Final Stats

AUBURN, Ala. – A strong second half by Auburn was too much for Jacksonville State as it dropped a 79-60 decision to AU on Thursday night in women's college basketball action.

JSU falls to 4-9 overall on the season, while AU improved to 7-6 on the season. Jax State will open the new calendar year on Sunday, Jan. 2 in Atlanta, Ga. against Georgia Tech. Tip off is set for 1 p.m. CST.

A 16-0 scoring run in the early stages of the second half pushed a six-point Tiger lead out to 22 points at 60-38 at the 12:10 mark of the final half. JSU, which trailed AU 34-29 at the halftime break, went scoreless for over three minutes to aid in the Tigers stretching the lead out to as many as 25 points at 71-46 with just under eight minutes left in the game. AU put together a 45-point second half to secure the win. AU connected on 60 percent from the field in the final half and finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field.

Senior Zenobia Pitts led a Jax State run to trim the deficit down to 16 points at 71-55 with just 3:55 left in the contest. Pitts scored eight of her 14 points in the final half. Danielle Vaughn also sparked the Gamecock offense as she recorded her second double-double of the season with a 13 rebound, 10 point effort.

Junior Brittany Wiley led all scorers with 20 points on eight made baskets. Wiley also posted seven rebounds and three steals. The Carrollton, Ga.-native has registered 16-plus points in her last five games.

JSU turned in a 42 percent shooting effort in the first half, but was limited to just 13 baskets in the second half.

In the opening half, the Tigers raced out to an 18-8 lead in the first seven minutes of the contest, JSU clawed back with a 12-2 run over the next six minutes to even the game at 20-20 on one of Wiley's three first half baskets. JSU took its first lead at 22-20 after Danielle Vaughn scored in the next trip down the floor at the 7:42 mark.

Blanche Alverson led the AU scoring onslaught with a team-best 17 points. Alverson was one of five Tiger players to reach double digit scoring totals. Jordan Greenleaf pitched in 15 points, while Alli Smalley and Tyrese Tanner added 11 points each. Morgan Toles rounded out the scoring with 10 points.

The Georgia Tech game will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network with Mike Parris describing the activity from Alexander Memorial Coliseum on the GT campus.