Box Score

NASHVILLE – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team's shooting numbers nearly matched the temperature outside Belmont's Curb Event Center as the early struggles doomed the Gamecocks in a 92-50 loss to the Bruins on Monday evening.

The loss dropped Jax State to 4-13 overall and 0-4 against Ohio Valley Conference competition.  BU won its third OVC contest in a row and moved to 6-11 overall and 3-1 in OVC play.

The Gamecocks missed their first 13 field goals and did not record a field goal until Candace Morton's basket at the 8:36 mark of the opening half.  JSU's first three points came by way of the free throw line, but not until the Bruins started the game with a 13-1 scoring run.  BU led 24-5 after Morton's jumper.  The Bruins warmed up quickly in the half as they finished the period 17-of-29.  BU smothered the backboards and the post as it out-rebounded JSU, 23-14 and scored 24 of its 44 first-half points in the paint.  BU would finish the game with a 52-20 advantage in the paint.

JSU started to hit baskets down the stretch to finish 7-of-26 from the field, led by Destany McLin's nine points in the half.  McLin's points in the first half ignited 13-5 Jax State scoring run over the final 3:27 of the first half as BU took a 44-22 lead in to the halftime break. 

Morton, who entered the game as JSU's leading scorer at 18.0 points per game and carried a 17-game double figure scoring streak, had it snapped with nine points in the loss.  Morton and McLin led all JSU scorers with nine points each.

After shooting 58 percent from the field in the opening half, the Bruins continued its hot shooting in the final half as the hit 20-of-31 in the second half and concluded the home win shooting 61 percent from the field.  JSU turned in a 16-of-61 shooting night and just 26 percent from the field.  The Gamecocks were two baskets better in the second half with a 9-of-25 outing in the half.  The Bruins pushed their 22 point halftime lead out to as many as many as 44 points with just over a minute left in the game.

BU placed four players in double figures in the scoring column, led by Jordyn Luffman's 22 points.  Luffman was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and drilled five three pointers in 29 minutes of action.  Blair Bryce came off the bench for 13 points in 15 minutes on the floor.  Frankie Joubran added 12 points, while Taylor Mills also came off the bench for 11 points. 

JSU's Miranda Cantrell scored seven points from the free throw line, while Gia Banks, Kelly Naughton and Sydney Brown turned in six points each. 

The Gamecocks return home for a pair of OVC contests next Saturday and Monday, hosting Eastern Illinois and SIU Edwardsville respectively.  Tip off at JSU's Pete Mathews Coliseum between EIU and JSU is set for 2 p.m.