FINAL STATS

LEXINGTON, Va. – Despite holding the nation's leading scoring team 41 points under its average on Thursday night, the Jacksonville State men's basketball team dropped a 66-55 road game at VMI.

The Keydets (4-0) made just two field goals in the game's final 11 minutes and 40 seconds, but they got the opportunities they needed at the free throw line. They shot 37 free throws in the game, 25 in the second half, thanks to 27 fouls that were whistled against the Gamecocks (1-2). VMI had to take just 40 shots from the floor, 47 fewer than the Keydets took their last time out.

Senior Nick Murphy led all scorers with 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds, the only JSU player in double figures. The Bronx, N.Y., native also pulled down seven boards to pass former Gamecock Amadou Mbodji for second on the school's Division I career rebounds list. He now has 535 career boards, just eight behind Div. I leader Rusty Brand.

Stan Okoye led the Keydets with 18 points, thanks to a 10-for-13 night at the charity stripe, and a game-high 10 rebounds. Keith Gabriel added 15 points and Austin Kenon pitched in 13 for the home team.

The Gamecocks won the battle of the boards, 39-35, thanks to eight from senior Sean Thurston. Eight different JSU players pulled in at least one board, while Murphy and junior Dominique Shellman each dished four assists. JSU shot just 50 percent on their 18 free throw attempts.

The Keydets stormed out of the gates in the first half to hit 10 of their first 12 shots from the floor and built and early 25-18 lead. From that point JSU went on a 13-0 run that put the Gamecocks on top for the first time at 31-25.

The lead changed hands three more times before the half time horn sounded, and JSU took a 33-32 lead into the locker room.

The teams exchanged blows for the first 10 minutes of the second half before the Keydets were able to pull away to a 56-48 lead despite going 6:50 without a field goal. During that stretch, they went to the line for eight-straight points.

The Gamecocks will play at home on Monday at 7 p.m. against Southeastern Louisiana before returning to the road. They will spend Thanksgiving in Normal Illinois at the Global Sports Roundball Classic on the campus of Illinois State.