RUSTON, La. – Jax State fell behind early and could not quite fight all the way back in a 63-58 road loss at Conference USA-leading Louisiana Tech.
 
Despite trailing for more than 37 minutes in the game, the Gamecocks (12-14, 4-7 CUSA) made it a tight battle throughout. But the Bulldogs (17-8, 7-3 CUSA) forced 19 turnovers and made plays down the stretch to secure the win.
 
LA Tech shut down Jax State's perimeter limiting the league's leading scorer in KyKy Tandy to a season-low seven points and fellow guard Quincy Clark to just five. Ivan Reynolds led the Gamecocks with 12 points as the only player to reach double figures. Senior Juwan Perdue finished with nine points as did Travis Roberts on 3-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc for his best offensive output since scoring 10 points at Little Rock back on Dec. 21.
 
The Bulldogs led virtually the entire game except for Jax State's 2-0 start on Perdue's opening basket. Even with a constant advantage, the home squad never put Jax State away completely as the Gamecocks trimmed double-digit deficits down to one-possession games in both the first and second half of the contest. Early in the game, LA Tech led 22-12 when Roberts first struck for back-to-back triples followed by Perdue from deep for a quick 9-0 run.
 
With 12 first-half turnovers, Jax State went to the locker room trailing 35-28. Scores by  Mason Nicholson, Clark and Perdue to begin the second half pulled Jax State within 40-37, but an ensuing 8-0 Bulldog run would lead to the largest lead of the night with LA Tech up 11 with 12 minutes remaining.
 
The Gamecocks forced a Bulldog timeout when they cut to margin to 48-44, but LA Tech answer with one of the team's four triples on the night to stretch the margin once more. On an old-fashion three-point play, Reynolds cut the score to three at 56-53 in the closing minutes but that would be as close and Jax State would get as LA Tech's 17-for-21 night at the free throw line helped seal the victory.
 
Jax State will be the lone conference team not in action on Saturday, and will resume play on Wednesday hosting Middle Tennessee.