CHARLESTON – A three-pointer from Destiney Elliott that gave the Jacksonville State women's basketball team its largest lead of the game early in the fourth quarter looked to be the spark JSU needed for its fourth-straight come-from-behind win, before a scrappy Eastern Illinois squad struck again late to close out a 52-49 win inside Lantz Arena.
 
A packed house was on hand for kid's day as EIU (11-17, 5-12 Ohio Valley Conference) spoiled JSU's shot to clinch its spot in next week's OVC Tournament in Evansville, Ind. The Gamecocks (14-14, 8-9 OVC) will have to await Thursday's remaining OVC outcomes before knowing where they the stand heading into Saturday's season finale to make the eight-team tournament field.
 
After running away from EIU, 78-49, in Jacksonville back in January, the Panthers flipped the script to hold JSU to just 49 and drop Jax State to 0-5 in games where JSU produces fewer than 50 points.
 
A sluggish opening quarter allowed EIU to grab an early lead, which it held for nearly 27 minutes of game action. Neither team reached double figures in the second period, scoring just nine apiece, and head into halftime with EIU on top, 21-18.
 
A couple of key three from Jayla Walker and Brianna Perry helped JSU tighten the margin early in the third. At the third-quarter media break, the score was even at 29-29 until the refs reviewed an earlier trey from EIU that was switched to a two and handed JSU its first lead since it was 2-0. However, EIU quickly responded to regain the lead by as many as five closing in on the final stanza.
 
A big defensive effort from Perry on the final possession of the third quarter forced an EIU turnover and avoided the deficit growing any more before the final period. JSU entered the fourth trailing 38-34, and worked to even things back up at 39 on a putback by JuToreyia Willis.
 
With just under seven minutes to play, Destiney Elliott's first basket of the day was a three-pointer to push JSU out front, 42-39. The two sides exchanged baskets until EIU led 48-46 with just under a minute. A non-call on a drive to the goal by Hawks turned into a quick three-pointer the other way as Eastern took a late 51-46 advantage. Working down low, Pearson completed an old-fashion three-point play to pull within two. JSU got two more chances after the Panthers tacked on another free throw, but a couple of late miscues ruined JSU's opportunity to force overtime.
 
The Gamecocks remain in The Prairie State to face SIU-Edwardsville at 2 p.m. on Saturday. At the moment, JSU sits seventhin in the league standings one game ahead of SIUE and Southeast Missouri who still have two games left to play. JSU beat SEMO in the only previous meeting this season, but lost at home to SIUE and will be looking to earn a season split with the Cougars on Saturday.