"Tough win and tough ball game," Head Coach Lewis Jackson said.  "We haven't played in 10 or 12 days so we came out and just didn't play very good.  We struggled shooting the ball and getting into our offense, but in the second half we seemed to settle down some."
 
While ASU only shot the ball at a 40 percent clip in the second half ASU did manage to hit six of their 12 three point field goal attempts after halftime and that is after not hitting any in the opening half.

Rogers, who had struggled to past several games from the field, caught fire for ASU in the second half draining four of six from beyond the three point line.  None bigger than his banked-in three with one second left on the shot clock that put ASU up 57-54 with 1:40 left in the game.
 
"It was good to see Ro get going there in the second half," Jackson said. "We tried to work him into some shots in the first half to get his confidence going but he did a good job knocking them down in the second half."
 
ASU trailed for most of the game, but was able to take their first lead at 45-44 on a Waters shot with 10 minutes left in the game. From there the Hornets went on to lead by as many as seven before JSU came back in the final minute.
 
The Gamecocks were able to get back in the game at the free throw line where they 10 of 14 in the second half.  That includes five of six in the final 42 seconds.  Their final two cut ASU's lead to 61-60 before Waters hit two free throws with 10 seconds left for the final margin.
 
"It was good to see Mel hit those big free throws down the stretch and we got a good game from our freshman Mikel Tyson on the boards."
 
Tyson who finished with seven points and eight rebounds hit two big free throws, as did Terrence LeFlore in the final hectic seconds.
 
Jaquail Townser led JSU with 14 points and Jeremy Watson and Cam Biedshield each had 13.

The Hornets struggled in the opening 20 minutes and went into the locker room trailing 30-25.  ASU shot 33 percent from the field and that includes going of-for-nine on their three point attempts.
 
Terrance LeFlore led ASU with six points off the bench while Corvon Butler, Jamel Waters and Steve Rogers each had four points.
 
The host Gamecocks shot 40 percent from the field with Jeremy Watson and Cam Biedscheid each leading the way with nine points apiece.
 
The Hornets will begin hit the road for eight days with the road trip starting with a game at Elion Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.