NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jacksonville State placed five players in double figures, but it wasn't enough to get by Belmont in a 70-66 loss on Wednesday at the Curb Event Center on the BU campus.

The four-point setback marks the third consecutive for the Gamecocks, who fell to 12-7 overall and 3-4 in the league.  The Bruins, who were the prohibitive favorite in the preseason, notched their sixth win of the season, but three of those have come since league play started this month.

The Bruins weathered many runs by the Gamecocks throughout the contest.  JSU, who trailed by as many as 11 in the first half, finished the opening half on a scoring run to close out the half to trail 35-31 at the intermission.  JSU, who has struggled shooting in Belmont's facility, was 12-of-38 from the field in the opening half, while the Bruins countered with a solid 44 percent shooting mark.  The Bruins' were ignited by freshman Sierra Jones off the bench.  Jones, who from Huntsville, Alabama and played at Madison Academy, was a thorn in her home state's school side as she registered 16 of her final 18 points in the opening half.

After trailing by what was eventually the final margin, the Gamecocks had momentum with the way they finished the half, but the Bruins pushed the deficit back out to double figures at the 13:44 mark after a pair of free throws by Katie Carroll.  BU matched its largest lead of the contest at the midway point of the half after a jumper by Adrienne Tarrence.  From that point on, JSU made several runs at the Bruins, but could not get the deficit under five points until Courtney Strain's jumper as time expired.

After Sally McCabe pushed the lead out to 10 points at 56-46, JSU strung together an 11-4 run that was sparked by Strain and Briana Benson.  The run got the Gamecocks within five points at 62-57 as the run was capped off by a three-point play by senior Candace Morton.  Morton led all JSU scorers with 14 points.  Strain and sophomore Briana Benson led the second half charge with nine points each in the half.  Benson, who started in place of Strain for the her first start of the season, finished with 11 points as she drained a trio of treys in 28 minutes of action.  Strain added 12 points and five rebounds.

Tyler Phelion, who has been in the starting line up since the Murray State contest, had one of her best outings as a Gamecock with one rebound shy of a double-double.  The Mobile, Alabama-native turned in 10 points and nine rebounds.  Destany McLin pitched in 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds.  The Gamecocks had the advantage on the boards, 39-36 in the contest.
The last time JSU had five players record double figures in the scoring column was on February 16, 2013 at Eastern Kentucky.  The Bruins also had five players in double figures, led by Jones' 18 points.  Frankie Joubran finished with a double-double after 13 points and 10 rebounds.  Jordyn Luffman-Hartsfield and McCabe added 12 points each.  Tarrence chipped in 10 points. 

JSU, one of the nation's top teams in turnovers per game, only had a pair at halftime, but finished with nine in the second half.  The Bruins finished the game shooting 50 percent and are the first OVC team to reach the 70-point mark against JSU in a regulation game.

The Gamecocks return home for a pair of OVC contests, starting on Saturday with a 2 p.m. tilt with Morehead State.  The women's game with precede the Jax State men's contest with the Eagles.  MSU enters the Saturday match up at 8-11 overall and 4-2 in OVC play.