JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team fell 78-64 to Belmont on Saturday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
Despite the loss, senior Jacara Cross scored a career-high 25 points with seven rebounds. The forward had scored a previous-best 20 points three times this season before getting over the hump.
 
Turnovers cost the Gamecocks (9-14, 4-6 OVC) in their 10th league game of the season, turning the ball over 22 times resulting in 39 Belmont (16-7, 7-3 OVC) points.
 
"Turnovers got us," head coach Ray Harper said. "We get ourselves back in the game, but then we gave the ball up three or four possessions in a row. Any time you turn the ball over like we do, it makes it difficult."
 
Jax State had its chance to regain control halfway through the second half. After trailing by seven at the 18:12 mark, the Gamecocks hit a 9-1 run to take a 42-41 lead. Junior Kayne Henry scored seven of his 16 points during the four-minute stretch, and a Cross jumper gave JSU the lead, 41-42, with 14:03 to play.
 
Belmont responded to the run with an 18-point run to put Jacksonville State down by 17, 59-42, with just over 10 minutes to go. During the Bruins' scoring run, the Gamecocks coughed up the ball six times.
 
The closest Jax State came to the Belmont lead after the momentum swap was nine points, 69-60, with two minutes to go, but the Bruins were in cruise control at that point.
 
Five Belmont players ended with double-digits in the scoring column, led by 19 points from forward Tyler Scanlon.
 
Including Cross' 25 points and Henry's 16, three Gamecocks finished in double-figures. Senior guard Ty Hudson pitched in 13 points – including his first 3-point basket since Jan. 4.
 
Jacksonville State trailed 37-31 at the half. Cross kept the Gamecocks in contention at the break with 15 points while six others combined for 16 points in the game's opening 20 minutes.  
 
The team goes on the road for the next two weeks, looking to snap a two-game skid in conference play. Against its 1-5 Ohio Valley Conference record at home, JSU is 3-1 on the road in league play this season.
 
Next on the schedule for Jax State is a trip to Southeast Missouri State and UT Martin. After that, the Gamecocks play two more in the Volunteer State, meeting up with Tennessee Tech and Belmont.
 
For more information on the JSU men's basketball team, follow the Gamecocks on Twitter (@JSUGamecocksMBB) and Instagram (@JSUGamecocksMBB). For more on all Gamecocks sports teams, follow the official social media accounts of JSU Athletics on Twitter (@JSUGamecocks), Facebook (Facebook.com/JSUGamecocks) and Instagram (@JSUGamecocks).