JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team remains undefeated at home and improves to 7-3 on the season following a 61-48 win over East Tennessee State Thursday night in Pete Mathews Coliseum.

The win gives JSU a 4-0 mark at home on the season and extends the home winning-streak to five games.

Kiana Johnson led the Gamecocks for the second straight game with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. She is averaging 16.3 points per game over the last three games.

"[Kiana] got her confidence going," said Head Coach Rick Pietri. "She struggled in our early games but she kind of had a breakthrough and ever since that game she has been delivering some positive numbers for us. It's been several game in a row now that she has been a major factor in our success. She's a fifth-year senior so she understands what it's going to take for us to be successful, so as a team we certainly appreciate what she delivered for us tonight."

Freshman Bre'Anna Rhodes added nine points off the bench and grabbed five rebounds. The Gamecocks outrebounded ETSU 45-30 and were led by Keiara Griffin with eight boards. Nekiyah added a team-high five assists and is averaging 6.8 per game over the last five games.

JSU fell behind in the early goings of the first quarter, trailing 5-2 at the 7:49 mark. A pair of free-throws from Imari Martin gave JSU its first lead of the night, 11-10 with 2:37 remaining in the opening quarter. Two free-throws from Thompson in the final 45 seconds gave the Gamecocks a three-point lead, 15-12, at the end of the first.

In the second quarter, Johnson lifted the Gamecocks to a six-point advantage, 22-16, following her third field goal of the contest at the 4:27 mark. A 7-0 run over the final 2:16 of the first half -that included a three-pointer from Griffin and Thompson- put JSU up, 11 -19.

A 6-2 run in the first three minutes of the third quarter put the Gamecocks up by 15 following a second-chance bucket from Martin. Senior Kaiya Burnett added five points in the final 1:18 of the third quarter, giving JSU a 48-33 advantage.

Following a ETSU turnover, senior Kennedy Gavin gave the Gamecocks a 17-point lead, their largest of the night, with a layup. ETSU drained a three with 21 seconds to go, but it wasn't enough as the Gamecocks earned their seventh win of the season, 61-48.

Despite shooting 18.8 percent from three while the Bucs shot 30 percent, the Gamecocks found a way to win on their home floor.

"You have to credit East Tennessee State, that they fought the way that they did," said Pietri. "I think they had a good plan. We had moments where we looked like a good team and then we had moments where we didn't. Fortunately, we had enough good moments that we were able to secure a win, but we are capable of playing better than we showed tonight. WE have been better in prior games. We have to find a way to be the best version of ourselves on a regular basis and not just in moments."

The Gamecocks recorded 18 offensive rebounds in the game and totaled 13 second chance points. In addition, JSU added 11 fastbreak points compared to just two for the Bucs, both proving to be difference makers in the win.

"Even on misses we were able to get second opportunities and that was a big deal too," added Pietri. "We didn't' set the world on fire from the perimeter in terms of shooting and if you aren't going to shoot it well from the perimeter, you better give yourself another chance and we gave ourselves several second chances and we were able to convert on some of those. We also got a few transition baskets that were big. Every time they made a push to put it within striking distance it seems like we would get a transition basket to push it back away."

The Gamecocks will return to action in Pete Mathews Coliseum on Tuesday, Dec. 21^st against Saint Francis at 2 p.m. Stay up to date with JSU women's basketball by visiting JSUGamecocksports.com or following the team on social media @JSUGamecocksWBB.