MOREHEAD, Ky. – Crucial free throws down the stretch and a career performance from Martin Roub lifted the Jacksonville State men's basketball team 76-72 over Morehead State on Thursday.
 
The Gamecocks (6-8, 1-0 OVC) opened up Ohio Valley Conference play at Ellis T. Johnson Arena by claiming its six-straight win over the Eagles (6-8, 0-1 OVC). Ray Harper improved to 6-1 against the league foe and 5-0 in OVC openers as JSU's head coach.
 
Trailing by one with just 45 seconds remaining, Roub grabbed an offensive rebound, hit the basket and was fouled. The junior hit the ensuing free throw to give JSU a 72-70 advantage with 29 ticks to go.
 
Junior Derrick Cook and senior Ty Hudson were each fouled by the Eagle defense to stop the clock and regain possession, but the plan backfired as both hit each of the four free throws to put the game out of reach.
 
"The things that have plagued us up until this point were nowhere to be seen tonight," Harper said. "We made free throws when they counted and we didn't turn the ball over. Ty and Derrick hit their shots when it counted, and Marty came up with the big and-one basket."
 
Roub set a new career-best for points scored in a single game with 21. The 6-foot-10 forward's only basket within the arc was the put-back with under one minute to play, while he was 6-for-10 from long range.
 
Jacksonville State led 39-34 at the half thanks to the hot hand of Roub and a stiff defense. Roub opened the game by hitting two 3-pointers in the first four minutes, and the Jacksonville State defense held the Eagles to 37 percent shooting.
 
Morehead State stormed back in the second and quickly tied the game 39-39 less than two minutes into the period. The Eagles went ahead by as much as four on a Djimon Henson 3-pointer, but the Gamecocks found a groove to take their largest lead of the night at 65-53 with 7:47 remaining on the clock.
 
MSU wasn't done yet, though, as the home team jumped on a 13-2 run to pull within one. Tyzhaun Claude, who paced the Eagles with 19 points Thursday, hit a layup to shorten JSU's lead to 69-68. James Baker then tipped in a basket to give Morehead State a 70-69 advantage, but that's when Roub came through with the and-one basket to turn the momentum and help seal the game for the Gamecocks.
 
Cook and Hudson each finished with 13 points for JSU, while Jacara Cross followed closely behind with 12 of his own. Cross was just two boards shy of his first double-double of the year.
 
Jacksonville State is now 10-7 in OVC openers and 13-12 all-time in conference openers. The Gamecocks improved to 6-4 when opening league play on the road.
 
Jacksonville State continues its road trip Saturday, Jan. 4 at Eastern Kentucky. Game time is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN+ at Richmond's Alumni Coliseum. 
 
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