JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team fell 81-77 to Eastern Kentucky at Pete Mathews Coliseum on Thursday night.
 
Despite finding themselves down just two points with one minute to go in the contest, the Gamecocks (8-12, 3-4 OVC) couldn't overcome early turnover woes against the stout defense of the Colonels (8-12, 5-2 OVC).
 
EKU's press forced 18 Jax State miscues, resulting in the Colonels outscoring the Gamecocks 22-13 on turnovers.
 
"You're not going to win if you make that many turnovers," head coach Ray Harper said. "There were two instances where we threw it right to their guard for a layup while they were running their soft press.
 
"We basically gave them 22 points, and that's hard to overcome."
 
After trailing the entire game, and in an 11-point hole halfway through the second period, Jacksonville State pulled the score within two with 54 second to play. Jacara Cross hit a layup to make it a 77-75 game, but EKU's Jomaru Brown was fouled twice and hit all four free throws in two trips to the line to extend the visitors' lead back to six.
 
Elias Harden hit a shot in the paint to make it a four-point game, 81-77, but the basket came with just five seconds remaining. Jacksonville State fouled on the inbound, and JacQuess Hobbs missed the front-end of the one-and-one, but Kayne Henry's defensive board couldn't get down the court fast enough to get a shot off as time expired.
 
Cross ended the night with a team-high 20 points, hitting 10 of 15 field goal attempts, while both Harden and De'Torrion Ware came up with 13 points each. Ware was 3-for-7 from long range, and Harden was 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.

It was Cross' third 20-point game of the season and third his career-high for points scored in a single game for the third time.
 
Brown shined in a third consecutive game for the Colonels, bucketing a game-best 24 points. The Ohio Valley Conference's leading scorer in league play, and reigning OVC Player of the Week, was 8-for-20 from the field and hit seven of eight free throws.
 
Eastern Kentucky's press defense got the Colonels in some foul trouble early in the first half, putting them at 11 through the first 20 minutes, but it was successful in forcing 13 Gamecock turnovers. EKU scored 16 points off turnovers in the period, but Jacksonville State trailed just 42-38 thanks to an 11-point run.
 
Ware kept the Gamecocks in it at the half with 13 points. The junior hit all three of his first three triple attempts and ended the period 3-for-4 from long range.
 
Jacksonville State returns to action Saturday with Morehead State coming to town. Tipoff on ESPN+ is set for 4 p.m.
 
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