JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team overcame a 14-point deficit to top Belmont 91-80 in overtime-thriller on Thursday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
The Gamecocks (13-5, 5-0) earned their fifth consecutive win over Belmont (12-4, 3-2 OVC) and improved to 5-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play with a 16-5 OT period.
 
"I love warriors," head coach Ray Harper said. "I love guys who compete, and these guys competed in the second half. They played with a lot of heart tonight."
 
Seniors Jason Burnell and Jamall Gregory each tallied career-highs, scoring 30 and 25, respectively. Burnell's 30 is the most scored in a game since former Gamecock Norbertas Giga posted 30 against Louisville in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
 
JSU trailed 47-13 at the half following a poor defensive period. Belmont was 18-for-37 and hit eight 3-pointers en route to the 14-point advantage. Kevin McClain tallied 16 points and was 4-for-4 from long range to lead the Bruins in the opening stanza.
 
"We got down by 14 quickly, but our issues weren't with our effort," Harper said. "It was about our execution on the defensive end. I thought we did a much better job in the second half."
 
The Gamecocks and Bruins traded baskets through the first seven minutes of the second as Belmont was able to keep the JSU deficit to 11, 59-48. It wasn't until redshirt senior Detrick Mostella was called for a foul that Harper did not agree with, giving the fiery coach the chance to pick up a technical foul at 13:05.
 
"I felt the game was getting away right before my technical," Harper said. "There's no question I deserved it. I wanted it and I needed it."
 
Following Harper's tech, Jacksonville State went on a 20-9 run to tie the game 67-67. Gregory scored nine during the stretch, while the defense forced three of Belmont's seven turnovers.
 
Each team scored eight points through the remaining five minutes to send the game to overtime. Belmont's Nick Hopkins bucketed a 3-pointer with 48 seconds remaining to tie the game 75-75. Hopkins took a second 3-point shot with two seconds to play, but had it clang off the rim.
 
Following a dismal first-half score, the Gamecocks routed the Bruins 42-28 in the second. And JSU's scoring did not end with regulation.
 
Jacksonville State walloped Belmont 16-5 during the five-minute overtime period. The Bruins' Dylan Windler snagged the first point of OT with a free throw, but it was all Gamecocks after that.
 
Burnell tallied seven during JSU's 16-4 run to close out the game, including a dagger 3-pointer to begin the stretch. Senior Marlon Hunter pitched in four while just Nick Muszynski and McClain accounted for Belmont's four points.  
 
It is the second season in a row the Gamecocks have swept the season series against Belmont.
 
Jacksonville State extends its program-record OVC streak to 5-0 and is now just one win away from tying the school record for best start to a Division I conference schedule. The Gamecocks have now won 13 of their last 15 games – their best stretch of the program's Division I era.
 
JSU is back in action Saturday, Jan. 19 to take on Tennessee Tech at 7 p.m. at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
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 Pete Mathews Coliseum. 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).