HOUSTON, Texas – A fourth quarter comeback for the Jacksonville State women's basketball team fell short as a four-game win streak was snapped in a 72-65 loss to Houston on the road Thursday night.
Junior Nekiyah Thompson dished out a career-high 11 assists in the loss, the most since Lacey Buchanon recorded 11 against SIUE on Feb. 4, 2017.
Senior
Kiana Johnson led the team with 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor. Fellow senior
Imari Martin added 10 points and finished 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.
Houston opened the first quarter on a 7-4 run in the first 2:42 of play. The Gamecocks stormed back on an 8-5 run over the next 2:42, tying the contest up, 12-12 following a second-chance jumper in the paint from Johnson. An and-one for sophomore
Madison McCoy gave JSU its first lead since the opening minute, 17-14 with 1:43 remaining in the period. A buzzer-beating layup gave Houston a one-point lead, 20-19 at the end of the first quarter.
The Gamecocks struggled offensively and were outscored 5-0 in the first 3:55 before Martin hit a pair of free-throws trimming the deficit to four, 25-21 in the second quarter. The Cougars built the lead to eight, 24-26 at the 3:48 mark in the second. A 7-0 run, capped with a Thompson layup, cut the lead to one, 34-33 with 2:07 to go before half. Houston closed out the second half on a 7-2 run, leading 40-35 at the break.
Out of halftime the Cougars outscored JSU 18-9, taking a 58-44 lead into the final 10 minutes. The Gamecocks hit just one field-goal in the third quarter. Prior to tonight's game, JSU has outscored its opponents 171-118 on the season in the third, the largest margin of any quarter.
Down 64-49 with six minutes to go in the game, the Gamecocks used a 9-0 run, capped with a Johnson jumper, to trim the lead to six, 64-58. A pair of free-throws from Martin cut the deficit to four, 65-69 with 1:37 to go. JSU was unable to find another bucket down the stretch, falling 72-65 in the Fertitta Center. JSU outscored the Cougars 21-14 in the final quarter.
JSU won the turnover battle, 15-11, for the ninth time this season. Tonight, marked just the third loss on the season when forcing more turnovers. Houston won the advantage on the boards, 37-31. JSU is 1-3 on the season when being outrebounded.
Up next, the Gamecocks will return to Pete Mathews Coliseum for five consecutive home games, beginning with New Orleans on Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at JSUgamecocksports.com.
