MURRAY, Ky. – The Jacksonville State women's basketball rallied in its second-straight, fourth-quarter comeback on the road Thursday evening at Murray State, 59-55, to secure its spot in next month's Ohio Valley Conference tournament.
 
After three-straight 11-point periods, Jax State (16-10, 10-5 OVC) broke out for a 26-point fourth quarter to outscore MSU, 26-15. The win earned head coach Rick Pietri his 72nd victory while patrolling the Gamecock sidelines, matching him with Richard Mathis (1987-1990) for the second-most wins in program history.
 
The victory also cemented the third-most wins in a single-season in the program's Division I history, trailing only the 2003-04 (18) and 2015-16 (19) squads. It's just the third time since joining the OVC in 2004 that the Gamecocks have won double-digit league games.
 
Freshman Taylor Hawks finished with a team-high 14 points, her fifth double-digit performance in the last six games. Senior Tyler Phelion also reached double figures with 10 points to go along with five boards and five assists.
 
JSU led 11-10 at the end of the first quarter, but a four-minute scoring drought to begin the second saw MSU take a 16-11 advantage. The Racers would lead for more than 28 minutes in the contest, including a 23-22 edge at halftime.
 
With 2:31 remaining in the third, MSU grabbed its largest lead of the night, 38-30, and took a seven-point advantage into the final quarter. It marked the third-straight game JSU trailed entering the final period.
 
Junior transfer Brianna Perry gave an early spark off the bench with a three to make it a 40-36 contest. Overall JSU was 7-of-30 from beyond the arc, after an 0-for-13 day against Tennessee State last Saturday.
 
Kiana Johnson drained a couple of treys in the fourth, her second of which propelled JSU ahead, 46-45, with 5:54 remaining. The two sides battled back-and-forth before a 4-0 run by JSU separated a 51-all deadlock with 1:16 on the clock. Hawks and Morgan Towells hit JSU's final free throws down the stretch to secure the 59-55 win.
 
JSU will head back down the road to Clarksville, Tenn., for a Saturday bout with Austin Peay at the Dunn Center seeking its 11th conference win of the year.