MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team did something on Saturday at Morehead State that hasn't been done in the program's NCAA Division I history as the Gamecocks secured the 19^th win of the season, but had to earn it with an 83-78 overtime win.

JSU entered the regular season finale with 18 overall wins –which matched the win total from the 2003-04 season.  The five-point win moved the Red and White to 10-6 in the OVC.  The Gamecocks finished tied for fourth in the league with Belmont, but will be the No. 5 seed in next week's OVC Tournament in Nashville.  Jax State and the Bruins will face off for the third time this season at Municipal Auditorium on Thursday at 12 p.m. CT.

The win in Morehead was the first for JSU since the 2011 meeting in Johnson Arena and it finished exactly like the 2011 outing with an overtime period.  After winning eight in a row against Jax State, MSU has dropped the last two meetings.

The contest was a see-saw affair for the entire 45 minutes as there were 24 lead changes and nine ties.  Jax State held its largest lead of regulation at 63-59 with 3:25 left to play after a Tyler Phelion lay up.  MSU would go on a 9-5 scoring run to finish regulation and would take a 68-67 lead with 27 seconds left, but freshman Gretchen Morrison equalized with a free throw on the other end.  The Eagles had two good looks in the final 11 seconds but could not convert. 

JSU was playing in its fifth overtime game of the season and fourth in conference play.  After MSU took an early 70-68 lead in the opening minute of the extra session, the Gamecocks would finish overtime scoring 15 points on 4-of-5 shooting.  JSU hit a pair of its final eight three pointers in the extra session after Briana Benson drilled both.  The Red and White were also 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

After JSU held a 34-32 lead at intermission, the Eagles raced out to their largest lead of the game at six points with 13:35 left to play.  The Gamecocks were led by a trio of double figure scorers, paced by junior Destany McLin's 23 points.  The Athens, Alabama-native registered 10 of her final point tally in the second half.  McLin connected on a career high 10 field goals as she finished 10-of-18 from the field and  was one rebound shy of a double-double.  Senior Candace Morton also had another stellar game in her home state with 15 points, nine coming in the second half.  In the second half alone in the last three game, the Lexington, Kentucky-guard has posted 34 points in the final half of those three games.

Senior Miranda Cantrell and sophomore Kelly Naughton also gave the Gamecocks a lift in the win.  Cantrell, who was held scoreless in the opening half, scored nine big points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds in 39 minutes of action.  Naughton, in the starting line up after Destiny James was ill, carded a career-high 10 points and was one assist shy of matching a career high in assists.

The Eagles were led by the combination of Almesha Jones and Shay Steele.  Both finished with 17 points each.  Jones had a double-double with 12 assists.  Eriel McKee had 12 points and 12 boards in the setback.

The Gamecocks will be making their 13^th appearance in postseason play and the eighth showing in the OVC Tournament.  It also marks the second consecutive appearance for JSU in the eight-team field and the first back-to-back appearances since the 2008 and 2009 seasons.  In the 2014 edition of the OVC Tournament, the Gamecocks had a remarkable run to the semifinals of the tournament.  JSU dispatched SIU Edwardsville in the opening round before knocking Tennessee Tech in a buzzer beater in the quarterfinals.  JSU's run was halted by the Bruins in the semifinals.

All games in the tournament will be available on the OVC Digital Network and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.