COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State basketball team ended its 2009-10 regular season on a sour note on Saturday, when Tennessee Tech claimed a 72-62 win that bumped the Gamecocks into the seventh seed in next week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

Three Gamecocks (11-18, 7-11 OVC) had three players score in double figures, led by junior Nick Murphy's seventh double-double of the season. The Bronx., N.Y., native led JSU with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while junior Jeremy Bynum pitched in 17 points and sophomore Stephen Hall added 11.

The Golden Eagles (14-16, 8-10 OVC) won the battle of two teams tied for sixth place to claim that No. 6 seed, while JSU will have to open its first appearance in the OVC Tournament since 2006 at second-seeded Morehead State on Tuesday and will be looking to snap out of a skid that has seen it lose seven of its last eight games.

Tennessee Tech got a game-high 22 points from Kevin Murphy to lead a group of three players in double figures. Alfred Jones pitched in 12 in the winning effort, while senior Elijah Muhammad scored 10 in his final game at the Eblen Center. The Golden Eagles ended the night with a 47 percent effort from the floor and limited the Gamecocks to a .365 shooting percentage.

The Gamecocks couldn't get shots to fall from beyond the arc, going 4-for-17 on the night. JSU also committed 14 turnovers that led to an 18-10 TTU advantage in points off of turnovers.

Junior Sean Thurston had a solid performance for the Gamecocks, scoring just two points but grabbing seven rebounds and blocking four shots. Sophomore Dominique Shellman scored six, grabbed six boards and dished four assists but also turned the ball over four times.

The two teams exchanged the lead six times in a first half that also saw five ties, but a cold spell by the Gamecocks early in the second half allowed the Golden Eagles to create just enough separation to pull off the win. Down just one at 40-39 with 16:08 to play, a string of five-straight points created a six-point advantage that JSU wouldn't be able to overcome.

The Gamecocks will now head into next week's eight-team tournament by traveling to Morehead, Ky., where they will have to take on defending tournament champion Morehead State. The Eagles won both meeting between the two teams this season, one they finished with a 21-9 record and a 15-3 mark in league play.