NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team came up short on the road in its attempt to snap the third-longest active win streak in the country in a 61-52 setback at Belmont.
 
JSU (10-14, 3-9 Ohio Valley Conference) outscored the Bruins in each of the final two periods, but could not erase an 11-point halftime deficit. Belmont (20-5, 12-0) led for nearly 37 minutes as it remained perfect in league play.
 
Nine Gamecocks total scored during the contest, led by senior Briana Benson's 15 points. Tyler Phelion followed with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while Tasha Magruder added nine points, three steals and two blocks.
 
Phelion hit the first basket of the evening to give JSU a 2-0 advantage out of the gate, but the Bruins slowly took control from there for the rest of the opening half. Belmont led 17-10 after the first quarter, a far better start from the season-low six points they scored against Jax State in the first meeting of the season on Jan. 18. With just over five minutes to go in the second, BU took a 24-12 lead forcing Rick Pietri to take a timeout.
 
Belmont led 31-20 at intermission, fueled by a 52 percent shooting mark.
 
Buchanon intercepted a BU pass on the opening second-half possession, but was denied on the offensive drive and charged with a foul the following time down the floor on defense. JSU cut what was at one time a 15-point deficit down to six points midway through the third, but a pair of Belmont triples in a 30-second span made it a double-digit margin once again.
 
With 7:33 remaining in the final period, Buchanon hit a pair of free throws making it a four-point game, but as was the case all night, Belmont responded with a critical three-pointer. BU finished the game 7-of-20 from downtown. The Gamecocks were within five, 50-45, when Benson drove to the basket for an inside layup. The shot dropped, but Benson was whistled for a charge handing her her fifth foul of the game with 2:34 to play. From there, BU secured its lead and held on to extend the program's best start in OVC play to 12-0.
 
The Gamecocks now set their sights on a three-game homestand beginning with Tennessee State this Saturday. The game against TSU marks JSU's annual "Play 4 Kay" Pink-Out game, fans are encouraged to wear pink for cancer awareness.