JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team moved to 6-1 on the season after a tough 64-57 win over Jackson State on Friday night at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

The win was the sixth in a row by the Gamecocks and remained on track for the best start since 1990-91.  The Lady Tigers dropped to 2-6 on the season after giving Jax State fits all night.  The Lady Tigers entered the contest having handed fellow Ohio Valley Conference member, Murray State, a loss in overtime in their previous outing.

Junior Destany McLin came out of her mild scoring slump with her third double-double of her career with a season-best 22 points and a career high 15 rebounds.  McLin registered the double-double by halftime as she posted 16 of her final tally in the opening half and pulled down 11 boards by the break.  The Athens, Alabama-native played all but one minute in the seven-point win, which was also a new career mark for her.

The Gamecocks never trailed in the final home contest before the Christmas break, but were tested throughout the game by the Lady Tigers.  Jax State got off to a fast start by racing out to a 228 lead just past the midway point of the opening half.  McLin posted 10 points in opening 10 minutes of the half to key the Jax State start.  The Red and White would maintain a double-digit lead throughout the first half and would eventually take its largest lead of 15 points at 37-22 right before intermission.

The Lady Tigers' plan in the second half was to extend the defense and force Jax State in to miscues and not let them in to the offensive sets.  Jax State entered the contest ranked second in the NCAA in turnovers per game with a 10.5 mark, but the Gamecocks nearly had that many in the second half alone.  After just six miscues in the first 20 minutes, Jax State was forced in to nine in the second half.

The visiting JSU opened the half on a 19-10 run to get the 13-point halftime deficit down to four points, 47-43 with 9:35 left to play.  Jax State responded with its best stretch of the second half as the lead was extended back out to double figures at 54-43 after a free throw by Kelly Naughton.  The Lady Tigers would get within six points with just over four minutes left, but that was as close as JSU would get.

The Lady Tigers were 12-of-31 from the field in the second half and limited the Gamecocks to just 8-of-22 from the field.  Jax State, who finished 16-of-23 from the free throw line, connected on 10-of-15 in the final 20 minutes.

For the sixth consecutive time, the Gamecocks have had three or more individuals reach double figures in the scoring column.  After McLin's 22 –point effort, senior Candace Morton finished with 11 points to record her 50^th game of her career in which she has scored 10 or more points.  The Lexington, Kentucky-guard has now scored in double figures in 35 of the last 39 games.  Senior Courtney Strain turned in double figures for the second consecutive game as she registered 10 points.  Strain nearly had a double-double with eight rebounds.  The Woodland, Alabama-native dished out three assists in the contest.

Freshman Tyler Phelion played a season-high 26 minutes after senior Miranda Cantrell was hampered with foul trouble in the contest.  Phelion added eight points and five rebounds in the win.

The Lady Tigers were led by their leading scorer, Ayanna-Hardy Fuller, who finished with 14 points.  Dominique Brothern chipped in 11 points.

Jax State will now turn its attention to the Fall semester finals next week on campus and will hit the road for four consecutive games, beginning with a visit to Kennesaw, Ga. on Saturday, Dec. 13 against the Owls of Kennesaw State.  Tip off is set for 1 p.m. CST.