JSU's Gardler Has Career Day Against Tennessee State - Jacksonville State University Athletics

Saturday, January 5

JACKSONVILLE

2 p.m.

Jax State

0-15, 0-3OVC

Tennessee State

5-8, 1-1OVC

Team	1	2	F
Tennessee State	48	40	88
Jacksonville State	33	35	68

1/5/2013 4:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State sophomore Marikate Gardler poured in a career-high 22 points in an 88-68 loss to Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon in Ohio Valley Conference women's basketball action at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

Gardler, a transfer from Jefferson College in Missouri, scored 15 of her 22 points in the final 20 minutes of the contest. It marked her highest scoring total in her collegiate career. The Springfield, Pa.-native was 7-of-13 from the field, including a trio of three-point baskets. It marked the second outing of the season in which she has posted double figures in the scoring column as she turned in ten points at Georgia State. Gardler was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line and also had a pair of steals in 31 minutes of action.

Gardler's first of three treys gave the Gamecocks (0-15, 0-3 OVC) their first and only lead of the contest at 7-5 at the 17:18 mark of the game. From the basket on it was TSU the rest of the way as it would build a double digit lead by intermission. The Lady Tigers, leading 28-27 with 7:11 left in the opening half, stormed out to a 41-27 lead after a 13-0 scoring run over a three-minute period. TSU would take a 48-33 lead into the halftime break. The Blue and White turned 15 Jax State first half miscues into 18 points on the other end and had 12 of its 14 fast break points in the opening period.

TSU's tandem of Jasmin Shuler and Kesi Hess combined for 23 points in the first half as Hess would equal Gardler for game-high scoring marks with 22 points. Hess was 6-of-8 from behind the three-point arc. As a team, TSU posted a 60 percent shooting mark in the first half and cooled off slightly in the second half, knocking down 14-of-30 from the field. TSU finished the day shooting 53 percent from the field.

The Lady Tigers extended the double digit lead out to 20 points by the 16:47 mark of the second half and eventually lead by as many as 27 points at 86-59 with just under two minutes left in the game. JSU scored the final seven points of the contest for the final 20-point margin.

Jax State sophomore Briana Morrow turned in her second consecutive double digit OVC outing of the year with 14 points. The Nashville, Tenn.-product reached double figures by halftime with 11 points in the first half. Morrow also led all Gamecocks in rebounding with eight in a career-best 34 minutes. Gia Banks came off the bench to record a career-high nine points and six rebounds. Candace Morton added eight points in the setback.

The Gamecocks close out their two-game homestand on Monday with an afternoon affair with Belmont. Tip off is set for 3 p.m. at Pete Mathews Coliseum. Admission is free to the matinee contest.