JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Jacksonville men's basketball team won a thriller 77-70 on Saturday over Queens to get back to winning ways in Swisher. The win saw contributions all over the court as numerous players showed up in big ways.
 
Queens opened up the games scoring with a Kenny Dye three-pointer but the Dolphins responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead. The Royals however answered with five points themselves, and Jordan Davis halted the run with a layup. The first six minutes were as evenly keeled as could be with the score tied 8-8.
 
From 14:07 to 6:34 of the first half the two sides were still unable to separate from each other. Queens put up 18 points on 6-13 shooting while Jacksonville was much more efficient, shooting 7-9. Regardless, the score was tied 26-26 with over six minutes in the half.
 
The final six-plus minutes is when the Royals started to convert more shots as they went on a 16-6 run. Dye continued to be red-hot from the floor as he recorded eight of his 15 first half points in the final six minutes of the first half to lead Queens to an eight point lead at the end of the first half.
 
In the second half the Dolphins offense was hot out of the gate, as Gyasi Powell and Jordan Davis sunk consecutive three-pointers to cut into the Queens lead. The duo continued to have the hot hands as Powell sunk another three and Davis converted a tough layup at the 15:49 mark, and the Dolphins found themselves down just two. The heat from the offense continued at an infectious rate as Mike Marsh got involved with the scoring. Kevion Nolan then maneuvered his way through the paint and finished at the rim for the Dolphins first lead of the second half. AJ McKee of Queens immediately responded with a three to retake the one-point lead.
 
Like every win, there's moments you can directly point to that helped lead to a victory. Kevion Nolan had one of those moments. With 12:51 to play, Nolan pulled up with a jumper just inches from where his head coach stands, and drained it as he was tackled by a defender. Swisher Gymnasium was as loud as it had been all afternoon as the redshirt senior was mobbed by his teammates after draining the tough shot – and got the foul call.
 
The Royals, however, attempted to remain un-phased by the sudden surge of Dolphin momentum. From 11:57 left until 8:38, Queens outscored JU 8-4, and suddenly the game was as back-and-forth as it had been all afternoon.

Jacksonville was able to nurse their lead the rest of the way and hold off any chance of a Queens comeback. JU in the last eight plus minutes outscored The Royals 20-12, and got help all over the court as numerous players scored in double figures, added five rebounds or dished out assists. In the final minute of play, Nolan recieved an inbound and was surrounded by Royals defenders. Nolan then found Jarius Cook wide open up the court, and cook sent Swisher into another frenzy with a one-handed slam to put an exclamation point on the win.

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NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Four Dolphins scored in double figures, with Nolan leading the way with 20, Davis nabbing 16  and Osayi Osifo and Powell both scored 15.
Davis three blocks were the highest he's had in a game since transferring to JU.
Four Dolphins also grabbed five or more rebounds in Osifo, Nolan, Davis and Mike Marsh.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Dolphins begin a two-game road trip at North Alabama on Thursday, January 26^th.