EUNICE, La. – Jones dug out of an 18-point first quarter hole to make it a game late but fell 65-59 Thursday night at LSU Eunice in its final non-conference game.

The Bobcats fell to 3-9 and LSUE improved to 7-9 with a season sweep of JC.

Jones missed 10 of its first 11 shots and trailed 20-2 to start. 

Back-to-back threes by Raygan Faulkner to close the first period and start the second helped jumpstart an 11-0 Bobcat run to pull within 20-13 with 6:01 left second quarter.

Larissa Hubbard scored eight second quarter points and Jones cut what was an 18-point deficit to 30-26 at half.

Jones battled all the way back to take its first lead, 34-30, with 7:50 left in the third quarter on back-to-back layups from Hubbard.

Jones took its largest lead, 43-38, after an Aasia Wilson layup from Teeale Wells.

LSUE scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to push back in front, 51-46, and would never relinquish the lead.

Free throws ended up being the difference in the end. LSUE shot 29 compared to 14 for Jones and was plus-11 at the line.

Wilson and Hubbard had 15 apiece to lead Jones and Wilson added 15 rebounds for a double-double. Faulkner added nine off the bench, Shay Hunter eight and Carolina de Domingo six points, six assists and five rebounds.

Mariah Heard had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead LSUE.

Jones opens MACCC play Monday, Jan. 13 at Itawamba, a 5:30 tipoff.