Box Score

JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State closed out its four-game homestand and the pre-Christmas schedule on a high note with a 73-63 win over South Carolina State on Thursday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

Jax State (3-9) opened the game on a 5-0 run, which lasted 3:19, before a jumper by Kourtney Williams got SCSU on the board. After a three-point basket by Gia Banks pushed the Gamecock lead to 8-2, the Lady Bulldogs (1-7) went on a 9-0 scoring run and took their first lead of the contest at the 13:19 mark of the half. JSU clawed back to tie the game at 16 with a three-pointer by Briana Benson.

A jumper by Peyton Hisel put Jacksonville State ahead by a bucket, and then back-to-back buckets by Williams gave SCSU its last lead of the game at 20-18 with 7:28 remaining in the first half. Another impressive scoring run by JSU, this time 10-0 over a span of 1:39, put the Gamecocks up 28-20.

Finishing the first half shooting 51.9% from the field, and 46.2% (6-13) from behind the arc, gave the Gamecocks a 37-31 lead at halftime—their third halftime lead this season.
The second half saw JSU fight off several SCSU runs, and attempts to take the lead. However, the Gamecocks never relinquished the lead in the second half, and their defense caused the Lady Bulldogs to be unable to pull closer than three to the lead throughout the half.  JSU led by as many as 13 points with just under four minutes left to play in the contest.

The final attempt for SC State came by ways of an 8-1 scoring run, which lasted 2:33 and pulled the Lady Bulldogs to within five. JSU answered by means of a 6-0 run in 24 seconds, fueled by four clutch free throws by freshman Kelly Naughton, to seal the Gamecocks' third victory this season.

Continuing her trend, junior Candace Morton finished the evening with 11 points. She has now scored in double figures in all 12 games this season, and pushes her consecutive double figures-scoring streak to 13 games—dating back to last year's finale at Belmont.

In addition to Morton's double figure point total, three other juniors shared scoring honors with Morton.  Bria'unna Buckner, Banks and Miranda Cantrell all finished with 11 points as well.  Cantrell was three rebounds shy of her third consecutive double-double as she pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. JSU set a new season-high in assists, as the Gamecocks dished out 19 assists, led by Destiny James' six dish outs.  Morton and McLin were credited with four each.

For the fifth time in the last six games, JSU out-rebounded the opposition with a 37-31 edge over SCSU on the boards.

SCSU's Cabriel Duren recorded a game-high 20 points, while Williams finished with 16 points.

Following the holiday break, JSU will look to continue the momentum from the home court win and take it on the road in its Ohio Valley Conference opener on Saturday, Dec. 28 at Tennessee Tech.  Tip off between the Golden Eagles and Gamecocks is set for 7 p.m. at the Eblen Center on the TTU campus.  The OVC lid lifter will be carried on the Gamecock Sports Network and available on the OVC Digital Network.