JACKSONVILLE – Career-high nights from seniors Jacara Cross and Ty Hudson led the Jacksonville State men's basketball team to a 92-80 victory over Delaware State on Wednesday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
The Gamecocks (4-7) saw Cross score 20 on 9-of-10 shooting, while Hudson knocked down seven baskets for 19 points in their second-straight win.
 
"I thought we were pretty good when we moved the ball and shared the ball," head coach Ray Harper said. "We just have to stop turning the ball over and keep getting better.
 
"We had some guys step up and play well tonight. Career-highs from Jacara Cross and Ty Hudson, and I thought Derek St. Hilaire played well tonight. We need that out of our veteran guys."
 
The Hornets (1-11) leaned on John Crosby's 36 points, but it wasn't enough to outscore a Jacksonville State team that tallied 10 3-pointers and shot 59 percent from the floor.
 
After Delaware State scored the game's first basket, Jacksonville State jumped on a 9-0 run to go up by seven. Martin Roub scored five, including a 3-pointer, to help the Gamecocks to the early lead.
 
Cross took over soon after, coming off the bench at the first media timeout. The senior racked up 14 points in six minutes to push the Gamecock lead to 29-18. Cross finished the half with 17 points and helped JSU to a nine-point lead at the break.
 
Jacksonville State led by as much as 16 in the first, but a 25-point period by Delaware State's Crosby kept the Hornets within striking distance at 48-39 halfway through the contest.
 
The Hornets came out hot in the second half, going on a 7-0 run to outscore JSU through the first four minutes. DSU cut it to one, 58-57, with 13:09 to play, but Jacksonville State caught fire and went on an 11-point run to extend its lead back to 19.
 
Hudson scored 11 of his 19 points in the second, going 3-for-5. He was 2-for-2 from beyond the arc in the first half.
 
Hudson and Cross, along with Kayne Henry, Martin Roub and Derek St. Hilaire each scored in double-figures. It was the first time a group of five each scored 10-or-more in a contest since Nov. 12 against Brescia.
 
Jacksonville State is now 2-2 in the series against Delaware State, winning the last two meetings. Harper is 2-0 against the Hornets.
 
Next on the schedule for Jacksonville State is its final game before the Christmas holiday. The Gamecocks travel to Knoxville, Tenn., on Dec. 21 to square off against Tennessee at noon. 
 
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