Box Score MARTIN, Tenn. - A strong second half performance by four-time defending Ohio Valley Champion, UT Martin was too much for Jacksonville State as the Skyhawks posted a 67-47 win on Saturday in the Elam Center on the UTM campus.

The loss dropped the Gamecocks to 12-6 overall and an even 3-3 in OVC play, while UTM remained perfect in the league at 5-0 and 9-9 overall.

After trailing 28-25 after one half of action, Jax State could not withstand an 18-6 scoring run by UTM in the first 7:31 of the half to extend the three-point halftime lead out to 50-31 after a Monique Jackson basket.  JSU, playing short-handed in the post, struggled with the Skyhawks post players, Ashia Jones and Tiara Caldwell.  The tandem combined for 44 points as UTM finished with 40 points in the paint.  UTM took its largest lead of 21 points with just over halfway to go in the contest.  Jones, one of the top scorers in the conference, had 16 of her final 30 points in the first 20 minutes and nearly had a double-double by intermission with eight of her 12 rebounds.  Caldwell finished with 14 points and six rebounds.

JSU held its own with UTM throughout the first half and led by as many as seven points at 18-11 after back-to-back three pointers by freshman Gretchen Morrison.  Junior Destany McLin, who led all Gamecock scorers with 12 points, tallied 10 of those points in the first 20 minutes.  The Athens, Alabama-native also led the Red and White with eight rebounds.
The Skyhawks, the top scoring team in the conference in league games only with 84.8 points per game, were limited to 67 points.  JSU's 47 points was a season low and the fewest points scored in an OVC game since last season at Southeast Missouri.

Junior Destiny James, playing in her home state of Tennessee, scored a season-high eight points.  Sophomore Briana Benson contributed eight points, all coming in the second half.  Morrison and senior Candace Morton pitched in six points in the setback.

Jones and Caldwell were the only two Skyhawks to score in double figures.  UTM's Jessy Ward and Monique Jackson added six points each.
The Gamecocks return to the state of Tennessee on Wednesday in Nashville against the Bruins of Belmont.  Tip off is set for 6 p.m. at the Curb Event Center on the BU campus.