Box Score COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Jacksonville State's five-game winning streak against Tennessee Tech came to a halt as the Golden Eagles edged JSU in overtime, 51-49, on Saturday evening at the Eblen Center.
With three games remaining in the regular season and postseason implications on the line, JSU falls to 10-15 overall and 5-8 in Ohio Valley Conference play. TTU improved to 9-17 and matches Jax State in the league standings at 5-8. JSU and TTU split the season series after JSU claimed the contest in Jacksonville last Saturday.
It wasn't an offensive showing for either team, especially in the opening 20 minutes as the two squads combined for just nine baskets on 55 total field goals. TTU led 7-6 after the first 10 minutes and took a 16-14 lead in to the halftime break.
JSU's offensive showed signs of life in the third quarter with 17 points in the session, highlighted by junior
Briana Benson's five points, including a three pointer at the quarter buzzer to give Jax State a 31-24 lead heading in to the final quarter. JSU pushed its lead out to as many as 10 points in the final quarter as it led 38-28 with 8:09 left in the game after Benson drilled one of her three treys. The Jonesboro, Georgia guard inched closer to the program's all-time career three pointers-made list with 153 career treys. She needs four to tie former Gamecock Shneka Whaley's mark of 157. Benson's 12
th attempt from behind the arc came up short as JSU went for the win with the final shot of overtime. Benson led JSU with 17 points in 29 minutes of action.
Tech began to chip away at the 10-point deficit and put together a 10-0 scoring run over a five-minute span as Alliyah Smith knotted the contest at 38-all with 3:14 left in regulation. JSU took its last lead of regulation with a
Gretchen Morrison jumper with 2:12 left to play. TTU's Lindsey Jennings gave her squad a 42-40 after a pair of free throws with just under a minute left on the clock. JSU matched TTU with a pair of free throws by Benson, the OVC's top free throw shooter.
JSU held a pair of leads in the extra session after a three pointer by Benson and a lay up by
Destiny James, but after a jumper by Samaria Howard and a pair of free throws by Mariah Dean, Tech led 50-47 with 21 seconds left. Morrison's attempt on JSU's next trip down the floor rimmed off.
Sophomore
Tyler Phelion had a career night on the backboards with a career best 16 rebounds. The Mobile, Alabama-post player had 10 of her 16 rebounds by halftime. Phelion collected her fourth double-double of the season and fifth of her career with 12 points. Morrison pitched in seven points, while
Courtney Strain added six points in the first half.
The Howard and Dean combo was Tech's offense as the two combined for 35 points. Howard, one of the top scorers in the OVC, tallied a game-high 25 points, while Dean finished with 10 points. Jennings turned in eight points.
JSU returns to action on Wednesday, February 17 as it will host the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky at Pete Mathews Coliseum. Tip off is set for 6:30 p.m.
