ATHENS, Ga. – Jacksonville State suffered its first setback of the season on Wednesday night, falling on the road to Georgia, 68-47, inside Stegeman Coliseum.
On a tough shooting night, JSU (2-1) couldn't stay with the Bulldogs out of the Southeastern Conference, who remain undefeated on the season moving to 5-0.
Junior
Yamia Johnson matched her season-high for the second time in three games with 16 points to lead Jax State. She was followed by senior
Taylor Hawks with 11 points, and freshman
Keiara Griffin's career-best 10 points. Unfortunately for JSU, that trio combined for 37 of the Gamecocks' 47 overall points as many others struggled from the floor.
JSU did collect at least 40 rebounds for the third straight game, grabbing 41 compared to UGA's 50. Redshirt-senior
Jessie Day led the way with seven boards, ahead of Johnson and
Winnie Kuimi who hauled in six apiece.
The Gamecocks did limit an explosive offense to its second-lowest point total of the season at 68.
UGA opened with a 4-0 lead, but Day and Johnson quickly helped even things up before Johnson connected on her first of two three-pointers of the night to make it 7-4. The Gamecocks still led 12-11 at the first media timeout, but a dry-spell would allow the Bulldogs back in front. A 26-7 run over the next 10 minutes of game action set UGA up with a 16-point advantage nearing halftime.
JSU trailed at the break, 41-22, following a season-low eight points in the second quarter. The deficit grew to as much at 28 points in the third quarter, but a resilient JSU squad didn't go away quietly. Nekiyah Thompson buried a jumper to start the final stanza and the Gamecocks would drag out a 12-0 run through the next seven minutes.
UGA's first bucket of the fourth didn't come until the 2:58 mark, but it was too late for a comeback by the Gamecocks. After hitting 14 and 11 treys in its first two games of the year, JSU was kept in check for just four on Wednesday night.
With positives from the final period, JSU will look to carry some of that momentum to its next game on the road at Tennessee Tech on Sunday to open Ohio Valley Conference play.
