JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University built a five-point halftime lead, went on an 11-2 run early in the  second half then held off a series of Jacksonville State charges and pulled away to a 75-61 win at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena Saturday.

The Dolphins (5-10) had four players in double figures and were led by junior Kori Babineaux who had a career-high 26 points and led several of the JU spurts. It is his sixth consecutive game in double figures.

"To start the year the year off I wasn't playing to the best of my capabilities,'' Babineaux, from Folsom, Calif., said. "The coaches told me to keep sticking with it and now I feel like I'm on a roll and will try to keep playing the same way game in and game out.''

Babineaux, who is averaging 13 points a game, said when his shots started dropping his confidence ballooned.

"When you start getting the shooters touch, that's when you feel like you're in a zone,'' he said. "You have the confidence that when you put it up you have a 100 percent feeling it's going in.''

"He was really efficient,'' JU coach Tony Jasick said. "I think that was the deal with most of our guys. We were really efficient on the offensive end.''

The Dolphins' Andris Misters had 18 points, Antwon Clayton 13 (a career high) and J.R. Holder 10 to lead the parade as JU shot 58.5 percent from the field while holding the Gamecocks to a 34.9 shooting percentage. JU's Omar el Manasterly led all players with 12 rebounds.

After building the halftime lead, Misters and Holder led the first JU charge of the second half to pull to a 13-point lead at 40-27.

Jacksonville State pulled back to within six on several occasions, the last being when senior D. J. Felder connected on a field goal with 7:37 to play and a 51-45 deficit. JU then pulled away to a 14-point lead which it held for the duration.

Felder led the Gamecocks with 16 points and teammate Darion Rackley had 10.

"Jacksonville State does a really good job on the perimeter,'' Jasick said. "They can really drive the ball and have some versatile guys. We were really, really concerned about our ability to defend them and I thought our team did a pretty good job the vast majority of the game.''

After a pair of early ties, the Dolphins went on a 7-0 run, led by Babineaux's five points, to take the lead at 11-4 then pulled out to an eight-point edge at 14-6 with 9:24 to play in the first half.

The Gamecocks (7-7) chipped away and got to within two when senior Jamal Hunter connected on a pair of free throws at the 7:50 mark.

Babineaux, who had 13 of his points in the first half, also led a late half charge to get JU to a 25-20 halftime lead.

The Dolphins play host to Florida Atlantic Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Arena.