WILMINGTON, N.C. -  A strong shooting performance to start the contest propelled the Jacksonville State women's basketball team to a 70-43 win over Charleston Southern in the first game of the 2014 Seahawks Hampton Inn Christmas Invitational, hosted by UNC Wilmington.

The 27-point win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Gamecocks and improved to 7-3 on the season heading in to Saturday's match up with East Tennessee State at 11 a.m. CST at Trask Coliseum on the UNCW campus.  The seven non-conference wins surpasses the six that Jax State complied last season.  The Buccaneers of CSU dropped to 3-6 on the season and will face host-UNCW on Saturday.  The Seahawks downed the Bucs of ETSU in the first game on Friday, 61-48, in front of 5,141 elementary school kids.

The Gamecocks, who knocked down 44.7 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, jumped out to a 13-0 lead by the 13:00 minute mark before CSU knocked down its first basket of the contest at that point.  Junior Destany McLin engineered the start by knocking down 7-of-12 from the field in the first half alone to post 15 of her 21 points in the first half.  The Athens, Alabama-native finished 9-of-19 for the game and recorded her second double-double of the season and fourth of her career after grabbing 10 rebounds.  JSU stretched its lead out to 26-7 with 6:04 left in the period before CSU reached double figures.  ETSU's Alise Karlsone hit a three-point basket with 4:30 on the game clock to give the Bucs double figures on the scoreboard.  JSU extended the lead out to 26 points on two occasions over the final two minutes before taking a 42-16 lead at halftime.  The 44.7 percent is the best shooting outing of the year for JSU in the first half alone.  It's the second-best shooting performance of the season next to the second half putting against Wofford when the Red and White knocked down 60 percent in the second half.

Defensively, JSU held CSU to 7-of-27 shooting from the field and made just 18 total baskets in the contest. 

JSU did not let off the gas to start the second half as it pushed the lead out to 30-plus points four minutes deep in to the half after a Miranda Cantrell lay up gave the Gamecocks a decisive 48-18 advantage.  Cantrell had a solid showing with a double-double, scoring a season-high 15 points and pulling down a season-best 12 rebounds.  The College Park, Georgia-product scored eight of her 15 points in the second half.  The Gamecock lead reached 40 points with just over two minutes left in the game at 70-30.  The only sore spot of the afternoon was CSU's 13-0 run to close out the game.

The 43 points allowed is the fewest by a Gamecock club since a 60-40 win over Georgia State on Jan. 25, 2003.  It also marks the first time Jax State has limited an opponent to under 50 points as it held Ohio Valley Conference member Southeast Missouri to 48 points on Dec. 19, 2010.

JSU finished up the game with a solid 35 percent shooting and grabbed a season-high 61 rebounds.  The Gamecocks had a +24 advantage over CSU.  Cantrell, McLin and Tyler Phelion combined for 32 total rebounds – CSU finished with 37 total rebounds.  Phelion added 10 rebounds off the bench for JSU.

Courtney Strain added eight points, while Jax State's leading scorer, Candace Morton was held to one point at the free throw line.

Alecia Hardy led the Bucs with 10 points off the bench.

Saturday's contest with ETSU will be the final one before the Christmas break for the Gamecocks.  The 11 a.m. CST match up will be available via video stream at JSUGamecockSports.com and live stats will be available.