Story by Kelsey Randolph, Sports Editor
Wining 69-54 in the third game of the OVC season, the Racers took on the Jacksonville State Friday evening in the CFSB Center.
The men’s basketball team took a slow start allowing Jacksonville State to take the lead for the first eight minutes. The Racers quickly came back after junior guard Damarcus Croaker took a two-point layup. From there, the Racers climbed the ladder. A few layups and two back-to-back dunks by Croaker gave the Racers the lead in the first half, 32-25.
Leading in the first half the Racers shot 2-for-10 from the arc and 46 percent from the field. Jacksonville State shot 5-for-12 from the arc and averaged a 31 percent from the field. Leading the first half in points for the Racers was senior forward Jeffery Moss with nine points followed closely behind by Croaker with eight points. The Gamecocks were led by junior guard Greg Tucker with nine points and a steady follow up by Junior guard Erik Durham with 5 points.
Entering the second half, Jacksonville’s senior guard JaQuail Townser takes his first shot of the night, but not too long before a jumper and a 3-pointer are made by the Racers.
Pushing the second half the Gamecocks try to tighten the gap, but were not a match for the Racers push to win. Ending the game with a layup was Moss right after a 3-pointer made by Jacksonville’s Drumwright.
Leading the second half for the Racers was Moss with 17 points, Langston with 13 rebounds and junior guard Bryce Jones with 6 assists. The Racers shot 4-for-8 on the Gamecocks 6-for-13 three-point field goal percentage.
The Racers take to the road to take on the 2015 OVC Champions, the Belmont Bruins at 8 p.m. January 14 in Nashville, Tennessee.