Box Score HUNTSVILLE—Jax State advanced to the semifinal round of the Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship with a 65-56 win over FIU for their first win in the tournament in program history.
 
The Gamecocks (21-11) took a six-point lead at the 5:28 mark on a Michael Houge 3-pointer, and did so again at the 4:14 mark on a Quel'Ron House layup. FIU (10-23) was able to whittle the deficit back down to one, using an offensive rebound to get a second chance 3-pointer at the 1:50 mark, then a layup on their next possession.
 
House and Houge were key to the Jax State offense in the first half with each scoring seven in the first 20 minutes, combining to shoot 6-of-11 from the field. House finished with 18 and Houge with nine.
 
Jax State had the ball at the end of the half coming out of a timeout and got a 3-pointer from Jaron Pierre Jr. at the horn to lead 28-24 at the break.  
 
In the first half, Pierre was held to just 3-of-10 shooting, but two of his makes were from 3-point land.
 
"I thought we competed, it wasn't always pretty tonight," said coach Ray Harper. "Give FIU a lot of credit, they compete and this time of year its about winning and advancing and we were able to do that this evening."
 
Mason Nicholson was held to just one shot attempts in the first half, but came on strong in the second with a putback layup on the first possession of the half and nearly brought down the basket with a monster dunk at the 17:13 mark which he also drew a foul on to take a 35-28 advantage.
 
Nicholson finished with five points and five rebounds.
 
A mini 6-0 run by FIU got the 10^th-seeded Panthers within one with 14:29 left, but the Gamecocks answered with the next nine points of the game. Five of those came from Jao Ituka, who connected on a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer at the 12:18 mark to give Jax State a 47-37 lead to force a timeout.
 
Pierre pushed the lead to 11 with a tough layup under the basket with 5:14 left but another FIU 3-pointer got the game back into single digits at 59-51. The Panthers had a chance to make it a four-point game at the 3:48 mark, but it was pinned to the backboard by Pierre who then drew a foul while trying to convert a breakaway layup.
 
"I thought we made plays; players made plays and this time of year, you have to have guys that can make go plays and we did in those opportunities," said Harper.
 
A 3-pointer by Pierre with 2:46 to go at the top of the key with the shot clock winding down pushed the Gamecocks to a 64-53 lead to help ice the game away.
 
The Conference USA Player of the Year finished with his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes.
 
FIU forced 13 turnovers with eight in the second half, and scored 15 points off, but struggled at the free throw line to the tune of 8-of-18. Five of their eight 3-pointers made came in the second half.
 
Jax State will now advance to play Friday at 2 p.m. against the winner of tomorrow's game between Middle Tennessee and LA Tech.