FLORENCE, Ala. – For the second Saturday in a row, a game-winning shot with under two seconds remaining sank Jax State's chances at a win.
A week after overtime heartbreak to Utah Tech, Jax State (1-3) fell on the road at North Alabama (3-1) by a final score of 61-59 when the game's leading scorer KJ Johnson dropped a floater in the lane through the net just before time expired.
A defensive struggle early, neither team made a three-pointer in the opening half, combining to go 0-for-11 from beyond the arc. Jax State would eventually knocked down a pair in the second half and UNA added three of its own, but the difference would come from the free throw stripe down the stretch.
UNA connected on 25-of-31 opportunities from the charity stripe, including its final six points leading up to Johnson's game-winner. Meanwhile, Jax State hit just 12 of its 21 attempts.
Senior
Juwan Perdue, who exited in the closing minutes with five fouls, finished with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
KyKy Tandy ended leading all Gamecock scorers with 14 points after a big 5-0 stretch near the end of the game that helped the Gamecocks briefly reclaim a late lead.
After Jax State opened a 4-0 lead to begin the game, the Lions scored 11 of the next 13 points to take a lead they would hold until just before the intermission. Tied at 20,
Mason Nicholson put back a last-second layup attempt that fell through to give Jax State a 22-20 halftime advantage. Thanks to a nearly seven-minute scoring drought in the opening period, Jax State's 22 first-half points were the fewest in any half in the last 45 games since only scoring to start the game at Stetson on Feb. 9, 2022.
Even with 15 ties and 13 lead changes, UNA led the contest for 25 minutes of game time and immediately regained control to begin the second half. Midway through the final stanza, UNA led 39-32 before the Gamecocks built a rally that eventually sent the visitors back in front, 43-41, on Nicholson's basket with 8:22 remaining.
Falling behind again, Tandy buried a three-pointer with 2:30 left on the clock that once against sent Jax State ahead, but the Lions clawed back yet again to tie in the final minute. An errant pass in Jax State's final possession set up UNA with the ball at the end which led to Johnson's heroic shot.
The Gamecocks return home briefly before heading out to San Antonio, Texas for Thanksgiving week to face Incarnate Word and UTSA.
