Box Score (PDF)

RICHMOND, Ky. – Late game heroics from junior JaVontae Hawkins and senior Jarelle Reischel helped the Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team bounce back from a two-game losing streak to beat visiting Jacksonville State, 91-88, Thursday night at McBrayer arena.
 
With 2:51 to play, Jacksonville State took its first lead since midway through the first half, 80-79. But a lay-up from Hawkins and a steal and lay-up by Reischel with 2:14 to play put EKU up 83-80 and proved to be the dagger the Colonels needed to put away the Gamecocks.
 
JSU missed two free throw attempts with 1:16 left in the game and Hawkins sank two from the charity stripe at the other end to build an 85-80 advantage.  Eastern (12-9, 3-3 OVC) made 6-of-8 from the line in the final 37 seconds to seal the victory.
 
Hawkins finished with his first double-double as a Colonel, contributing 21 points and 10 rebounds. Reischel notched 16 points, bringing his double-digit scoring streak to 17 games.
 
Freshman Nick Mayo dropped 18 points on the Gamecocks. The freshman is averaging 13.9 points-per-game, and is the leading scorer among Ohio Valley Conference freshmen. Junior Jaylen Babb-Harrison came off the bench to score 11 points, all in the first half.
 
Sophomore Paul Jackson rounded out five Colonels in double figures with 10 points. He also dropped a game-best nine assists.  
 
Jeremy Watson led the way for Jacksonville State (7-15, 3-4 OVC) with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Malcolm Drumwright also tallied 19 points for the Gamecocks.
 
EKU started the game on a 5-0 run thanks to a three-pointer from junior Isaac McGlone and a pair of Hawkins free throws. From there the Gamecocks clawed back, eventually taking a 27-26 lead at the 7:47 mark. It would be their last lead until the 2:51 mark in the second half.
 
Eastern pulled ahead late in the first half with a run sparked by a three-pointer from Babb-Harrison and another three from McGlone. EKU went into halftime with a 42-37 lead.
 
The Colonels maintained their lead throughout most of the second half, finally giving it up with 2:51 to play when the Gamecocks went up, 80-79, on a free throw by Drumwright. Eastern used a combination of scoring from Hawkins, Reischel and Paul Jackson to pull away and pick up the crucial OVC East win.
 
The Colonels return to action Saturday afternoon when Tennessee Tech comes to town. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.  Tickets are available for $5 as part of a "Snow Day Special."