JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A beefed-up second half effort fueled Jacksonville University men's basketball to a 66-59 win over Lipscomb on Thursday night.
 
The Dolphins (12-7, 4-3) outscored the Bisons by 11 in the second half to stay unbeaten at Swisher Gymnasium this season.
 
Lipscomb started the game hot, riding early three-pointers to a seven-point lead five minutes in. JU started building its way back, getting a three from George Pridgett and Kevion Nolan sinking three free throws before Rod Brown hit a pair of layups to put the Dolphins in front for the first time, 16-15.
 
The score was tied a handful more times over the next few minutes, but every time Jacksonville tied it, Lipscomb had an answer. The advantage grew to as many as six again for the Bisons with 2:13 left in the half, but JU got a pair of free throws from Osayi Osifo and held them scoreless the rest of the half, setting the tone for the next 20 minutes.
 
The two teams came out in the second half and started trading buckets again, but Nolan began to find his rhythm. He scored a quick four points to begin the second half and found Tyreese Davis for a corner three to put JU up 42-41. After the Bisons hit a three, Nolan responded with his first of the night to go back up 45-44. Then Gyasi Powell took over.
 
The redshirt-freshman Jacksonville-native buried a pull-up jumper with 10:28 left. After a Lipscomb free throw, Powell found himself left alone at the top of the key and buried a three-pointer. He answered another Lipscomb basket with a jump shot of his own and his personal 7-point run made it 57-51 JU with 8:36 remaining.
 
Lipscomb cut it to one point before a several minute scoring drought for both teams ended on a tough Nolan driving layup to extend JU's lead to 59-56 with 3:57 left, and he hit a three less than a minute later to all but seal it, as the defense clamped down and allowed only three more points the remainder of the game.
 
UP NEXT
 
Jacksonville stays at home to host new ASUN foe Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. on Saturday night.
 
COACH'S COMMENT

 

NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
 

• Jacksonville grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and scored 17 second-chance points
• Kevion Nolan dished out five assists, and has at least four assists in all but one ASUN game this year
• Mike Marsh matched his career-high with 12 rebounds
• JU scored 35 points off the bench, the most in an ASUN game and second most overall this season, led by Bryce Workman's 12 and Gyasi Powell's 11
• The win snapped a three-game losing streak and improved the Dolphins' record to 9-0 at home this season