EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – In a virtual play-in game to determine one of the final spots in next week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, the Jacksonville State women's basketball team finished strong to earn a road win at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Saturday.
 
The Gamecocks (15-14, 9-9 OVC) evened their league record for the season with the win, and guaranteed their second-straight trip to Evansville, Ind., site of the OVC Championships. The host SIUE Cougars fell to 8-10 in conference play and ended their season on Senior Day.
 
It was JSU's second all-time win inside SIUE's Vadalabene Center, and snapped a four-game losing skid in the overall series.
 
Destiney Elliott's pair of three-pointers in the final two minutes sparked an 8-0 run that pushed JSU ahead for good. The Oneonta, Ala., native finished with 21 points to lead the Gamecocks, followed by senior Rayven Pearson with 17. Pearson also hauled in a team-high 12 rebounds, while Chloe Long had 10. Sophomore Jayla Walker finished 4-for-4 from the field to add nine points.
 
The Cougars led 15-14 after first quarter as the two teams battled back-and-forth throughout the opening half of play. Trailing 23-19 in the closing minutes before halftime, Walker brought JSU within one with the first triple of the game for JSU. Jax State closed on a 6-0 run capped by a long jumper from Jessie Day to take a 28-25 lead into the halftime break.
 
Elliott made it an 8-0 run with a layup on the first possession of the third to make it 30-25. In a win-or-go-home situation for both squads, neither gave an inch as the two exchanged baskets throughout the third. Kiana Johnson came of the bench late in the quarter to produce two key baskets to help JSU extend the lead to 45-41 heading into the final period. Johnson finished with six points and two boards.  
 
All even at 51-51 with under four minutes remaining, SIUE's Jay'nee Alston nailed a three-pointer that pushed the Cougars out to their largest lead of the second-half to that point, only to have Elliott respond for JSU with consecutive treys of her own. First to tie it at 56, and then to put JSU ahead with a minute and a half remaining.
 
With time running out, SIUE moved to fouling in an attempt to get back in the game, but JSU was 14-of -16 from the stripe on day and eventually extended the late lead to double-digits for the first time all day.
 
After SIUE's last lead at 56-53 win three minutes to play, the Gamecocks finished on a 15-5 rum to secure the win and postseason play.