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Pierre puts up 28, Jacksonville State downs Western Kentucky 85-83

AP
Feb 08, 2025

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) Jaron Pierre Jr.'s 28 points helped Jacksonville State defeat Western Kentucky 85-83 on Saturday night.

Pierre shot 9 for 18 (3 for 8 from 3-point range) and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Gamecocks (17-7, 9-2 Conference USA). Koree Cotton scored 13 points and added six rebounds and three steals. Jao Ituka shot 4 for 8 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 13 points. It was the eighth straight win for the Gamecocks.

The Hilltoppers (14-10, 5-6) were led by Khristian Lander, who posted 30 points and two steals. Tyrone Marshall added 22 points and seven rebounds for Western Kentucky. Braxton Bayless had 15 points, four assists and two steals.

Pierre scored 14 points in the first half and Jacksonville State went into the break trailing 44-38. Pierre scored 14 second-half points and Jacksonville State secured the victory after a second half that featured nine lead changes and was tied eight times.

NEXT UP

Jacksonville State plays Thursday against Sam Houston on the road, and Western Kentucky hosts Middle Tennessee on Saturday.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

1st Half
WKU
Hilltoppers
44
JVST
Gamecocks
38

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Hilltoppers gains possession)
19:42	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point layup (Braxton Bayless assists)	2-0
19:23		Quel'Ron House misses three point jump shot
19:21		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
19:03	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point jump shot	4-0
18:39		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
18:37		Blaise Keita defensive rebound
18:16		Blaise Keita misses two point jump shot
18:14		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
18:06		Jaron Pierre Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Tyrone Marshall Jr. steals)
18:02	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point layup	6-0
17:28		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:26		Khristian Lander defensive rebound
17:18		Mason Nicholson shooting foul (Blaise Keita draws the foul)
17:18	+1	Blaise Keita makes regular free throw 1 of 2	7-0
17:18	+1	Blaise Keita makes regular free throw 2 of 2	8-0
16:54		Jao Ituka misses three point jump shot
16:52		Michael Houge offensive rebound
16:50	+2	Michael Houge makes two point layup	8-2
16:29	+3	Khristian Lander makes three point jump shot (Braxton Bayless assists)	11-2
16:09	+2	Quel'Ron House makes two point jump shot	11-4
15:57		Don McHenry misses two point layup
15:55		Michael Houge defensive rebound
15:49	+2	Jao Ituka makes two point layup	11-6
15:37		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:35		Gamecocks defensive rebound
15:35		TV timeout
15:18	+2	Jao Ituka makes two point layup	11-8
14:47	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point layup	13-8
14:15		Mason Nicholson misses two point layup
14:13		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
14:06	+2	Don McHenry makes two point layup	15-8
13:51		Jao Ituka misses three point jump shot
13:49		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
13:43	+3	Don McHenry makes three point jump shot (Jalen Jackson assists)	18-8
13:41		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
13:24		Koree Cotton misses two point jump shot
13:22		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
13:14	+3	Braxton Bayless makes three point jump shot (Tyrone Marshall Jr. assists)	21-8
12:51		Jalen Jackson shooting foul (Jao Ituka draws the foul)
12:51		Jao Ituka misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:51	+1	Jao Ituka makes regular free throw 2 of 2	21-9
12:41	+3	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes three point jump shot (Braxton Bayless assists)	24-9
12:24	+3	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes three point jump shot	24-12
12:06	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point jump shot (Khristian Lander assists)	26-12
11:38		Jao Ituka turnover (bad pass) (Khristian Lander steals)
11:34		Iaroslav Niagu shooting foul (Khristian Lander draws the foul)
11:34		TV timeout
11:34	+1	Khristian Lander makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-12
11:34	+1	Khristian Lander makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-12
