JACKSONVILLE – A 12-point, 11-rebound double-double from Bre'Anna Rhodes was not enough for Jacksonville State women's basketball to topple Western Kentucky in Saturday's Conference USA meeting. The Gamecocks played three competitive quarters versus the Lady Toppers but could not catch some breaks in the fourth period of a 62-52 setback.
 
"Bre has been good for us," head coach Rick Pietri said. "We can count on her, but she needs the ball to get to her. They ran a zone most of the time and it was collapsing, so it was hard to get it to her. When we did, she made some really good plays."
 
The two sides battled in a competitive first period. A Rhodes layup gave the Gamecocks (6-9, 1-2) their first lead at 9-8 before Western Kentucky (12-6, 3-0) went on a 7-0 run to turn the tides, but Madison McCoy drained a three at the horn to make it a 15-12 difference at the end of one. Both defenses tightened in the following interval, allowing just a pair of shots to fall for either squad, leading to a 23-20 score at the break. 
 
Shots were not falling for the home team early in the third. An 0-for-10 streak from the field helped WKU build as much as a 12-point lead before Jax State could claw back. Fortunately, the Red-and-White generated a 9-0 spurt to make it a manageable four-point deficit at 40-36 entering the fourth quarter. The final stanza saw the Lady Toppers again open on fire, guided by Alexis Mead's nine points, as they cruised to a 62-52 victory.
 
"(Mead) just destroyed us in the fourth quarter," Pietri said. "There was nothing we could do. We even went to a zone, which is something we usually don't do. We were actually able to keep her in check for three quarters, but in the fourth she just lifted herself up."
 
Rhodes posted team-highs in points and rebounds. Rachel Johnson added seven points and seven boards, and Brooklyn McDaniel and Jaz Spencer ended up with six points each. 
 
The Gamecocks out-rebounded the Lady Toppers 43-34 but committed 20 turnovers and shot 33.3% from the field and 3-for-24 (12.5%) from long range.
 
Jax State hits the road next Saturday to take on Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La. That Conference USA matchup will tip-off at 2 p.m. and it will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the Gamecock Sports Network. 
 
Links to listen, watch, or follow along with live stats for that game will be provided at JaxStateSports.com. In addition, score updates will be posted on Jax State Women's Basketball's X account (@JaxStateWBB).  

To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State Women's Basketball), Instagram (@JaxStateWBB), and X (@JaxStateWBB) accounts.