King ties 3-point record as Gamecocks rout UCA, 101-71 - Jacksonville State University Athletics

Wednesday, February 22

Conway, AR

7 p.m.

Jax State

12-18,5-12ASUN

101

Central Arkansas

9-21,4-13ASUN

Team	1	2	F
Jacksonville St.	50	51	101
Central Ark.	33	38	71

2/22/2023 10:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

CONWAY, Ark. – Senior Demaree King proved the Gamecocks would take every advantage of their final two games together, leading a historic night in Jacksonville State's 101-71 win at Central Arkansas on Wednesday.

Already eliminated from postseason action, JSU (12-18, 5-12 ASUN) didn't lack any effort against the Bears (9-21, 4-13 ASUN) in the next-to-last game of the year.

The story begins and ends with King, a third-year Gamecock out of Tulsa, Okla., who has grown to be a fan favorite and an opponent's nightmare over the last two seasons. On his way to a career-high 35 points, King opened the contest 8-for-9 shooting from beyond the arc for 24 first-half points.

Drawing a constant double team, King understandably was slowed in the second period, but managed two more triples to tie Jax State's school record of 10 three-pointers in a game single game set by Jalen Gibbs just one season ago at Elon.

Leading 36-30 with less than three minutes remaining until halftime, King exploded for four consecutive treys in a span of 1:20, putting the hometown fans in awe, to break the contest open for a 50-33 halftime advantage.

King's extra attention in the second half opened up the Gamecock offense in a way it hasn't been able to previously this season. Marcellus Brigham Jr. knocked down four three-pointers of his own on his way to 18 points and 10 rebounds in his first double-double of the year. Clarence "Monzy" Jackson finished with 11 points, while the trio of Skyelar Potter, Amanze Ngumezi and Juwan Perdue each pitched in 10 for six total double-digit scorers. Ironically, JSU's last game with six played in double figures also came inside UCA's Farris Center, 44 games ago in the road contest against the Bears last January.

In the first five minutes of the second half, UCA cut the deficit to 12 at 57-45, but the Gamecocks only continued their offensive showcase shooting 58-percent on the night to lead by as many as 32 at one point.

While King and Brigham Jr. accounted for 14 treys, Potter, Jackson and Ngumezi contributed another five as the Gamecocks tied a school record with 19 total three-pointers. It marks the most against a Division I opponent as the previous game with 19 came against Tennessee-Temple on Nov. 12, 2007. Additionally, JSU's 101 points were the most scored against a Division I opponent in regulation since a 101-99 win over Troy State on Jan. 29, 1998.

With his 10 three-points on Wednesday, King runs his career tally to 224 as a Gamecock, moving five away from tying Jeremy Bynum's Division I school mark of 229. King already owns the top two spots on JSU's single-season three-point list.

King, Potter and Maros Zeliznak, who registered four poins, three boards and a blocks against the Bears, will suit up for the final time on Friday at North Alabama.