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RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior Mike Rose scored 30 points to lead the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team to a 75-67 win over Jacksonville State on Thursday night in McBrayer Arena. The win snapped EKU’s four-game losing streak and improved the Colonels’ record to 8-7 (2-3 OVC). With the loss, JSU fell to 8-5 (2-2 OVC).

The Colonels shot 52 percent from the field, improving to 5-0 in games in which they shoot 50 percent or better from the field.

Rose has now scored 30 points or more in two of the last three games. The senior shot 10-of-13 (76.9 percent) from the field and 5-of-7 (71.4 percent) from behind the arc. Freshman Joshua Jones netted 13 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Meanwhile, junior Josh Taylor and sophomore Justin Stommes chipped in with nine points each.

Senior Ryan Wiersma scored only three points but recorded a team-high nine rebounds to make up for the loss of EKU’s injured leading rebounder, Papa Oppong.

Jacksonville State sophomore Jeremy Bynum and freshman Brandon Crawford led the Gamecocks with 13 points apiece.

After a free throw with 6:58 left in the first half by Jacksonville State sophomore Nick Murphy brought the Gamecocks to within one, EKU went on an 11-2 run, capped by a Taylor three from the top of the key, to pull ahead 32-22 with 2:57 showing on the clock. A back-and-forth first stanza that featured five ties and 10 lead changes saw Jacksonville State score the last five points of the half and head into intermission down just 35-29.

EKU shot 52 percent from the field in the first half, but connected on only 3-of-10 three-point shots. Rose led the Colonels at halftime with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including a perfect 2-of-2 from behind the arc. Jones finished the first half with four points, two assists and two steals.

Jacksonville State shot 43 percent from the field in the first half and was led by Murphy with 10 points and three rebounds. Freshman Geddes Robinson came off the bench to chip in with seven points and three rebounds.

JSU pulled to within four early in the second half, but a baseline floater by freshman Jorge Camacho gave the Colonels a double digit lead, 48-37, with 13:21 showing on the clock.

Senior DeAndre Bray hit the Gamecocks’ first three-pointer of the game with 10:37 showing on the clock, pulling JSU to within eight, 49-41. Jones, however, responded with a three of his own on the ensuing possession. Consecutive free throws by Taylor with 9:09 remaining gave EKU its largest lead of the night at 13, 54-41.

JSU would rally again, this time pulling to within seven points with just under seven minutes to play. Two timely Rose trifectas, however, stretched the Colonel lead back to 13 with 5:01 showing on the clock.

Eastern Kentucky concludes its two-game home stand on Saturday, Jan. 10 against Tennessee Tech. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Game Notes
--Mike Rose’s three-pointer with 3:42 showing on the clock in the second half moved him into 10th place on EKU’s career top-10 scoring list. Rose now has 1,448 career points. 

--Thursday night’s win pushed EKU’s record to 6-0 all-time against Jacksonville State at home.