CONWAY – The Jacksonville State Gamecocks set a D-I program record with their eighth straight win on the season, defeating Central Arkansas 64-47 on Wednesday night in the Farris Center.   

With the win, JSU improves to 14-3 overall, continuing a historic season, and 5-0 in conference through the first round of divisional play.

The Gamecocks entered halftime tied 32-32 with the Sugar Bears but outscored the hosts 32-15 in the second half in route to the win.

"The first half I really was not pleased with how we defended. On the flip side, I was really pleased with how we defended the second half," said Head Coach Rick Pietri. "We held them to 15 points in the second half and a very low shooting percentage after giving up a big number in the first half. That is the kind of defensive effort I want to see from us for 40 minutes instead of 20, but for that 20 minute in the second half our defensive effort was outstanding, and we made the shots we had to from an offensive standpoint."

Keiara Griffin led the Gamecocks with a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field, 8-of-16. Winnie Kuimi contributed a career-high 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench and was 5-of-8 from the field. Imari Martin scored 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range and Madison McCoy tied her career-high with 10 points as four players score in double-figures.

"That's the best game Keiara Griffin has played since she's been at Jacksonville State, I thought she was outstanding," said Pietri. "Winnie Kuimi, that's the best game she's played at Jacksonville State, she was outstanding, and I thought Madison McCoy did a fantastic job as well. From a post standpoint, our posts really showed up and from a guard standpoint, our guards did enough to get us the win."

Central Arkansas opened the game on a 5-0 run before a three-pointer from Martin put the Gamecocks on the board a minute and a half in. A steal and a layup from McCoy evened the score 7-7 before Griffin gave JSU its first lead, 9-7 with a bucket in the paint. At the 3:20 mark a layup from Kuimi capped a 9-0 run to put the Gamecocks up nine, 18-9 with 3:20 remaining in the first. In the closing minutes of the opening quarter Central Arkansas outscored JSU 7-2, but the Gamecocks led 20-16 at the quarter's end. Griffin added a team-high nine points in the first quarter.

After the Sugar Bears cut the lead to two, 22-20, a layup from Kuimi and three-pointer from Martin pushed the Gamecocks to a seven-point advantage, 27-20, at the 7:26 mark. With 3:48 to go in the second quarter a and-one play from McCoy put the Gamecocks back up seven, 32-25. Central Arkansas closed the quarter on a 7-0 run as both teams were tied, 32-32, at the half.

JSU fell behind 34-32 to start the third quarter, but a 7-0 run, capped with a Nekiyah Thompson free-throw put the Gamecocks up 39-34. A layup from McCoy extended the lead to 12, 48-36 with 3:03 remaining in the quarter. JSU outscored Central Arkansas, 23-7 in the third to lead 55-39.

Neither side was able to find offensive rhythm in the fourth, scoring a combined 17 points. Free-throws from Thompson put gave JSU its largest lead of the game, 64-45, with 41 seconds to play. The Gamecocks finished off the Sugar Bears, 64-47 for the largest road win of the season.

JSU dominated the boards 38-28, including a 16-7 advantage on the offensive glass. The Gamecocks turned the offensive rebounds into 21 points and held the Sugar Bears to just three.

The Gamecocks posted their third-highest field-goal percentage of the season, shooting 44.3 percent from the floor and 31.3 percent from three.

"We are playing our best basketball at times, just not in a 40-minute game in a while," added Pietri. "The good news is we can actually be better than we are right now, and we have to find a way to be better in a full 40, particularly with our opponent we are going to face on Saturday, when you're talking about playing the 24^th ranked team in the country."

Jacksonville State will return to Pete Mathews Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 22 to host the 24/21 ranked Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. Tip-off is set for 1:45 p.m.