JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Tennessee Tech scratched its way back within striking distance in the final minute at Jacksonville State Saturday night, only to see the Gamecocks hold off the rally with a string of 10 consecutive made free throws.
Tech (5-21/2-11 OVC) held the host team to just 35 percent shooting, and made up most of a 10-point halftime deficit. Two free throws from Samaria Howard with 54 seconds left brought the Golden Eagles within six points.
Jacksonville State (17-8/8-5 OVC) made all eight charity tosses after that.
Yaktavia Hickson knocked down a three pointer and hit a layup in the final 10 seconds for Tech, which was held at arms length throughout the second half. Hickson finished with a career-high 13 points, hitting 4-for-5 from the field and all four free throw tries.
Samaria Howard was Tech's top scorer with 16 points, bolstered by her 10-for-10 effort at the line. Also in double digits, senior Candace Parson finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior T'Keyah Williams added nine points and nine rebounds.
Tech shot 41 percent (16-for-39) from the field and 80 percent at the free throw line (24-for-30). JSU hit 35 percent (21-for-60) from the field but went 17-for-19 (89.5 percent) at the free throw line.
Candace Morton led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds for JSU. Gretchen Morrison sparked the Gamecocks by hitting 4-for-8 from long range to finish with 12 points, while Tyler Phelion added 11 points and seven boards. Kelly Naughton had a game-best seven assists.
The Gamecocks forced 20 Tech turnovers and held a slim, 34-32 edge in rebounds.
The Golden Eagles kept things tight for the first 14 minutes, before JSU snuck away to a 10-point lead at halftime. Up by just one point, the Gamecocks took advantage of three consecutive 3-pointers by Briana Benson to open the lead. The largest difference was a couple of 12-point JSU leads, before the Gamecocks took a 34-24 margin into halftime.
The Golden Eagles cut it to four on three occasions in the second half, the last coming at 42-38 with 9:23 to play after a jumper by Parson and a free throw from Williams.
Cantrell hit a layup and half-a-minute later Morrison's 3-pointer had the margin back to eight.
The Golden Eagles play their next game at Morehead State, a 5 p.m. contest next Wednesday (Feb. 18).
