MURFREESBORO, TN. – Jacksonville State women's basketball fell 63-46 to Conference USA leader Middle Tennessee Thursday evening at the Murphy Center on the campus of MTSU. The Gamecocks led by two heading into halftime, but a third quarter surge by the Blue Raiders helped them edge out the Red-and-White.
 
Jax State fell to 9-12 overall and 3-7 in league play. Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee improved to 17-6 and 9-1 in CUSA action. With Liberty's loss Thursday night to Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee is now in solo first place in the conference.
 
Clara Gonzalez Planella shined in the loss as she led the Gamecocks with 17 points and hit five of her nine three-point attempts. Valentina Saric scored the next most with seven points. Mya Barnes had a team-best six rebounds to compliment her six points.
 
The Blue Raiders jumped in front of Jax State 8-2 in the first before the Gamecocks got within three after the media timeout thanks to a Shaquice May made free throw. Barnes tied the game at eight with a three following a turnover by MTSU. Maria Sanchez Ponce hit a three with 3:13 on the clock in the first to give the Gamecocks their first lead of the game at 11-10, but MTSU went on a 7-0 run to close out the first leading 17-11.
 
Jax State regained the advantage in the second thanks to a Saric three with 6:55 to go before halftime. After back-to-back makes by the Blue Raiders, MTSU led 24-21 with just under five minutes in the quarter. Planella hit a three to give the Gamecocks a 27-25 lead with 3:49 in the second, but MTSU went on to take lead again after a layup and a foul made it 28-27. Barnes drilled a three to give the Gamecocks a 30-28 lead heading into the break.
 
The third quarter doomed the Gamecocks as they shot only 14.29% from the field and made only 2-6 three pointers in the period. On the other hand, MTSU made 54.55% of their shots out of halftime.
 
MTSU quickly got back in front before Ponce hit another three to make it a 36-33 game in the third. Following that make by the Gamecocks, the Blue Raiders went on a 12-0 run to surge ahead by 15 late in the third. Planella knocked down another three late in the period to make it 48-36 heading into the final 10 minutes.
 
Elsie Harris and Planella hit back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to six early in the fourth. Asia Barclay hit a jump shot with 7:18 in the game to make it 51-44 in favor of MTSU. The Blue Raiders responded with a pair of makes to get back in front by double-figures with 6:20 left. Saric laid the ball in to make it 61-46 with 1:52 in the game before MTSU scored again to make it 63-46.
 
The Gamecocks are back in action Saturday as they take on Western Kentucky in Bowling Green, Ky. The game between the Hilltoppers and Jax State is set for a 2 p.m. tipoff. ESPN+ will have the game streaming and live stats will be available at JaxStateSports.com.
 
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