11:16		Jalen Jackson shooting foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
11:16	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	28-13
11:16	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-14
11:03	+3	Khristian Lander makes three point jump shot (Tyrone Marshall Jr. assists)	31-14
10:50		Michael Houge misses three point jump shot
10:48		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
10:28	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point layup (Blaise Keita assists)	33-14
9:58	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point layup (Michael Houge assists)	33-16
9:38	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point layup	35-16
9:14		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
9:12		Blaise Keita defensive rebound
9:04		Don McHenry misses three point jump shot
9:02		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
8:51		Marcellus Brigham Jr. misses two point layup
8:49		Michael Houge offensive rebound
8:43		Khristian Lander personal foul (Michael Houge draws the foul)
8:35	+3	Quel'Ron House makes three point jump shot (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	35-19
8:18		Quel'Ron House shooting foul (Blaise Keita draws the foul)
8:18	+1	Blaise Keita makes regular free throw 1 of 2	36-19
8:18	+1	Blaise Keita makes regular free throw 2 of 2	37-19
8:09		Quel'Ron House misses two point jump shot
8:07		Blaise Keita defensive rebound
7:33		Hilltoppers turnover (shot clock violation)
7:33		TV timeout
7:27	+2	Michael Houge makes two point layup (Marcellus Brigham Jr. assists)	37-21
7:10	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point layup	39-21
6:49	+3	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes three point jump shot	39-24
6:22	+3	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jaylen Dorsey assists)	42-24
6:04	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point jump shot (Quel'Ron House assists)	42-26
5:36		Braxton Bayless misses two point jump shot
5:34		Leeroy Odiahi offensive rebound
5:32		Leeroy Odiahi misses two point layup
5:30		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
5:24		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:22		Leeroy Odiahi defensive rebound
5:04		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:02		Koree Cotton defensive rebound
4:47	+3	Koree Cotton makes three point jump shot (Quel'Ron House assists)	42-29
4:41		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
4:21		Don McHenry misses two point layup
4:19		Blaise Keita offensive rebound
4:19		Blaise Keita turnover (traveling)
4:03		Koree Cotton misses two point jump shot
4:01		Koree Cotton offensive rebound
3:57	+2	Koree Cotton makes two point layup	42-31
3:47	+2	Don McHenry makes two point layup	44-31
3:34	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point jump shot	44-33
3:15		Don McHenry turnover (bad pass)
3:15		TV timeout
3:01		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
2:59		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
2:47		Jalen Jackson misses two point jump shot
2:45		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
2:33	+3	Michael Houge makes three point jump shot (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	44-36
2:20		Braxton Bayless turnover (bad pass) (Koree Cotton steals)
2:15	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point layup (Koree Cotton assists)	44-38
1:52		Mason Nicholson blocks Khristian Lander's two point layup
1:50		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
1:27		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses two point jump shot
1:26		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
1:26		Blaise Keita personal foul (Gamecocks draws the foul)
1:16		Mason Nicholson turnover (lost ball) (Don McHenry steals)
1:05		Leeroy Odiahi misses two point layup
1:03		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
0:50		Michael Houge misses three point jump shot
0:48		Leeroy Odiahi defensive rebound
0:39		Mason Nicholson blocks Don McHenry's two point layup
0:37		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
0:33		Quel'Ron House turnover (bad pass) (Braxton Bayless steals)
0:28		Don McHenry misses three point jump shot
0:26		Michael Houge defensive rebound
0:02		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:00		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
WKU
Hilltoppers
39
JVST
Gamecocks
47

