BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team bounced back on Saturday with one of its top shooting performances of the season en route to a 66-54 win over Florida A&M on Saturday in the consolation contest of the Florida Atlantic Thanksgiving Tournament.

After falling to host-FAU on Friday, the Gamecocks claimed third place and moved to 3-4 on the season.  The 12-point loss dropped the Rattlers to 0-5 on the season.

The Gamecocks combined a 46 percent shooting effort and a solid defensive stand for the win.  JSU limited FAMU to just 31 percent shooting on the day and held the Rattlers scoreless for over four minutes on two occasions in the second half and capitalizing on the offensive end during those stretches.

The first of two key stretches was the final 4:07 of the opening half as Jax State put together a 14-3 scoring run and held FAMU scoreless for the next four minutes after it took a 30-23 lead.  The Gamecocks finished the half holding a 33-30 lead after trailing by as many as eight in the opening half.   JSU's opening half was triggered by the 10 points from senior guard Briana Benson.  Benson, who led JSU on Friday with 13 points, finished with a game-high 15 points.  The Jonesboro, Georgia native hit four field goals on the day and was 5-of-6 from the free throw line versus FAMU.  She was one rebound shy of her second double-double of the year.

JSU began to build its lead in the second half quickly with a three pointer by Benson and it never trailed the rest of the way and the Rattlers could not overcome the deficit.  FAMU trimmed the lead to 38-37 with 7:09 left in the period and then within one possession at 43-40 at the 3:24 mark before a free throw by Chloe Long and senior Kelly Naughton draining a trey to push the lead back out to three possessions.  JSU held a seven point margin after three quarters of action.

Naughton started the fourth quarter with another key triple to give JSU its first double figure lead of the contest.  JSU would hold on to the double digit lead until FAMU made an 8-0 run midway through the period to get within five at 56-51 with 5:40 left to play.  The Rattlers went cold the rest of the way and JSU was able to knock down shots down the stretch to extend the lead out to a game-high 14 points with just under a minute left to play.  FAMU did not get a field goal in the final 5:01 of the game.

Naughton and Long were key in the second half they combined for 11 points in the final 20 minutes.  Naughton turned in six points on two three pointers, while Long added five of her nine points in the second half.  Junior Tyler Phelion also had a big second half with six of her eight points in the final half. 

Junior Kiandria 'Ki-Ki' Patterson joined Benson in double figures in the scoring column as the Columbus, Mississippi product posted 11 points off the bench.  The East Mississippi Community College transfer was 4-of-6 from the field, including three three-point baskets.  Senior Destany McLin added eight points, while Rayven Pearson and senior Lacey Buchanon tallied four points and two pints respectively.

FAMU was led by Ecenur Yurdakul's 12 points, followed by Florence Ouattara's 11 points.
 
The Gamecocks return home on Tuesday, November 29 against Brewton-Parker College.  Tip off is set for 7 p.m.  JSU will be hosting a canned food drive for the Jacksonville Christian Outreach Center with the holiday food drive upon us.  Fans who bring two canned food items will be admitted free to the women's contest.  Admission is free to all JSU students and all fans 18 years old and younger.