earned 18 points off turnovers in the period, as opposed to the three points off TOs in the first. Of North Texas' 15 turnovers, 10 came in the closing period.
 
Jacksonville State ends its season with 23 wins, representing the new mark for most wins in a single season by a D1-era JSU team. The Gamecocks also won two games in the CBI, recording the first postseason national tournament victories since joining the Division I ranks in 1995.
 
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