JACKSONVILLE – Jax State came one field goal away from erasing a six-point deficit in the final 26 seconds when a last-second shot missed off the backboard in a 61-59 setback to East Tennessee State.
 
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Gamecocks (4-5), and became the fifth outcome in eight Division I games to be decided by two or fewer points. The visiting Bucs improved to 4-4 on the season following their first win over Jax State.
 
KyKy Tandy's 17 points led a trio of Gamecocks in double figures including Juwan Perdue and Mason Nicholson. Perdue notched his first double-double of the season with 13 points and a team-high 11 boards, while Nicholson scored a new high 10 points to go along with seven rebounds of his own.
 
In a tale of two halves, Jax State held ETSU to just 21 first-half points and led by as many as 10. The Bucs stormed out to a 9-0 start to begin the second half on their way to a 40-points period, tying the most points allowed by the Gamecocks in any half this season.
 
In a game that featured 10 lead changes, an almost seven-minute scoring drought for Jax State in the second half allowed the visitors to grab a 43-39 advantage. Later tied a 50 with three minutes to play, ETSU's Ebby Asamoah connected on a critical bucket for three of his game-high 22 points.
 
The Gamecocks had to resort to sending ETSU to the line in the closing minutes and after a putback by Perdue and running layup from Quincy Clark, Jax State cut the deficit from six to two with six seconds to play. After another foul, ETSU missed consecutive free throws to give the Gamecocks one final opportunity but the halfcourt attempt by Tandy hit too high on the glass.
 
While ETSU allowed Jax State to hang around shooting 9-of-17 from free throws, the Gamecocks failed to capitalize on their own end shooting the exact same clip from the charity stripe.
 
The Gamecocks close out their homestand hosting UIC on Friday, Dec. 8.