MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Ohio Valley Conference's leading scorer was held to just 12 points for Morehead State on Saturday against Jacksonville State's women's basketball team, but the Gamecocks just weren't able to manufacture enough offense, falling 66-55.
 
JSU (9-10, 3-5 OVC) dropped its first game to MSU in almost two years after sweeping the Eagles (15-6, 6-2 OVC) in all three meetings last season. MSU's junior transfer Aliyah Jeune entered averaging over 21 points per game but was held to nearly half that on 4-of-15 shooting versus Jax State. However, three other Eagle's joined Jeune in double-digits led by senior Miranda Crockett's game-high 18 points.
 
JSU finished with five total three-pointers, but four of them came late as JSU scrambled to cut the deficit to single digits in the final period after starting 1-for-14 from beyond the arc.
 
Redshirt-senior Destiney Elliott led the Gamecocks with 17 points, while sophomore Taylor Hawks registered her nineth double-digit game of the season with 10 points. Senior Rayven Pearson cleaned up the glass with a game-high 13 rebounds to mobe higher on JSU's all-time list. The Hazel Green, Ala., natibe passed former teammate Tyler Phelion (2014-2018) in the third quarter with her 726 th career rebound. Now with 730, she stands just eight behind Danielle Vaughne (2009-2013) for fourth all-time and second in JSU Division I era.
 
Elliott's layup with 3:15 remaining in the first quarter put JSU up by four, but a three-pointer on the Eagle's next possession quickly brought the Eagles right back. MSU led 18-15 at the end of the opening period. Freshman JuToreyia Willis, who finished with eight points and six boards off the bench, made a couple of key baskets in the second to keep JSU in it once the lead was stretched to double figures.
 
MSU led by a dozen at intermission, 36-24, and led by as many as 19 in the third quarter before JSU slowly started to chip away at the margin. Down 15 entering the fourth, Brianna Perry's opening trey of the quarter pulled JSU with 12. The Eagles added four to lead 60-44 until an 11-3 run capped by Jaya Walker's triple cut the deficit back to eight with 1:43 remaining. The Gamecocks got a defensive stop on the following possession, but couldn't control the rebound and sent MSU to the line with a foul where the Eagles would hang on in the end.
 
JSU returns to Pete Mathews Coliseum on Thursday, Jan. 31 for an 11:30 a.m. tip time against Murray State on Kid's Day.