Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - Tarvin Gaines scored 17 points to lead the
Jacksonville State Gamecocks to a 54-50 victory over the North Carolina A&T
Aggies in the Visitors Bracket of the Global Sports Classic at the Thomas &
Mack Center.
Darion Rackley scored 14 points for JSU (5-2) while Ronnie Boggs contributed
nine points and seven rebounds.
Jean Louisme and Adrian Powell both tallied 11 points for NC A&T (2-5).
DaMetrius Upchurch had a strong performance for the Aggies with nine points
and nine rebounds.
Neither side could get much going on the offensive end in the opening period,
as the Gamecocks took a narrow 17-16 lead into the intermission after a very
low-scoring 20 minutes. JSU scored 12 points off of turnovers to hold the
slight edge on the scoreboard at the break.
The Aggies heated up after the break to knock down 9-of-17 attempts from the
field and 9-of-11 at the charity stripe. Despite making just 28.6 percent of
its field goal attempts in the second half, JSU stayed close by netting 4-
of-11 attempts from three-point range and 12-of-13 at the free throw line.
NC A&T overcame an early seven-point deficit in the second half, and the teams
went back and forth in the closing minutes. Trailing by one point with 1:16
remaining, Louisme put the Aggies ahead with a clutch three-pointer. Rackley
evened the score at 45 with a pair of free throws on the Gamecocks' next
possession. Gaines then blocked Lamont Middleton's potential go-ahead jumper,
but Boggs missed a dunk at the end of regulation, which sent the game into
overtime.
Brian Williams made four free throws in the final minute of the extra session
to lift JSU to the four-point win.
Three-point shooting played a big factor as NC A&T made just 2-of-11 from
beyond the arc while JSU connected on 7-of-19 attempts from long range.
GAME NOTES:
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