JACKSONVILLE—The Gamecocks bounced back from a tough loss on Thursday by controlling their contest on Saturday against UTEP.
 
The hosts led for all but 27 seconds of a 73-65 win over the Miners for their 19^th win of the season.
 
The Gamecocks (19-9, 11-4 CUSA) took an 11-point lead thanks to an 8-0 run that spanned nearly three minutes. Jaron Pierre Jr. was responsible for six of those points, starting the run with a step-back 3-pointer at the 12:38 mark, and connected on a triple at the 10:25 mark to give the hosts a 24-13 advantage.
 
Six straight by the Miners (17-10, 7-7 CUSA) got them within a basket with 5:24 left.
 
Another 8-0 run to end the half pushed the Jax State lead back to double figures, with Pierre connecting on a near half court jumper just before the buzzer to put Jax State up 39-29. Mason Nicholson kicked off the run with a powerful two-handed jam from the left block to rejuvenate the offense.
 
Nicholson finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, and a career-high six blocks.
 
"We did a better job of making the extra pass, and got it inside to Mason," said coach Ray Harper of the positives on offense. "We haven't been doing that enough, so we just have to build on that and continue to get better."
 
That run continued with the Gamecocks scoring the first five points of the second half with a jumper by Marcellus Brigham Jr. and another 3-pointer by Pierre at the 17:08 mark to lead 44-29.
 
Pierre scored 23 points, and grabbed nine rebounds and Brigham added 11 points.
 
The Miners were successful on just one of their first nine field goal attempts of the first half and only converted two of their first six free throw attempts and were unable to take advantage of a brief cold spell by the hosts.
 
Following three turnovers in 2:07, the Miners mustered a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to nine with 4:16 to play.
 
A 3-pointer by Otis Frazier III with 57 seconds left got UTEP within seven, but were unable to get any closer.
 
Frazier led all scorers with a double-double effort of 25 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Michael Hogue hauled in a team-high 11 rebounds.
 
The guests enjoyed a 27-18 advantage in free throw attempts, but converted just 51.9% at the line which included a 47.8% effort in the second half at the charity stripe.
 
The Gamecocks will be on the road next week to take on Liberty on Thursday.