Box Score (pdf)

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Turner Buttry hit two free throws with 5.6 seconds left in the game to help EKU beat Jacksonville State, 62-59, on Wednesday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
Austin Ball's running jumper in the lane with 7:18 left gave the Colonels (4-8) an 11-point lead, 54-43.  However, EKU went more than five minutes without scoring and the Gamecocks closed the gap to two.  A pair of free throws from Emondrek Erkins-Ford with 2:14 on the clock made it a 54-52 game.
 
Ball ended the scoring drought with a 3-pointer from the right wing at the 1:58 mark, pushing the margin to five, 57-52.  Juan Cranford Jr. made one of two free throw attempts with 27.2 seconds to play to keep the margin at five, 60-55. 
 
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil's layup got the Gamecocks within three.  After a turnover by EKU and three offensive rebounds by JSU, Jacoby Hill was fouled and made two free throws with 8.4 seconds remaining to close the gap to one, 60-59.
 
Following Buttry's two free throws, Hill missed a 3-point attempt to tie the game, and Jackson Holt secured the rebound for the Colonels.
 
Two free throws from Buttry and a 3-pointer by Holt allowed EKU to build its largest lead of the game at 13 points, 49-36, with 12:24 left to play.
 
The Colonels held Jacksonville State to 35% shooting from the field and 22% (4-for-18) from 3-point range.  EKU shot 38% from the field, hit 11 three-pointers and out-rebounded the Gamecocks 38-31.
 
Buttry led all players with 19 points.  Montavious Myrick had nine points and 13 rebounds.  Ball finished with 12 points and six boards.
 
El Moutaouakkil had 16 points to lead JSU.
 
Neither team scored for more than three minutes to start the game.  After JSU broke the scoreless tie with a free throw the Colonels scored eight of the next 10.  Cranford's 3-pointer from the right corner made it 8-3.  A dunk from Yvens Paul and a 3-pointer from the right wing by Buttry handed the visitors a 13-6 lead.
 
After starting the game 2-for-9 from the field, the Gamecocks hit three straight shot attempts and erased the deficit with an 8-0 run.  Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. gave JSU its only lead of the first half, 14-13, with a 3-pointer.
 
With the game tied at 24-24, the Colonels got hot from behind the arc.  Buttry broke the tie with a three from the left wing.  A triple from the top of the key by Buttry made it 32-25.  Ball and Buttry hit a pair of three's from the right wing in the final minute to give EKU a 38-29 lead at the break.
 
The Colonels went 8-for-18 (44%) from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes.
 
EKU will play its final non-conference game of the regular season on Sunday at Wichita State.  The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET.