SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Morehead State 76, UT Martin 44
Jacksonville State 76, @Austin Peay 70
@Belmont 114, SIUE 62
@Tennessee State 65, Eastern Illinois 54
@Murray State 72, Tennessee Tech 63
MOREHEAD STATE 76, UT MARTIN 44
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State men's basketball team outscored visiting UT Martin 44-22 in the second half Saturday and pulled away for a 76-44 victory at Johnson Arena, marking MSU's seventh consecutive Ohio Valley Conference triumph.
The Eagles (11-6/8-2 OVC) equaled their longest conference winning streak since 2010-11 (the year they won the OVC Tournament) while continuing their hottest league start since being 9-1 in 2009-10. UTM dropped its 10th straight game to fall to 3-10 and 1-8 in the conference. MSU has now won 12 straight home games against UTM in the series with the Skyhawks' last win in Morehead coming on Dec. 12, 2005.
Junior guard DeVon Cooper and freshman forward Johni Broome each scored 13 points to pace MSU's offensive effort, which shot 61 percent (16-of-26) just in the second half. Cooper reached double-digits for the seventh straight game and 14th overall to lead the team. Broome nearly had his fifth double-double and second straight with a team-high eight rebounds.
The 44 points allowed were a season-best for the OVC's top scoring defensive team, while the Eagles also lead the OVC in rebounding margin and led today on the boards, 45-28. A 7-for-13 effort from behind the three-point arc also helped MSU distance itself today after missing all nine triple attempts in the first 20 minutes.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 76, AUSTIN PEAY 70
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The Jacksonville State men's basketball team saved its best scoring run for when it counted most Saturday, rallying back from three down to win 76-70 over Austin Peay at the Dunn Center.
The Gamecocks (10-5, 6-3 OVC) scored the game's final nine points and held the Governors (8-5, 4-3 OVC) scoreless for the last two minutes and 40 seconds to earn their first win at APSU since 2014.
It is the first time in program history Jax State has swept the road series with Murray State and Austin Peay, and just the second time in school history its won over the Racers and Govs in consecutive contests.
Trailing 70-67 with 2:42 on the clock following a pair of Terry Taylor free throws, the Gamecock defense went to work and shut the Govs down. Jax State forced a pair of turnovers that led to a 9-0 Gamecocks run.
Darian Adams tied the game 70-70 with a 3-pointer, and Amanze Ngumezi faked a pass in the paint and instead put it up himself to put JSU ahead 72-70. Austin Peay fouled to send the Gamecocks to the line four times in the last minute, but Adams and Demaree King combined to go 4-for-4 to secure the win.
Jax State led for just five minutes of the second period and trailed by four at halftime. The APSU defense forced a scoreless streak of more than eight minutes in order to take a 32-28 advantage to the locker room. It was just the second time this season the Gamecocks came back to win after finding themselves down following the first 20 minutes of action.
Adams led Jacksonville State in scoring with 22 points, going 8-for-12 with four 3-pointers and two free throws, while Brandon Huffman put together a highlight reel with seven slam dunks and 20 points.
Prior to Saturday's game, JSU's single-game for dunks was seven. Huffman had seven on his own as the visiting squad finished with 11 on the night.
The win was Harper's 90th as JSU's head coach, moving him into sole possession of second place for most Division I wins for a Jax State coach. Mike LaPlante holds the program record with 95 in eight seasons. Harper is coaching his fifth season in Jacksonville.
BELMONT 114, SIUE 62
NASHVILLE - Behind an avalanche of defensive pressure and 3-point shooting, Belmont University men's basketball defeated SIU Edwardsville, 114-62, Saturday.
Belmont set numerous program records, including its most points scored in the Curb Event Center, most points scored in a conference game and largest margin of victory in a conference game.
Belmont forced four turnovers in the first three minutes, as 3-pointers from junior Luke Smith and sophomore Ben Sheppard highlighted a 13-0 start to the game. Another Sheppard 3-pointer capped a 10-0 Belmont run and made the score 32-10 midway through the first half.
Belmont forced 16 SIUE turnovers and shot 68 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes in leading 56-22 at halftime.
Belmont maintained its focus and defensive intensity in the second half, extending to a 77-36 lead with 13:18 left on a Smith basket. A 3-pointer from freshman JaCobi Wood pushed Belmont over the century mark with six minutes remaining.
All told, Belmont shot 61 percent (41-of-67) from the field - including 17-of-31 from 3-point distance and handed out 29 assists. All 13 Bruins scored. Sheppard and Smith led five Bruins in double figures with 18 points each.
Iziah James led SIU Edwardsville (4-5, 2-1 OVC) with 12 points.
Belmont (16-1, 10-0 OVC) has won 28 of its last 29 games and 22 consecutive conference games.
TENNESSEE STATE 65, EASTERN ILLINOIS 54
NASHVILLE - After seven four-point losses this season, the Tennessee State men's basketball team garnered its second Ohio Valley Conference victory at home Saturday afternoon, 65-54.
Marcus Fitzgerald, Jr. led the team in scoring with 15, while Yusuf Mohamed pulled down eight rebounds and Mason Green continued his blocking crusade with three.
The hidden weapon Tiger fans didn't know was hiding on the bench was freshman Evan Joyner. The 6-8 forward who had only played a total of 12 minutes all season scored a season-high six points, six rebounds in 17 minutes.
MURRAY STATE 72, TENNESSEE TECH 63
MURRAY, Ky. - The Murray State Racers ran past the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Saturday 72-63 at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky. The Racers (6-7) snapped a two-game skid at home and improved to 3-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference. MSU continues a four-game home stand with games against Tennessee State and Belmont (Jan. 28 & 30).
Tevin Brown scored 22 points on a season-high six 3-point baskets, while MSU got 15 points and nine rebounds from KJ Williams. Dionte Bostick tossed in nine assists to the MSU attack.
Leading 33-26 at the half, the Racers quickly pushed to a double-digit lead when Bostick scored off a TTU turnover for a 37-26 lead with 18:13 remaining. Brown and Ja'Queze Kirby hit back-to-back threes and took their largest lead of the game at 14:28 on free throws from Chico Carter, Jr. Tech got as close as eight points with 3:10 left, but Brown closed the game out with his sixth 3-pointer of the game with 2:48 left.
The Racers produced more than a few good statistical trends. They only committed seven turnovers and had 21 assists on their 25 made field goals. MSU rebounded from a poor night at the free throw line against Jacksonville State by making 11-of-15 for 73 percent. MSU hit 11 threes after making 13 against JSU on Thursday.