JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Delta State University men's basketball team got off to a quick start in the opening minutes of the game, but the Jacksonville State Gamecocks used a 20-8 run to close the first half and never looked back en route to a 78-41 victory over the Statesmen on Thursday evening at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

    Score: Jacksonville State 78 | Delta State 41
    Series: JSU leads the all-time series 27-25
    Location: Pete Mathews Coliseum | Jacksonville, Ala.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• The Statesmen jumped out to an early 6-0 advantage, as Ravion Henry and PJ Davis each knocked down three pointers to put the visitors ahead in the opening two minutes of the game.
• Jacksonville State was up to the task, however, as Christian Cunningham scored four of the next six for the Gamecocks to tie things up 6-6 with 16:07 left in the first half. 
• Things continued to click for the Gamecocks, who took advantage of four consecutive turnovers by DSU in pushing the score to 18-12 in favor of the home team with 9:51 left in the first half.
• JSU went 8-for-16 from the field and finished the first half on a 20-8 run, turning a six-point lead into an 18-point, 38-20 halftime advantage.
• Ravion Henry and PJ Davis each tallied eight points in the first half on 3-of-5 shooting from the field. Davis knocked down a pair of three-point field goals, and also added a pair of rebounds and an assist for the Statesmen. Armon Benford and Cornelius McIntosh each added two points to round out the halftime scoring for Delta State.
• Christian Cunningham led all Jacksonville State players with eight first half points, and also added six rebounds, two steals and four blocks for JSU.
• The Statesmen and Gamecocks traded baskets out of the locker room to start the second half, but an 18-5 run for JSU from the 17:28 mark to the 8:37 mark put the game out of reach for the Green-and-White.
• Delta State shot 15-for-55 for the game (27.3 percent), including going 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) from three-point range. DSU went 6-of-12 at the free throw line for the game. Jacksonville State was 27-of-52 (51.9 percent) from the field and 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) from three point range, while going 19-of-29 (65.5 percent) at the free throw line. 
• Davis finished as the lead man for Delta State, collecting 16 points, eight rebounds and one assist on the night. Henry added 11 points for the game, including a pair of three-pointers, two rebounds and one block. Benford tallied seven points, three rebounds and three assists for DSU, and Matthew Wilson had three points, four rebounds and an assist. McIntosh and Mitch Keller each finished with two points.
• Cunningham finished the contest with 11 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in 22 minutes of action. Malcom Drumwright added nine points, two rebounds and three assists for the Gamecocks, and Ashton Spears added nine points two rebounds and an assist for JSU.

NOTABLES:
      

• The Statesmen out-rebounded Jacksonville State 38-37 for the game, including 16-9 on the offensive glass.
• Seniors PJ Davis and Ravion Henry combined to score 27 of Delta State's 41 points for the contest.

 
UP NEXT: 
 

• The Statesmen open the 2017-18 regular season with the Sunshine State/Gulf South Crossover, as Delta State hosts Eckerd College on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at Walter Sillers Coliseum.