JACKSONVILLE – When they needed it the most, Jax State put an end to a three-game losing skid in a big way Saturday by completing a season sweep of Conference USA preseason favorite Liberty with a 73-62 win inside Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
Shooting 62-percent (28-45) from the field, the Gamecocks (11-10, 3-3 CUSA) had their most efficient shooting day against a Division I opponent since shooting a 63-percent clip at Austin Peay on Jan. 23, 2021. The Flames (13-8, 2-4 CUSA) get swept in the regular season by a conference opponent for the first time since they were in the Big South Conference during the 2017-18 season.   
 
For the Gamecocks, the CUSA's leading scorer KyKy Tandy poured in a game-high 25 points. He was backed by junior Marcellus Brigham Jr.'s season-high 19 points and junior Quincy Clark's first double-double performance. Clark finished with 11 points and a team-leading 10 rebounds. Senior Matt Mayers played a key role as well with eight points and eight boards down low.
 
The opening 20 minutes were tightly contested. Brigham's triple with seven minutes remaining until half pushed the Gamecocks back to a 24-22 advantage and began an 8-0 run. The Flames answered with an ensuing 9-0 stretch of their own to lead 31-29 with under a minute to go before the break. Brigham hit a jumper to end the streak and tie the game, before Tandy finished with a running layup to beat the buzzer and send the Gamecocks to the intermission up a pair.
 
The momentum briefly carried over into the second half with Mason Nicholson, Clark and Brigham knocked down early shots to stake Jax State to its largest lead up to that points at 39-31. In a matter of seconds, LU buried two of the team's nine three-pointers on the day to cut the deficit back to two.
 
The Gamecocks methodically built the lead back up, eventually reaching double digits. With just over seven minutes to play Jax State led 60-49, looking to seize control of the contest when Liberty reeled off another 9-0 run aided by a couple of Gamecock turnovers. Following a timeout to settle things down, Jax State closed the final 4:11 of the game outscoring Liberty 13-2 and securing the second win in 17 days over the Flames.  
 
With the win, Jax State reclaims the series advantage, 3-2, since the two teams first met in 2022. All three wins have come by double-digits, including two in Lynchburg, Virginia. The Flames are the fifth-winningest Div. I program over the last six seasons behind only Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas and San Diego State and only Jax State, Alabama and LSU have multiple double-digit victories against them during that stretch.
 
Four Liberty players reached double figures of their own on Saturday with the quarter combining for 54 of the Flames' 62 total points.
 
The Gamecocks now head out west for a lengthy road trip to face UTEP and New Mexico State next weekend.