LUBBOCK, Texas –
Jordan Clark drilled a 27 footer in front of the Bobcat bench with 5.3 seconds left to send the game into overtime where Jones knocked off its third straight ranked opponent to reach the program's first-ever NJCAA Final Four.
Jones won its 10th consecutive postseason game, 64-62 over tournament first-timer Eastern Florida State, to reach Sunday's semifinal.
"I'm so proud of our team and the fight they continue to show," head coach
Missy Bilderback said. "Every time our backs are against the wall, they have responded. They don't quit. They just believe and feel they're going to find a way to win the game."
No women's program in Mississippi has made it this far since Copiah-Lincoln reached the Final Four during the 1988-89 season.
The Bobcats (25-7) will meet No. 3 Georgia Highlands (31-2) on Sunday at 6 o'clock. The Chargers are riding a 29-game winning streak.
Eastern Florida State (28-5) came out red-hot hitting six of its first eight shots before Jones closed the first quarter on an 11-3 run.
Sakyia White and
Meloney Thames combined for 15 of Jones' 18 points in the opening quarter as Jones led 18-16.
The lead grew to a game-high 10 for the Bobcats at the half, 35-25.
The Titans scored the first eight out of intermission to cut the Jones lead to 35-33, capped by a steal and three from Shadaria Smith.
Thames and
Olivia Knight followed with baskets to push the lead back to four. Despite scoring just seven points in the third quarter, Jones led 42-39 going to the fourth.
Kaitlyn Sanders hit a three-pointer as part of a 13-6 spurt that put Eastern Florida State up a game-high 52-48 with four minutes to play.
Back-to-back jumpers from Thames and White tied the game at 52 apiece before Rapuluchi Ngorka's layup and free throw made it 55-52 Titans with 18 seconds left.
Advancing the ball to halfcourt on a timeout, Jones had a chance to tie and force extra time.
Clark then hit the clutch three-pointer from four feet behind the line to tie the game at 55-all and force overtime.
Ashlynn Freeman scored the first four points for Jones before the Titans pushed back ahead 62-61 with 1:52 left in overtime.
Clark answered the call again, drilling a jumper with 1:03 left to put the Bobcats up for good. Thames hit the back-end of a two shot foul to make it 64-62 with 14 seconds left.
The Titans had one final chance to tie or force a second overtime, but Kaitlyn Sanders' three-point shot bounced off the iron as the time ran out.
White led Jones with 16 points and 14 boards, her 17th double-double, while Thames added 15 and Clark 14.
Arianna Patton added seven points off the bench and
Mackenzie Thomas had eight rebounds.
Ngorka had 21 points and tournament-record 26 boards to lead the Titans.
Jones shot 41 percent against 32 percent for Eastern Florida.