Colorado State defeats Jacksonville State 79-56

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Wes Eikmeier scored 25 points and Colorado State shot 60 percent to beat Jacksonville State 79-56 on Thursday night and win the Sun Bowl Invitational championship.

Dwight Smith made all five shots he took, including a 3-pointer, and scored 15 points for the Rams (9-4), who sank 27 of 45.

Will Bell added 12 points and Pierce Hornung 12 rebounds as Colorado State won its fourth in a row.

Tarvin Gaines scored 15 points and Stephen Hall 13 for the Gamecocks (5-9), who had won two straight.

The Rams used an early 8-0 run to go ahead 12-7, and Eikmeier’s fast-break layup extended the gap to 36-26 at intermission.

Jacksonville State started quickly in the second half, rallying within 37-33. But Eikmeier scored six straight Rams points before Greg Smith’s basket put Colorado State up 45-34 with 14:30 left.

The Gamecocks were doomed by 32 percent shooting (17 of 53).