JACKSONVILLE –The Jacksonville State Gamecocks moved to 3-0 in conference play following an 80-70 win over Lipscomb on a hot shooting night from three.

JSU earned its sixth consecutive win Wednesday night and improved to 8-0 inside Pete Mathews Coliseum. The Gamecocks have won eight straight in THE PETE.

Senior Imari Martin led the way with 20 points in the win while shooting 5-of-13 from deep. Nekiyah Thompson added 16 points and a team-high nine assists while also drawing eight fouls. Kennedy Gavin and Keiara Griffin each led JSU on the boards with eight while contributing 12 and eight points respectively. The Gamecocks' defense proved dominant against the nation's leading three-point shooter in, Blythe Pearson, by holding her to just 25 percent from deep. Kyra Williams was a big part of JSU's defense and was plus-19 on the box score.

With tonight's win the Gamecocks take sole possession of first place in the ASUN West Division at 3-0 just ahead of EKU at 2-1.

Lipscomb opened the contest on a 6-3 run before a three-pointer form Martin evened the score, 8-8, five minutes in. The Bisons took a seven-point lead, 18-11, following a 10-3 run with 1:21 to go in the first. Back-to-back jumpers from Gavin in the final minute of the quarter cut the deficit to three, 15-18 but the Bisons held a 21-15 lead at the end of the first.

The Bisons jumped out to their largest lead of the game early in the second quarter, 23-15. A three-pointer from Kaiya Burnett capped a 9-0 run to put JSU ahead, 24-23 at the 5:21 mark. After briefly losing the lead, Martin drained a three-point to give JSU a 31-30 lead at halftime.
 
The Gamecocks fell behind 25-31 just over a minute into the second half before a fastbreak layup from Madison McCoy took the lead back for JSU, 38-37 at the 6:33 mark. A dominant 11-2 run pushed the lead to 11, 58-47 following another three from Martin in the final minute of the third. JSU outscored the Bison 29-20 in the third to lead 60-50.
 
JSU led by as many as 17 after Burnett hit the 14^th three-pointer of the night for the Gamecocks to lead 71-54 with 5:23 remaining. Lipscomb cut the lead to as little as right down the stretch but a fastbreak layup from Kiana Johnson with 35 seconds to go all but sealed the 80-70 win.
 
For the 10^th time this season JSU outrebounded its opponent and is 10-0 when doing so. The Gamecocks held a 40-34 advantage on the glass. 14 three pointers and 42.4 percent shooting from downtown helped carry the Gamecocks in the win despite not shooting well in the first half. A 66.7 percent field goal percentage in the second half helped the Gamecocks out score Lipscomb 29-20 in route to the win.
 
Up next the Gamecocks will take on Eastern Kentucky in Richmond at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15.