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Eastern Kentucky University
1/24/2026 | 3:00 PM
ESPN+
1010 XL
Jan. 24 (Sat) / 3:00 PM
Eastern Kentucky University
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Dolphins returned home Thursday night to face Bellarmine, falling to the Knights in a slugfest, 77-70.
The loss moved Jacksonville to 7-13 overall and 2-5 in conference play. JU is 4-2 at home this season, with three more conference games to play in a row.
Freshman guard Hayden Wood was at it against inside Swisher Gymnasium, dropping his second consecutive 20-plus point game with a 21-point showing. Wood has now scored 46 points in his past two games while making a combined 11 3-pointers, going 5-8 from beyond the arc Thursday.
In his last four games, Wood has scored 77 points to lead all Dolphins. He is averaging 19.3 points per game and has shot 60% total from range.
Wood was joined by big men Jason Thirdkill Jr. and Allen Udemadu in scoring, with 17- and 12-point nights respectively flanking him.
Thirdkill recorded his third double-digit scoring effort in ASUN play while Udemadu added his second consecutive double-digit scoring game.
JU and Bellarmine battled back and forth in the first half with Jacksonville notching multiple four-point leads through the period. At the half however, Bellarmine had the slight edge, 38-37.
The Dolphins found themselves down six points to start the second half before a triple by Wood and two makes at the rim by Evan Sterck helped JU retake the game, 46-45.
Down the stretch, the Knights pushed things back to a nine-point advantage. A layup by Thirdkill got the home team within two points, 72-70, with 23 ticks to play.
Under the boards Thirdkill led the team with nine rebounds, part of a 23-rebound night.
As a team, Jacksonville was a perfect 17-17 at the free throw line. Udemadu went 6-6 and Thirdkill went 5-5. JU has quickly rebounded from a poor start to ASUN play at the charity stripe. In the team’s first three games, JU shot just 53.8% from the line. In the team’s last four contests, Jacksonville has gone 86.6%.
After going 2-2 in the team’s last four outings, JU will play host to EKU Saturday, Jan. 24 at 3 p.m. The Colonels will come to Swisher also on a 2-2 stretch following a loss to North Florida on Thursday.