HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Women's basketball suffered a 70-51 setback at Sam Houston Thursday. The Gamecocks got off to a hot start, including leading after the first period by three.
 
Jax State (11-9, 5-3) got out to a 23-20 lead in the first quarter thanks in large part to shooting 6-of-11 from the field, 50% from three, and knocking down 10-of-13 shots from the foul line in the opening 10 minutes.
 
Eden Sample made four-straight free throws late in the first to give her six points. Sample and Mya Barnes were co-leaders with six points after the first and went on to tie for a team-best 13 points in the game.
 
Along with Sample and Barnes, Mina Djurdjevic recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Djurdjevic was efficient scoring the ball as she shot 3-of-five from the field and made 4-of-5 free throws. Barnes added seven rebounds in the contest.
 
The teams were even at 27-all at the when Jax State called timeout with 6:51 left in the second, but then out of the break the Bearkats went on a 10-0 run to take a 37-27 advantage with 3:57 on the clock. Abril Ricart-Mensah made a free throw to break the Gamecocks' scoring drought with at the 3:35 mark.
 
Barnes drilled a three with only seven seconds left in the first half to cut the Bearkats league to 43-34. The Gamecocks were outscored 23-11 in the second period. Barnes had 11 of her 13 points at halftime.
 
Sam Houston went up 12 in the third before Kyera Thornsbury drove inside for a layup to make it 47-37 Bearkats with 6:01 left in the quarter and force a Bearkat timeout. After a Djurdjevic layup was good, Sam Houston scored back-to-back baskets to take a 57-41 lead into the final quarter of play.
 
In the fourth Barnes hit a layup off an offensive board making it 59-43 Sam Houston. Barnes then fouled out with 8:42 left in the game. Trailing by 19, Djurdjevic was called for a charge in what was her fifth and final foul with 2:13 left in the game. Makala Hobdy hit one of two foul shots with three seconds left for the final point of the game.
 
Brooklyn McDaniel missed Thursday's game due to illness. It was McDaniel's first game she missed this season.
 
The Gamecocks are back in action Saturday at 2 p.m. when they face Louisiana Tech on the road.
 
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State Women's Basketball), Instagram (@JaxStateWBB), and X (@JaxStateWBB) accounts.