BOX SCORE

JACKSONVILLE – Trenton Marshall's 21 points led four Gamecocks in double figures, but the Jacksonville State basketball team fell just short in a 78-71 loss to Morehead State on Saturday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

Marshall also pitched in 10 rebounds for his second career double-double but the Gamecocks (6-9, 2-3 Ohio Valley Conference) couldn't overcome a surge by the Eagles (10-6, 5-1 OVC) early in the second half. The win was MSU's first at Pete Mathews Coliseum in five years.

Morehead State's Kenneth Faried, the OVC's preseason player of the year, also put in a double-double with 16 points and 13 boards, both team highs. Marshall got his by knocking down six of his 13 attempts from the floor, including a 4-for-5 effort from 3-point land. The Garyville, La., native had nine defensive boards and dished a career-best five assists.

Junior Nick Murphy pitched in 16 points, thanks to a 6-for-8 night from the floor, while Jeremy Bynum and Stephen Hall each pitched in 12 points to round out the Gamecocks' quartet in double figures.

The Eagles also had four players with 10 or more points, with Maze Stallworth using four treys to account for most of his 15. Demonte Harper and Steve Peterson pitched in 13 and 12, respectively. MSU, who entered the game averaging seven more rebounds per game than its foes, won the battle on the glass against JSU, 31-29.

The Gamecocks shot 50 percent from the floor to the Eagles' 47 and were 7-for-14 from behind the arc, but 14 turnovers led to 18 MSU points.

Morehead led for most of the game but couldn't seem to pull away from the Gamecocks early. The Eagles took a 36-31 lead into the locker room at the half then used an early 11-1 run to build their largest advantage of the night, a 49-37 one with 15:23 remining.

JSU would nip at the lead for much of the half, finally pulling within two at 60-58 on a pair of Marshall free throws with 6:27 on the clock. Stallworth answered with a triple to build the lead back to five, and it would take the Gamecocks until the 3:37 mark, when Marshall connected on his final trey of the night, to get back to within two.

Stallworth answered again with another 3-pointer, then a pair of Brandon Shingles free throws put Morehead back up by seven headed into the final minute, a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

The Gamecocks will take to the road for a pair of games, beginning with a Jan. 14 matchup with first-place Murray State in Murray, Ky. They will then travel to Martin, Tenn., for a Jan. 16 date with UT Martin.