JACKSON, Mississippi – The Howard Payne University women's basketball team gave up a 14-0 scoring run to end the first half and could never fully get back into the game, falling 85-62 at Belhaven on Thursday evening. 

Sarahi Castillo led the Lady Jackets (8-7) with 15 points while also collecting nine rebounds and Micah Cisneroz added 14 points and five rebounds. Junior guard Djimonii Jackson finished with a career-high 13 points on 60% shooting and was two rebounds short of matching her career high with eight rebounds on the night. 

Howard Payne and Belhaven (7-5) played each other close in the first period, exchanging leads six times before the Blazers pulled ahead to take a 17-15 lead into the second quarter. They would go on to score on some easy layups while also creating contact and getting to the free throw line. 

By the end of the first half, Belhaven had got to the free throw line 7 times, making 14 of their 15 attempts and finished out the first half on a 14-0 scoring run in the final four minutes. The deficit proved difficult to overcome as Howard Payne struggled to knock down their outside shots all night. Finishing with a dismal 29% shooting from the floor while the Blazers knocked down nearly 50% of their shots from the perimeter. 

Belhaven would come out of the half and stretch their lead to as many 26 points in the 3rd period, burying any chance of a Howard Payne comeback while shooting 56% from the floor in the second half. The Lady Jackets would never get closer than 22 points of the lead the rest of the way and dropped their sixth game on the road this season.  

Next up for the Lady Jackets is another road contest, this time against Hardin-Simmons University on January 12th in Abilene. Tip off is slated for 5:30 PM and the game will be broadcast on KPSM 99.3. For live stats and video, check out HPUSports.com and be sure to follow along on Twitter @HPUwbsk.