JACKSONVILLE – Jax State women's basketball cured a three-game losing skid with a 61-58 win over the Delaware Blue Hens in Pete Mathews Coliseum Saturday afternoon.
 
With under a minute left in regulation, Delaware's Lay Fantroy hit a layup to cut Jax State's lead to 60-58. Jax State's Brooklyn McDaniel made one of two free throws with 12 seconds left to extend the lead to 61-58. The Gamecocks played strong defense for the final 12 seconds of the game to stomp out Delaware's comeback attempt.
 
Mya Barnes had one of the best offensive performances of her career scoring 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting and 4-of-9 from three. Barnes' career-best game came at New Orleans on Nov. 22 where she scored 22 points. Barnes also led Jax State with six rebounds against the Blue Hens Saturday. She also had four blocked shots in the contest.
 
Delaware (11-12, 5-6) got out to a hot start outscoring the Gamecocks (12-11, 6-5) 9-2 within the first three minutes of action. Delaware went up 15-5 by the five-minute mark, but Jax State quickly cut to five following a layup by McDaniel with 3:31 left in the first. By the end of the first, Jax State trailed 22-18.
 
Jax State's defense stepped up big time in the second quarter. The Gamecocks outscored Delaware 18-4 while holding the Blue Hens to 2-of-13 shooting for 15.4% from the floor and 0-of-4 from three. Meanwhile, Jax State shot 7-of-16 from the floor and 40% from three in the second to take a 36-26 advantage into halftime.
 
Out of the halftime break, Delaware quickly got back within three by the 5:40 mark in the third. Barnes sank a pair of free throws to spark a 9-1 run and put Jax State in front 49-39 with 1:31 left before the fourth quarter. Kyera Thornsbury drilled a last second three to make it 52-41 Gamecocks heading to the fourth.
 
Delaware clawed away at the Gamecocks' lead in the fourth and got within one point with 1:44 left in the game. Barnes hit a three with 1:20 left to extend Jax State's advantage to 60-56. Delaware responded with a layup with 59 seconds remaining before McDaniel's free throw make was ultimately the dagger.
 
Other top performers include Adriana Jones who poured in 12 points and Thornsbury who scored nine point. Thornsbury tied McDaniel with a team-best three assists. McDaniel and Maria Sanchez-Ponce scored seven points, respectively.
 
Jax State's next game is at Middle Tennessee on Thursday, Feb. 12. The game against the Blue Raiders is set for a 6:30 p.m. start.
 
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