JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team erased a 14-point second-half deficit to win its third-straight game to remain alive for a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
 
Better late than never, the Gamecocks (13-14, 6-9 OVC) are playing their best basketball down the stretch with a season-best three consecutive league wins, all og which have come by double-digits. JSU likely still needs help from other teams in the league to earn a tournament berth as several tiebreak possibilities remain with the final day of conference games approaching.
 
In the thrilling home finale of 2017, four Gamecocks reached double-figures led by Jacksonville, Ala., native Lacey Buchanon's 19. The senior finished with 20, 10 and 19 points in her final three games in her hometown. Fellow senior Briana Benson was just behind Buchanon with 17 points, including two three-pointers running her career total to 209 triples.
 
Tyler Phelion increased her team-best mark with her sixth double-double recording 12 points and a dozen more boards. Although held scoreless on offense, Tasha Magruder collected 11 boards while Rayven Pearson had 10 along with eight points. Gretchen Morrison marked the final Gamecock with double-digit points with 11 as she buried clutch triples in the second half.
 
JSU shot a sub-par 28 percent from the field in the opening half, leading to a 12-point deficit at the break. The Colonels hit the first bucket of the third quarter to take a 37-23 lead and placing the Gamecocks in real danger of seeing its tournament hopes vanish. Having overcome only one halftime deficit all season, JSU was forced to make a season-saving rally.
 
Senior Kelly Naughton's drive to the basket led to JSU's first field goal. The senior out of Elk Grove, Ill., finished with four points and a pair of assists in her final showcase at The Pete. A pair of free throws by Phelion made it a 10-point game followed by Benson's layin at the 7:29 mark to cut the deficit to single digits.
 
A few minutes later Benson hit a momentum-shifting three to make with 39-34 and forced the Colonels to call timeout. Morrison added a triple of her own with two minutes remaining in the third to pull within two, before Pearson took an inside pass from Phelion for the tying layup. With 1.8 seconds to play Morrison was fouled and drained a pair of free throws to send Jax State to the fourth quarter with a 46-45 lead.
 
JSU grabbed a four-point margin with 7:01 to play after a jumper by Buchanon, but EKU responded with a three to pull within one on the following possession. Out of a timeout, JSU went on a 5-0 run to all but seal the deal as the visitors ran out of time and began to foul late.
 
After a 23-point first half, Jax State posted back-to-back 24-point quarters to rally for the eighth home victory of the season. Along with staying in contention for a tournament seed, the win improved JSU to 6-1 against EKU in the last seven meetings.
 
The Gamecocks wrap up the regular season on Saturday with a trip to Morehead, Kentucky to face the Eagles of Morehead State. Earlier this season JSU defeated MSU, 69-68, on Buchanon's buzzer-beater.