JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University men's basketball team (10-13, 3-5 ASUN) fell in a thriller that featured heroics on both ends of the floor on Thursday night inside Swisher Gymnasium opposite FGCU (7-16, 4-4 ASUN), 63-61.

The story of this game was written over the final 8:42 when FGCU took a 10-point lead that was quickly erased by Dolphins to create the drama down the stretch. Destin Barnes (Hodges Mazda Player of the Game) canned 19 points, including 4-7 from long range, none bigger than the game-tying deep ball with just 17 seconds to play in the game. The junior added six rebounds and three assists.

Jacksonville shot 40.4 percent from the floor and matched the Eagles on the glass, 38-38. David Bell contributed 10 points while DeAnthony McCallum added six of his seven in the second half to spark the comeback that nearly stole the game for JU. Mo Arnold, making his third-straight start, stuffed the stat sheet once again, tossing in six points to go with four rebounds, four assists and a steal.

With 8:42 to play in the game, FGCU knocked down a triple to reclaim its largest lead of the game, but Arnold answered quickly on the other end with a three of his own. Trey Sides knocked down a triple in transition on the next trip and a stop and score through contact from Barnes made it a one-point game with 6:50 to go after the made free throw. Aamahne Santos scored his lone bucket on the next possession to give JU the lead with 6:19 left.

FGCU scored to take a two-point lead with 5:14 left that later grew to six with 2:45 left. That was when Destin Barnes embarked on a personal 7-2 run to knot the score of this game in the closing moments. It started with a triple at the 2:24 mark and a continued with a pull-up jumper in the lane at 1:35. With the Dolphins trailing by three, the sides traded stops until Barnes found space on the wing and canned a triple with just 17 seconds to go.

As time was about to expire, FGCU guard Jalen Warren threw up a runner that found its mark with less than five seconds to go. McCallum was able to get a clean look on the other end for the win, but it fell just short to secure victory for the visiting side.

Jacksonville will now turn its attention to North Alabama on Saturday night (Feb. 1) in what will be the first repeat matchup in ASUN play this season. The Dolphins were upended by the Lions in the ASUN opener on the road, 62-57.