JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Jacksonville Dolphins men's basketball team toppled the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 62-46 on Monday night for what was the Dolphins first victory in ASUN play this season.
 
Redshirt senior Jordan Davis was lights out on the floor from the opening tip until the final whistle. Davis shot 70% on 7-10 shooting and 62.5% from deep. His five three-pointers was a career high as a Dolphin and his 19 points was the second highest of his career in Jacksonville.
 
The Dolphins (8-5, 1-1) once again came out on fire in the first half and started the first 15 minutes of the game on a 27-12 run. The two sides exchanged baskets early until Jordan Davis hit what was his second three-point shot of the half at the 13:44 mark and gave JU a 15-9 lead. From there the Dolphins used three pointers from Gyasi Powell and Jalen Nesmith over the greater part of eight minutes to help build their six-point lead into a fifteen-point lead. Not to be overshadowed was the JU defense who allowed just one bucket on seven shots during the stretch.
 
The Gamecocks decreased the Dolphins lead to single digits behind an 8-2 run in the final four minutes, but JU was able to carry a 29-20 lead into the second half after Powell scored the last bucket before the break with a pull-up jumper with just 45 seconds remaining.
 
The second half opened-up with another Davis triple as the Dolphins regained a double-digit lead and never looked back. JU started the first 13 minutes of the second half on a 24-12 run. Davis led the way with eight points during the offensive surge and Kevion Nolan backed him up with six himself.

With just over seven minutes in the game, Omar Payne received a penetrating pass from Dylan O'Hearn and slammed home a dunk to put an exclamation point on the Dolphins first ASUN conference win of 2023.

The Dolphins full-team effort included limiting JSU to 4-14 shooting from three in both the first and second halves while JU shot 46.2% from deep overall. Jacksonville also shot 57.1% in the second half to the Gamecocks 34.6%. 

COACH'S COMMENTS  


 
NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Payne recorded three assists on the night, a career high.
Jacksonville out-assisted Jacksonville State 19-9.
JU never trailed in the game and was ahead for 98.3%
Tonight's 12 three-pointers by JU was the most in a game by the Dolphins this season.
 
UP NEXT

Jacksonville gets back on the road Thursday, January 5^th when they travel to DeLand, Florida to take on Stetson in another ASUN matchup.