Jax State Stuns Panthers With Last-Second Game Winner

MIAMI, FL – Wearing their snazzy Vice colors, FIU Men’s Basketball couldn’t take care of business and lost a stunner to the Jacksonville State Gamecocks by a score of 78-74, despite leading by as much as 15 points earlier in the contest.

Considering the losing streak they were on prior, a win would have been a welcome change of pace for the Panthers. Instead, they’ve struggled to hold on to the lead yet another time this season, squandering it with only minutes to go. To add salt to the wound, this was off a last-second fadeaway by Jax State.

A win for FIU would have been extra special for head coach Jeremy Ballard, as he could have secured his 109th win at FIU – a program record. Instead, the Panthers fall to a 10-11 overall record, going 3-7 in the conference. They’re struggling to

Low Scoring, But No Shortage Of Action

After a painful first few minutes of no scoring, both teams started to find their groove. It certainly wasn’t from beyond the arc, as both teams struggled from long distance (3-12 for FIU, 1-9 for Jax State) in the first half.

Instead, FIU got to work attacking the rim, which is where they dealt the most damage early. Corey Stephenson is continuing a dominant campaign, putting up 20 points as he works toward a potential First-Team All-Conference selection.

IT'S SO WINDY IN HERE 🌪️🌪️ #SCTop10 @olayhamed pic.twitter.com/5PBPNb6mzz

— FIU Men's Basketball (@FIUHoops) January 29, 2026

But the inconsistency at the end of games reared its ugly head for the Panthers. Jax State battled back to take the lead over the next seven minutes. While FIU didn’t have a problem responding, neither did the Gamecocks. If the Panthers nailed a layup, jumpshot, or a Hamed Olayinka windmill dunk, Jax State would cash in on fouls or a three-point shot.

Ultimately, in a tie game with seconds to go, Stephenson couldn’t hit a fadeaway of his own, and the Gamecocks nailed their shot. FIU’s last shot at a potential game-winner with 0.5 seconds to go was denied thanks to a throw-in violation, spoiling Vice Night.

It’s time for another road trip for the Panthers, though at least now they have a conference road win under their belts. They’ll head to Murfreesboro for a matchup against Middle Tennessee on Wednesday, February 4th, at 7:30pm.

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