Redhawks remain winless in OVC

Jacksonville State entered Thursday's men's basketball game last in free-throw percentage in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference.

The Gamecocks also had attempted 71 fewer free throws than Southeast Missouri State, whose 470 foul shots led the OVC.

But on this night, the Gamecocks went to the line 11 more times than Southeast and were money once they got there.

There were other contributing factors, but JSU's dead-eye free-throw shooting played a major part in the Redhawks' 11th straight loss, 78-68 at the Show Me Center.

"I noticed they were lighting it up from the line," junior center Calvin Williams said.

JSU's 27-of-34 marksmanship -- good for 79.4 percent -- helped drop the Redhawks to 3-19 overall and 0-11 in the OVC. JSU entered shooting 63.9 percent from the free-throw line.

The last-place Redhawks have suffered 18 consecutive conference losses dating back to last season.

"This was a game we wanted bad," Williams said.

Thursday's contest appeared to offer Southeast a decent chance at a rare victory, since JSU had lost its previous six games.

But the ninth-place Gamecocks -- whose previous win had been over Southeast, 71-66 on Jan. 5 in Alabama -- broke through as they improved to 9-10 overall and 3-7 in conference play.

"You have to make free throws and rebound the basketball to win on the road," Southeast acting coach Zac Roman said. "That's what they did."

JSU outrebounded Southeast 38-27.

Southeast made 15 of 23 free throws for 65.2 percent, which is below its season average of 70.2 percent entering the game.

JSU had a 22-21 edge in free-throw attempts until the final two minutes, when the Gamecocks hit 7 of 12 after Southeast was forced to foul. JSU made 20 of its first 22 from the charity stripe.

"They just all of a sudden start making free throws," Roman said. "Who knows how to explain it."

The Redhawks hurt themselves by hitting just 1 of 11 3-point attempts -- and the lone basket from beyond the arc came with 30 seconds left. Junior guard Bijon Jones' trey only sliced Southeast's deficit to 77-68.

Senior guard Kenard Moore, Southeast's only legitimate 3-point threat, missed all seven of his attempts from long range.

"Kenard couldn't make a 3 and Jaycen [Herring] couldn't get going offensively," Roman said. "When that happens it's tough for us."

Moore still scored 19 points as he was 7 of 12 from two-point range.

"If the 3 ain't there, I'm going to take it to the hole," Moore said. "I don't always have to get a 3."

Williams led Southeast with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He added five rebounds, four blocks, three assists and three steals.

But Herring, Southeast's other primary scoring threat, was held to eight points. The senior forward shot 2 of 10.

Sophomore guard Jeremy Bynum scored a season-high 26 points to lead JSU. He hit 5 of 7 3-pointers to account for all of the Gamecocks' 3-point baskets.

A tight first half featured three lead changes and five ties before Bynum's 3-pointer with 1 second left put JSU up 32-28 at the break.

The Gamecocks scored the first seven points of the second half to lead 39-28, and Southeast faced an uphill battle the rest of the night.

JSU built its biggest lead of 57-44 with just over 9 minutes remaining.

Southeast closed to 65-62 on Williams' basket with 4:21 left.

But the smallest player on the court -- JSU point guard DeAndre Bray, who is listed at 5 foot 6 but probably stands about 5-4 -- then swished a jumper from just outside the free-throw line as the shot clock wound down.

That was Bray's only field goal of the game as he attempted one other shot, but it started a 6-0 run that sent JSU on its way.

"That was a momentum swing," Williams said.

Southeast returns to action Saturday night when Tennessee Tech visits.