JACKSONVILLE – A 20-6 second quarter by Eastern Kentucky propelled the Colonels to a 76-50 win over Jacksonville State on Wednesday night at Pete Mathews Coliseum in Ohio Valley Conference women's hoops action.

The loss was Jax State's third in a row and first to EKU since January 18, 2014 in Richmond, Kentucky.  JSU entered the game having won the last four meetings with the Maroon and White, including the first meeting of the season on January 27, 56-54.  The Gamecocks have a pair of games left on the docket with a visit to Tennessee State on Saturday and their final home contest of the season with Morehead State.  JSU dropped to 10-16 overall and 5-9 in OVC play, while EKU improved to 14-10 on the season and 8-5 in the league.

After JSU trailed 19-17 after the first ten minutes, EKU's scoring production exploded in the second 10-minute session.  The Colonels pushed a two point lead out to as many as 18 points in the second quarter after starting the quarter on a 16-2 scoring run over the first five and a half minutes of the quarter.  EKU connected on 14-of-26 from the field, and nine free throws to extend the lead to double figures and take a 39-23 lead in to halftime.

JSU was held to nine baskets in the first half as its leading scorer; Briana Benson came off the bench for 11 of her 13 points in the first 20 minutes.  Benson finished the game 5-of-14 from the field and a pair of free throws by the OVC's top free throw shooter.  Senior Courtney Strain was the only other Gamecock to double figures as she posted 12 points in the setback.  Strain turned in seven points of her points in the first half.

EKU continued its hot shooting night in the second half as it pushed the lead to 20-plus points in the third quarter and did not allow JSU a chance to get back in the contest the rest of the way.  EKU shot a sizzling 56.9 percent from the field, including a 45 percent effort from three point range.  JSU;s scoring woes continued with a 33 percent shooting outing.  EKU controlled the paint with a 30-18 advantage and scored 19 points off of 16 JSU miscues.

The Colonels were led by the 28-point effort by Jalen O'Bannon and she was aided by double figures by Shameekia Murray and Miranda Maples.  O'Bannon, one of the top newcomers in the OVC, was 9-of-16 from the field and 10-of-11 from the free throw line.  Murray finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Maples pitched in 13 points, 12 from three-point range.

JSU's Tyler Phelion and Rayven Pearson collected six points each, while Chloe Long added five points.

Tip off from the Gentry Center on the TSU campus is set for 5:30 p.m.  It will be the first of an OVC hoops doubleheader with the JSU-TSU men's contest to follow at 7:30 p.m.