LYNCHBURG, Va. – Jax State won its sixth game in a row, and second-straight to start Conference USA play, taking a 61-51 victory over preseason favorite Liberty Wednesday night.
 
The Gamecocks (10-7, 2-0 CUSA) turned the tables with a 10-point win after entering as double-digit underdogs to the Flames (11-6, 0-2 CUSA). Two seasons ago, Jax State snapped Liberty's 45-game home winning streak as ASUN Conference foes, and on Wednesday, the Gamecocks became the first visiting team to earn multiple road wins inside Liberty's new arena since it opened in 2020.
 
A total team effort for the Gamecocks was demonstrated early when Jax State led 26-21 at the half despite the league's leading scorer KyKy Tandy being held to just two points in the opening 20 minutes. Tandy would finish with a team-high 14, leading a quartet of Gamecocks in double figures. Andres Burney finished one shy of a career high with 12 points, followed by Juwan Perdue (11) and Marcellus Brigham Jr. with 10.
 
The Gamecocks ultimately led for more than 26 minutes, but not before the host Flames got off to a hot start. Midway through the first half Jax State trailed 14-8 before Burney. Brigham, Quincy Clark and Caleb Johnson strung together buckets as part of a 12-0 run over the next six minutes. Liberty connected on two of its nine total three-pointers to pull back within two late before heading to the break down five.
 
Jax State carried its late momentum over into the second half, extending the margin out to nine on a triple by Perdue just minutes into the period. Tandy started to heat up with a pair of deep shots of his own to push the Gamecocks' lead to double digits for the first time at 40-29 with 12:10 left on the clock.
 
Still a dozen-point difference with less than five minutes remaining, Liberty began a late charge that saw the deficit cut as close as 57-51 with 45 seconds to play. The Gamecocks shut the door late when Clark and Perdue made four late free throws to seal the deal.
 
The Gamecocks finished 14-for-15 at the line collectively and turned the ball over two fewer times than the Flamers while also winning the rebounding battle, 38-30.
 
Jax State now turns its attention to another tough road challenge visiting Western Kentucky on Saturday afternoon in a nationally-televised contest on CBS Sports Network.