JACKSONVILLE, Ala.- The Jacksonville men's basketball team won a thriller on Saturday night in Jacksonville, (Ala.) The Dolphins used a 41 point second half to down the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 68-62 to finish off a two game conference road trip.
 
The first half started with a Jordan Davis three-point shot and Jacksonville State responded with two made free throws of their own. The first five minutes saw JU nursing a three point lead after a Gyasi Powell jumper. After back and forth buckets, JSU used two consecutive three pointers from Peyton Daniels and had a four point lead with 9:20 remaining in the half. From the 13:35 mark until the 9:04 mark, Osayi Osifo scored six consecutive JU points, and Jordan Davis had a steal and slam to tie the game up with just over eight minutes remaining. The two sides continued to trade baskets the rest of the way. Powell hit a two point jumper with 1:24 left but that proved to be the last bucket of the half as the Gamecocks would cling to a one point lead to enter the half.
 
Cue Kevion Nolan. The two sides traded consecutive buckets in the first four minutes of the second half, but for the next 10 minutes, it became the Kevion Nolan show. Nolan tied the game with a three pointer and 14:46 left, and the very next possession hit another jumper from deep for a three-point lead. Nolan would then go on to splash in eight more consecutive points for the Dolphins and the JU lead grew to eight. The momentum built all the way into a monster ally oop from Osifo who received the lofted pass from Powell. The dunk capped a 13-3 run and built the 'Phins lead into a 10-point cushion with just under 10 minutes to play.
 
Over the next seven-plus minutes Jacksonville State began to make shots, but JU answered the call every single time. With 2:56 to play the two sides split 20 points evenly and JU still maintained a seven point lead as the clock ticked closer to zero.
 
The rest of the way both sides continued to trade two-point buckets. The Gamecocks got the score to within four with 20 seconds left, but O'Hearn sunk both free throws after being fouled to ultimately ice the game.
 
COACH'S COMMENTS
 


NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Kevion Nolan had a season high five three-pointers and 21 points.
Four Dolphins scored in double figures with Powell and Osifo joining Nolan with 12 a piece, and O'Hearn adding 10 himself.
Osifo's 12 points were a season high.

UP NEXT

The Dolphins return to Swisher on Thursday, January 19th as they host the conference leading Liberty Flames in a heavyweight showdown. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and available on the radio on 1010XL.