OXFORD, MISS. – Jacksonville State women's basketball lost Sunday afternoon's non-conference game at Ole Miss, 74-54. A veteran and experienced Rebels squad used a ruthless offensive attack to down the Gamecocks with a big second half. 
 
JSU (3-4) hung with Ole Miss well for most of the opening interval. The Gamecocks battled back from an early 9-2 deficit and worked it to a two-point game, but a scoring run down the stretch handed the home team a 20-13 advantage through one. In the second period, an enthused Jax State defense halted the Rebel offense from building a massive lead, which was key to keeping it close late. Though head coach Rick Pietri's team matched Ole Miss shot-for-shot, they could not overcome the three-possession deficit and entered halftime trailing 37-30.
 
The second half was a different story entirely for Jacksonville State's defense. The Rebel offense, which took a bit of a step back in a hotly contested second period, exploded with eight made field goals and a pair of threes in the third. Their 57.1% from the field was their best of any interval in the entire game. They outscored the Gamecocks 20-12, creating a 15-point difference, and built some strong momentum for an important fourth period. In the final stanza, Ole Miss held JSU to just 5-of-15 from the field while making half of their 12 attempts. The end result was a 17-12 fourth period, one that solidified an impressive 74-54 win for the Rebels. 
 
Shawnta Shaw was the first person to reach double-digits scoring in Sunday's game and finished with a team-high 15 points. Petal, Miss., native Kennedy Gavin added 12 points and seven rebounds while Kyra Williams tallied 10 points. Fifth-year guard Imari Martin ended up with 9 points, four rebounds, and three assists in that game at the SJB Pavilion.
 
The Gamecocks return to play on Wednesday at Pete Mathews Coliseum as they play host to Alabama State. Tip-off is set for 4:15 p.m., and the men's contest against Reinhardt will follow shortly thereafter. Those games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the Gamecock Sports Network.  
 
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, be sure to follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State University Women's Basketball), Twitter (@JSUGamecocksWBB), and Instagram (@JSUGamecocksWBB) accounts.