USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Jacksonville State's upset bid came up inches short at Air Force on Monday, when the Falcons held on for a thrilling 66-65 overtime win at Clune Arena.
 
After Darion Rackley's tip in with two seconds left in regulation sent the Gamecocks (7-6) into overtime with the Falcons (6-4), JSU had a chance at a winner in the extra period that was blocked away.
 
Freshman Malcolm Drumwright drove left and found senior D.J. Felder under the basket, but his last second shot was blocked by Air Force's Max Yon to secure the win for Air Force.
 
Rackley led the Gamecocks with 23 points, thanks to a 4-for-8 night from behind the arc that also saw the St. Louis native grab five boards in 39 minutes on the floor.
 
Felder was the other Gamecock in double figures with 17 points and also pulled down seven rebounds, four on the offensive glass. Junior JaQuail Townser scored six but had a career-high seven rebounds and tied a career high with seven assists.
 
While the starting lineup put up the big numbers for the Gamecocks, it was young guys off of the bench that made the biggest difference down the stretch.
 
Drumwright scored eight, including a pair of key 3-pointers that helped JSU close the gap down the stretch, while sophomore Joe Kuligoski added a big 3-pointer and grabbed three big rebounds inside late in the game.
 
The Falcons got at least eight points from five players, a group that was led by Yon's 16. The Falcons' leading scorer struggled early but put his team on his back in overtime, when he scored seven of its nine points in the extra period and blocked the Gamecocks' attempt at a game winner.
 
The first half was an even one, on the that saw five ties and four lead changes before a 7-0 Air Force run helped them to the largest lead of the half at 28-23 with just over a minute left. JSU answered that run, scoring five of the next seven to cut the Falcons' lead to 30-28 at the intermission.
 
Felder scored 10 in the first half, while Rackley had nine.
 
To start the second half, the Falcons went outside the arc and got 3-pointers from Marek Olesinski and Kamryn Williams to build a 40-3 lead with just over 15 minutes to play.
 
They maintained that seven-point advantage to 42-35 before the Gamecocks bench stepped up. Drumwright and Kuligoski knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to key an 8-1 run that tied the game 43-43 with 8:49 left in the game.
 
After a pair of Air Force free throws that reclaimed the lead for the Falcons, sophomore Undra Mitchem knocked down a 3-pointer from the left corner that gave JSU its first lead of the second half at 43-42.
 
The run continued until it reached 16-5 after another Drumwright trey that put the Gamecocks up 51-47 with just over four minutes to play.
 
The Falcons answered from there, getting a Williams free throw and the first 3-pointer of the night from leading Yon to tie the game again at 51-51 with 3:03 on the clock.
 
They reclaimed the lead on their next possession on another 3-pointer, this one by Zach Kokur from the right corner to make it a 54-51 Air Force advantage.
 
The Falcons held on onto the lead until the end of the second half, when Rackley tipped in an Avery Moore miss to send the game into overtime.
 
The Falcons started fast in overtime, scoring the first four points to build a 61-47 lead. The Gamecocks slowly cut into it, making it a one-point game in the final minute.
 
JSU got a defensive stop to claim possession and a chance to win it with 20 seconds left in the extra period.
 
The Gamecocks got the ball inside to Felder, whose last second attempt was blocked from behind by Yon to end the game.
 
JSU returns home for a brief Christmas break before travelling to Jacksonville, Fla., for a Dec. 27 game at Jacksonville. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT in Veterans Memorial Arena in downtown Jacksonville.