Alabama State beats Jacksonville State 80-55

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Maurice Strong had 16 points and eight rebounds and Alabama State shot 51.7 percent from the field on Saturday to defeat Jacksonville State 80-55.

Bobby Brown scored 10 of his 11 points in the first half as Alabama State (3-3) took a 41-25 halftime lead. The Hornets led the whole way and opened the second on a 9-3 run to go up 50-28.

Jacksonville State (5-4) never got closer than 14 points from there, ending a five-game winning streak and squandering Jeremy Watson's 28 points and 18 rebounds.

Watson was 10 of 16 from the field and 8 of 13 from the free-throw line with nine offensive rebounds. The rest of the Gamecocks were 8 of 43 from the field.

DeMarcus Robinson scored 13, and Brandon Graham and Jamel Waters added 11 points each for the Hornets.