MURRAY, Ky. – Jacksonville State's bench combined for 33 points to propel JSU to a key 74-71 Ohio Valley Conference road win over Murray State on Saturday afternoon at the CFSB Center.

The Jax State bench out-scored the Racers bench 33-6 as junior Briana Benson posted a season-high 18 points and freshman Rayven Pearson registered a career-high 15 points in the win and improve JSU's league mark to 2-2 and the seventh win of the season.  The three-point loss was MSU's first in conference play after starting OVC play with a pair of wins. 

After just three previous wins over the Racers on their home floor, the Gamecocks have now won two in a row at the CFSB Center and three straight over MSU, dating back to a win in Murray, Kentucky during the 2013-14 campaign.

After a sluggish start in the opening half for Jax State, shooting just 8-of-27 from the field and half of those baskets from three-point range, a strong second half shooting performance pushed JSU to the win.  JSU was a sizzling 19-of-26 from the field in the second half and turned in a 42 percent shooting effort for the contest.  The Racers were balanced from the field in both halves as they connected above 40 percent in each session.
JSU held a slim 15-14 lead after the first 10 minutes, but the Racers produced a 16-point second quarter to take a 30-29 lead at the halftime break.  The contest stayed tightly contested the rest of the way as neither team held a lead no larger than four points.  MSU maintained its one-point lead through three quarters with a 51-49 lead.

The Gamecocks drained 10 of their 19 baskets in the final quarter to overcome the minimal MSU advantage.  With the game tied for the 11^th time at 56-all with 7:54 left in the game, a three pointer by senior Courtney Strain gave JSU a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the way.   A layup by Pearson extended Jax State's lead out to the largest of the game at 63-56before MSU trimmed the lead down to 63-61 with just under six minutes left to play. 

The Racers got within a point at 72-71 with just 40 seconds left in the game, but a great response by JSU on its next possession as Tyler Phelion converted a layup to push the lead out to three at 74-71.  Phelion recorded her second double-double of the season and third of her career with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Benson, who surpassed her previous season-best of 17 points in the season opener at Memphis, was 6-of-16 from the field, including four treys to her credit.  The Jonesboro, Georgia guard also had five rebounds in her 26 minutes of action.  Pearson, from Hazel Green, Alabama, nearly had her first double-double with 15 points on 6-of-9 from the field and eight rebounds.  Sophomore Gretchen Morrison pitched in 13 points in the win, including a pair of treys.

The Racers were led by Ke'Shunan James' game-high 26 points.

The Gamecocks close out their three-game OVC road trip on Wednesday, January 13 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri against the Redhawks of Southeast Missouri.  Tip off from the Show Me Center is slated for 5:30 p.m.