JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — Kinard Gadsden-Gilliard scored 17 points, including a game winning layup, as East Tennessee State edged Jacksonville 76-75 on Saturday.
Javon Dawson’s layup 5:16 into the second half capped an 11-2 Jacksonville run, cutting ETSU’s lead to 50-49. Jacksonville later tied it at 53, which was the first of several lead changes played out in the final stretch.
Jacksonville (8-12, 4-5 Atlantic Sun) went up 75-74 on two Jarvis Haywood free throws with 25 seconds remaining, but Gadsden-Gilliard responded, scoring on a layup and ETSU led 76-75. Jacksonville missed a 3 at the buzzer and Bucs survived for the win.
East Tennessee (11-10, 4-4) led the Dolphins by 14 in the first half after a Gadsden-Gilliard’s trey put the Bucs up 39-25 with 4 minutes to play. ETSU led 43-46 at intermission.
Jacksonville has lost three games in a row and was led by Haywood’s 23 points.
