Box Score

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team wrapped up its three-game road trip with a 65-59 loss at Tennessee Tech in the Eblen Center on Monday night.

The Gamecocks fall to 4-17 on the season and 1-7 in Ohio Valley Conference play.  TTU pushes its season's mark to 8-13 overall and 4-3 in league play.  The six-point setback was the eighth consecutive to the Golden Eagles.

In a tightly contested opening half where there were four ties and a pair of lead changes, the Golden Eagles seized the lead for the rest of the way after the contest was even at 19-all after senior Brittany Manning drained a three-pointer with 5:43 left in the half.  TTU put together an 8-2 scoring run over the half's final five minutes.  TTU built its halftime lead out to 12 points by the 14:47 mark of the second half and limited the Gamecocks to points off the free throw line until the game clock showed 13:45 left in the game.  Including the final five minutes of the first half, JSU was held without a basket for over an 11-minute time frame.  Jax State scored the final two points and first four of the second half at the free throw line.  The Gamecocks finished the contest 16-of-25 from the free throw line. 

While JSU went cold, the Golden Eagles started knocking down shots and taking advantage of the Gamecocks' turnovers.  TTU turned 19 JSU miscues into 16 points on the offensive end along with taking advantage of the paint, scoring 28 points in the post.  TTU took its largest lead of 15 points with just under seven minutes left in the game, but the Gamecocks clawed their way back into the contest after starting to knock down buckets.  In the final 13 minutes, JSU hit 11 baskets and matched TTU in the second half with 38 points apiece.  JSU cut the lead into single digits in the final two minutes and got within six points in the waning seconds after a Destiny Lane trey.

The senior duo of Lane and Manning led the Red and White in scoring as they combined for 26 points.  Lane led all JSU scorers with 16 points in 38 minutes of activity.  Manning turned in her best OVC outing of the year with ten points.  Junior Danielle Vaughn scored her eighth double-double of the season and 15th of her career with 11 points and ten rebounds.  The Huntsville, Ala.-native did most of her damage in the second half as she posted ten of her points in the final 20 minutes and five second half boards.  Freshman Briana Morrow nearly had a double-double with nine points and ten rebounds. 

With its 50-28 advantage over TTU in rebounds, JSU has claimed the rebounding edge in seven of the first eight OVC match ups.  

Senior Tacarra Hayes led a trio of Golden Eagles in the scoring column with 15 points.  Molly Heady added 14 points while Jala Harris pitched in 11 points.  Rachel Glidden registered eight points off the bench.

After three straight roads games, JSU opens a three-game homestand on Saturday, Jan. 28 against OVC front runner Eastern Illinois.  Tip off is set for 2 p.m. at Pete Mathews Coliseum.