Time		Play	Score
19:42		Blaise Keita shooting foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
19:42		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
19:42	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-39
19:19		Tyrone Marshall Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Koree Cotton steals)
19:09	+2	Quel'Ron House makes two point jump shot	44-41
19:09		Don McHenry shooting foul (Quel'Ron House draws the foul)
19:09	+1	Quel'Ron House makes regular free throw 1 of 1	44-42
18:57		Don McHenry turnover (bad pass) (Marcellus Brigham Jr. steals)
18:56		Don McHenry personal foul (Marcellus Brigham Jr. draws the foul)
18:41	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point dunk (Koree Cotton assists)	44-44
18:18		Mason Nicholson blocks Jalen Jackson's two point layup
18:16		Koree Cotton defensive rebound
18:10		Quel'Ron House misses three point jump shot
18:08		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
18:04		Koree Cotton shooting foul (Khristian Lander draws the foul)
18:04	+1	Khristian Lander makes regular free throw 1 of 2	45-44
17:41	+1	Khristian Lander makes regular free throw 2 of 2	46-44
17:41	+2	Quel'Ron House makes two point jump shot	46-46
17:29		Don McHenry misses two point jump shot
17:27		Koree Cotton defensive rebound
17:19		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
17:17		Khristian Lander defensive rebound
17:05		Khristian Lander turnover (lost ball) (Koree Cotton steals)
17:00		Koree Cotton misses two point layup
16:58		Koree Cotton offensive rebound
16:58		Jalen Jackson shooting foul (Koree Cotton draws the foul)
16:58	+1	Koree Cotton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-47
16:58	+1	Koree Cotton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	46-48
16:46	+2	Jalen Jackson makes two point jump shot	48-48
16:28	+2	Koree Cotton makes two point jump shot	48-50
16:10		Don McHenry misses three point jump shot
16:08		Jao Ituka defensive rebound
15:58		Michael Houge misses two point jump shot
15:56		Michael Houge offensive rebound
15:51	+2	Michael Houge makes two point layup	48-52
15:47		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
15:47		TV timeout
15:23	+3	Khristian Lander makes three point jump shot (Jalen Jackson assists)	51-52
14:59	+3	Jao Ituka makes three point jump shot (Marcellus Brigham Jr. assists)	51-55
14:43	+3	Khristian Lander makes three point jump shot (Leeroy Odiahi assists)	54-55
14:26		Jump ball. Jaron Pierre Jr. vs. Jalen Jackson (Jalen Jackson gains possession)
14:26		Jaron Pierre Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Jalen Jackson steals)
14:26		TV timeout
14:18	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point layup	56-55
13:54		Jao Ituka misses two point jump shot
13:52		Khristian Lander defensive rebound
13:45		Marcellus Brigham Jr. personal foul (Hilltoppers draws the foul)
13:35	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point layup	58-55
13:17	+3	Koree Cotton makes three point jump shot (Jao Ituka assists)	58-58
12:58		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses three point jump shot
12:56		Koree Cotton defensive rebound
12:46	+3	Jao Ituka makes three point jump shot (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	58-61
12:17		Braxton Bayless turnover (lost ball) (Jao Ituka steals)
12:05		Jaron Pierre Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Braxton Bayless steals)
12:00		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses two point layup
11:58		Tyrone Marshall Jr. offensive rebound
11:57	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point layup	60-61
11:57		Koree Cotton shooting foul (Tyrone Marshall Jr. draws the foul)
11:57		TV timeout
11:57	+1	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	61-61
11:36	+2	Mason Nicholson makes two point dunk (Jao Ituka assists)	61-63
11:13		Braxton Bayless misses three point jump shot
11:11		Michael Houge defensive rebound
10:52		Jao Ituka misses three point jump shot
10:50		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
10:36		Braxton Bayless turnover (bad pass) (Mason Nicholson steals)
10:18	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point jump shot	61-65
10:01	+3	Khristian Lander makes three point jump shot (Jalen Jackson assists)	64-65
9:33		Jaron Pierre Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jalen Jackson steals)
9:29		Jaron Pierre Jr. shooting foul (Tyrone Marshall Jr. draws the foul)
