Box Score (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team delivered its best defensive performance of the year on Thursday night, holding host Jacksonville State to 27 percent shooting from the floor in a 76-54 win over the Gamecocks at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
The win keeps the Colonels (15-15, 6-9 OVC) in a tie for eighth place with Austin Peay (13-17, 6-9 OVC), which beat SIUE, 80-75, on Thursday. EKU owns the tiebreaker over APSU. The top-eight teams advance to the OVC Tournament next week.
 
It was the lowest point total allowed (54) and the lowest opponent field goal percentage forced (27 percent / 15-of-55) by EKU this season.
 
The Colonels also out-rebounded the Gamecocks, 48-27, for their best rebounding margin of the year.
 
Junior JaVontae Hawkins led a balanced EKU scoring effort with 14 points. Freshman Nick Mayo contributed 13 points, while sophomore Paul Jackson added 10 points.
 
Senior Jarelle Reischel had seven points and a team-best seven rebounds and four assists. In all, 11 Colonels scored in the runaway victory.
 
The Colonels shot 51 percent (29-of-57) from the field and 50 percent (8-of-16) from behind the arc.
 
The game was tied, 25-25, with just over two minutes to play in the first half; however, the Colonels closed the half on a 7-0 run, as a three-pointer at the buzzer by Mayo sent Eastern into the locker room at the break up 32-25.
 
JSU (8-22, 4-11 OVC) stayed within striking distance early in the second half, until EKU went on a 14-2 run to go up by 20, 59-39, following a step-back three-pointer by Jackson with 9:30 remaining in the game.
 
The Colonels led by double digits the rest of the way.
 
Greg Tucker led the Gamecocks with 15 points. He was the only JSU player to reach double figures.
 
EKU closes out the regular season at Tennessee Tech on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.  If the Colonels win, they qualify for the OVC Tournament. If the Colonels lose, Austin Peay would also have to lose to Southeast Missouri for EKU to qualify.