PENSACOLA, Fla. – Playing its third game in as many days at the Pensacola Thanksgiving Classic, Jones trailed wire-to-wire in a 76-69 setback to Gulf Coast State.
The Bobcats went 1-2 over the tournament to fall to 5-2 on the season.
"Great competition can only make you better," head coach
Newton Mealer said. "Three games in three days taught me a lot about our team. That's why you play quality games early. Win or lose, you learn from it."
Gulf Coast State (7-3), got 22 points from Alex Matthews and 20 from Tay Hall, two of the Commodores' six Divison I players.
Jones trailed by nine at the break but battled from start-to-finish.
Trailing by a dozen with just over 10 minutes to play, the Bobcats strung together a 12-6 run, capped by two
Jay Barnes free throws, to get within 63-57.
The lead was just five, 66-61, when
Treylan Smith was hacked going up for a layup and instead the referee called a phantom offensive foul on
Decorian Payton. Ensuing technical free throws put the game away.
Ashton Campbell led three Bobcats in double figures with 20. Smith added 15 and
Zandon Haralson 13 in 16 minutes off the bench.
Jones returns home Nov. 29 for a three-game homestand.
