JACKSONVILLE – It was almost a storybook ending to the home finale as Jax State erased a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes before eventually falling to New Mexico State, 66-64.
 
The Gamecocks (14-16, 6-9 CUSA) trailed 63-53 with 3:30 remaining in the game and used a dramatic 11-1 run capped by KyKy Tandy's three-pointer off a steal by Quincy Clark to tie the game with just over a minute to play. Unfortunately the comeback ran out of steam once the score evened as the Gamecocks could not find the bottom of the net in a series of last-minute possessions while NMSU (12-18, 6-9 CUSA) split a pair of trips to the free throw line to claim the two-point victory.
 
The final score comes strikingly similar to the final from out in Las Cruces, N.M., earlier this season when the Gamecocks fell 67-65. In all, Jax State has suffered six losses by two-or-fewer points this season.
 
Tandy's late three helped him finish with a team-high 15 points, all of which came in the second half after he was shutout by the Aggie defense in the opening 20 minutes. Seniors Juwan Perdue and Matt Mayers played big in their final outing inside Pete Mathews Coliseum. Perdue finished with 14 points five rebounds, while Mayers scored nearly reached double figures with nine and five boards as well. With his five boards, Perdue took sole possession of fourth on Jax State's career rebounding list with 533.
 
Once NMSU took a 6-5 lead early in the first half, the Aggies never relinquished the advantage. Jax State trailed 29-23 at the break, and ultimately fell back by as many as 12 in the second-half before the late charge in the final three minutes.
 
As of publishing on Saturday evening, the Conference USA standings are unprecedentedly tight. With NMSU moving up to match Jax State at 6-9, now five teams currently sit with six league wins. Records vary as some teams have one and some have two games remaining. Fourth through ninth place are separated by just one win.