JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University men's basketball used its best offensive output of the season to keep Voorhees at bay and prevailed 91-61 on Sunday afternoon at Swisher Gymnasium.
 
The Dolphins (2-1) shot 55 percent from the field and scored 54 points in the paint to collect a 17th straight win at home.
 
An early 8-0 run featured dunks by Osayi Osifo and Omar Payne to put JU in front 12-4. Voorhees battled back to make it a one-possession game on a three-pointer with just over 11 minutes to play in the half. With 5:51 to play in the first, the Tigers were down by just two, 25-23. From there, a 10-2 run featuring an old-fashioned three-point play by Jalen Nesmith and a traditional three by Gyasi Powell extended the lead to 10, 35-25, with 3:55 left.
 
The half ended on a Mike Marsh layup from Nesmith, who then drew an offensive foul on the inbound to get the ball back to the Dolphins with 3.8 seconds remaining in the half. JU called a timeout to draw up a play, and got a perfectly executed drive from Kevion Nolan that ended in a layup and a 45-31 advantage at the break.
 
Powell hit back-to-back threes to build the lead to 18, 58-40, six minutes into the second half, and the advantage grew to 20 after consecutive steals lead to run-out buckets by Marsh and Jarius Cook.
 
Voorhees hit a three with 8:42 left to cut the deficit to 14, 68-54, prompting JU to call timeout. Nolan ran a perfect alley-oop play to Payne out of the break, and a 6-0 pushed the lead back to 20 with four minutes left. The Dolphins ended the game emphatically, scoring 19 of the last 22 points of the contest to top 90 points for the first time since Dec. 29, 2021 vs. Carver.
 
UP NEXT
 
Jacksonville travels to face Campbell on Wednesday. The former ASUN rivals face off for the third time in the last four seasons, after last year's scheduled matchup was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Buies Creek, N.C.
 
COACH'S COMMENTS

 

NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
 

• Omar Payne registered the second double-double of his career, and first since Jan. 18, 2020, going for 17 points and 10 rebounds today
• Gyasi Powell tied his career-high with 15 points, his second-straight game in double-figures. He went 4-6 from three, setting a new career-best in made three-pointers
• Kevion Nolan flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. It is his second-straight game with five-or-more dimes and the 19th such game of his career