SAN ANTONIO – The third game-winning shot so far this season with under two seconds remaining fell against Jax State on Wednesday night when The University of The Incarnate Word knocked off the Gamecocks 67-66 inside UIW's McDermott Center.
 
The essential buzzer-beater with 0.2 seconds left negated an incredible Jax State rally that erased an 18-point second-half deficit. In the final minutes, the Gamecocks used a 20-1 run in 5:42 to come from 16 down (61-45) to take the lead with under a minute remaining.  
 
In all, the Gamecocks (1-4) trailed for more than 30 minutes of game time, but were still in position to steal a road win when UIW (3-2) dropped in a running layup on the final possession than began with 2.8 seconds on the clock.  
 
It was a mixed night for the Gamecocks who opened the contest on an 8-0 run initially. The home Cardinals responded to outscore Jax State 38-16 the rest of the half for a 14-point halftime advantage. Following a couple of early scores to start the second half, UIW took at 18-point lead at 42-24 with 18 minutes left in regulation.
 
Juwan Perdue, who finished with nine points and four boards, hit Jax State's first three-pointer of the game to snap the scoring drought and cut the deficit to 15. The long awaited triple came after Jax State started 0-for-9 from deep, while the Cardinals nailed six of their first 12 attempts from beyond the arc.
 
Down 61-45 with 6:34 remaining, Jax State leading scorer KyKy Tandy drained a layup to kick-start the late rally. Tandy finished with a team-high 19 points and the Gamecocks outscored UIW 36-28 in the paint. A step-back jumper by Quincy Clark, also finishing in double figures with 13 points, brought the deficit to nine with less than five minutes to play.
 
Consecutive buckets from Perdue made it a five-point game and forced a Cardinal timeout. Tandy then hit two of Jax State's four total three-pointers to first pull within two, and then break a 62-tie to lead by three with 53 seconds to go.
 
UIW found its way to the free throw line three times for six free throws in the final 16 seconds. With a one-point lead, Jax State turned the ball over at midcourt with 2.8 ticks left leading to UIW game-winning play.
 
Jax State remains in San Antonio and will face UTSA on Friday afternoon in the first-ever meeting with the Roadrunners.
 
Jax State and UIW will have a rematch on Sunday, this time played on neutral ground at UTSA's Convocation Center.