Gamecocks Drop Tough Road Contest at Houston - Jacksonville State University Athletics

Wednesday, November 11

Houston, TX

7 p.m.

Jax State

1-2,0-0CUSA

#8 Houston

3-0,0-0Big 12

Team	1	2	F
Jacksonville St.	23	23	46
Houston	45	47	92

Results (PDF)

11/11/2026 10:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HOUSTON – Jax State Men's Basketball dropped its second straight road game, falling 92-46 to the No. 8 Houston Cougars on Wednesday evening inside Fertitta Center.

The Gamecocks (1-2) were not able to match the intensity of the Kelvin Sampson led Cougars, shooting just 15-for-56 (27 percent) from the field, including a 7-for-26 (27 percent) rate from three-point range. Jax State only managed to shoot 9-for-16 (56 percent) from the free throw line as well.

"I told them, you guys are going to get a look at what toughness and connectivity looks like," head coach Ray Harper said. "We tried to prepare them for it, but I think their first four or five possessions were at the free throw line."

Houston took the reins of the contest early, quickly jumping out to a 12-2 lead at the 16:45 mark after hitting its first six attempts from the free throw line. The Cougars' lead grew to 19 points before a 9-0 run by the Gamecocks from 11:33-9:28 cut the deficit to 10 points. However, it would be the closest margin that Jax State could manage throughout the remainder of the night.

The Gamecocks entered the locker room at the half trailing 45-23, hitting just seven field goals in the frame. At the break, junior guard Leon Horner led Harper's squad in both scoring and assists with nine points and three dimes. Horner would later foul out at the 11:50 mark in the second half to cut his night short.

"If we could've kept Leon in the game a little bit, that would've helped," Harper said. "I thought he created some mismatches and tough matchups for them. The bigs can't guard him as well because he can put the ball on the floor, drive it and shoot it."

Jax State was unable to get traction in the closing stanza, as the Cougars continued to pile on points all the way until the final buzzer, featuring three separate offensive runs scoring at least seven unanswered points each.

Sophomore forward Naas Cunningham led Jax State in scoring throughout the entirety of the contest with his 13 points, including a trio of threes. Senior guard Jordan Stiemke was the Gamecocks' only other scorer in double figures with 10 points to his name.

Houston had a trio of players in double figures, led by senior guard Dedan Thomas Jr's 17 points to go along with seven dimes. Not far behind him was Mercy Miller who contributed a career-high 15 points in the win.

Jax State will return home on Saturday, Nov. 14 to host the UAB Blazers (2-1) inside Pete Mathews Coliseum.