JACKSONVILLE—A tough night on offense ended an 11-game home win streak for the Jax State men's basketball team Thursday night.
 
The hosts were just 31% from the field, 13 points below their season average and were outscored in the paint by 14 points in a 61-52 loss to New Mexico State. The 52 points were the fewest scored in a game this season by Jax State.
 
NM State took a 14-7 lead at the 13:58 mark, thanks to a 12-2 run that spanned over four minutes of the opening half. Jaron Pierre Jr. ended that run with a left-corner 3-pointer for his fifth point of the game. Still, the Aggies made seven of their first 11 shots to take a seven-point lead at the 12:54 mark.
 
A 7-0 run by the guests pushed the lead to 12 at 25-13 with 10:19 remaining.
 
"We didn't defend in the first half at all," said coach Ray Harper. "They got downhill and got to the paint. We've got to get more movement off the basketball."
 
The Gamecocks held NM State scoreless for four minutes, but only mustered five consecutive points. Jax State got within six on a 3-pointer by Pierre with 3:48 left, but a layup followed by a dunk off an offensive rebound got the Aggies back to a double-digit lead at 33-23 with 2:10 left.
 
Pierre finished with 30 points for the fifth time this season and was the only player in double figures.
 
A pair of free throws with 32 seconds left gave NM State a 12-point halftime lead at 35-23.
 
The deficit got to 18 with 17:09 left in the second, but slowly, the Gamecocks whittled it down to 10, thanks largely in part to a 7-0 run spanning 4:06. That streak was ended by a tough fadeaway baseline jumper by Peter Filipovity with 10:16 left. The Gamecocks missed their next five shots from the field and fell behind 14.
 
Filipovity led the way for the Aggies with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
  
A second-chance triple from the left wing by Koree Cotton with 3:03 left was the first made field goal by Jax State in 7:45 and got the hosts within nine and another with 1:01 to play by Pierre made it a seven-point game at 57-50.
  
After Christian Cook split a pair of free throws, Pierre hit a layup to get within six, but two successful charity tosses by Zawdie Jackson following a missed jumper helped the Aggies seal the game.
  
Jax State was outrebounded 44-29.
 
"The biggest disappointment was how we rebound the ball. I mean, they just kicked us," said Harper. "The more aggressive, tougher team won the game."

 
The Gamecocks will be back at home on Saturday at 4 p.m. to take on UTEP.