STEPHENVILLE, Texas ­— Tarleton State Men's Basketball fell victim to a second-half Jacksonville State rally to fall, 68-65 on Thursday night in Wisdom Gym.
 
The Gamecocks (5-7, 0-0 CUSA) overcame a 12-point deficit to knock off the Texans (8-3, 2-0) and earn the second win for CUSA x WAC Scheduling Initiative.
 
A full, lively crowd filled Wisdom Gym in Tarleton's final home athletic contest of the year. The ZOOperstars! performed at halftime much to delight of the many kids and adults in the crowd. Christmas cheer was spread with an ornament giveaway and music throughout the game.    
 
Devon Barnes led all scorers and set a new career high with 20 points, with 14 coming in the first half alone. He shot 8-for-16 from the field including 4-for-7 from deep. Lue Williams notched 15 points and added six boards and a pair of steals. He has scored in double-figures eight times this season with six of those performances resulting in 15 or more.
 
Emmanuel Innocenti grabbed a game-best nine boards and four steals. Seven of his nine boards came on the defensive end and he added six points. He co-led the team in assists with Jakorie Smith tallying four.
 
The Texans held a 54-42 advantage with 9:44 remaining, their biggest lead of the night. Jax State clawed back executing a 7-0 run in two minutes to cut the Texan lead to five. A made lay-up by Williams increased the lead to seven. Another 6-0 run by the Gamecocks brought the visitors within one with 4:53 to go.
 
A pair of made free throws by Williams inched the Texans ahead, but three consecutive Gamecock free throws tied the game for the first time at 58 and to take a 59-58 lead with 2:44 left in the contest. The Texans regained the lead quickly on a Barnes made layup to take back the lead 60-59. The Tarleton lead held until the final 39 second when Tandy gave the Gamecocks the lead for good 62-60. On the ensuing possession Smith had his layup blocked with 14 ticks to go. JSU made the second end of a one-one at the line with the Texans calling a timeout with 13 ticks to go.
 
Tarleton elected to cut the lead to one with a play designed for Barnes to drive towards the basket for the layup nearly drawing the and-one call. With seven ticks left, the Texans nearly forced a five second violation on the inbound, but the Gamecocks got the ball in and fouled with 4.52 remaining in the game. Jax State made a pair extending its lead to 65-62. The inbound pass found the hands of Williams, he drove throw a sea of defenders for a near open look at a three to tie the game at the buzzer, but his shot hit the rim as the buzzer sounded.
 
The Texans never trailed in the first half, and closed the session on a 7-2 run in the final 1:45. Tarleton led by as many as 10 in the first 20 minutes. The squad shot a season-best 63.6 percent from beyond the arc making 7-of-11.
 
The Texans suffered their first loss of the season when shooting 40 percent or better from the floor. As a unit, they shot 24-for-60, a 40 percent rate. The Gamecocks were 23-for-55 from the floor a 41.6 clip. The Texans won the turnover battle for the ninth time this season, forcing 13 and only giving up eight. For the third time all year, the Purple and White shot over 30 percent from behind the arc making seven at a 35 percent clip.
 
Tarleton will play two games in a week for the first time in three weeks after having a single game in each of the past two weeks. The Purple and White will invade Knoxville on Thursday to take on 12^th-ranked Tennessee at 5:30 at the Boling-Thompson Arena. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and Crews will have the radio call.