9:29	+1	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	65-65
9:29	+1	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	66-65
9:13		Mason Nicholson turnover (lost ball)
8:59		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses three point jump shot
8:57		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
8:43		Quel'Ron House misses two point jump shot
8:41		Don McHenry defensive rebound
8:32		Quel'Ron House blocks Braxton Bayless's two point layup
8:30		Quel'Ron House defensive rebound
8:13	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point jump shot	66-67
7:57		Khristian Lander misses three point jump shot
7:55		Michael Houge defensive rebound
7:39		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
7:37		Mason Nicholson offensive rebound
7:33		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
7:31		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
7:27		Khristian Lander misses three point jump shot
7:25		Michael Houge defensive rebound
7:02	+2	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes two point jump shot (Quel'Ron House assists)	66-69
6:38	+2	Khristian Lander makes two point layup	68-69
6:37		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
6:37		TV timeout
6:11		Koree Cotton misses three point jump shot
6:09		Khristian Lander defensive rebound
5:54	+2	Khristian Lander makes two point layup	70-69
5:28		Leeroy Odiahi shooting foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
5:28	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	70-70
5:28	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	70-71
5:13		Jaron Pierre Jr. blocks Don McHenry's two point layup
5:11		Michael Houge defensive rebound
5:04		Leeroy Odiahi shooting foul (Jao Ituka draws the foul)
5:04	+1	Jao Ituka makes regular free throw 1 of 2	70-72
5:04	+1	Jao Ituka makes regular free throw 2 of 2	70-73
4:51	+2	Khristian Lander makes two point layup	72-73
4:31		Michael Houge misses two point jump shot
4:29		Hilltoppers defensive rebound
4:29		Michael Houge personal foul (Hilltoppers draws the foul)
4:09		Marcellus Brigham Jr. personal foul (Hilltoppers draws the foul)
4:07	+3	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes three point jump shot (Braxton Bayless assists)	75-73
3:46	+2	Iaroslav Niagu makes two point dunk (Jaron Pierre Jr. assists)	75-75
3:17		Tyrone Marshall Jr. turnover (lost ball)
3:17		TV timeout
3:03		Jump ball. (Gamecocks gains possession)
2:49		Leeroy Odiahi shooting foul (Koree Cotton draws the foul)
2:49	+1	Koree Cotton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-76
2:49		Koree Cotton misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:49		Mason Nicholson offensive rebound
2:35	+3	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes three point jump shot	75-79
2:17		Don McHenry misses two point layup
2:15		Jaron Pierre Jr. defensive rebound
1:51		Jaron Pierre Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:49		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
1:40		Don McHenry misses three point jump shot
1:38		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
1:19		Leeroy Odiahi blocks Jaron Pierre Jr.'s two point layup
1:17		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
1:08		Khristian Lander misses three point jump shot
1:06		Mason Nicholson defensive rebound
0:48		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
0:43		Jaron Pierre Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Khristian Lander steals)
0:33	+3	Khristian Lander makes three point jump shot	78-79
0:31		Hilltoppers 60 second timeout
0:28		Khristian Lander personal foul (Quel'Ron House draws the foul)
0:28	+1	Quel'Ron House makes regular free throw 1 of 2	78-80
0:28	+1	Quel'Ron House makes regular free throw 2 of 2	78-81
0:19		Michael Houge personal foul (Khristian Lander draws the foul)
0:19	+1	Khristian Lander makes regular free throw 1 of 2	79-81
0:19	+1	Khristian Lander makes regular free throw 2 of 2	80-81
0:10		Jalen Jackson personal foul (Jaron Pierre Jr. draws the foul)
0:10	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	80-82
0:10	+1	Jaron Pierre Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	80-83
0:10		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
0:07		Khristian Lander turnover (lost ball) (Marcellus Brigham Jr. steals)
0:04	+2	Marcellus Brigham Jr. makes two point dunk (Quel'Ron House assists)	80-85
0:01	+3	Don McHenry makes three point jump shot	83-85
0:00		End of period

+ 3

Don McHenry makes three point jump shot