WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Jacksonville State 74, Tennessee Tech 50
@Belmont 64, Kennesaw State 53
JACKSONVILLE STATE 74, TENNESSEE TECH 50
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Jacksonville State men's basketball team routed Tennessee Tech 74-50 at Pete Mathews Coliseum on Wednesday in its first home game of the season.
Off to a 2-0 start to league play for the fifth season in a row, JSU completed the season sweep of TTU in convincing fashion. Four Gamecocks ended the night with double digits in the scoring column, while the stout defense held Tech to 33.3 percent shooting (18-for-54).
Senior Kayne Henry posted a team-best 17 points in a hot first half that saw the forward go 6-for-7 from the floor with five 3-pointers in the opening period.
The Gamecocks (5-2, 2-0 OVC) ran away with the contest in the first 20 minutes, outscoring the Golden Eagles (0-7, 0-2 OVC) by 26 at halftime. Three nights ago in Cookeville, Tenn., Jax State led TTU by just six at the end of the first half.
Leading 16-8 after six minutes of play, the Gamecocks found another gear and jumped on a 16-2 run fueled by Henry's hot hand. The London, England native knocked down three-straight 3-pointers to held Jax State go ahead 32-10 before the under-eight media timeout.
Junior Amanze Ngumezi extended the advantage to a half-high 29 points with less than three minutes to play in the period following a Tennessee Tech turnover. Jax State led 46-20 at the horn.
The 20 TTU points in the first half were the least the Gamecocks have allowed an opponent to score in a single half since holding Cal State Fullerton to 14 second-half points on Nov. 25, 2016 in Las Vegas.
The Golden Eagles outscored Jacksonville State 30-28 in the second half, including a brief 7-0 run, but the solid offensive half from the visiting team wasn't going to be enough to threaten their deficit at The Pete.
After Henry got into foul trouble just five minutes into the closing period, Brandon Huffman and Ngumezi stepped in and tallied eight points each. Huffman was perfect in seven minutes of play, going 3-for-3 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. Ngumezi hit three baskets, including a pair of 3-pointers from the top of the key.
For Tennessee Tech, Jr. Clay and Kenny White Jr., shared the scoring lead with five points each. Both Golden Eagle guards were 2-for-2 from the charity stripe with an additional 2-point basket.
BELMONT 64, KENNESAW STATE 53
NASHVILLE - Behind a season-high 25 points from junior Nick Muszynski, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Kennesaw State, 64-53, Wednesday night from the Curb Event Center.
Muszynski went 11-for-17 from the field and added six rebounds and four assists as Belmont earned its third consecutive wire-to-wire victory.
A Muszynski score capped an 8-0 Belmont run to make the score 34-17 with 1:11 left in the first half.
Belmont defense stifled Kennesaw State in the halfcourt, but the Bruins could not break free as the game slowed to a plodding, tractor pull.
A 3-pointer from junior Luke Smith extended the margin to 51-37 with 11:12 remaining.
Kennesaw State closed within 53-47 with 4:06 left on two Spencer Rodgers free throws, but consecutive baskets from Muszynski, Smith and sophomore Ben Sheppard gave Belmont a 60-47 advantage with 2:15 remaining.
All told, Belmont shot 48 percent (25-for-52) from the field - including 6-for-16 from 3-point distance. Belmont limited Kennesaw State to 31 percent shooting.
Smith added 14 points, four rebounds and two steals.
Rodgers led Kennesaw State (3-3) with 20 points.
The victory was Belmont's 200th win in the Curb Event Center.
The Bruins (6-1) have won 18 of their last 19 games dating back to last season.