JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the first time in almost a month, the Jacksonville Dolphins played a game on their home floor. And it even went to overtime.
The Dolphins clashed with the Florida A&M Rattlers Tuesday night in the first of two meetings between the schools this season, with JU coming out on top 85-82.
By virtue of taking the victory in overtime, Jacksonville snapped a four-game overtime losing streak and moved to 33-18 overall in home overtime games. Jacksonville got there behind five different 'Phins eclipsing double-digits and a heroic effort from the team's starting big man.
For the first time since Jan. 11, 2025, JU had five scorers reach over 10. Junior guard
Jaylen Jones led the way with a 16-point showing, starting the day 4-4 from beyond the arc. Jones finished just two points from his collegiate high.
Sophomore Jacksonville native
Chris Arias added 15 himself, connecting on a trio of triples and pulling down four rebounds. Freshman guard
Evan Sterck scored 14, grabbed five rebounds. Sterck scored five in the overtime period and tossed the game-sealing lob to
Donovan Rivers to put JU ahead 85-80 with just 30 seconds to play.
Chris Lockett Jr. added 11 points, which he scored all in a row for JU in the second half. Lockett hit his first bucket at the 10:12 mark, scoring again just 12 seconds later. His scoring run helped later put his squad ahead 67-64 with 6:52 to play.
Rounding out the scoring was a 10-point showing by Rivers. The big has hit double-digit scoring in two of his last three games and in three total games this season. In overtime, Rivers was responsible for the final six points scored by the home team.
Jacksonville got a big help from senior forward
Jaylen Jordon who had not appeared since the team's trip to George Mason. In 11 minutes, Jordon scored seven and hauled in four rebounds. Most importantly, the big from Hillard went 3-3 from the free throw line in a game JU won by just three points.
The 'Phins had a strong day at the charity stripe, going 13-19 overall. They also won the rebounding battle 37-31, led by a seven-point burst from
Hayden Wood. In Wood's career-high 33 minutes played, he hauled in his new career best in rebounds.
Fellow frosh Sterck played a career-high 39 minutes and made his sixth collegiate start. Sterck has eclipsed 30 minutes played twice this season, once against VMI and then against FAMU, which both turned into dramatic wins.
The Dolphins trailed narrowly at the break 43-39. Jacksonville had a 32-31 lead at the 3:52 mark, but FAMU closed the half on a 12-7 run.
FAMU held three different seven-point leads in the first 10 minutes of play in the second half before Lockett came alive and Sterck's big minutes paid dividends for head coach
Jordan Mincy's team.
Despite being one of the nation's preeminent 3-point defensive teams, Jacksonville allowed winless FAMU to make a season-high 13 from deep. The 'Phins did clamp down on FAMU in the second half, allowing just six makes from deep on 13 second-half attempts. The JU defense did turn FAMU over 17 times, the fourth time this year a JU defense has forced over 15 turnovers.
Jacksonville will face FAMU in Tallahassee later in the year on Dec. 17. Beforehand, the Dolphins will stay in state and travel to FIU on Dec. 6 for a 2 p.m. tip.
JU is back at home for the final time in non-conference play on Dec. 11 against Trinity College of Jacksonville.
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