JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State Gamecocks defeated North Alabama 73-69 for the first ASUN road win of the season behind a dominant showing on the boards.

With the win, JSU improves to 11-3 overall 2-0 in ASUN play. The Lions drop to 5-8 overall and 0-1 in the ASUN. The Gamecocks have won five straight.  

Senior Kennedy Gavin led the Gamecocks with 15 points and nine rebounds in the win while senior Kaiya Burnett added 10 points off the bench.

JSU recorded a season-high 49 rebounds and held UNA to just 36, marking the second largest rebounding margin of the season.

North Alabama opened the game on a 10-0 run in the first 2:23 of play, forcing an early JSU timeout. An 18-9 run trimmed to the lead to one, 19-18 following a second-chance bucket from senior Shawnta Shaw. UNA led 21-18 after the first.

Shaw quickly tied the score 21-21 in the second before Gavin capped a 4-0 run to give JSU its first lead of the game, 25-23. The lead grew to four following a layup from sophomore Madison McCoy, 29-25, at the 5:06 mark. With 3:02 to go before halftime sophomore Keiara Griffin converted a second-chance jumper to give the Gamecocks their largest lead of the first half, 36-30. UNA closed the second quarter on a 5-2 run as JSU held a 38-35 lead at the break.

Out of halftime UNA quickly trimmed JSU's lead to one and continued to do so several times throughout the first three minutes of the third quarter. The Gamecocks pushed the lead to five, 49-45, following a free-throw from Kyra Williams with 2:26 to go. A free-throw from Imari Martin gave the Gamecocks a four-point lead, 52-48 at the end of the quarter. JSU held the Lions to just 13 points in the third quarter.

The Gamecock offense found rhythm in the fourth quarter and used an 8-2 run to take their largest lead of the game, 63-53, following a three-pointer from Burnett. North Alabama trimmed JSU's lead to four with 44 seconds to go but a breakaway layup from Griffin pushed the lead to seven with 16 seconds to go. The Gamecocks would hold on for the 73-69 win on the road.

North Alabama shot 41.1 percent from the field in the game while JSU finished just 37.8 percent. A dominant advantage on the boards 49-36 helped carry the Gamecocks to the win. JSU scored 17 second chance points compared to just four for the Lions. For the 13^th time this season JSU forced more turnovers than committed. JSU turned the ball over just 10 time while UNA totaled 15.

JSU returns to Pete Mathews Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 12, to host the Lipscomb Bison's at 6 p.m.