LUBBOCK, Texas – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team gave Big 12 Conference foe everything they wanted, but fell short in a 67-59 setback on Friday evening to open the 2014-15 season.

The Gamecocks pushed the Lady Red Raiders throughout the contest, but could not break through and take a lead as Tech led from the opening tip to the final buzzer.  Tech's inside presence caused issues with Jax State throughout the contest as it scored 28 points in the paint, led by Kelsi Baker's game-high 18 points.  Baker was 6-of-17 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free throw line.  She was one of three Lady Raiders to finish in double figures in the scoring column.  Dayo Olabode turned in a double-double in the season opener with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  Minta Spears added 11 points in the contest.

Tech raced out to a 9-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game before freshman Gretchen Morrison came off the bench to spark the Red and White with back-to-back three-point baskets in consecutive trips down the floor.  Morrison, made her collegiate debut in her home state of Texas.  She is a native of Southlake, Texas and prepped at Carroll High School.  The Lady Raiders would take their largest lead of the contest of 11 points at 21-10 at the midway point of the opening half.  After taking its second double digit lead of the half at 25-15 with 7:07 left in the period, JSU went on a 10-2 run to get within a basket at 27-25 after a jumper by Candace Morton.  The JSU deficit stayed within a couple of trips down the floor and would get down to 34-33 just before the halftime break.  Tech would take a 37-34 advantage in to the dressing room.

JSU's defense did a much better job of keeping Tech out of the paint after it scored 16 of the 28 points in the paint opening half.

In the second half the Tech lead was still a manageable lead for the Gamecocks to erase, but could not key baskets and stops on the defensive end of the floor.  Coming out of the halftime session, JSU senior Miranda Cantrell connected on a pair of free throws to trim the TTU lead down to 37-36 two minutes deep in the contest.  Tech pushed the lead out to eight at 48-40 with 13:36 mark of the half.  A pair of treys by sophomore Briana Benson brought the Gamecocks within three on two occasions by the 100:04 point in the half.  After freshman Tyler Phelion's basket with 9:15 left to play, Tech pushed the deficit back out to eight points on a trey by Spears.  That would be as close as JSU would get, but the Lady Raider lead was still within reach until Rayven Brooks hit a jumper with 2:41 left in the game to extend the lead to 64-54.

Phelion, one of the top post prospects in the state of Alabama showed why as she turned in 12 points in her first collegiate game, including 10 of those 12 points in the second half.  The Mobile, Alabama-native pulled down a team-high eight rebounds against Tech.   JSU finished a plus-four in rebounding, 39-35.

Morton led Jax State with 13 points in 30 minutes of action.  The preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference selection was just 3-of-13 from the field, but drained 6-of- from the free throw line.  Senior Courtney Strain, a transfer from Auburn, made her highly-anticipated JSU debut in the starting line up and finished with eight points.  Cantrell and junior Destany McLin added six points each in the loss.

As a team, the Gamecocks connected in just 21-of-59 for 35 percent, while Tech turned in a 45 percent night from the field.  The eight-point win ended a 20-game losing streak by the Lady Raiders.

The Gamecocks close out the two-game season-opening road trip closer to home on Tuesday, Nov. 18 as they travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to face the Crimson Tide of Alabama.  Tip off from Fosters Auditorium is set for 6 p.m.