JACKSONVILLE – A surprising first half turned into a runaway rout in the second as the Jacksonville State men's basketball team beat LaGrange College, 110-80, on Monday night inside Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
In the first matchup between the two teams since 1973, JSU (4-5) punctuated its victory with a Division I school record 68 points in a half over the final 20 minutes.
 
Senior Darian Adams notched a career-high 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting, to lead a trio of Gamecocks in double figures. His previous mark was 30 scored against Murray State in last season's OVC Tournament. Senior Brandon Huffman poured in a season-best 17 points, ahead if Kayne Henry with 14. In total, 12 Gamecocks scored and all 13 saw the floor on Monday night.
 
The Panthers, a Division III team playing in an exhibition contest on their schedule, did not shy away from the Gamecocks out of the gate. JSU lead 8-3 five minutes into the game, when LaGrange came back to tie it for the first time with a 5-0 run. The Panthers answered every big shot JSU made and took their first lead of the night at 24-23 on a three from Kyle Smith. Smith finished with 13 points as one of four LC players to reach double figures. Zac Hill later buried consecutive triples and LC led 30-26 with under six minutes to play before halftime.
 
Jax State ran its margin back out to seven with a minute remaining, but the Panthers closed strong once again with a 5-0 stretch to make it 42-40 at the break.
 
Out of intermission, the Panthers hit one more strike with an opening triple to take its final lead at 43-42, before the Gamecocks hit a new gear. Adams drilled back-to-back treys followed by a dunk from Henry to spark the crowd and start an 11-0 for JSU.
 
Near the 16-minute mark a layup by Jalen Finch made it 57-47 and the Gamecocks never looked back. Jax State stretched the lead to 22 during a span that saw six different Gamecocks score in order with Adams, Jay Pal, Marcellus Brigham Jr., Semaj Henderson, Demaree King and Caleb Byrd.
 
A second-chance putback with six minutes to play by Huffman set the lead to 30, before it topped out at 32 in the closing minutes. 110 points is the most scored by the Gamecocks since posting 120 against Carver College on Dec. 28, 2019. The Gamecocks host Carver again on Dec. 28 this season.
 
JSU turns its attention to Florida International on Wednesday night at home. A win over a second Panther squad the week, would even the Gamecocks' record at 5-5 before heading into Tuscaloosa on Saturday to face No. 6 Alabama.