NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team opens Ohio Valley Conference play with a two-game road trip in the Music City this week. Thursday, the Gamecocks are on ESPNU at 8 p.m. taking on Belmont, followed by a 5 p.m. tip at Tennessee State on ESPN+ on Saturday.
 
JSU (8-5) goes into its matchup with Belmont (9-2) at the Curb Event Center having won its last three consecutive meetings with the Bruins. Jacksonville State swept the 2017-18 season's two-game series, marking the first time in history Belmont was swept by an OVC opponent.
 
In their last visit to Curb Event Center, the Gamecocks claimed a historic 64-60 win over BU. Not only was it JSU's first win inside the venue, but it was only the second time Belmont had fallen to an OVC foe on its home court. Following the game, Belmont's record at The Curb stood at 40-2 during conference play.
 
Jacksonville State goes into the conference-opener having won eight of its last 10 games with its only two losses during the stretch coming to Wichita State and West Virginia. Most recently, the Gamecocks topped Reinhardt 109-77 for their third home win of the season on Dec. 29.
 
The second 100-point game of the season marked just the second time a JSU squad had scored 100-or-more points in multiple games during a single season since becoming a Division I program. It was also highest-scoring performance for a Gamecocks team at the Division I level, becoming the most points scored in a game by JSU since Bill Jones put up 128 on Miles College during the 1994-95 transition season.
 
While senior forward Jason Burnell and the starting five have been phenomenal over the past 10 games, the JSU bench has contributed heavily to the team's recent success. Last time out, it was freshman De'Torrion Ware's turn to make some noise. The Hopkinsville, Ky., native recorded career-best numbers in nine different categories during the 32-point win over Reinhardt. Among the highlights, he totaled 20 points, pulled in six rebounds and had one steal, one block and two assists. His six 3-pointers stand as the most 3-pointers by a Gamecock in a single game this season.
 
Like last year, Belmont is predicted to finish first in the OVC, and thus far the Bruins are keeping a good pace. Their only two losses this season have come on the road at Perdue and Green Bay. The Gamecocks and Bruins have shared just one common opponent since the beginning of the season, Samford, and it was a 99-93 overtime thriller in Birmingham than went Belmont's way.
 
Senior Dylan Windler is Bruins' go-to, averaging 18.1 points per game. The versatile fourth-year player ranks near the top in most of the Ohio Valley's active career leader's list, including the top spot in career rebounds (744), second spot in steals (102) and third spot in blocked shots (89).

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Men's Basketball - Game 14
Jacksonville State (8-5, 0-0 OVC) at Belmont (9-2, 0-0 OVC)
January 3, 2018 | 8 p.m. CT
Nashville, Tenn. | Curb Event Center (5,000)

SERIES HISTORY
Last Meeting: Feb. 22, 2018 (W, 78-67)
All-Time Series Record: Belmont leads 11-7

FOLLOW LIVE
Listen: Gamecocks Radio Network - 91.9 WLJS & 97.9 WVOK
Watch: ESPNU
Live Stats: Click Here

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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).